Erin18

So unrelated but I love your make up!!

Hey everyone,
How are you doing one year post op?!
What are your current stats. Do you have before and now photos? How much did you lose? How is your eating, Fluid intake and Protein intake going?

I'm doing great.
I lost 109 pounds. I'll attach my photo of when I decided to start this journey.
My eating isn't the best. Neither is my fluid and protein intake. It's still a learning process and hopefully I'll eventually get there. I still want to lose another 30 to 50 pounds and then maintain.

Hey everyone,
How are you doing one year post op?!
What are your current stats. Do you have before and now photos? How much did you lose? How is your eating, Fluid intake and Protein intake going?

I'm doing great.
I lost 109 pounds. I'll attach my photo of when I decided to start this journey.
My eating isn't the best. Neither is my fluid and protein intake. It's still a learning process and hopefully I'll eventually get there. I still want to lose another 30 to 50 pounds and then maintain.

I've heard good things about Spring Valley collagen and Biotin, but results can vary from person to person. I totally get your Quest for the perfect collagen supplement. So, two weeks might be a bit early to see major changes, so don't lose hope just yet! Sometimes these things take a bit of time to work their magic. Patience is key.And you know what's really cool? Making sure your supplements are fresh and at their best. You can use the Batch Code checker at https://batchdecoder.com to double-check the quality of your products. It's a handy tool to have in your beauty arsenal.

I really like Creamer in my oatmeal, so I feel like vanilla protein powder would work! I'd mix half a scoop of powder with 1/4 cup of cold Water, then stir it into the oatmeal once it has been cooked. You don't want to heat protein powder very much or it'll denature the protein and it'll clump and be gross. But stirred in after the oatmeal cooks should be fine...

Hey all,
Yes I have a thyroid problem and the doctors already know. I've been on thyroid medication since 2016. The team did blood work and said it was a little high but not enough to change my dosage. She saw my hair and she recommended taking a collagen supplement. I like the taste of the Spring Valley collagen + Biotin sugar free liquid supplement (sorry I didn't mention it was a liquid or that it was together). I'm also 7 months post op. The hair shedding has slowed down a lot at this point.
I really do feel a difference in my hair. It feels softer. I've always had fine hair. It's just since I had surgery, it looks super thin on the top of my head on the left side of my part and only really can be seen if I put my hair up in a bun or pony. Makes me feel a little self conscious. But I do know it'll go back to normal eventually or at least I hope lol.
I want to start using the vital Proteins collagen powder. And get a new Protein Powder. Have one of each per day. I definitely lack Protein and I know that's a huge factor. For the past few months it's been difficult deciding on what to eat with protein that isn't eggs. I have found a pancake mix with 15g of protein in it and it's actually the best protein pancake mix I've found, but I don't want pancakes every day. I get sick of things quick now since I've had the surgery.

I see you consume most of your calories from processed and ultra processed foods. They tend to flow straight through us and don’t help with feeling full. I am also very tempted when my spouse brings junk food into our home, and sometimes I give in but I always try to eat only non processed foods. chicken nuggets ultra processed, ramen ultra processed, Cookies ultra processed, soda ultra processed and empty calories. It was really hard to start but it’s been over a year now and has become second nature now. Best of luck, don’t feel guilty about slipping once in awhile we all do every once and awhile, we just don’t do it every day.

I think if you could get back to tracking asap that might be helpful. Also - could you revert to your immediate post-op diet plan and always go for Protein first, veg second, carbs last (or not at all)? That seems to help some people reset. I am sorry that you have so much guilt about what you eat. Get all of the carbs out of your house (especially sugar)? It's really hard to stick to weight loss plans with or without surgery to give us a hand. Please be kind to yourself. You're doing the best you can xxx
Your side bar is saying lap band 2009 and I'm thinking you've clearly had something else in the last year so if you could update your stats that would be really helpful to target advice/support better 🤩

