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You say that you are good in the am and the afternoon...Take a look at when you are hungry in the eveing, is it when you are sitting down to watch tv, is this a time you would normally munch and munch? A big one for me was bordom or stress eating simply because I could. I realized most of the time I wasn't really hungry but had the munchies from years of habit. There are time you can be honestly hungry though (I know I do get that way) to test if I am munchie hungry or in need of sustinance I drink a bunch of Water if that doesn't do it then I am hungry and I have a small treat/meal like a yogurt, a really yummy chocolate protien shake, or 1/2 of one of my favorite Protein bars etc. Also, if you are genuinely getting hungry quicker on some nights and not others look at what you ate, I know some foods go through me quicker and I crash if I inadvertanly ate too much carbs. There is so much to learn it is amazing! And by the way....AWESOME on the 22lbs lost!!! :thumbs_up: If you keep up that pace you could be down over 100lbs by your bandaversary! Keep up the great work!

I am on different foods daily I add something new today is sweet potatoes and oatmeal. I also can have sugar free puddings apple sauce and low fat yogurt mashed potatoes and soft cooked veggies and I am one week and one day post op (obviously was banded the 26th) lol I have found on this forum that every doctor and post and also pre op diets are different DRASTICALLY different good luck

I just had my surgery on Feb 28th, this past monday and I had the same concern. I will tell you that after surgery you aren't in the mood to eat. Today I am 4 days out and I can tell I am healing fast. My doctor only required me to be on liquids the day of surgery and then move to a puree diet. I have been able to eat ham salad, egg salad, yogurt, soup, etc. The amazing thing is that after 1/2 cup to a cup you are full and satisfied. You still have yourold head playing tricks on you and wanting you to eat more so I suggest you measure your food and keep it at a 1/2 cup total at a sitting or it will not be comfortable!! So far I have been able to stay satisfied and not feel hungrey all the time. You have to make smart choices and it is hard in the puree stage because you can't eat a normal healthy diet. It is wonderful I must say and congrats on your up coming banding!! Time to start feeling good again!

Lets start with yesterday, I went to Houston with the girls to get parts for Bret. We hit traffic coming and going, so we spent a lot of time in the car. We ate at my favorite place, Panara Bread. I am pretty proud of myself, I had clam chowder. About a cup of it with no bread. But I was not thinking and when I did my drink I forgot about the straw. So I was sore from sitting in the car for so long and gassy from the straw. Not a good mix. I actually went home and took some gas-x and some pain meds I was so miserable. Now I wake up this morning and I was hungry. So I went and got me some yogurt and ate that slowly. Plus I'm drinking my water and IDK if its the water or if it was the yogurt, but I feel nauseated. Maybe I need to get up and move around, that might make my stomach settle down. Who knows. I am just tired of the dizzy feeling that keeps coming and going. I have always hated feeling light headed, and this is not cutting it. I think I am going to go get me some chewable multivitamins. I originally had a liquid multivitamin, and it was very very NASTY and strong. Just the smell made me feel ill, and that was before the surgery. I could not imagine trying to take it after. I also have to start getting ready for Fathers Day tomorrow. I'm not sure what I am going to get DH, but I have a general idea. He wants a BBQ, and I'm not looking forward to that, I'm trying to think of things I could actually eat. lol Since I am still on the stage 2 liquids I am thinking SOUP....sigh. Right now I think I would kill someone for some fish. Just some baked fish, I literally dreamed about it last night!! But Next week makes week 2 and I can go to smooshies. So I am looking forward to some potatoes, or some eggs! Hope everyone has a great day! And to all you awesome dad's, HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!

I've never worried about calcium. I get plenty of calcium through food (yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, etc)

