Search the Community

Have a chat with your team. The no alcohol advice tends to be for two reasons: one the calories & poor nutritional value (& no it doesn’t count as a fluid 😉). Two, the more important consideration for many is the addictive nature of alcohol. If you are someone who has a food addiction, post surgery you can’t satisfy that addiction so you turn to something else & alcohol is usually the first place people go. At about 6 weeks out I nursed a gin & tonic for hours. It was my cousin’s 40. I think I had another g&t at about 4 months, then 6 (girls weekend & at goal) then 7 months (Christmas - though was champagne). Same story sipped for hours. The tonic would be super flat & I could tolerate the bitterness. I still usually only have a glass of something about once a month or so, occasionally more often depending on what’s happening (special events) but am happy with just one glass. I used to drink one or two glasses of wine, gin or whisky every night. Don’t miss it. I go for quality now not quantity.

I know that it's bad for you, but I will turn 21 about 5months after surgery. I'm not saying that I will go super overboard, but I can't see not being able to drink a little. As of right now, I'm not really that big of a drinker. I have 1 alcoholic beverage every 6months, and I'm not a big partyer. So I would just like to know what have your experiences been with alcohol? How often do you drink? How much can you drink? I would just like to be able to go out every now and then and get a decent buzz lol. But it really wouldn't be that big of a sacrifice to give it up completely seeing as I almost never drink the stuff anyway. So let me know what's up :biggrin:

Sure--like an alcoholic missing the drinking and the zoning out/buzz. I don't think that urge to eat mindlessly (for me anyway) ever goes away. And like Sue Magoo said, we can still eat yummy food--just not as much of it. Plus, an odd thing happened with me: my tastebuds changed. Some things that I used to love really don't taste that great anymore--and other things taste wonderful now. Go figure.

I recently attended a LB support group. I listened as I heard stories of how many still have just a shake for breakfast/lunch. I got out of that habit some time ago. I then questioned those that did this if they were the cooks or the caretakers in their households. Well the ones that were shakes only with one meal per day were all single. Those of us that tired of the shakes eventually had mouths to feed, groceries to buy, sandwiches to cut.... etc. Frankly, IT IS MORE difficult no matter what anyone sez. I'm not using it as an excuse, but I would love some kind of support group or help. I mean if an alcoholic had to touch, handle liquor all day long... would he be able to stay sober? In my dream world, I would wake up, have a shake, do my day, have a proti-Protein Soup for lunch. Throw in a healthy snack or two, go to the gym, and make a healthy dinner, and go to bed. My friend, a father of 5, leaves all of the above to his lovely wife. He agrees that if he had to touch, shop for, cook, taste, etc, ... food all day he'd not have gone quite so far. NOT an EXCUSE... but @%#! :wink:... man I'd love a break from all this food handling. LOVE my dh and kids and wouldn't change my life for all the pounds in the world, but really would like a clue... any ideas ? Gotta go make the lunches. <sigh> Anyone else go through this?

If you are struggling to eat 60 gms of protein but are eating 600 to 700 calories per day, the non-protein calories must be coming from carbs, fats or alcohol calories. 1gm of protein = 4 calories as does 1gm of carb, 1gm fat = 9 calories, 1gm alcohol = 7 calories. Say you have 50gms of protein, that would be 200cals...the other 400 to 500 are coming from something else. That or you are not consuming as many calories as you think.

I called my Dr. And they said as long as is was not leaking milky yellow or green and as long as it didn't smell that it was fine. She said to just keep cleaning it with alcohol and putting fresh gauze on it and it would be fine until I go in on the 19th.

