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Small plates are my absolute fave way to eat a restaurant meal (I.e., dim sum, tapas, izakaya, tasting menus). One can sample a variety of food without the commitment of a full entrée. Here was last night’s 13 course meal. Each course was probably the size of a fork head (no more than 2 normal sized bites each). Didn’t eat everything put in front of me…I marked the items I passed on with an X below for reference…which someone gladly ate lol. Figured I ate about 2 (maybe 2.5) cups total in food volume over a span of 3+ hours. Was more than satisfied, on the verge of stuffed…almost, but not quite. There was no easy way to figure out the calories for everything so I just logged 1800 cals for the night (I also had 2 glasses of wine). Now while me and the Kid were happy, the men wanted to go for pizza after 🙄

I guess people have wildly different experiences. I’m officially 2 weeks post op and would absolutely go on a cruise right now. the first 3-4 days for me were rough, mostly due to gas pains. As soon as my digestive system started working well again I’ve been feeling much better and now I would say I’m about 90%. Still a bit weak from the low calories intake I think. A nice relaxing cruise seems like exactly what the doctor ordered. This past weekend I had to drive back from NY to Florida after surgery and back to work.

I knew better than to eat just leftover chicken tenders and French fries for dinner after only having a protein shake, a protein bar, and a cream cheese cookie the rest of the day. 🤦‍♀️ Calories is total for the day so far. I have to work tomorrow night so I’m trying to stay up as late as possible so I sleep during the day. Hopefully I’ll be able to eat something else.

Well said, @Jaelzion. I used to be able to diet & lose weight when I was younger but the reason I regained weight after was because I went back to eating the same foods I did before. I decided to have surgery was because I was unable to lose the 30kgs I’d put on in my late 40s early 50s; damn menopause meant I couldn’t shift more than a couple of kgs even if eating 500 calories for weeks & weeks. If you go back to eating the same foods in similar quantities you will gain weight again after your surgery. Portion control is important but must be coordinated with calorie control. 1500 calories of high fat, high sugar, carb rich food is the same as 1500 calories of protein dense, low fat, low carb, low sugar food. It’s just that one is better for your body & doesn’t lead to major health complications (heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc.). If you choose to eat pizza every day that’s your choice as long as the calories you consume over the whole day are not more than what your body needs to function & will therefore eatable you to maintain your weight. I eat more often than I did before (pre surgery: 2 meals & 1 snack - post surgery: 3 meals & 3 or 4 snacks). I eat more food across a day than I did before too. And I eat more calories than I did before to maintain at this weight then I did before to be unable to maintain at a much higher weight. The difference is the nutritional quality of the food I eat & that the surgery kick started my metabolism again. And I still have times I’m not hungry or interested in eating.

Folks - I just want to send a small positive vibe out into the universe - I am on day 5 of my liquid pre op diet and I have to say, I feel decent and honestly this is not *that* bad. I swear! I was massively dreading this. I was worried I would be nonstop hungry for two weeks and angry at the world. However, I got into a routine of shake - broth - jello/popsicle that seems to be working to manage the hunger. Am I hungry? Yes. Is it constant? No. (Could I eat any solid form of food right now? Yes. Will I? No.) I "eat" 4 times a day: breakfast, lunch, "happy hour" (oh the irony), and dinner. I have a shake at each meal and broth and/or jello. I have tried many broths and I honestly prefer the old fashioned boullion cubes or ramen noodle broth packet over anything fancy like bone broth. I am having 800-900 calories a day and I am not face down in the bed like I thought I would be. I even adulted at work today. 😂 Just want to send this note because the two week liquid preop was looming so large in my mind before I actually started doing it. Like many things, the dread was worse than just doing the dreaded thing.

My first stall was about 2 weeks after surgery and lasted around a week. The second real stall was around 6 months, and lasted almost a month. The third real stall was late-Oct to late-Nov, which I mistook for being in maintenance (then 7 lbs flew off in a week, so nope). There's really nothing to do. It's impossible to keep your weight at the calorie levels we're on, but we often underestimate what just a little change to our hydration levels and constipation can do for our weight. We had a Christmas party at work last week. I woke up 4 lbs lighter from dehydration. Then gained them back over the weekend. All water.

