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Hey All, I got a question about the MFP profile setup process: I am about 3 weeks away from my surgery date and have been researching like crazy and it seems like a lot of people are using MFP to track their food and exercise so I thought I would sign up and try it as well. I just set up my profile but it seems like the profile questionnaire is seriously lacking in options for people who are having/have had a VSG. When I entered my weight, goal weight, lifestyle, and 2 lbs weight loss per week (highest weight loss option to choose from) it said I should be taking in 1370 calories, 188 carbs, 46g fat, and 51g Protein per day. I know these numbers are way off for VSG patients so I guess my question is, how can I change the daily goal calorie, fat, and carb intake to reflect the recommendations given by my NUT? I am not computer illiterate but I must be doing something wrong since I haven't seen any one else on here mention the same problem. Please help! Thanks, ericarae11

Hello all, I am currently thinking about getting banded. I am going to my 3 month initial evaluation i guess it's called in a couple of weeks to the surgeon. My doctor has put me on a 1800 calorie siet for now, i have been on it for the last 2 months in 2 weeks it will be 3 months and i am coping very well. I am learning to limit myself to those 1800 calories, at first it was very hard to adjust becasue i was not feeling full, sometimes i still dont always feel full. i have lost 12 pounds so far on this diet. I am very new to all of this. I have no idea what i am doing. I know for sure i want this done. after discussing with my fiance of 10 years i finally am ready to do this. I am like some others on regards to who to tell, who to not tell, I told my fiance of course, and my sister which i already regret and didnt even have the surgery yet, she wanted me to talk with someone about all of this. she wanted me to talk with someone who had the band already, but i did not want to put my personal buisness out there like that. So deep down inside i have lots of questions and worries but cant bring them out, i dont want to freak out my fiance....after the surgery how long will i need to be out of work? i see some people have been out for just a couple of days and were fine... others a week....i am trying to schedule this around some vacation i will have but only about 7 days. I dont know if that will be enough? i work in a hospital and have to lift people....not sure if that will be ok? and what do you have to do before surgery? do you have to go on a 2 week liquid diet before surgery? i will probably have all my questions answered in about 2 weeks when i see the surgeon, but just in case i forget something i thank all that replies...i still think i have no clue what i am doing...exept for running on the treadmill almost everyday like crazy my doctor keeps telling me what speed to go up to and what incline to go up to every time i go to her....it is always a challenge and i think im going to die when im on that thing...but i do it. any advise to what food will make you feel full or not hungry in 1 hour? i have been breaking my meals up as much as i can..B L D is 400 cals each with 200 cal snacks in between each one...sometime i have to eat the snack with the meal other times i can break it up...i have already lost 12 pounds they saif i cant gain any weight at all....

Yep, you can count any liquid as part of your water consumption. You should really make the shakes with milk (skim or light soy) to make sure you are getting in more nutrients, especially during the pre-op diet. It makes the shakes taste better too. Kind of weird, but I switched to light soy milk for my pre-op diet and now, almost 7 months later, I really only like my protein shakes made with it. I can use skim milk, but the shakes taste "off" to me now. (I have a protein shake every morning for breakfast.) Also, I had my "meal" at noon at work because it was so much easier to be able to eat with my team. I'd have a shake for breakfast at 6, a frozen dinner under 300 calories for lunch at 11, a shake at 2 pm, and a shake for supper. I was able to have unlimited veggies too. I suppose it also helped that my hubby went to visit his parents for a week during that first week of the pre-op diet. It made it SO much easier for ME because I didn't have to be around his food. I never did feel deprived. The shakes I drank were Bariatric Advantage. Very filling and they kept me satisfied 3-4 hours.

Sorry, I think I didn't make my intentions clear. I'm not trying to shame you, but from my observation there is a clear difference between people who have made up their minds to make the change, and people who are dipping their toes into the water. What I mean to say is that if you need to take a week, or a month to wrap your head around all of this you should, because if you are only half doing the diet, its going to prolong the suffering. I understand, I went from an average of 3000ish calories a day too. If you can make up your mind to go balls to the walls with this dieting phase though, it will go SO MUCH FASTER. The work doesn't stop after surgery, but things get a little more... tolerable, and that is what you want, right? We all want that, its why we had surgery Put your whole heart and soul into this when you are ready, you'll be glad you did. And your right, it was a little forward of me to say that you MAY NOT be ready. I don't claim to know that for a fact, but I have been through weight loss surgery twice, once with a band and now with the sleeve, I have a lot of years of experience under my belt and sometimes I call things like I see them. Apologies for that if it doesn't apply to you. I do want to say something about something you said to me though. When someone says "that wasn't what I was looking for" that almost always means they expected cushy support rather than a straightforward analysis of what more experienced people think of the situation. I'm not much of a hand holder and sometimes I don't think thats what people really need. You seem like an intelligent person, you know what you need to do, but for some reason you are not doing it. I am pushing you to consider what you are waiting for. If you are truly ready, you need to adjust your behavior to match your mindset. We're all fat here, we have all done a thousand diets, we all know that protein is better than sugar, we know every dieting trick in the book. Nearly all heavy people don't have a knowledge problem, we have behavior problems.

