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VerticalSleeveTalk Newsletter By Hey, Sleevers!The weather’s warm, zucchini and watermelons are abundant and the Summer Games are providing inspirational moments for all of us. We hope life is good for you and you’ve been achieving your own goals this summer. To help you stay focused, here’s another newsletter from VerticalSleeveTalk.com. This is what we’ve got for you: Burning Question: What are the Best Sources of Protein? Member Spotlight: Kyllfalcon! Sleever Challenge: Record Your Diet! Life with the Sleeve: What’s Your Emergency Plan? We hope you enjoy reading the newsletter and you get inspiration and a few great ideas from it. Of course, when you’re done reading, come on over to the VerticalSleeveTalk.com board and talk about the newsletter or anything else that’s on your mind. Also remember to drop me a line any time if you have comments or suggestions for the boards. Thanks! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder liquid diet after weight loss surgery, Protein shakes and Protein powder can help you meet your needs. Fat-free milk is another good source, and it also has Calcium and Vitamin D for strong bones. In the pureed foods stage, you can add in things like canned flake chicken, extra-lean ground beef and light tuna. Tuna has an extra benefit because of its heart-healthy omega-three fatty acids. Fat-free yogurt is another great option. You always want to look for lean meats and fat-free or low-fat dairy products instead of full-fat ones. That’ll help you limit your calories and reduce saturated fat, which is unhealthy for your heart because it raises your cholesterol levels. By the time you get to the soft (semi-solid) foods and solid foods stages, you have a lot more options. Fish, crab, white-meat, skinless chicken and turkey, and egg whites are almost pure protein – plus some essential nutrients. Be very careful to avoid any bones or gristle in your fish or meat. Some vegetarian options are tofu, Beans and low-fat cheese. Melted cheddar cheese makes a delicious topping for almost anything. Always eat slowly, savor the flavors and chew your food well before swallowing. Choosing Proteins that are lowest in calories and saturated fat will help you lose weight and stay healthy. Did you miss the previous Burning Question? You can always see the earlier Burning Questions in our scale victories has been while clothes shopping. Her old size was a 3x. After surgery, she mail-ordered a 1x pair of pants, and it was too big. She exchanged it for an XL, but that didn’t work, either. She finally settled on a size large – and we bet it’ll be too big for her soon! Kyllfalcon’s also proud and relieved to say that she can still enjoy family parties while losing weight! She can share in the pizza and birthday cake, but now she’s in control and knows when enough is enough – and when the party’s over, it’s time to get back to business. Kyllfalcon’s arthritis has improved a lot, and her blood pressure is under control. Water has been a little tough, but she fixes it up with Crystal Light. She reports a pretty smooth weight loss journey so far, and we think her success is due to her positive attitude. Kyllfalcon counts VerticalSleeveTalk.com as part of her official support group, along with friends, family and coworkers. She visits each day to get and give support. Some of her tips? Keep fighting – if you fall down, “get right back up to fight another day.” She also encourages you to “see yourself thin and healthy.” Thanks, Kyllfalcon, for being such a great role model and sharing your story in our member spotlight! Each newsletter features a different VerticalSleeveTalk.com member in the sleep. You should plan your own diet and exercise so that you always know what to do. Keep a log. An Olympic athlete keeps a training log to record each day’s workout and be able to look back and see what worked and what didn’t. Keeping your own diet and exercise log keeps you on track and lets you look back to see what patterns led to success and where you could have improved your choices. Visualize success. Most successful athletes take time each day to visualize their victory. They think about running that last lap in record time and accepting their medal on the victory podium. You can think about the bikini that you’re planning to wear next summer and the proud look on your spouse’s face when you two go out to dinner in the future. How will you let out your inner Olympian? Let us all know in the member Challenge Forum! Tell us what you did and whether you think it worked for you! The challenge is completely non-competitive, but we’d love for you to share your experiences. You’ll help inspire others to chase their own dreams. Miss a challenge? No problem! Just go back to the old newsletters to see what the challenges were. It’s never to late to try something new and tell us about it on the forums. Life with the Sleeve: What’s Your Emergency Plan? It’s Sunday morning and you haven’t been able to eat or drink all night because of nausea and vomiting. Your surgeon’s office hours are from Monday through Friday. You wait miserably until first thing Monday morning, when you call your surgeon. The receptionist is horrified to hear about your ordeal and says, “Why didn’t you call yesterday? We have someone here 24/7 for emergencies!” This scenario comes up all the time on the boards, and it’s truly heartbreaking because in most cases, the suffering you feel is entirely unnecessary. You should know what number to call when you have trouble. If your surgeon didn’t give you an after-hours number, ask for one. You should never have to wait a whole day just because your emergency happens on a weekend. And with that advice, we’re done with this newsletter. You can always read it again and look through old newsletters in the Newsletter Forum. We’re always happy to hear from you and to see increased participation on the boards, so log in and get talking! Thanks for your support. Take care of yourself and each other, Alex ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=newsletter

I am also Dec 3 sleeved. I am doing well. Although I was planning on going back to work today and decided I wasn't ready. I'm thinking I'll go Wed. I'm getting 2 protein shakes in a day which is 60 grams of protein, and 64 oz or more of clear liquids. This is my diet till I see my surgeon on Dec 20. He does not allow yogurt or anything that's not clear till after that. I'm having no problems other than being tired and a little sore.

