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I've heard of that bake from a few people, I think I better give it a try!!! Today ended up being kinda rough for me. I had some yogurt this morning, same as I've done the past few days, and something didn't agree with me at all. I was in the bathroom sick 15 minutes later. I don't know what caused it. I was able to eat some refried Beans since, but it's gotten me a little nervous trying anything new. Has anyone been having any issues getting sick? What foods did you try that caused it? The hardest thing I've found is finding my "full". It took a few days on pureed foods but now I know and I'm not overeating. That extra bite or two can be awful. I had a couple times this week with terrible pain from eating a bite too many. Trial and error sucks, but I learned quick when to stop and to slow down alot more. Despite being I'll earlier today's a better day. I was able to get alot more Water down today than I have. I think I'll be able to get 6 cups in today.

My surgery was in November, and I really struggled with the Protein shakes and greek yogurt. The shakes or yogurt would get stuck and then I would have to drink warm Water to help it go down. My NUT told me about Isopure Tea. It wasn't that bad, I could drink about half a bottle a day. The full bottle has 40 grams of protein, so if you can do the full bottle, good for you! Even now, 7 months post-op, I still can't get the shakes and greek yogurt down easily. I make the shakes pretty runny and I put fruit with some of their natural juices in my greek yogurt to thin that down. Don't give up! Just keep trying different things. I had a hard time at the beginning with eggs and almost all meats. I just keep trying them to see if things are easier or better. Some are, and some things I still can't get down. But as long as my blood work comes back good and I still look healthy and feel good, I'm not stressing out over what I can't eat or how much I may or may not be getting in my body. Good luck! Keep with it! I'm down 90+ lbs and couldn't be happier!

are you allowed veggies yet. not everyone has same diet requirements. I was told to quit taking the iron and add miralax to my drinks, yogurt, etc. you can also add fiber using the powdered non flavored stuff. unfortunately sometimes, like beans, you just get cramps and gas! make sure you are getting plenty of water. I had issues with iron with pre-natal vitamins, nurse said my multivitamin should provide enough and when they check my levels in sept if needed we will try to add iron back in.

@@MamaDDDD "How do you do it!! LOL i just saw my doc the other day and he suggested branching out with soft foods and seeing what works yet every tine I chew something... And I CHEW CHEW CHEW it feels like I want to puke. One or two bites. So upsetting Has eating foods slowed your loss? Are you getting your fluids in?" I assume this was for me. Don't confuse how many foods I can eat with how MUCH i can actually eat. It's very little and sometimes it can be very frustrating, especially on a day where I'm behind on Protein or at a meal where I very much enjoy my food. I eat small things several times a day, but not actual meals unless I am physically hungry. I'm not usually very hungry until dinner time. Dinner is about a half cup of food or less, and I rarely finish a serving of anything. Everything i eat is soft. It takes me about 20 minutes to eat and I'm particular about how things are prepared. Veggies are overcooked, meats are mixed with some sort of low fat sauce or greek yogurt to keep them moist, and I cannot and do not eat and drink at the same time, it hurts and i get too full. I take small bites, and chew chew chew. Some foods haven't gone down as well. Anything too dry or too dense makes me feel yucky and sometimes it will come right back up. My weight loss is steady, I'm averaging about 3 lbs a week. It is slower than it was when I was fresh off the operating table and not eating, but that's of course because now I'm eating more. And I'm eating more because I'm also exercising A LOT. At least 5 days a week. Cardio and lots of weight training. My body needs food to run and lift weights. If I don't eat enough, I get headaches and dizzy sensations when I exercise, which is dangerous. After I exercise, I'm very very hungry. If you're getting in your liquids and protein and taking all of your Vitamins, technically your body can subsist on that alone. It is frustrating not to be able to eat, but don't push yourself. Try soft foods, try Soups and add Protein powder, try yogurts/cottage cheese and see how those things work. It's possible that maybe you dont like soft foods because of new texture issues. I have texture issues and some taste issues now that I've had surgery. I used to love boiled eggs. Now they make me wanna vomit.

