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@@steph1514 Go back to basics. Pack a little cooler to bring to work. For a snack - you could pack a greek yogurt, cheese sticks, some almonds, a protein shake, a protein bar, etc. For your "lunch" - pack some grilled chicken, veggies, chicken salad, scrambled eggs with cheese, crustless quiche muffins. Is Subway in your Walmart? Are they open at that hour - you could get a salad with meat/protein. You can pack anything - it just takes time to prepare and make sure you have good options. I would also recommend therapy to deal with the old eating habits.

I am post op day 10 now and haven't even started eggs or yogurts yet. I'm jealous. I'm on Protein shakes, sf Popsicles, Water and more water and broths and tomato Soup....haven't tried anything else yet. I have a follow up with my surgeon June 8th and he said at that time I can start mushies. So far though the only problem I'm having is when I drink or I get the sharp gas pain that I can feel all the way through to my intestines and it goes away. No other time do I have gas. I wonder how long that will last. Oh yeah and LOTS of LOUD GAS with the drinking but nothing else when there is nothing in my mouth. Weird. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Im 15 days post op, i started at 196lbs, and lost 10lbs up till now. The scale hasn't moved for 5 days though. I understand i will stall, but just feel a little defeated. Eating is a new ball game, im on the soft stage and the pressure and tightness after eating a few bites is really tough. Some things are going down well, yogurts, banana and liquids but i vomited up eggs today. After a week on softs im adjusting but please tell me there is hope. 6months or a year later, has that sensation of tightness and pressure gone after eating? can you eat normally ? a regular meal albeit a small portion but can you comfortably eat a small meal and feel ok? Can you go the restaurant and enjoy a small meal ? I just feel a little overwhelmed at times, did i do the right thing? I have a lower BMI but have been overweight all of my adult life and my family history in health is really bad i wanted this to help me lose weight with consistency. I can't tell you how many times i would diet to only fall off the wagon again and again. I want to be proactive and make a positive change for the better. I would appreciate any advice and guidance This site has been so informative for me

Im 15 days post op, i started at 196lbs, and lost 10lbs up till now. The scale hasn't moved for 5 days though. I understand i will stall, but just feel a little defeated. Eating is a new ball game, im on the soft stage and the pressure and tightness after eating a few bites is really tough. Some things are going down well, yogurts, banana and liquids but i vomited up eggs today. After a week on softs im adjusting but please tell me there is hope. 6months or a year later, has that sensation of tightness and pressure gone after eating? can you eat normally ? a regular meal albeit a small portion but can you comfortably eat a small meal and feel ok? Can you go to a restaurant and enjoy a small meal ? I just feel a little overwhelmed at times, did i do the right thing? I have a lower BMI but have been overweight all of my adult life and my family history in health is really bad i wanted this to help me lose weight with consistency. I can't tell you how many times i would diet to only fall off the wagon again and again. I want to be proactive and make a positive change for the better. I would appreciate any advice and guidance This site has been so informative for me

One of the first things they do when you get to the hospital is you have to change into a hospital gown.....you can't have anything on under it. :-) As far as pain control while it the hospital it was wonderful!!.....I had a little button I could push and it would automatically give me really good pain medication....I could push it every 8 mins....well I could push it all I wanted to but it would only give me some every 8 minutes. They will want you to get up and walk just a few hours after surgery....You probably won't want to....but do it anyway! It will help you heal faster.....walk as much as you can! Your surgeon or bariatric team should have given you a food plan that tells you how and when to progress through each of the food stages....if they didn't then make sure to ask for it. Raw veggies are usually one of the last things you'll eat.....here's what my plan was Nothing the day of surgery Clear Liquids the day after surgery Full liquids day 3 through day 10 (full liquids included creamed soups, and yogurt, and cream of wheat, sugar free pudding) pureed cooked foods starting on day 10............and progress to soft foods as tolerated.

Sonic makes a junior Breakfast burrito that is egg, cheese, meat. The eggs are actually light and fluffy and the junior size is more than I can finish -- I would say at least two eggs. The menu says sausage, but I generally ask for bacon or ham and they are happy to do it. My kids say I eat it like a banana, I peel the tortilla off as I eat and dispose of it. Wawa gas station has great options if you are lucky enough to have one. Cups of yogurt, cheese sticks, fresh fruit, cheese and pepperoni mini plates. They also make awesome breakfast burritos all day with any veggie fillings you'd like. Their subs are also very good and you can load them up with all the veggies for free. I order the 4" and remove the top half of the bread. I still can't finish it.