I did talk to her and via PM and she was very helpful. I think right now, I can eat so little that I don't have a choice about meat, but as my capacity increases, I may be able to add more vegetarian Protein sources. Honestly even now, of everything I ate yesterday, I got the most protein out of cottage cheese, yogurt and cheese anyway so it's kinda working.

???? strawberry berries yogurt instant coffee

my nurse practitioner had me give up all liquid protein shakes, yogurt, hummus, etc. and only eat foods like chicken breast and hamburger patties -- anything that takes more effort to eat. i also am making sure not to drink 30 minutes before and after eating. i find that this has helped my portion control, and i'm back to losing again -- slow but steady.

Maybe I will try that. Although I am beginning to think it may be the yogurt. I went to the movies today and instead of the delicious yummy smelling popcorn :thumbdown: I got a mcdonalds fruit and yogurt parfait and had it during the movie and I noticed the gas then too. Maybe I will try and skip the yogurt or eat it by itself and see if it happens again. But it is good to know I am not alone in this, I hope it goes away soon.

This is really interesting...please let us know what happens. I have greek yogurt sitting in the fridge already waiting for my mushie stage.

Hey everyone so I got my band tightened last week I've had 4 adjustments well now I am 7cc in a 10cc band I haven't been able to keep any liquids down water yes I can I just can't chug it and then there was one day I just couldn't even eat soup I called and they said give it time it is swollen it will loosen.. then other day I was able to eat soups fine and yogurt. And today same thing can't keep anything to eat down I don't dare want to try any solids uhh I don't know and I'm just so so so hungry Sent from my BE2025 using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm almost 11 months form surgery and have found that my stalls break when I increase my carbohydrate intake. My weight fluctuates like crazy but the trend remains (so far, thankfully) downward. I am lucky in that my stalls have only lasted a week or so up to now. I have a hard time with the concept to have to eat more to lose more, but it really works. As it stands now, daily I eat a minimum of 120 gms of Protein, 40-45 gms of fat and 100-110 gms of carbs. In calories that adds up to about 1300 a day. I eat three meals a day and then have a mid morning, mid afternoon and post dinner snack (usually fruit, Greek yogurt or a protein bar/protein chips). After quite a few variations I discovered that this eating pace keeps my head (and real) hunger at bay. I also track on myfitnesspal faithfully. I have also been really bad about exercising, although I recently started to reverse that. Good luck and I hope this helps!

My doctor has me on a 2 week diet and oh my its hard! I can have juice, gatorade, powerade-limit 2 a day Regular Jello, fruit flavored regular popsicles, or no sugar added fudgsicles- 3 or less a day Milk, light yogurt, cottage cheese-less than 3 servings a day Low carb protien shake-2 servings a day and thats all they have on my list....i hope i can make it!!!! If anyone else has any suggestions....PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!!

Whatever you do, make sure you do your best to stay hydrated and get in all of your Protein. Even if you have to do more liquids than soft foods. Have you tried tiny bites of soft foods like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, refried Beans, etc. Try small amounts of one food at a time.

I LOVE KEIFER AND FROZEN FRUIT...PUT IT IN THE NINJA OR BLENDER BETTER THEN ANY ICE CREAM OR PLAIN GREEK YOGURT WITH SOME FROZEN FRUIT AND SPLENDA TASTY STUFF GOOD LUCK !!!

I’m 3 weeks post sleeve. After moving to purée stage I was feeling hungry more often. Yes get the protein in first. My directions are 1 scoop of protein powder must have 20 gms of protein and below 12 gms of sugar. I mix the protein powder with almond milk. I got a jug of protein powder that tastes terrible so I got some dry peanut butter powder from Amazon for more protein. I mix only 4 ozs almond milk, protein powder 1 scoop, 2 Tbsp of dry peanut powder plus one Tbsp sugar free Greek vanilla yogurt. Tastes like a peanut butter milkshake which if you like peanut butter tastes pretty good. Somewhere I read the difference between head hunger and true hunger. I find that useful. Make sure you are drinking enough water because dehydration can be confused for hunger. My diabetes immediately went away so the surgery was well, well worth it in my book. Good luck!!

