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What food stage are you at? When I was at 2 weeks, I was moving to mushies. I ate a lot of Protein -- Beans, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, eggs -- and that helps stem the hunger. My surgeon has you do 2 weeks liquid, 2 weeks mushies, then introducing solids. If you don't have to be on liquids at this point, move to the next stage. I never felt very full with shakes. I only got through the pre-op diet with sheer will power. If you need food ideas, look at the recipe section of this site and there are good recommendations. My personal mushy-stage favorite was fat-free refried beans with taco sauce and low-fat cheese, melted. Sometimes I added a scrambled egg for a fake huevos rancheros. Good luck to you!

I bet you didn’t think you’d see these two words - Valentine's Cheesecake - together in a bariatric nutrition tip, right? Regular cheesecake is laden with fat and sugar. This version can be a treat for Valentine’s Day that provides a good source of protein and some calcium. As a bariatric patient, you don’t have much volume in your stomach pouch. That means that you need to pack in as many nutrients as possible when choosing your foods. This recipe can be used before the pre-surgery liquid diet begins or after surgery when you can have soft and pureed proteins. For RNY gastric bypass patients, that means one week after surgery. For sleeve gastrectomy patients, that means two weeks after surgery. This treat is not only good for your heart, but it’s also good for your muscles and bones. Equipment: Medium mixing bowl Hand or tabletop mixer Serving dish or container that will hold ½ cup (4 oz.) Yield: 6 (½- cup) servings Ingredients 4 oz. fat free cream cheese 16 oz. plain, non-fat Greek yogurt ½ package (1 oz) Sugar Free, Fat Free Jello Instant Pudding Use a flavor of instant pudding you’d like (chocolate, vanilla, cheesecake). 2-3 packets Splenda or other sweetener 4 oz. Cool Whip Free Directions Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Mix cream cheese and yogurt until smooth. Blend instant pudding with cream cheese and yogurt until smooth. Blend Splenda and Cool Whip with other ingredients until smooth. Spoon into ½ cup containers. Adapted from Spark People Recipes Nutrition Information per serving: Calories: 106 Fat: 0 gr Protein: 10 gr Carbohydrate: 12 gr Calcium: 85 mg Enjoy before you go on the pre-surgery liquid diet and after surgery when you can have soft/pureed protein.

Wow...a couple of things here... First, it's totally normal to be more hungry when you workout, even without the band. Your body metabolizes food faster when you're moving around, thus making it work through your system faster. Be careful NOT to drink until at least an hour after a meal. That should slow it down a little. Also, have something small to eat if you are hungry after working out, but be sure it's something higher in Protein. Protein will stay with you longer and make you feel satiated. My doctor told me not to agonize over losing only 2-3 pounds in a month as we're still "looking for my sweet spot". He explained that until I'm where I need to be, I'm really just dieting without help. Sure, we all know that the band is/should be helping along the way, but it's not worth stressing over. Be sure your foods are solids....don't make the mistake I did of eating yogurt and cottage cheese because they're high in protein. They don't stay with you and are considered to be liquid. Eat solids slowly and let them sit in your stomach. I liked the funnel anaolgy. If you put food into the funnel (your modified stomach) and let it work it's way through, it's going to serve you far better than if you run the Water and push it through.... I haven't lost much weight, but I've been exercising. I thought you guys might find it amusing to know---NO LIE---my nutritionist told me to CUT BACK ON THE WORKING OUT!!!! Not something I ever expected. I was doing about 45 minutes of circuit training plus 45 minutes of jogging/walking a day, at least 5 to 6 days a week. Oh, and would it make you feel better to know that I lost 4 pounds that month?! Yes..only 4. LOL. Then, after cutting back, as directed, I only lost 3--just as I anticipated! I was an athlete in college and my body is accustomed to working out 2-3 hours a day. Granted, that was nearly 14 years ago, but once programmed....it's hard to get out of that. Obviously I don't have the time or energy to do that at this age. This is why my nutritionist told me to find some physical activity that would be something sustainable. Meaning, in 3-4 years time, I'll still want/be able to keep it up. Don't make life changes you aren't willing to maintain. They'll just set you up for failure and disappointment. Good luck to all of us! I hope that knowing we're not alone in our frustration makes you all feel as good as it does me. I appreciate your sharing. :smile2:

Nope, no yogurt until puree stage.

