Onthegomom

For this those of you out there that are struggling to get your Protein in, here are some options for you. I am still on my liquid diet because I'm only 7 days post op right now.
The shake I use is Bariatric Advantage brand, the chocolate flavor is delicious. It has 27g of Protein, 160 cal, 2g fat, 0.5g sugar, 8g carbs, 5g Fiber. I buy this from my surgeons office but I'm sure it's available online.
I mix my shake with HEB grocery brand fat free Mootopia milk, that's an extra 12g of protein, 90 cal, 0g fat, 6g sugar, 6 carbs. If you don't have an HEB grocery store I'm sure there's another brand out there, my surgeon suggested this one to me.
So my shake total is 39g protein. Since I'm right out of surgery is hard for me to drink the whole thing at once so I freeze half of it and eat it like ice cream a couple hours later. Yummy!
I have two of those shakes a day 71g protein.
Another option I found is Isonatural pure whey Protein powder, which one scoop has 28g of protein. I bought this at a health food store. This is a flavor less Protein Powder that can be added to Soups, crystal light, etc. I usually do only a half of a scoop in my drinks or Soup. Which gives me an extra 14g of protein.
So with my shakes and extra protein in my drink that brings my protein to 85g of protein for a day.
My surgeon wants me to shoot for 80g of protein a day, and 64oz of liquid( Water, crystal light, or un caffeinated tea).
Hope this helps for anyone who is having trouble getting there protein in or needs new options.

Thank you so much for all the kind compliments everyone! They mean more to me than you guys will ever know . As for my weight loss, I think my exercising has been an integral part of my faster loss. There are many days where I burn more working out than I can physically eat in a day. As for my diet, I shoot for 65+ grams of Protein and less than 40 grams of carbs in a day. I drink a minimum of 64 ounces of Water, it most days am closer to 72-80 ounces. I do allow myself a skinny iced vanilla latte or caramel macchiato from Starbucks on occasion...but they have replaced a daily full fat + whip cream frappacino that was having EVERY morning pre op . I love to mix 1.5 scoops of GNC Wheyolic Extreme 60 Protein powder with Click Mocha Protein for a delicious morning shake that gets me halfway to my daily protein goal. I'm still trying to make room for veggies in my diet...but my sleeve is TIGHT. I have incredible restriction when eating dense protein (2oz maximum at this point) so it is tough for me to get the veggies in. I have been diligently taking Nexium and a good multi Vitamin since surgery, and my bloodwork at my 3 month check was amazing...plus I am no longer pre diabetic or hypertensive...and my cholesterol was NORMAL! Down from 260 pre op!
I love to exercise....well really, I love to sweat...it makes me feel good and I workout HARD. I run and lift 5-6 days a week (depending on what our family schedule is like on Saturday mornings ). And we are generally much more active as a family now...taking long evening walks, bike rides, swimming, you name it. I even mow the lawn every week for a workout, which my husband is thrilled about, haha!
I'm sorry it took me so long to respond to your posts...I was only getting emails that people had "liked". The post, to that they were responding to it . Feel free to message me with any questions, and my MFP username is LBraunstein

I am so sorry if this is a repeat...I introduced myself on the Gastric Sleeve Mexico Forum. I'd like to introduce myself on the general welcome blog as well so here goes!
I am a 37 year old female. Married...3 wonderful girls. I taught in the classroom for many years and now work part time(4 days a week) as a facilitator at a local high school. Spending time with my children and family makes my heart beat everyday! They are the JOY of my life!!!
My weight loss story started on May 9, 2008 when I had the lap-band procedure. LIFE as I once knew it changed that very day. Initially the weight-loss journey was good. Chewing, eating slow, and learning the foods that I could and couldn't eat was smooth. Two years after I got the band I started having severe pains where the port was located. Driving, sweeping, getting up from a seated position, turning in bed,, gardening, as well walking upstairs HURT! Movement HURT. I visited with my surgeon on several occasions about the pain. The discussions were always dismissed because after he felt around my stomach area he would say everything is where it should be..ex:band/port. Months went by and in addition to the pain, I started to not be able to tolerate eating on some days...it depended on whether I had irritated whatever was going on inside of me. A huge red circle, hot to touch started appearing around the port area. The redness would come and go just as the pain did. Finally, I was DONE. I went back to my surgeon in TEARS and insisted that he take everything out. The issue then became that my insurance would not pay for the removal. At that point I didn't care, I knew something was terribly wrong and needed it fixed. It was agreed that my surgeon would preform an EGD and make the decision to remove the band and port. What was supposed to take 45 minutes ended up taking 4 hours in the OR. My port had DETACHED from my stomach wall and was floating around. A cyst, the size of an orange, had formed around the port to protect it as my body recognized that it was a foreign object (hello! that is what was hurting me!!!). For weeks after the removal a "valley" (where they cyst/port would sit when not floating) had formed and would fill up with body fluids. A small bump would rise up on my stomach which meant the sac was filling up. I had to have the "sac/valley" aspirated for 6 weeks post removal.
The whole experience was a NIGHTMARE. It is still to this day so vivid in my memory. My family had to suffer though my aches, pains, and grumpiness from hurting.
I am looking forward to having the sleeve done. Dr. Cantu is taking several precautionary measures to make the surgery can be done safely.
Weight: 228
Goal:140
Dr. Felipe Cantu Reynosa, Mexico