Thanks for the reactions much better food day today, weighed this morning and a disappointing 185lbs, i used to weigh daily and im going back to that, i think its better for me to keep tabs on my weight. My scale broke about 3months ago when a friend came to visit, and i replaced it about 6week later, it said id gained about 5kg and i thought it was wrong LOL. Todays food was protein shake, protein meal (like space food), chicken (A LOT), low fat yogurt and a half a mars bar, 3 crackers and a lollypop. Calories should be about 1000 for the intake. I had about a litre of water, and about a litre of coffee. ill be going for a run shortly, 3 to 4miles maybe i realize i eat because im bored, im working from home because of covid and currently in the UK, nothing really going on out here. will write again tomorrow, im buying myself a gucci bag at 10lbs weight loss because i need the bag and body.

UPDATE: So, on Friday I contacted my nutritionist. I sent her a lengthy message through my health portal online and attached a copy of my most recent food logs for her to go over. She quickly responded and told me the following info. First she thanked me for the included food logs with macros as they were very helpful. She was happy to see that I still log my food as it helps when trying to figure out what you could be doing "wrong". She said that, although she could see that I was trying to keep my protein up, I was still being VERY inconsistent. Once she looked over it all and averaged it out, she said my protein was drastically ranging from 49-98 grams a day!! Yikes! Didn't pay attention enough to that to see that myself. She said my carb intake was also inconsistent. She told me I was using the net carb amounts, but also getting the calories from the total carb amount. She wants me to keep the carbs between 50 and 75 grams a day but NOT over 100. At least not now. She said she understand the use of net carbs from a diabetic standpoint, but in my case my blood sugars are improving and my medication has decreased. Of course she said carbs should be from fruit/veg/whole grains. Which I was doing but in wrong amounts, I guess. I also had been lacking in the veggie department cause I somehow inadvertently was replacing veggies with these new carbs (i.e., rice, quinoa, etc) that months ago she suggested I add in. So yeah, was doing things sorta right, but not really. LOL She said it looked like most of my calories were coming from carbs and lacking in protein that your body needs to preserve muscle and continue to lose fat. She said there was no need to cut them out completely, and that that's not likely to be productive. She also told me to keep my calories down to about 800 a day for now too. Which I was usually between 800 and 1000. Most days, 900. And finally, when it comes to my fitness she said that walking (which is what I've been doing) is great cardio, but that's all. She suggested I start including some light weight or body weight strength training that's metabolic active, meaning I'll burn calories/fat and preserve muscle and strength. Often times including that helps get through stalls, she said. She told me to make sure there's variety to my activity. She told me to correct these things for the next few weeks and see if that helps. If not I will make an appointment with her and we can go from there. So, FINGERS CROSSED this works!!! I have made the corrections starting this past Saturday so we'll see. I have yet to figure out an exercise/weight plan. I'm having issues figuring out what exercises I should do with what I have here at home (weight bands and free weights).

I’m having my 3rd session with the surgery psych soon and I just want to be done. Not a fan of this guy and he seems to be fulfilling a role that the dietitian is supposed to fill. He’s drawing this out as long as possible. Hoping to see my own psychologist about issues I’m having but I’ve been controlling my food intake, counting calories and have been losing weight on my own. He’s just unhappy that I told him I don’t know what I’d do if I was on vacation and needed to eat or that I wasn’t substituting my breakfast for protein shakes. I just really need to get past him as they won’t even let me meet my assigned surgeon to see if I like her or not and then face the next hump - either switching surgeons or going forward.

