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Snacks I like: Banana Light Greek Yogurt Light String Cheese 1/4 cup mixed nuts (I know some people can't eat nuts.) Quest bar Protein shake (Some programs do not recommend after a certain point, not sure why?) Besides the banana, protein seems to be the key here if I'm hungry.

I have purchased several "snacky" high-protein foods, like protein puffs and chips, in single size portions. That said, I almost never eat them and still treat those like a treat (i.e. going to a movie). I find that mostly I eat basic protein-rich meals, veggie omelet, yogurt and berries, peanut butter and thin, whole-grain toast or apple slices. And because I can eat so little, I find I almost never have room or desire left for snacks anyway. My program encourages whole foods, with a focus on protein and fibre, and pretty much no snacking unless it is more than 4 hours between meals. I love the simplicity of the program that my surgical team promotes.

Yogurt and water. I only use two of them. It will help your skin better. You can add fruit mask.

So i had issues with my horse pill sized Calcium pill (that i had to take 3 times a day!) I would make me nauseous and/or barf. Cutting it up smaller or crushing it somehow made the ickiness worse. Then i stared burying that effing pill in a tablespoon of greek yogurt and swallowing the spoonful and that did trick. Took me almost 2 months to figure this out though. But then I discovered those chocolate calcium soft chews and Calcium Vitamin Time became a good time of day lol

Dannon has a "diabetic friendly" yogurt I found at Publix (I live in the south). Low sugar and low carb and small cups :-)

I add splendra to Greek yogurt helps a lot. Remember yogurt can be no sugar added but not sugar free. Milk has sugar (carbs).

I have been wondering the same thing and have the same response from my drs. office. They want me to focus on getting in the Protein and Water and nutritious food and not worry about the calories. However, I have had a day here and there where I was at 1300+. I have had several at the 1100 range. I went on a website and put in my age, height and activity level. It gave me the calories needed to maintain weight, lose weight (1-2 lbs/day) and to lose weight rapidly (2+ lbs/wk). I can't find that website right now or I would put the link here. However, it gave me a good target to shoot for. I think the further out we are and the more we can tolerate, it becomes increasingly important to make smart food choices. There are many choices that I have that are good for me. Some are higher in calories. If I choose a lot of cheese and nut Snacks, I might choose to end my day with an 80 calorie greek yogurt rather than Peanut Butter. I hope this makes sense. I am 5' 4" and feel I need to stay below 1300 to continue to lose 2 lbs a week with a light activity level. I am not exercising as much as some. I had a complicated sinus surgery procedure a couple weeks ago and my dr. does not want me straining, lifting, breathing heavy (as with cardio), etc. for a couple more weeks.

I did yogurt with a small amount of soft fruit like peaches, cottage cheese, hummus, ricotta made up like the filling for stuffed shells. I never did mashed potatoes but I did grits with a little protein powder added. I tried to make sure everything I had contained some protein.

We have something like this every week where I work and last week it was cake and ice cream. It helps to keep healthy snacks at work. The girl next to me has a candy dish and people come by all day for candy. I keep sugar free peppermint patties and werthers in my desk. Yogurt and string cheese are yummy snacks that are easy to keep at work.

I bought the Healthy Choice Greek Frozen Yogurt (strawberry ) last night! Sooooo yummy!!! They come in a pack of 3...... very good! xo Hilary

And I made myself sugar- free puddings or tapioca with stevia, used to like rice, but it balls up in my pouch, won't move on through so I Have to puke it up. And yes I do still urp and puke, very few days without it, I do not exceed the designated amounts, still happens. Just finally able to tolerate Greek Yogurt , it and cottage have always refluxed back up every since surgery, 2 other illogical things-Peanut butter, even PB2 powder, and bananas, doesn't matter how ripe they are. Don't try hiding these in smoothies, Precious Pouch knows and MUST have her way!

Well I doing ok with my protein I get around 70 to 80 grams in right not a day the protein shacks are hard for me to but like the Greek yogurt and I get about 50 to 64 oz of liquids in but I sometimes drink to fast and it makes me feel I'm about to pop lol.

