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i am 4 weeks out, and it goes get better, but it goes from better to cautious really. Getting Protein down after my procedure on 11/11 was hard.. Dr. said don't rush it, may be a full week or 2 before you get 60g of protein and 40-48oz of non-protein Fluid down.. Well I am here to tell you, it took 3 weeks and yes my Dr. said if by week 4 I was not at 60-70g of protein and 48oz or more of non-protein I would be re-admitted for dehydration.. I am happy to say I can do all of what she has asked of me, but you have to be creative about it, because my sleeve (Mr. Bumble) is not always easy to get along with.. There are nauseated mornings where he does not want liquid of any kind, while at work I easily forget to have my yogurt or make a shake or drink my non-protein liquids....foods that I use to enjoy (healthy and not as healthy) I approach with caution..I have found my go-to Snacks when something puree or soft does not sit well. So right now get into a routine, it will help you when you get to the purree and soft food stage..keep in mind purree and soft foods is just a brief break from 100% liquid mode, you will not be able to eat that much of it and so your protein goal still needs to reached.. and to the one poster who said, "whoever said this was an easy way out" you are so right, its not an easy way out, its tool to help us stay on track, keeping us from over indulging, and if we do over indulge there is a price to pay!! trust me Stay positive

Thanks will be calling her tomorrow asap ! I am on full liquids but I do not like anything lol it's very difficult. If it doesn't taste good I'll gag . It's annoying already, now as for the yogurt I have not tried it yet, cottage cheese either . I have had an egg in soup and that went down fine. I'm going to go back to my Baritrac powder, because honestly that's the only one I love. Half of frozen banana ! Everyone is different I've seen someone 2 weeks post op eating avocados eggs and sausage, I'm here struggling. I can't eat anything yet doesn't sit well and come right up. I'll be calling my nut. Thanks

I was drinking premier Protein shakes 30g protein . They sell them in Walmart basically any supermarket my doc said it was okay. Then I tried insopure from GNC ... I personally don't like it it's a Liquid Protein. They have great reviews though . The alpine fruit one is great... premier shakes are too thick for me & the liquid ones just taste horrible to me. I will be calling my Nut. I am going to purchase another Baritrac protein powder those are the best . Good luck ... Hope I find something good lol I love beach body by the way Why not talk to your NUT about protein options. At 2 weeks post-op I was on full liquids (which for me included Greek yogurt and cottage cheese). I would double-check with your NUT about adding fruit to your protein shakes this early out.

Why not talk to your NUT about protein options. At 2 weeks post-op I was on full liquids (which for me included Greek yogurt and cottage cheese). I would double-check with your NUT about adding fruit to your protein shakes this early out.

I have never tried to freeze yogurt, not sure why just didn't realize it would work. Thanks!

in the morning I mix a scoop of Upcal D powder into my yogurt (it'll supposedly mix into anything, but the filler is kind of sweet - so it works best in sweeter things like yogurt). During the day, I drop two Calcium citrate tablets into my 16 oz two-scoop (fruit-flavored) Protein shake. I mix fruit flavored Protein Powder with Crystal Light lemonade, so the acid in it makes the calcium tablets dissolve (takes awhile, though - but then I sip on the shake all day long, so it doesn't matter). after dinner, I take a Calcet Creamy Bite or a Bariatric Advantage chew. Both taste like dessert. They're also both kind of expensive, but then, I only take them once a day.

You are describing head hunger and mental cravings to a "T". "Daydreaming about food". "Drooling over food photos". This is DEFINITELY head hunger. Sounds like you are eating plenty to satisfy your actual needs. Are you feeling weak? Fatigued? Light headed? Hard time concentrating? These would be physical and mental signs that you are actually lacking adequate nutrition. And if you really are hungry, you will be satisfied with anything from yogurt to pureed veggies to Soup to a Protein shake. If it's something specific you're "hungry" for, it's head hunger. And the cravIngs never go away. It's a battle you will fight forever. You need to find a way to retrain your brain for long term succes. But you can help lessen your sweet tooth by staying away from carbs. They just make you crave more carbs. And also be aware that many of the artificial sweeteners out there affect your brain chemistry the same as real sugar, so they can create cravings, too.