Hey October '21 friends! Checking in. How is everyone doing? Things "feel" good over here and I'm healing well. Started hitting Orangetheory two weeks ago and it feels good to be working out again (I was an avid fitness person for years pre-op, so it's part of my identity). I feel like I've been slow to lose- which honestly, I'm OK with. I'm following my surgeon's office orders, but I feel like they'll tell me at my next appointment I'm not losing quickly enough (they mentioned it a little at my previous 1 month appointment)- anybody else struggle with that? I know I'm getting smaller, but my office doesn't measure me each time I come in.. only weighs. Been meeting my hydration, protein, and calorie goals. Starting on the 29th, I'll be asked to up my calories again and pay attention to carbs & fat as well (I'm already paying attention to these as I've set the recommendations in my Baritastic app already). Anyway, that's how it's going here in my 9th week. I am about 1lb away from a 50lb total loss since starting my journey in May, so that's something to celebrate.

For me, it was important to keep tracking everything even through the frustrating stalls: weighing myself regularly, tracking all my food and water, etc. It is easy to get discouraged when you don't see the scale move for a while (or, move slower than you want) but the key is continuing what you are doing, with potentially some tweaks depending on what your practice advises. In my case, tracking helped me ensure I was pushing toward the calorie level my practice wanted to see (at least 1000 cals/day, which was hard for me for a while) and helped ensure the choices I was making to add calories continued to be smart (prioritizing protein). It was also helpful to take measurements and pictures to see progress. In fact, I was just in a really slow period of weight loss for 6-8 weeks (after awesome weight loss the initial few months), and seeing new pics compared against the old ones from right around surgery was so, so helpful at giving me positive reinforcement. I also have been looking for other non-scale victories to carry me through, so realizing that clothes are fitting looser, or that I just have more energy than I did before. On the happy side, my slow weight loss has ramped up again after slogging through that slower period. I am exercising a bit more but also have been diligent about hitting that 1000 cals/day threshold - I'm convinced that has been the key for me, at least until my body decided to go slow again! So, talk to your nutritionist, see what they say, and also just stay hopeful (I'm not a naturally positive person so this part is really a challenge for me!) Slow is better than zero and zero loss is better than gains. Good luck and hang in there!

How you decide to maintain your weight is ultimately your choice. What I do or what someone else does may not work for you. My advice is, whatever you choose to do, make sure it is sustainable. That is, it’s a way of eating that doesn’t mean you have to make sacrifices & are able to enjoy living your life. A way of eating that is overly restrictive is destined to fail. There are always alternatives that are healthier & more nutritious. For example if you want to eat carbs, look for multi or whole grain versions & not highly processed white flours. Want pizza, try cauliflower or chicken bases or pita bread as has been suggested. There are lots of high protein low carbs pastas available too. There are snack foods that are lower in calories & higher in protein then traditional snacks. Try different cooking styles like an air fryer or oven baking versus deep frying. Some people do eat pizza, burgers, fries, etc. but they do so in small portions, occasionally. You know you best & how well you can manage eating fast foods & foods considered unhealthy. Use the time you’re losing & on a restrictive diet, to research different eating styles & reflect on your trigger foods. You may develop your own eating routine by picking & choosing from various ‘diets’. You may become vegetarian. You may switch in some vegan options or meals. You may choose to reduce certain food types from your diet like sugar or fats. You just need to develop a way of eating that works for you. Good luck.

I agree with @catwoman7: speak with your doctor. My thoughts turned to low BP & drops in sugar (hypoglycaemia). Many have temporary issues with these. I wonder if it’s too do with our body getting used to the changes in our diet & reduced calories. Prior to surgery I had a tendency to low blood pressure (occasional drops) & random hypoglycaemic episodes. After surgery & as my weight dropped I had more instances of low BP & a more hypoglycaemic episodes. Now I live with a low BP every day. If I feel a hypoglycaemic episode coming on I’ll grab some berries but, touch wood, I haven’t had one for about 4 or 5 months. I took a bottle of hydralyte with me everywhere I went for months for a boost of energy but any electrolyte drink will work. It helped a lot & I hope it helps you too. Give yourself time. Once your weight stabilises & you’re eating more you may find you feel a lot better. But do speak with your doctor.

