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Hi, I had my lap band placed in 2006 and I did great I went from 245 lbs to 134 lbs with eating right and lots of exercise. During that time I went through a divorce and moved back to California from Arizona, I enrolled back into College so that I could earn my degree in nursing. So with that said I stayed very busy met my new husband and started to put weight slowly back on, not much but enough to feel it. I joined the gym in January 2018 and dropped weight, toned up and put on muscle. I started to experience severe GERD to the point of vomiting while sleeping! I had not kept up with my lap band maintenance or adjustments in about 7-8 years. I decided it was time to consider removing the band after 3 trips to the ER within 3 months. I met a wonderful Bariatric doctor who suggested I consider and research a revision from the band to the gastric sleeve, now this was a surprise to me as I am 5'5 142 lbs and a size 2. He explained everything thoroughly, detailed and why medically this would be a great option, he did also give me the option of simply removing the band as he felt the issues I was having was that after 13 years my body was "rejecting the foreign object" thus the lap band plus I also had a large hard bump where the port was located due to my slimmer torso. After researching the pros and cons I decided to go for the revision, which was done 5/20/19, my doctor did the removal of the band and sleeve all in one procedure (3.5 hours) I felt this would be best as I did NOT want to have to go under twice. I had NO issue with my insurance due to the reason and medical documentation to support the revision. So far so good, I will say the one thing my doctor told me (which I have learned)is forget everything you learned and lived with with your Band the sleeve is a whole new ball game! I was only on liquids for 2 days post op, protein shakes started on day 2 as well with jello and broth, 10 days post op I started on eggs, beans, yogurt, cottage cheese, tuna salad and have had no issue. I drink a lot of water up to 1 gallon a day and that I must say has changed as I now have to sip (not chug) throughout the day. Lots of sugar free popsicles, watermelon and sugar free jello have been my best friends when I feel I need to hydrate. I've also started to go back to the gym as of day 11 post op (once I got my doctors ok) NO weights, midline or core workouts only treadmill, stair climber and spin class (modified) for an hour each day and let me tell you this has helped tremendously with the swelling and gas! My advice would be to get another medical opinion and get and stay as active as possible. It's a lifestyle change and a daily battle (for me). Hope this help :)

