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If you have no restriction then you should be able to choose to eat what you want. Obviously you should be making healthy choices. There is no point in going and deciding that you can eat anything just because you are not restricted yet because by doing that you are setting yourself up for failure. You should choose foods that are not full of empty calories. Have some Protein - maybe lean chicken or a small piece of steak etc. Have some vegetables e.g. a salad . NB when I say salad I mean something with lots of fresh raw veggies in and no protein. Not a mixture of Proteins and creamy sauces with a token sprinkling of lettuce. Something like Beans is also good. A small portion of carb if you want. I would avoid the beer and have a glass of wine or something like that and sip it slowly. You need to get into the healthy eating habit now, you already have your band, you do not need to wait for some point in the future when you think you may have restriction. Planning on cheating is not good. Planning on adapting and enjoying a situation by making positive healthy food choices is good.

Wow, so sorry to hear this. ((hugs)). I second the using either unflavored protein powder and adding it to broths when you're cleared for it, or to add in some other form of protein like egg white protein, or vegan protein. Whatever you can get in. My RD said in a failsafe worst case scenario, I could whisk in pasteurized eggs (Egglands Best) into my broth so that it was creamy, not like egg drop soup. That means you have to keep the broth around 140-145 degrees. Just to get some protein in. I know it isn't unusual to have diarrhea when all you're having is Gatorade and clear broth. Can you try the Powerade Zero? Theoretically it should firm up with solids. Hang in there!!! It WILL get better!

Even though you are counting the protein based liquids towards liquids, your body still needs water to prevent dehydration. That may account for light headedness. As for being full your stomach is healing and the nerves can't give you an accurate reading for fullness. For some, the swelling helps identify it.

Hello everyone! So tomorrow is the big day for me! I’m having my gastric sleeve surgery. I’m definitely both excited and nervous. My surgeon wants me on a full liquid diet today. I thought that meant I could have broth but apparently I can’t! It’s just strictly protein shakes! I’m so bummed because I was really looking forward to having some broth knowing that it’ll keep my stomach full tonight. I know I gotta prepare myself for the surgery but I was just curious so to why I can’t have broth? Did anyone else have to have strictly protein shakes?

Well this is the first issue I've had. I really didn't mean offense and wish it hadn't been taken that way. I live in a small town. I don't even have the option of going to support groups unless I drive over 100 miles. I need somewhere to come and get support. So hopefully this was just a misunderstanding. I'll admit when I do something wrong, but I won't be called out on something I didn't do without defending myself. It's all good. Being angry on the internet is pretty pointless and I try to always remember that. Some like to stir up stuff, some like to vent...I just want to find like minded folk. I would call my surgeon or nut, though. That's just me.

Hi. I was banded on Oct 20 and I am doing very well. Pain and gas almost obliterated. I never had much gas to begin with but I had hiccups almost constantly in the beginning. I am on mushies now. I've lost 18 lbs so far. I'm looking forward to reaching 20 lbs so I can buy a charm for my Pandora bracelet. I am using the bracelet to mark each 20 lbs I loose. My advice to you is continue drinking your Protein as soon as you can. It really keeps you full and helps the healing.

Hi, I was banded 10/25/11 and have been doing pretty good. I can walk a mile, sit, and stand without discomfort. I'm not very hungry. Getting about 600 calories a day, 70ish grams Protein a day average. Saturday I had lots of gas and the shoulder pain was intense. Heating pad and gas-x strips help but I ended up taking a dose of my pain med at bedtime. Lots of gas release today but the shoulder is pain free. Just follow you doctors instructions and you should be fine. TBM TheBandedMan is on YouTube

Oh, and I've only lost 12 lbs. I had surgery on 4.01. You get pumped full of fluids at the hospital and you just got cut and rearranged. It throws you into shock. I was feeling horrible about not having lost any by day 5. I had a lot of support from people telling me that's normal. I finally realized.....just like when I went on a diet with someone that didn't have hashimotos or PCOS, we're all going to lose at different rates. Just let your body find it's stride. It will. And I have discovered a LOVE of apple juice. I don't dilute and it doesn't bother me. I love love love love juicy juice. I also like water wtih great value sport blue with b vitamins. And dasani drops pineapple coconut. I'm taking a scoop of protein powder and mixing it in half of a premade atkins shake twice a day. That gives me 57 grams of protein. Then whatever I can choke down.

Why did they say no to protein shakes?

