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How much protein are you taking in? are you staying hydrated? Are you exercising? Many questions to be answered. sometimes the body will require a certain amount of protein and a certain amount of calories before it will start to loose the weight. I have to hit the mid 70 percentile in grams of protein before my body will loose weight.

laura-ven, In some ways, I'm probably more of a foodie now than ever before. I refuse to eat food if I don't find it both nutritious and delicious, at least if I'm going out to eat. I'll admit that my morning protein bars aren't yummy; they're fuel, but if I'm paying for a meal, I want something really good. When eating at a restaurant, I will leave if nothing on a menu appeals to me. That's not to say that sometimes the strangest things really catch my eye. I once ordered tilapia in a greasy spoon diner and the waitress looked at me like I was nuts, but that was what sounded (and tasted) good at the time. Last night I ordered scrambled eggs for dinner...just scrambled eggs. It's what I wanted, so that's what I ordered....in a Mexican restaurant. LOL I'm not all into gourmet tastes, etc, but I want tasty, nutritious food when I'm paying for a meal.

I was required to lose 5% of my body weight on the 2 week preop (protein shakes and green veggies only). I was afraid I wouldn't, so I started 2 days early. I ended up losing 22 pounds in 16 days, instead of the required 12 pounds. Even when I saw I was past my doctor's required loss I never cheated once....I was on a roll and 10 more pounds closer to goal even before surgery.

Hello. I am 5 days post op too (sleeved on 10/7). I am following the Kaiser plan given to me by my nutritionist before and again given to me at the hospital before my discharge. You can print out the PDF's from the West Los Angeles Kaiser site online https://xnet.kp.org/misg/bariatrics/after.html They are very helpful and include shopping lists and portions to get 60-75g of Protein through this liquids only stage we are in for about 10 more days. Good luck!

My first week was clear liquids so I used premier protein (my surgeon allowed this as an exception to the clear rule), and ProtiDiet liquid beverage concentrate. My second week was full liquids (which also included Greek yogurt and cottage cheese). I also used ProtiDiet creamy chicken and tomato basil soup.

Hi ya'll, So I am day 5 post op and in find it hard to do what the doctor suggested so I am playing around around it. He said cream of soup now that's too heavy So today I tried Miso Soup with no sea weed and few tofu great success. He said cream of wheat that was hard to digest so I tried laughing cow melted triangle cheese. The best breakfast yet. Shakes are coming along okey but not too well so i tried cultured milk AKA kefir. So far I have tried those and all have much protein. Please share your items perhaps I can find comfort in them. TIA

Is there a major difference between the lap band and the realize band? going in for surgery in 7 hours and I thought that I was getting the Lap Band but the surgery center nurse mentioned that the dr. prefers the realize band. I'm confused! Any thoughts?

I found the ones at costco are great. 150 calories for 11 oz and 30 grams of Protein. I think it's like 2 sugars or something. it comes in chocolate and it tastes good. I wish I could find a good vanilla. Not big on so much choc!

Well after over a year thinking about it and researching I decided on getting the Vertical Sleeve Surgery. Self pay is my only option and after reading for forums for the last 6 month, for me, Dr. Garcia is my choice of Doctors after reading all the great reviews of his work. I sent my paper work in to Alma, Ready4achange a few weeks ago... does anyone know how long it takes to get reveiwed, then after that, to finally get scheduled Thanks Everyone

