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I wonder if caffeine affects us faster and more intensely now, like alcohol does? I used to drink coffee all day, up to bedtime. Then I went on some meds for fatigue and had terrible RLS (restless leg syndrome) so I managed to cut down to a cup or two in the morning. Now I've tried drinking coffee twice, only about 1/4c. in my morning Protein shake, and I got such a case of the jitters! Like I wanted to throw up. No other sources of caffeine, except for the tiny amount in the diet Lipton Green Tea with Citrus that I live on. Maybe I have detoxed from coffee? I've been drinking it for almost twenty years. Who would have thought it was possible?

I was at a Christmas party last night and had a couple of drinks (Malibu Rum and Pineapple Juice). I have never been a big drinker. I may have something twice a year. I didn't find that it hit me faster than before, but I was very careful to sip slowly. My doctor said I could have alcohol in moderation but that I needed to be very careful because it would take much less for me to get drunk. I never liked the aftereffects of drinking so it isn't something that I miss.

I think that is why Sharon Osbourne is having her band removed. She wants to be able to eat again. So I would say you aren't the only one. One of the advantages of the band is that you can change your mind. It is a pro-con situation. Do you remember how you felt when you were 50-70 lbs heavier? Are you willing to go down that road again? And to me, saying I had a nervous breakdown because I haven't been able to turn to food is almost like an alcoholic saying they had a nervous breakdown because they couldn't turn to alcohol. You are in a tough spot. Good luck.

I was having lunch with another individual, who is currently having succes with changing the way she eats and exercise, and she was enjoying a slice of cheesecake and she says "everything in moderation". Now, she is not aware that I'm in the process of getting WLS, but I did respond to her by saying " maybe for you but not me", which led to a heated debate. I have a serious pet peeve. I hate, yes, I said hate, when someone tries to tell me what I'm able to do or not do. You can make assumptions, but we all know what happens when you ASS U ME! I don't do MODERATION! If I was capable of moderation, I wouldn't be more than 100 lbs overweight. I've heard the comments, opinions over the years, even I have fallen for it, "You have to have" or " you need to have", " a little can't hurt". Food is my addiction...no,that's not right, chocolate, baked goods, fast foods, etc are my addiction and it's killing me... Why should I have these things in moderation? ..... Let me put it this way... Someone suffering from alcoholism, his/hers addiction of choice is wine, would you say to her/him " a little wine in moderation?".... I'm betting you will think that person was cruel, well that's what's it's like for me. I don't do a slice of cheesecake, I eat the WHOLE cheesecake. I don't eat scoop of ice cream, I eat the WHOLE container. I don't do the combo meal, I do the combo meal with starter, supersize and dessert. Now do you get it!..... Silence.... Just have some control, willpower, you need food to live!.... ** Sigh** ... Yes, I need food to live, but do I need that time of food? .....nope....So you are going to cut out all that food for the rest of your life....gasp....yeah, it's not going to be easy and I will have some idiot,I mean well meaning individual, who will try to encourage me to "try" something....but I will have to refuse, why? The day I get over my addiction, it will be a struggle to maintain because unlike cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, people feel that it can't hurt you in moderation, so it's offered and offered, and feelings get hurt when you refuse, but I'm just one of those people where moderation does not work. Side note, I smoked cigarettes for 10 years, 2 packs a day and was a solid chain smoker. When I was given the ultimatum by partner to quit or he goes, I couldn't do it alone. I failed cold turkey, I failed the nicotine patch... What worked is a pill called Champix( in French)... I took it for 2 weeks out of the 12 weeks and I never look back. I've been a non-smoker going into 5 years. Some people can do it on their own, I need help.Words have power, I'm currently changing the way I eat for my goal is to eliminate those foods from my diet. I'm aware of the journey ahead of me. I'm aware that the lap band will not eliminate my demons. I'm aware that I will be seeing someone about my addictions and I'm aware that most society will see my use of " food addiction" an "insult" to "real" addictions but I couldn't given a rats @$&?, because moderation will kill me.

