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Some of these are very easily made much more nutritious. Guac isn’t bad to begin with. It’s higher fat so it may be reserved for once your in maintenance depending on your macro allowance. Chips and queso you can do quest protein chips with cottage cheese queso. It’s actually pretty good and tacos I do with lean turkey meat and low carb wraps or as a salad. I use 2a% cheese and fresh pico de gallo. It’s surprisingly delicious.

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.

Such good advice above. I so love this forum. 😍 OP I hope you can judge yourself less and forgive yourself a few lapses - you are human, as are the rest of us. You have done the best thing you could for your health and have gone to enormous trouble (and expense?) to do it! We ALL have slips and do things that we know aren't good for us. If we can look back and analyse why we did what we did then sometimes that can help us avoid the same mistakes in future. I am 3 years post sleeve and I carry protein-based snacks wherever I go - usually nuts or seeds in little packs that I can carry in my bag. If I am hungry (and I do get fierce hunger at quite short notice a couple of hours after eating) and I'm in danger of eating something I shouldn't, then I will eat those. I know they will help stop me eating the rubbish that my head wants but my body doesn't need. It works a bit for me so I hope will help you. I never leave home without them. In addition I have stock phrases to 'explain' (not that I have to but - yunno) why I am not indulging in the delicious sugary fatty rubbish along with everyone else. I learned those phrases here. Oh I ate before I came! I'm just not hungry right now. I'm doing strict keto so I'm avoiding sugar at the minute. And so on. IME people completely lose interest if you say 'a thing', LOL. I wish you the best of luck. You've stumbled a little this week, that's OK, it's a marathon not a sprint. I hope you can use some of the resources suggested above. It's hard. It's hard every day, even after WLS. Take one day at a time and be kind to yourself. We are all here for you.

I never would have thought that COTTAGE CHEESE, of all things, would get me thru! But it has really helped me make those protein goals!

I am 12 weeks/3 months out. It wasn't my best weekend as far as carbs, but I also don't think it was terrible; it was my highest calorie count since surgery at 1500. The next day, I just tired to really focus on protein and low carbs. I did go walk today and got in a little over 2 miles so that feels good to be more active again.

You have NOT failed. Please stop catastrophizing. You are only 7 weeks post op. Super duper early. There are literally more options now than ever before to aid you on this journey. Tell your team you are struggling and need help. It’s very likely you need more than just the sleeve and white knuckled willpower but what that looks like is ultimately up to you. You’ve come this far already, so you know you’re committed enough to make lifestyle changes. Please keep going. ❤️

@Mspretty86 I think if I lost more weight I would look frail and I want to look strong and fit. Once I get my boobies in 6 weeks I am going to be feelin' myself HAHAH!!! 😂 Thank you!! We are all winning!! I was strolling on Youtube and this guy who is a personal trainer, Trent Harrison, posted a video how we cannot always live our life in a calorie deficit, that being hungry is normal and a good thing! He has realistic foods that we can buy from a ton of places with high protein and low carb/cal. I have been really trying to dig deep- last couple of weeks I have been binging/grazing and just unmotivated for some reason, like I would still do my workouts but kept looking at the time because I wasnt feelin it or just doing an "easier" workout to say I worked out, but I snapped outta of it and back at it! Now I am feeling like myself! Try out her channel, tomorrow I am doing her glutes and I know I will be feelin it tomorrow whoowee! I used to follow Sydney Cummings- dont get me wrong she is good, but I needed something that pushed me harder and this chick does that. Lemme know what you think!!

I'm scheduled for the 10th. I officially start my liver shrinking diet today, though in reality, I started last week. I knew there would be some minor hiccups and I wanted them out of the way so I can be 100% on track with what my dr requests starting today. He has me on a 3 week liver shrink diet as my BMI is over 50. The way he sets it up is: Breakfast - Premier Protein Shake Mid Morning Snack - 1 cup melon or berries (or 1/2 cup other fruits) Lunch - Premier Protein Shake Mid Afternoon Snack - Premier Protein Shake OR 1 of the following: 6 oz light yogurt, 1/2c cottage cheese, 4 oz tuna, 1 string cheese, or 1 oz low fat jerky Dinner - 4-6 oz lean protein + 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked non-starchy vegetables I'm finding that I do well until that mid afternoon snack, then I'm wanting something more substantial. I might be scheduled a week before you, but I'm here if you want to chat at all!

