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This is so true! I’m 2 weeks out as of tomorrow, and everyday there are huge strides. One thing: dumping syndrome is no joke, so be sure to do what your medical team is telling you to do and don’t do something stupid like have a half-cup of Thai soup broth with coconut milk in it—like this idiot did. (Me😬) You are going to be just fine, @Danielle07!

Lunchbag Letdown. Was scheduled for my RNY today at 2:15pm. Arrived at the appointed check-in time of 11:00am and sat patiently for a couple of hours with an IV started wearing a very drafty gown and see through blue booties. The surgeon dropped by to let me know they were running behind and it would be 2-3 hours longer as they were taking the RNY case before me next. 2-3 hours turned into 4 then 5, then I was advised an emergency case had come in and had 'stolen' my nursing team and my surgery needed to be cancelled for today. Now I'll wait to hear from the surgeon's office some time over the next few days to get a new date. If there's an upside, the surgeon gave me a 'free pass' to eat whatever I want tonight and to just follow a low fat/low carb diet from tomorrow until my new date; I won't need to hop back on the OptiFast liquid diet train again. Yes it sucks, but it can always be worse - I wasn't the emergency case, so I'll take that as a win.

Peggy Anne, I feel your pain. I'm supposed to move from pureed to more soft foods this week. I have stalled in my weight loss but I also have a thyroid issue now apparently. My dr did a blood check last week and my t4free is low but I quit my Levothyroxine at the time of the surgery bc they told me the thyroid was too high at that point...smh. For the last week I've been so tired I can barely walk, and then I developed a rash on the thyroid area of my neck and other thyroid symptoms so I started the meds back a couple of days ago but they still haven't helped. I called the nurse at my surgeon's office to ask if they had seen my results (i got them the next day) and she said basically she could make me an appointment but that really isn't their issue? I guess she wanted me to see my primary care dr but since I don't actually HAVE A REGULAR DR I told her I'm seeing my nephrologist tomorrow and I'd see if he could tell me what to do. I'm kind of like Why am I following up with the surgeon at all bc apparently if there is an issue, he won't handle it so I'm going to get labs done and sent to him to tell me to see a regular dr.???? About your meatballs....I had 1/4 lb of ground beef I cooked w./brown gravy and put over some mashed potatoes that stayed down so I took out a 1 lb pack of 12 frozen, pre-made meatballs last night that I thought I'd cook down in some spaghetti sauce. Didn't consider adding cheese but I thought I'd cook meatballs in the air fryer and then drain well and add to some store bought sauce. I am missing vegetables, carbs too like rice, breads, potatoes, etc. but the veg is almost a craving since I haven't had anything green in 30 days. I'm maybe eating 2-3 times a day, I also tried a piece of baked tilapia with butter and seasonings that stayed down well with no issues. It seems anything without a sauce or gravy causes issues, nothing too dry. Other than that I seem to be progressing along in the healing up process. Now if I can just get the strength back and walk across the room ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ:)

Hello, I know stalls are frustrating, but we all have them. Your body has to adjust and that is what happens when you stall in the beginning, once you re further out, you have to look at what you are eating, how much, and if you are exercising enough. As far as 32 pounds in 2 months... sounds good to me. Its more than you probably lost in 2 month pre-surgery. 😊

So I got my surgery on June 22nd - about nine weeks ago. I am 5'8", 35F, and started out at 320, I'm currently 288 for a loss of 32 pounds over about two months. Is that okay? For the last week or so, I've had a really rough stall and barely been losing anything. Some days I'll even gain a pound. This is my second stall. I normally eat between 600 and 1000 calories (mostly about 800) and almost entirely protein really. Is there an issue with me? Is my weight loss rate okay or is it too slow? I feel like I should have lost like 50 pounds by now. What about this stall?

I think I misspoke, I did lose 3 lbs week one (plus the 6 lbs of water weight from 4 days of IV fluids) and 5 lbs week 2 in total 14 lbs but really I shouldn't count the water so 8lbs. My sister reminded me this very morning that an 8 lb loss in 2 weeks is amazing. I always want to hurry up and wait. As for the meatball recipe it was 1 of 4 recommended recipes except I added the ricotta trying to get my protein up. I'm supposed to be eating 5 to 6 servings of 2 oz of meat a day and I can't seem to get past 1 1/2. So far I can do one meal and 2 protein shakes or visa versa. I fear my metabolism will stall if I can't get more in but for now it's day by day. I appreciate the input though. Everyone is so helpful in this group and I'm loving it.

