idk4w

When I began my pre-op diet, I was working so hard, and my husband said, "if you're working so hard on this diet, why do you need the surgery? Just keep doing what you're doing!" then post op, when you're eating NOTHING and basically starving yourself, again, my husband was like, you're working so hard, maybe you could have jsut done this without the surgery!
I don't think any of us really realize what WLS is until after we do it. Society definitely doesn't. I also saw this as almost an easy way out and a bad role model for my kids. Now that they see how hard you actually have to work on the various phases of diet etc., they ask the same thing-- you're working harder than you ever have on any diet, so why did you need the surgery if you're working this hard? You could have just done this.
But the answer is we couldn't have. We are being forced to fellow this diet plan now, and it wasn't working out before, for any number of reasons. Your husband is going to see you working harder than you ever have in your entire life. literally. The thing is that if it's not really internalized, then yes, after 2 months you can be snacking on Cookies and chocolate and junk and go back to bad habits. Sure you can. Anyone can. We all have to work really hard at internalizing what's going on here and making the life changes that for some reason we weren't doing before. It ain't magic, and it won't happen itself. It's HARD WORK.

Ok, you guys are great. This was all good perspective. I really do need to get into better habits, or else I'll find myself back to my old ways... ***siiiigh**** no accounting for what's going in, major grazing, etc. etc.
Thank you for the encouragement!

I shouldn't laugh but surely a bagel isn't that big to start with, how far out from surgery are you ? And you did leave 2 bites behind so it wasn't the whole bagel. If it makes you feel any better most of us are surprised by how much we can eat. You should be able to eat a normal serving of most things. Those that say they can only eat a couple of bite per sitting are not the norm. Sure we all wish we could be a 2 bites and I am full but that's not the reality of it. Now cheerios they are slider foods foods that slid on down into our tummies and they never make us feel full so just be mindful of things like that .

So things were really busy at work, and they brought in lunch. I made myself a bagel with vegetables and brought it back to my desk. I was totally not paying attention when I suddenly realized that restriction hit-- I looked down and saw that I HAD EATEN THE WHOLE BAGEL, leaving over literally two bites!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now yes, I know that I need to be more mindful, pay attention to what's going in. And yes, I was totally annoyed at myself for allowing that to happen.
But I have a different, more pressing question! WHY WAS I ABLE TO TOLERATE THE ENTIRE FREAKIN BAGEL??????? Why didn't restriction hit way earlier??? Shouldn't my stomach have protested earlier?????
I'd love to hear: Do you prepare the size portion you want to eat based on its size and then go no further? Let's say you aren't full? Do you take more, or try to train yourself to only eat that portion? Does everyone on this forum use the Bariatric Pal portion plates and bowls? I never bought them... and I guess that's why I can eat a bowl of Cheerios 😣 😣 😣 😣 I should be using an itty bitty bowl and telling myself that's all I need, right?????
Ok friends. Go ahead. Hit me over the head and give me what I deserve. I think it's time for a thrashing to get me back in place.

So happy you went through with it!!!
Just remember: the first week does NOT count!!!!!!! You might feel like HELL and say what the heck did I do, I can't believe I did this, so not worth it! But we all want to hear back from you right here on this thread in 6 weeks. tell us what you're up to! Good times up ahead! Keep at it! best of luck to you! 👊

I was shocked when someone told me her surgeon had her on a full liquid diet for 2 weeks prior! But again, every surgeon will have his/her own rules. I think it's really just a matter of making sure your liver is REALLY shrunken, not to risk the surgeon being able to do what he's gotta do. My surgery was pushed off bec of a covid uptick just then, and then I was only given one week notice before my surgery. I flipped out, and was like, oh no, what about the 2 week pre-op? They told me to just be super strict with only lean Proteins, veg, minimal fruit, and it would be fine. I also did Clear Liquids one day prior. As mentioned above, it may also have to do with your BMI and what the pre-op ultrasounds showed on your liver.
it ain't easy, but then, no one said this would be! Best of luck to you!

I can only tell you what my nutritionist told me: your body will let you know. That means... take a little taste of a vegetable that you want. If nothing happens, HOORAY! You're good to go, bring on the cukes and tomatoes. Obviously don't try this with whipped cream and French fries 😜 LOL but with healthy options you can try and see if your body protests! If it does, give it a bit more time and try again. She told me that taking tastes of vegetables is not a matter of danger but about your stomach possibly not being ready. you'll know it if that's the case!

