Post-op Diets and Questions

I am pre-op and going through my desk drawers and kitchen, purging some things I won't be able to have for at least some time (donating to happy coworkers)... and I have a lot of gum, oddly. I *think* I read somewhere that you shouldn't chew gum after surgery because if you swallow it you can't pass it? Is that true? Sorry if silly question. Also, can you have mints after surgery, or do they cause you to produce too much saliva?

Silly question but is cottage cheese measured by weight or volume? My guide says I can have 4oz of cottage cheese but I'm not sure how to measure it.

Hi, today is my week 2 Post-op!! I'm still feeling light headed if I stand to long, I want to walk more but it's difficult when I have to lay down so quickly after being dizzy. I'm happy most of the time...yet I feel lonely a lot and tired of sitting around the house. [emoji9] Live...Love...Laugh [emoji3]

Was given the go ahead 3 weeks ago to have caffeine (now I’m 4 weeks post op). Just tried coffee today and after 3 small sips my lower abdomen started to cramp. Kept it up off and on for about 1 1/2 hours. Bad enough that I ran to the bathroom several times with nothing horrible happening. Then it was gone. Had a few sips of ice tea last week and my stomach hurt. Is this maybe due to the caffeine? Hope not but it seems like it.

Ok, so show of hands please. Let's talk dense protein. Can you comfortably consume 4oz after cooking (by weight, not volume) of dense, dry protein (not talking chili here folks--talkin' grilled chicken breast, grilled hamburger/steaks, pork chops, dense white fish, fatty salmon, etc)--after your surgery? (I'm talking following the rules of protein first, no eating/drinking before/after etc, no combining with "meat lubes" like sauces/gravies/ketchup/mayo.) If you can, when were you able to eat this amount--how many months out did you notice you routinely have this capacity? How far out from surgery are you now? Do you feel restriction after the 4…

I had my surgery in April and I"m so disappointed I've only lost 45 pounds. No, I'm not always eating right or staying within my 500 calorie Iimit. I have an unhealthy relationship with food and I've been so angry because I can't and don't enjoy eating at all anymore. I have to cook my food separate from my families and things don't taste as good as they used to. Has anyone else been through this and how did you get past it?

So, I've decided to embark on trying an infuser and I ordered one and now I"m impatiently waiting for it to arrive from wherever. Now, while I wait for it to come to it's new home, I am lost at what are some good mixtures of fruits and herbs to put in it. I've read about frozen fruit to help with keeping the water cold. But if you guys have any yummy suggestions on what fruits work best and flavor mixtures I'd be the happiest losing weight gal on here. I know lemon and limes are good in water and so is cucumber, but I'm looking for combinations to try.

OK... I was off track for about a month or so and when I went to my Dr, my total weight loss was 45 pounds for my 6 month check up. So I haven't lost the 55% weight loss I was supposed to have lost, I was off by about 5.6 pounds. Sounds like no biggie to people that haven't had the surgery, but it was huge disappointment to me and an eye opener because I knew I was eating BAD. I told myself I was going to get back on track and quit letting food be my Higher Power. However, I have had a lifelong habit of when I was up late at night or woke up to snack. I am now on a new medicine that is not related to my weight loss journey and I take it at night because it makes you sleep…

I think I'm ready for the Holidays...but its hard to be sure until I'm at the parties, events, family gatherings.... staring at the left overs, or dodging loudly intoxicated family members. Its going to be a combination of avoiding questions (I've kept my surgery mostly to my self), avoiding drinking and making sure I've brought something I can eat..in case everything else is out of bounds. Has anyone found recipes that they love for the holidays? I'd love to be able to make Pumpkin Pie, gingerbread, Stuffing, basically any of the old carb-tastic favorites...only less carb-tastic... I hate how Splenda, Stevia, Truvia..so forth tastes but know I really need…

Feeling discouraged by trying soft foods. Eggs and tuna, were my go-to but every time I eat them I have to lay down for 30 minutes. I don’t enjoy cottage cheese, but enjoy yogurt and some fruits... but none of this is protein. So I’m going back to my blender... this is still my first 4 days of soft foods but I’m feeling discouraged. I’m sipping a homemade smoothie currently and feeling much better. Any other ideas?

