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My first meal was a one egg omelette with sharp cheese - think I made it through about 1/4th of it and was stuffed to the gils and in heaven lol. Ate lots of eggs, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, refried beans, chicken, tuna, and eggs salad - chopped very fine. chicken in the crock pot is nice as it stays very moist. another favorite is a slice of avocado wrapped in a bit of deli turkey - delish! Sometimes when I get tired of eating the same old thing I will pick up some lean cuisines or Smart ones frozen dinners (only the ones with meat and vegetables - i dont do rice, pasta, or much in the way of potatoes during this phase of my life - maybe when i get to goal) One of those dinners can last me 3-4 meals dpeneding on what it is. Same thing with a can of refired beans - 4-5 meals. I loooove soup but it can be a bit sliderish for me - as can the beans once I got onto dense solids. The three turkey meatball dinner (add salsa or condiment of your choice) leaves me packed to the gills. I still do protein soups, shakes - love string cheese and bonbels - we go through a lot of those around our house, and canadian bacon.

What Protein shakes have you tried? In those first few weeks I hated Protein Shakes, I could not find any that I liked. I ended up not getting enough protein in and in the long term that is a huge problem. You should get a minimum of 1 gram of protein for every inch you are tall as a minimum. I ended up trying Premier Protein ready made shakes. The chocolate flavor is the best. There are 30 grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar and 160 calories. It is an excellent choice for a supplement. You can buy at Sam's or costco. Recently I had surgery on my neck where they went through my throat. It has caused me real issues and basically put me back on soft foods. From what my doctor said, this could go on for months. I went to my Bariatric team for help. They gave me a whole bag of Protein shake samples to try. Syntax nectar - fuzzy naval is excellent, I also loved the Caribbean cooler and vanilla bean torte. They don't have that horrid protein taste. I use Water for the fuzzy navel and milk for the other two. I ended up order a box of each of these flavors in the grab and go packets I purchased these on line via Amazon.. I have been eating a lot of cottage cheese which has great protein, pudding - I eat the real thing not sf, yogurt, cream of wheat, homemade Soups, cooked vegetables cooked very soft, I am struggling with most meats because of the swallow issue right now but most fish will work. I am surprised your doctor has you focus on calories vs. protein. I am able to get between 900 and 1100 calories a day and easily hitting my protein goals. If you cannot get your protein through food, which I still cannot you have to supplement or you will get sick. I wish you the best of luck!