I will bring some alcohol just for emergencies and for the river if anyone is up for it on a Saturday morning! I'll bring vodka, tequila and a bit of coconut rum that TracyM requested; margarita mix, cranberry juice and tropical punch crystal light. Wherever we go, there's a bar within 50 yards, so i don't think anyone will have to suffer with the shakes for too long. You're not a poop!! To each his own! :biggrin:

Ditto, Ditto, Ditto! I have told my clients I would be out and told them why. Only one client asked me why I was getting it done and not losing the weight on my own because I had already lost 20 lbs on my own. I explained my reasons and that it wasn't meant for everyone. She was very slender so she never experienced the weight battle herself. When we were done talking, she understood. People may not agree but it's not their choice to make, they can be understanding though. I think surgery gets such a bad reputation and people think that WLS patients take the "easy" way out when it is not the case at all. Like you, I love being able to educated others and hopefully inspire others to better themselves. Weight, Drugs, alcohol, etc, whatever you feel you need help with, you should do. You should never be ashamed to better yourself and this is what I have to do to become a more healthy individual. This is the road I took, it's NOT for everyone but this is what I wanted to do to better myself. I have recieved so much support from family, friends and my clients that it just confirms that I am making the right decision.

Terri and Haydee~ For the margies... Get Margie Mix (near the alcohol in the store) it is cheap too. I like regular, but some may like strawberry (too sweet for me)... CHEAP WHITE tequilla (never drink gold...it is only sugar, w/ more calories...and a bad hangover) Tons of ice and tons of limes! That is it!

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls. 2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas! 3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy . Eat the volcano. Repeat. 4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission. 5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello? 6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog. 7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas Cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again. 8. Same for pies. Apple. pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day? 9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards. 10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by: "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!" Have a great holiday season! (PS, THESE ARE NOT LAPBAND FRIENDLY TIPS, BUT I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT)

SJ - the most important part of the band is the followup. Seriously. If not for my monthly trips to Dr. Ren in my first year I would not have lost the weight I did!! You know, it takes a while to detox from the reality of being obese. When I would go for follow ups, I would have that "Weight Watchers Anxiety." You know what I'm talking about - wearing the lightest clothes possible, crash dieting the day before, hoping and praying you're not judged cause maybe you only lost 4 lbs in a month. You know I got lectured - and I mean LECTURED - for losing too much weight? The nurse at Dr. Ren's told me if I didn't slow down he was gonna unfill me :huh2: That was a first. I pranced. I liked not being lectured for eating too much. It's just *such* a different world. It's hard to describe. Instead, even if I lost a little, I'd be sitting there nervous, feeling like I'm failing everyone, failing myself...and when they weighed me and talked to me, they just wanted to know if I was hungry. Sometimes I'd say yeah, but I don't know if its PMS or not. They'd tighten me and fix it. Can you eat more than a cup of food without Water in 20 minutes? Yes. OK you're getting tightened. They just cared about me, they cared about the band working properly. My favorite thing about Dr. Ren is that she thinks of obesity as a disease, like alcoholism with as much genetic roots as social and behavioral roots. Not many doctors see it that way. And god! Wait til you get The Magic Fill. My first four months on the band I was still fighting hunger, able to eat a whole burger and fries meal from Wendy's, despite monthly fills. I was totally resigned to this taking forever. Other people were dropping like crazy, but my fat stubbornly clung to me like barnacles on a sunken ship. I was actually depressed at this point, thinking I made this huge change and dammit, it didn't WORK. As usual. Then in April I got this fill. I was on liquids for two days...typical deal. Feeling like it was useless, the third day I popped a small piece of a Cinnabon in my mouth. I mean, small. Maybe pea sized. Well, I didn't chew so well and had my first regurgitation. I thought I was going to die. It's actually funny now. There I was, alone in the house, panicking and pacing around frantically crying because something hurt in my chest - the pastry was stuck, oh THIS is what they've been talking about, that golf ball feeling...THIS SUCKS!...I'm gonna DIE I'm gonna DIEEEE...and I jumped, raised my arms, did everything I could not to barf it up...and I did anyway. it was incredibly unpleasant, mostly because I didn't know HOW to regurgitate properly if something was stuck and it turned into full scale vomiting, with the lower stomach. Painful, forceful. But then it was over, and I settled down. I slunk to the kitchen and made some hot tea and next thing I knew, it was seven hours later and I realized with a start I had not eaten all day. {{{NEWS FLASH: KATE FORGOT ABOUT FOOD FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER}}} The hunger WAS completely gone. Gone. Not nausea, but very close to it, where you're just turned off by ANYthing. Holy crap! I kept thinking, "Is this what skinny people feel like ALL THE TIME!?!?!?" No wonder they thought I had weak willpower. It was so SIMPLE to forget about food - or if I was forced to eat, choose something like broth or a small 1/2 cup of tuna fish. Then I cried again, laughing and dancing with the lightest joy because this was the Magic Fill my mentor had told me about that I never believed...and couldn't comprehend. Four months after surgery, I was finally in the zone. Accidentally. That's when the weight loss really began...I lost 80 lbs over the next 6 months. Just remember...it is a process. I know you're sick of the weight. I know you want it to be over already...but it's coming. There's nothing like feeling in control for the first time in your life :cool2: NOTHING. Maybe on one of your fills we'll hike up to Dr. Ren's together, if I need one too. I just got mine done so I'm good for at least a month or so.