Thanks a lot I was just getting tired of yogurts

I need to jump on this thread. Because I was going to post something about being lactose intolerant. I am. So for a very long time (years), I have not been able to tolerate milk products. I actually use Rice milk instead of Almond because it has no flavor for cooking etc. I can tolerate MUSCLE MILK. The Pro ones seem to bloat me, but the regular Muscle Milk is fine with me and I actually really really like it. I love the Vanilla Cream. That has 130 cals, 0 sugar and 20 grams protein per premixed shake box. Muscle Milk has whey isolate protein. Which is more easily tolerated if you have lactose issues. I'm lucky that I can tolerate it. So try that maybe? I have also tried pea protein, hemp etc. for years. Sometimes I just gag them down. Till I found one that I really like but wonder if the protein, because it's all plant based, is as useful as the whey. I use powdered RAW FIT by Garden of Life. Vegan, dairy free, gluten free, soy free. One scoop has 160 cals, 1 sugar, 28 grams protein. My typical breakfast for so many years has been 2% greek yogurt (I can tolerate Fage greek yogurt) with a scoop of Marley Coffee flavor Raw Fit (YUM YUM!). I mix the powdered raw fit with just a couple tablespoons of water then add the greek yogurt. Otherwise you really have a hard time stirring it, so thick! I don't mind the bit of gritty left, actually. I imagine if you left the raw fit to sit mixed a bit, the gritty may go away. I never tried it though. The greek yogurt and scoop raw fit is a whopping 48 grams protein. YES it's too much to eat at once when I am sleeved. but even half is 24 grams. Good for soft stage, puree stage. BUT......is the plant and seed based protein as beneficial for your body after sleeve as the whey or whey isolate is? I understand totally the need for protein. I have had hair loss for 3 years due to menopause and Estrogen Dominance. I need my protein to work for me to try to mitigate the effects of WLS on my body and slim head of hair! Was wondering if anyone knows the answer about the whey vs plant based. Thanks so much!!!

Thank you both so much! I'm relying on the Greek yogurt and the broth. I feel I need a more concentrated source though. LOVE the idea of the Lifeway Protein Kefir. I love kefir! Drinking some today. But the protein version doesn't come without sugary ingredients and fruits. I just want plain. maybe I should replace all my water with broth and watery yogurt or milk. i can't imagine blended tuna. I did try other protein powders. Ugh. Bought plain and vanilla Paleo Pro beef and egg protein powder, couldn't choke it down. Same with pea and hemp. Nope. our nutritionist said whey protein would be for our whole lives to get enough concentrated protein in once a day. sigh. Thanks so much.

I am a couple months post op and find myself snacking again. My doctor still makes me get at least 60-90 grams of liquid Protein a day so I really try to sip protein all day long. It's hard but I really try. I find that I snack most at night, especially if it's late night in front of the TV and I KNOW it's from boredom and bad habits. Here are some of my snacking foods (I am trying to cut down), 1. Liquid Protein first to see if that takes away the craving - I use Profect Protein Bullets (Blue Raspberry) with Cherry/Pomegranate Crystal Light, or Syntax nectar Fuzzy Navel Protein powder, or Unjury's chocolate Protein Powder 2. Fage Greek Yogurt with Honey 2. Jif Peanut Butter to go cups 3. costco Humms w Skinny Pretzel sticks (only 5) May

Thank you ladies for all your wonderful tips. Last night after 7 I started to feel like I needed to eat something so I sat there for a few minutes to try to identify weather I was really hungry or if it was just in my head. I only had about 600 calories at this point because I was on liquids yesterday since I had my first fill yesterday morning. Well needless to say I felt like it was real hunger so I had a greek yogurt and that seemed to work well for me. My doctor told me to that she would like me to drink less of the Protein drinks and more of the solid protein but I'm thinking if a Protein Drink is what helps me in the evening and stops me from snacking that that would be best. Oh my ladies, I wish I knew what it felt like to not think of food so much :-(

I work in a bank and sometimes we are so busy I either can't drink or forget to drink. Then at lunch time I can't drink w/food. I try to make up for it by drinking in the morning before work. I drink a bottle when I get up, then my Protein shake, then I drink on the ride to work. Then I challenge myself to drink a whole bottle of Water on my ride home (20 minutes). In the evening I drink more and sometimes I add another Protein Shake if I need more protein. If you find a ready made protein shake that you like you can use them at work - it's a great way to get protein and liquid at the same time. Chobani little champions Greek yogurt is good for work too. They're a smaller size so you can eat one fairly quickly. The same with Think Thin Bites (small Protein Bars - about half-size). I carry the bars in my purse. When your able to, try Ostrim beef and Ostrich meat sticks. They're tasty, portable, and have 14gr of protein - another purse staple. I like Cracker Barrel individually wrapped cheese Snacks too. I also carry an insulated lunch bag with a cold pack everywhere I go. I have a good routine down for my Vitamins but I find taking my Calcium more of a problem because I can't take it near my multi or my thyroid med. I keep some in my lunch bag and some in my purse so I can take it whenever I think of it. With time you'll figure out a routine that works for you and a back-up plan for your busier days. Good luck to you!

