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I had my surgery 7/10 and am traveling for work. Thankfully I was able to acquire some protein shakes and triple zero yogurt but man was it a pain to track down. Does anyone have any travel tips and tricks to make sure you’re getting enough protein, hydration, and able to take all the post ops meds and vitamins?

I eat full fat cottage cheese, mayo, ricotta, etc. I stick to greek yogurt. The low fat versions typically have more carbs and don't taste good. Based on the small amount I eat it has never been a concern.

Buttercup, I am at 3 weeks out. this is what I eat. dinner I may change it up a bit but not much. Protein shakes really help! Good luck! BKFST: string cheese: 60 cals, 1 carb, 8 protein Mid AM: GNC Amp protein shake: 2 scoops 140 cals, 4 carbs, 30 protein Mid AM: Soy light vanilla milk: 1/2 cup, 80 cals, 10 carbs, 6 protein Lunch: Tofu (1 slice): 30cals, 0 carbs, 8 protein Lunch: Oikos greek yogurt 1 tbsp. 8cals, 1carb, 1 protein another Protein Drink same as Mid AM w/ soy milk Dinner: 1/2 can canned chicken white meat, 60cals, 1carb, 13protein This will give you 558 cals, 24 carbs, 97 protein (I know it high but you can adjust the shakes if you want.) Now I dont know if this is exactly right for you as I am adjusting as well. Hope it helps tho.

perhaps the potatoes are a slider food for you. My NUT recommended adding unflavored protein powder to the potatoes. That might help you feel some fullness, otherwise, maybe try something else a bit more nutritious, like yogurt, or cottage cheese.

I get that stuck feeling often. This a.m. took an excedrin just one and it feels stuck. I know it's not but the pressure is there a little. Yesterday was my 45th wedding anniversary and we went out to dinner...I couldn't get anything down had to slime what I had already tried. But I had this problem with breakfast too. I can go several days in a row no problems and some days can't keep down the same foods I ate the day before. It happens maybe twice a week or so. But I sent the salmon back yesterday twice then finally order the parmesain crusted tilapia and when I got home was able to eat half of it. Then had a little strawberry frozen yogurt almost got that pressure feeling with that. Don't know what's going on. Need to maybe slow down even more.

Exactly what bodycando said! I was constantly comparing my ability to consume drinks with no problems and then the purées/yogurts at the next phase to others. I was convinced my surgeon left too large of a pouch. He convinced me everyone is different and the food stage would prove different. And it has. (I was sleeved 1/21)

Hi Happy! I have 4.5cc's in my 10cc band now. How about you? how many cc's do you have? I got my 2nd fill just this last Monday and have done OK the last 3 days I have not been feeling hungry till around 2 or 3pm today I had a yogurt for breakfast, a iceopure for a snack, about 4 oz of turkey meatloaf for lunch a stick of 60cal cheese for a snack and then for dinner I had chicken & cottage cheese. How are your food days? What are you eating? My problem is STILL night...candy still just slides on down!

To Kimberly1184: A NUT that strict may be trying to keep you from indulging in mashed potatoes or oatmeal or other starchy stuff. Hang in there. You will be on regular foods in no time. To Jlnrgn: Shame on folks who can't have you over just to enjoy your company. They are small-minded to not accomodate you. While everone else is eating roast beef, you could be sipping on broth. They haven't heard of steamed veggies? When they are eating strawberry shortcake, you could nibble a couple of berries in Greek yogurt. Well, instead of waiting for an invitation, throw a festive soire yourself where you can control what you eat. Oh, by the way, don't invite them. After all, if they can't eat steamed veggies, softly roasted meat (or its broth) or fresh berries, they shouldn't come anyway.

I'm 5 dayz out from my bypass. I have been drinking veggie broth, chicken broth, but yet to try beef broth. I have been reading about gaining ur sense of smell. And dam I guess it's true. Cuz the smell of my fridge makes me gag. After over a week of drinking the same thing, I find myself not eating. I have tried the Greek yogurts and we'll I got sick of it fast. I do have the privilege of having someone to talk to that's close to me about wat to expect. My cuz had it done 3yrs ago and lost over 100 pounds. And looks good. But i wanna try new things but is it to soon. Like beans. Eggs. Etc. I read bake beans are bad but black beans are ok. Then read sugar free ketchup is still ok. Please help I'm way new to this and never expected it to be so hard. But i know wen u talk about it to people who have success it will boost my morale.. so any suggestions.

yeah--you won't start feeling restriction until you are on solids. Pudding is sort of a slider, like yogurt. Don't worry....

If you're on liquids, stick to liquids. It's not a fun stage of the diet but it'll pass. Get creative and switch it up. Milk, Soup, Jello, pudding, smoothies, etc. I wouldn't try Cheerios, honestly. I think it will really upset your stomach. I'm about 7 weeks out and tried to eat some cereal the other day and had a few spoons and chucked it. It just wasn't sitting well. And I can eat pretty much anything at this point so that's saying something. You need to stay pretty strict this first week at least. I started trying more "substantial" liquids/purées in my second week... Like greek yogurt and refried Beans.