I was banded on the 20th and I am having the same issues. I am allowed applesauce yogurt baby juice and soup liquid only. Try some mint tea and warm soup

Well I guess I'll respond first! LOL. The link was very helpful in regards to many of our concerns about discussing weight with our kids. It can be a very slippery slope and as parents or caregivers we have to take caution when having these conversations because our kids are very sensitive to what we say and it may stay with them for the rest of their lives so we need to have positive words and not negative. I myself have been guilty of negative words like "oh you're shaped like your dad" or "I didn't see (insert childs weight here) lbs until I was 7 months pregnant with your brother!" These words only lead to additional feelings of unworthiness and unnacceptance and does not help the child at all! The link provided some very common dillemas amongst parents and children including situations and scenarios when talking to your kids about weight can turn into a positive and impactful moment. It's a touchy subject and those of us who are dealing with an overweight child be it your own, or family member, neighbor etc. and I'm constantly in pursuit of how to tackle this issue daily! My daughter now 12 is in the 90th percentile for height and weight. I've become desperate to get her weight under control and looked into camps I could send her away to, or even signing her up for weight watchers. Both I felt although the intentions were innocent, the outcomes could be damaging and set her up for a lifetime of failure. But how do I get her to listen to me without her feeling that I'm putting her down about her weight? it's a thin line. I've learned that leading by example is one of the greatest gifts you can give your children. Since my WLS I have been eating healthier meals and Snacks, decreased portion sizes, Zero sweetened beverages, fast food etc. As a result I cook more-- and decided if I won't eat it why give it to my kids? I've encouraged my daughter to go to the gym with me-- she loves it and it makes her feel more grown up. Something her friends aren't even doing! She plays softball (she's darn good at it too) playing up a level with an older age group and more than keeping up. She made her Jr high school girls basketball team so she's been engaging in 2 hours of practice after school 5 days a week. Softball practice one day a week and games on Sunday. We meal plan throughout the week, get up early or go after softball practice and do our shopping and on Sundays we meal prep. She takes her lunch every day todays lunch included a salad topped with cucumbers, strawberries, turkey breast, boiled egg and light raspberry vinaigrette. Sides include 6 Strawberries, Greek Yogurt, Colby jack cheese stick and a Zero calorie Steaz tea. I allow and encourage her to pack 1 sweet treat last week were 9 pumpkin spice yogurt pretzels. This week will be Pepperidge farm Milano Cookies (2) 120 cal. I am trying to encourage moderation not deprivation. So far-- it's working well. Since school has begun 9/6 she has lost close to 10lbs. She's blown away by how fast she's losing and I tell her it's all her hard work and of course her youth! Its also reinforcement to continue the healthy behavior. I have her weigh weekly to maintain accountability for her choices and make tweaks in her plan as needed. She has a short term goal that she is very close to and a long term goal that we hope to achieve by the end of the school year. Reminding her that 1-2 lbs a week is normal and that stalls will happen along the way. She is rewarded with things that matter to her. A new shirt, nail polish, sleepover with a friend. the most important thing is we're doing it together-- and she's guiding the ship. I asked her do you ever feel like I put you on a diet. She said yes! but then she took it back saying " well-- not really we've made a lot of changes though. No McDonalds or wendys everyday or ever now! But it's ok I don't get headaches as much as I used to and I like making the food that I eat. I feel like I used to eat without even thinking about it and now I understand more about serving sizes, calories, sugars and Protein. I understand how easy it is to eat way too much without even realizing it! and now I know better."-- out of the mouths of babes. I'm on a mission for my health and I couldn't imagine leaving her behind.

