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I didn’t eat it in all one sitting but through out the day. I’ve been having hunger issues. I still have 5oz of the dinner left. I didn’t say I was portioning the puree out because I got lazy to type it all.

Omg this foods cooking smells so good. I’ve been lucky since surgery that it’s just my hubby and I and he is not a big eater and usually makes whatever he wants on the grill. I had a protein shake for breakfast but my mouth is watering. Idk if I’m gonna be able to control myself today. I mean portion wise I will but I’ve gotta taste a little bit of it all.

Happy Thanksgiving to our American members and to all! Let's see those Thanksgiving before and after food pics!

I can't for the life of me eat anything that doesn't have spice to it. I'm a spicy food lover since childhood. I was very worried that I won't be able to eat spice post sleeve (GERD) but thank goodness I eat spice the way I used to with no issues. If my food isn't spicy, I'm not eating it.

Yes, plans can be quite different but I agree with @ShoppGirl’s suggestion to check with your team. I was told 1/4 - 1/3 cup for a meal from purée increasing slowly to a cup of food by the 6 month mark. 7ozs pureed turkey dinner coupled with the sweet potato & cobbler & you’ve way exceeded my 6 month portion recommendation. And to add to her warning also, a lot of nerves were cut and or damaged during the surgery so messages like being full/had enough or eaten too much at going to get through or will be distorted. It’s why sticking to portion size recommendations are very important: to ensure you don’t damage your digestive system or impact your healing and recovery. It takes 6-8 weeks to fully heal.

It’s home made with filtered pulp for me and it’s only stevia. It turned out quite nice. I just got moved to puréed food today at my one week post op vist and am doing fine with eating 1/4th cup of chicken salad finely shredded and then really well chewed. Sits heavy though.

Just Double check your teams plan. That is WAY more food than I was allowed volume wise. I think I was doing like 1-2 oz a meal when I was first on puree and I don’t recall even being on puree that early out. (Some plans to vary) Just be sure to take it really slow and make sure you don’t overdo it. Too much at once volume wise could make you feel very sick but even worse it could injure your healing insides. There is always next Thanksgiving. Or have the variety you want, just spread it over a few days instead of having that all in one meal.

a lot of people think that we just lose weight because of the surgery and we don't make any of those changes. Now some don't and just rely on the surgery. I know for me, those around me have seen me put in the work, with the foods I eat, the exercise, and the overall change in lifestyle. Also, some are just jealous they aren't able to do the surgery.

I don't think I ever had a strict plan for myself other than limiting carbs, sugar and fried foods. I'm excited about Thanksgiving; I'm just planning to get a small plate and try a little of everything. We have 2 meals on Thanksgiving because we see both mine and my husband's family. I threw up for the first time since surgery last night. I think I just ate too fast and maybe didn't chew enough; it felt like it was stuck in my chest. So it was a good reminder to slow down and that I'm not completely the same as before surgery.

You're only two weeks out, so it's absolutely fine to take things slow. It's also fine not to hit the targets that have been set for you this early on. Just do your best. I actually did okay for the first few weeks, but at one point around week 4, my stomach just didn't want certain solid foods and I started having vomiting. My doctor had me go back to liquids for another two weeks. It was no fun at the time, but it eventually went away. Your body will adjust over time and you'll go back to mostly normal. I really liked creamy tomato soup with plain protein powder mixed in during the soft phase. Also, refried beans with some melted cheese were delicious. Think of food as more of a "nice to have" thing right now, knowing you are getting what you need from your protein and vitamin supplements. It's okay just to have a bite or two, or to have the same things for a few days in a row and not get a lot of variety. The first few months you're retraining yourself with eating and your body is going to be doing all sorts of weird things until it recovers.