I am bringing a fairly large check in bag. I hope that is okay. It is the only luggage I have, so I bought big, to cover everything. Stupid question, are be buying alcohol to drink at the bars or at the grocery?

Pam: I'll have my tweezers w/me, definitely! Janie: The answer to your alcohol-purchasing question is: YES! Tee Hee!

i haven't had the surgery, haven't even had a consultation by my friend had the surgery on Sept 10, 2014 and has lost 70 lbs. She decided she was going to drink alcohol last weekend. I don't know how much she drank but it was very little and she ended up soused. Also, if you have any underlying unresolved issues from your past (e.g. trauma)that made you eat, I would not even think of trying alcohol. This is specific to gastric bypass surgery but A new study reports that one in 10 gastric bypass patients struggles with alcoholism within two years of the surgery. This statistic is actually from CNN.com-transcripts. There is an entire conversation about it, just type in Dr. Drew and weight loss surgery. I don't know if this would pertain to you or not, just giving some information,

That's what goes through my mind, that I've boarded a train to Crazy Town. I mean, am I really going to have more than half of my stomach removed? Voluntarily!? It seems insane! And when they tell me things like "you can't drink within 30 minutes of your meal time", and "no caffeine or alcohol ever again", I think, who can live like that? SO the big huge doubt creeps in...even if I can get through the horrible pain of surgery, and the horrible liquid diet (because those are just temporary), is this surgery going to RUIN MY LIFE? While it's true, I've struggled with my weight over the years, and now that my doctor says I have PCOS, I no longer believe I can lose the weight on my own. And it's also true that the weight affects my quality of life; I don't get out and do things I would do if I were normal weight. And I have some health problems that come from my weight, the worst of which is my knee. However, on the flip-side of the coin, I'm not suicidal! LOL. I mean, I don't miss the things I can't do all that much. I've adapted. I'm not a happy fat person, but I also don't want to be a miserable thin person for the rest of my life, or WORST (and here's another big doubt creeping in) a miserable ONLY LESS FAT person for the rest for the rest of my life! Part of me still thinks I won't be able to get down to a weight, even with the surgery, that I will be happy with. My primary care doctor says I have like no metabolism at all. And right now, I don't think I even eat all that much. So what if I get this Horrible Surgery, go through all this pain, limit myself for the rest of my life so that I can never have a margarita, or a Starbucks again! And after all that, I'm still the fattest girl in the room? Or I still can't fit into Designer clothes that only go up to size 12? Should I stop the train and jump off now? I have to do 6 months of classes and counselling prior to surgery for my insurance, and October will be month 2. Can anyone help me feel better about this?