I eat mostly Protein, and I still drink Protein shakes. I like chicken (lots of chicken), cheese, Greek yogurt, Jerky and venison. I also eat the Protein Bars. I don't eat a lot of veggies or fruit because I don't usually have room for them. I'm a year out though, so I can eat pretty much anything. I don't though. I am still avoiding breads and most carbs.

And also, in my liquid phase, I am allowed cream soups, yogurt & pudding as long as they're strained before eating.

There's alot of choices for protein at this stage. Greek yogurt, egg muffins, cottage cheese, hummus, chicken salad, tuna salad, cheese, chili, beans (make a Mexican dip), protein water (Trumino, Atkins Lift), soup (no pasta or rice), ground beef, ground turkey or chicken, salmon, fish, sugar free pudding with protein powder, etc. Experiment and see what you like. There's tons of recipes online (Pinterest). Increase your protein and fluids and the scale will move! Good luck!

Greek yogurt low fat cottage cheese ricotta bake bean soups with ham broth (I even pureed the actual ham to add to bean soup)

Haven't been sleeved yet but hoping this is still ok when I am as its soo good. I scoop of Protein powder (vanilla tastes best) 3/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk 3 or 4 ice cubes Small banana Scoop of yogurt of choice Cup of kale Cup of spinach 1/4 frozen blueberries Something to sweeten if you want i use organic blue agave syrup). May need to add a bit more liquid at times I use Water if it needs more. It makes quite a bit I usually give a cup to both my son and fiancé. I'm sure ill have to make it WAYY smaller once sleeved.

I am only two months Post surgery and Since I paid cash did not have to deal with any of the Bullshit you guys did with insurance. I also have a brother 3 months ahead of me so between the two of us we got experience. To put this in perspective I got as confused and buffeted as you guys are on this site. My doctor had support groups and books and flyers and found it all to be one big jumble of a mess that was not easy to understand and Since I am a typical Male - Give me a damn list and i will follow it. So I went a different route and hired a Nutritionist in my area, one that specializes in Medical diets like for cancer! Here is the program that we got calibrated in under two weeks. Not going to give you the fluff just the program - 1. Forget Food - Food is a luxury and to painful to eat and to think you have to eat enough to meet your requirements - My view Screw food - 2. Get a Blood work up from a local lab - Full work up will tell you all your vitamin levels as you currently are - you have a baseline to work off 3. First few weeks are recovery - My view Survive, It sucks! 4. Now its time to set the Nutrition plan - 15 days after surgery 5. Protein shakes from Sams are key, Be careful some shakes are loaded with Carbs and sugar, Sams has the cheapest and the best for you. - FYI I hate protien shakes but trust me this will make your life a lot easier. - Here is my recipe but you need to set your own levels ------3/4 Protein shake, w/ 1 scoop of whey protein, Ice, GNC 50 plus vitamin Powder, Nutricost Pure D-Ribose Powder (250 Grams) , frozen fruit, 2 tablespoons yogurt, and two sugars. i drink a 8oz every morning by 10 am - You will be full of energy - 1/2 Nutrition vit and min. and No way you are hungry. ----- Twice a day i take the following pills - GNC multi vitamin and Cardio vit and Bariatric Vitamin. Around 1:00 and 3:00 - ---- Twice a day i Take a vegetable blend drink with Kale and other nutrients and mixes - I buy the pre made from Sams. That is pretty much it for me every day for the last few months - I don't need any food because i have exceeded my vit and nutrients for the day and the protein. Eating is to much of a pain in the ass to me, Hurts, and Just not worth it, I was going every week for a blood work up - after 5 days of above my levels were perfect, You will feel the difference and energy level will sky rocket! Most of the issues are mental, and i fully understand - But once you plow thru the head games and get calibrated - life is way better! Best decision i ever did