depends on your surgeon but mine would not allow anything by mouth until they did the leak test the next day.....so that night in the hospital until they did the leak test the next morning was tough! I don't think my mouth has ever been so dry!!! If your doctor does the the same, mouth wash helps....the hospital staff kept bringing me these little bottles ....lol I think I went through 4 bottles.....also brushing your teeth will help too. once I passed the leak test they brought me a tray of liquids.....I sipped on everything and it all seemed to go down fine and then they released me to go home........... Home was another story! It was like as soon as I got home EVERYTHING tasted terrible!....I couldn't take my pain meds, because it tasted too bad, gas x strips tasted terrible, my nausea medication were these little pills you had to let dissolve in your mouth....well those made me want to throw-up..I had to resort to using a suppository! .LOL.....even tooth paste was awful!.....it was very bad I couldn't drink near enough Fluid and no Protein at all............this lasted until day 5.....On day 6 it was like a miracle! I woke up and everything was back to normal. During this time I was in close communication with my nurse coordinator and she had me focus only on fluid for those days.....she told me to just sip as much as I could and to keep an eye on the color of my urine and to not let it get dark.....that was easier than trying to get in a certain number of ounces... But like I said day 6 everything was back to tasting normal and I was able to drink 64 ounces of fluid and close to all my protein....took me a couple of days to build that up. I didn't really start feeling good and more like myself until I was able to eat real food....pureed Soups, and yogurt....tuna salad........Real food makes all the difference in the world!!! Good luck with your surgery! Feel free to ask me any questions!

I have done eggs, both scrambled and over easy. The over easy went down better for me. I've done avocado. I just did tuna salad for the first time and it was just meh. I miss the crunch of onion and pickle. I did some pickle juice and onion salt instead with a ton of old bay. I've done flounder which was good. I'm having trouble with veggies so I just do V8. My mains are cottage cheese and Greek yogurt. I'm boring. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My dermatologist told me that whey Protein frequently exacerbates acne in those who are prone to it, and can even cause breakouts in people who've previously had clear skin. Dairy products can also worsen hormonal acne in some people, so using milk as your base can compound the risk of a breakout. Fortunately, for me I can use milk, kefir, and yogurt in shakes without fearing an eruption on my face, but it's definitely something to be mindful about. This helps to explain some of the reasons for why whey protein can lead to acne: http://www.acneeinstein.com/whey-protein-acne/ I've had better luck with plant-based Protein Shakes rather than whey. I also loved GENEPRO. It's a Protein powder that has been heavily criticized on this forum for it's "too good to be true" claims about having 30 grams of protein for a small serving of easily dissolvable, tasteless and odorless powder, and for being so processed, but it's been fantastic for me. I used it for four months without experiencing any ill effects. I only stopped using it because I was getting adequate protein from food sources once I was fully healed. My husband is a physician, and a friend of his who is an oncologist told him that some of his patients going through chemotherapy have sores in their mouth that make eating difficult, so they have used Genepro as a supplement to add in more protein to their diet. He approves of it, which made me feel a bit more confident. It's definitely not an ideal food source, or something to make as a staple for your diet, but it can be useful as a supplement when your options are more limited. It can be added to broths, hot and cold drinks, and various foods. If you look on YouTube you can find videos by a bariatric surgeon named Dr. Matthew Weiner who advocates what he calls a "set point smoothie." It's made of high-protein, low-carb Greek yogurt (such as Fage), frozen fruit, and kale or spinach. It's a bit too much for immediately post-surgery, but a week or two down the road you should be ready for it. He encourages his patients to only consume protein powders in the first few months post-surgery when they cannot yet eat better, more natural sources of protein. Vitamins and supplements can also cause breakouts. I took Biotin a couple of years ago when I was regretting a hair cut and hoping for more rapid growth, and ended up with a war zone on my face because of it. I have PCOS and am very sensitive. Excessive B-12 also lead to painful breakouts. I do not take an additional B-12 supplement because of that, but do take a Multivitamin that has it in a smaller quantity. The vitamins I've responded to the best are Garden of Life's Vitamin Code Multi-Vitamin for Women, and Flintstones with Iron (one or the other, not both). As for topical treatments, my esthetician I see for monthly facials (and can recommend to you if you happen to live in LA) as well as my dermatologist recommended La Roche Posay's products, and specifically their Effaclar System. It's usually $29 for the set, which includes a face wash, clarifying solution, and treatment, but I spotted it at CVS earlier this week for $19. If you buy it, start off slowly because it can lead to peeling if you use it too often. I wash my face with the cleanser at night, and use the solution a couple of times a week. I put a very thin layer of the treatment on spots when needed. In the morning I either use Lush's Let the Good Times Roll, or simply rose Water. This routine has definitely helped my skin. My dermatologist told me to stay away from any anti-aging products because they are way too heavy for my skin. I turned 30 last year and freaked out about it, and went overboard on products. He said that water is my best anti-aging "product." It's true that any wrinkles I have go away once I've gotten properly hydrated. If you're older, that might not be the case, but regardless of age water can help to improve your skin's clarity and tone. You might also want to be careful about any laundry detergents, shampoos, conditioners, and toothpaste you use because fragrances and ingredients like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate can trigger acne in some people. I use Seventh Generation's fragrance-free detergent for sensitive skin, and no fabric softener (white vinegar works just as well, and doesn't cause your clothes to smell like you might think it would), and I change my pillowcases three times a week. I stick with SLS-free toothpaste that doesn't have whitening ingredients (Tom's has one), and SLS-free shampoo and conditioner (Loreal has a good line). Best wishes to you!