I don't know if any of this will be helpful, but during this stage, I stuck with 2 Premier Protein shakes per day (to get higher protein numbers and it counts as liquids), plus I ate refried Beans (mushed up and chewed to liquid) and Laughing Cow cheese wedges. On rough days, I had 3 Premier shakes to get my 90 grams the easy way. When I wanted flavor, I had my Better Than Bouillon cup of broth, or I'd go to Panera for chicken noodle Soup and eat only the broth. From time to time, I would have instant mashed potatoes with a little bit of chicken gravy. It tasted so good and went down easily. I am an uber-picky eater as well, so this is what got me through. I would not eat pureed meat or baby food. I don't like yogurt and can barely stand pudding. Also, I hate the taste of whey, and only the Premier Protein Shakes taste good to me. So, I was very limited too, and sort of mixed the full liquids and pureed stage into something I could handle for that 2 week period. I absolutely do not think he should move to the next stage early - follow the doctor's plan to a "T." His huge staple line is healing and you don't want him to do anything that could cause a problem during these early weeks. As my surgeon explained to me, these are the crucial healing weeks - it is not about weight loss right now, it's about healing properly - since the "harm" could be damaging the staple line. But, as always, check with the doctor before deviating even a bit from the program that is outlined. Hang in there! ETA: Also, during these early weeks it's rare to feel hunger - I was super bored which made me want to eat, but I didn't actually feel like I needed to eat. And of course, this is how we get dehydrated and end up back in the hospital. It's such a balancing act - for 2 months I couldn't seem to get in my daily Water requirement and even now I sometimes miss it and feel so dry. Hunger does return but those first weeks are just regulating oneself to the new circumstances and the new stomach!

I also could have yogurt and cottage cheese the first week. Could barely get down more than a tablespoon, but I can imagine how you must feel!

Best of luck to you too!! Fat free Greek plain yogurt makes an awesome dip for veggies and it's good on a baked potato too!!' Hi, yes I'm five days away from my surgery date and I am very excited. I went today for my pre-admission testing and I learned that I'm the first surgery that day so I have to be there at 5:30 in the morning. My hubby is so excited he went out and brought slippers, a new bath robe, toiletries, comb, brush, etc. lol. I told him to calm down I am not taking all of those things with me. I'll probably not take anything but a comb and brush, my Dove soap, some lotion for my very dry skin because I won't be able to wear any to the hospital, my deordorant, toothbrush and toothpaste, a washcloth and towel. From my personal experience with hospitals and major surgery I will not need a bath robe or night gown because I will be wearing the gorgeous hospital gowns which are much easier to get around in with all of the iv's and catheter. I told the nurse to make a special notation on my chart that I want to be up out of the bed at least three hours after surgery. I know that the sooner I begin to move around the easier it will be for me in the long run. You have to move around as much as you can after surgery in an effort to lessen or completely remove an incidence of gas. I'm prepared mentally, physically, an demotionally for this change because I have so many plans for the rest of my life that being obeses will not allow me to see into fruition. Now that I've said a mouth full how are you doing? Our countdown begins!!!! :D :D

I like GNC Pro Performace whey protein natural flavour. It has no flavour and 40 grams of protein in just 2 scoops!! I add pb2 powder for extra protein and to give it a nice taste. Sometimes I add Greek yogurt and fruit for a smoothie but only occasionally because of the carbs.

My nutritionist had told me it counts as both. Same with soup, yogurt, etc.

When I flew to London, I stopped over in Paris, and in the airport, they had these little lunch places. The French people were sitting in there eating these tiny slices of pizza, like the size if you cut one of our regular slices of pizza into three, and that was their one piece. The yogurt containers were about three ounces, and the sodas were about 6 ounces. I never saw anything like it. I also read an article once that said the average caloric intake for a French person is 1,200 per day! When they're not on a diet! In the same article, it said these French people went into a Mcdonald's and ordered a happy meal and they were "stuffed". In another article I read, a British woman and her mother came here to the states and went out to dinner, and when the plates came out, they burst out laughing because they thought it was a joke because the portions were so enormous. They were horrified to find out that it was a "normal" restaurant portion. When a friend of mine (who is very slender and eats very sparingly as it is) went to Paris, he stayed with a friend, and the friend would give him a tiny slice of quiche for breakfast, and my friend was ready to pass out! His friend was disgusted with him for being hungry all the time. The French also do not snack in between meals, ever. In my old job a few years ago, there was an intern from France, and one day we ordered Chinese food. It came in one of those round metal containers (about 10 inches in diameter). She said to me "no offense, but I have to say, you Americans wonder why you're all so fat, and the reason is this" (she pointed to the container) "Back home", she said "this would be lunch for me and four other people. Here, it's lunch for one person." Also, I met a girl from Germany who had moved here to the states, and she said that since coming here, she had gained 18 pounds without changing her portion sizes or the type of foods she normally ate back home. She attributed this weight gain to the fact that all of our food is so heavily processed. She said in the UK, all foods are fresh and often organic, and that they purchase foods fresh every day instead of relying on canned, frozen, and boxed foods like we do here. So, my two cents is that yes, we eat waaaaay more than the rest of the world and our food is crap. My best friend is Indian, and she said their plates are much, much smaller, and their large pizza is the size of an individual pizza here. Also, she says all their food is fresh and unprocessed. I believe that if Americans ate like the rest of the world, a large percentage of obesity would go away.