Hello November Nymphs, Some news to share and an update from me. My gastric band has been left alone for about six years without any doctor’s review or adjustment. During my annual health checks the x-ray always confirmed it was properly positioned. All this time I’ve been completely happy with it and my weight has been a stable 98-100kg with no real effort from me. Over the last six months or so I’d crept up 3kg and I’ve had some uncomfortable acidic feelings in my stomach which was easily remedied by an antacid tablet or a bite of food like a cracker biscuit. But I was munching more and more Rennies antacid tablets so sought some medical help via an upper GI x-ray and endoscopy. Turns out my band was extremely tight and food was going through so slowly it was pouching in my esophagus. Stomach acid had been leaking out too; my esophagus was irritated and had grown some nodules. These were removed and sent for pathology which showed atypical cells. Left untreated this could progress to esophageal cancer. The treatment plan is to empty my gastric band, take Prevacid medicine and Gaviscom. For three months I'm avoiding irritating, spicy and salty foods plus alcohol completely. They then want to do another endoscopy and more pathology sampling. Hope is my esophagus will have healed up. Otherwise they have far more drastic treatment options. My doctor is concerned about GERD and Barrett’s Esophagus developing if left untreated. My follow up endoscopy is booked for early October and I’ll let you know how I get on. Regards to you all. Cheers, Phil.

@@donnag53 - Congratulations on your upcoming sleeve!! I'm 59 (turning 60 in October) and I'm 4 months post-op as of yesterday. So glad I made the decision to have this surgery to help improve my health (not just for weight loss). When I was diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver, my PCP strongly recommended I have the RNY. I spent about a year researching the surgery, learned about the sleeve, talked with everyone I work with who has had either of these procedures, and decided the sleeve made the most sense to me. Despite having complications several days after surgery, I'm glad I had the surgery. Complications are NOT common for this surgery so please DO NOT WORRY about that. Some things I've learned along the way -- and, as others have mentioned, after surgery you will have to (and need to) SIP your water/liquids because taking too much in at one time can cause some momentary discomfort. That's been the hardest change for me because I like taking a big, long drink of cold Water at times. Also, once you transition to solid foods, be gentle with your new tummy - eating too much or too fast can cause some discomfort that last more than just a few seconds like the drinking too much lasts. I was a slow eater before surgery, but now I have to eat even slower so as to not cause discomfort. Needless to say, your hot food doesn't stay pipping hot long enough to get it all eaten (even though we're talking about just one egg, or 1/4-1/2 cup of something. Take your time eating!!! Very small bites, too. Also, your new tummy will make all kinds of gurgling sounds whether it's empty or full. It's funny to listen to, but a little embarrassing when others are around - my tummy gurgles are so loud sometimes. Don't overstock on Protein shakes or Meal Replacements pre-surgery as your tastes may change afterwards. I use unjury shakes to supplement my protein intake because without them I can't get to the daily minimum. I started using Unjury about 6 months prior to surgery and found that after about 2 weeks my craving for carbs, i.e. Pasta, etc., had decreased considerably. I bought some 1/2 cup containers to use for my lunch at work and they are the perfect size since that's about all I can eat at a meal. Know that you will lose hair with significant weight loss - this in only temporary as it will grow back. It was about week 12-14 when significant clumps came out while shampooing. The clumps have decreased in the past 2 weeks. My hair is much thinner now, but it will grow back. Increasing my exercise has helped a lot, too. I was exercising before surgery (walking on my lunch break), but that wasn't enough to really help facilitate the weight loss which is the only thing that will help reverse/stop my fatty liver condition. Another huge benefit of the surgery - I no longer have to take my diabetes or blood pressure medicine - immediate results following surgery. You will do great after surgery as long as you do everything your surgeon and nutritionist tell you to do. Each person's journey is different although there are a lot of similarities. @livingfree! made some great points which prompted me to contribute to this thread. This journey is about improving your health, not just the weight loss. Good luck!!!

Now that I have started mentioning my work towards a band I have had a few ask questions that I really didnt have the answer for. One coworker is about 250, admits to drinking too much beer. When he has stopped drinking, along with watching his calories he only dropped about 40lb and nothing more. He slipped back into drinking and has maintained his weight. I can agree that alcohol is a wasted calorie, but what do I say to the fact he stopped drinking for 3 months, dieted and lost no weight? Just trying to find something constructive to tell him, besides just telling him to stop drinking totally.