Back in 2012/2013 when I was contemplating my VSG, I spent hours scouring this website, which I found incredibly helpful. In fact, I don't think I would have gone forward with the surgery without it. As a "pay it forward" I committed to providing annual updates to the community. I missed my year 5 update last November, so here goes a 5.5 year update. Prior updates are linked below, in case you're curious about annual progression. Enjoy and feel free to comment or ask question, if you think I can help. This year was probably my toughest since having surgery in terms of weight management. I took on a new job that was particularly stressful and involved a lot of travel. That led to some bad eating habits. I also used to weigh myself every day and sort of stopped that for a year. Low and behold, my weight increased from ~ 195 to 218, which was my highest by far since having the surgery. My clothes got tighter (and I grew out of some) and I generally felt like ****. My lovely wife basically called me out and said "what's going on?" The truth was I just lost discipline and abandoned the basics. The biggest contributors were SNACKING and carbs. I was constantly eating between meals and choosing more carb options during meals. The sleeve provides little defense against these behaviors. I can eat as much popcorn, potato chips and candy as anyone. And during meals, the sleeve doesn't restrict as much against carbs like bread, rice, potatoes, etc.. The solution for me was just attacking these two bad habits. BTW, cutting out the carbs sort of solves the snacking issue too. By that I mean, no carbs means no chips, candy, etc.. I allow myself as much cheese, beef jerky, quest bars or veggies for snacks as I want. For me, I can eat a piece of cheese and be done. Not the same for chips. With those changes, my weight dropped back down to 198 (my current weight) in about 2 months. While this situation was a bummer, it's still child's play compared to what would have happened pre surgery. I wouldn't have gained 20 pounds, but rather 50 or more. And it wouldn't have been so easy to drop it with behavioral changes. Other general observations 5.5 years out: Positives: I'm a totally "normal" eater. That means I naturally eat portions that a healthy, non-weight issue person would eat. For breakfast I have 1 or 2 eggs and a veggie sausage or some yogurt. For lunch I eat a salad with some protein or a small sandwich. For dinner, protein (small steak, a hamburger, 1 or 2 pieces of chicken) and a veg. Even 5.5 years out, I'm still completely full after those normal portions. In sum, the sleeve still works just fine and hasn't stretched out or anything like that. I can eat anything. No stuck foods, etc.. Of course, some things fill me up faster, but I generally view that as a good thing. The weight is staying within a reasonable band, although not perfect by any means. Today, I weighed in at 198. At my worst pre surgery, I weighed 275 and was headed for 300+ fast. Post surgery, I went all the way down to 175. I'd like to weigh 190, so like most people you talk to in the world, I've got those 10 pounds to lose. Ever since I had surgery, I've been able to participate in all sorts of activities that would have previously been out of the question. I regularly walk, golf and now a lot of hot yoga. My knees and joints were killing me with all the weight and all that's gone now. I sleep better. I'm off all meds! Pre surgery, I had to take meds for cholesterol and heart burn. I was pre diabetic and was considering meds for that. Post surgery those meds became unnecessary. Most surprising is that over the the last 18 months, I've even stopped taking omeprazole for heartburn. I don't get hungry like I used to. I've always liked food and eating, so I do continue to think about food (head hunger), but I rarely physically feel hungry. No growling stomach ever. Negatives: Once in a while (5 or 6 times per year), I eat past my stomach's capacity and vomit it up. This is always frustrating and I kick myself for still letting it happen. Weight loss surgery is NOT a silver bullet. For the first 12 months post surgery it seemed like magic. Weight flew off and it didn't seem like I would ever gain it back no matter what I ate. Not true 5.5 years out. I still need to think about my weight and diet. If I forget or get lazy / complacent, I gain weight. I need to weigh myself every day. I need to lose 10 pounds. Managing weight is still work. I elected kept my surgery a secret, expect for just a handful of people. I'm not sure I'd do that again. I was pretty embarrassed about having to have a surgery to get my weight under control. Since I eat normal now and it's been so long since I lost the majority of my weight, the "how did you do it" conversations don't come up any more. But when I interact with really obese people that are friends, I'd like to be able to talk about my experience and try to inspire them to consider surgery. Secrets in life aren't that fun. Yes, I could always reveal what I did to everyone, but it seems silly at this point. So that's all for this year. Having surgery was the best thing I've ever done for myself. My only regret is having waited until I was 39. I wish I would have done it 10 years earlier! Thanks for reading and your support. Familyman

I added up all of my calories in my pre-op diet, during which I used milk as a mixer for two of the three protein shakes, plus the pudding. It was 900 calories / day and 125 g. protein / day. I promise I was not hungry. I lost 9 pounds in 13 days (doctor expected a 7-lb. loss). I split it up like this: Wake-up time to 11:30-ish a.m. - one to two bottles of water (16-32 oz.) Noon-ish - ½ cup oatmeal, 1 protein shake with milk 12:30-3 p.m. - one to two bottles of water (16-32 oz.) 3 p.m. - ½ cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 protein shake with water 3-7 p.m. - two to three bottles of water (32-48 oz.) 7 p.m. - 1 cup soup, 1 cup veggies, 1 tbsp. fat-free dressing, ½ cup pudding 7-10 p.m. - two to three bottles of water (32-48 oz.) 10 p.m. - ½ cup yogurt, 1 protein shake with milk This worked great for me and my lifestyle. By spreading it out and drinking a gallon+ of water daily, I wasn't hungry or tempted to cheat. I tried to stop drinking water after 10 p.m. as there was a lot of getting up during the night to pee.

