Search the Community

I am sure that there are other protein powders besides Unjury that would be as good. I was able to buy it from the diet doctor's office, which is right next door to the surgeon's office. So, that was a no brainer. Does your surgeon know where you can get some? I am going to check out the Isopure the next time I need to buy protein. If you read the labels, you probably want to check how many calories you are getting with your protein. For example, the label might say 20g of protein, but does that mean two scoops of protein and up to 300 calories? Hope not! My Unjury strawberry sorbet is 20g protein and 100 calories. Muscle Milk chocolate is 16g protein and 150 calories. Unjury chicken is 21g protein and 90 calories. But, when I was at the gym today, I was checking out some of their supplements and some of them had 300 calories per serving! Those are for bodybuilders or someone else but me! Another day, I bought some protein supplement at Sam's club, and when I got it home, I realized that it had (if I recall) something like 150 calories and only 9g protein. It can really be dizzying to sort through the protein, just whatever you decide, maybe don't buy too much. You are so fortunate to have a caring husband who wants to make everything ready for you. Mine is like that too. It breaks my heart when I hear about unsupportive loved ones.

Don't forget, we have fat distributed all through our bodies. And most especially important, within our torso, around our vital organs! This is the most dangerous fat! So if you're losing weight, you're possibly losing it "internally" in a way that isn't being reflected on the scale, but is an important contributor to your improving your health! Also, it is possible (hopefully not!) that you're losing muscle in a larger percentage than preferred. Muscle is more dense than fat and therefore causes more weight loss, with less of an effect on inches. Basically, if you lose a certain volume of muscle, it may not be reflected in lost inches as much as if you lost the same volume in fat, but the scale will go down. After all, a pound is a pound, whether it is fat or muscle. But they look very different on the body! The best way to combat muscle loss is to make sure you've got sufficient Protein in your diet (which helps build muscle and guard aroud loss) and to regularly participate in rigorous exercise that not only builds your cardiovascular system, but also builds muscle (weight lifting, etc.). "Stay the course".......you're doing great!

:smile2:HI I AM A MOM OF 3 SMALL KIDS..AND I AM HAVING MY BAND ON THE 30TH OF SEPT. I AM STRESSING A BIT CUZ I KNOW THAT THE FIRST FEW WEEKS AFTER SURGERY CAN BE CHALLENGING...SPECIALLY TRYING TO PASS DOWN THOSE NASTY PROTEIN DRINKS!! I WILL HAVE SOME HELP FROM MY HUSBAND AND MOM BUT I WILL NEED TO TAKE CARE OF MY 5 YEAR OLD GIRL AND 3 YEAR OLD TWIN BOYS...THEY ARE A BIG JOB.DURING THE DAY I BEARLY HAVE TIME TO SIT, IT SEEMS I AM ALWAYS IN THE KITCHEN GETTING THEM SOMETHING. ANYONE OUT THERE HAVE SO ADVICE FOR ME ON HOW TO KEEP MY COOL AND SURVIVE THE LIQUID DIET? tHANKS

I'm also scheduled for surgery on the 12th. I started my pre op diet yesterday and I've had a headache ever since. Its a high protein low calorie diet. I had to buy all this gross food from the NUT and I get to have 2oz of turkey, chicken, fish etc. with lunch and 2oz for supper so it's nice to have something to chew and not having all liquids. I have my pre-op appt later this afternoon. Should be a breeze. I meet with my surgeon again next tuesday and have my endoscopy on the 9th and surgery on the 12th. I'm nervous cuz I'm a single mom and I always worry about the what ifs. I know everything will be fine and I'm really looking forward to the new me and being a healthier mom for my son.

I started to meal replace with the protein drinks before surgery just to get used to the idea. It helped!

I take about 14 vitamins every morning. I have them and about 15 minutes later I make my protein shake and I do fine. Maybe spread them out during the day. Ask your doctor/dietitian their thoughts on it, also.

