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As others have said, absolutely not. Fruit, veg, and lean protein is essential to good health. I had protein shakes for the two weeks before surgery to shrink my liver, and for the first few weeks after as my insides healed. I would never want to rely on them beyond that. I can't even imagine how horrible and unfulfilling that would be. I've continued to have maybe one shake a day as a supplement when it's difficult to hit my protein goals. Tonight I'm having a protein hot chocolate from Premier Protein because it's chilly outside and a nice treat. But mostly I eat real, minimally processed foods. It's important to remember that supplements and vitamins and minerals are only able to provide the nutrients we know about, the ones scientists have discovered are directly responsible for diseases and disorders if you don't get them. But there are countless thousands of compounds in natural foods that we need and that are absent from shakes and supplements because they haven't been studied. The only way to get that is to eat a wide variety of real whole foods.

Hi! I don't have an answer, but I'm following in case someone else does too! My surgery is in 2 and a half weeks and I'm starting to get scared about this issue too.

Pic on top...my senior year of high school (prom) when I was 17. Pic on bottom...a couple of weeks ago at age 46. Face is older, but body is pretty close. Just sayin.....😏😉

Do you mean 2025 for your op or a year ago? If only four weeks ago what you are feeling is totally normal and your body is recovering. Hopefully you will soon find a routine that works for you with regards to being able to take a bit more food and fluids but take your time with sipping and eating, baby steps for now and then it will get easier. Try to get your vitamins in, especially now as you are eating less. For me after the op I couldn't stand the smell of certain foods, even the smell of coffee turned my stomach but now all is back to 'normal' and I thankfully am able to drink coffee again. With regards to the weight loss, it is different for everyone, I put on a few kg in the hospital immediately after the op and then slowly started to lose but I didn't see it on the scale or physically for quite a while. It will happen when your body is ready. You have got this, it is early days.

Thanks! We definitely have this! My doc put me on a 12 WEEK milk diet (milk with skimmed milk powder, a cup of broth for lunch and lots of water) It's been really tough and it's been ten weeks of taking it all in my stride, but as it gets closer, I'm starting to get nervous! The only surgery I've ever had has been an impacted wisdom tooth removal and this is major surgery! I'm at the point where I just want it all over with now to start the major weight loss, but I also want to delay it because of fear and one last Pizza Hut pig out. But the end is in sight and I'm excited!

Hi @Lilia_90! thank you for checking in, and unfortunately not yet 😭 Friday I FINALLY got the okay to do more than leisurely walk, I can do cardio and lower body workouts. I went on the stair master lasted only 20min (pathetic! I used to do 35-40min with juice left in the tank) then did the treadmill for 25 but I am building back to where I was just going to take me a min. I was off 7 weeks, but I did do lower body today, just bands and omg my legs were burning and I was actually sweating LOL so Hopefully with the consistency I will be back to where I was SOON! I miss how lean I felt and looked hahah. The boobies are healing well, still in my post op bra. I really am jealous of others recovery process. Mine seems so cautious which I get but so far its been worth it. They look great and settling where they are supposed to.

Hey everyone, just wondering how it's going. I'm 6 weeks since surgery and my weight has stalled. I'm down a total of 34 lbs, but almost 1/2 of that was pre-surgery. I was losing quite nicely for the first 5 weeks, but this week is just staying steady and even going up a bit 😥. Is this normal? This week is back to "regular foods" although I'm mostly still on soft foods because I'm not tolerating any thing else yet.

I suffer from GAD as well (and bipolar and ADHD). I am 2.5 weeks post op from a revision to SADI and doing great. Taking the vitamins have taken a while to get used to but honestly it’s not that bad now that it’s habit. I take my multi in the morning and get out three calcium’s to take throughout the day and then take my magnesium at bedtime (you may not need it). The bypass type surgeries are quite a bit more scary. I think it’s because they are not as straight forward as just making the stomach a little smaller seems but honestly a cut is a cut and the risks aren’t much higher than the sleeve. What you need to ask is what are the risks of all the weight related diseases And illnesses if you do nothing. Not to mention your quality of life with GERD. What I found most helpful to get through all of this was reminding my team about my anxiety when I felt myself freaking out. I told them I just need patience and I can deal with this. I asked loads of questions. I scheduled a couple of extra appointments in order to get everything answered and I over prepared. The day I walked in for my surgery I knew that I had done any and everything humanly possible that I could do to control the situation for the better and I let the doctors and nurses take the wheel. All the while continually reminding myself that they do this procedure every day and that chances were it was going to go on without incident but if it didn’t then I was in the absolute best place to be and get the help that I needed. Best of luck with your surgery. You’ve got this!!