Thanks so much for the info... Can you please email ctdgamez@yahoo LAPAROSCOPIC GASTRIC SLEEVE DIET Joseph E. Chebli MD FACS Introduction The following information provides guidelines for you to follow before and after Gastric Sleeve Surgery and for the rest of your life. Gastric Sleeve Surgery is a weight loss tool. After surgery, you will be required to make lifelong changes in your eating habits and to exercise on a regular basis in order to achieve and maintain your weight loss goals. Gastric Sleeve Surgery reduces the size of the stomach which restricts the volume of food that you can consume at one time. This means that you will feel full after eating a small amount. The surgery also induces hormonal changes which help prevent you from feeling excessively hungry. You should avoid drinking liquids with meals. This is to prevent overfilling of the stomach. Frequent snacking or grazing must also be avoided as this contributes to excess calorie intake and can slow weight loss or cause you to gain weight. Exercise is an important component of weight loss success. Exercise is recommended before and after surgery in order to maximize the amount of weight that you lose and keep off. If you have not been an active exerciser, always consult with your physician for clearance and recommendations before beginning any exercise program. It is important to follow the lifetime Gastric Sleeve diet rules, supplement guidelines, and exercise recommendations in order to achieve and maintain optimum weight loss success. In order to begin preparing for surgery, start implementing the pre-surgery diet goals listed on the next page. Pre-Surgery Diet Practice Tips 1. Choose low-fat foods, and avoid fried foods. 2. Stop using sugar. Use healthy sugar substitutes. (T) 3. Decrease intake of desserts and candy. 4. Stop drinking sugar-sweetened beverages such as regular soda and sweetened Kool-Aid. 5. Start weaning off of caffeine and carbonated beverages. 6. Start cutting back on fast food and eating out. Begin making healthy meal choices when eating out and at home. 7. Eat 3 meals a day. Do not skip breakfast. 8. Start decreasing portion sizes. 9. Eat more fruits and vegetables. 10. Practice drinking Water and other fluids between meals, not with meals. 11. Drink 64 ounces water a day. 12. Practice sipping liquids. 13. Avoid alcohol. 14. Begin some form of exercise. 15. Review the following information on the gastric sleeve diet. 16. Practice chewing foods thoroughly, 20 - 40 times or to paste consistency. 17. Purchase your Protein drinks or supplements. 18. Purchase your Vitamin and mineral supplements. 19. Begin planning a schedule for mealtime, fluids and vitamin and mineral supplements. Post Gastric Sleeve Surgery Diet Important Diet Guidelines: 1. Eat 3 meals per day. Avoid snacking and grazing. 2. Eat small amounts. Initial portion size should be no more than 1 - 2 ounces - approximately 2 - 4 Tablespoons - of food per meal for the first month. At first you may not be able to tolerate this amount. Over time, you will slowly tolerate more volume at each meal. Long term, the stomach will eventually hold about 4 - 8 ounces (1/2 - 1 cup) of food per meal. 3. Eat protein foods first. 4. Do not try to eat food and drink liquid together. • Consume liquid 30 to 60 minutes before and/or 30 to 60 minutes after eating meals but not during meals. 5. You are required to take a multi-vitamin with minerals for the rest of your life. 6. Eat slowly! • Each meal should last 30minutes or longer. • Avoid gulping foods and drinks. • All foods must be well-chewed to a paste consistency. • Using a small fork or spoon (i.e. baby utensils) can help control portion sizes. • Have one place to eat (such as at the table) and avoid reading or watching TV while you eat. This helps you to enjoy your food, concentrate on eating slower and to realize when your stomach is full. 7. Drink plenty of calorie-free, non-carbonated, caffeine- free fluids between meals. • Drink slowly-sip fluids, never gulp. • Calorie-containing beverages should be limited to skim milk and protein drinks. • Limit juice to no more than 4oz. per day. • Consume zero-calorie beverages throughout the day. Diet Progression After Surgery The diet after gastric sleeve surgery progresses through several stages. Your surgeon will let you know when it is okay to progress to the next stage. Day 1 - 2 after surgery: Clear liquid diet The clear liquid diet means fluids or foods that are liquid at body temperature and can almost be seen through. You will be on a clear liquid diet while you’re in the hospital. Examples of Clear Liquid Diet (No Added Sugar/ Sugar Free): • Clear (diluted) fruit juices without added sugar: apple, grape or white grape or diet cranberry • sugar-free Crystal Light drink mix or popsicles, Sugar-free Kool-Aid. (T - careful, usually sweetened w/Aspartame) • Herbal tea, caffeine-free tea • flat soda • Sugar-free Popsicles • Sugar-free Gelatin • Clear broth • Water �� It is best to dilute juices by 50% with water. �� Avoid citrus juices (orange/grapefruit) and tomato juice for the first three weeks. �� coffee and de-caffeinated coffee contain acids which are irritating to the stomach lining and should be avoided for the first few weeks for healing. Day 3 through Week 2: Full Liquid Diet The next stage is the full liquid diet which consists of sugar-free, low-fat milk products and the clear liquids listed above. You will need to supplement with protein (drinks or powder) after surgery. Remember to sip liquids, do not gulp. Examples of Full Liquid Diet (No Added Sugar/Sugar-Free, Low Fat): • Skim Milk or Lactaid milk • Soy Milk (non-fat) • Low