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I work at a college and our little food court are has pepperoni & cheese cups, hard boiled eggs, and yogurt. You should look for those kinds of things.

I was sleeved Jan 19th and so far I've lost 38 lbs and everything's going really well. I can eat pretty much anything, it's just all in tiny amounts - I don't measure these amounts because I find it too consuming - I just use my judgement. I only weigh myself once a week, so I don't become obsessed with that, and in terms of exercise, I swim as many lengths as I can every other day if I have access to a pool, otherwise I walk. Yesterday I hiked in the Olympic NP and along the beaches - it was exhausting but made me feel great after. I'm actually traveling at the minute - road tripping the US alone for nearly 12 weeks, and it's been fab. I don't often eat out, but if I do I just pick a healthy meal with high Protein and eat my small portion as 80% protein then a bit of carbs and veg. Sometimes coffee upsets my stomach if it's too strong, but other wise I haven't had any issues. I take my Vitamins twice a day too. As for specific foods, I eat a huge variety. When I Wake up I have a cup of tea (fat free milk and sweetener), then a little later I have Breakfast (scrambled egg with turkey bacon, porridge, low fat sausage and poached egg, low fat Greek yogurt with honey or fruit). lunch is usually some kind of meat - roast turkey or chicken with some cuts of cheese (any kind, but low fat usually) and some romaine lettuce leaves or cherry tomatoes or sliced cumumber and a few low fat crackers. I have a bottle of Water with me, made up as 10% real fruit juice and the rest water. If I'm out and about and don't have time to sit down properly, I take a Protein Bar and a piece of fruit. dinner I have cooked shrimp or chicken, a little wholewheat Pasta or rice or a couple of mini potatoes, sometimes with goats cheese, and some veg - like courgette or spinach. The bread here doesn't taste nice to me, so I avoid it, but sometimes I have a bit of whole meal flatbread instead of crackers. I drink several other cups of tea or coffee through the day - always with fat free milk and no sugar. And a large glass of the juice mixed with water with dinner - or milk, every now and then I drink a big glass of milk. There's literally SO much out there you can eat, so don't feel discouraged. It's all trial and error about what doesn't make you feel that heart burn sensation - you can have bread, just in small amounts, and if something upsets your stomach just leave it to try again in the future. If you eat out with friends, pick something healthy with lots of protein and just eat what you can - usually whoever I'm with picks at my food or finishes it for me because I can't eat it all. Same with finishing my drink - in a way, it's nice to share and I don't feel uncomfortable or embarrassing about it. Embrace your new tummy - work with it and feel proud of the step you've taken to get healthy ???? See the advantages not the disadvantages. Some days your mood can be shit, losing weight this way messes with our hormones, but other days will be great...so hold out for those. Also, you are young, but you've saved yourself years of depression and anxiety, so that makes you pretty brave in my books. I'm 29 and I wish I'd done this at 20 - now my 30s will be my best years instead of my 20s ????

I avoid starches and added sugars, not all carbs. I choose yogurts, etc. with the highest protein to carb ratio. Danon Light and Fit Greek, Fage, etc.

