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Stay away from bread, if you do eat pizza make sure it's minimally topped and get the thin crust so it's super crispy. If not, just eat the toppings off the pizza. To be honest, it seems as if you're still thinking like pre op. You have just had radically life changing surgery where your intake had been drastically reduced. 2 weeks post op and I was still moving slow and took me over an hour to eat a Greek yogurt. Also as some people suggest, keep ready sources of Protein, though I wouldn't recommend more than one protein shake a day, unless it's an emergency. You're better off getting it from natural sources. Finally, it does seem a bit like sabotage for your husband to even suggest pizza you at this stage. I'm not saying he's a bad guy, but this soon after surgery you still have a "fat mindset". One thing I learned with my boyfriend... Just because you live under the same roof doesn't mean you need to eat the same meals. My boyfriend eats whatever he wants, meanwhile I eat whatever I need to. I can think of quite a few occasions where he's gotten fast food and I have eaten some fast home food. But if you're dead set in eating where he eats, there are healthy options everywhere. If we go to McDonald's, I get small fries, 4 piece nuggets, and unsweetened iced tea. If we go to Jack in the box, I get grilled chicken strips with teriyaki sauce and small curly fries (and I can't eat all the fries). Rather than get a chicken sandwich, just get grilled chicken. Our if it isn't too bad just get a cup of chili by itself. I know it seems like people are attacking you and your husband here, but they are just concerned for you, so please don't be scared off. We just have been where you are (I've lost 75 pounds in 4.5 months). Right now is the time for you to have an Iron will. Think of how much the pre op diet sucked, think of how much the pain of surgery sucked, the nauseous feeling of the anesthesia recovery, the pain of surgery you went through, the scars you now have (permanently) on your stomach, and think of how the 2 weeks post op diet sucked. Do you really want to ruin all that with eating exactly what you have been told not to eat on your first or second time back on solids? (Namely grease, sodium, bread, etc) Any way, good luck!

That is great! It shows dedication to a healthier lifestyle. It'll be good to have a tool (the sleeve) to help keep that off. Your appetite may or may not decrease after sleeve surgery. Mine is still there, but I've read of other who aren't hungry at all for up to a year. I've read that you can expect to lose about 60% of your excess weight with the sleeve, but some have lost more and actually achieved a normal BMI. I've been having some trouble with the diet; I didn't expect it to be this difficult to tolerate. I'm so sick of liquids, of protein shakes, and now of pureed textures. I want something crunchy, a cucumber with greek yogurt ranch dip perhaps. I'll get to regular foods eventually, but the wait is a lot longer in my mind than I was expecting. My weight loss has also been slow so far. I was sleeved on 12/7/17 and have lost about 12 pounds since then, which seems low. I suspect it's due to my medications, because there's no way it's due to excessive caloric intake. And it turns out that the timing is harder than I anticipated. Having the surgery before the holidays has been really hard. I was having a little bit of regret at first, when I was more bummed out about these issues, but I don't regret the surgery at all. I think it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. I totally feel a difference from the band. I had a more difficult recovery with the sleeve than the band (a week of mild nausea, stomach cramps), and as I wrote about above, the inital diet is typically long and in my opinion sucks, but it'll be worth it. So far, instead of my food getting stuck at the top of my stomach, it slowly makes its way to the bottom until I feel satisfied. You still have to eat slowly, and take small bites and chew chew chew, but I've not had any regurgitation, "stuck" foods, or "slime-ing", even now that I've started puree. Also, NOT HAVING A PORT. That's glorious. I hated the thing. It flipped on me shortly after placement, so I had to have another surgery to fix it, the fills were painful, and it was plain uncomfortable under my skin. The sleeve is like night and day from the band. It's becoming very common to revise from the band to sleeve. Best wishes as you make your decision.

In honor of protein rich items, I just discovered Yoplait Greek Apple pie yogurt. 12g of protein

It sounds like you are packing a lot of calories into a shake. Try using Crystal Light for flavor, unflavored protein powder like Genepro which has far fewer calories than flavored whey protein, and water. My doctor says 90 grams of protein a day and stay under 50 grams of carbs. The total calories ends up between 600-800 depending on what my other sources of protein are plus vegetables or small amount of fruit. Portion size is key - no more than 3 oz of meat and then add in a very small salad or some veg. I would eat the yogurt alone for breakfast and have a protein shake mid-morning. This forum is a good place to look for ideas from people who have been through what you are experiencing. Good luck!

An insulated lunch box with a cold pack in it.. put yogurt and cottage cheese and protein shakes in it. Thermos for hot soup...