Not yet! My surgeon's phase diet doesn't allow for raw fruits & veggies until after 6 weeks. Your new tummy will not tolerate raw fruits right now, especially ones with seeds like strawberries. What Protein shakes have you tried? My favorites are Unjury's Vanilla and chocolate Splendor flavors, and Syntrax Nectar's "Sweets" flavors, especially Double-Stuffed Cookie. Syntrax offers a sample pack of their Nectars, including a bunch of fruity ones (not my thing, but lots of people like them). My surgery was the same day as yours, and right now I'm doing 1/3 c. of a protein shake at a time, finishing 1 shake per day. My surgeon's PA said I could use soy or almond milk during the first week, when I'm not supposed to have dairy. I'm using unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and it's good. Edited to add: I do have to admit that I'm also tired of Clear Liquids already, too! I am going to be so excited to have pudding and yogurt and strained Soups next week! And I'm already fantasizing about refried Beans and scrambled eggs on the soft foods phase...

You should ask your surgeon or nutritionist about adding berries. That's usually a no-go this early post-op. However, you can definitely make your own shakes using the ingredients you are cleared to have like Protein Powder, low fat milk, greek yogurt, etc. Protein powder comes in lots of different flavors or you can buy the unflavored kind and make your own flavors using sugar-free syrups.

It’s summertime again! Which means hot sun, cold drinks, and trips to the beach, the pool, and to the lake (camping, anyone?). Summertime is a great opportunity to get back on track with protein-rich meals that will help you beat the heat! Grill Baby! Grilling is one of the best ways to cook meats and vegetables in the summer - it won’t heat your house and you can be creative with marinades! We love to marinade chicken in a simple mixture of 1/4 C olive oil, 1/4 C lemon juice, 1 T garlic, and 1/2 C water. Steak gets a bath in 1/4 C soy sauce, 1/4 C Worcestershire sauce, and 1 T garlic. Pork and fish can get a similar treatment as chicken, as can vegetables. You can also use store bought marinades and salad dressings to add bold flavor. Be sure to watch for added sugars and salt, though! A great tip for grilling - for fish and vegetables, invest in a grill basket. It will keep your food from falling through the grates of the grill! Meat Salads Meat salads are absolutely fabulous in the summer. Tuna and chicken are super popular, but you can also use salmon (remove the bones if using canned), mixed seafoods, and shrimp! A great cold shrimp salad that is full of flavor, protein, and good fats is shrimp, avocado, and red onion in a summery lemon vinaigrette. You can find the recipe here! You can also play with flavorings, adding herbs, different sauces, and condiments to your meat salad: Southwest Tuna Salad 1 T Greek Yogurt 1 T salsa 1 can chunk light tuna, packed in water, drained chopped onion to taste 2 T black beans (optional), rinsed and drained Combine yogurt and salsa in a bowl. Add onion and stir. Allow to sit for 2-5 minutes to marinate onion. Add beans (if using) and tuna and gently stir. Serve chilled. Speaking Of Salads ... Another great salad option is a salad-in-a-jar. These are all the rage on Pinterest and Facebook, and are as customizable as you’d want. Just layer your salad with dressing on the bottom, followed by any chopped veggies such as tomatoes or onions, then whatever meat you’re using, followed by cheese, then your salad greens. The formula we use is (in a 1 pint jar): 1 T dressing 2 T chopped veggies 2-3 oz cooked meat 1/2-1 oz shredded or crumbled cheese Salad greens packed into the top of the jar. Don’t have a jar? No worries, just throw your stuff in a bowl and give it a toss! Pre-chopped veggies can be stored in an air-tight container for a few days, so you can still do prep work earlier in the week. Soup? In SUMMER??? Yes! You can even do soup in summer! Light broth-based soups and cold veggie soups can help you stay hydrated in the heat. A super easy throw-together light soup I love is: (About 4 bariatric servings of 1/2 C) 1 C shredded chicken 1 box chicken broth or stock 1/4 C frozen corn (optional) 1 chopped zucchini You LITERALLY throw it all into a pot, bring it to a boil, cook it for 10-15 minutes and you’re done! Soup eating tip - if you have the gastric band or the RnY it may be helpful to drink the broth first then eat the solids. Sip Sip Sip! Yes, keeping those fluids up is STILL important. Even more so during the summer! Water is best for hydration, of course, but sometimes you want something a little different. Try making your own fruit-infused water or tea! There are some great infuser bottles and pitchers on the market right now, or you can just muddle (shmoosh a bit) the fruit in the bottom of your glass or pitcher and pour your liquid right over it. This is also a great way to use up that leftover fruit you might have sitting in your fridge! Summer is all about staying cool, calm and collected - all the while keeping our nutrition and hydration going! You can do it! Share your ideas below in the comments section!