Hi I'm with Midwest Girl I used to love to gulp water all day long! I'd get over 100 oz down a day, then i got sleeved and guess what? Can't even get down the blinkin' 64 oz now. . . like Midwest, I add sf crystal light or SF welshes blended berry mix to the water. . . it's much better now and as long as i sip small amounts i do really well. . . i'm now at almost 60 oz at it's taken me about 3 1/2 weeks. . . keep trying it'll get better, I promise. . .I'm definately NOT allowed oatmeal or potatoes at all during the first 6 months . . doctor told me it would slow down the weight loss because of the amount of carbs. . . maybe don't eat those and substitute with something else. . I'm still on high protein foods, fatfree cottage cheese, fatfree ricotta cheese, fatfree string cheese, fatfree refried Beans, sf puddings, fatfree yogurt, fatfree mootopia milk, Protein shakes, very mushy tunafish and so on. . Next week i get to try extra lean ground hamburger meat and extra lean ground turkey, we'll see about that! Good luck, I hope it all settles down and you can carry on with your journey. . .

Yes I mixed with water this morning. I am able to keep water, G2, yogurt and SF jello and Popsicles down. I have not had this issue until today.

Mashed potatoes are on my stage 3 (after full liquids) diet and are good mixed with plain greek yogurt (tastes like sour cream, but has a nice bit of protein!) Also, I know you don't like cottage cheese, but if you mix 1/4 c cottage cheese with an egg and a little cold water and beat it up and scramble it, it's very tasty (seasoned to you liking) and really doesn't taste anything like cottage cheese.

Breakfast: Protein shake in car on way to work Lunch: chicken meatballs Mid afternoon: yogurt with bran Cereal or cottage cheese and fruit Dinner: pulled chicken in BBQ sauce with melted cheese on top

I am a retired RN, but I know what your talking about....even being retired, I take a thermal tote with ice packs in the car with me because im only 6 wks out and eat small frequent meals...pack some yogurt, boiled eggs, string cheese..protein bars..jerky, pepperoni, etc....depending on your stage...I drink alot of arizona iced tea so i take the gallon in the car with me and carry a reusable double walled cup...hope this helped, good luck and congratulation on your surgery and your clinicals...

Spoon full of peanut butter, Hummus, BUTTER yes BUTTER forget that margarine crap! IF you're gonna eat fat might as well eat the real deal LOL, Full fat sour cream, Cream cheese, Yogurt (low sugar variety) full fat cheese. DO NOT FEAR THE FAT!!! You're eating tiny quantities of food, The total fat you're going to consume is going to be tiny too. so long as you're not gorging yourself on frozen custard sundaes nightly you'll be fine! I haven't eaten dinner yes and I've already consumed 31 grams of fat today (ate some fatty fish at lunch YUM) I expect dinner will add another 10-15 grams to my daily total, I am totally and completely fine with that. Especially because a stomach bug swept through our house yesterday and I didn't keep much of anything down LOL. I eat 4-6x's per day. 3 "meals" and 1-2 Snacks...sometimes I eat 3 snacks just depends on the day and how I'm feeling.

my snacks are usually something like a protein shake or a Dannon Light & Fit Greek yogurt. Occasionally I'll have some baby carrots with about 1/4 C hummus (raw vegetables can be hard on my stomach, even two years out, but because they can be irritating, it stops me from eating too much. Hey - whatever works!). At night I'll sometimes have a couple of sugar free popsicles. Like raw vegetables, the sugar alcohols in sugar free popsicles bother my stomach, so all I can handle is two of them. I also eat Light & Fit yogurt occasionally at night, too, especially if I'm craving ice cream. The creaminess/sweetness/dairy aspect of the yogurt hit the same spot as ice cream would. I also drink *a lot* of fluid (usually Crystal Light) - which helps sometimes, but I know sometimes you just have to have real food...

