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My favorites were, in no particular order: fat free refried Beans with a little sour cream cottage cheese with chives scrambled eggs (or eggbeaters) eggbeaters omelet with cheese Fage yogurt with a little honey tuna/crab/or salmon mixed with mayo and a little relish crabcakes baked ricotta (ricotta mixed w/a little eggbeaters and parmesan, topped with pizza sauce and mozzarella). The idea of pureeing meat kind of grossed me out...

well today has not been great just as far as quanity. i had a carnation instant Breakfast when i got up, then had some buffalo chicken dip with chicken pieces on the side. I did have one handful of chips with 7 layer dip (work we had a potluck for Labor Day) and about 1/4 cup greek salad, one hot dog. That's what i've had today so far. My goal is to start fresh Tuesday (when i get off at 7am) and do primarly Protein for the first week. I need ideas on what to have portable wise at work. I'm a registered nurse and work 12 hour shifts, so i need things that i can eat that are eat on the go while i'm working. Last week i did about 1/3 cup grilled chicken strips for a snack and a yogurt, that worked well. Then for dinner i had about 1/2 cup whole wheat spagetti with meat sauce and broccoli for my dinner. I don't understand what is going on, seriously.

I was sleeved on 3/15 and I'm starting to think that picking the Ides of March was maybe not such a good idea. While the surgery went fine without any major complications (one of my incisions still continues to leak fluids), I am having a really rough time. For the first two weeks I was on Clear liquids only and then the next two weeks (my current stage) is full liquids. While I will admit the clear liquids phase was rough, I thought the next phase would be better for me. My biggest problem is that I am incredibly weak and feeling dizzy constantly. I have been likening it to being stoned but not in the good way. I just feel very disconnected. When I went to see the doc this past week I was told to up my calories and intake more sugar. I found this rather ironic since the NUT told me to do as much sugar free stuff as possible. Literally everything I had to eat or drink was sugar free with the exception of G2 but I had already been living off of that during the first phase. When I asked the doc and the NUT about Protein they said to get as much as you can in but didn't expect me to hit the 70oz mark until after the first six weeks. I can't drink Protein shakes as they make me incredibly nauseous but I am finding other ways of getting protein in (i.e., yogurts and cheese). I thought the weakness would be gone by now but it isn't. In actuality, I think it's getting worse even with the increase in sugar and protein intake. I can't function like this and definitely cannot drive like this, which is bad because one of my jobs is an hour away. The worst part? I can't take any more time off of work. I'm part-time right now at both my jobs and at one of them they dock my pay for each day that I'm out. Also, as a college professor we're getting close to finals and I have a ton of preps and grading to do. However, in my current state of mind I cannot do the work as I'm making too many mistakes and missing important things while grading. My boss at one of the colleges, who is a bit of a d**k and doesn't know the specifics of my surgery because of that fact, has already threatened to pull my summer classes, which I need in order to put food on my table. While I am one of the first who praises that one's health should always come first, I'm afraid that right now it needs to come in second. If I pull out of my classes for the remainder of the semester even due to health reasons, my boss could and most likely would take away not only my summer classes but my fall ones as well (did I mention he was a d**k?). Luckily my other job isn't so bad and they are very understanding but right now I only have a few classes with them for the remainder of the year and they pay a lot less than the other college. To top it all off, I've developed a pain in my left leg, which has me very nervous. I have a history of a DVT with a Pulmonary Embolism so I am already on Lovenox as I found out I have a blood clotting disorder. This pain is eerily familiar to me in a DVT sort of way but how could I have developed a DVT on blood thinners? I'll be keeping an eye on that and will call my doctor on Monday if the pain doesn't go away by then. The only bright side to this right now has been my husband. He has been very understanding since I decided to have this surgery. He has been prepping all of my meals and done the food shopping for me. I can't do the latter as I almost passed out the last time I went out with him. He is incredibly worried about me right now and believes that having this surgery may have been a mistake. I won't go that far just yet but I am having some serious concerns. Yes, I've lost 18 pounds but at what cost? I've lost over three weeks of my life and things just aren't getting any better. Thanks for listening. I don't know what advice anyone can give. I guess I just needed to get this out in the open to help me feel better.

