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Funny you should ask because today I was realy hungry for the first time in a while. I only had yogurt for breakfast and around 3pm I could hear my stomache growling-I was really hungry. I remember thinking that is was weird because I usually don't get hungry. In the beginning stages (prior to a good fill) you may feel hungry more often and that is completely normal. Yes, you can eat around the band because ice cream, candy, etc. seem to go down real easy-but if you eat proetins first it will curb the urges. I saw a teacher I work with and I always thought she had surgery-she had lost a lot of weight-but I noticed that she is putting in back on. That's where having the option of getting a fill is awesome. People who get gastic bypass don't have that option at later stages, That's why I love the band-there is an adjustment option that other surgeries simply don' have.

Hi all - taking an unexpected trip to NYC for 3 days and I am only 3.5 weeks out. I am going to pack yogurt and perky turkey Jerky - I'm having a blank brain. Any other packable items ? I can eat soft mushy foods. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm becoming VERY aware of my slider foods. I've found that if I eat an apple, cut up in sections before trying things like yogurt or cheese I get fuller faster and I don't necessarily finish the yogurt or cheese. I'm finding myself being able to have a Protein shake in the morning and not need a snack until around 11:00 AM. I start my day at work at 7 am, so that is pretty good for me. I can hold off on lunch until around 1:30 pm and I'm just a little hungry and not starving. Ole bandy is working well for me!! I'll call him "Bandy Boo'! LOL

Honestly? Embrace boring. Embrace eating simply and very small. Encourage food apathy where you just barely eat to fill the small real estate you have. Get busy learning new things! Pick a hobby. Add a creative activity. This is the time when it's SUPPOSED to be boring and routine and easy. You want to ideally kinda break up with your fixation for food and for truly slap-your-mama appealing cuisine. I quit the Food Netwook, Food Channel, commercials, cooking mags, cook books, etc until I was well into my routine and new life. I went from full liquids to mushies (fork tender and chew to puree) skipping puree state but I ate: yogurt cottage cheese canned chicken and chicken gravy (low cal, low carb, low fat) roasted smashed cauli with chicken gravy (low cal, low carb, low fat) turkey lunch meat (Hillshire Farms) tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad whizzed until chopped very fine and very wet with Greek yogurt and Dijon mustard sf jello sf popsicles pumpkin puree "refried" in a tiny bit of ghee for flavor protein pudding protein drinks homemade bone broth defatted cream soups with protein added to it green smoothies made with high protein milk, protein powder, frozen spinach, frozen blueberries, greek yogurt mocha and peppermint frappacinos made with protein powder, decaff coffee, ice, sf torani peppermint and chocolate syrups And the time passed so quickly...

I had one plain scrambled egg this morning, with half a mushy banana topped with a teaspoon of Peanut Butter. Heavenly! My stomach isn't very hungry yet, but after two weeks of Jello and yogurt smoothies my brain has been craving salty stuff. I bought some gooey shrimp dip with microscopic pieces of seafood; it really takes the edge off those salt pangs. Of course I can't dip anything into it except my finger, but it'll do for now. By the way, I'm finally on the other side of 250. It sounds silly, but it's a big milestone for me. (I have friends who would be mortified to weigh as much as 150!) I can almost imagine being under 200 again... look out world, here I come.

Each person is different when it comes to sliders. I eat Special K Fruit and Yogurt every morning for Breakfast and I do fill full after one cup of special K with a half a cup of 1% milk on it. I have found some foods people say are sliders and don't fill them up actually do for me. I can eat popcorn a cup full and I do fill full and frozen yogurt to. Everyone is different. I would think that you do need fill, but that is just me.

I had a LOT of gas post-op, and I still get it. Luckily for me, it doesn't really hurt and passes easily. Still, I chew 2 extra strength GasX tablets 2 x daily when the gas is out of control and it works very well. Also, I am newly lactose intolerant. If I drink an 8 oz glass of milk, I will have terrible gas and flatulence for 24 hours! 4 oz of yogurt? Flatulent for 3 hours! What are you eating/drinking? Could you no longer be tolerant of foods you easily consumed previously?

