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NJ, my doctor is conservative too! I have received only 2cc since surgery. they said they will only do .5cc for now on. They also said my "sweet spot" is when you are so restricted in the am it is hard to get more than liquid or thin foods (yogurt) down. I had a fill Monday and there is no real restriction, but I do fill full and get hungry after 2-3 hrs. I called yesterday to tell them I didn't feel any different and they said I could call back in 3 weeks to get my appt. moved up instead of waiting the 5 wks. So you are not alone. I do think it is pretty cool that we are still loosing weight without the full restriction, that means a lot of it we are doing on our own!!

Mags!!! I missed you and Prudence! Glad you're in a sweet spot. Your back will feel better with weight loss, just persevere and it will come. Wow, NJ2NC- that is great! I have yet to hit that- I'm still hungry every couple hours, though I don't eat or snack until it's "time." I can't wait to get where I just don't think about eating. That unwich sounds good! I like Jimmy Johns anyways. I want your opinions- yesterday for lunch I had 2 small soft tacos- one pulled chicken, and 1 crispy shrimp. I was able to eat the whole thing, no issues (no side items like rice or beans, just the tacos). My question is- does this still seem like too much "volume" of food? It was within my calories, and it held me til 8 pm, after zumba, where usually I'd have a greek yogurt in the later afternoon. I just can't wait for another fill!!!! I did eke out a 1/2 lb loss for last week, so 61.5 lbs lost. I miss my elliptical, but our upstairs airconditioner is on the fritz and the elliptical is on the third floor, so it would be waaay to hot anyways. I like the Firm videos I"ve been doing, I just worry that they don't give me as much as a calorie burn. Everyone have a great day!!!!

JDI....yes you can stretch your pouch. I think I have done that, in addition to the band relaxing somewhat. I've gone from being able to eat only a 1/2 c of food to a cup before...within just a few weeks of having a fill. And...on the ice cream note...I tried some Health Choice vanilla bean Greek frozen yogurt over the weekend. Yum! NJ2NC: If I already posted this...I apologize. i did do another 5k just 2 or 3 months after surgery, then did a 2 mile walk the next day for March of Dimes. My next 5k is about four weeks away and I've already walked the route on my lunch hour one day last week. I'm looking forward to it. Keep it up...you'll be calling yourself a "runner" in no time. Nicole 1: My doctor has told me to do the same thing...pretty much since the day of my surgery. Its tough to do sometimes....but I do try to cut my food into very small pieces. Someone gave me a great idea of using a baby spoon and fork to eat with. It might look silly, but it does help to take smaller bites. i found a shrimp fork at a store called Old Time Pottery...and its perfect!

unjury chocolate Splendor Protein, organic skim milk, cracked pepper thin sliced deli turkey, string cheese, Dannon Lite & Fit 2 x protein yogurt, sugar free Popsicles, Tevana Apple Cider tea. Just got some protein hot chocolate from Nashua Nutrition. Will see if it becomes a winter staple. Sent from my iPad using VST

I'm a huge fan of all greek yogurt. I try to watch the sugar and fat content. My fave is plain or vanilla yogurt mixed with fresh or frozen fruits. I have the Chobani Apple and Cinnamon fat free for desert often. I also discovered the Yoplait Greek 100 calorie greek yogurts. They're lower calories and have less sugar than Chobani and taste pretty darn good. Beef jerky is also a snack I enjoy often. My personal fave is Perky Jerky.

Wow. What a journey so far. I moved onto solid foods 3 weeks ago. It's been challenging. My pallet has changed and it's hard to finish much of what I make. However, I'm on the go a lot. I do Protein shakes in the AM. I haven't had breads/starch anything yet. Do I dare fall back on carbs? I wonder if any of those low carb/low cal wraps are safe to eat??? Would love some feedback on this. I just want to be able to throw something in a lunch bag besides fruit and yogurt

You're lucky....i cant have ANY solid food.. ALL LIQUIDS and i can only have two protein shakes a day.. .unlimited jello and popsicles (sugar free of course) and i can have a serving of yogurt, cottage cheese or milk up to three times a day and that's it for ten days. I started my diet today my surgery is on the 15th! Good luck!

