macman

I am seven months out and still track everything I eat. For me it is necessary. It keeps me on track. I have been able to steadily increase calories over time as my physical needs have changed and MFP has helped me do it. I don't think I would be able to reach protein goals without having my morning shake

VSGAnn What you have experienced is a classic example of why we get over weight in the first place. When we don't think about what is in the food we are eating it has consequences. When you ate carbs and sugar, you wanted more carbs and sugar! In my experience it is a battle that we will fight throughout. We have to stay in a place where we feel we have control about what we are eating. That is a major premise of WLS. Hi protein/low carbs and healthy fats. For me planning and tracking have helped immensely. When I can plan meals ahead of time, I feel that I have more control. I also track everything I eat in My Fitness Pal. Frequently I will make adjustments based on food intake, or protein/carb/fat content, on a daily basis

I think getting back to the basics is a good approach when we feel "off track", especially after a vacation. I know you don't want the scale to loom over you but you are trying to reset what you have been doing. I would also suggest to drink plenty of fluids, it helps immensely with proper weight loss. And some sort of increased activity or exercise has always worked for mw. You can do this!

HW 362 SW 320 CW 230 TPL 132 TGP 132 Well folks, with 2 pounds lost this week, .... I hit the goal that I had established one year ago as I began this undertaking!!! WOW, that does feel good. My six month follow up appointment with the surgeon is Tuesday. It will be awful nice walking in having met the target. Just because I hit the initial goal, I don't plan on changing anything. I do not think I am close to getting into maintenance. The goal was one I had established for myself. It was based on what I thought would be an attainable weight. It also is what I weighed 30 years ago! I have not experienced any real stall or slow down in weight loss. For that reason I think there is more to lose.

The only sugar in Quest Bars occurs naturally from nuts or freeze dried fruits. They are sweetened by using Stevia or Lo Han Guo, which is a fruit found in China. The fruit extract has no calories and no glycemic impact. As mentioned above, to determine active carbs, take the total carbs on a label and subtract fiber and sugar alcohols. This will give you net carbs for a food item. Most foods that are low carb will list the net carbs on the front of the package because they want you to notice it. Quest bars are actually low in carbs and sugar. Because of the good taste I have to be careful, these could easily become a slider food for me.

I agree totally with the comment about NET carbs! Most of the Quest Bars have 3 or 4 net carbs which is really good in comparison with other Protein bars. I keep one with me all the time. It is a really convenient way to get in 20grams of protein when you are traveling.

I purchased a Flex pre op and still use it today, seven months post op. I like the fact that I monitor my activity throughout the day. The dots are a good visual reminder of where I am in relation to my daily targets. The Flex is linked to my iPhone and I can get details if I want, just by opening up the app. I also have linked the Flex with my fitness pal, so I can see activity reflected in my daily calorie intake. I do not adjust the calorie intake very often, but it is nice to see the likely impact of my activity on food intake. I use the Flex to set alarms and reminders throughout the day. I also like that it will track quality and quantity of sleep. You can also wear it in the shower

My scars have healed welll and at seven months out they look like small bruises. Not worried at all

Congratulations! Well done!

Having gastric surgery is a second chance. It can't make up for all the bad decisions we've made along the way but it is a way to start making the decisions we should have made to help ourselves. We have a window of time to loose as much weight as possible and maximize the effectiveness of the surgery. that begins pre op and continues post op. Based on what I've read, seen and heard on this forum and from my program, the majority of individuals that add weight down the road are not following the program laid out for them. I am only seven months out from surgery. The hardest part of this entire time has been mental and having the discipline to stay the course. I am not saying you can't stray. Everyone will. The key is to understanding why, and get back on the program as soon as possible.

Congratulations! Terrific Job!

PB2 is protein powder, just like all other whey protein isolate. If you are allowed to drink a protein shake, and most everyone on full liquids uses them, you are allowed to use PB2

PreOp, I did not have a special diet. I was on a six month managed program I had been dieting along the way. I just had to do liquids only the day before surgery. PostOp, I had been amazingly compliant with instructions from the NUT. This include six weeks of liquid diet due to a complication that put me in the hospital for a couple weeks, two weeks after surgery. If you think about this logically, why would you not follow directions from experts who have done this hundreds or thousands of times? Getting a new lease on life is amazing. make the most of it!