Pretty well. It stayed down, so that's good! I started with cream of wheat; it was OK. Then I tried a tuna pouch pureed with a bit of fat-free mayo and some pickle juice. It was yummy but I could only handle about ¾ of a tablespoon. Next up was fat-free, lactose-free yogurt (Siggi's brand); it was the easiest by far. I ate a whole tablespoon. All of the above made me feel full. I had to cut my protein shakes down to 4 oz. from 8 oz. I find that broth (fat-free, low sodium) gives me a fuller feeling than water and is easier for my stomach to handle than water (not sure why). I am struggling to get enough water/clear liquids in a day. My doc says 48-64 oz. but I've managed at best only 32 oz. in one day. Today (Day 4) is going a bit better so I'm hopeful I get in at least 48 oz.

Calling Dr. Bombay! Calling Dr. Bombay!! @GreenTealael Ok, so you little trickster. How DARE you! How DARRRREEEEEEEE you to get me jacked on cocaine matcha lemon bubble pudding (chia seed pudding)!!! One hit. One hit. That's ALL it took! *sob* In less than 24 hours, I've had 3 tbsp of chia seeds and 1 cup of Silk cashew milk along with the matcha, vanilla, and lemon stevia (plus a few walnuts and frozen blueberries and a little Grk yogurt mixed in). Three (mini meals) desserts...THREE!!! HOLY HOTNESS! HOLY Jehoshaphat Jerusalem! Where's my Wailing Wall now? Where's my Moses now? My chia seed package says 8g carb and 8g fiber for essentially a zero carb experience of nervana. Can this possibly be real? Is this gonna be a colon blow 2000 experience? And more importantly...can I have "tapioca" chia pudding tonight (aka vanilla) after having 3tbsp in <24 hours? And which nut milk is best? Almond milk or cashew milk? Which is thicker and less gritty? Which has better nutrients? And is the unsweetened vanilla version of these nut milks CRAP cuz of ingredients? I need so much. help. SO. MUCH!!!!! kthnxbyecomequickly...

Well before surgery It was Food, Food, got to find my food, got to eat quick before someone else finds it and takes it away! I am an "only,child" but I acted like I hadv6 starving little brothers. Could eat an entire Family-sized bag of Lays Barbeque Chips at one sitting, watching TV, and not even feel like I had eaten. Now, if I feel hungry and that seldom happens, I heat,up,a 1/4 cup,of something, maybe I finish it, but usually don't. Very cautious what I eat, had too much emesis time. I still rely,on soups , broths, protein shakes, stir protein powder, beneficent or Miralax into everything I can for enrichment, Precious pouch, my bossy co-pilot,,, now through. my life, does not trust,protein sources, refuses to consider,meat, cottage cheese, Greek Yogurt, although,i,may try that again, been a month since last attempt. And what she doesn't care for just spews forth. And I dont,vomit like I did when I was "intact", now it sounds more like a cat with a large hairball. Some people say, that their full signal is hiccups, not me, for me it's Emesis coming within 15-20 minutes. Often you can find me curled into a semi-fetal ball over a wastebasket or Washburn. The blessing, if there is one? Good stays down such a short time, it is undigested and has no objectionable odor. Oh,i do manage to,ingest my vitamins, minerals and Zofran still,drink,out of my 2 ounce cuppies, a couple times when I tried to free-style with a normal juice glass? Up she comes because even fluid can choke me . And I was not a habitual vomiter prior to surgery, oh,if I bent at the waist, I could reflexively urp up but I thought my cardiac valve between my esophagus and stomach was weak from GERD. v So I am praying my blood vitamin levels are good, haven't been checked since late Feb/early March, had to,have an Iron INFUSION then. Should be about due for a repeat, but,nobody has ordered one, not my,PCP , not my Bariatric clinic, if the last N.P . is any indication, they are not overly worried or caring for me. Now I had always had an excellent relationship but the last time I spoke to one, she accused me of being a malingerer or Munchausen syndrome, I called only because I had been sick for 18 hours, having trouble even keeping fluids down. And my personality is not bulimic or even similar. Not scheduled for a clinic visit until August, having feeling this person just don't care. Meanwhile I am still losing 3-5 pounds a week,rare for 9 months out, but I guess I can accept,it. Do I grieve food? Not a bit, few times I come close, I just say That Was A Past Life, nothing significant now!. But perhaps I am an outlier, an exception to the Average person. I don't read the threads with pictures of "Look What I Just made and Ate", part of me,just can't relate to,it, the rest a little jealous that they can handle all that! My emotions were pretty settled, resigned to That's the Way,its got to be. Even close to happy, until that little bundle of Nurse-flesh unloaded on me, oh I do remember her name, if she crosses my,path in August, she will regret it, it will be Her Turn to Cry! I might try to forgive, but I do not forget and I am a natural red-head, and the Celtic were warriors, something she may not have taken,into account! But anything I can help with, I will be honored to do so.

