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A common concern for weight loss surgery patients is that healthy foods have the reputation of being expensive. You might fear that the commitment to years of healthy eating will be outside of your budget, especially if you paid for weight loss surgery out of pocket. But, you can eat healthy on a budget. Junk Food May Seem Cheaper at First Your pre-surgery eating habits may seem cheap. For $1, you can order a burger, taco, burrito, sandwich or fries from at value menu at most fast food places. Candy bars, chips, crackers, snack cakes and sodas from vending machines also cost about $1 each. For $5, you can get an entire pizza, a fast food value meal with a burger, fries, and a drink, or the workplace cafeteria’s daily lunch special with a fried chicken sandwich, onion rings or fries and a drink. Almost everywhere, ordering larger portion sizes and extra side dishes gives you bigger discounts. These options seem inexpensive at first glance. For example, if you compare the cost of a pizza to an alternative of ordering grilled chicken and a salad for lunch at a sit-down restaurant, the pizza is cheaper. Similarly, a doughnut from a convenience store is far cheaper than a fresh fruit salad from the same convenience store. However, you can make better use of your food dollar. Convert Your Pre-WLS Food Dollar into Post-WLS Nutrition Most of the foods on your diet before weight loss surgery may have been relatively inexpensive, but the total cost may have been more than you think. Consider this sample day to see how your post-surgery diet can continue to fit within your budget. Breakfast: Before WLS ($5): coffee and a bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon. After WLS: 2 hard-boiled eggs, a cup of cantaloupe and a slice of turkey ham ($2). Save $3. Morning Snack: Before WLS ($3): a muffin and a coffee. After WLS ($1): string cheese and a half an apple. Save $2. Lunch: Before WLS ($7): a sub sandwich, chips, and a drink. After WLS: tuna, whole-wheat crackers and a cup of cooked cauliflower ($3). Save $4. Afternoon Snack: Before WLS ($2): a soda and a bag of cookies. After WLS: peanut butter and carrot sticks ($1). Save $1. Dinner: Before WLS ($4): steak, mashed potatoes, a dinner roll with butter, a green salad, and cheesecake. After WLS: ground turkey, green beans, almonds and a half a banana ($3). Save $1. Eat In More Often Save money by preparing more of your own food and eating less often at restaurants or fast food chains. Another benefit is that you have more control over what you eat when you prepare it yourself. You can keep your homemade food simple and still have a nourishing diet. Consider these restaurant meals and home-made alternatives to try. Each of the suggested alternatives is simple to make and it is more nourishing and less costly than the restaurant choice. A sugar-sweetened, flavored coffee beverage plus a cinnamon roll versus fat-free yogurt and fresh or frozen fruit. A burger, fries, and drink versus a salad with lettuce, grilled chicken breast and pecans. Breadsticks and a dip, soup, and fettuccine Alfredo versus broiled salmon with steamed spinach. Soda, an alcoholic beverage, or another beverage versus water. Shopping Strategies to Cut Costs and Improve Nutrition Without caution, you can spend a lot and leave the supermarket with plenty of unhealthy foods. On the other hand, a plan and some practice can help you stretch your food dollar while you stock up on healthy foods from the grocery store. Use a list. This helps you avoid impulse purchases of high-calorie, high-cost foods. It also ensures that you remember key ingredients so that you do not have to get them at the last minute from an expensive convenience store. Watch the sales. Staples in your kitchen might include tuna, peanut butter, whole-wheat pasta, beans, frozen fruits and vegetables, frozen chicken and lean beef and spices. Stock up on these non-perishables when they are on sale. Buy in bulk. Purchase larger packages, since they are usually cheaper than single-serving packages. Measure out single-portion servings when you are ready to use them. This is an especially good strategy for family-sized packs of chicken and fish, for snack products such as nuts and whole-grain crackers, and for yogurt. Buy store brands. They usually taste the same as the national brands and are far less costly. Dairy products, cereals and frozen and canned goods are good candidates. Check out your neighborhood. Discount stores and ethnic stores often have certain high-quality products for far cheaper than the chain supermarkets. Check for fresh produce, spices, and condiments at ethnic and discount stores. Buy in season. Out-of-season fruits and vegetables can be prohibitively expensive, but in-season ones can be on sale and higher quality. Some fruits and vegetables that are relatively consistent year-round are apples, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, lettuce, onions, and celery. Your new diet after weight loss surgery requires major adjustments to your eating habits. Practice and also planning are necessary so you can get the protein and other nutrients you need, avoid the foods that are bad for you, and lose the weight you want. With so much to worry about after WLS, you do not want to have to worry about the cost of the healthy foods you need. These tips can help put you on the path to healthy eating within a reasonable budget.

