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I couldn't get anything down besides water and Gatorade g2 first week cause of nausea now I can (: it's all good I didn't start mushies yet cause it's 9am so I grabbed a yogurt I want to ask first now (:

Just had frozen yogurt with fruit and granola for dinner and I feel horrible because it wasn't a protein packed dinner and probably had too much sugar...I follow the high protein diet closely and eat a lot of unprocessed foods..and I exercise regularly...why do I feel so damn guilty? I hate being so hard on myself but I just can't help it!

Cookeeez: absolutely correct ! Nena: you aren't eating enough calories period. For my body I found that if I eat less than 1000 calories a day, I don't lose weight. I try to keep it under 1200 and definitely get atleast 70g of Protein. This isn't a "die" it, it is a "live" it . Feed your body good things and the sleeve will keep the amounts under control. Let's see... yesterday I had B: 8 oz coffee+creamer; 6 oz carbmaster blackberry yogurt; 6 triscuit L: 3 oz pork chop; 1 oz cheddar; 1 med. apple D: 3 oz steak; 1/4 cup baked beans; 1 small potato; 1 pat butter Snack: 1 cup fresh fruit salad; 10 slices pepperoni Total: 1257 calories, 120g carbs, 53g fat, 79g protein Kind of a high calorie day, too many carbs & fat, but great protein :-)

I'm just under 11 months out, and I can eat anything I want. I have to be really careful. For me, that means weighing and measuring food, counting and tracking calories, and following the general rules for gastric sleeve patients. I don't think of it as dieting. I think of it as doing what I need to do for success. I usually have a Protein shake for breakfast, greek yogurt and string cheese for lunch with a few grapes, nuts for an afternoon snack, and meat/vegetable for dinner. Some days I have a snack at bed time, depending on how many calories I've eaten and if I'm hungry. I could easily eat a lot more than I do. I try to keep it close to 900 calories, but lately I'm having a hard time staying below 1100. I, too, am surprised at how few calories and carbs it takes me to lose weight. No wonder i was so fat!

If you're lactose intolerant, the whey protein will probably make you sick. I couldn't tolerate them either for that reason. Plus, let's be honest, they taste/smell horrific or have a disgusting texture. Isopure would work if it wasn't whey protein. You can find soy, or egg base Proteins at GNC and online at various sites. I found soy protein to taste worse than whey. Can you have pureed meats yet? At the mushy stage (which is what you are describing from my guidelines with the Beans and eggs), I could have chicken, egg, tuna salad. You can mix it with some nonfat greek yogurt and a couple teaspoons of the dry ranch dip packets to sub for mayo or miracle whip. I did use miracle whip as well. I ate a lot of the salads because of the protein counts, and they were all easily digested.

Also things like cottage cheese, yogurt in between help a lot. Oh, and cheese. Everyone loves cheese.

Two days ago I started pureed/soft foods. I've had scrambled eggs, deli turkey, yogurt, Ricotta Bake (from http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com ), and pear. Tomorrow I'm thinking about refried Beans and guacamole. Obviously the amount of food is very small but it's better than just liquid and gives me hope for the future!

I lost weight about a week and half ago. Sleeved 5/4. Fluid intake I am not meeting and probably not protein either. I find that even if I meet my 3 ounces at dinner I'm still hungry. I was told to only eat 3 times a day. I usually have either a shake or yogurt for breakfast. Lunch varies. And dinner I know I get my protein.

Has anybody used frozen yogurt in a protein shake? Never done it but looking to spice it up.

There are practically NO yogurts beside the plain unsweetened that would be appropriate to use post op. They all contain too many carbs and sugar. The plain greek yogurt is allowed but i find it to be more on the sour side like sour creme. I had to add Stevia to it and sugar free Jello to be able to eat it. The only one I could find that was not so high in Carbs was the Light and Fit brand of Greek Yoghurt by Dannon but not the one in the big containers but the individual containers or i serving size has about 7 grams of Carbs. I tried the strawberry and the vanilla is excellent. You could add flavorings in the mixture when you blend it. I'd add just a little milk to it but not too much to make it watery then freeze it. Take it out of the freezer after frozen then let it thaw just a bit to be able to get it out of the carton then put in blender and whip it up. It does taste good like frozen youghurt.... You WON'T find ANY ready made frozen yoghurt that is Not hight in sugar and carbs. I guess you could try the plain regular low fat yoghurt and it wouldn't be as sour and add your own sugar free flavors to it. Check online for the NOW brands of little bottles of all sorts of flavorings to add to anything and it's all low carb and low calorie and sweetened with stevia only. I am going to order some from the i herb website for natural foods. they come inall sorts of interesting flavors like pineapple, orange, strawberry, mango, blueberry, blackberry etc..... Enjoy!!!!

