PdxMan

Time for a Come to Jesus post from PdxMan ... sorry if I offend ... don't mean to. ... most of us, I believe, have or had a NUT to consult with. From my discussions with them regarding the whole Protein question and the research I have been doing regarding nutrition and running, there is a limit to the amount your body can effectively absorb and use at one time. There is a general rule out there which suggests consuming more than 30g of protein in a single sitting does you no good and the overage should not be counted, but for more active people and athletes that number is higher. I discuss my activity level with my NUT and integrate her dietary suggestions. Afterall, I paid for it and she went to college for it, so ... I see here and on other threads about people taking the protein shots and getting all their protein in before morning and using ShakeX because it has 48g of protein ... From what I understand, this is not how it works. Drink two 48g protein shots AND I'M DONE FOR THE DAY!! Nope. Your body will absorb what it can and store the rest as fat and for the day you will be WAY short on the protein your body needs. So, don't even ask what my NUT told me to do because my body and activity level is not your body and activity level. Don't ask me what you should do because I don't know your body and activity level. What works for me will not work for you. Bottom line here is if you don't know what to do or you are struggling with protein, you really need to be discussing this with your NUT. They know your body and your activity level FAR better than we do here on the forum. Protein intake is very important. Do yourself a favor and use the resources your team has provided you. If you don't have a NUT, talk to your surgeon, if you can't talk to them, contact your PCP. Surely someone in their office has access to a nutritionist. To echo what I have said before, I know I can come across harsh, but I want us all to succeed in this.

Yes, Kathy, use protein shakes and bars to supplement protein shortages from food.

If you use the Protein powder, I think you have to use a electric hand mixer. The stuff I had said you can just use a spoon, but no way. I had a muscle milk (not the lite) the other day because I forgot my Premier at home and man, that stuff is thick and sweet. It was a job to finish it.

I had the same problem with Protein shakes being too sweet. I had a powder I loved pre-op and then I couldn't stomach them a week post-op. I tried many different brands, but they were all too sweet. I found Premium chocolate at costco which has been perfect for me. I see you are between two Costcos in Fredricksburg and Potomac Mills. Check them out. $24 for 18 of them and they have 30g of protein per. The vanilla ones are good, too and I guess they have a strawberry, but we don't have them at my store. Highly recommend. As Frumpy said, early on, focus on the liquids, for sure. I have heard of many folks in the ER with an IV in their arm due to dehydration. If you don't meet quota, don't beat yourself up, just do better tomorrow.

OMG! That is hillarious. Thanks for sharing that!

Everything will come in time. Just keep doing the best you can. You're doing great. 2 oz of coffee, though ... Any chance of trading that with Protein shake? Cafine is a diuretic and at this point in the game, you would probably be better servered by replacing it with the Protein Shake. Don't worry, you're not giving up coffee, but which is best for the 2 oz at this time. A month from now you'll be able to drink coffee like a champ, but in these early days ...

If you're wondering, then you are ready. Just hold off on the trapeez act. I believe it was 3 days, here.

Healthy and as natural as possible, IMO. Your stomach is the mechanical part of digestion and it has undergone trauma. Let's not test it by giving it processed, difficult to handle foods. I ate a lot of baked fish (Tillapia baked in butter with sprinkles of parmesan cheese) Chili (Still eat a lot of that for lunch) Salads with Tuna, blue cheese crumbles and honey mustard dressing. (Nothing low cal or low fat) Have you been to eggface's blog? I, like you, needed bold flavors coming off 2 months of blah. Blue cheese and parmesan cheese provided that along with chili. Sharp cheddar cheese was also a mainstay in my diet, too. But, of course, everything in small amounts. Stop when you begin to feel the restriction.

I want to echo what Christin said. 85% of my stomach was removed. What the heck am I going to have to do to regain the weight back!!!??? I just don't think it is possible. I would have to really be out of control, FAR more than I was pre-op. I paid $10,400 and had it done in Las Vegas (Baby!) Borrowed against the house to do it, which is a 3% loan. Will have it paid off by my 1st surgiversary with all of the savings on food and health care I am not spending now.

Rice is one of those foods that actually expands in the stomach. It has little to no nutritional value, so it is taking up such valuble space which should be occupied by proteins and healthy carbs (veggies).

