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Yeah, half the bariatric surgery websites I read in the US warn against fast food due to high sodium. Show me the evidence. I also want evidence on saturated fat and cholesterol while you're at it. Nonsense. I understand there's correlation, no ****, but when I was going Keto, often as not I used to rip the bun off two long chilli cheese burgers from Burger King (Swiss thing, awesome) and I was skinny and my blood work was epic. Oh and caffeine too. There's so much nonsense out there and half of it is from people whose names end in MD.

You have tried it but went back on regular diet and put your weight back on. Do you think low-carb diet is sustainable for life? I know many opt for Keto and low carb diets but can you personally do it for life? That should be the question to ask. If it isn't sustainable, it isn't for you. After done various diets, I know personally, low carbs/Keto isn't for me. I don't like restrictive diets. They always triggered my binging. So I will always make sure not to intentionally restrict anything from my diet. Of course, a balanced diet is a must. But restrictive diet is a big NO NO for me unless it's something temporary. I won't be able to do it for life nor do I want to make that my lifestyle post surgery.

These are some treats that I've tried and LOVE! I hope they work for you... if you decide to try them. Salty cravings: Quest chips are high protein & yummy. Sweet cravings: Go Better Keto sugar-free chocolate sea salt caramel cups, sugar-free pudding, sufar-free jello, sugar-free Cool Whip in the freezer tastes like ice cream. You CAN do it! I hope you find something that works for you.[emoji173] Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

I'll be 8 years out this June!! I was doing great but have struggled with a 25 lb regain over the last year since I had covid. ordered some new protein earlier this week and plan to get totally refocused over the weekend (once it arrives)! Was doing keto for the last 6 years and did great initially but have realized that I'm not losing anymore with it because my fat intake was just too high, so going back to a strict post-surgery eating plan.

You are right, its going to be up to me on the success of my weight loss future. I'm starting to look into the keto diet and the meal plan. I do know the dr I'm going too does not want you to eat red meat or pork for 1 year. I'm not sure I can go a year with out red meat lol.

I totally get that fear - I was self pay too and I think we just put extra pressure on ourselves not to 'waste' money on something that doesn't have a decent chance of success. I'm only 3.5 months post op but I am certain that this surgery was a good investment in my future health. It's up to me whether that investment pays dividends in the long run. I wish you all the best on your journey - stay here and you'll get so much good advice and wisdom. And FWIW - I know I'm not long enough post op to answer your original question, but my partner lost about 50lbs some years back on keto and maintains on keto - we eat meat at most meals every single day - all the meats! I just eat about 1/4 of what he does at a sitting these days. 😎

I can only speak from my experience. I had several of those "I can do this without surgery" moments throughout my life. I first started down the path of surgery in 2013/14. I was doing the Tim Ferriss Slow Carb Diet (6 days/wk, eat only beans/meats/veggies, 7th day is cheat day) and having great success. I explained what I was doing to the bariatric surgery coordinator and her response (paraphrased) was, "That's nice, but you won't be able to do that post-surgery." I didn't want to hear that, figuring that I had already lost 40+ pounds this way and cancelled my appointments. I ended up losing roughly 150 pounds on that diet, but gained it all back. Why? It reinforced binge eating habits and didn't set me up for future success. Like a lot of overweight people, I thought my next lifestyle change (clean eating! intermittent fasting! keto!) would be the one that allowed me to lose the weight and keep it off. I finally realized that I was only fooling myself. It takes an incredible amount of discipline to lose weight and keep it off without surgery. You have to commit to eating a certain way for the rest of your life; I have yet to meet someone who did a diet for 6 months, lost the weight, went off the diet and kept the weight off. I reached a mental state where I had two choices: 1) continue living my life as I had been or 2) making a truly radical change, the change most likely to keep the weight off. I chose Option 2, because I owed it to myself, my wife and my kids to be the healthiest person I could be. I do not regret my choice. But while I do not regret my choice, I don't go around telling other people to do it. I don't think I would have succeeded in 2013 the way I have today with the surgery. In 2013, I would have seen it as "I do a surgery, I eat less, I lose weight, winner, winner, smaller chicken dinner." That is a set up for long-term failure. Now, I see it as "I have been given a great chance to live a healthy life and I need to take advantage of it." Until you reach that mental state, you are not ready to succeed with this surgery.

My pre op diet was real food too, no shakes, but keto. I had no pain or discomfort at all. I also had always been a big protein & vegetable eater so not a huge change to my diet except for the extra fat. Eating a more high fibre (from cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, kale, collard greens, etc.) can give you wind & maybe colic. Would be worth a call to your medical team to rule out anything not related to the change of diet.