Hello everyone! I'm checking in - @ShoppGirl- It sounds like you've really been through the wringer! You are a superstar for managing both chemo, a virus, and surgery recovery all at the same time and I hope you're being gentle with yourself and giving yourself lots of pats on the back! @Chatterbox - YES - portion sizes have gotten more flexible; for me taking an ADEK supplement has helped with the hair shedding; I've gone through that to a point as well and typically have VERY thick hair and I've noticed some extra shedding but even with that it hasn't thinned my hair dramatically. @Justarwaxx - You're doing great!! Please be kind to yourself! With increased activity level the calorie consumption does have to go up so you can keep up your energy! Now that I'm using my Fitbit I am able to better see my activity levels - I haven't hit 10k in a day but I got close a couple of days and my average went below 5k per day while I was sick as well (Gosh it's going around!) but I think the important thing is to LISTEN to your body, give it fuel, and just try to have more calories spent than you take in. I'm burning over 3k calories more days than not so if I eat a few carbs, a piece of bread once in a while, a half a sandwich, some veggies - that's ok. I think a lot of it is knowing and understanding the difference like so many have said on 'head hunger' vs 'physical hunger'. Usually at a given meal I eat maybe a total of a cup of food; I try to aim for at least half of each meal to be protein, then veggies, then maybe a little rice or other starch. I'm hit and miss on my food logging; I slipped for a few weeks and am trying to reset. I wanted to repost these recipes I used during the puree period because I don't know about ya'll but I tend to find things that work well and then totally forget they exist! Lately I've been doing lots of soups for myself and my family. I made an easy chicken noodle soup yesterday with half a rotisserie chicken breast, I steamed carrots and celery in the microwave until they were soft, sautéed some diced onion in garlic and onion with a little chicken broth, then added it all together with the cooked chicken breast cut up and more chicken brother. I threw in a small handful of egg noodles and let it all simmer. When I do something like a soup with meat I try to serve myself up a bowl that is heavy on the chicken and light on the veggies. You can do basically the same thing with broccoli, cabbage, and canned or fresh diced tomatoes. Fluids and healthy veggies with a protein is my go to; and I'm doing pretty well with my personal progress. You all got this! Don't get discouraged when you go through stalls; some weeks I will lose about 2 lbs and then the next week I might lose 6 lbs; it's all a process and the weight loss will slow and become more steady as long as you watch your calories, eat healthy at least 80-90% of the time - it's about getting your nutrients and staying at a calorie deficit. ❤️ Reposted recipes from earlier: "I'd say the hardest part for me continues to be the 'No drinking 30 mins before/after meals' but I use the Baritastic app to set a time. I also use the timer to make sure my 'meals' take at least 30 minutes. Want to make sure I don't rush and end up feeling poorly afterward. Things that have worked well for me during my puree stage include egg drop soup, chicken/tuna salad made with puree chicken or tuna, light mayo, and sometimes a bit of relish, and for added protein a boiled egg or two, with or without the yolks per preference. (Dill relish is healthier than sweet relish). I did allow myself 2-3 saltines with those, usually about 3.5 oz of the tuna or chicken salad makes me feel sated. Other recipes that have worked include the ricotta bake and unstuffed cabbage rolls, pureed low fat/0 sugar yogurt or cottage cheese with Genepro powder and cooked, strained strawberries or blueberries (I added a bit of 0% Milk to make it more of a smoothie), Riccotta pureed with either a bit of fruit or avocado, small serving of oatmeal pureed with fruit (test yourself with an ounce or two less than you normally eat for oatmeal because it sits heavy and often swells - add some zero or skim milk to make it thinner if needed. Other recipes include homemade no-noodle chicken soup of sorts with rotisserie chicken, chicken broth, and pureed carrots w/a little bit of onion powder or diced onion. I also made a homemade 'philly cheese steak' filling of sorts with some sautéed bell peppers and a bit of diced onion, some roast beef lunch meat, and cream cheese. Others speak highly of pureed refried beans with a bit of seasoning to taste more like taco meat, adding either a bit of mild salsa or a combination of onion powder and perhaps a bit of cumin. That's a personal choice, and definitely suggest going slow with your seasoning due to possible heartburn. You could add a bit of shredded low-fat/skim mozzarella or even low fat sour cream to round it out. Today I made 'chicken pot pie w/no crust' which was basically just cooked carrots and finely diced celery and onions with finely diced rotisserie chicken with a can each of 98% fat free cream of celery and 98% fat free cream of chicken. I haven't had any yet because I'm a little unsure about the celery, even cooked, but pureed and in a small serving I'm sure it would treat me fine. The Ricotta Bake I made was super simple and I know there are a lot of variations to the recipe online. I made my own marinara sauce by peeling about 5 smallish tomatoes, dicing them, and simmering them with a little less than equal parts water, Italian seasoning, and a bit of diced onion. The ricotta mixture was easy; just used 8oz ricotta cheese, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of grated parmesan (I used the shaker but fresh is better) and 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. I put a layer of half the mix on the bottom of a buttered baking dish, topped it with 1/2 lb cooked and seasoned ground beef, then put the rest of the mixture on top. Poured about 3/4 of the homemade marinara over it then covered the dish with aluminum foil and baked at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. It's basically a no-noodle lasagna. The Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls I made were equally easy - I used a rotary grinder (Works SO well, bought on Amazon for around twenty bucks) to grate half a head of lettuce. Instead of canned diced tomatoes I once I again peeled about 5 small/medium tomatoes and diced them, adding to the skillet along with maybe 1/8 cup diced onion and another 1/2 lb of the ground beef. For seasoning the recipe I used just had me add a packet of Italian Dressing Seasoning mix. The family enjoyed it and after pureeing the ground beef a bit I found it fine to eat, although slowly and very well chewed. Both it and the Ricotta bake probably make about eight 1/3 cup servings with about 22g of Protein each.