I can not give you a normal meal day for me yet, i'm still on liquids. but, i was told by my nutrititionist to eat 6 small meals a day, as she puts it. I do eat breakfast, lunch and dinner... but i have a healthy "snack' 3 times a day. The nutritionist requires this to have Protein. I use string cheese, yogurt.. turkey rolled up and so on. I'm told with the exception of sleep time. I should never go 4 hours without eating, it will set me up for a bad meal choice. but like always, listen to your own doc or nutrit. best of luck to all!

I choose to not take the "menu" point of view, because with 2 small kids it is hard for me to figure out a menu. What i like to do is just figure on how much I am going to eat, and try to make a majority of it protein. I also have 2 fruits and 3 veggies I HAVE to get in throughout the day. So When I make meals for the kids, I will have one egg, some cottage cheese, or yogurt. I will have a piece of fruit for a snack. For lunch I will have some lean fish or chicken and a small salad with vinegar and oil. One more fruit snack. For dinner I usually have a small piece of whatever protein we are having, and I always serve two veggies with my dinners, so I have my last two veggie servings at this point. I then treat myself to some sort of dessert. Either a sugar free jello, pudding, popcicle or fudgecicle. I really try to not focus on food so much. If i do I get obsessed.

As soon as I get up, I go get a cup of hot green tea and a Slimfast Lo-Carb chocolate shake. I take them back to my bathroom. I sip the hot tea and take my morning meds. I also take 2 Fiber Choice Tablets, 2 Max Strength Antacids, and 1 Flintstone Vitamen. I then shower. I get out of the shower and start drinking my slimfast. I put on my makeup and blow dry and fix my hair. By now I am done with the slim fast and my lotion has dried. I get dressed and take my empty tea cup back to the kitchen to prepare myself a cup of oatmeal. I use the Weight Control Cinnamon with hot Water, which I thin down. I add a package of sweet-n-low to it. After eating my oatmeal, I grab a bottled water if I am headed out the door. At lunch, I usually have a Lean Cuisine Meal, or Single serving Tuna with unsweetened applesauce, Light Miracle Whip and some relish., or Non-Fat Cottage cheese with snack size Lite fruit, or Cup of Turkey Chili with a little shredded cheese, or Broccoli Cheese Soup (Like Quizno's or Panera), or 1/2 a Grilled chicken Breast and some Grilled Veggies. Mid Afternoon I eat my Yoplait Nonfat Yogurt. I usually swim for 30 minutes around 3 pm. That is my exercise! dinner - If I cook dinner I eat 1/4 cup of whatever I fix. Example: 1/4 Cup Meatloaf, 1/4 Cup Green Beans, and a 1/4 Cup of Mashed Potatoes. If I don't cook, I eat leftovers or what I usually eat for lunch. Around 8:00 pm I usually have Fiber One Cereal, Skim Milk and either strawberries or blueberries. How much I have depends on how much or little I ate during the day. I use Fitday.com to keep track of my calories, Protein and fiber intake. I eat no less then 1000 calories and no more then 1200 calories per day. My protein intake 60 grams minimum. My fiber intake 25 grams minimum. I don't worry about the carbs because I am not eating Bread or Sugar. Other things I eat sometimes: sugar free Jello with Cool Whip Free, Sugar Free pudding, Canned Spinach with sauted onions and garlic, sugar-free popsicles, deli prepared chicken salad, grilled fish, broccoli chopped and well cooked, Refried Beans, Guacamoli, Vegetarian Baked Beans, Black Beans, 1/2 Baked Potato, 1/2 or less Baked Sweet Potato, Minestrone Soup... Eating out - I ate Chinese last Wendesday. First time since banding. I ate Hot and Sour Soup. I ordered Moo Goo Gai Pan. I ate 4 small pieces of the chicken, all the mushrooms, and 4 peas. It looked like I didn't touch the plate. I took the rest home. The next day I made chicken salad out of the rest of the chicken. Mexican food I usually order one cheese or beef enchilada, small guacamole and refried beans. Other restaurants I either order a cup of soup or a potato with everything on the side. I don't eat sour cream, chives, or bacon bits. I do put a small amount of margarine sometimes and some shredded cheese. I don't even try to eat the skin and I only eat one half of the potato. I don't eat bread, sweets, or anything that is empty calories except a sugar-free jello, or sugar-free popsicle every once in a while. I drink at least 64 ounces of water a day...never with meals. Staying away from the fried foods, bread and sweets has helped most. I never have the food cravings that I use to have. I use to never eat Breakfast. No wonder my metabolism was shut down. Now eating small amounts 4 to 5 times a day really has helped!

I have an egg pluss a white, scrambled...WITH ketchup. When I first wake up. 730 am. ON the way to work, I get a 20 oz Water and 42 oz iced tea with saccharin. I try to get those both down beteen 930 and 1030. I have a weight watcher smart ones frozen lunch...under 300 cal. My afternoon is great until about 400pm...I want to eat EVERYTHING. I try to satisfy myself with some peanuts or turkey. I make dinner at home for my husband and I eat 6 oz of that. Then around 8 pm I have a fat free sugar free pudding or yogurt. I think I need a fill.