Everyone’s liver shrink diet is pretty different. Some have all shakes and others are basically just high protein/ low carb. Did your team give you any paperwork? They usually include a very specific list of foods that you are allowed to eat. Finding a couple of protein shakes you like will be a good start though, those are good for most pre op diets, immediately post surgery and even down the road they are ideal to have on hand for unexpected times. I carry a cooler full of water and at least one protein shake or yogurt drink with me whenever I am out so that if I find myself stuck out and don’t have time or can’t find anything on plan I can just have that. I also have a ziplock with a variety of protein snacks that I bring when I know it will be an unpredictable day. Don’t stock up on too many shakes of the same kind though, your tastes may change a bit after surgery. Especially for sweets stuff. Convenience stores are a good way to try singles of a variety of shakes unless you know someone who will drink the rest of the ones you don’t prefer. One tip if your allowed sugar free popsicles is that the tropical flavors are Amazing. Soooo much better than the traditional flavors I thought.

I am having my surgery in December and getting ready to start my liver shrinking diet for a week followed by my liquid diet. Wanted to get some inout and ideas on what some other people have eaten and drank during their pre-op liver shrinking diet or liquid diet. I have some unflavored protein powder coming in and some soups with nochunks or anything, just want to add some other things in my list for ideas. Thank you for all input and help everyone!

Hello! First time poster here and I’m thinking of taking my life back and going to Mexico for mini bypass surgery BUT they keep pushing me for the sleeve instead. I don’t have a problem with over eating but apparently my body likes to hold on to everything I give it. I don’t think the sleeve would be a good option for me I am 5’8 almost 300lbs. I hear a lot of people getting the sleeve into a bypass afterwards and I don’t want to be in that boat. I know what I believe will work best for me but I’m looking for other peoples experience with the sleeve or mini bypass. Also any recommendations to a doctor in Mexico would be helpful as well because there are so many! Thank you for reading I appreciate it!

I would say bring some compression socks, drink lots of water and luckily they do sell protein drinks in the airport so that's helpful, if you need something. I flew home from surgery 3 days after; it was only a 2-3 hour flight, but it wasn't terrible. Bring a refillable bottle with you because there are usually water fountains/water bottle fill up stations all over. I would think you are in the soft foods phase of eating by now, so I would assume you could eat a few things at Thanksgiving like mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. You might even be able to tolerate turkey if you chew it well; just remember small portions.

You have a point here about tracking what I eat. Since my doctor didn’t bring up the GLP-1 I never mentioned it, but I thought of it. I didn’t do any research about it and from seeing some of the stories from YouTube scared me. I do know a few people who are taking it and they are ok with it and have good result in weight lose. I also heard they can have the weight bounce back after they stop. Again I didn’t do any research and not knowledgeable about it. I don’t think it’s something I want to try as of yet, but it’s good to know I have options. The plastic surgery part I know it’s something I will get eventually because of the excess skin. If at 195lbs, it’s already bothering me, it will bother me even more at 175. My goal weight is 160lbs, if I can get to 175 on my own, plastic surgery will get me to 160. I’m going to try the hardest on my own and get to 175 for now. My first goal was to be under 200lbs, then I can rethink my goal, which is where I am now. From 200 to 199lbs it took me months because I would drop to 199 and bounce back to 201. And from there on , my weight is bouncing around. Luckily I am stable at 195. Finger crossed that it doesn’t go back up.

As someone who started traveling less than 3 weeks post surgery, my biggest advice is to make sure you load up on what you need before the day starts (proteins that you can "safely" eat) - Just keeping enough snacks/food that you know you can tolerate easily during the flight rather than relying on whatever they provide you. For me, an aisle seat was key on long hauls also just so that I could get up and walk if needed. Extra water for the flight was also very helpful. Mostly, enjoy the extra room! That was seriously a game changer for me. Before surgery, I'd panic if I had to fly coach wondering if I'd get a seatbelt that fit or have someone beside me that was just disgusted at my presence.