Next week will by 8 months post surgery. I have been happy with the weight loss. I have gone from 280 lbs to 168. Overall, I have done a great job of sticking to it. I exercise regularly and really monitor what I eat. With that said Yes, I have snacked but rarely and No some days I do not exercise but I follow things pretty closely. The weight came off prett well but now things have come to a standstill. Some say that will happen between 8 and 10 months post op and the body will start to gain weight without an increase in calories. That is what seems to be happening to me now. For those newbies or those thinking about the surgery just keep in mind you will get results but it is a tool. You will start to see some changes like food not tasting quite the same as it did before. Like they operated on your taste buds. As for exercise - do it - if you are struggling try something - anything but get moving. The hardest thing after surgery is more psychological - the fear that after going thru everything that when you reach a pleateau that that is the end. It is not. You may hit a plateau or two but keep doing what your doing it will come off. A couple of things you can if you did a plateau however like increase the intensity of your exercise - really create a sweat. Change the type of exercise you do - if your using a treadmill switch to a bike or a hard walk. Drink more Water and watch your carbs. If you have a support group that you can attend put everything else aside and attend it. They are great. It helps so much to be in a room with others who have had surgeries and just talk about many of the same things as this site but you get the human interation. If you don't have a support system then visit here. Do not try to do it alone. At the start when the weight comes off you will think you don't need any help but you will. Many have joined weight watchers and attended the weekly meetings. They have a good support system and it keeps you motivated. You will notice things with family and co-workers as well. SOme will say things like "you cheated" or "took the easy way out". Yes, that is stupid but that is how some people think. The easy way out is not commiting ourselves to a major surgery and the risks involved but you will have people say that. You might also see friends be less supportive than you would think - some of it is jealously some just don't want change but you will see it. Also, what you do DOES affect other people. YOU have opted for the surgery so you have to balance the best way to handle it. If your married then you struggle to find a balance between not having certain triggers in the house for food however, that is not fair to others in the household after all why should they suffer for what you chose. There will always be a McDonalds weather you choose to have the surgery or not and you will HAVE to face those issues. You will have those that just don't get it - they will say "oh, just eat you look great" or something like that. IT will happen so be prepared. There will be times when you are not hungry but just feel like chewing or feel the need to eat. Keep lots of Protein available and keep the water cold. Hard boiled egg whites are great protein and only 17 calories. At the start you will feel like you are alone. You will not be sure what to eat, when to eat. You will be concerned your not taking in enough protein or water and sometimes you just won't. That is normal. Do the best you can. Eventually, drinking water will not be an issue so don't get upset if you can only drink limited amounts of water - do the best you can and work up to it. As I said it has been 8 months for me but things have slowed down. My goal is 155 lbs. I had gotten down to 164 and started to gain without doing anything different. I have heard about a bounce as the body adjusts but being so close to my goal was hard. For my weight I should be taking in 2300 calories to maintain however I take in about 1000-1200 calories a day plus I burn about 500 with exercise. Knowing that a pound of fast 3500 calories if I were to reduce my caloreis from my maintain 2300 calories by just 500 calories a day I would lose 1 pound a week. Well I have reduced my maintain calorie number by 1,000 and added anthoer 500 calories for the execise and logically that should allow me to be losing 2-4 pounds a week now but that is not happening. It is just something I have to work thru. I wish you all the best. I know we all say it is a tool but it is. You will do fine but the harder part will be afte the 6 months post op and that is when you will need to work a bit harder. One more note: This is a journey. Take it one day at a time. Your stomach is now about 70-80 smaller so many of the things that were difficult will be bette but you can't drink milkshakes all day without gaining. You have to change your diet. Things will be different but better. With your full size stomach we always had a goal but when we got close somethign would blow it - a holiday, birthday or summer BBQ. Now you have a smaller stomach and that will not change -ever. So use the tool. The one thing about this website is that only we who have had the surgery or thinking about it UNDERSTAND what we have gone thru all our lives. It is not a decision we did quickly and we have all probably done as much research as any doctor or nurse. Certainly more than any dietiticain we have ever met. We have all cheated and fooled ourselves that it was anything else but eating too much and too many calories. THe thing about this site and support groups are you soon learn you can't kid a kidder. We have all done it. We have gotten angry at the scale, we have moved that thing an inch to get the best reading and then when it showed something we would get on it multiple times a day. We let a little number guide or lives. We have grazed in the middle of the night and eaten cake batter, we have struggled and succeeded and then lost and we have done it so many times others would not understand. Finally, we had to make a decision and that is why we are all here. In this new way of living you will meet medical professionals, doctors, nurses and dieticians and all will have book knowledge but they will not really understand. No one really understands but those of us who have lived it. You will get conflicting information from others who have had the surgery, nurses etc. One will say you have to take a particular kind of Calcium like calcium citrate, my particular doctor said any calcium will do including tums. You will compare notes and one doctor will say you can't have carbinated drinks because the bubbles expand in the stomach and another will say that is foolish the reason is because they stimulate the appitite for more sweets - BUT IT DOES NOT MATTER. Listen to all the advice and DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU. A lot of this is mental. We have spent a lifetime thinking about food a certain way and that does not go away quickly. We will go to a restaurant knowing we can't eat it but order it anyway because we used to. It will look and smell good but what you did before you surgery will not work now. Your mind is the same person but our bodies will not be. IT will be like two different people living in one form. The mental part is hard. I remember how devisted I was when I hit a plateau for a week and was about 60 lbs down. The emotional aspects of feeling that the surgery did not work or was not working was hard. Day by day I would get angry with myself for undergoing this surgery for just 60 lbs and all the "medical pro"s " were no help. THe thought of the surgery not working is very hard to deal with but then WOW - you will get on the scale and be down 5 lbs and it will start again. Realistically give yourself a hard year to work. Commit to it. You will lose much of the weight in the first 6 months but after that it will come off slower. We can help with mental part so ask all the questions. People here are great. . Good luck sleevers - you can do it. You will be frustrated and scared and wonder if its working but it does and enjoy your new life. Yes, you will be able to fly without your body going to someone elses seat, you will be able to go to a football game and fit in the stadium seat, you will be able to do so much more and it will feel great. Those are non scale victories. Enjoy them.