I used to drink before socially, I'm not worried about alcoholism, but that's a pretty interesting study.

My surgeon says none for six weeks and then to take it slow until you know how you will be effected. Apparently some people get flat drunk on one drink and others don't notice a difference. Of course, alcohol is empty calories so he cautions to save it for special occasions. I'm not a huge drinker but it is nice to know I will be able to have an occasional glass of wine.

Interesting reports of increased alcoholism risk after Roux-en-Y. I don't know that the sleeve has been studied. See: http://www.m.webmd.com/diet/news/20121015/addiction-risk-weight-loss-surgery?page=1

How far in post op did you have it? What type of alcohol was it? How was the experience? What was your doctors directions?

Make sure they do regular blood work on you. I still have problems a little over 2 months. I have a B1 thiamine defeniciency. I am tired. Cant exercise. I can't stand for more than 15 minutes. The part of the stomach that supported the thiamine was the part that was removed. So I am on a thiamine pill. But on my next visit. I will inquire about injections. I do not like shots but I know they work faster. Alot of people think its B12 or a iron defeniciency when I tell them some of the systems. But it can be dangerous to your health. Look it up. My doctor has me do blood work before each apptointment to chevk this. Mine was real low. My sister who is a registered nurse told me last night they have injections for it. She also told me that this is usually given to alcoholics. I told her I don't have that problem I do not drink. Check into this. My doctor gives me a print out each month of all my results.

Whew! I just got back from my third road trip in the past few weeks. I know I haven't been keeping you in the loop. I've been busy! I told you I was going to be gallivanting around the country. So I hope you'll forgive my tardiness. I have certainly felt the wrath of some of our more ardent followers. Believe it or not, there are few fatty fans out there who just can't live without this blathering blog. One or two are even a bit stalk-ish. (Note to FeelingFatInFinland: Yes, I got your e-mail. No, I won't send you a photo of my bare ass with all the stretch marks connected in red marker. I can't reach that far. Besides, if you really need to see something like that, a detailed road map of Cincinnati would probably do the trick.) (Note 2 to BiggunInBoston: The answers to your questions in order are: Yes, No, Three at a time, On my head, NEVER!, Boomerang, Oink oink baby and jelly.) That takes care of this weeks fan mail. I will share more in the future. OK, now to the news. As previously stated I have been on three roads trips in the last 3 weeks. Staying on my self prescribed 1200 calorie a day plan was difficult. Logging my food choices was not an option. Eating the right foods all the time was a struggle. Staying away from alcohol was impossible. The bad news is I gained about a pound and a half. But I think I 'll be able to dump that by Friday after a week of detoxing. I'm not upset. I'm right where I expected to be. I mean really. I spent a few nights in the foodie paradise of New Orleans and then 5 nights partying at a golf tourney in Palm Beach. Honestly, I feel pretty much unscathed. I really did watch my food intake. I ate every meal out. So I tried to eat the right fruits and fishes where possible. I watched my portions. Other than a small binge on plain M&Ms that were mistakenly sent to my room, I avoided all sweets. Pretty much a home run. Unfortunately, Johnny likes his booze. All flavors as a matter of fact. We all know that booze is a secret diet killer. The more you drink, the thinner you think. The thinner you think, the more you eat. It's a vicious circle. Clearly, Mr. Booze (or AL C. Hall as we know him) are the enemies of restraint. And I succumbed repeatedly to their liquor-i-ous offerings. Martinis, Cabernet's and Merlot. Greyhounds, Screwdrivers, Bloody Mari's and a frosty margarita. As a salute to the Olympics, I even sprinkled a few White Russians in for good measure. A regular cornucopia of adult beverages. Hell, I get it! It's back on the ol' wagon for me today. I'm tracking my food, I'm off the sauce and I might even try to get in a workout or two. I'm leaving for the Valley of the Sun in 3 weeks and 4 days. I'm planning on being under 180 when I get on that plane. SO let's do this. Phase 2 of the Deconstruction of Johnny has begun! I have about 28 more pounds to lose by May 2015 according to Dr. X. I might as well start now. BTW... I saw Dr. X before I left for Florida. I'll update you on that next time. Soooo long for now. Johnny FAT FANS! Send your questions and comments to: mccgolfer99@gmail.com I will answer any questions and read all comments. Who knows, you might even make the blog!