Two weeks. It wasn't that bad- the first week it was a challenge to even drink much less eat anything. The second week I just got sick of the protein shakes, but it wasn't hard to not eat. The most important thing is that you need to follow YOUR doctors instructions because everyone is different, and there are different factors that go into the doctors decision as far as when you can move to the next food phase. Your doctor is the one who knows what is best for you, and you need to trust him/her.

I agree that the Syntrax sample pack is a good option. I'm not sure if there are 'brick & mortar' stores where you can buy it, but I know you can order from BJ's Bariatrics: http://www.bjsbariatrics.com/ They have online ordering available (I'm lucky that their storefront is in my town, so I was able to go in there and browse when I was still doing Protein supplements). I liked the roadside lemonade mixed with a little lemonade crystal light and Water. I also liked the cappucino flavor mixed with decaf (but it was pretty sweet).

The short answer to your question is you can run a Protein deficit for six weeks or so without major heath consequences. They body adapts but usually with lots of hair falling out ;-(. But that's not where you want to be. So keep trying shake mixes, or get some genpro and mix it in with yogurt and your puree. Tasteless and it dissolves well.

I know how important it is to stay on pre op diet for liver and other obvious reasons. Mine is sugar free water ice, jello, Popsicles, vegetable broth and 3-4 high protein drinks. I have a pack of leek soup I'm dying to have. It's the power kind (knorr). I'm four days on pre op diet. Help!!!

So, since I started the pre-op program (3 months in my case), I have been trying to really limit myself on what I am eating, taking the nutritionist's advice on what to eat. Has anyone tried really limiting your caloric intake similar to what you would be limited to following surgery? I understand that you would really struggle with an all liquid diet or a diet of only 400 or so calories without the help of the surgery, but I am looking to see if anyone tried, successfully to approach it in this manner? I think it would be a great way to ease into the new diet following and not be such a shock to your system or daily routine disruption. I have been trying to stick with this philosophy and fortunately never had an eating disorder like binging or depressed eating. I am simply a case of being able to eat too much without feeling full, and eating all the wrong foods..... Initially in the beginning of this "experiment" the first week or two was tough becasue I had to fight all the cravings for sweets and carb heavy foods but now, 4 weeks or so from starting, it is MUCH easier. My cravings are gone, for the most part. The other day, I did have a craving for a PB and marshmallow fluff sandwich (sounds strange but tastes soooo good) so i made one....only to take a small bit and had it off to my wife who can afford to eat it! let me tell you how hard it was to have it in my hand and not eat it! But, I took a small bit of it and it completely satisified the craving and I no longer wanted it. At this point, I eat 1 Protein bar for Breakfast, a handfull of raw almonds for a mid morning snack, a cup of chili for lunch, another handful of almonds for an afternoon snack, and then a zero fat, high protein yogurt for dinner. I fill the rest of the time with about 80-100 oz of Water and that's it.... Anyway, let me know your experience with the calorie limited, high protein, low carb attempt prior to surgery if you have been able to follow through with it and if it helped following surgery.

This pre-op diet is horrible...what i dont understand is why some ppl are on strict liquids and some are high protein (me) , i guess it could be worse :/

End of day 1! I did great...and the protein drink was actually good! 9 more days to go!

Just found out today that my BCBS doesn't even cover lap band. Won't cover newer options. I was to have surgery on Sept.19. So, i feel your pain. They will cover gastric bypass. I have federal BCBS by the way. What are we paying insurance for.... Mary:think

So here I am, day 2 of my 10 day pre-op diet, (my surgery is Oct 2), I've been doing okay for the most part, but right now I'm having a moment of feeling like this just sucks! It doesn't help that my husband just made dinner for himself & our son, he made crescent dogs (hot dogs wrapped in a crescent roll with cheese), it's something we don't have very often, and haven't had in a long time, it's not even something I ever crave, I think they taste good, but not normally a favorite. But, man ,does it smell like heaven right now! I would almost kill to eat something, ANYTHING right now. I'm supposed to be on a 10 day, high protein, liquid only diet. I'm already getting sick of the shakes, and broth. I have jell-o in the fridge right now, setting up, so I can at least "eat" that. I've had a SF popsicle too, but that's just not cutting it at the moment. I've seen so many variations of the pre-op diet on here, it's so confusing. What is REALLY the purpose of this?? I know I'll get through this and I'm really trying to keep my eye on the prize, but right now it's so tough, and I have 8 more days of this?!!? I just want to scream and/or cry. Thanks for "listening" to my vent