You and I are at the same phase. Each dr usually has a totally different program for you to follow. But since yours didn't seem to give you much directions maybe the following will help you so your not so freaked out. My Dr has me on 1 Bariatric multi Vitamin, B-12 tablets under the tongue, and Prilosec every day. More Vitamins will be introduced at 1 month and 3 months. I have to have labwork done at 1 month post op. Then 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months. My Dr all ready gave me all the forms at to what is to be done each time for the labwork. These forums are freaking me out. I feel like nobody has gone through what I'm going through. Not helping my anxiety. I have had no word on any labs or vitamins. He just looked at me and said ok you're clear to start solids. I'm almost a month out and am still eating liquids and mush. The most solid food I can stomach is refried Beans with a little avocado and the occasional ritz cracker that's chewed to death. I get horrible stomach cramps and pain if I eat anything more than that. So I'm freaking out about starting back at work and I don't have any control of my food. I don't sit at all at work and generally log in 10k steps a day. I work retail and I cannot be off the floor to eat every hour.. My boss would flip and send me back out on leave. I have a sheet of paper with some food items on it and a diet plan of what to eat and when. Nothing very detailed. Sent from my iPhone using BariatricPal This week I was told I can begin to eat cottage cheese, string cheese and other shredded like cheeses, sliced deli turkey, tuna and other light white fishes, soups like miso, bean, lentil, yogurt, egg, old fashion not instant oatmeal, Pam spray and light mayo plus at least 1 shake. I am averaging about 1/2 cup of cottage cheese or an egg, or 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal for Breakfast, 2 oz of turkey or fish, and 1/4 cup of refried beans for lunch and maybe an oz or 2 of turkey or fish and a cheese stick or maybe 1/4 cup of soup for dinner. A yogurt or premade shake or Protein powder with milk as a snack. So I am getting in the 60 Protein and calories are around 400 to 600. Tracking what you eat on myfitnesspal or some other website that has food and exercise trackers would be a good idea. I get that same pain you are experiencing and when I do I stop eating as it is the signal that the tummy is full. You may not realize it but the tummy is only able to accept about 1/2 a cup at a meal. At this stage of the recovery protein should be about the only thing going in that tiny tummy. No drinking a half an hour before and after a meal. chicken, Calves Liver and non raw Vegetables and non pulp Fruit are to start at 6 weeks outs. Beef, Pork, Lamb, Ham etc can be tried at about 5 to 6 months out. Crackers, Pasta, potato, breads, rice etc is not to be eaten until 6 months out and then it is the last item on the plate and the smallest amount. I am to drink 64 ounces of Water, crystal light, powerade zero a day. coffee and Tea is not allowed until 2 months post op. As for your not being allowed to eat or drink on the store floor, I find that to be extremely harsh. I don't know if you told your bosses at work about the surgery but it might be a good idea to get some kind of notice from your PCP that states you must stay hydrated and need to have your bottle of water with you on the floor otherwise you will be out of work again and back in the hospital because of dehydration. Dhrguru gave you some good advise. You have to be an advocate for yourself if your surgeon dropped the ball. Get your PCP to order the lab work and provide you with a Bariatric Nutritionist. Order the Big Sleeve Book from this site. It is filled with lots of wonderful info that may reduce your stress and make this time of recovery a bit more pleasant for you. The offer to support and encourage each other through email is still available to you. Hopefully you will start feeling better as you increase your protein and water. Good luck!