By Elizabeth Goodman Artis (Shape Magazine) We dissect the science of fat to help you pick the smartest strategies for losing it. Fat is the ultimate three-letter word, especially the kind that you spend so much time watching your diet and hitting the gym to keep at bay (or at least to keep off your butt). But beyond making you look less-than-svelte, fat can have significant physical and emotional implications. We talked to Shawn Talbott, Ph.D., a nutritional biochemist and author of The Secret of Vigor: How to Overcome Burnout, Restore Biochemical Balance, and Reclaim Your Natural Energy, to find out a few essential facts that might surprise you. 1. Fat Comes in Different Colors More specifically, there are different types of fat that have different hues and functions, according to Talbott: white, brown, and beige. The white fat is what most people think of as fat—pale and useless. Useless in that it has a low metabolic rate so it doesn’t help you burn any calories the way muscle does, and it’s the predominant type of fat in the human body, encompassing more than 90 percent of it. In other words, it’s a storage unit for extra calories. Brown fat is darker in color due to a rich blood supply and can actually burn calories rather than storing them—but only if you’re a rat (or other mammal); certain critters can activate brown fat to burn calories and generate heat to keep them warm in winter. Humans, sadly, have so little brown fat that it won’t help you burn calories or keep you warm. The third type of fat, beige fat, is in between white and brown in terms of its calorie-burning ability, which is actually very exciting. Why? Because researchers are looking into ways to shift white fat cells into more metabolically active beige ones via diet and exercise or supplements. In fact, there is preliminary evidence that certain hormones which are activated by exercise may convert white fat cells into beige ones, as well as some evidence that certain foods such as brown seaweed, licorice root, and hot peppers may have the ability to do this as well. 2. The Fat On Your Butt is Healthier than the Fat on Your Belly It’s probably safe to say that no woman favors the fat on one body part over another, but it’s actually safer health-wise to be more of a pear than an apple, Talbott says. Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, is much more responsive to the stress hormone cortisol compared to the fat on your thighs or butt, so when stress hits hard (and you don’t find a healthy way to handle it), any extra calories consumed are more likely to end up around your middle. Belly fat is also much more inflammatory than fat located elsewhere in the body and can create its own inflammatory chemicals (as a tumor would). These chemicals travel to the brain and make you hungry and tired, so you’re more likely to overeat or eat junk food and not exercise, thus creating a vicious cycle and perpetuating the storage of more belly fat. The good news is that anything that helps you reduce inflammation helps reduce those signals to the brain. Talbott recommends fish oil (for the Omega 3’s) and Probiotics, which you can take in pill form or get by eating yogurt with active cultures. 3. First You Burn Calories, Second You Burn Fat The term “fat-burning” is thrown around willy-nilly in fitness circles, but as an expression of weight loss, it’s indirect. Before you “burn” fat, you burn calories, whether those calories come from stored carbohydrates (glycogen and blood sugar) or from stored body fat. The more calories you burn during each workout, the bigger deficit you will create and the more fat you will lose. You can also create a calorie deficit by eating less. The trick, though, is time, since it’s hard for most people to put in the time needed to burn enough calories to make a weight-loss dent. Talbott (and many other experts) advocates high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to burn as many calories as possible in as short amount of time as possible. This method, which alternates between hard/easy efforts, can burn double the calories in the same amount of time spent exercising in a steady state. 4. Fat Affects Your Mood Certainly there is no easier way to ruin your day than seeing you’ve gone up a few numbers on the scale, but having excess fat—especially around your belly—activates that inflammation/cortisol cycle, which studies show may be a factor in serious mood disorders like bipolar disorder. If you’re stuck in a stress/eat/gain/stress cycle, however, you’re likely to experience at least a perpetually low mood, even if you don’t have an actual clinical condition. To help break the cycle, try eating a square of dark chocolate, suggests Talbott; there is just enough sugar to satisfy a stress-induced craving, but the healthy flavonoids help calm inflammation that leads to more stress. Low-fat dairy products like yogurt can have a similar effect—the combination of Calcium and magnesium can help calm the stress response. 5. Even Skinny People Can Have Cellulite The dreaded c-word is caused by fat trapped under the skin (known as subcutaneous fat). The overlying skin "dimples" are created by connective tissues that tie the skin to the underlying muscle, with fat trapped in between like a sandwich. You don’t need a lot of fat to cause a dimpling effect, so you can be in great shape and have low body fat but still have a little pocket of dimpled fat, for example, on your butt or the backs of your thighs. Building muscle while losing fat (and the fat loss part is key—you have to have it to lose) can help minimize the appearance of cellulite; cellulite-specific creams and lotions can also help minimize the look of dimpled skin (though they can’t do anything about the trapped fat beneath).

I’m not reading the whole thread so I might be repeating someone else’s idea, but here is what worked for me. Instead of mixing the protein powder with water or milk, I mix it into full fat plain Greek yogurt. I add coconut water as needed just to be able to mix it. Then I put it into little metal lunchbots (I think they are 4 oz containers ) and take them with me or keep in fridge. It doesn’t bug my stomach or make me sweaty and dizzy the way the liquid shakes did. I prefer unsweetened whey powder but just use whatever works for you. Just a few spoonfuls and it’s double the protein too. Good luck.

