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Just tried one yesterday (I am 2 and 1/2 weeks out) didn't care for it. Nut. said greek yogurt 0 fat was fine I actually put a tablespoon of honey on it, she said as long as sugars were under 15% would be fine. This helped me get Protein (go for high ones) and feel like your eating something. Pre made Protein drinks make me ill, just can't stomach them. Plus try Soups but make sure you puree them up. Must admit this gets old but thankful to the heavens that I do not have to go weeks and weeks like some brave soles. Have no problem with liquids but thicker foods I really need to train myself to eat slower because it hurts. Muddling my way though this, hope you enjoy something.

I'm 4 weeks out so I'm no expert but I'm also not a big/good cook. I've cooked twice since post-op. I started puree/soft foods 2 weeks ago and this is what I do... For breakfast and/or lunch, I eat yogurt or have a protein shake. My nutritionist said I can have turkey bacon so sometimes I throw some in the microwave and have that. For dinner: I've been eating canned salmon (not big on tuna) and canned chicken. They last a pretty long time and there are some really simple recipes for them. I don't consider that cooking because mostly I saute them with frozen onion and peppers, season it and I'm done in 10 mins. If I want more flair, I'll add a small amount of teriyaki sauce or oriental sauce. As far as fast food, I've also had rotisserie chicken from the Peruvian restaurant by my house. It went down better than the canned meat! Right now for the most part I just eat meat so it's pretty easy to track. I have a digital scale and I just measure out 3-4 oz. The 2 meals I cooked were 2 different types of chili. Both of which only had like 5 ingredients. I had leftovers for a few days. I haven't been to a restaurant yet but I like all the advice that BigSue gave on this. I'll def keep them in mind!

Consider Macros That is, “macronutrients,” or carbohydrates, fat, and protein. The news is bad on the surface since the average fast food meal has more carbs and less protein per calorie than the average home-cooked meal. You can work to turn this around, though. Carbohydrates: Cut back on carbohydrates by skipping the starchy sides: French fries, potato chips, and hash browns, steamed, fried, or Mexican rice, and breadsticks. Try to go “green” (lettuce wrap) or “naked” (no wrap) with your burger, tortilla, or sandwich; if the fast food joint cannot honor your request, just eat the filling with a knife and fork, and throw away the bread, bun, tortilla, or taco shell (if you are feeling guilty because of starving children in third-world countries, make a donation. You’ll do more good than you would by adding starch to your hips). Protein: How can you boost your protein intake at a fast food restaurant to be what you need? Skinless grilled or baked chicken, lean cold cuts, cheese, and beans can all up your totals, and yogurt is an increasingly common side option. Even a small burger patty can give you 10 to 15 grams of protein, although it comes with a few extra grams of fat. A good protein goal for a meal is about 20-30 grams. You can get that for 200-300 calories with any of the following. Burger King Double Cheeseburger, no bun; Grilled Chicken Garden Salad, no croutons; or Veggie Burger with cheese, no bun or mayo. McDonald’s Grilled Southwestern Chicken Salad, no cheese; or Grilled Chicken Sandwich, no bun or spread. Taco Bell 2 grilled or fresco steak soft tacos, no tortillas; chicken or steak Power Menu Bowl, no rice or cheese. KFC Grilled Chicken Drumstick plus green beans or side salad. Panda Express Grilled Teriyaki or Asian Chicken. Fats: Your first order of business is to avoid anything fried. You will be avoiding excess grease while also avoiding sneaky carbs in breading – did you know that the amounts of carbs in onion rings and fried chicken are comparable to the amounts in bread? Also, watch the fatty spreads – think mayonnaise – salad dressings, and dips. Find the Vegetables Protein and vegetables…does this sound familiar? It should, since your goals when eating at a fast food restaurant should be the same as when you eat at home. Vegetables help fill you up without filling you out, and it is best to eat as many of them as you can handle with your pouch or sleeve. It may take a little more digging to find vegetables at fast food restaurants than at home, but you can usually do it. Here are a few leads. Ask for extra lettuce, tomatoes, and any other available vegetables on burgers and sandwiches. Order a side salad or baby carrots with your meal. Check for salads with grilled chicken as an entrée. Pile salsa and diced vegetables onto your naked burrito. When “Value” Isn’t Besides the convenience, the deals are among the most tempting things about fast food. For pennies more, you can often add fries and a drink, or you could get a second burger or taco for half the price. Don’t do it! “Value” depends on what you want and need; why would you pay extra, even if it is “only pennies more,” for extra fat, sugar, starch, and calories? A healthier definition of “value” might be to pay the least you can for a meal that is convenient, delicious, and healthy. Why include “oversized” in your definition? For those times when fast food simply makes sense, go for it – just keep yourself on track by reading the menu carefully and staying focused. You can do it, no matter where you end up. You might as well enjoy it!