Really??? LOL I actually think it's pretty darn different. The standard advice is to eat your protein (and the word "protein" in that context almost always means meat or dairy) first and then if you can fit in other healthy foods, do it. (As you mentioned in your post, fitting in 1-2 oz of broccoli around your protein, maybe, if you have room.) In contrast to this Dr. Weiner strongly emphasizes eating vegetables first and fitting in protein around that. He also recommends plant foods - veggies and legumes and fruit and raw nuts - ahead of meat and dairy and has fairly low protein requirements - about 50g compared to many bariatric plans encouraging 80-100g. (Of course he isn't vegan by any stretch and I've seen him recommend yogurt smoothies and small amounts of animal protein, etc. He even said in one video that he doesn't think that a fully plant-based diet is "necessary for the general population." So yeah, while we're claiming him he's not necessarily "ours," know what I mean? Just a good resource!) While Dr. Weiner's diet is "low carb" compared to our pre-op sugary diets, it's certainly not low carb in the bariatric sense. You can't eat many fruits and certainly not any beans and whole grains and still remain under 30-50g carbs. It's also low-fat. Difficult to be low-fat and low-carb at the same time! He also promotes eating in abundance instead of focusing on calories, a huge difference from most bariatric plans. You just need to eat your abundance from healthy plant foods (Obviously you still end up eating fewer calories because you're eating high-volume, low-calorie foods but it's the mindset that helps make a difference!) So on a spectrum with keto/Atkins on the left and veganism on the right I'd say he's definitely well across the center line to the right, while most bariatric plans are basically keto except with low-fat dairy and some wiggle room for beans. Sorry for the long post, Fluff - I am fully carbed again, having eaten an abundance of fruit, oats, and rice in the last couple of days that I've been free from my liquid diet. So I'm all peppy and ready to argue again!!! Heehee!

I hope I will be able to have yogurt. That is one of my daily foods. I havn't had surgery yet.

I did use yogurt as well. The drinkable ones are less thick , so they are probably easier to go down, which would be a good choice. good luck to you!

Triplets!! My surgery is 9/19 too, and today is day one of the pre-op diet. I can have liquids including yogurt, Jello, cream Soups and pudding. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Sophie don’t worry about the stall. I was told it’s normal. Just keep getting in your protein and water. My nutritionist told me I should be sipping from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed. Except when 30min before and after a meal. So one of the ladies in my post op support group said she sets her alarm for every 8mins and takes a sip. I’ve been doing that since Monday and it is working. I drink my Premier protein drink and then I eat high protein food like Greek yogurt, turkey, etc. I was taking the Celebrate Complete 45mg but it made me nauseous and I would vomit within 5mins of taking it. So I talk to my nutritionist and I order the bariatric advantage multi vitamin chew and the chewy Iron 30mg. I chew two a day. I also do the bariatric advantage chewy 500mg calcium. Works well for me.

It is interesting with the different diet stages with different doctors. I had my surgery in Mexico and the diet I was advised follows the Vanderbilt sleeve diet. I had a week of clears, a week of full liquids and now a week to three weeks of soft foods such as blended meats/moist, soups, oatmeal and grits or cream of wheat, scrambled or soft eggs and yogurt. I tried my first soft food of Greek yogurt and refriwd beans with a little cheese puréed together. Yummmm! My sleeve tolerated it well.

In yogurt, drinks, pudding! Out them in the low carb muffins etc

After surgery, beef returns to the menu six months after surgery. Beef is a good source of protein, iron and zinc. We emphasize the low fat cuts of beef when you get to have them back in your diet to save calories and avoid saturated fat that can contribute to heart disease. After surgery, beef returns to the menu six months after surgery. Beef is a good source of protein, iron and zinc. We emphasize the low fat cuts of beef when you get to have them back in your diet to save calories and avoid saturated fat that can contribute to heart disease. The leanest, or lowest fat, cuts include any cut of beef that has the words “round” or “loin” in the name. These cuts include top sirloin, round steak, eye of round, tenderloin (ex: filet mignon), ground round or ground sirloin. Look for ground beef that is 90 percent lean or higher. Choose “select” cuts of beef over “prime” or “choice.” The select cuts have less fat than prime or choice cuts. Leaner beef can dry out and work best by using moist methods of cooking like stewing, braising, boiling and crockpot. Use a lid on your cooking dish if you microwave, sauté or stir fry to trap moisture. Dry cooking methods include grilling, broiling, roasting and baking which can dry out the beef. You can prevent beef from drying out by covering with a moist sauce or marinade like salsa, low calorie dressing or low fat or fat free yogurt mixed with herbs and spices. Beef, it really can be what’s for dinner!

Hi Erin! Hope you are doing ok. Are you on Clear liquids or full liquids? I could't have anything you can't see through for 12 days. Then I went on full liquids, which is anything you can pour, for another week so the drinkable yogurts were ok at that point. I haven't been on line in a few days how did your surgery go?