A Protein shake with a banana half at 3 weeks would have been a bit heavy and very sugar rich for me at 3 weeks. My stomach tolerated everything. Some people become lactose intolerant after surgery for a while. Maybe try Nectars which is lactose free and mixes with Water. You could also water it down more than they recommend to start. Make sure you are eating/drinking really slowly. It should take you 15-30 minutes. Take a sip, go do something, come back, take another sip. I would take a few laps around the house or yard between sips to get in my exercise too. Leaving the food between bites/sips means I can't mindless eat. Fish is normally pretty high in protein. I pureed chicken salad, tuna salad and egg salad with an immersion blender. I used Hellman's light mayo, some mustard in the egg salad. You could mix the chicken or tuna salad with a little lite mayo and/or yogurt. Maybe add a tiny bit of Protein powder to it. I know some people eat with a baby spoon early on to help avoid the habit of too big of a bite at a time. Yes, the 3 week stall is normal.

I don't know what stage you are in...but I am almost 4 months post op. I eat 3 meals and 2-3 Snacks a day. My snacks are simple things like 1-2 oz low fat cheese...or 2 oz almonds, or 4 oz greek yogurt. My meals are like an egg for Breakfast, some tuna for lunch, 3 oz chicken with a little veggie for dinner. I can't eat much at a time, so I span my meals out and eat like every 2 to 2 & 1/2 hours...so I can fit in all my Protein in...I eat at least 64 oz of protein. If you are not sure, talk to your NUT or doctor.

Animal Protein isn't all there is. You also do have to allow for your dietary needs. The easiest thing might be to find a brain of unflavored Protein powder you like and purchase a mini whisk. I bought one from Target for about $2. Adding unflavored protein powder to foods your family typically eats means you aren't making separate meals. If you want tomato Soup and you're not making it from scratch, watch the sodium count. Perhaps even thin it out with a bit of broth. Then whisk in a half a scoop of of unflavored protein powder. My tip for adding to hot things is to first dissolve the powder into a tbsp of warm Water. Keep whisking until it's smooth. Never add the powder over direct heat (like into a hot pot). Then slowly add your beverage, whisking at the same time. So now you have protein packed tomato soup. For more protein and Fiber add a bit of frozen chopped spinach while the soup is cooking. As for grilled cheese, for the first year post-op I'd pass on it. It's a lot of simple carbs and fat. If you have to have it. Cut a ¼ of a grilled cheese sandwich into small croutons. Other items that are great for low income budgets & high protein: Beans, oatmeal (plain not the sugar filled packets), quinoa ( a great substitute for rice), spinach ( you can buy it frozen or buy it fresh, puree in a nutra bullet and freeze in ice cube trays. One ounce is approximately 1 standard ice cube. Great for popping out and adding to soups/sauces/smoothies), nut butter if you buy the plain kind with no added sugars, plain greek yogurt.

Dying as in hungry or pain wise from eating too fast? Eat small bites and chew, chew, chew. I had surgery Oct 15 and was just cleared yesterday to eat rice and to get careful with it as it can clump and get stuck. When I've eaten too fast and get food stuck, I have to make myself throw up in order to get it unstuck. Take cheese and crackers to work for a quick simple lunch. That's what I do and it seems to work or maybe yogurt or cottage cheese. Hope this helps.

I am having the same problem. I am on week 3. My surgeon told me to start solids. I am afraid to eat. I can eat yogurt and drink smoothies with no problem. Feeling discouraged

Well if I'm craving something savory/ salty, I have pepperoni chips (just nuke for a minute or so) with maybe some hummus or cream cheese... Sweets I do some plain Greek yogurt with a sprinkle of sugar free pudding (powder form in butterscotch flavor)

@ - yes i traveled during the week before surgery and then my trip was post 10 days after surgery ( I was in soft food phase - so shakes, Soup and lots of yogurt). My surgery did not have a liques diet until 2 days before surgery - at my trip I was on a pre-op diet but not liquid only. I will say - my first trip was hard (I was still building strategies). I am now better at planning. Reach out (send my a message) if you want to talk live about how I travel now.

I started off a lot heavier than you, which means I lose faster than you (generally speaking, there are always exceptions). Three meals a day, no Snacks. Each meal is 1/3 cup (measure unless it's something like an egg, then it's one egg). No Protein drinks (this is how my surgeon rolls). He doesn't worry about protein until you're eating regular food. 90 ounces of beverages per day (usually crystal light). sugar free popsicles (I like the tropical flavors) also counts as liquid. Pureed... no-sugar-added applesauce, greek yogurt (about half a container), mashed potatoes, hummus (eat with a spoon), half an avocado (mash it in the shell, add a dab of mayo, salt and pepper, and mix it up). I think at that stage I could have scrambled eggs (well, one egg). Wedges of laughing cow cheese.

You should double check with your NUT or surgeon, however I would say off hand you don't really need the green supplement. if you're going to add things to yogurt or make protein shakes in the nutra bullet you could add a handful of spinach instead. You may also want to consider adding a tsp of flax powder, pysillium or wheatgerm to your drinks or yogurt daily. It may help prevent constipation.