My go to list: Greek yogurt Mini babybel Shrimp/fish Edamame Beef/turkey Jerky I only drink premier Protein shakes. (Sams/Costco) everything else makes me gag. My goal is 60g per day. So I guess this would depend on your goal and how far out you are.

Premier Protein 11oz - 30g Dannon light & fit greek - 12g Babybel or string cheese - 6g 1.25 oz beef jerky - 14g That is 62 grams... If I have a piece of fish for dinner I'm well over 60 grams. Maybe cottage cheese instead of yogurt?

18 pounds lost since surgery (I need to get serious about walking). Eating mostly my shakes along with greek yogurt, egg whites, cottage cheese. What about you?

I was in the same boat. I had a 7 Lb window that I HAD to maintain - that was the hardest thing to do. I was lucky that Federal BC/BS only required 3 months of Nutrition and what not opposed to other company's 6 months. But we've made it! Trying to stay in my window, I really tried to watch what I ate, which I always try to do. Since I was approved, I was now told that I can relax - just don't go crazy. I another night of all you can eat crabs, a steak dinner with all the sides, another night at a Fondue restaurant, another visit to a winery, and then to a brewery. That's it - Not that I won't have these again, well not anytime soon , nor in this quantity. Just in case my taste buds change and don't like these things anymore, I want one last taste. Did you have to track what you were eating for a week to see how much protein you were eating? I could not believe how little I consuming! What an eye-opener! Someone had told me to freeze Protein drinks - Like Muscle Milk/ Premier Protein to have high protein popsicle snacks. I guess you could do that with Greek Yogurt too. I think tonight it will really hit me..... What is your Pre-Op Diet? Mine is something called Robard - it's 4 meal replacement "Things" a day. Shakes/drinks/soups/pudding.... and can drink Gatorade, low sodium broth as fillers

Here is what I eat (mostly), I looked into the Lindora but it seemed like a diet, I think I needed a different way to eat so I didn't do it, now if I could just get them to stop emailing me! Breakfast is usually 1 of 3 things. 1) 1 egg and 1 piece of bacon 2) EAS low carb Protein Shake 3) Jachut's Green smoothie (1 cup Water, 1 cup fresh spinach, 1/2 banana, 1/2 apple, 1 scoop unjury unflavored Protein Powder pureed in blender) Snack, If I am hungry I have either 1) 1 cheese stick string cheese 2) Laughing cow light cheese wedge with 6 crackers 3) Greek yogurt 4) EAS shake lunch 1) A piece of fish (4 Oz by weight) 2) Leftover meat from the night before, (2 Oz if beef) 3) If I am busy at work, Starkist Lunch to go or a can of sardines with 6 crackers. I add a veggie to one of the meats above either leftovers from the night before or canned that I can heat up easily at work. Afternoon Snack I choose 1 from the snack list above dinner (usually cooked on the grill) 1) Beef 2 Oz 2) chicken 4 Oz 3) Fish 4 Oz 4) Pork 2 Oz I measure my meat by weight and my veggies by measure cup. We cut up fresh veggies and put them on the grill too. I make sweet potato's in the microwave and eat 1/2 of it with butter. I usually have 1/2 cup veggies and 1/2 cup carb.

im the same person just on another username... My pre op diet is a protien drink for Breakfast, a protien drink for lunch wiht a small piece of fruit, 2 oz cheese or half cup yogurt for a sack, then a small piece of meat and a cup of vegetables and a piece of fat free whole wheat bread. then half an apple or 10 baby carrots for snack later

Had my Surgery May 19 as well. Down 29 pounds at last appointment on 6/2/14. I have a very unreliable scale at home and it seems like I may be in a stall since then. I'm hoping its just the scale. Hahaha. Eating pureed foods. SO SICK of Protein shakes! Sticking to greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and refried Beans. I also found these frozen greek yogurt bars calld "YASSO" bars. There are so great and like 8 or 10g of protein. It was fun going back to work and having people notice the loss. Its mostly in my face, neck, and stomach. Everyone knows I had the surgery because I just figured if they are my friends they won't judge me, and if they judge me, they AREN'T my friends and I don't care what they think! Keep up the good work everyone! Breaking up with food IS hard but so worth it!