As a vegetarian I struggle with supplementing. Ultimately I wanted to do this in the most effective way possible. My compromise is the Isopure clear drinks. I only drink the black tea, green tea & coconut flavors, but it's 40 grams of protein/ 160 calories. I often dilute it with my Water in order to kill 2 birds with one stone. I can then eat a normal vegetarian diet and met all my nutritional needs. Going back to your first post. I wonder if you need to adjust your expectations a bit. May of us quickly hit our Protein & Fluid goals. However for some it's more of a build up. I've seen many newly sleeved people end up in the ER with dehydration. Yes protein is important for healing as well as safe & effective weight loss, but if you are struggling, aim for that fluid first. Then as soon as you can start focusing on getting in that protein.

Ok some people are freaking me out with all the dying talk lol, just being real. I am trying to focus on liquids at this time until my next apt but i'm second guessing it. I spent all day sipping yesterday and got in 6 1/2 cups of liquid. By the end of the night some of it even kept coming up. Soo would focusing on my liquids at this time (next 3wks) be such a bad thing? And I know protein is important for muscle mass and in general, but vegetarians can clearly live without it. Its not like I'm not getting any? how safe would it be to focus on liquids right now? This journey is not easy and I do not have all the resources. At this time I'm trying my best, my stomach can only hold so much. I've talked to them about protein powder and shakes before being approved. They recommended getting protein from natural sources because they feel it helps create a better and healthier lifestyle later on, and natural protein isn't processed like protein powder/shakes. I personally could careless about that but thats their reason, and I think I'm gonna go pick up some premier as soon as I get the chance. Ps thanks for the suggestions kindle!

You definitely sound dehydrated and undernourished. Have you tried Syntrax nectar Protein? They are like koolaid so they may not fill you up as much as the milk-based shakes do. They come in variety of flavors. 2 scoops in 32 oz Water would give you 40g protein you could sip on all day. Add in a couple cups of decaf herbal tea (warm liquids went down better for me), another couple cups of water and you've got your fluids in. Try adding unflavored Protein powder to some Soups. They may not fill you up like dense Proteins do, so you can get more in. Plain Greek yogurt flavored with vanilla protein powder would give you a big protein boost, too. I had to sip all day long from the moment I Woke up till the minute I went to bed. I never didn't have a water bottle in my hand and I rarely ate/drank anything that didn't contain protein. And I did not go to bed until I got my 64 oz and 60+g. You have to make these a priority. They are WAY more important than excercise at this point.

9 weeks if you took 40 mins no harm done. I wasn't able to eat that in 9 weeks took me like 4/5 months to actually eat real food or things I like. I would suggest to try to limit those food for when your a few more weeks. Eat fish salmon mash potato more protein food which will benefit you in the long run then once in a whole have a lean pocket/hot pocket.

One of my favorite things to tell our newbies is this: Stalls are like lovers. Your first will probably not be your last. Trust in the process. It works. It just is a fickle crazy maker. I have found that even though I have been successful these last 17 months, I still investigate every new diet that comes out. I have my 18 month follow-up appointment on 6/11 and will confess to my bariatrician that I have this anxiety and a tendency to have "exercise bulemia". I feel like if I eat anything, I have to go exercise off the calories right away. So, just stay on point with Protein first, then veg, then limited fruit. I had to give up Peanut Butter and cheese to move my most recent stall. maybe I will try those again after my panni at the end of the year. (I have to be two years out.) Remember these basic concepts that many of us follow with the variety of plans our bariatric teams give us: Drink no calories. Drink Water until your eyeballs float - 64 - 80+ ounces per day. Don't eat anything made in a factory. You can do this by shopping the perimeter of the supermarket and avoid the aisle unless you need a spice or paper towels...that kind of stuff. Eat at least 60 ounces of protein per day, and at any meal, eat your protein first - then veg - then fruit. Dessert should be something like an apple, not apple pie with two scoops of ice cream. Avoid sugar, grease, and salt as much as possible. Eating clean will help you discover the real taste of natural food. If it weren't for sugar, grease and salt, McDonald's would have no business. When I gave up candy bars and started eating dark chocolate, I realized that it wasn't the chocolate I missed - it was the sugar. Try to wean yourself off of soda and diet soda. Many bariatric plans discourage soda pop and anything with bubbles post-op. Reduce starchy carbs like bread, flour, sugar, rice, noodle, biscuits, white potatoes, macaroni, spaghetti etc. So what is left to eat? meat, eggs, cheese, Beans, peanut butter, yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts, and fresh fruits and non-starchy veggies. You can adjust your current recipes to reduce carbs. The World According to Eggface is a good place to start. We have a forum here for recipes. Also, Sparkpeople.com and Myfitnesspal.com. Many of us use Myfitnesspal.com for logging our food every day. It is really an eye-opener if you are honest with yourself about what you eat. Weigh and measure your food to accurately acknowledge your actual portion size. There is a scientific principle that says, "You cannot control that which you do not measure." Exercise where you can. Move your body every day. Don't become part of the sofa. Good luck, and get going!

