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First meal of day: 1/2 an everything bagel, cream cheese, capers and red onion: 166 calories. Ate it all. P.S. this is the first food i’ve logged since going on mini-vacay for a couple days…I actually kind of missed it! Bonus: came back the exact same weight as when i left (118.8)…but as is usually the case, i didn’t poop while away so i suspect i’ll go down a bit. 🤭

I am sure you will find there are plenty of people who do not have any religious beliefs that think nobody should have weight loss surgery, they think people should have the fortitude and willpower to do it 'the hard way' - Just eat less, just exercise, just say no, just trust the science of calories in calories out.......etc etc This is why what I do with my body is my business, no one elses. This is why I don't tell people about my personal / medical business.

Immediately post surgery you will probably want the one that gives you more bang for your buck in terms of protein for a while but that doesn’t have to be powder. There are numerous brands of premade shakes you can try. I only say this if you have a hard time getting your protein down. Some people don’t have any issues (I was one of them) and can drink anything fairly easily. Honestly what will really most likely dictate this is which you can stand the taste of as post surgery for many of us our taste for sweet changes a bit and some of the shakes are just disgusting. That being said if you choose to stay on shakes long term uou will probably want to go with the lowest calorie one you like.

Ok all which would you recommend protien powder vs Slim Fast? I like the Slim Fast because it seems to fill me up more then the powder but I like the powder cause there is less calories and more protien. Which is better for after surgery? Sent from my SM-S908U1 using BariatricPal mobile app

Your lucky. My only real change wasn’t a good one. While not literally a taste change, I crave sweets more.i used to like salty more than sweet. Luckily it can be satisfied with sugar free stuff but even still it’s empty calories. That was my only real change though. Ooh that and I like fish more than i used to. It is weird.

If you're on instagram, follow themacrobarista - he comes up with great low calorie/carb starbucks (and home coffee) concoctions. He always has the macros listed for those following macros. I've gotten several great order ideas from him!

Now that we got those un-inspiring rest stop fast food options behind us, bring on the Degustation!! One of many things I ordered last night that Mr had to eat the rest of after I took my obligatory tasting bites: Plogue à Champlain Foie Gras: a small pancake, topped with melted cheese, roasted fingerling potatoes, fried egg, think cut Canadian bacon, crowned with a slab of seared foie gras, smothered with a maple syrup reduction. Omg im drooling just writing out the description. 🤤 I have no idea what the calories are…but definitely not for the calorie watchers, nor those prone to heart disease. P.S. i/we also ordered a bunch of other stuff from our night of venue hopping, but the picture quality of these progressively decreased as our alcohol consumption increased.

Yes ive written my share of posts about shiratake noodles! Preparation tip i learned from one of the members here a while back: *Rinse them under running cold water for 2-3 mins, drain then DRY FRY them in a really hot pan until there is no more water pooling in the pan. Don’t worry they are really hard to burn, lol. That should get rid of the smell, and now can use them in whatever way u want ta-da! I eat these quite regularly, but note they basically have ZERO nutritional value (but also next to no calories), and i find them super filling, so a little goes a looooong way.

The skinny vanilla latte taste ALMOST the same as a full sugar latte to me (it is slightly less sweet than the real thing). A few times I have been “tricked” into a full sugar one when someone else orders for me and I couldnt tell at first. I only found out when I started to feel like crap. I don’t dump….. but I do feel sick to my stomach if I have too much sugar. i have since obviously learned to check the label, a few times Starbucks has screwed up and legit put the wrong one…. But I have it often enough to where I now know the difference. 🤷🏼‍♀️ the egg white bites are my favorites to order. I don’t really like the other ones there. Kale and mushroom was okay…. But the bacon one was bleh. That might have to do with my aversion to pork since surgery though (I don’t know why, but Pork is a nono for me. I’ve tried pork loin several times and I get about two bites in before it wants to come back up and bacon is hardly any better). That said…..i fully admit: I tried the new coconut lime bar and it was amazing. Definitely not something to eat by yourself (I shared it with my kids and mom, we each had one bite) . The calorie count and nutritional facts are terrible for such a tiny thing though 😬 My diet might be looser than yours though….I am in the “maintenance” phase of my journey. I am fifteen months post op and now down to 158 pounds.

I seem to be in a cycle of losing and gaining the same 3 lbs. I keep going in between 250 and 248. I am also about 4 months post op. Is a 4 month stall normal? I thought I broke 250 but it goes in between those 3 numbers probably for 3 weeks now I think or more idk... I'm going to be honest I'm not meeting my protein goals or hydration goals. Trying very hard with water but protein I am.not getting enough. I am still in a major calorie deficit and started vigorous exercise recently. I'm frustrated but all I can do is stay off the scale, stay in my deficit and keep working to reach my protein and water goal. Uhh but it is the most frustrating thing ever. I want to get to 200 so badly. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

Has anyone tried *Konjac noodles*? I just came across these Japanese noodles that are extremely low in carbs and calories. Can fit perfectly in our lifestyle when we crave noodles. Not sure if anyone has posted any pics here or had a discussion around it.

