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Tomorrow will be 2 weeks post-op for me and I can finally eat mushy food!!!! What I was wondering is... what did you guys eat on the mushy diet?? I know all the basics....applesauce, yogurt, pudding, creamy soups, but what else have you tried?? I would love to have some kind of variety. Can I eat runny oatmeal or grits?? How about mashed potatoes?? Any info will help! Thanks in advance!

I start the purée stage this week, and I have prepared and frozen two weeks worth of meals so it will be easy for me, since I start back to work tomorrow too. I used MyFitnessPal to assess the nutritional values for each recipe. My plan is to use these recipes plus porridge, yogurt, and puréed fruit to get me through it. They all have the sign-off of my dietitian, but may or may not be on your plan. I tasted the smallest amount of each one so I can say that in my opinion, they all taste good and offer some variety. I shared the recipes, including how to purée chicken, to the Recipe Sharing section of the food and Nutrition forum. I hope it is helpful!

Its a baby stomach. So try one thing at a time. Try yogurt and if that sits Ok then later try the next soft food. Try sugar free pudding and applesause also is something that goes down easily. Slow down take your time. If your not ready then stay on liquids, broth ect. Make sure your getting in your protein and liquids. Tuna, mashed potatoes and casseroles can come later. Sent from my Z970 using Tapatalk

It's definitely not a walk in the park. You've committed to a new way of life and now you need to pool every resource your heart and mind have to make this work. Make things ahead of time. Buy things that are ready to eat or drink. Suggestions: Make up a batch of tuna salad or chicken salad and put it in little 4 oz portions in the fridge. Keep some deli meats bagged up in 4 oz portions in the fridge as well, and maybe some string cheeses. They are 1 oz each. Get some low carb protein bars and premixed protein drinks. Keep all of these things ready to go and when you leave the house throw them in a little cooler lunch bag with the ice packs. Get little snack sized baggies and put 4 or 5 good quality wheat crackers in each one and throw one in the bag for a carb boost. Keep low sugar yogurts on hand. Cottage cheese and fruit- portion it all out and have it ready to go. When you get hungry, fill up on things you know that are good for you to eat. Keep the liquids going in as well. Sometimes thirst can mock hunger. Get some sugar free candies to suck on to keep your mouth busy. This helps me a LOT!!! I'm throwing out what I've got here. These are all things that help me. If you are pressed for time, just get it all ready at once, enough for a few days. If I think of more, I'll add on... I hope any of this will be of use to you.

Hello guys. I'm brand new, almost three weeks post-op. I'm still trying to learn how to eat, but almost every time I eat solid food I get really, really sick. I get very nauseaous, my chest gets tight and I need to throw up. When I do, most of the time, it's just foam/froth. Sometimes it will be food as well, but it's mostly just froth. It doesn't happen with liquid or anything super soft (yogurt, pudding, etc.) but almost always with solids. What is up and how long with this last? It's getting a bit old. Thanks for any replies!

I wanted to share a few NSVs and some Disneyland eating tips. First of all, I ordered the cutest jeans for our trip to Disneyland (we go a LOT) on Disney Shopping and they were a size 12 ( I usually wear a 12 and size L these days). Washed them a brought them on the trip, and I was just swimming in them!! So I came home and most of my 12s and ALL of my 14s and up are going to the battered women's shelter in the next town. WOOHOO!! 2. I am a Sales Account Executive for a Mortgage Company. I have a young (well maybe not too young but at least 5 years younger than me), really cute loan officer that is one of my customers. I have noticed that even though he has been in the business for a long time he calls me, often with kind of a dumb question, every day. He finally said to me when I visited him the other day "I know you are married, but the real reason I call you so often is because I have a bit of a crush on you. You're gorgeous." I have not had anyone flirt with me like that since I met my husband! 3. When I went to Disneyland a few weeks ago, my five year old nephew said to me, "Aunt Heather you still have pretty big bubbas (boobs), but your butt is a lot smaller than before!" OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES. Anyway, if you are at Disneyland and trying not to cheat, and you don't want to spend oodles of money, the best places in the park to eat are: Bengal Barbecue in Adventureland. Basically delicious grilled lean meat on a stick. Also in Adventureland if you want a treat Dole pineapple has a "whip" which is like pineapple sherbert. Just as delicious as ice cream with a lot less fat, sugar and calories. pizza Port in Tomorrowland has an excellent salad. Plaza Cafe off of Main Street has some good salads and lean pot roast. The New Orleans Cafe has lots of healthy selections. I ordered French Onion Soup in there with no cheese and the waitress looked at me like I was crazy, but it was still delicious! But if you are not brave, beware. They have a 3 cheese Monte Christo that looks like a heart attack on a plate. Of course my hubby had to have one and I almost had to go sit at a different table. They also have a lot of healthy snack stands now, which is great!!! You can buy fruit (they have big pineapple spears that taste like candy), a giant pickle, a veggie snack pack, or trail mix. For Breakfast if you are in any of the Disney hotels you can get really good yogurt and oatmeal. If you want to splurge, get a sausage or ham slice for some yummy Protein (just don't make a habit of it :-) In downtown Disney for the best selection of healthy Entrees try Rainforest Cafe or Catal (very pricey but good!)! Of course remember, if you are ever going to have a little cheat, that is a good time to do it because you are likely walking several miles a day. I lose weight every time we go! And I know that this post sounds a little like I am still food obsessed, but I am not. I am Disneyland obsessed, though :nervous

