Little Green

You are not alone!!!! There's a few of us who are doing a mostly plant-based bariatric adventure. I plan to supplement Protein via shakes/bars for the first few months since as @Creekimp13 pointed out we do need more to get by as we heal and lose significant amounts of weight. But I definitely plan to eat as nutrient-dense as possible - focusing on all areas, not just protein alone. I'm still planning out what I want to try - and I know it will be trial and error with my new stomach anyway - but some of the things I'm thinking about are mashed bananas/banana ice cream, veggie juices/smoothies, blended oatmeal with bananas, flaxseed, and Protein Powder, blended veggie Soups, and whole fruit sorbets as ways to get nutrients and Fiber (and FLAVOR) in during the soft food phases. It doesn't all have to be ricotta bake and yogurt!
I LOVE Dr. Weiner's videos. He is the first person who made me believe I could be successful at permanently changing my diet. All of the low-carb, high protein, "fruit is so unhealthy, too much sugar!" stuff that is often preached in bariatric circles was so depressing to me. Really, Beans and fruit are unhealthy? Eat a chicken breast and then if you have space, a bite or two of broccoli? I just didn't think I could live that way and that was all I saw when I read about post-op diets. Now I know, thanks to Dr. Weiner as well as Dr. Garth Davis, that bariatric patients can thrive eating veggies and fruits and legumes. I also firmly believe that just because a diet helps you lose weight doesn't mean it's nutritionally adequate or protects you from disease. Fruit intake (2+ servings a day) is strongly associated with reduced risk of cancer so it bums me out reading posts from people who say they just don't bother with fruit because of carbs.
Hope this post is not too inflammatory! Don't hate me, y'all! I just got excited for you, OP, cause I love where your mind is!!! I totally agree with you and hope you can find a happy place where you and your surgeon will both be happy with your choices! Good luck

It's a great point, BigViffer. Yikes. I'm not sure that personally I'd want to remain married to someone whom I had to convince to stay with me using financial incentives (or threat of disincentives). Just the thought of having to say this to my partner would make me want to leave.

I just got his book a pound of cure on Amazon and hoping to read it this weekend.

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Aww, Eddie. You just messaged ME and said you wanted to be the special person close to MY heart! How are you gonna mack on me & Crystal at the same time??? And all the other women you've been posting about in other threads, too?
Please stop. This is gross.

I already told them I needed it done before the 20th and that's why they got me in on the 15th. Then the snafu happened. Supposedly it was going to be the 19th but there are certain Mondays that the surgeon does not operate and that was one of them I'm at peace. Plus, now I can have hibachi with my parents tomorrow night and then enjoy my mom's birthday party Sunday. I also found some vegan premade shakes at Target so that gives me time to try them and maybe buy some in bulk so I don't have to keep drinking Premier whey Protein lol. I just can't bear the phone tag games anymore, so I'm just going to take the 28th and rest with it.

THANK YOU ALL for listening and responding and encouraging me. What a 72 hours it has been, lol. I love my BP friends and I'm just so darn thankful for you all!

I already told them I needed it done before the 20th and that's why they got me in on the 15th. Then the snafu happened. Supposedly it was going to be the 19th but there are certain Mondays that the surgeon does not operate and that was one of them I'm at peace. Plus, now I can have hibachi with my parents tomorrow night and then enjoy my mom's birthday party Sunday. I also found some vegan premade shakes at Target so that gives me time to try them and maybe buy some in bulk so I don't have to keep drinking Premier whey Protein lol. I just can't bear the phone tag games anymore, so I'm just going to take the 28th and rest with it.

THANK YOU ALL for listening and responding and encouraging me. What a 72 hours it has been, lol. I love my BP friends and I'm just so darn thankful for you all!

I've thought about it, but no. I need a solid date and solid plans and solid food and... solidarity and... solidness. No more waiting for phone calls.
I'm going to look at the bright side. (I'm sorry my thread has been full of mood whiplash, lol.) One nice thing is spring break at school is March 5-11 so I won't be missing classes that week and may even be able to go back on the 12th depending on how I'm feeling. I'm sure there are other nice things I'll think of. I'm having WLS and changing my life. Ultimately it won't matter when it was. Just need to get my husband's work stuff sorted out and then we'll be good.

