PrettyBrown

I think some of the above posts answered my question. I would like to be able to eat a meal like a slice of pizza and a sensible salad after I am fully recovered and at goal weight. That is a typical meal my “skinny” friends might order if we meet for food and drinks. I have been looking at a lot of different websites and appreciate the creative recipes people have come up with ( ricotta bake in a teeny tiny cup for instance) and understand the usefulness of those recipes right after surgery, but just wanted to hear from some veterans on this forum that they can eat foods from a standard menu within reason.

Agree with what everyone else has said - At 4.5 months out, I've been one of the "lucky" ones - I haven't found much that I can't eat, but I just can't eat much. MOST days I follow the plan as I'm obviously still in the WL stage. That being said, I didn't follow the plan over the Christmas holidays. I had a few cocktails and ate food that I "shouldn't" have with friends and family. My portion sizes were probably 1/8-1/4 of what i would have eaten in the past. I enjoyed every second of it and not once did I regret the surgery over the holidays.
Holidays are over, and I'm back on plan. I travel for work quite a bit and many evenings involve dinner with teammates. So far, even these haven't been an issue.
All of this being said, the first month or so can be rough - You do wonder if your life will ever be "normal" again. It gets better very quickly! The weight starts dropping off, clothes fit better, then clothes fit worse! (YAY!)

I had bypass 21 months ago, but the principle is the same. I can definitely eat like a normal person, just smaller portions. Mind you, I have dramatically altered the eating habits that made me obese in the first place. I now am very careful to avoid carbs, fat and sugar. (I can eat all of those things without any ill effects, which surprised me.).
One of my biggest reservations was having dinner with friends after surgery. At this point, I can order off the menu and eat a healthy dinner without anyone being able to tell that I've had surgery (although I don't usually finish my meal or order dessert).
In short: yes, I can eat like a "normal" person.

It always worries me when people ask will they still be able to eat ‘real food’ or eat like a ‘real person’.
It is real food you are eating & will eat. It’s just healthier & more nutritious than you likely ate before. Remember the food you used to eat contributed to the weight you were when you decided to have surgery. You are a real person too. You just have to choose food that enables you to lose weight & then maintain your weight. But we’re all different & what works for someone else may not work for you regardless of their weight or if they’ve had surgery or not.
While in the weight loss stage, especially the early stages, yes, you will be on restricted diet. But once you reach the third & fourth month post surgery you will be testing what foods your tummy will or won’t tolerate, exploring healthier food options & healthier cooking methods. Yes, your portion sizes will be small, they’ll be Protein heavy & you may need to include supplements or shakes to meet your protein goals but this will settle in maintenance. You’ll still be able to eat out & socialise with friends. You just may have limited choices during your weight loss phase.
I’ve been in maintenance for a year & I just eat smaller portions. (Most people eat very large servings of food that are above recommended portion sizes so your meals may seem really tiny.) I really don’t make or eat meals that are different to other people. There are foods I avoid or limit because they don’t work for me or contributed to my weight gain in the first place but I still have lots of food options. Sure I don’t eat bread, Pasta or rice but there’s always alternatives on menus if you’re out. It doesn’t stop me dining out, eating with friends, or hosting dinner guests.
I ensure I get all my nutrients from the food I eat not from supplements, shakes, or alternative foods like low carb breads or plant based Proteins, etc. I can eat any meats, vegetables & dairy products. I can eat most fruits ( though some are a bit hard on me like mangoes). I eat small amounts of whole or multi grains. I avoid a lot of sugar & sweet foods. I don’t eat spicy foods because I have a sensitivity to them but I’ve always had that so no change there. This is what’s working for me.

Congratulations on starting your journey. Good luck.

I've been in maintenance for four years. I eat about as much as many of my never-been-obese women friends who are constantly watching what they eat. In other words, if I go out, I'll get something like a salad or an appetizer. Or if I order an entree, I'll take half of it home (or maybe 2/3 of it if it's enormous). If I'm out and we order a pizza, I'll eat one or two pieces. So yes - I'd say I eat like your normal "light eater". No one would be able to tell at this point that I've had bariatric surgery, just by observing what I eat.
this is NOT true the first year or so (and definitely not the first few months). But once you're in maintenance, yes.

I spoke too soon on the straws. I was fine for about 3 days but then I sucked up some air and the pain that immediately hit my stomach was unforgettable. So I'm over it. I'm still struggling to even get 40 oz of liquids but I'm trying.

Congrats, that’s so great! As a recovering (disposable) straw addict, I’m excited to try a straw and see if I have the same result. I feel like I could drink so much more that way. Silly, but it’s how I’m used to drinking fluids.

I’m currently starting week three of a stall. I did lose 35 pounds during the liver shrinking diet and the first few weeks after surgery. They told me to expect this but damn if I’m not ready for some weight loss! It’s definitely disheartening.

60-80 Protein
150-180 carbohydrates
25 fiber
20 fat
<25 sugars... unless it’s from fresh fruit.

1200 Calcium

Surgery November 10, 25.6 down post surgery, overall 83.4. Been slowly trying new foods, no problems with any of them. Not trying anything really high carb though. chicken breast works great, which was a relief because some people said they had issues with that. Got a Thai curry the other night and just ate some of the tofu and carrots out of it. Tasted great.

Overall I’m super happy with the whole process. It is exciting to constantly see lower weights on the scale.

