Desiree Newlove

Last week, I was so close to the double century mark... just 1.5 lbs away and then, bam! I went on vacation. I went with my amazing BF to Georgia to visit family and to see the eclipse in totality. We drove, and on the way down, we stopped at all the wonderful (but terrible) fast food places that the South is so famous, and while we were there, we ate and drank things that I normally wouldn't have while home. And guess what? I gained 3 lbs. Am I sad about it? NOPE.
I realized while I was there that this is a marathon and not a sprint. I'm 10 weeks past my surgery, and I've lost 46 lbs. I will continue to follow the plan, exercise and drop more weight. But I can't live my life without, every once in a while, enjoying the rare cheat meal or day. Did I go overboard? No. It was 3 lbs of mostly Water weight gain from driving and not hydrating the way I should. And, let's face it, it's damn hard to overeat. I enjoyed half of a biscuit from Bojangles. 2 bites of hash browns with my egg at the Waffle House. A little bit of crust with my chicken pie that I made homemade for my kids. I drank more sweet tea than I should have.. but at the end of the day, I had fun.
This surgery helped me see that food is NOT LIFE. It's nourishment. I don't eat my feelings anymore and I don't eat out of boredom. I eat to live and I eat sparingly at that. I struggle to eat 600-800 calories most of the time, and once, just once, I did it with gusto (as much gusto as I can muster). I've been home for 3 days now, and I'm back at the gym, drinking all the water I am supposed to drink, and getting my daily dose of Protein and guess what? I'm back where I started before the vacation.
I had fun. Don't be scared to have fun, but come back to reality and get back on the plan. A little fun won't kill you.. but only a little!

I am a slow poke too:(

Highest weight: 280

Weight at first consult: 275

Surgery weight: 260

Current weight 8/29: 222

53lbs total

38lbs since surgery

Don't worry Desiree Newlove, the weight comes off at the rate that is best for your body's individual need. If you feel like your weight loss isn't where it should be, speak with your dietician/nutritionist..... they are the most qualified to guide you through this new way of life. Congrats and keep up the good work!

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Well I feel like the slow poke of the bunch. Whenever I see other people's numbers, I wonder what I am doing wrong. But don't get me wrong, I am happy with the amount of weight I have lost. It is noticeable and people who haven't seen me in a while do a double take, which is nice.
Highest weight: 305 lbs.
Weight at first consultation; 294 lbs.
Weight on day of surgery: 270 lbs.
Current weight: 222 lbs.
If you count from my highest weight, its 83 lbs., but I like to count from the date of surgery, which is 48 lbs. My goal weight is just to be under 200 lbs.
What about you Ayanna?

Welcome!
Maybe your expectations on the rate of weight loss are unrealistic. When is the last time you lost 10 pounds in 2.5 weeks with old-fashioned diet/exercise? I am guessing the answer is "Never."
It took me nearly 18 months to lose 100 pounds. Most of my monthly losses were single digit (1 to 7 pounds a month). The majority of people who lose 30+ pounds monthly are super morbidly obese, like in the high 300s and 400s on the day of surgery.
Patience is vital. Good luck to you.

Personally, if I lost my job today due to layoff or termination, I have enough money saved to live on for the next 5 years without working. This doesn't even include the funds in my 401k and IRA.
Due to being raised in a paycheck-to-paycheck household by parents who often mismanaged household finances, I learned firsthand what not to do with money at an early age.
I'm a good saver. I also have no children, so I have no cash outlays for pricey kid necessities such as daycare, toys, clothes, school supplies, diapers, lunches, etc. My lifestyle is also low-key with a starter home, two used cars (read: no car payment), occasional fine dining, and a couple of yearly vacations.
Meanwhile, I've considered an arm lift (brachioplasty) in Monterrey, Mexico. I may or may not get it. I'll make up my mind in a year or two. The rest of my body is fairly toned.

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Don't be an asshole about it ur issue isn't my issue!!!! Fried chicken and ur over consumption of if may have forced u towards this journey but in my case it was me eating one meal a day and being inactive that brought me to my choice to have this surgery no high blood pressure no high cholesterol no diabetes it wasn't ever a suggestion to have surgery just something I thought was best for me.... and I have lost 25 of the 55 lbs and I wanted a piece of fried chicken!!!! I stay away from rice bread Pasta so I don't think it will sabotage my weight loss!!!! And I think those that come on here and judge are trolls!!!!!

