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So my nutritionist has taken a vacation and I'm scheduled to begin my two week liquid pre-op diet tomorrow. Usually my appointments refresh my motivation, and I really needed this appointment because I'm feeling extremely overwhelmed as it is. I have a basic guideline listing full liquids: hot cereals, cream soups, yogurt, pudding, custard, milk, sherbet. And clear liquids. But it doesn't say if I do full liquids for a week and switch, or what to do. Any tips or advice is greatly appreciated! What did you eat... I mean drink during this diet?

Almond milk has very low Protein in it. Use soy if you are having trouble getting enough protein! I use almond milk occasionally now (3 months post op) but when I do I'm using Greek yogurt and a scoop of Protein powder with it in my shake. So I "fix" the low protein aspect of the almond milk. Sent from my iPad using VST

everyones differant thats for sure..I have hashis..Im on armour for thyroid. 1 side of thyroid is dead and shriveled up the other is enlarged..I was going back on forth from hypo to hyper...now stable on ty med..increasing my calories with non ff items and mainly proteins have worked for me. my plan is more ketogenic with high protein...so far so good. I feel for us with sluggish metabolisms . the ff/low fat/sf diet is what got myself where I was but this isn't the case for everyone though. have you had a complete thyroid panel done lately? I get mine done throughout the yr...just throwing this out there not for sure it'll help or not. I understand the physical limitations I struggle with several autoimmune diseases including fibro it can be brutal some days. I noticed you said a sf/ff greek yogurt? I have been settling for the chobani greek it was the lowest on sugar per serving organic and I eat the kroger carbmaster brands their really good. the chobani is what I make the hubs protein shakes/smoothies out of. I'll have one here and there but barely theres to much sugar for me. the only fruit I keep on hand handy is the green grapes their easy to have. Do you use MFP? maybe start using it again to add up everything and kinda see where your at? maybe? IDK...Im sure you are...just throwing that out there..do you think maybe cutting out the rice cakes even though you dont eat often might make a differance in not such a struggle? I can't have grains or white processed items they were my worst enemy for me. another suggestion thats all...congrats on maintaining I hope I'm as successful as you are! thats wonderful! keep us posted

Foods like yogurt are pretty slippery and soft, so you usually don't feel the restriction or satiety with them that you do with something more solid like meat or cheese, so it is quite normal that you can eat more yogurt than the nominal 2-3 ounces that is often stated. I could likewise go through a normal 5-6 oz yogurt serving at that time, though I usually just kept it to 4 oz as that was adequately satisfying for me, and provided enough protein for that particular meal/snack (though by that time I was also throwing in a few berries for added nutrition and variety.)

I agree with the above statements. Because you had complications your stomach may need a little extra time to heal. Mashed potatoes can be kinda rough going down, I would try yogurt, cottage cheese, pudding, and jello. Gradually work your way upto more dense food as time goes on. Best of luck to you.

In Houston I've only been able to find the tiny containers for $1.99 but finally found a big container yesterday at HEB Market for $4.99 (it was by all the organic yogurt, they have an entire section). HTH

I found it at Walmart, they just started carrying it. You might try asking the store manager about getting it. The greek yogurt has more protein in it than the regular yogurt. Greek yogurt has more consistancy (sp). I can only find the plain in the large size (4.??) and the smaller size was in vanilla and plain(1.46). I use splenda and fruit in mine.

I'm eating frozen fruit blended like a smoothie with yogurt, ice, and protien powder. I have been released to eat that or canned in light or natural juices. Hopes this hels

Mine is dannon Greek light&fit yogurt, sugar free water flavorings, waters, Braums skim milk, eggs, cheeses, turkey bacon, jerky, cottage cheese, sugar free pudding mixes, chai spice hot tea bags, tilapia, veggies, fruit, chicken, tuna fish, sugar substitute, great northern beans, ham, refried beans