Update on Whole Foods Plant Based diet. I continue to lose weight - I think 3 pounds in the past couple of weeks. I am not yet 100% plant based (still using some Greek yogurt, whey protein, and occasional egg in chaffles), but 90 % plant based. This means a lot more legumes, nuts, seeds and whole cooked grains. I am getting plenty of protein - no issues with that. A lot more carbs, which is so counter intuitive with weight loss, but it is still coming off. This morning before my bike ride I had a bowl of Old Fashioned oats, cooked with quinoa, teff, and amaranth. Added some hemp hearts, flaxseed meal, and barrel cactus seeds (like chia). Sweetened with raisins, and a little banana, with soy milk. Very yummy and filling. I ate this 2 hours before my ride. For lunch I had split pea/lentil soup with carrots, celery, onions. Also some fruit (cantalope and berries.) I added half a scoop of pea protein to the soup. Also had a spoon of peanut butter after my ride. Dinner will be a "Budda" bowl with shredded Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, romaine, spinach, cucumber, tomato, avacado. Cashew nut/nutritional yeast "cheese" mixed with apple cider vinegar for a dressing. Topped with slivered almonds, hazel nuts, dried edamame, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, barrel cactus seeds, and hazel nuts. Cooked beans, butternut squash, and cooked buckwheat on the side. If I have room, I will steam some squash and beans from the garden, along with some broccoli. I may also have a couple mini corn tortillas with refried beans and salsa. Evening snack is soy (or Greek) yogurt with mixed berries, mandarin orange, slivered almonds, and homemade granola. Sometimes I have a square of 80% cacao chocolate. I eat about 2 pounds of vegetables/fruit per day (mostly veggies). Legumes every day, seeds/nuts every day, whole grains every day. I am completely full all the time - never hungry. With prepped veggies always in the fridge, there is always something to grab if I feel the need for a munchie. I feel good - mentally alert, physically strong, sleeping well (better, in fact). I don't feel as "heavy" inside as when I was eating more meat. However, I do have to be careful for bloating and smelly gas. I found this to be a problem with raw broccoli and beans that I cooked without draining the soaking water. Even Beano did not help. Canned beans do not do this. It can be a problem with bypass patients, as our gut biome changes, and it is harder to digest and break down those particular foods. I just have to cook the broccoli and be careful with the home cooked beans. So far, so good. My fear about inadequate protein is completely dismissed. I am getting so much good nutrition and I hope inflammatory markers will be way down with my next lab draw in Feb.

Asking an obese person to diet successfully is like asking an alcoholic to avoid drinking when life is a constant cocktail party. Especially when you are a mom, there is food everywhere, and everyone is always eating. We are bombarded by ads on TV, drive down the street with restaurants and grocery stores all around us, and then as moms have to prepare food for the other family members that we aren't supposed to eat ourselves?? It just doesn't work. I have "successfully" dieted three or four times, losing over 50 lb each time, but ALWAYS gained it back. Sometimes I could keep it off for several years, but nevertheless is always cam back. When you are denying yourself food, it isn't once a day, it isn't twice a day, or even three times a day you are saying no to what you want. It is every minute. We are programmed to take advantage of food availability by genetics and physiology, and it is horribly difficult to overcome. I have been banded 8 months, and have really changed my attitude toward eating. A lot is due to my band conditioning my body and mind that eating is no longer a great pleasure; it is for the first three bites, but after that it is a chore and a duty to provide myself nutrition. Sure, I am occasionally tempted by ice cream and milkshakes, but the temptation is satisfied if I have a small dish of ice cream. My husband commented last night that now with his band, a container of yogurt with a little whipped cream on top satisfies him just as much as a big sundae used to. Eating wisely just isn't the same with a band. You still have to consciously make the choices to eat well and not constantly snack, but the band is a tool that enables you to make that decision correctly.

Thank you all for responding... Sue Magoo really got me with her list of questions. My feet are killing me. Both feet are trying to disable me with repeated bouts of plantar faciaitis which is really painful and limits my exercise. I have enough energy to work, take care of errands, and then collapse. Clothes shopping is absolutely mortifying....size 24-26. Today I have made it through with the liquids (or liquid like stuff). I did not have much to eat though because my Designer whey made me gag. I've tried the Atkins Advantage Premix (low sugars as I am diabetic) strawberry flavor. It was not horrible the time I tried it before. This morning I had one and it tasted like tin can. I had a workmate try it to see if I was having a Vitamin aftertaste or something. She tasted it and said it was bad. I opened another and it was fine. I had two cans of chicken broth and two yogurts. Not enough Water, Protein or calories. Tomorrow I will be visiting a GNC to get some Isopure. I am really hopeful that I like the taste of these because I like the thinner stuff, the thicker chocolate drinks kind of make me gag too. I am wondering if unjury is truly tasteless because Designer Whey Natural was supposed to be and it definitely is not. Yesterday I thought I was dead serious about backing out. Today I am thinking that having the surgery is the right thing to do. I am terrified of the surgery. Literally scared to death. I am worried about what I will eat and what I won't be able to eat. I guess I am just worried in general and I need to get over it and do this thing... Thank you all for being there and responding. I hope I don't have another freak out session between now and the 9th, but if I do, it is a comfort knowing I can vent and you all will talk me in from the ledge.... Did everyone else have a few of these worrying jags because going through with it? What was the worst part so I can expect it? What was the best part of your journey so far. Maybe this will help me when I am feeling weak in my resolve... Sincerely, Molly