I have the same surgery date! We only do a 10 day liquid diet (we are limited to 1 protein shake a day for the first 5 days and clear liquids after that), but I am on day 6. I think it has everything to do with how much water you were retaining before you began and how much water you are drinking to flush out the bloating. If you weren't retaining much, you don't lose as much. If you don't drink lots of water, you aren't getting rid of it. I was super bloated and hormonal when I began, so I had an initial drop. However, I got dehydrated, so the scale stopped moving. I pushed a ton of water yesterday and lost 6 pounds overnight. I can already tell that water will be my big challenge after surgery!

I am at a stand still also. Actually I have been content with my weight loss so far. I feel better and am buying smaller clothes. I am even smaller than when I got married so I am so happy about getting my band, it was the best thing I ever did. Well now I am not feeling so fine about standing still and need to get my brain back on board. I have not excercised once, I keep saying I need to and I do but I have lost neerly 50 pounds without taking a walk! Anywhoo I know I will jumpstart again if I break a sweat and cut out my sweets. Maybe if this thread keeps going and we post often, get to know each other a bit and share what we eat it will help us all? So far this morning I have had a cup of coffee and I will plan on a shake for breakfast. My egg shake has 50g protein and 220 cal.

Happy Labor Day from BariatricPal!#subject#> body,div,dl,dt,dd,ul,ol,li,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6,pre,form,fieldset,input,textarea,p,blockquote,th,td { margin:0; padding:0; } table { border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0; } fieldset,img { border:0; } address,caption,cite,code,dfn,th,var { font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; } caption,th { text-align:left; } h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { font-size:100%; font-weight:normal; } q:before,q:after { content:''; } abbr,acronym { border:0; } address{ display: inline; } html, body { background-color: #d8dde8; color: #5a5a5a; } body { font: normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif; position: relative; } h3, strong { font-weight: bold; } em { font-style: italic; } img, .input_check, .input_radio { vertical-align: middle; } legend { display: none; } table { width: 100%; } td { padding: 3px; } a { color: #225985; text-decoration: none; } a:hover { color: #328586; } div.outer { margin: 0 auto; padding: 14px; } table.wrap { max-width: 800px; margin: 0 auto; } td.logo { background-color: #0f3854; padding: 8px; } td.content { background-color: #fff; font-size: 14px !important; color: black !important; line-height: 150% !important; padding: 8px; } ul { margin-left: 25px; } Hey BariatricPal Members, Happy Labor Day! It’s the last official chance to throw a summer party, go to a parade, and if you’re lucky, see a few fireworks. It’s a good chance to make sure you give summer a healthy send-off and you greet autumn with healthy intentions…and that’s what we hope this newsletter does. Here’s what you’ll find. Packing Your Labor Day Picnic Basket Getting Back into the Groove Enjoying the New You – A Reminder Have a great time going through the newsletter, and also have a great and healthy holiday. Happy Labor Day from BariatricPal! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Packing Your Labor Day Picnic Basket Going on a picnic this Labor Day? It’s a nice idea if you’re going to watch a parade, take the family to the park, or watch fireworks later on. Here’s how you can get in a good meal without going off your WLS diet. Picnic Favs You Can Eat Picnics tend to have a lot of food you can’t eat, at least, not if you’re serious about losing weight. Fried chicken, tuna salad subs, and potato chips just aren’t on the diet. But there’s no reason you can’t make your own picnic favs! Have grilled chicken or baked “fried” chicken coated with high-fiber cereal instead of breadcrumbs, or make tuna lettuce wraps instead of tuna salad sandwiches. Instead of potato chips? Try baked kale chips. You can round out your basket with proteins and veggies like hard-boiled eggs, fat-free refried bean dip, salad, and cut raw carrots, cucumbers, and celery sticks. Prepared Salads…The Healthy Way It’s not a picnic unless it has pasta salad. Just skip the pasta! Take your favorite pasta