I would also add to check with your surgeon regarding quantities and types of soft foods. For example, I was not allowed any mushies till after week 4! and then it was only foods like yogurt, cottage cheese or a srambled egg. In terms of quantities, only about a tablespoon. I eventually worked my way up to 1 oz of food. It took me a few weeks from there to get to 3 oz or so. Now 5 months out I can eat about 4 to 6 oz, 8 max depending on the food I am eating. So be sure you are not overfilling your pouch on this first phase of mushie foods. Hope you feel better soon and you're able to figure this out!

I have used Mirilax for years, it's been an ongoing issue for me for decades. I've recently started to eat chia seeds, 2 treaspoons in a SF pudding for lunch and 2 in a yogurt for supper and I've been mmore regular than EVER.

You may need to eat out after WLS, because Americans eat out a lot. Some estimates put one-quarter of Americans eating fast food on a given day, before counting food from casual and upscale restaurants. A total of about 1 in 3 calories come from foods that are eaten away from home, such as prepared foods and restaurant foods. With restaurants, fast food, and other prepared foods being such a big part of our culture, you may not be able to, or even want to, stop eating out. That is okay, even after WLS. You will just need to be a savvy customer to be sure that wherever you are, you get a meal that fits into your meal plan. Take heart: it is almost always possible. The Trouble with Eating Out Research has been clear on the differences between eating out and preparing food at home. Restaurant meals tend to be bigger and higher in calories. Beyond that, they are higher in sodium and saturated fat, and lower in fiber. That does not bode well for weight loss, but you are not doomed. Most restaurants are willing and able to accommodate you. You may be pleasantly surprised at the choices. Do Your Homework (Or Procrastinate) Most restaurants have their menus posted online. Many have their nutritional facts online. Check before you go to the restaurant, and decide on your meal before you get there. When it comes time to order, you need not browse the menu for temptations. Or Procrastinate It is not always possible to check beforehand, and that is okay. Just keep your goal in mind: Some lean protein, such as eggs, chicken, or fish. A vegetable. A small amount of a healthy starch and/or healthy fat. Build that meal from the items you see on the menu. The Customer Is Always Right If you need another expression to drive home the point, what about, “He who pays the piper calls the tune?” You are perfectly entitled to ask for no sauce, dressing on the side, or no bun. A surprising number of joints allow substitutions or modifications for no extra cost, although some may charge. The cost is usually minimal, and worth it. Examples include getting grilled instead of fried chicken or fish, or swapping a side salad or steamed vegetables for a side of rice, pasta, or potatoes. Best Bets for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner You can go to a restaurant with some ideas of what they might have for each meal, and search for those. Breakfast Eggs: in an omelet or scrambled. Look for egg whites if you can, and choose vegetable toppings. Cheese and turkey can also be good additions. Skip bacon and other fatty meats in your eggs. Oatmeal: plain, regular or steel-cut, without add-ons such as dried fruit or brown sugar. Nuts are okay. Steer clear of granola. Breakfast sandwich: English muffin (you can eat half) with egg and/or cheese and/or ham – no bacon, sausage, croissant, or biscuit. Create a meal from sides or add-ons, such as cottage cheese, an egg, fresh fruit, or turkey sausage. Lunch Green salad with any of grilled chicken, cheese, nuts, vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers, and light dressing. Skip regular dressing (or order it on the side), croutons and chow mein noodles, and dried fruit. Chicken, fish, turkey breast, a veggie burger patty, a hamburger patty, or taco beef. Skip the bread, tortilla, bun, or taco shell, and steer away from breaded and fried. Side salad, carrot sticks, yogurt, or sliced apples. Dinner Shrimp cocktail or broth-based soup for starters. Avoid dips, chips, bread and breadsticks, and fried starters. Grilled, baked, or roasted plain chicken or fish. Avoid fried choices, fatty meats, and creamy or buttery sauces. Steamed vegetables or a side salad. Avoid fries, pasta, rice, and mashed potatoes. The Final Filter: You No matter what lands on your plate or your to-go box, the ultimate decision about what goes into your mouth is made by…you. You can turn a potentially disastrous order into a not-so-bad or even good meal with some smart choices. Decide how much you will eat and pack away the rest before you take your first bite. Scoop out the filling from sandwiches and burritos, while leaving the bread and tortillas. Eat the proteins and vegetables from your plate, while leaving the fries and fatty sauces. Scrape off any breading and eat only the chicken or fish inside. Weight loss surgery is to help you lose weight, but it is also to help you live a better life. If the good life for you includes eating out, you can do it. Just be careful. Keep your weight loss surgery diet plan in mind as you order and eat, and you can lose weight as you live your normal life.

