Food and Nutrition

In a post somewhere in this forum, I read that someone orders Water with a splash of cranberry juice when going out. I want to thank you! I went out last night, and I ordered that. It was wonderful. I was able to drink 5 glasses over the course of the night. It was more Fluid than I've been able to consume in a very long time. I plan on buying some cranberry juice for me to mix with water at home too. (It also helped me match the pace of bathroom trips with my beer drinking friends. LOL!) Plus, it wasn't immediately obvious that I wasn't drinking alcohol, so I didn't have to "defend" myself for my drink choice. (I don't mind doing this, but it is nice not to have to.) …

....A nutritionist who specializes in weight loss/management after VSG.. I was wondering if people who have a nutritionist could please share what the guidelines are during the first 6 months. I had surgery in Mexico so a nutritionist wasn't part of the package. I really would like to see what a professional recommends as far as carb grams, fat grams, amount of protein needed, etc. Thanks in advance

Hello All I am a seafood addict! Bacon wrapped scallops, lobster tail, king crab I will take it all. I am a volume eater and could probably consume all the above in one sitting. My question is, with seafood being kinda soft and flaky, how much does it take to fill you up with the sleeve? Examples would be great, like 3 scallops or one lobster tail.

I am post op day 9 and still full liquids. I can easily drink 8 to 11 oz per 15 minute sitting. If I drink less, then I am still feeling hungry. I hear different ideas that fluid go through you and this isn't a problem. Other things I have read indicate I should only be able to hold no more than 4oz. Anyone in a similar situation.

Hello All Im going all around and buying up stuff Im gonna need post surgery to get used to the tastes and see if it works for me. Im keeping in mind the small capacity of my new tummy. Yesterday I discovered Oscar Meyer Cracker combos! Im sure someone on the boards has mentioned them before, but I couldn't find anything. They are basically like adult lunchables, but what I found was they have only 4 grams og carbs and 35 Grams protein! Baring in mind the small size of them, I thought this was a great sleever meal. They even have one that comes with whole wheat crackers and im sure if you didn't want the carbs you could just toss the crackers and do the meat and cheese. …

Help... Im 10 weeks out of surgery. Whenever I try to eat ground beef, ground turkey, or chicken I throw up. Matter of fact I throw up alot unless its soup or cheese or something very soft. I am beyond frustrated. When I work I stick to glucerna shakes because I do not have time to be sick. If I drink to big of a sip of water - yep - I throw up. Ive lost 37lbs since surgery. I havent had any vegetables because Im scared. I barely eat. Any suggestions?

I was just wondering, if anyone preferr to use regular mayo instead of lite. Regular ice tea instead of diet. sugar instead of the fake stuff. Is the only difference is in the calories and carbs? Are diet and low fat products "overly" sweet to anyone. Has any of the more experienced sleevers stop using diet products and found they are maintaining or loosing weight? This is all new to me and I've never been a diet or low fat eater. This is a little challenging.

I am currently a little over 6 months out from surgery and went to see my NUT and she freaked out on me that I wasn't eating enough! I was eating between 800-900 calories per day and low carb. She upped my calories to 1200-1500 calories per day, 180 grams of carbs max and 70-80 grams of Protein. She said that I am never supposed to eat less than 1200 calories per day and she is telling everyone at our support group meetings the same thing. I could maybe agree with her on the calories, but 180 grams of carbs per day? Doesn't that seem a little high? If you are also 6 months or more out, how much do you usually eat on a regular basis?

Hey, guys!! OH, I am learning so much!! I did want to ask though if and how you all track your intake. Is there a website that is particularly user friendly, or are you doing it manually? I am 2.5 weeks pre-op and have lost about 30 lbs so far, but I have not recorded my daily intake anywhere, and am kinda convicted that I should do so, so if I hit a stall, I can see what is going on. Does everyone do this, or am I just obsessing? I don't have any of the latest igadgets, just my laptop and a basic phone with no "apps" Thanks for your help in advance. To success!!

