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LOL! I too was one of those girls.. and I am going to miss my wine! I committed to giving it up after having this conversation with my surgeon. He explained, which I already knew, that wine has carbs and sugars that will make you fat. Liquor, on the other hand, will not ever may you fat on its own. The body converts alcohol to ketones, which are either burned off as energy or eliminated. He told me that he doesn't tell people not to drink, because he understands that it's just what some people do. His advice to me was to choose top shelf liquors because they are made from superior grains, and mix them with zero calorie mixers. He also said that if I do decide that I want a glass of Chardonnay once in a while, buy a nice bottle of it and savor it, rather than knocking back a big bottle of Barefoot. All perfectly agreeable alternatives as far as I'm concerned. I'm only seven days out...so it will be a while before I have any adult beverages, but when I do, I am considering a nice fresh watermelon martini!

I was told no alcohol for a year after surgery.

@@salmon77, Are you able to enjoy hanging out with your friends if you’re not drinking and they are? If so, maybe that’s the way to go. Otherwise, it may be time to see if they are willing to do non-drinking-related activities sometimes, and just hang out with them during those times. Alcohol will never exactly be good for your diet, of course, but in terms of when it’ll be “safe” – well, it’s not great. Definitely wait a little longer until the sleeve completely heals. Then if you choose to drink, know that your tolerance will be way less than it used to be. You won’t be able to handle as much. It also may be worth thinking about a few years down the line. You may find yourself at a point in your life when drinking isn’t the only thing to do: maybe you’ve just arrived there a little sooner than you thought. Whatever you do, do it responsibly!

How far along are you when was yur surgery ? I started with eggs and crumbled Turkey sausage and that's all I've had room for today. I definately can feel the restriction. I'm actually worried about not being able to get in enough calories when it's time to switch to soft food only. The one thing that is regrettable about the surgery right now is I've totally lost my love of WATER. I drank nothing but Water (and alcohol) over the past couple years and now I have no thirst or want of water. That kinda sucks Sent from my SM-G935T using BariatricPal mobile app

I think you make some very valid points. There is a not too subtle message out there from many sources that says if we want to be a normal weight we must eat things we don't like and don't eat things we do. Do you think thin people think this way? No. My former nutritionist said there is only one purpose for eating - nutrition. Really? Food is an integral part of our social network. Have you ever been to any social or holiday gathering that didn't involve food? And what did they serve? Tofu? No. Food has a lot of tradition with different ethnic groups, too. And carbs have been demonized. The poor baked potato is the cause of our obesity? Obvioulsy making wrong food choices on a daily basis is wrong. But it doesn't make you a bad person for longing for your grandmother's banana bread or a big mac. And there is nothing wrong with having a bit of either once in a while. If a person's band is so tight that many or most foods are eliminated from your diet, then they should re-think about getting a slight unfill. And this is especially true if you are vomiting, have heartburn, reflux or pain. Those of us who are obese have been made to feel guilty about eating all our lives. Food is bad. I remember doing a mental mantra "Food is evil". Food is not evil. Thin people don't look at it that way. Maybe we should quit studying about what makes us obese and study what allows adults to remain thin all their lives. Do you observe thin people when you are out eating? Aren't they eating pizza, fried foods, etc.? They are where I go. But they probably do it once a week, not every day. We've got to stop demonizing food and our desire for things that taste good. It's okay to want to be able to eat all the stuff that tastes good. It's just not good to actually eat it on a regular basis. We can come up with a way to incorporate it into our lives without it causing a problem. Maybe some are like recovering alcoholics who can never have alcohol again, but I suspect most of us can handle the occasional cookie, piece of pizza, etc... without going overboard.

I'm right there with you....and I told myself I wouldn't do this! I'm not drinking alcohol though... I'm not really a drinker so its not something I will miss. But, I've been eating so much! I cannot wait til surgery!

For me so far, the hardest part of this journey is not being able to drink. I did a 2 week pre op diet where alcohol was not allowed and am 3 weeks out now. So it's been almost 2 months since I last drank. I never considered myself a big drinker but could always handle a lot ( probably due to my weight). I'm 25 and have a lot of friends who still go to bars on weekends. I am starting to feel I'm losing touch with my social life because I'm not able to do those things yet. How long did everyone wait before trying a drink? Did you get sick? Sent from my SM-G530T using the BariatricPal App

Best to consult your team when it comes to timing of alcohol and moving forward on your plan but either way at seven weeks post op you are going to nurse the drink or meal heavily as both may be surprisingly unpredictable to tolerate now. Enjoy!

