Search the Community

Hi fellow friends and losers! Please be so kind as to reply to this post with your daily meals 3 weeks post op? I am struggling immensely and I am sure I am not getting enough nutrition in. I am lactose intolerant and can't have any yogurt or milk stuffs. Which leaves me with little choice. I am also constantly feeling not well. I think if I eat better I would feel better. So please, to help me and others reading this post, please just give a quick run down of what you are eating at your mealtimes when you're about 3 weeks post op? I hope to catch some great tips from you! I struggle especially with what to have for Breakfast. Thanks all! Obeasta

I cannot explain why the reset works, it could be part physiological, part psychological. Returning to the strict healthy habits of post-op can trigger (in a good way) post-op behaviors and mind set. Not being a scientist or medical doctor I cannot authentically speak about how the stomach reacts to Protein or carbs but in my personal experience, I have discovered that "hunger" is "felt" by me the more carbs I eat on a regular basis. No carbs, no ravenous I MUST EAT IT ALL hunger cues. But that's me, not science. I have also noticed that if I start my morning off with warm liquids (herbal tea) I can go alot longer without eating. I've also noticed that if I eat dense/thick foods like greek yogurt, soft scrambled eggs, Peanut Butter, they keep me full a lot longer. I am in the process of a genuine reset, my first. Over the last year I went through a lot and let my food go to pieces, eating anything I felt like. On the 22nd I started tracking again exactly like a post-op. I can report that I am exhausted and going through carb withdrawal but that, if I really really examine how I'm feeling physically, am not actually hungry. A little frantic but that's the head hunger. Today I am having: Breakfast - egg white scramble with turkey sausage, shredded cheese, diced ham lunch - Protein shake dinner - steak snack - tea with milk, grapefruit Total will be about 675 cals, 24g carbs, 70g protein and I will go dancing tonight for my cardio. This is an experiment, I've never done a reset before or as some like to call it "5 day pouch test", but there are plenty of folks here who do it all the time and there are whole threads devoted to this topic to serve as a resource. Hope this helps!!

I put a teaspoon in my Greek yogurt for texture. Let it sit a few minutes and they swell there. I know some mix them in smoothies and shakes as well. I just use a small amount though.

Ok here goes. I was banded on June 3rd. I have been feeling really good, pretty easy surgery for the most part. Last night I was craving salt like nobody's business. So I popped a few sunflower seeds in my mouth to suck on then I was going to spit them out. Yep, it happen I swallowed a whole one. I can feel it in my throat when I swollow. I had yogurt earlier and that went down fine, water, warm tea. I am kicking myself right now, I can't believe I did something sooooo dumb. And I am far too embarrassed to call my doctor at this point. I am hoping it will go down since I am newly banded it should go through right?:thumbup: Any ideas??????????

Did anyone find that once they lessened their dependency on Protein shakes and stared eating more real food, their weight loss progressed faster? Been stalled for 3 weeks now after 9/29 surgery. Right now, a typical day is... B- pure Protein shake S- dannon light and fit vanilla Greek yogurt (1 carton) L- canned chicken (3 oz) with light mayo S - pure protein shake D - lean protein like fish or chicken (3 oz) S - pure protein shake Usually ends up at about 700 calories and 120g protein. So those numbers are OK per the NUT. But, wondering if the shakes may be causing the stall. Going to start tomorrow having a scrambled egg for Breakfast and some nuts for morning snack, keeping 1 shake a day. May have to supplement with some unflavored Protein powder to get to the number. Just wondering if anyone else stalled due to the shakes. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

On Nov. 28, 2009 I had lap band surgery in Burlingame, CA. My suergeon Dr. Pamela Foster is great. Afte about 6 months I was throwing up all the protein I was eating. I could keep a little soup and frozen yogurt down. After 8 months of constant throwing up and every test known to man kind they decided to remove the band. They did a sleeve so I wouldn't gain any weight back as I had lost about 70 lbs by then. While they were in doing the sleeve they found the scar tissue had wrapped around my esophogus and had been causing all the sickness. The opened it up and once I learned how to eat again I lost another 30 for a total of 100 lbs. I had the sleeve surgey Nov. 3, 2010. I feel great and look pretty good but my stomach is still na little sore and would love to find out what I should be eating. I was trained what to eat with the lap band and keep going back to that mind set. I would love to find a menu of what I should be eating with the sleeve.

