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Hi Everyone, I would like to know what are a few typical days of eating looks like after your are healed from your surgery. And I know alcohol should be limited after your goal. Can anyone tell be about their experiences with this too? Thank you for your help. Tami

I just got home from a long business trip and I'm only 3 months out, so it's been easier for me to be "good". I'm sticking with my same eating plan and I carry a shaker bottle of Protein powder and bottled Water for days like yesterday when I'm caught out almost all day running errands. For the family gatherings, I've found some "naughty" recipes that my daughter and I can bake together and some healthy ones (crab stuffed mushrooms) so I have a treat with my turkey. I guess I'm really lucky. I haven't had any trouble turning away from the high-carb and high-fat holiday foods so far. At Thanksgiving I had a fork tines full of Italian wedding cake crumbs as a "taste" and was satisfied. I have't had any desire to add non-vegetable carbs, sweets or alcohol back in my life (yet). I'm enjoying it (and my new size 12s) but I know I'm going to have to be vigilant when my honeymoon period is over.

I knew this was going to work. There wasn't any Doubt because I wanted it that badly!! I didn't tell people at work until the first hundred lbs was gone and someone asked how I did it. But personal friends knew beforehand... Hubby was so excited for me I think he blabbed first...and then it was over the holidays so they all saw me not drinking alcohol or eating munching at parties so I just embraced it. And now they all cannot get over the difference.

Hello. Well, I never thought I'd get to the 8wk post-op point, but tomorrow will be 9wks post-op! I am now finally able to eat pretty much anything I want, although I've been taking it easy with every thing especially raw foods, i.e., salads, raw veggies. I will incorporate more salads this week. I've also tried to stay as vegetarian/vegan as possible, although I have had a couple bits of salmon and chicken. I'm not vegetarian for animal rights purposes, although I totally support it, I want to be vegan for health purposes. I am finding it difficult to be vegan but I just need to dedicate time to it and make dishes ahead of time so I have some good food to eat when I need to eat. What is it they say about preparation....?. Time has not been plentiful recently, but I need to stir some up! When my head hunger is stronger than my new sleeved tummy hunger is when I overdo it a bit and, yes, I've been nauseous many times. Haven't thrown up in a while, but came close. You just can't put much food in a little tummy and be comfortable. It just doesn't work. It is so strange to go to a restaurant and order a meal and take 3/4 of the meal home with me, or order an appetizer and even share it and be satisfied. Prior to my sleeve, I would have ordered a couple appetizers a meal and would have been thinking about the next meal right after. I figure the $ I save on food, will get me an outfit here and there along the weight loss journey. I haven't weighed myself in several days but will do that tomorrow morning and update my ticker. Hopefully it is down a few more lbs. So, I know I'm not suppose to drink alcohol for one year after vsg. Well, I blew that this weekend - and I paid for it all weekend! I was at a Reggae event this past Friday evening that we hosted and the bar had a drink special called a "Catch a Cab". It was a largish shooter of what tasted like a Watermelon Jolly Rancher. They asked me if I wanted to try it and I gave my standard answer..., thanks much but I'm not drinking tonight. Well, i caved under peer pressure and had a sip. I then ordered one (it might have been a total of 1.5oz and I sipped on it for a while. I then got a refill, and then another and another!!! I had 4 of them - a total of 6 oz. I must say, I did not catch much of a buzz, but....I was down and out on the couch not wanting to do anything but drink water both Saturday and Sunday. Needless to say, I won't be drinking any time soon as I just can't recoup. I don't know if it is because of the sleeve or just that I haven't had anything to drink for several months. I am loving this weight loss and looking forward to more of it! One Love.