Sounds like you are getting a crash course into all of this which I’m sure is very overwhelming but honestly there isn’t a whole lot they can do to prepare us for all of this anyways because we are all so different that it’s a bit of a whirlwind regardless. Taking the stages slow is probably your best bet honestly. I think many of us are itching to go faster because most of us love to eat and want to get back to “real food”. My book said it was always fine to go back to the previous stage. I kept them tiny bottles of mouthwash in my purse and just refilled them for the breath and like others mentioned used wipes and reapplied deodorant if I was out for a while although I did ask a couple trusted friends and they said they couldn’t smell it. I didn’t really Have any aversions to smells, but from what I have read on here over several years MOST aversions tend to be temporary. Hopefully this will be the case for you, and you are done with the hernias. Just take it one day at a time and check in with your team as they have requested. You should be surprised how fast the time goes.

So sorry you’ve experienced ongoing hernia problems. Hopefully they’ll be a thing of the past now. Nothing wrong with going slowly as you progress through the stages. Try one or two things & see how you go. I loved mince dishes during the soft food stage: meat balls, bolognese meat sauce, savoury mince all with lots of sauces to keep things moist. Also I made chunkier soups with meat, vegetables, lentils, beans etc. Cook things long and slow to ensure everything is well cooked and soft. The changes to your sense of smell &/or taste &/or textual aversions are temporary. Did you experience any of these when you had the sleeve? Certain textures bothered me and I became very sensitive to salty & sweet. The bad breath is associated with Ketosis. You may even experience changes in your body odour too. It too will pass. I Just keep breath mints handy. I took a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, body wipes & deodorant to work when I returned to help manage the Ketosis odours. When the body odours & bad breath go and your sense of smell, taste, etc. ‘ normalises’ again differs person to person. It may be a couple of months, a little more or a little less. All the best.

I had the sleeve done in 2017. I suffered for years with GERD and pain. I had a hiatal hernia repair in April, 2024 and it returned in June 2024. This time my organs were in my chest near my heart. So on November 12th I had a hiatal hernia repair AND gastric bypass. I am sooo tired and run down. The smell of certain foods make me sick. I am so afraid to move to the soft food stage because I am afraid it will cause problems again. I’m taking the vitamins and drinking my fluids. Will all of this pass? I think I am nervous because I wasn’t prepared 100% for the bypass. I knew it was a possibility but had not prepped as a planned bariatric surgery would have been. does the smell of certain foods make sickness go away? I plan to begin the soft diet very slowly . Does anyone have any suggestions? how about the gruesome breath? Does that settle down? thank you for your assistance.

that actually sounds like the perfect amount of food! you get your taste of everything and satisfy those taste buds. I love thanksgiving and all the foods! so I will be following suit and doing spoonful's of my fav foods!

I'll be cooking Thanksgiving dinner! I'm not stressing about it. I don't think it will be too much of an issue as the types of foods I will be making (traditional Thanksgiving staples) are the kinds of things I like but am not crazy about. My bigger concern for overindulgence is probably the charcuterie board I'm putting out earlier in the day, along with the candy I'll have in the candy dishes. In my case, I see my family frequently and they all know about the surgery, so it will just be a normal experience in that sense. I'm looking forward to cold leftover turkey! Even though there will only be 8 of us and probably 3 people who will barely touch the turkey, I ordered the bigger one (16-24lb range) because I want leftovers for my lunches.

First and foremost, I'm not going to preach abstinence, we are all adults and can make our own decisions. For me, apparently, I'm not an adult enough to be responsible. I've let alcohol take over, I drink daily and I've gained weight back. My spiral started around 4 years ago and has progressed steadily. Until recently, I was in control. I could drink and be ok. I would get drunk and know what happened the next day. Now however, I will get drunk and can't remember a thing. The next day I have massive brain fog, can't concentrate, can't orate correctly, I feel like crap, have the shakes etc. To be clear, I never leave my house and drive. I worry however that it could come to that. My weight is making my back problem even more painful. My clothes are tight, I'm depressed, and it's just awful. I feel like it's groundhogs day every day. I say I'm going to stop and I last a few days and then I slip back. However today I've made a decision to stop drinking entirely. I'm done. I'm not drinking ever again. I clearly can't control my self. I'm an addict with food and now alcohol. Much like food did, booze will ruin my life if I continue. I'm going to join AA and clean my life up yet again. Writing this is a first step for me. I'm not looking for pity, or to be chastised. I need to be self shamed and admit what I am. I'm an alcoholic. However, I can change this, I will change this. I will be healthier soon, it will be hard but I'm going to get there. So please, be careful with alcohol. We all spent a lot of time and money to say nothing of the physical and mental pain we've been through, don't throw it away. Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using BariatricPal mobile app