Okay, so I have a better idea now. It is not that she can only eat mushy, but just in general she has major food intolerances. There are probably people here who have much more experience with this, but about a year ago (which would have been 2 years post revision to sleeve) I went through a time when I couldn't eat due to no appetite. I didn't puke, it was just that everything made me naseaus. I thought it was a physical problem, but it actually turned out to be more emotional in nature, and once I STOPPED eating, getting restarted was a challenge. It is like once the tummy is used to undereating, you become prone to eating less and less. It is ironically much like overeating.... so what started as an emotional upset became a physical issue for me. Since I didn't have a mecanical reason for my issue, i had to "work at it" and did recover and and am doing awesome now. Okay, DGL Licorice is a soothing herbal remedy you can buy at Vitamin Shoppe etc for about 10 bucks. They are these big tablets that you bite into a couple of pieces (meaning, a few crunches) and then tuck between your lip and gum and just slowly let it melt. It coats your throat, and tummy in a soothing way. It doesn't instantly fix things, but it just calms things down... I used them 1-2 a day when i was feeling naseaus. over time, it made a huge difference and I keep them on hand even now. the other thing I did was find the circumstances/food that I could tolerate and started by carefully eating those. In my case, the key to the root cause of my problems were that I could eat fairly well if I was out with friends, it was being home alone when I simply could not eat. Well, I started going out more so I could get some food in every day. In your wife's case, perhaps just very gently eating the things that seem more appealing. If toasted waffles work i will speculate that crackers perhaps with a bit of cheese or Peanut Butter might work? I think toasted bread, crackers and stuff has a texture that is likely easier than raw bread type products. I suspect raw veggies are hard to eat. Maybe soft fish is edible? I would also seriously try to find a palatable Protein drink or make homemade smoothies. sometimes people can drink more nutrition and calories than they can eat. Example might be a greek yogurt, fruit based drink with perhaps a bit of unflavored Protein powder in. If she can tolerate peanut butter, that adds fats and calories too. Warning: in my early months peanut butter made me sick because it is so rich, so go easy at first. Has she tried Protein Bars? i avoid them in general because for me they go down too easy (but they helped me when i was struggling with eating). I wonder if she finds a wonderful tasting one she can kind of slowly munch on them? They often are very dense in calories and carbs in addition to the protein. I hope others with food intolerances pipe in with ideas!

Congratulations! I understand that not tracking seems to be working well for you, but how do you know whether or not you are getting enough Protein? Just curious. My surgeon suggests only 40-50 g of protein a day so it's really easy to get into that ballpark without obsessing over grams. A cup of yogurt, a handful of nuts, Collegen powder in a green smoothie or a cup of coffee and some cheese usually does the job.40-50 grams of protein seems really low. Is that the protein target ongoing or was that just the target in the few days after surgery when it was harder to get in protein? This is first time I think I have ever seen a protein target under 60 grams, and most are closer to 80-100 grams. Mine is 100. I was surprised when he said that to. 40-50 grams of protein per day is my surgeons recommendation as of Monday. I thought it was supposed to be 60-80. Fifty grams is very attainable for me. I'd have to eat all day to make 100.

My dh and I both work the O.N. or graveshift. DH works 5pm-3:30am and I work 11pm-9am. We generally sleep till 3pm then get up and eat our supper meal together. Then dh is off to work shortly there after. I then have a small bite to eat around 8pm and then off to work by 10:30. I am able to snack some at work, but I try to choose healthy snacks. I generally eat a yogurt for breakfast at work or oatmeal or something similiar (around 6am). I get home around 9:15am and then stay up till 10:30, then head to bed. Any one else work the graveyard shift and how do you eat and exercise and all that good stuff?

I did the Pure Protein shakes 2-4 a day and up to 3 cups total of fruit, veggies, or low fat yogurt under 20 gm carbs. I lost 20 lbs presurgery.

So I know how we are supposed to eat 1/2 to 1 cup of food per meal. This is easy to measure if you are eating soup, yogurt, oatmeal, protein shake, etc. And this maybe a silly question, but say you are eating a sandwich, salad, chicken wing, pizza, etc....pretty much anything that you can't really put into a measuring cup. How are you supposed to know how much to eat??

I tried yobaby to start out with since my hubby's favorite is Soneyfield farms which makes yobaby. She hated it. I tasted it and it is hardly sweet at all. I guess if you like plain yogurt flavor then some might like it. I am not a big yogurt fan, though. I also tried some other brand specifically geared towards babies and it tastes like the yobaby. They are good brands cuz they don't have as much sugar in them, but my baby doesn't like them. I wish she did cuz my hubby is type 1 diabetic so we are having to watch out for our little girl who might get it. I try and watch how much sugar she is getting. I also, because I have a weight problem, am trying to keep my baby intrested in water, veggies, and wholesome snacks. As opposed to loads of fruit juice, gatorade, cookies, cakes, and ice cream. Funny thing is, while I am trying to do this, my family sabatoges my efforts by giving her cakes and other crap! I tried to explain to my family the reason why I want to limit her sugar intake, but they don't seem to listen.