I told my wife and my parents and that's it. I have two young kids and even though I went to surgery, was laid out for a few days and have lost 50 pounds since, they haven't noticed. I have a high profile job and just didn't want all the attention or to have to deal with everyone's questions. I think your average person just doesn't understand this. When people ask what I'm doing to lose the weight, I say "high Protein, low carb, small portions and very little alcohol." All 100% true. Since people typically don't like that answer, they just shrug their shoulders and say something like "good for you." BTW, as part of my job, I'm frequently out at business lunches and dinners. For the first 2 months post opp, I really avoided them, but now I go all the time. Everyone's so busy stuffing themselves, they hardly recognize how little I eat. I just order something that reasonably fits into the prescribed diet and then pick at it slowly. At some point the waiter passes by and I say "you can take my plate". He scoops it up (1/3 eaten) and that's it. Personally I was really worried about all this, but it's fine. And bigger parties with buffets are even easier -- you just nibble unnoticed. Totally respect those that told the world but I'm really a private person, so that's not my thing.

Alcohol is a tricky one.. Best to avoid.... Cocktails? Go for a very mild one (and perhaps only the one at first) and probably after 6-8 weeks. Booze can hit really hard and no one likes a sloppy drinker. But again, before the abstinence fundamentalists get on one... Best to avoid alcohol until you get into your groove with the weightloss and new healthier lifestyle... So a few months.

When I had my mine, their main concern was transfer addictions. They don't want people to replace the food and the feelings with alcohol, drugs, sex, or gambling, all that sorts. It wasn't as bad as I thought either, the cost however wasn't covered by insurance and cost me $400. The end result will be worth it though. You will do just fine at your eval ????