You’re not going to feel the restriction until you are much further along in your healing (takes around 6-8 weeks) & eating solid foods. A lot of nerves are cut or damaged during the surgery so messages simply aren’t getting through or are distorted if they do. The staged return to eating is to protect your recovery and to ensure you don’t damage your healing digestive system (think of all those sutures and staples holding your tummy together- I believe it’s around 12inches of sutures+staples with a sleeve. You should only progress your stages if your surgeon advises you to. It’s also one of the reasons why we’re advised to eat slowly and are given portion sizes we should stick to. Also remember that liquids go through the tummy much more quickly than solid food so you don’t really get full in the same way as you know sipping your shakes slowly. Purées go through a little more quickly but nothing like solid foods.

Went Jean shopping yesterday and my biggest struggle was everything looked good and with my size I had so many options. Then went to VS and was picking out size small panties and they are sexy. TMI but I wore a sexy piece for the mister and I felt really sexy in my skin. It was the best freaking feeling! Attached are the very first pair of pants I bought after WLS because my 20s were way too baggy. I don’t always do amazing with my choices in food- a struggle we all will forever be a struggle for me, but damn! I did this work, I put in work at the gym, I meal prep every damn week, and I track. I am humble bragging that I am proud of myself!

Crazy thing is I never ate her spicy bowls the shrimp or sausage but for some reason it smelled so good to me an Thank you for the kind work I’m 3days post op an just strained my soup for phase 2 patiently waiting on phase 3 for soft foods but my overall experience has been great hope everyone is doin well

Yep, me. I never lost my hunger at all. I've just had to learn that if I follow my plan, I'm getting enough food. I ignore it by staying busy, working a lot, and keeping busy so I'm not focused on it. I make sure to have 3 meals and 3 snacks per day and prioritize protein, then healthy fats, then fiber, then carbs.

Hi in 2days post op an I feel great I’m so hungry an the smell of foods just makes me even more hungry the spicy bowls my daughter makes smells so good ong Ian I the only one here

I have and I'm 10 days out. I've had a very rough go with several other issues, needed a blood transfusions, and as soon as I went to full liquids, I could not hold food in so I got dehydrated. On top of all that, I've been so hungry, lost 20 lbs though.

Thanks everyone. I think me panic was more stress induced than anything else. So I've just gone through my house again, and threw out everything that I shouldn't eat again. I definitely think I have a food addiction so I think I will check out overeaters anonymous. Honestly, I never something like that existed! My weight is back on a downward trend (.5kg or 1lb) since Monday so I'm starting to see the light at the end again. I'm flying on Sunday so I've been feeling stressed about that which doesn't help. Thank you for all your support. Sometimes I just need someone to press the "bullshit" button and snap me out of the funk. Back to onwards and downwards.