Today I added a tiny bit of low-fat sour cream and a little taco seasoning to my cottage cheese. I put some on a low-fat triscuit and it was so delicous. I truly satisfied my tastebuds!! I was 2 weeks out on Weds.

I am in the soft/mushy stage. I was told no pasta, breads, rice, fruits (other than bananas), sugar, honey, sherbet, ice cream. I have been eating eggs, refried beans, chili, yogurt, cheese, deli meat. I was told I could have fish/shrimp but that hurt and I don't wanna try that again! I have never been one that is good at being creative or cooking so any suggestions would be nice since I still have 2 more weeks of this and I'm already getting bored.

I'm three weeks out and have been using lots of this brand as it's an easy way to get my Protein in. My staples are the hot chocolate and oatmeal but I'm supplementing with either Inspire protein supplements or Synthrax nectar drinks. I'm not eating much "real" food (pureed) as it's so much easier to use the pre packaged (easy to eat, high protein) Curious whether anyone else is taking this approach. Over the last week, I've been able to get my calories up to 400-500 with protein averaging between 75-85 and carbs no higher than 25.. My weight loss is a little concerning, my first week I lost 9 lbs but the next two only resulted in a 3 pound loss. Comments or t…

Does anyone have a vitamix blender? They are having a sale on them on QVC today and it seems like it would be great for post-WLS. I figured I would ask if anyone has ever used it?

I am completely freaked out. I basically have been threatened with a feeding tube if I don't turn it around in 3 weeks. I can't do the protein shakes at all, the smell makes me nauseous and when i drink them my heart starts racing and my blood pressure shoots up. I am supposed to be getting 60-80 grams of protein and 800-1000 calories a day - I am getting 25 grams of protein and 200-300 calories a day. I have been told I can nibble all day on a protein bar or peanut butter if that helps and continue to drink. She wants me to still some how work in another 2-3 servings of unflavored protein plus get my calories up. I am just so stressed.

I have to admit, I have never liked alcohol, I just think it tastes nasty. I've been reading about the benefits of a daily dose of red wine and decided to try it. I've finally got my cholesterol under control (thanks to the diet change after the sleeve) but what scares me is the family history. I had two grand parents die of heart attacks at young ages (early 60's) and the other two died of cancer so I've got a double whammy from BOTH sides. Not knowing a thing about wine I went to a local wine shop and got what they recommended, a cheap box of a dry red wine. The quick sip he gave me at the store seemed OK but the 3 or 4 ozs of the stuff I've been taking is enough t…

In my former non-sleeved life, I used to love to get these decadent quiches from a bakery down the street from my office. My all-time favorite was caramelized onions and bacon. Mmmmm. After reading the Eggface blog and doing some Googling I made my own version. If you are interested, here you go... 4 tbsp Roasted Garlic & Onion jam (found at Fresh Market in a jar) 3/4 c. freshly grated smoked swiss cheese (found at Fresh market as well) 4 slices turkey bacon 4 eggs 1/2 c. fat free half and half black pepper - 4 twists of the grinder or to taste Non-stick cooking spray Preheat oven to 350 degrees Cook the turkey (or regular) bacon in the microwave until…

I am officially on week 3 of my"pureed phase" and I have ran out of ideas! Help please! Even though I have not really pureed my food recently because it just makes me gag! I know my tummy is still fragile but I have been eating mostly eggs, tilapia, and oatmeal chewing it really well, and have ran outof ideas! Most of my food is going down ok but still kinda get sick when I eat too fast or sip something while eating (which I impose its a no no, but its a hard thing for me) Help please!

I watched a YouTube video by someone that I have been following that has some information on Bariatric Fusion products. I haven't ordered this yet, but I think I am going to give it a try. I am having problems getting in enough protein and like a lot of people the drinks are not going down well after surgery. This company was founded by a PA from a bariatric surgeon's office. The drink has 27 grams of protein and the lady says they are great! She said the group were all given samples of all the products. Apparently her surgeon sells vitamins and drinks too and she swears these are so much better than anything else she has tried. Has anyone else tried these?