I dont see why not, thats whats in the yogurt that we eat. I would take them :-)

I'm sticking with the greek yogurt (per my NUT's instructions)

This might help: http://www.befoodsmart.com/blog/the-best-and-worst-greek-style-yogurts-for-your-health/ I'd avoid seeds while healing (Passion Fruit) or added granola (nut), but the "fruit" is so soft that I consider most varieties pureed anyway...

Froyo is frozen yogurt- I get sugar free 95% fat free! It's very good with under 100 calories and 5-8 grams of protein.

And the Unjury unflavored can be added to anything (not boiling hot stuff), like yogurt, tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad, and any liquid. I put it in my decaf iced coffee a lot. It dissolves completely & has no flavor. Yesterday I mixed it in a little homemade guacamole.

This question is for pre and post op- do fresh/frozen fruit with a low fat yogurt smoothie and protein powder count as a protein "shake"?

Has anyone tried the Greek yogurt frozen bars ?

I went for my final nutrition appointment today. We went over my pre-op diet and I will be on a 10 day full liquid diet which is way better than the two week clear liquid diet my sister has to do. I will be able to drink crystal light, water, Gatorade 2, broth, protein shakes, sugar free jello, sugar free pudding, sugar free fudgesicles and yogurt, milk or cottage cheese. Too bad I don't like yogurt, milk and cottage cheese! Darn it! I am waiting on the psychiatrist to submit her report to my surgeon so they can then send everything to my insurance for approval. I have met all the requirements so hopefully the approval process will be quick and painless. Wish me luck!

Hey Rosie, You def sound like you're too tight. From experience it seems like your doctor put way too many cc's in, in such a short amount of time. It took me about 6 months to build up to where you are, and I thought that was rough. The reason I say you're too tight>> you can't even keep down Water. What I've noticed is when you get stuck a couple times when eating, it makes your stomach expand (swell) inside your band. Kind of makes the band seem tighter than what it is. Like it's irritated or something. This causes you to get stuck much more until you allow the swelling to go down. Eating yogurts or doubling up on my Protein shakes helps me get back to normal. These aren't proven facts, just my thoughts. I was banded 2/16/11 so I'm accustomed to my body and my band. Normally after a fill it takes about 2 weeks to get the full affect of the fill. I've had to go back to get an un-fill because my doctor put too much in. As far as the acid reflux.... I'm completely with you 10000%. I have severe acid reflux now since getting my band. Throwing up will cause/ make it worse! I take Ranitidine over the counter meds every day... it helps a tun!!!! Good luck and keep your heap up! The first 8 months were prob the hardest for me! So many changes in my body and my emotions and they weren't all good. :wub: Ronni