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181009210738.htm

Been trying some of the pureed foods stage.. i'm a texture eater so some of it literally makes me gag..pushing myself to keep testing them so i might have an idea of what to buy for post surgery. I know my taste buds will probably change but i need to be prepared as i wont have anyone to run to the store for me...so what are some of your favorites in the pureed stage thats not awful.

I have eaten certain ( mostly bad for me!) foods for going on 40 + years, I know that I need to make changes but my head is still being stubborn. I dont like many veggies although I do like green beans, broccoli and salads. I love white potatoes cooked in all ways but cant stand sweet potatoes. The only fish I like are fish sticks. I love steak but am still in that mindset that every meal needs potatoes or pasta. My friend who had a lap band years ago tries to get me to eat healthier foods but I take a bite or two and cant force myself to eat any more ( this was before surgery) So my question is how do I get myself to try and like healthier foods?

I'm looking for people's recommendations of their favorite ready-to-eat foods they've found post surgery that are friendly for your new lifestyle. For instance, I just saw an ad for a brand of frozen pizzas, enchiladas, and breakfast sandwiches called RealGood that have 25G protein and 4G carbs per serving and I thought that looked great. I read somewhere on another forum but forgot to write it down some special cracker that a lot of people like, etc. I'm not really seeking recipes (because I'm super comfy with cooking). I'm more looking for ideas for quick grab and go type things that don't require cooking (other than microwaving maybe?) Anybody got a…

Does anyone know of a protein shake (not powder if I can help it) that has less than 3g sugar and no artificial sweetener? I love the Nugo slim bars because they fit this criteria, but they aren't nearly as easy to get down. Barring that, is anyone managing to get the 60g of protein a day with out protein shakes? 20 grams of protein a meal seems practically impossible right now.

Can someone please help me understand what foods to avoid in references to avoiding a plateau in your weight loss and nutrition please?

Hello! I just hit my one month post-op yesterday. I lost 32 pounds so far! I need some advice from the veterans. This has been a very stressful two weeks for me. I have anxiety and I really really want this surgery to be successful so I have been hyper focused on whether or not I am doing the right thing. My biggest problem is numbers! My diet plan doesnt provide what my macros should be and I dont see the nutritionist for another week or so and to be honest I dont really trust her - she just reads the papers to me and doesnt really know the answers to my questions. I can read them on my own! Its driving me crazy with worry that I am not making the most of time I have to …

Hello all, The week before last, I had a problem with cashews, I could eat around 3 handfuls. Well that's a lot of calories in my pouch. This past weekend I decided to get some better snacks and package them myself. I picked up some almonds, a protein mix, and some pepitas (pumpkin seeds minus the outside part) anyway, I just had some of my pepitas and started to eat a bit of my lunch and got the foamies. First time I've ever had them, I was pretty sure I was going to throw up, but didn't. It felt like I was being suffocated. Anyway, do any of you eat seeds? Was it that I ate the pepitas too close to lunch? Did I overfill my pouch. To be clear, I only got m…

Hey everyone! I am scheduled to have my surgery on June 6th and I was wondering once I am able to eat solid foods again if it is supposed to mirror the ketogenic diet?

I just spent about 2 weeks in Scotland and I'm happy to report I didn't gain even a pound while on vacation, I actually lost one or two! When I first got there I tried to be very cautious about what I ate because I was traveling with a group and typically if I eat the "wrong" things here in the US I get horrible, embarrassing gas. By "wrong" foods I mean mostly carbs like bread, rice, anything made with wheat, chips or pretzels, desserts, and even some protein snacks get my stomach riled up. I very rarely partake in the "forbidden" foods because I can't be around people if I do, lol. I started to notice that I didn't have nearly as much gastric upset even when I…

Hi all, I had bypass on 7/23. I really miss sandwiches and am dying for a couple bites. When were you able to eat bread without problems? thanks!!

