beachgal2935

@@Veronica_mm Smart move - if they're not in your house, you can't eat them!

@@kelly lynn I hear a lot of people who share in your struggle. I'm glad to see you're reaching out as that is the first step back to success. There's a wonderful website called bariatriceating.com. They also have a Facebook page with thousands of people in your exact same situation. The website was started and is hosted by a woman who is 15 years out so she knows all about the regain. I hope you'll check it out as there's a world of great information on the site. I just love it! I wish you the best and know you will succeed!!! They have a program called BOT (Back on Track): Information is pretty thin stuff unless mixed with Experience. Just one year ago I had a closet full of clothes. AND. NOTHING. FIT. ANYMORE. I was ashamed, astonished, upset, despondent and had to do something. I’m older and my body is different but I figured it out again. The Secret to Losing Weight AFTER Weight Loss Surgery is Diet & Exercise. Yes, the big bad ‘Fad Diet’ that the negative Nellies are up in arms over is Diet & Exercise! (that’s okay, let them wallow in their Oreo and Tortilla eating while we lose regain weight) The secret sauce of a plan is simply Old Fashioned Diet & Exercise fueled by Bariatric Surgery, Inspire Protein drinks, small workout routines and our Kick Butt Bariatric Eating Support Group on Facebook! Thousands of members in our Facebook Support Group excitedly post their ‘BOT’ or Back On Track successes. People are losing a lot of weight again. ‘BOT’ works! It is hard to get the ball rolling but you have what it takes to dig in and do it. I know exactly how you feel and what you face and so do BE Team members on Facebook who are there to help you! Make up your mind and lets get moving. There are two parts… follow both and you will see that it is like flipping on the switch for weight loss. No kidding. Nothing like a fast ten pound weight loss for an amazing attitude adjustment! 1. DIET – 5 SMALL PROTEIN MEALS A DAY Reality Check. IF we made good food choices before bariatric surgery, we would not have been Morbidly Obese. The same denial works against us now. I tried telling myself I was not eating differently than I was ten years ago! You are trying to float that by folks too. Get real with yourself. I gained weight back because of my food choices. You know you are eating differently. Say it out loud. Admit it. Own it. There are bariatric groups all over Facebook where they talk about how much they can eat, that sugar doesn’t make them sick, that Mountain Dew or drinking soda doesn’t hurt them, they compare notes on how many slices of pizza they can fit and how much of a Subway Sandwich they can eat. Until you admit YOU are the problem and take ownership of the situation, it’s pretty certain that you will continue along the same path to where you started. This is where we split into two groups – the Dreamers and the Doers! Solution? Removing choices to limit calories, carbs and sugar. Five Small Protein Meals a day – 4 of those consist of Protein Drinks and the last is a Healthy Protein & salad Meal – this will limit your total caloric intake. This premise of protein drinks throughout the day paired with a healthy protein and vegetable supper is the cornerstone many successful diet plans, including world renown Johns Hopkins Hospital medically supervised weight loss programs. (there is a $6000 program fee to join the JH plan and it’s an amazing program that shepherds many to large weight losses, but ours is free so you might want to try us *first*) #InspireLiquidWillpower You can use any brand of Protein Drink to follow the plan but we recommend and use Inspire Protein powder and my current pantry contains vanilla, strawberry White chocolate, banana Smoothie and Peanut Butter Cup. The satiety or ‘fullness factor’ of Inspire protein drinks is off the charts and they taste fantastic. Inspire is liquid Willpower for me, it is applauded by nearly all in our Support Group and it should do the same for you! One bag of Inspire makes 20 drinks & at 4 per day, you will need 3 bags for your 2 week commitment, or 6 bags for your 4 week commitment. A smaller investment than Nutrasystem! We do recommend a 5th shake to be used after supper IF nighttime snacking is a problem for you as it is for me. I drink an Inspire Peanut Butter Cup drink while watching The Real Housewives so I will stay out of the fridge. It’s a 100 calorie indulgence that works like a charm. My Day Breakfast – 1 scoop Inspire protein powder blended with about 6 ounces of Almond Breeze Unsweetened Almond Milk or Skim Milk or Water. TIP: I am a reformed *lifetime breakfast skipper* I fix myself a huge mug of black coffee and at the same time blend an Inspire protein drink. Inspire is like a glass of chocolate milk, small and thin: and allows me to ‘break the fast’ with protein. No Blender Needed. Glass – Milk – Powder – Stir – Sip Mid Morning Protein Snack – 1 scoop Inspire protein powder blended with about 6 ounces of Almond Breeze Unsweetened Almond Milk or Skim Milk or Water lunch – 1 scoop Inspire protein powder blended with about 6 ounces of Almond Breeze Unsweetened Almond Milk or Skim Milk or Water Mid Afternoon Protein Snack – 1 scoop Inspire protein powder blended with about 6 ounces of Almond Breeze Unsweetened Almond Milk or Skim Milk or Water Healthy Protein Supper – Bariatric Eating Menu for the Week The easiest meal plan is Protein FIRST, followed by lower carbohydrate vegetables, fruits. Our ultimate goal is to transition to a really sensible healthy diet that you read about all the time. For Back on Track the nightly meal consists of a grilled, broiled, pan seared, roasted or poached protein such as salmon, shrimp, cod, halibut, chicken, beef sirloin, turkey tenderloin served with seasoned lower carb vegetables or salad. IMPORTANT: 1. No bread, no potatoes, no tortillas, no rice, no rolls, no Pasta, no high carb foods. 2. Do NOT drink with your meals. If you have been drinking with meals. STOP IT. 3. Drink 8 cups of water or zero calorie liquid daily. If it’s difficult for you, download our free Hydration app at GetHyApp.comHere is your first week of evening meals. All recipes are linked on our site. Monday – Salmon with Mango Salsa, broccoli Tuesday – Asparagus omelet, lettuce tomato salad Wednesday – Chicken Cutlets, baby spinach salad Thursday – Cheesy Meatball Skillet, romaine tossed with lemon, olive oil and parmesan Friday – Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps Saturday – Warm Shrimp Salad with Avocado Sunday – Grilled Marinated Flank Steak, lettuce tomato salad 2. EXERCISE – THE NEW ‘EASY WAY OUT’ OF OBESITY There's a whole plan laid out on the website for this! The Skinny It’s a beautiful thing and you’ll be So Proud when the fat begins to slowly melt away, almost as it did when you first had surgery. The clouds clear and the sun shines more brightly when you’ve got your Groove Back! In just a few days you will feel better and notice a difference. In two weeks your clothes will fit differently and this great feeling will begin to pull your through this plan with EXCITEMENT instead of the PUSH that it will take right now. This plan for weight loss after bariatric surgery is proven to work for either first time or regain. I have lost over fifty pounds that ‘I found’ after all these years, but more importantly I redirected my life. I am talking ‘tough love’ because I am the person who put away her skinny jeans that no longer fit and ignored the problem until I had to do something. I was the one in danger of failing. My experiences can help you if you truly want to lose more weight or take control of a gain. This plan turns on the fat burning engines. No kidding. Let’s roll. The only reason not to begin right now is fear of failure and I promise if you follow this, YOU WILL NOT FAIL. We got this one.