Lol yeah in terms of taste muscle milk taste great but my doc doesn't recommend them bc they are too high in calories and too high in carb...premiere is the only drink that taste good to me from what's nutritionally best for us...those other healthy shakes r just horrible! Yuckkkkk lol

We ALL have set backs, don't beat yourself up over it. Just learn from it and move on, I found if I do crave something I have a very small amount and then that satisfies me and I will not over eat. Just promise yourslef you will not do it again. You may want to exercise for a longer period of time to burn off what you ate. Before surgery if I over ate I would see how many calories I over ate and then I would workout extra to burn off what I ate. For example if I ate something like a burger and it was 600 calories, I would workout for how ever long at running or eleptical to burn the 600... it worked for me. Just don't dwell on it .. know you did wrong and promise yourslef you will not do it again !!!

According to my fitness pal, my vitamins are 50 calories. I'm supposed to stay under 600 calories. I only just entered my supplements to calculate the calories. I'm really hoping I don't have to count them. Anybody know? (6 weeks post op)

Lol Lol thanks for the early translation I was just about to google 54 calorie ice block. Giggles @ creative phrasing for Popsicles.

Hey all, I'm having my sleeve done on April 10th and I start my pre-op liver-reduction diet on the 31st (Happy Easter! LOL). I bought some fusion from my clinic, but I'm wondering if there are other alternatives. I mean, I know there are a ton of Protein powders and shakes out there, but at nearly $40 a tub I'm looking for something a little more economical. However, I don't want to sacrifice quality. Post-surgery I know some people who've been drinking the Muscle Milk light shakes, and there are a couple other low-calorie/low-carb shakes out there, too. Just wondering what everyone else has used and if you have any recommendations. Oh, also...I have a blog about my experience. Is it okay to post the link here for others to read? <3

Google "Taste of Home " for their Nacho Potato Soup recipe. Fast, easy, not super low cal, but since I can barely eat a cup at one sitting , I don't worry about the calories. Sooooo good, especially on a cold night. Leftovers heated up the next day are good too !

in time you will be able to eat anything you want, so long as you count the calories and don't pretend they don't count. I can do all the things you mentioned.

Yep I have been there! It OK. One day is better than the life we use to have. Plus, it probably was good for your system to spike your calories. It gets your body out of the 'rut'. Good luck!

I'm only 2 weeks out and my body just can't tolerate the protein shakes I think because of the milk content, it's making me feel sick. I am having 5-6 tiny meals a day plus juice or water. I eat like a baby. Like Terrylynn, I eat when I'm hungry. I don't count calories since the amounts of food I am eating a so small and low in fat anyway. I would suggest you experiment, that is what my surgeon here in Australia suggested and it is working well for me - remember we are all different and what works for one person may not work for you.

I would suggest not stocking up TOO much on Protein powders/shakes. Many people have reported that what they loved prior to surgery, they hated after surgery, so I'd hate to see you get stuck with any. I'm a bargain shopper so for me getting good prices on things was super important... I looked around online for all the best prices on the Vitamins I'd need post op and stocked up. I also got the acid reducer ompezerole that my doctor recommended when it was on sale at walgreens. Gasx strips were a life saver because my stomach had a lot of gas for the first week or so. Honestly, I didn't really worry about packing everything for surgery and I went all the way to Mexico for it. The biggest thing I did was prepare my body for surgery. I was on an 800 calorie diet for three months preop and I made sure to get at least 70 grams of protein a day along with taking vitamins. I also added some kale and ginger juice to my Protein drinks for three months prior to surgery and made sure I had lots of leafy greens and I avoided grains for the three months prior to surgery. I just wanted to bathe myself in protein, micronutrients, and anti-inflamatory foods as much as possible prior to surgery in order to have speedy healing time. I don't know if it worked, but I can say that I had very little inflammation of my sleeve post surgery... Could be a fluke, but I like to think it was a combination of having a fantastic surgeon, taking my daily kale and ginger juice, and making sure my body was not in any way Vitamin or protein deficient prior to surgery.