Hi Nooshie, Funny when I was on liquids I was the most excited about eating cottage cheese - so I have eaten it nearly every day. I am getting about 1200 - 1400 calories Protein shake (Genisoy protein, water, Peanut Butter, banana, GNC powder vitamins (this is something I have been eating every breakfast for the last 4 years) lunch is usually cottage cheese, a few tablespoons of hummus and few tablespoons of pate. Dinner - soup, more cottage cheese or greek yogurt, hummus or pate. Oh and I made this amazing applesauce made with apples I cooked in apple cider in place of water and cinnamon. I have 9 days of mushies left so I am going to try some of the recipes I found in the food section. Maybe a bit of a change in diet would be good.

I have to second and third Betsy and vlp. I had my 2nd fill yesterday(No issues this time!) which brings me to 6cc in a 14cc band and have found I eat 1/2 to 3/4 cup(total) of food and I am full for 3 to 4 hours. Not stuffed but like Betsy B said and I'm not hungry. I also eat 5 to 6 times a day but I eat 3 small meals and have 3 to 4 snacks a day. I snack on natural almonds, yogurt, a slice of cheese or Protein bar. I am NEVER starving but I do get hungry. It is so cool to be learning the differance. I have lost 38 pounds since 8-15-10 It has taken over 40 years to put all this weight on and it is gonna take some time to loose it.:eek:

Well it changes a lot, I get real bored if I eat the same food over and over. Yesterday I had; a Greek yogurt with some grape nuts on top for breakfast, one of the small lunchables(turkey, cheddar and crackers) and for dinner I had 4 one once meatballs with sauce and mozzarella cheese on top. I eat a lot of fish in the evenings, like grilled mahi or cod. I buy them from Sams or Costco in the freezer packs. they are usually between 4 and 6 ounces, pop them in the micro wave or in a skillet. Breakfast is usually yogurt or a protein bar, on the weekends when I have time I'll do one egg with some sausage or bacon crumbles and cheese. lunch is different everyday, I am on the go with work and never know where I will be when lunchtime get here. so a lot of the time I just pop in a 7-11 and grab a lunchable, quick and easy. if I am home for lunch I might eat a can of tuna fish or just roll up some lunch meat and cheese. Exercise, well. Most of the exercise I get is just working. I am always moving heavy stuff around outside or just walking around a lot. I have been trying to hit the gym but am only making it once a week or so. The gym I am going to has a lap pool, I really like swimming laps. I am hoping to get there at least three times a week. I am hopping that I can drop my remaining 70+ pounds by the end of the year. I know the weight is going to start coming off slower now, but it will come off. AND STAY OFF!!!!!!!!!!

everyone is different,but you should feel the restriction,I do. if you are 2 weeks out you should be able to start on mushy foods real soon, but thats with your surgeons ok. start with eggs,any way but hard boiled. cottage cheese or yogurt.,if you still have concerns,call your dr,that why he is there, or should be there to help you I've called mine on a saturday and got a return call within an hour do you have a support group to go to,maybe at a local hospital,they are great for info and ideas.the one I go to is primarily full of lap banders,i think im the only sleeve and a few gastric bypassers,but all the info works and is good to hear

I'm doing a trial run of the liquid diet today. I figured if I can try it out and see how I might feel, I'll take some of the anxiety out of it. So far today I've had a coffee and one of the RTD protein shakes from Trader Joe's. I'm going to do another shake for lunch and some veggie broth and Greek yogurt for dinner. I can tell I'm already not drinking enough water so I'll have to step that up.