Dannon makes a greek yogurt called Triple Zero. It's the only yogurt I have been having since surgery. It has no added sugar & no fat. The best part is that it has 15 grams of protein and comes in a variety of flavors!

Good grief! It has been a very busy year. It has now been 1 year 4 days since I had my band removed and I haven't done an update since June! I am now down 84 pounds since I started this journey. I still can't believe just how different bypass is from my band experience. My relationship with food has changed so much I don't even recognize it! At 200 pounds I feel like I have a new lease on life. Progress has slowed considerably these past few months, but hey! It's still progress!! At this point in my band journey I was missing so many nutrients in my diet I always felt like I was in panic mode. I was already having issues with restriction and I could not eat meats very often at all. With bypass, I can eat anything I want to, and what I want is protein and veggies. Oh, and nuts. I loves me some nuts!! I eat breakfast now. That's definitely new for me. I start my day with a high-protein 100-calorie Greek yogurt and I swear it helps keep me in check for the rest of the day. Atkins frozen dinners are a staple in my diet due to the high protein and low carb count. I am full and very satisfied with the portion I get from them, and they are delicious! My husband is still gone with work most of the time, but when he is home and my eating plan is disrupted a little bit I have zero problem getting back on plan. That has never, ever happened before with the band or any other "diet" plan I have been on. I really do feel as though my eating habits have changed for the better and for good! I avoid simple carbs, but I do have potatos every so often with a meal and they don't trigger me. I found that good bread tastes delicious, and that scared me so I stay away from it. It has been incredibly easy to do so. Again, I'm amazed at just how fine I am with avoiding the things that got me to 284 pounds. Exercise is still not my friend. I have a feeling I would have reached goal months ago if I was able to stick to a regular exercise routine, but I just don't. I am getting ready to re-enter the workforce and this time I will probably be working outside the home so that should help get me up and moving. My back pain is under control now, but my knees are still hitchy so I am anxious about that. No more surgery for a very, very long time, thank you very much! A year ago I was depressed and just felt awful all the time. I was sleeping 8 hours a night and was exhausted all day long. I took naps every time I had a break from work (worked at home) and I felt like I was getting sicker and sicker every day. Now I sleep 6 hours a night on a good night and I have energy throughout the day. Who knew 6 hours was enough sleep for anyone?! I move quicker and I think better. My mood is good, even though this year has been a "rebuilding year" for my family, with a ton of crazy changes, most of them scary. Today I feel like I can tackle whatever life throws at me, and I look pretty darn good doing it! Oh and that ladie's Seahawks shirt I wanted so badly last year? I know own TWO. One is a pink ladies jersey and the other is a cute hoodie my daughter, who works at Pink, got me-in a size large. It doesn't get much better than that! I am between 15 and 25 pounds from goal and I am confident I will reach it by my 1-year surgiversary in April. I am in no huge hurry to reach goal because I feel I have made significant life changes already and I can definitely live this way for the rest of my life. If I keep doing what I am doing I will get there. Next, stop, onederland!!!

I eat prunes 2 per day. Yogurt and protein shake seems to help with constipation. I asked my doctor about prunes and he said yeah. Agree this is a pain and probably the worse problem to date. So really not that bad if i plan my attack well. Lol

If you can find it....try SIGGI'S - it's an Icelandic yogurt and has the lowest sugar count I can find, it has a lot of protein, and it's delicious.

In addition to Greek yogurt, look at some of the other high protein yogurts like Icelandic.

@ - HI! My travel is usually the same way. I use Quest Protein packs and a shaker in additional to high Protein Bars (like Premier Protein, quest and think thin) to help as Meal Replacements if I need something for protein. I have also gotten good at finding good choices in airports - like jerky! And some places now stock yogurt... yeah!!!! Also - I am no longer afraid to ask for it prepared just as I want it. No starch, double veggie. And bring tupperware.... the to go boxes from restaurants tend to leak!!!