OMG LOL Yes you're right! I did read it wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow. these pics and the info I'm learning about others' eating habits are quite educational, but this is also so frustrating for me!!! Everyone talks about how full they get... why don't I get full?????? Why can I eat a normal portion and no one else can? Isn't my stomach supposed to be miniscule??? You'd think I was this mega eater and weighed in at 500 lbs prior, but totally not. I was 220 before my pre-op diet, 210 at surgery (sleeve), and 200 a week later. and... drumroll... that's where I remain, 5 weeks later. I'm trying to be very careful with what I eat and I purposely give myself smaller portions, but even if I'm eating lean meats (chicken, tuna) and vegetables, I'm not getting full after 5 bites like every one else. I can't understand it. I should not be able to hold more than a 1/2 cup of food, right? It's a mystery to me (a REALLY frustrating one!).

I'm looking at these pics (whoa!!! yum, and kudos to all of you who prep all that food!) and I'm looking at the point y'all get full (like, 3 bites in????) and I'm wondering what's wrong with me that I can literally inhale these portions no prob only one month out! What is wrong with me?!?! And as a point of reference, I am not 100 lb overweight; while I am def very overweight- I need to lose 60-70 lbs. What I'm saying is I'm not one of these super massively obese people who can eat a house. But I can totally eat regular portions

I think I discovered part of my problem, based on what I read from other postes and what others go through at my stage.
food DOESN'T BOTHER ME.
How can this be??? I guess everyone is different? I don't get pain, I don't feel sick, I don't get nauseous, so I can just eat. It might sound like a dream, but really, it's not. Because if I can eat, I can, well-- eat. and eat whatever I want. And obviously I don't want THAT! It means my control has to come COMPLETELY from my mind, because my body won't stop me.
Interestingly, it does protest when I drink a lot, and I do wish it was the reverse. I want to drink! I wish my body protested from food, not liquid. I have a friend who told me before my surgery, "You'll see, you won't even be able to LOOK at the things you liked before. You'll have no inclination to eat them, or graze on things." I was looking forward to that, but it's not the case with me. If I allowed myself to, I could graze on anything all day.
These responses were very helpful in giving me a framework, which I am beginning TODAY. (in case you're wondering, my team doesn't really work with this. The nutritionist didn't sit with me and map out a meal plan or anything. Basically she said, you're body will tell you what you can and can't eat. So seeing what others have been eating through the day is helping me form my own meal plan, and hopefully the numbers will start coming down. Because FYI... I haven't been losing weight! I lost 20 lbs between my pre op and the week after, and I've been the same since then, one month out. Not sure how that can be, but the scale don't lie.
So thanks for the responses, hopefully this will help me jumpstart.

I think I discovered part of my problem, based on what I read from other postes and what others go through at my stage.
food DOESN'T BOTHER ME.
How can this be??? I guess everyone is different? I don't get pain, I don't feel sick, I don't get nauseous, so I can just eat. It might sound like a dream, but really, it's not. Because if I can eat, I can, well-- eat. and eat whatever I want. And obviously I don't want THAT! It means my control has to come COMPLETELY from my mind, because my body won't stop me.
Interestingly, it does protest when I drink a lot, and I do wish it was the reverse. I want to drink! I wish my body protested from food, not liquid. I have a friend who told me before my surgery, "You'll see, you won't even be able to LOOK at the things you liked before. You'll have no inclination to eat them, or graze on things." I was looking forward to that, but it's not the case with me. If I allowed myself to, I could graze on anything all day.
These responses were very helpful in giving me a framework, which I am beginning TODAY. (in case you're wondering, my team doesn't really work with this. The nutritionist didn't sit with me and map out a meal plan or anything. Basically she said, you're body will tell you what you can and can't eat. So seeing what others have been eating through the day is helping me form my own meal plan, and hopefully the numbers will start coming down. Because FYI... I haven't been losing weight! I lost 20 lbs between my pre op and the week after, and I've been the same since then, one month out. Not sure how that can be, but the scale don't lie.
So thanks for the responses, hopefully this will help me jumpstart.