Hello, I am 7 weeks post-op and I don't know what foods I should try and what I should avoid. I keep hearing different stories about what you should wait on and what you should try at this stage. What were eating at 7 weeks? Were you eating whatever you wanted in small amounts or were you avoiding certain foods? What foods would you suggest I avoid at this point? Thanks in advance for your advice! Larae

www.myfitnesspal.com is an awesome website to check out. It's a free way to track your food, exercise, and weight loss and you can do it with friends! I love the database of foods, it's HUGE! Brand names, store names, restaurant items...absolutely every food is in their database and when you record your food for each meal it shows calories, carbs, fat, and PROTEIN! I learned that I'm getting a lot more protein than I thought, and also that I'm eating too many carbs. It's right in front of you to see. Today I tweaked my snacks and ate 46 fewer carbs! Very fun and helpful!!

My surgery was on 6/26/11 and so far I have lost 30kg. I've been doing pretty well but with a new boyfriend and dating, I've been eating more. Just today, found a costco near my area (hard to find in Korea.) and this is what I ate today. Breakfast: Turkey w/ Beans 150g Lunch: 100g of hot dog. dinner: 150g of campbell's new england clam chowder& 2 rolled of Kirkland's very lean ham and pickles. Snacks: 3 large glasses of iced coffee with sweet n low. 40ml of blueberry ice cream, 100ml of coke zero 40g of beef jerkey 1 pickle 2 sugar free candies Land o' Lakes light whipped cream 4 tsbp (60kcal) *Today was the first day I had soda since surgery and it w…

Looking for new ideas...so, what is your favorite under 100 calorie snack? Oh, it needs to at least feel filling.

I see people all the time say they are eating about 800 calories per day AFTER 6 months. What's a typical day's food look like for you? I can't get under about 1100 calories and meet my protein goal. What are you eating? Please answer if you are 6 months out or more.

I have a lifetime of dieting under my belt, but never really embraced the low carb thing. i guess because by the time that become huge, I had sorta given up and/or didn't really understand it. I was indoctrinated under the false diet rules of low fat being the thing. Also, it seems I really like carbs which is probably a good reason for me to restrict them. Anyway, due to family reasons, I won't have my sleeve surgery for several months. My BMI is 49 and rising, so I have decided to get on a program and lose weight! It will make the eventual surgery easier and I hope will set me up better to achieve my longer term goals if I can shed some pounds before my sleeve …

I have discovered Kay's Naturals and absolutely love them. They are soy snacks. They take a bit of getting used to but I"m so happy I have something to crunch on that's of value. The cinnamon pretzels I get are something like 12 grams of soy protein, 12 carbs, 4 grams of fiber (yea!) and only 3 sugars. The reviews are sketchy because other folks are comparing them to high test treats like real pretzels. But after 6 months of nothing like that, I love this alternative. If anyone want to try them, they are cheapest on Amazon. You have to buy a box of 12, but I decided to take a chance as I've wasted so much $$ on protein drinks I'll end up tossing, what was one more …

I am still on full liquids. Some of the protein Smoothies sound sooooo good. Are They Okay to have on full liquids?

That once sleeved you can never have soda ever again? Not even the diet kind?

I live in north Dallas and i caanot find these anywhere! Surgery is monday so i am running out of time. Help!

I am newly sleeved and still on liquids, but does anyone eat this? I sure hope it makes it's way back into my diet one day. I miss a flax meal cracker with lox, cream cheese, tomato and caper.

I am 6 weeks out as of Friday and yesterday and today have been quite difficult in just plain eating. I have been eating fine for a couple of weeks and haven't changed what I am eating. I still chew, chew, chew but everything seems to just sit in my chest. It never comes up. As a matter of fact, I haven't thrown up at all with my sleeve. I get in everything I need and the tight feeling in my upper chest eventually goes away but for some reason this is happening every time I eat. What is going on? Any ideas? Has anyone else experienced this?