What type of Protein shakes are you using? I had my sleeve done 11/11 and when I tried Slim Fast Advantage again, I had major discomfort and pain, likely because of the sugar alcohols. Give Premiere Protein a shot and stick to only sipping out of a one oz medicine cup at a time. Slow and steady is the best way. I assure you that it will improve greatly as the days pass. Good Luck and Hang in There!

So I have one week to go until my revision from Band to RNY. I have been toldnot to do a preop diet but just to stick to clean eating!! I am extremely happy about that and could have kissed the NUT when she told me that as I remember how awful the preop was before my band. But do you know how confusing clean eating is? Yes I know I need to steer away from processed foods and added sugars but apart from that there are so many different variations. I haven’t been told no carbs but I am trying to keep those to a minimum ( except veg). I’ve also given up alcohol. Hopefully that is enough!

Would you do it again knowing all you know and what you have experienced? I would go through it again in a second if I had to. It was a big hassle getting all the approvals and it was painful that 1st week post-op, but I have no regrets. I know first few weeks liquids and protien shakes but can you eat real food again? I was eating real solid food at 30 days post-op. Just not much, which I was very very happy about. I was eating about 1/4 cup of real food per meal. Mainly turkey hamburger and chicken and refried Beans - my diet is pretty simple. Vegetables and fruits took much longer to get re-accustomed to - around month 6 I was able to add them back into my diet. By month 9, I could eat anything I wanted with little to no grumbling from Frankensleeve. :-) What are biggest highs and what are worse things? The biggest highs for me were being in control of how much I could eat and seeing the weigh fall off so quickly (about 15 lbs a month). The worst thing was that 1st week post-op, getting all that gas out of my body was painful and having to sleep propped up (I am a side sleeper and couldn't lay flat for about 10 days). Can you drink alcohol again once recovered and havre been on this new journey for awhile? I tried a beer at 6 months, sipped it slowly and had no problems. I'm not much of a drinker anyway, but I occasionally have tequila mixed with my Crystal Light lemonade. I'm a cheap drunk now! 2 shots of tequila and I'm done! :-P

I am 6 months out and I would definitely do it again. The high points are too many to list...I can shop in regular stores for clothes. I feel fabulous, not only from the weight loss, but from eating so much healthier. I feel more confident out in public. The best part is I know I don't have to worry about ever being on a diet again. The low point is probably the C. diff infection I got 6 weeks postop. This wasn't a direct surgery related complication (got it from antibiotics I took for a tooth infection) but not being able to drink a lot because of my tiny sleeve complicated things a bit. I had severe diarrhea, so I got dehydrated and needed IV fluids 3 times. As for the preop and post op diet restrictions, I really didn't have a problem with any of it. It's just part of the process and if you really want it, the tiny sacrifice of a liquid diet for a month or so shouldnt be a big deal. My surgery experience was great...it was like being on vacation with my sister and I really had no postop pain. After about 4 months, I could eat anything I want and I do. I get hungry and eat every 3-4 hours. I make good choices, go for Protein and veggies first and drink lots of Water. I avoid carbs and processed food, but I have had ice cream, deserts, chips and alcohol on occasion. The only thing I've given up for good is carbonated beverages. Anything else is fair game as far as I'm concerned. I don't track or measure anything so I have no idea what my carb/calorie/protein intakes are. I take my Vitamins and I do still have one big Protein Drink (24-32oz / 30-40g protein) everyday so I don't have to think about hitting Fluid and protein goals. I have at least 7 different Protein shakes in my house and along with Torani syrups, I never get bored with the flavors. Good luck. Remember, this really is all about attitude and you will be successful and happy if you keep your eye on the end goal and don't get wallowed down on all the little things that come along.