I am so sorry if this is a repeat...I introduced myself on the Gastric Sleeve Mexico Forum. I'd like to introduce myself on the general welcome blog as well so here goes!
I am a 37 year old female. Married...3 wonderful girls. I taught in the classroom for many years and now work part time(4 days a week) as a facilitator at a local high school. Spending time with my children and family makes my heart beat everyday! They are the JOY of my life!!!
My weight loss story started on May 9, 2008 when I had the lap-band procedure. LIFE as I once knew it changed that very day. Initially the weight-loss journey was good. Chewing, eating slow, and learning the foods that I could and couldn't eat was smooth. Two years after I got the band I started having severe pains where the port was located. Driving, sweeping, getting up from a seated position, turning in bed,, gardening, as well walking upstairs HURT! Movement HURT. I visited with my surgeon on several occasions about the pain. The discussions were always dismissed because after he felt around my stomach area he would say everything is where it should be..ex:band/port. Months went by and in addition to the pain, I started to not be able to tolerate eating on some days...it depended on whether I had irritated whatever was going on inside of me. A huge red circle, hot to touch started appearing around the port area. The redness would come and go just as the pain did. Finally, I was DONE. I went back to my surgeon in TEARS and insisted that he take everything out. The issue then became that my insurance would not pay for the removal. At that point I didn't care, I knew something was terribly wrong and needed it fixed. It was agreed that my surgeon would preform an EGD and make the decision to remove the band and port. What was supposed to take 45 minutes ended up taking 4 hours in the OR. My port had DETACHED from my stomach wall and was floating around. A cyst, the size of an orange, had formed around the port to protect it as my body recognized that it was a foreign object (hello! that is what was hurting me!!!). For weeks after the removal a "valley" (where they cyst/port would sit when not floating) had formed and would fill up with body fluids. A small bump would rise up on my stomach which meant the sac was filling up. I had to have the "sac/valley" aspirated for 6 weeks post removal.
The whole experience was a NIGHTMARE. It is still to this day so vivid in my memory. My family had to suffer though my aches, pains, and grumpiness from hurting.
I am looking forward to having the sleeve done. Dr. Cantu is taking several precautionary measures to make the surgery can be done safely.
Weight: 228
Goal:140
Dr. Felipe Cantu Reynosa, Mexico

PLEASE keep me updated on your story and after your surgery. I'm wanting to have the surgery (NOW lol) in the first week of June maybe. Really asap. LOL ... who did you contact? Do you mind giving me the contact information? I love that he is doing an EGD, when I contacted his patient care coordinator she didn't even know what an EGD was. :-( that makes me nervous.

I too am from the Houston area and will be having my revision from the band to sleeve on May 22nd with Dr. Garcia in TJ.

Congrats! I will be having surgery with Dr. Garcia on the 22nd!

Congrats.. To everyone. mX can be the most awesome place to have your procedure. Good luck and don't or get to have fun while you're there!
Oh.. And welcome to the forum!

Wow! Amazing! Your story really gives me hope. I live in Texas too!!!