As you can see in my user name, I live in Korea and choices are limited. I've always loved chili (especially Wendy's) before I moved to Korea. Anyways, I found some hormel in Korea. Now it has become my regular Breakfast and dinner. Hormel turkey with beans- Is it a bad idea? I know that they contain alot of sodium but I am always craving spicy or salty rather than anything else. I would appreciate honest feedback. Thanks.

Hey Guys, I haven't had bread since before my liquid diet started and I just wanted some LOL. So in food Lion, I'm looking at the nutritional value of the many many choices and getting depressed, then I saw FLATOUT FLATBREAD. Here is the nutritional breakdown per slice: 90 Calories (nice size too) 6 Net Carbs 0 Sugar 2.5 grams of fat 9 grams of Protein I got the Light Italian but they had other flavors with about the same nutritional value. I'm thinking this could be used for pizza and cut one up and season to your liking, bake in the oven until crispy and eat with hummus and it was good as a wrap too. The 9 grams of protein is what sold me on it and it didnt'…

Since my surgery since June 26th, I have not had any real sweets. Today I found some sugarfree Werther's Orginal Classic Cream Candies. I live in Korea now so options are limited. Anyways, it tastes just like the regular ones. I also got 40g packs of chicken breast Jerky. (Only 109 calories for the whole bag!) Here is the nutritional information for the candy. 70g per bag 10g per serving-approximately 3 candies calories-29 carbs-8.7g sugar-o protein-0 fat-0.9g saturated fat-0.6g trans fat-under 0.5g cholesterol-0g Made with isomalt. I thought this was a great find but if anyone feels differently, I would appreciate your feedback. We do not have sugarfree po…

I've yet to be sleeved and I was concerned about the loss of lean body mass while on a low carb, high Protein diet post surgery. Yes working out would easily stave this off but I wanted to share this article I found in case others here had similar concerns.... Ketosis and Muscle Loss Posted: 9th February 2011 by Scott One of the many fallacies that people often hear about when they first begin to hear about low carb, ketogenic or Atkins diets is that it will cause you to lose muscle. Asking these questions and getting the actual science is the most important thing you can do in your life to not be a victim of bad science. Most of our understanding about heal…

Helloah!! I've been looking into Green Tea and its benefits... Obviously, when I read that it has weight loss 'benefits' I became suddenly interested *shock horror* ... yea, I am at that stage where I will do anything to get to goal *sighs*!! Well, I've bought some and I am drinking a cup or two daily ... only been a few days... and I am slowly beginning to enjoy it! So, I was just wondering if anyone has had experience of these 'benefits'... good or bad... and how many cups a day is good??

Hi everyone. So I'm still in the pre-op stage hoping to have surgery in October so I'm looking at different Protein drinks. My health conscientious bf is highly recommending these Boathouse drinks that have veg/fruits and provide great nutrients. The protein is a good number but the all natural sugar is between 25 & 30gr. I'm going to contact my NUT but wanted to get y'alls opinions on this.

I am 10 days out post op. Wondering if I could melt some cheese on my soup for added nutrition??? Having a hard time getting on my calories.

Okay, first of all I had gone grocery shopping and started getting really hungry. I drove through Del Taco for lunch for Hubby and me. I was thirsty so I got a diet coke and had a few sips. When I got home I took the food in and ate about 3 bites of a taco then brought in the groceries and put them away. Then I ate the rest of the taco. When hubby came in from painting our fence I fixed his plate and gave myself another taco .. of which I figured I would eat some meat out of....well next thing I knew I ate the whole thing. I'm not over stuffed and feel satisfied beyond belief! Now for Breakfast I had a string cheese and a couple of pita chips then tried to take a V…

I was a bit of a carb junkie pre-op . . . not sweets so much, but savory carbs like potato chips, potatoes, etc. I have tried a few bites of various things since surgery - tried potato salad a week ago, tried mashed potatoes the other night, and tried mac & cheese tonight (mind you just a small bite each time). None have tasted good to me. It's the strangest thing! I find myself craving salad, veggies (my mouth was watering earlier thinking about pico de gallo of all things!), and protein. I really hope this continues!!