Hi Gordan, I think most of us have to do that 2 week diet before hand to "shrink the liver". I agree that it's probably partly to get you used to eating a certain way. As far as yogurt, you are the first person I have heard of that was told to just eat yogurt. Many of us were put on protien drinks and some on clear liquids. Yogurt sounds better to me. But being realistic, you could shrink your liver just as well if you threw in some green veggies and lean protien. After surgery it is important to stay on liquids or semi liquids but I can't imagine why it would be important before. Now I'm going to get all kinds of flack from other bandsters for saying that. I'm running away:)

Congrats to you all!!! It sounds like we are all moving in the right direction. I was told not to lose too fast also. It is disappointing sometimes, but I am trying to follow the doctors instructions. After all, if my way was working I wouldn't be this big. I have a lap band consultant at my doctors office. When his patients visit him they also visit her. She helps with the lifestyle changes that go along with the lap band. She gives us tips on eating and cooking. She recommends no more than 1200 calories, 60 carbs, and 60 grams of Protein or more. The more protein you eat the better. With every meal I try for 20+ protein and as little carbs as I can. I do not eat anything unless their is protein included. If I eat a sugar free pudding I eat a piece of cheese also. I eat a lot of plain Greek yogurt. (I add Protein powder or vanilla splenda flavors to it) I eat a lot of fat free cottage cheese with no sugar added peaches that come in a snack size cup. Being on the go all the time is the hard part of dieting and eating right. I found the Atkins frozen meals that are delicious and low carb high in protein. After a long day and not wanting to cook pop one of those in the microwave. Easy breezy!! I also take one to work now and then for lunch when I forget to make my lunch the night before. I might eat out once a week. Usually when my husband comes home on the weekend and we go out to dinner. I used to eat out for lunch with the girls at the office and a lot of times at night on my way home I would grab something to take home. This is the biggest change that is helping me lose. I want us to give each other new ideas and tips. I by no means claim my ways are right or the best, and I am open for more suggestions. After all we will be doing this for a long time and you get burned out on the same things very fast. Keep up the great work ladies!!!

I am 6 weeks out. I can eat 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, 3/4 of a chobani yogurt and could definitely put down a cup of pudding (if I liked the stuff). I was taught in my program to eat until satieted and try to limit the day to 3 meals. If I feel hungry, I can have a snack and usually choose a wedge of laughing cow cheese, a bit of salad (mostly lettuce), a cooked shrimp (I say cooked because there are some who eat it raw - eww). I would love to hear about others who have these 2 ounce restrictions because it is a different approach than I have.

Here's a sample day for me: Breakfast: 1/2 container nonfat Greek yogurt + 1 TBS almond butter: 155 calories, 12 grams protein Lunch: 1 babybel cheese, 1 prune, 1.25 oz deli sliced roast beef: 110 calories, 14 grams protein Dinner: 1 scrambled egg with sprinkle of cheese + 1oz. grilled salmon, 1/2 oz. roasted edamame: 190 calories, 21 grams protein Snacks: 1 protein shake made with 1/2 scoop Syntrax Nectar powder + 1 cup unsweetened vanilla cashew milk: 80 calories, 12 grams protein. 1 protein shake made with unsweetened vanilla cashew milk + 1 scoop Unjury chocolate splendor: 125 calories, 21 grams protein Totals: 660 calories, 80 grams protein

Hi everyone, Day eight and I am feeling much better. I went yesterday to have my stitched taken off and was so looking forward to a long soak in the bath but they put another lot of stitches on "just to be on the safe side". Thats another week and no bath.:wub: I also went for quite a long walk yesterday and it was ok, didn't tire me out so much, which is good. I am a little obsessed over calories and yesterday was the first day I had over 500cals. I am going to try to get 1000cals today. I have been living off WW smooth yogurt (its very runny) and WW soup so both are very low calorie. But I got some Slim Fast yesterday so I am going to have that today and hopefully that will get my calories intake up to the 1000 mark. I am very worried that after all this liquid as soon as we go onto mushies we will put on weight. And I'm still not hungry. Must get off the scales! Is anyone else a slave to them?

I like to snack as well, but my go to snack is sugar free popsicles and sugar free jello. When I have that hungry feeling and liquids just don't do it, I love beef jerky. I also like the atkins caramel nut roll bars, so delicious with great protein and low carbs! Oh yeah, I love Yoplait yogurt low fat, so very yummy. Surgery date: Aug 29,2017 HW:272 SW: 244 CW: 219 Sent from my SM-G928T using BariatricPal mobile app

I LOVE Torani syrups!!! I use them to make SF Protein ice cream and cakes (theworldaccordingtoeggface.com recipes). I love the Peanut Butter and caramel!!! I also use them to sweeten my greek yogurt!!! I buy mine directly from Torani as you get a HUGE 750 ml bottle for $7.95!!