Hello fam,
just a Lil update on my life . 7 months post op. I was sleeved Dec 5. I am officially divorced now. I am happy n really enjoying me in this new bod. The surgery wasn't the reason for my divorce ,my husband was a caterer cheater , lol. But the surgery made him feel that now I was a threat in the marriage because I was getting attention . But it was his insecurities n lied that kept him from appreciating the woman he had. So , hell with him, I'm single as a dollar bill now.
I am 7 mos post op and down 90 lbs ( 89.7 to be exact). I weigh 153 lbs and I am 5'7. I now wear a size 4 in women's clothing and even fit into size 2 Vera wang dress today, NSV for me. My surgeon set my goal at 150 lbI feel so good about the choice I made to have this surgery and I would do it 10 more time if I had to. Enjoy the pics and good lock to everyone .

Thanks again to everyone in these forums for all of your posts and inspiration. Even if I don't respond often I read just about every post here and it's been very helpful for me in my journey.

I was sleeved June 12. I feel like I am doing very, very well with my weight loss (56.4 pounds since the beginning of my liquid diet and 36.4 pounds since my sleeve). I am able to walk for short periods every single day on my treadmill. When I started this journey I was unable to even stand (let alone walk) for more than a couple of minutes without being EXHAUSTED- so I can already see a difference and I am VERY grateful for the changes to my body that have already occurred.

I am towards the end of my puree phase (three more days). I have experimented with some things like eating chicken. Sometimes it's OK, sometimes it's not. It seems like the more challenging the texture, the less I can eat (this seems normal, right?). I am able to eat pureed chili from Wendy's (even though I'm not supposed to be eating Beans or red meat yet)- this is one of my favorite meals at the moment. And even though I'm not supposed to eat potatoes at all until I've lost 75% of my weight, I have gone twice to Popeye's to get just mashed potatoes. It goes down easily even though I imagine it must impede my weight loss somewhat (but I'm eating VERY small quantities...) I feel like it's better to indulge myself in very small quantities than to feel like my diet is too draconian.

I also got caught out and about without my Protein Shake (forgot it at home) so I got 4 chicken nuggets from McDonalds and handled those without any issues.

The biggest issue I face right now (and I apologize if this may sound like whining) despite my relative success is the fact that I am just about ALWAYS hungry! I was hopeful that this "honeymoon" period that was described to me in regards to the limited production of gherlin would be a little more helpful than I feel like it has been. Honestly it doesn't feel a whole lot different from the pre-op liquid diet, other than the fact that I am now physically restricted and I can't drink unlimited portions of broth or even substantial quantities of cream Soups when I feel the need to have something in large quantities.

I find myself trying to "cheat" my food scale and eat 2.5 ounces instead of 2 ounces- and my body just about always puts the kabosh on that (I have thrown up from overeating three or four times). Maybe things will be different when my quantities are up to 4 ounces of Protein and I can eat some vegetables or something- but right now it is psychologically difficult. I feel pretty sure that I am a food addict (specifically carbs) and I realize the psychological component of this is strong for me, but it feels so weird and is so difficult for me to reckon that my pouch is full when my head feels it hasn't even begun the meal yet!!! (and yes, I'm eating as slowly and in as small of a quantity as I can!)

Does anyone else who went through this have any tips for me? Like I said, I follow the rules mostly because my body won't really let me break them at the moment, but it's not easy.

Thanks for listening and sorry for the whining. Best of luck to you all in your journey!

This is a dangerous thread because its not particularly productive to measure yourself against others- our own journey is a highly individualized experience.

Men do better than women normally. Fatties like me do better than the "lightweights" who started at a more reasonable weight.

Sometimes people get frustrated that they're not losing as much as "everyone else" when in reality, they are doing GREAT by their own standards.

Proceed with caution!