So good to hear from you. Yea for me it was when there were “alot of fun things lately” a few times in a row that it started to be an issue. Just watch it that you’re still doing right like 90 percent of the time or whatever number works for you. It was about this time that I started gaining with my sleeve so I’m not trying to be a downer. Just as cautionary tale that about now when the hunger comes back and your feeling good is when it’s easy to get off track. You’re doing great staying in touch here and you will get to wonderland soon I’m sure. Just stay mindful that your not eating off plan too often. Trust me I know It’s easier said than done. I’m off plan way too often and I haven’t lost anything else when I should be losing for sure with the chemo increasing my metabolism. I’m actually scared I’m going to gain when I’m done in 6 weeks. At least the steroids will be done then which are what’s making me so darn hungry. I just gotta kick the carbs somehow and I don’t think I can start Wegovy until after surgery at least. Wish me luck.

I drink it slowly & only have one glass so the bubbles aren’t as great an issue plus the bubbles are smaller & more refined in good champagne. It does mean I can’t open a bottle to drink at home myself. I don’t mind as I’m not drawn as much to alcohol as I once was but I do know what you mean by having a nice supply of bottles. Never know when you have to go somewhere or if someone pops in. I introduced my girlfriends to the joy of real champagne some years ago and now there’s never ordinary sparkling for us anymore. I say quality over quantity now. Don’t know about using a swizzle as part of the joy of champagne is the bubbles. What are your favourites champagnes? My go to is Mumm but I enjoy Veuve in summer don’t mind a Moet or Bolly and have three bottles of Dom in my fridge I’m saving (not sure what for though).

I only work out 2 days per week now because I work on my feet as a medical assistant 5 days per week, but I think I'll back off those for a bit and see if that helps at all. I hadn't even thought about that, to be honest, because I was working out 5-6 days per week and had to cut back to 2, so I figured that was already a huge drop. But being on my feet all day moving and working with patients is probably enough right now.