Prior to my surgery, I had to attend one general informational session, one support group, one psychological assessment, got clearances from a heart doctor, a pulmonologist, and my PCP, and attended a 3-hour seminar on what to eat during each phase of the process. I started my pre-op diet on May 15, and follow the diet to a "T" -- twelve days of the following (no more, no less): 1 cup low-fat soup (cream or tomato) 1 cup veggies (carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, or iceberg lettuce), with optional 1-2 tbsp fat-free dressing ½ cup of each of the following: sugar-free pudding, sugar-free applesauce, fat-free yogurt, and oatmeal. 3 protein shakes 48-64 oz. water The doctor said the pre-op diet was to reduce the fat around my liver, but it had some great psychological benefits as well. I savored every bite I took, took my time to eat and enjoy it, used smaller utensils and plates. Surprisingly this filled me up, thanks to the protein shakes and yogurt. I went to a restaurant with family and ordered only water, I brought my own meals to barbecues with friends and did not cheat once. It felt very empowering! Also a bit frustrating as my friends tried to push their food on me -- "Are you sure you don't want to try this? It's really good. One bite won't mess up your diet." I sat there very happy with my soup and salad, and finally shut them up by asking if they wanted to try my delicious iceberg lettuce and cream of tomato soup. The final day of pre-op (the day before surgery) was clear liquids only. I drank a gallon+ of water, and ate about 4 sugar-free jello cups. I did go to bed hungry that night but happy to do so because I knew what was coming next. My husband and I are avid boaters with lots of friends in the boating community who we spend most evenings and weekends with. Two days before my surgery, we had 7 of my girlfriends on our boat and one of them took a group photo. There they all were looking cute in their bikinis, and there I was looking fat and frumpy in my t-shirt and jean shorts. Any nerves or qualms I felt about the surgery were instantly gone when I saw the photo. I was ready! The surgery itself on May 28 went well. It took about 2 hours, and my surgeon also repaired a hiatal hernia. I did have one problem in the recovery room. Apparently my body can't handle opioids very well, and every time I pushed the pump for more pain medicine I would fall asleep and then quit breathing. I had a dedicated nurse who was closely monitoring this. She quickly contacted my surgeon who recommended a dose of Narcan to reverse the effects of the opioids, and then ordered only manual doses of pain meds. If it weren't for the constant care of the recovery nurse, it could have been a bad situation. I spent one night in the hospital, where they encouraged me to walk the halls, and even refused to discharge me until I did so. I took and passed a second leak test the 2nd day. They sent me home with an abdominal binder (#gamechanger), a pill crusher, and prescriptions for pain, nausea, cramps, and reflux. I have 6 purple incisions on my belly -- they aren't bruised, the glue they used is purple. It feels like a scab, and will fall off on their own in 1-2 weeks. I am up and walking around, even up and down stairs, although more than about 8 minutes at a time is exhausting and painful. But each time gets easier. Tomorrow I start the puree phase of my post-op diet. Protein shakes, applesauce, pudding, cream of wheat, yogurt. Nothing with anything but a smooth consistency, so I can puree canned fruits & veggies, fish, etc. Twenty days of that, then on to soft foods. At 6 weeks I will no longer have restrictions but plan to eat most of the same (eggs, fish, lean chicken, veggies, etc.). Thanks to everyone here who have shared their stories, challenges and victories. It really has been helpful for me, and I'm sure many others.