@anwen_ut You most certainly CAN have your warm "pumpkin spice" tastiness and get 20+ grams of Protein in at the same time! I just received my pumpkin pie Inspire Protein powder in the mail Friday and had this delicious treat as my Breakfast Saturday morning. You can order this and other flavors from their website, bariatriceating.com. I've copied the exact recipe for you: How to turn INSPIRE Pure whey Isolate Protein Drink Mix flavors into a mug of warm goodness! 1. Place scoop of protein into a clean dry mug 2. Add about two tablespoons of tap Water and blend with spoon into smooth paste – allow to rest 30 seconds if needed 3. Slowly add hot, but NOT boiling liquid into your paste while blending While it may seem ‘faster’ for you to blend it all up and microwave it, if you boil your drink once protein has been added, you will get a drink that is grainy rather than smooth. Tip 1. Use CoffeeMate sugar free Liquid Creamer instead of tap water in step 2. Tip 2. Fill mug with about a cup (or to taste) of hot coffee instead of water. Tip 3. Use Almond Breeze Unsweetened vanilla or chocolate or Coconut Almond Milk instead of water. Tip 4. Add a small swirl of Land O Lakes Sugar Free Whipped Cream to kick your warm protein drink up a notch for an occasional treat. Another way I like to get a warm (protein packed) drink in is to mix chocolate Premier Protein (ready-to-drink) into my decafe coffee for a decadent hot chocolate. I use the vanilla Premier protein drink in my decafe coffee (as creamer) with English toffee or Pumpkin Spice liquid Stevia. It tastes like a Starbucks latte! SweetLeaf makes several flavors of their liquid Stevia and it only takes a few drops to completely change any beverage, hot or cold. Hope this gives you some tasty ideas on how to warm up this season