Yep, I'm 9 months post-op and may or may not just be coming out of about a 3-week stall. It's very normal and expected to start slowing down, stalling, and having small weight gains at this point. I hit a low of 170.2 toward the end of October, immediately bounced up a pound, and didn't drop below that low point until 3 days ago. Personally, I find that whenever I hit a new low after a little bit of a stall, especially if it involves a large one-day drop (I went from 170.8 to 169.0 in a day), I'll usually bounce around a little before seeing any steady declines. Most people continue losing weight until at least 12 months, and sometimes a little bit more until 18 or 24 months. But with a lot more stalls, especially the closer you get to a "normal" BMI. (I'm about 14 pounds away from not being considered overweight by the medical charts). The important thing is to develop a healthy eating and exercise routine that is sustainable no matter what the scale says. If you're doing what is reasonable and recommended, keep doing it. There's no need to change what isn't broken. On the other hand, if you know you've been straying from your good habits, focus on getting back to where you know you should be. Eating healthy foods in the correct portions on a regular schedule, moving your body throughout the week, getting the right amount of protein, taking vitamins, and drinking water are all things you will be doing for the rest of your life, even though at some point the scale will stop going down. The advice I am giving myself these days is to try to separate those good things I am doing from the number on the scale. Because for me, if I start seeing weight loss as a "reward" for "being good", it makes it harder to continue the good lifelong habits when that "reward" inevitably goes away. It also won't do you any favors in the long run if you try to introduce a bunch of things you know you will never be able to maintain just to get the scale moving faster. I might be able to drop a few pounds really fast if I went back to 500 calories per day or re-did my 2 week liquid diet, but I can't live like that forever, so it's a false victory. I think we all have to find the right balance of habits we can maintain fairly steadily for a lifetime and a healthy weight we can maintain without torturing ourselves. And remember that just because you hit the 12-month mark doesn't mean the game is over. You can always introduce improvements to your nutrition or your exercise that will result in slow and steady changes over time. You don't have to workout 5 days a week for 2 hours a day if that isn't your thing, but if you add some resistance training a few times per week or an extra walk after dinner, you will see those results down the road.

@NeonRaven8919, First of all, let me assure you that we all have head hunger. None of us got to a weight where we required weight loss surgery without overeating, and we all have our own demons. You are among others like yourself. It sucks, but it's not unbeatable. Here's what I have to say. I was in intensive outpatient eating disorders therapy for a few months, because I recognize that I am a compulsive overeater. That did nothing for the head hunger and portion control problems. For me, gastric bypass was the only solution because I need that brake on my overeating. And now, I have not had any sweets or high-sugar items since surgery because I know I could have dumping syndrome afterward, and nobody wants that. So that's another brake. For me, it's much easier to not eat something than to try to moderate. The reason for all of that is because I have a food addiction. I know this about myself because I also happen to be a recovering alcoholic, and the cravings are exactly the same. I did not get sober by myself. White-knuckling does not work for addiction. The compulsions are simply too strong. I could not have gotten sober by myself. And there was no reason to, because there is free help out there. Did I want to quit entirely? NO. But I couldn't go on like I was. And now I'm 32 years sober, after starting in a position where I couldn't go 24 hours without drinking. Why am I saying all this? Because your story sounds like mine. "Mindful eating" to control compulsion makes about as much sense as "mindful drinking" to control alcoholism (which is to say, none). So you may want to approach this problem like an addiction. I am not saying you are a food addict, only you can know whether that's true for you. What I'm saying is that you do not have to do this alone, and there's free help out there. @BigSue told you about some, and you will find TONS of support groups online in addition to the one she recommended. Take advantage of this free help, because white-knuckling is horrible and mostly doesn't work. Why? Because it's not about willpower. You did all the stuff to get your surgery, so we know you have willpower. If that worked against the kind of compulsion you're describing, it wouldn't be a problem. It doesn't. What does work is support groups. That's because they're full of people like us, who have to fight to change our relationship to food. If you do happen to think you might be a food addict, check out Overeaters Anonymous. There are groups everywhere and it's free. You don't have to commit to anything and there's no test or anything to attend. You can just listen or ask questions or whatever. I absolutely guarantee that if you told your story about the food at work to an OA meeting, every single head would nod. Everyone will know exactly what you're talking about because they've been there. Please don't give up on yourself, you're on a journey. People slip up. We get to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off, and keep on going forward. You did a brilliant, extremely courageous thing in sharing your challenge here, and see how much support and help you got? You can do this. You CAN do this. We all need a little help from our friends.