Dear scale,
I never even knew you before I started this process almost 4 months ago. You were just an enemy I had to endure at random times so a medical professional could judge me before they spoke to me. I often bore through sickness and pain alone just to evade your reality. Because it wasn't my reality. Through my lying eyes, the mirror didn't show what you claimed I was.
When my eyes opened I considered you a friend for a time, but only when you showed me what I wanted. Now, these last 2 weeks, you have become my crutch and my obsession. I visit you every morning and mourn when you have not changed for me. I became dependent on seeing you and I have demanded more from you than you should have to give.
So, dear friend and closest enemy, our frequent visits have come to an end. Your 2 week solitary confinement begins immediately.
You acquaintance only,
Me
HW: 328 (02/21/17)
SW: 271 (05/24/17)
CW: 262

Contemplating sleeve surgery following years of attempt to lose w W Watchers (a great program!) etc, and mounting weight - related health problems. I'm 56 and about 70 pounds overweight.
I'm just worried about making this permanent change and never being satisfied. If I'm not easily satisfied by eating health portions of food w/o binges etc... I overeat portions often and binge at nights fairly often... how can i be satisfied with consuming much smaller portions in such a controlled manner? How would i not be in a state of always craving more food?
I understand I'll feel less hunger, but if we all just ate cuz we're hungry... we might not be overweight. If I WANNA eat... and i can't... won't I lose my mind??

Regret.......... you probably came here to hear about how I regret my sleeve surgery. But it's the opposite I'm madly in love with my sleeve (my banana belly) I always read on here why people hate it, but I never read about how people are embraced by the surgery. It has made me a completely different person than who I was 6 months ago. I'm confident, successful, and beautiful. Don't get my wrong I went threw ups and downs pre op, and post op. But at the end of the day I'm almost 100 pounds down, I look back at myself last year around this time and hate the person I see. If you went threw this surgery, and are having any regret.. don't... it's a beautiful thing that a smart surgeon did for you, he/she believed in your health and weight loss. There is going to be ups and downs, stalls, and tears( in my case panic attacks). But when you wake up one morning and you weigh yourself and your almost 100 pounds down from your start weight you will not regret. You will embrace.
Have a lovely day.
Sleeved

I'm so sick of shakes and yogurt. Two weeks out and I have my follow up in two days. I'm asking (begging) to be released to puréed foods. People's lives depend on it!

You used the word "restrict" and I suspect that's the issue. Since you should no longer be on a diet, severe restriction of food needs to be done away with. The more you restrict, the more you crave. Restriction is a relic of the dieters' mentality.
My dietitian did not have me restricting calories ever. I reached my goal weight and have maintained my 100+ pound weight loss.
Here's the method to the madness: those who eat enough Protein will naturally keep their calories low and metabolic rate high without tracking or counting. Protein has a very high thermic effect and the body must devote considerable time and energy digesting it. This revs up the metabolism.
I increased my calories incrementally. By 4 months out I was eating 1000 kcals. At 6 months I was up to 1200 kcals. By 9 months I ate 1500 kcals, and at 12 months out I was up to 1700-1800 kcals a day. I am now 2+ years out and maintain my 118-pound body on 2000 kcals daily, though I don't closely count.
The incremental increases in food intake preserved my metabolic rate and I am reaping the rewards today. I eat about 120 grams of protein a day. I don't count carbs or fat grams.
So my advice would be...1) stay off the scale for a few months; 2) consume 80+ grams of protein per day, preferably meats and eggs, and 3) gradually increase your food intake.
Good luck to you! By the way, I'd lost 41 pounds at 4 months out. Not everyone is a rapid responder to bariatric surgery. What really matters is the long run, a.k.a. your ability to maintain the weight loss without regaining.

And your reply won't change how people are either... did it feel productive what you said? Do you feel as if you changed me and my whininess? I believe this post stated this was a vent/rant... I wonder how calling my whiny will change my opinion or improve your life...

Ok, so in case y'all haven't figured it out..
Ice cream without chunks fits into the "full liquids" category.