Maybe check out any support groups in your area from the hospital where you had your surgery? ...or at the very least there is a 'Buddy/Mentor' list here, maybe just reaching out to another sleever who has similar issues as you, but farther along can provide some insight. I think we all struggle with this at some capacity...I know for me filling my time with hobbies, my sports teams, work, great friends, my doggies...keeps me on track and not so focused on food and the decisions I make. From the time I've overcome cigarette and alcohol abuse, it is a daily (sometimes hourly) conscience decision to stay clean. It's been 2.5 years and it does get easier, but my lifestyle had to change drastically and I'm not out of the woods yet. You're on the right path to seek out some help, if you need anything, send me a PM. xx Heidi

I just remind myself that I'm choosing not to eat "junk" food. I think sometimes we compare ourselves to alcoholics or drug addicts when we are food addicts. We say things like alcoholics or drug addicts never have to have alcohol or drugs ever again to break their addiction but we have to have food. I know in my case, my addiction was sugar and junk foods and that's probably what got me to my highest weight. Now I try my best to avoid those and so far it's working. I just remind myself I never want to go back there! Whenever someones asks me, "can you eat this on your diet?" I tell them, "I'm not on a diet. I can eat anything I choose to eat...I choose not to eat that."

Its your choice. I found that once I told people they were more supportive then I thought. But some people will never be supportive. I personally could care less what people think about my decision because it has been the best for me. But Im very lucky that my family is not critical of my choice. The ones who have never had a weight problem are interested on how it works and are learning that I had a food addiction. Its easier to compare to an alcoholic since we have a few in the family. But so far almost 2 years later no one even says anything except now they ask if it interferes with my pregnancy.

WHAT IN THE EVER LIVING ACTUAL F*CK... Seriously. I followed the diet, I'm taking meds...I'm still making sure to get protein in first and trying to make it to at least 1k cals per day...but I've lost 6lbs, that's it. Has ANYONE else experienced this?! Is it normal? I mean I am not the biggest person in the world, I was 276 when I came home from hospital and weighed 270 a couple days ago. I was not a huge alcohol drinker, did not drink pop all the time etc before the surgery, had no health issues, still have no health issues and nothing I eat makes me sick... is that it? I mean, is it because other than eating drastically less than I could before surgery, is it because I was healthy before hand so Im not seeing any drastic results!? I'm starting to get super depressed.

no u didn't screw up so dont beat yourself up if u have a 4-cc band and its almost filled it actually mite b to tight so u might want to have it checked. of course limiting alcohol is never a bad thing but u r allowed to have a drink now and then and a martini doesn't sound to bad what happened is that u mite have had something stuck and when it mixed with the alcohol boom vomit concoction lol i do hope u feel better call your Dr. and definitely stay off solids and alcohol till u have the ok from him gd luck keep me posted!!!

I had my psych eval a couple of weeks ago. It was not at ALL what I expected: I filled out literally 30 pages of background information on myself, then had to answer 338 true or false questions on a computer - one of which was: "Evil spirits sometimes possess my body"...then spent not quite an hour talking to the doctor. We barely spoke about food or my relationship with food - instead, she thinks I have the potential to become an alcoholic (because my mother is an alcoholic and I enjoy a glass of wine after dinner most nights) who also has a mild case of PTSD stemming from my sister being sexually abused when we were children. I left her office completely dumbfounded, like "WTF just happened?". I really thought the purpose of this evaluation was to see where my head was at as it pertained to the surgery and the permanent changes I will need to make afterwards, but like I said - we barely spoke about the surgery. Then I get a phone call from my surgeon's office. Apparently the psychiatrist presented my "case" to a board that included her peers, as well as a representative from my surgeon's office, and together they decided that I need to see a counselor for at least a couple of sessions and have that person put together some kind of treatment plan for me before I can be cleared for surgery. The counselor I have to see didn't have any open appts until Dec 2 and Dec 9, which I have already scheduled, but even if I get the clearance on Dec 9 and it's submitted to my insurance the same day that isn't enough time for them to review and approve (provided they approve it on the first try) and for me to then do the 2 week diet in order to have the surgery done in 2015. Because in 2016 my insurances changes to a high deductible plan - $3000 vs the $700 it currently is (which of course has already been met this year). Thankfully my employer will contribute $2200 in January to use towards the deductible and/or other medical expenses, but it's still another $800 I will need to cover. Not to mention the money I will need to spend if I also need to redo any of the tests or labwork I've had to do already. I don't deny that I would probably benefit from speaking to a professional about my issues, but this surgery is one thing in my life I feel completely in control of. I am ready for it. I'm ready for the changes. With the addition of these two newest appts..with all the appts I have already been to (tests, lab/blood work, follow-ups) I will have been to a total of 24 appts since August, including the first info session. I rearranged my schedule at work countless times to accommodate my appts, burned through nearly 50 hours of vacation time...I even cancelled a cruise for this! I will have spent nearly $1500 out of pocket, because although my insurance covers the surgery and the hospital stay it won't cover any of the pre- or post- op requirements...I've got journals and food plans and I've reorganized cabinets in my kitchen to make room for "my" food... I'm dedicated and determined and READY, and I feel like I got robbed because I never even had the opportunity to tell any of this to the psychiatrist. I realize this is just a delay, not a no, but I still can't help but feel completely defeated. I have done everything I have been asked to do, and all of my doctors have been wonderful as far as working me in and helping me to get this done before the end of the year...only to be derailed by a woman I literally talked to for just under an hour and other people who never met me, never spoke to me - but yet feel they know me well enough to know I'm "not ready" for this. Sorry for the length. I just needed to vent I'll be fine. I'm just mad at the world right now. And thinkin' that I shoulda just went to Mexico.