I thought this would be a good idea! I already keep a journal, just for myself. But maybe this would be informative for someone else. I am 41 yrs old, housewife, mother, massage therapist. I have been on the weight roller coaster for many years now, ever since I got married at age 21, which will be 19 years this July! I gain, I lose, I gain back...usually more than I lost, but not always. Over the years my "top weight" had gradually increased. Eventually I went up to 260. I was miserable. I wanted to go to massage school. I worked hard again, and dropped 65 lbs by the time school started(thanks to Quick Weight Loss Center). I maintained well through school, being busy helps! But during my internship, which was spotty as far as time, I started gaining again. By the time I had my license and was out working, I had gained 30 lbs! I was barely hanging on until I got very sick. I got walking pnuemonia, which set me back. I also gained a lot of weight. Then I was in a car accident, hurt my leg real bad. More set backs, more weight. Got sick again with the pneumonia and several bouts of bronchitis. More weight, less motivation, less physical strenth. It went up from there, finally topping out at my most recent highest ever-- 293.5!! . So then I had the mentality of "Why fight the battle when I am going to lose the war? What incintive do I have?" Just get used to being fat, and eat what you want. Why bother? Ok, fine... but.. being at that weight was ruining my life. I was only operating at 50%. I did not have the energy or motivation to go out and find work (self-employed). This hurt my relationship with my DH. He wants me to work and bring in $$, especially after all the $$ I spent in school and CEU courses afterwards (I had 52 CEU hours in my first year of license, I was a real go getter at first, before I gained the weight). I also had several other things be affected... my sex life (almost non-existant), I could not run and play with kids, I was too embarassed to go swimming with the family and would sit out. I used to ride horses all the time, my life passion! Nothing occupied my mind more over the many many years more than horses! Now I was too fat to ride. I would have to ride a draft horse! Even when I did ride a horse that could handle my weight, I felt too unbalanced, unsafe. If the horse was to take a quick turn, being spooked or something, I would come off, hit the ground HARD! I ride on streets. Asphalt is NOT forgiving! I stopped riding when I was about 260. I wound up driving miniature horses. They can pull me in a cart just fine down the street! So I have been doing that for a couple years now. However, if there was to ever be an emergency, and I needed to hop out of the cart... good luck with that! My weight prohibits me to act fast and quickly, safely. So I got scared about that, and eventually quit driving as well. And of course, there is the usual depression. I started hating myself, hating any skinny woman I saw, hating that even at Walmart I was having trouble finding the size I needed.. XXX. I had to go to specialty stores. Myfeet gave me major problems, which lamed me up more. At one time I was borderline diabetic, according to my doc. I started to explore differnt ways to get rid of this weight more permanetly. I came across the LAP-BAND®®®®. I ray of hope entered my life! Could this be the magic bullet? I have used tools in the past to lose weight, like the Metabolife, Weight Watchers, QWLC, etc. The support and help I got from these really helped! I needed soemthing like that again, but something stronger, something that would stay with me always. A constant motivator. The Band seems to be it. I had to give it a try. The big things that were holding me back to get it was money, and pursuading DH to let me get surgery. He is very protective of me and highly values me. Dosn't want to lose me to some complication and be left raising my now 2 kids alone. My insurance would not pay for it. I dropped that insurance and got another that the sales guy told me they would do it. I let almost a year go by, and then I tried to do it. They would not, he lied to me! Luckily I had gotten some inheritance from my grandmother this past year. Now was my chance! I decided I could pay cash for half, and Care Credit the other half. Now DH had to be convinced. By this point, he realized I am so affected by the weight, something has to be done, so he finally agreed after I educated myself and him about the whole thing, and the risks. I met once again with True Results (I I talked with them a year ago when I was first intersted). On the scale I was 293.5. I commited to doing it. I came in for the pre-op talk with the surgeon. I had already dropped about 10 lbs, because I was now determined I was going to do this one last time, and was eating better. He told me about the pre-op diet. I had 3 weeks before surgery. I was very faithful to the diet and had no regrets or strayed from it. Once I set my mind on something I want, I go get it! I just had to mentally prepare myself for this battle and war, once again, hopefully for the final time. Itwas working! Ilost a total of 30 lbs by surgry day.. April 14th 2010. I was already feeling better and stronger. I started working out again at Curves (I had a membership that I had carried for a year without going!!) Then the big day arrived! I did not think I was nervous. but apparently I was. That morning I felt shaky, and a bit light headed, some nauseousness. I thought I was sick, and would not be able to go! But then I figured out it was nerves! I settled down a few hours later. I took the kids to school, came back, and showered with the special soap they required. I was there by 9:30am. The hardest part was not drinking! My mouth was very dry. I would take baby sips of water, just enough to wet my mouth. I filled out papers, gave a pee sample (to prove I was not pregnant), got the IV in, the Heprin shot, the wonderful gown on, all that. Then I said goodbye to DH. I woke up in the recovery room. Very woozy, and sore. They had me get up and get my clothes on, quite a chore! Then they got me inot the xray room and swallow barium. The xray showed that the band was too tight, nothing going through! So I had to lie on a table while they pushed around on me (OUCH!) to find the port. Then I guess they took some out. Did the barium again, now it was fine. They finally got me into the car on to the house, DH driving. I was quite sick at my tummy by then, and dry heaved a few times (ouch!). I could not drink anything. DH called the nurse and they called in a prescription for a supository. He also got the liquid Vicodin. The Vicodin would not stay down. I just had to deal with the pain until the next day. I eventually felt better by nightfall. I just went to sleep. It wasn't the best night sleep, but it worked. Next morning I felt Ok for drinking something. I had a protiend shake, and some broth. Then I took some pain meds. They stayed down, but did not do any good. Call the nurse! She said to take liquid Motrin in between doses of Vicodin. Eventually that worked, by nightfall, the pain was getting less. I forced myself to walk around the house off and on. I took the Gas X. Next day I was walking around outside in the yard. Next day down the street to the stop sign and back, a couple of times! I was still quite sore. Rolling over at night in bed was painful too. I could only sleep on my right side for a while. Then I could tolerate my back. Now I am about to be able to sleep on my left, but it still pinches and hurts sometimes. Getting up from achair or bed was very painful too for a while. Now it is no big deal, just some minor pain (I am 8 days post-op today). My shouldr has started to hurt again. So that bugs me. Today though, has been my most painfree day! But 2 days ago, it was a bad day! I was hurrying out the door to take kids to school, now that I could drive again. I must have drunk my smoothie too fast, something. I got on the road and felt nauseous, weak, yucky. I started thinking about the surgery. Thinking about the pain i was experincing, and how I was stuck with this thing inside me, unless I got another operation. I do not know if I somehow psyched myself into feling like this, or what. I tried to think of other things. After dropping the kids off, I hurried home (2o minute drive). the feelings of sickness got worse! I really thought I would have to pull over and either puke or call for help. I was really scared. I did not know what was going on!:sad: It was a real mental battle for me to get home OK. Then I ran to the bathroom. I never threw up, but I did have loose bowels. I took a supository and went to bed. Two hours later I was OK. I was weak, but not sick at my stomach. I took it easy the rest of that day and the next. I was worried the next day if I would start feeling like that again. I did not drink a smoothie before leaving. I just took water with me. I was OK, just drained. Now today I feel great!:wink2: Better than ever! I also got to start soft foods, like soup, and yogurt smoothies! That has also helped the stomach rumblings I sometimes have, hunger pains! I was not really hungry, but my stomach said it was ! That feeling of your stomach turning in on itself, growling, squiching around! Not fun! Anyway, I am glad I have done this, so far. It has been a bit more of a recovery than I was thinking it would be, unexpected pain, soreness, etc. But I have been assured by many that this too... will pass... and be a memory. So I hold onto that and continue to follow instructions closely and try to not over do anything. This is a good excuse to pamper myself and take the time I need to heal properly. Until next time my friend!!:smile2: ps.. my goal is 170!:wink2:

Hi BioTeacher! Have you ever been testing for Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome or Metabolic Syndrome? Based on what you have experienced I would say that you might be experiencing a difficulty that I have also experienced. I had a hell of a time in the beginning because the band books I was following said to go low fat and low this and that...it wasn't working and I didn't have any restriction for the first 6 months (6 fills). It wasn't until I got a new fill doctor and my 7th and 8th fill that I really started experiencing success. I knew I had PCOS but I didn't realize that if you have any kind of metabolic syndrome that the low fat approaches will not work. This new doc told me that I had to get in enough protein and fiber to kick start and fuel a metabolism that was completely headed in the wrong direction. He said one gram of protein for each half pound of body weight. So basically you can figure out how many grams of protein you need every day by divinding your weight in two. Mine was 230/2 =115 grams per day. Try it and see if it works for you. It did for me. I highly recommend the following items that will help you kick start your metabolism: 1.) Week 1 and 2 - reduce your carb intake to less than 50 grams per day eat only vegetables, meats, cheeses, and low carb shakes or bars with no sugar- gradually work your way up in protein intake by 20-30 grams per day until you are at the amount you should be taking in based on your weight calculation. Put your fork or spoon down in between bites and chew 12-15 times per bite. Don't bother bringing a drink to the table when you're eating...this prevents you filling up on liquid. Steer clear of all sugar in fruits, no yogurt, no processed foods with any sugar, honey, etc. Only splenda or stevia. Also, watch our for cured meats and items with nitrates. These will interfere with your kick start. Get some Atkins shakes, breakfast bars...these really help a lot! Russell Stover makes great low carb candy that will carry you through this so you don't freak out about not having your sweet fix. Have nuts and seeds on hand to give you fiber and energy. 2.) Go see your doctor about another fill. I had to be at 8.1 in a 10cc band before I had any restriction whatsoever. You might be having the same issue. My doc told me that if you are overweight and overeating for most of your life that you can often have stretched the top portion of your stomach as well so it takes more tightening before you get to the sweet spot. IF your current doc is unwilling, consider fillcentersusa.com - I have had great success with the doctor they recommended. He listens and only does fills...so he knows what he is talking about. They have centers all over the country and more added every month. www.fillcentersusa.com 3.) Week 3 and 4 - continue to limit yourself to less than 50 grams of carbs per day...try to go closer to 20 grams if you can...this will really kick start your metabolism and you will start losing weight if you haven't already. Do not eat anything with sugar in it. IF you mess up, get back on the horse and get on with it. You are still eating less than you were before...also if you want a freakin diet coke then have one...depriving yourself will mentally throw off your whole effort. Just don't make it a habit. 4.) After 4 weeks...see where you are. Are you losing? Do you have restriction? IF not, go visit the doc again for another fill. You can ask for one every month until you get where you need to be. Fill Centers has a policy that if they overfill you - then you can come back within 72 hours for an unfill with no charge. Some even have an underfill policy within 72 hours so you don't have to pay again if you aren't happy. After you start losing, you can experiment with adding a few more carbs to see where you stop losing weight. When it stops then back off the carbs a little and you'll find your spot where you can eat some carbs you like without ambushing your loss. This is how I'm doing it. Very little bread and fruit, lots of meat, cheese, vegetables (not so much on the carrots, corn, etc) but green veggies and salads, lots of nuts and seeds and protein shakes.) Also, there are some very high protein shakes out there called NewWhey. www.newwhey.com or at health stores. They are about 4 oz each (three swallows) and they have 40 grams of protein. I put them in the freezer for about 15 minutes and then drink it...you are more than half way done with protein for the day with these. Also, Atkins shakes and bars are very high in protein. Almonds are always good to have around. Let me know how this works for you. I'm very hopeful that you'll be able to enjoy success with your band!