I ate it. Hawiian Delight/Gerbers is my favorite. Keep it for after my fills too. The turkey dinner was good too after I added some salt/pepper. But only did that once. I like the custards and fruits too. The peaches with a little ricotta was good. Added the Gerbers chicken to some broth and it made good soup.... but DO NOT get the beef... yuck! Other than that SF Jello Pudding/Protein Shakes/Yogurt/Ice Cream were my staples. Good luck!

Here's what I am doing per my surgeon's office: 4 Protein shakes per day (unjury or Nectar) - 1 scoop per 8 ounces of skim milk. If I don't use milk, then add a 5th Protein shake. 6 servings from the following per day: 1/2 cup cream of wheat or oatmeal 1 cup sugar free pudding, sugar free Gelatin or low fat custard 4-6 oz of fat-free, sugar free yogurt 1 cup low-fat Soup or broth 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 1 cup baby carrots, celery, cucumber, broccoli, tomato or iceberg lettuce with 2 tablespoons fat-free dressing 48-64 oz of Water or other sugar free, non-caffinated, non-carbonated beverages each day can have sugar free popsicles. It's tough to get all of this in! This is my second day on it, and I have yet to eat everything as I'm just not hungry. Hope this helps.

I don't know that I've had a typical day, but mostly a scrambled eggs for Breakfast, 1/4 cup cottage cheese or yogurt for a snack. A few ounces of lunch meat and a laughing cow cheese for lunch, a banana or part of a Protein smoothie for another snack and then a couple ounces of lean meat and maybe some cooked veggies for dinner. Sent from my SM-N900T using the BariatricPal App

As long as he's getting plenty of water, I wouldn't worry too much. He's drinking Isopure, so he's getting protein. There is also milk, sugar free popsicles, and jello. For the mushy stage there's pudding, yogurt, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, any kind of soup is good. There are tons of cream based soups, surely there's one he likes out there. If it's a chunky soup, just puree it or mash it up really fine. Right now is a healing time and this is only his 3rd day post-op. As long as he isn't getting dehydrated he's fine.