@@OutsideMatchInside, I agree with you completely! Protein bars are about as calorie dense as candy bars: about 200 calories in about 2 ounces. The difference, of course, is the protein rather than the sugar, so theoretically Protein Bars will keep you fuller for longer and not cause the blood sugar spikes or sugar cravings the way a candy bar might. Still, in the moment, they’re not always that satisfying! Like you said, you can get something a lot more filling for those 200 calories, like any 3-ounce serving of lean protein plus some veggies, yogurt and fruit, or even an entire turkey and veggie sandwich on low-calorie bread! To me, those are a lot more satisfying to chew, and they take longer, and you’re right – they’re cheaper. They’re also more nutritious since they have natural nutrients. Protein bars can give you a nice sweet alternative for protein. This can be especially good for when you’re a few weeks or months post-op and you’re focusing purely on protein. The sweet protein bar can be a nice change from tuna, turkey, eggs, cheese, and yogurt morning, noon, and night! And like you said, they’re definitely convenient! I enjoy protein bars as a way to satisfy an occasional craving if I think it’ll work. For example, if I really want chocolate and I think a chocolate protein bar will do the trick, I’ll choose it instead of a brownie.

Did not intend to scare you, sorry... My attention was just to alert you to the hidden sugars in yogurt.. Sounds like a good pick "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them" Einstein

@mich74... You may want to reconsider using dannon... Yogurt is very deceptive, many yogurts have tons of sugar.... "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them" Einstein

Just be careful. I LOVED liver cheese pre-op. Post-op it is a bit fatty for me. I don't specifically limit fatty foods but have found that foods with a higher fat content are not as appetizing as they once were and can make me a little woozie. Just go slow and see how well you handle it.If I recall, livercheese is by Oscar Mayer, right? Square piece with white fat around the edge? What I purchased is nothing like that. These are the ingredients: Ingredients: beef, beef liver, beef kidneys, beef heart, Water, sea salt, onion powder, white pepper, coriander, marjoram, all spice beefliverwurst12406.jpg With that being said, I absolutely plan on taking it slow, my new stomach may or may not like it. Was just excited to realize there is something else I can try during that stage that is healthy. Sent from my LG-H901 using the BariatricPal App That isn't a lot of protein. You may want to try to find things with a bigger protein punch. I lived on/live on Greek yogurt and cottage cheese.

I just found Dannon Oikos triple zero Greek yogurt and it has 22 G Protein per 8 oz. It will help me cut out a shake a day. I can't eat a whole cup in one sitting but spread out over the day is perfect or even adding to a smoothie! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had really low energy until I started on soft foods like yogurt and cottage cheese. Once I started that I felt much better. You definitely could have thrush as the other poster mentioned. You need to get that treated right away or it will effect your oral intake abilities. They will give you a mouth rinse to swish and spit.

My friend who had wls in November just shipped me all of her "leftovers" for my upcoming surgery. She swore by unflavored and chicken Soup flavored unjury, liquid Vitamins, gas-x strips, stool softener, sugar free drink mixes (crystal light and some Protein ones). She also swore by oikos triple zero Greek yogurt and the premier Protein shakes. I've been watching prices on those at SAMs and costco, and saw the EAS AdvantEdge shakes were on sale and cheaper but she said they had such a bad aftertaste she has to toss them. I also splurged on a yeti rambler to help get my Water in. I'm a chugger now which won't work post-op and the lid on the yeti slows me down quite a bit but still keeps my drink chilled while I nurse it. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Chia seeds are very fine not like tomato seeds... Hemp seeds are another good source of Protein and tasty in yogurt. "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them" Einstein

Pre op I bought beef and chicken broth, herbal teas, sugar free Jello, sugar free popsicles and Isopure for the clear liquid phase. For the full liquid phase I bought Premiere Protein shakes and lastly for the soft food phase I bought greek yogurt and cottage cheese. I kept it really simple not knowing what I would be able to tolerate. I ended up not even touching the herbal tea and SF jello. I did live on the Outshine brand of popsicles though and still do for sweet cravings.