style="margin:0;padding:0;background-color:#d8dde8;color:#5a5a5a;font:normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif;position:relative;"> Hey BariatricPal Members! Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Hey, it’s okay if you’re not Irish! Anyone can still use it as an excuse to celebrate. Or, you can celebrate the start of Daylight Savings Time, the beginning of spring, or a new chapter in your weight loss surgery journey. Why not? Here’s what you’ll find in this newsletter to give you a few ideas and food for thought. Green Foods You Can Eat Get Moving This St. Patrick’s Day Spring Break: Home and Away Hope you have fun with this newsletter and whatever comes next in your journey! Have a wonderful spring, and see you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder and CEO, BariatricPal Green Foods You Can Eat St. Patrick’s Day revolves around green food and green beer, at least for many of us in the U.S. who just like to enjoy the day without worrying about being Irish. There’s nothing really wrong about green food, as long as you have no problems with artificial colorings from food coloring, and calories from green cupcakes, green beer, corned beef, and green Irish soda bread. Okay, there clearly are some problems with these St. Patrick’s Day choices if you’re trying to eat healthy and lose weight! There are plenty of other ways you can get your green on – err..in – you! Here are a few greenish ideas that will keep you on your weight loss surgery diet. Feel free to experiment with the ingredients and textures…the only right way to make these is however works for you. Green frittata: grated zucchini mixed with egg, a bit of cheese, and herbs. Try dill and a Greek yogurt topping, or use oregano and basil as a seasoning and top your baked frittata with tomato sauce. Pesto: Use a food processor to blend basil and arugula leaves, lemon juice, pine nuts, black pepper, and olive oil. It’s a little high in calories, so just use it as a condiment like you would with peanut butter or hummus. It goes great on chicken and salmon. Green dip: The name’s pretty vague, and that’s because you can put pretty much anything you want into to. Make the base out of pureed cooked peas, broccoli, and/or lima beans, and you can even add a little avocado for creaminess. Add spices and herbs like garlic, onion powder, cilantro, and cumin, and use it for dipping – what else – green veggies such as broccoli florets, green pepper strips, and celery. Green smoothie: The sky’s the limit. Try any combination of arugula, pear, avocado and kale for a deep green color, and add protein with soy milk and Greek yogurt. Flavor it up with berries, ginger, half a banana, or even mint leaves. Cucumber rolls: Peel a cucumber and slice it thinly lengthwise. Spread non-fat cream cheese and dill, or feta cheese and sliced green olives, and roll up your cucumbers. Mint frozen yogurt: This may be the healthiest fro-yo you ever have. Blend and freeze Greek yogurt – try no sugar added lime if you like – with almond milk, your choice of sweetener, and a few fresh mint leaves. Get Moving This St. Patrick’s Day Any good holiday starts with a chance to burn a few extra calories. What better way to get energized, work up an appetite, hang out with friends and family, and – oh, yeah – lose a little extra weight than to get moving? Hop in a 5K There’s no shortage of road races around the country on St. Patrick’s Day and the weekend following it. If you’re in shape for one and your doctor thinks it’s a good idea, sign up! Most let you sign up online a few days in advance, or you can register on the spot an hour or so before starting time. Grab a friend to join you or make a friend on the starting line, and get ready to have fun for 3.1 miles! Hold Your Own Event You can get moving in other fun ways if you’re not quite ready for a 5k or you can’t find one near you, Hold your own race series with any kids and other relatives who are around. You can hold events like the 1-block run, relay races where you team up, and contests to see who can jump the furthest, throw a ball furthest, hop on one foot for longest, balance on one foot with eyes closed for longest, or make up the best dance to whatever song’s on the radio. Have fun – it’s all about burning calories and loving life in your new, healthier body. Spring Break: Home and Away It’s the time of year when a lot of us have spring break. It can be an official vacation with time off and a trip to somewhere warm and exotic, or it might just involve a day or two when you get to relax for the first time in a while. Even if you don’t have a formal day off, you can put yourself in the spring break mode by enjoying the changing of the seasons. Spring Cleaning to Lose Weight How do your home and kitchen look after a long winter? Be honest with yourself, now. You don’t have to tell us. A little cluttered? Yes, that happens, especially when the weather’s gloomy. Now that winter’s on its way out and the sun is starting to make its presence known again, you may find you have a little more energy to do things again. And one of those things may be cleaning. A clean home, and especially a clean kitchen, can lower stress and give you more energy to prepare the food you need to prepare to lose weight. There’s another perk to cleaning. The more you clean, the more calories you’ll burn. Weeding can burn 300 calories an hour, while dusting and taking out the trash can each burn 200 calories. And if you’re still getting rid of the snow around your property? Carrying a snow blower around can burn 300 calories an hour. Deep Cleaning for Your Kitchen Clean your counters so there’s space to work in your kitchen, and go a step further. Take inventory of what’s accumulated in your fridge, freezer, and pantry over the past few months, and get rid of anything that’s not on your WLS diet. Throw it away or donate it, but don’t let it end up inside of you. After cleaning out the bad stuff from your kitchen, don’t forget to restock with the good stuff! Take a trip to your supermarket or a farmer’s market to look for greens and other vegetables, strawberries and other fruit, and eggs, fresh fish, and yogurt. Pack Your WLS Extras If you’re lucky, your spring break might involve a trip. We’re betting there’s no way you’ll forget to take nicely fitting clothes in your new smaller size! Don’t forget to take the other new items that you didn’t need before deciding to get healthy. Along with your bariatric vitamins, plus a pair of good walking shoes and some comfortable clothes for walking and any other activities you’ll be participating in, you made need to take some emergency snacks and meals, depending on where you’re going. Pack a few non-perishable, high-protein options if you’re going to a foreign country, an isolated resort, or anywhere else you’re not sure you’ll be able to purchase the foods you need on the spot. You can find what you need at The BariatricPal Store. It’s also a great choice because you can get the lowest possible prices on everything we sell, plus free shipping with qualified orders. Check it out today! You might want to take some of these items when packing for your trip. Instant low-carb, high-protein oatmeal – just add hot water and have a low-cal breakfast anywhere! Protein bars to stash in your purse or pocket so you never have to choose between starving, going off of your diet when you’re out and about. Protein shakes, smoothies, and hot chocolate, so you can stay nourished even if your pouch, sleeve, or stomach is acting up a little. Protein pretzels, so you can crunch and munch along with everyone else, but still lose weight. Enjoy your spring break, St. Patrick’s Day, and entire spring! Thanks for making BariatricPal part of it and continuing to support us.