Feeling much better today. It seems that once I realize what the cause of my stress is...regardless of whether I can do anything about it... I feel better. Just knowing the cause it a relief!! So now I'm 6 days after my 2nd adjustment (well 2nd, 3rd & 4th) ... and I'm finally able to drink without pain. I'm still taking it slowly as far as eating is concerned. Egg salad, tuna salad, cottage cheese, yogurt etc. Keeping it soft just in case. I am in love with shadybrook farm turkey meatballs!!! As an italian with the mac daddy meatball recipe... I highly approve of these. They are nothing like MY meatballs, but as far as turkey products are concerned...they are GREAT!!! They have a little bit of spice, but just enough to make it interesting. The texture is great too. They are pretty low calorie vs beef products and they have a good amount of protein!!! They have been my "go-to" protein source!! Also, Jennie-O hot dogs are fabulous. A regular hot dog has about 170 calories each!! These have only 70 and taste just like a beef hot dog without the greasiness. And in my area... a package of the Jennie-O hot dogs is only $1!!! Crazy right?? Butterball makes a great Turkey Kielbasa too...that is awesome on the grill!! Shadybrook farms has good Sweet and Hot italian sausage... it's not bad. The texture isn't quite like pork sausage, but it's pretty decent!! Anyone else have any secret foods they'd like to share??? :smile:

Same as what I eat now, but in much smaller quantities of course Dense protein: Eggs Tuna (Any fish, really) Shrimp (Any shellfish, really) Lean red meats (occasionally) Chicken Turkey SOME dairy (IE REAL cheese, REAL butter, but in limited quantities) ONLY get your carbs from veggies, and limit starchy veggies (asparagus, cauliflower, potatoes, etc...) stick to mostly green veggies and salads. Stay away from iceberg lettuce and try to do romaine and spinach for salads as much as possible. NO SUGAR (Or as little as you can possibly get away with) Snacks: Cheese, almonds, Jerky, low fat, low sugar greek yogurt Drink TONS of water! I GUARANTEE you will lose what you need to lose and then some if you religiously stick to this and track calories. Good Luck!!

The Smart-Balance fat-free milk is 110 calories and has 10g of Protein. A few more calories BUT it tastes like 2% so is good in recipes, tea, coffee and smoothies. I am also using Research Power Designer Whey powder... tasteless (really, I don't notice it) that has 100 calories and 19g protein. I add it to smoothies and Greek yogurt. Whih brings me to that which has (thank heavens) replaced my protein drinks. I like the Brown Cow, Oikos, Chobani, Fage, and now Dannon has joined the club. I do not like the Yoplait which is sour...more like traditional Greek yogurt. The ones I like are more like regular yogurts but with almost twice the protein. The first two come in smaller portions of 100 calories so if you add the whey powder it is 29g of protein for 200 calories. Good deal. When I have calories to burn I make a smoothie with the yogurt and powder plus fruit and a half cup milk. If you keep an online food diary you will probably be surprised at how much protein can be had from your foods. Then a few brand substitutions as you start to really read food labels and protein isn't the overwhelming problem it once seemed. (Whey powder can go into stews, sauces etc)

The protein cereal doesn't sound so good. I guess it will be oatmeal as usual. After surgery I don't like eggs too much. I have cooked them thinking I will eat them, and end up throwing them away. I am not, or ever been much of a yogurt eater. I am lactose intolerant, and have tried those, but I don't like it. I did end up buying the caramel flavored Fairlife Protein Shake (someone on here told me about it), and I do like that one. I have not tried the chocolate yet. Funny how our taste changes after surgery.

Tomorrow makes 2 weeks post op for me and protien is def an issue for me. Since the surg im def lactose intolerant so i had to skip the shakes and yogurt phase. Im able to move to potatoes and cream of wheat tom. Im so happy abot that. Overall im doing well now. Down 37#s from my highest.