Yes exactly feeling weak. I get so exhausted quickly. I can walk around to the store and I’m tired and I’m sweating as if I walked so much. I believe that I’m definitely not getting enough calories. It’s just so hard for me to still get on a pattern still. Struggling

Well said Tek! I have found that I can combine protein with a sugary treat and then don’t dump, but then there is the trade off of calories or not feeling deprived. Well, if I’m full of hamburger, I can eat that cookie, but I’m already “full” the extra will just be uncomfortable! It sounds like the original poster walked to the ice cream shop. Exercise can sometimes buff off the original sugar high of a dump and prevent one from starting. Or you are just in the majority of non-dumpers.

the people who gain it back are those who let bad eating habits slip back into their lives. most people do experience a 10-20 lb rebound gain after hitting their lowest weight. It's not inevitable, but it does seem to happen to most of us. As far as gaining it all back, though, yes, it happens to some - but not most. If you monitor yourself, though, and keep up with the good habits, then you're not going to gain it all back. serious health changes? That would be super rare. You're much more likely to experience serious health issues by staying obese. Most people see vast improvements in their health after surgery. Fatigue is common the first couple of months after surgery - surgery is a major stress on your body (any surgery - not just this one), and you're taking in very few calories to boot. After that, though, you'll probably have more energy than you do now. hormonal changes are temporary. That should all stabilize sometime within the first year. Permanent hair loss would be extremely rare. no weight loss at all would only happen if you don't follow the program.

Do you take anything for your PCOS? The reason many health care professionals say women with PCOS lose weight slower is because the condition is associated with insulin resistance. Metformin helps, as does Spironolactone for the PCOS-associated skin issues. Lower carbs and more protein helps with the insulin swings. If you’re eating the right amount of calories then it won’t affect your weight loss rate, but your hunger can increase from the low blood sugar that happens after eating in patients with insulin resistance. I’m presuming you’re on medicine for Hashimoto’s… Your Dr. is right that there’s nothing to worry about though. Cheers! Source: I work in healthcare and have PCOS as well.

I had surgery 8 weeks ago. Weight loss will vary depending on how much you weighed to start with. I’ve lost 31-33 lbs since surgery day and 39 lbs including pre-op, however I was a lot smaller to start with so % wise I’m right where I need to be. Your body will keep losing until you hit your BMR plus activity calories to maintain your weight. We just have to remember we have the rest of our lives and to enjoy this awesome ride! Congrats on your weight loss so far. I know there’s more to come! 🥳 Queso

Same! It's OK, even though I'm not where I thought I'd be, I'm happy to be losing consistently and not gaining it! I'm sorry you're experiencing so much nausea, I usually don't get nauseated unless I'm really about to vomit. Have you spoken with your doctor about trying Zofran to help with the nausea? My eating is OK. I struggle a lot, it seems many things make me vomit or can't be tolerated. I make sure to chew very, very well and to make sure not to overeat ever. Usually eat a 4-6 oz meal over an hour or 90 minutes to make sure I don't overdo it. If using portion cups, I have between 1/2c and 3/4c of food, depending on what I'm eating. When it's 000 Vanilla yogurt + blueberries I do the 1/2c yogurt and 1/4c blueberries, but normal meals with protein/veg are just 1/2c (4oz). I can finally get all of my protein and most of the water in everyday. I'm not quite to 64oz, but most days I'm really close. It's difficult to drink that much fluid throughout the day because I'm on the phone all day at work, so the time I have to down water is limited to before taking calls, on breaks, and after work (7pm at night). I walk, I swim, or I jump on the elliptical for a few minutes if it's raining and I can't walk. I've tried working out with resistance bands, but just a few sets into a workout, I feel like I'm going to pass out. I'm having about 750 calories a day most days, sometimes less if I ate something that made me vomit that day because for the rest of the day I can only have liquid because my stomach is unforgiving. I actually did pass out a couple weeks ago, apparently. We took our daughter to Legoland and I thought I had been drinking enough and forgot to eat (breakfast at 9am, but should've had protein or snack by 12pm and didn't). I don't remember what happened, but I woke up in the medical facility being cared for, they said I passed out and needed to be hydrated ASAP. They gave me 2 gatorade popsicles and made me drink my protein shake (premier protein carton my husband gave to them) and eventually I was feeling better and caught up with the family to continue our vacation. Truth is, I have hashimotos and because of the restrictions in eating, I feel 1000xs better. Free from the fatigue and the brain fog, I can finally reach my toes again, and I'm all around feeling better than I did at 421lbs (or the 381 I was at on the day of surgery). I really hope that you find it easier to be consistent. Sometimes setting hard boundaries are needed when you have a set day/time/times that you decide to walk/exercise. My daughter is 12 and a good helper, she reminds me every morning about our walks together OR getting on the elliptical and we go swimming every Saturday, sometimes Thursday or Sunday too, depending on how I feel. I don't stress the exercise as much right now because I'm consistent enough that when I take a day to rest, I'm not upsetting anything. My doctor asked me to start working up to eating 1000 calories a day by my 3 month post op, but I don't think that's going to happen. At 750 I feel full all day long and can hardly eat more and I don't eat fats in my food unless I have olives or avocado because I can't process it very well. But alas, we are all different. I've seen many stating how they feel great and can eat pretty much anything with no issues and I'm happy that they can. I'm hoping to grow up and be like them someday, LOL. Unfortunately, that's not my story for now.

