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Perhaps ask your surgeon? I have been using chia seeds frequently since 3 months post-op. I think they were ok once I reached a normal food diet.

Yes, I would do it again. My husband was not in favor (although he supported what I decided). A family member who is a doctor cautioned me that some of his patients had gained back all the weight. However, three of my doctors at teaching hospitals recommended it, and showed me the research. It’s been such a blessing, as finally I am able to lose so much excess weight (I thought I would go to my grave obese). And I feel that as long as I follow the eating guidelines, it will stay off.
This is my answer, even though from what I gather, I had a much harder recovery than most people on this forum. I vomited multiple times a day for two months before it stopped. I did have regrets at first, but my surgeon said it would stop. Once the nausea subsided, it has been sunny skies.

Yes, I would do it again. My husband was not in favor (although he supported what I decided). A family member who is a doctor cautioned me that some of his patients had gained back all the weight. However, three of my doctors at teaching hospitals recommended it, and showed me the research. It’s been such a blessing, as finally I am able to lose so much excess weight (I thought I would go to my grave obese). And I feel that as long as I follow the eating guidelines, it will stay off.
This is my answer, even though from what I gather, I had a much harder recovery than most people on this forum. I vomited multiple times a day for two months before it stopped. I did have regrets at first, but my surgeon said it would stop. Once the nausea subsided, it has been sunny skies.

Well I’ve been logging my meals since I originally posted this and following the doctors advice to the T and I still haven't lost a single pound. Every visit he acts like he doesn’t believe me when I say I’m staying at 800 calories a day. So I’ve been told a million times by my doctor and people on this forum that the surgery is just a tool. I get that. But a tool for what? How do you use the tool? I don’t ever feel full, I’m always hungry, I’m not losing weight…. What a useless tool.

Although at first things are very restrictive, they become more loose after a few weeks. Like others said, I will have thin crust pizza once every couple weeks, equivalent of one slice. I also steal 3-4 of my children’s french fries on weekends, and am satisfied.
However, I haven’t eaten anything with added sugar since the sleeve. Not even a bite. The occasional sugar-free chocolate, as well as Protein Bars, more than satisfies me.

I think it really is dependent on the person, but this works for me.

Just got around to trying the new GENEPRO gen 3. Not for me! I tried to hide it in my some sugar-free oatmeal and it clumped so bad I tossed it after just taking a few bites. Terrible!

Great questions! Although I do not drink, it is definitely possible to eat at a restaurant again. I try to view the menu online before I go, to save time and have a plan so I’m not studying at the table. I do eat mostly healthy foods at restaurants, and usually have leftovers. It’s socializing that is the most fun, so all good!

The surgery is merely a tool. If there was a magical surgery they could keep us from eating too much or having cravings or all of the things that lead up to our situations, they would need to be operating on our brain, not our stomachs.

Even with a small stomach, there is nothing that would keep a person from eating ten meals a day If they put them really close together. And, even with a smaller capacity, you can put some high calorie stuff through there! Think of all of the soft foods that don’t even fill you up and just slide right by. You can put a lot of calories through your body.

At the end of the day the surgery is a tool to help you on your journey. But there is a lot of other work that Hass to be done. Most surgery programs recommend support groups, and other practices to help you get that part down. But successful weight loss has everything to do with changing the way you relate to food. All the surgery does is help you to feel full faster - assuming you eat protein-dense foods. I’m really sad if your Program led you to believe that this would fix everything. That’s just not the way it is.

Agree! Any time should be fine. One thing that helped me initially was taking a Multivitamin without Iron, and at the same time taking a slow release iron pill. This occurred towards the end of my Breakfast. I now take the bulk of pills (such as allergy and others, with one 500 calcium) for the day at dinner since my pouch accepts them more freely.

