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Hi All, Couldn't find another thread so will just ask... I'm exactly 1 week post op and since yesterday (day 6) I've started trying a few 'solid foods' in the UK we're told after a sleeve to have liquids for 3 weeks, then puree for 3 then move to more solid food. But I've always been a quick healer, and for some reason I just knew in my head I felt ok to try something, I've had a thin slice of cheese, a strawberry, a mousse dessert (yogurt) and a small piece of soft potato. All of these I chewed until they basically didn't exist in my mouth before swallowing, but I've experienced no nausea, sickness or cramping. I understand I couldn't eat a proper meal as I could over stretch whilst still healing, and I am literally nibbling tiny mouthfuls and chewing until I can't even notice the food in my mouth anymore but is this normal? It's becoming really hard to stomach just Soup and milk etc when I feel ready to eat more solid food. I completely understand the risk of rushing the process and I will allow myself time to heal fully but would like to know id this has happened to anyone else?

@@kayshabear my 2 shakes are each 30g protein so thats 60g right there and then my yogurt and 5g and i eat 3 a day so thats 15g and my jello has 1g lol so i least have 76g a day plus i have been doing broth but my mom homemade it for me so i don't know exact nutrition facts but I'm sure I'm getting least 80 a day but trying to get 4 shakes a day makes me nauseous I'm over the taste after the 2nd one! lol

I found the mushie stage to be extremely hard to continue dropping lbs after the liquid phase. I realized quickly I needed low calorie snacks like yogurt and string cheese. Otherwise the mushies are very carb or calorie heavy. I also reincorporated my protein shakes back in. Def get an app for your phone. I use tap and track on the iPhone. If I stay between 1200 - 1400 calories a day, the scale goes down. Losing weight is like snowflakes... no two people are alike.

I am presently using organic soy milk, as it has a lot more protein than almond or cashew milk. Soy products (milk, yogurt, tofu, tempeh) do not seem to bother me. Which plant based protein powders have you found to be palatable in smoothies and yogurt? I've tried several, but all have stevia. OWYN brand has cane sugar, but seems to be the most pure of all of them, but I haven't tried it yet.

That's the stuff you have to buy online right? Can you give me the link again. I do drink at least 64 oz of water per day. Most days more. I just put some fiber one in my yogurt. I read somewhere to put it in a coffee grinder and mix it in foods. That benefiber doesn't help me either.

I had surgery on Monday, so until this morning I was only in Clear liquids (broth, Water, crystal light, etc.) This mining I started phase 2: Protein shakes, ff Greek yogurt, cream of wheat, sf/ff pudding, sf/ff Jello.

Did your dr suggest protien shakes until you got to the mushie stage? Oh wait you are in mushies aren't you.... Hmmm. How about those to go containers of fat free cottage cheese, tiny cans of tuna, v8 juice sodium free, yogurt.... And Soup always works.... I know you have a lot on your plate..... But make sure you are getting those calories in. You need your health!

My doc suggests 3 meals and 2 snacks. I eat string cheese, a tablespoon of peanut butter(reduced fat), cottage cheese(for a change mix it with SF jello...it tastes like fruit/CC combo without the extra cals), yogurt, SF/FF pudding, half of a protein bar, 8 oz skim milk...

My pre op was 3-4 shakes a day, unsweetened applesauce, light yogurt, SF pudding, broth, Water, unlimited raw veg for 2 weeks. then i was liquids only for 48 hrs prior to surgery and Clear Liquids the day before. i did Protein shots POST op for the first 48 hrs as directed by my nut. the protein in the shots is not as absorbed by the body so not the preferred option, but a lot of protein in a small amount.

All drs seem to have different criteria they follow but it's basically the same for the most part...I will answer your question based on my experience. You will want to check with your dr before deviating from his rules. I had to give up carbonation..the is my drs #1 rule. No food is off limits once On solids but my band isn't fond of rice or thick pasta. First month Week one clear liquids Week two creamy liquids Week three mushies....like yogurt, hummus, mashed veggies, mashed potatoes, oatmeal...anything blended to the consistency of baby food Once on solids at week 4 I started eating the way I did throughout my journey. 1000 calories each day with portion controls being paramount. I ate three meals a day of 3 oz protien, 1/2 c veggies and 1/4 starch. I was allowed 2 snacks of fruit or a sugar free treet or something salty like 10 small pretzel sticks

Actually you can eat 24/7 if you want - they have pizza and ice cream available on the Lido Deck 24/7; plus all day long on the Lido deck you can eat and to top it off, you can get room service (FREE) 24/7 ... so the only really "planned" meal is dinner. We just avoided the dining room and Lido Deck as much as possible. No pizza and only 1 small frozen yogurt cone.