I am right there with you!!! Alcohol and all. My surgery date is the 13th, so I start my pre op diet on Tuesday. I didn't realize it until just the other day, it was 2 or 3 days after I got my surgery date. I am hoping that I am able to get it under control and calm down. Good luck! I can't wait to see u on the losers bench

I would definitely ask your surgeon about when you are cleared to exercise, your regular doctor would not be able to tell you that. Also ask your surgeon about alcohol. Many practices have different recommendations. My surgeon did not clear me for alcohol until 6 months out. I am a little over 14 months out and the bubbles from prosecco and Moscato don't bother me now but they may have 3 months out from surgery. I don't remember where I got my soft food recipes from but for regular food I usually use www.skinnytaste.com and www.emilybites.com

Happy birthday!!! Thanks for sharing! How alcohol is tolerated has been something I have wondered about. I am going on a cruise next August for my birthday (and celebrate my new me). Last time I went I got the alcohol package and drank, well, a lot (hey, it was vacation a decade ago;) ). I figure it won’t be worth it at all to get the package (especially since my husband doesn’t really drink much ) but I do plan on having some adult beverages for that 5 day cruise.

I have a lapband, but I understand your pain. I want to tell you, failing to lose has many causes--I know, I lived on less than 1000 calories a day for years and never lost an ounce. My lapband didn't help me lose much and my first doctor wouldn't give me a fill. So I found another who did. I am practically wheelchair bound (can only hobble around the house). So I started to lose--slowly. the big help was I didn't regain what I lost. One thing I've never heard a doctor explain to me is that excessive hunger can be giving you a message. So many diets I went on ended with me lying in bed, weak and starving within weeks. What I didn't realize was that my body was telling me those diets weren't nutritionally what I needed. I've tried low fat-high fiber, low calorie, vegetarian, all raw salads, lot's of nuts, praying the weight away, self-hypnosis, bodybuilding, lots of exercise...you get the idea. All of them failed because I wasn't listening to my body. When I got so hungry I would eat nails if there was ketchup to put on them, my body was telling me I was on the wrong diet. This isn't a normal,"Gee, that looks tasty." But was more like a weak pathetic cry from my bed that I was dying and had to eat. I kept experimenting and discovered a ketogenic diet helped, but I gained everything back quickly. As I worked with the keto diet, I learned I wasn't drinking enough water, and I wasn't sleeping enough. But the high protein with lots of greens was definitely a better choice than the others. Then I got the lapband, and the slow weight loss with no restriction was discouraging. But it was a tool. And once I got restriction, I used that tool. I mostly stayed on the ketogenic diet. Lots of protein was just a necessity for me. The fat I ate made the diet more enjoyable. The lapband made me eat small bites, or I spent days puking. If I got sick, I had to reduce what I ate because sickness caused my stomach to swell, and I puked. Over the last ten years I've lived on the ketogenic diet, except for two years when I lost control, (I gained 50 pounds and found I had cancer. I believe the sugar cravings after being in control so long were a result of the cancer.) Back in control, and the 50 pounds went away. I've managed to lose 160 pounds. Not a large amount, and I still have over 100 pounds to go. But I am happy not to be the woman I was. I don't know if the ketogenic diet will help you, but I'm sharing my experience to show you have to experiment to find the right diet. And you have to sleep enough to lose weight. So, get the junk out of your house--the chips, crackers, cake mixes, candy, soda, snack food, juices (fruit juice is just liquid sugar water with a few minerals, eat whole fruit instead), and the alcohol (You can go back to 1 drink a day after you've lost weight). And start the eating pattern you feel best on. Just practice eating a healthy diet for a bit. Don't eat much at a time and keep any easy to snack on food (like grapes or nuts) in the refrigerator. Then start working your tool. go longer between small meals, see what happens when you delete starches, or what foods change how you feel. I had to stop vegetarian because beans make me uncontrollably hungry(love those beans, yumm, yumm). Your body is unique, and just because you haven't found what works for you doesn't mean you're a failure. It just means you haven't found the balance of diet, sleep and exercise that works for you. The important thing is NEVER GIVE UP. After 10 years with the band, I'm revising to a sleeve this spring. I love my band, but there is evidence it doesn't do well after 10 years or so. I feel I will do even better on the sleeve.