No problem, happy to help. That is what we're here for ... each other. The first month is difficult, no doubt. There is a lot of confusion and fear. Your body is going through a drastic change and nothing tastes right. You're all a jumble. Just know it does get better. Just keep to the rules and you will do great. I promise you. Protein first priority No drinking any liquids 1/2 hour before/after eating Exercise - whatever you can do. Walk, run, stairs, rubber bands ... whatever you can find that works for you and do it in the amount that works for you. This, too, will get easier. Keep us posted on how you're doing. Sometimes it helps to be accountable to something and that can be us!

Frumpy, the 2-4 oz is lean Protein, not creamed Soups. I can easily eat 12 oz of chili at a setting, but that, like the creamed soup, is mainly liquid and the pyloric valve opens, lets it through and their is room in the stomach for more. That is not what we're talking about. In a few weeks, when you get on solids, you will feel the restriction when you eat a 2 oz piece of chicken or fish. You will eat that and be full. But ... if you drink Water while you eat this, you run the risk of your pyloric valve opening and draining your stomach allowing you to eat more, just like with the creamed soups. As I mentioned above, I'm 6 months out and could only eat 3 bites of a Subway sandwich and I was STUFFED for a couple hours. If someone cheats the tool by drinking with the meal, then they run the risk of not feeling the restriction and being able to eat more. The other thing is not starting with the protein. Protein is going to help you feel your restriction. Starting with a piece of German chocolate Cake is a great way to get a lot of calories and "cookie carbs" (as I like to call them), but it isn't the right choice. So, with the tool, you can still make bad food choices, but if you follow some basic rules ... eat protein first, get your liquids in 1/2 hour before/after eating, exercise ... I believe you can eat what you want. Just know, that in conjunction with following these rules, your "wants" most likely will change. I know it has for me. I think the only way to gain weight back of any significance is to break the rules I mentioned above. Do I break them? Occassionally, sure, but for the most part I stick pretty tightly to them. SmallGirls, I started with a C25K program on my iPhone. It was a big goal for me and I was determined to be able to run a 5K once I had lost enough weight to where I felt I could run enough where I wasn't killing my knees. Suprisingly, I have stuck with it as I am amazed at how good I feel after running. I exercised on elliptical machines pre-sleeve, but never felt as good as I do now. Perhaps it was that bag of cheetos I ate afterward ... hmmm.

This is funny because I was just telling my mother how I don't feel like I am on a diet. But, for those who haven't read any of my posts, I do exercise quite regularly at pretty high levels, so I am probably an exception, not the rule. But, that being said, I pretty much eat what I want now following some basic, easy rules. I get my Protein in. I start the day with a 30 g Protein shake, have a high protein lunch (chili or turkey soup) another shake and still more lean protein at dinner. I eat Pasta now regularly and have very limited exposure to bread. I think not eating breads for so long has pretty much turned me off of them and to be honest with you, I really don't miss them, so I don't really plan on having them in my regular diet. As I said above, I eat what I want and there are a lot of foods which were my favorites which I have no desire for anymore. So, yes, I am bad at times. Watched the Rose Bowl and ate 4 chicken wings during the course of the game. Did I want more? NO! I was stuffed! Yesterday, the family wanted Subway. I used to have the footlong Tuna 3/4x a week for lunch, so I split one with my wife. I ate 1/3 of it there, ate 1/3 about an hour later and threw the rest away. Tasted great, but a Tuna sandwich has a short lifespan in my books. So, yes, for me I do believe the "Diet" ends, but again, I am exercising no less than 5x a week. I ran 4 miles yesterday, did an hour high intensity aerobics the day before, 45 minutes spinning the day before that, ran 2 miles the day before that ... So, I try to earn my right to be bad, but let me tell you, I feel great! I can feel my body burning my food so much more efficiently now. The sleeve is a tool that lets me eat 4 wings in 2 hours instead of 20 (or more). If I didn't exercise, then I am sure I would have to limit my selections, but now that I have lost enough weight were I can MOVE, I'm working the tool and eating what I want.

You're doing fine. What a lot of people don't understand is that you actually want stalls. Yes, I typed that correctly. You want to stall. It tells you that your body is progressing through this process. Let's take a look at what your body has gone through lately: 5 incisions in your belly Removal of 85% of your stomach Hiatal hernia repair ... ? Reduction of calories by about 2/3rds Reduction of liquids by about 1/2 How should the body react? It is going, "WOA! I just lost a lot of incoming resources! I need to remap how I am going to deal with this and start using some local reserves." Everyone goes through this. It is a good thing. You want your body to figure this out. This will not be your last stall, either, and again, it is a good thing. This is part of the natural progression.