WOW!! This thread had been incredibly helpful. Thank you all for sharing your experiences. After reading this and various things elsewhere, I have come up with the following list to help me prepare for my alien insertion next week: 1. Ask for an anti-nausea patch. One person got it before they were even knocked out, others immediately after and others days later. In all cases it sounds like it helped ... a lot. (Actually, except for one, which resulted in hives ... talk about adding insult to injury!) 2. Take your meds. Even before your procedure and/or if you're feeling better, take them (at least the first few days) to prevent getting sick. 3. Follow the 20x4 rule. No liquids 20 minutes before eating or for at least 20 minutes after, chew each bite 20 times and take 20 minutes to complete a meal. 4. 20-30 minutes after a meal, drink Water to rinse the balloon and prevent bad breath. (I've heard/read mixed reviews about carbonated beverages - some people say they cleanse the balloon better, but most seem to say that they make you feel miserable.) 5. Protein and hydration are essential to being/feeling healthy. 6. Stay with liquids only for at least a week or two to help with the adjustment and to prevent getting sick. 7. Eat dinner early and, ideally, stick with a liquid dinner to prevent all sorts of discomfort. 8. Invest in barf bags (done!). :-) Hopefully you won't need them, but they are worth it for the peace of mind alone. 9. When the balloon feels uncomfortable, sleep on your left side and/or try downward dog to get it re-positioned. 10. Sleep with your head elevated? I have not read much about that, but assume it might help with the reflux. Just to be safe, I ordered a wedge pillow. 11. It ain't over until it's over. Even when you start feeling better, you still may have bad days. So never take it for granted, stay on the food program and continue to take your meds. 12. And last but not least, prepare. Stock the kitchen with Protein drinks and soft foods, invest in the items mentioned above early so that you have them if you need them, make sure you have Vitamins (and tum?) on hand, etc.. Do you agree? Have I missed anything? Any feedback would be most appreciated. BTW has anyone tried Yonanas? It's a machine that instantly makes sorbet out of just fruit. A friend of mine has it (she got it after several of her friends got it) and she loves it ... says it is delicious! She usually just uses bananas and berries, but you can also use yogurt and other ingredients. I was wondering if that might not be a good way to get in some healthy carbs that are nice and soft. :-) One last thing - do your balloons have the blue dye in them? If so, what type of balloon do you have? Some people get it and some don't ... I'm curious about your thoughts on that, too. Thanks again and best of luck to you all!!

During my major weight loss phase I ate predominantly high protein foods: fish, turkey, chicken, cottage cheese, yogurt and cheeses. I did start to eat small quantities of non-starchy vegetables. I also have started to eat beans now but did not during weight loss, as you said chili is very high in carbs. Be careful eating pasta, rice and bread. I have found that carbs do create cravings and if I indulge in say too much potato; well I just want more! I don't eat bread pasta or rice and don't plan on it.

My surgeon says that following surgery we can eat only protein. They said that avoidance of carbs is the main part of losing weight. So no fruit or veggies. So I'm wondering what else I can eat besides meat and cheese. I see people on here saying that they're having yogurt or chili and I don't see how because everything I find has carbs in it. Eating all this meat and cheese sometimes leaves me feeling weighed down even though it's only a couple ounces at a time. Any suggestions?