I think I discovered part of my problem, based on what I read from other postes and what others go through at my stage.
food DOESN'T BOTHER ME.
How can this be??? I guess everyone is different? I don't get pain, I don't feel sick, I don't get nauseous, so I can just eat. It might sound like a dream, but really, it's not. Because if I can eat, I can, well-- eat. and eat whatever I want. And obviously I don't want THAT! It means my control has to come COMPLETELY from my mind, because my body won't stop me.
Interestingly, it does protest when I drink a lot, and I do wish it was the reverse. I want to drink! I wish my body protested from food, not liquid. I have a friend who told me before my surgery, "You'll see, you won't even be able to LOOK at the things you liked before. You'll have no inclination to eat them, or graze on things." I was looking forward to that, but it's not the case with me. If I allowed myself to, I could graze on anything all day.
These responses were very helpful in giving me a framework, which I am beginning TODAY. (in case you're wondering, my team doesn't really work with this. The nutritionist didn't sit with me and map out a meal plan or anything. Basically she said, you're body will tell you what you can and can't eat. So seeing what others have been eating through the day is helping me form my own meal plan, and hopefully the numbers will start coming down. Because FYI... I haven't been losing weight! I lost 20 lbs between my pre op and the week after, and I've been the same since then, one month out. Not sure how that can be, but the scale don't lie.
So thanks for the responses, hopefully this will help me jumpstart.

I think I discovered part of my problem, based on what I read from other postes and what others go through at my stage.
food DOESN'T BOTHER ME.
How can this be??? I guess everyone is different? I don't get pain, I don't feel sick, I don't get nauseous, so I can just eat. It might sound like a dream, but really, it's not. Because if I can eat, I can, well-- eat. and eat whatever I want. And obviously I don't want THAT! It means my control has to come COMPLETELY from my mind, because my body won't stop me.
Interestingly, it does protest when I drink a lot, and I do wish it was the reverse. I want to drink! I wish my body protested from food, not liquid. I have a friend who told me before my surgery, "You'll see, you won't even be able to LOOK at the things you liked before. You'll have no inclination to eat them, or graze on things." I was looking forward to that, but it's not the case with me. If I allowed myself to, I could graze on anything all day.
These responses were very helpful in giving me a framework, which I am beginning TODAY. (in case you're wondering, my team doesn't really work with this. The nutritionist didn't sit with me and map out a meal plan or anything. Basically she said, you're body will tell you what you can and can't eat. So seeing what others have been eating through the day is helping me form my own meal plan, and hopefully the numbers will start coming down. Because FYI... I haven't been losing weight! I lost 20 lbs between my pre op and the week after, and I've been the same since then, one month out. Not sure how that can be, but the scale don't lie.
So thanks for the responses, hopefully this will help me jumpstart.

When I began my pre-op diet, I was working so hard, and my husband said, "if you're working so hard on this diet, why do you need the surgery? Just keep doing what you're doing!" then post op, when you're eating NOTHING and basically starving yourself, again, my husband was like, you're working so hard, maybe you could have jsut done this without the surgery!
I don't think any of us really realize what WLS is until after we do it. Society definitely doesn't. I also saw this as almost an easy way out and a bad role model for my kids. Now that they see how hard you actually have to work on the various phases of diet etc., they ask the same thing-- you're working harder than you ever have on any diet, so why did you need the surgery if you're working this hard? You could have just done this.
But the answer is we couldn't have. We are being forced to fellow this diet plan now, and it wasn't working out before, for any number of reasons. Your husband is going to see you working harder than you ever have in your entire life. literally. The thing is that if it's not really internalized, then yes, after 2 months you can be snacking on Cookies and chocolate and junk and go back to bad habits. Sure you can. Anyone can. We all have to work really hard at internalizing what's going on here and making the life changes that for some reason we weren't doing before. It ain't magic, and it won't happen itself. It's HARD WORK.

Whoa that's a lot of liquid! I'm happy if I get 24 oz all day

Whoa that's a lot of liquid! I'm happy if I get 24 oz all day

What's interesting is that it seems like SO MANY PEOPLE have this exact feeling... it kind of shows me how little this part is spoken about and how unprepared so many of us were for the very first week or few days following surgery. I certainly was caught unaware and didn't think I could make it though those first 5 days. I don't feel like my team prepared me for this at all. They just spoke about "discomfort." Sure. Discomfort! You are voicing what most of us experienced, but you also seem taken aback... and yes, I assume I am not the only person who felt nothing but pain and regret for the first 5 days. Sounds like that's where you are too.
Then something magically turns and the one week mark is nothing like the 4-day mark, and by 10 or 12 days you're feeling like a different person. The hardest thing is HANGING IN THERE. We don't get a choice at that point, there's nothing else you can do but hang in there, but emotionally keep telling it to yourself. Please post back here by day 7 or 10 and tell us how you feel! then again at 2 weeks... you'll see, world of a difference. Let us know.

