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I would imagine running around after two small tots you really don't need any more exercise. You have done remarkably well considering. You may never get to your goal weight, not everyone does. I will say if you want to run at it then it may be slow going. The nearer you get then the harder and slower the weight loss will get. Your restriction should still be there, could you still have a chat with your team for guidance ? I have picked up a few tips that I have stored on the back burner just in case I need them in the future. Go back to basics, Eat good clean food. Protein first, vegetables and fruit second and then add in the carbs. Track your foods on a app, everyone has their fav. Weigh your food because your luck will be out just eyeballing it now. I am maintaining on 1500 cals and loose on anything lower than that. I walk but its cold and wintery here yet so I am not inspired to get out at the moment. If I did I could perhaps eat a little more. Good luck

One of the healthiest ways of eating (I don't want to call it a diet) I have come across is in a book called the Pound of Cure by Dr. Matthew Weiner. Last summer, I hit my highest weight ever. That's when I started looking into WLS. I was watching a lot of YouTube videos about it and came across an interview with Dr. Weiner, which led me to his books and videos. He also has a weekly podcast that I love with new episodes every Wednesday. I started implementing a lot of the advice in Pound of Cure (you can get the book on Amazon) and lost close to 15lbs between July and January, which on the one hand is slow, but on the other hand it felt completely natural and not like a diet at all. It's just a sustainable way of living that focuses on healthy foods and good habits that lower your body's set point. He has a lot of resources for dealing with weight regain, too. Congratulations on still being over 100 lbs lighter than where you started! I have every confidence that you can continue to do well and meet your goals over time!

You had surgery almost 50 days ago, and your worst "transgression" is one instance of drinking tea with your food and consuming 2 fries and half a small onion ring? I have a feeling if past you could see this, she would not see much resemblance to herself. If eating those things felt triggering, like you're afraid it will be a slippery slope to undoing all the changes you're making, that's definitely something to work through, either on your own or with a therapist. I totally get that fear. But the hardest mindset shift, I think, is to realize we're not on a diet. This is life. Carb counts and protein goals and fat limits and daily calories are helpful guidelines to be mindful of, but they aren't laws that must be followed 100% of the time or else. Instead of beating yourself up, congratulate yourself on being more than halfway to your weight goal! And next time you have an event, decide ahead of time how to handle it if there's nothing there you can eat so you can go in feeling confident you won't have a slip.

first off, @newbegining2024, you will have zero complaints from me, food porn is my favourite kind of porn, ha! re: food funerals, like @Arabesque, i didn't really have time (or thought) to have one. i had postponed my surgery twice in the year and a half prior deciding to finally (again) go through with it. I called my surgeon to say, lets do it in early to mid september 2018, and he booked me in for surgery in a little over a month later for October 2018. I got into tunnel-vision like mode of like, "Lets GOOOO!" while i didn't do any specific diet prior to the 2 week liquid diet before surgery, i DID make conscious efforts NOT to stuff myself or eat mindlessly. i did this for about 2-3 weeks, and didn't lose any weight, interestingly enough. then it was time for my 2 week liquid pre-diet of 3 protein shakes a day. and since i'm a self-proclaimed over-achiever😂, by the end of week 1 i was doing 2 shakes a day, and by mid week 2 i was down to 1 shake a day. yes, i know i was NOT supposed to do this, but i just wanted to prove to myself that i could for some reason (i blame the tunnel vision). again, interestingly enough, i lost 11 lbs. fast forward 5 and half years and life is good, i'm skinny, healthy, happy, and full of energy. i also eat whatever i want...in fractions of amounts i used to, of course. and we aren't just talking salads (though i do LOVE salads!), and boiled fish. i will order items displayed in that awesome spread that @newbegining2024 shared. i eat bread and pasta and fatty steaks, deep fried whatever, chips, bacon, pizza, cheese, alcohol and yes, even desserts. JUST IN VERY SMALL PORTIONS (and yes, i also eat steamed vegetables, grilled lean meats, greek yogurt, and a ton of water). i guess what i'm trying to say is that you don't have to say good bye to your fave foods forever. good luck! ❤️