At six plus months out, I can eat 3-4 ounces of dense protein and a few bites of vegetables. That is for dinner which is the largest meal of the day. Breakfast is primarily a protein shake and lunch is leftover protein wrapped in lettuce leaves. Snacks are yogurt or protein bar, maybe some nuts or cheese.

I like them a lot. Cookies and Cream is a favorite, so is Double Chocolate Chunk, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Coconut Cashew and White Chocolate Raspberry. I usually have one in the afternoon as a snack. I keep one in the car. They are very convenient when traveling or on the road. They are so good I have to be careful to only eat just one!

I started at 362 pounds and a BMI of 45. My surgery was in December 2013 and my current weight is 232 pounds putting me at a BMI of 29 with 80% loss of excess weight. I am within 2 pounds of my initial goal but I am not done. I will keep going and the weight will level off at the right point. To date I have followed the plan very closely with few diversions. As stated by many earlier posts, it does get easier with time. The struggles with getting in Protein and Water pass. It then becomes making good choices about what food is put into my mouth. I read a study early on that they key to success with WLS was to maintain a feeling of satiety for as long as possible. So I eat every 3-4 hours, 3 meals and 2 Snacks a day. I make sure I eat enough dense protein and compliment with carbs and fats through the day. I do not feel like I have pushed myself with exercise. I do cardio regularly, 3-4 times a week but need to refocus on pushing myself more with strength and fitness training. I do agree that the mental part of this process is the most important. Personal motivation is extremely important. No one tells you to exercise, no one tells you not to eat the bag of chips. That has to come from within. Making the decision to have WLS is the beginning of the battle. Following the program and having the personal fortitude to push yourself to be successful will get the results you want!

HW 362 SW 320 CW 232 TPL 130 TGP 132 2 pounds lost this week.

lI live in Douglas and was sleeved on 12/23/13 at UMass Memorial in Worcester

Right after surgery while on a liquid diet only fluids and Protein matter. My liquid phase lasted 3 weeks. Clear Liquids were 2 days and then full liquids thereafter. It is a good idea to check with your NUT I did not have to worry about carbs until the soft food stage

Actually sounds good. For me Soups fell into the liquid phase. You just might need to make sure it is well blended before eating. Adding unflavored Protein when ready to eat is a good idea. In the liquid stage some people have difficulty getting protein in. Make sure you don't heat the soup above 140 degrees, when adding protein, otherwise you will have lumpy soup

I take the Opurity Vitamins in Orange Berry Flavor. I like them because there is one tablet a day and the ingredients are China Free. Quality of ingredients is an issue with some products and I like that they guarantee quality. They are pricier than some others but I am a big fan of Unjury products and am very pleased with the outcome.

When I was on a liquid diet for the first few weeks after surgery my program suggested the following: On an even hour of the day drink 4 ounces of Protein shake On the odd hour of the day drink 4 ounces of Water. Do this starting at 7am thru the day I followed this for 3 weeks. I was able to get 32 ounces of water and 32 ounces of Protein Shake in a day, hitting all goals for both

I have never used New Whey so I took a look at their website. They recommend it to weight lifters and using it to reduce muscle loss after bariatric surgery. There are no carbs or sugar and the primary ingredient is hydrolized Protein, which means the protein has been broken down into amino acids. Sounds like if you are a weight lifter it might be perfect! I have always been told that the best protein for a bariatric patient is whey protein isolate The other part for me is the amount of protein in the product. There is a limit on how quickly the body absorbs protein, whey protein isolate is the fastest. I have never needed more than 30-35 grams at any meal to keep me satisfied for a 3-4 hour period of time, even at 7 months out. Even early on, while on a liquid diet, I was getting 60 grams of protein a day. The 43 grams in one shot seems like too much at a time.

Quest Bars are the best tasting in my opinion. I did not start eating them until I was on a full diet. Nowadays I always have one handy for an easy to eat protein source. Great when traveling. Love the white chocolate raspberry, cookies and cream or coconut cashew

I am not sure about the no sugar added part. The guideline I was given was to avoid anything with more than 12 grams of sugar. That being said, when I eat yogurt it is usually Fage or Chobani 0% Greek Yogurt