Staples: smoked salmon, shrimp, crab, salmon, sashimi, chicken thighs, chili, salad, cheese, eggs, strawberries, grapes, watermelon, zuchini, yellow squash, greek yogurt, kefir yogurt drink, vegie burgers, corn tortillas, tamales, gluten-free crackers, gluten-free Pasta Problem Foods: any type of bread or bun, flour tortillas, wheat pasta (pretty much anything made w/wheat), corn on the cob, chicken breast, red meat, any meat/chicken/fish that is overcooked, dry, or chewy, sausage (the casing sometimes is too chewy and gets stuck)

The only thing I can't eat even to this day (a year later) is brocolli... It gives me severe gastric distress (think contractions,labor pains..ya that's it).. Didnt have the slightest issue before surgery..very odd... basics for me are: Tuna, Cottage Cheese, Pinto beans,Guacamole, Sour Cream (pair the last 3 and yum-o!) yogurt, steak, chicken, hamburger, I shy away from bread and pasta only because it fills me up too soon and cant eat the good stuff, so i basically eat a Atkins type diet...So far so good!!! Good luck Ya'll

I did stick with the plan but I did have a few bites of mac salad and added parmesan cheese to my greek yogurt. Nothing major but now in my 5th week can't even take in more than 1/4 cup of mushies at a time. Guessing from other posts that the more you heal the more you feel the restriction.

thank you so much for the concern and compassion. it means alot. they did do round the clock fluids. they were putting anti-nausea meds, antibiotics, electrolytes, and morphine thru the iv round the clock for 4 days. the thing of it is, i was in the e.r. 12 days earlier for the same thing and they rehydrated me and sent me home. i just ate a very lightly scrambled egg and am having some yogurt and not having any problems at all which is a blessing. i live in arizona, i am sure there are other band docs around but it's not the band that's the issue - at least according to the hospital. somehow...somewhere...i picked up a heinous bacterial infection and it has wreaked havoc on my system. i can't even imagine eating not only what i used to eat before band but eating just a proper meal like a meat, a veg and a fruit like i did after the band. i am just so thrilled a scrambled egg is sitting well, i am beside myself, lol. i am wondering if there is a possibility of some issues w/ my uterus that could have caused this nausea. they did a ct scan 2 weeks ago when i was in the e.r. and found some problems in the ovaries and i went to an ob and they found problems in the uterus and they did a test and found that i had a high cancer cell count. i am scheduled for a biopsy next week but the medication they have to put me on for that causes...you guessed it.....severe nausea so they can't do that until my stomach calms down. you guys are so great and i love this forum just so i have the chance to vent w/ my soul sisters and brothers who truly understand what it's like to have this little alien inside of us :biggrin:

I had a fat free strawberry yogurt yesterday and a raspberry fat free one the day before. I am in a panic cause I just saw someone post you can't have berries. I don't recall my nutritionist or surgeon ever mentioning it to me. Did I screw up royally? I am 11 days post op and was instructed I could have yogurt. Please help!

I have only been on yogurt for 3 days. Still doing the nasty. (Protein shakes)

Joni - I took SF pudding and LF Yogurt, and some Gatorade.

Carol, I'm thinking it must have been Tiny who did the shakes with Peanut butter. I play with extracts and fruit, but stay away from yogurt because it grosses me out. :tt1: Glad you guys are all well. Tova, so relieved you're ok. Tiny, I'm with you....in need of a fill. I have been relying on myself, not my band and it's starting to show. I have my foot surgery on July 22nd, so thinking I'll schedule an appointment for a few weeks after, when I can drive again....but I desperately need a fill, too. Maybe in a month or two. :frown: Happy 4th!

Hey all how is everyone doing? I went to see Dr V yesterday and got a slight fill 0.175ccs. She is so awesome and down to earth. I love that little lady! Right now Im around 8.1cc in a 14cc band.She had to use a smaller needle than the regular one. I know Im close to my upper tolerance limit as Ive been up as high as 8.9 but really struggled with intolerances there Needed this fill BAD as my hunger was out of control and I had gained 8lbs (!) in the last three months. Im only on liquids and soft stuff like yogurt and cheese but my hunger is GONE!!! What a great feeling even if I know it wont last. *sigh* The parking at B +W is still a nightmare, They are doing just valet and handicapped in the underground garage. I parked across the street from the ER but you know what I think it costs more. :thumbup: I'll be tracking down those people who havent posted in a while. You best check in!