I never drank one protein drink post-op. I ate high protein yogurt and fairlife milk. I ate a few protein bars 3 weeks post-op and had no problems. I'm 3 months post-op and get all my protein from food. No shakes or protein bars. Good luck!!

I lost 50-60lbs those first two months, then had an 8 week stall, and have consistently lost 10lbs per month since then. I am seven months out and it seems like this month weight loss has sped up a bit. I have lost 7lbs in 2 weeks. This is not me complaining at all, lol. Does your body just *know* when it is at an equilibrium? If you keep doing the same thing, will you just keep losing and end up looking sickly? I eat roughly 700cals a day and about 40g carbs. Sometimes a little more, sometimes less. I did stop tracking because I literally eat pretty much identical meals every single day. Yogurt, a protein snack, turkey meatballs and cauli tots with salsa, another protein snack or maybe some berries, and then cottage cheese or a turkey patty for dinner during the week. Occasional diet icecream bar. On the weekends I inadvertently eat less, or will eat out and get a salad with a protein in it. And I plan on exercising vigorously a minimum of 4 days per week indefinitely.

Congratulations on a successful surgery. I have no incite on lactose shakes but wanted to say that drinking will get easier. Yesterday was one month after sleeve and my surgery went well no complications. Glad to say that I've added spinning to my workout regimen as of yesterday. Right now my foods are limited as I am in the soft food stage and my meal consist mainly of yogurt, bean soups, egg and cheese, spinach and protein shakes. Water intake can be challenging at times but I do my best. Best of luck to a healthy you!

Our plan was for liquids, mushes, purees and soft proteins like fish. eggs, beans, etc. from the hospital on out for the first month, and then everything else after that. The primary rule was to try new foods one at a time to test for tolerance and if a small amount went down OK, then great; if not, go back to known foods and try it again in a week or two. You likely won't be doing much solid food yet as protein still is a priority and you probably can't get enough protein with solid food yet, so there will still be a lot of protein shakes, yogurt, etc for a while as you experiment with more advanced foods. Some people will be able to progress more quickly than others - that would be normal so don't worry if you can't take some things yet.

You are worried about doing things because they make you look like an idiot , maybe you should worry less about what other people think and do what is good for you. One could also say that posting for the first time on a site like this about how bad things are and trying to put other people off could make one look like an idiot. A much better first post would have had a backstory and if a person is struggling asked for help! I don’t have a bunch of rules and restrictions, I eat like a “ normal” person just in much smaller quantities. If you follow the 20/20/20 rule for eating and drinking then there aren’t hours in a day where you can’t drink. I don’t see what is wrong with carrying a water bottle as it is something a lot of people do these days, however unless you are going bushwalking it’s not really necessary. Most of the time we are not that far away from somewhere we can get a drink. Having to carry a lunchbox everywhere you go is also not normal. Generally there is always something available that is suitable to eat. Even at unhealthy fast food restaurants if you focus on protein you will find something. Eat some ribs, or the burger without the bun or some chicken or go to a 7/11 or supermarket and buy a yogurt or some cheese or............. I have just been on a months holiday to the USA, UK, Asia. Not once did I need to carry a lunchbox, I didn’t starve and I didn’t feel like an idiot. At the end of the trip I had lost weight with very little effort on my part. Sorry that you feel you weren’t given any info but there is a lot of info available for the taking for those that are happy to do thorough research. I think that maybe you need to see a food psychologist as it sounds as though you have an emotional attachment to food that you are struggling with. I hope that you are able to overcome your issues and that you can start using this tool to it’s full advantage and eat in a normal happy way

I'm not sure how these people managed this. I was by far not perfect, but I could hardly get a but of yogurt down starting my 3rd week.

I’ve been drinking carbmaster milk in between meals since I developed lactose intolerance and can’t drink the protein shakes or eat Greek yogurt anymore (which were my go to meals to increase protein). This was my nutritionists recommendation and I’ve found it really ads up. I have 2-3 1/2 cup meals (soft food until next week) but without the milk I can’t get more than 25-30 grams with just food. Sometimes I steep tea bags directly in the milk to mix it up.