I always have a water bottle with me. There are 1/2 full ones all over my house & car....Not sure what you mean about eating every 1/2 hour though. I am eating like this: cream of wheat or protein shake around 7. Water water water. 1c soup at lunch water water water. Cottage cheese or yogurt around 5 water water water. 1c soup at 7 water water water, and then another protein shake or yogurt before bed.....

Im 2 weeks post op...and last night for the first time I was like IM STARVING....so I made myself 2 scrambled eggs (runny)...it was an approved food on my list for this point...but after I ate them I felt satisfied...not overyly full...shouldnt I have felt stuffed....does this mean I need a fill soon????? Maybe Im not reading my body signals correctly bc I was able to eat a yogurt about 1 hour after that??? I was still at about 1100 calories for the whole day after eating the yogurt but still WHAT THE HELL? HELP! :smile2:

Fruit and yogurt have carbs and carbs are stored in the liver. The goal of the pre-op diet is to shrink the liver/burn all the stored carbs in your liver. My pre-op diet was basically Adkins phase 1 (high protein, very low carb).

Another trick I use is to make all my Snacks protein-based – nuts, meats, Jerky, Greek yogurt, cheese, etc. As long as I'm not eating carbs, they don't seem to affect my weight loss because they don't throw me out of ketosis.

It's much easier for me now that I'm on day 7 of my pre op diet! 3 Protein Shakes, broth, sf jello and sf Popsicles oh and Greek yogurt. What about you?

Every doctor is different. I did have to do a pre-op diet a week prior to surgery. It was full liquids (greek yogurt, Protein shakes, fat free pudding, sugar free Jello, broth) for six days prior to surgery. The day before surgery it was Clear Liquids which was unflavored Protein Shakes, broth, and sugar free jello (but nothing red). I did lose about 13-14 pounds doing this which was great; however, according to my doc, the purpose was really to get my liver as small as possible before the surgery. Ask your doc if it's a good idea for you if you're really interested. A friend of mine had gastric and her doc allowed her to eat regularly all the way up to midnight before the surgery. So, it really depends on the doctor, I think.

what about yogurt, cream of wheat, oatmeal, and most of all protein shakes. You probably are getting enough protein if you drink 1 and 1/2 isopures a day

I travel alot with my job and have no issues. I take my Protein drinks and use the fridge in the rooms. I also grab a yogurt and ceral in the morning from the Breakfast area of the hotels I stay at. As for eating when I am on the rode I order things like Soup or chili. Sometimes I order grilled chicken breast with veggies. I have less issues on the rode than when I am home. Maybe because I am more carful or its because I am alone and no one to talk to during dinner so I pay better attention to what i am eating. Kat

Hang in there.My surgery is December 28.What is different is my doctor prescribed a soft foods ( no sugar kind of pre op diet.I can have cottage cheese,yogurt,protein drinks and one protein with salad for dinner.Now since my surgery is on December 28 ... Countdown 2 days away.I am going to flush my system out starting this evening.2 to 3 bottles of citrate of magnesia ,Miralax and lemon tea to ensure my bowels are flushed out and clean for surgery.I am also going to get " Hibiclens "antiseptic wash and bathe/shower with it and use in hospital.Too many bacteria in hospitals....germaphobe here.The day before is all liquids...this is important...very important...We are both on our journey...,yahoo!!!

I am 7 months out and a slow loser. I have lost 45 pounds, but my starting weight was 218. I had a revision to a sleeve from a slipped band. I eat about every 2-3 hours. Breakfast is sugar free oatmeal made with milk. AM snack is a banana the 100 Greek yogurt with 1/4 c kashi lean crunch. Lunch is a vegetable and 2 protein-1/2 fat free cottage cheese or 2 light string cheese. PM snack is apple with 1 T low fat peanut butter. Supper is vegetable and 2 oz of some sort of protein. Night snacks are an apple with 1 T low fat peanut butter and 1/2 c frozen Greek yogurt. Hope this helps. It works for me.

everyone is different,but you should feel the restriction,I do. if you are 2 weeks out you should be able to start on mushy foods real soon, but thats with your surgeons ok. start with eggs,any way but hard boiled. cottage cheese or yogurt.,if you still have concerns,call your dr,that why he is there, or should be there to help you I've called mine on a saturday and got a return call within an hour do you have a support group to go to,maybe at a local hospital,they are great for info and ideas.the one I go to is primarily full of lap banders,i think im the only sleeve and a few gastric bypassers,but all the info works and is good to hear

