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I put a scoop of vanilla body fortress in my morning coffee, then get my remaining protein via greek yogurt, cheese, and meat. If there is room left in the caloric tank I add in fruits and veggies. Or some kind of small indulgence like chocolate.

Having spent almost my entire life dieting, I learned that dairy products are not really good for losing weight. I noticed that a lot of people on this forum who have stalls or trouble losing weight seem to eat a lot of yogurt, pudding, cheese, and cottage cheese. Also, bread, crackers, rice and oatmeal keep me from losing weight although my system seems to be more sensitive than others. It seems to be ok to eat dairy but if you find that you aren't losing weight like you want to then you may want to consider cutting out the dairy altogether. You can buy high protein powders that can be turned into puddings with water though, for example Wonderslim puddings are pretty good.

I'm almost 3 years out. Here's what my day looks like: Breakfast - shake with 1 cup of Fairlife Skim Milk, protein powder and frozen fruit of my choice and coffee (35-ish grams of protein) Morning snack - Skyr Icelandic provision yogurt and a piece of fruit (10g protein) Lunch - Mixed green salad with 4 ounces of chicken and 1 tb of balsamic vinaigrette (31g protein) Afternoon snack - cheese (1.5 ounces) and grapes or another small fruit (10 g) Dinner - 3-5 ounces protein, small salad and small veg (asparagus, broccoli, etc.) 20+ grams of protein depending on the meat at dinner. I usually add another shake in and some carbs, but that's because I work out for about 1.5 hours each day burning anywhere from 700-1000 calories in a workout and I can't go into that much of a deficit or my body will eat muscle instead of fat. I'm training for a major competition. Hope this helps.

i am sick of protein shakes as well. so instead of the shakes i eat beans, chicken, turkey ground, eggs, yogurt, protein bars, lunch meat, shrimp and fish in order to get my protein

I couldn't do the shakes or the Isopure - at all. I couldn't get them down. If you are eating eggs and cottage cheese, you should be fine. Add some yogurt if you can handle it, greek ogurt has the most protein, but is strong in flavor. Make some homemade chicken broth (boil a real chicken, don't use powder) that will have lots of good collagen in it. You can also try to stir a little bit of protein powder into your cottage cheese to give it a boost. Try drinking milk too. Stay hydrated and do the best you can--- Good luck!

Hi Smilecharmer, Your liquid diet varies depending on what your surgeon says. But, mine was 4 protein shakes a day (5 or less net carbs), 1 low carb yogurt, 1 sugar-free pudding. I could have unlimited sugar-jello, popcicles, crystal light, broth, water, and decaf tea. I could also have egg-drop soup (which is what got me through it). I ate about 3 or 4 chicken breasts over the course of the two weeks because I was really hungry. Some surgeons allow you to do liquids and 1 meal a day which consists of 3oz lean meat and a veggie. I wish I had had that one! But, I made it... and you will too! Congrats on your decision to get WLS! Good luck on your journey! Rachel

I am 10 days post op and for another week or so I am on a slip off the spoon diet, no lumps, bumps or chunks. So I have a couple tablespoons of malt o meal, yogurt, sugar free Jello, or broth once a day. I drink a lot of Water and one bottle of crystal light a day also. I only eat those couple tablespoons because I worry about only taking in less than 100 calories per day. I have no hunger pains at all, and my doctor said I probably won't for the first 3 weeks or so. Even without hunger pains I find that I want to eat out of habit, but I have recognized that it isn't hunger, it's habit. Good luck!