My list is this: Calcium (1000-2000mg) B-12 (dissolve kind) Protein shakes Isopure drinks broth Low fat Greek yogurt Carnation instant Breakfast, sugar-free I already have the other Vitamins, pill crusher, comfy clothes for the hospital, Protein powder, timer to wear, and it am sure a few things that I am forgetting.

Hi Jono 201! Wow, I have been checking on this Lapband talk forum for a week or so and not found any of Dr Neals patients. aND HERE YOU ARE. yOU WERE BANDED IN mARCH?! My surgery is scheduled for June 22nd and I am excited and of course worried as well. Were you happy with Dr. Neal's care? Any tips pre or post op. Lately I have been reading so many stories here on line about complications during and after, but I'm sure for every sad story there are 10 happy ones...I am very confident in Dr. Neal's surgery skills. I just don't know about my skills in managing this new band. I am so worried about not getting enough liqiuds down and getting dehydrated. Also my Birthday and 4th of July are coming up and I will be on Clear liquids...What a bummer that will be... Anyway, please write back. I live in NW Olympia. Bye Josie:clap2: quote=jono201;431738]I too did a lot of research and was also well informed by by surgeon. I also bought, laid out and made convenient any thing I might need post surgery, especially a wide variety of liquid diet items such as creamy Soups, Protein shake powder (chocholate for me), and yogurt drinks. I also made sure I had my magic bullit and plenty of low fat soy milk to thin my liquid meals. The one thing I wish I had been more informed about was the pain in my neck and shoulders from the anethesia. It was not until I woke up that I was informed that the pain would not go away for days. Also, the whole gas issue I was uninformed about, so I had not pre-bought anything to ease it. Other than that-like the other posters write-read read read and read some more.

Update! I had the surgery on the 17th. I will be two weeks out tomorrow. Pain has been an issue. I thought I was strong, but turns out I am a wuss. LOL My other issue, I am just not hungry. :-( food does not agree with me. I can tolerate, yogurt, baby bel cheese, cheese sticks, fat free sugar free pudding, fruit and some veggies. I have no appetite to eat. I get my staples out on Thursday.

I was recommended to blend and strain lite soup, I did that for about 2 weeks post op and then went on to puree. I also had sugar free popsicles and light yogurt smoothies. It seemed to work good for me in the beginning. My problem started with the solid's.

Thanks all.....I appreciate your notes of congrats! Kat: The one thing that I was very conscious about at all times was my restriction. As soon as I noticed that I could consume more than I should be I booked myself, very quickly, for another fill. I also watched what I ate......I ate high density, low calorie foods such as broccolli, cauliflower, carrots, asparagus, skinless white chicken, tuna steak, red meat only once a week with all visable fat trimmed, whole grain Cereal and soy milk, yogurt, fish such as salmon because the Omega 3's are essential.......etc. I ate 6 very small meals / day, never ate past 7 pm, and never did I ever attempt to sabotage the band by eating items that would easliy slip through like ice cream, milk shakes, etc. After a year I can't imagine going back to the way I use to eat, even I could. I'm so programmed now that I even have my family and friends inspecting labels before the purchase anything. The attitude I copped at the very beginning when first banded.....was that the band was not to be used as a "try not to fail" aid..... I saw it as a tool that would help MY efforts to lose and maintain weight loss....I kept myself the responsible one throughout.....I never held the band responsible....I also kept myself the accountable one. I always looked at the work towards weight loss was my job, not the band's....the band was my backup, my support. This attitude, this routine, has worked so well for me.....I am very proud of my success and I can tell you this......I would do it all again in a heartbeat. Carol

As an occasional treat I will add 1/3 cup of the high Protein Kind granola to my greek yogurt. I make sure it fits into my days carb allowance. I am 8 months out and didn't add granola until around 7 months.

Oikos Triple 0 yogurt has like 15 gms of protein.