I find that I don't have issues with food so far. I'm 2 weeks out and can eat 6 oz yogurt, a whole scrambled egg etc, a whole Protein shake, 4oz cottage cheese etc. I just go slow and eat the amount that's pre packaged. Sent from my iPhone using VST

I'm on all liquids now for the last 2 days. Yogurt, fat free cream soup, protein shakes and sugar free pudding or jello. First week was liquids with one high protein solid meal.

The yogurt goes down fine...just like pudding. It doesnt make sense though seems like with creamy soups I'm going backwards...hmm. Anyhow it was like heaven what little I had.

Just a question. Does your doctor consider yogurt the same as creamy soup? I could have creamy soup at day 8 but it was another week before I could have yogurt. Also I thinned out the Greek yogurt at that point with fat free milk because it is really thick.

Meat just isn't really agreeing with me and right now I'm eating mostly beans, cheese, Greek yogurt. Any vegetarians that can give me an idea of how they've been doing since surgery. I'm 2 months post-op.

HI! Congrats on your upcoming surgical date! I would stick with the milk but maybe start going to the lactose free kind. many of us find we are lactose intolerant after the bypass for some weird reason! I can still do my Greek yogurt and some cheese in small amounts but a shake full of milk...no way! lol I say stay with the milk because Protein is going to be so important in your life so soon. your adding about ten more grams to your shakes with your 8oz of milk, not to mention some key nutrients because milk is a REAL food and you will have to ease back into those slowly at first. Your body will always absorb and heal and just thrive better on real foods so, keep the milk going while you have to lean on the shakes! Also, don't be bummed about the slow loss before surgery, a lot of people don't see a huge loss pre bypass. Remember though, when they DO the bypass, you get a RE DO on your who metabolic system! We get a restart on our metabolism a real do over! So, don't worry about the scale, just know your liver is gettin ready to be read like tea leaves, so its gotta look its most firm and fit! lol That is really what the pre op is all about, the real new you will be here soon enough! It's not an easy thing, but the pay offs can be aw some, you'll see! Keep on talking on here, it helps! Any other questions let all of us know! GOOD LUCK!

So I attempted to go out w friend yesterday and the few places we went I didn't see any options. I'm 3 weeks out and still have to eat mushy- but sick of yogurt and not huge on meat. So I got all snappy and ready to cry because for the first time since surgery realized the struggle this is going to be... any food ideas or websites?

I only had to pack lunch, I eat breakfast and dinner at home. My usual was either Greek yogurt or cottage cheese with a little nut butter or PB2, or a couple of slices of deli meat (roast turkey, roast beef etc.) and maybe a slice of cheese in a roll-up. I kept it very simple. I would also take a couple of protein shakes as snacks, to make sure I hit my protein goals for the day -- Premier Protein was my usual brand.

I'm a little more than 9 mos out and am pretty happy with the progress that I have made and the good fortune that I have had in terms of avoiding major complications. I am continuing to struggle with some food aversions that are beginning to concern me and are making it difficult to eat a varied diet. It started with chicken, which the mere thought of eating is completely revolting to me. I'm also increasingly feeling that way now about things like shrimp and pork. All of these are things that I liked before surgery. Making matters worse, I have never really liked fish, so I'm starting to run low on types of meat that I can readily eat. I still consistently hit my daily Protein target, but that is largely with the help of things like Protein Bars, Greek yogurt, small amounts of cheese, and things like chili. I've mentioned this to my nutritionist, but she has not really had any advice apart from emphasizing the importance of eating a varied diet. Has anyone else dealt with something similar? Were you able to do anything to improve things?