Wholeheartedly with you on this. I was fit and in shape my whole adolescence, I had both my kids and stayed slim and never tracked anything. I worked out hard, ate well, prioritized protein and had fun on the weekends and that worked for me for over a decade and two pregnancies. My weight ballooned up all of a sudden and kept going up and never stopped, and no matter what I did I was never able to lose weight. I had a very bad ankle injury 2 years ago that caused even more weight gain (33 lbs) on top of what I had already gained and due to the injury my mobility was greatly affected and my weight was spiraling out of control. Even at my highest weight I worked out 5 days a week and ate well and Nothing! So I understand your frustration fully. The only thing that worked was the VSG, the pounds melted off like butter and I regained control. If I were to go back in time, I would track everything I ate to figure out where the issue lay, I would weigh myself multiple times a week and see what the scale is telling me. I would do this before jumping on the surgery wagon. I wish I did that, because no matter how much I worked out and how well I thought I was eating, I was doing something wrong, and the surgery outcome proves it. Now that is my own experience, I am all for living worry-free and being intuitive, however these tools can give us great insight until we are where we need to be. I never weighed myself regularly (went by how my clothes fit), now I do. I never tracked my calories, now I do a few times a week just so I don't go off track again. There are days where I don't track because I know roughly how much I'm eating, and some days I do just for QA. Again, calories from here and there add up, so it's good you're aware of that. Also, there are other tools out there (GLP-1s if you're willing) that can rev up your metabolism and help the weight loss start again. With all that being said, you are doing amazing and it is important you don't lose sight of that ♥️

Honestly, your food pictures all look pretty healthy, so no notes there. I would watch out for any mindless snacking, just in case you have fallen back into a habit of popping a handful of nuts when you walk past your pantry (guilty!) or adding a lot of cream to your coffee. You know, the type of thing your brain may not even be registering. I had a friend who thought his coffee was fine because he didn't put sweetener in it, but he put a ton of half and half, along the lines of a full cup per day, or an extra 300 calories he forgot about! But other than that, plateaus are normal. I am approaching 9 months post-op and for the past 6 weeks, I have been bouncing up and down by about 2 lbs but never dropping lower than the lowest weight I hit in early October. From everything I've heard and read, it's part of the process and is pretty common the closer you get to a normal weight and the farther out you are from surgery. There are a few things you might try, though. First, increase your protein so you are at 80-100 grams instead of the minimum 60. Try to make that from real food and not a shake. You might also increase your non-starchy veggie intake, which will provide more fiber. Add in another 32oz of water each day. Go to bed an hour earlier if you can. It's counterintuitive, but increase your calories by 100 and cut back on your exercise a little to see what happens. Sometimes, your body starts to conserve too much energy because it fears starvation and giving it a little more while asking it to do a little less breaks that cycle. Also, the fact that you fit into clothing at 195 lbs that your family members wore at 30 lbs lighter suggests that some of your weight is not fat but "infrastructure." When we get very heavy, our body grows more bone and muscle to hold it, and bigger organs to carry out their functions on a larger scale. When we lose weight in a hurry, all that architecture remains in place for quite some time, adding to the number on the scale. You may look now like you did at 10, 20, or even 30 pounds lighter back in the days before you ever became obese. If you have some old photos of a time when you were the goal weight you have in mind now, try doing a side by side comparison. You might already look really close to where you are trying to be even if the scale says otherwise.

Trying this high protein, lower sugar cereal that’s supposed resemble Cheerios. Served myself 1/3 cup with 1/3 skim milk. It was okay but way too sweet for my liking.

Made high protein absolutely decadent chocolate mousse using silken tofu, melted stevia orange dark chocolate, cocoa powder, vanilla and cafe latte whey protein. This is so creamy, chocolatey and tastes like the real deal. I had one of the smaller ramekins.

Hi Sue, I’m eating about 1000-1200 calories a day on the days I am working out. I add a protein drink as my snack for the days I work out. If I am not working out, I eat around 900-1000 calories. I’m still following 3oz protein, 1oz veggie and 1oz carb rule. When I am more hungry I add more protein instead of 3oz protein I eat 5oz protein. You might be right about working out, it might not be the key to losing weight. That’s why my size is shrinking but not my weight. It definitely helps burn the fat though. I think this is also why I have so much excess skin. I have excess skin on my arms, tummy, thigh, back… basically everywhere, I know it will not bounce back just because how much hang I have. Even the weight didn’t change much, the excess skin is getting more wrinkly day by day.