I think the general feeling is to limit the carbs until you get closer to maintenance. Just getting the protein and fluids in is a major accomplishment for a long time, and then adding veggies and some fruit is more than enough. Adding carbs and fatty foods like nuts and nut butters can slow down your weight loss. I reached goal in 7 months, but did not even think of adding a grain based carb, nuts, or nut butters until then. Then I added them very gradually, to ensure I wouldn't start regaining. I am 18 months out now, and am eating a whole foods plant based (WFPB) diet now. I get all my protein in, but it comes from legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and non dairy milk/yogurt. I eat a lot of carbs now - but they are whole grains, legumes, fruits and veggies - nothing processed. I eat nuts and seeds every day. I also eat 8-10 servings of veggies/fruit every day, so I am NEVER hungry with that much volume. This all to say that there are a lot of different ways to eat after surgery, but initially, until you reach goal, you need to stick to your protein, water, legumes, veggies. The other stuff can come later. The first 6 months are where you are going to lose a lot of weight. The first year is the golden year, and you want to maximize the opportunity to lose as much as you can during that time. After 12-18 months (sometimes sooner, sometimes later), the weight loss will slow down, your body will start absorbing nutrients more easily, you will lose the tight restriction, and all your new lifestyle modifications will be the real tools you will use to maintain your new weight. The surgery gets the weight off, but you need to do the rest. Don't waste those first months. Hold off on maintenance foods like grain based carbs, starchy vegetables, and nuts/nut butters until you are ready to stop losing and start maintaining. Just my 2 cents worth. I'm sure others will have different ideas.

Ok. I have two separate isues.... The first being my issues with yogurt....all yogurt. I cannot get it down! It just did there making me sooooo uncomfortable. Anyone else have issues with yogurt? I have the perfect restriction....and love my band...i just wish I could have yogury for breakfast or a snack if needed.... Secondly I have been getting kidney stones like crazy! Had my third one in two months this weekend.....saw a uroligist and he said that people who lose weight can get them more often....also high protein diets can contribute to them too....the thing that stumped the dr wad that I drink a ton of water (more than 70 oz a day) and hVe no pop at all! Anyone else struggle with this? Love my band! Down 70 lbs since may

Yes, when I say I "snack", it is a cup of yogurt or cottage cheese to get my protein in for the day. I would consider, in my terminology, a protein shake in between meals a snack. I eat my breakfast at 6:30, have a "snack" (<100 cals) at 9:30, eat lunch about 1:00, have another "snack" at 4:00 and eat dinner at 7-7:30 after the gym. This is the only way i could ever get in enough calories or protein. having said that, I agree with the point that we are all different. I also plan out every crumb of food that goes into my body the night before, so I know exactly how much I am eating, etc.

I work in the health field, and yes it does sound like you are "dragging" contaminants in the wrong direction. Having said that, with my size ,I can't wipe the right way either. I have to reach from the front if I have a BM and I also have a tendancy towards yeast infections. SO, I eat lots of yogurt, wipe a lot so not to, um, smear :thumbup:, and use wet towelettes like what you get at the doctor's office when you give a urine sample. AND my DH installed a bidet (coochie carwash I call it) at home, and use that exclusively at home. When I loose the weight I'll have to retrain my self to reach behind! Oh gee, the things I look forward to! LOL Hope that helps.

Are allowed mushies ice yogurt at this point? I as only on full liquids on week out.

My stomach growled for two months. Before, during, and after eating. But it stopped as suddenly as it started. Try to limit yogurt to 8 oz. at a time. Light and fit dannon 2x protein is my fav for only 80cal. Love that you and your stomach ARE CONVERSING!! Too funny. : )

Yogurt was on the list from my dr to start on week 2.

