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I did the Optifast protein shakes, bars and their chicken broth. They weren't bad but I got tired of not being able to eat. (I knew I wouldn't be able to eat "normal" food till several weeks after surgery.) I ate some lettuce, baby carrots, plain tuna, chicken, yogurt, and a few other healthy low carb foods. I lost 12 lbs prior to surgery, but my liver did not shrink. I was still able to have my surgery and all went well. My surgeon was not to concerned about the liver size. I did not get scolded by the dietician for "cheating" the system, but please check with your surgeon and dietician before eating anything.

I also had surgery on april 1st! Whatcha eating at your stage? I had pureed canned chicken with greek yogurt for lunch. And a teaspoon of pickle juice mixed in. Lord, I MISS pickles. I've always had a thing for them. It will be nice to reach a stage in this journey when I can eat a pickle.

It depends on my mood....usually, I don't eat after my bedtime protein shake, but tonight, I was snacky, so I had 5 Low Fat Ritz crackers with tuna...I am 2.5 months out, and that fills me up! Tuna is a great source of protein, and a yummy snack. You could also try, clementines, sugar free pudding/jello, ff cottage cheese, string cheese,or yogurt.

Way to go! I'm sure you are working hard! Hope you are proud of yourself! Weight loss can slow down but it is different for everyone. There can be a lot of reasons for this but don't let it mess with you. Focus on keeping up the good habits - whatever exercise you like, lean protein first and hydration. One reason that weight loss can slow down is that we weigh less and it takes less energy to do the same activities. As my surgeon put it - It is like driving a car to Florida and hauling something. If you are hauling 3000 pounds you are going to use more gas than if you are hauling 1000 pounds. Cravings and head hunger started to get really intense around the 8 to 9 month mark for me. It doesn't happen for everyone, some people don't even get cravings back. My best advice is read about mindful eating or books by Geneen Roth maybe get some counseling (helpful for me cause I'm a stress eater) and if possible avoid keeping around sweets if they trigger you to eat. I keep around sugar free popsicles and yogurt for when I really want something sweet. All the best to you!! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using BariatricPal mobile app

I was asked in my last post what I eat daily. Mind you, I know I am way below calorie count and protein intake than what I should be. I'm working on it, but any suggestions or recommendations are welcome!! So far today: ==6oz of Banana Strawberry Greek Yogurt for breakfast 14oz protein 160 calories ==in between meals I was naughty and got a Dunkaccino at Dunkin Donuts. I typically stick with a strict no calories by liquid rule but sometimes a girl needs her chocolate coffee goodness. I had a small which is 230 calories and 2g of protein. ==Lunch a half of a roast beef sandwich on homemade artisan bread with balsamic onion, lettuce, and an aeoli sauce. I peeled off one of the pieces of bread. (No I didn't make this, we were out and stopped at a cafe rather than a fast food restaurant.) A rough estimate is that this was 212 calories and 17g protein. That's it so far today. Yesterday's meal was a little higher than normal because I typically dont have protein shakes in the morning and being in class all weekend, they provided lunch. Breakfast= Bolthouse Coffee Protein Shake (if you havent tried these, they are SOOO good!!! They are located with the organic fruit juices in the produce section) 420 calories (2 servings in a bottle and I was in class all day so I did drink the whole thing eventually). and 32 G Protein Lunch- Subway Turkey and ham 6" sandwich which shows at 280 calories and 18G protein, but I did remove half of the bread like I normally do but I don't change calorie count for that. and a half a mini box of Raisins 70 calories Snack: chobani greek yogurt 14oz protein, 160 calories Dinner: 1/2 cup of pasta with ground beef, sharp cheddar, and mixed veggies all mixed in. This is a homemade recipe that was a total of 281cal 17g protein. TOTAL 1201 calories and 70g protein. I actually did well yesterday! Saturday: Breakfast: Greek yogurt 14oz protein 160 cal Snack: 4 apple slices and pretzels (1oz) 120 cal and 3 grams protein Lunch: Leftover chicken breast 3oz 93 cal and 17g protein Snack: Dinner: chicken breast pieces 95 calories 5g protein, and half a slice of pizza toppings, no bread. (Yes I pick my pizza apart, bread just is uncomfortable to eat) I have no idea calorie count for pizza toppings... According to my app that tracks my food I was at 515calories for the day and 39g protein. But figure in sayyy another 100 calories for the pizza stuff and I'm still way below my requirements. I know what I should have, snacks of cottage cheese, cheeses, protein shakes, protein bars, boiled eggs, all protein for meals, etc.. It''s hard!!! And I get tired of the same old same old. Recently I did try edamame beans and I am in love!!So you can see my intake requirements are all over the place!! I just can't seem to get over this plateau either but I know what is necessary to get my weight loss moving again.. Just gotta correct my eating a bit...