It’s summertime again! Which means hot sun, cold drinks, and trips to the beach, the pool, and to the lake (camping, anyone?). Summertime is a great opportunity to get back on track with protein-rich meals that will help you beat the heat! It’s summertime again! Which means hot sun, cold drinks, and trips to the beach, the pool, and to the lake (camping, anyone?). Summertime is a great opportunity to get back on track with protein-rich meals that will help you beat the heat! Grill Baby! Grilling is one of the best ways to cook meats and vegetables in the summer - it won’t heat your house and you can be creative with marinades! We love to marinade chicken in a simple mixture of 1/4 C olive oil, 1/4 C lemon juice, 1 T garlic, and 1/2 C water. Steak gets a bath in 1/4 C soy sauce, 1/4 C Worcestershire sauce, and 1 T garlic. Pork and fish can get a similar treatment as chicken, as can vegetables. You can also use store bought marinades and salad dressings to add bold flavor. Be sure to watch for added sugars and salt, though! A great tip for grilling - for fish and vegetables, invest in a grill basket. It will keep your food from falling through the grates of the grill! Meat Salads Meat salads are absolutely fabulous in the summer. Tuna and chicken are super popular, but you can also use salmon (remove the bones if using canned), mixed seafoods, and shrimp! A great cold shrimp salad that is full of flavor, protein, and good fats is shrimp, avocado, and red onion in a summery lemon vinaigrette. You can find the recipe here! You can also play with flavorings, adding herbs, different sauces, and condiments to your meat salad: Southwest Tuna Salad 1 T Greek Yogurt 1 T salsa 1 can chunk light tuna, packed in water, drained chopped onion to taste 2 T black beans (optional), rinsed and drained Combine yogurt and salsa in a bowl. Add onion and stir. Allow to sit for 2-5 minutes to marinate onion. Add beans (if using) and tuna and gently stir. Serve chilled. Speaking Of Salads ... Another great salad option is a salad-in-a-jar. These are all the rage on Pinterest and Facebook, and are as customizable as you’d want. Just layer your salad with dressing on the bottom, followed by any chopped veggies such as tomatoes or onions, then whatever meat you’re using, followed by cheese, then your salad greens. The formula we use is (in a 1 pint jar): 1 T dressing 2 T chopped veggies 2-3 oz cooked meat 1/2-1 oz shredded or crumbled cheese Salad greens packed into the top of the jar. Don’t have a jar? No worries, just throw your stuff in a bowl and give it a toss! Pre-chopped veggies can be stored in an air-tight container for a few days, so you can still do prep work earlier in the week. Soup? In SUMMER??? Yes! You can even do soup in summer! Light broth-based soups and cold veggie soups can help you stay hydrated in the heat. A super easy throw-together light soup I love is: (About 4 bariatric servings of 1/2 C) 1 C shredded chicken 1 box chicken broth or stock 1/4 C frozen corn (optional) 1 chopped zucchini You LITERALLY throw it all into a pot, bring it to a boil, cook it for 10-15 minutes and you’re done! Soup eating tip - if you have the gastric band or the RnY it may be helpful to drink the broth first then eat the solids. Sip Sip Sip! Yes, keeping those fluids up is STILL important. Even more so during the summer! Water is best for hydration, of course, but sometimes you want something a little different. Try making your own fruit-infused water or tea! There are some great infuser bottles and pitchers on the market right now, or you can just muddle (shmoosh a bit) the fruit in the bottom of your glass or pitcher and pour your liquid right over it. This is also a great way to use up that leftover fruit you might have sitting in your fridge! Summer is all about staying cool, calm and collected - all the while keeping our nutrition and hydration going! You can do it! Share your ideas below in the comments section!