CheckYes: Unlike Acadia, I've never had to take extra Vitamins - well, I should say, I've never known I was supposed to take anything other than a multi but I just had blood work done so I am going to check with my doctor on the B12, Iron, vit D and calcium. (Thanks for that info, Acadia). -- You're welcome. Not everyone needs extra vitamins, but vegetarians often do. It's good that you're getting tested. Ask for the actual number and the normal range so you can tell where you sit, not just if you're high or low. You could be 1 point from hitting under normal and they'll still say you're within range. Since B12 can only be had naturally from animal products it's necessary to supplement. Though you may be fortunate to get enough from a Multivitamin, most vegetarians will become deficient and will notice that they're tired more often, will have lines or ridges on their nails, and will lose the moon on their nails. And once you are deficient you *cannot* get what you need from food. There simply isn't enough B12 in food to compensate. That said, as a vegetarian you can still get some from fortified Breakfast cereals, which have around 6 micrograms. If you are lacto/ovo: yogurt has about 1.4 micrograms per 1 c, 1 cup of milk has 0.9 micrograms, an egg has 0.6 micrograms, and cheese has about 0.3 micrograms per 1 oz. The iron, same thing, it's primarily from meat and most vegetarians don't eat enough Beans or dark green leafy veggies to get enough iron. The vitmain D isn't necessary if you get outside - without sunblock - for at least 30 minutes a day. Though these days most people wear sunblock so they don't get enough Vit D. It's good to get tested and supplement unless you're in the mid level. It's good you're getting tested, most people don't bother with Vitamin / mineral testing. I love a little hot baked tofu with a small amount of peanut satay sauce. That's one of my favorite meals. -- I love this too, it's a great snack. I haven't had it since being banded though. and no more Gelatin (gummy vitamins, Jello and some jello mousse puddings). -- There are vegetarian/vegan sources of gelatin and there are many products that are created to be similar to things like Jell-O but still vegetarian. When in doubt call the manufacturer and ask what their source is for the gelatin. Birinak Everyone is different, based on the food they eat and their activity locations (outside vs inside). It's great that you don't need supplements. Unfortunately not everyone will be so fortunate. Vitamin B12 can be very easily obtained from eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, and whey. -- If the vegetarian is lacto/ovo those are options, but a lot of vegetarians aren't. I'm severely lactose intolerant, so no milk or yogurt for me. Cheese is okay if it's a hard cheese (sharp cheddar) and less than 1 tbsp. Whey is okay for me if it has no lactose in it. Many people go vegetarian not only for environmental reasons (including animal welfare) but often because of food intolerance, so they will become deficient if they are not lacto/ovo or pesci. For me personally, if eggs are cooked into something (bread) I'll eat it but very rarely (2-3x a year) will I eat an actual egg dish (like quiche or souffle). Also - it's very important to know that once someone is deficient in B12, they cannot get enough from food and they do need supplementation either by pills or injections to get back on par. Vitamin D along with 15 minutes of sun exposure a day -- There's actually a pandemic right now for vitamin D deficiency. People are wearing too much sunscreen, which prevents the ability to create vitamin D from the sun. And because obese people are already at risk for deficiency, most of the US is deficient. And you're right, the only way to tell if you truly need Vitamin D (and other vitamins) is to get your blood tested every 6 months to a year.

Does anyone know if yogurt and frozen yogurt are interchangeable? I dislike the texture of yogurt but I do like the frozen stuff.

I think you can do it with anything - any foods that are easy for you to eat, even if they're healthy. My DH and I are doing Lite n Easy at the moment, which is a home delivered diet. I wouldnt have said I ate around the band but give me the more solid foods - including bread rolls, etc and my intake has dropped dramatically. I really didnt realise how often I was eating, and how many things like soup, yogurt, cookies, cheese, stuff that packs calories but goes down easily. I thought I'd reached the end of my weight loss journey, now that I'm within the healthy weight range, but no, suddenly this week since I've started I"m losing like you do in the first week of ANY diet. I really believe now that I can get down to 60 something kilos, a weight I've never ever been in my adult life. I've always said that bread was a good diet food for me - wholegrain, low GI bread because it fills me up SO much and whenever I have a period of eating sandwiches or rolls for lunch I lose weight. But I dont bother because who wants to make half a sandwich? Well its all made for me and the more difficult foods are working. So yeah, I guess I was indeed eating around my band.

Hi all- I have had a major stop of the scale. i am able to eat much more now than i could three months ago, and even though i'm eating about 1100 cals a day, the scale is not moving at all.i have been at this same weight for about 14 wks. i don't know if this is just a HUGE LONG stall, or if i am back-sliding. i want to jump start things again so i can lose the last 20 lbs and reach goal by my one-year anniversary. i KNOW i need to go back to shakes, broth, SF Jello, yogurt, etc. anybody have any good suggestions further than this? the weather in my area has finally broke, so i am able to get back outside and walk again, that should help too. thanks!