fat, thin, strained cream soup (smooth, no pieces of food) • Sugar-free instant breakfast • Protein drinks – Start daily when you get home from the hospital. (See section on protein and protein drinks) • Plain or “light” (no sugar added) yogurt with no fruit pieces • Sugar-free pudding or custard • Thinned cream of wheat or rice cereal Week 3 through Week 8: pureed Diet You may now begin a pureed diet. This includes all items listed for clear and full liquids, and the items listed for the pureed (blenderized) diet. • Eat PROTEIN foods first • Make sure foods are well blended. • Start slowly. If you do not tolerate pureed foods go back to the liquid diet and try again in a few days. • Remember to drink liquids between meals, not with meals. • Continue protein drinks or protein supplements every day. Examples for the Pureed Diet (Sugar-Free/No Sugar Added, Low Fat): eggs cheese Pureed or blenderized scrambled eggs or egg substitute or cheese omelet; melted low-fat cheese, low-fat or non-fat cream cheese, ricotta cheese, very smooth/mashed soft cheese such as mozzarella, string cheese, low-fat or non-fat smooth or small curd cottage cheese meat, Fish, Poultry, Baby food meat or pureed meat or poultry moistened with broth or low-fat gravy Blenderized shrimp, scallops or fish Pureed tuna or salmon (canned in water) or pureed egg salad with low-fat or non-fat mayonnaise Potted meats thinned with broth; smooth deviled ham Starches Unsweetened instant oatmeal (strained), cream of wheat or rice cereal, mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes, smooth polenta, hummus, refried beans; low-fat or baked crackers or chips Vegetables Baby food vegetables or pureed cooked vegetables (no corn or peas) Mashed winter squash, tomato juice or sauce, pureed salsa, marinara Soup Strained, low-fat cream soup made with skim milk; fat-free broth Blenderized lentil or split pea soup or chili Fruit Baby food fruits (bananas, pears, applesauce, peaches, mango, etc) Unsweetened applesauce (smooth) Unsweetened canned fruit – blenderized Unsweetened fruit juice (diluted, no sugar added) Remember: IF YOU CAN CHEW IT, DON’T DO IT! Tips to Get Started Everything that you eat on the pureed diet should be sugar-free or no sugar added, low fat and blended to the consistency of baby food or smooth applesauce. • You will need a blender or food processor or you can purchase baby food. • Start with 1 ounce (2 Tablespoon) portions - no more than 4 Tablespoons at the most. Listen to your body and stop eating as soon as you feel full. • Eat protein foods first. Then if you are not too full, try vegetables or fruits. • Continue protein supplements (80 g protein per day from supplement). Helpful Hints for Blenderizing • Cut foods into small pieces before putting into the blender or food processor. • Remove seeds, skins and fat. • Add liquid for ease of blending. Add enough liquid to cover the blades. Options include skim milk, broth, strained low-fat cream soup, low-fat gravy, low-fat or non-fat sour cream or fat-free half & half. • Blend the item to a smooth, applesauce consistency. • Make sure there are no particles, seeds or lumps remaining. If so put through a sieve or strainer. • If you have leftover blenderized foods, try freezing in single serving portions in ice cube trays and put the frozen cubes into plastic freezer bags. Meats – Very lean and dry meats puree better by adding a small amount of fat (margarine, oil, light mayonnaise, gravy, etc.) Fish also tends to be dry. Improve the texture by adding small amount of lemon juice, light mayonnaise or strained low-fat tartar sauce. Starches – Try pureed peas, canned Beans, sweet potatoes. Starches puree better when hot. Rice and potatoes tend to puree into a gummy paste and are not recommended. Substitute cream of rice cereal prepared with a flavorful broth and seasoned with margarine. Pasta or noodles are not recommended as they are not well-tolerated. Vegetables – Cook vegetables until soft. If using canned vegetables, drain first. Add melted margarine and puree. Add a small amount of liquid until it reaches the smooth applesauce consistency. Fruit – If using canned fruit, drain first. Add a few drops of lemon juice to help prevent them from discoloring. Begin to take advantage of your favorite leftovers before surgery. Process these foods, and freeze them in an ice cube tray. (Each cube is approximately 1/2 to 1 ounce). When frozen, pop out into Zip-lock bag; label and date, and freeze cubes until needed. Meal Guidelines for the Pureed Diet (See Sample Pureed Meals listed in the Appendix) Once you begin to eat pureed foods (which are considered solids) you will want to start differentiating between liquids and solids – meals should include pureed foods, and so liquids (including protein drinks) should be taken separately from your meals. • You should eat 3 meals a day with protein drinks between meals. • Protein drinks containing at least 20 grams of protein per serving should be consumed as needed to meet 80 g/day goal. • Start with a portion size of 1 to 2 tablespoons of pureed food for the first month. At first you may not be able to tolerate this amount. Eat your protein source first, and then if you have room a small amount of fruit, vegetables or other foods may be consumed. Hints for Measuring Foods: Liquids or soft/pureed foods are best measured in measuring cups or spoons; they can be measured in ounces, Tablespoons or mls. 1 cup 8 Fluid ounces 240 ml 16 tablespoons 3/4 cup 6 fluid ounces 180 ml 12 tablespoons 1/2 cup 4 fluid ounces 120 ml 8 tablespoons 1/4 cup 2 fluid ounces 60 ml 4 tablespoons 1/8 cup 1 fluid ounce 30 ml 2 