I had my RNY on Tuesday, and am tolerating liquids ok. I was also able to mix 1/2 scoop of Protein shake powder with 8oz of Water, and sipped 1oz every 15 minutes, as advised by my surgeon. However, when I tried a teeny bit of yogurt, I had heartburn for 3 hours. I have to crush up my Nexium and anxiety medicine, and the taste literally makes me heave when mixed with water or Crystal Light. So that's why I tried the yogurt. I literally had maybe 1/4 of a teaspoon. So now I'm not sure when to try it again. I'm also finding that a few of my incisions are starting to itch. They were closed and a medical glue put over them, and I will not scratch them, but it's becoming more difficult not to. I hope tomorrow to have the courage to try one of the Bariatric Pal Soups, since I'm supposed to be able to try strained cream soups. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using BariatricPal

Anyone else experiencing this? I was able to drink milk 3 days out of surgery and had no problems, but over the past week I've been feeling a little odd and yesterday and today I did a bit of a test - sure enough, dairy seems to be the trigger to causing a bloated, gassy feeling. Which is an absolute pain in the neck, since cheese sticks have been such a handy on-the-go workaround and pre-op I included a lot of dairy in my meals. From what I read this sometimes goes away the further post-op you get, but right now is a real wrench in my protein intake plan. I can switch sources, it's just that lentils and chicken salad aren't anywhere near as conveniently portable as cheese and yogurt. Damn. Any suggestions for good, non-dairy protein that can travel? I've found some 2oz tubs of hummus, but could do with a little variety.