same, same, as the other posters above. i am really, really good at losing weight. I am (was) also really, really good at finding that weight again. i've lost 50-75 lbs three separate times prior to wls, and each time managed to regain it within a year or so, plus a few more pounds for good measure, until i finally hit my highest weight of 235 lbs (i'm 5'2" so thats alot of weight for my height). with WLS (sleeve for me), i lost 120-ish lbs and kept it ALL off (give or take 5lbs) since reaching goal...almost 5 YEARS ago... whats more, maintaining this weight seems relatively effortless compared to before. because i eat so very little in volume (added to the fact that i somehow developed an affection for exercise and activity!), i have quite a bit of leeway in food choices to reach my maintenance calories. i am very grateful for this aspect of my surgery experience, i tell ya. BUT... i will add a disclaimer here that not everyone has the same WLS experience. you won't know what yours will be until you know. though we all of us here already sort of know that low calorie diets alone aren't sustainable long term for us. i mean, that's why we are all here, no?

I will be turning 50 exactly 1 week from today and had RNY surgery 2 1/2 weeks ago. The surgery went well and I'm doing fantastic! If it weren't for the incisions on my belly and the desire for a quick afternoon nap when that wasn't my habit before, I would almost forget I had surgery at all. So far the recovery has been far easier than I imagined. A few days of pain managed with Tylenol, some fatigue, and that's it. My blood pressure, which has been high even with meds for a decade or more, has been back in the normal range without meds since the minute I woke up from the anesthesia. I'm not sure age is as important as your general health, immune system, etc. I've been lucky in that I generally don't get sick when others do, never had food allergies or digestive issues, and am in fairly good health except for the obesity related concerns I was hoping to reverse/ward off.

I did not skip the liquid phase, but my program does skip purees. They emphasize adequate protein and nutrient dense, natural foods. Here is what I ate, according to the directions my doctor and dietician gave me (for comparison, not giving you medical advice, obviously!): Hospital, 1 day post op (gastric bypass): Water, Jello, Chicken broth, sugar free popsicle. These all went well and I was able to finish them at a slow pace. Home, 2-6 days post op: Protein shakes, bone broth, sugar free yogurt, applesauce, plain kefir, Fairlife skim milk in decaf tea, herbal teas. Nothing that required chewing during this stage. Spoke with nurse via phone call, who confirmed I was meeting my 60g protein and 64 oz water goals consistently. She told me to start taking my vitamins and to incorporate soft proteins as I was able and to continue to consume 60g protein from shakes in addition to food. Days 7-13, here is what I added: Tuna salad with low-fat mayo, poached eggs, deviled eggs, scrambled eggs, hard boiled eggs, refried beans with melted cheddar, baked haddock, feta cheese, ground turkey with taco seasoning, cottage cheese, pickled herring. 2-3 shakes per day to hit 60g protein total (in addition to what I got from food). Met with surgeon in office on day 13. Based on having no issues with water, protein, or any of the foods I had tried so far, and healing nicely, I was told to start incorporating non-protein foods in the following order: non-starchy veg, fruit, starches/grains. I was told I could use protein shakes as needed if the food I consumed did not equal at least 60g protein but could skip the shakes if I hit 60g. Raw veg is fine. I need to wait until 3 months post op to add beef, lamb, and pork. Starting Day 14, these are the new foods I have tried: spinach, strawberries, edamame, turkey sausage, ricotta, chicken salad, steamed broccoli, kalamata olives, smoked salmon, black beans, cucumbers, matchstick carrots, tomatoes, grapes, sliced almonds. Today is day 18 post-op, and this is my menu today: Breakfast: A smoothie made from 1oz power greens, 1 cup frozen berry blend, 8 oz Fairlife skim milk, 2 scoops Syntrax Nectar unflavored protein, 1 Tbsp hemp seeds, 4 small pieces frozen avocado. 16oz total, 36.5g protein Lunch: 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese, 4 no sugar added peach slices, 1/2 mini cucumber, 4 grape tomatoes, 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar. 14g protein. Ended up eating half at noon and half a few hours later because I filled up very fast. Dinner: 3 oz baked salmon with pesto, 3 pieces steamed broccoli. 18g protein. I also will have had 64oz water, 28 oz decaf tea, and 4 oz skim milk by the end of the day. I have not added in any grains at this point because I can just manage to finish a serving of protein and a few bites of veg or fruit right now. Once I get 20-25g protein at lunch and dinner instead of 15g as I'm averaging now, I'll add sweet potatoes, but I'll hold off on white potatoes and breads. I really hope this helps! I would be very mindful of getting in enough protein and fluids in this first week, with an emphasis on fluids first. But as you can see, in another few days, it's very possible to be able to tolerate a variety of protein rich soft foods.