Sweethot- My Doc said FOUR (ug!) weeks of the liquid/protein diet and then soft foods on week five. Soft- oatmeal, yogurt, thicker soups, cottage cheese,... I've got a guy who has a really good result rate on all levels so I am heeding his precautions. It's hard enough to go through this once, I can't imagine how aweful it would be to have to get it repeated or to have it removed after all this. After two weeks of soft foods, I can move to more chewable options beginning with fish, then some white meats and red meats are dead last. In addition, he said no milk (has milk-sugar) or sugar- ever. And to stay away from "white" foods: popcorn, pasta, potatoes,... as these are not going to help with wieght loss. Lastly, no carbonation, chewing gum because they expand the stomach and to watch foods like cream of wheat or rice that might not have absorbed all their liquids yet. They can expand the stomach, too. That's about it for my food plan. It's a matter of timing, planning and careful thought. Today I made more jello. (Yippee) I'll have the strongest nails on the block! I'll bring a red and green combo jello over for Christmas dinner so I can have dessert, too. I told my family I was off sugar, but not that I'm being banded in two days. Merry Christmas!

Okay, guess what The Nat had for dinner? EGGS! I friggin HATE eggs. But they were so friggin good. Here's what I did. (In case anyone wants the recipe.) I cooked some turkey sausage on the george foreman grill and then pressed the rest of the grease out of it with paper towels. I crumbled it in the bottom of the muffin tin. Then I added cheese crumbles. And onion/green pepper. And finally I poured some egg beaters in the cups and baked it for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. They are like little tiny quiches. Nummy num! Unfortunately I made 24 of them... and ate 3. They are the mini-muffin size, so I think that in total it's 3/4 of a cup. I'm estimating that 1 egg muffin is 1/4c. I'm pissed that I did it again. I see that i'm eating too fast, and not planning my meals before I start sucking it down. And I need to put it on a plate and sit the hell down instead of standing up eating in the kitchen. My belly is so damn bloated! I also whipped up the salmon tonight. I used about 3oz of plain yogurt, added lemon, dill, onion salt and lemon pepper. It was a little runny so next time I'll use 2oz FF cream cheese 2oz FF plain yogurt. It had a good taste, too. Oh, and I put a lil vinegar in it - I like a little tang to my dishes. BTW, I tried to post earlier but I lost my post. I said some really nice things to y'all... Shame I lost it. It's the thought that counts, right? Hang in there, ladies, and don't forget to FORGIVE yourselves. Do the best you can, and when you fall down, pick yourselves up, forgive yourselves and keep on doing the best that you can. Don't be harder on yourselves than you would be to any friend in your same situation. Just a lil loving advice from your friend Nat. Be good and I'll try to keep up with you tomorrow! We really need a list of all of us, and our surgery dates. I don't know everyone on the board anymore. I wish I did though. Stay Strong! Nathalie

I am 9 months post op also. I don't exactly hate eating but I don't love it or enjoy it anymore either. There are days when I get a sad because someone is eating something that I used to love like cheesecake or a burger from Red Robin but then I remind myself that those foods put my health and life at risk. Lots of the foods I used to eat, I avoid now because I can't tolerate them but most of those foods were unhealthy to begin with. Everytime I get a little depress about not being able to eat, I look at my before and after picture on my iPhone. I now go for foods that I know will be easily tolerated like salads, oatmeal, yogurt, tuna salad, fish, soft cooked veggies. The one thing a really miss is a big glass of ice cold milk. But I am a size 0 now with no high blood pressure, no pre diabetic signs, normal heart function, no back pain, no ankle pain, no knee pain, no snoring, etc... I can live with getting a little sad 3-30 mins meal times a day in exchange for a healthier me.

Quick question about this Marriott in Tijuana: if I can start to eat yogurt while I'm at the hotel, is that included like the broth is? Are you limited to the amount of broth you can have? Does anyone have recommendations for a 12 year old that is traveling with us to Florence and the Marriott? What can she eat there?

One thing I learned early on when I discovered this forum was that the participants could safely hide behind their anonymity, and that opinions and tact will vary. Before I gave up on yo-yo dieting, I would have ice cream every night at bedtime. It is just one of those things that I will probably never approach again because of instant downfall. What I ended up doing was blending ricotta cheese and Greek vanilla yogurt with some artificial sweetener and use that as a base for my Protein shakes. However, there are those among us whose nutritionists advise against use of any artificial sweetener....so what are we to do? I just follow the plan I was given and use others' suggestions here as inspiration for modifying their recipes to fit my plan. Some use almond milk. My NUT wants me to use real dairy milk. She also does not want me to have a shake every day, but I would if I there were no restriction. It's an easy energy source for me. My suggestion is to follow your plan and not get too bent out of shape if someone else's plan is different.

That is what I've heard. My buddy did bypass there in Feb. And he said the same thing about nurses. Yes, I do add frozen pineapple, banana, cooked beet's, yogurt, not for the taste, but to feel full. Honestly I cheated all two weeks, I had some grilled chicken breast, few slices of corn beef. Nothing serious, but men, it is hard. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using the BariatricPal App