Congrats to all on a fast and uneventful surgery. I'm almost 1 week out. Everyday is different. I'm very low energy but trying to stick with keto diet, at least in the beginning because I lose weight so slow normally. I have some health issues which aren't helping the low energy issue. Sometimes I'm surprised I'm hungry. I heard that generally in the first stages you aren't that hungry. The good news is having 4 oz of protein drink gets rid of the hunger. But its a good thing my refridge and pantry are emptied of anything I shouldn't be eating right now! I suspect I'm much older than a lot of people on this board.

I had a lot of success with Keto Chow and I'm looking forward to utilizing it again. Tons of flavors and recipes. I think I'll need to modify the base recipe at first, but you never get bored with Keto Chow. 😁

It is American haha its like a smoothie and nutritional place. They also sell protein powders, protein water, keto, high protein bars and snacks. They have some sugary, bad options but also some macro friendly shakes. I always wondered if they're still drinkable after wls. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

Smoothie King has a lot of high protein options and keto shakes. I never cared for their sugary fruit smoothies. I use to get their Low carb high protein shakes. But I wonder how people tolerate them after surgery. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

I would *love* to bake, but it's just two of us at home, and so I don't get any real opportunity. I can't be making whole foccacia and shoving them at my partner to eat solo! I have zero desire to eat it (grain based carbs don't agree with me anymore), but I love love love the whole ritual of baking, especially bread. But it's totally not selfish to give baking a miss if it's tempting you or making your post-op life harder. Maybe keto baking might an interesting alternative.

I'd also tell him about the hernia for sure. I went back to my surgeon 7 years after my sleeve with severe hiatal hernia symptoms. He did an EGD, and as soon as I woke up told me he saw the hernia and had scheduled my revision surgery for the following week. Hernia and GERD are two very good reasons to revise to bypass as it should help with both. As others have said though, don't expect as much weight loss with the revision as with the original surgery. One other thought, I had great luck using my sleeve with a combination of time restricted feeding and keto. I only ate between noon and 6pm (lunch at noon, dinner by 6pm, no snacking) and generally followed keto guidelines. This is the insulin control diet regimen recommended by Dr. Jason Fung. I dropped 20 pounds in a couple months and found it was easy as since my sleeve I didn't have a great deal of hunger.

How are you feeling? I start mine next Tuesday and I won't lie, I'm nervous. Mine is a "liver shrinking diet" so it looks like a protein-shake heavy keto diet. Should be OK. I'm more worried about the liquid and puree stages but one baby step at a time I guess!

Hi, I'm new! I had a sleeve in 2008 and it gave me GERD. I ended up gaining more weight than I lost due to severe anemia and pica. Then I did keto and lost 225lbs but it still isn't enough. I also have a hernia but it isn't really impactful. I told my doctor that I want revision surgery (but i didn't mention gerd or the hernia, just weight loss) and he is like, "see a dietitian." Also I do not have the same doctor or even live in the same area as I did in 2008. Literally any advice or comments are appreciated here.

I finally found the Aldi keto bagels! They are not nearly as dense as regular bagels and I don’t mind because I still cannot eat dense breads.

Sandwich with keto bread. Ham and cheese and baked chips

The first GP I talked to was against surgery, she said that it didn’t address the psychological issues of overeating and if I eat emotionally it would be extremely hard for me to cope with my emotions afterwards. She recommended a ‘health coach’ and keto. Roll forward a year, couldn’t find a qualified health coach, lost weight with keto and realised that it’s not sustainable. I have at this point nearly put back all the weight I lost last year. Spoke to another GP who I know is diabetic himself, he said absolutely , surgery is the only way to lose weight permanently, he gave me a referral. As a postscript I saw GP. Number one in the car park, she is a lovely human, but you couldn’t fail to notice that her own bmi had shot up over the last year, maybe she shouldn’t heed her own best advice.

Oh ! Makes me realise how darn slow everything happens in NZ! I spoke to my GP last August, it took him 2 weeks to even write the referral letter (I had to get referred even though I am self funding). I waited until December to see the surgeon, then i had to have two psych appointments and a dietician appointment, then they all got together yesterday and agreed I can have the surgery 😁 I have another final appointment with the surgeon beginning of March where he will schedule the actual date…..am elated and terrified at the same time! So it will be near 9 months. Though I did actually talk to another GP in the practice about surgery over a year ago, she was negative and told me that keto might work…it did but I have since put nearly all the weight back on again.