Week 34 and 35 (little over 8 months out – 54.6 lbs down) Last week’s weight – 191.8 This week’s weight – 191.4 Total weight lost this week – .4 Beginning weight – 246 lbs Total weight loss since surgery – 54.6 lbs I haven’t posted anything in a while mostly because I am feeling blah about my weight loss. I seem to be jumping up and down the same few pounds and not making any headway. Headway for me means (1) getting to 55 lbs lost and (2) getting into and starting to work on getting out of the 180’s. The lack of scale movement is definitely a “me” thing. I do well for a few days and then don’t for a few days. Example – Yesterday I had a great breakfast (Chocolate Slim Fast High Protein Shake with a frozen banana) and lunch (spaghetti squash spaghetti) but then I ate a regular size Hershey’s bar. I went home and ate a small bowl of chips as a snack, My husband made french dip sandwiches on a sub roll and I ate three quarters of it (should have stopped at a half – my stomach was protesting). After that dinner settled I had three Tim Tam cookies (way too much…I should have stopped at one…they are very rich). I barely drank any water (maybe four glasses total for the day). Thanksgiving was in that time frame and I ate a good deal of pumpkin bread pudding with cream sauce and drank wine. I did make a group go out for a walk after dinner in order to help digest the food better. My stomach was feeling it. I’m still going to Crossfit 3x a week and I think that has helped keep the pounds from coming back in too drastic a fashion. On the non-scale victory side I bought a pair of size 14R Levi jeans the day before Thanksgiving. They are curvy fit jeans and I bought them at full price because I fit in them. I can get in most size 14’s (as in pull them up and button them but they are still snug everywhere so I don’t think I can say that I am a size 14 yet but moving in that direction. I am 5’5”). I am dreading our Christmas break because I tend to eat and drink alcohol when I am bored. I did buy a refurbished Vitamix and am looking forward to using it (whenever it arrives….geez it takes forever!) In an effort not to focus too much on the negative I underlined my positives over the past two weeks in this post just as a reminder to me that I am still making progress and some good choices. Today my meal plan is: Breakfast - Chocolate high protein slim fast shake with frozen banana (7 a.m.) Snack – 1 oz of plain almonds (10 a.m.) Lunch – Left over spaghetti squash spaghetti (11:30 a.m.) Snack – Atkins Bar (2 p.m.) Dinner – Half a French Dip sandwich with small amount of chips (left overs) Snack – 1 Tim Tam bar in warm milk

I did not realize you were going through that. My baby sister married my best friend at a young age and he progressed into horrible alcoholism, but I did not see him to know - and she held it in for almost 18 months. For an 18 year old kid it's a lifetime. Hang in there - and don't take any crap!

I share the same experience. I am in Egypt, and my Doctor's main recommendations were to watch out for Sweets, chips, Nuts, Alcohol and high sugar/fat drinks. Only use them as rewards once in 1-2 weeks IF you're losing weight. He said other than as you get tighter you'll eat less and you'll lose weight. If i were able to do the low carb diet or Atkins, then I wouldn't have needed to get banded in the first place! I have observed thin people and how they eat for a while now. I live with one, my sister. She eats everything - it's all about portion control. She has no cravings like I do. Whatever she wants, she eats. But all with the right quantities. And that's exactly what the Doctor told me - i've tried dieting for years, i am sick of it. I want to eat everything - the good, the bad, the horrible - but be happy with just a little bit of it.

i just tried to use common sense, as too many rules was too confusing. i was told to eat protein 1st fruits and veggies 2nd, and if i had any room left over , carbs. i eat nuts or PB everyday, and include a little lo fat cheese 2-3 times a week. i have a cup of milk daily, and a little treat everyday. (skinny cow ice cream, or a cookie or 2).i dont like soda, alcohol, or fried foods, and eat fast food once a month, maybe. i think you're doing fine, and write in your logs what they want to see, but use good common sense in you daily eating habits. like they said, if it aint broke , dont fix it !!!

Hi, I am a little over a week away from flying to MX for my surgery. I travel for work every week. It is about an hour flight, each way. I keep my main bag at the hotel. It has all of my main work clothes, toiletries, makeup, etc. Thus, I won't have a heavy bag to lift or carry. I just take "undies" back and forth and my laptop. I have a small bullet like blender at the work site. I currently go to whole foods every week and buy food for the week for lunch and dinner. Thus, I am used to not eating for the most part at restaurants. But, I do have semi-required dinners when the hot shots come to town or we are celebrating a milestone. In fact, we have one the first week I am back from surgery. I think I am going to try and skip this first one, but I can't do that every time. I have purchased the Dr's recommended Vitamins and Protein powder. I have a set in my desk and a set at my apartment. I purchased broth for both locations. I have told my immediate team that I am getting this surgery. In fact one of my team mates did the Y thing about a year ago. She lives closer to the work site and drove back and forth every week. She also convinced them to let her stay at an apartment. I really don't want to stay at an apartment as I don't want another place to clean. (call me lazy). Anyhow, my immediate colleagues know I will be eating weird and can't drink alcohol. But, the larger team doesn't know that I know of. I am sure they will find out eventually. Also, there are three of us that have gone together and we have a personal trainer that comes to the hotel twice a week. I told him about the surgery. I told him I probably couldn't do anything my first week back except walk. I am hoping that the next week I can start doing his workouts, but just making sure i am not lifting ... yes, I will talk to the Dr. in MX to find out more details. Any experiences with that would be helpful. What else can I do to make this VSG lifestyle work for me. Any and all tips are welcome. Mary

I am three months out and have not had any carbonation.....doesn't bother me at all to not have it. I have had alcohol a few times....wine, cosmo, margarita. My tolerance is much lower but when I have to enter the calories into "myfitnesspal.com" it is not worth it.