I only have to be on the pre-op diet for 7 days before surgery. I can have 3 Protein shakes a day plus cottage cheese, applesauce, yogurt, sugarfree pudding and cream of wheat Sent from my SM-G920P using the BariatricPal App

Happy 2 week surgiversary everyone!!! I'm doing pretty well. Down 16lbs since surgery day. My post op appointment is this Friday and I'm going to try and convince my doc to let me start working out. I have a few more weeks before I go back to work and want to maximize this time. What was everyone's first "meal"? I had a poached egg over some marinara and a little cheese this morning. Delish!!!! My eyes are still bigger than my stomach so slow eating is the name of the game right now. I need to take a picture of my fridge bc I have one whole shelf of Jello, marinara, cottage cheese and greek yogurt lined up in little 2oz plastic containers. How often is everyone weighing themselves? Did anyone take their measurements before surgery? I've been weighing myself everyday but I think I need to move to once a week so I don't go crazy if I start to stall. I took my measurements but have already decided to only check once a month. Hope everyone is feeling well!!!

I had to ban Peanut Butter from my house. I was mixing it into yogurt on a daily basis and was cheating the serving size. I went back to PB2 and while I don't like it as much, it serves it's purpose. The only time I use actual peanut butter (natural) in when I mix it into my overnight oats before a long weekend run. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Okay - I too really like Peanut Butter - I use Justin's now when I want a little bit, as real stuff tastes better to me. Biggest thrill that I've found this is that Jiff makes "Peanut Powder" and OMG is it ever amazing! Much better macros than PB2, and better flavor to my taste. One Tablespoon is only 23 calories, .7 g fat, 1.3 carbs and 2.7 protein! (based off their 3 T serving size stats). I stir a tablespoon of it into my Fage yogurt with a bit of chocolate Protein Powder and sometimes a bit of stevia, and I'm a very happy girl, and it's really satisfying. It's in the section with the regular Jiff peanut butters in my store.

I am almost 4 months out and still struggle with it. If I eat without distractions, I find it much easier. I also eat with a baby spoon if it's yogurt or Soup.

As of today I lost 31.5 lvs since Jan 5th Just about out of the 170"s I started working out last week alternating cardio and stength weight training. Food i still a struggle, I dont have a whole variety of eating yet. I just starred adding fruit such as an apple and i can only eat half, I also had pb with it. Still struggle to get my water and all my protein in. Still a learning curve, of finding out which foods I can handle. I had a baby blizzard and it was so good. But at he end must of bene a big sugar attack and i was not feeling well at all, i wanted to make myself throw up, he feeling went away after an hour or so. And the next day no effects from the icecream, before I would hve direhea. I been having milk products for a while in, motly in thr greek yogurt and cheeses. I stick to almond Milk. Also i am Having the odd fruit smoothie every now and then, i can drink a cup but it takes me well ovr 30-60 mins depends how thick it is. Here is an updated pic

Thanks for the replies. Just for some points of clarification. Do I habitually eat more than a 1/2 cup? No. It depends on the textures. Certain foods seem to pass through more easily. For example, yogurt doesnt give me the same feeling of fullness that it did at 5 months out. I'm pretty diligent about measuring out everything. The pouch seems more pliable, and that scares me to an extent. i'm well educated about my own surgery and I realize the honeymoon period is almost over for me. i'm still making good choices. Three, you made me feel a lot better knowing someone is feeling the same way around month six! Thanks again!

Hi everyone, I'm new to this! My surgery is scheduled for 3/23. However, I'm on a two week pre-op diet consisting of: • Breakfast - Protein shake • snack- Protein Bar, Greek yogurt, 2 hard boiled eggs, 2-4 oz of turkey with 1 oz of cheese, 2-4 oz of tuna, or 4 oz of shrimp. Lunch- Protein Shake Snack- same as above Dinner- 6 oz of lean meat, 1/2 cup of starch, 1 cup of veggies I started the diet last Tuesday. Today marks the first week done. I've work out four times last week and twice so far this week. I'm suppose to lose 10-15 pounds on this diet and I haven't lost a single pound in the first week. I'm extremely nervous and worried why this isn't working for me when I'm trying so hard. Does anyone have any advice? It's greatly appreciated Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm a little over 4 months post-op and things have gone well, with one exception: I am increasingly disgusted by meat. Before surgery, I liked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, hamburgers, Boar's Head lunch meat, etc. Now, while I could force myself to eat them, I increasingly find each of them to be repulsive. Did anyone else have this problem? Did it get better over time? Between Greek yogurt and Protein bars, I manage to get enough protein, but I would like to rely more on real foods than Protein Bars. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I use PhD diet whey protein...you can order through Amazon or at a fitness shop. I am four months out and still have a protein shake every day. Haven't used any protein bars. As for liquid..puree stage...stuck to broth...yogurt...refried beans...I am now eating steak, chicken and turkey mince for protein...and lots of cheese. You will find what you can and can't tolerate. I didn't use anything for gas pains...just walked. Slept a lot first week. I hope all goes well!