Most post-op diet plans I see here seem like standard weight loss diets. Some of them seem quite draconian. My surgeon's philosophy was different. From the very beginning he stressed that I was learning a new way of eating. This was a new way for me, but most rational people would view as "healthy" and nothing much out of the ordinary. This would be for the rest of my life. As I said in my previous post, I didn't count things in my plan beyond basic meal planning: Protein first then some veggies. I started at what most here would call a "maintenance diet." In the first 6 weeks, it was no different than my most recent 6 weeks, other than the food was pureed. When I reached goal, nothing changed. I had no desire nor inclination to live the rest of my life dieting. Good luck, Tek

Day 1 of the liquid diet for me too. So far I've forgotten my box of liquid IV and all my little water flavoring packets. I did stop and pick up a box of crystal light along with some sugar-free jello since I'm allowed to have that as well. I'm making due with some of the protein I bought for after surgery until I can get to Sams this afternoon and get premade shakes because my approved list for pre-op liquid diet is tiny. I'm supposed to drink two 8oz glasses of regular OJ everyday, and I drank the first one and yeah, that hit me like a lead balloon. I think I lost about 1/2 of the 22 lbs you were talking about earlier hahaha but serously! I hope everyone's getting excited. Counting down the days and praying they go as quickly as the last few weeks have gone. Just trying to figure out how I'm going to make it all work with no PTO to cover my surgery days. I only have 20 hours left and that won't cover much considering I have to go to Mayo this Friday for 3 appointments so there's anther 5+ hours gone since Mayo is 6 hours away. I'll be driving all day. YUCK! And I'm supposed to cut out caffeine completely too? Somethings just aren't fair hahaha

You shouldn’t be experiencing a slow weight loss at only 2 weeks out, especially if this is the original bariatric surgery. Even with a revision, you shouldn’t be stalled (speaking as someone who has been). Looking at the ingredients in your meatball shake, though, I’m not surprised. The meatballs, ricotta and Parmesan are heavy, even though they’ve been blitzed. It sounds like you’re trying to move through the food stages to get to “regular” food again too quickly. This reminds me of a scene in an episode of “ER,” where a bariatric patient swore he was drinking his shakes. Turns out, the ingredients were pizza, an entire fried chicken dinner, and any kind of fast food you can think of, all blended in a blender. We all understand how it feels to be so desperate to get to solid-(ish) foods. The best thing we can do is follow the plan to the letter (and keep after the constipation, that’ll weigh you down, too). Take care, and keep up the good work.

I’ll be 5 years post op in October, and I was (and still am) an avid tracker so I log everything I eat, and my app figures out the cals and macros. During weight loss phase I focused on being ultra-low carb (under 25g NET carbs a day). I also went low-calorie but this sorta happened on its own cuz I didn’t really want to eat much anyway…I.e., by the time I got to goal, I was consuming sub-800 cals a day. lost all the weight I wanted plus a bit more, and looked like death’s older sister lolzzzzz. i eventually got over my fear of carbs during maintenance and by around 2-3 years post-op, was eating whatever carbs I want (not just good carbs, but the not-so-great ones as well…I’m looking at dessert and chips!) BUT I still make sure to stay within my maintenance calorie range1800-ish cals a day normally, 2300+ cals when I’m in an exercising phase. Its worth noting that I actually weigh LESS today (119 lbs) than I did when I was death’s sibling after reaching goal (127 lbs) yet I look waaaaaaay healthier (not so gaunt) now. I think it’s the carbs. While I really liked how my body looked back then when I was low-carbing, my face really suffered. Now, though my body looks less fit and “softer”, my face is also looking “softer” and is quite pleasing to look at in the mirror lolololzzzzzz. long story short, weight loss is ultimately down to calories in and calories out, however way those calories are comprised (carb, fat, or proteins). Stay under your maintenance calories and you WILL lose weight. The trick is finding out what your maintenance calories are at ANY GIVEN POINT IN TIME because it isn’t static and changes with age, activity level, health status, sleep patterns, stress levels, etc….which is why I’m a big proponent of food/body weight/activity tracking cuz all that data helps to figure out patterns and stuff. i get it’s not for everybody though. But I totally credit tracking to me staying under goal weight this entire time (5 years post in October). Good Luck!❤️

I don't have any experience with this specific device but as a general rule, weight can fluctuate from day to day and it is completely normal. I know for myself, if I weigh daily, I sometimes see a 4 or 5 pound variance. I would suggest maybe picking a day each week to weigh and try to stay off the scale otherwise. I know it feels counterintuitive, but weighing daily can actually be somewhat detrimental when we see those very normal fluctuations. I'm sure your partner is doing great!

I lost over 200 lbs and had a ton of it. It was very easy to hide in clothes, so no one knew it was there except of me (well, other than my husband and doctor). I eventually had it removed, but even if I hadn't, I would have taken thet saggy skin any day of the week over weighing almost 400 lbs again. ANY DAY! Here's a picture of me BEFORE I had my skin removed. See all that saggy skin? I didn't think so. Honestly, being severely obese vs having some saggy skin that no one can see? It was a no brainer for me.