I was banded Aug 6th too and I had to do clear liquids for a week...which was sugar free jello, watered down cranberry juice, broth and water and crystal light. Now I am in my 2nd stage (week) and I have to eat pureed foods...I put in the food processor chicken small (very small) potato, veggies and broth and mix it smooth, snack is sugar free pudding, applesauce, nonfat yogurt, smoothie, oh and protein drinks and powder which I have to add to my meals and snacks. Water all day long about four five glasses. I did good my first week...this week I just feel like I am not doing anything right and I feel like a fatty. I weight my food only 1/2 cup with each meal. I am still sore and can not excrise or lift anything over ten lbs. I am walking around the block now and going to start two blocks tomorrow. I am reading all this stuff and 3 days in and someone is mowing their lawn ? How? Lisa

I haven't posted here since I joined this group and wanted to let everyone know that I am 1 week post op and I'm feeling great. The first few days were a little tough, not really that painful but just uncomfortable and lethargic. I started feeling a lot better yesterday and today even better. Tomorrow I'm seeing my surgeon and he is removing the drain (thank god - the drain is the worst part). I have lost 7 lbs in 7 days, which is nice. The first few days just even sips of liquid were hard to get down. But every day I'm able to ingest a little more. I am in the full liquids stage and I am allowed Protein drinks, yogurt (plain or vanilla or anything whipped without fruit chunks), cream of wheat (not a fan), pudding, Jello, ice pops. When I first came home the doctor told me to make hydration my priority and nutrition second. Today is the first days I could say that I have taken care of both. I had 2 Protein shakes and a plain greek yogurt which adds up to 78 grams of protein! I make my Protein Drinks with powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury (20g/protein) and Smart Balance Lactose Free Milk (10g/protein). I have also drank some Water with lemon and some decaf coffee. I really feel good. I have no hunger at all, but I do miss food a little bit. But I truly couldn't possible ingest anything if I wanted to so that makes it rather easy. Today I even went to the supermarket and walked up and down all the aisles just to get in some extra walking (while picking up a few things that I needed for the family). I just made dinner for them also and the food doesn't bother me or even appeal to me at all. Anyway, for all of those who are almost at your surgery, or are a few days past, I wanted to tell you that it is not that difficult to get through and it really gets better everyday. Just say what i say to anyone who asks how you're feeling....Better than yesterday, not as good as tomorrow! Take care sleevers! You can do it!

I would say it's one or the other. It gets expensive to buy all those bars/drinks for the whole family with all the junk food on top of it. My husband doesn't touch my protein bars/drinks except for my greek yogurts so I get some for him and some for me.

I eat a lot of cottage cheese. I can eat about 4-6 ounces per meal. The nutritionist recommends 2-4 ounces 3 times a day. So, basically I am on 90 percent Protein and 10 percent complex carbs. My calorie count is probably somewhere between 600-800 right now. I use protein supplements and Multivitamins, B complex, Calcium and D Vitamin. I eat a lot of string cheese for Snacks. I eat eggs, yogurt, deli turkey slices, cheese, chicken, and I have added a whole grain Cereal to try to get more fiber. I eat Beans - refried and kidney, sausage, bacon, chili, Soups, broccoli, Protein Bars, fish and hamburgers without the bread. I use to keep a journal daily - now I just jot down notes. You are certainly eating better than I am and I need to eat more to prevent my body from shutting down the weight loss. My problem is that I am short and I cannot eat as many calories as others can. Normally, I probably can't have more than 1200 calories per day. If so, I will gain weight. It is a little depressing but that is just the way it is. If I go exercise crazy I can eat more and I have done that but it is a lot of work and maintenance - we are talking Richard Simmons. Lots of luck to you.