Congratulations and welcome. Does your Dr have you on a timer or is this your idea? I would say whatever works for you, but I, myself, wouldn't want to be slaved to a timer. As I just posted to another noob, just keep sipping your Protein shakes and Water. Walk and sip, walk and sip. Just do the best you can. I see too often on here people beating themselves up because they haven't hit their 'required' liquids. It is important, don't get me wrong. A lot of folks have ended up in the ER with a bag of fluids attached to their arm because they were dehydrated. But I have to believe there is a middle ground. Somewhere between the Pavlovian response and an IV. If you keep sipping all day long, you should be fine. If you find yourself forgetting, then yes, set the timer. As the swelling in your tummy goes down, you will be able to sip more. Good luck and keep us updated.

Congratulations! liquids are difficult early on. Your stomach is swollen and restricted. Just keep sipping and walking. Protein, then Water. Water, then protein. It will get better, I promise you. Don't stress if you don't hit your quotas, just keep trying. Jello was a good friend to me, too.

Hmmm ... liquid diet getting 60-70 g of Protein but not doing shakes ... interesting. I would love to know what their plan is. For me, it was very tough and I fell short daily getting my protein in and I did use protein shakes. I agree, the first few weeks not meeting goal didn't cause me to suffer, but I do know I have lost A LOT of muscle mass which I'm sure has to do lowering my overall protein intake. Why are they anti-protein and what is their plan to get you protein in the early days? Unless they are OK with your body feeding off of itself for the protein. Sure, you'd have more weight loss and perhaps that is all they care about. Ask questions. Make them give you answers you understand. Just because someone has a "Dr" in front of their name, doesn't always mean they know what they are talking about or aren't looking out for their own best interest.

I use the compression garments when I exercise. It helps keep everything from bouncing too much. I worried about the extra skin, but I figured I would rather be baggy and alive than fat and dead. (High blood pressure, cholestrol, pre-diabetic, sleep apnea ...) I'll deal with the extra skin later. One thing at a time.

Well, this has to be a first. I have actually lost weight over the holidays. About 10 pounds! It isn't like I tried to lose ... I actually cheated quite often. I made at least a couple dozen batches of english toffee and sampled all the goodies brought into the house as well as the office. But, there lies the difference from this year to years past. Sampled. Not overloaded. Not engourged. Plus, I am exercising more and not overloading at mealtimes, either. I just wonder how much I would be down if I hadn't sampled. Which makes me wonder ... I am now in the 180's weight-wise. I am working out and lifting weights, but I am suprised that I am still losing at the rate I am. I don't want to turn into some whimpy looking dude with a bunch of extra skin dangling all over the place ... But, I can still feel fat around my body, so ... I guess there is more to lose. I can pretty much eat anything I want. Bread still feels lumpy, so I have one bite every few days.

Yes, they do put this down your thoat. But, you're sound asleep and it isn't down there that long. They all do it. That is how they ensure the size and getting a good sutre line.

For me, slimes occurred while eating, not an hour or two after. I believe that is pretty much the case. Sounds like something else going on.

You can see my progress in my signature, but I would say you are on the fast end of the spectrum. How far away from goal are you? How would you rate your program? Are you strictly compliant to your plan? Do you have an exercise routine you follow? For me, these are the basis of my success. The scale will take care of itself and I should not be suprised if it doesn't if I can't rate my program very high.

How many carbs are you getting in? My guess is not enough. At 6 mos out, depending on your activity level, I'm thinking you should be somewhere between 75 and 100 g/day. How close to goal are you? And I'm talking about good carbs, not cookie carbs. Cooked veggies, fruits and whatnot. I went through a fatigue phase early on and this is what my NUT told me. Increase my carbs. Have you consulted your NUT?

sleep early on is difficult. My DW made a pocket of pillows that I nestled in which kept me resting at about 60 degrees upright. I have heard of some people living out of a recliner for the first few weeks. I started laying flat after about 3 weeks, not on my back, but not on my side, either. Wife stuffed a pillow behind me. I think I was back to side sleeping at about 6 weeks.

Do a search on this site for ketosis. Basically, when your body is in a state of carb deprivation, acetone builds up in your saliva causing everything to taste funky. I talked to my NUT, who relayed this information to me. She told me to up my carbs by adding cooked veggies to my soup purees and it really did the trick. Things tasted better, my energy level went up and my weight loss continued. Talk to your NUT and see what they say.