Remember every doctor is different I would talk to your doctor The first 2 weeks I could take children's liquid Tylenol - after that Tylenol (or the like) only. No ibuprofen beacuse of it's irritability on the stomach According to my doctor no carbonation ever again - I've read people on here do, not very often, but they do. Right now, I'm not willing to take the chance - I was horribly addicted to diet soda and don't want to fall back into that trap. Decaf coffee for the first couple months - I've seen some people have regular coffee as well, it is too tough on my stomach. No cream and sugar - too much sugar. Remember that sugar that moves too quickly though your stomach will end up in your intestine that doesn't do a good job of breaking it down. I put Splenda in my tea - and I have had a cup of decaf and I add a little vanilla Protein shake to it for "cream" I drink 1% or skim, Yes--just plain - it's a good source of protein. No alcohol for 6 months per my dr. after that I don't know--It will depend on how my stomach handles it. I bought a ninja blender and use it frequently for various things. -- You might search on juicing on this forum. I would make sure to add unflavored protein to your juices. Good Luck

It’s Sod’s Law that the one person that I expected to support me in this procedure has been the only one person that hasn’t. Damn that Sod and his bloody law making! Without wanting to sound like an angry young (ahem!) man and post my second negative post, I thought I would try and do it in a defensive way rather than go in with guns a-blazing. The gloves were originally taken off as I pressed the “new post” button - but they have duly been put back on. In fact, I have retired to the changing room, away from the ring to write a considered response with the help of a bit of Rufus Wainwright serenading me and a hot cup of jasmine tea. Actually, forget that - I am going to have to snipe a bit, so decaf coffee it is. Firstly, I won’t bother going through my reasons for undertaking this surgery. If you want those, you can easily read through the swathes of words I have on the subject. Secondly, I will start my defence a bit absurdly. I will start with a list of mistakes that I made leading up to the surgery and a few of my most outstanding weaknesses. This way, I can be judged in full for the actions I took. Thirdly, I intend to iterate why this blog was set up and why I continue to push people here instead of talking about it face to face. Fourthly, I will try and defend the accusations that have flown recently and put them in their place once and for all. I won’t be going over it again - so listen carefully! Lastly, I intend to lose some weight with dignity and pride and hopefully a bit of happiness - so if you don’t like it - back off and let me get on. Please. So, as detailed above, I launch my defence with point 1. Go read. The biggest mistake I made before undertaking this step was not to make the decision with my partner. Instead I chose to research and make the decision entirely alone. I chose to not discuss my fears with anyone and let the decision be made before I told a soul. When I did tell, it was already well decided in my mind that I would do it. In hindsight, I would probably have realised that this was to be a shared experience and needed buy-in and approval from everyone affected. I do admit that the way I did it was perhaps selfish. I won’t defend it, as I believe now it should have been done another way. My second mistake - but one that I am not so sure was entirely wrong, was not to inform my friends until it was all done. This was again because the procedure was so huge to me that I wanted to be in and out of it before anyone could grill me and make my life too stressful before I undertook the seemingly controversial operation. I think that they now feel slightly distant from me as I was unable to share this with them - which perhaps I should have done. My excuse for that is hopefully well understood and forgivable. My weaknesses can be pretty much listed out verbatim. I am well aware of them and pretty much everyone who knows me is also very well read on the subject. Again, I won’t excuse the failings - just lay them out on the table. I am absolutely CRAP with money. I don’t quite understand its value and I can’t hold onto it as long as I should. It