Yes. Your band is too tight! Dont try and wait it out...go to an emergency department niw and get the fill out for a week. Please don't try and "wait n see". Once water is coming up it means your band opening has become inflamed and the gap has closed. The risk of dehydration is very real and dangerous!! It only takes 3 days of severe dehydration to really cause damage to your organs! Dont blame the alchohol! I was banded for 7 years...alcohol was never the cause of a blockage. For me it was usually chicken...but once it was a grape skin...not chewed carefully enough. When the band was too tight practically anything could set me off on a terrible bout of vomitting, dehydration, pain, suffering.... It is not you...it is the device! I say WAS banded as i had to have the band removed. Like 80% of patients within 10 years. Many surgeons no longer work with the lgb. The risks are huge. Europe and Scandinavia (who invented the lagb) have all but banned the device. The surgery of choice now is sleeve or bypass. The story of ruptured esophagus, erosion by the band into the stomach wall, adhesions, scarring, Barretts esophagus. ....too many risks. Just get yourself to ED and get the Fluid out for at least a week. Sent from my GT-I9505 using the BariatricPal App

Sounds to me the alcohol inflammed your stomach making your band tighter. Stick to non inflammatory soft foods for a couple of days. .. it should resolve. I also found that if i travelled in a plane it would get tighter for a week or so

I just got home from a 5 day trip. I WON!! I'll weigh tomorrow but I believe I lost while gone. This was hard because trips ALWAYS meant lots of food, alcohol, snacks, etc. I did have a few times where I was tempted but I stuck to the low carb diet per the Dr and zero alcohol. I only have 4 lbs to go before I'm at the weight Dr wants me at. My motto - this is my new life. Food is fuel. I have the mindset that once I reach goal, then I can have small splurges, but not until then. And, every time I was tempted, I thought about the surgery. I want it to go smoothly, so not sticking to this diet increases my risks. We are all so close!!! Exciting!!

Lissa - You are awesome! Congratulations on all your success! You mentioned having a drink to celebrate and I had to smile. It reminded me of what the NUT said at our preop meeting - alcohol is frowned on, but we'd be "cheap dates" cuz it would take so much less to get a buzz. I quit drinking many years ago but found that interesting....

That's true @@LipstickLady and I know it's silly. Really it is. I have indulged in the past with a few of the couples at various times so I guess it just seemed odd that I wasn't drinking and I didnt want to have to explain so I just pretended to drink. We were supposed to hang out until all the alcohol was gone. Every couple had a bottle... next time I'll probably just say no. It's really silly to go through all that.

So let me start out by saying that I drink alcohol maybe 2-3 times a year. A six pack will go bad in my fridge before I drink it all if I buy it. With that said I do enjoy an occasional ice cold beer. I was sitting on the side of the bed this morning just thinking and it hit me.... No more beer. I am early in he process so i'm sure plenty of other things will hit me as well. I just tell myself that the advantages of being small far outweigh anything I may feel I miss.

I've posted something similar to what I'm about to write elsewhere on here, but I'll keep posting it when I see one of these posts come up: I loved smoking. I started when I was 15 and smoked through the next couple of decades without quitting for any real length of time. I enjoyed it, and I was pretty pissed at the idea of quitting for this surgery. I only smoked around 6-8 cigs a day, and technically was a light smoker... but after so many years, even light smokers experience issues with tiny capillaries dying off, cold fingers and toes and weird nerve issues, wheezing and coughing and are more prone to colds and flu and all the other horrible things that come with smoking ~any~ cigarettes. So I quit. Here is what I realized: I'm having this surgery to make my life better, to be healthy, to live longer and really enjoy the time I have left on this planet. Smoking is in direct opposition to all of those goals. Smoking - and I count vaping in there too since the early results on vaping are not looking good for long term health - is one of the few things that is guaranteed to do major harm to your body and kill you in the end if you use the product as intended. Think about that for a minute. There is no reason to smoke. It is bad for you, it hurts your lungs, your circulation and hampers healing. Smoking before or after having major surgery is beyond stupid (I'm saying this as part of my own self talk, not calling you specifically stupid). The ONLY reason any one smokes is because it is addictive. If you smoke or vape - you are an addict, same as an alcoholic or a drug user. Quitting is the only smart, rational option ESPECIALLY before having a serious, life altering surgery like a sleeve or bypass. I miss it almost every single day, and I just celebrated (yesterday!) my one year quit anniversary. I tell myself that I can always smoke again someday, just not right now... and hope that I can keep telling myself "maybe tomorrow" for the rest of my life. But I am damned proud I took my life back and no longer depend on those evil things, even if I still miss them. It's part of being an addict. I know what I am, and admit I'm probably always going to have that struggle, but I'll be damned if they'll ever control my life that way again. You are doing this to improve your life, so take that step further and really commit to giving your body the best possible chance, and quit smoking as well. You deserve to be the best you that you can be, and smoking should not be a part of that.