I think it will be a piece of cake compared to my 1990 RNY. It was open surgery. I have a scar from below my sternum to my belly button. I was in ICU 2-3 days and in hospital for a week, then off work for another 4 weeks. I was given no nutritional advice or counseling. I saw the surgeon once before surgery, on the day of surgery, and two weeks later for him to check the stitches and remove the drain tubes (3 weeks of drain tubes!). In ICU I had a nasal gastric tube and IVs--nothing by mouth. On returning to a regular room I got clear liquids for a couple of days, pureed/soft for a couple of days and, get this: I was given solid food within 7 days of surgery. I was given a one-page low calorie diet and told "don't throw up". No wonder I blamed myself for the failure of the procedure. For 30 years I assumed that I ruined the RNY because I had thrown up too often. It was not until I had an EGD that I learned that the staples dividing the pouch from the stomach gave way due to peristalsis of the stomach. My surgeon told me that around 75% of the bypasses done back then failed for this very reason. He specialized in bariatric revisions during his residency and 1/3 of his current surgery is for revisions. He's reassured me that the new laparoscopic incisions and robotic assisted protocols are far superior, that the possibility of staple failure and leaks are minimal and would be found quickly. Because of my age (73). I'll stay two nights in the hospital instead of the usual 1 night. I think I'll be in good hands and make a rapid recovery. I have every intention of driving to my 2-week follow up visit.

Junky afternoon snack while watching John Wick for like the 20th time. Sour cream and onion chips and a peanut butter cup: 292 calories Yes, i eat chips and chocolate. Mr. ate a little less than 1/2 the PB cup and a couple chips and i ate the rest.

Sounds like everyone is doing well. I’m down 14 pounds from surgery on November 9th. I haven’t had any problems with anything I’ve tried. I’m getting about 800 calories a day and about 70 grams of protein. Keep up the good work everyone!

Don't stress D&S you'll see movement again soon. I had more than 2 weeks post op where I lost virtually nothing and even now, 26 days out, I have lost only 7lbs since I got home from hospital. I'm taking that though! I think I will change to weekly weighing now so I don't get too knocked by all the ups and downs - they come with the territory. We all know that because we've all dieted soooooo much before. Hope your stall ends really soon. Your calories sound spot on, and so does your protein 👌

Hi Lisa! When we become obese, we often suffer a lot from the mental and social pressure this disease causes. We blame ourselves, tell ourselves we're somehow morally deficient human beings, and we get into some very black/white mindsets. There are no bad foods. Also no good foods. There's just ... food. For a while while you're healing and while you're on your journey in the first year, yes, you will have to make some conscious choices about what you eat. However, the most important lesson you can take away from this experience is learning to live somewhere between black and white. It's probably not good for you to have pizza every day. It's probably completely fine to have a slice or two Friday night. It's what you do Saturday morning that matters. Do you think "oh well, since I had pizza last night, it's all ruined and I may as well just eat whatever now". Or do you think "hey, that was a nice treat, today I'll have something else". Even better - make room for it in your calorie count and enjoy your slice. Live with going 200 cals over if you must.

Hi! Not sure if this will help you or not....my program doesn't cut out food groups, and encourages getting to 1200 calories as soon as you can. I have been at 1200 calories since week 5 or so...and I eat carbs. I made this one change years ago with Pizza. Before surgery we would get pizza maybe twice a month, and it was always overdone. Large greasy pizzas, with fries and dips etc etc and of course I would get sick from the overindulgence every.single.time lol. I take a whole wheat pita, add some tomato sauce, pepperoni from the deli, and low fat cheese. Cook at 400 in the oven for about 15 min and it's amazing! Crispy but also gooey. Depending on what actual products you use....comes out to about 320 calories, 15g of fat, 36g of carbs, 19g of protein. Before surgery, I used to eat 3...now it is just one for dinner. And of course, you can out whatever toppings you want. It's also great for kids too because they can make the kind of pizza they want....without the price tag and all the added full fat and oil and doughy crust. I think there are many ways to get around certain kinds of food by making modifications to your favourites! The internet has non stop recipes that can help with alternatives regardless of the kind of program you are on.