Amen to all the above posts. I think what we have in common is: 1) A serious committment to exercise. Find something you like and do it consistently. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate; I mostly walk in a park near home. There is a 2 mile nature trail and I carry peanuts for the squirrels. I try to do a minimum of twice around (approx 4 miles) and when I can 3 and even sometimes 4 times around. Until I have daylight again after work, I do Curves and some Water aerobics. 2) Follow the doctors recommendations. Utitlize the resources. Go to group support. Call your doctor if something doesn't feel right. Come here for more support. 3) Make sure to get your Protein in. We all may approach that slightly differently (different brand preferences for Protein shakes for example) but get protein first, then healthy carbs and fats. Be sure to take your Vitamins, Calcium (citrate not carbonate) and B12. 4) Read nutritional labels. Some people like to low carb, others not. I shoot for the lowest sugar and fat first, ideally little or no saturated fat, then I try for the lowest salt and then lowest carbs. I like Cereal, and that is carbs, so I look for the lowest sugar/salt/fat content, as in plain Cheerios, Joe's O's from Trader Joe, or high protein cereals from Kay's Naturals. 5) Find healthy substitutes for old fattening favorites. I am a reformed pizzaholic (I would work out at Curves, pick up a pizza on the way home, and eat the entire thing 12-15 inches!). I now make a crustless pizza (meal portion microwavable dish, cover bottom with 1/3 to 1/2 jar of Ragu Homemade style pizza sauce, cover that with Hormel Turkey Pepperonis, top with (if you like these) peppers and onions (I keep Birdseye Pepper Stir Fry in the freezer for this) and top with Kraft fat free Mozzarella (or Cheddar). Nuke in microwave for 2 minutes to heat and melt cheese. It may be hard to believe, but that will satisfy my craving for pizza (and I live less than a block from a pizza shop). 6) To repeat what someone else said, the band is a tool. For me it helped me control the amount I ate. What I ate was still up to me. I have a quote hanging over my desk from a book I have that says "The band is not around your lips. It is around your stomach. It cannot keep food out of your mouth. Only you can do that." I stay away from concentrated sweets (occasionally I will have a finger full of that gooey icing from commercial cakes--on special occasions or holidays I may have dessert), pizza, subs, junk food (I buy my Snacks from kaysnaturals.com--protein chips and snacks, and cereals). I eat variations on a chicken caesar salad (romaine--use those green bags from TV to store; grilled chicken breast in olive oil or PAM; cut up hard boiled egg, parmesan cheese, light caesar dressing and fat free croutons--sometimes I substitute julienne cut turkey or ham that I find in Mars supermarkets. You may hear light as opposed to fat free in regard to dressings and mayo and that is because for some reason the fat free ones have more sugar, so they feel a little fat and less sugar is the way to go and fat free mayo doesn't taste like mayo, so I use Kraft Light. I recently compared skim milk to light soymilk and the soymilk has less sugar so I switched to that for smoothies and cereal. I plan to try a switch to Greek nonfat yogurt with some sugar free preserves added for the fruit. Most of the yogurts have a lot of sugar. Some foods you may find don't digest as easily after surgery. I don't eat much bread because of that. Other things I eat but carefully, making sure to chew. In restaurants I tend to stick to an appetizer and salad, or Soup and salad rather than a big entree. For me it didn't take a lot of fills. My first fill of 3ccs got partially unfilled 24 hours later and several months later I got a slight fill of 1.5ccs, so I maybe have 3ccs or a smidge more. For some people it takes more. Everyone is different. I have gone from 2X to medium tops and small pants (I wear scrubs at work) and in numbered sizes from women's 22 to misses 12. I am broke from buying clothes (I even found a pair of designer jeans at a thrift store--paid $3.49 for Ann Taylor Loft in size 12) but it is a good kind of broke. Think about thrift stores or outlets for transition sizes to save money, or catalog sales with free shipping specials. If you remember the band is a tool to aid in portion control, and you use it for that, and commit to regular exercise, plus eating healthier and staying away from concentrated sweets, you should do well. Good luck with your journey.