There are slim-pickin’s for healhier-choice fast food, huh? Am currently on a road trip and after 2 circles of the food options at the rest stop, i ended up ordering this: Subway’s sweet onion chicken as a Salad. They say 230 calories, but the lady doused my salad with what looked like 1/2 a cup of dressing, so probably double that. Ate less than 1/4 of it cuz that sweet onion dressing is waaaaay too sweet, and i just tried to eat the greens at the bottom that were dressing-free. Tried to wipe off the sauce from the chicken but gave up afterwards 2 pieces. I’ll get some beef jerky at the next stop.

One week, 20 pounds!!! I know we're not supposed to weigh ourselves much, but, Hurray! I really notice the difference in not having to haul that around. Question - how's everybody's energy doing? I'm really struggling with low energy. Okay, I'm 74, just had major surgery (including a bonus hernia repair), and yesterday was the first day I was able to get in 800 calories, so I guess the answer to my own question is simply, "Patience." ---sigh--- (Not my strong suit)

I used to drink a lot of (sweetened) green tea. While preparing for surgery approval I transitioned away from that by using Zero water filter (I hate any chemical taste in tap water) and Bubly water drops. (zero calories or carbs). After a while I enjoyed the plain water and used the bubly as a treat. Now I can’t drink the tea anymore (it’s too sweet). When we go out I usually default to water with lemon. Occasionally I have some soda - but find it’s too sweet so it needs a TON of ice and I usually don’t have more than a sip or two.

May be it’s the type of carbs? From purée stage I was allowed carbs: rolled oats & vegetables (not potatoes), then fruit later on. So instead of saying ditch the carbs I should have said reduce the carbs & look for more nutritious complex carbs like in multi & whole grains (low processed), seeds & vegetables. If you’re able to eat bread & pasta on your plan look for the low carb, high protein & multi grain versions. And of course leave them to last when eating: protein first then vegetables & then carbs if you can. But maybe it’s a case of discovering what works for you and it may be reduced carbs or only complex high fibre carbs. Ketosis didn’t last for my whole weight loss phase, just in the beginning. (Thank goodness - those bad body odour, bad breath, keto flu, etc. side effects are awful.) You don’t have to be in ketosis to lose weight. That’s just one way. Continuing to be calorie deficient will enable you to lose weight. I haven’t eaten pasta, rice or bread since before my surgery three years ago. I go out often including to Italian & Japanese restaurants & haven't felt like I’m missing out yet by not eating rice or pasta. Plenty of other options on the menu. As for bread - I have 7 specialty bakeries & patisseries within a 2 km strolling radius of my home. Don’t feel I’m missing out with them either. It’s just how you look at it. But that’s me. You have to discover what works for you.

by light yogurt I'm guessing she means something like Dannon's Light & Fit (which you can get anywhere), Kroger's Carbmaster (at Kroger and Kroger affiliates), or the 100-calorie "protein Greek yogurt" that Aldi sells in a 4-pack. But there are others. There are others out there as well - but those three come to mind.

If im not mistaken, this is the first time i’ve eaten rice that wasn’t part of a maki roll in over 3.5 years 😳 Unfortunately, it did not go well. This is a small bowl of 1/2 cup of white rice and 1/2 cup of beef stew. It was effing delicious and i ate it all, but…it all came back up about 5 mins later. I suspect it had more to do with the bowl contents being too liquid-y altogether (i have issues eating solids and liquids together) than the fact it was rice. I dunno. In any case, not going to to eat that again… 204 calories for the bowl (but not in my stomach. Sigh)

I'm going to be working on staying away from soda as much as possible. I'm going to try to get the zero sugar gatorades and diet lemon iced tea. This will hopefully make that part easier and if I got used to it now, it'll make it easier for the long run. No way, after I get the surgery, I don't want to risk it lol. I know it'll be hard since I think it's the bubbles I like. For sweets, I wanna try and make healthier sweets like I did last year. (If you want to try it, it's 1/2 c plain non fat greek yogurt, 2 tbsp sugar free fat free pudding mix, 1 tbsp zero calorie sweetener (or 2 tbsp if you want it a little sweeter). Mix and top on strawberries. 2 tbsp reddi whip and 1tsp sprinkles of you want. It's really good and low in calories. I know when there's parties and events where there are foods I love, it's going to be hard. I mean everything is okay in moderation. Right? I'd be worried if I'm at a party somewhere else instead of home, that I'd get sick. So, what I've seen with a youtuber, her and her husband bring their own portioned out foods. What foods can you not tolerate? What's a lolly bar? I guess what you can do is avoid it or have something small to satisfy yourself. Is the flavored Protein powder fruity?

Avocado ranch sauce, tomatoes, reduced fat sour cream, lettuce, black beans, guacamole. I got the steak option with no cheese or seasoned rice and I didn't do any of their optional add ons. It tasted SOOOOO good!!!!!!!!! Total of 260 calories the way I got it.