Source: food. The trick: Eat just a little less. Scientists at Harvard and Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge found that people who lowered their calorie intake lost an average of 13 pounds in six months no matter what kind of diet they were on. "This is the best weight-loss news in a long time," says Frank Sacks, MD, nutrition professor at Harvard School of Public Health and lead author of the study. "If you don't like what you're eating, you're not going to stick with it. These findings give you flexibility to trim a bit here and there and still enjoy your favorites." In fact, by nixing just 100 calories a day, you'll lose more than 10 pounds a year. Up your cuts to 250 and you're down 26 pounds. Want to lose faster? Ditch 500 calories daily and you'll drop those pounds in half the time. We found 50 so-easy ways for you to trim a little but save a lot. Cut 100 Calories at Breakfast * Use skim milk in place of flavored Coffee-mate in your two morning mugs. * Eat a bowl of high-fiber Cereal and you'll consume fewer calories all day. * Order bacon, not sausage, with your eggs. * Choose a yeast doughnut instead of a denser cake one. Cut 100 Calories at lunch * Use 1 tablespoon of mayo and 1 tablespoon of low-fat cottage cheese to make tuna salad. * Put barbecue sauce, not honey mustard, on your chicken sandwich at Wendy's. * Top your burger with onions, lettuce, and tomato and skip the cheese. * Ask for the 12-ounce child-size soda instead of the 21-ounce medium at the drive-through. * Slim down your sandwich by using Arnold Select 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins instead of whole wheat bread. * Toss your salad with 1 tablespoon of dressing until every lettuce leaf is coated. You'll get away with using half the usual serving size. Try this trick at dinner too. * Skip the crackers and shredded cheese on your chili. Cut 100 Calories at Dinner * Trade butter for a flavorful spread made with garlic, fresh rosemary, and light, trans fat-free margarine. * Making meatballs? Mix half the amount of ground beef the recipe calls for with half as much cooked brown rice. * Instead of two slices of medium pepperoni pan pizza, choose thin-crust. * When munching on chicken wings, don't toss the bones midway through. Seeing the evidence of your feast may help you eat less, studies show. Cut 100 Calories from a Snack * Trade 1/2 cup of premium vanilla ice cream for 1/2 cup of Breyers chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream. * Ordering a cone? Make it the sugar, not the waffle, kind. * Munch on Pirate's Booty. In a study, switching to an air-puffed cheesy snack twice a day saved about 70 calories a pop. * Grab a Dannon Light & Fit yogurt, not a low-fat fruit blend. * Replace half the butter in cake, muffin, and brownie recipes with an equal amount of applesauce or mashed bananas. You'll save about 100 calories for every tablespoon you swap. * Indulge in a slice of angel food cake drizzled with chocolate syrup rather than three Cookies. ------------------- Cut 250 Calories at Breakfast * Trade a reduced-fat blueberry muffin for instant oatmeal topped with 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries. Bonus: You'll stay satisfied all morning. * Measure out your breakfast cereal; overestimating by just 1/3 cup can add 100 calories. * Enjoy it with a 16-ounce chai latte with skim milk rather than a green tea latte with 2 percent. Cut 250 Calories at Lunch * Pick turkey over tuna in your 6-inch sub. * At the salad bar, reach for shredded Parmesan instead of cheddar and skip the bread. * Nuke a Lean Cuisine chicken parm instead of having one delivered. Cut 250 Calories at Dinner * Make your own salad dressing using low-sodium, fat-free broth in place of 2 tablespoons of oil. * Having fajitas? Fill up one tortilla rather than three, then eat the rest of your fixings with a fork. * Sub black Beans for refried and hold the side of Mexican rice. * Order filet mignon instead of a New York strip steak. * Opt for broccoli chicken over sweet-and-sour, and for steamed brown rice, not fried. Cut 250 Calories from a Snack * Bite into a chocolate-covered strawberry rather than a chocolate chip cookie. * Skip the small movie-theater popcorn and bring your own 1-ounce bag of Lay's. * Switch from juice to Crystal Light twice a day. * At the mall, curb a craving for a soft pretzel with a 100-calorie pretzel pack. ------------------- Cut 500 Calories * Eat fruit before every meal. In a Pennsylvania State University study, people who munched apples 15 minutes before lunch ate about 187 fewer calories. * Order one brunch entree to share. Who can finish that giant omelet, anyway? * When making mac and cheese, resist temptation and prep just half the box. Save the rest in a zip-top bag for next time. * Use your grandmother's Joy of Cooking and you'll save an average of 506 calories over three meals, according to a recent Cornell University study. The secret: Smaller portion sizes and lower-calorie ingredients were called for back then. * Instead of a Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha for your afternoon pick-me-up, order coffee with a little milk and a dusting of chocolate. * At happy hour, drink two rum and diet colas and back away from the bowl of stale snack mix. ----------------- Turn Up the Burn The more active you are, the fewer calories you'll need to cut. Try these food-fitness combos to reach your target number. Goal: 100 calories Burn 50: Get up from your desk and take a 20-minute walk at lunch. Cut 50: Skip the oyster crackers in your Soup. Goal: 250 calories Burn 125: Shovel the driveway for 20 minutes. Cut 125: Hold the cinnamon bun. Eat two slices of cinnamon toast. Goal: 500 calories Burn 250: Spend two hours making dinner for the entire week. Cut 250: Mist a pan with cooking spray instead of pouring in oil. Sources: Sari Greaves, RD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association; Jayne Hurley, RD, senior nutritionist for the Center for Science in the Public Interest; Barbara Rolls, PhD, author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan; Brian Wansink, PhD, FITNESS advisory board member and author of Mindless Eating; and Hope Warshaw, RD, author of Eat Out, Eat Right, third edition, and What to Eat When You're Eating Out Originally published in FITNESS magazine, February 2010.

@@gail10 there is a thread under trending topics that is titled what does your green zone feels like. There have been several posts. It may be good to read through those so u can get a variety of responses nut basically the green zone for me is eating my alloted amount 4oz protein 1/2 cup veggies and 1carb serving if you have room which I don't. This should keep u satisfied for 4-5 hours. I have no desire for foods that I once craved, I eat what I eat and I'm satisfied. My craving have changed, i now crave yogurt vs junk etc. Its not a full feeling but a feeling of no longer hungry satisfied. I hope this helps a little. Goid luck with your first fill. Youll do great just stick with it!!