My surgery date is August 26. I'm having gastric bypass. I lost 26 lbs by changing my diet in the last 3 months. Today I started the liquid diet. My stomach was very upset this morning. I had a Premier Protein shake for Breakfast and felt horrible. Maybe it's mental because I consumed those for breakfast sometimes before today. For lunch today I had a chicken Soup unjury shake with 1% milk, which tasted like chicken broth. I'm also drinking Water, as much as I want. I figure that may make me feel fuller during the day. I'm on a full liquid diet for two weeks, which includes pudding and yogurt, but most items are sweet, not savory so I'm feeling a bit urpy and hungry. I think a lot of the hunger can be attributed to the reason why I'm overweight, which is that I just like to eat......anything. I'm totally addicted to food. I'm a Midwestern gal and love my food! The doctor told me that my taste buds may change after surgery and I will probably not crave the things I crave now. I sure hope he's right, but just in case, I have scheduled an appointment with a psychologist to help me with my addiction and relationship with food. I sure hope I can stick to this liquid diet!

Hi all I was not able to eat yogurt until a month later? I guess everyone is different but I was told it should only take you 20 -30 minutes to eat one meal then you should walk away from it.. or wait until lunch.. that's what I was told good luck!

Don't worry...you will feel more restriction with solid protein...yogurt is *almost* a liquid...and your body starts digesting food the minute it goes in your mouth...so 6 oz over an hour doesn't sound super unusual to me

Congrats on your recent surgery. It is completely normal to feel hungry and want to "pig" out at this stage. Your stomach is healing and is not as swollen as it was in the beginning. Remember, you are in the beginning stages which are about healing the stomach and ensuring band placement. You have yet to get a fill and be restricted. You felt restricted before cause of the swelling and irritation to the stomach due to the surgery. Even though I don't think what you ate is considered pigging out - you must be careful not to overeat and expand your pouch at this point. You need the first 6 weeks to allow the stomach to heal and allow the band's placement site to heal too. Overeating can stretch the pouch and cause less restriction for you later on. If I recall correctly, you should be eating 2-4 oz per meal - try your hardest to stick to that. If you continued to feel hungry - wait as long as you can and then eat something like a sugar free jello, yogurt, a full liquid so it will go thru the band and not stretch it. Don't worry - you aren't alone in this stage. It is hard and you are doing fine. Do your best, that's all we can do. Good luck.:mad2:

It sounds as though you may need more calories with that workout. Try skipping the protein bars (many are high in fats and carbs) and have protein rich food (tuna, cheese stick, chicken, greek yogurt, hummus, cottage cheese). You may need to have 5-6 small meals to get enough protein and calories. Stay strong!

I sure hope everyone is right on here about feeling full once you start on more dense (solid) foods. I am always hungry. I am almost one month post-op. Can't wait to eat normal foods again. This liquid diet is terrible and finally feel a tiny bit of satisfaction with yogurt. Ready for the real stuff.

@@Elode I am on three protein shakes a day plus I can have some yogurt to get my extra calcium in. I am also drinking water on the in between as well. I'm trying to space everything out as best as possible. Thank you for the advice!

Congratulations on your journey as it seems you are already off to a good start. Don't worry about making your journey public as many of us here have chosen to keep our decision personal. Like you I don't eat cottage cheese or seafood but I find yogurt and different types of bean soups work for me. Don't stack up on to many food because your taste and craving will change after the surgery. Many also depend on protein shakes and powder as a good source of protein post-op. Wishing you the best on your journey!

I add a scoop of protein powder when i make my frozen yogurt. When i eat reg Greek yogurt i don't add protein. Just sugar free syrup to flavor it and a little fruit.