Thanks to everyone here who encouraged me and answered my many, many questions both before and after surgery. Because of you I knew what to expect and was prepared for things not covered in my workshops and nurse education class (like the 11 pounds gained from IV fluids!). You shared recipes for different stages (like ricotta bake and chili) and made product recommendations (like cherry chocolate Greek yogurt and Protein granola). You shared advice on everything - constipation, foamies, rashes, gas, dry skin, social issues, vomiting, and on and on. You shared funny stories that made me laugh (the thread about gas was one). You offered sympathy and encouragement when I was struggling. You celebrated every NSV with me and cheered me on. We all help each other. That's what makes this group so special! Thank you!!! :-)

Plain Greek yogurt and tons of Protein supplement! I'm in my second week post op and am finding that in the liquid stage, pretty much the only way I get protein is through supplements. It also takes forever to drink one. I've found that if I blend chocolate, vanilla, or banana with ice and plain greek yogurt, I'm getting tons of protein in one glass so I only have to drink one in the morning and one at night to get my protein in. The rest of the time I'm eating Jello, pudding, popsicles, or broth. Good luck!

I completely understand your thoughts about not wanting to lose your hair! My hair is my thing! The good news is that everyone doesn't lose it. I've been pretty obsessive about getting my Protein in, and I have not had a problem with hair loss. I just went and got my hair cut and colored, and she said my ahir looked healthier than ever! (I guess it's all that protein.) I use the New whey Protein Bullets. My favorite is fruit punch flavored, and I mix it with fruit punch crystal light. If you can drink crystal light, you can drink this! I mix 1/2 bullet (21 g protein) with about 20 oz of crystal light. Good luck, and I wish you healthy hair and nails!:biggrin2:

Hello all!! Please help me! I dont want to lose my hair or my nails!! I dont want to fail at this!! i was banded on June 12th! four days post opp!! i started my full liquids today and started added my protein supplements!! yuck!:sad: AWFUL!! i dont know what to do!! i have got to have 60 grams a day!! any suggestions?? Please help! Im in need of support!!

There are a few places that I can get the Acheiv One drinks. One is a website called bariatriceating.com and the other is a store that is near me that specializes in WLS. They also have a website which is c2Linfo.com. I know it is also available on other websites but those are the two that I use most frequently. The isopure drinks that I drink are the blue rasberry and the Iced tea. I don't care for the taste of the other flavors but I know my Mom drinks the Alpine Punch and likes it. And she hasn't had surgery, she just needs the Protein for other reasons. I also find the whey protein bullets to be too sweet but I guess mixed with another drink it might be more tolerable.

From reading other posts I thought that the diarrhea was normal. Then I realized that I was reacting to the whey Protein. Stopped the whey and most milk products and I was back to normal in two days. Now I only have milk if I have the opposite problem. Don't let yourself get dehydrated. You could end up in the hospital. Good Luck

Any suggestions for a good breakfast cereal. I was sleeved 2/18/14 and want a new option besides oatmeal and eggs. I just had my drs appt 3/27/14 and lost a total of 32lbs. Anybody use carnation instant breakfast. I do have unflavored protein mix. I appreciate any suggestions, thx!