tablespoons 1 Tablespoon = 3 teaspoons 1/2 Tablespoon = 1-1/2 teaspoons Week 9-12 After Surgery: Soft solid food Diet If you have been tolerating pureed foods, you may now begin a soft diet. This includes all items listed for clear and full liquids and pureed diets plus items listed for the soft diet. Try 1 to 2 new foods a day. This will help you to learn what foods you tolerate. • Remember your stomach pouch empties more slowly with more solid or dense foods than with liquids, so you will be able to tolerate a smaller quantity of food than you could with liquids. • Go slowly. If you do not tolerate the trial of soft foods, resume pureed foods and try again in a week. • Eat protein foods first • Avoid foods high in sugar and fat. • Space meals 4-5 hours apart • Continue your protein drinks between meals • Drink other fluids constantly between meals Examples of Soft Diet (No Added Sugar/Sugar-Free, Low Fat): • Baked fish (no bones) • Imitation crab meat, baby shrimp • Bananas • Canned peaches or pears in water or juice • Well-cooked vegetables without seeds or skin (no corn or peas) • Scrambled, poached or hard boiled eggs • Tuna or egg salad (no onions, celery, pimientos, etc.) • Finely shaved deli meat • Baked, grilled or rotisserie chicken o Moist foods will be better tolerated. Moisten meats with broth, low fat mayonnaise, or low-fat gravy or sauce. o Fish and seafood Proteins are softer and easier to break down than poultry or red meat proteins. o Reheating foods tends to make them dry out and hard to tolerate. Common Problem Foods (Avoid for 3 months after surgery) • Red meat such as steak, roast beef, pork. Red meat is high in muscle fiber, which is difficult to separate even with a great deal of chewing. Avoid hamburger for one month after surgery. • Un-toasted bread; rolls, biscuits. (Toasted bread may be better-tolerated.) • Pasta • Rice • Membrane of citrus fruits • Dried fruits, nuts, popcorn, coconut • Salads, fresh fruits (except banana) and fresh uncooked vegetables, potato skins. Month 4 After Surgery: Regular Diet • Problem foods as listed above can now be tried. • Rice, pasta and doughy bread may not be tolerated for 6 months or more. • Try fresh fruits without the skin first. If tolerated, the skin can be tried the next time. Salads are generally well-tolerated if chewed well. • Go slowly. Try a small amount to see how you feel. • Avoid high sugar and high fat foods to avoid a high calorie intake. Foods to Avoid: Hard/crunchy foods may always be poorly tolerated. Nuts and seeds are difficult to break down. Fried foods/greasy foods are hard to digest and are very high in calories. • Corn chips, potato chips, tortilla chips, hard taco shells • Nuts and seeds • Fried foods and greasy foods Points to Remember: • Solid foods will fill your stomach pouch more than liquids so you will be eating smaller quantities of foods versus liquids. • If you don’t tolerate a food the first time, wait a week and try again. • You may find that you tolerate a certain food one day and not the next. It is normal for this to happen. • If you don’t tolerate certain foods or notice nausea, vomiting or diarrhea during or after eating, ask yourself the following questions: o Did I chew to a paste consistency? o Did I eat too fast? o Did I eat too much volume? o Did I drink fluid with my real meal or too close to my meal? o Did I eat something high in sugar or fat? o Was the food moist or was it too dry? Steps for adding solid foods: • Try only 1 small bite of the new food and chew well. Wait awhile and if there are no problems, take another bite. • If at any time you feel too full, nauseated or vomit, stop eating and rest. Take only clear liquids at the next meal and add blended foods and liquids at the following meal. Try one solid food again the next day. PROTEIN Protein is the most important nutrient to concentrate on when resuming your diet. Because the volume of your meals will be limited, you should aim for a minimum of 80 grams of protein per day – this needs to come from your protein supplement. Why is protein important? • Wound healing • Sparing loss of muscle • Minimizing hair loss • Preventing protein malnutrition Remember to eat protein foods first at each meal, followed by vegetables and fruit. These are some good sources of protein: Protein Sources Serving size Protein (g) Skim or 1% milk 1 cup 8 Evaporated skim milk (canned) 1 cup 19 Soy milk beverage 1 cup (8 ounces) 7 Non fat dry milk powder 1/3 cup powder 8 Nonfat, sugar free yogurt 1 cup (8 ounces) 8 Nonfat or low fat cottage cheese ½ cup (4 ounces) 14 Nonfat or low fat cheese slices String cheese *1 ounce/ 1 slice 6 LEAN meats – skinless chicken or turkey breast, fish, beef, ham, Deli meats *1 ounce 7 Egg or Egg substitute 1 egg or ¼ cup subst. 7 Peanut Butter (creamy) 1 Tablespoon 5 Tofu ¼ cup 5 Legumes; dried beans peas or lentils Chili, bean soup ½ cup cooked ½ cup 7-9 6-7 Soy/vegetable patty (like Gardenburger) 1 patty 8 - 10 Hummus ½ cup 6 Measuring Hints: *1 ounce of meat is equal to about 3 – 4 Tablespoons of chopped or ground meat. 1 ounce of grated or cottage cheese, tuna or egg salad is ~ 1/4th cup (4 Tablespoons). A 3-ounce portion size of chicken or meat is about the size of a deck of cards. High Protein Ideas Chicken or Turkey Pureed – Use baby food or make your own. Try mixing it into strained low-fat cream soup. Breast – baked or grilled Thin-sliced/shaved deli slices Ground – meatballs, meatloaf Canned – works great for chicken salad Strained out of canned soup – tends to be very moist Fish (avoid bones) Baked, broiled, poached, or grilled fish Shrimp Imitation or regular crab meat Fresh or canned