The holidays are behind us, but it is not too late to consciously think about what we are grateful for. Take weight loss surgery, for example. Weight loss surgery changes almost everything. It can affect what and how much you can eat, your exercise goals, the attention you pay to your health, your daily schedule, and even your personal relationships. Achieving success after WLS means saying goodbye to pizza parties where you eat the whole pizza, trips to the drive-through for a pre-dinner meal on the way home from work, and polishing off the half-gallon of ice cream in the freezer while you watch late-night television. That can seem like a lot of sacrifice, but success depends largely on your attitude. The difference between rapid, healthy weight loss and a bumpy road filled with complications and struggle may be as simple as the difference between saying “I can’t have that” and “I get to have that.” Here are examples of changing your attitude to improve your weight loss journey. From “I Can’t” to “I Can” There are plenty of things that you can’t safely do after weight loss surgery, such as overeating, eating high-fat and high-sugar foods, and drinking alcohol without restriction. Instead of thinking “I can’t” eat that when you are at a dinner party or restaurant, think “I can” have a better time than I used to before weight loss surgery by focusing on the people instead of the food. Don’t think, “I can’t” order a large popcorn and soda while at the movie theater with my friends. Instead, think “I can” fit in the seat now and enjoy the movie! From “I Have To” to “I Get To” Some of the daily tasks after weight loss surgery can seem like tedious chores, but think of them in terms of the benefits you get. For example, measuring each serving of food can be a nuisance and is something that you “must” do, but it is also something you “get” to do to help you lose weight, learn portion sizes, and stay in control. Similarly, taking your daily vitamin and mineral supplements and monitoring your health is something that you “have to” do, but you also “get to” enjoy better energy and improved health numbers, such as blood sugar and cholesterol, when you visit the doctor. It’s not that you “have to” go to the gym; more accurately, you “get to” go to the gym to enjoy your new, healthier body and make it stronger and leaner. From “I Lost” to “I Gained” You might lose some alone or family time each day when you go to the gym, but you gain it right back in quality. When you are in shape, you can keep up with your children, spouse, and friends. The time you spend with them is higher quality than when you might have been too heavy and out of breath to do anything but sit and watch from the sidelines. And, you can say that “I lost” the chance to go to the donut shop on the way to work each morning, but it is more accurate to say that “I gained” time and money from not going to the donut store, and also the self-respect from skipping the morning sugar load. From “Never-Ending” to “Constant Progress” The post-weight loss surgery journey is long…the rest of your life! You are bound to get discouraged if you think about the journey as a “never-ending” struggle. Instead, stay motivated by looking at your constant progress. For the first year and more, your progress can include regular weight loss, smaller body measurements and smaller clothing sizes. For years afterward, progress can include improved fitness or certain athletic milestones, such as completing a 5k run. Other progress might be reduced cravings for sugar, better relationships with your family and having improved health. Eliminate Doubts One of the most important attitude shifts you can make is from being doubtful to being confident. When you know that you are going to make the right decision, you do make the right decision. When you let doubt creep in, you are far more likely to make a regrettable decision. Each day, be confident that you will make the right choices. Think about what you will do, and not whether you will do it. If it helps, attach a reason to each statement. You will go to the gym as planned because it will give you momentum for the rest of the day. You will take your healthy breakfast, lunch and snacks to work so that you can get the protein and other nutrients that you need. You will walk past the secretary’s desk without slowing to look at the chocolates so that you can feel proud of yourself as you work in your office. You will drink the amount of water that you are supposed to because it will help you lose weight, stay awake, and be less hungry. As with so many other things in life, successful weight loss depends on you following certain rules and actions. Beyond that, your attitude makes the difference between being able to make the right decisions, and making decisions that you will regret later. Will weight loss surgery be a burden to endure, or will it be a privilege to appreciate? It’s up to you…and your waistline and happiness may depend on your answer!

So what about boredom? Anxiety? Stressed? Have you become addicted to your phone or laptop? Do you just get out and move? Do you have new hobbies? Do you shop? Are you drinking more coffee/ tea than before? What about using alcohol or gambling? Have your pets become your focus? Anyone showing dogs or horses? Has your kindle list expanded with new books? Have you become a social butterfly? Is your garden in the best shape ever? Are your activities solitary or groups? Join a league of some kind? Competitive ?

I think the straw thing is due to sucking in air while you drink - I think I remember that. My doc gave out a Camelback type Water bottle that has a straw...He didn't say "no straws". As far as alcohol...I had my first drink in four months just the other day. I was a little nervous. I didn't make a good choice - I had a DiSorono and Coke. The Coke was a bad choice, but I did it and I enjoyed it - I stirred a lot of the carbonation out of it. I drank about 2/3 of it - I sipped slowly. I can tell you, however, when I got up, I felt tipsy, like buzzed, not drunk. I had another one the next day and tolerated it fine. A better choice would be a Vodka/cranberry or Vodka/Lemonade.

I realized the same thing about my sister this week. We are not close at all as of recent years. She had gastric bypass in 2004 or so. Lost a significant amount of weight. Got down to a size 6 but has regained to about a 10-12. Still significantly smaller than me. And she has held on to that too. Ever since I went to law school in 2005 our relationship has soured a bit. She became very jealous and resentful of me. She became an alcoholic and drug addict. Her life has been on a downward spiral and she has told many people that us because I was a planned pregnancy and she was not. All in all I guess she felt like the only thing she had over me was that she was of average size and I was not. A couple of weekends ago I sent a picture of my weight loss progress so far. She never responded and hasn't said a word to me since. I asked my mom the other day had she heard from her and she said yes. Then she casually mentioned that she kept tellin her she was going on a diet. Then my mom told me that my weight loss was probably pushing her over the edge again. I'm not worried about her. Everything I have accomplished in my life has been through hard work and dedication, including my weight loss so far. No one is gonna rain on my parade!