DO I STILL HAVE A CHANCE, EDDIE?!?!?!?!

Aww, Eddie. You just messaged ME and said you wanted to be the special person close to MY heart! How are you gonna mack on me & Crystal at the same time??? And all the other women you've been posting about in other threads, too?
Please stop. This is gross.

Right now? 30-50g a day because I'm on the liquid diet, lol.
Post-surgery, long-term, I'll probably be at 65-70% of my diet as carbs because I'm a vegan. (Those carbs will be from fruit, veggies, Beans, oatmeal, potatoes, bread, rice, and other whole grains, and very few if any from sweeteners or processed food.) That's way more than most post-WLS patients, who tend to severely restrict carbs, so this might not be the answer you're looking for.
I recommend reading How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger or watching Forks Over Knives on Netflix for some info on how plant foods like I mentioned above help you maintain a healthy weight and protect you from disease. You can also check out Dr. Matthew Weiner on YouTube, who's a bariatric surgeon who promotes plant foods ahead of the standard Protein diet.
Just thought I'd share my opinion in addition to the many Keto and low-carb comments you'll see on this thread. *makes angel face*

Right now? 30-50g a day because I'm on the liquid diet, lol.
Post-surgery, long-term, I'll probably be at 65-70% of my diet as carbs because I'm a vegan. (Those carbs will be from fruit, veggies, Beans, oatmeal, potatoes, bread, rice, and other whole grains, and very few if any from sweeteners or processed food.) That's way more than most post-WLS patients, who tend to severely restrict carbs, so this might not be the answer you're looking for.
I recommend reading How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger or watching Forks Over Knives on Netflix for some info on how plant foods like I mentioned above help you maintain a healthy weight and protect you from disease. You can also check out Dr. Matthew Weiner on YouTube, who's a bariatric surgeon who promotes plant foods ahead of the standard Protein diet.
Just thought I'd share my opinion in addition to the many Keto and low-carb comments you'll see on this thread. *makes angel face*

Glad to hear you got your new date, snafus and all. And LOL for the surgeon's comments about needing assistance after surgery -- that is too funny!

DO I STILL HAVE A CHANCE, EDDIE?!?!?!?!

No, you're definitely not! As you have gained weight your body chemistry has changed and many factors are in play in your body that are designed to keep you overweight. It's crazy how different our bodies are, metabolically, compared to normal weight individuals. The surgery resets us metabolically. (Some studies have shown improved metabolic markers after surgery even for people who don't lose very much weight!) And the junk food we all eat (ate!) was literally engineered using top-secret additives and ingredients to increase pleasure, influence your neural pathways, and keep your hand moving to your mouth. Get angry at the food industry and use that anger to rebel against it by eating whole, nutritious foods instead. Surgery will make that much easier.
I use the analogy of climbing a mountain. When we're obese it's like we are climbing it with a gigantic boulder on our backs, weighing us down and preventing us from going very far. Some tiny subset of people are so strong they are able to make it to the top, but most of us never will. Surgery takes the boulder off. We still have to do the climb ourselves - there's no chair lift to the top - but it gives us the opportunity to actually be successful.
Here's a wonderful video from Dr. Matthew Weiner about deciding to have WLS:

Surgery is now scheduled for the 28th. I'm....... it is what it is. I'm hoping I wake up on 3/1 and still have health insurance so I'm not on the hook for the bill from March 1 & 2. I'm free from the liquid diet for now and start again on Valentine's Day.

My only suggestion is to maybe find some lower-protein options? The Premier Protein shakes pack a darn PUNCH at 30g a piece! Several of my Protein options are only 15-18g so that's how I'm able to fit in more calories at roughly the same amount of protein. But... then again, if you are happy and mostly not feeling hunger, then don't change a thing! Super proud of you!!!!!!!