Hi My partner had a Allurion balloon fitted 4 days ago. She has been losing each day but today she has put on 3 lb. She has been stringent with her diet. Is this normal when starting to eat pureed food?

If you count carbs you still have to be mindful of how many calories you consume. And if you count calories you have to be mindful of how many of those are from carbs. Fruits and veggies I don't worry so much about. I used the Baritastic app during my 3-month pre-op diet basically to show my nutritionist what I was eating and to make sure I was staying within my limits to lose the weight needed for surgery. Afterwards I don't use it. Logging and thinking about food 24/7 drives me nuts. But I do practice mindful eating and if using it helps keep you on track, then do it. I did like the recipe feature. Just add all ingredients and then your serving size. It does all the math for you. I pretty much know what foods to eat and which to avoid and the WLS restricts my amounts anyway. Portion control, I think is most important. By now I've gotten pretty good at eyeballing what I put on my plate. Some days I can finish it and others I push it away. As long as my weight continues to go down, I know I am on the right track. I'm hoping by the time the honeymoon phase is over and normal hunger returns, I will have formed new habits to maintain my losses and continue losing weight to goal.

I didn’t have to count carbs or calories either. Just told to keep my carbs (sugar, fat) low & given a list of carbs to avoid (bread, pasta, rice, etc. - anything low processed). Portion size was what I had to focus on (& protein & fluids of course). 1/4-1/3 cup from purée increasing to a cup at about 6 months. I still watch my portion sizes. I used to randomly check calories just out of my own interest while I was losing & I still do this. Simply because if you are consuming more calories than your body needs to function effectively you will gain weight. (An additional 100 calories a day equates to 10lbs over a year 😱 yikes!) But yes working out calories for complex meals like salads, soups, stews, etc. you cook yourself can be challenging & never completely accurate. I tend to focus on the protein content only then. I check the weight of the protein in the soup, casserole, etc. & work out about how many portions that would be of the finished meal. Hard to weigh meats with bones to work out the calories too. I go to recommended serving sizes then to help guide my portion. To eat carbs or not in the long term is really up to you and what works for you in regard to what types, how often, how much. I only ate rolled oats while losing and then could start adding other whole or multi grains carbs from maintenance. The carbs in vegetables & fruit were always okay & were a free pass. I only eat two serves of multi/whole grain carbs a day & still don’t eat bread & similar products, pasta, rice. They sit heavily. Don’t miss them & I do feel better without them - no bloating, less wind, etc. but that’s me. There’s nothing stopping you counting your own carbs & keeping them at a level you’re happy with while you’re losing if you want. As long as you monitor, the best you can, the calories your team is asking for. Remember once you work out the calories for a specific salad, soup, etc, you don’t have to do it every time you eat those recipes. As long as your portion remains the same (adjusting for the increase in portions as you progress) the calories will be pretty accurate.

I do both. Actually, I log my calories, carbs, protein, and fat. I'm so used to it at this point that it's second nature. One week I'll work out 5 days and rest 2. Then the next week I'll work out 4 days and rest 3. I also stick to my routine, but switch up the actual exercises within the routine so I "confuse" my body and what I'm doing continues to work. Workout days (alternate between heavy cardio, weight training, core/strength training, wall/beginner pilates): Calories: 1200-1300 (depending on what I'm doing that day) Carbs: 35-40 Protein: 90g Fat: 45-50g NON workout days (rest days): Calories: 900-1000 Carbs: 20-25 Protein: 60-70g Fat: 30-35g