Never say never. I’m 3 years out, and i can (and do) eat anything. Well, except excess sugar in one sitting (i dump)…when i do eat sugar (i.e., dessert) its always just a little at a time. I eat bread, cookies, chocolate, fried foods, sauces, the occasional pizza slice (albeit only when Mr. makes it, as its delicious), rice (in my sushi), pasta (again only when Mr. makes it), and drink alcohol. I go out to eat at restaurants regularly. I’d go even more if it wasn’t so Covid-y out there. So long as my average calories stays at or below my maintenance calories (i track EVERYTHING), then its all good. If my weight goes north of my self-imposed high weight limit (i weigh myself everyday) for 3-4 consecutive days, i cut cals for a while, until I’m in my happy weight range again. I had to do this 3 times in year 2…haven’t had to do it again so far *crosses fingers*. All my labs come back uneventfully. I have maintained below goal weight (127lbs) for 2.5 years…i was 116.6lbs this morning. So i figure I’m doing something right. Some people can have a similar lifestyle, others not due to a host of things (food tolerances, medical issues, temperament, activity levels, etc…). Where you will end up on the spectrum of “foodie-ability” can and will be determined only by you. Yes, you may be one of those that will not be able to “enjoy” food and keep weight off. BUT, you also may be one of the ones who do. Alot of it is up to you. My take is that you have to decide which is more important to you: the *possible* loss of your current food enjoyment OR the possibility of weight loss. There is no wrong answer. P.S. Of course, these aren’t the only two outcomes: there is also “possible weight loss with a NEW way of enjoying food”.

I'm only 7.5 weeks post-op. I was getting about 400-500 calories in around 4 weeks post-op. However, my nutritionist did not like that & said I need at least 600, up to 900. I average about 800-1k daily. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

So I lost about 12 pounds on the clear liquid phase which was for 7 days post-Op. Today is the end of day 11 and I haven't lost anything since full fluid phase. Calories are around 450 to 600 and protein around 40 to 50 grams/day. Not sure if that's too much. But yeh I am clearly on a stall and not sure when it'll start moving down. 😭

I have been hungry all along, that never went went away. I just balance it by eating six times a day. I read about people having trouble getting in their protein and such and I have have not had that issue. Avg around 90g. I stay within the calorie goal recommended by my dietician.

Exactly, which is why the op and many others feel like this. My observations and experience on this journey has lead me to believe to succeed long term with this surgery you need to be the type of person who would succeed with normal diet and exercise programs and if you can do that why would you need surgery. Surgery is a kick start caused by the early after surgery effects where you physically cant eat and your body is forced to survive on a low calorie diet. But once the body heals and you can start bringing in "normal" foods that is where you need will power and commitment and this is where it fails as some of us are lead to believe that the portion control side of things is what looses the weight. I have been very surprised by the amount and types of foods i can actually eat ! I feel that perhaps the op may experience the same. Its not the fault of the op for being disappointed and to have feelings of being misinformed. My dietian told me prior to surgery and again after surgery that I could eat as I did pre surgery and loose weight because of the portion control side of things.... false. My surgeon told me AFTER surgery at my 3 month post op appointment that the effects of the sleeve last 18 months to 2 years at the most and what happens after that is entirely up to you. So yes if you look at it like that why are we cutting pieces off a perfectly healthy vital organ for short term benefit. Studies now show that gut health plays a huge roll in weight control among other modern health issues so maybe that is another solution that should be looked at before surgery as I dont even know if we are able to do what it takes to get out gut health right after surgery. That is something i plan to look into.

I was nervous about every single step or stage I went through. It all went smoothly though and I was fine. You definitely won’t start gaining either unless you eat too many times a day or you eat super calorie dense foods.