I am on day 17 post op, I have lost 40 lbs since starting my liquid diet on 2/23, so I am very happy with that! I have an old doctors office scale with the weights that you slide at the top, everyday I have been sliding those weights down a little bit, and I leave them in that position for the nest day. I started mushies yesterday, and when I weighed myself this morning I actually gained a 1/2 lb!! I am very unhappy about this! I didn't eat much yesterday, two yogurts, aprox 4 forks fulls of tuna fish, and 2 fork fulls of egg salad. Is it normall to gain or maintain for a while when moved to mushies?

Oikos make greek yogurt dips that have good flavors. I used the cucumber dill in chicken salad. This way you could add more yogurt without that "yougurt-y" taste. http://www.oikosyogurt.com/greek-yogurt/oikos-greek-yogurt-dips.aspx

I saw my surgeon today and mentioned that yesterday (first day of purees) I had cottage cheese. She winced a little and I said, "But it was on the nutritionist's list!" Surgeon said I know, I know, I just prefer the purees to be thinner. I had made an egg salad with one tablespoon of low-fat Hellmann's mayo and 2 tablespoons of nonfat Greek yogurt but now I'm worried it's not thin enough. What can I use to thin it out in the Vitamix? Water seems do-able but not very appetizing, and I don't really want a super-strong yogurt tang, but I also don't want to add more mayo. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Breeze0404, I feel better every day. The incisions are not problematic, and the soreness from those was comparable to having done a whole lot of crunches and the muscle soreness you get the next day. It was the "gas" pains from the CO2 in my stomach and endless painful burping during the first week that was super difficult. I guess your esophagus and stomach are swollen following the surgery, so every swallow is rough at first. Take the pain medication they offer! Don't hesitate. The burping gets better by about the 5th day. Following that, my biggest issue has been nausea. They think that may be due to excess stomach acid, which seems to be better when I eat yogurt and Tums. At my 1 week follow up I'd lost about 17 lbs (presurgery diet and 1 week post op liquids) but haven't gotten on a scale since. My pants are definitely looser, which is exciting! I'm on soft foods now. One big issue that I wasn't prepared for is trying to get my medications down. I take Celebrex (for joint pain) and Cymbalta (for depression/anxiety), and a blood pressure pill. The first two are in capsules, which are too big to swallow now. So I have to break them open and sprinkle the contents in Jello. I don't think that works terribly well, so I wish I'd known that ahead of time so I could get liquids or smaller tablets. Just FYI. Looking foward to talking with you all and hearing about your experiences.

I am getting sleeved Monday at 530! It is so surreal, and I am getting a little scared. I am in a Pre op diet...liquids, yogurt, cottage cheese, Popsicles and stuff. But I will admit I have not been faithful to it . In my manual it says if you dont follow it take two bottles of mag citrate. And it says if you do follow it take one? I am def sticking to it tomorrow the day before surgery, and I will probably stay on the toilet all day O.o. I am hoping I won't have a lot of pain or stay knocked out the whole time. I guess I haven't really prepared myself for this moment. I have prepared for the post op diet and I know what I have to do, I have prepared for the emotional toll I will have when my body is changing, but I haven't really prepared for this one moment. I have never has surgery, so I don't know what to expect. :S

Your NUT/surgeon should provide you a list of foods for each phase. Based on memory so this list might not be complete. What I used for my first phase, based in my surgeon's program: ProtiDiet liquid beverage concentrate ProtiDiet tomato basil and creamy chicken Soups Premiere Protein RTD sugar free Popsicles Bone broth Sonic crushed ice Crystal Light For my second phase all of the above, plus: GNC Lean shake 25 V8 Cottage cheese Light and Fit Greek Yogurt

I eat Wendy's chili, McDonalds fruit and yogurt parfait w/o granola. What I LOVE is Arby's roasted Chicken club. It is deli roasted chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and sauce. I get it w/o the bun and half the sauce. Has 20 grams of protein. I eat it for dinner and lunch. I can't do bread yet at all.