He didn't tell me anything about carbs at all. He just focused on Protein. But yet at my early stages, I could have yogurt and creamed Soups, they have carbs. My net carbs are very low. I was wondering if thats the norm. Thanks so much for your info!

If by "frozen yogurt" you mean plain (unsweetened) yogurt (greek or otherwise), I'd think that would be doable. If by "frozen yogurt" you mean something that comes in a container in the frozen food section of your grocery store, I'd say it's unlikely you'll find an option that's not far too high in sugar to be a good choice. I've made my own "soft serve"-like concoction, using a small blender, almond milk, ice, and Protein powder. I don't usually use yogurt because it gives the whole thing a tangy-ness I don't care for, but it would thicken it up. That's not always a good thing when you're really early post-op, though. Thicker shakes can be harder to get through your tiny sleeve in the first weeks when you're still swollen and healing.

Ok these are the things I tried. Egg drop Soup, pudding, yogurt shake all on different days of course. How did it go down? Not to great. It made me nauseated all day long. I guess its viscosity was just a tad to much. But as of right now I am drinking the atkins low carb shakes from walmart/sams. Thicker than broth but not near a yogurt shake. I can only handle 1 a day as of right now. The rest of the day is either apple juice , Water, or crystal lite. Thats just what I can handle but everyones different. Goodluck on ur choices

Yes, pickle juice ????. I mixed it in Greek yogurt, too, but it wasn't as good. (I have a slight pickle obsession. There are 7 different jars of them in my fridge. None of which I can eat right now!) Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using the BariatricPal App

Is Miralax stronger than a stool softener? I take 2 stool softeners every night and still am not having much luck. I am thinking about picking up some Activia Yogurt, I eat a yogurt every day anyway.

Hi Bonnie! I have been thinking about you all week and am happy you are home and getting on with your recovery. I am so sorry to hear about the "extra procedures" during surgery which held up your recovery. Sounds like you had a rough start. But in one way, it may be better that they found the lesion on your liver and removed it so that there would be no chance that it would turn cancerous at a later time in life. And the repair of your hernia is a positive as well. My diet for three weeks is almost as restrictive as yours. I am totally on liquids -- clear (at least 24 oz) and protein-type liquids (at least 24 oz) like Protein shakes, yogurt, diet pudding made with skim milk, soy milk -- for 2 1/2 weeks before I get the mushy diet. I have to admit I am getting sick of Protein drinks, and the work of it for me is that I have developed lactose intollerance so everything is now soy or vegetable based. But I like soy milk and found a soy based Protein powder, so I am doing that now. Hang in there and may your journey get easier every day. Love from Phyllis, aka Hopeful Spirit

I completely understand where you are coming from. I am doing all the right stuff - I am doing at least an hour in the gym 4-6 days a week. When I run / walk on the treadmill I do about 3.5-3.75 miles - The cal counter says 425-450. When I do the elliptical I burn about 700 cal. I am keeping my calories around 900-1000. I am eating mainly tuna and baked fish with green beans and greek yogurt. I do a sugar free jello pudding cup and a popsicle every day. I drink a ton crystal light (1/2 strength) ice tea and 2 cups of decaf coffee. I was banded Feb 3rd and I have lost about 5 lbs. I get your frustration. I finally quit getting on the scale because I was having hissy fit every morning after I got off the scale. I am going to keep doing what I am doing because I figure my body has to eventually let it go. I am really relieved to read that I am not the only one that wants to throw themselves on the ground like a f'n 3 year old when I don't see that scale move! I just added some weight training to my routine so I am hoping that will maybe help. I will let you know if it does. I have only been doing it for a week but I do notice my clothes finally are feeling a little looser. I also wanted to tell you that all of your blogs have been very entertaining. They totally crack me up. You have a way of venting that doesn't come across as whiny at all. My favorite was the "calories in vs calories out is bullshit". I could have written those exact words myself just not as well or entertaining as you did. Keep it up and stay strong!