Hi everyone! My name is Shannon I am 32 have a wonderful husband and two beautiful girls ages 6 and 1. I am a radiology technologist by day and a bullshitter by night. I have more than I deserve in life and thank God everyday for it all. I am a huge music fan but not the snobby I know everything about every genre type. I am into everything from classic jazz to bluegrass. I can get down to some hillbilly stompin! hehehe I love Halloween! I actually love ALL holidays! I like arts and crafts. I love to decorate! I love even more to watch my husband roll his eyes when I get my decorating itch. I am addicted to pinterest. I currently have taken up gardening. The jury is still out on that. My bucket list is to travel the world, visit every state in good ole USA, learn to ride a motorcycle, run a 5K then maybe 10K and marathon (hell just run period really) and be a pin-up girl for a day! (I want to make a calendar for my hubby but I don't have the balls to do it yet).

Welcome to the group! And you're story, like so many others, is why I'm doing the sleeve. You are a brave person for moving beyond that nightmare!

Trust me.. I hear ya! Congrats on your future surgery and welcome!

Hi there! I will be having surgery with him the last week of May. During Spring break I went to Reynosa to check out the office and hospital. It was VERY nice. Im getting a bit nervous about the surgery. There are not a lot of comments on here that speak of Dr. Cantu. I chose him because a family member had surgery with him several years ago. She had no complications at all. When is your surgery?

Okay, it's day 3, and I feel really great!!!! The sugar-withdrawl headache is gone, finally!!! It was HARRRRRRRD to get over that one, let me tell ya! Ouch! When I stepped on the scale this morning, I was down 6 pounds. I'm having frozen dinners that are not over 300 calories (tonight was lasagne) and I'm getting 2 Protein Shakes during the day. Loving Diet Snapple Half & Half, which is an Arnold Palmer (half iced tea, half lemonaid), and my regular cold-pressed nettle leaf tea. You get tons of Vitamins and minerals from that, and it's quite good w/ a bit of Truvia if you like it sweeter. I'm eating romaine w/ wishbone balsamic spray, sugar snap peas as a snack, cucumbers, and had a bit (an ounce) of grilled chicken in my salad tonight. I'm under 800 calories a day, according to the myfitnesspal app. Ooo...had Water w/ Crystal Light's version of Mio, and tonight I squeezed in a bit of fresh orange instead. Very tasty! Still having coffee w/ Truvia and nonfat milk (a tablespoon) but no way can I withdrawl from sugar and caffeine in the same week. Headline "crazed fat woman kills 30 for a latte."
Sooo...man, this is great! Now that I'm over the withdrawl, I feel like this is a total head game from here to surgery. Why the hell could I not do this before?!?! Oh yeah, it's because I did not have to think "If I can't do this, no surgery!" Nothing like that to motivate you!
If you are struggling, know it WILL get better!!!! You CAN do this!!!

I am glad you posted again. After reading and posting on this forum for over a year I have seen quite a number of people that have to go about nutrition much slower than others. Obviously, you did have a stricture of sorts and that is why your doctor did the dilation treatment. If I were you I would not be trying to eat solids yet. I did not move to solids until well after 6 weeks and I did not have complications. Try going back to full liquids or pureed foods until you can tolerate the solids. You are not healed yet, and you probably just need more time. Also, it is helpful to log all your foods, liquids, Protein and Vitamins to be proactive with your self care and be able to see exactly what you are achieving with your nutrition. You can do this, but give yourself time!!
Some ideas...
Several cups of hot tea in the morning or Decaf coffee
Protein Shakes
Creamy Soups
Yogurt
Cottage cheese
Refried Beans with melted cheese
Hot cereals (thinned out)
Mashed potatoes with gravy
Chili Beans pureed
Soups pureed
SF popsicles and Jello
SF puddings
Lots of Water, crystal light and other SF fluids
Good luck!!

I didn't have a pre-op (or post-op) liquid diet. My surgeon (well, all the doctors/surgeons in my clinic) is not a fan of liquid diets, in nearly any context. (Also, I know may people allude to fatty liver and shrinking it and all that -- but it in fact takes much longer than a week or two to shrink an actual fatty liver.) I hypothesize that it's actually more to do with compliance and patient readiness than physical reasons. But this is all just my opinion and I am not a doctor.

I recommend selling your clothes to a consignment or resale store and buying from them as well until you maintain at goal. A lot of times they will give you more in store credit than outright cash...
Amanda Rae