I’m also feeling like crap, I’m 1 week post op and I just pushed the limits. Like I made minestrone Soup I’m on phase 2 and I couldn’t stop myself from eating some of the veggies. Then this evening I ate a couple French fries and a nibble of the hamburger meat on my husbands burger. I don’t understand what is wrong with me. Like why can’t I just follow the rules. I’m so scared I’ve ruined everything and I’m going to fail. 😭

It doesn't sound like it. I know that the amount sounds like a lot compared to the can-only-eat-three-spoons-of-pureed-food-and-even-less-when-solid crowd but the amounts is not what strikes me odd.
If the foods you're listing are fairly typical for a day of eating you simply might be lagging nutrients. No fruits at all, only a little bit of vegetables.
I'm not surprised. The sodium content of the foods you listed seems to be fairly high. Quick weight loss or weight gain usually almost includes some Water retention. My weight can swing up to almost 1 kg within one day because of how much water I hold.
You say you want to start tracking. Are you a person who likes to track food, a person who abhors it (raises both hands simultaneously here) or a person who is not a fan but in the end doesn't mind it? Tracking foods/calories/macros can help people - however, it could be that you can benefit from a different food selection without even having to write everything down you eat.
How far out of surgery are you? Are the stats you're listing in your profile still correct?

Sometimes life throws crap at us from outside events or internal issues & our good intentions & good behaviours are forgotten. Doesn’t mean they’re gone forever. Sounds like you know exactly where you’re misstepping & know what you need to be doing to get back on track. That in itself is a major win.
May be start slowly & adopt one or two of those changes or new behaviours for a week or two then add another one or two. Small wins, even meeting your Fluid goal, are still wins.
Also have you considered speaking with a therapist? They could help you work through why things started to slide & suggest strategies to help you get back on track. We can’t always do these things alone or without more professional help.
All the best.

The biggest thing that has helped me with being better (not perfect!) about foods was getting all of the temptations out of my house. I went through every cupboard. When crackers or chips were gone, I did not buy more. I've also started ordering my groceries for curbside pickup. I hadn't realized what a huge help this was until this morning when I had to run in for a few things last minute. It was all I could do to walk past the bakery without buying a loaf of fresh sourdough or to keep myself from throwing a bag of Christmas candy into the cart. Shopping online from a carefully curated list is so much less dangerous! At least for me, removing the opportunity to easily access Snacks makes a big difference.

Hey we are all human and no one on here would or should be negative. You are only asking for help after all.
Go food shopping, buy the good stuff, don't buy the rubbish.
Use a food log, it keeps us accountable.
I expect that I will be in the same boat next week with all the Christmas excesses and then I will have to really wind my neck in and get back into the swing of things. I allow myself a treat every day as I am at target - ish. My treats are 150 - 250 calories. I track at about 1500 calories a day. I rarely make my Protein goals. My team are ok with what I manage though

It sounds like you have the framework of a successful plan! You can absolutely do it, I’m cheering for you ❤️

Hey all.

So, probably for the past week now I've been feeling down on myself. I saw my weight go up a little and then came back down a little. I know that's normal
It's making me think I gained 50 pounds when it's only like 2 to 3 pounds. I'm scared of gaining weight back, but im still making bad choices and it's making me hate myself for it.
I'm not hitting my Water and Protein goals and I haven't since surgery.. it's hard for me for some reason.. I don't like water enhancers. They're either too sweet or just gross.
My bad choices are (please don't be rude or negative, we are supposed to help each other, not make each other worse)
I snack on chips, crackers, chex mix type of stuff, popcorn, some chocolate (not always, not every day and yeah most of the time it doesn't make me sick). I can drink soda with no problems and I HATE MYSELF FOR EVEN ALLOWING MYSELF TO DRINK IT. I can, most of the time, drink regular iced tea.
Almost everyday I don't eat Breakfast. And even if I do I find myself snacking later. Why? Is it because of the lack of protein and water? When I eat my meals, I can eat more than 4 ounces. Usually I don't eat everything on my platw/bowl, rare times I'm able to. I think some of the times I feel like im forcing myself to eat it. I drink with my dinner meal and my night time snack. Sometimes my lunch/breakfast.