well when i was in the soft food stage i ate yogurt and added some protien powder to alot of what i had.. i had soups , pudding , mashed potatos, mushy broccoli, beans.. i never put anything in the blender. but adding unflavored protien powder to ur food helps with keeping u full also i wasnt alout to eat 6 times a day only 3 with 2 protien shakes inbetween and that was only for the first month now im only aloud 3 meals a day and that it d0c doesnt want me drinking my calories.. but hope some of my info helped.. good luck

When I was eating mushy food, I did a lot of yogurt, cottage cheese and scrambled eggs. The eggs made me fill full the longest. I eat only 1/4 C per meal and 1 scrambled egg would do it for me.

for mushies or generally? I tend to eat Cereal and fruit kind of things for breakfast, or shame, skip it all together. Mid morning I've started eating a snack simply because I've started teaching and I have a defined break then. I usually have a piece of fruit and the other day I had a small bowl of vegetable soup. lunch is soup, or a salad (with chicken, tuna or egg) or crackers and cheese. I dont usually eat in the afternoon, when I do, its not good, lol, usually its when I'll give into sugar cravings. dinner is meat and three veg - last night corned beef, mashed potato/pumpkin and steamed veg. during mushies I made a lot lentil dahl, soft salads of avocado/skinned tomato/skinned cucumber/chick peas and a can of flavoured tuna, yogurt, soups etc.

ParrotHeadCathy ~ Thanks for your reply; I don't get many on here... I guess It's all my fault; I am just not being as diligent as I should and it's frustrating.. I was just hoping this tool would give my discipline a kick in the A**... Which if I get to a point with the ccS it will... I just have NO willpower.. As far as your questions: Have you ever felt any restriction? I have to a point. Do you eat as prescribed, that is 3 oz of Protein, steamed or raw vegetable and then and only then, if still hungry WHOLE GRAIN carbs? I wasn't given this information.. We have a nutritionalist for the beginning and were told to keep it below 1,000 calories on days I don't go to gym and 1,200 on days that I do. Do you snack? When stressed... On what? Nuts, yogurt, jell-o... but I do have bad habits (chips ~ not much though)... Do you have problems swallowing any foods? not really; starting to see problems with breads, but I am not really eating them anyhow.

Greek yogurt low fat cottage cheese ricotta bake bean soups with ham broth (I even pureed the actual ham to add to bean soup)

