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I travel occasionally ...probably once every 2 months. I did travel about 3 weeks after I was sleeved and was surprised by how well I was still able to stick to the plan. I usually get a room with a mini fridge so I can stock it with my "necessities" ...ie, greek yogurt, low-fat cheese sticks, and Protein shakes. That way I know that I have an option if all else fails. I also find that I am able to find something to eat at almost every work function or restaurant.

That's a great suggestion Tiffy. For today, my meals will be Fage yogurt to try to up my good bacteria. I'm sure that being on antibiotics pre-op didn't help keep good flora growing. I think I just need to wait it out but I've decided to eat the yogurt instead of going back to clear fluids again. I'm starting to get a little hungry today. I wonder if that's because I had 1/4 cup yogurt this morning.

You just would want to cool to under 130 before you add the protein otherwise the texture will not be good, But try it, I have been using the instant sf ff instant pudding and stirring or blending it into yogurt and it is awesome. The other night I put about half cup of low fat cottage cheese, vanilla yogurt, and maybe third of the pack of pistachio pudding mix, added a splash of skim milk, scoop of unflavored protein powder. blended it and it tasted like a decadent desert. I am pre op so I may hate this after surgery, but for right now it is helping me get my body ready for surgery. and just trying different things

Thanks for your response! What is greek style yogurt?

Cup of strawberry oikos triple0 Greek yogurt, 1/2 bottle of vanilla Atkins shake a few ice cubes. Blend I'd in a bullet or blender. It is yummy and tastes like a milkshake. Change up the yogurt flavors - tried banana yogurt today - that was good too! Sent from my VS987 using the BariatricPal App

Do you like greek yogurt? It is very high in protein- 12 grams for 1/2 cup. Add SF preserves to it along with splenda or stevia- sooo good!

So glad to see this post!..I had my band five days ago and I guess I'm a slow healer.my stomach is still very bloated and I had lost 8 pounds post op and now have gained a few pounds??i have been in severe pain since the surgery in my stomach back and side.last night I was hurting so bad I wanted to go to the ER but I took a pain pill because my family Dr gives them to me and I paced on my street and layed on a heating pad until it went away.i had a previous stomach surgery last year that was pretty severe and my DR said I had some scar tissue I have been drinking my 2 protein shakes and water and very little yogurt and jello and couldn't understand how I gained weight?..everyone on here is so nice and helpful how long does it take til you can start working out ?

find some soups that you like now, and save for phase 2. i was Clear liquids only for 3 days then went to full liquids which includes strained soups, cream soups, yogurt, pudding. since every program is different, it may be hard to make recommendations. i wish somebody had told me to get some phase 2 soups so i wouldn't have had to venture out to the store 4 days post op with a drain and feeling tired to get stuff. however NOW, 13 days post i feel awesome and looking for reasons to go out! if you are clear liquids only for 2 whole weeks, i would recommend you MAKE some chicken stock, beef stock and veg stock that you like. i couldn't find any chicken broths i cared for so i made my own right before surgery so i would have it.

I am 13 months post revision band to bypass and lately nothing seems to taste right. Meat in particular tastes weird. I don’t have an issue eating it, it doesn’t get stuck or make me sick but it tastes and often smells weird. For example the lamb mince we ate tonight tasted very gamey. I used to love pork and would often order it when we went out but the last couple of times that hasn’t tasted right either! At this rate I am going to end up vegetarian which could be a problem as there are a heap of veggies I hate ( the bitter ones) , don’t really like eggs ( I can do the yolks so long as they are runny) and only eat small quantities of cheese. On top of that if I try to turn my hubby veggie he will rebel! I can’t live on yogurt nuts and seeds! Has anyone else been through this and how did you deal with it?