@@TristanNicole Everyone's probably tired of me raving about this wonderful Water but I was having a hard time at even 6 months post-op getting water down. I found Protein2o and it tastes delicious. It has 15g of quality bio-available Protein and only 2 carbs in the 16 oz., 70 calorie bottle. Four flavors and I've tried two - berry and grape splash. Love them both. When I need some extra flavor, I'll put a few drops of SweetLeaf flavored liquid Stevia in them. I usually have 2 per day, so that's 30g of protein and 32 oz. of water - multi tasking If you go to the website drinkprotein2o.com you can find where they sell them in your area. Been buying them at a local gas station chain but just last week my Walmart started carrying them. Check out my pics and Best Wishes!!!

I LOVE Quest Protein bars (pic #1 - my stash) but the fat and sugar content don't really concern me since I can only eat 1/2 a bar at a time because they are so filling. It's a great way to get your fiber in with all the protein in our diets. The cinnamon roll (pic #2) is really good heated in the microwave for 20 seconds & then sprinkled with a lil Splenda for Breakfast - Yum! My other faves to heat and make Cookies out of are chocolate brownie, chocolate chip cookie dough (pic #3) and chocolate Peanut Butter. Grab and go faves are vanilla almond crunch and peanut butter supreme and strawberry cheesecake. The new pumpkin pie totally grossed me out and I love pumpkin. It's the first "coated" bar they came out with and as far as I'm concerned they can take it back!

@@Sajijoma I've never tried them but I'm going to take your expert opinion and steer clear of these. My current fave drink is the Protein2o Water. I love the mild taste but sometimes I'll enhance it with flavored liquid Stevia. You just can't beat 15g of Protein, 70 calories and 2g carbs in a 16 oz. bottle! Not only that but now my Walmart has them in stock. If anyone is interested, just go to their website drinkprotein2o.com and do a store search in your city. If they aren't local for you then you can order a 12 pk from them or Amazon for the same price. Thanks for posting this

Being a huge (literally - LOL) chip fan pre-op, I got super excited when I heard about these so I tried all flavors prior to surgery - YUCK to all of them! I agree with everyone else ... tasteless cardboard with fake powder flavoring. I love most of the Quest Protein bars and especially like making warm ooey gooey Cookies out of them in the microwave but the chips are just not good. They are used in several of the recipes on their website, after you grind them to a powder, so I've been tempted to buy a bag or two to try them in that capacity. I'll let you know if that happens.

@@silkouj I just posted this for someone else seeking pre-op shake recipes, so I'll re-post here for you. My NUT said she'd never seen someone have as much fun with the pre-op liquid diet as myself. I lost 15 lbs. as well I had surgery at Mayo and they provided the liquid Optifast shakes. My shakes were 8 oz. and I was to drink 5 per day for 2 weeks prior to my surgery. At 800 calories per day, I knew I was going to have to pump up the volume in order to be full. Also I didn't want to be depressed by just drinking the little boxes, so I got creative. I bought a Nutribullet and would add ice and liquid flavored Stevia. Pour them in pretty glasses, sip slowly and enjoy them. I'm a Starbucks girl, so with the vanilla I added ice and pumpkin spice Stevia then blended for a frappuccino. Added the English toffee to cold coffee for a delicious iced coffee. Used chocolate, more ice and didn't blend it as long which made an ice milk consistency which I could eat with a spoon. I added the chocolate Stevia to hot coffee and it tasted like a delicious hot chocolate. Added vanilla to Tazo chai tea for a chai tea latte. So you get the idea. SweetLeaf has several flavors to choose from and I love and use them every day, even now at 6 months post-op!

@Mogwaicat I had surgery at Mayo and they provided the liquid Optifast shakes. My shakes were 8 oz. and I was to drink 5 per day for 2 weeks prior to my surgery. At 800 calories per day, I knew I was going to have to pump up the volume in order to be full. Also I didn't want to be depressed by just drinking the little boxes, so I got creative. I bought a Nutribullet and would add ice and liquid flavored Stevia. Pour them in pretty glasses, sip slowly and enjoy them. I'm a Starbucks girl, so with the vanilla I added ice and pumpkin spice Stevia then blended for a frappuccino. Added the English toffee to cold coffee for a delicious iced coffee. Used chocolate, more ice and didn't blend it as long which made an ice milk consistency which I could eat with a spoon. I added the chocolate Stevia to hot coffee and it tasted like a delicious hot chocolate. Added vanilla to Tazo chai tea for a chai tea latte. So you get the idea. SweetLeaf has several flavors to choose from and I love and use them every day, even now at 6 months post-op!