I had my surgery on August 3. I get most of my Protein from fish---mostly broiled tilapia. Sometimes I will have a lean cut of steak or a grilled pork chop, but I tend to stick with fish. I eat sugar free yogurt for protein, too-----and when I have those moments of where I am just starving, a piece of low-fat mozzarella string cheese seems to take the edge off. I'm actually able to tolerate quite a bit of different types of food, but I have to be very careful with rice. TMI here, but the few times I have actually vomited, rice has been involved. So, I tend to stay away from that. Except for a few moments in the couple of days after surgery, I have absolutely no regrets. I love my sleeve and have been able to stop taking medication for Type 2 Diabetes. My blood pressure has been great---sometimes I feel a bit tired, but I think that is just my body adjusting to not consuming the amount of carbs that I was before. Also--my gastric sleeve surgery was my 4th surgery this year, lol. In a time span of 8 months, I had a hysterectomy, removal of my gall bladder and an appendectomy. 2016 has been quite a year!

I follow AmySDMom on Youtube, and she does a yogurt fast once in a while that helps her drop several pounds... kind of like going back to the basics for a reset.

My doctor wasnt even concerned about me meeting my protien numbers until I was onto soft foods...and that was at 4 weeks out... during mushies I ate alot of yogurt, cream of wheat, Beans (pinto, black, lentils) from Amy's Organic Soups, and grits....I refused to use the blender....oh and cheese on my beans...

Any suggestions for the "Creamy" stage? I move onto that tomorrow. Looking forward to some scrambled eggs with shredded cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese but would welcome any suggestions. Tired if this full liquid stage already. I'm post-op day 16. Thank you in advance!

I'm 7 weeks out and doing well. I feel like myself, but the first 4 weeks the meal plans were out of the ordinary, I found I hardly had any hunger but I made sure to meet my requirements for liquid intake and protein. I'm on regular food now and although I can't eat much, I can eat about 1/2 to 1 cup of food which allows a piece of meat, fish or chicken, salad, fruit, veggies, maybe a little low carb treat, a few whole wheat crackers with tuna or chicken salad, cheeses, lunchmeat, yogurt...and I feel so much better over 60 lbs lighter including pre-op weight loss! You can so do this!

Daily is supposed to be the norm but I find a lot of us suffer from constipation. I take Colace probably about once a week and try to increase my Fiber with ruffage like lettuce and broccoli. I just can't eat a ton of it, so I supplement. You don't want to get backed up and you DON'T want to wait until you're in pain to address the problem! A lot of people like flax seed or chia seeds to add fiber to their yogurt and what not. I can't do chia and I've never tried flax.

I work in food service we can not eat or drink in our department. Very hard to get liquid in. Have to walk out of dept to break room to consume liquid. My food choices also aren't great there is a protein loaded "Fiesta dip" great on a spoon. It takes me 2 days to eat one thing of yogurt. 1 grilled chicken breast is 3 meals. Haven't figured it out yet but see Dr see 1st and nut on the 11th. Hope I get some help.

I drink bottled Water. I find it easier to make sure I get it in and one 16.9 oz bottle isn't as daunting as a big gulp container. Four bottles and you have your daily goal met. As far as food goes, I eat fish and steamfresh vegetables mostly. I buy the cod fillets that are individually wrapped. After it is unthawed, I season it and saute it in olive oil or coconut oil. One bag of vegetables will last me the whole week. I have grilled steak once a week, grilled, baked or sauteed chicken also. I eat a serving of fresh fruit every day. On days that I exercise I have a GENEPRO Protein shake in the morning and I have an afternoon or evening snack of Fage yogurt with fruit. On days that I exercise (5-6 days a week), I have approximately 1,100 calories, 80 to 96 ounces of water and 90 to 100 grams of protein. I don't eat Protein Bars at all. I don't eat sugar free or fat free anything. I hope this helps as an example.

1 egg omelet with bacon and cheese is my favorite breakfasts Quest bar or Natures Valley Protein Bar when I'm in a super rush Huevos rancheros sans tortilla..... Refried Beans, egg, cheese and green chilis. I make a crustless quiche out of eggs, unflavored Protein Powder, turkey, spinach, cheese and mushrooms. The protein powder kind of stiffens up the quiche so I can cut it into squares, freeze them, and then pop in the microwave for a quick, easy breakfast. I do the same with protein pancakes (just add extra eggs and unflavored protein powder to Kodiac Cakes mix)....make a big batch, freeze them and pop in the microwave for 30 seconds. Bobs Red Mill 10 grain hot Cereal two ways...."sweet" by adding vanilla protein powder and blueberries, or "savory" with unflavored protein powder, cheese and Hormel bacon pieces. Greek yogurt with Kashi Go Lean Cereal or All Bran cereal (gotta have my fiber!)

