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I use Isopure unflavored protein powder. I don’t notice any smell at all

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. Thank you all for your messages re my stall! I'm still stalled ... no suprise there. I'm going to try and track what I'm eating this week as I haven't really been tracking at all. Just trying to be sensible and go with the flow. I'm still being very conciencious about everything I put in my mouth and reckon I'm averaging about 1200-1300 calories a day max. I know I could eat more protein but as I eat so little meat its a bit complicated esp when I'm travelling. I hate protein shakes and anything with an artificial taste, I'm really not into processed foods. I do love carbs. I know what I'm eating is far from perfect but I'm also trying to "live" as normally as I can without getting ultra focused on food because 1) I just don't want to 2) I know that it won't be substainable for me to track/only eat specific things/100% certain avoid things long term 3) food is a real source of joy for me as is cooking. Cooking is my way of calming down and disconecting my brain after work but I'm an improvisation whats left on the fridge cook not a planning cook 4) I've very scared of being too "strict" on food and ending up with a transfer addiction as I have a very addition prone personality and I already smoke (cigarettes daily and weed probably 2/3 times a month) and drink (much much less than before the surgery when I was drinking too much) and even though I haven't touched a Benzodiazepine (xanax) in 3 years and 8 months (go me 😌) I had a big enough issue with benzo abuse to have to take a month of work to come off them. I'll try and track properly tomorrow and for a few days but for example today from memory I had ( I also had water) Breakfast : 1/4 bagel with butter, coffee with semi skim milk Mid Morning : 2x Coffee with semi skim milk Lunch : Palm sized bit of omelette with courgette, red peppers, kale, onions, cheese, about two tablespoons grated carrot salad Mid afternoon : Tea with semi skim milk and sweetener, bit of brie cheese about twice the size of my thumb Supper : Palm sized bit of omelette with courgette, red peppers, kale, onions, cheese Herbal tea Before bed : About 4/5 teaspoons of vegan pannacotta (soy milk, sweetener, orange flower water, cornstarch, pistachios, maple syrup) Herbal tea

Not sure if you would like it but you could add high protein/greek yogurt to the jelly, before it sets, so that it sets like a pudding texutre. You would get a higher protein amount if you also included some protein powder into the mix. This is how I have made it; 1 packet of sugar free jelly 250ml boiling water 300g greek yogurt 30g protein powder (I alternated between vanilla and natural) To make: In a just/bowl add the boiling water and jelly sachet. Mix until well combined and set aside, just to let it cool for a couple of minutes. In a blender add the yogurt, protein powder and jelly mix. Blitz until smooth. Pour into ramakins /small bowls and cover, let set in the fridge for at least 3 hours. One large bowl is about 50g protein so it will then just depend on how you portion it out but MyFitnessPal (or similar) can calculate that for you. I found the above one on Instagram and I am sure you could find similar if you wanted to have a look. The rest of the time I just had broth, made out of stock cubes with protein powder in it. The liquid phase isn't that bad or too long (if you only have to go through it once, I had to do it three times) so I just had the yogurts. puddings and broth/soup.

Get your protein up to your recommended intake. That should always be your focus. Then ensure you reach those fluid goals. Are you having regular blood work taken? Is that indicating you are lacking in anything? Actually there aren’t any rigorous scientific research into the benefits of collagen on hair growth or strength. The studies that exist are funded by companies that produce collagen supplements. Best to get all your protein in so you’re getting all the complete amino acids your body needs not the few in collagen. Hair is made of keratin, not collagen, and you need the complete range of amino acids (protein) for your body to produce the necessary keratin. The different lengths of your new growth hair could just be from the different times it starts coming in (it doesn’t all grow in at the same time). But maybe give the bleach a rest for a while until things settle. Have a chat with your doctor &/or maybe a dermatologist to check your scalp & hair health. Has your hairdresser said anything?

