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Hi All - Sleeved on Dec, 21st. Definitely stalled week 3 after 25lb weight loss. Upped my cals and my Water - stall broke...YAY! struggling with psychological stuff more than physical - I live in NYC, the food capital of the world, so it's a challenge to be "out and about" and not partake in MANY things!! It's not that I'm hungry or even need/want to eat - it's just that I know I shouldn't or can't. typical day menu.. Carnation No Sugar Added chocolate shake 1/2 c Fage no fat greek yogurt with 1 splenda & 1/4 pureed no sugar added fruit cup cheese wedge (laughing cow or mini babybel - Low Fat) another shake or 1/2 c Soup ice pop or teaspoon Peanut Butter drink Special K protein/fiber pink lemonade powder in water (2 per day) 30 cals each(5 mg protein/5 mg fiber) having a difficult time with pure Proteins (like salmon, chicken, turkey) deli meat has been okay but must eat very slowly wishing everyone luck... had my first NSV today - someone whom I haven't seen in months called me Skinny! ,Believe me, I have a LONG WAY to go but she noticed which was AWESOME!! Carrie

Your weight loss surgery diet takes a lot of work. You need to measure your portions, focus on protein, and think about every bite that goes into your mouth. There may be days when you run out of time or are sick of worrying about everything. That’s when you turn to your freezer. Nope, you’re not about to desperately dig into a carton of Haagen-Dazs. You’re reaching for a pre-portioned meal or snack that is high enough in protein and low enough in calories to fit into your diet. A frozen meal or snack may not quite be a locally grown, organic, freshly made gourmet meal, but it sure beats the alternative if the alternative is opening a bag of chips or ordering a pizza. If you like having frozen meals around, these are some good ones to consider. What better time than now to think about your freezer, since March is National Frozen Foods Month? These suggestions are good sources of protein and not too high in calories. Heat and Eat You’re on your way home from work, you’re exhausted, and you’re starving. Is it time for you to swing by the Chinese or restaurant on your street for some take-out? No, because you don’t have thousands of calories to play with. Plus, you know you have some good choices in your freezer that are just a few minutes away from being ready to eat. At least, you do if you’ve stocked up your freezer! Read labels carefully when shopping for frozen meals. Check not only the protein and calorie content, but also the serving sizes. Some meals, especially pizzas, seem like they’re for one person, when they really have three or more servings. Lean Cuisine, Weight Watchers Smart Ones, Michelina’s Lean Gourmet, and Amy’s Kitchen have frozen meals you can work with. Keep some in your freezer at home, and, if you can, stash a few at work to have for lunch. They sure beat opting into your coworkers’ group order for Italian subs and potato chips. Here are some frozen meals with at least 10 to 15 grams of protein and no more than 250 calories. Lean Cuisine Steak Tips Portabello with 15 grams of protein, 150 calories, and 14 grams of carbohydrates. Lean Cuisine Herb Roasted Chicken with 16 grams of protein, 180 calories, and 5 grams of fiber. Lean Cuisine Roasted Turkey and Vegetables, with 16 grams of protein and 200 calories. Lean Cuisine Cheese and Tomato Snack Pizza with 10 grams of protein and 180 calories. Lean Cuisine Pepperoni Snack Pizza with 12 grams of protein and 210 calories. Michelina’s Lean Gourmet Salisbury Steak with 10 grams of protein and 180 calories. Michelina’s Lean Gourmet Shrimp with Pasta and Vegetables with 11 grams of protein and 240 calories. Michelina’s Lean Gourmet Baked Pepperoni Pizza Snacks with 11 grams of protein and 250 calories Weight Watchers Smart Ones Chicken Quesadilla with 170 calories and 12 grams of protein. Weight Watchers Smart Ones Spicy Szechuan Style Vegetable and Chicken with 240 calories and 11 grams of protein. Weight Watchers Smart Ones Chicken Santa Fe with 160 calories and 19 grams of protein. Amy’s Kitchen Light and Lean Swedish Meatballs with 260 calories and 12 grams of protein. Amy’s Kitchen Light and Lean Quinoa and Black Beans with Butternut Squash and Chard with 240 calories, 10 grams of protein, and 11 grams of fiber. Start Your Day Off Right Okay, what would be the ideal breakfast on your weight loss surgery diet? Maybe an omelet made with baby spinach and mushrooms and low-fat feta cheese? Cottage cheese protein pancakes served with freshly cut fruit? Nice, but you probably can’t make these kinds of breakfasts every day. If you’re going to talk about being too rushed to cook healthy homemade meals, you have to mention breakfast! Most of us just don’t have time to cook a hot, high-protein breakfast. Frozen meals can do the trick in a pinch. If you’re feeling ambitious, grab a piece of fruit to eat with your breakfast and up the fiber. Here are a few good choices. You can easily turn these breakfasts into grab-n-go meals by wrapping up the sandwiches or packing the other meal options into a container. Lean Cuisine Veggie Scramble 16 grams of protein and 180 calories. Lean Cuisine Turkey Sausage Scramble with 18 grams of protein and 180 calories. Weight Watchers Smart Ones English Muffin Sandwich with 210 calories and 13 grams of protein. Weight Watchers Smart Ones Three Cheese Omelet with 13 grams of protein and 200 calories. Jimmy Dean Delights Egg White with Spinach and Mozzarella Honey Wheat Flatbread with 11 grams of protein and 160 calories. Meal Minus One What else should you have in your freezer so that you’re just minutes away from a meal that fits on your weight loss surgery diet? I like to call these “Meals Minus One” because you just need to add one (or a few) ingredients to make them a meal. Here are a few ideas – but check your grocer’s freezer for other healthy varieties. Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Grillers Recipe Crumbles, with 9 grams of protein and 70 calories per half-cup. Toss with fresh or frozen veggies and – optional – top with low-fat cheese for an easy breakfast scramble. Morningstar Farms Garden Veggie Patties with 10 grams of protein and 110 calories. Stir fry with frozen stir-fry vegetable mix and teriyaki sauce. Van’s 8 Whole Grains Lite Waffles with 3 grams of protein and 65 calories for 2. Serve with nonfat Greek yogurt and fresh or frozen berries. Jimmy Dean Delights Fully Cooked Applewood Smoke Sausage Links with 120 calories and 10 grams of protein, served with 1 packet of instant oatmeal. You can have a quick, high-protein breakfast with only a little bit of imagination, and even less time and effort. A Note on Frozen Foods and Health Are frozen meals really that healthy? Aren’t they processed? Don’t they have preservatives in them? Yes, you’re right. Many frozen meals are high in sodium. They can contain added sugars, and be higher in fat that you expect. Weight Watchers Smart Ones Chicken Santa Fe, for example, has 800 milligrams of sodium or more than one-third of what you need in a day. Ideally, you could cook each meal from scratch using fresh, wholesome ingredients. That’s not possible for most people. When “perfect” isn’t possible, it’s time to look at the “next best” option. And if your choice happens to be between a Jimmy Dean Delights Maple Pancakes and Turkey Sausage Griddlers with 10 grams of protein and 240 calories and, admittedly, 12 grams of sugars, versus, say, a fast food sausage biscuit with over 500 calories and a day’s worth of saturated fat, frozen doesn’t look quite so bad. Frozen foods can bail you out those times when you just need something quick and easy. Spend some time going through the freezer section at your local supermarket so you’re not caught empty-handed when you get desperate. And this March, check the specials at the grocery store to capitalize on Frozen Foods Month.