I had a sleeve 3/9/2021. I was a lower BMI and on meds so the surgeon thought it was a good idea for me. I lost from 235 to 168 pretty quick, stalled there for a few months and then started gaining. For the start with the sleeve it felt like more of a diet. The only thing that made it a bit more successful was the fact that I didn’t have hunger for a while but as soon as it came back, so did the weight. I went back to the surgeon at 258 this time and he said that obesity is very complex and the sleeve is just not enough of a metabolic change for some people. I revised to the SADI 8/7/2024 and at three months post op I have lost 60 pounds with about 40 left to reach my secret goal. From day one I have known that this is different this time. I am able to actually enjoy some of the healthy recipes I am trying. I am making stuff from scratch and I have energy and motivation to exercise. Don’t get me wrong. I would love to binge watch my favorite show while eating a pizza but exercise also makes me feel great when I’m done and the healthy food doesn’t taste terrible so the healthy choices are a lot easier this time. For me, recovery was a breeze with the sleeve. I asked them the moment I woke up to take me off of pain meds, and I went home the next day forgetting at one point that I even had surgery. This was because I did not have any gas pains the first time around. After the SADI, however, I did have very significant gas pains and spent five days in the hospital because I could not get off of the pain medication that they did not want to send me home on. Once I finally was able to pass gas a few times, iI was fine, went home and did not need any more pain meds, other than Tylenol. It sounds like you already went through the worst gas pain so I can’t imagine the recovery being much harder for you. It’s the same basic thing the same laparoscopic incisions. Feel like you’ve done 1000 crunches. Take the second to go from sitting to standing or sitting to lying down but once you’re up, it’s not so bad. My doctor did not operate on the stomach, some do re-sleeve it, but he felt that resleeving carried more risk than it was worth in terms of additional weight loss. I was pretty nervous about that to be honest, but I am back to my pretty normal portions already but that’s not an issue because I am eating 100% clean this time. One thing with the SADI is, it’s fairly new in medical community time frame. I have seen a lot of specialist from different fields and not one has ever heard of the SADI. I always have to tell them it’s a modified duodenal switch and they get it. So your doctors may not be aware of it meaning you really need to understand the surgery yourself to make sure that you ask the right questions for future care. Another obstacle for me has been that the nutritionist in my area at least are pretty much worthless when it comes to the SADI. I have been fortunate enough that the nurse practitioner helped me work out my macros by viewing my Fitness app and my food log app and I have worked out something that is working for me. Aside from that, I could not be happier with my choice. I was told I could do SADI or Bypass revision. My surgeon did a gastric emptying study, endoscopy, and a barium swallow test to make sure everything was OK with my sleeve and to see what I was a candidate for. He ended up leaving it up to me because either would’ve worked, but he advised that the weight loss statistically is a little more and more durable with the SADI revision. it is pretty normal to be nervous at this point in your journey, but statistically this is a relatively safe procedure and honestly, the risk are far less than the risks of all the other diseases and conditions that will pop up eventually if you don’t do anything. I hope this helps. And good luck on your surgery.

I'm sorry about the stalls. No matter how much we know they will happen, it doesn't make it any easier. I know in the past, the closer I got to my goal weight, the slower it would come off. @BlueParis this could be the case with you? How are things feeling... your body? Your clothes? My dietician told me that these things will continue to change even during stalls.

I'm post post post menopausal lol and I still have serious cravings for about a week. My appetite goes sky high, I feel like a bottomless pit during those times. Our bodies continue to go through hormonal changes even without a menstrual cycle. To manage this, I use a period tracker to stay prepared for these fluctuations.

lol no, not at all i am just a ridiculous exercise addict these days. started in the summer and now i just can't seem to stop...i actually feel BAD (mentally and physically) if i don't do SOMETHING every day. i am paying the price though...my body just feels worn out every day now when i'm at rest. the only thing that makes the pain and achiness go away is more exercise. its a vicious cycle honestly. the weight loss is not on purpose. i got myself braces in September, and my total annoyance of having to clean my teeth after every single time that i eat something, has effectively stopped me from snacking. so i'm eating less overall and its showing on the scale (and my abs! lol). i started adding an afternoon protein shake about 2 weeks ago and gained back 2-ish lbs....(two weeks ago i was down 13 lbs, today i'm down just down 11 lbs since september) BUT...i have to say that i actually kinda like that i lost that bit of weight (how's that for body image issues?!?!). but i also know i need to eat more for health's sake.

