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I was lucky (-ish) that I only had to do it for 5 days prior to surgery. My only tips are - wean yourself off of caffeinated coffee because you won't be able to have it during recovery - drink Gatorade if you're allowed. It'll help give some energy and keep you from getting a headache - likewise, I drank chicken broth every day to help get something warm and to get some salt. You're essentially preventing a "keto flu" here. I was honestly surprised that I didn't have any headaches during those few days. - I had freezer meals ready for my family so that I wouldn't have to cook for them. My husband could just handle dinner easily. (Not that he's incompetent or something. He had to work and help with watching 3 kids. Me not having to cook was helpful.) Other than that, try and keep yourself distracted. I watched a lot of TV, played video games, and generally tried to not think about wanting to eat. It wasn't terrible but I definitely hated it. Day 2 was awful. Beyond that, things were easier to handle. Good luck! --- RNY 9/10/20 HW: 245 Day of surgery: 225 CW: 218

Meal planning and food prep will probably help you resist in the future. I am 6 months out and meal prep weekly so i always have things on hand. I am a true food addict and I need to fight my addiction every hour of every day. Are you eating keto? Look up the Holy Grail Fathead Pizza crust recipe on Ditchthecarbs.com http://www.ditchthecarbs.com/2015/04/23/fat-head-pizza/ . I make it ahead and after it comes out of the oven I divide into mini servings (my servings are smaller than the recipe says) and I throw the servings into a ziplock. i have it on hand whenever I crave pizza, bagels, etc. It is seriously better than regular pizza. It will also not make you crave carbs and is filling in a healthy way. As a food addict, having foods readily available to me that will prevent a binge on something crappy is key and it is the only thing that will make me successful with this tool. I hope this helps. I would suggest that you meal prep right away and try to choose foods with your macro goals. Not sure what your macro goals are, but 70% fat, 25% protein and 5% carbs has worked for me and keeps me satiated so I don't want to binge eat. Keto has saved my life. Myfitnesspal will show you your macros if you record all your food. Stay strong!!!!

@TheRealSergio I felt pretty overwhelmed by the idea of being dependent on drinks/powders and not having room for anything but protein when I was your stage post-op. I'm currently 8 months out. I assure you it got easier once I was released to full foods and was able to experiment more. My husband is diabetic and decided to clean up his eating to accomodate my dietary needs as well. We've had to figure out the best ways to make the main portion of our dishes as high in protein as possible, and that has meant experimenting with spices, rubs, etc. It has been fun. I regularly hit keto, paleo, and bariatric foodie sites and message boards to explore my options. I do eat vegetables, just not very large portions, but try to combine them with a protein rich item. I don't eat bread by choice as I am one of the unfortunate sleevers who has dumping syndrome. I don't miss it and even at 8 months out, I am amazed at what I don't miss and how much my tastes have changed. There are days that I don't meet my protein goal, but I just try to do better then next day. I have had a ready to drink shake here and there while traveling as it was the most convenient and healthier option at the convenience store. Congratulations on your weight loss. I hope you'll be able to find something that works for you. Best wishes to you.

Actually if you are completely keto-adapted you have no need of carbs. Reference the Inuits who eat nothing but protein and fat year-round (in their native environment before McDonalds marched in probably) - there was even a doctor who lived with them 11 years eating what they ate and was completely normal. You mention protein to repair the muscles - yes, protein is needed, and fat is needed for fuel. There is no need for glucose if you consume adequate fat. http://www.amazon.com/Art-Science-Low-Carbohydrate-Performance/dp/0983490716/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1434031729&sr=8-2&keywords=phinney+and+volek The authors of the above book say "low carb" rather than "no carb" b/c in our world, realistically we aren't going to avoid every single carb. If you avoid ALL processed foods, and potatoes, corn and peas, you can probably eat most of the other fruit and vegetable carbs on a limited basis. However, I suspect the OP is actually just having the typical 3 week post-op stall. She doesn't say when her surgery was, but the amount of weight loss makes me suspect that. Also if she is fairly early post-op and eating even small amounts of crackers and bread, she's probably not getting all her protein in.