I got my revision to gastric bypass back in Jan 2024 and loss total of 78 lbs from 273lbs, now 195lbs. However on surgery date I was 250lbs. So 55lbs weight loss after surgery. I consider 55 lbs weight loss to be slow weight loss after 10 months. And to mention I’ve been going to the gym for the pass 6 months and average 3 hours weekly work out time. Not just regular gym work out… I joined orange theory and also workout classes in hot sauna room. A lot of HIIT workouts. The past 3-4 months I’ve been struggling to loss more. I would loss 3 lbs and plateau for a month and then gain back 3-4 lbs within a few days… it’s been this cycle for a while now. I have to admit that I am eating more compare to right after the surgery, but still not the amount that I am binging and eating too much. I would say 5-8 oz depends how hungry I am. On days I go to the gym, I am more hungry. I still control fat and sugar intake. I eat protein more than carb. I don’t drink with my meals. My nutritionist said maybe my body is trying to stabilize my weight loss, and I might lose weight at a more slow rate now. If this continue then I will have to speak with him again. I know my weight loss is very slow, but I feel that my size is going down tho. I am now size 12 M/L from 22 XXL, sometime I even fit in size small… which is funny to me, because I took my family’s old clothing when they were size M they weight 160lbs, but I am 195lbs. I do have some excess skin and it’s getting bothersome. Clothes just don’t fit properly and I feel trap in this body…I still don’t feel like myself even after losing almost 80lbs. My size might not seem big, but my weight is still high. I want to reach my goal weight of 100lbs weight loss at 175lbs. At the moment I have plastic surgeries in the back of my mind and I can’t wait to reach my goal and get it done, but I am afraid I don’t reach my goal… the past 3-4 months I am just maintaining the same weight. Sorry I am rambling, but I want to hear how long it takes for all of you to get to your weight stabilizing stage? How do you know for sure you reached your lowest weight?

Hi, My surgery is the 22nd. My dr. Has me on a liver reducing diet consisting of protein drinks broth, sugar free Popsicles and jello. Any chance you're on the same one? I have extremely chapped lips and wondering if it's normal

Thank you for your questions. My dieticians said anymore protein and bodies can't process it so it ends up being a waste unless I'm a hard core body builder / marathon runner athlete. They balked about going up even 100 calories...plus protein doesn't register as feeling full for me, it never has long term. I can drink a 26gram protein drink and nothing. Whereas carbs fill me up, so its a constant battle..or it was... It was agreed that I should start Glp-1's. I've been using this tool for the last few months and all I can say for me they're amazing. The constant mind food harassment has stopped! I no longer feel hungry all the time unless its nearing meal time. Plus my scale is finally showing downward progress - 20lbs+! Again, thank you for asking and your kind words.

Sorry you're feeling this way. Did you try upping your protein and calories?

In the two weeks before you’ll likely be put on a pre surgical diet. It may be all shakes, or a combination of shakes and a high protein diet or another plan so you can’t really prepare for that. However, nothing stopping you starting to introduce some new habits now. Start tracking your food or begin introducing appropriate portions for meals. Make sure you’re getting in 2L/64ozs of water a day. Reduce your intake of carbonated drinks. Maybe drop a snack or two. Or whatever you could start to do to modify your current eating style and food choices. If you’re not very active, try adding some additional moment or try some classes to see what you may enjoy. Post surgery, you’ll again be on a restricted eating plan which your surgeon will give you. There will be similarities with this but also some differences with what others are given. Be warned though, your taste buds and sometimes sense of smell can go haywire and there may be foods you used to enjoy (flavour or texture) that taste disgusting or smell awful. This does pass in a couple of months but don’t buy certain flavours or foods you like that are allowed on your plan in bulk - you may end up being unable to eat them. Get some small cutlery like baby spoons and forks or some cocktail/buffet forks, small plates & bowls. Your portions will be tiny & you’ll only be allowed small bites so the smaller bowls and cutlery make it easier to adjust. Buy some small containers for freezing leftovers or the small snack size zip lock bags; left overs will be common and freezing appropriate sized portions will come a new habit. If you don’t have any: a set of scales that goes down to small increments (ounces or grams), a blender, stick processor, or similar, measuring spoons and cups. Get some over the counter stool softeners, anti nausea meds & pain meds (can’t take NSAIDs), and a heat pad/wheat pack. I’m sure others will add lots of others. Congratulations on having your surgical date. All the best.

Breakfast (2.5 hours post a weight lifting and jogging session) 1 slice protein toast, 4 slices turkey breast, lite cheese, spicy mayo, lettuce and jalapeños. How I did: Had the rest an hour later. Approximately 314 calories for the whole thing. Also had a protein shake 1.5 hours prior.