Have you tried protein hot cocoa? I found that much easier to drink than cold protein shakes. A lot of people like to use protein shakes as coffee creamer (caramel shakes work well for this). Have you tried clear protein, like Syntrax Nectar? That's more like juice than a shake, so you might find it more tolerable. You can also try protein soups, or mixing unflavored protein powder into regular soup. Are you allowed to have purees yet? If so, you can mix unflavored protein powder into almost anything pureed. (I prefer to use flavored protein powders with sweet purees like yogurt, pudding, applesauce, oatmeal, etc. and unflavored in savory foods like refried beans, mashed cauliflower, soup, etc.).

I lost 90 lbs total by the time I was 6 months post-op. I haven't lost an ounce since then. I just celebrated my first year and am doing everything right. I was called the model patient for so many reasons, but the numbers are not budging. I am a super-disciplined person, I eat very slowly, have no emotional relationship with food, and cook everything myself. I am really at a loss. I moved away from my doctor's office after 7 months, and lost all support. No dietitian, no post-op appointments, no blood-work, nothing. Mostly, I mourn the feedback. As my pouch adjusted, I have been able to easily get an entire yogurt down without much effort. I have started adding 5 cherries to my Breakfast yogurts... I am obsessing over my food intake, worrying if I am eating too much (no weight loss) or too little (body in starvation mode). I have no way of knowing unless I get real answers from real professionals. I am tired of researching and doctoring myself. I am tired of putting together advice from people who have been through it. I really need to shake up my system. I feel like I'm losing time, and that I have only 6 more months to lose weight for real. I am 30 lbs from my goal, and have no hope. I'm not sure if I'm looking for more advice right now. I just need some feedback from long timers. I think I want to hear about people who lost weight way after their surgery. Maybe I'll be able to stop pressuring myself to catch only this train before it leaves the station.

I'm just over 6 weeks out, and I'm kind of worried about how much I can eat. I see people on here who are 3+ months out who can only eat 500-600 calories. I am eating around 700-900 calories a day, but I could easily eat 1200 - 1300 calories if I wanted! I'm talking 1200 of high quality, protein-rich foods, not junk or sliders. I'm not overly hungry, but I also never feel that super restricted feeling people talk about. I read about people who can't eat more than 2 oz or never want to eat anything, and I wish that was me! I can take full gulps of liquid -- not HUGE gulps, but a lot more than sips. I can eat 5.3 oz container of yogurt, or a veggie hot dog, or 3-4 oz of tuna in 10-15 minutes without feeling at all sick or restricted. I eat as slowly as I can, but the few times I've forgotten and have eaten too fast I've had no ill effects. I have not found a single food that disagrees with my sleeve so far, and I've never thrown up. (Not eating any bread, Pasta, rice, though, so I can't say how those would feel.) The only food that causes a super restricted feeling is salmon. I never drink with meals, never eat bread, starches, etc. I'm following the guidelines. I'm losing slowly but surely. But I am so worried that if I don't have much restriction now, I will go back to my old, bad eating habits in a few months, after the restriction gets even less! Does anyone else have this situation? Does anyone have any advice?

You're fine. Too much liquid with food (something I still can't do without yacking at 2.5 years out) isn't good. You've not damaged something, I'd guess, but you are not teaching yourself good habits by doing so. I was at 2 spoons of yogurt at 6 weeks out. Go slower, eat less at a sitting. I still eat every 2-3 hours but only a 1/2 cup at a sitting max.

Every morning for Breakfast I have two scrambled eggs with 1 oz of shredded cheese (about 270 calories). About an hour later I drink an 11 oz. Premier Protein drink (160 calories), then usually when I'm at work I have 16 oz Water after that. For lunch I've been mostly eating Shelly's Ricotta Bake which is amazing (about 200 calories)! (EDIT: It won't let me add the website for the recipe, just google Shelly's Ricotta Bake). If I don't have any portions left, I'll have tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad, or turkey salad which is all homemade and pureed (calories vary). I usually have 4 oz and sometimes I'll put shredded cheese on top. dinner is more of the same, one of my pureed salads. Non-water drinks - either Powerade Zero or Diet Snapple. For Snacks, either Yoplait light yogurt (90 cal) or sugar free Jello pudding (60 cal) - today I had one after lunch and one after dinner. Or I might have one or two Sugar Free ice pops (15 cal each). I've had no problems getting my protein in and I never feel hungry. In fact the other night I overdid it with the egg salad, I tried 5 oz and felt uncomfortably full after, so I reeled it back to 4 oz. I've tried some seafood - I bought some flake crab meat from Aldi's and it was OK, not great. I might try again and made a seafood salad with it. I also got some Mahi Mahi from Trader Joe's and it was underwhelming. Very bland even though I made it with lemon juice and a bunch of spices. I have one piece left and may try a seafood salad with that one. Good luck!