Menu Blog I do push the limits of the food budget 1300-1500 calories per day vs. the typical 800-1200 quoted by most doctors. I do this for 4 reasons: 1) I think that they (the doctors) under estimate the amount of protein people need. The higher I keep my protein the better weight comes off. 2) I lift weights and feel I need the extra protein 3) I want to keep my metabolism in as high a gear as I can 4) based on my target weight 190 lbs. I won’t have to make many changes when I get there. Key for my Menu First, one of my key tools is Vitol Egg protein powder. Second is packing all my meal in 8oz plastic containers so I don’t have to guess. Third, we make most of the items below in a big batch on Sunday and uses them during the week. Fourth, sometimes you have to eat out, when I do I stick to fish or soups/stews they are easier to digest. Fifth, I avoid directly adding carbs because they make my hungry between meals. Breakfast (5 am) Option 1: 1 whole egg and 3 egg whites, 1oz low fat cheese and sliced peppers and mushrooms Option 2: 1 Cup Oatmeal with Vitol Egg powder 2 Tablespoons (adds 24Grams of Protein) Option 3: 1Cup fat free yogurt with Vitol Egg powder 2 Tablespoons (adds 24Grams of Protein) Mid-Morning (9 am) Option 1: 1Cup fat free yogurt with Vitol Egg powder 2 Tablespoons (adds 24Grams of Protein) Option 2: 8oz Diced Chicken Salad Option 3: 2 String cheese and 1oz. Almonds Option 4: MuscleMilk Protein Shake Lunch (Noon) Option 1: 1 cup Turkey Chili with 1 oz of Cheese Option 2: 1 cup fat free fried beans with diced, onions, peppers and salsa Option 3: 8oz Diced Chicken or Tuna Salad Pre Work Out Meal Late Afternoon (4 pm) Supplements – Nitric Oxide Drink with Creatine, Gummy Vitamins, Gummy Omegas Option 1: ½ Cup fat free yogurt with Vitol Egg powder 2 Tablespoons (adds 24Grams of Protein) Option 2: 4oz Diced Chicken Salad Option 3: 1 String cheese and 1oz. Almonds Option 4: MuscleMilk Protein Shake Post Work Out Dinner Option 1: 6 oz Ahi Tuna Steak in olive oil and lemon pepper Option 2: 1 cup chipotle chicken crock pot stew with carrots, onion, mushrooms, peppers Option 3: 8oz Chicken Brest Happy Eating

Too tight is exactly that, TOO TIGHT. It can ultimately mean that most of the foods you should be eating get stuck so you start eating easy (slider) stuff that doesn't necessarily get you the nutrition you need! RestlessMonkey says she can eat just about anything, but in much smaller amounts than pre-band. There's a couple of things I choose not to eat (soft bread, flour tortillas) because they get stuck often enough to not be worth the trouble and I don't need the carbs anyway. I'm sorry your doctor hasn't made sure you understand this! Basically, you have it right for the most part. The band creates a smaller stomach out of the very first part of your stomach. You should be able to eat somewhere from a 1/2 cup to 1 cup of food at a meal (for me, it varies depending on what I eat .... for instance, I can eat more salad than if I ate just Protein and a vegetable). You shouldn't drink during or immediately after a meal so that you don't make the contents of your pouch prematurely empty into the lower part of your stomach. Restriction is what the band is. SATIETY is what it makes you feel. What is satiety? Satisfaction from eating. When you eat the prescribed size meal, you should feel comfortably full (not stuffed to gills) and you shouldn't feel hungry for about 4 hours or so. If you're so tight you can barely eat, then you are too tight. You can be so tight you can't even drink. If you were that tight, you'd call the doctor right away! So just remember that it's really no different if you can't really eat a meal. My doctor sais that a meal should be 3 oz of lean protein, a steamed or raw vegetable and if you are still truly hungry, to eat a single serving of a whole grain carb. At lunch, I am always still hungry, so I eat some whole grain Special K crackers. At dinner, I'm usually good with just the protein and vegetable. For Breakfast, I have been having a Protein shake just because it's convenient but I've gotten completely sick and tired of them, LOL ... and I should be! The last few days, I've been eating a serving of Greek yogurt for breakfast. It's still convenient and that's all I care about in the morning. I don't really want to have to cook a meal for breakfast. And, if you have a long stretch between lunch and dinner, as I do (I get off work at 5:30 and sometimes traffic keeps me from getting home until 7:00 or so), then you should have a small snack of pure protein. LIke a little low fat cottage cheese or a boiled egg. That way, when you are preparing your meal you don't start grazing your way through the kitchen:tt2:.

My 1 yr anniversary is in Jan. I have lost 30 pounds (all in the first 5 months) gained zero and lost inches. I can't eat in the AM and with my last fill, I really can't eat anything until 3-4pm. I drink tea when I get up in the AM and have a Protein drink for late breakfast/early lunch. I am getting sick of eating/drinking the same exact stuff day after day after day! Any suggestions? My band is tight but I am not losing weight so I feel like it needs to be this tight but I am getting frustrated that I can't eat anything! I have 1 meal/day and my guess, I am getting under 900 calories/day. How can I possibly not be losing weight?? My nutritionist says I need to eat like a normal person-3 meals a day. The only way I can do that is with my band loosened which I wasn't sucessful in losing weight. My family says they can't believe I am not losing with the little that I am eating. I think I need to introduce other foods but I can't find any that don't get stuck. Greek Yogurt cheese Protein Drink Soup (some get stuck, depending upon the time I eat it and what is in it)

Thanks, Fluffy. I've had success so far with yogurt and pureed refried beans diluted with chicken broth. May try ricotta tonite! No more cream of rice! [emoji39] Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Yep. Avoid the grains. Go for yogurt, kefir, ricotta cheese/ricotta cheese bake, soft scrambled eggs (emphasis on soft), custard, protein puddings...and only progress slowly slowly.