Not enough calories. Talk to doc and nutritionist. Wishing you the best.

When you start thinking about New Year, New You, you might start thinking about all kinds of changes you could make to hit your health and weight loss goals in 2015. Since all of these changes can get overwhelming, it’s helpful to pinpoint a single change to focus on. Which one change can you make to help you reach your goals? Eat more Protein. I’ll make sure to choose it first at most meals. Log my food – every bite! Stop munching and nibbling – eat only at meals and Snacks that I’ve planned. Get rid of the junk food that has crept back in my diet since I first got weight loss surgery and followed the weight loss surgery diet. Exercise more consistently. Drink more Water (or other calorie-free beverages). Other – read my answer in the discussion below! Select your answer, then tell us about it in the discussion below. We want to know how you’re going to reach your goals this year!

Bake-tastic Butternut Squash Fries Total Time: 1 hr 5 min Prep 25 min Cook 40 min Yield: 1 serving Ingredients 1 butternut squash (large enough to yield 1 pound once peeled and sliced) 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more, optional Ketchup, as dip, optional Directions Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Peel squash with a vegetable peeler. Slice the ends off the squash, and then cut it in half width-wise. Cut the round bottom piece in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Using a crinkle cutter or a knife, carefully cut squash into spears or French-fry shapes. Thoroughly blot moisture away with paper towels, and sprinkle evenly with salt. Spray a broiler pan, a baking rack placed over a baking sheet, or a baking sheet with nonstick spray, and then place spears flat on it. Bake in the oven 20 minutes, and then carefully flip spears. Continue to bake until tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, about 20 minutes longer. Serve with ketchup for dipping, if using. Enjoy! PER SERVING (entire recipe): 204 calories, less than1g fat, 258mg sodium, 53g carbs, 9g Fiber, 10g sugars, 4g Protein Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bake-tastic-butternut-squash-fries-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

I have this document for download on my site under "links" imtorb. I am also kinda stuck in a plateau just like you. But after reading this document I feel lots better. Fear of loosing the Weight Loss Battle You will lose the battle if you are willing to work with the band and do Your part:) But I can almost guarantee: ·You will have plateaus when you first switch to solids until your body gets used to being fed instead of starved (most likely 1-2 weeks but could be 3 like mine was) ·During many plateaus you will loose inches not lbs and finally a larger loss. ·Your loss in the first 30-40 days is a never to be repeated experience so enjoy it Then you begin the long slow journey downward (not upward) ·You will learn the fine art of PB's and what causes them for you is it swallowing air when you eat. Eating too fast.. Not chewing well or too big a bite.. Eating the wrong food for you...and not recognizing the no longer hungry after 1/2 cup (satiation) versus an I want to eat more cause I can or it tastes good or I crave (head hunger). ·You will watch your body shrink and will walk a bit taller literally and figuratively... Start slipping into booths in restaurants. Sit in chairs with arms .. Stop worrying about how strong the chairs are...Not having to ask for an extender belt on airlines.. Finding it is easier to and you have more energy to walk / go up stairs/ Clean house and do a million other day to day activities ... Slip in and out of bath tubs where the Water goes all the way around you instead of damming up and it doesn’t kill you to stand up from sitting on the floor ...Wipe yourself easily in the bathroom.. Watch the years fall off your face and drivers license picture .. Go to a restaurant and order an appetizer and still end up with leftovers to take home.. ·Go through doubts and several fills/defills until you hit the sweet spot fill level for you. ·Will have to stop several times along the way to reassess your eating habits (I could eat certain foods and get away with some cheating a bit quantity wise at 359 and still lose .. That had to go at 250) ·I have also found that I have to keep reminding myself 1/2 cup of solids 3 times a day only and drink my water (1 hour after meals until the next meal but not with meals) ·Eat Protein first ..Fruit and veggies second and non-complex carbs last. (Keep the fats, sugars and non-complex carbs low ..Still have them but keep em low). And believe it or not a plateau that indicates that you need a fill is 1.No weight loss for 4 weeks. 2.You are following all the band rules (8 times out of 10 we want to be able to break the rules and still lose.figuring if we get a fill it will miraculously start us losing without us having to do our part). 3.You are eating foods that are hard and stick in your band for the 3-4 hours not drinking your calories- You are hungry an hour after eating (really hungry not cravings) and the 1/2 cup doesn't stay in the band for 2 1/2 to 4 hours. 4.You are drinking your 60+ Fl oz water a day and not drinking with your meal or for at least an hour after. 5.Once you move from mushies to solids.. As much as possible get your nourishment from food that is solid. If you have problems with it sticking in your stoma.try it again chewing it well..Cutting it up finer or chewing it with other foods to keep it from recombining in your pouch and forming a plug (e.g. potatoes).. 6.Try to avoid Soups and or Protein drinks if possible (if you are able to eat your protein you will be full longer - some people have tight bands in the morning and cant eat so have a protein drink) 7.Whenever you hit a plateau.. Keep a food diary and log everything, including water, which goes in and measure the 1/2-cup of solids. Mine grew twice from 1/2 to almost a cup without my noticing lol. 8.Try weighing in once a week to begin with not daily. Later move to once every 2 weeks or once a month. When you are losing slowly weight fluctuates daily with hydration levels etc. At least this way you normally will see a loss and not a fluctuate on or gain. Yes the loses are smaller but they are down not up. 9.Measure yourself monthly ..Often you lose inches before you lose lbs. 10.Don’t compare yourself to others.. We all lose at different rates based on age/metabolism/food choices/ activity level.. But we can all lose Hope that helps I downloaded this originally from a yahoo group. It was written by someone called Sam.