Yogurt Pops Oh I need those where did you find them?

I had mine done Wednesday and feel a lot better today. Been walking about two miles a day. I am taking the minimu m drugs. Carafate and acid reducer. They gave me hydrocodone but not taking that. Using Tylenol instead. Forcing myself to sip water all day. Today I went to smoothie king and got a high protein smoothie with yogurt and it made me feel a lot better.

Sorry..hit a button and off it went to be posted before I was ready. Anyways, Can you guys give me an idea of what kind of things that you are eating. I am only eating/slurping yogurt drink, yogurt, Soups, Water, and crystal light. I have tried to take some Multivitamin and Calcium but they really made a mess of my tummy. Maybe because I wasn't eating enough. What do you guys think?

In my case, pureed foods included scrambled eggs, yogurt, refried beans, cottage cheese ????????, but was able to move to moist meats in that phase, tuna fish, beans, boca burgers (yum, love them). Again, just me, if you aren't sure, discuss it with your NUT.

I went to the ER on friday was extremely dehydrated and potassium super low. But there no short comings that happen for a reason. I was changed prescription and given naseau medicine. Now I am actually eating tiny tiny amounts, but starting to feel human and not so weak. My energy is going up, and want to start taking vitamins now specially B12, D, and A which I am low. Which do you recommend? This is my routine right now. Wake up at 5 am or 6 am: feeling super thirsty I decided to eat first so I don't have to wait the thirty minutes. But I think I should drink first. I found I love infused water much better than plain but has to be ice cold. What do you do when Out and about? I was looking at infusing bottles but they don't keep the water cold. I am still figuring out what to eat, really don't like eggs or yogurt right now which sucks. Got some silken tofu let's see what I do with that. And for everyone that has supported in my last posts thank you so much!