Sorry this is long....
The first thing I MUST address is the way in which some people talk to on another on WLS forums. Often, I will stumble upon a post because I Google a question looking for an answer in the moment rather than asking something that may have already been asked and waiting. I've noticed a lot of people being extremely critical of the questioner...
Here is an example (in a weak moment -MOMENT being the keyword - I might add... I'm on the liquid diet), I found someone asking if in the pure liquid post-surgery diet stage if they could have sugar free soft-serve ice cream. The first response was from someone who decided that rather than answer the question, they would provide an impromptu lecture on slider foods and how they should be dealing with food post-surgery. While I recognize posting on the internet opens you up to opportunities of criticism, I would hope that most people on weight-loss-surgery forums would have enough common sense to understand that most people on here are adults capable of choosing what they want to do. She didn't ask if she SHOULD eat the ice cream, she asked if she COULD eat it. I'm not saying the concern about slider foods wasn't without merit, but it wasn't warranted in this situation. Turns out, the poster just wanted to see if she could indulge in a lick or two in a social setting (a birthday party or something). She wasn't planning to enter a soft-serve eating contest. And even if she was... SO WHAT?! How does that impact the responder in any way? Why waste the time responding? The question wasn't, "What's an exmaple of a slider food and what are the dangers of a slider food?" UGH!
This leads me to another thing I'm really, really, really frustrated with. NOT EVERYONE HAS MENTAL ISSUES WITH FOOD THAT IS OVERWEIGHT OR UNDERWEIGHT OR IS INCAPABLE OF CHANGE OR INCAPABLE OF LEARNING WAYS TO COPE WITH FOOD ADDICTION. I am not saying it will be EASY, but it doesn't mean someone can't overcome their addiction. I know people from all ends of the spectrum who have accidentally overeaten at a holiday or party or have made a bad choice (food related or not) and I know many people who OBSESS over the food they put into their bodies and have done some serious emotional and physical damage by being TOO restrictive. Here's the point I am trying to make...
WHAT WORKS FOR YOU MAY NOT WORK FOR ANOTHER PERSON. And perhaps this is my unsound opinion, but having HAD WLS does not make you an EXPERT on WLS no matter how long ago you've gone; until you've gone to school and extensively studied psychology, gotten your doctorate, etc. etc. etc., no one wants to hear it unless they specifically ask you hey what SHOULD I do! SHOULD BEING THE KEY WORD!
Yes, some people may find it best avoid slider foods at all costs for the rest of their lives. However, other people will be able to indulge in a few bites of ice cream, or whatever and it doesn't undo all of their hard work or everything they've accomplished.
I have to say that I'm so disappointed when looking for answers to certain WLS-related questions to see so many people 1 - not answering the question directly, 2 - providing emotional/psychological advice, 3 - just not showing a little more compassion to people regardless of where they are in their journey, 4 - assuming you know anything about the person based on a question they've asked. And hey maybe you can tell they're making a huge mistake, but they may have worded the question incorrectly, they may be having a difficult time with something else in their life and they're searching for empathy from someone else who may have gone through something similar... the point is, a simple question doesn't provide you all the facts so stop assuming things about people because they've had weight loss surgery or are contemplating it!!!
On a related note, I'm so disappointed in the frequency in which I read people who start off by replying, "I'm sorry, but..." YOU ARE NOT SORRY! You are about to say something hurtful. If you have to say BUT after sorry, you're just not and you should delete your sentence and go read a book. Unless you're saying, "I'm sorry, but you're totally awesome and I love that you're realizing you're perfectly capable of realizing this is an internet forum and not a conversation with your doctor..." but rarely does it go that way.
FINALLY, I am so tired of reading things that are presented as black and white. I bet there are a bunch of people who disagree with what I have said... okay, fine, but does that mean I'm wrong? DISAGREEING WITH SOMEONE DOES NOT MAKE THEM WRONG AND IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU RIGHT. SOMETIMES YOU CAN BOTH BE RIGHT, WRONG, OR IN BETWEEN!
50 Shades of Grey? TRY A BILLION! AHHHH!
PS - I really need the pureed food stage to arrive... and fast.

Keep the chin up. Do me a favor. Next time you are shopping at the grocery, go to the dog food aisle and pick up 2 15 pound bags of dog food and carry those with you through the store. I bet after 5 minutes your arms will hurt. Then sit back and smile as you have lost an incredible amount of weight. It did not all go on at the same time and it is not coming off in 90 days. You are a success!!!

