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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.

I have found that the same thing happens to me. I like to work out in the mornings for an hour everyday. I started having a Protein shake 30 minutes before my work out which then allowed me to drink Water during my workout. After my workout. Usually will have a yogurt with protein rich granola. Ever since I started doing that, I feel more energy following my workout. Good luck!

I'm not suppose to start pureed foods until next week. The yogurt and protein shakes have helped. I did sneak in some pureed carrots. Bought baby food today.

It has been a lifesaver for me post surgery in helping me get in my protein. I mix it with yogurt and with protein shakes. It's great!

I'm not allowed cream of wheat or oatmeal yet Only jello popsicles clear broth fat free plain yogurt and Protoss shakes Can't wait to see Doc on Thurs for clearance on mushies

You guys are the best, I feel bad for my partner because I just dont want to talk about it shutting her out, Leaving me in a bed bound slump today. I know it will move again I was taking in more it was 600-800 and nothing so I lowered it its like nothing I do works. I know our bodies went through some serious trauma but the lack of weight loss is taking my mental through some serious trauma as well, Heck I would take a pound a week but nothing at all ? I eat 3oz of yogurt for breakfast Salmon and spinach for lunch and for a snack the other half of yogurt then salmon again for dinner I should be loosing this weight like water smh I use the rest room all day long feels like every 20-3 minutes i drink so much water so please body respond is how im feeling right now! I hope your right and I can look back at this and laugh at myself for allowing the scale to control my emotions I really do.

I am totally addicted to fat free Greek yogurt with a spoon of vanilla sugar free Jell-O pudding. it tastes just like cheesecake to me. I add a Splenda and mix the powdered pudding right into the yogurt...I'm in heaven. High protein, low-cal (about 125 calories) and tasteeeee!

I've mixed Peanut Butter, No suger added Nesquick, and several other ingredients with it before. I also mix mine with Almond Milk... lower carbs than skim milk. But here are two of my favorite blends so far 1 scoop vanilla Protein powder, Almond Milk, Nonfat Blackberry yogurt, 3 pineapple chunks and a few ice cubes, then blend it. And 1 scoop vanilla protein, Almond Milk, and Nonfat Lemon yogurt, ice cubes then blend.... reminded me of a lemon pie the first time I had one.

Are there any men here who were over 400 lbs before your surgery? Before your surgery, were you always hungry? What was your highest weight? Are you still hungry now that your banded? How much weight did you have to loose to have the surgery? My problem is I dont like the taste of most healthy stuff like salads. Lettuce tastes like grass to me. I cant stand that taste. I dont mind healthy cerials or yogurts, but how much how do you make 3 meals a day - 7 days a week out of that! Right now I am trying to cut back. I was on the fast track to getting banded with Anthem Insurance, when my company switched to Cigna (yuck!) I lost all my efforts and now I need to start at ground zero again, including the pre-op weight loss! I would like to chat about what you ate before and what you eat now etc. On or off this forum works for me. wishiwas@juno.com is my e-mail address.

That's more restrictive than my diet. I'm on day 1. same as your diet except we can have sugar free fudgecicles, popcicles and must have 70g of protein a day. We can have dannon light and fit yogurt and fruit juice and low fat cream Soup. I'm diabetic so wont be drinking fruit juice( unless I have a low blood sugar). Today has been really, really hard.

I am enjoying a yogurt smoothie, and will be enjoying some tomato soup for lunch! I never thought I would be so excited for these food items, but I am!!! I read my post-op handbook three times just to make sure I was allowed to eat this week. Just thought I would share my excitement!

Well how I eat now is WAY different than at 8 weeks. Back then I still got stuffed on a couple tablespoons of food, so I was shooting for as much Protein as I could in every bite. I didn't feel "normal" until 4 months out. That's when I could eat a little more, started mixing in more veggies and fruit, and didn't have to struggle each day just to meet goals. At 6 months I could eat a small plate of whatever everyone else was eating ....heavy on the protein dishes, less of the carbs. At 10 months my restriction loosened even more and I found I could eat more and still maintain. Thats pretty much where I still am. Yesterday was a weekend so I did a lot of snacking. Here's what I had..... 1 egg omelet with cheese and sausage; 2 16oz cups of decaf coffee with 1/2 and 1/2. leftover Chinese BBQ pork, raw cauliflower, broccoli and carrots dipped in spinach dip, peanuts, blueberries, plain Greek yogurt flavored with vanilla Protein powder and flax seed added for Fiber, a slice of braunschweiger, 12oz can of V8 juice, elk sausage with a couple bagel crisps, 32oz Water, white chocolate raspberry Quest bar, cottage cheese and fresh peaches. I know it sounds like a lot, but the portions were small and that's typically how I eat on the weekends if I'm home. But in general I eat whatever I want whenever I'm hungry. On work days I don't get a lunch break but I always have a large protein smoothie and a quest bar at some point in the day so I'm free to eat veggies, fruit and grains at mealtimes, rather than just protein.

I was sleeved May 6, and I have somewhat of a "routine" as far as eating...per my NUT, I am supposed to be getting in 60-80 g of Protein per day, but if I am lucky I hit 60...fluids I am supposed to be getting 64 oz daily, I rarely get in more than half of that though (that is my most difficult goal each day)...my NUT tells me not to worry about calories because if I am following the dietary plan--and given the capacity of my stomach--I shouldn't exceed 800 calories per day...she is right because most days I am between 600 and 700 calories for breakfast, it's either a scrambled egg, boiled egg, some cheese squares, yogurt or an occasional Protein shake for lunch (during the work week), I either eat leftovers from previous dinner or have deli meat and cheese roll-ups, Soup or chili, maybe some Peanut Butter or yogurt for dinner, I have some sort of lean protein (turkey or chicken usually with some cheese sometimes and some type of veggie or Beans, such as green beans, carrots, steamed broccoli or cauliflower when I can tolerate them I occasionally have a protein shake as a snack or supplement (my NUT wants me to do this more often) Snacks consist of mainly sugar-free Jello or popsicles, a tablespoon of peanut butter, some cheese squares, unsweetened fruit such as diced peaches it is somewhat boring at this stage but that is OK because I am trying not to focus on food as a pleasure source...also my NUT (not all are like this) tells me that for at least 6 months, I can have no starches at all--no bread, Pasta, rice, potatoes, corn, oatmeal, Cereal, crackers...and of course no sweets at all

Thank you for responding! I drink 2 to 2.5 Premier Protien shakes a day, on 5oz greek yogurt, and half a can of soup. I'm getting between 36 to 48 oz of water a day. I am taking a multivitamin daily. I havent started solids and have been told to stay away from bananas. I've been positive before the surgery and 90% positive after. I do get sown at family and friend gatherings that surround food. I have tried to find ways to express this to them, but no luck getting them to understand. I'm now learning how to deal with emotions instead of shoving food down my throat. Never thought the emotion part would be difficult. Miss Mac, thank tou for menttioning the tummy talk back! Mine started doing that four days ago each time I wat my soup. It came out of nowhere. Is that normal? So far I'm so grateful I've been able to do this! I'm 1/3 down to my goal.

My first taste of food after liquid was KFC mashed taters and gravy per my NUT's advice. They are low fat, thin and so tasty. It was the best thing ever after three weeks of almost all sweet protein shakes, yogurt and pudding.