So glad things went well for you at your follow-up appointment and you can stop taking lansoprazole - hurray!! It’s amazing how much has changed for you in such a short space of time, and will continue to change for quite a while yet. I think it takes a some time to find your feet when you have undergone some transformative weight loss, plus I also think there’s an element of mourning the person you was and not being sure about the person you’re becoming. I hope you’re documenting your experience, just so you can look back on your journey when things get difficult or you get fed up. It always helps to have something to guide us when we’re feeling out of sorts, or the dreaded stall look’s never ending! Well done on your journey so far 👏👏👏

@Mspretty86 The healing is going great! They look fantastic, I am definitely a full DD which is what I wanted. I still have scabs on my under boobs where they placed the implant, I still wake up swollen but it goes away in like 5min of getting up which is great. I still cannot work out which sucks but hopefully today when I go see him he clears me at least start walking or something. No new bras yet I am still in my post op bra for 8 weeks minimum he said. I have shopped for lingerie and actually wore some for the misters bday and man oh man was that fun LOL He is very much liking them however he's more looking than touching HAHA! He's nervous that he will mess something up, but he's been amazing this entire experience.

You have NOT failed. Please stop catastrophizing. You are only 7 weeks post op. Super duper early. There are literally more options now than ever before to aid you on this journey. Tell your team you are struggling and need help. It’s very likely you need more than just the sleeve and white knuckled willpower but what that looks like is ultimately up to you. You’ve come this far already, so you know you’re committed enough to make lifestyle changes. Please keep going. ❤️

Received a call at 8.30am this morning to be told that I was discussed in last Fridays MDT meeting and was accepted for surgery 🥳🥳🥳 I was then told I would be having a ‘One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass’ - huh?? The nurse repeated herself and I was still none the wiser. She said that she would ask a specialist Bariatric nurse to call me to discuss and would send me the info out. I asked for it to be emailed, which she did. I had a read through and did some more research on the internet, just to familiarise myself with what had been suggested. It’s the mini gastric bypass. The specialist nurse rang me just after 9am and explained that it meant that my ‘pouch’ is slightly bigger then that of a Roux-en-Y bypass and there is only one connection or ‘anastomosis’ which is from the pouch to the bowel. Apparently it’s not as complex with the op taking around 1.5hours and recovery just the same as the normal bypass plus the weight loss is expected to be the same. I was recommended it because of Fibromyalgia and the chronic pain I have with RA and osteoarthritis as it would be easier for me. That made sense, thankfully! The specialist nurse said it was a relatively new procedure to the hospital which is why it wasn’t discussed in any detail at the first education session I attended a few months ago. Fair enough, I’m happy to go ahead with it. The wait is around 4-6 months - oh 😒 I was honest and said that I was concerned about losing focus while I’m waiting and gaining weight once again (we all know how easy that is) She went through everything again with me - 3 meals a day, 20/20/20, use a portion plate if I have one (I do) focus more on my protein etc. She also said that if I do begin to struggle, to contact her and they would fit me in with the dietitian to go through things with me. I felt better for her saying that. I did reiterate that I am happy to take a cancellation. She said they do get cancellations but would have to make sure that I had at least 3 weeks notice to complete the LRD. I’ll be honest and say that I’m really, really hoping that the 4-6 months is on the outside and that the surgery is sooner! I know that whatever will be will be, so just to keep on keeping on. Gym is going well, 3 visits last week and I’m hoping for 3 more this week. I’ve upped my levels and weights and I’m burning around 600-650 cals in around an hour or so workout or so my Apple Watch tells me! I can feel muscle, it just happens to be deeply buried and camouflaged with fat 😮 I tried my smaller sized gym stuff on yesterday and, while I can get it on I wouldn’t say it actually fitted, so a few more pounds to go before I would feel comfortable enough to wear it. I bought a new black trench coat from Costco at the weekend. It’s been a very, very long time since I’ve been able to fit into clothing from there so that was a nice boost. It will definitely last me a reduction of a couple of sizes too. My weight is steady at the moment but I do hope to bring it down a little bit more before I have to do the LRD. Bloods to have taken yet again on Wednesday. If my liver is off this time then they will have to think of something else. I’ve not had my weekly jabs for 7 weeks, I’ve missed my other jab for 4 weeks plus no pain relief for 4 weeks either and it’s all wearing really thin with me now. I’m finding that I’m snapping at hubby because of pain and it’s not fair. The gym is really helping my range of movement but the pain remains. We’re out for belated birthday drinks on Friday (postponed because of blood tests ) and that’s about it. I’ve decided to crack on and make a start on wrapping Christmas presents this week. Thankfully my Christmas shopping is almost finished - hurray for sales! Wishing everyone a happy week 🥰 Onwards and Downwards!

