Hawtry

Dr Matthew Weiner & Dr John Pilcher have excellent videos (you tube) on a range of bariatric topics really aimed at you & not so much your family members but they are very informative & an excellent resource.
As for food, you may find by soft food you will be able to eat some of the same meals. Soups, stews, braises, mince dishes, etc. You may have to make ingredient substitutions, change cooking styles as you slowly reintroduce certain foods & ingredients but generally meals the whole family can eat - you’ll just have a much smaller portion. Great opportunity to try new healthier, more nutrient dense recipes & new/alternative ingredients. I live alone but regularly spent weekends with my 80+ yr old mother. She ate whatever I cooked & ate without issue or difficulty. I’d often have dinner at family or friends or go out to eat I just made sure my friends new what I could or couldn’t eat & made careful choices. I’d check menus before going out so I’d know what I could eat or what I could ask to be modified. I ate many of the meals I always did simply by making modifications to the recipes so it would be appropriate for my needs. My friend cooked for her family & basically ate that same meal from solid foods. For example making a Pasta dish - she’d use zucchini noodles or would just eat the meat sauce component. Having tacos - she’d eat the filling not the taco shell.
A bonus of your smaller portion size is leftovers. I freeze leftovers all the time. They are easy meals fir you to have when you don’t feel like cooking or for when your family wants something which isn’t a good option for you.
Your weight loss period is the time you use to establish better eating habits & food choices. When you stop losing you don’t go back to eating how & what you used to eat. That’s why every other diet we were on failed & we’d regain weight.
All the best.

I like the clear Protein from MyProtein as it comes in a lot of flavours and helps me to stay hydrated while getting protein in. I like the cranberry one best.

I had the same issue. It hurt (like being stabbed) if I bent over and I felt a a painful pulling sensation inside if I lay on either side for spell. I spoke to my surgeon at my 4 week check and he said it wasn’t uncommon to feel pain at the incision sites especially the two at the front and to give it time. I am now almost 2 months post op (22 Feb) and the pain is gone. Hope it eases for you soon.

Hey BigAndTall, glad to hear that your surgery went well. Mine was also 22nd and I came home from hospital yesterday. I’m doing ok with Water but the food/vitamins/meds regime is a bit challenging. It seems like I need to be constantly sipping on Protein Shakes or water. And fit the liquid meds in too. I’ve written a schedule for it so hopefully that will help. I have some pain around my incisions but it’s getting easier every day

I was sleeved a dozen years ago. I was in my mid 50's. I started at 320 pounds, lost 25 pre surgery, then lost to about 175. I stayed at about 180 for many years, but gained after some very tough emotional times over a few years to 220. But kept that 100 pounds off. About 4 years ago, I decided to try to lose 10 pounds in a year. I lost 10 in a few months, doing nothing but being intentional with what I ate; and going back to Protein and veggies first. Over two years I lost 40 pounds, realizing that I needed to learn how to maintain my weight - so I would stop losing weight every so often (usually after 8 to 10 pounds down) and NOT lose more, but maintain where I was. How much was I eating, of what, when.... how much was I moving... watching myself and re learning ! I maintained my 175 pounds for another full year - about 7 months ago I decided to lose another 10 pounds. Got there and a few under. I am finally at 29 BMI ! I weigh 162. Less than I did in college in the 1970's !!
Loose skin ? Yes. But at 67 next month, I do not want any elective surgeries. I wear a size 14 petite jeans. I have a ton more energy at 67 then I had at 54. I am still working and I organic garden, raise laying hens for organic eggs. I never liked carbonation, so that was never an issue. I eat a healthy diet. I grow fresh greens and veggies. I eat fresh fruits. I eat kind of low carb - if I have a sandwich with bread, for lunch I won't eat carbs for Breakfast or dinner. I eat a treat every day. Even when losing weight. But now I can enjoy an oreo, or 2 little dove chocolates..... Or one skinny cow dessert. I had company for dinner this weekend. I BBQed burgers. I ate a half of a hamburger - half the bun, and some fresh fruit salad. I was almost on over fill ! I use most carbs as sprinkles. If I eat Asian, I order chicken and veggies. I sprinkle rice on top. Steak ? Sure. crumble part of a baked potato with it. I steam most veggies at home. I make fish on the grill a couple times a week and then make it into a salad the next day for lunch. I eat differently than I did before. I am healthy and happy. No regrets at all.

Thanks guys. Did some laps in the hospital and feeling much better now. I’m meeting the dietitian tomorrow and then going home on Saturday. Feeling much more hopeful now.

Feb 22nd for me. Looking forward to the end of the LRD and feeling hungry all the time.

Almost 4 years since my sleeve. Reached goal at 6 months. Exceeded it by another 10/11kg & have basically maintained +/- a kilo or two. Didn’t have co morbidities before my surgery. Didn’t really stall in the truest sense - just odd couple of days with no loss.
No complications. Have low blood pressure but always had a tendency towards it. Gone from a couple of times a month to every day. (My higher weight probably kept my BP in the normal range.) Had my gall out about two years after my sleeve but not necessarily related to my weight loss.
Still don’t eat rice, Pasta, bread, potatoes. They sit heavily in my tummy. Don’t miss them. I have a glass of sparkling Water every day but I let it go fairly fiat. Occasionally I’ll have a glass of champagne or have soda or tonic water as a mixer but no other carbonated drinks. Don’t drink much alcohol any more (a glass once a month+/-). Not that I can’t, just not interested.
I have loose skin. Not a lot. Can’t really be seen under my clothes … unless you look closely.😉 I wear body conscious dresses without needing shape wear to control the loose skin.
No regrets.