Search the Community

I had surgery Monday and did Clear liquids until Wednesday night.Today (Thursday) I start full liquids and Protein is included in this phase along with yogurt and strained Soups. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Thank you for the recommendation. I'll definitely give it a try. So far I haven't had any problems with cheese or yogurt, but I just can't do milk! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I have alarms set on my phone to eat. For example my alarms are set for 9,12, 3, 6 & 8:30 I eat Breakfast at 9 then at 12 I eat a snack (usually a cheese stick) then at 3 I eat lunch. then at 6 I eat dinner and at 8:30 I eat a snack. Maybe I need to pick different foods. I am so use to trying to watch what I eat maybe I need to eat different foods to get in the needed calories. My usual breakfast is a half a serving of oatmeal with 1 scoop of unflavored unjury Protein powder added. Then snack is usually a 100 calorie greek yogurt or RF cheese stick. Lunch I usually eat cottage cheese about 1/2 cup (either low-fat or fat-free) then dinner is usually 1-2 oz of protein and 1/4 cup of vegetable and 1/4 cup of brown rice or protein plus Pasta. (Sometimes I can't eat all of my dinner but make sure to eat all the protein) Then my snack before bed is usually a cheese stick or 100 calorie greek yogurt. So maybe I need to change my lunch meal to contain more food? Thanks for responding Mary

@@smg - great list, do you have a problem with Stevia? That is my favorite sweetener by far. Rice => Quinoa Totally with you. If you have not looked into this complete protein grain, you really should (and while you are at it, look up Chia seeds). I'd add plain greek yogurt as a sub for sour cream. Also look at playing with spices. You can often get rid of the "I feel deprived" head hunger with the right spice (at least I can). Ginger is mandatory with every fish dish. Be very careful with all nuts. Very easy to go over calorie count. And Beans (the musical fruit) - I make my own refried beans (using black beans) using coconut oil and salsa. Lots of Protein, and flavor.

Hi, everyone! My sleeve surgery is scheduled for Tuesday bright and early and I'm currently on a pre-surgical diet for the remainder of the week (unsweetened applesauce, sugar free pudding/jello, Protein shakes, vegetables, fat free yogurt - no fats and barely any "real" chewing... I can replace 2 shakes a day with 4 egg whites or 3 oz chicken/fish). I feel guilty for not following more of the outlined suggestions prior to this week but I've been trying my hardest to stick to this week's at least. This entire thing has been a super quick process (like 2 months) for me so I haven't had as much time as others to begin a strict eating/exercise plan and stick to it for long. I've done it in the past but obviously haven't gotten the results or maintenance I want. I'm still more or less at my heaviest weight. Just curious, what are your favorite Proteins for pre/post WLS? I have been drinking Protein Shakes for years and I've tried the fusion Meal Replacements and Syntrax nectars specifically on this journey. Anything else you like? I want to order more prior to my surgery date. Also, what do you recommend bringing to the hospital with you? I'll be there for two nights. ANNNDDDD what's important to already have at home for when you get back from surgery? Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal Appn

How exciting! Looks like you've been reading up. :-) I would also suggest a Protein drink that you know you like, some sort of stool softener (like Miralax or Colace ... and start taking it a few days before the procedure), and a wedge pillow (or just plan to prop yourself up). Are you getting an anti-nausea patch? If not, ask for one. Are you getting painkillers? If not, Tylenol seems to be the painkiller of choice (you can even take the children's liquid version if you are struggling with pills). Other than that, all you need is patience to get through the first few days. Speaking of, I even purchased barf bags from Amazon, and I was glad to have them - even when I didn't need them (just knowing they were in my purse was a comfort). Once you're ready for food, applesauce, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and eggs are all helpful. I hope that helps. Wishing you well on the 28th and throughout your journey. Cheers!