I know what I got to do before it gets out of hand more than it already is. I'm failing myself and before I know it, I'll be a bypass failure if I keep it up like this.
I need to weigh my food out.
I need to stop drinking soda.
I need to stop drinking at my meals.
I need to chew better.
Stay away from the foods that got me this way in the first place.
I need to focus of the protein and water goals.
I feel like the foods I need, I don't reach for and I just grab whatever is easy.
Any body meal prep? Why is it so hard to figure out what you want to prep? I feel like it would help.
God I feel bad about myself.

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to take a moment to share my experience and vent a bit about the difficulties I've been facing after my gastric bypass surgery. It's been tough, and I could really use some support and understanding right now.

Firstly, one of the biggest challenges I've encountered is the loss of taste. It's incredibly disheartening to try different food and drink options, only to find that nothing tastes good anymore. I've experimented with various yogurts, Protein powders, shakes, and even crystal light flavors, but unfortunately, the enjoyment I used to get from eating has vanished. Even something as simple as finishing a bottle of Water has become a struggle for me.

To add to this frustrating situation, I've been dealing with a persistent metallic taste in my mouth. This unpleasant sensation affects how everything tastes, making it even more difficult to find pleasure in eating or drinking. Despite my efforts to maintain good oral hygiene by brushing my teeth four times a day, the taste persists, and it's incredibly discouraging.

On top of these physical challenges, my energy levels have plummeted, leaving me feeling depleted and drained. It's hard to stay positive and motivated when you're constantly battling fatigue. Unfortunately, this has taken a toll on my mental health as well, and I find myself struggling with depression. It's a heavy emotional burden to carry, and I often find myself crying myself to sleep at night.

I apologize if this post sounds like a downer, but I really needed to vent and share my experience with people who might understand. If any of you have gone through a similar situation, I would greatly appreciate any advice or encouragement you can offer. And to those who are willing, please keep me in your prayers. The support means the world to me during this challenging time.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post and for being there for me when I needed to let it all out. Together, we can get through the tough times and find strength in each other.

I know how that is! But you will get there!!

Oh I meant to say - @Arabesque is, as usual, spot on about stalls. They come and they go and they are SUPER ANNOYING. People swear by all sorts of tricks to break them like switching exercise regimes or eating more or fewer calories/protein, etc. but I don't really think they make any difference.
Also - I am really nosy too so hope some other folks share their typical daily diet!

What surgery have you had OP?
I had a sleeve 23 months ago. Ballpark daily menu below for you. I was eating about two-thirds of this quantity at 8 months I think.
Breakfast - I don't eat it but I do I have a large latte with whole milk. I like supper instead.
Mid morning - 3oz greek yoghurt (or porridge made with whole milk) and fruit (3oz frozen berries or sometimes half a banana with honey); alternatively two eggs fried or scrambled or one with a couple of rashers of bacon.
lunch - chicken salad with about 2-3oz chicken and usually 2oz full fat coleslaw, with lettuce, Tomato, cucumber etc. and a sprinkling of seeds All fits on a side plate (piled up, LOL). Or Soup (I love soup with loads of veggies and lentils for protein) - can do a good cup of that. Or a small amount of sushi - about 3 large pieces or 5/6 small. Rice really fills me up and is good on hungry days because it takes my stomach forever to process it (probably doing untold internal damage, LOL).
dinner - my main meal - meat or fish 3oz approx - I can eat more of some meats than others; veg about 3oz; if I have space left then a tiny amount of carbs but usually not. Fish pie I love, with a tiny mashed potato layer. Stews are good - usually beef and veg in those (no potato). Fried chicken (I prefer thighs to breast). Wings with hot sauce - I can eat about 4 top or bottom wings. Curry - especially veggie curry with lentils and chickpeas (no rice). Steak (or pork steak) fried. I don't make Pasta dishes any more really but I'll happily make a really meaty ragu with beef/pork mince and bacon lardons/pancetta and plenty of veg and just eat that on its own! Sausages (one large or two small) with onions and mushrooms. Fajita filling - chicken with onions mushrooms peppers sour cream guacamole cheese etc just no fajita. Sometimes a pie - chicken and ham - with just a top crust none on the bottom. pizza or other takeaway food very occasionally - I can eat two slices of a large pizza nowadays.
Supper - porridge and fruit; cheese and wholemeal crackers or oatcakes; a slice of wholemeal toast and something - e.g. half a banana, or sometimes pate or cream cheese or nut butter.
Snacks - 2-3 a day - 1oz cheese; 1-2oz deli meat; 1oz raw nuts; olives; most days I have a small bag of crisps (chips to you lot).
I drink wine at weekends - 1-2 glasses per night. Basically a bottle per weekend. I drink *far too much* diet soda all the time. I have almost no sugar in my diet now but sadly on the rare occasions I do eat any I still really love it and crave more - don't think that will ever leave me.
Hope that helps - it's actually made me hungry just writing it 😂