My wife and I had our surgery 11/11. We were told by our doctor to be a bit more aggressive at our 2 week appointment in regards to what we eat and we have been adding back foods at a reasonably quick rate. Yesterday my wife and I shared a two taco meal at Rubio's as they have Keto-style cheese wraps instead of the tortillas and we had shrimp tacos and saved the Beans for later. We only had about 3/4 of the taco each but it was amazing that we have done so well to be able to eat shrimp already at 6 weeks. Our doctor also wanted to wean us off of Protein Shakes by 8 weeks, and if my Protein calculations are correct, we should be just about there. As for weight loss, I am down 30lbs and my wife is down 25lbs since surgery. We both dropped 19 and 18lbs additionally during our preop. I am down 50lbs and she is down 43lbs since October 27th. Overall, I would say at this phase (the Honeymoon period) we are doing what we can to make this a success. We are trying to take photos as much as we can to show the difference. Our cloths are quite loose and I know we are going to have to downsize them fairly soon.

I agree I'm just at 7 weeks out and my dr advised walking only...he said no other exercise until at least 8 weeks .it takes 6 to 8 weeks for your style line to heal.so go slow and be careful..you didnt get overweight overnight...you have a new chance at life, enjoy it and you can without food. Eat to live not live to eat that's my new motto.

Thank you...I wouldnt say that I'm out of the soft food stage completely. I am trying new things most days and just seeing what I can do. I have only lost my Cookies 1 time...and that was with grilled chicken finger..I think I ate too fast. I have found that I have been able to eat pizza toppings..no bread or crust. No Peanut Butter ..and i havent tried fruits really. I can eat cheese, cream cheese, Soups, green Beans, carrots. Mashed potatoes, grits{ well cooked vegs]..I just go slow and no matter what I'm eating take my time, chew alot..alot..and I always follow the no drink with. 30 minutes before ..or 30 minutes after. But no matter what I eat I only consume about 4 to 5 bites..I eat several small 3 or 4 bite meals daily. And taking B12, Iron, biotin,and Multivitamin. B12 was a game changer..I did go back to work 5 days after surgery.

Just remembered that Moms used to say, don’t go into the Water for 30 minutes after you eat... now it’s don’t drink water until 30 minutes after a meal

The stitches finally dissolved yesterday. I have a physical job and it been rough this week. But yesterday, all of a sudden, no more pulling and ripping. Ahhhh. Now I'm feeling great.

Well the tearing is inside, not outside. At my abdominal muscles. If I get up too fast or attempt to tie my right shoe, its absolutely brutal. I just have to wait it out I guess.
Thanks for your suggestion. I certainly appreciate your advice.

I am almost 2 weeks post op and I haven't lost any weight since 8 days post op. Very frustrating. I'm down 20lbs total so I'm trying to stay optimistic. I'm still too early to exercise or anything. My crazy head is looking at how to reset my 12 day old pouch. I need to have my husband hide the scales until January lol. I have the same ache in the stomach incision from laughing or using the bathroom. I wondered how long it will ache. You are not alone!

Sent from my SM-N975U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi, fellow November buddies! Wanted a bit of a snack today, and needed more Protein. I scooped up a bowl of vanilla Two Good yogurt (I can't do the other SF yogurts for some reason, but probably any vanilla one would work), added a scoop of unflavored protein, and then a tiny squirt of orange tangerine Mio. Was like a melted creamsicle. Really yummy! Just in case anyone needs something different ☺️

You are not behind!! I have other health problems and am 4 weeks post op haven’t exercised hardly at all and am still losing. I had a knot under my incision too and was in a lot of pain still at 2 weeks. sleeping in my recliner helped a lot instead of my bed. It gets better I promise!!

Oh, please don't beat yourself up. You're doing fine. I'm not even walking that much and I'm over a month out. I know I should, but... Life. I'll exercise when I can.
Breathe, and just work at your own pace. The stress won't help. Breathe ♥️
What helped me with sleeping was a wedge pillow I got on Amazon to have my upper body elevated a bit, and a firm pillow to press on the front of me when I would try to lay on my side (I'm normally a side sleeper). Now I don't need those things anymore. You'll get there!

I've read a lot about food progressing slowly down your esophagus and the feeling of it getting stuck or about to get stuck. Ugh, hate it. I wonder if it's just part of the process or if I'm not chewing well enough, taking too big of a bite, or that particular food isn't agreeing with me.
I was feeling so blessed when everything was going down smoothly, but the more I inch towards regular food the more it's happening.
Everything else is going great. I hit my stall at 3 or 4 weeks just like everyone says it happens. I lost fifteen pounds beforehand. I really wish it had been more. Oh, well. Still happy with the loss. I haven't started working out at all, so maybe once I start my walking it'll help with the stall. My goal was to start lifting arm weights at 4 weeks. I'm now a week behind schedule.
I need to FOCUS!

So I just got home from my first follow up (I was sleeved on the 24th). They told me over an over to not get upset if my weight loss just stalls in the next two weeks. Apparently this is really common and it’s just the body taking a breath and “catching up”. You’ve had lots of changes in there, you’re not doing anything wrong. You should start losing again soon.

I've lost 40 pounds since my surgery on November 16th. I've stalled now for the last couple of weeks. After surgery my sense of smell was out of this world. To the point where certain bottled waters smelled bad to me. I'm finally drinking more Water, but I know it's not enough. I'm still testing certain foods and no matter what I'm eating I can only take a few spoons full. I too am ready for more weight loss. lol. I had absolutely no pain after surgery. If I drink too quickly after eating, then my stomach quickly reminds me of the change.

Drinking Water like it’s my job from now on! :)

YES! I lost 10 on my 1 week pre op, 10 1 week post op and then nothing for 2 weeks. Having a stall so early on got me down. Increasing my Water intake is what broke it IMO. And I'm a straw addict as well lol! Hang in there, it will pass.

Yep. The stalls suck. The weight fell off for a few weeks. Now, at 6 weeks out, its slow. In fact, its become the slowest I've ever lost weight. Not sure if I'm in a stall or have become a slow loser. Either way, I'll stay the course.