Hi, I've been feeling like I'm eating too much, and think I'm already going back to my old bad habits, my NUT program says Protein shake for Breakfast and dinner, a 1cup size of a kinda regular meal at noon (very little carbs and fat) and 2 Snacks in between (fruit). The problem is, I can't stand the flavor of the Protein Shake, I made my own recipe of a high protein dessert which is made of 1 scoop of Protein powder (24 grams) + Greek yogurt (12.9) + milk powder (7.8) + cocoa powder or frozen strawberries and I have it once a day, besides that I try to eat as much protein as I can even in snacks. I know some of you will call me crazy but I feel hunger since 2-3 weeks ago, and I eat mostly out of hunger, let's say, lentils Soup for breakfast 1 cup, fruit with yogurt for snack, my regular lunch (1 cup), protein dessert and another soup or meat for dinner, some times I have a double snack. I don't really have so much trouble with my liquids, 84 Oz, most of the time half Water half 2% milk because I don't like the taste of water. My waiting time between eat - drink - eat is about 10 minutes, some times less without consequences. I stalled at week 3, had dumping syndrome once because I forgot I'm not allowed to have sugary drinks and once out of refried Beans ( and I mean real Mexican REFRIED beans), learned the lesson and never suffered again. I've been losing very slowly for the last 2 week's and I want to know if any of you heard about a stretched pouch this early. I had a gastric bypass last April 29th, initial weight 308, current weight 266. It sounds a lot for 6 weeks, am I living this too fast? Sent from my Sony Xperia

@@kelwilliams You sound a lot like how I was at that point. My Protein goal was 80 gms per day, took me 18 months of eating ONLY lean/low fat/fat free protein sources to hit that goal. My NUT told me to eat NOTHING that wasn't a high source of protein, get as much calorie free liquid in as possible and take my Vitamins daily. I was allowed NO veggies or fruits and, of course, no flour, sugar, rice, Pasta, potatoes, bread, etc... Maybe soft things will be easier; protein puddings, fat free Greek yogurt, egg beaters or whites, etc... Here are some recipes: https://ormcbariatric.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/thank-you-to-de/ and here: https://ormcbariatric.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/high-protein-yummy-great-recipes/ It takes time to heal, just follow your NUT's instructions. Remember, you have a large incision up the side of your stomach that is healing, you may have a lot of swelling, too. It gets better.

I started my 2 week pre opp yesterday. Full liquid diet. not happy. 1200 Calories 3-4 Protein shakes a day 2 Yogurts a day 2 cups pureed Soup 1 cup broth 1 cup sugar free Jello..... I have read several topics, and others can eat more normally, chicken , veggies, etc.

@@Bufflehead The way you feel about grains is how I feel about yogurt

@@Bufflehead I don't think tortillas are crap food, especially when they are important parts of meals culturally for some people. Tortillas aren't really the problem it is what people put on them. @@cseidman There are lots of low carb tortilla options out there, some are better than others. I wouldn't suggest adding any until past 6 months when you have more capacity. While it is best to get your Fiber from things like green veggies, a low carb tortilla isn't going to hurt you as long as you don't make it a daily thing. La Tortilla Factory has the best macros I have seen, better than a lot of stuff that WLS patients eat like yogurt. http://www.latortillafactory.com/view/products/low-carb-high-fiber-tortillas/ The low carb and high Protein options from Flatout aren't bad either but you will probably have to split them up. I'm have never been a Pasta person so I can't help you there.

Your portion sizes will change a lot over time. That's because your stomach's capacity will change. And when you are through losing weight you'll have to (and want to and be able to) eat more to maintain. For instance, the first 4 months post-op I averaged about 800 calories/day. That translates to about 1/2 a cup of Protein / veggies at a meal. Then I raised my cals to 1,000/day for Months 5 and 6, then up to 1,200 cals/day for Months 7-8. It's been nearly 2 years post-op and in maintenance for the last year for me. I now eat 1700 - 1800 cals/day. That's anywhere from 0.75 cup to 1.25 cup of food at meals. I eat 3 meals a day and have 2-3 Snacks. One of those snacks is "treat food," and the other two snacks are nutritious food, e.g., yogurt + fruit, high-protein, high-Fiber cracker + cheese, etc. Re pizza -- the first time I had pizza (maybe 3 months post-op) I ate part of the toppings from one slice. Today, I can eat two (not huge) slices of thin-crust pizza. Sometimes I eat only 1.5 slices. A typical serving of protein at a meal for me is 3 ounces. A typical serving of green veggies is a quarter to a half a cup; same with servings of whole grains.