I had my consult and now my next step is to book my surgery date. I haveto do the pre-op diet for two weeks, like some of you I HATE cottage cheese. What yogurt should I stick to? I know I shouldn't have any with the fruit bottoms and it should be sugar/fat free. Is there any one type thats better then the others (not a big yogurt person).

I have been making a sauce out of Greek yogurt and buffalo sauce ( we have a local one in St Louis that is delicious - low carb, low sugar and low fat to boot!) It is delicious. I also found a Southwest mustard that is really good too.

@@Trayjay33 I buy one of the non fat 100 calorie Greek yogurts. Aldi has one that is good and inexpensive. The mustard was spicy southwestern from Wal-Mart (their brand) I buy a lot of shredded deli chicken and mix up the tastes with the sauces. The Greek yogurt adds to the Protein total too!

I record everything on fitday, I started with fitday.com and switched to the PC version because I don't always have internet access. I find it works for me to record it, I eat better that way - not just calories, but in terms of health, making sure I get enough Protein, avoid saturated fat, get enough Fiber, enough Water... and all the little things. So easy to give you a few typical days! Today - 102 ounces of water in total. Breakfast: -large can of V8 juice about 30 minutes before eating. -egg creations - 1/2 cup scrambled (chive and cheese flavoured fat free egg white blend) cooled and mixed with a half tablespoon of low fat mayo and a teaspoon of nutritional yeast and sodium free potassium salt. 140 calories. Hour after eating, - large bottle of water mixed with tropical flavoured protien powder. half serving of Protein Powder. 45 calories. Mid morning snack: - 30 cherries 150 calories Hour after eating, - bottle of water. Lunch: 10 7grain kashi crackers with low fat chive and garlic cream cheese and smoked salmon. 250 calories Hour after eating, - bottle of water. afternoon snack: 3/4 cup of flax plus Cereal with 1/2 cup of Omega 3 so good soy milk and package of stevia (herbal sweetner) 165 calories Hour after eating, - bottle of water. Dinner: 1 mediterranean seasoning large chicken breast, no added fat. 1/2 cup mashed acorn squash with coconut oil (butter substitute), potassium salt substitute and nutritional yeast. 1/4 cup of corn with coconut oil and potassium salt. 4 tablespoons of salsa. 300 calories Small piece of belgian extra dark chocolate - 60 calories Hour after eating - large can V8 70 calories. Before bed, bottle of water with full serving protien powder. 90 calories 1270 calories total, 36 gram of fat, 151 grams of carbs, 98 grams of protien. Yesterday - (I won't break it down into meals and Snacks, its a similar pattern every day) egg creations with light mayo, yeast, and p-salt half an apple 1 cup of chilli with light cheddar, light sour cream small mixed organic greens salad with tomato and with garlic/chilli flax oil and balsamic vinegar small can tuna with garlic and hot peppers and light mayo half cup acorn squash 1/4 cup peas - veggies with cold pressed coconut oil and p-salt 1/2 cup blueberries 40 cherries 2 poached eggs with light mayo and a teaspoon of caviar 7 multigrain rice crackers with fat free cheese 117 ounces of water over the course of the day. Total calories - 1307, 47 grams of fat, 131 grams carbs, 94 grams protein. Other stuff I eat really regularly - salmon, canned, fresh, smoked, other fish, mackerel, crab, lobster, artificial crab. 1% cottage cheese, various low fat cheeses, dannon sillhoutte yogurt smoothies, loads of fruit and veggies, drink mostly water, but also green and white tea, both hot and iced, and lots of tabouli salad. I avoid sugar, processed foods, and simple carbs, go for multi-grain high fiber low glycemic carb choices...

Spring water, protein shakes, lowfat/nonfat yogurt, sugar free jello, and I like these Del Monte jarred fruits in the fridge section of the grocery store, they keep well in the fridge, are soft and can be eaten as is or tossed into vanilla yogurt and are pretty tasty: https://www.delmonte.com/fruits/peaches/orchard-selectr-sliced-yellow-cling-peaches-no-sugar-added https://www.delmonte.com/fruits/mandarin-oranges/sunfreshr-mandarin-oranges-extra-light-syrup