First things first - if you wake up thirsty - you are thirsty. DRINK FIRST. You can eat later. Your body is trying to tell you something and you are ignoring it. Are you getting enough fluids in? If you were dehydrated, the answer to that is likely no absent an imbalance in your system. I understand the temperature issue - when I was first sleeved, I went through that as well. I found this after a quick search on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/asobu-Flavor-Stainless-Infuser-Classy/dp/B07F5ZJ9JD/ref=asc_df_B07F5ZJ9JD/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309830947124&hvpos=1o13&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7765904790629826689&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007306&hvtargid=pla-582081574514&psc=1 You seem to be about a month or six weeks out from surgery. Are you allowed anything beyond puree's on your plan at this point? I loved Shelly's Ricotta Bake at that stage (still love it.) But there are some great recipes here. http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2007/08/pureed-foods.html I'm 2 years out but still start some days with a protein shake because it works for my schedule trying to get out of the house quickly in the morning. I do love both eggs and yogurt so I ate a lot of those during purees. What about tuna or chicken salad? Refried beans? Ricotta or cottage cheese? Creamed soups? Give us an idea of what you are allowed on your plan and we may be able to be more specific with help for you.

I can't stand dry chicken (even being pre op) so I tend to make a high protein sauce of puréed garbonzos with garlic, lemon, peanut butter and water blended to the consistency you like. Heated up poured over the chicken... Makes it so soft and moist. This can also be done with yogurt and dill over fish etc. and crock pot chicken is super tender as well. I'd just be careful with grilled chicken as it can get dry.

I have been able to get all my protein from food since maybe 4-5 week (Started solids by day 4 as per my program) We were told that each meal has to be 1 protein portion and on portion is 10g of protein. If you eat 6 times a day, you'll get 60g. I'm 6 months out, I now eat 20g pr meal, 4-5 times a day. The key is meal prep. Figure out how to get 10g of protein into a meal. We were told that 1 egg is considered roughly 10 g. I have found a high protein yogurt that will give me 11g pr 100g. You have fish, chicken, who are fairly light to digest compared to red meat. I make creme cheese sauce with my chicken so it's not so dry, chew chew chew, and it goes down. It is possible is you put some time and effort behind it. Also, track your protein, that is my biggest suggestion.

Hey everyone so I got my band tightened last week I've had 4 adjustments well now I am 7cc in a 10cc band I haven't been able to keep any liquids down water yes I can I just can't chug it and then there was one day I just couldn't even eat soup I called and they said give it time it is swollen it will loosen.. then other day I was able to eat soups fine and yogurt. And today same thing can't keep anything to eat down I don't dare want to try any solids uhh I don't know and I'm just so so so hungry Sent from my BE2025 using BariatricPal mobile app

I was also banded on 9/11- I have a hard time getting in the three protein shakes the doctor wants me to have. The doctor told me to do a half a cup of cream of wheat or grits for breakfast. 1 cup of protein shake mid morning. A half of cup of any cream soup for lunch (strained). A protein shake for the afternoon. And 4 oz of Greek yogurt with a teaspoon of protein shake mix and a teaspoon of sugar free jelly and then another protein shake in the evening. I feel like I'm constantly eating. Is this pretty similar to everybody else's menu?

It gets better when you are able to use other sources of protein. I hated the shakes but will add some powder to my yogurt. It's a learning process that's different for everyone. I am a single mom with two boys and a full time job. I had to make myself get in a routine. first thing every morning I take my vitamins before anything else. The mornings I do anything else I forget. I even set reminders on my phone and log still my foods on my phone. Eventually it becomes second nature. It may take awhile to get they but if you keep trying it will be like brushing your teeth. At first it was really hard but once I started losing it became my motivation to do the right things. Most of us mess up or struggle at first but it gets better with time. Good luck

Mine is sugar free fat free pudding, any pureed soup--I made some black bean soup and pureed it--potato soup thinned down/pureed. Yogurt--I eat Voskos, it's a greek yogurt and has approx. 10 grams of protein in a 5 oz cup. And then there's runny cream of wheat or oatmeal. Protein drinks made with soy milk or fat free milk with a tsp. of peanut butter thrown in. That's basically what I've been eating all week. Everything seems to go down fine and it all satisfies my hunger. And water which I have not been drinking enough of.