Embrace this stage. It's there for a purpose. It's there to help you break the old ties to eating for any other reason other than fueling your body. Relax into it. Cuz all too soon, you will have the opposite problem. You are going through a very normal reaction. Embrace! Reframe. Be positive. Do not grieve. BE AMBIVALENT! So how do you get your protein in? Treat it like a prescription. You have 1 job. And that job is that you need 60-80g of protein per day. For now at 3 weeks. Here's what you do. You split it into meals. Your job is to have 6 mini meals divided roughly 2-3 hours apart. Meal 1 - 5oz protein shake (15g protein) Meal 2 - 1 egg + 14g turkey sausage crumbles (by weight) + 1/2oz part skim mozzarella or a light cheese wedge (11g prot) Meal 3 - 5oz protein shake (15g protein) Meal 4 - 1/4 c ricotta bake (15g protein) Meal 5 - 2oz foil wrapped swai + 1/2oz well cooked broccol + 1/2oz grape tomatoes (15g protein) Meal 6 - 1/4c Greek yogurt thinned with protein drink + canned peaches (no sugar added) (9g protein) Here's the meal plan sample. This was a typical day for me at your stage. So something like this. Click to enlarge image: And don't worry if you can't eat it all! Don't worry if you can meet your protein goals here or there. The average over time will be fine! Try to get your 60g minimum in as a dude and for now, you'll be fine. Too soon, you will be able to get it all in and will try not to get too much protein. LOL. Your food desire WILL return. Learn new things...

I'm curious... did you all discover these changes gradually? I haven't noticed any real changes yet, but then I'm still on full fluids and have only tried a few things (oatmeal, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, refried beans, pudding, and soup). Meat and raw cabbage (where did that come from??) are the only things I'm craving. Sent from my SM-G960W using BariatricPal mobile app

Sweet things are even sweeter to me. I do still use some Splenda Or stevia in my coffee - depending which I have handy- but even flavored yogurts were awful at first. As I get farther out I have been able to tolerate the taste a little more. Water some days tastes funny and I have to put something in it to help the taste. But that could be just being sick of water lol cottage cheese still tastes like the best thing ever to me though. Pre surgery it was tolerable - now it’s the most amazing treat and red peppers- they are the perfect food to me. Too bad they don’t have protein but they are just the crispness and sweetness. So yeah there are definitely changes in tastes- textures too but that is a whole other conversation

And I still, after nearly 9 months, cannot eat banana, peanut butter, cottage cheese or even Greek yogurt, all of these were pre- surgery friends but my Precious Pouch, the little ruler of my life , will not accept them. Maybe someday, maybe never, the jury is still out there. And water,for me, has gone from being sweet-tasting to bitter, and I have not a clue why!

You are a sleeve about a year out? (looked up your past posts) I’m guessing your asking about pouch reset because of a regain? For some pouch reset works to reboot and get back on plan again. Some find it too restrictive. Another option is simply going back to real food stage basics. Activity/exercise, hydrate diet plan. Log your food, stay within your weight loss calories and macros (Calorie and macro range may have to be dialed in specifically to where your body loses weight) Years out its not realistic for me to eat 800-900 calories. It’s a common experience to have less sleeve restriction years out.(it’s not back to full size) There are strategies to ty to fill the space and help with hunger. (make sure examples are on your plan) Get rid of temptation in your house Log your food in a food app.*keep within your weight loss calories and macros* Dense protein sources will keep you feeling more satisfied than soft foods. – Get rid of shakes and bars.(use only as emergency food) Real whole food will keep hunger at bay. Eat your protein and other items on your plan. Eat as much wonderful low-calorie veggies until full. Real sugar and extra carbs make you crave them more and cause hunger*detox off them* If you deprive cravings you want them more – Keep healthy options for sweet and salty on hand EXAMPLES Salty: chicken fajitas, jerky Sweet: Dannon light n fit Greek yogurt, strawberries dipped in sugar free chocolate, sugar free popsicles.