@winklie It may be a lil while before you can eat the pizza but the quiche is a staple in my diet and a go-to even now when I don't have time to prepare anything. It takes a little while to make initially but when you only have to spend 1 minute 30 seconds in the microwave to reheat a piece, you'll be loving it. Same with the pizza as far as time goes to make the crusts but then only 5 minutes in the oven and you're eating delicious pizza - yum! I kinda like taking pics of my food too Magic Crust Quiche - Ham Ingredients 2 cups 1% Lowfat Milk 1/2 cup All-purpose flour 5 large eggs 1/2 cup 2% Reduced Fat Pepper Jack cheese shredded 1/2 cup 2% Reduced Fat Swiss Cheese shredded 1/2 cup 2% Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded 7 oz Ham diced small 1/4 cup Cooked red bell pepper diced small 1/4 cup Cooked Vidalia or sweet onion diced small Preheat oven to 350˚. In a blender or NutriBullet, mix eggs, milk and flour until blended, season with salt, pepper, garlic powder or whatever you’d like. In a bowl combine all cheeses, cooked meat and cooked veggies. Now add blended mixture and stir to combine. Pour into an 8”x8” or 9”x9” square glass dish. Bake for 50-55 minutes. Let stand 5-10 before serving. You can add whatever cheeses, veggies or meats suit your taste. I steer clear of chicken as it seems to dry to me. The small amount of flour firms up the sides and bottom making the “magic crust” while saving tons of calories. The Nutrition Facts are based on recipe above. FYI - the heavier meats, like ground beef, tend to fall to the bottom. Serving size is approximately 2”x2 1/2” Nutrition Facts Servings 12 Per serving: Calories 120 Protein 12g Fat 5g Cholesterol 94 mg Sodium 253 mg Potassium 59 mg Total Carbohydrate 7 g Sugars 2 g PIZZA CRUST – (Chicken) Ingredients One pound ground (raw) chicken breast ¼ cup grated Parmesan ¼ cup Reduced fat 4 cheese Italian shredded cheese – ¼ cup shredded cheese is 1 oz. by weight ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp black or cayenne pepper (I used cayenne) Tools Mixing bowl (stand mixer - easiest combing method) Baking sheet, pizza pan or pizza stone (crispiest crust) Parchment paper Wax paper Rolling pin Pam or any vegetable non-stick cooking spray Instructions Preheat oven to 450°F. In a medium bowl combine all of the above ingredients.Place a wet paper towel on a flat surface then place your parchment paper on it. Spray it with Pam and then put your chicken mixture on top. Mixture makes 6 – 3 oz. portions, so 6 individual crusts. Lightly spray a sheet of wax paper with non-stick cooking spray (makes for easy removal). Place wax paper, sprayed side down and evenly press using a rolling pin to get it as thin as you’d like. Remove the wax paper and place parchment paper on pan bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness). Put the crust between two paper towels and pat to absorb any grease. It is chicken after all. Then place it on a new sheet of parchment before topping it. Top baked crust with sauce, cheese and you favorite healthy toppings. Place back in oven on baking sheet or preheated pizza stone and cook until melted and bubbly 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven and enjoy! If you bake it on a pizza stone it will get crispier. Crust Only: Nutrition Facts Amount Per Serving: Servings 6.0 Calories 114 Total Fat 3g Carbohydrate 1g Dietary Fiber 0g Sugars 0g Protein 19g As Prepared : 1 Tbsp Prego pizza sauce 2 Tbsp Sargento reduced fat 4 cheese Italian shreds 1 tsp sautéed Vidalia onion 1 tsp sautéed red bell pepper ½ oz. cooked 90/10 lean ground beef Nutrition Facts Servings 1.0 Calories 238 Total Fat 10g Carbohydrate 5g Dietary Fiber 1g Sugars 2g Protein 31g Premier Protein pudding Cups or Pops Prepare pudding according to package directions replacing milk with chocolate Premier Protein shake. I prefer to use my NutriBullet. If using shaker, shake for 3 minutes or until thickened slightly. Pour into ½ cup containers for pudding cups. For frozen pops, pour into Jello pudding pop or any popsicle molds. Jello molds hold 1/3 cup each. Pudding cups set in 5 minutes and freezer pops in approx. 2-3 hours. Any flavor sugar-free fat-free pudding works, so get creative and enjoy! Nutrition Facts – Pudding Nutrition Facts – Pudding Pop Serving size: ½ cup Serving Size: 1 Pop Calories 93 Calories 62 Fat 1g Fat 1g Carbs 10g Carbs 7g Fiber 2g Fiber 1g Sugars 0g Sugars 0g Protein 12g Protein 8g Crustless Protein pumpkin Pie 15 oz. can 100% pumpkin (not pie filling) ½ cup Egg whites 1 ½ cup Premier Protein vanilla shake ¾ cup Splenda ½ tsp. Salt 2 Tbsp. Pumpkin pie spice Preheat oven 400°. Spray pie pan with non-stick cooking spray. Beat all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Pour into prepared pie pan. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes, then turn down to 375° and bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. It is best served cold and can even be frozen. Serving size is 1/6 slice of pie. I used a Tbsp. of fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt as a topping (pic) but you could use Reddi-Wip fat-free whipped cream for an additional 5 calories & only 1 carb per 2 Tbsp. serving. Nutrition Facts – Pie Only Servings: 6 Calories 77 Fat 1g Carbs 10g Fiber 4g Sugars 6g Protein 9g

This morning I was at the grocery store in the check out line, I began to unload my groceries onto the conveyor belt and the lady in front of me kept glancing at the items that I was putting on there. I was a bit self conscience at first because it was normal occurrence in the past for people to take a second look at the full buggy of food that I was purchasing. It was "normal" for me to be piling up the conveyor belt with things that aren't good for me and that helped to get me into the position I was 9 months ago right before I had my surgery. It was normal for me to have Cookies, chips, prepackaged foods like chicken nuggets, pizzas, lasagnas, then ice cream, candy, hamburger helper meals and a TON of sodas. But now, I am one of THOSE people that I felt self conscience around (although they didn't do anything to make me feel this way except for to make better choices in the food that they purchased) Today, my purchases consisted of fresh fish and chicken, lots of fresh veggies and yogurts. I chose to skip the chip, cookie and soda aisles and I am not missing a thing! (And as an added bonus, my grocery bill has gone down!) Woo-hoo!!!!