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Honestly, my breast are starting to look like jacket sleeve boobies. They just look sad. The fullness is going away. I need that to happen in my tummy.

I'm honestly scared to lose weight in my boobs. Not because I can't afford it size wise - I'm a DDD, but because they're already shaped like saggy watermelons (nipples point to the ground) and the more weight I lose in them, the more they'll look like inflated animal balloons that have been left in a hot car too long. [emoji52]


HW: 328 (02/22/17)
SW: TBD
CW: 292

Well I TRIED to eat some buffalo wings, but I could only eat two. Very disappointing.

Thank you for your post. I was have a very difficult and miserable time following my doctors orders and I too was having no problems. I am two weeks and I day post surgery today and started eating chicken last saturday and I have been so happy. I eat small amounts and I chew very well and I have had no problems. I am not going to put tuna in the blender and drink it. Not going to happen. I want to get my Protein through food and not stupid Protein Shakes and artificial flavors and sweetners. My goal with the sleeve was to eat and live like a "normal" person. Protein shakes and fanatical eating is no normal life for me. I do not ever want to go back to my awful eating habits that got me in this position in the first place. I loved your post and I hope you don't get beat up for it, there are some people on here that are pretty critical of anyone not following the plan to a T.

Ok. Rules are SOMETIMES meant to be broken. So, Here's the deal. I am 2 weeks post op today. I am one of those who had zero issues and had a smooth ride from recovery room to date!! This post is not intended to mean I am sure I will have a long term good go at this! It also doesn't address the future, but really ONLY the many threads that I have read regarding the preo op and post op liquid diets and the Pre and post few weeks Do's and Dont's!
I have read almost every post on here before and after surgery, lol. Here is the point that I will explain. Your/Our obsession over following diet rules is what got us here in the first place.. isn't it?? I mean, it's great to have black and white rules.. Do's and Don's. can and cant's.. That's why we were ALL great on Atkins (remember the carb counting obsession), and South Beach (remember how carefully we chose the meals), weight watchers, low cal, grapefruit, slimfast , yada yada yada......RIGHT?
Sure, it worked. THEN WE WENT OFF THE WAGON and got sick of the rules and restrictions and put weight back on (and then some).... That's because it was a DIET.. Why do so many of you do that on here? I'm not judging, but trying to help! Yes, it's easier for me, since I have had no issues. I come from a strong medical family (i had bio as a minor,4 docs and 2 nurses in immed family) and I always love to understand WHY the rules are in place. If something doesn't make sense, I want to know why and not just follow a rule because it was put out there.
My surgeon told me that "rules" are on here for the lower end of reaction spectrum. meaning, many need not follow them, but since 30%, for ex, will have issues with some things, they want to make a general rule......
As EVERYONE says on here, as well as EVERY doc, ALL OF US ARE DIFFERENT! We heal differently, We tolerate pain differently, foods differently, weight loss differently, etc..... EVERY SINGLE ONE So, the rules need not be applied to the T!
Now, as a caveat and from feedback so far on this post, this is not an excuse to eat junk NOR stay on bad habits. I don't mean to enable anyone. here is what BUTTERTHEBEAN wrote:
"The only reason I say "enabling" is because I think there are some people waiting in the wings to hear someone tell them it's okay to eat whatever they want. They haven't tackled their food addictions and they are hoping for "permission" to go back to their old ways. I know there are some that can learn to eat "all things in moderation." I have no problem with that. For me, I chose to embrace my inner health nut. It's not fear or weakness or lack of self control...it's the desire to live a long, healthy and active life. I'm not depriving myself, or sacrifing. The things I'm doing and the life I'm leading now feel way better than eating pizza and cupcakes ever did (even in moderation). By that I mean that food did not give me pleasure (never did, I just thought it did), so I no longer look to food to satisfy my needs, except nutritionally."
Ok... Back to the post. Specifically, here is what I have had debunked by my brother (Anesthesiologist for bariatric), My mom (nurse and nutritionist), my bro's good friend and bariatric surgeon, and my surgeon..........
* Yes, the liquid PRE OP diet is not to be messed with. It sucked, but we need the liver to be soft and looking like liver in a supermarket. That will happen in most cases with one week.. Many docs do one week only and many do 2 weeks..... So, if you have a 2 week doc, don't worry if you cheat a little and wants some low calorie food.. It's OK!! have the Soup... etc. I didn't cheat as mine was only a week and I did not want to have a lifetime of liver issues if it was frail and broke a bit/injured while being moved for my surgery....
* Most docs on here POST OP put you on liquids for 2 weeks.. Why?? NOTHING medical. Really? Many docs, including mine, put me on Clear Liquids only day 1 in the hospital and then put me instantly on pureed foods (tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad, greek yogurts, ricotta cheese, etc).. Yes. DAY 2! He does this for EVERY patient.. He has had NO MORE COMPLICATIONS than anyone else ever.... It is NOT true that eating this will cause a leak.. It can't get caught in you stitches, lol, as they are on the outside and you can't see them even in your stomach.. The ONLY risk is a)that you eat way too much and thus can cause leaks, so don't do that. and that is WAY too much. Meaning you go out of your way to test the limits. As any surgeon will tell you, stretching the stomach to break the staples is no easy task.... easy enough to follow that rule .. and the risk is that you get nauseated.. Ok.. we are all different. Some take 90 minutes the first time they eat to get down 4 oz of chicken salad.. I didn't . I got it down in 15 min and could have done it in 5..... But the point is, listen to your body. start slowly and if you tolerate it, then screw the rules.....