No regrets. You should know that MOST of us can eat any type of food once we are a few months out. Some people imagine the sleeve will stop them from eating "bad" or unhealthy foods and for most of us we must choose to avoid those foods, the sleeve doesn't decide it for us. I do think it is normal to "miss" overeating/over indulging and the truth is you will find long term success (ie maintenance) once you have kind of mentally moved on from that desire. I do not mean to say any of us are perfect, but it is a pretty fundamental shift in priorities. Example, I used to have a daily ice cream habit. At some point, I had to ask myself how important that pleasure is vs the misery of obesity. I don't need alot of calories to maintain, so even years down the road i have to be quite mindful and regain if I start letting little things become habits. On the topic of cocktails - it is my opinion that you should generally avoid alcohol during the weight loss phase. I say it for a couple of reasons - but mostly because it is just plain emtpy calories and a lot of carbs. I also found it burned my tummy first time i had wine was about 3-4 months post op at a celebration party. Many of us have excess acid/tender tummies for the first few months and alcohol does NOT improve that situation. In maintenance, I do have alcohol but it is one of the items that can lead to regain. It is pretty easy to drink a few extra hundred calories here and there ... and it doesn't take much for the scale to start moving up. So, I think you will find over the long haul that having a cocktail occasionally is no problem - but you might want to avoid it until you are well established as a WLS veteran so to speak and then monitor how it works for you in maintenance. Good luck!