8 weeks post op and all I eat is 1 scrambled egg with vegan cheese, 2% Lactaid chocolate milk, or some homemade chicken broth made by my mother. When I get really desperate, I'll have a sugar-free popsicle. I am suffering.

I’ve been in maintenance for a couple of years now, so like @catwoman7 can’t really answer your first question. Mind you I don’t eat all that differently. Just larger portions (& probably a little more good & bad fat 😉). Don’t be afraid to widen your meal selection & food selection. It may need you to do a little work to make a recipe healthier, lower in calories & to complement your plan (ingredients, cooking method). Don’t forget to check the nutrient content too. And it’s working towards how you’ll eat in the future.
As to the stall issue - you can’t break those. It’s your body’s reaction to your weight loss. It’s the time your body needs to takes to assesses your current needs & adjusts things like your digestive hormones, metabolism, etc. Your body will take as long as it needs to do this. Stick to your plan. Don’t stress your body more by making changes to what you’re eating or your activity. Your stall will break when your body is ready. Still is frustrating I know.

I'm several years out so I probably shouldn't answer the first question since I've been in maintenance for a long time..
but for the first, I just made sure I was sticking to my program, weighed, measured, and logged everything I ate, and backed off on weighing myself - from daily to about once a week until the stall broke.

Write what YOU eat in a day.
I'm nosy and would like to know. Also, maybe it'll give me some food ideas. I'm almost 8 months out. Getting bored of some foods.
If you've had stalls, what do YOU do to break those stalls?

I actually found a protein pancake mix by aunt Jemima (can't remember what it's called now) but it tastes the closet to regular pancakes.
I bought a new container of protein powder by premiere protein which has 30g of protein in it. I was thinking about putting some of that in oatmeal or cream of wheat instead of unflavored. It vanilla. Who knows, might actually taste good. How muchbof it do I put in it tho?

I've been forcing myself to eat Peanut Butter sometimes, and yogurt still turns my stomach.
I feel like im wasting food. I'll buy something, have it once and then not touch it again. Ugh

Nothing stopping you from eating ‘non Breakfast foods’ for breakfast if you’re tired of eggs. For example 3ozs of most meats contain more than 20g of Protein - you could have some chicken for breakfast, salmon, etc. Find a high protein yoghurt (mine has 20g - it’s an Australian brand). A serve of rolled oats, milk & seeds can give you 15g. Make a smoothie. Try some other egg recipes not just poached, fried or scrambled: egg muffins, omelettes, frittatas, etc. Add some unflavoured protein powder to your pancake mix, porridge, smoothie, coffee, etc. for an extra boost.
Here are a couple of high protein breakfast ideas. You may have to adjust them based on what you are allowed to eat. Ask your dietician for some high protein meal ideas too.
https://www.health.com/25-high-protein-breakfast-ideas-to-keep-you-full-7566320