Of all things post surgery (4 weeks), eating too fast is becoming an ongoing problem. One that I only have at work. How did you retrain your mind at work to slow down the eating process? Although, only at work do I suffer with this problem. At home, I'm good and in control. I'm on the soft foods stage and now that I'm thinking about it while writing this, it's entirely possible I didn't count to 30 in between bites. And now, totally suffering from it . Lesson Learned.... I will really have to concentrate on counting my chews and not let other people's fast eating get to me.

OK, even though I know there’s a whole bunch of you that are going to disregard this PSA, here goes: I am tired of all the sugar free yogurt flavors from OIKOS and Dannon Light & Fit. I try to eat plain Fage as much as I can but sometimes I need some flavor and I’ve just been able to start adding fancy things to my yogurt. So, imagine my excitement when I found this little gem today! It. Is. So. Gross. I mean, right when I got the spoon close to my face, I knew it was going to be terrible, but I did it anyway. Do not eat this item. It is not food. Now, I don’t know why I was excited in the first place. I don’t like pumpkin pie…

I was just wondering if we can eat Quinoa because I read that it can adversely affect the stomach and intestines. Does anyone have any knowledge of this and can you share with me what you know about eating Quinoa after sleeve surgery. Thank you.

I had the sleeve surgery about 5 years ago. Lost 140, gained 40 back. I forgot what goals we are supposed to have for protein, carbs and sugars. Can anyone help me?

Hi. I swear I've seen people list a recommended schedule for eating/drinking throughout the day but have been unable to locate using the search feature. I know I can figure it out for myself, but would love to see some recommendations from those more experienced. I'm two weeks post-op and was cleared by my surgeon yesterday for soft solids. I made some delicious slow cooker beef--it really is amazing how my sleeve only allows about 1/4 cup! Oh the money I'll save on food! Anyone have any recommendations on a food/drink schedule in a typical day? I'm struggling a bit with water trying to space it out from food...thanks in advance! Surgery weight, 8/3: 275 Current weight, …

Hi I’ve had my sleeve for a few weeks now, and I was a low BMI patient (33.6) when I went under. So my weight loss journey will be fairly quick. I’d like to know how others are going with their maintenance diets. I entered my stats into a calorie burn calculator using my goal weight (85kg) and my daily calories are 2,000 per day. I’m 99 kg now and losing weight quickly. I can’t see myself being able to consume that many calories. Has anyone had problems maintaining weight?

Hello all I'm so excited to be here. Had my GB on Aug 6th and am just now transitioning to pureed foods. I am wondering about ideas for tuna during this stage. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I am exactly a week post op today. Tomorrow morning I have my very first follow up visit from surgery. I know eveeything is going really well, but I am nervous as can be about being moved to the pureed food stage of the diet. I am not sure why but it is freaking me out just thinking about it. My appointment is first thing in the morning.

I am two months post-op with the sleeve. Getting all my protein, but carbs are hard to get unless I drink Gatorade everyday. I feel like I'd rather eat healthy carbs. How are you getting 40 grams of carbs?

I'm not losing I'm maintaining and trying to add on muscle mass. And eat very little carbs (which hurts my workouts). I love sweet potatoes though, and know they're pretty healthy. The easiest way I've found to cook them is slice them up (usually 2 small ones) and spray them with Pam for like 2 to 3 seconds (I know it says calorie free, but it's still oil) then toss them in an airfryer I estimate this comes to somewhere between 25 to 50 calories of oil. (very likely on the lower end of that calculation) But would you consider this a fairly healthy source of carbohydrates, or am I basically justifying to myself a way to eat French fries?

I'm almost 4 months post op and have a condition that makes my blood pressure on the low side. My doctor told me to add salt to my diet. I do that but it's still not up enough. I added roasted, salted cashews as a snack. They're so delicious that I'm eating too many. Probably 1/2 cup at one sitting. So I'm trying to find a healthier/less fattening alternative. Any ideas?

I see so many people on youtube measuring their food (the 2-3oz recommended) on a food scale. I have triple checked with my nutritinist and other resources which say to measure by volume. It makes sense right? I mean an ounce of something light can be quite a lot, when by volume its all the same. Am I missing something or is this just a common mistake? I really dont want to stretch my guts and I want to be successful and do everything proper.