While you do eat differently, some of the difficult things of the early days settle down. By 9 months out, I could drink pretty much as before, including gulping if necessary! I choose not to drink and eat because I now understand why I shouldn't. I am now allowed to drink until 20 mins before eating and start again 20 mins after. No real hardship there. I still keep my fluids up - which we should all do irrespective of WLS. I eat Protein first, keep carbs low and take my Vitamins daily. I also remember to keep moving I eat out at least 3 times a week, socialise with friends, have the very, very occasional alcoholic drink and get on with living what is a much happier life than when I weighed 85lbs more. Yes, there is a restriction. I eat less. I have to make good food choices to keep myself healthy and full of energy. But do I miss my diabetes? My meds and pain relief? My high BP? My increasing cholesterol? My sweaty body? My lack of energy? My depression? Nope, not a bit. That's why eating differently doesn't frighten me - the good things that have happened to me post WLS far outweigh the effort I put in to eating nowadays. I know that being sleeved looks daunting pre surgery - and it is not something to do lightly, without being informed or being prepared for the difficult first weeks. By having been through it all, I wouldn't hesitate to do it again... Good luck figuring out what's best for you, keep asking questions here, there's so much advice and support from people who've been where you are :-))))

I will sound like an asshole for saying this but honestly the thread got way too big way too fast and I got overwhelmed to read and respond to it all. I know exactly what Im doing wrong and its basically everything. Im not following their directions. It's gotten to the point where lately my diet has consisted of shitty Cereal, tortillas and Peanut Butter. I have the cereal in the morning, I have the peanut butter burrito for an easy togo snack, and if I have a banana I slice some up in there too to make it a little bit more nutritious. I feel like I cant talk about this with my psychologist because shes never worked with a bariatric patient, and she doesnt know what lines to cross (I think). Im not sure if she knows when she should call the doctors (for the surgery, not general doctor I'd see for a general health check up, if i was feeling sick, etc.), and when she should call my mom. Im an adult by law, but I havent been an adult for long, by mentality/emotionally. Its so easy to get discouraged and do bad things. I dont take my Vitamins because they taste like shit. I dont drink my Water because the tap here is horrible in the general area Im living. I drink the alcohol I bought because its present, even if it was at 10am like today which shocked me. I guess me posting on here is me reaching out saying I need help. I only come here when Im desperate. When I spent 20$ on an Applebees meal (applebees appetizer sampler and a diet drink with like 3 refills), I know I fucked up.

I'm failing my surgery. I'm doing everything they said not to do. I'm not taking my Multivitamins. 'm drinking with a straw (since the stomach pains went away like 1 month out) I'm drinking carbonated drinks. I'm drinking alcohol. Typically beer or long islands. I'm a little worried about that because I had a beer and napped at 10:30 this morning. Never did that before. I'm eating shit. I just went at Applebee's and had myself the full appetizer sampler. I feel like I'm going to explode. I swear I shouldn't have gotten that surgery. I went from 315 to 268 now I weighed myself at 280. The fact I can't cook and living on my own doesn't help. I can't turn to my mom because she'd just freak. She invested a lot in this, but sometimes she forgets I have too. I don't know what to do. I'm not maintaining anymore. I'm worried

My husband is the most AMAZING, wonderful, loving, compassionate human being on the planet--- he really is the best. I could not ask for better than him. Honestly I feel guilty for not being more grateful. In addition to being a compulsive overeater, I am also an alcoholic. I have been sober almost 21 months now. Sobriety has been easy-- because if I was upset or stressed, I could always eat. Now I do not have that. I feel just like I did when I got out of rehab-- raw, frightened, overwhelmed. I have joined a 12 step group for eating disorders, but it only meets once per week. I have talked to my AA sponsor some about it-- maybe I need to talk to her more, IDK. All I know is I feel like sh*t.

Thank you so much for the information. Unfortunately, we have exhaused all possibilities. The Dr's say my husbands liver is non functioning and his lab levels are too high even to think about a liver transplant. They won't do treatment because it will shorten his life. He has diabetes and hasn't ever drank alcohol but has last stages of cirrohsis. It is called NASH. He has been sick for awhile but like I said we didn't know. He never complains. He has liver cancer on top of the cirrohosis and it is in the portal vein. Two days ago he had 16 pounds of Fluid taken off of his belly. The work before that , 10 pounds. I don't want to sound like I've given up but I have to be realistic. I am trying him on some natural things that will help cleanse his liver and Vitamins. That is all I know to do.