Hi. Has anyone else been told to skip the liquid phase and go immediately chewing soft foods? I’m finding that all I can tolerate is toast crunched into a liquid consistency, puréed ground chicken and puréed potatoes. My protein shake gave me dumping syndrome today. It’s only day 5. But I feel like I can’t manage eating. My plan tomorrow is to just do white bland puréed foods. I just don’t think I should be feeling dumping Syndrom when it isn’t necessary. I feel like I’m being asked to skip the first three weeks of healing and my body is saying it needs to go slower.

This is 100% true. I have never had better fish and chips anywhere than in the UK. We have nothing even close in the States. In fact, despite its dodgy culinary reputation, I have had nothing but delightful food in the UK. Even your prepackaged sandwiches are amazing, and as much as I love American diner breakfast, nothing beats a full English.

Oh my god @newbegining2024 all of that looks so good! I am sooo jealous just looking at all of that. I feel that the UK really doesn't have this amount of good food!!

I am 9 days post op . this morning I poured myself 4 ounces of a premier protein shake out of the refrigerator. I sipped it I didn’t think very quickly. I literally took one sip, had a pain in my stomach and I immediately needed to use the bathroom. I noticed since the last day or so, this has been happening, Whether or not my food is cold or room temp. I’m also experiencing at that same time stomach cramps. Is this dumping syndrome? I don’t think I did anything out of the ordinary I’m not having any added sugar that wasn’t already in the protein shake. Has anybody else experienced this, or has any idea?

Doing many different duets including several VLC & deliberately skipping meals had done a number on my metabolism. Started doing this at 15 so did this for 40 years. The last VLC diet I did (<500 calories) I barely lost a thing - a couple of kilos over 6 or more weeks. The surgery works because it changes your hormones & boosts your metabolism. It also resets your weight set point. This is the weight your body is happiest at & will keep returning to or makes it harder to lose the weight in the first place. I went from really not being able to lose anything to losing all my weight & more. I weigh The other difference was if I did lose weight on a diet in the past as soon as I stopped I invariably went back to eating the exact same way as I did before & regained my weight. Which kept my set point high. I’ve been able to maintain because I took the time while losing to change my relationship with food & changed how & what I ate. I took advantage of the benefits of the surgery. I look at flood differently. I adopted a way of eating (not a diet - to many negative connotations to that word) that works for me because it’s sustainable, complements my lifestyle, ensures I’m making nutrient rich food choices & I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. You may find these links informative. Dr Matthew Weiner (Pound of Cure) has excellent resources es as does Dr John Pilcher. https://courses.poundofcureweightloss.com/courses/weight-loss-hormones/

I didn’t do a food funeral or have a final treat. It all happened pretty quickly. From GP appointment for a referral, to seeing the surgeon, then the dietician & then surgery wasn’t quite 6 weeks. And I think because from the morning I woke up & said enough & made my GP appointment, I was committed. I was ready to make the change for a different life. Maybe if I had a longer time frame until the surgery it may have been different. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Never thought I’ll never have this food again, or won’t be able to eat at a specific restaurant ever again. I do. Just make more careful choices, watch portions, frequency, etc. Had takeaway fish & chips with my brother’s family last week. Ordered grillled fish & salad & snuck a chip from my nephew’s plate. Actually first fish & chips (well chip) since before surgery. But we’re all different in how we approach things. Doesn’t mean what you choose to do is right or wrong. Enjoy.

My food furneral wasn’t planned, but it’s happened to be my food furneral in the summer of 2023. I had a family member who was visiting in July and August 2024, and I took her to all my favorite restaurants and favorite food in NYC. NYC really do have soooo much options when it comes to great food. It was during restaurant week and I took advantage of it. I also had a few pool parties… I gained about 10 lbs. After that reflux became an issue and lead to my surgery. And since Oct 2023 I was in a diet till my surgery in Jan 2024. I would not say all the food I ate was unhealthy, but portion is what needs to be addressed. I believe in the future I can still have them, but in moderation. some pictures of what I ate.😅 BEWARE! FOOD PORN!

The statistics say that 1% of VSG patients experience a leak and that they usually occur because solid food was consumed too early, or from physical trauma/injury to the area. With that said, I know the anxiety youʻre talking about. I only have this knowledge because I deep dive into things Iʻm afraid of.