Hey all, does anyone have any tips on the regrowth? I had my surgery 16 months again and it feels like it's taking forever to be healthy again and to grow. It looks brittle and thin with some breakage. I know I need to up my protein and water, has anyone taken anything to help it? I'm taking Collagen, but I don't think it's helping anymore. I have different lengths closest to my hairline. Part of it I believe is from the surgery and the other part I know it's from Lightening my fringe in August. Now the hormonal acne. Wow, that started in January. I've never had this bad of acne before and it's pretty painful. It'll come, stay like a week one or two will go away and come back and repeat the process. Annoying. I know the hormones change after surgery, but I wasn't expecting hormonal acne 😄

I am using seeq protein in water - you take a scoop and put it in water to make a watery drink - better than the milk based version

Im glad your surgery went well!! We were so close in date 🙏🏼 Im still on a liquid diet until the 21st😭 I had 4 days clear am liquid and then 10 days regular liquid where I could add creamy soups, my protein shakes and vitamins. Im looking forward to the purée stage because im so sick of liquids!! I just want some mashed potatoes or anything with more flavor 😭😭 Im glad yours is going well, does your throat hurt while burping because it feels like the thicker consistency is coming back up?

I see, fingers crossed it’ll go away soon 🤞🏼 Im drinking Premier Protein right now and I really like their Root Beer Float flavor (though it sounds nasty). Im just struggling a little since I am slightly intolerant to milk after surgery. Ive been trying to find the Premier water everywhere but I cant find it in-store or on their website ): Where did you get yours? I need to buy more fairlife so I can make my own shakes. Im trying to finish my pre-made Premiers to get rid of them

More than the discharge it’s a stronger odor which I find disturbing - no incision surgeon said maybe nurse abraded the belly button while cleaning it before the procedure - ER says it’s looks normal but gave me anti fungal ointment - hope it resolves i I couldn’t stand the premier protein but no identifier lactose intolerance - just didn’t like the taste too sweet and heavy seeq protein water has been a lifesaver so I do two 14 oz servings of that and one 8 oz of fair life with whey protein and the rest water

Got the cheesecake flavor and made it with fair life and it’s so thick and sweet I can’t have more than a teaspoon sofar only savory option is Panera broccoli cheddar soup from which I pick out the veggies and have 4 oz

I wish I had a suggestion.. Unfortunately you've eliminated my suggestions for jello/pudding protein additions that would qualify for the liquid diet portion of bariatric programs.... I just added both to different soups etc. Good luck!

My surgery is scheduled for the 27th. I am on day 3 of my liquid diet and boy am I struggling. It's very hard to break old habits of just snacking but even now on the liquid diet I want a healthy snack but unable to have it. I think it's the chewing sensation I miss. I am able to have one health meal a day and usually have protein shakes for the other meals. (breakfast and lunch) I try to save my healthy meal for dinner so I can eat with my family but with being on summer vacation it has been hard to not want to just snack all day. I have been going back and forth if this is something I should followed through with as I will not be able to enjoy the things I used to after surgery. Maybe I'm over thinking and it's just nerves for the post op life.

Any idea to make liquid diet. More palatable ? How can one amp proteins in sugar free jello pudding for example other than using fairlife and adding whey

I've been stalled for 3 weeks. I contacted the dietician and had her look over my food logs on the baritastic app. She told me stalls can last a month, sometimes more. She went on to tell me I wasn't getting enough fiber. So, I bought some Flaxseed and going eat more fiber foods to see if that was the thing keeping me stalled. How many grams of protein and carbs are you getting per day? I'm curious, every doctor or nutritionist seems to have a variety of how they do things. I believe you had the sleeve which would be a different nutritional guideline than mine since I've had gastric bypass. It's frustrating to work on doing the right thing, only for a lingering stall. It has been getting really hot in Oklahoma. Mid to high 90's. I have a hot job as it is. Sweating all the time, I thought just by the heat and sweating I would lose a few pounds. It truly is a marathon