I made strained soups like shrimp bisques, cream of chicken. Made egg drop last night. Smoothies. Unjury chicken soup protein powder is great. I like the dannon fit toasted coconut yogurt. Unflavored protein powder is good. Synthrax Nectars are good for fruity options. I've not been into chocolate lately. May give it a whirl today. Just being open to my taste buds right now . I've not have any nausea or vomiting...I think they are doing a good job for now.

Yes we have all felt the need to "eat/chew" something. Totally normal. As mentioned previously however just because you can does not mean should. I recommend spacing out your allowed foods. When I was on mushies I was allowed 8 oz of tomato soup (or sweet red pepper whatever but vegetable, smooth and low fat/cal); I'd wait an hour and then have the yogurt of cottage cheese. If I ate everything in one setting I would be both head and body hungry in an hour. If you are hungry eat more of the foods you are allowed. Don't eat pizza or fries. A bit of a lecture. If pizza, fries and chicken fingers are bad for you they are bad for your children. Feed your kids versions of what you are eating. They literally won't starve. If they are hungry enough they will eat it.

I wanted to share this with anyone who is interested. It is info that I got from my doctor. Thought it may help those who are in the first few weeks, like me. BANDLIFE... THE BEGINNING (FIRST 4 TO 6 WEEKS) Healing Key points about healing Take it easy, because your number one job in the coming weeks is to heal. You'll also break from some of your old habits and take on some new ones. How does the band work? The band is connected by a thin tube to an access port. Your access port sits just under your skin. Almost all surgeons leave the band empty after placing it because your stomach is swollen from the operation. There's already a natural tightness around the "stoma" (the opening between the upper and lower stomach). If the band was filled, food would have a hard time passing through the stoma. As the swelling goes down, you'll most likely need an adjustment (or a "fill"). Healing do's and don'ts Right now, your stomach is sewn over the band. As you heal, the tissue around your stomach will form scars, which anchor the band in place to help keep it from slipping. As your band settles in, there are some things you can do to make sure it doesn't slip: Do NOT do any heavy-duty exercise or lifting (like kids or bags of groceries) in the first few weeks after surgery. You don't want to strain yourself. DO get up and around as much as you can. After surgery, keeping your blood flowing will help prevent blood clots or pneumonia. Go ahead and take a walk. It will also help move some of that gas you're probably feeling in your belly. DO stick to the liquids-only diet as long as your doctor asks you to. Typically, this lasts for the first 2 weeks because eating things that can make you throw up or make your stomach churn as it tries to digest thicker food can cause the band to slip. Do NOT take a bath, swim, or soak in any Water until your cuts are healed over. You don't want to run the risk of getting an infection. Most doctors say to wait at least 1 week. But ask if it's OK to shower. Do NOT smoke after surgery. Smoking slows down the blood flow all over your body and slows down the healing process. The general rule about healing is "slowly but surely." Going back to work Most people go back to desk jobs in about 1 week, sometimes sooner. If your work is more physically demanding, you'll want to take more time. If you feel tired or feel any pain, do NOT push it. During this time you should call your doctor if something feels wrong. Call if you: Notice that your surgical area becomes red, unusually warm or tender There's drainage oozing You have a fever of 101° F or higher Have serious belly pain Are dizzy Are short of breath Have bad nausea and are vomiting If you need to go to the hospital, tell them that you have a LAP-BAND and show them your patient ID card. Then make sure they call your surgeon. Eating and Drinking While your stomach is healing, you have to be extra careful and extra gentle. You'll have to start listening to your body in a new way to see how it feels and what it needs. There are 3 eating phases following your procedure, and you should speak with your doctor about how long each one should last for you. Phase 1: Clear liquids These are liquids that you can see through, such as: Water Sugar-free juice without pulp Tea Strained broth Do NOT drink anything carbonated. Sodas and seltzer water can bloat and stretch your pouch. Stick to Clear Liquids as long as your doctor instructs. "Full liquids" are things like skim milk, low-fat yogurt without chunks of fruit, blended Soups, Protein Drinks, and anything low-fat and low-sugar that you can sip through a straw. Some doctors will keep you on full liquids for the first 2 weeks. But the amount of time in any one phase can vary. So find out what your doctor wants you to do. Phase 2: Soft foods This includes foods that are low-fat, moist, and mushy. You want to stay away from anything chunky, chewy, stringy, or solid that can get stuck inside the stoma. Your masher, food processor, or blender will come in handy. Good breakfasts are: Cooked cereal Eggs Ripe bananas Lunches and dinners include: Low-fat cottage cheese Soft broiled fish Mashed potatoes In this phase you'll need to take really tiny bites and chew them well. You want to make sure your food goes down easily. But successful weight loss won't happen if you stay in this phase too long. Soft, mushy foods that are high in calories or that you are eating all day long can keep your weight on. Phase 3: Solid food Regular, solid, but well-chewed food that's high in Protein stays in your pouch longer and gives you a full feeling sooner. Your doctor may or may not want you to eat solid food before the first adjustment. Please ask so you know for sure. Drinking You want to stay hydrated, so drink water in slow sips. Cold water can cause your stomach to spasm, so try water that's room temperature or warm. When you move into the soft food phase, get into the habit of drinking between meals and not before, during, or right after you eat. You don't want to wash food through your stoma. What's Next Even though your goal is to lose at least half of your excess weight in the first year, do not expect to lose much weight during the first 4 to 6 weeks. Some people do lose weight, but others don't. Don't get discouraged if you don't see the pounds fly off right away. As the swelling goes down in your stomach, your stoma will naturally widen and you may not get that full-feeling signal. You'll see big changes once your band is fine-tuned with a fill or several fills, and once you're eating solids, especially protein, you'll feel full faster. Right now it's most important to stick with your instructions, ask questions if you don't know the answer, and pay attention to how you're feeling.