I had a very similar situation, but had my band drained for both pregnancies (banded since 2003). I had band slippage and 2 hiatal hernias (first diagnosed Nov 2015/repaired Dec 2015, and second April 2016/repaired May 17 w/band removal & sleeve conversion). I'm currently at day 11 with my sleeve. Loving it! The first few days were a bit rough -- painful to drink, then the constant feeling of hunger. Yesterday (day 10), I was able to have yogurt and my first full feeling! Do know there is hope, and you are not alone! I read in one of the forums here that patients with band conversions have a more difficult time. My NP confirmed this yesterday at my first post-op appointment. So do keep this in mind if you're tempted to stray from better food choices.

Eat slowly and chew thoroughly Food can pass through the new stoma only of it has been into very small pieces. Always remember to take more time for your meals and chew your food very well. Stop eating as soon as you feel full Once your stomach is full, your body receives a signal that you have eaten enough. It takes time, though, for you to become aware of this signal. If you rush through your meal, you may eat more than you need. This can lead to nausea and vomiting. Take time to eat you meal. Try to recognize the feeling the fullness - then stop eating at once. Do not drink while you are eating This operation can work only if you eat solid food. If you drink at mealtimes, the food you have eaten becomes liquid and the effectiveness of the LAP-BAND System is greatly reduced. You should not drink anything for one to two hours after a meal. This allows you to keep the feeling of fullness as long as possible. Do not eat between meals After a meal, do not eat anything else until the next meal. Eating snacks between meals is one of the major reasons for weight-loss failure. It is very important to break this habit. Patients with proper "fill" levels do not feel hungry in between meals. If you are, this may be a sign that your band is too loose and you should tell your clinician. Eat only good quality food With the LAP-BAND System in place, you should be able to able to eat only a small amount so the the food you eat should be as healthy as possible. Do not fill your small stomach pouch with junk food that lacks vitamins and other important nutrients. Your meals should be high in protein and vitamins. Fresh vegetables, fruit, meat and cereals are good foods to choose. Foods high in fat and sugar are not. You may eat apples and oranges, but try to avoid orange juice and and apple juice. Ask your doctor or dietician before you take any vitamin supplements. Avoid fibrous food Food such as asparagus that contains many fibers can block the stoma. That's because you can't chew this food well enough to break it up into small pieces and your saliva can't break it down. Fibrous food should be avoided. If you would like to eat asparagus or other fibrous foods once in a while, then you must be sure to cook them well, cut them into very small pieces and them chew them thoroughly. Drink enough fluids during the day If you lose weight, your fat content will drop. This results in waste products. You will need to drink large amounts of liquid every day in order to urinate more and excrete these waste products from your body. Individual needs will vary, but you should drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. Drink only low-calorie liquids. Drinks, including those containing calories, simply run through the narrow outlet created by the band. If you drink liquids high in calories, you will lose little weight, even if you otherwise follow your diet. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day This rule is just as important as the other nine rules. Since physical exercise consumes energy and burns calories, it is very important to successful weight loss. Exercise can help improve your general health. Your size may make it hard for you to exercise as much as you should. But get started, even if it is a little at first. The more weight you lose, the easier it should get. Start with simple exercises such as walking and swimming. Gradually expand you program to include more vigorous forms of exercise such as cycling, jogging and aerobics. Increase your activity level in the course of daily living. For example, stand rather than sit, walk rather than stand, be outside rather than inside, walk rather than drive, climb the stairs rather than use the elevator, etc. Remember you should always check with your doctor about the amount and type of exercise that is best for you. Food Choices Use this section to help you plan what you eat. you may choose what you would like from each of these food groups on a daily basis: Fruits and vegetable 1 to 2 servings of fresh fruit daily 2 to 3 servings of fresh vegetable daily Bread and Cereals 1 small portion of corn flakes for breakfast 1 to 2 slices of whole wheat or rye bread each day Meat, Fish, Poultry, Eggs 1 oz. to 2 oz. of meat, fish or poultry or one egg each day (remove all visible fat from the meat. remove the ski from poultry. Grilling, steaming, microwaving or boiling are best ways to prepare them with low fat). Dairy Products Milk and yogurt are calories in liquid form. In theory, then, they should be avoided. But these types of food have calcium. That makes them an important part of a healthy daily diet. Choose a maximum of 2 cups of skimmed milk or low-fat yogurt and 1 oz. of cheese a day. Fats Restrict the use of fat to 3 to 4 teaspoons of margarine, butter or oil per day. You can have low-fat salad dressing and mayonnaise in moderation. Drink as many calorie-free liquids per day as you wish. Suitable drinks are: Tea or black coffee with low-calorie sweetener Water Non-carbonated beverages containing few or no calories Clear soup Note: Some doctors have reported that carbonated beverages may contribute to enlargement of the small pouch and should be avoided. Foods to Avoid Some foods have a concentrated supply of calories with little nutritional value and should be avoided as much as possible. They include: Sugar and foods containing large quantities of sugar, such as: High-calorie soft drinks Syrups Cakes Biscuits Sweets Jam Marmalade Honey High-fat foods including: Chocolate Pies Chips pastries Alcoholic drinks should also be consumed in moderation