Check out some of the recipes I created while on my 6 week full liquids. Ignoring the peanut butter ones, of course. I also got chest pains with the heaviness of some things like peanut butter if I was not careful and had too much. Once I started doing this I was getting more than my recommended 60grams a day. Some of them are pushing the limits a bit, but most of them were a true life saver, as I never found myself getting desperate for real food! <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"><img border="0" src="http://tickers.myfitnesspal.com/ticker/show/909/6236/9096236.png" /></a><p style="text-align:center;width:420px;"><small>Created by MyFitnessPal - <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com">Free Weight Loss</a> Tools</small></p> J’s High Protein Full liquid Recipes PHASE 2: Full liquid diet This starts 1 day after surgery NOTE: On the Full Liquid Diet, up to 6-8oz per meal is OK for 3-6 meals a day with lots of water and mini 2-4oz Snacks in between (snacks are optional, but can create slower weight loss). Make sure to drink LOTS of water. The bulk of your fullness should be water. Stop before feeling full. I am consistently losing weight with these measurements. Remember to drink or eat very slowly. You can train yourself by using tiny baby spoons. The point of this 6 week plan, I am told is partly to shrink your stomach and get you prepared for the first band tightening where you will be limited to very tiny amounts. The doc wants you to get bored of these foods, because after the 6 weeks, you go strictly to solids and water. No more mushy or liquids. All of my recipes include ingredients that can be found at most Whole Foods Markets, Trader Joes or Meijers Grocery. Organic products are all optional, but I (from recent experience) highly recommend for those wanting a more rapid weight loss or healthier system in general. Using skim milk over cream or any other dairy milk will speed it up as well. The nut milks are a great way to sneak in even more nutrients. Most grocery stores carry these organic products now, but you have to look for them. *All my high fat recipes include only healthy or beneficial fats that have not been processed and do not include any hydrogenated oils. Please check the nutrition labels before purchasing any ingredients.* My Personal Tips for More Rapid Weight Loss Using the Liquid Recipes: 1. Use my snack recipes only once a day 2. Choose only my low fat options from my recipe list 3. Stay under 1000 calories. 4. Minimize the amount of sweetener used 5. Choose a Superfoods recipe at least once per day 6. Take liquid multi Vitamins from Whole Foods Market once a day 7. DRINK MORE WATER J’s Favorite Sugar Substitutes Liquid Stevia (Whole Foods Market) Xylitol (Whole Foods Market) Looks like sugar & great for decaf coffee, baking (during Phase 3: Solids) etc… J’s Daily food Goals 60g Protein per day (split up into six 2oz meals or three 4oz meals) 5g or less of sugar per meal 3-6oz per day of liquid multi vitamins from health food stores As many drinks of water between meals as possible 800 Calories a day Full Liquid Recipes (MY FAVE) Decaf Mocha Protein 4oz organic decaf coffee of choice 2 oz skim (lowfat option) or Real Organic Whipping Cream (high fat option) 1 serving organic whey Protein powder (any flavor) 1/2 tsp real organic vanilla extract 1 ½ tsp real organic chocolate extract 2 tsp Xylitol (or to taste) ~blend well~ Egg Nog 6g protein 6g sugar (from milk) (drink only half at one sitting) Blend All: 1 raw, organic and cage free egg 4 oz organic skim milk 8 drops liquid Stevia Extract Dash real sea salt 2 dash organic nutmeg 1/4 tsp real organic vanilla extract 1/4 tsp rum extract (optional) Healthy Cocoa Mint Protein Shake 1 cup organic skim milk Real organic mint leaves or real organic mint extract 2 tsp real, raw & organic cocoa powder 2 tsp raw, organic Maca Powder (This is a Super Food from Whole Foods Market or online. This is used often with real cocoa because it tastes great together and the minerals in both works together to balance the Calcium and magnesium found in them.) 1 serving organic weigh protein powder 6 drops Liquid Stevia Option 1: Boil 1 cup skim on stove top with ¼ cup of real organic mint leaves. Strain, then add other ingredients to milk. Blend & let cool. Drink ONLY HALF and save other half for another meal~ Option 2: For COLD & FAST shake, take 1 cup skim, add 2-4 drops mint leaf extract, add the rest of ingredients and blend. Drink HALF right away and save rest for later~ Almond Coco Joy Protein Shake 6oz skim (or almond milk) 2 tsp coconut extract (or 2 oz real organic coconut milk to add creaminess) 1 tsp Almond extract 3 tsp Real Organic Cocoa Powder 1 tsp real organic chocolate extract 2 tsp Organic Maca Powder (Super Food from Whole Foods Grocery or online. This is used often with real cocoa because it tastes great together and the minerals in both work together when combined.) 1 serving Organic Vanilla Whey Protein Powder 6 drops Liquid Stevia (if using almond milk instead, use only 4 drops) ~ blend well. Drink HALF right away and save rest for later~ Rice pudding Shake 6oz organic skim milk (or organic vanilla rice milk) 1 serving Organic Vanilla Whey or Organic Rice Protein Powder 2 tsp Organic Cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla extract 6 drops liquid Stevia (unless using organic rice milk) ~Blend & enjoy!~ Vanilla or Maple Protein Greek Yogurt 4oz Plain, full fat Organic Greek Yogurt Plain or Vanilla Organic Whey Protein Powder 5 drops Liquid Stevia 1/8 tsp Vanilla or Maple Extract ~Mix all ingredients together with a spoon until thin with no lumps~ Peanut Protein Power (high fat recipe) (Drink only HALF at one sitting. This is an extremely filling shake and you may get uncomfortable if you drink too much) 1 tbs creamy, raw, organic with no salt added peanut butter 4oz Organic Skim Milk 1 tbs real organic & raw cocoa powder (optional) 1 serving organic whey protein powder ¼ tsp almond extract ¼ tsp real organic vanilla extract 10 drops liquid Stevia or 2 tsp Xylitol ~blend all ingredients together VERY WELL~ Vanilla Orange Dream 6oz organic skim milk 1 serving organic plain or vanilla whey powder 1/8 tsp orange extract 1/8 tsp vanilla extract 8 drops Liquid Stevia ~shake or blend all~ Coconut Milk Protein Shake (high fat) 1/3 cup pure organic coconut milk 2/3 cup organic skim milk or rice milk ½ tsp vanilla extract 5 drops of liquid Stevia (or to taste) 1 serving organic whey protein powder 1 tsp almond extract (optional) 1 tbs raw, organic cocoa powder (optional) ~Shake or blend all together~ DOUBLE CHO-COCOA COVERED banana 1 scoop vanilla or chocolate whey protein powder 2 1/2 tbs cocoa powder 3 tsp chocolate extract or 1 tbs organic chocolate syrup (contains pure cane sugar) 8 drops Stevia extract or Truvia replacement sweetener (same as stevia only in a crystallized form) 1 cup organic skim milk 1/4 very ripe banana 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional) 1 tbs creamy organic peanut butter (optional) ~blend well and enjoy!