Honestly, this will be unpopular but if you start drinking during WLM, you risk NEVER reaching your goal. You are playing with fire. And did you REALLY have surgery and think you wouldn't have to change your behaviors with the things that got you MO in the first place? WL is very hard on the liver and drinking on top of it adds another insult to an already at risk and taxed organ. I do drink now. And I did drink rarely and minimally during WLM. But when I did, I almost always saw a loss of 4 days of active weight loss. And frankly, most can't afford to squander their honeymoon period. Drinking alcohol is one of the leading contributors to weight regain.

Are there any Protein bars out there which do not have sugar alcohols in them? I'd like to up my protein a little but every bar I've tried has upset my pouch (RNY). Some of the common sugar alcohols include xylitol, maltitol, erythritol, etc.

It is easier to point the finger of blame than worry about what our OWN cell phones, air conditioning, gasoline, alcohol, cigarette, food, paper product, etc., comsumption is costing the earth... That makes me wonder...what kind of "burden" do cell phones put on the earth's resources...all that infrastructure...plastic...probably taking advantage of some underdeveloped country's labor supply, too....???

Friends, I've done some things very right for me like exercising, joining this forum, & quitting alcohol. But I've also done some things very wrong for me like drinking too much, eating too much occasionally, & not seeking support when I needed it. I hope this thread is helpful to you.

I'm 16 months post-op, met goal of 180 at 1 year and 4 days post-op (October 2, 2017) and have been at 173 for several months now. I am incredibly particular about what I eat and drink, and, in my opinion, that has been the key to my success. I've worked my way up to around 1900-2000 calories per day, but I never go over 2000. I keep my carbs below 25 grams per day. I follow a keto way of eating. This is sustainable for me, and it's how I am going to live. I haven't had any sugar, bread, starch, etc. in almost 2 years. It's no thing now. Food is fuel to me, and nothing else. It's quite freeing, and provides for a much better quality of life for me. I'm treating carbs like an alcoholic treats booze. I feel like they are a slippery slope for me, so I eradicated them from my life, and I have no plan or desire to bring them back. Being this size, being healthy, and having a happy life is SO MUCH MORE IMPORTANT TO ME than any food or drink. I'm technically not a vet in the eyes of BP for another couple of months, but I have been doing this for a long time, been successful, and been on and off of these boards for 2 years. I've seen a lot, and lived a lot, and accepted a very long time ago that this journey is for the rest of my life. I'll be damned if I gain anything back after I permanently changed my body and put it through all of that trauma...

Wow. I believe my doctor is recommending a year without alcohol. I think part of the reason is to maximize weight loss, though. Very interesting to hear what others are being advised. Thanks.

my SO is completely supportive but virtually everyone I know views being overweight as being lazy which is quite often the case-oh sure people will say they have tried everything,diets,exercise blah blah blah but most times they have not-I can NOT honestly say I did all that I could-bottom line was I was a boredom eater and never exercised like I should-I did this as a miracle fix and Boy oh boy have I been surprised-I still have to do it all myself-pfft.Fact is is there are indeed overweight people who have done tons to manage their weight but most people who are overweight are that way due to their own inability to control their portions and dietary choices-period.So its only normal that few people will understand that this is an addiction for alot of us and like an alcoholic or drug addict its just not that easy to knock it off.With all this said I am glad that I got this done but truly wish I could have pulled it off by myself and wish you the best of luck.Its a hard road and even with the band dont count on any miracle cause it aint comin.Even knowing that I will indeed have issues if I eat bread I still do sometimes cause its soooooooooo hard to say no all times and for me I always hope that this will be the time it glides right thru(it never is)-much like any addict I cant help it but am getting better.

Have to admit my first thought was lactose intolerance, which can occur after surgery but you said you’re dairy free. My second thought was artificial sweeteners - many, especially the sugar alcohol ones can cause gastric distress like you described. https://www.livestrong.com/article/510270-can-artificial-sweetners-upset-your-stomach/ But whatever the cause, I agree with the others, contact your surgeon as soon as you can.