What's interesting is that it seems like SO MANY PEOPLE have this exact feeling... it kind of shows me how little this part is spoken about and how unprepared so many of us were for the very first week or few days following surgery. I certainly was caught unaware and didn't think I could make it though those first 5 days. I don't feel like my team prepared me for this at all. They just spoke about "discomfort." Sure. Discomfort! You are voicing what most of us experienced, but you also seem taken aback... and yes, I assume I am not the only person who felt nothing but pain and regret for the first 5 days. Sounds like that's where you are too.
Then something magically turns and the one week mark is nothing like the 4-day mark, and by 10 or 12 days you're feeling like a different person. The hardest thing is HANGING IN THERE. We don't get a choice at that point, there's nothing else you can do but hang in there, but emotionally keep telling it to yourself. Please post back here by day 7 or 10 and tell us how you feel! then again at 2 weeks... you'll see, world of a difference. Let us know.

When I began my pre-op diet, I was working so hard, and my husband said, "if you're working so hard on this diet, why do you need the surgery? Just keep doing what you're doing!" then post op, when you're eating NOTHING and basically starving yourself, again, my husband was like, you're working so hard, maybe you could have jsut done this without the surgery!
I don't think any of us really realize what WLS is until after we do it. Society definitely doesn't. I also saw this as almost an easy way out and a bad role model for my kids. Now that they see how hard you actually have to work on the various phases of diet etc., they ask the same thing-- you're working harder than you ever have on any diet, so why did you need the surgery if you're working this hard? You could have just done this.
But the answer is we couldn't have. We are being forced to fellow this diet plan now, and it wasn't working out before, for any number of reasons. Your husband is going to see you working harder than you ever have in your entire life. literally. The thing is that if it's not really internalized, then yes, after 2 months you can be snacking on Cookies and chocolate and junk and go back to bad habits. Sure you can. Anyone can. We all have to work really hard at internalizing what's going on here and making the life changes that for some reason we weren't doing before. It ain't magic, and it won't happen itself. It's HARD WORK.

what about seeing a bariatric nutritionist on a regular basis? To help keep you on track? Too many people revert back to their old habits, and that is just so heartbreaking, after all that hard work!!!!!! Video games as a distraction... sorry, that's just not healthy life habits. No way, that's just not an answer. We're not children, we're adults who need adult habits. Productive. Constructive. A bariatric nutritionist or a life coach or a therapist... that's worthwhile. I'm not trying to be harsh, but video games sounds like the road to self sabotage again.

Okay, first of all there are hormones that were released during your surgery, so you're probably a little emotional right now.
Second, did you think you were going to eat double cheeseburgers for the rest of your life? That part of your life is over. That's why you made the decision to get healthy and have the surgery in the first place.
Third, the nausea should be over by now. If it isn't call your doctor and check to see why you're still nauseous. Maybe they can give you some anti-nausea medicine. Is it only when you eat? Is it all the time?
Finally, talk to the therapist at your surgeon's office or through your health insurance. The mental part of obesity and hunger is the hardest part to tackle. Let somebody help you through it.

Hi there,
I had my sleeve done last Mon (2/7) and spent Mon-Fri wondering why in the world I did what I did. I sounded similar to you. Friday was suddenly a real turning point for me. The pain diminished, and I felt so much better, and that helped me so much emotionally. Tues, We, Thurs, I literally could not see any light at the end of the tunnel and said I made the worst mistake. Please know this: I am now in a totally different place, and that happened over a 24 hour period. I woke up this morning, and while I do have one spot of pain at one incision site, the Tylenol really helps and aside from that I felt totally different. I also read too many horror stories about vomiting, dumping, horrible gas pains, and I had none of that. I retched and heaved a couple of times in the hospital, but not after that. You and I don't get to read the hundreds of people who have NO story, just the ones who reach out for help with horror stories.
I'll be honest- those first 72 hours I wasn't ready to hear "hold on, you'll get through this" bec I couldn't see myself even getting though the hour! But now that I'm almost a week out, I feel like I'm in a different world! And it's an amazing feeling!
Best of luck to you!!!!! Hang in there and stop reading so much...

Hi, I'm new here...
I'm wondering about the stages of diet. If I feel up to it, can I take a few bites of very mushy or pureed food if I'm still in the full liquid phase? I'm not talking about anything major, but foods from the next phase. eggs, cottage cheese, sugar free pudding... I basically just began phase 2 but it feels the same as stage 1 to me. (I'm not a full week out yet, but my dr said to begin phase 2 on 5 days out, which was yesterday... today was a big turning point for me in terms of strength and pain, and I'm TOTALLY sick of the liquids! I'd love to take in a little bit of something real.)