has gotten me into some dire situations and I am aware that it has caused some distress to those around me. Never ever lend me money. Ever! I am a frightful coward. Everything that has any kind of danger attached fills me with dread. I hate roller coasters, flying and high speed. I cower at spiders and tremble at heights. If you are looking for courage in a burly man - look elsewhere. I am pretty stubborn. Once I have decided upon something - that will always be the right thing in my mind. It takes a lot of persuasion to talk me around to another point of view. Some people may well recognise this as arrogance! I was (no more) a big drinker. I binged and usually got very “bombastic” in the process. Imposing one’s personality on friends and stranger can be quite daunting for them. Using booze as a crutch to overcome my utter shyness and inability to have a conversation with people was probably not the best therapy. I have many other weaknesses, but are probably irrelevant for this post - so I will stop self-flagellating. [*]This blog was set up for two reasons. I needed an outlet where I could do a bit of cathartic self-therapy. Writing everything down in this way seems to be a brilliant tool for exploring one’s mind and really coming to terms with issues that bother you. I recommend it for anyone undertaking a journey like this that they have concerns about. Even if you don’t publish it - write it down. The honesty you can deliver to a uncaring, uninterested computer screen is immense. The second reason was to enable my friends to read my reasons behind my decsion and see more into the process. It gives them the full picture without taking up my entire life talking about it. If people want to know, they go to my blog. Also, I figured it would help people contemplating the operation in the future see the thought processes I went through stage by stage and help them to come to terms with the options available. I’m not entirely sure my readership is that enormous nor whether people actually take in what they read in between the rambling sentences. But, from the few comments I have received, it is ringing a similar chord with other people who have had the surgery. Time will tell if this helps anyone else. [*]Now, the accusations! This blog is simply self-indulgent crap. Well, it has been an important part in my decision and coming to terms with opting for the surgery. It has also helped others close to me to fully understand what I did. Whereas with talking and conversation - they would only have had the full story. I just wouldn’t have the time to quote the articles in teh blog to all my friends. I can’t really defend the “crap” bit. I didn’t cater for the feelings of my partner when I made the decision on my own Yes I did. I shouldn’t have made the decision on my own, but her feelings were very much considered and put into the equation. The trouble is - I didn’t accurately predict what her feelings would actually be. Hence the discussions should have been made. Half of a defence there. I wasted money on the operation when I could have invested in the family unit and dieted instead like most people. Sorry - but there is no basis to that one. Firstly - here is a fact. Of all diets - only 3-5% are successful in the long term (reference Dr Jessie H. Ahroni Ph.D., A.R.N.P.). A whopping 95 to 97% of people who diet are wasting their time! I have tried dieting and my mental and physical make-up is such that I was one of the 95-97% of people who failed. I tried for 15 years. This was a last resort as you will probably know by now from my self-proclaimed cowardice. Secondly, me paying for a surgery to keep me alive for many more years than previously expected IS an investment into the family unit. Imagine my salary over, let’s say, 20 years. Lastly, the money spent on the operation is approximately how much I overspent on food and alcohol over two years. So, in conclusion - this has not only cost nothing - it has actually put money BACK IN to the family unit (remembering my fiscal weakness - you may wish to check these facts!). Along with that, it is giving me the opportunity to live a bit longer. So, there you have it. Now I intend to get on with my new life, in a slightly different way than I had originally planned - but get on with it I shall. Originally posted at: Lap Band Blog