Hi I'm only on day 4 of my presurgery diet but these are how they are for me I LIKE*** premier protein caramel- also good in decaf coffee-makes me forget it has no caffeine premier protein peach and cream'-reminds me of Orange circus peanut candies premier 🍌 and cream svelte French vanilla soy shake- lower protein, can't taste the soy- never upset my tummy yet muscle milk strawberry muscle milk blueberry yogurt smoothie Protein 20 mixed berry water Things just comme ci comme ca premier protein strawberries and cream vanilla premier protein - rountinely hate most all vanilla drinks- thick, white and tasteless All Adkins thus far Slimfast advanced Run very fast away from* ! Equate caramel and its Equate brethren Like to try* Powdered with a nut milk like almond , soy or Fairlife milk Can't disrespect anyone's chocolate formulations- I am very allergic to chocolate And those are Frustr8's Findings😛🌟😛

One week in and feeling pretty good. The only downside to having family so involved is the fact that they are around all the time and I've never noticed how much people talk about food. And my sister is in town and we are having people over...so there is a lot of amazing food being cooked. Haha. Here I am on this 3 week liquid diet sipping broth while they eat lasagna..salad...and french bread. Haha. I'm getting used to smelling things and pretending I'm tasting them. How is your post-op diet going? My doctor has all his patients on 3 weeks of Liquids(no jello/pudding/yogurt/creamy things at all) and then the 4th week is when I can start the soft foods. So we skip the mushies entirely. I'm feeling great though moving around. No trouble at all with that. The one thing I'm not liking is the gaaaas. Ugh. So annoying. And I have pretty much been doing less on the Protein and more water/broth. Well for the first week I did. But I am knuckling up on the protein. I just don't like any of the flavors very much. It's going to be a bit tough for the next two weeks. Just have to choke 'em down. Haha. Wow. I really just rambled off didn't I? Sorry about that. How are you doing? You must be in your 3rd week?

Hiya. I had my surgery on 26/02/12. It is taking me around 45 min to finish half cup of broth. Sometimes longer. I am adding yogurt to my food tomorrow will see how it goes. Hi Rob. I have been to Norway 4 times already. Trondheim and Oslo. what a beautiful country. good luck with your weight loss.

Hello All, I have searched the threads for shakes but most that are mentioned have milk product in them (I'm lactose intolerant) I have also contacted my nutritionist and I have tried the ones that she suggest like plant based, I tried "Plant Head" a vegan protein shake and I thought I was on to something, two weeks later it was not agreeing with me anymore...Anyone out there have a very sensitive stomach like myself and have found a shake that works well for them please let me know. I'm 5 months post op and having a problem getting all of my protein in so a good protein shake would be great for me to add into my meal plan. I've tried yogurts and also a lactose free yogurt that I found at walmart and they make me ill. Right now my appetite is very low, I eat my 3 meals a day and every now and then I may have a snack in between meals. I can only eat between 2- 4 oz. at each meal and feel full. (It's funny because I DO NOT lose weight fast eating such a small amount) I'm okay with that because with thyroid and menopausal issues I' m so grateful to have lost what I've lost in 5 months Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

The first day I could eat mushies I ate 6 little cups of apple sauce and thing of yogurt. Before would you have stopped at at two pieces? Don't beat yourself up too much. You said you hadn't eaten dinner andj I think that's maybe where you could change something in the future. Before the pizza arrives make sure you eat you 3 to 4oz of lean protein, then when the pizza gets there you wont be so tempted. Keep in mind that the band won't make the right decisions for you. You have to do that. At the beginning it can be hard to tell head hunger (or the little food addict in you head) from physical hunger. Head hunger is what we need to resist. All that said, we all slip. If you beat yourself up about it you can get discouraged and give up. Like Scarlet Ohara said, Tomorrow is a new day.

String cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese and fruit, actually cottage cheese mixed with yogurt is delicious. That's all I can think of at the moment. I have to say again that I have never lost 2 lbs a week. I lose 5 lbs and then I won't lose anything for at least another 2 months. I exercise 6 days a week. I have to agree that it's very hard to get everything in that we are supposed to. Fiber is a big problem. Can't drink for an hour yet drink 64 oz of water per day. Protein first bla bla bla. It's hard to balance it all.

I just bought Special K Low Fat Granola. It has 6g protein. Not high protein but it's better than cereal and I'll mix it with yogurt and fruit. Simple and Quick. I get plenty more protein throughout the day.

I am in love with Greek Yogurt!!!!!!! I'm 7 days post opp & today I had to have 2 containers of it, do u think that's ok???