50 pounds in 3 months in awesome. Since my last fill I am eating around 600-800 calories a day and still losing rapidly, when I slowed down I started adding in 30 minutes of walking a day and the pounds started melting off again. Are you doing any type of physical exercise. As much as eating such low calories can slow down yur metabolism, as long as you are getting in a workout daily it will keep your metabolism running strong. This is just my personal experience. Let us know what you try and keep us posted. Kim

Gas! The rumbling and noise is NOT hunger. Well, you could be starting to feel hunger (I'm 4 days post-op, too, and I am), but it's not overwhelming. Please don't be offended by this, but it's one of my "pet peeves." Try to change the way you THINK right now. You're NOT starving. You have lots of calories in storage. You might be hungry, but you CAN and WILL survive that...starvation implies something way more serious, and, I think, when you think that way, it just makes how you feel even worse. It'll get better! Just remember...SMALL SIPS.

Hey This is the end of day 2 on liquids. It's really not bad that bad, I was expecting the worst. I have to have at least 80mg Protein each day and less than 50 calories. Suprisingly, I haven't been as hungry. My surgery date is April 16th. Stay encouraged and good luck!

I am exactly with you, down to the same surgery date!! But I have learned so much in this forum, from tips and tricks, to what to expect, to a little bit scary posts, to amazing recovery and success stories!! Just spend some time poking aroound, looking at the various topics. I dont post alot, but I read a ton!! I too am self pay, no long process, got the pamphlet, tests done, scheduled my EGD, within two weeks and surgery is thursday! I started the pre op diet, which is liquid but for 1- 350 calorie meal a day, and I have checked, highlighted and double highlighted passages in the pamphlet that spells out the post op diet. One of the things that helped me the most , as far as a comfort level for post op, was the (phone) conversation I had with the nutritionist. She spelled out the first 6 weeks, day by day and I wrote it all down. which days are clear liquid, then liquids after 2 days, then mushy foods after 2 weeks, then solids....along with which vitamins to take and when. If you can get yours on the phone and make them break it down for you. Your DOC office will have one on staff, so use them!!! I will send you a friend request and we can do this together!!!!