With COVID we aren't having a family get-together. It's just me and hubby. I'm making some Keto sausage balls and keto brownies and that's about it. We aren't big on tradition so not having the turkey and trimmings isn't a big deal to us. Hubby and I are on the Carnivore (stricter Keto) diet so we wouldn't be eating much different than any other day anyway. Focus on Thanksgiving as being with family as opposed to being about food.

Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App I keep seeing people say coconut oil, but real Bulletproof coffee uses MCT Oil, not coconut oil. They are not the same thing. Bulletproof coffee requires MCT oil and unsalted grassfed butter, both are needed because both provide different things. I left a bunch of my Keto and low carb Facebook groups because I was sick of people spreading misinformation about Keto, bulletproof and just nutrition in general. @@woo woo Keep using your premier shake.

This is a question I have asked myself also. I see that studies show plant based diets are proven to be very healthy and so, I questioned basing my diet on protein. I now do plant based, low carb, but not keto low and healthy fats. I have gained about 5/6 lbs and seem to stay there as long as I don't add processed foods or sugar to my diet. My blood work #s are excellent. I am experimenting with intermittent fasting 8:16, hoping it will help me drop a few more.

Arabesque, You are describing my journey! Low BP, low blood sugar, most of the time, light headed, lose my balance easily. Drinking Propel and other sugar free electrolyte replacement, making sure I have frequent small “meals”. Fortunately, hubby goes out walking with me because I’m afraid I could pass out! This is why I was never able to do Keto pre-op. I guess some of us are just predisposed to these issues. Thanks, and I do hope things have gotten better for you? Please tell me it goes away? I’m so light headed, I think it officially makes me an airhead Lol.

I wanted WINGS!!!!! Is like we are alcoholics....and there alcohol EVERYWHERE and we can't drink it. The smells are amazing when we can't eat anymore of it. Honestly, we are addicted to carbs, candy sweets...and now we made a decision COLD TURKEY to not eat it again. I will never judge anyone with addictions again. It takes a great deal of strong will to stop eating the things we loved. Then again, our stomach is so small that we couldn't eat more then 2 oz at the time.lol....I am 3 weeks post surgery. I miss the wings..but I am going to try the Keto diet...all the bread free wings I can fit in three oz belly!!

My nutritionist said I couldn't take psyllium capsules. She said due to the nature of the sleeve they could get caught outside the stomach and choke me or something like that. I did use psyllium when I did keto and they worked well though. Wish I could use them again. Anyways miralax will help keep things soft but not necessarily moving. Occasionally have to take a laxative to keep things moving.

My nutritionists wanted me to do several things: 1) Focus on getting a protein as part of every meal. Ideally a lean protein, but they never balked at peanut butter on an apple as a snack. Low-sugar yogurts are good. Light string cheese is good. Eggs are good. 2) Get a fruit (up to 1/2 cup or 1 fruit) or a vegetable with each meal. 3) Switch from simple to complex carbohydrates. If you're going to have bread, make it whole grain--and after your protein. They weren't like "take away potatoes" (though they did encourage me not to count those as a vegetable :)), but they were like "switch from white rice to brown rice." 4) Take small bites, chew a lot, eat mindfully, put the fork/spoon down between every bite. No wolfing down food in the car, no open bags of chips in front of the TV. 5) Get 8 cups or more of water per day. If it has Mio in it, or it's an herbal tea or a decaf coffee, that's totally fine. Sugary beverages are a big no, and caffeinated beverages don't count. 6) Stop having carbonated drinks. (This is the one that I balked at the most, honestly. I knew I'd need to give them up post-op, but I had really planned to keep enjoying them until I had to stop.) If you really must have that diet soda, let it go flat first. And I mostly followed that -- I won't lie: at least two croissants, no small amount of Chicago style popcorn, and several servings of pizza crossed my lips over the course of the two months I mostly-followed these guidelines -- and lost 6 pounds each month. I need to lose a bit more quickly, so I've changed things around a bit -- doing a low-fat ketogenic diet which has me down near 1000 calories a day -- in order to meet my doctor's arbitrary weight goal in time to get my surgery this fall. But the rules above were pretty good, and the flexibility to break them--just a little, and only very rarely--was nice. (I hate keto. I hate that a single piece of fruit will wreck up my system for over a day. But it is a very efficient way to lose weight with mostly manageable hunger. And those refried beans in the mushy food stage will taste SO GOOD to me. I miss beans.)