Mine was Protein shakes; Water and non-calorie soft drinks only but other include sugar free Jello, popsicles, yogurt, etc...

1/2 yogurt for breakfast the other 1/2 for snack lettuce and tomatoes for lunch meat + vege for dinner no Snacks at all and 5 days of aerobic activity a week It's no wonder they lost a lot of weight eating that diet. I would venture to say that's about 600 calories a day at most. If the goal is to lose weight fast, following that diet would do the trick. However, I need to follow a diet that I can live with for life. If that means a slower rate of loss, so be it.

HeatherGurl - If I may ask, did you follow the diet I recently read about Dr. Spivak's most successful patients follow - your weight loss is tremendous! I read most of his patients who have lost over 100lbs eat: (sample) 1/2 yogurt for breakfast the other 1/2 for snack lettuce and tomatoes for lunch meat + vege for dinner no Snacks at all and 5 days of aerobic activity a week No doubt that would work if you can stand it but was wondering if you did that?? I'm dumbstruck if you lost all that weight without counting calories, etc.! I'm sorry for others too that report slowed/stalled loss - unfortunately I can't offer any advice as I've tried it all too (except the above which I'm willing to give a shot at)

Funny thing is I lost 100 pounds to get the band. I was a work out maniac. I don't even have the energy to do the simplest of workouts anymore. I stall because I can't get in enough calories. Just this morning I hit the wall on my greek yogurt and had to toss it all back up. Tonight I'll be able to swallow chicken without chewing. If only I didn't need calories till 6 every evening this might work. I've called to schedule an appoinment. My surgeons office tried to talk me out of it. I've made up my mind, I'm ready to go back to WW and finish what I started there. At least then I feel healthy and less stupid for all the embarrasing moments of running to the bathroom.

Hi Bobbie..Today is day 14 post op and I am feeling pretty good. I am on soft foods now which consists of yogurt, mashed potatoes, fish and soft cooked eggs. I have to go shopping today. No yogurt. I would much rather the yogurt over heavy mashed potatoes. I have lost over 11 pounds. I feel good about that. I also do not want to be model thin. I wore an XL top and 14 bottoms, but was not comfortable. Heart disease and diabetes runs in my family and this was a chance to stop any of those from happening to me. My goal is to wear a L top and a 12 bottom. Roughly that should be a 30-40 pound drop. My husband and I are High School Sweethearts. We met in 1978. Over the years he is looking great. Some signs of graying around the edges and his weight is good. Me on the other hand began to look and feel really old. I thought no way. I want the two of us to age gracefully. I'm on the right track. It feels good to turn away from food. I'm also conscience of what foods to avoid and I have made every effort to do so. Before the band I would eat it knowing it wasn't good for me. I know this is the best thing I have ever done for myself.

I wasn't even allowed any solids until 40 days post-op and it was slow going once I was. Trying to get in 4 oz. seems overly ambitious with how far out you are right now. Hell, I can only manage 2-4 oz. of meat and I'm almost 6 months out at this point. I can do better with more liquidy things, but straight up meat is still hard to get down in any significant quantity. I think my only "meal" right now that is over 4 ounces is greek yogurt, so that hardly counts.

I bought the zero fat plain Greek yogurt, I add one scoop of chocolate flavored protein powder to about 1/2 a cup of yogurt. It tastes like chocolate pudding just not as sweet!!! It's my fav!!!! and I'm sure it would taste great with different flavors of protein powder. Not only that, but its low carb and helps me almost double my protein intake!!! Hope this helps a little!

I had a LOT of gas post-op, and I still get it. Luckily for me, it doesn't really hurt and passes easily. Still, I chew 2 extra strength GasX tablets 2 x daily when the gas is out of control and it works very well. Also, I am newly lactose intolerant. If I drink an 8 oz glass of milk, I will have terrible gas and flatulence for 24 hours! 4 oz of yogurt? Flatulent for 3 hours! What are you eating/drinking? Could you no longer be tolerant of foods you easily consumed previously?

Try taking it with yogurt or pudding to coat it???

I need some breakfast ideas, especially something that has something to chew. My go to its plain Greek yogurt with orange crush powdered drink mix added for some tasty and sweet flavor.

How about a homemade smoothie? That's really the only way I vamp up on my Protein intake, almost all in 1 sitting (though it takes me a while to finish it). Pure Protein vanilla Creme shake 1 scoop of Pure Protein vanilla powder 1 container Dannon Oikos yogurt 1/2 banana cinnamon Splenda Taste great & gives you loads of protein first thing in the morning!!!