@starrspunn I've been on Lyrica for almost 2 years. Started out 75mg 2x per day but now 200mg 3x per day (max dose). Sleepiness was my #1 issue. Every time they upped my dose it would literally put me out for the day. By day 2, I'd be better. Never affected appetite or weight gain.

I haven't tried Fairlife milk but here are the nutrition comparisons if anyone's interested

@@Ashlegal Here's the calcium citrate I have been taking for the past 6 months. It costs $6.97 at Walmart for a 16 day supply of 500mg twice per day. 1,000mg is what Mayo requires me to take as they expect me to also get calcium from Protein shakes, milk and dairy in my diet. So if you're required to get 1,500mg then it would cost you less than $21 per month. If your local store doesn't carry it, you can order it at Walmart.com. That's what I've done if they were out in the store. It tastes like a dreamsicle (orange/vanilla) which I really like. Their website also has a $2.00 off coupon and here's the info from their website: Easy to Take, Fast Absorbing Liquid Supplement for Bone Health No more huge tablets to swallow or chew! 1000 mg Elemental Calcium 1000 IU Vitamin D3 Plus Magnesium & Boron Great Tasting Natural Citrus Flavor 16 servings per 16 oz bottle Wellesse Calcium & Vitamin D3 liquid is the #1 selling liquid Calcium product.** Discover the Liquid Advantage in just one ounce a day, split into two 1/2 ounce doses for better absorption using the included convenient dosage cup. No more swallowing big pills or chewing chalky tablets. Wellesse Liquid Calcium & Vitamin D3 combines essential, natural ingredients in a liquidsupplements for Strong Bones" rel="external nofollow"> formulation that provides 100% of the daily value for calcium and is easily absorbed by your body. Plus we have added Magnesium and Boron to help maximize absorption of the liquid calcium. Just one serving provides more calcium than 3 glasses of milk. Adequate Calcium and Vitamin D3 throughout life, as part of a well-balanced diet, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Calcium is essential for building and maintaining strong bones and teeth at every age and stage of life. Vitamin D3 is is added at 1000 IU to ensure your body is able to optimize calcium absorption. Vitamin D3 also helps to support a healthy immune system by aiding the body's natural defenses. Magnesium & Boron in combination with Vitamin D3 helps build and maximize bone strength. Wellesse Calcium & Vitamin D3 liquid is an ideal choice to ensure strong bones and bodies for active families. It is also a great solution for bariatric patients who need an easy to absorb calcium with Vitamin D and cannot take pills or tablets. Wellesse liquid Calcium, in just one ounce a day, provides added Vitamin D3, Magnesium, and Boron to optimize absorption and is formulated with 70% Calcium Citrate (most bio-available/absorbable form), and 30% Tri Calcium Phosphate, used together to contribute to formula solubility and add beneficial Phosphorus. Research has shown that nutrients from liquid sources can be more easily absorbed than from solids.

@cjd2010 Here's a great way to get in your Protein as well as your Water, which has electrolytes. Just go to their website drinkprotein2o.com and under store locator put in your zip code to find out where they sell it your city. You can also buy it on their website or Amazon. I've been buying them at a gas station and just today saw them at Walmart. Of course they only had the wild cherry and grape flavors. The 2 I've tried are berry and Grape Splash and they taste really good. I drink 1 per day even at 6 months out!

@sarahbethemails Here's what I use and love! You can buy it at Walmart

I inject myself. It's no biggie.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say YES, it's normal! That's why in my 2 week pre-op liquid diet I'd add my shakes to hot coffee to make lattes with the vanilla and hot chocolate with the chocolate. I'm 6 months post-op and still freezing to death. Maybe there is some truth to why they call warm ooey gooey foods "comfort" foods - LOL!

@@lealor Here's what I use and both are very tasty. The Vitamins (order online from Unjury) are chewable and taste like sweet tarts. The calcium (bought at Walmart) tastes like a dreamsicle (orange/vanilla). Hope you find something that works for you.