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 don't think I could eat 2 cups of cottage cheese. I used to hate it too, but I learned to eat it mixed with yogurt. It's pretty good that way. I am sure I would be full on less than a cup. I really don't understand this whole pouch thing. Why does food get stuck if it's staying in the pouch? It has to be going through the band right off the bat or it wouldn't get stuck if you don't chew well enough. I was told that the thing that makes you feel full is that the band presses on the nerve that tells your brain it's full.

Tammy: You are experiencing what I think we all do. Once the novelty of the band wears off, we start to revert back to making poor choices. You don't have to be hungry. Just don't choose peanuts a good protein but high in calories. You should be eating protein every 4 hours. So pick a protein drink or have a cracker with some low fat cheese, yogurt with frozen berries. You know the choices you should be making and the nurse was correct to remind you. We all need checking up once in awhile. Also, measure for awhile. your total meal should never be more than 6 -8 ounces. 3 oz of protein and veggies the rest. Not soft foods but foods you have to chew, chew, chew so the thought of eating more turns you off. Good luck Doddie

I can absolutely relate! I had my first ricotta bake last night just because I had to have something with substance, not just liquid or slimy yogurt. It still amazes me that it can take me 45 minutes to an hour to finish something the size of a half baked muffin. Just the act of chewing something was great. I’m not advocating not following your Doc’s plan, but I do agree that 24 hours may not make a huge difference as long as it is something from the next phase.

Well the first question we always ask is are you on a PPI? The biggest culprit for causing that "I'm hungry" feeling is acid and for many of us, once we're on a PPI we're fine. If you're on one, talk to your doc and adjust your dose. You might need more or it might not be an acid problem at all. If you Water is cold, try drinking it at room temp. I had trouble with water for a long while. I had to add something to get it down or it made me feel nauseous. Try Real Lemon or Real Lime packets, room temp water and even a packet or two a day of Crystal Light. If you can get those down, you're fine. Are your meals made of dense Protein? Eat things that make you feel full - protein and Fiber together pack a wallop and should leave you feeling satisfied for a few hours. Evaluate what you're eating - if you're eating yogurt and feeling hungry later, well, that's probably because yogurt slides right through. Try eating dense protein first, then moving onto fibrous veggies and finally onto a few bites of your soft carbohydrate like mashed potatoes. Try to set an eating schedule and limit yourself to set snack times. If you must graze, try to track your calories and log all of your food so that this doesn't become an ongoing issue. I tend to "forget" to log food I graze on, and then I fall off track and stop losing. This is a bad habit and will impede your success. And, I suppose it could possibly be bad news. If you try everything here and still feel hungry after two weeks you might be one of the very few who never lose the actual, physical hunger. This is bad because the lack of hunger makes the surgery easier. However, it doesn't mean you can't succeed. You still had 85% of your stomach removed and will still have a great deal of restriction. If you force yourself to follow good eating habits you can still lose your weight. My opinion is that the hunger feelings will fade. They are almost always tied to acid or diet. Good luck! ~Cheri

I'm home now and the abdominal pain is pretty extreme.....I have a hard time standing up straight. I also have a lot of gas pain in my chest.....I'm having an awful time getting in my water and protein.....We got home yesterday about 3:00 and while I was home I was only able to drink about 10 oz of water and only 4 oz of a protein drink.....the heartburn is what kept be from being able to drink more. I hope today will be better.......they gave me Omeprazole to take but the instructions say to open the capsule and sprinkle it over pudding or yogurt........I'm on clear liquids until tomorrow! But I did take a small spoon ful of yogurt and sprinkled the pill over it and took it like that......also having a hard time sleeping, hense me posting on here before 3 am EST/

I have tried a Chobani and Fage (both baby/kid and adult) several times, several different flavors and they are all nasty. I can't stand the sour after taste. However, yesterday I tried Yopait and it was by far the best. It was very mild. Tasted closer to the regular Yopait yogurt that a Greek style yogurt, but with all the benifits of the protein. I tried the blueberry one. It's is very thick so I think I might add a little milk to thin it out. They make them is two different sizes. I got the smaller one (4 oz cup), which was the perfect size for early sleevers. Contains 8g of protein. The 6 oz container has 12 grams of protein.

I'm a year out next Tuesdy. My day is typically: Meal 1 - egg, cheese,canadian bacon with 1/2 english muffin - 13.5g protein Meal 2 - 1/2 cup shrimp salad, fruit or multigrain serving - 21g protein Meal 3 - yogurt - 12 g protein Meal 4 - 3-4 oz protein (chicken, steak, pork), veggie, fruit 21 - 28g protein Meal 5 - Sargento Balanced Break or a couple of cheese sticks 8-10g protein total protein - 74 - 85g daily On workout days I try to drink a Premier Protein Clear to up the total to 95 - 105.