Happy Father's Day from BariatricPal! #outlook a {padding:0;} body{width:100% !important; -webkit-text-size-adjust:100%; -ms-text-size-adjust:100%; margin:0; padding:0;} .ExternalClass {width:100%;} .ExternalClass, .ExternalClass p, .ExternalClass span, .ExternalClass font, .ExternalClass td, .ExternalClass div {line-height: 100%;} #backgroundTable {margin:0; padding:0; width:100% !important; line-height: 100% !important;} img {outline:none; text-decoration:none; -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic;} a img {border:none;} .image_fix {display:block;} p {margin: 1em 0;} h1 { color: white !important; } h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {color: #333333 !important;} h1 a:active, h2 a:active, h3 a:active, h4 a:active, h5 a:active, h6 a:active { color: red !important; } h1 a:visited, h2 a:visited, h3 a:visited, h4 a:visited, h5 a:visited, h6 a:visited { color: purple !important; } table td {border-collapse: collapse;} table { border-collapse:collapse; mso-table-lspace:0pt; mso-table-rspace:0pt; } a {color: #4a8aca;} /* Unhides cells that we set to hide in the HTML in case the client doesn't support style properly */ *[class~=hidePhone] { display : block !important; width : auto !important; max-height: inherit !important; overflow : visible !important; float : none !important; } *[class~=hidePhone][width="30"] { width: 30px !important; } *[class~=hidePhone][width="40"] { width: 40px !important; } td[class~=hidePhone] { display: table-cell !important; } @media only screen and (max-device-width: 480px) { a[href^="tel"], a[href^="sms"] { text-decoration: none; color: blue; pointer-events: none; cursor: default; } .mobile_link a[href^="tel"], .mobile_link a[href^="sms"] { text-decoration: default; color: orange !important; pointer-events: auto; cursor: default; } #userPhoto, .hidePhone, *[class~=hidePhone], td[class~=hidePhone] { display: none !important; } .responsive_table > tr > td, .responsive_table > tbody > tr > td, .responsive_table > tr, .responsive_table > tbody > tr { display: block; text-align: left; } html[dir="rtl"] .responsive_table > tr > td, html[dir="rtl"] .responsive_table > tbody > tr > td, html[dir="rtl"] .responsive_table > tr, html[dir="rtl"] .responsive_table > tbody > tr { text-align: right; } .responsive_row { margin-bottom: 10px; } .responsive_fullwidth { width: 100% !important; } } @media only screen and (min-device-width: 768px) and (max-device-width: 1024px) { a[href^="tel"], a[href^="sms"] { text-decoration: none; color: blue; pointer-events: none; cursor: default; } .mobile_link a[href^="tel"], .mobile_link a[href^="sms"] { text-decoration: default; color: orange !important; pointer-events: auto; cursor: default; } Store Forums Magazine Activity Hey BariatricPal Members! You can get your quality time with Dad if you keep him company while he grills up a healthy dessert in the form of peaches, pineapple, or watermelon. Slice the fruit and grill it plain or with a bit of cinnamon or balsamic vinaigrette. You can put a small amount of goat cheese or another soft cheese on the fruit before serving it. Guy Bonus: The grill! By letting Dad make dessert, you help him feel useful and in control, and that’s what dads are for, right? • Your Hearty and Healthy Menu to Say, “Thanks, Dad!” • Weight Loss Surgery: A Guy Thing or Not? • Get Motivated with Some Together Time Use the newsletter as a start for some inspiration and ideas, and keep the journey to health going as you stop by the BariatricPal Forums. Have a wonderful Father’s Day and remember what’s important. Thanks for all of your support! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Hearty and Healthy Menu to Say, “Thanks, Dad!” What does Dad want? If he’s the stereotypical guy, he’s pretty simple when it comes to food. Some comfort food can be the most direct way to letting him know how much you love and appreciate him, but you are not doing him any favors by serving up high-fat, high-carb, high-calorie fare. These great-tasting ideas can help you get a Father’s Day meal on the table fast while keeping your weight loss surgery diet in mind. In the Center: Steak A fatty steak can be a diet breaker, but Tender Flank Steak is not. It is a savory and satisfying dish. Preparation only takes minutes; just remember to leave four hours to marinate the meat. Double the recipe, using two pounds of beef, and you will have 8 total servings, each with 26 grams of protein and less than 1 gram of carbohydrates. Guy Bonus: Leftovers! A big steak can do double or triple duty in the coming days. Leave Dad with some large lettuce leaves (instead of bread) and sliced avocados for steak wraps for tomorrow’s lunch. On the Side: Pureed Cauliflower If you’re a meat and potatoes guy, you have to have your potatoes…unless you have Mock Mashed Potatoes. You can make it with frozen cauliflower, or try a blend of cauliflower and cooked carrots, parsnips, or turnips. This is another great recipe to double. Serve it with Instant Chicken Gravy made Cream of Chicken Protein Soup. Guy Bonus: Midnight noshing! When Dad has the late-night munchies, he won’t do much damage by finishing up the “mashed potatoes” and gravy. For Dessert: Grilled Fruit You can get your quality time with Dad if you keep him company while he grills up a healthy dessert in the form of peaches, pineapple, or watermelon. Slice the fruit and grill it plain or with a bit of cinnamon or balsamic vinaigrette. You can put a small amount of goat cheese or another soft cheese on the fruit before serving it. Guy Bonus: The grill! By letting Dad make dessert, you’re help him feel useful and in control, and that’s what dads are for, right? Weight Loss Surgery: A Guy Thing or Not? If you are a weight loss surgery patient or you have been looking into weight loss surgery, you may have noticed something: there seem to be a lot of women! It is not your imagination. About 80 percent, or four out of every five, WLS patients are women. Why the Difference? Why are men so much less likely to get WLS? It is not because men are skinnier; obesity rates are almost the same between men and women. Reasons for the WLS gap may include: • Differences in perception of health, as women may recognize health risks earlier than men. • Cultural factors, as women tend to feel more pressure to lose weight than men. • Perception of need, as men may be more likely to feel that they can do it without surgery than women. More than women, men may feel that WLS is the easy way out, or they may be embarrassed at the rapid weight loss that their acquaintances may notice. They may also feel more out of place ordering WLS friendly fare at restaurants or eating “diet foods” in public. Should You Break the Trend? Male or female, the same factors should determine whether WLS is for you. • Have you tried multiple diet and exercise programs? • Do your BMI and health status make you a good candidate? • Are you ready to commit to a lifetime of healthier choices? If your WLS goes well and you embrace the changes, you can expect the benefits that can make life better. You can lose weight and get back your energy. Better yet, you can spend more time with your kids now and in the future. Get Motivated with Some Together Time At the end of the day what matters are the people you love. For Father’s Day, whether or not you are with your dad, honor the ones you love while you promote healthy behaviors together. Cook Up a Storm Dad may not truly dislike cooking. He may just not know how to cook, especially when it comes to WLS friendly foods. Whether it is father or grown-up child who is the WLS patient, both of you can benefit from preparing some high-protein, low-carb quick fixes as you spend quality time together. • Layer yogurt with Protein Cereal and berries to make an elegant breakfast parfait. • Transform an infamous doughnut burger from a heart attack on a plate into a weight loss special by swapping Protein Pancakes for the doughnut and turkey burger for ground beef. • Toss Protein Pasta with Low-Carb Sauce and spinach or cooked broccoli or other vegetables. Get Active Now and Forever One reason to get WLS is to be able to keep up with the family. To keep up the motivation, try scheduling a family hike or other activity, such as a trip to the beach. Notice how good it feels when you spend the time being active together – or think about how good it would feel if you could all keep up together. It’s a good time to remind each other why the hard work is worth it. Whether you are a dad, a future dad, or a product of a great dad or father figure, we want to wish you a Happy Father’s Day! We hope this newsletter got you a little more inspired to be healthy for yourself and for your family, and we look forward to spending some time with you on the boards when you get a chance! Stop paying for nutritional supplements! Check your insurance eligibility now! If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please click *|unsubscribe|* or to unsubscribe from ALL BariatricPal E-Mail Click Here.