Hey yall, Hope your weight loss is going well. I am 7 weeks out and have been craving a salad ever since. According to my doctor I still cannot have raw veggies and fruit! I've tried watermelon and had no problems at all, what about you guys? When did you start putting fruit and raw veggies back into your diet and did you have any problems with digestion or cramping? Let me know:-)

I received a (Gig Green Egg) ceramic kamado style grill for fathers day. It's a grill, smoker, and outdoor oven in one. I am looking for some cooking ideas. meats, marinades, rubs, sauces, seafood, and veggies for us sleevers. Continued thanks. Lash

I need some Protein bar recommendations that I can pick up at either Vitamin Shoppe or GNC. We're going out of town in a couple of weeks for my brother in law's wedding and I'm going to be away from my usual foods/eating schedule. We're staying in a hotel and those dumb free breakfasts are a carby hell. I've been looking but everything looks to be too high in carbs and too low in protein for the prime real estate in my stomach. Any brands/flavors/suggestions would be appreciated! We don't have time to order these things online either especially in this heat. Any other random suggestions would be appreciated too. And FWIW, I don't do beef Jerky.

I know most of us have guidelines we follow regarding calorie, carb, and protein amounts, but what about fat? My surgeon recommends just watching calories and keeping protein over 60 gm/day. I was just curious if anyone watches their fat intake as well. Thanks!

I LOVE Peanut Butter, and am looking forward to the day I can add it back into my diet. I am on full liquids for one more week, then can advance to purees. My question is, at what stage can I add a scoop of peanut butter to my Protein shake before blending it? Think I could do it now while on full liquids, since it gets all blended and mixed in with the Protein powder and milk??? I really appreciate any advice!

Hey I've been talking to a patient facilitator and I'm booking a surgery with Dr. Almanza for October!! I'm just Really nervous about what happens after the surgery - in respect to eating. I can't seem to wrap my head around the idea of going out to dinner with friends, or a date and only eating 3 or 4 bites of food. How do explain to people that you don't hate the food, but that you really can only eat 4 bites. What do people think when you don't eat? I am doing this whole process alone, I haven't told anyone... I guess partly because I'm embarrassed and partly because they would be less than supportive about me flying to Mexico for surgery. But if I come home,…

So the store around the corner had Okios and the new Activia Greek yogurt on sale for 49 cents ( yes you read that right) so I pick up 7 of the Okios and 3 of the Activia. I was in a hurry and did not check the lable until latter at home and the Activia blueberry has 34, yes 34 carbs in one serving! Unreal! What are they thinking? Also the protien is 2 grams less than Okios. Fair warning!

Hi! I'm 7 weeks out and down 25 pounds. youpppppppiiiii!!!!!!!! But I have a concern...not eating enough. Today i had one protein shake in the morning and some salmon and mashed potatoes for supper( very little). Yesterday I had a protein shake, one boiled egg and water. I'm not really good at countinc calories, but I don't think they go as far as 1000 per day. is it bad! what should I do? I'm really not hungry. Are others in the same boat as I am? Ohhhh...and I do elliptical 30 minutes 5- 6 times a week and walks with my 3 children almost daily.

Do people have problems eating fresh fruit and veggies after the sleeve? Do you need to cook your veggies or can you eat them raw? Does a juicer work for getting your fruits and veggies in or are you supposed to stay away from veggies? Thanks

Hello everyone. I thought I would send in my question because most of you are experts and I know I will get a good answer from you guys. I am 4 weeks out. I am transitioning into the Soft Foods today. However, up until now, I have been struggling to get much of any kind of food in me. I eat like 2 or 3 teaspoon bites, and I can't eat any more. I think the most I have gotten in calorie wise is maybe 300 to 350 calories a day. The same goes with fluids. I can not seem to get hardly in fluids in me without becoming extremely full. I can not stomach Water, even with lemon in it. It does not sit well in my tummy. When I do drink just water, I feel sick to my sto…

Hey guys I was just wondering if u guys knew any good ones?