I am a month post op. I am a revision from sleeve to RNY. The first week I lost 18 pounds. Absolutely nothing since. I have actually gained 2 pounds of that back with no reason to. I am now on regular foods and do everything I can to get Protein in with foods. I cannot drink the shakes because they make me sick. I have given up everything as I needed to. I eat chicken, fish, Beans, Greek yogurt, turkey, vegetables and little fruits. I drink Water only. I feel like this has failed me. I feel like I am doing everything I am supposed to. This is a true 3 week stall after only being a month out. I have measured and my measurements haven't changed during this time either. With a 2 pound gain. Help!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I ate (and still eat) a lot of cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, tuna, turkey, etc.

The Last Fall My story started with jumping off of a platform less than 3 feet high to the ground when gardening. Wearing new long distance glasses I misjudged the distance and due to my weight broke my knee, compressed the head of my tibia, and tore my full ACL. This led to knee surgery 6 weeks on my back, and another 6 weeks with no weight on my knee. Inside my mind I'm the same fit guy I was at 20 but in reality I'm just turning 50 and my starting weight was 300 lbs (136 Kg). My body isn't what it used to be (I was a champion black belt at 20). So I took a good hard look at myself. 115 lbs (50 Kg) overweight. The ACL tear will make my knee weak and my body is reaching critical mass. My mind and body was getting slower and my life span was being challenged. My kids may end up without a father. Time to make some serious changes. Life as a Foodie A little history. I"m a foodie. I'm a gourmet cook most of the time and people line up to come over for dinner. It's not in my personality to eat a lot of fast food, I don't eat 2 pizzas at a time, and I don't like sweets. My thin wife eats about the same amount of food I do and doesn't gain any weight. My metabolism seems to be pretty damn efficient. Of course I occasionally over-eat. I'm not perfect. So I looked at my medical options. Lap bands are temporary and more or less eliminate the possibility of having a sleeve gastrectomy in the future (by-pass is recommended). After looking at a lot of research (I have a medical background) I chose to take the plunge and do the sleeve. HOWEVER: I was also told that after a few weeks I could basically eat the same food I was used to but it would just be in much smaller amounts. I'm a foodie so this is very important to me but less is fine. So far two months later this isn't really the case. Hardcore Operation Don't delude yourself. This is a VERY SERIOUS OPERATION. It has great benefits but your life will change significantly. You need to go in with both eyes open. Don't expect you will be the one that doesn't have problems. My recommendation is to take at least two weeks off before going back to work. My knee recovery helped me drop the first 20 lbs *8 Kg) before the surgery. I had the sleeve gastrectomy surgery Day 1: The first day I hurt but it was managed pain. My wound from the laparoscopy had a bleed (twice) that needed to be re-stitched - with that and the operation I lost a couple liters of blood. I also started hiccuping wildly. The resulting medication that stopped them basically put me into a 6 hour stupor. Then in the middle of the night my previous blood loss made my labs look pretty bad. It seemed like surgery may be needed to repair a bleed. Luckily the labs got better and I was able to skip that. Day 2: More hiccups. One bout hit me with 36 hiccups in the course of about 5 minutes. Not a good thing with stitches etc. They resolved themselves with apple juice. I couldn't eat any of the hospital liquid foods. I could have apple juice. Day 3: I was released. I was off the IV and walking around, but I still felt pretty crappy, but they want you to go home and I wanted to go home too. Day 4: I can't get more than about 4 cups of Water down all day. It takes me forever to drink anything. Drinking water really hurts. Maybe a cup per hour and then I felt really full. I struggle through the day and go to sleep. Day 5: I feel like crap. Urine is ORANGE not yellow anymore. I'm dehydrated. Very dehydrated. The surgeons nurse called me to see how I was doing. I put on a brave face. Somehow she didn't like what I said. She sent me back to hospital. They hung 6 liters of Fluid, and I drank another 2 liters over night. I was still peeing bright orange urine. Day 