As far as getting ready: I've got a binder my doctor gave to me. It has basically all the information that I should need going forward. I do look at it periodically to refresh my memory about what is expected of me. For the dietary changes and stages, I write everything I need to stop/start on a calendar. For example: I need to stop drinking coffee and need to taper off to avoid headaches. I am also weaning myself off carbonated water and need reminders. I'm struggling with a few things such as taking small bites, so I like to put reminders in my calendar so i have to see them every day. I'm also changing my vitamins over to different brands and also needed reminders for that as well. (I'm forgetful!) I've made a list of the things I need to buy such as different kinds of protein powder, unjury protein, chewable vitamins, calcium chews, small utensils, small plates, a drink blender, etc. I've made a list of things to pack for the hospital (thanks to several threads here on this website, I have a list going). As I purchase them, I mark them off. Along those lines, I have fairly good ideas of the types of things I will be eating in each dietary stage so that I can plan ahead for grocery shopping when I get to that point. I purchased several books off amazon that were used, and very inexpensive. Things like bariatric cookbooks and bariatric mindset success books. I do try to read a little bit each day and then journal about what I read. I drive a lot for work so I have plenty of time to listen to podcasts. There are several that I enjoy that I feel are science-based, supportive and informative. I've learned many things from these podcasts about bariatrics. They're free and it's easy to just put one on a few times a week. Besides bariatricpal, I am trying to avoid other websites that deal with bariatrics at this point. It felt overwhelming and felt like I kept going down a rabbit hole of horror stories and it was not helping with my anxiety. There is one person on youtube that I enjoy watching because she's many years out and is very inspiring. Now that I have a date for surgery, this all feels very real and scary. I am trying to not give into the fear too much and remember why I am here at this decision. I need to take charge of my health. I have ONE precious life. I want to live the rest of my life in the best health that I can. I've tried desperately since I was about 20 (in my late 40's now) to lose the weight and keep it off. I've had high blood pressure for 15 years and no matter what I do, It continues to be an issue for me. I've been warned that I am pre-diabetic and likely someday soon that will catch up to me and I'll officially be diabetic. I cannot do this on my own and maintain it. It's that simple. This is my second chance and I will not turn back. This is honestly a story about saving my own life by asking for help. I hope this helps.

For me, I live on 1100 - 1200 calories on non work out days and 1300-1400 on workout days. On my weight training day, I tend to go up to 1500 calories. I work out 5 days per week. I also have 2 rest days. My protein, fluid intake, carbs, healthy fats, and calories are all higher on workout days, but I still can't get anywhere NEAR 2100 per day. 1500 is really pushing it, but I only do heavy weight training once per week, so it's ok. For quite a while, my calories on non workout days were 800-900 or so and workout days were 1100-1300, depending on what workouts I was doing that day. As time has gone on, my calorie and food intake has increased, but I still stick to the rule that I eat until I'm not hungry anymore, not until I'm stuffed. It's normal for our stomachs to hold a little more and our calories to increase as time goes by. What's important is to be selective with where those calories and carbs come from, not to overeat, and to be mindful of moving your body and getting in enough fluids.

I think in the last 2 years I talked to my nutritionist 3 times. And that was because I had to. It was included with the surgeries and she worked in my surgeon's office. She's nice and helped me come up with some cool recipes, but that's really it. I stayed mostly within the surgeon's dietary recommendations, but as time went on, I learned what my body likes and dislikes. For example, I'm extremely sensitive to carbs but not at all to sugar. I still stay away from sugar for the most part, but I'm not afraid of it like I was. I won't turn something away if it has sugar, but I typically go sugar free as much as I can. As for carbs, I use to do keto, so I was ok with low carb meals (I would have maybe 60-80 carbs per day). Now, though, I can't have more than 25 without feeling sick. On heavy workout days, I tend to go higher (45-50) but I pay for it because, again, I'm SUPER sensitive to them now. I respond well to high protein, moderate healthy fats, and high fiber foods. I'd say just do what you're doing, ignore the nutritionist, and keep kicking ass and taking names. You're doing AWESOME, so don't worry about the rest of it.