What does this mean? It means so what if you doc put you on 2 week post liquid. That is soo hard.. so, do it mostly, but don't obsess about cheating. have a friggin plate of tuna salad.. It will taste yummy.. Add some great yogurt. If you can handle it, you are good to go! I did.. They also want you on this liquid to max your weight loss for motivation up front? do you really need that?? I don't care if it takes me 1 more week than you to hit the same goal? Frankly, I decided to keep my calories around 800ish anyway for my first 2 weeks. It was a little hard, but nothing like your liquid nightmare and i lost as much weight... I'm now on 1200 cal full diet plan (less hard carbs and hard veggies) as of last night.
I've heard people say they are craving one Dorito chip.. Then the advice replies were "lick the cheese off" or "take a bit and spit it out...." LOL. Really? This is your diet/lifestyle for the rest of your life. HAVE A CHIP.. See if you get a lot of gas.. Chew it well.. If not problem, then enjoy the one chip. You got here because you at a half bag . One or three chips won't kill you! You need to find a way to eat what you will do.. The docs want you to build your healthy habits now.
*The first year is where you get your max weight loss- Ok. For sure,, so, as noted, build your healthy habits now.. but make it last. So, if I want a Dorito chip. I have one or two.. On my pureed phase, my kids had pretzels at a game. I took 2 small ones....I had a qtr of his hotdog meat.. The point is, if we can seriously lower the number of calories we eat (which, for me, they figured i was eating between 3500-4000 per day and needed to be at 2400 or so.. Now, with 1200, which believe me, with the sleeve is a mini feast, I will be eating half the amount and will lose a lot of weight. So, yes, build good eating habits and i'm working on good food choices that I can live with! Can I eat white bread. Damn right?should I// nO?? it's a waste of calories and spikes your sugar and appetite. But, I sure will if i want a hamburger or great sandwich. A month ago i would have had 2 cheeseburgers and 2 hotdogs at a bbq. .So, guess what, i'll lose weight. Can't make it a daily thing.. But, again, stop obsessing..
*Eating and drinking slowly eating- well, you don't HAVE to eat slowly, but as we have been told our whole lives, eat slowly so that when you are really full, you know it! Also, you need to see what your bod can tolerate and if you eat too quickly, you may not have realized you were about to puke. If you can tolerate it, you can eat and drink quicker than others, but not a good idea for reasons mentioned. so work on it, but don't obsess.. At the hospital, they told me I had to drink in in little tiny medical cups a few cc evry 20 min. I laughed, as Water went down easily in recovery even. ALL NURSES TOLD ME NO. When I saw my doc, i asked why I can't just drink as I can tolerate it at home and get my 64 oz is. HE said dont' chug, but do whatever you can do without discomfort. So, 8 oz bottle of Water went down in 5 minutes... etc....
*Chewing your food- ALL true... We have that banana sized stomach.. So, the doughy breads, and stringy veggies and large pieces of non chewed enough food INDEED often get stuck! Not stuck like a lap band, but rather, they move toward the pyloric valve and are too big to pass through it, since there isn't as much acid, etc in your stomach and, well, the route to the valve is now MUCH shorter.. So, it sits in front of it and as soon as the next item goes there, it waits in line. your body puts out gas and then knows there is a problem, so will signal you to vomit it up. not fun... So, chew! All true! Also makes us take longer to eat and thus enjoy the tastes more than ever and have the full signal sent to our brain while we are still eating or pretty close to that!
*Caffein is bad... Ok. Google whether it's an appetite suppressant or stimulant.. It's hysterical.. You'll get equal replies from GREAT sources that say the opposite. I WANT my one cup a day. I'm not an addict. I asked. I am now sipping on my first REAL one. It is indeed a diuretic for some. So, drink a half cup more water than a day! If you feel it makes you hungry after you have it and you don't want to hold back, then stop the coffee.. It doesn't for me. It does for some... But what will you be doing in a year from now??/ There is NO medical reason why you can't have caffein after a few weeks
*ALCOHOL is a no no for 2 months. NONSENSE.. Again, just there so we don't put empty calories. BUT what if I WANT one drink or two on a date tonight?? I am told, go for it, but just know you will have ingested 400 wasted calories. Ok. I get it, but I WILL drink in my life, although never drank a ton and that was not the cause of most of my weight.. Watch the calories and don't do it twice most weeks.. Or if you will, then cut back a bit on your Snacks, etc. Anyway, looking forward to a martini with my date tomorrow at dinner.. Oh, most people on here for a while, will tell you since there is less food to bind with alcohol, it goes into your intestines/blood stream much quicker and you get a nice buzz faster with less! way cool!
* Most other rules and comments on here are just not universal and again, if you feel the NEED to cheat, then well, cheat! How can it be cheating if this will be your new life! WOrk hard at right food choices and don't make this soooo hard. The harder you make it, the more YOU WILL revolt and end up going off the wagon like the good old days... Since I have had no pain, etc and pretty much eat what I wanted (and cheated on my puree period even), I feel this is just toooo easy. I hear so many of you struggling (not because you have pain, but because you want to break a rul) and so many of you "supporting them" to stay strong, that I just wanted to add this post! Also, again, much of the medical advice that our well meaning friends on here provide, just isn't true. Sorry, but it isnt.
I hope this helps some of you enjoy your Pre and Post diets much more than you may be now!
Best, my friends!