Slept on my right side last night. I was a little scared but had no pain at all. I couldn't really sleep last night at all and I wonder if it was my panicking of me sleeping on the right side. Every morning I wake up, I am SUPER thirsty. I have to drink something right away. I found this died low calories iced coffee in the fridge and I have a cup through out the day. I hope that's ok. I really like it and it doesn't bother me.....I wonder if I can count this as clear liquid? It's decaf too...???? Now I'm panicking... Today's plan? Taking a shower... Going to the supermarket to buy some stuff to take to work tomorrow(first day going back).. I don't even know what to take with me honestly....maybe pack my Tylenol just in case even though I haven't used it since I got home. I wanna take a long walk because of the snow I haven't been able to walk much at all. I wanna go to the mall and walk for about an hour. Like my other post, I lost 13lbs as of yesterday. Yes I lost 13lbs in 6 days and I wanna continue being active so I can lose more and more. Missing food is definitely getting easier each day. I did have an emotional breakdown yesterday because tree was rice pudding in the house (home made) and that's m favorite. What helped me? Looking at amazing pictures on this forum of people losing weight. Being able to eat good again. I am 200 as of yesterday and I really really really want to be at 140 by summer. Do you think I can do it? Working out at least 4 times a week? I didn't go to the beach or pool last summer because I felt discussed at 210lbs. I was embarrassed. This year I wanna get a sexy one piece bathing suit and go to the beach every weekend. (2hours away). For once I wanna be able to wear shorts(haven't worn them since I was 18 now I'm 25) . I wanna change my hair and just be a new healthy me. I'm tired of being shy and not go out because I feel fat. Yes I barely hangout with my cousins because I was shy how much I weighted. They won't see me for another few months and can't wait for them to see the new me ... No one knows I did this tigers besides my mom and 2 sisters and my 3 best friends. I didn't even tell my SIL which I am so close with. Don't want her to be jealous and mad at me. I said I had kidney stones and I have to lose 60lbs ASAP. She's been asking me what I'm eating these few days and I lies Soup and yogurt just so she's doesn't get suspicious. I'm only on liquids. It's my choice. I hate to lie but this was my choice and me decision. Ok I better go take that shower since I need to blow dry my hair and really wanna drive to that mall... First day out since I got home Wednesday. I miss driving my new car that my parents bought for me 3 months ago ... Yes guys I am thankful every day. Can't wait to graduate next fall and hopefully by 2015 get into law school as a sexy paralegal haha.. Ok enough I'm getting conceded. SORRY.. It's the only way I get motivated and love my pouch (sleeve) Hope you all have a wonderful day and I will check back after I come home! Muahhhhhh beautiful skinny people

I lost 10 lbs on my pre-op diet and I agree that it is good to try out some Protein shakes now before you start your pre-op diet. I would also suggest to find a couple of flavors so that you aren't drinking the same thing the entire time...that will get a bit old . My typical day looks like this: Breakfast: 1/2 cup eggbeaters with laughing cow cheese and turkey sausage, greek yogurt or a Protein shake (if I'm in a hurry) Lunch: 3-4 oz protein with 1/2 cup veggies (usually left over from dinner) or a salad with grilled chicken or shrimp. Dinner: 4 oz protein with 1/2 cup veggies. Snack: I don't always snack but if I do it is always protein based...my favorites are Babybel Light cheese, Low Fat string cheese or Turkey sandwich meat spread with laughing cow cheese and rolled up. I drink 80-100 oz of Water or sugar free decaf iced tea each day. I know that carbs are trigger foods for me so I follow a fairly low carb diet (around 30 - 40g per day). I have only had one fill and there are no foods that I can't eat...I have chosen not to eat bread, Pasta, rice, etc and I haven't had any major issues with cravings. A lot of what you will have to do at the beginning is to figure out how the band works best for you...what foods you can (or choose to) eat, how many calories (for me it is 1,000-1,100 per day), how much exercise will you do, etc. What works for me is to weigh and measure my food and eat only that amount of food. I no longer eat until I'm full (or at least how I used to define full)...instead, when I stop eating I am no longer hungry and that takes some getting used to. Everyone's experience with the band is different so take all the info you get on here as a guide and then figure out how to make it work for you. It sounds like you have done a lot of the hard work with your therapy so I'm sure you'll do great. Good luck to you and don't hesitate to PM me if you have any other questions...

You may want to ask for the liquid version at first. I tried crushing my meds and taking them with yogurt, water, anything really, and I just couldn't get them down. The taste/texture was awful and I would just gag. Finally at 2 months out I can tolerate my meds split in half, but they do still get stuck sometimes.

Hello everyone I have been on soft foods since Monday. I notice when I'm eating my soft food which consists of yogurt, cottage cheese, egg salad, and refried beans so far that I will get a tightness in my chest bone with some discomfort. I am taking teeny tiny bites and chewing even though I am eating mush! Anyone else have this happen to them.

Wanted to post this smoothie recipe... Saw it this weekend on 5 Ingredient Fix with Claire Robinson on the food Network and really wanted to try it. Got all my ingredients, blended away, and now I'm making it my new go to Breakfast, it's that AWESOME! Put the ingredients into Sparkpeople and the calories are around 300-350, depending on how much coconut Water you use, how much honey exactly, and how much yogurt and which brand. Perfect for me (and many other bandsters) because it's a complete Meal Replacement, takes me till late afternoon... Hope you like it! Ingredients 1/2 water 1/2 cup honey 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 2 cups Greek yogurt 1 teaspoon torn fresh mint leaves, plus sprigs for garnish Coconut water, frozen in ice cube tray (approximately 1/2 tray) Directions Combine the water, honey and vanilla bean pod in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the vanilla to infuse into the honey. Remove the vanilla pod and allow the mixture to cool completely, about 10 to 15 minutes. In a blender, combine some of the vanilla honey with the yogurt, mint and 1/2 tray of frozen coconut water cubes, or more for desired consistency. Puree until smooth, then pour into glasses and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint. Serve immediately.

yes... I was swollen for almost 3-4 months. I am 20 months post op and eat quite normal portions. But I was just like you in the beginning! Normal this is what I ate yesterday: 1 large slice of whole grain toast and a half a banana and peanut butter for breakfast. 1 cheese stick and 8 carrot sticks with dip for a snack. 3 oz of tuna salad and 8 crackers for lunch, a 8oz yogurt for a snack. a 6 inch sub from subway with half the bread removed for dinner, and a few chips. and for a late snack I had a 100 cal bag of popcorn. yes the entire bag! Don't worry! It gets better!