If you had asked me a month or two ago, if I had a sweet tooth, I would have said yes!! However, I have noticed that since the preop diet, I haven't had any "cravings" for sweets like before. Before, I could think about a sweet and just have to go get it. I even noticed that when I went out to eat with the family this week, one child ate ice cream and the other ate a piece of cheesecake, I didn't even desire them. Talk about a shock because these are two of my FAVORITE desserts! Having said that, for my Protein shakes on the liquid diet, I did choose the chocolate flavor and now that I am on mushies, my yogurt is key lime pie flavor. So I guess I am getting my sweet fix flavor without the calories of the real thing.

I am feeling really weak today. Hard to focus and just lethargic. I have been drinking my Protein shakes. I have been drinking Water. I have been eating my sugar free Snacks like pudding and yogurt. Is this jus my body going into ketosis? Also I have been taking my multi Vitamins and sub lingual B12 Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Got my pre-op diet today and I was surprised. Granted I don't live in the US and we don't have access to Protein drinks really but I have to have yogurt and juice 3 times a day and chicken and Veg cream Soup for lunch and dinner. I think it might get old but I am assuming it wont make me nauseous. I hope. Anyway, hang in there! YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!

Nykee, I know you've heard this before but I'm going to say it again. PLEASE try to get more Protein in! Do you like cheese? Instead of crap try eating cheese, cold cuts, yogurt, Beans, decent food. I can't imagine what your nutrition levels are like with what you say you're eating, and that probably has a lot to do with your lack of energy and inability to sleep normally. Why do you think you need a fill? If you're restricted so much that you literally cannot eat until evening, you do not need a fill. What you do need to do is get a decent assortment of food in your house so you will start giving your body what it needs to heal and improve. Designing a liquid diet for after a "nice, tight fill" just defeats what the band is all about. This is said with all the respect and affection I have, seriously, I know you can get control if you want to. You've come so far already and now it's time to get smarter about this process. Don't get a fill--change your shopping list. :hug:

I did the Optifast protein shakes, bars and their chicken broth. They weren't bad but I got tired of not being able to eat. (I knew I wouldn't be able to eat "normal" food till several weeks after surgery.) I ate some lettuce, baby carrots, plain tuna, chicken, yogurt, and a few other healthy low carb foods. I lost 12 lbs prior to surgery, but my liver did not shrink. I was still able to have my surgery and all went well. My surgeon was not to concerned about the liver size. I did not get scolded by the dietician for "cheating" the system, but please check with your surgeon and dietician before eating anything.

pumpkin cheesecake (filling only) 1 box instant sugar free Jello cheesecake 1 scoop procel unflavored Protein Powder (optional) 1/2 can Libby pumpkin purée 1/2 container free cool whip 2 c. Fat free milk (I use braums milk as it is higher in protein) Pumpkin pie spice, to taste Mix cheesecake packet with 2 c of milk as package indicates. If you use Protein powder, add it in with the cheesecake powder prior to adding your milk. Fold in 1/2 of the can of pumpkin purée and 1/2 of the container of free cool whip. Add pumpkin pie spice to taste (I add about 1 tsp i guess). Stir into the pudding and refrigerate. Serve cold, makes about 6 - 1/2 c servings (& I THINK it is about 75-100 calories per serving, dependent on brands used for ingredients but input it into my fitness pal or something like that to know for sure ok? i can't remember if I did it for 1/2 c or 1/4 c servings now grrr). Other ideas: egg salad, cottage cheese, light and fit greek yogurts, my favorite cream Soup is cream of chicken with mushrooms (walmart), RTD oh yeah shakes (vanilla cream and strawberries and cream are my current favs). GOOD LUCK!