I'm eating great in comparison. I'm 9 weeks post op. I do a lot of chicken, hamburger/turkey patties (usually about 1/3 to a 1/2)and fish. I eat soft cooked veggies (cabbage, squash, carrots, beans) and the only raw veggies are lettuce (salads), tomatoes, cucumbers. Eggs go down well (boiled or scrambled). Fruits bananas, strawberries, grapes. Dairy is well tolerated so I incorporate cheese, yogurt, but haven't been brave enough to try milk. I am sticking to my almond milk. If I go out to eat it's very difficult. I feel it's like I am being difficult. Many restaurants are ok with selling me a kid's meal so pairing a bunless burger with a salad or beans works. It's gotten easier. Quest protein bars are ok, I like the pb&j one and the white chocolate raspberry. I keep trying different things. Apples and drier meats are a no go. I have found a new love for sweet potatoes.

@Beni---Awwww, thank you Beni!! It was hard waiting, for sure--but so worth waiting for!! I should get some of your chickpea recipes, LOL! I forget about them!! My go to for a quick Protein fix (snack) are these new (to me) little Sargento snack packs.(7g of protein) They have a little portion of cheese cubes and then nuts/dried fruit. Love them. They're 180 calories, but if I'm getting that hungry feeling about 3pm, they do the trick! (although I try and choose Greek yogurt, since it has a lot more protein, but I do get sick of that) As far as meals, I am SO with you on the taco salad! When I fix the family tacos, I make extra meat and then for several days I'll even have it for breakfast! My other favorite meal is salad. I add grilled chicken breast, black Beans, a sprinkle of a nut mixture I made up, cheese, and I found a yummy dressing. (Lite Asian toasted sesame) It's only 45 calories per serving. Sometimes I eat that for lunch and dinner, LOL.

Dense proteins means high protein, low carb foods -- like meat, fish, fowl. Less dense but still good protein foods are Greek yogurt, cheese, skim milk. And, of course, protein drinks.

I've had some minor pain, nothing too unmanageable but I'm off pain meds now. I still get a little sore when I first start eating something. I started pureed food Monday. I've been able to do yogurt, canned chicken and refried Beans, that's about it. The Atkins Protein shakes aren't so bad either. I've been having a little trouble getting my Water in. I've been watching to clock and a half hr done eating starting to sip but I still feel like im not getting enough, so I feel like I need to try pushing that more. Has that been a problem for anyone else? I haven't got sick yet, I've also been nervous about that. I haven't felt it yet but I'm worried for if it comes. Emotionally it's been tough. I just went back to work wednesday, so being in a routine has helped a little but I've been pretty overwhelmed. And watching people eat things I can't have has been so hard. I don't even want anything unhealthy, I want to eat grilled chicken and some wild rice. I want to sit at the dinner table with people and feel like im actually eating more than babyfood. I know that will get easier once we can eat normal foods, but in the meantime it's been difficult.

Hi @@LynRey70 and @@sferriol! I am also 8 days post surgery. I haven't tried anything thicker than yogurt yet. My Dr's protocol is 2 weeks liquids, 2 weeks purees, then on to soft foods. I'm afraid to chance it.