salad recipe and make a few small changes. Use cooked zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash instead of pasta. Substitute fat-free Italian dressing for full-fat dressing, or use Dijon or spicy brown mustard as your main flavor. Add plenty of veggies, such as cherry tomatoes, green onions, and broccoli florets. Add some sliced olives for a little healthy fat and a lot of flavor. Add low-fat feta or diced lean pastrami for some flavorful protein. You can always healthify other traditional prepared salads, too. Use cooked cauliflower instead of potatoes in potato salad. Toss shredded cabbage with low-fat Asian dressing instead of mayo for coleslaw. Use Greek yogurt or fat-free mayo instead of full-fat mayo when making tuna or other salads. The “Extras” Can Fit into Your WLS Diet The “extras” at a picnic can be high-sugar, high-calorie, and devastating to your weight loss efforts. Drinks like soft drinks and sweet tea, and desserts like brownies and chocolate chip cookies, can set you back by days, not to mention make you feel sick. Be sure to pack plenty of cold water to drink. Also, bring some appetizing fresh fruit to eat instead of sugary, fatty desserts. Apples and oranges are about as easy as it gets, but you could also make a red, white, and blue fruit salad with strawberries, white peaches, and blueberries. Getting Back into the Groove Summer is a little more relaxed than the rest of the year. Even if you’re not a student or teacher who gets an extended summer break, the season is a little slower moving. It’s easy to lose focus. Your diet may get a little less strict, or you might have trouble getting out the door for a workout in the summer heat, or you may be a little less aggressive about being on the phone with the insurance company or finding the right surgeon for your WLS. After Labor Day, that all changes. Now that kids are back in school and people are back from vacation and going back to their regular schedules, it’s time to take a look at your own schedule. Did you hit your summer goals? Are you following your WLS diet to a “T?” If you haven’t had surgery yet, are you doing everything you can to get it scheduled and paid for? Think Back and Ahead Think back over the past couple of months. Were there some times when you knew you weren’t making the best choice for your health, like when you went out for ice cream and got your own scoop instead of bringing an apple to munch on? Did you skip a few workouts? Did you get out of the habit of measuring your food? Did you stop making phone calls to the insurance company because you just couldn’t face being on the phone anymore? Plan Your Schedule With everything starting up all at once, things can get pretty hectic. That gives you the opportunity to create a new schedule for yourself. You can be sure to include the things that are important to your new healthy lifestyle, such as time for cooking at least once a week, and going to the gym a few times a week. Sometimes it seems hard, but success is largely a question of building a habit. The sooner you get started, the sooner your healthy behaviors will be habit. You won’t have to think about making the “right” decisions, and it’ll be easier for the weight to come off! Enjoying the New You – A Reminder The WLS journey is hard, no question. You form new eating habits, give up some favorite foods, develop new relationships with food and sometimes with people. You may spend a lot more time thinking about your health and acting on those thoughts. With all that hard work, we thought we should take a second to remind you to enjoy the rewards! There are probably some victories you can’t help but notice and celebrate, like hitting milestones on the scale. But don’t bury yourself so deep in the daily choices that you forget to enjoy the journey. Notice how much better you feel when you’re sitting in the car, or how much easier it is to push the shopping cart around the grocery store. Notice how much easier it is to spend time with your kids, friends, and other people. You can even appreciate your changes in mentality, from “I can’t,” “I’m not worth it,” and “Maybe I shouldn’t be eating this pizza,” to “I can,” “I deserve it just as much as everyone else,” and “I’m so proud of myself for enjoying these carrot sticks!” Thanks for reading the newsletter and making BariatricPal part of your Labor Day weekend. Have a healthy, happy, and safe holiday, and thanks for your support!