I know my discouraging threads are becoming a habit around here, but it's just that I have no one to talk to. You know how your stomach is operated by your brain is not? It's just that my hand always reaches for the most fattening snack there is, and my nose keeps smelling the damn pizza place downstairs. And I know I can't eat any of that. My second fill was very successful, I hate that. I can barely eat. I lost like 4 kg, and I know I should be happy, and all my clothes fit better and stuff, but I'm felling like crap. (am I allowed to say that?) I hate not being able to eat. My sugar level is so bad that I am trembling all over the place, I hate the bloody protein shake, and I haven't had a dinner for the last 9 days. Throwing up is my nightly activity, even if all I have is a tomato or a bite of salmon. I hate anything that I am free to eat, like the yogurt that decreases my cholestrol levels (or it will, or so we hope) and I know I'm beginning to go towards the road to destruction once again. I just stacked a bag of mini bounties in my school locker, and I've been sneaking it all day at school. I began to eat the puding instead of the yogurt, and I choose the chocolate biscuits instead of the regular ones. The things I am allowed to like, I can't eat, like tomatoes and cheese or salmon or rice. I think I am going nuts this time. Still, I eat like a bird, and I try to eat even if I'm full and feel disgusted at the end. All this would be OK if I only had a few pounds to go, but I don't. My mother is another story, and her goals are always for me to lose just a little more weight than I intend. My father gives me all this 'poor kid' looks, but whenever I decide to eat, he looks just so sad. I even threw up at school the other day, and it so was not nice. I can't believe my problems about this just don't end!!

Not sure if pureed food is included in full liquids, I know it was not in my program. In my mind full liquids are just that, liquids. Broth, protein shakes, popsicles, a little plain greek yogurt and water was all I had for the first 2 weeks. You need to be really careful since you sleeve is healing.

-My fluid intake is ok. Not getting 64-probably close, around 40-50. Not vomiting, but the other end was acting up I didn't think of that-maybe? It sure feels like I am in stage one or two. I absolutely hate Liquid Protein shakes, however, have not tried the GNC one you mentioned. I will look at those today and see where my GNC is. I have bodylogix currently, and they dissolve awful. I have to whir it in the blender with a banana then let it settle because the air upset s my stomach. I was doing one every other day, but if I had a better product, I would use it more often. Good point! I made a huge pot of turkey broth with veg last night. I was able to drink a cup of broth and no issues. I seem to be very sensitive to any sort of fat, salt, garlic-especially!! and onions. I need very bland food. Is that normal? Thanks! I use MFP as well I guess I need to slow down and go back t othe basics and give myself more time to heal. Thanks for your advice! So it sounds like I am just pushing it too much, which is probably true. I take a multi-Vitamin and was taking B vitamin, however, cannot tolerate it right now. I love greek yogurt but even that feels like it gets stuck-I have had to water it down. But going back to the soft sounds like a great idea and start, and reminding myself that I need to heal and sickness probably made it worse...thanks for the help!

Are you doing any Protein shakes for meal replacement? Are you getting 64oz or more of fluids per day (Protein Shakes count)? Do you take Multivitamins - chewable, liquid, sublingual, or other? I would highly encourage talking to your doctor or nutritionist for their advice. Fluids are very important, especially if you are ill or fighting a cold/flu. unjury makes a great chicken Soup flavored protein mix you can put in Water or broth, Healthwise makes tomato and beef flavors. The aversion to the amount of food is very normal for being a month out, it will get better. The indigestion feeling might be eating too quickly and/or not chewing your food enough. Yes, even mashed potatoes deserve some time in the mouth being "mushed" with the digestive enzymes in your saliva before being swallowed. At one month out, I did a lot of avocado, greek yogurt (plain, 2%) adding my own raspberries for sweetness. Softer foods, not as much solid - that took longer to incorporate.

Agree with Lissa. It also depends on the viscosity of the yogurt. Just a few days post-op I could eat most of the yogurt in a McD's parfait (I tossed the fruit/granola) - actually I probably couldn't eaten all of it wityhout a problem but I made myself stop because it seemed like more volume that I expected - but I could eat not quite 2 tbl of plain Greek yogurt. Some yogurts are not much denser than a sauce.

Way to go! You are getting your head back in the game. Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out. I never use the bariatric store. When you deprive cravings, you want them more. Are there better options that you can buy for sweet and salty cravings? Hope others can jump in here and help with healthy sweet and salty snacks that are more cost effective. make sure food advice fits your food plan.. Sweet: Plain fruit, fruit dipped in sugar free cholate syrup Salad greens, chicken, strawberries, blue cheese and pecans Skinny girl raspberry vinaigrette. Dannon lite n fit Greek yogurt sugar free popsicles Roasted pumpkin and apple drizzled with sugar free maple syrup. sprinkle with cinnamon, (small amount with your protein goes a long way) Salty: Veggies dipped in hummus (cut calories by mixing plain yogurt in hummus) Chicken fajitas or taco salad (no tortilla) Parmesan cheese crisps Cup of chicken broth.