Both my experiences with anesthesia ended with me waking up okay and puking. But the 1st time I was 4 years old, having my adenoids removed. The 2nd time was 5 years ago and 100+ lbs lighter sans sleep apnea, for my gall bladder. Same results as adenoids. Wake and puke. I'm trying to lose as much weight as possible between now and 3/11/13 to lower my BMI and my risks. I'm using Idealshape meal supplements. An organic cleanse. A Multivitamin. And tons of salad, veggies, Greek yogurt, fruit, lean meats, and the occasional whole grains. Kicking up my activity level. I've been a nonsmoker for almost 7 years and I'm eliminating alcohol and caffeine going forward. I am, in all seriousness, a little OCD with an emphasis on the "O". I don't know what else to do to improve my health and decrease my risks. Amanda Sexton

Hello every one, I had my surgery on March 7th and I'm looking for some recipe ideas for my high protein liquid diet. I was on clear liquids for a week after my surgery and then moved to the high protein liquid diet and will be on that until April 11th. I found out that my stomach can no longer tolerate milk at this point so I'm left with broth, veggie and bean soups (pureed) and mashed sweet potatos. I can also do oatmeal and cream of wheat. Yogurt and pudding upset my stomach due to the dairy. Just looking for any ideas. I have a couple more weeks left on this diet and I'm kind of getting tired of drinking Unjury chicken broth protein shakes all of the time. Thanks.

Almost 4 weeks out? Be very careful. I choked on a small piece of soft chicken at 5 weeks, and stayed on pureed 2 more weeks. You can do anything you want Nikki, but I recommend sticking to soft foods, such as bisque, yogurt, string cheese to nibble, a scrambled or boiled egg, refried Beans, etc. You can always add unflavored Protein powder to yogurt, or better yet, take a few Premier Protein shakes and you are good to go. They will satisfy you and you will not have time to worry about eating. Pack a small cooler with your go to foods. I could not eat lettuce until 3 months post surgery and love the salads now. You will be amazed that food will not be the focus of your vacation! Have fun!

Long story: I have 2 seniors in my family I am legal guardian too. (I'm not a saint. It was rather thrust on me and it's been difficult.) Well, I knew a day would come when I got am emergency call that come with looking after people in their 80's. I went back to work yesterday and today I got the 7:00 a.m. call to get to the emergency room. First, I felt horrible having to take a day of vacation after being off for surgery but I went. I threw a Protein drink, yogurt and put 2 ounces of cottage cheese in my lunch bag and off I ran. I was actually very proud that I had given this thought in advance and knew what to do to pull me through the day. Well, my relative had been decked by another resident in the home so not only did I have to deal with the poor guy being upset and injured, the police had to be involved as it was a significant attack. Stitches were involved. People with dementia often hit with canes and this guy really belted my Uncle. So in the process of the anxiety and all, I LEFT my lunch bag in the car! It was feeding time when I realized what I'd done. Uggg. The cafeteria is on the other side of the building (why don't they build small hospitals anymore?) so today was a challenge. I basically nibbled on what I could find. What a day. I'm starting to really get frustrated by my low capacity sleeve. It's a month now and I'm still on 2 ounces and feeling stuffed. I'm getting healthy to the point that I think it's normal that I want and crave more. Not asking for a lot but 4 or 5 ounces would be wonderful. On the other hand, It is nice to be able to eat less than one Peanut Butter cracker from the machine and be held for 2 hours. And I know what I had planned will work if I had done a bit better and actually taken the bag in before it got baked in the car. I will be so happy when I am a bit further out and can eat a little more variety. I just don't know how people do it when I read that not far out at all they are eating "real" food. Anything much solid at all feels like a knot in my stomach after just one small bite. Maybe in the long run it's good I'm this way. I just don't know. But I know that I'm longing for either some weight loss (still not really happening) or the stomach to loosen up a bit. Mainly, I know to keep a few "emergency" foods on the shelf in the fridge. Even if it's not perfect eating, I can really seen where as long as I am still needing very soft and very small amounts, I need to stay on top of the planning part of this and not get lazy. What a day. I'm beat.