Well here I am! One week post-op and I can't believe I'm already here....I don't feel banded but I definitely feel the pain of my incisions and the changes in my body. A few things I've noticed that I'm wondering about you guys... 1. I feel bloated. Constantly. I don't feel these "gas pains" everyone talks about?! I belch often. My incisions are painful. But I don't have gas pains? I just feel bloated. Allllll the time. 2. I've lost my hunger sensation. Physically I don't feel hungry. Emotionally, I do. I've just transitioned to my full liquids stage and am allowed SF pudding, FF tomato/cream soups, broth, protein shakes, jello, and yogurt. I am having a hard time with the non-liquids. I ate a lot out of feeling like "well I don't have anything else to do," or "I didn't have dinner," or "I need to try that flavor of yogurt," etc. that's my food addiction and it scares the crap out of me. I know it was just one bad day but I'm only one week post op and I'm already feeling like a failure. Should I go back to liquids? Idk what to do. 3. Do many of you use myfitnesspal? I have a few friends on there from this forum but would like more. My username is westcomk. I think it's nice to have benders on there! 4. I'd like to share recipes if anyone's interested. For instance, I realized my favorite Campbell's tomato soup has 12...TWELVE grams of sugar per 1/2 cup. So I found a sugarless homemade recipe tonight that I'm going to try. Does anyone have any good low sugar soups they like? Thanks for listening everyone. Maggie

Was the yogurt or diet? :-)

(stole this from March bandsters group!!) There are so many different opinions about what to eat and not to eat post op, I thought it would be helpful to post the LAPBAND SYSTEM guidelines. Hope it's helpful. Recovery Here are some key points for your recovery in the first few days and weeks. First Days You can expect some soreness, especially where the access port is, but it should subside (Please call your surgeon if the pain persists after a few days). To prevent infection, your surgeon may tell you not to shower for a day or so after surgery. Try to walk as much as you can comfortably, so that you'll regain strength and prevent blood clots, but take it slowly. [*]First Week(s) During the first week after surgery, allow yourself to recover and get plenty of rest. In about a week, you should be able to return to work, provided it's not physically demanding. For more physically active jobs, allow yourself two to three weeks to recover. Within four to six weeks, you should be able to resume all normal activity and start a new exercise program. Note: Before engaging in any physical activity or exercise program, first consult your surgeon. Click here to learn more about Exercise Guidelines Many surgeons see their patients weekly or biweekly during the first month after surgery, so you will be sure your recovery is going well, and have any questions answered. Dietary Guidelines After surgery, you'll need a new nutrition plan. You'll learn about the positive changes you can and need to make in your diet and lifestyle from your surgeon and/or dietitian. It's very important to follow your new eating and drinking instructions beginning immediately after the surgery. In the first few weeks after your LAP-BAND® System surgery, you will be on a liquid diet since only thin liquids will be tolerated by your stomach at that time. As you heal, you will gradually progress to pureed foods (three to four weeks post-op) and then soft foods (five weeks post-op). Finally, after about six weeks, you will be able to eat solid foods. The First Few Days Post-Surgery It's extremely important to follow the eating and drinking instructions immediately after the surgery. This allows your new stomach pouch to heal completely and the LAP-BAND® System to stay in the right position. In the early weeks, it's crucial not to stretch the small stomach pouch above the LAP-BAND® System. Vomiting will do this, while also increasing the chance of stomach tissue slipping up through the band. Right after the surgery, you can take an occasional sip of Water or suck on an ice cube. Don't take any more liquid than this, though. The day after the operation, you can take a little more Fluid but only a small amount at a time. Besides water, you should also choose Clear Liquids that have an adequate number of calories. To prevent nausea and vomiting, do not drink too much. [*]liquid diet (1-2 weeks post-surgery) Your goal during the first few weeks is to protect the small stomach pouch so that you can heal properly. It can only tolerate thin liquids at this time. It's also important to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water (small amounts at a time). Other liquids recommended during this phase include: clear broth or Soup (with no vegetables or meat, and not creamy) skim milk fruit juice no-sugar-added popsicles [*]Pureed Foods (3-4 weeks post-surgery) Now, you can start adding slightly textured foods. Think of the consistency of baby foods. This stage will help you transition to more solid foods later. Protein is very important for maintaining muscle while you lose weight. So, you should eat protein-rich foods first, and then move on to fruits and vegetables. Foods in this stage may include: pureed skinless chicken or fish mashed potatoes peas low-fat yogurt or pudding [*]Please note: In the first few weeks you may be able to eat foods that might not be allowed in your diet later, because they may contain too many calories. [*]Remember, it's more important in the first few weeks to let your stomach adjust to the LAP-BAND® System than it is to lose weight. Also, your personal timing and progression into each dietary phase depends on your progress. In general, when it comes to your nutrition, you should follow the advice of your surgeon and/or dietitian. [*]Soft Foods (5 weeks post-surgery) Your meals can now include tender, cooked foods like fish and ground turkey. Now that you can chew, make it a habit to chew foods well. If you have dentures, be sure to cut your food into small pieces and chew your food thoroughly. By not chewing properly, you may experience vomiting, stomach irritation and swelling. You could also have stoma obstruction (obstruction of the stomach opening created by the LAP-BAND® System). Some products like bread, red meat, and rice may still cause you problems, so it is better to eat softer foods that are easier to digest. These might include foods such as moist white meat (chicken or pork) and fish. If solid foods cause any nausea and vomiting, go back to the liquid diet you had earlier. Then you can slowly add soft foods and eventually transition to solid foods. Always ask your doctor or dietitian for advice that is specific to you. Again, remember that vomiting may increase the incidence of band slippage, stomach slippage, or stretching of the small stomach pouch above the LAP-BAND®.