VerticalSleeveTalk Newsletter Hey Sleevers!The lull of summer is ending, and autumn is just around the corner. How did you do in meeting your goals this summer? We hope you met your weight loss and health goals, but if not, don’t worry. It’s the perfect time to get back into your weight loss routine if you got sidetracked during a summer vacation. Pick yourself up, return to your bariatric surgery diet and, of course, let us help! Here is what you’ll find in this month’s newsletter. Sleever Poll: How Did You Find Out About VerticalSleeveTalk.com? Member Spotlight – Meet ShrinkingMama! Your Sleeve Gastrectomy lunch – Packing Your food for a Busy Day Keep the Forums Positive! Take a look at the newsletter and then join us at VerticalSleeveTalk.com! We’re always looking for more participation, and we welcome your feedback, so drop us a line whenever you want! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder VerticalSleeveTalk.com Sleever Poll: How Did You Find Out About VerticalSleeveTalk.com? A. Search engine (e.g., Google, Yahoo!, Bing, etc…please tell us which one) B. Friend or family member C. Your surgeon D. Your primary care physician (PCP) E. An offline support group F. Your nutritionist or dietitian G. Someone else from your doctor’s or surgeon’s office (e.g., a nurse or receptionist) H. App store (e.g., iTunes, Google Apps Marketplace) I. Another way. Mark your answer and discuss it in the forums! Member Spotlight – Meet ShrinkingMama! In this month’s newsletter, we’re happy to introduce ShrinkingMama, a 28-year-old wife of a police officer and stay-at-home mother of a 5-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son. Her family is her world and the reason for her surgery. ShrinkingMama came from an Italian family, which revolved around food, but she weighed only 140 pounds throughout high school. She began to gain weight during an abusive relationship, and did not lose much even when using Weight Watchers. She met her husband in 2007, continued to gain weight and was 200 pounds by the time she was pregnant with her daughter. As she says, she “did what any other pregnant woman does: eat!” She was on strict bed rest for her third trimester and weighed 240 pounds. She lost 20, gained it back during her second pregnancy and could not lose much with Weight Watchers, diet pills, Jenny Craig, Overeaters Anonymous, hypnosis or SlimFast. The straw that broke the camel’s back for her was last summer, when her weight prevented her from taking her son on a certain ride. She loved the third surgeon she met, and changed her mind from getting the lap-band to getting vertical sleeve gastrectomy. Her pre-operative preparation went smoothly, and surgery was December 2012. Her first week was rough, but she recovered well and began “dropping weight like crazy.” ShrinkingMama now weighs 147 pounds and is nearly at goal weight of 140 pounds. She has been on a gluten-free diet for about a year because of celiac disease. She is very proud of herself for making this decision and following through. Her husband has been completely supportive, and her parents have come around, for the most part. ShrinkingMama is looking forward to skin removal surgery when she is at goal weight. ShrinkingMama is completely happy with her surgery, and she offers this advice. Listen to your surgeon and nutritionist. Do not compare yourself or your weight loss to others’. Talk to other patients to learn. Be patient! ShrinkingMama, thank you for sharing your story and especially your enthusiasm with us! Congratulations on your weight loss and your new chance at life! If you want to be featured in the Member Spotlight section of our newsletter, let us know in the Member Spotlight forum! You can also nominate another member. If you’re shy, just send a private message to Alex Brecher. Your Sleeve Gastrectomy Lunch – Packing Your Food for a Busy Day By mid-September, many of us are back into regular routines. If you have children who take their lunches to school, you make sure their lunches are appetizing and healthy. Your own lunch deserves just as much care. These tips can help you create easy gastric sleeve-friendly sack lunches to take to work. Have these helpful items on hand: An insulated lunch bag A small spoon, fork and knife A set of small containers with tight-fitting lids Plastic baggies An insulated beverage container (unless you stick to Water bottles) Once a week: Figure out how many days you will need to take a lunch to work in the coming week. Plan your lunch menus, make a shopping list and get the groceries you need The night before: What can you do so that packing your