I’ve had like an oz of eggs and yogurt only . I’m able to do my protein shake but takes me about 2-3 hours but I get it in but them with other fluids I can’t it so Weird

Healthy_life2 and Fluffy gave some great advice. They are very knowledgeable, and a treasure to this board. I’m only a month out, but the memories of the first couple of weeks are very fresh. It was rough. I felt like getting my liquids and some protein in was a full time job. Drinking is a lot easier now. By week 3 I could eat very soft cheese (like laughing cow), eggface’s ricotta bake (that recipe is LEGIT), high-protein low-carb yogurt, soft scrambled eggs, puréed salmon spread. Week 4, last week, I was able to add in some softly cooked brown meat chicken (I have a Sous vide, so it’s easy to keep it soft and not overcook it, I highly recommend that gadget) and softly cooked salmon. I could get in about 1/8 - 1/4 cup in. I have to go very slowly, like taking 20-30 minutes to eat it, and chew the daylights out of it. I’ve progressed to being able to try little bits of most types of meats. I’m still learning to listen to my body’s signals that it’s full, so I go by measurements. 1/4 cup of food per meal, 3 meals per day, and 1 protein shake for a snack (half in the afternoon, half in the evening/night). I can add bits of salsa, etc. for flavor, which keeps down the monotony. I’m still going to be chewing for a long long time, and may forever. It’s not a bad thing. I enjoy my meals a lot more. I can add in non-starchy veggies in at the 3 month mark, as long as I’m getting the protein in. The chewing a ton and not drinking water 1/2 hour before and 1/2 hour after a meal were some of the behaviors that I had to develop prior to surgery. My program was pretty rigorous, but I think it prepared me fairly well. You’ll get used to this new way of being. There are so many wonderful proteins and non starchy veggies out there. I’m still going to indulge in fruit here and there, but it will be a bite of fresh strawberry, or a blackberry off a vine or a huckleberry or two while I’m hiking. And I will enjoy the hell out of it.

Calories are not the only thing to watch out for. Fruit is high in sugar and carb. The nutrition binder I got from my nutritionist says the most fruit at the soft food stage is a 1/4 c of unsweetened apple sauce or a 1/4 of a a mashed banana. That's total per day and they recommend mixing it with plain unsweetened yogurt or cottage cheese for the protein. I'm extremely carb sensitive and can only tolerate berries pre op so not sure I will eat any fruit.

Look. Eating right now IS supposed to be sufficiently hard in order to deter you from over-eating and to provide a negative feedback. Purposely going for "easy" soft to digest food is synonymous with "eating around your tool." You are looking for ways to make it easy on yourself to get food in so that you don't feel that negative response. But the reality is...the SOONER you can advance to solid dense lean protein, the better! Honestly. It's the stuff that will get you and keep you satiated longer and will keep the food in your tool longer which means you also absorb the nutrients better!!! (Edited to add: And of course you MUST follow your prescribed food progression plan from your doctor!!! Do not try to advance more than appropriate for your stage and level of healing!!!) So keep working at soft foods: soft boiled eggs, soft scrambled eggs, canned tuna, canned salmon, canned chicken, poached white fish, poached salmon, liverwurst, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt (but not too much), EggFace ricotta bake, green bean casserole with lots of canned chicken in it. Try chilis, soups, stews with slowly cooked meats and only tiny bits of veg... Drop the lentils and beans for now...

alright i will stop buying fruit salads, too bad the lentils, beans and tuna all make me feel nauseated after 1-2 spoons maybe i'll stick to liquid protein (shakes and Greek yogurt) for 1 more week.

the guidelines most of us get are that we should focus on protein first, then non-starchy vegetables. If there's room after that (which there often isn't early out), then an occasional small serving of fruit or whole grain carb (although whole grains can be tough on your stomach early out - so I'd wait on those). Some people, esp those who are carb sensitive, never or rarely eat fruit at all during the weight loss phase, given the sugar. I'm not particularly carb sensitive, but early out, a fruit serving for me meant maybe six or eight berries on my Greek yogurt. I still don't eat a ton of it because of the calories - and even though fruit is packed with vitamins, there's still a lot of sugar in it, so I limit it.