So I ended up taking powder but actually didn't need it! Eggs, and lots of tuna tartare, some regular tuna and it was all good! I met my protein goals every day and I was amazed!!!

Last week I traveled with ready to mix protein shakes with no issue. I would recommend breaking down a box of protein bars tho... I was stopped and searched as they show up as a sort of "brick".... Security doesn't like that . I have also asked the taxi to stop at cvs , Walgreens etc on the way to the hotel to get pre mixed shakes and stock up. It has not been a problem. Bon voyage [emoji93]

Try going back to Protein Shakes to take the edge off of the snack thing. Since the Protein hunger, it should help you by making your overall intake a bit healthier.

This is Day 5 post-op for me, haven't had any nausea I really but I was taking anti-nausea pills. Stopped yesterday AM and this morning took collace, pain, gasx. And a few others I need. Didn't agree with me and had a quick dry heave. Do you find spacing pills throughout the day and after you've had some protein is best? Maybe first thing in AM is a bad idea ...

Does anyone know another company that covers protein shakes besides ensure shakes? Need to know ASAP !!! Thanks in advance

Hi AHM2013! I had surgery in Concord CA with Dr. Cirangle. I would say overall my experience has been good, although I've struggled with a few issues (all self-created). I'm a very impatient person, so making myself go slow - whether it's in my eating or my expectations of progress - is very challenging. The progression from liquids to soft foods has been difficult because I am impatient to get to 'regular' food. I've also had a few instances of the 'foamies' because I'm still learning how to gauge when I'm full or eating too fast. That part has been the hardest, because when it happens it literally takes hours to resolve (at least for me). I've also had to adjust to the fact that although I need to incorporate soft foods into my daily intake, I HAVE to maintain my Protein intake. I had about three days where I missed my protein goals by a LOT, and my energy just plummeted. Thankfully it was over the weekend and I could rest, but I've learned that for me, it is crucial to get my protein in. I also struggled with feeling really depressed the first week post-op. It decreased the second week, and has gotten better in the third week although I still have moments of regret. But they are fleeting and I know I'll feel differently as I progress. I just remind myself that it's normal, many sleevers feel this, and it passes for all but a very few people. Besides - it's not like I can reverse it! Believe it or not, that fact alone helps me get past it. No sense dwelling on what you can't change. As of today I am 23 lbs down from my starting weight (2 lbs pre-op and 21 post-op). I feel that 20+ loss a lot, in my joints, in my comfort level in moving around, and a little bit in my clothes - but it hasn't really become noticeable to the people around me. This is a double-edged sword for me, because I absolutely hate being the center of attention, but I do want some validation that I've lost 23 lbs! I haven't had a loss like that in years, and it took me months to achieve it, so I kind of wish it was noticeable. But again - I have to have patience, it will come. Although I like the idea of being able to wear smaller (and cuter) clothes, I really did make the decision to do this for my health. I'm lucky in that I didn't have any major pre-op health issues, but it was just a matter of time before I did. Nobody dodges that bullet. Minor issues were snoring, joint pain, lower back pain, lack of energy, and my inability to do stuff I wanted to do - either because I physically couldn't do it or because I didn't want to be the fat girl doing it! This forum has helped me a lot with getting past the negatives & focusing on the positives. This surgery isn't easy, and anyone who says it is is either lying or has had a drastically different experience than most people (always possible, and I have read some posts on here from people who breezed through, but I think they're in the minority). But it's not about the 'easy', it's about the 'worth it'. And I definitely think it is. I also think that the negative things I've experienced up to this point will fade (kinda like childbirth!) and I will be glad I took steps to become healthy. Probably more than you wanted to know, but I hope it helps! Best, zen

My dietician suggested taking any pills that might cause nausea right before you go to bed. For other pills, space them throughout the day and take them with food/protein shake. Good luck!