lunch is easier in the morning? Measure your chicken breast Pack a serving of leftovers from dinner in a small container with a tight-fitting lid Wash and cut some fruit and vegetables Pack your utensils and a bottle of water Count your crackers Portable protein: Just as it does when you’re at home, Protein comes first when you’re on the go. These are some ideas for brown baggers. Tuna or chicken in cans or pouches Hard-boiled eggs (If you have a fridge at work): cottage cheese Fat-free canned refried Beans or low-sodium pinto, black or garbanzo beans Low-fat string cheese or light Laughing Cow cheese Lean ham or turkey breast Leftover grilled chicken or fish Peanut Butter If you’re still in the pureed foods stage, try lentil Soup, Protein shakes, hummus and Greek yogurt. Nutritious combinations: Combine your protein with vegetables, fruits and whole grains for their Fiber and other nutrients Dip and raw vegetables, such as carrot and celery sticks, grape tomatoes and cauliflower florets salad with chicken or tuna and shredded low-fat cheese Peanut butter on whole grain crackers or with apple slices Ham and low-fat cheese rolled up in a small whole-grain tortilla Greek yogurt with high-fiber Cereal or melon One-half small whole-wheat bagel with fat-free cream cheese and canned salmon If you’re post-op and not at the solid foods stage yet, try fat-free cottage cheese with pureed canned peaches, fat-free refried beans with low-fat shredded cheddar cheese and instant oatmeal with skim milk and Protein powder. Have extras on hand. You might get stuck working late or unable to make your planned lunch-time trip to a grocery store. Stash protein-containing Snacks at work for those occasions. Protein Bars and powder, canned tuna and chicken, roasted soybeans and almonds provide protein and do not need refrigeration, so you can keep them at work or in the car. Lunch after weight loss surgery can be a disaster if you opt for fast food or whatever’s in the vending machine, plan, but you can easily pack a healthy lunch that fits into your diet. Plan ahead, have the containers and utensils you need and focus on lean protein and other nutritious choices so that your lunch supports weight loss. Keep the Forums Positive! You come to VerticalSleeveTalk.com for information and support. Unlike many other online forums, VerticalSleeveTalk.com maintains a positive atmosphere and has zero tolerance for rudeness. We welcome anyone who is interested in weight loss surgery, regardless of their personal beliefs about it. When you see a post that is inappropriate or offensive, please report it using the “report post” link located at the bottom of the post. We realize and appreciate that nearly all members try hard to be welcoming, helpful and polite. These are a few tips to help you avoid avoid accidentally saying something that can be hurtful to another member. Say, “my surgeon told me…,” not, “the only right way is…” Say, “I think I would choose …,” not, “You made the wrong choice.” Say, “Have you considered…?,” not, “You’re not ready for your weight loss journey.” Say, “I have found that …,” not, “The right way is …” Each of these statements let you give your own opinion and advice without accusing other members of doing something wrong. Thank you for keeping the boards positive! That’s what we have for this month’s newsletter. You can always check out the old newsletters in the archive section. Thank you for reading it and for your contributions to the board! Take care of yourself and each other! Sincerely, Alex ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: {unsubscribe}

Hi. I was moved up to stage 3 diet on Wednesday which is creamed soups, puréed chicken (barf) and other stuff that makes me feel sick just thinking about. This has got to be the hardest stage because I don't know who the F could possibly purée a chicken and actually eat it, and if you have I have much respect for you. As for my premier protein shakes those make me gag now too. All I really intake is a yogurt and an isopure or two and lots of water. I am down 30lbs in 2 weeks so I'm not complaining about that it's just... this sucks. Next week I believe is tuna and chicken salad thank god. You know it's bad when your dying for a nice big salad lol. Sometimes when my head hunger is out of control I think to myself that I could have just died fat and happy. Ugh end rant. Ps. Please no lectures.

Shelbymarie18: i was also just sleeved on the 11th. Im not necessarily hungry but I seem to have no problems drinking, eating a decent amount at one time, meaning yogurt or jello. I too wonder if this is all normal.