Regarding the liquor - I think they meant hard alcohol like vodka, but sometimes a couple of sips of wine helps. Small sips though; as mentioned from the "exploder", too much liquid just comes back up (and UG that doesn't sound fun what you did!!). You can get the papaya enzyme at health stores like GNC and I've also found them at Bulk Barn (in Canada). Swiss Formula makes one.

You have to have surgeon that's part of your team of supporters. If you don't feel like your doctor is giving you that support, or even listening to you, then you have the right to find a new one without feeling bad. And Yellowrose is right, alcohol is full of carbs and calories that will work against you for losing weight. I know there's a lot of controversy about alcohol post-banding, and it won't "hurt" you per se, but it's definitely not good for you (it's not good for you pre-band either!!). Maybe changing surgeons will help you re-focus on the plan and get back on track.

Today was my first set of appointments to start the process; nurse practitioner, dietician/nutritionist, and physical therapist. In addition, I got my bloodwork and EKG done. I already have a mammogram and colonoscopy on record. I went in with a positive attitude and I think that helped, I was more excited than nervous. I mentioned that I had been reading the forums on this site to learn what I could and I think it helped me comprehend the massive amount of information I was given because I sort of studied ahead, plus, they gave me a notebook The dietician noted that I take a lot of supplements, and she stressed that I will be restricted to taking only a few after surgery, at 200% the regular dose; multi-vitamin that includes iron and other minerals and B12 sublingual at night, calcium citrate 500mg liquid or chew three times a day, plus vitamin d, liquid or small gelcaps. I forgot to ask about my Wellbutrin and allergy medicine. Oh well, there's time! A lot of people in these forums say NOT to try the drinks, food, or supplements pre surgery, but my dietician encouraged me to try different things to find what I like (even though my preferences may change post surgery). I have already purchased some Protein20 drinks, Premier Protein shakes, sugar free Gatorade, Propel electrolyte water, bone broth, and some Millie's sipping broth samples. My choice is the gastric sleeve but they will probably try to convince me that the bypass is the best option (and "gold standard" as I keep reading everywhere). I was scoped in July and they found a hiatal hernia, some non-bloody ulcers, and Schatzki's ring. I was instructed to continue with the Omeprazole in order to continue to calm my esophagus and stomach. I hope they let me stick with the sleeve, I don't want to deal with malabsorption issues and I prefer being able to take NSAIDS. I have enough dumping from having my gallbladder removed and being sensitive to grease/oil. Today while at the hospital, I had a long break so I had brunch consisting of an egg-salad sandwich (which they said was freshly made that morning) and half a bag of chips. Let's just say I had to visit the restroom 4-5 times during the rest of my time there, ugh! The insurance company has told my hospital (OHSU Portland Oregon) that the procedure is covered, but have not yet responded regarding what they require from me. The hospital requires two nutrition classes and a few more tests. My EKG came back "borderline" so I am being referred to a cardiologist to make sure everything is ok. I made my two nutrition class reservations and psychological evaluation appointment, as well as my sleep study consult. I'm 58 and have had a hysterectomy (1 ovary left) so I'm not required to get a pap smear, review birth control, and they're not requiring that I be screened for drugs & alcohol (I quit smoking 31 years ago). I'm hoping to have it all done by February, but won't know what else I need to do until my insurance company forks over some information! This facility only requires 24 hours of clear liquids before surgery (yay). While I was given my diet information, I think I'm going to slowly incorporate better habits and definitely pay attention to my protein and fluid intake for now. Since my BMI is slightly over 41, I was cautioned not to lose more than 10 pounds because it would put me below the required 40 BMI. That is unless I end up being diagnosed with sleep apnea (I have high cholesterol); neither joint pain or depression qualify as co-morbidities. My lab results have already been provided and they found my ferritin to be low, so I need to begin taking carbonyl iron with vitamin C right away. I've read a lot of different posts of people sharing their program information, so here is my post-surgical diet information from my booklet: STAGE ONE - first day following surgery - CLEAR LIQUIDS STAGE TWO - starting day two post surgery, for 14-21 days - FULL LIQUIDS STAGE THREE - starting 2-3 weeks post surgery, for approximately 6 weeks (depending on how the patient is doing) - SOFT FOOD STAGE FOUR - approximately two months post surgery - SOLID FOOD (low sugar & low fat) Over the weekend I cleaned out my cupboards of a bunch of food and food-like substances; what wasn't expired I took to work. Fed the crows some expired cereal and crackers. Haven't tackled the freezer yet. Since my surgery isn't scheduled yet I have plenty of time! I just wanted to thank everyone who posts their experiences and questions and advice, I think people are very supportive here for the most part!