style="margin:0;padding:0;background-color:#d8dde8;color:#5a5a5a;font:normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif;position:relative;"> Hey BariatricPal Members! Happy Mother’s Day from BariatricPal! For everyone who is a mother or is a mother figure, thank you for all that you do! For everyone else, I hope you will take this opportunity to thank your mom and any other mother figure in your life. You moms out there do a lot for us! This newsletter is all about treating yourself, treating yourself, enjoying your family, and becoming healthier together. Here’s what you’ll find: A Mother’s Day Meal to Celebrate Be a Great Mother: Be Good to Yourself Time-Savers for a Healthy Family Have a great Mother’s Day, and enjoy the newsletter. Then spend some time with your family, and don’t forget to logon to BariatricPal and discuss family, recipes, and whatever else is on your mind. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Be a Great Mother: Be Good to Yourself Mothers often find themselves putting everyone else first. You might feel so busy you can’t squeeze in a quick workout. You might cook your family their favorite meals while you depend on nothing but canned tuna and hard-boiled eggs to stick to your WLS diet. You might skimp on sleep so you can take care of the house and get the kids ready for school. And the idea of losing yourself in a good book or spending a few hours at a day spa? Those may be distant dreams. Are You Putting Yourself Last? Too many mothers feel they need to put others first. After all, taking care of your children and maybe your spouse and parents is your job, right? Add that to possible duties of housekeeping and holding down a job, and your time and energy are easily accounted for. Weight loss surgery magnifies the problem. You may feel guilty about surgery, especially if it was expensive for your family. You may worry that WLS pulls you apart from your family, since you need to eat a new way and set aside time to prepare food and work out. You may fight the guilty feelings by trying to put everyone else’s needs and wants behind yours – and that just doesn’t work. The trouble is, you can only give so much for so long without taking care of yourself. You need to make the time to recharge regularly and to keep up with your own emotional and physical health habits. If not, sooner or later, you will not be able to give your best to the ones you love. You’re Not Selfish; You’re Smart What happens when you think about putting yourself first? What feelings come up when you think about making your own meals before you make your family’s, or going to the gym in the evening instead of coming directly home from work, or postponing the housecleaning so you can meditate? If you’re like many weight loss surgery patients, you may feel guilty. That’s not fair or productive. When you take care of yourself, you are in a better position to take care of others. You will be stronger, happier, and more cheerful when you are healthy. Take some time to identify what you would ideally do if you did not have family responsibilities: which foods would you eat, what kind of workouts would you do, and which hobbies or relaxation activities would you pursue? Then figure out which ones are necessary for your long-term stability and work them into your life – even if it means making some of them a priority over less important things. Really, it’s okay to skip the dusting for now if you need that time to plan a few healthy meals. Take Care, Mother or Not By the way, being good to yourself so you can be at your best is not just for moms. No matter who you are, you can give your best if you are at your best. You’ll be better father, friend, son or daughter, and coworker. You’re not being selfish when you take care of yourself. You’re putting yourself in a position to give your best to the world. A Mother’s Day Meal to Celebrate After weight loss surgery, holidays are about more than just food. You can focus on family and on other fun activities besides eating. But the truth is, you’re likely to end up around the table at some point if you’re celebrating Mother’s Day. Almost all family gatherings tend to revolve around food, so instead of fighting it, you might as well make the best of it. Mother’s Day Breakfast in Bed If your Mother’s Day includes a little pampering at home…lucky you! Fresh fruit salad, cottage cheese with raw veggies, and Greek yogurt pops with fruit are some of the easy and healthy options you might want to ask your little helpers to serve you. You can also enjoy breakfast in bed or a more luxurious brunch at home with the help of The BariatricPal Store. We suggest whipping up a batch of instant Protein Pancakes in chocolate chip, golden delicious, or blueberry flavors. Serve them plain or with fruit or Greek yogurt for yourself, and let your children make their own feasts with toppings such as whipped cream, syrup, peanut butter, and fruit. For an early morning or mid-morning treat while hanging out with your kids or spouse, everyone might enjoy a cup of hot cocoa or cappuccino – protein included! Mother’s Day Brunch Out Are you going out for Mother’s Day? Lucky you! While that buffet or 12-course menu may look like a disaster at first glance, there’s a good chance there are plenty of healthy choices for you. Look past the breakfast pastries such as muffins, danishes, and doughnuts, doughy options like bagels, pancakes, and waffles, and fatty options like bacon and breakfast sausage. Think that doesn’t leave you with much? Think again! Check for any of the following. Omelets and egg white omelets with add-ins such as vegetable and natural ham. Fresh fruit. Seasonal fresh vegetables. Simple protein items such as cottage cheese and yogurt. Smoked salmon. Freshly carved turkey breast. The rules of your weight loss surgery diet hold here, too. Keep portions small, eat slowly, and You’ll have even more to celebrate than Mother’s Day when you realize you just got through Mother’s Day brunch without losing control. A Time to Reflect and Be Grateful We know not everyone celebrates Mother’s Day or approaches this day in the same way. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t take the time to reflect and be grateful. Any opportunity is a good one for realizing all that you have, even though life can get tough sometimes. You may be grateful for the opportunity weight loss surgery has given you to get healthy and have a new lease on life. Maybe you’re thankful for your family and friends who support you and make life worth living. Maybe you’re happy to have a job that puts (healthy) food on the table and a roof over your head. These things are simple and basic, but remembering to be grateful for them can truly make you appreciate them and be a happier person. So, have a wonderful Mother’s Day, and keep working towards those goals for weight loss and health! BariatricPal is there for you at every step of the way, so we hope you will keep contributing to the forums. Thanks for all of your support!

I am 4 weeks out and I split it up through out the day. Wake up Protein shake Midmorning at work, greek yogurt lunch bare burito or baked potatoe or I'll have about 3 oz of deli meat and cheese Midafternoon shake or greek yogurt dinner 3oz of what ever meat hubby is making Evening protein shake My issue before was that I ate until I was over full and I am finding that I do the same a little bit now. Not to the point of getting sick but being really full. I still only get in about 3 oz when actually eating food. Gotta work on that.