1/4 cup is perfect for me with things like refried beans, chili, and egg salad. I can almost get 1/2 of cottage cheese and yogurt in. It's still hard for me to tell if and when I'm full so I have to measure so I don't get that over full feeling.

Chinese - hot & sour soup, moo goo gai pan, beijing chicken. Mexican - Beans, especially thinned with salsa juice or sour cream. Chipotle bol with no rice (lasts for several meals). McDonald's - the only thing I ever eat from that place is the fruit & yogurt parfait. If I have need to go there post-op I'll pass the fruits to DH and just eat the lowfat vanilla yogurt. Schlotzsky's - they have awesome Soups, and good pizzas. I used to get their thai chicken pizza, eat the toppings off and then pick at the very top (saucy) part of the crust. Chipotle and Schlotzsky's are really the only fast food places I'll eat at, I enjoy cooking too much (and knowing what's in my food).

I am in the same boat you are. I was banded October 5. The first two weeks or so, I was eating nothing but a few yogurts a day and was totally satisfied. But then the swelling went down and, while maybe I can't eat AS MUCH as I could before, I can definitely eat whatever kind of food I want. It's definitely frustrating. I am hoping it will become easier to lose weight (and harder to eat!) after getting my first fill. I go in the day before Thanksgiving! So it might help me out that I will be on full liquids on Turkey Day! The mashed potatoes would have killed me on mushies!

Well, I found out the reason I couldn't get with it. I had a hernia when I went in and when they did my surgery they pinched it off well I hadn't had a bowl movement in 11 days they did an emergency surgery Thursday and thought I was going to have to have a colostomy bag. Turns out during the surgery I aspirated some bile. My mom was really worried. So now I have to weight a few more days on my phase 2 diet which really isn't fair. I'm going to eat setting to day even if it's cottage cheese or yogurt I've got to have something.

Hello everyone! I'm 2 years post op and I was wondering if any bypass veterans out there developed an intolerance to dairy this far out after surgery. I've never had a problem before, but now it seems like anytime I eat dairy, especially milk or heavy milk based foods, that I have terrible gas and my tummy rumbles like crazy. Sorry for the info!! I'm blushing as I share this, but I need advice. I bought fat free Lactaid and it was too sweet! Yuck!! I've noticed some weight gain too and constipation issues. Today I got some light unsweetened soy milk and it was pretty good. I'm going to try it in a shake tomorrow. If it is lactose intolerance, I'll be bummed. Yogurt, string cheese, and skim milk are some of my faves. However the gas part is embarrassing and uncomfortable at times. Thanks in advance for any input!!!

I have been meaning to do just this! I used a baby spoon right after surgery for my yogurts and puddings and it really helped. I have been using a salad plate for my dinner plate and that also helps, but I'm heading to walmart after work for baby silverware!

I've just been doing lots of soup (Gardenay), apple juice, and yogurt along with vitamins and clacium supplements. I am hoping that the yogurt will cover my protein needs. Speaking of that, I bought some low-fat sour cream dill dip today. I figure I can do with a break from tzatziki. I am starting to look forward to a week from today when it will be mushie time!

It's a good idea to plan out your food for the day. Try to take things that will be easy to eat on-the-go, at least for the first couple days. Make sure you take your Water everywhere you go (if you can). I really had a hard time getting in my water at work, and I'm still not doing as well on work days as I do when I'm home. I think what's important is to have a plan going into the work day, so you don't feel stressed out about eating, and having the right foods. I do much better when I plan the night before, get everything made and portioned out into my tiny little bowls, etc. It keeps me from worrying and stressing out early in the morning. Do you like string cheese? It's something I've been eating at work for a snack, and it has pretty good Protein. I also have some hard-boiled eggs on hand to take for a snack as well. I am really pretty boring, and I eat a lot of tuna salad, chicken breast, lunchmeat, cottage cheese, Greek or Carbmaster yogurt, and cheeses. I don't get a lot of variety, but I make sure to get my protein in. Then I usually have different meals at home, with a little more variety (sometimes. I still eat lots of tuna, even at home).

I was very lactose intollerant at first. It probably lasted 2 years. I could eat cheese and yogurt but not milk or ice cream. Now, I am not nearly as bad. I can have a small amount of milk without getting gas pains and diarrhea.