Today I'm allowed my first soft foods; eggs, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, cooked veggies, and fruit. I'm a bit nervous! Wish me luck with the next steps. Sadly I don't love eggs and hate cottage cheese but will make this work!

Transitioning from liquid to puréed diet post surgery today. My first meal of choice: 1 large egg soft scrambled and chew the bejeezus out of it lol. I’m also trying some cooked baby cereal - not a big fan haha. But that egg..... yum!

Do you have to wait a certain number of days or weeks after GB before you can fly. A friend of my husband's said I might have to wait a month to be able to fly.

Have to do a pre-op liquid diet anyone have any suggestions out there?

Hi Everyone, I am one week post OP and have been on liquids since 3 days before surgery. I am quite honestly...SICK of liquids. When does this get easier, any tricks for suffers like me on how you introduced food back into your life? My doc says I start back at week 3 but God this liquid thing is killing me :/

Today after 53 minutes of cardio i had grilled salmon with veggies for lunch and i snacked on dark chocolates and handful of nuts

Can someone please tell me how I am suppose to be calculating my carbs? I know all the basics, use the MyFitnessPal app to track my calories, nutrients, etc and I am sticking to the Normal recommendation of but how can I already have 15g of Carbs from one healthy salad and dressing only containing the ingredients of what I'm suppose to have??? 25g of Total Net Carbs--- Fat: 96g ---- Protein:72g So, Here is what my tracker has for the only meal I had yesterday and it just doesn't seem accurate to me. Please tell me what I am doing wrong.

So I made pizza for dinner and sadly couldn’t eat much (yay!). It is a turkey fest! 1 slice of turkey bacon, 6 slices of turkey pepperoni and 1.5 ounces of ground turkey. 1.5 ounces of cheese, 2 tablespoons of sauce, few mushrooms on a cauliflower crust. 4-5 servings. [emoji3] Protein goals met! Yep!

I’m on phase 2 of my post op regimen...I miss food so much!!! ? When can we eat seafood again? I need a bowl of seviche (Peruvian dish) Has anyone had any issues with fish, shrimp, crab or lobster?

I know this is probably a stupid question, but why can I eat chicken salad on my soft food phase but not super moist chicken? No, I am not going to, and if I did I would ask my Nut first, I am just curious.

Hi all. Had sleeve done July 10th. Getting through full liquids pretty easily. Getting ready to start puréed. Any suggestions for first foods I should try?

So, I am now 8 days post-op, and I am feeling better everyday. My latest issue is wanting to kill my family when we eat dinner. I know logically I can’t eat steak or even chicken right now, but I still want to cause bodily harm. It’s so bad, I am actually considering eating tuna in the next few days. And i loathe tuna. As I type this my husband is cooking hot links and crunching on something that sounds heavenly. Please tell me this gets easier.

Hi all. I’m four weeks since my sleeve on 7/10. I’m technically in the puréed stage for another week. I haven’t been eating veges because I’m not sure which are lower in carbs. Been sticking to chicken tuna egg salad yogurt cottage cheese. Things like that. Can anyone tell me which vegetables are considered the best to eat without risking gaining weight? I know they’re to be eaten after the protein.

So....can you please tell me which phase cottage cheese and apple sauce falls in??? They gave it to me at the hospital the day after surgery so I assumed it was considered a full liquid item. I have been eating it ever since. Am I wrong?????? Also, how many people start their purée foods a few days early? I have two days to go and all I want is something new!!!

What are the best sugar substitues for 1-adding to cold food 2-adding to beverages 3-cooking/baking There are so many options, I'd like to hear what you've enjoyed (ok, and what you hated, too!) Thanks!

Does anyone have a good suggestion for a nutrition tracking app? Are there any geared towards us? I always used my fitness pal, but just got calorie shamed by them for only consuming 300 calories today. I’d like something more tailored to our needs!

Hello all, I made the mistake of trying to eat some veggies last night and it felt like someone was blowing my pouch up like a balloon. I was about to head to the ER when the gas passed via burps and settled down. So with that, what are safe veggies to try? Which ones cause way too much gas? Will salads cause this gas pressure? Lastly, what are your favorite ways to cook your veggies? Thank you!