I use PhD diet whey protein...you can order through Amazon or at a fitness shop. I am four months out and still have a protein shake every day. Haven't used any protein bars. As for liquid..puree stage...stuck to broth...yogurt...refried beans...I am now eating steak, chicken and turkey mince for protein...and lots of cheese. You will find what you can and can't tolerate. I didn't use anything for gas pains...just walked. Slept a lot first week. I hope all goes well!

@@malvarez1210 If you are only three weeks out, you are likely not on solid foods yet, but maybe pureed and soft foods? Drink your Protein shakes and get your Water. As for other protein options in those stages, here are some good ones: scrambled egg soft cheeses cottage cheese greek yogurt refried Beans tuna salad chicken salad This site has some good recipes for this stage: http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2007/08/pureed-foods.html

I worry about that everyday. And also some-days I just can't get in all my Protein and have proper meals, I only eat yogurt, my shakes with up cal in one, and Cereal because we are on the run ll the time. I am walking more and trying to exercise from the wheelchair. The doctor, not my surgeon my regular doctor is making me feel horrible because some days my legs are so sore I can't even touch them and all he says is "you gotta do it anyway no pain no gain". Sometimes the pain won't let me. I am not a sissy but to hear him talk I am. It just brings my mood down and makes me doubt myself.

My husband & I went to Mexico last week on vacation and I just wanted to share with everyone that it IS possible to have a fun vacation and not worry about food, even though we are on specific eating programs. I am 4.5 months post-op and pretty much adhered to my proper diet with a few exceptions. I took my vitamins, ate a lot of lean/grilled protein and tried to get my water in. If we were off-site on an excursion, I made sure to have a protein bar and extra water on hand. Breakfast was usually an omelet with veggies or a yogurt & fruit and lunch/dinner was grilled or poached fish, shrimp, chicken or lean beef and veggies. We stayed at our favorite inclusive resort and I pretty much ate dessert every night, only had pasta once (two spinach raviolis) and only ate rice once (a couple bites of sofrito & rice). I did have crusty bread at dinner most nights (usually with olive oil & balsamic) and I did drank alcohol most nights at dinner and at the swim-up bars at the pools. Before everyone gasps, I only gained two pounds. We walked a lot and went on several off-site excursions, along with swimming almost every day. I got back home Saturday night and went back on program Sunday. I weighed myself this morning and not only did I lose the two pounds I gained on vacation, but I also lost an additional pound. We took this same trip at the same resort two years ago and we both ate and drank like no tomorrow and I gained 14 pounds. I did have to say “no” to a lot of things that looked delicious and I couldn’t finish a lot of the yummy food on my plate, but it is possible to go on vacation and enjoy your meals with minimal weight gain.

There is no reason that you can't have Dannon Fit and Light as a snack. Most of us do. It's those regular yogurts that have 4 or 5 grams of Protein and 15 or more carbs that you need to avoid. I freeze half a banana and put it in Protein drinks. I find they keep me full longer. Bananas do have a lot of carbs in them. If you're going to eat oatmeal, eat steel cut oatmeal. Do you like dill pickles? I find a dill pickle with a piece of lunch meat and a piece of cheese rolled up around it to be very satisfying. If you really have to have something sweet, have a sf popsicle or sf fudgesicle.

i don't like milk. I do like other dairy though like cheese, ricotta, cream cheese etc. Sorry, You mentioned mixing dry milk powder with the Protein Powder so you can just add Water, so I assumed you were OK with milk. Since you do like other dairy, and you are underweight, make sure you go for the full fat version of everything.....cottage cheese, yogurt, etc. Have you tried other milks? Rice milk has more carbs than almond milk. soy and coconut both have more (healthy) fats. Soy also has more protein than any of them. Any of these may be a better choice since you need more calories. They all also come in room temp stable containers that would be easy to bring to work.

I started eating yogurt/mashed potatoes/ scrambled eggs after my week post op check up.

4 Days post op. Was still starving after surgery. Is something wrong ? Im still craving food. Had 2 bites if yogurt yesterday feel like im starving Protein shakes aren't the best either. Please someone say im not alone in this battle for a healthier life. I even crave food more now than i ever did b4 Grammy Sent from my LGLS885 using the BariatricPal App