That's what I"m supposed to be eating each meal. I only have to worry about lunch and dinner right now as I still get one eight ounce Protein shake a day. I am not allowed to snack so that leaves getting all the protein in my meals. The problem I'm having is that I can only hold two ounces of meat at a time and I'm limited to chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, yogurt and cottage cheese. And as of yesterday, I'm supposed to be adding non-starchy veggies to each meal. How am I supposed to eat all that?! Any suggestions or ideas?

My favorite yogurt in the world is Fage 0%. Fage is a plain greek yogurt so you've got to be a fan of that, but with a little liquid splenda and some flavoring it's so much higher in protein and you get to control what's in it.

What brand of yogurt do you like? I need ideas the only one I like is fage 0%. Sent from my iPad using RNYTalk

Is there any good tasting reciepes that calls for plain yogurt? I love yogurt its the plain stuff I can't stomach. I have a huge cantainer of it and don't want to waste it.

Yes, hang in there I am in week three and I can think of all kinds of things to eat but I won't I love cheetos. I have found that popsicles and pudding and yogurt are my best friends when I have those sweet fits and the cheesy fits. So, just talk yourself thru it and find another out and a healthier craving.

Here, here, kittyforet! You are exactly right. It takes a lot of physical, emotional and even spiritual undoing to get this little gizmo to work smoothly but it can be done. I always say that where there's a will, there's a way. I had to give up meat for about 2 years because my band just didn't like it. I was ok with that but I kinda missed it. Now I found a sous vide oven and am enjoying meat again. You just have to have determination and know that if you hit a roadblock, there's always a way around it. I gave up very little with my band. I don't eat scrambled eggs, just a bite or two of baked goods is all that passes my lips and pizza just doesn't work for me. But I gained the right to eat chocolate and I LOVE frozen yogurt! As I see it, it's a simple trade. Most of whatever I permanently gave up I can certainly live without. Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels. I wish I could update my avatar photo. That photo was at 190, I'm now 159 and a size 8! But the stinkin' thing won't seem to let me update my photo. Attitude, determination, creativity, understanding and the help and support of your doctor's comprehensive aftercare program (if you are lucky enough to have a surgeon who has one) is ultra important for success. I recently read a post "I still hate my band." It sounds like the poor girl still isn't eating right or the right things or getting help in changing her mindset about food. I wish her the best of luck. Thank you for your post. It's right on the money. This process isn't about simply losing weight it's about coming to terms with 'recovering from the addiction of obesity' a recovery process that takes time, energy, input and commitment. We will be recovering from our diseas for a lifetime. But thankfully, we'll have a lifetime to recover.

I have been on ambien for 2 years and I am not sure what problem you all are having with it but it sounds to me like you have other issues going on here. if you are eating peanut butter cups and melting peanut butter and eating a half gallon of ice cream then this is not the band failing you, this is you making bad choices. when you say the band was making you vomit, how were you eating? were you eating slow, chewing, small bites, taking your time and choosing right foods, not fried or breads or things that get stuck? you should find out if your surgeon office has a nutritionist or counselors you can speak to in order to help you get to the root of the problem. I myself make bad food choices so what I do to help limit that is I dont have it in my house. if you have no control over what you eat at night then remove the peanut butter and ice cream, dont have it in your house, instead have greek yogurt, sugar free pudding, low fat cottage cheese, things you can snack on that are not necessarily bad for you. I was given cookies, candies, pies cakes at christmas time, i found myself eating them and when i got on the scale and seen i had gained 3 lbs in a week. I immediately took action and threw all of that bad food in the garbage and took it outside for fear i would get it back out of the garbage. food addiction and bad choices are the hardest thing to do with the lapband but remember, it is only a tool and it does work if you work with it. good luck to you

I'm on day 6 of 14 of my liver shrink diet. All I can have are protein shakes, any no calorie drinks (as much as I want), and sugar/fat free Greek yogurts. I'd love to have something to chew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!