We are all addicted to something, whether it be food, alcohol, work, drugs, adventure, pills, bulimia, sex, etc. Food has been my addiction. Alcohol was my family addiction on my mother and dad's sides of the family. We are here to change our addictions, and I wish I were 50 instead of 66 (when I had better health). But I sure plan on living the best life I can now that I am sleeved! Best of luck Nancy!

Yes - the pre- op diet is a challenge. Just keep your eye on the prize and tick off each day that you get through. The first 3-4 days are difficult but after that you will get into the 'zone' . When ketosis starts, I bought a non alcohol mouth wash from the chemist - they say they work better than Listerine. Your mouth will feel like the bottom of a bird cage - with the feathers - so your breath might not be great! You might want to warn people about that as it can be a bit embarrassing - everyone is different so see how you go. Good luck - this is a short term pain for a long term.. weight loss! The best thing I ever did!

I am wondering if it is the wine. The first time I drank 3 glasses of wine I could not eat the entire day the next day. Some say the sugar alcohols cause the swelling of the band. I really don't want to try again and find out.

I have been using food to alleviate stress- even though I know it doesn't really work, I will feel bad (physically and emotionally), should try other things. Bottom line is, this is a tool and you have to still make choices- and the band isn't around our head or emotions. So, I backslide, and then I pick myself up, dust myself off and start over- but still from a MUCH better place than where I would have been pre-band. So, please don't judge. No one is perfect, if I were I wouldn't have needed a band. I still will eat slider foods, I still will go through good times and not good times- but my band will be there to help when I choose to use it (which I do choose more often than not). And I have found that I don't go as "crazy" as I did pre-band- I can't! The band won't let me. It's a learning process, a mental process, and a marathon, not a sprint. I am NOT trying to justify eating poorly, etc- I know it's MY choice, no one is making me eat badly. I know B-52 says he CAN'T eat badly, but I still can- ice cream is my nemisis, and it's a total slider food, though I can't eat nearly what I used to. Perhaps my band isn't tight enough (though I think it is, it's the slider foods that I should be avoiding anyways that will go down even with a tight band). Each time I backslide, I learn something- one of my favorite LOL movies is "what about Bob" with Bill Murray. I'm baby stepping it SO I agree in theory with you, but you liken it to being an alcoholic- which I agree with- but unlike alcohol, you can't live with out food, so it's harder to just avoid. I hope I'm expressing myself here- I guess the point to this post is I'm not perfect, but my band helps me even when I'm not perfect, and as I go on this journey I learn new things all the time and I just- to quote my favorite Disney movie- Keep moving forward. Nicki

Stephg, praying for you. I got sleeved 12/9/13. Surgeon said the number 1 reason people are readmitted is dehydration and to keep the Water flowing. We're told not to use straws. I had my post op followup at 10 days. Surgeon said I could move to soft foods. I had a 1/2 scrambled egg and it was delicious. I never knew an egg could taste so good. At 3 weeks nut appointment she said we could eat anything nutritional. Get Protein and veggies and fruit in that order. No coffee, caffeine tea, alcohol. soda, carbonation. No liquids 1/2 hour before or after foods. It's full time job keeping track of it all once the Vitamins are added in. Sugarfree popsicles are my salvation. Hang in there, and let us know how you are doing. Keep that water going.

I’ve noticed a number of posts lately from bandsters who are non compliant due to stressful situations in their lives. I am very sympathetic to anyone dealing with difficult situations but not so sympathetic with those who deal by eating too much, or eating poorly. I can’t help but think it’s just an excuse to self sabotage. If you were an alcoholic, you would avoid drinking during stressful times. Otherwise, you would be back to drinking uncontrollably again. Same for us foodaholics...and yes, I'm a foodaholic. If stress makes you reach for a cookie or a taco, what makes you think you won’t eat a box of Cookies or a ton of tacos? We must must must find better outlets for our stress. It’s bad enough when things are not going well, but to risk your success on top of that to me is just completely destructive. I’m not saying I have the answers, I just think this is a topic worth discussing.