Hey I have been lactose intolerant since I was 10 so that is about 36 years. My doctor warn me I might become lactose intolerant after surgery. I laughed and said I already am. Then asked if lactaid pills and lactaid milk were allowed. He said they are safe and I can continue to take them. Use chewables after surgery if you have issues swallowing pills. The caplets are crushable and don't taste bad either. I eat dairy at every meal. Yogurt and cheese are my protein stables. Fairlife milk is lactose free and has extra protein! Ask your doc about lactaid and enjoy your cheese. I just had a cheddar omelet and my next meal will Greek yogurt. Yummy!

That's wonderful you're doing so well weight loss wise! I don't know why eating would be a torture at almost three months out, so not sure what is happening to you other than you have to really start thinking about how to eat and planning your day out so you can eat enough and hit your food/water goals? Are you having specific issues like pain or difficulty swallowing or something? I was pretty much fine after the first month other than being sensitive to sugar (which was a good thing) and an intolerance for eggs until about 6 months out (just threw them up every time so stopped eating them until about 6 months out and it's good now). As time goes on, you will need to eat more, and you need to start eating real, whole foods. You need to be making your Protein and Water goals daily, and if you can't do it with the 3X daily meals, then you need to be adding in some snack times and getting in enough calories where your body isn't starving itself. You're still pretty early out, but at 600 calories daily, you're likely in a nutritional deficit that can't be healthy long term. Please do your best to start eating healthy Snacks (a cheese stick with a handful of almonds, a cup of low carb yogurt, some grapes and baby bel cheese wedges... ) There are tons of ideas on here and other bariatric recipe sites. Please discuss your difficulties and calorie intake with your doctor because this isn't healthy long term. And you will notice things like hair loss, exhaustion and muscle loss if you don't start eating a bit more and getting your protein and water in.

I am 9 days out. I'm feeling really good and not getting hungry. Smells and looking at food makes me mentally hungry but once I except that I get over it. What are you eating throughout the day? I start my day with either: green smoothie or Beetroot carrot apple juice or Yoghurt or Choice of two milk based smoothies - banana, milk, honey, pbutter, oats, almonds (soaked), Macca powder, cacao powder but of ice blended for a few mins. Or I what pbutter and honey for blueberries. lunch - home made Soup or yogurt or green smoothies dinner - same as above Water in between meals Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

You can use a banana or maybe some vanilla Greek yogurt or almond milk. My kids have smoothies with frozen berries, vanilla almond milk and a banana, and they seem sweet enough for their liking. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I feel great, and I'm back to normal daily activities. Like most, I'm exhausted but still moving on. The problem I have is that I like to cook. I have a family of five and continue to cook meals that I love. Today, chicken parm. Looked so good, so I took some of the sauce I made and mixed it with a little ricotta. Heavenly. But after the chicken came out I cut off a little piece and now Im suffering. Why do I keep testing the limits? Has anyone else cheated like this...yesterday I had a small serving of frozen yogurt. I've also had watermelon and cantaloupe. I haven't even been escalated to pureed foods yet. WTH is wrong with me. I need help. I need to stop these bad habits - Came so far to screw this up.

At two weeks I was still on liquids (no way I could eat more than a couple tablespoons even at a month out). But I was sipping Protein shakes, juice, Gatorade, decaf tea, broth, cream soups, drinkable yogurt, etc non stop all day every day, taking my Vitamins and meeting Fluid and protein goals. I was working 8-10 hours/day at a physical, on my feet all day job and went home pretty tired every night. So a family reunion would have been a piece of cake. Hope you have just as easy if a recovery and Have fun! PS I don't suggest trying anything new, food wise, at the reunion. Would hate to have a bad reaction (from either end) in that setting.

Sounds good if I liked liverwurst. I'm having small hamburgers, mashed potatoes, dry Cereal yogurt, milk 60 cal fruit popsicles, can't tolerate the sugar free anymore. 1 shake per day, diet gatorade, egg, toast, cottage cheese, etc. When does the strong aftertaste go away. It is with most foods. taking 1 prilosec in am.