My first thought was....I wonder what corn starch would do? I googled for that, and found this response on Ask Yahoo: "When making your shake, try to keep the amount of liquids involved to a minimum. Keep in mind that the amount of ice you are using could be a factor, which will also lessen the preferred thickness of your shake as it melts. The addition of more fruits will help to thicken the consistency. Non fat yogurts, in place of milk/water, will increase the total calories of your drink, but again, if thickness is the issue, this method can't be beat. But, if you're concerned about the calories, another and less conventional method would be the use of corn starch. Corn starch is flavorless and has almost no calories to speak of, and is commonly used by chefs to thicken sauces, and even some frostings. I mention that last part only to emphasize that it works for things that are sweet just as well as for things that are not. Use sparingly, however, because a lot can go a long way! One tablespoon per average sized blender ought to be sufficient, and make sure you mix it thoroughly. The corn starch may take time to fully thicken, so if you do decide to add more, remember to wait a full minute before doing so. Too much of this stuff is like cement! But just the right amount can be a simple and calorie-free way to thicken your Protein shakes." My second thought was to add milk to yogurt, rather than yogurt to milk. I hope you find something that works for you. I like my shakes thin, so I will add extra milk, almond milk, Jello Water.....hey, maybe you could use unflavored Gelatin (or flavored I guess), and prepare your shake ahead of time so that it can chill a bit. As a matter of fact, I put some sugar free orange gelatin in a vanilla shake today, and it tasted like an Orange Julius or orange creamsicle. Just yummy!

Staples: smoked salmon, shrimp, crab, salmon, sashimi, chicken thighs, chili, salad, cheese, eggs, strawberries, grapes, watermelon, zuchini, yellow squash, greek yogurt, kefir yogurt drink, vegie burgers, corn tortillas, tamales, gluten-free crackers, gluten-free Pasta Problem Foods: any type of bread or bun, flour tortillas, wheat pasta (pretty much anything made w/wheat), corn on the cob, chicken breast, red meat, any meat/chicken/fish that is overcooked, dry, or chewy, sausage (the casing sometimes is too chewy and gets stuck)

going to have hubby look for this this evening, Had a tooth pulled today so I think I might be living on yogurt for a couple of days.

I add sugar free strawberry jam or half a pouch of sugar free hot cocoa to my Greek yogurt. Yummy Sent from my PC36100 using RNYTalk

I was told that that particular yogurt didn't have any sugar added.

I have a question about acid re flux and vomiting. I had my sleeve on June 17 and my doctor had me trying to introduce food by the end of my 2nd week. I have been trying to introduce food ever since however no matter how small I cut my food or even if I eat yogurt or pudding it pushes it's way back up I cannot eat or drink or anything without it coming back up. Is this normal? I have emailed my surgeon and he just says it will work itself out but I am beginning to wonder...I take a pepicid regimen and the acid re flux is still horrible. Please help.

I'm allergic to whey and since it seems to be in everything I don't handle shakes so well. I do make a shake with blended cottage cheese and yogurt tho and it's quite good. I can eat great or like a trashcan and it doesn't seem to matter. I fluctuate up and down two or three pounds. I need to gain back quite a bit of fat as I'm having the fat sucked out and put into my bum. I don't want bum implants so I gotta get some fat on the go.

My surgeon's plan doesnt do puree until 3 weeks and IMO that was a good pace. As far as foods Canned chicken or tuna or hard boiled eggs with kraft fat free mayo ran through a food processor until there were no chunks left and a smooth consistency, Add some mustard if you like it as well as some seasoning to flavor it up. Its actually pretty good. I was surprised One of my other favorites was Fat Free Refried Beans with a little plain salsa mixed in. Some people say you can add some plain greek yogurt too but I never tried it. Some people mentioned being constantly hungry. I personally did not have any hunger the first 2 months, you may want to look at what you are eating. If it is high in carbs, that may be what is causing you to be hungry all the time.

I'm 5 weeks post op as well and I'm in the same boat! I don't have any advice, but I can certainly sympathize... The nausea seems to be a little better when I drink some skim milk or eat some yogurt first thing in the morning, but that doesn't always work.... I hope you feel better soon! *hugs*