Thank you! I'll try to reply to everything. It took me some time, but for me personally the main reason I went with the sleeve is because I want to build muscle on top of the weight loss over time, and nutritionally it is easier to get the amount of nutrients needed to bulk up with a sleeve. However, that was not an easy decision and I did speak with two doctors first to educate myself. Both recommended that I went with a Deudonal Switch because of my diabetes as it would help that faster, however that is an option I have in the future if need be. Of course I'm not a doctor, so I would say this depends a lot on your personal factors and what would help you best. My sister had a DS done and she dropped over 200 pounds of fat, she's a different person now. My sister is also very short and I'm 6 feet tall so we carry the weight very differently. Either way, as long as you get it done I think you will be alright. No disrespect to the forums, but I understand the hesitancy from looking around here. However, I would say to look at this as more of a support group and a place for help from others that have gone through it. Everyone is completely different as far as what happens. I have been fortunate to have little to no side effects at all, others are not as lucky. I can say that before and after surgery it's up to you to control how well you achieve your goals. It's hard but absolutely worth it. You got down this far on your own, you should be proud of yourself. I'm proud of you. Don't look at surgery as a miracle cure for weight loss. Look at it as a tool that will aid you to achieve your goals much faster. After all, once you have the surgery it's on you to follow the meal plans, supplements/medication, and exercise in order to truly achieve your goals. And knowing your journey so far, I think that whatever you have done will help you immensely. Thank you again for sharing your story. Feel free to reach out if you ever need to.

Keep in mind that most nutritionists, it's their job to tell you to stay within certain limits that were decided by prior care teams who-knows how many years ago, based on individuals who could be much different than you. Those limits may be absolute BS, but they have to cover their own ass and give you these 'healthy guidelines'. In my care team, I have three different nutritionists I've seen so far. One of them seems very open, very with it, and all her advice so far has been really helpful. The other two have been absolutely useless. (Ironically, one is constantly looking at my food logs and saying things like "and where do you see that you could have added more protein here" even though I'm usually already in the 80-100g range -- and I DO NOT work out) For what it's worth, I think you're doing exceedingly well. Every time I see you post around here, I pay attention because you really seem to be in tune with your own body. If you're not having any protein over-consumption symptoms and your labs are good, I would take what's useful from the NUT and throw the rest away. (Are they sending you for bloodwork routinely, or has that fallen through the cracks too?)

That's wonderful!! You did it!! How is it going? Still keeping up with the vitamins and hydration? How frequently would you say you use the protein shakes as opposed to eating mechanical soft foods, etc? I'm trying to figure out how many I ought to plan on needing for the weeks up to and after my surgery at the beginning of August.