It has made me BETTER, yes traditionally it is cautioned that surgery makes it worse. Nope, I feel validated, it is a new start to a,new life, no longer in the Blue Put of Depression I am now seeing some sunlight🌟🌞🌟., Like alcoholics we never reach a total cure, but I now have the strenght to keep it in the background, inactivated. And my Wellbutrin has helped, went from 150mg Er twice daily pre to 100mg regular 3 times daily afterward. I have lost 64+ pounds since the end of July, something no ordinary diet or even childbirth and lactation did. God Bless Bradley J Needleman MD who took a chance on a 72 obese has-been, bless Ohio State University and his staff ,thank you for my RNY and most of all, for helping ME believe in ME again. Will prayer, a strong will, and the emotional support of others on Bariatric Pal, I BELIEVE,I,AM GOING TO MAKE IT TO MY FINAL VICTORY! And I know you can d9 it too!

When I explained that I am sensitive to sugar alcohols (all the SF crap), my peeps gave me the ok to consume sugar, so long as it was in responsible amounts. I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on tv. But I'm going to guess that if you need it, a bit of apple juice will do you no harm. Though I'd suggest you stay away from oj, just from a comfort perspective.

I had a drink a few weeks ago for a concert (beyonce).. I was 7 weeks out, had a bottle of wine... I was able to tolerate alcohol just as easy as before, and I'm still standing. People like to Put the fear of God into new bariatric patients to try and get you to live a holy life of Protein and veggies... I'm young, I like to enjoy my life. Drinking is fine, of course in moderation. Glad all went okay! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

OMG. I wasn't going to reply to this because people around here get their underwear in a bunch if you say "wow, that wasn't the best choice" about anything. No one here said anything about drinking being evil. One person rightly said that y'all are really fresh post-ops, you need to be careful. That's nowhere near saying that drinking is evil or people shouldn't enjoy their lives. As a nurse, there is no way I would advocate anyone drinking "some wine and a few Crown & Cokes" less than 2 months post-op with a GASTRIC surgery. That's a lot of alcohol for someone who HASN'T had their stomach cut on. I'm going on record right now as saying that wasn't a great choice. If that makes me a bitch, so be it.

OK...i want to stress that this is my personal experience only and do not advocate what I do/did to others. Do as I say, not as I do!!! lolololzzzz. I am 2+ years out and I can definitely eat much more than I could the first year (in terms of volume). BUT no where near what I could pack in pre-wls. Pre-wls I could easily eat 2-3 full plates at an AYCE resto (plus room for dessert!). Now a meal that is under my barf line is about 1 to 1.5 cups in volume (more if its salad greens, less if its dense protein or fluffy bread). I went through my logs to see if I ever went over 4000 cals. According to MyFitnessPal, i came close in June 2019 with 3896 calories. Though after looking through the list, it probably was well over 4000 cuz i notice I didn't log any alcohol that I KNOW I drank that day. Further, I did my logging after the fact as it was one of those morning-to-afternoon-to-night-to-the-next-morning backyard bbq parties. I was basically eating/grazing all day (and night) long. I also recall being sick a couple times in the evening. Now, I had just reached maintenance the month prior, and was concerned about my continued weight loss at the time so I figured, what the hell, I'm gonna go all out. It was not pleasant. Since then, I counted 9 times that went over 3000 cals in a single day (cheese, alcohol or dessert where the main contributors). But a normal day for me now is about 1800. My restriction is still alive and kicking, but I can definitely eat around it if I wanted to by grazing all day. In case you are interested, here is the log for that day (again, my alcohol consumption is glaringly missing from this log, so I would guess add another 800-1000 cals on top of this)