Teacher here--things that are working well for me:
I pack my breakfast and lunch the night before. For breakfast, which I eat on the 25 min drive to school, I have a hard-boiled egg with salt and pepper, 3 triscuits, and a few grapes. For lunch I vary it more--could be cottage cheese, deli meat and cheese, tuna pouch, or roast chicken and veg, hummus, etc. I usually don't have time for Snacks, but I do keep a stash of nuts and other things in case I forget my lunch or need something. I also keep Protein Shakes there too. I have a note from my doctor so I can keep a mini-fridge in my classroom for medical reasons. dinner at home is the only thing I leave undecided, but usually I make something over the weekend and portion out so when I'm exhausted at the end of the day then I don't have to think about it.
To encourage me to drink, I have a 32 oz bottle of Water that I fill the night before also, and usually add Crystal Light to it. My goal is to finish it by the time I get home--and frequently it's half full still when I start my drive home.
I set timers for everything--to remind me to take my Vitamins, to drink, to eat lunch, etc. because if I don't, it won't happen.
My 30 day pill organizer is perfect for grab and go when I set up my foods the night before. I never forget them anymore.
It's time we teachers practice self care, and if it means I don't get to everything on my work list, so be it. I've given so much of my life to those kids. I deserve to take care of ME now. And actually it makes me a better teacher.
(I still struggle with getting enough exercise, but I got myself a smart watch that counts steps, so I try to get to 7000 each day at the very least. I'm trying to do a little yoga before bed, too.)

You can buy a sample packet of the Unjury unflavored for just over $2 the only drawback is going to be the shipping. I thinks its around $7 but $9 to try it is and maybe not like it is better than $25 to buy a container of it and not like it.

I asked this same question to my nutritionist! She said she would eat the Soup alone and count it as one of my liquids.

I like this one: Biochem Whey Protein Natural

I asked this same question to my nutritionist! She said she would eat the Soup alone and count it as one of my liquids.

I tried Unjury and found it unacceptable. It seemed to have quite a bit of flavored for being unflavored. That said, I dont mix my items with milk so that might help. You can buy by the packet for just a couple bucks on their website to try it out on the cheap.

Sent from my SM-G986U using BariatricPal mobile app

Let’s talk about some things that play an important factor in this-
You’re a 6ft tall, 52yr old man who started out on the lower end of obesity before surgery and have a current BMI of about 32.5
BMI doesn’t take into consideration your build, lean body mass (especially if you do a lot of physical activity) or genetics.
All of those things along with others like metabolic issues, your BMR basal metabolic rate (the calories needed to do nothing but exist) play a factor into how you will lose or maintain weight.
Based on just a generic BMR calculator (no specifics like lean body mass, etc.) your body burns about 2100 at absolute rest. Eating only 800 calories a day leaves your body in starvation mode and will hang onto every calorie for what it’s worth and not let you continue losing weight. Try adding 2-300 calories a day and see if that helps along with tracking calories.

Try something along these lines for a few days and see if it helps-
Breakfast (eggs and turkey bacon)
2 eggs, scrambled with 2 cups fresh spinach, 2 slices turkey bacon and 1oz cheddar cheese- 330 calories and 24g Protein
lunch (stir fry)
3oz chicken breast, 1/2 cup sliced zucchini, 1/4 cup diced tomatoes, and 1/4 cup onion cooked in 1tsp olive oil with spices (Italian seasoning, garlic powder, cumin, etc.)- 225 calories and 29g protein
snack
100 calorie pack of almonds (100 calories and 3g protein) OR 2 stalks celery with 1tbsp Peanut Butter (105 calories and 5g protein)
dinner (tortilla pizza)
1-8” flour tortilla topped with 1/4 cup marinara sauce, 1oz cooked Italian sausage, and 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese- 365 calories and 15g protein
Total for the day- 1025 calories and 73g protein and that’s with the celery and peanut butter.

If you need more meal ideas to get you (back) on track then message me. I have a notebook full of them!