6: I get up feeling much better. After the IV gets pulled I finally see some change in my urine to a lighter shade of orange almost yellow. They check me out of hospital and I go home. I actually do some work in my home office. Day 7: I get on the scales and I've actually gained 2 lbs (1 Kg) from my surgery weight! Drinking anything is an exercise in patience. Apple juice is ok, orange juice isn't, drinking water hurts and I can feel every gulp as it hits my stomach. Protein drinks are ok in small amounts. Day 8 - 14: Wounds are healing. I'm not hungry at all. I still struggle to get a litre a day of water and Protein Drinks down (about a third of the recommended amount). Pain is going away but drinking isn't good. I go see the surgeon for my checkup. I've lost 18 lbs (8 Kg) by 14 days after surgery. The nurse tells me that usually a patients weight loss is about half the rate as the first two weeks. In my case that was 9 lbs a week. So a predicted 4.5 lbs a week going forward for the next 6 months (108 lbs). The nurse said my rapid weight loss was unlikely to continue at the same rate (my early issues may have caused the extra weight loss). Week 3 and 4: More of the same. Difficult to drink anything but Protein shakes and water. Weight loss continues at a high rate. Regardless of the what the nurse said I'm losing weight at 4.5 lbs per week. At the end of the first month I weight 26 lbs (12 Kg) less than pre-surgery. The weight is dropping off my face, arms, legs, but less in the middle. Its like the layer of fat under my skin is dissolving. I've started to eat solids but they constantly make me vomit even when only 50 mls at a time. Month 2: I'm eating solids but sometimes I have a couple bites and minutes later massive slimy mucus is produced until I vomit. Even though I macerated (chew) food into a fine mush. Protein seems to be the worst. Yogurt, mashed potatoes, and some other things are ok. When I vomit it isn't the food in my stomach. I first vomit two or three times of pure frothy clear mucus. Then if I continue to vomit I finally start to vomit the food. Sometimes however - I can eat quite a large full meal and no issue at all? Other meals and 2 bites later I'm up and frothing at the mouth. I can easily drink wine - even some beer. Wine is much easier than food. I've lost a total of 40 lbs (18 Kg) I had to go have all my belts have new holes put in them. A lot of new holes. After two months I CAN'T eat whatever I want or just smaller amounts as I was told. Eating is now a chore not a pleasure as it was previously. I have had some luck eating very small tastes over a long period of time. Wine is easy - sometimes I feel just drinking would be easier. I eat only a very small amount of food every day. Soups without chunks or high protein in them work well. cheese is good. Still I probably eat less than 200 ml of solid food in a whole day. I don't have headaches, I don't feel faint, and I survive very well with only a fraction of what even the doctors say I need. Even eating so little I'm only losing about the minimum I want to lose to be on target. By the six month mark I expect to lose 88 lbs (40 Kg). I'm trying not to vomit and I do so by eating very very little. Apparently that's what my body needs and all that it needs. Clothes Shopping I had to go buy new jeans today. I went from a 42 to 38 in size. 36 in some brands. When I was 25 and probably about 15 lbs (6 Kg) off my ideal medical weight I had a 34 waist. If all goes as planned I will be a 32 waist when I'm done. I will be happy with 34. As I said earlier in the post the weight comes off everywhere starting with arms, legs, face and the gut is lagging behind. It looks a bit odd. From my belt down I'm close to perfect fitness and size, arms are thin as rakes, but the gut remains (slowly reducing). It makes me look a little like a mushroom but MUCH MUCH better. Courage I feel healthier, no headaches, no faint feeling from lack of food, and my brain is working faster. My kids are happy and I'm going to be around. They loved me regardless of what I looked like, but inside I was still the black belt champion at heart. I needed to get out and take control of my life. It takes real COURAGE to undergo sleeve surgery. It isn't EASY. Your life will change dramatically. Some will be for the worse. The process is very hard and long. The end result is worth every bit of it. You just have to want it badly enough to let the person inside you, the one that you were when you were younger, come out and play! I will try to keep you up to date.