I'm seven years out and I have truly awful sugar cravings at times. Eating properly is the key to preventing them getting really out of hand. i find with the band, I may not feel physical hunger, but my body knows that it's not had enough energy and nutrition. I mean, I might get up and run 8kms, get ready for work, get the kids ready, make the beds, put on a load of washing, feed the pets, tidy up, get to work, run a sport lesson, teach for the morning - all on half a cup of yogurt! Then I might grab a small tin of tuna and five or six crackers for lunch, perhaps somewhere in there I'll eat a piece of fruit. And then I wonder why I cave on the way home at 5.30 and call in at the supermarket for a feast of sugary carbs, and scoff an entire packet of biscuits before dinner? Stupid, when you think about it. PROPER meals during the day doesnt prevent the thoughts of late afternoon sugar for me, but it does make me able to resist. My 140lb active body cannot live on 500 calories for an entire day until dinner time! I dont get actually hungry, but my appetite gets out of control and I end up binging. I think a lot of bandsters seriously undereat. Yes, we want to lose, but if you want to lose fast and eat 800 calories a day AND exercise and never binge or pig out on bad foods, you're still going to need some serious willpower, because I dont think our bodies can be fooled for that long that we're underfeeding them. I had no trouble for the first year or two and then my body kind of wised up! Not that I havent managed to lose all of my weight and maintain that loss, but the cycle of undereating then binging is really not what the band is meant to encourage.

Probably the only reason I don't have that issue is because I have EOS (it's an autoimmune disorder that causes narrowing in the throat and can cause choking) and because of that for the past few years I've eaten really, really, really slowly because choking freaks me out and after wayyyy too many ER visits with food stuck in my throat I finally got a clue. 😓 My advice, take smaller bites and chew your food to MUSH before swallowing. If you are eating foods that you don't need to chew (yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.) then just take a small bite and then set the food aside for 30 seconds to a minute before taking another bite. Still keep with the small bites.

Every doctor does have different eating plans. But just because they say to do it doesn't mean you have too. In my case at 19 days post op there is no way I can start purees yet, my body does not feel up to it yet, so listen to your body. My NUT is on board with this and says some can take 4 weeks to get to purees. Also I hear chicken should be the absolute last food to try, some say that canned, like tuna, may be easier. Stick to pureed eggs, tuna, soft fish, beans, cottage cheese and yogurt.

Hello, i am a lil confused. I was on jello and liquids for a week and then was able to introduce pudding and yogurt the 2nd week. then the third week towards the end of the week i was able to eat mashed potatos. i was full on the yogurt. and have had no problems at all. in fact i had my surgery on 8/28 and have lost43 lbs

I'm afraid to cheat. I have been told that if my liver has not shrunk, the surgeon will open you up only to close you back up and not do the surgery. I have too much invested for that to happen to me. I think you all need to really think about the seriousness of this. I'm going into day 3 and so far, so good. But I am allowed to have yogurt, jello, applesauce, fish, chicken, some vegetables and salad along with 2 protein shakes daily, oh an oatmeal. It's kind of a weird diet, but it's definitely doable.