~ Simply Nanners! 1/2 very ripe banana 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 8 drops Stevia extract or Truvia replacement sweetener (same as Stevia only in a crystallized form) 1 cup organic skim milk ~blend well and enjoy!~ Banutty 1/2 very ripe banana 1 tbs organic creamy peanut butter 1 scoop organic vanilla or plain whey protein powder 1/4 tsp real organic vanilla extract 1/4 tsp almond extract 1/3 cup organic skim milk 1/3 cup organic almond milk (adds sweetness and nutrients) 1/3 cup organic hazelnut milk (adds sweetness and nutrients) 4-8 drops liquid Stevia ~ Mixing milks is optional, but will add a much richer and sweeter flavor. Blend well and enjoy!~ Full Liquid SNACKS Note: Have these ONLY after you have gotten your required amount of protein in for the day and are still hungry. These will fill you and add extra nutrients to your daily diet. These contain higher fat and may slow down weight loss. Mix cream Soups with water for better results. Cream Soups Meijers Grocery & Whole Foods Market carry an AMAZING Organic Cream Soups collection, Imagine & Pacific brand, where you can poor it right out of the carton! Most of the soups have no chunks in them (chunks have to be strained). You can also choose the LOW SODIUM flavors which are very good and (optional) add real sea salt from Whole Foods Market to them later if you want. Choose any flavor and enjoy! My Faves: Organic Creamy Tomato Organic Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Organic Creamy Sweet Potato Organic Creamy Acorn Squish with Mango ( I like it as is) Organic Creamy Cashew, Ginger & Carrot Organic Creamy Sweet Pea Organic Creamed Tomato Soup (Whole Foods & Meijers Grocery)<br style="mso-special-character: line-break"> <br style="mso-special-character:line-break"> Poor 4oz of soup in mug and heat for 1 min in microwave. For turning this into pizza SOUP add: 1 sprinkle oregano 2 tsp grated Parmesan cheese (stir in well after soup has cooled for 1 min. DO NOT MELT in soup) 1 sprinkle garlic powder 1 sprinkle onion powder 1 sprinkle real sea salt Organic Creamed Red Pepper Soup (Whole Foods & Meijers Grocery) Poor 4oz of soup in mug and heat for 1 min in microwave. 2 tsp grated Parmesan cheese (stir in well after soup has cooled for 1 min. DO NOT MELT in soup) (This is high in Vitamin C) Organic Creamed Sweet Potato Soup (Whole Foods & Meijers Grocery) Poor 4oz of soup in mug and heat for 1 min in microwave. Sprinkle real sea salt Add ½ tab REAL ORGANIC butter Egg or Avocado salad 1 Hard Boiled Egg Yolks (no white, since it is unable to blend smoothly) = 3-5grms protein (This recipe CAN BE SUBSTITUTED WITH AVACODO for other daily nutrients. Use the equivalent of one egg yolk. Just remember that it is higher fat and lower protein. BUT, not to fear!... it’s GOOD FAT. Avocado contains monounsaturated fats and oleic acid which helps lower cholesterol! ONLY eat this as a snack if you have gotten all your protein in for the day.) 1/2 TBS Kraft Olive Oil Mayo (or organic options from Whole Foods Market) 1 Tsp Mustard (look for brands with no added sugar) 1/2oz water Sprinkle of Paprika Sprinkle Garlic Powder (Optional) Sprinkle Opinion Powder (Optional) Sprinkle Dill (Optional) ½ Sprinkle Celery Salt (Optional) ~Blend EXTRA, EXTRA SMOOTH until the consistence of fat free yogurt to make a thin creamy paste, eat slowly with baby spoon and enjoy!~ Greek Yogurt Full fat or fat free PLAIN 2 oz = 2 gm protein ~Eat 2oz. plain, or add 2 drops almond extract & 4 drops of liquid Stevia to give it a “honey nut” flavor. Eat slowly with baby spoon~ V8 or Organic Tomato juice 2-4oz ~Add salt, pepper, onion powder & garlic powder to taste (optional). Eat slowly with baby spoon~ Organic Apple Sauce 2oz. plain or cinnamon (to help you “go” if you get constipated.) Chai Tea 2oz water 2oz Skim Milk 8 drops Liquid Stevia 3 shakes cinnamon 3 shakes cardamom 1 shake clove ½ shake cayenne 2 shakes ginger 1/2 shake black pepper ~Can sip this all day when you’re in desperate need of flavor!~ RECIPES #2 DOUBLE CHO-COCOA COVERED BANANA (High Fat & Calorie) 1 scoop vanilla or chocolate whey protein powder 2 ½ tbs cocoa powder 3 tsp chocolate extract or 1 tbs organic chocolate syrup (contains pure cane sugar) 8 drops Stevia extract 1 cup organic skim milk ¼ very ripe banana ¼ tsp almond extract (optional) 1 tbs creamy organic peanut butter (optional) ~blend well and enjoy!~ Simply Nanners! (High Calorie) ½ very ripe banana 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder ½ tsp vanilla extract 8 drops Stevia extract or Truvia replacement sweetener (same as Stevia only in a crystallized form) 1 cup organic skim milk ~blend well and enjoy!~ Banutty (High Fat & Calorie) ½ very ripe banana 1 tbs organic creamy peanut butter 1 scoop organic vanilla or plain whey protein powder ¼ tsp real organic vanilla extract ¼ tsp almond extract 1/3 cup organic skim milk 1/3 cup organic almond milk (adds sweetness and nutrients) 1/3 cup organic hazelnut milk (adds sweetness and nutrients) 4-8 drops liquid Stevia ~ Mixing milks is optional, but will add a much richer and sweeter flavor. Blend well and enjoy!~ BERY, BERY SUPER FRUITY (Low Fat) 1 tsp Raw, Organic Acai berry Powder (Superfood) 1 tsp Raw, Organic Lucama Powder (Superfood) 1 tsp Raw, Organic Pomegranate Powder 1 ½ TBS Strait Pure Organic Goji Berry Juice (Superfood) 1 ½ TBS Strait Pure Organic Cranberry Juice 10-12 drops Liquid Stevia 1 serving organic Vanilla Whey Powder 1 tsp Pure Raspberry extract 1 cup skim milk ~Blend well and enjoy!~ strawberry CREAM DESSERT #1 1 TBS strawberry extract (Bonus if you find a natural version of this) Or 2 ripe organic strawberries (must strain shake of chunks and seeds after blending well) ½ tsp real organic vanilla extract 8 drops Stevia extract or 1 tbs Xylitol 1/2 cup Organic Skim Milk 1/2 scoop organic vanilla whey powder 1 tsp Real Organic Whipping Cream (optional) ~blend well (Strain) and enjoy!~ Chocolate Cover Strawberry 2-4 ripe organic strawberries (must strain shake of chunks and seeds after blending well) 2 TBS real organic cocoa powder 1 tsp organic Maca powder 1 TBS organic chocolate extract 1 scoop organic whey vanilla whey powder 1 TBS Xylitol sweetener 5 oz organic skim milk ~blend well strain and enjoy!~ Cinnamon Covered Almond 4 oz Organic Almond Milk 2 oz Organic Skim Milk 2 TBS Real, Raw & Organic Honey 1 TBS Real, Organic Cinnamon 1 Scoop Organic Vanilla Whey Powder ~Shake very well and enjoy!~