Wow! You're off to a great start! I'm 5 weeks post op and I agree - this is the best thing I've ever done for my health, and I'm so excited about what the future holds. I see my doc on Thursday and am hoping to get the okay to start eating normal. A new normal, anyway. I want ground beef and chicken and veggies! I'm so ready to move off the soft food stage. I really like eggs and cheese and yogurt and Beans, but it's getting a bit boring now. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm almost 11 months form surgery and have found that my stalls break when I increase my carbohydrate intake. My weight fluctuates like crazy but the trend remains (so far, thankfully) downward. I am lucky in that my stalls have only lasted a week or so up to now. I have a hard time with the concept to have to eat more to lose more, but it really works. As it stands now, daily I eat a minimum of 120 gms of Protein, 40-45 gms of fat and 100-110 gms of carbs. In calories that adds up to about 1300 a day. I eat three meals a day and then have a mid morning, mid afternoon and post dinner snack (usually fruit, Greek yogurt or a protein bar/protein chips). After quite a few variations I discovered that this eating pace keeps my head (and real) hunger at bay. I also track on myfitnesspal faithfully. I have also been really bad about exercising, although I recently started to reverse that. Good luck and I hope this helps!

@gary. Thank you. I was thinking abt 60 but was not sure. All these isdues come up as u go along. I was not exercising much, i was too weak. I was only eating abt 500 cals. This week im a bit stronger n will hit the gym w a friend. Today i did Zumba. Im drinking the liquid yogurts, 5 gr Protein, premier shake 30 grs n w some real good i shd b fine. Stomach is doing a lot better. I miss bread and carbs in general. Thanks a lot for u responses. Everyday i learn new things. Sent from my SM-N900T using the BariatricPal App

Right, wrong or indifferent, all surgeons have their own idea of what's best. Yours does go against the norm and excellence or not, I think you are right to question her plan. Having been through a Protein rich recovery and doing really well, I know I would. Unless you are planning to travel back and forth to Mexico, you need a surgeon closer to home to work with you post-op anyway. Personally I would consult with that one. My surgery was done at a Center of Excellence. I was drinking Protein shakes the day after surgery (they wouldnt let me leave the hospital otherwise) and sent home on a full liquid diet which included 3 protein shakes a day, along with yogurt, pudding, Jello, cream Soups, Water, crystal light, sf popsicles. That was the first 2 weeks post op, then on to puree for weeks 3 & 4, then ground meats for weeks 4 through 7, then cleared for all foods. It has all been pretty easy overall and has worked a charm for me. Just bought a pair of size 6 denim shorts today. And they fit Good luck!! Edit: I want to add that how you feel is really the most telling thing. If protein shakes make you feel better, then you should have protein shakes. My .02 but I think it's as important as like.. .05 You don't want to feel weak when your body needs strength to repair itself.

@@mlgok - I used to use genpro, but they changed the formulation, and it doesn't blend as well as it used to. I now use PipingRock.com's version. Dissolves well in everything and is tasteless except in plain Water, does well in coffee. But in your case, think about adding it in yogurt. I just looked back at my food diary and week 3 I was at 50-60g per day. I didn't really push up to 100+ per day until 2 months later. That is when I was increasing exercise and with new muscle, I noticed hair loss which increased my interest in increasing Protein.

HI Surgery is June 28th. I start my 2 week liquid tomorrow. Trying to get mentally ready. My full liquid is made up of primarily yogurt, shakes and pureed Soups. Any suggestions? I'm alittle nervous.

I do tuna and boiled egg mushed together. A tad but if dill relish. And then enough plain Greek yogurt to make it moist. Sent from my XT1254 using the BariatricPal App

I tend to buy the Fage 0% Greek yogurt there because it's cheaper there than the other grocery chains. Also the Quest bars are about fifty cents cheaper there than any other brick and mortar store, though I tend to order them in bulk from Amazon.

My pre op papers have me eating yogurt, cottage cheese and diet pudding, fruit and cheeses, is this normal for pre op, btw I'm having the sleeve done Monday 20th. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I didn't do day one because that's when I got my approval so I ate like a pig that day lmao. And I could only drink water , crystal light , diet Snapple ( which I love ) sugar free Popsicles sticks , this pudding powder ( taste awful) Greek yogurt ( AWFULLL) and low sodium broth and sugar free jello ( which taste like regular jello to me ) i have two days left and I've lost 15 pounds