Someone at work gave me like a 5lb bag of chocolate Shakeology. I guess I know what I'll be trying this weekend. I also tried Powerful Yogurt today (Maple flavored). It's like 170 or 190 calories, but is like 21 g of Protein. Was pretty good. I tried unjury chocolate, but it was way too sweet for me. So I guess I have tried a few things. Right now I'm just suffering horrible PMS and want to inhale my house. :-) I have my follow up on the 30th so we'll see what happens next. I think we're supposed to talk dates. I was low on Vitamin D in my labs so they have me on special supplements for that. I can't do surgery until Sept anyway with work and vacations. I want to be able to throw my little guy around the pool and I can't do that post-surgery. Probably couldn't do it earlier now anyway with the Vitamin D issue as I have to get re-tested in 2 months. I just keep plugging along.

In the morning I sometimes eat Fat Free Yogurt or Greek yogurt, or papaya, egg white, oatmeal but sometimes I don't have an appetite cuz I get bored with da food, then I check the ingredients of the cereal I want and it has sugar I'm like smh! Help guys plz

I'm 10 weeks out. I eat a lot of yogurt, cheeses, chilli, hamburgers/turkey burgers with no bun, soft cooked veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, steamed carrots, cabbage, and mushrooms so far), sushi with no rice, cottage cheese, fruit, eggs (but i don't really like them so much ). I get chicken, black Beans and cheese from mexican restaurants/Chipotle. And soft grilled fish. I still am not supposed to have raw veggies and no fruit with a peel or anything that's very stringy. I can't have steak or pork/ham yet, but I do eat soft cooked bacon and turkey bacon.

Sounds like you are doing well with protein shakes and soup. You might try going back to purees and pureeing some tasty chicken or tuna salad. Heat them up a little bit to make them more palatable. Greek yogurt (preferably all natural). Cottage cheese. Eggface's Ricotta Bake is super-tasty. Small amounts of hummus, pureed/mashed lentils and refried beans might work, too. Good luck!

Gosh sorry you are having that trouble! I start mushy foods tomorrow and having some anxiety about that. My NUT gave me the following suggestions (which I suppose you have already tried?) - no sugar added applesauce, refried Beans with lowfat cheese melted on top, no sugar greek yogurt, Protein pudding (mix Protein powder with milk first then add to powdered no sugar pudding), etc. Have you been to http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com ? She has a lot of great recipes. I'm definitely going to try the ricotta bake ASAP. PS Call your NUT!

Oh, nooooooooooo! Well, then....what's done is done. Time to start over. Just as a refresher, here are the basic concepts again: While you are hanging out here for support, you can initiate the following steps that most of our plans have us do for our pre-op preparations. Drink no calories. Drink Water until your eyeballs float - 64 - 80+ ounces per day. Don't eat anything made in a factory. You can do this by shopping the perimeter of the supermarket and avoid the aisle unless you need a spice or paper towels...that kind of stuff. Eat at least 60 ounces of Protein per day, and at any meal, eat your protein first - then veg - then fruit. Dessert should be something like an apple, not apple pie with two scoops of ice cream. Avoid sugar, grease, and salt as much as possible. Eating clean will help you discover the real taste of natural food. If it weren't for sugar, grease and salt, McDonald's would have no business. When I gave up candy bars and started eating dark chocolate, I realized that it wasn't the chocolate I missed - it was the sugar. Try to wean yourself off of soda and diet soda. Most bariatric plans discourage soda pop and anything with bubbles post-op. Reduce starchy carbs like bread, flour, sugar, rice, noodle, biscuits, white potatoes, macaroni, spaghetti etc. So what is left to eat? meat, eggs, cheese, Beans, Peanut Butter, yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts, and fresh fruits and non-starchy veggies. You can adjust your current recipes to reduce carbs. The World According to Eggface is a good place to start. Check out the forum here for recipes, also Sparkpeople.com and Myfitnesspal.com. Many of us use Myfitnesspal.com for logging our food every day. It is really an eye-opener if you are honest with yourself about what you eat. Weigh and measure your food to accurately acknowledge your actual portion size. There is a scientific principle that says, "You cannot control that which you do not measure." Exercise where you can. Move your body every day. Don't become part of the sofa. Hugs for a new start. Now, off you go!