I am SO sorry to hear that you are having problems this far out from surgery, but I can certainly relate to it! I too had this bone deep, dead tired fatigue that seemed to plague me for weeks and weeks after my surgery. Since I am a nurse, and thought I knew so much, I only took 12 days off work to have the surgery. I am a Labor & Delivery nurse in a busy L&D unit, and for weeks, I lieterally had to drag myself to work and home again the next morning. (I work 12 hour shifts, from 7:00 PM to 7:30 AM) I was beginning to think that I would NEVER feel good again, and finally somewhere between 6 and 8 weeks post op, I finally started to feel better. I am sure part of the problem was my limited calorie intake. At first, after I started eating solid food I could only manage betwee 150 and 300 calories a day. It seemed that after 2-3 bites I was so full, and if I ate more, even one more bite, I was in agony for at least an hour or two. So I only ate a bite or two at each meal. I have never felt hunger since the surgery, but I sure do feel full quickly. Anyway, long answer to your question, I "turned around" somewhere between the 6th and 8th week. Hope and pray that this is your experience also! Keep the faith, It WILL get better!

Luckily, I'm not a huge fan of cookies, period. Occasionally, I'll get a craving, and I'll go get a box of 100 calorie packs or some iced oatmeal cookies, but that's about it. I ordered a few boxes of GS cookies a year or so ago. I wound up giving one box to my parents, and then threw out the remainder of the other two after they'd been open for a couple of weeks. I just don't have a big sweet tooth, so I could only eat one or two cookies at a sitting before not wanting any more.