It's nice to see I'm not the only one Nepenthe44 to break down the science for them and yes that when you do they view it as noncompliance and being difficult. I've even had it suggested that if there's not enough time in my day - wake up and drink a few sips during the night. Science states we as humans require uninterrupted sleep more than those few sips of water. So Nepenthe44 I hate to agree because there will be those that say they really do care, but I do, what people fail to remember is the dieticians are doing a job, one most likely they've never personally experienced for themselves; being a bariatric patient vs. nutritional counseling for bariatric patients having never experienced bariatric struggles. I finally suggested the next time she had the stomach flu and was nauseated and exhausted - wanting to vomit picking up a glass and start drinking water and to make sure to get her 80 grams +- of protein in and getting down 60+ ounces of water, she finally "understood." What is a requirement on paper doesn't always equate to what actually works for people much less a bariatric patient. Its all theory. A body is set up that when you need water lo and behold you feel thirsty! I realize the nutritional requirements for the human body per weight/sex are all fairly similar but the comparisons/suggestions for likes/wants vs needs on food replacements isn't even close E.g. heart of palm noodles vs Thai noodles - in NO way are they taste comparable. So to suggest when I say I miss Thai noodles - heart of palm noodles as a replacement is absurd. That's like suggesting when I say I want a hamburger to replace it with a 3oz of fish - not equal! I didn't say "I miss protein"! They don't understand the struggle and since its their job, not a family member or a true friend they really don't "care." Lastly, I realize they are trying to help and its their job to help me achieve my goals in a healthy way (for those who are thinking this as they read this), but in reality they don't really have a personal investment in my success. I do as they suggest, for the most part, but I also decide what goals are obtainable realistically and which aren't based on consumption quantity vs. time in my day vs. work schedule vs. my employers needs.

That is an interesting thing that I hadn't considered - rather than just junk food, but the food that are just favourites! Makes me think of my mum's mac & cheese and some other dishes she makes! hmm... I am so glad you can eat your salads still! I imagine that helps a lot to still have something you really enjoyed pre-surgery!

Currently 10 weeks post op Vsg . Haven’t been able to reach my protein goals (can’t tolerate many foods) & just started reaching my water goals. Not sure if this has contributed to my stall but any advice or recommendations on how to break a stall ?

I am so excited for you!! Yaaaayyy!! It is really crazy how changing fluids and sleep can make a difference in weight loss! I too notice it immediately on the scale when I slack. It is common knowledge, yes, but so many people brush it off as unimportant when compared to food or exercise. But man, sleep and hydration will undermine your efforts elsewhere if they aren't on point. You are doing an awesome job, pat yourself on the back for changing two habits it would have been easy to ignore!

If you stop eating food you will not lose weight. If you don't eat enough food you will not lose weight either... If your calories are too low you will drop into starvation mode and your body will lock down and refuse to lose weight as much as possible in order to keep you safe. Stressful events in our lives can cause this to happen too, but it is most commonly caused by not eating enough food. Your surgeon should have given you a caloric goal along with a sample menu. I think eating protein several times a day is a good sign, chicken and steak are good proteins, as is the yogurt, and most people post op end up using shakes for a while to meet their goals. There is one very big issue with shakes though---they are NOT filling. In fact they will often make you feel hungry. Looking over your menu for the day what I notice is a distinct lack of fiber. With the exception of the little bits you are getting in the fruit in one of your shakes, you have no fiber. Fiber is very important for fullness and many low carb veggies are very low in calories while being quite voluminous. You are 6 months post op, you should be cleared for all foods, that means veggies of a wide variety. Things you can try that are easier on the tummy: baby spinach (both raw and sauteed), baby bok choy (steamed or sauteed), carrots (raw, steamed, or roasted), cucumber, tomatoes (both raw or cooked), broccoli and cauliflower if they don't make you bloated (both raw and cooked in a myriad of ways), asparagus, summer squash (sauteed or roasted), zuchinni (sauteed or roasted), eggplant (baked), heart of palm noodles, spaghetti squash, and on it goes. Beans are also a good source of fiber while being high in protein too. Well cooked and rinsed beans are a great way to boost volume in your diet! You could also do split peas and lentils. A bean soup would be filling while still being low in calories. At least half your plate per meal and snack should be made up of fruits and vegetables. Personally, I'd drop the Atkins shake and add vegetables to every meal and snack. Make sure to pair them with protein: hummus with carrot sticks, peanut butter with sliced apples, boiled eggs made into an egg salad and paired with cucumbers, fresh mozzarella with basil, balsamic glaze, and sliced tomatoes, chicken with steamed asparagus, steak with roasted carrots and squash, small salads with protein toppers, yogurt topped with berries and a few spoonfuls of granola. These things will help you feel full and give you a lot of nutrients that you really need right now to feel satisfied. I'd also skip the macaroni for a whole grain or root vegetable if you are craving carbs. So try a side of buckwheat or quinoa, or roasted sweet potatoes, mashed redskin potatoes with the skins on, or roasted pumpkin or butternut squash.