Sorry to hear things have been rough. Tracking calories does not work for me, I’ve learned from other eating plans that it makes me obsessive, and is not sustainable for me.
Perhaps talking with a nutritionist about what you are eating each day might help? I follow the rules of 60 or more grams of Protein each day, no added sugar, 5 g or less fat per serving, and eat until I am satisfied. No more. During the work week, I eat the same thing every day from Breakfast until afternoon snack. Dinners are healthy and usually involve some form of chicken or turkey. I know this might not work for everyone, but it makes it easy for me and my weight loss has been great.
Ultimately, each person is different, and what works for me and my program may not work best for you. I hope you find something that works for you, and allows you to use your new tool to the fullest!

Looking on the packaging it shows.............
OLD ONE: One serving......serving size is one scoop (7.2 grams) contains 30 grams of Protein
NEW ONE: One serving.......serving size is one scoop (11 grams) contains 11 grams of protein.
Well that sucks!

This! How this tool makes it much less painful to lose weight. Hard to ignore feeling hungry.

This! How this tool makes it much less painful to lose weight. Hard to ignore feeling hungry.

Good point. My doctor was excellent with the actual surgery. However, most of what I learned about how to succeed, I learned from the nutritionist. And, being on this forum has been great ongoing support, with additional ideas from those who have been there.

Good point. My doctor was excellent with the actual surgery. However, most of what I learned about how to succeed, I learned from the nutritionist. And, being on this forum has been great ongoing support, with additional ideas from those who have been there.

This! How this tool makes it much less painful to lose weight. Hard to ignore feeling hungry.

I’m sorry you feel this was the worst decision for you & you’re angry. And it doesn’t work for absolutely everyone - sometimes for genetic or physiological reasons, sometimes for psychological reasons. But if you can honestly look in the mirror & say yes I’m making changes to what I eat, I’m choosing low fat, low sugar & low carb foods, I’m eating differently to how I ate before, I’m eating smaller portions, I’m following my surgeon’s plan & my dietician’s recommendations, maybe you are one of the unlucky few for which surgery doesn’t work.
The average weight loss after bariatric surgery at about the 5yr point is around 65% of the weight you had to lose to put you in the healthy bmi range. Some lose more. Some lose less. Complacency, lifestyle, health issues, age, gender, genetics, personal choice, etc. all play a part in how much you will lose & then the weight at which you happily maintain. So odds are you won’t lose & keep off all the weight you need (or want) to lose in the long term but odds are you will weigh less than you do when you started.
If you buy a gym membership & never go, you won’t get any healthier, or stronger or fitter. Weight loss surgery is the same. If you don’t take advantage of the tool nothing changes. The amount of success you have is directly in proportion to the amount of effort you put in to making the long term changes.
Like most (all) of us I’ve lost & regained hundreds of pounds over the years. Tried every diet, & exercise program. This time, I took advantage of the benefits the surgery afforded me in the beginning. I used the tool. I did a lot of research & changed how & what I ate. Put new habits into place. Came to understand why I was eating & worked out how I could manage those drives. I did & continue to do the work. If I didn’t consciously make those changes & continue to work at it every day, I’d be very near my highest weight again. That’s what always happened in the past: I dieted, lost weight, then would return to my old eating habits & food choices & would start to regain within days.
I ate little to begin after my surgery: less than 300 calories. I was healing (all those sutures & staples holding my tummy together) plus no appetite & no real interest in food. But my calories increased as did my portion sizes over the weeks & months. I eat about 1300 calories to maintain but I’m shorter than you, likely older than you, not very active, female & have a small frame. But before surgery I could barely maintain my obese weight eating 1300 or fewer calories a day & I regularly skipped meals for decades. My metabolism was shot. I eat regularly now, eat more nutritionally dense food & eat more often then I’ve ever done before. I haven’t been this weight since I was 12 yrs old. I feel great.

This! How this tool makes it much less painful to lose weight. Hard to ignore feeling hungry.