Healthy snack ideas for your hungry stomach. For many of us, snack time is when we lose control of our diets, either by overeating, or by indulging in high-fat, high-calorie foods. This often happens because we allow ourselves to get too hungry and then are unable to stop ourselves from overeating, says Dee Sandquist, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and manager of the Nutrition and Diabetes Center at Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver, Washington. To avoid getting too hungry, Sandquist says she recommends always carrying a healthy, portable snack with you when you know you'll be out on the run without easy access to healthy food choices. Try getting at least two food groups in each of those Snacks so that you're getting a combination of carbohydrates and fat/protein, which will help keep you satiated longer, she adds. Here, some super snack food ideas: Plain Yogurt with Blueberries - Pair plain yogurt with blueberries for a sweet treat that has a similar texture to ice cream. Yogurt is a great source of Calcium and Protein, and blueberries are packed with valuable antioxidants that help fight off heart disease. If fresh blueberries aren't in season, try frozen instead they work great in cool, creamy yogurt. Or if you get bored with blueberries, substitute any other frozen fruit like cranberries or cherries. Recommended Serving Size: Plain, low-fat yogurt, 1/2 cup, 56 calories Blueberries, 2/3 cup, 30 calories banana with Almond Butter - This combination will keep you satiated for a longer time than either on their own because of the combination of Fiber in the banana and protein and fat in the almond butter. Bananas are also an excellent source of potassium, which helps prevent muscle cramps and is essential for normal brain function. Of course, Peanut Butter would be a great substitute for almond butter. Recommended Serving Size: Medium banana, 95 calories Almond butter, 1 tablespoon, 101 calories Hummus with Pita Bread - Made from chickpeas, hummus provides protein, fiber, and carbohydrates. Spread hummus on pita bread for some added carbohydrates. Also try putting some veggies on your bread to make a great sandwich. Recommended Serving Size: Hummus, 2 tablespoons, 83 calories Pita bread, 1 round, 195 calories Apple with Brie cheese - Stick to a small amount of cheese with this snack because of brie's high saturated fat content. However, brie does offer a good protein source. Apples have a low glycemic index, which means they keep hunger at bay longer than other fruits. Recommended Serving Size: Apple, 47 calories Brie cheese, 2 ounces, 160 calories Salsa w/ Baked Tortilla chips - Ingredients in salsa vary greatly, but most tomato-based vegetable salsas are an excellent source of antioxidants, Vitamin C, and lycopene, which helps prevent heart disease and some cancers. Avoid high-calorie fried chips by purchasing the baked varieties instead, and be sure to look for varieties that list zero trans fats on their nutrition labels. Recommended Serving Size: Salsa, 2 ounces, 20 calories Baked tortilla chips, 1 ounce, 120 Light Microwave Popcorn - Although this is a single-food snack, Sandquist says she recommends it because of its high fiber and B vitamin content. Plus, who can resist the smell of popcorn? Recommended Serving Size: 1 cup, 30 calories

I was wondering if anyone knows if there is a big difference in taste between plain yogurt and sour cream.I really enjoyed adding a dry herb package to the sour cream and using it to dip veggies Would plain yogurt be a good subtitute?

I think I may be the exception here. I can't eat meat yet, at all. I can eat fish and shrimp. Shrimp actually go down really well. My typical day is: Morning: Decaf coffee with 1 cup low fat soy milk, and either yogurt or egg beaters with goat cheese Mid Morning snack: Babybel light cheese Lunch: Greek Yogurt (mix regular and fat free) Afternoon snack: Small Protein drink Dinner: Shrimp and avacado I met with my nutrionist last week and she told me to cut out the applesauce and juice I was eating/drinking because it had to many carbs and that can cause a stall (which I am in..I think I may be starting to come out of it.) But she told me otherwise, to just keep what I was doing. Also that she didn't anticipate that I would be able to eat meat this early anyway. I have to say I was looking at my husbands steak last night, longing for a bite, but still had no interest in actually taking a bite because I knew it would just get stuck and hurt. Oh and ice cream...yeah that's awful. I almost threw up when I had some last week. It was one indulgence that I gave myself in the 4 weeks post op. I won't do that again. I felt the worst I have since surgery because of it.

Listening to your body. Many of us got where we needed surgery by pushing past that fll feeling. If you are concerned about hitting your protein, switch things up. Add a bit greek yogurt to your Protein shake. *Flavor your Water with a Protein Drink like Isopure NoCarb or Syntrax Nectars. Plan for 3 meals and 2 Snacks instead of 3 big meals. It will allow you to get in more protein without pushing your limits. *Isopure Nocarb drinks are 40gms of protein for 20 ounces. I divide the bottle into 3 parts. I use my 24 ounce water bottle. I try to drink 24 ounces 3 times a day. I add the Isopure and carry my bottles everywhere and sip whenever I am not eating. It makes meeting protein & Fluid goals easy.

I start my pre-op (liver shrinking) diet on monday. 1/2 cup cream of wheat for breakfast, a 1/2 cup yogurt for lunch, and 1/2 cup of creamy Soup for dinner. I also get to have 8 oz of Protein shake and milk over the course of the day. My husband just got banded on Monday and did this 2 weeks of pre-op dieting as well. He lost 10 pounds or so. That is what our surgeon expects. I wish you luck with your liver shrinkage.

It depends what is on your plan right now. You can mix Protein powder with greek yogurt, sf pudding, Soup (not too hot), mashed potatoes (if allowed), etc. I'm on mushy foods and added it to roasted butternut squash (puree). I'm allowed veggies and fruit on my plan - but it's not as low carb as some want to be.

Sweet Spot - when the band is at optimal adjustment, which signals satiety on small amounts of food, and you do not get hungry for at least 4-5 hours. Green Zone - same as sweet spot Sliders - foods that slide through the band without sending the satiety signal. Things like milkshakes, ice cream, candy, frozen yogurt, etc. For some, popcorn is also a slider. The slider food list goes on, but keep in mind that the band does its job best with dense Protein foods.