Hi rajgrover, I had my lap-band procedure almost 4 weeks ago. I used Dr. Ren as well - great choice. She was really quick with my procedure and I really had a great experience with her. I was a little scared myself. once I was on the operating table the anesthesiologist explained what he was doing and I was out in minutes. Dr. Ren said hello and I was out a few seconds later. They have so many people in the operating room I can assure you they will not have a problem moving you to your bed. You won't know what's going on either way and you'll wake up in the recovery room. Once you're in your room a nurse will assist you and walk you to the bathroom (she will not come inside with you.) I don't know anybody else that had the procedure that had a bed pan or catheter. I got a little dizzy the first time I went to the john but after the first time it was much easier. They really want to make sure you urinate as soon as possible since they want to make sure you got the anesthesia out of your body and not sitting in your bladder. I felt absolutely nothing until after my surgery. I did have some pain but the meds I was given really took the edge off things and the pain went away pretty quickly. Make sure you walk around as much as possible after your surgery. I have 5 stairs leading to my house and I didn't have any problems. I asked Dr. Ren and she said that wasn't a problem. I'd ask her if I were you since she makes her decisions case by case. While Dr. Ren was operating on me she noticed that I had a Hiatal Hernia. She "fixed" it while she was in there and believe it or not I am totally cured of my acid reflux I'd been suffering for some time! I did have gas pains for a few days in my shoulders and other areas. These symptoms are very common and I've heard the more you move around the faster the gas dissipates. I drank bottled fat and sugar free flavored yogurts, "naked" (that's a brand name) fruit juices, slim fasts, and low calorie broths. Good luck with your surgery! You'll do fine, quit worrying and start planning a new you

Raj, Let me speak from a "loved ones" view. Of course you are afraid of the pain, we are always afraid of the unknown. I have seen my husband in so many painful situations b/c of his weight. My heart has actually ached for him. There may be some pain, but it shouldn't be bad and will be worth it. Wayne walked up 30 steps the day after surgery and was fine. Someone bought him a 64oz. sippy-mug, he fills it with Water everyday and drinks the whole thing, that way he knows he is getting the water he needs. He is so encouraged (I almost said excited, but that's me, not him) by the 20 lbs he has already lost that he doesn't gripe about the food. Lots of soup, tea, liquid yogurt, juice and broth. You will burp but it won't be a problem,,,,,it'll be welcome! About the bedpan???? He didn't have to use one, got right up when it was time, was walking 4 hours post-op. And he is 59 years old! Good Luck Raj, let us know your success story!

I asked same thing about yogurt etched because it's so thick and dr told me it's all still liquid stage so just make sure that your taking 30-40 min for meals (yogurt or soup) then I drink my other liquids all day just slow up when I know I'm going to eat do that I am not too full.

I am still not able to keep full meals down all I eat is yogurt, and junk food but I exercise and the weight falls off but the correct nutrients are not being absorb am I hurting myself with not eating full Protein meals will my organs shut down I do take supplements and Vitamins and I do drink Water. no real protein I lost to date 70lbs which is awesome i just feel as though i am missing something at the dinner table.

My Dr. just gave me the green light yesterday for the pureed stage of food. Im really nervous about this stage. I have eat egg drop soup and yogurt just fine with no problems. I had a scrambled egg this morning and I could only eat half of it. I did get full from the scrambled egg. I guess since diabetics have to watch their carb intake more closely, I thought I would ask you guys. I have my mini food processor ready for me to get to pureeing up some good stuff! What did you make during your pureed stage of eating? Thanks guys

You eating puree food?? I had mine July 7th. I'm on Jello and chicken broth and I never get full. I'm starving:( I'm still on liquids, but get to have cottage cheese and yogurt. I don't feel hungry, and only a couple of small bites make me feel like I ate too much, but I'm getting used to it. Next week I get to start the puree food, looking forward to that. I did read that if you feel hungry, you might be dehydrated and need to drink more liquids, hope that helps. I must really suck to go through this and still feel hungry :-(

I hear ya- my pre op diet sounds exactly like yours except I found out I can have SF Popsicles and SF Jello and some kind of Yogurt 4 oz with the Protein powder or silk or 1/% milk or carnation instant breakfast- but pretty much - I just drank broth and tea all day and tried to keep busy.