Hello and welcome! Also -- congratulations!! How exciting it must be to be at that stage of seeing the weight peel off, and past the point of initial recovery, and past the point of choosing which surgery to get. I noticed that you chose to go with the sleeve as opposed to the Roux-y surgery. I think that's where I'm likely to begin, myself. I have bounced around, investigating what they call a SADI-s / Loop / SIPS surgery which has an extra component with the intestine beneath the sleeve, often done as a revision of the sleeve for those who regain weight or aren't satisfied with their results. It SEEMS to have fewer side effects than the Roux-y (full gastric) but I just don't know. I've also been given a fair amount of advice suggesting I try to find an expert to do the duodenal switch (DS) due to my BMI being in the high 50s/low 60s. I'm certainly willing to try to go that route but as someone else said -- there is usually a LOT of back and forth before committing to surgery and I'm almost 7 months into the program I'm at with my current surgeon. How long would it take me, realistically, to get this far again? WLS is such a difficult and scary commitment, and then getting on here BEFORE having a surgery has filled my brain with so many more complicated options. Its kind of hard for me to commit to big decisions and sometimes I wonder if learning more and more is making matters harder for me. I love to feel in control of what's happening with my body and try to inspect EVERY detail such as to avoid any regrets -- but sometimes staring at the water for too long makes one less likely to jump in, doesn't it? But you've DONE it! I think the sleeve is a great option and respect your choice, and am so happy that it has gone smoothly thus far. It could just be my perception, but most of the men I've seen post about their surgeries seem to indeed have a bit more gentle recovery, with fewer complications. I've seen a lot of folks caution me (this forum and others) about whether I'd be satisfied with the degree of weight loss if I were to go with a base sleeve, Roux-y, or SADI-s. This makes me really appreciate where you talked about that dark spiral and maxing out at 407. I say this as someone who feels like I understand pretty dang well what you're talking about because my max weight was 435! Being 'down' to 366 feels a heck of a lot better by comparison, and I got this far by myself, so maybe I don't need to be as concerned about satisfaction with the numbers as I do making sure I'm comfortable with the process of surgery to help me continue my weight loss journey. Please keep us in the loop as you continue on to your goal! Also - congratulations to the rest of you posting here who are inches from your goal weight or have already made it there!! No matter what surgery (or surgeries) helped you get there, you DID IT! Definitely an inspirational group of people here!

Well done for getting the surgery you so badly needed. Its amazing isn't it. A little word of caution though, You will be eating tiny amounts and this will not sustain hard core exercise. You might get dizzy and nauseous, always carry a drink or a protein shake and a snack. I still do this and still need them now and again

I have to be honest about my experience so far with dietitians, and with post-bariatric advice and counseling in general. If you ask 100 dietitians what we are supposed to be doing, you will get 101 different responses. And if you ask them a second time, you will probably get even more. Too much protein, not enough protein, carbs are the devil, carbs are fine, low fat, don't worry about fat, count calories, only count macros, work out more, don't exercise too much... You've lost over 100 pounds. You are 12.8 pounds from your goal at only 5 months post-op, work out 6 days a week, and look and feel great. You seem really happy. I fail to see why you should change anything if you are happy with your results, unless you think the advice will benefit you. You know your body and what works for you, and unless your dietitian is a bariatric patient, she's never been through what you are doing first hand. Take what she says with a grain of salt, except salt is bad, unless it isn't because electrolytes are good...who knows?

30 days post op! I still have two incisions that we are fighting to heal. Down 15 lbs from surgery day! Today i had my first experience with dumping syndrome. I was visiting my mom and did not have one of my shakes for lunch, so she gave me an Equate nutritional shake with protein. 60 minutes later I was miserable. I know i don’t wish to repeat that!! It was literally the only outlier. Had my normal shake for breakfast. Now I’m just drinking water because i want to be sure its over.

Had an appt with my Dietician and I am so irritated, like so bothered! I told her that I weight train 6x a week on top of cardio 6x a week. Went over how much I ate and what type of foods and she told me I am eating too much protein, and I need to stop drinking my proffee in the morning only have decaf coffee. She said I need to eat under 100g of protein even though I am weight training. I could not respond, I am not trying to be thin my goal is to get fit and shapely which is why I weight train. My multivitamins I have to adjust which I knew I needed to. I feel so discouraged by what she said, she told me that the 1000 cal is "ok". I asked what that meant, she said I am on the higher scale of what I should eat at 5months post op, I told her but I workout for an hour plus a day? If I ate less I would pass out from exhaustion. My post surgeon team completely left me to figure this all out on my own. I was supposed to have a 6 week and 3 month group appt which she asked why I didn't attend....I told her because your team never called me to set them up and I didn't know that was even a thing. So I have been on my own since week 2. I thought I was kicking ass and taking names, now I am so bummed. Just venting