Uomograsso

Congratulations and good luck!

There is a public diamond mine in Arkansas. Really just a big dirt field in a state park where you can sift for diamonds. There have been some big finds there occasionally.

https://www.arkansasstateparks.com/parks/crater-diamonds-state-park

You should have received Vitamin requirements from your doctor or dietitian. Follow their recommendations. Below is breakdown of requirements I received. They may want you to start with chewable vitamins at first. I use one a dat capsules now. Just make sure whichever you choose, make sure it meets requirements. Also, if it contains Iron you cannot take Calcium supplements within two hours of taking vitamin. I buy Vitamins from this site to support them hosting this forum.

There are a few websites out there with bariatric friendly recipes. I like this one the best.

Bariatric Foodie Puree Recipes

I had pain when sipping Water the first few days and then it got better. I could tolerate sugar free popsicles and sugar free Jello with no problem though. Try varying the temperature of the water to see if that helps. Some people have had better luck with room temperature water rather than ice water.

In addition to shakes, I was allowed to have sugar free Jello and popsicles. Sometimes having something a little more solid helps.

It took me a couple of days before I could sip without pain. I was able to handle sugar free popsicles and sugar free Jello though. Go figure. I was eventually able to sip without pain.

On 10/18/2020 at 9:48 PM, Jsteelecat said:

Do you have a specific brand or anything you like?

+1 on the BariWise off of Amazon!

+1 on the intermittent fasting. I do 8:16 IF. It took me a while to get used to it, but it does help in the mindless snacking I did prior to surgery.

The main thing is to find what works for you and stick to it. Whether that is an app or just pen and paper.

I used Myfitnesspal prior to surgery and Baritastic app after. I logged everything that I ate or drank. I started out on 2200 calories a day 6 months prior to surgery and slowly cut that down to about 1600 calories a day in those 6 months. Dropping it by 100 calories a month didn't seem like such a drastic change. Did I go over some days, yes I did, but I got right back on my plan after. I still use my fitness pal to calculate recipes because I like that functionality better.

My pre-op diet was mostly liquids, with a couple of servings of fruits or veggies each day for a week. I could have 5 Protein Shakes a day, which would be 800 calories plus maybe 150 calories for the fruit or veggies. So maybe 800 to a 1000 per day. Go by what your book says and stick to that. Some days I could only manage 3 shakes, some days I had 5. My liquid diet also allowed sugar free popsicles and other liquids which helped too.

That is one of the things I still deal with. Prior to the whole pandemic I worked remotely, so meals at work were not a thing for me. Big thing I had to learn, sometimes the hard way, was when I was feeling full there is no more room for another couple of bites of food or even one more bite. Eating that one more bite led to painful consequences. Not the same thing as your experience, but I think we have all felt something like it.

3 hours ago, BigSue said:

Have you tried Protein Soups? That can be a good way to get Protein. The BariatricPal Store used to have a Southwest Chili flavored Soup that I loved, but it doesn’t look like they have it anymore. They still have several other flavors, though.

i also love protein hot chocolate. It tastes like normal hot chocolate and it’s a nice change of pace from Protein Shakes. I make it with Fairlife milk instead of Water for even more protein.

The protein hot chocolate is awesome!

There are pancake mixes out there with high Protein. Flap Jacked brand is one of them I have tried it and they are pretty good. Another high protein offering is Kodiak Cakes brand. They have a mix you can make yourself or I have seen premade pancakes and waffles in my local grocery store. You need to make sure you are following your plan and can have these in you diet at 5 weeks out. At 5 weeks on was on soft food, but you should clear it with your doctor or dietician.

Flap Jacked Pancake Mix

Kodiak Cakes

The CDC has done a study and found the majority of people (70.6%) contracting corona virus always wore masks. So, based on the data, no a mask will not keep you from getting corona virus. The size of the virus is too small for any mask other than a N-95 mask to block it.

That being said, the real purpose of the mask is to prevent YOU from spreading corona virus if you contract it. The majority of people contracting corona virus have mild or no symptoms, so please wear a mask when you will be in contact with others and cannot distance yourself.

After my surgery I was OK energy wise for the first week, but weeks 2-4 I was exhausted. I had surgery on a Thursday, came home on Saturday. Took the next week off and went back to work, desk job, the next Monday. I would work 8 hours and then usually go to bed about 8 or 9 pm. It does get better. You won't be able to get enough calories in the first few weeks to get any where near what you need and your body with be in a starvation state. It will adjust and you will heal and you will be able to get more Protein in. Follow you program and get you protein in first along with the Water needed. At almost 9 months post-op I have more energy than I have ever had.

Hit a pretty awesome goal. When I started out in July of 2019 and decided to have WLS, I weighed 427 lbs. My last weekly weigh in I was 212.2. That means I am officially half the person I used to be. On another note, I am now officially overweight! You might ask why that is a good thing. I have spent almost all of my adult life with a BMI that put me in the obese category, but now with my weight loss my BMI is 29.6 which is considered overweight. When I started out my BMI was 60. My surgeon required me to get my BMI to 50 before the surgery so I lost 92 lbs between July 2019 and January 2020 and my BMI was about 48 at the time of my surgery. After surgery I have lost another 123 lbs. No secret, just follow your plan. Eat you Protein first, meet your daily protein goals, exercise, exercise, exercise. I am doing a minimum of 30 minutes 5 days a week and usually shooting for 60 minutes daily of intense exercise. My only regret is that I didn't have WLS years earlier.

My only regret? Not having surgery years earlier.

These are great. I was afraid I would never be able to eat pizza after my surgery. Thin crust about 6 to 8 inches in diameter.

Paired with

Add your favorite cheese and toppings

9 hours ago, Meadow76 said:

Never saw this Chilly Cow. Where did you get it? Love when it’s already in individual container.

I found it at our local grocery store, HyVee.

190 calories, 12 g Protein, 16 g net carbs. It is soooooo good. My treat for a week of HIIT sessions on the eliptical.

4 hours ago, Pandemonium said:

https://mrtortilla.com/

They also have low-carb (not 1-carb) in multigrain and pico de gallo that are presumably regular sized rather than street taco size...and regular carb tortillas in more varieties.

These are more like wraps, but they work well as tortillas, 5 g net carbs and 9 g Protein.

https://www.tumaros.com/product/8-white-protein-carb-wisetm-wraps-849455900912

I got a set of these to make individual ricotta bakes.

10 oz Ramekins

I know 10 oz is waaaay to big. I fill them about half full so they won't overflow and make a mess when they are baked. You make one batch and split it up. Bake them all at once or one at a time. You can freeze them and then thaw and bake as well.

6 oz Creme Brulee Ramekin

Just some ideas

On 3/11/2020 at 12:30 PM, FluffyChix said:

Did you order it?

No, I already have a waffle maker. I did order some psyllium husk though to make some chaffles.

50 minutes ago, MsMocie said:

I could, seeing how they want me in on monday not on march 31th to do something that is more urgent, because they don't know when full lockdown of hospitals will occur. Doubt they do this if they don't have any insight as to what is about to happen. This isn't just Norway.

March 31 is weeks away not days. If health officials are smart they will admit only the most impacted and send the rest back home to isolate for two weeks. For 97% of those who are infected, it will be a mild to moderate version of respiratory flu. There probably will be rationing of care, but not in days, more likely weeks or a month or two.