Well at least I'm not necro-posting. I hate when that happens! And hey! Speaking of thanks! LOL. Thanks for plugging my keto blog! (Not much to see there folks--especially since I quit updating and keeping it active a few years ago due to terrible lymphedema leftover from cancer surgery and lymph node removal.)--which is probably not that helpful to most of you since it's based on eating substantially more cals in a day than most of us can manage now, and for most of us, the recipes have too high of a fat content (especially us bypassers). Maybe one day when I'm healthy and fit (hey, I can dream!), I will either continue the blog with an update about my WLS journey and begin a new section devoted to bariatric low carb eating--which for me is protein adequate, "lower-er" fat aka moderate fat, and low carb. But for the foreseeable future, I do not envision that happening any time soon. Although, the blog does still help a lot of people -- mostly those ketoneers who do not have altered gut anatomy and have to balance the challenge of eating a very low calorie diet while trying to satisfy their daily protein needs for a healthy life like we do here at BP.

Hey Fluff, thanks for the bump. While I realize you do not value this information or believe in it's relevance, I do appreciate that your comments keep it moving up the board so that others who might find it of value can find it. By the way, how's business? Sell any of your keto cookbooks lately? http://fluffychixcook.com/ Cheers:)

Hi all. I was sleeved 4/4/17 and have plateaued and just upset w myself. I do the protein first but maybe not enough water. I don’t know. I would like to figure out my macros and try the keto diet. mi75 or Biloxigirl any suggestions? Please and Thanks

You are doing the right thing by taking back control. Reread the information and advise you were given at surgery. Check your water intake, are you drinking enough? Be mindful of what you are eating, time, amounts and snacks. Eat tasty salads and soups for your veggies and eat your protein first. youve got this, be kind to yourself. you may also want to check in with a nutritionist, Keto/Atkins ect aren’t always good for everyone

I had my gastric sleeve done in October ‘16. On the day of my surgery I was 207 lbs and by July ‘17 I was 144. I loved that weight. Initially after surgery I had no hunger. I could barely consume 200 calories a day for the first 4 months. For a long time after that, I struggled to get to 800 calories. My surgeon wanted me to increase my caloric intake bc I wasn’t eating enough. And honestly I really didn’t want to eat solids. Fast forward to Spring ‘18. I was ravenous. Still am. I’m hungry all the time. I’ve had some regain. Currently I’m 160, and I’m 5’1”. Not exactly obese but not as lean as I used to be. Based on my physiological composition 135 is ideal. This took a long time for me to accept as according to the BMI chart for someone my height, my weight should be between 97- 132 lbs. 133 lbs was my goal, but I would be happy to be back at 144lbs. Any advice? What can I do to stop the hunger pangs? I’ve begun keto, but have found the dairy keeps me looking and feeling bloated. Atkins? And can we eat as much as we want until we feel full? Or do we still have to adhere to small servings like during post-op stage 4? Also, I feel so guilty I can now eat a lot more than during my first year post-op, I feel like I don’t have the restriction, and I’m scared to come to terms with this. I definitely don’t serve myself the way I did pre-op, but I’m guessing that’s just bc I’m in fear of gaining more weight. Could I have stretched out my sleeve? Any feedback from this amazing community would be so useful! Thanks everybody :)

Hi! As school is getting ready to vamp up, I am trying to prepare for the year. My family is extremely picky and I know I need to start now making changes in their diet so they can support me. I am only 10 days post op but I was looking to build my meal planning box. Was curious if those that are further out see any similarities between keto diets and the eating requirements post sleeve. Do you have a favorite website for recipe ideas? It would be great if I could cook once and eat a small portion and my family could have normal portions. Thanks for your help.