You are definitely not alone in this struggle. Last night I had a couple of drinks - used up that last chilled bottle of champagne (no more carbonation for me!). Oddly, the drinks weren't that good (I pretty much stopped drinking a month ago so this was a true last blast). I just wanted to have a "mimosa funeral" since Monday I'm starting my own version of a 2 week pre-op diet and alcohol can be a real no no after surgery. Hang in there!

Just a couple of other things I wanted to mention, though for the most part it's already been said. As long as you're over 18 and your parents don't have any kind of medical proxy over you, your counselor can't tell them anything. Don't hesitate to be honest, that's why you're going there! As far as telling your doctors the truth, please, please, please do that too. Remember this: they work for you! Every time you see them, they get paid a ridiculous amount of money (whether you're self pay, have insurance or use assistance doesn't matter, they still get paid), and it's in your doctor's best interest to see you succeed. They can also refer you to a nutritionist who can help you figure out what you can eat that meets your nutritional needs and that is still within your culinary skill level. Don't let embarrassment damage your health. Also, I hope you don't take offense, but you might be helped by some assertiveness training too. I took an assertiveness seminar a few years ago and it made a huge difference in the way I carry myself, and how I live my life. You've got to practice it every day, and might need a refresher from time to time if it doesn't come naturally (it doesn't for me, and I could use a "tune up" at the moment myself), but it might help you reach a point where you're willing to step up instead of sublimating your needs to what you think other people want from you. It's also a good way to help you "lose your inhibitions" without alcohol . As long as you're still breathing, there's not much that can't be fixed if you really want to fix it - you can do this!

Last night I drank a whole bunch for halloween, and during the past four days or so I have gone through like almost 4 boxes of Cereal, and not the good kind. I see people post on a support group Im in (not sure why Im in it..like...it does nothing for me but see people succeeding...yay them...) All this surgery did for me was make me drop like 60 pounds in the matter of 6 weeks or so, and made me not handle my alcohol at ALL. So I'm THAT guy when I go to college parties. And by THAT guy, I mean the guy who is the most drunk. I dont want to be the most drunk. I wonder if my stomach stretched all the way out? I never feel full anymore. My hair is falling out at an alarming rate, my shower/bathtub is a mess because I have like tens of dozens of hair strands just all around... yay life.

Aww. Thank you. I appreciate that. Until the last couple of weeks, I took a break from BP. It really is designed more for pre-op folks and recent post-ops, so there isn't much for me here anymore. (That, plus most of the people I talked with are long gone by now.) I'm glad to be back, though. I don't respond to a lot of posts these days, but I do sometimes when I feel that I can contribute (or that people might listen...). I had to really work to get my calories in the 1900-2000 range. And I eat every 2 hours all day long to get there. I was in the 1600-1750 range for a long time, but I wouldn't stop losing weight. My doctor doesn't want me to go below 170, so I knew I had to get the calories closer to 2000. (I think a person my size needs about 2100 to maintain, so I really should try to get it up a little more, but I've stayed at 173 for a while now, so I think I'm good at the moment.) Some people eat carbs and are fine, but my body is just really sensitive to them. And getting my mindset around food to where it is took a lot of work. Trust me, a few months with carbs would put that in jeopardy (just like booze with an alcoholic), and that is why I am how I am. And I have seen so many people have one surgery or the other and then gain most or all of their weight back (including my mom, dad and brother). I just don't want to be one of those people.

This thread got me interested in further research on the subject, I found this article and the references fascinating... http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/10/cocktail-science-do-alcohol-calories-count-digesting-spirits.html And add to it the problems of figuring out your caloric set point that HBO highlighted in their documentary on the weight of the nation special...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i_cmltmQ6A It is made even more complicated by the changes in hormone levels due to surgery and weight loss changes our body and makes us more efficient metabolic machines. http://www.hindawi.com/journals/grp/2013/528450/ This all points to one important thing, we don't know everything. So to the point of this thread, don't go nuts trying to figure out each calorie, but, it is a guide to help you lose and a good tool to aid you. But we are very complex critters. So eat well, just less of it and hang on as we keep learning new things. And keep listening to the many successful people on this site and their advise, I do.