After reading all the input, I agree that I would be better served to change and use Greek Yogurt. I will go to the store today and try to find the brands that have higher Protein, lower carbs, and an acceptable sugar content. We are fortunate to this forum to exchange good information,,,, Thanks,

Hi all, I was sleeved on Dec 1. I realize that everyone's experience is going to be different, but I hope that by sharing my own observations, maybe I can lessen some of the anxiety for someone else. I did a lot of research on the sleeve right up until the day before I got it. Even with all that, I felt unprepared and pretty nervous about what was going to be a permanent change. My friend dropped me off at the front of the hospital for my pre-op check-in. My family all lives out of town and I didn't tell a ton of people what I was up to. So I texted a few well-wishers from the waiting room and then the party started. There were a lot of questions, a fancy air-warmed paper gown and skidproof socks to change into, and some vitals and blood taken. So far, so good. I didn't get really, really nervous until the anesthetist showed up during the prep and I think it was because that was the first time I'd been left alone since arriving, so I had time to consider what I was about to do. I was dialing my friend to ask him to come back and take me home, but then the team swept in, being all efficient and professional, and I just kind of let it go. You know, I'm kind of ashamed to admit that I wanted to go home so I could eat. I was THAT hungry. I don't remember much after the IV was started. I think I was transferred from the surgical gurney to my bed on an inflatable mattress, but I could have been imagining that. I didn't have much pain at all -- more discomfort than anything. I intended to stay one night, but ended up staying two because the air from the procedure wouldn't er... move out. They said that's common. I also wasn't getting enough fluids in -- also very common. I packed according to lists I found on here. The clothes I wore to the hospital (t shirt, loose jacket, fleece pants, underclothes, warm socks, boots that I could just slide on) Phone charger with a looong cord An electric throw (this was GREAT!) A comb, face soap, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, and hand lotion Aquaphor (or Chapstick) A copy of my healthcare directive I braided my hair while it was damp the day I left for the hospital because it tends to tangle a lot. The band was fabric, so they let me keep it in and it held the mess together pretty well for a full day. I didn't touch the magazines or the washcloth I'd brought along. I was given an inspirometer the week before my procedure and I brought it with me as instructed. After surgery, they gave me another one, so I just left the first one in my bag. I also brought a heating pad on the advice of a friend who'd previously had the surgery, but I ditched it for the cozy throw. Plus the throw was nice to use in place of a pillow for the ride home. I left a bottle of Water in the car for the ride home as well. This provided a good distraction from the bumps and turns. I wish I'd brought along an extra set of underwear, pants, and socks shampoo and conditioner something to keep all the paperwork in an MP3 player -- my roommate was inconsiderate my FitBit to track my steps I wore the fleece pants to cover up my bottom while I trucked around the halls, but I was strongly urged to keep the hospital gown on because of the IV. I had a couple of friends visit later on the day of the surgery and can't recall much about the time except that they brought me a sign calling me a loser and some shakes and I was really, really tired. I remember the surgeon stopping by, and a LOT of other people checking in. (I was at a university hospital, so I expect I had a few residents inspecting the surgeon's work.) It's all kind of fuzzy and I just have an impression of people popping in to ask a few questions and look at my belly. The staples came out the day after the procedure. It hurt a little bit, but not unbearably and it was over quickly. I was allowed to shower after that and they only gave me a couple of trial-size bottles of Johnson's, which doubles as a body wash. So it took a bit of work and a lot of energy to get my hair combed out afterward. I had a lot of choices for "meals": vegetarian, chicken, or beef broth (all too salty); juice; Gatorade; lemonade; oatmeal; yogurt; popsicles; teas; coffees; and sherbet. I fixated on the sherbet and popsicles because for some reason, cold felt better than hot. I noticed right away that the artificial sweetener chemical aftertaste lingered and lingered and lingered. Through several cups of water and Gatorade. The lemonade kind of helped, but I couldn't drink enough to get rid of it completely. I sucked on ice chips whenever I had them handy. I was encouraged to walk as much as possible, and I got in a few laps. I had to pee in a bowl that fit under the toilet seat to monitor my input/output. That was kind of weird. But when you're drugged up, you get a little less self conscious. Since this is about the hospital, I won't detail the liquid phase or any of that stuff here. I will say that I came home, put a pillow under my knees and an extra one under my melon and I slept like a frickin' princess. (I'm a week out and just now able to start sleeping on my side again.) I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but hopefully this will give you some idea of what to expect when you go. I don't think I was well prepared by me surgical team as far as what to expect after the surgery and I plan on sharing that feedback with them. But I was prepared enough and always felt like I was in competent hands. Welcome to the adventure, you Losers!

I use a frozen smoothie mix in a bag (there are several variations with a combination of fruit and veggies, and they are about 60-80 cal per servings -- I'm sure they have similar options in every region); low fat yogurt (also low in cals); and a protein powder. I use low carb protein powders like I did pre-op, so it helps keeps the carbs and calories low as well. I mix it in a blender, and it's a meal replacement; usually breakfast or lunch. It's very filling, and quite tasty! I like to play around with the flavors so it doesn't get boring. Use your preferred yogurt, smoothie mix, and protein powder.