Are you meeting your protein goal? I wasn't given quantities after liquid diet but still supposed to focus on protein and liquids. After protein, I ate until I felt satisfied with small bites and went slowly.

Even if you can eat a lot, you should not. Just stick with whatever your program dictates and focus on protein. I had a band revision to bypass and understand your fears, but I think if we stick with the plan as it was laid out we will be fine. I lost 30lbs my first month. I measure my food, time it out, and don't eat a bite more than the 3-4 oz I was allotted. Good luck! I feel so much better this time around!

I can definitely eat more soft foods. I try to eat "hard " protein first then veggies. I can usually only do about two oz hard protein and I'm full.

I think the problem might be that you aren't weighing your food. I will get my sleeve on the 26th, and once I'm off the liquid diet my plan calls for 2 ounces Protein (eaten slowly, small bites), followed by 2 ounces low-carb veggies (again, slowly with small bites), then, if I'm still hungry, 2 ounces of fruit, and only after that, 2 ounces starchy veggies. I practiced this for a couple of weeks so that I would be used to it and it is pretty hard, but doable. The main thing is to never allow yourself to get hangry. Once my hunger gets to a certain point, I think 'screw it, I'll eat what I want' but if I'm taking in enough liquid and protein, I don't get to that point and I can follow my plan. Sent from my Nexus 5X using the BariatricPal App

@@chewbug26 -- You need more Protein. Focus on it before vegetables. Cottage cheese is highest in protein on your list, then cheese, including string cheese (if that's what you mean by "cheese sticks"). This is per serving. I can't say anything about quantities for sleevers. You can check with your practice to be sure. @@WitchySar -- Did you mean 2 oz? I'm mentioning the typo only because some people may take it as gospel or be confused.

I just had surgery on Monday. Before that I had a 4 week optifast diet. We had to have 5 protein supplements per day and could have one small very specific meal. It was extremely hard to do the first week. That is when the body is detoxing and withdrawing from the carbs, sugars, caffeine, etc. It will cause a severe headache. After that first week, it gets much, much easier. Stick to it and you will see. You want your liver to be as small as possible for surgery and it will be well worth it!

My understanding is this: over time your pouch will stretch. However, it won't go back to pre-surgery size. You are going to hopefully get into the habit of eating nutrient-dense foods and worry less about portions, albeit portion size is important. I am 4 months out and I can do about 1/2 cup-3/4 of solid food. If I eat a meat protein of about 3oz, I don't have room for much else. A 5.3 oz container of greek yogurt is verrrry filling. I have found that I can drink more fluids in one sitting but since I drink either water, water with crystal light, coffee, sugar-free cocoa (now that its cold where I am) or a protein shake, I don't worry about ounces in this case. I don't gulp because that hurts but I can sip it down quicker than I could when I was ate your stage. Be sure to stick to the food plan developed by your NUT and move everyday. You'll be ok. As long as you are putting healthy food in and are stopping when you feel satisfied, you'll be ok.

I'm not all that happy, but I was ready for less weight loss during the mushy phase. I saw my nutritionist today-lost 1 pound in the last week and a half!!! argh! Two weeks post surgery I had lost 10! Iknow not to be frustrated, and I go in for my first fill tomorrow, so..I posted earlier that I had been feeling hungrier, and as if I can eat more now. I'veread So many posts like this, I really shouldn't be even writing this, but I just needed to vent, y'all! Upping my Water and Protein should help-at least I didn''t gain, right? I'll try and remain positive!..

Minnie, premier Protein seems to be a winner on the boards. I love them as well. Messaging you

Weight Watchers fudge bars or Blue Bell No Sugar Added Dutch chocolate ice cream are my go-to's. At only 90 calories a serving, no fat and 9g Protein - you can't get much more guilt free than that. Don't be too hard on yourself, this is a process.

By "not eating healthy" do you mean not following your prescribed diet? Being the same weight for days or weeks is normal but gaining 11 pounds isn't. How much Protein and carbs do you eat daily? Drinking enough Water? Exercising? Avoiding "Slider" foods and alcohol? You don't have to justify any of this to me but you do need to be honest with yourself. The WLS is just a tool. To lose weight we really have to do ALL the work ourselves.