I do both. I use the Baritastic app, and I set my calorie and carb goals and try not to exceed them. I think some people take issue with carb counting because there's good carbs and really, really bad carbs. For me, carbs are really important to monitor because I really don't like vegetables. I can eat a bit of fresh salad, but that's about it because I have texture issues. I can't stand cooked veggies, to me it's inedible slime. Lol! Obviously, good carbs are necessary for vitamins and minerals and proper digestion, but carbs with no nutritional value (junk food) only "nurture" us emotionally. Ironically, after we eat crap that makes us feel good momentarily, we start to feel like crap, emotionally (guilt, mood swings) and physically (joint/muscle pain). I stand by my carb detoxes. I never realized how mood-altering crap food can be. I was starting to use junk food like I was using alcohol, just for instant gratification and distraction, alcohol and carb hangovers be damned. However, I was extremely frustrated, and easily irritated all.the.time. My joints hurt when I eat crap. My sleep suffers too. Once I went below 50 carbs a day, my whole attitude changed. I felt better physically and emotionally. Very healthy proteins are moderately high in calories (beef, chicken, seafood), but protein is very necessary with our bariatric surgeries. This is why I give myself more leeway with calories than carbs.Bad carbs, on the other hand, offer nothing but momentary satisfaction. Momentary satisfaction is good once in a while, but the problem with loading up on bad carbs again is that, like a drug, the more we ingest it, the more we crave it. The less we have it in our system, the less it calls our attention. People think I'm being dramatic, but I know how I feel when I detox from carbs and when I start eating crap again. It just snowballs, and eating junk becomes more and more "important" as the day progresses. Using the app really helps me keep a realistic awareness of my nutritional goals. Because I'm only 3 months out, my goal settings right now are 750-800 cal, 70-80g protein, and <50 carbs. I have good days when I hit only 600 cals, 30 carbs, but 85+g protein. I also have my bad days when I consume 875 cals, 60 carbs, but only 65g protein. I think they really go hand in hand because the more carbs I eat, the more calories I'm consuming (and the less protein I get). I worry more about my carb intake because when I go over on my carbs, I know it's because I had bites here and there of junk food (not good carbs). At the end of the day, it really all comes down to what kind of carb intake you have. If your carbs are coming from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, then it's great! But if not, then maybe take stock of them. Either way, I wish you the best always on your continued weight loss journey! P.S. Prior to my surgery, my doc wanted me to lose weight (so he could help me lose weight) so I did a semi-liquid, hyper-low carb diet and lost 32 lbs in 38 days. Didn't count or give a flip about calories. I only drank 3 shakes a day, they wanted me to drink 5. Tan locos! I couldn't drink 5. I did 3 shakes and a hearty all protein dinner.

Hi, I am six days post op and feeling okay (except a little dizzy). I still have over a week of liquid diet let per doctor's plan--- but getting so sick of the sweet protein shake options. I have ordered a bunch of protein soups. Hope everyone one in August is doing well!

It was a blast! No it wasn't! But got thorough it! Dr. Released me three weeks later. Full time work. Do it all over again!

I never counted calories or carbs or much of anything else. Well, that's not true. I counted meals: 3. Each of which were 3oz protein + 1oz veggies. Most every plan has as the first rule: Focus on protein first. It's the rest that seems to vary. I often think that following your surgeon's plan is more important than what is in the plan. It's about learning to eat again with some form of discipline. In the early months you get the positive reinforcement of losing weight, which makes continuing the plan easier. Let's face it, doing it our way didn't work. Do it your medical teams' way. Good luck, Tek

I have heard that you can get one extreme or the other and I chuckled about feeding your pets I have Sugar Gliders and I feed them this liquid food that I make - pretty much baby food so I will keep that in mind I’m on my second week of liquid diet - and taking laxative & muralx so I am dead sure I have never pooped so much in my life - I think the rumor of 22 lbs of poo in you is true because with liquid diet I don’t know how there is so much unless it’s flushing out that 22 lbs lol on a good note I have lost 10 lbs have meeting tomorrow with anesthesia & some last minute tests - then Friday we do this!! I’m not looking forward to pain - that is my hope going in is that I won’t be in major pain

I have heard that you can get one extreme or the other and I chuckled about feeding your pets I have Sugar Gliders and I feed them this liquid food that I make - pretty much baby food so I will keep that in mind I’m on my second week of liquid diet - and taking laxative & muralx so I am dead sure I have never pooped so much in my life - I think the rumor of 22 lbs of poo in you is true because with liquid diet I don’t know how there is so much unless it’s flushing out that 22 lbs lol on a good note I have lost 10 lbs have meeting tomorrow with anesthesia & some last minute tests - then Friday we do this!! I’m not looking forward to pain - that is my hope going in is that I won’t be in major pain

1. Female, 48, 5’6 2. 7lbs 3. 321.2 lbs 4. 294lbs 5. n/a only 2 1/2 months post op currently 6. n/a 7. n/a

I'm almost 2 weeks post surgery. I'm feeling much better and starting to tolerate food somewhat. I managed to find a protein powder made with stevia and none of the sucralose which throws my joints into chaos. As long as I drink my protein 3 times a day I'll feel alive the following day. Yesterday I ate something besides mashed potato's. Meatballs, spag sauce, ricotta and parm cheese all pureed into runny much. It was delish. Could only get 1/4 cup down at 10am and I stayed full the rest of the day. Tried to force another "feeding" in at 3pm and managed to bloat. Maybe ate 1/8 cup and had to quit. I hate the bloating. Burping seems a luxury these days. I have 2 more weeks of the puree stage. Weight loss is super slow at this point. I know that'll get better too especially as I can increase my "feedings". I look forward to a new life with new knees (I'm already halfway to new knees YAY).