Hello just wanted to share some good information per the Keto Lifestyle! Good luck with your journey [emoji5]!!! https://kickincarbclutter.blogspot.com/2017/06/getting-into-ketosis-after-bariatric-surgery.html?m=1 mybariatricjourney

My surgery is feeling very real now, having just booked a taxi to get myself to the hospital on Sunday morning (April 25th). The hospital is a 1hr drive away which isn't great (largely because of the added taxi expense) but there was a 12 month wait at my nearest hospital whereas its only been 1 month since my initial phone call to this one (I'm in the UK, paying privately). I've lost 24lbs in a bit over 3 weeks of pre op diet and got a 50lb total loss from my highest weight a year ago today as I did keto for 11 months before the pre op. I've come a long way over the last year, and regularly cook, shop for and have in the house lots of foods that previously I couldn't have resisted (I'm taking about you, pizza, ice cream and biscuits) without finding it a problem. I've also happily gone through the drive through with my (slim) husband and felt perfectly content with my protein water. There was a question earlier about doubts following a successful pre op diet. For me, having lost a lot of weight in the past and losing quickly on my pre op, I'm happy to have surgery. Research shows that for many reasons including hunger hormones, metabolism and fat cell activity weight loss surgery makes it significantly easier not just to lose weight but to maintain that loss. The way I see it from my research and experience is that losing weight through diet leaves you slim but in a body that physiologically is doing everything it can to get you back to being fat. Surgery leaves you slim in a body that has in a sense been reset to being slim and is not trying to get fat again. Do it by diet and you'll be left fighting your body as well as your mind to maintain. Do it by surgery and you don't have to fight your body, just keep control of your mind. That's much more achievable. Preparation wise I've got lots of protein water and shakes ready that I know I like plus chewable bariatric vitamins. I'm feeling very settled on the liquid diet which I'm glad about as I think it'll make the post surgery transition easuer. I've treated myself to a new pair of headphones with alexa built in to make my hospital time and recovery a bit more convenient. I bought a giant cosy dressing gown for a bit of comfort. And I've sorted all my outdoor sports gear /books /maps etc which have ended up in the loft after a blissful period having lost 140lbs about 12 years ago that didn't last very long before it all came back. I've read a whole load about bariatric surgery and nutrition and have lots of self improvement books lined up to read or listen to to help me keep working on me, not just my weight and relationship with food. I'm so excited about my new life and feel very determined and prepared. Loads of waffle there... Can you tell I'm excited?! Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk

Ah I see I have only had 2 and never had the chance to get them tested to see what they were made of. I know that is a key in stones so you can figure out what excess minerals are there. We're your stones Calcium? Is that what you mean by the levels going down? So were you on medication to help prevent kidney stones? I am glad to hear you haven't had issues. Stones are the worst! I seemed to get mine around the time that I was following a keto diet. So that could have been the cause.

You have to try Peatos, they are game changers. They taste like junk food without any strange health-food texture or aftertaste, but they are healthy. They are made from peas and lentils and taste like hot Cheetos, funyons, etc. I have done keto a lot in my life and try all of the low carb breads, pastas and snacks. These are the best snack for me. Variety 15-pack is 20.00 on Amazon and they have 4g protein and only about 6-11 net carbs a bag (depending on flavor) Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using BariatricPal mobile app

Hey there! Just had a revision from sleeve to bypass on February 3. I'm very curious about dumping and what one's body will and won't tolerate after surgery. What happens if you eat a few French fries? A bite of a burger? Bacon? A fat-laden keto meal? A few spoons of ice cream? A bite of pasta? An onion ring? Do you immediately feel ill and nauseous? Can you handle any fat in your diet? Any sugar? Please do share your experiences with me. I know everyone's different but also want to imagine what lies ahead. Thank you!