I was banded on 12-29 and have been eating between 600 to 1100 in calories per day. Lost 20lbs in the first 6 1/2 weeks. Pound up or down for the last 6 1/2 weeks. I see where people list what they've eaten for the day & it seems like it is so much less than what I've eaten. I can eat 1/2 to 1 cup of greek yogurt for Breakfast or cottage cheese, Soup, etc but others list "I can only eat a few bites" or 1/4 cup of whatever. I do measure all my food so I'm just concerned that I'm eating too much volume instead of watching my calories like I've been doing. Had 3cc in band from surgery & I requested a fill last week since I could eat pretty much anything. Now have 4 1/2 ccs and am eating softer foods for a few more days. Opinions?

Hi! Welcome to the forums! How much weight you will lose in the first week(s) of liquid diet really depends on many things. Did you lose alot of weight already before starting liquids? Are you "full" liquids, or "only" liquids ("full" liquids includes soups, some cereals, yogurts, etc...). Is your starting weight on the high or low side? Are you on your period? Salt-intake? These and so many other factors will affect your weight/water weight loss that first week(s). My pre-op diet was for two weeks and consisted on 3 protein shakes a day (though sometimes I only had 2). Total calories per day for those two weeks were between 450-675 (each protein shake was 225 cals). I lost 8 lbs the first week, then 3 lbs the second. I started at 235, and had not lost any weight prior to starting the 2 week pre-op diet.

I think way too much. I just tracked everything for the past couple days and I am shocked. But just this week I started feeling better and eating better so breakfast: 1 cup of oatmeal or 1-2 scrambled eggs with cheese Protein shake : 3 scoops. I blend it with ice and do it all at once. Comes out to almost 2 cups. Will drink 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. snack: laughing cow cheese lunch: 1 egg beat made in crepe style some refried Beans and cheese snack: rest of my Protein Shake or a greek yogurt with protein or a pudding with protein dinner: Soup or if I am feeling okay some tuna or chicken salad. I am averaging 900-1000 calories a day 70 grams of protein and some 50grams of carbs. I think its too much my husband thinks its too little and my body is in starvation mode. Who knows ???