I"m on the tail-end of the liquid diet - just today left and then tomorrow I change to the Clear liquids only diet until Monday (Surgery day). The liquid diet days 1-3 are really hard. It DOES get easier. I promise. The Swanson's Intense broth (or whatever they're called) saved me. The Hot and Sour is really tasty as is the Thai Ginger. V8 has these Infusions drinks that are clear too that I enjoyed as well as Vitamin Water Zero. I was also allowed low/no fat Greek yogurt and found that the Yoplait Greek Whips were awesome - great flavors, great texture, no chunks. After that first week, you'll be amazed how full you feel after a mug of warm broth and a yogurt. Good luck. You can do it!!!

I had the greatest idea for opening a new chain of fast food restaurants this morning. It would be a post bariatric surgery patients dream come true. The only thing on the menu would be high protein meats and fish, cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, sugar-free Jell-O and putting, some fancy flavored ricotta cheese desserts, veggies and low carb fruits. We would make our own delicious protein smoothies. There would be absolutely no bread, pasta, chips or even liquids of any kind served. The salad bar would offer customers a scale for their use so they could measure their own portions.,Every day would also feature a couple of high-protein low-carb hot meals. I would call it The Pro Shop. That should read *pudding! Damn autocorrect

How's everyone doing with soft proteins? Share your favorite recipe or food. Im already getting board of limited options but I'm getting my 60 g of protein. Try Sf jam, I add it to Greek yogurt and it's so yummy.

I suppose you're right. I guess I can't totally skip it cuz the purpose of puréed is to ease into soft foods. I'm just hoping I can find some that are more like eating really thick soup instead of like pudding. I'm going to talk to my NUT on Tuesday and see what options I have so that I don't have to completely skip puréed foods. I know if I can just tolerate it all for the 10 days necessary I'll be ok. I'm just so darn picky when it comes to textures and flavors. I even hate smoothies, shakes and yogurts. Yuck!

When I wrote "no pre op prep" I really meant I don't have to do 2 weeks of liquids only. I still have to follow the following diet and lose at least 25 pounds. I lost 28 pounds while going thru all my prepping months doing the ideal Protein diet. I wanted something strict to see if I had the discipline to stick to a life style change and I was fine. I don't follow it 100% now but still use their meal supplement shake for Breakfast and their Snacks cause I know its very low carb low sugar. I still don't eat Pasta or dairy low fat, no butter. I went from cooking with a pd of butter a week to I have had the same pd in my frig for 3 months. Average calorie allowance for my sleeve pre-op diet ranges from 800 to 1200 calories per day. Foods that will need to be decreased in my diet include high sugar foods, high carbohydrate foods (including bread and pasta), fats (such as butter), fatty meats, fried foods, whole milk products, ice cream, high calorie beverages (including regular soda and alcohol). I don't drink soda so no problem there. My diet will be limited, but foods that may be included are yogurt, fruit, Cereal, egg whites, and oatmeal for breakfast and leans meat or fish with green vegetables for dinner. My diet will also includes liquid Vitamins that come in powder form which i have started already and LOVE. What is important that I follow the specific recommendations from my doctor. There is a glitch: Less than a week before my surgery I will be flying to Key Largo for my sons wedding. I KNOW I will have a couple drinks which I hope will not interfere with surgery less than a week later. I will discuss with my doctor. And I know myself I will do my own liquid only before surgery day to know my liver will shrink a little more. I held off til after the wedding but didn't want to wait 2 weeks after the wedding. I am sooo ready now!

I have purchased the sistema BPA free storage system today ( I got them from Waitrose in the uk as they are on offer - half price ) for my small meals after having the sleeve. I bought 3 x 2 pots of 5.7oz containers (great for fruit and greek yogurt) - pic here but I got the bigger sizes (but still tiddily lol) drinks you need to mix http://sistemaplastics.com/products/to-go/700ml-shaker-to-go And finally http://sistemaplastics.com/products/to-go/soup-and-noodle-2-pack They are great and perfect sizes !! Hope it might interest some - Kate