Hurray! We’re off to London this week 🤩 The past couple of weeks have been a little stressful but I managed to get last weeks 2.5lb gain off plus almost a lb more so I’m happy. I just want this to be a ‘normal’ week - no hospital appointments, worries or stressing over weight. I know my weight will go up but so what? We’re having a mini-break in a posh hotel, just the 2 of us. It can give us some badly needed time together where we’re just us, no work stresses (hubby) or health concerns etc. I think sometimes we lose sight of ourselves as an actual person and not a collection of ailments and anxieties over different things. Clothes are out and ready to be packed. I’ve tried to go outside my comfort zone a little and not just take the fat woman’s uniform of leggings and tops! I’m not taking dresses or skirts, purely because I haven’t managed to perfect getting on and off my scooter in a semi-ladylike way without flashing my wares to unsuspecting passers-by 😜 I have tried for a more dressier wardrobe so we will see. Nails to paint this afternoon and then hairdressers tomorrow. It’s nice to have that bit of a pamper (which we all deserve) I did manage toenails yesterday without making a complete hash of it so I will take that as a NSV as I was actually able to reach them, for once! Have a thoroughly wonderful week everyone. Onwards & Downwards!!

It's been 6 weeks since I got my surgery date and started on my 12 week milk diet as set out by the doctor. But, I've made it 6 weeks. I really didn't think I would be able to. I've had cheat days and felt bad, but then shook myself off and got back on track. I'm already bored with shakes and soup and I still have another 6 weeks of the pre-op diet and then more of the same for the first month past surgery. This has been difficult and I need to remind myself it will all be worth it. And then the always hungry part of my brain/soul/subconscious tells me to give up because I won't be able to eat "normally" ever again and I should just eat a donut. So I'm trying to have a sense of humour about it.

Thank you, you have lost 52lbs in 2 weeks? Pre and post diet? Still on liquids?

OMG, see that size looks amazing on you and I really think that eventually it would on me but I know my brain just takes a while to get used to things and unfortunately I don’t have the time I would prefer. I think you guys have talked me into going for the smaller size though. I really do enjoy my yoga and I have wanted a reduction for years because of them just being in the way during activities, difficulty finding an adequately supportive sports bra as @SpartanMaker mentioned, back and neck pain and ill fitting clothing at any size because my breast are the last place that I lose weight so they stick with me. Volume wise I have only lost one cup size so far and I have lost 80 pounds!! I mean that doesn’t matter now because it’s gonna be all implant anyways in a few months but I’m just saying that I am over the big breast thing. At the same time when you’re used to looking at a pretty large chest for a decade I can imagine that a C cup is gonna look pretty tiny at first. My estimation is I will have like two weeks to get used to it before I start radiation and I’m pretty much locked in to that size. Then again, I will get used to it for six weeks I suppose because I will be flat to begin with. The radiation oncologist did say that it may be possible for me to go with like expanders for one cup size larger and then decide to put in the smaller implant so I intend to ask the surgeon about that at my preop appointment. Maybe I will actually be able to find a really good fitting sports bra and try jogging for the first time since my 20s!!

Hard agree. One cracker will mean nothing unless it's right before surgery. But more than that will. I hope you can stick to the pre-op diet from here on. I was meant to have 2 weeks on liquids pre-op but that turned into 6 for various reasons. It is by far the worst 6 weeks I've had to experience in the almost 3 years since I signed up for this surgery. It's really really hard not to have SOMETHING with texture in your mouth. Please do know that it will not be long until you can again.