Alcohol can be a large contributor to weight gain. It has a lot of carbs. I'd you approach it from that stand point a 750 ml bottle of wine with 5 oz serving size and about 4 carbs per serving would have 5 servings in the bottle. If you drink the whole thing you're basically drinking 4carbs×5 servings and that comes out to about 20 carbs. If you're also getting carbs in other ways it can all add up. Carbs will sneak up in you if you let them back in. A pound or 2 here and you can backslide without realizing it. You have been through so much and you can't let this defeat you! People can suck, a LOT, but at the end is the day, the person you're spending the rest of your life with is you. Love yourself and rise above, you will get through it. As others have said, counseling may be beneficial. If you're insured through your employer they may have covered services for this. Sent from my SM-G930T using BariatricPal mobile app

If you follow your NUT/surgeon, which is probably the best right now, please make sure you tell them that you work out that much and make sure they know you are not just talking. Everyone says they "work out". You can work out and barely burn 150 calories walking at 2.5mph for 30 minutes. You can also work out lifting weights for an hour and then doing 30 minutes of intense cardio. Make sure your doctor knows what you do and adjusts your calories/meal plan accordingly. You only consume around 400 calories, and your trainer is absolutely right to say that you cannot workout on this low calorie count. His recommendation is clearly not for a fresh sleeve, but you have to find a middle ground between the person who knows your medical history and the person who knows your activities. Cross check his recommendations with your NUT and you should be good. If you cannot eat that much, tell your trainer and ask for some foods with a higher calorie density - a slice of whole grain bread with Peanut Butter and some low sugar jelly can give you a good energy boost with 200 calories and should be easy to eat. Don't try not to eat more - it may look counter productive, but it isn't. Even if you drive your car very fuel efficient - you MUST have fuel or you don't go anywhere or strand half way down. Just when working out, you don't strand but keep going and damage your engine. As for Snacks, I too eat snacks. I was told 4 meals - ie. two meals, one snack, but I usually have two smallish snacks and at times, it looks more like I am having 5 meals with a little less than 200 calories for a total of 900 calories. In the end, the NUT gives you recommendations - you have to find what works for you. Over the last 3 months since surgery, I have found that it doesn't matter too much when I eat, what I eat or how often I eat, what matters is my total calories and my workout. If I stall, I stall no matter what. If I lose again, it's just because my body is ready and not because I worked out more/less, ate more/less carbs/fat or so. I just came off a 23 day stall, and that after I ate everything "wrong" (like sushi, alcohol, snacks)

Started 309 Sw 273 October 2015 Current 225 Gw 175 Bypass Hello all...... this is my first post ever. I started this journey with so much fuel and raring to go. Somewhere down the line in the beginning life changed for me as for many of you (life events) and I lost my way. What are some things that you have done to get back on track? I have lost my MOJO, motivation, you name it! I feel as though I will never get these last 50 to 65 off. I know that I have failed, but somehow I feel like it's too late. I will say that I know where a lot of my empty calories come from (alcohol) so I know that is the FIRST thing to go- which I never should have started again, hence my recent life changes. Please only constructive criticism..... I have beat myself up enough. Thank you in advance! Sent from my SM-N920T using the BariatricPal App

Kmw: Hopefully that uncomfortable feeling eventually subsided, but it's a hard and fast lesson. I cheated in the first 3 weeks with some foods that were slightly more solid than liquid but I washed them down with Water. Now that I've progressed to solids and had my first fill I STILL haven't tried eating anything like rice or red meat. I could tolerate bread pre-fill and chicken, but I have no idea how that might work now that I'm filled. You can start eating fish (rice isn't recommended until the solid stages) in a couple of weeks. Wait it out from now on. I know those cravings can be a bitch. And on the alcohol front, me and white wine have decided we get along juuust fine. I never was much of a beer drinker, but I have been enjoying a glass or two of chardonnay when I go out. My surgeon actually said that they've done studies and those who incorporate some wine into their diet tend to do better over the long run. Good luck!