You are right! I shouldn’t stop this negativity I’m giving myself. I’ve been trying so hard to eat what’s my nutrition handbook for the past 5 months. I guess that’s why I’m craving so much other food. I also suspect because I’m in a stall, my body is sending out signal to creat my head hunger. This is my 2nd stall post op and it’s getting harder to break. Changing habit is not easy and my previous life style is not healthy. I loooove food and I believe I am a good cook… I was scared that I will go back to how I eat previously. The root problem is that I need to change my habit and my food choice, and it’s hard. I failed at my first sleeve surgery, and got the bypass now, which it still make me feel horrible. The thoughts of failing again got the best of me. I should be happy I loss 43lbs, and 2 size down on my dress size!

I'm glad you are feeling better!! Learning to eat slow is definitely a challenge. I still catch myself sometimes. I get food bored too so I try to eat a variety of things. I don't usually weigh out my food, but I do portion it out/estimate the portion and log it to make sure my macros are on target. It is crucial for DS patients to get enough protein in and if you aren't tracking it you might not be getting enough. It'll eventually show in your labs, but once your protein level drops in labs it is a huge pain to get back up. So it is best to just track it... You don't have to be as exact as weighing, but a good estimation is worthwhile and will also teach you how to understand what correct bariatric portions are for you. My surgeon likes his patients to stay in ketosis for a while so I aim for 120 grams of protein, less than 50 total carbs (usually less than 40 total carbs for me to be safe), and I aim for about 100 grams of fat for good brain health. I don't eat at specific times. That's too much planning. LOL I drink a protein shake as soon as I wake up, then eat a meal about an hour later, and eat every 3 hours after that until I go to bed! I usually end up eating about 5 times a day. I ascribe to the "eat less more often" method and so does my surgeon. I discovered soon after surgery that I need to eat within 3 hours, anything past that and I start to feel exhausted and have no energy and get moody. I feel my best if I eat within 3 hours of my last meal throughout the day... Sometimes eating is a protein snack like a bag of protein chips and a few pickles. Sometimes eating is more meal-like like keto chicken tenders with steamed asparagus. But I always eat by that mark or I pay for it. I also pay for it if I don't get enough fluids in a day, so I watch that. Monitoring your food and water can feel triggering for some people due to past diet attempts. But it is important to reframe it as a caretaking behavior as much as possible, especially for DS patients because our dietary needs are so important to be on target with.

I am currently restricted to eat raw food, such as salad and crunchy fruit. No nuts yet. At about 3 months then I can try, but I would imagine still have to slowly add them to see how I tolerate. Which when I go to Disney I will be only about 2 and a half month. I can eat chicken and fish with no problem now. I did look at Disney app to see what they have available. Look like grill salmon is on the menu and I sure can eat some smoke turkey leg. My current stall is making my brain sending me signals to eat and making me crave for a lot of unhealthy food. I still still eating about 3oz protein 1oz veggie and 1 oz starch. But I gained 3lbs, I got to 229lbs and were so happy I’m in the 220 range which is before my pregnancy, but this morning I am now 232! I have head hunger all day long, and wants to eat so much. I broke down today and kinda cheated. I ate half a sandwich from Panera Bread… It was tuna sandwich, and some chips! I didn’t even feel sick from it and I am so scared… I am feeling so guilty and feel like such a failure.

Hiya! I followed the food diet they ğive you alongside a months worth of Wegovy, which my Harley Street Surgeon supported. Wegovy removes your hunger. I lost 2 stone pre op. My BMI was at 66.5 to start with. I had my surgery 2 weeks ago tomorrow x