String cheese is one of my faves. A girl in my support group this morning gave out a recipe that I might try. 1 Jello cup 1 greek yogurt cup (Dannon or Yoplait) 1 scoop Protein powder (use a fruity one, or an unflavored) Tiny bit of diet big red or diet sprite I dont drink cokes anymore, so I might try it with ice. Just blend it all together. I also am in love with sugar free Fudgesicles from the Schwan Man!

I'm having surgery on my left arm on the 17th of august, and my right knee is in a brace and having PT for it and my neck which is so not good . I also am wearing a catheter due to bladder retention until september. needless to say i'm not able to do much exercise except for what I have to do for PT on my arm, knee and neck. I'm not seeing much weight loss and think I'm in a stall. i'm so afraid i'm going to stop losing weight or even worse, regain weight. I had my surgery April 13th, 2015 and have lost 50lbs so far (not complaining). Being 57 doesn't help either. I'm making sure I get at least 60-70gms of Protein a day. I'm a picky eater and so I'm concerned that is hurting me. I've had to set reminders on my phone for when i need to eat or snack (i have a brain injury and my long and short term memory is horrible.) I basically have 1 Protein Drink in a.m. with my meds (30gms protein) and then I eat a lot of light yogurt (80 cal, 7gms protein) x 6. sometimes boars head deli turkey plain, baked potato w/chilli, blueberries with almond milk, spaghetti, chicken, salmon, but on days that i don't want to cook it's mainly the Protein drinks and yogurts and maybe something i made ahead of time and froze. All in all it stays under 1000 cal. since i'm not going to be as mobile maybe I should cut back calories? how many calories do you think a couch potato burns in a day? lol cuz that's what i'm going to be for atleast 2 weeks. Has anyone had to put their exercise on hold? and what was the outcome. I think i'm going to be unable to really exercise for a couple of months. They are talking about doing neck surgery next after i've recovered a bit from my shoulder repair. I've also found the strangest thing. sometimes (usually in the afternoon) i find I can eat more than what I typically eat. a.m. is 11oz of protein drink, snack is 1 yogurt, lunch is usually 2 yogurts, my snack is a protein cookie (yuck) or yogurt and then dinner can be more traditional. I'm open to any and all feedback! Kat

I mixed unjury chocolate Protein powder with fat free Greek yogurt (considered a full liquid). Very satisfying and 40g of protein.

I always tried to keep my breakfast low carb and high protein, like the rest of my meals. Just because it's breakfast doesn't mean I need to eat a bunch of crappy carb-laden food. Now that I'm free to eat raw veggies I usually make a salad with about 3 ounces of steak and one ounce of raw baby spinach leaves. It is a great breakfast! Back when I was on soft foods I often had something like a poached egg over a piece of turkey sausage or slice of light spam; or Greek yogurt or cottage cheese with a spoonful of peanut butter or almond butter stirred in. No grains!

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!

Chil fil a Greek yogurt has quite a bit of added sugar. It's probably OK in a pinch, but not regularly.

Hi! Had surgery on 9/17. Just curious what and how much people are eating. I find that yogurt does down..no problems. When I eat solid food, I get a "full" feeling after a couple of small bites (not even an ounce) but I eat more because I wouldnt be getting anywhere near the 65 g. of protein. The feeling doesn't get worse until I eat a couple of ounces (volume not weight) and I know it is time to stop. Does anyone get that "full" feeling after a 2 or 3 bites of food, that stays that way until you eat a couple of ounces? Does that go away?