@@Grace2115 I feel ya! This makes me think of something our psychologist always says in our after care meetings. "Hey gang - this wasn't brain surgery, it was gut surgery"! If we knew how to deal with our stress and emotions in a healthy manner we wouldn't have been obese and in need of this lifesaving surgery! It really became a reality to me when 3 days post-op my husband had a herniated disc impinging on his sciatica. He was in a world of pain as we tried to find out what was wrong with him. He's MY rock, never sick, never hurt, doesn't complain about anything and he could barely sit or lay down for 10 days straight. I had to drive him all over town from one specialist to another, MRIs, etc. On my way to the pharmacy to pick up his prescriptions all I wanted to do was eat something ... chips! I realized in that "light bulb" moment that I always turned to food to suppress my emotions, good or bad. This time I had no choice but to deal with the situation at hand! This surgery has saved my life in more ways than one. I will not take it for granted and will respect my pouch

@tootie09 Were you sleeved or have bypass? I had bypass and I've felt full no matter liquid or solids.

@sarahbethemails Go to www.drinkprotein2o.com and under store locator you can put in your zip code to see who sells it in your area. You can also order it on Amazon - it comes in packs of 12 for $23.99. You can even order a variety pack. They sell locally for $1.99, so it's on point. Luckily my Gate gas station currently has them 2 for $3 so I stocked up today. Check out the pic of the refrigerator door in my garage - LOL!

@@sarahbethemails I've always had 3 meals and 2 snacks per my NUT's guidelines

@@MichelleTN Oh no! Are the Premier Protein shakes making you physically sick or are you just sick of drinking them? I use the vanilla as my coffee creamer every day. If you like pudding or frozen pudding pops, put those shakes to work for you with my recipe: Premier Protein Pudding Cups or Pops Prepare pudding according to package directions replacing milk with chocolate Premier Protein Shake. I prefer to use my NutriBullet. If using shaker, shake for 3 minutes or until thickened slightly. Pour into ½ cup containers for pudding cups. For frozen pops, pour into Jello pudding pop or any popsicle molds. Jello molds hold 1/3 cup each. Pudding cups set in 5 minutes and freezer pops in approx. 2-3 hours. Any flavor sugar-free fat-free pudding works, so get creative and enjoy! Nutrition Facts – Pudding Nutrition Facts – Pudding Pop Serving size: ½ cup Serving Size: 1 Pop Calories 93 Calories 62 Fat 1g Fat 1g Carbs 10g Carbs 7g Fiber 2g Fiber 1g Sugars 0g Sugars 0g Protein 12g Protein 8g I also like to put Greek yogurt in the Jello molds and freeze them. So many flavor options and it's fun to have something to sink your teeth into

@StephOnTheMove I'm so sorry you didn't get the response you'd hoped for but I agree with the others here. Your NUT only has your best interest at heart. Since she said you can have pudding, I have a solution for you which can help you get your Protein in and not stress the stitches of your new pouch. There are several flavors to choose from so that should help as well. If I were you, I'd blend it a little longer so it's thinner Premier Protein Pudding Cups or Pops Prepare pudding according to package directions replacing milk with chocolate Premier Protein shake. I prefer to use my NutriBullet. If using shaker, shake for 3 minutes or until thickened slightly. Pour into ½ cup containers for pudding cups. For frozen pops, pour into Jello pudding pop or any popsicle molds. Jello molds hold 1/3 cup each. Pudding cups set in 5 minutes and freezer pops in approx. 2-3 hours. Any flavor sugar-free fat-free pudding works, so get creative and enjoy! Nutrition Facts – Pudding Nutrition Facts – Pudding Pop Serving size: ½ cup Serving Size: 1 Pop Calories 93 Calories 62 Fat 1g Fat 1g Carbs 10g Carbs 7g Fiber 2g Fiber 1g Sugars 0g Sugars 0g Protein 12g Protein 8g

@@MichelleTN Sorry to hear you're struggling. Maybe you can try these. I love them and have one every day. Just go to their website drinkprotein2o.com and put your zip code in to find a store near you. Here they only sell them at a specific gas station but they've been on sale 2 for $3. If you can't find them, they sell them on Amazon. Best of Luck and keep us posted!

@@gsusser I don't know if being sleeved is any different than gastric bypass as far as Vitamins go, but here's what I've been taking and so far so good. All three taste wonderful! I have to take B-12 injections once per month for the rest of my life as my body no longer absorbs B12. I think that's different if you're sleeved because your body can still absorb. I'm almost 6 months post-op. Best of luck on your surgery