My feelings post-op were very similar to yours. I was stunned by how much I missed eating a salad, and I literally got teary and ridiculous one night watching my husband eat grilled asparagus...I could have punched him.
I'm now almost 11 months out and I can get my needed Protein AND some vegetables in at each meal. We're on vacation and at dinner last night, I had tuna poke, jicama slaw and a lovely local beer. The difference was that I had 3 oz of tuna, 3 bites of slaw and only one beer I do, daily and plan to for the near future, add a scoop of protein to my morning coffee. That give me a jump-start of 30g for my day, making getting ~80-90g much easier. I also will just eat a small lettuce/kale/tomato/cuke salad as a 'snack' if I'm really craving veg that day. I dress it with a splash of coconut oil and vinegar and eat just that, with no protein to fill me up.
I will tell you that it's very very hard to see what nearly 1 year post-op will be like when you're still in your first 3 or 4 months. People tell you things and you think that's not how it's going to be for you...all of our experiences are individual and different in their totality, but we all have some commonalities as well. Your capacity WILL increase, you WILL have days when you overeat, under-eat, eat stupid things and days when you are a cover model for "Bariatric Success Weekly". I'm a planner by nature and like to control things...I've had to let go of so many of the things I was SURE were going to happen/not happen and that's been very good for me. It's been a wild ride since last June but I don't miss the 90 lbs I left in the dust

I wish you much success, and I'm sure you will be very successful with the amount of thought and effort you're putting in...take care!