Hi pretties! Happy that many of us are doing so well. I had been having trouble getting motivated to get back to the gym. Well, after a brief respite at Great Wolf Lodge (out of the snow, thank goodness!) I realized that I had gotten a TON of exercise in and had felt great. So that helped kick me into gear. Now I'm back to the gym, working in strength training, and getting "assignments" to do from my personal trainer friends on the days I am working so I don't get glued to my chair. I'm doing much better with food overall, but still having some troubles. Things that are too dense (meats, for instance) are bad news, as is bread. I can have bread in very small doses, but more than that and I'll be either puking or wanting to puke for the rest of the day. I also am starting to be able to see the differences in my body! My waist nips in now once more, and my belly is deflated. I went through my jeans and made a big pile of those that don't fit any longer and moved on to the ones that used to not zip, which now fit perfectly. All good things! Has anyone gotten info on when they're able to have alcohol again? I plan to ask at my next appointment. No biggie, but it would be nice to be able to have a glass of red wine to ward off the chill every now and again...

My doctor isnt so strict when it comes to drinking alcohol after having the band. He recommends staying away from carbonated drinks and only having 1-2 because you will get drunk faster. 4 weeks after the band you will be back to normal. I was about 99% back after a week

I had the gastric sleeve done at Smart Shape and it was also done by Dr. Coburn. The staff at Centric Health Surgical Centre were absolutely amazing!! Dr. Coburn was equally amazing too. I didn't know about needles... they gave me 2 pre op and 1 post op. (This was a big deal because I'm terrified of needles, but I got through it) Small things that I wish I had know earlier: -Will need to consume 60-80g of protein per day (I am having a very hard time with this, because I try to avoid animal products as much as possible) -No drinking alcohol for 3 months post op -Take bites the size of your pinky nail They werent exaggerating the discomfort of the gas afterward. It is painful and it does go away after a few days. I walked as much as I could to get it out. All in all, I'm very happy. I started my pre op diet on Aug. 5 and had my surgery on Aug. 17 and to date, I've lost 40lb.

My thoughts on it..... Absolutes like "always" and "never" are ominous and frankly pretty unrealistic when we are talking the rest of our lives. I personally feel alcohol should be at best minimal during the weight loss phase, and you should at least allow your cut and stapled stomach to heal before imbibing. I think once a person hits their maintenence phase, it can be incorporated occasionally in an otherwise healthy, well balanced diet of lean Proteins, fruits and veggies. If you're doing what you're supposed to be doing 95% of the time, the occasional drink, chocolate, or piece of cake shouldn't be an issue, unless you make it one

@@charley27, I can’t speak to whether it’s a good idea for you to drink or not at the wedding, but I will say this: be really, really careful! Whatever you think you can handle – you can’t! After surgery, your tolerance for alcohol goes way down. You’ll get drunk faster, and on less alcohol. Your blood sugar will get wackier. From a dieting perspective, stay alert! Since it’s not safe to drink on an empty stomach, you’ll have to break your WLS rules by eating while you drink. Careful not to overeat! Also, inhibition goes down when you’re under the influence of alcohol, so it’s easier to eat too much and choose the high-calorie foods. Whatever you choose to do, just be careful about it because your body isn’t the same as it was.

I had alcohol this past weekend 5 weeks post op. Class reunion. Vodka/Cranberry juice and a few Jello shots. However it never ever really hit me. I thought SHYAAT!!!! I just wasted calories for nothing! Well that's over, and I'm over it sooo I probably won't have another drink for a long while. My surgeons guidelines say no alcohol for 3 months. There was no pain, burning, or discomfort whatsoever. I just shouldn't be doing it.

When did you have your first drink? I know they say no alcohol. But I'm looking for personal stories, not opinions please I'm going to a wedding this weekend - I know, no beer. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My doc said 6 weeks and to take it easy because the alcohol may affect you faster then before surgery. He doesnt forbid anything and says you have to have a life. I have followed his plan and it is working well. Had a glass of wine the other night and it took me a very long time to drink it because I didn't want to get drunk. Well, it didn't really have an impact. And it didn't burn. I know what my triggers are and I am avoiding them, but enjoying a glass of wine is something I will do on occasion.

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.

Ahhh, more sweet toothed folks out there! Good to meet ya! Everything suggested above looks yummy, but I would throw a word of caution out there (not to seem like a wet blanket) that I make a point of checking the calorie count of those Protein bars. 20 grams of protein sounds great, but some of those bars I've seen can pack over 300 calories! sugar-free doesn't necessarily mean "low calorie"- those things are sweetened with sugar alcohols, which can be just as high in carbs as some high octane sugary stuff. All depends on what you're trying to accomplish and watch, but for me, 300 calories isn't worth it. I can be happy with one sugar free Peppermint Pattie type candy from Weight Watchers for about 60 calories... I just eat it all slow and dramatic-like, like they do on the commercials & walk a little extra on the treadmill With that being said, sugar free pudding, Breyer's Carb Smart fudge bars & Hershey's Sugar Free baking chips are awesome!