After I got my second fill, I was trying to figure out if I had restriction. I could still eat a pretty full meal. For example, one pork chop, some corn, and half a slice of cornbread. I could still eat at a normal pace. I could eat a sandwich.:w00t: So, I called my doc bc I felt like I needed a third fill. My first fill was 4ccs, my second was 1.5. I went in and shared all my info with my doc and he said it sounded like I hadnt got restriction yet, and he gave me 1cc more. Now my friend, I have restriction! Here is the difference (for me): If I pop a few animal crackers, one popcorn chicken, half a steak fry...it gets stuck. Not only does it get stuck, but it doesnt go down. I either PB or throw it up.:wink: I have to eat small bites vs regular bites. If I dont, it gets stuck. When I do eat slow, I can still eat a whole chicken breast with some black Beans, but I am full and dont really crave food for a good amount of time. For example, I ate that for dinner last night around 6 and didnt even think about snacking after. I still can drink Water like normal. I dont have to sip. Things like yogurt dont "feel me up" or keep me full for very longer (slider food). I wouldnt want to be tighter bc I dont think solid food would go down. Does that help at all?

I'm a little over a year out from my surgery and find I'm usually tight in the morning so this is my "Breakfast smoothie": 3 oz of pineapple juice 3 oz of milk 1 vanilla low-fat yogurt (I use Activia) 1/2 frozen banana 2-3 frozen strawberries (8 blueberries or so if I have them on hand) 1 scoop whey isolate Protein powder - vanilla I just mix it in my blender and it's great. It is about 280 calories and 28 grams of protein. That is pretty much my fruit and dairy for the day. For lunch and dinner I concentrate on getting in the remainder of my protein and try to get a little veggie in. HTH!

My first bite syndrome is that the first thing I eat when I wake up will get stuck easily. I can get around it by drinking a hot cup of tea or coffee first and having something like a bite of yogurt or something soft first, waiting a while, and then eating. You ususally dont get this until you get to tight restriction.

Does anyone else experience the feeling of fullness yet your stomach is still growling? I'm still having a really hard time trying to figure out when I'm really full. Last night after drinking 1/2 cup of Tomato Soup on Hand I felt really full - like I had over ate and it was hard to breathe. Tonight, I had just a small yogurt and felt the same way but my stomach was growling like crazy. It's now 3 hours later and I still feel really full but my stomach is still growling. Am I really hungry? Should I eat or ignore the growling?

Do you work or at home during the day I have sf yogurt & low fat 1/4 c granola most days - oatmeal - and who says you have to eat breakfast food for breakfast - I have had 1/2 ham sandwich on lite bread with cheese or 1/2 Peanutbutter sandwich (but I can eat bread just very slowly) - Moringstar sausage - I have had raisin bran & skim milk 1/2 c or cheerios. I just dont eat muffins - donuts anymore :thumbup:

I'm feeling great today :wink2: I'm 8 days post op and I woke up this morning suddenly feeling a little jump in my step. I must be pretty well healed up now. Today is my post op appt with my doctor in Dubai. I'm looking forward to asking him some questions including why I have such achiness around the front and back of my ribcage area. I have learned that I have to eat something right when I wake up so I don't feel so sluggish and icky in the morning. I was never like that before but it's necessary now. I just have some yogurt first thing. I found yoplait has a "baby" yogurt so I found that is nice a light and makes me feel better in the morning. Later I will go to "breakfast" with friends. I'll just have some soup. Thank goodness I have always been a soup freak! It makes this pureed diet thing not such a hard thing to handle :wink: I have a friend that has done the same surgery (6 years ago) and she has been wonderful. Thank God for her and her advice! Take care everyone and have a nice day :cool2:

I am using a yogurt dressing on the salad. Bolthouse. Only 2 tablespoons. Will quit the chili. Have to think of something else for lunch though. Thank you. But, I am curious about people losing weight after surgery. Don't they eat only around 800 cal a day and drop a ton of weight? Sent from my SM-J700T using the BariatricPal App

Have you tried Genepro? It's unflavored and doesn't change the texture of the food. I literally have been putting it in everything but my water. Herbal tea, pudding, soup, yogurt, etc. I have really big issues with food textures and it's been great. I agree that I can't handle the taste of any of the other protein drinks. They make me want to gag. Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Tuesday meal plan Breakfast: deli ham and turkey rollups with romaine, tomato, light miracle whip and Hormel bacon bits Lunch: romaine lettuce, guacamole 100 cal cup, salsa, moose taco meat Dinner: chobani greek yogurt, planters cocktail peanuts 1 oz snack: Syntrax Nectar chocolate truffle protein shake with fairlife milk, collagen peptides