As everyone has said it is to support the healing of your tummy & not to stress & strain it. Remember all those sutures & staples holding your tummy together. Think how you would protect a large wound & sutures on your arm or leg & how long that would take to heal. Purées are thicker which is why they are the stage after liquids. They should still be runny but not watery like the liquid stage. With soft foods think slow cooked, fall of the bone tender, minced meats, braised, etc. Foods that needs some chewing but not a lot. Think how much work your tummy has to do to digest thicker & then more solid denser foods. Plans differ but they also have a lot of similarities too. Some surgeons, like mine, tailor the pre & post diets to their patient. Some have specific requirements based upon their experiences. The best advice is always to follow the one you were given. But of course you can ask your surgeon & dietician why your plan is as it is & you may be able to negotiate slight adjustments based upon your recovery & needs. Yes, some plans recommend avoiding certain foods & liquids to not aggravate your healing. After surgery, we tend to produce extra stomach acid, hence why many are prescribed PPIs for a period after surgery. Carbonated drinks, caffeine, etc. can stir up the acid in your tummy causing discomfort & reflux symptoms. We’re told to avoid foods like rice, pasta & bread because they tend to swell in your tummy, filling you quickly. Remember your focus is on getting in your protein & that can be challenging enough in the post surgical stages. These foods also have little nutritional value. Consuming nutritionally dense food is important while you can eat so little to ensure you’re getting in the vitamins, minerals, etc. your body needs. While losing many of us are advised to follow the rule to eat your protein first, then vegetables as you can, then high fibre carbs only if you are able. If you can only eat 1/4 - 1/3 cup of purée & soft food to begin like I was, why eat food that fills you without giving you the nutrients your body needs. It also gets you starting to think about your food choices & the quality of the food you are eating. I still follow a lot of this: protein first, nutritionally dense foods, etc. Foods like peas & potatoes are considered higher in sugar & in starch (which converts more quickly to sugar). They’re not included in keto diets. Not saying you’re on a keto diet but you’ll notice influences from lots of different diets & eating styles on your food recommendations while losing. The reason why we’re advised to avoid dried fruit is you tend to eat more dried fruit than you would eat them as fresh. We can easily eat several pieces of dried fruits but remember 2 dried apricots is 1 apricot, a prune is a plum. Their sweetness is concentrated too in their dried form so you are continuing to feed your desire for sugar. Same with juice. Honey is just another firm of sugar. This is an opportunity to break some of your food dependencies & cravings. For many of us lots of foods become super sweet & quite awful to eat too during these first months when our tastebuds become extra sensitive. Many are able to go back to eating small amounts of restricted foods while losing or in maintenance. Personally I still don’t eat potatoes, rice, bread or pasta. I find them too heavy & I feel blah on the odd occasion I’ve tried them since I lost my weight. But that’s me. The first months are the most challenging because the food you likely depended upon to comfort, soothe & make you happy has been taken away from you. So you think about & crave them more. But food doesn’t actually comfort you or make you happy you just think they do. Realising & understanding this is part of the head work we all have to do. This whole process is about breaking poor eating habits, poor food choices & establishing new habits, introducing new foods, etc. & discovering what works best for you. The most restrictive aspects of the diet are only for a short period of time & are to benefit your immediate health & recovery. The long term changes you will choose to make are to enable you to maintain a lower weight & live a happier, more active & healthier life long term. Sorry for the 10 000 word response.

My Foods were: Chicken - I could not wait to have baked chicken that was not in broth. Tomatoes - I did not like tomatoes before surgery and then all of a sudden, I was craving them. Pears - I love pears Corn - I do not know why but I wanted corn on a cob with some butter. Watermelon - I love them but the seeds were a no go. I did not have watermelon until I was about 3 - 4 months out. Turkey - I missed having a turkey sandwich Less Healthy: Pork Bacon and Red Meat. I have not been one for bacon and red meat in general but after surgery, I wanted it like crazy. I got my fill when I tried Keto and now I am back to barely eating it.

@MAQ You brought up a great point. I’m on low carb/600 calories, 7 weeks out from revision vsg to rny, and my weight loss has been sooooo slow! Only 5 pounds lost in January! I don’t know what to do and my surgeon’s office has been less than helpful. Since I’m in ketosis, I thought the weight would fall off. I didn’t wanna eat too much fat that’s why I didn’t do Keto and figured I have more than enough stored body fat to use. May I ask what your daily macros are How many grams of fat, carbs, protein do you eat daily?