I know right? But a part of me is clenching my anal sphincter because my forkin Protein is 100g! It's really throwing me for a loop. LOL.
I swear to the sweet baby Jesus of the golden fleece diapers...low carb is a savior! Going low carb prior to this, or even stepping down on the carbs prior to the liquid diet is paramount. I can NOT even imagine how gruelling it would be to hit surgery fully carbed up, without even a pre-op phase and BAM! No food for you for 3weeks! No wonder a lot of people struggle after surgery?! I'd want to bite the heads off bats!

Why white-knuckle your hunger when you're eating half the calories your RD recommended? *WAGS FINGER STERNLY AT FLUFFY* Eat some more if ya want. I'm so glad you're having a great time so far! I think your already restricted carbs were probably the key to a smooth transition. Unlike me who was having banana smoothies every day

DO I STILL HAVE A CHANCE, EDDIE?!?!?!?!

DO I STILL HAVE A CHANCE, EDDIE?!?!?!?!

I just want to give a 5 o'clock somewhere update to all you hosers sittin' there in your private Idaho suckin' back a brewski.
Today is VASTLY different from the 3 previous days. I'm pretty sure I'm going to live and I just had a contraband SF Dr. Diet Pepper (ie Diet Dr. Peppy). I don't usually have caffeine or sugar free drinks, but I'm like what the hell! I'll run with scissors!


And I'm so excited! I got my box of Celebrate Vitamins. I got a variety pack to try out on the 3-in-1 powder Vitamin mix. I just mixed up the orange citrus flavor and good golly Miss Molly. It's totes worth it! So damn good. Can't wait to try the other ones later. There's a very faint bitterness (emphasis on very) and it's damn sweet, so I will definitely mix it with more Water. But I think that dog will hunt! Huuuuurrrrraaaaahhhhh!

Guys, you are missing out on a very important piece of information. The Tecno-W3 in a phone sold in Nigeria. This guy could be the Nigerian prince we've all heard so much about over the years.

Okay....the set point is reduced with surgery, so yes, it's easier to lose weight in the beginning. This is why it's called the honeymoon phase. Easy peasy...but then you get on in time and you have to work it, just as any other person who manages their weight...but the catch is...you've developed great eating habits, better foods in your diet, and you are working out, whether it's just a simple walk a day or going to the gym and lifting, or whatever workout you want to do.
Now, if you're eating 1200 calories a day to lose weight on your own...that's WAY TOO LOW. Please believe me, I did that, so do the numerous others who did it, and guess what...you have a rough patch and you start eating back the way you did, and WHAM! It gets piled back on and more! So, please please also believe me when I say, you can gain weight eating too low. I did this. Not because I was on some kind of diet, just because I didn't eat. When I did eat, the body was saying "hey, you didn't feed me enough food, so I'm going to hang on to every calorie you've just eaten, especially the fat and store it." My doc got on to me for this!!! So, education is key. Sometimes you have to figure out how the body actually works and figure out what you need to do. So, I entered in your stats in this calculator. I don't know your age (but I put in 30) and I don't know your activity level (so I put in light 1-3 times a week). Your body, at these stats, is supposed to be getting about 1697 calories a day to lose at a 15% deficit. When you lose, you revisit the calculator and get your new numbers. When you meet goal, revisit, and you'll have a general idea of how many calories you'll be eating to maintain.
Now, I wish I had the discipline to have done this in the beginning without wls, but I needed to forced, per se, to learn better eating and change my lifestyle (I'm now plant based/vegan/vegetarian-like); I was also at a higher BMI and nearing getting complications due to my age/lifestyle then. I've always enjoyed working out, so that wasn't an issue for me. I'm at 40 lbs from my goal...and when I reach it, for my future stats, I'll be eating approximately 2400 calories a day. Sounds like a lot right? But my body will need it for the amount of energy it puts out.
Check out the calculator and check out this website, if you plan to do it on your own.
http://eatmore2weighless.com/weight-loss-calculator/

Baths are the primary joy of my existence. I desperately hope I don't have this issue!!!! *frantically researches waterproof cushions to sit on*

Baths are the primary joy of my existence. I desperately hope I don't have this issue!!!! *frantically researches waterproof cushions to sit on*