Post Great Grains Protein Blend Cinnamon/Hazelnut 8grams protein per serving 230 calories for a full cup but I can only eat half a cup. Special K Protein 120 calories for 3/4 cup and 10 grams of protein. Again I can only eat half a cup. They both taste really good too.

I understand your angst. I had to do 30 days. 14 days before and Post Op. The first 4 days are torturous. They were for me. I'm not gonna lie. Sugar depressed Popsicles and Jello got me through. Along with being resolute that I was making a decision to change my life for the good forever. I also wanted to ensure my doc had the best view when he operated on me. That's the purpose of the liquid diet. I did hat a little fear he would know if I had cheated too. Lol. I did have one slice of fat free turkey lunch meat. Lol. I savor end every flipping bite. Anyway....the best advice I can give you is to experiment with your Protein drinks. The best one I made and still do is....Unjury unflavored pro powder, unsweetened cocoa, PB2 Peanut Butter, ice, 1/4 of frozen banana 1(cut up, put into ice trays, froze, and transferred into baggy), milk, and sweetened with Stevia. This gives you about 31 grams of protein and 220+ calories. It will keep you full for at least 4 hours. I don't like super sweet stuff....this was perfect! Also, Health Wise protein juice mix....my fav is Lemon Raspberry and I doubled the Water. I still like it now. Bariatric Choice is a good website for options. Best Wishes! You Can Do It!!!

Hello fellow "newbee"....I have been banded for 10 days now. And I can relate to you as far as what to eat....dont be nervous about that because I was too before my surgery. And it just comes to you. The first 2 or 3 days your not gonna want anything to "eat". So I have been eating or drinking I should say.....chicken broth (i dont like beef broth) sugerfree popcicles,sugarfree jello,lots of water or crystal light ice tea. I have had some hot tea with a teaspoon of honey. That was the first week. And stating the second week, I added liquid yogart, protein shake made with skim milk, tomato soup made with skim milk, and I been having a teaspoon of peanut butter. Kinda get it nice and wet in your mouth, if you can imagine "chewing" creamy peanut butter. Then starting my third week which is this coming weds. I am going to add cottage cheese, apple sauce, cream of wheat, mashed sweet potatoes...muchie foods. Really thoughtm dont be nervous, it all comes to you. And dont be afraid at all. I was operated on weds oct 24th and I was home and walking my local Mall 4 days later on Sunday!!!!! Good luck, TONI

I've found 2 that I like - 1st place: Premier Protein chocolate shake - 2nd place: EAS carb control chocolate I like them even better with a scoop of powdered chocolate protein thrown in. I like my Protein shakes kinda thick. I bought a bag of chocolate soy Meal Replacement mix at Sam's Club and have been putting a scoop of it in my shakes. Sometimes they feel a little "grainy" but they always taste good. No chemical aftertaste. AND cheap, just over $1.50 per shake. You can get EAS at Wal-mart - 4 for $5. The Premiers, I had to buy a case of 12 at Sam's - 12 for $19.

Stalls happen, maybe up your protein or excercise.

I don’t have a gallbladder so no not that. But I’m having a very hard time transitioning from soft proteins to regular food. Most days I never get in only half the fluid and I meet the protein with protein drinks help when I have dumping syndrome which is often in this stage for me. I had liver disease liver induced diabetes and failing kidney from hereditary triglycerides was eating at my liver so either gastric or donor. Anyways during being sick with liver I got to where I didn’t like meats well. So it’s been hard. So I use genepro with crystal light to get my protein. Lots of people think it doesn’t work but I’ve done my research and it’s absorbing great with me. I’m still nauseous especially if out to eat home somewhat better. My appetite sucks unless it’s non protein then I’m good. By the way I’m southern as cornbread so excuse my speech lol. East Tn at bottom of mountains lol.

I'm 10 tens post-op. I swear each day I feel better. So I hope you feel better soon. I have had the GNC Whey no-flavor protein. It was not terrible. I also have sent away for UNjury protein which I have been told is really good. They sell sample packs so you can see what you think.

I like Designer Whey. I've tried the chocolate and strawberry. They aren't so bad when mixed with milk. I've tried others and they were pretty bad. I've bought all of my protein through drugstore.com. They have a GNC store within their site, and you can get most items way cheaper than you can purchase them at GNC, you can use a gold card there too if you have one. They send out many promotions for discounts and free shipping.