Hey all - So like many of you, I am still trying to figure out what normal means, six months post surgery. First off, I am so happy I did the VSG - no complaints, I feel great, surgeon was fantastic, their office is responsive and follows up and I am down from an all-time high of 305, 261 on Surgery Day, and 195 Today. Hoping to get to 185. That's where my difficulty is: In the past 10 weeks, I have lost maybe 5 pounds. I find my weight fluctuates daily +/- 5 pounds, so I only track the lows as benchmarks. (IDK: water retention, lack of BM, salt...). My low was 194, today 196, the other day 200 (which is a number I hate!). I think I am spoiled by the rapidity of weight loss early on and feeling a little discouraged now that things are slower. More than that though, my fear is that my portion size is starting to feel almost normal person normal... not my pre VSG by any stretch, but not terribly restricted. I also am getting hungry again... and craving things like sweets again. After a filling dinner at 6, by 9 I think about dessert - and sometimes succumb. Thus far, I havent done anything too terrible, but the idea of making a batch of chocolate chip cookies has been on my mind for weeks. I feel like I could fall off the wagon at any time. And now that I can eat almost normal amounts again, its not like the little cheats along the way that didnt matter due to space restrictions - I COULD DO DAMAGE! (BTW- still dont understand the "2nd stomach" when it comes to dessert. If I think about having another piece of grilled chicken, I know I am full, but a bowl of iced cream, suddenly I am starving!) With slow weight loss, which I understand is normal as I am getting close to goal weight, and growing portions (8-10 oz at a time), cravings for sweets, and inter-meal hunger, I am terrified that I am a few months from seeing an uptick on the scale. Ten pounds from the finish line - which I might hit, but for how long? So, for my version of the "is this normal" questions: 1. 5 lbs in 10 weeks? 2. 8-10 oz portions 6 months out? 3. How long till 8-10oz becomes, 12, 14... 4. Is this in my control (am I stretching), or is this healing and normal? 5. Why am I hungry - is it psychological bad habits or physical healing and ok? 6. I have no problem getting enough protein, but are carbs still the enemy, or calories, or fat? 7. Macros, Keto, Calorie counting - academically I understand them all. I cant reconcile the conflicting info. Even my Doc and my nutritionist seems to differ (though they obfuscate to be respectful of one another). Anyone in a similar phase of this process with insight on this part? And tips: 1. Least harmful desserts that have worked for you? Mathing things our has been getting me a little crazy. I have gotten back to espresso/lattes lately, which I find to be a filling snack, but even with skim milk: 100 calories x 2/day x 7 days per week = 1400 calories = almost half a pound a week. Same with the 100 calorie dessert. Thus, if the I'm doing the math right: I am basically eating a neutral calorie amount at this point - evidenced by lack of meaningful weight loss. Avg 1/2 a pound a week for the past 10 = 1750 calorie deficit per week = 250 calorie deficit per day. Does that mean I am a skim milk latte and an apple a way from not losing weight. Then any excess is gain!?!? I think all I have left in my arsenal is more exercise, which frankly, doesnt seem that probable. If I liked the treadmill, I would be on this forum now would I? Welcome thoughts & feedback! Thanks all!

Don't even mention having a procedure. Start talking now about switching to a keto diet (Your future diet will match that story. Also mention going to the gym or starting some exercise program. That's what I did, and no one questions me.

Our surgery center said not to worry TOO much about some added fat, like cheese sauces, right away, because we are eating so little. On the other hand, we shouldn't eat high amounts of fat like in Keto because that can increase the risk of galbladder issues as you are rapidly losing weight. I eat cheese and sour cream and butter sauces on things I eat at restaurants and I have to eat out a lot for work. I also can't eat tomato sauce because it upsets my stomach (my whole life, not related to surgery). But try different things to see what works for you.

I was referring to OP and keto coffee in general. I had sleeve, but was still told not to do Keto. I do eat some high fat foods like cheese, and as a treat I'll have the sugar free peanut butter cups, which are essentially Keto, but I try to keep fat and sugar both low.

There are a few ways to accomplish this: 1. Eat some type of stewed meat, where it naturally has taken on moisture. 2. Find some low sugar or sugar free sauces (i.e. use a little bit of keto bbq sauce) 3. A little bit of gravy, all things considered, should be ok. Don't douse your food in gravy, but use just enough to add moisture. 4. If the meat is a good fit for it (like chicken), some avocado mash makes a nice sauce. Really, just find something that adds moisture, so you aren't relying totally on your own saliva to help it breakdown and become mush in your mouth.