Daisy, I wonder if you're sneezing from the dairy in the greek yogurt? I ate a lot of that after GB surgery as well. The only thing my surgeon told me was to eat low fat. I'm sorry you're sneezing!

Yes...I'm down 30 from my BD 8/29, 21 from weigh-in at the beginning of this whole process and 12 from my surgery date. I am pleased with this and can see my face getting thinner... But I stepped on the scales this morning and am up .8 of a pound. This is the first time I've gone up. So now I'm adding walking to my day and throwing out my whole milk yogurt for the 1%...dang. It doesn't pay to daily do the scales thing but I knew the yogurt was a no-no though I only eat about 1/2 cup. I guess you do adjust. Don't fret...you've not had a fill yet. We are just beginning!! Take care.

If your doctor is just saying no protein to make sure that you aren't filling up on empty calories, you should possibly try a whey protein isolate...this can be mixed with water, is already partially broken down so it is easy to digest and has next to no calories, no fat or sugar at all depending on the brand you get. I am trying a meal plan in which I'm eating every 2 hours and this requires me to have protein with a carb each time and as well all know, eating that often with the band can be nearly impossible so in order to get my protein which is extremely important I can have a protein isolate, yogurt, ff cottage cheese, some nuts, tuna mixed with ff mayo whatever works but for abou 3 out of the 6 meals I do have the protein instead of the food because I cannot physically eat that much. You should of course follow what your doctor is requesting, but if the reason is for calories only, this would be worth a shot.

Thanks for the info, i can handle yogurt and the cottage cheese i will be able to have i just worry about the actual protein shakes..LOL i can drink a Arby's Milkshake but i think thats why i am where i am... I will swing by GNC today and see the Isopure i see they have pre-mixed in a bottle to drink, i will see the facts and see if it matches the EAS shakes they told me to try and drink during those 2wks

I've been stuck a couple times, mostly about a month after surgery. About day four after my third or fourth fill, I got a piece of chicken stuck, I was talking and forgot to chew well. I PB'd once, I had a blackberry stuck and after a few minutes and a tast of pineapple juice, up it came. Yogurt I have to eat slowly or else it back up a little and I gurgle. Lately, I've had no problem getting almost anything down! I defintely need a fill!

I am right out of being banded on Tuesday, 7/23. I have had a really tough time. I was in surgery much longer than planned, a little over 3 hours. He ran into some problems with my surgery. He thought he was going to have to cut me open, but thank God he didn't have too. I was sent home that night, and must admit yesterday was a horrible day. There was a few times I thought, omg what have I done to myself. Last night was a little better than the night before as in pain and sleep. Today, the morning started off rough but as the day went on I have felt like I am starting to slowly improve. I wasn't able to get anything down yesterday but ice chips and some popsicles. Today I have been able to eat a small amount of greek yogurt and very small amount of potato soup. I have a lot of bruising, but sure thats where they had such a tough time. I am praying that tomorrow will bring me a better day. I am kinda surprised by this, as normally I tolerate pain pretty well.. but this one has kicked my butt. Any suggestions on how long before I hopefully start bouncing back some..

Hi there! Now, I don't make "gourmet" food or anything like that--I basically eat what "normal" people eat minus the fat, sodium, tons of carbs, and in smaller portions. No rocket science needed--I promise! If I can do this, you can do this! :girl_hug: The first thing I do is eat out of plastic containers that hold only a cup of food at the most to control portion sizes or I use a dessert sized plate rather than a dinner plate. It's a psychological thing! I usually aim for 1/2 cup of Protein at each meal then add in veggies, etc. Some people can eat more than a cup of food at a sitting which is fine--everyone is different. As long as you're still losing, it's all good! I eat three "meals" a day and I try my best not to eat at all after 6 PM. I don't snack between meals. Instead, I drink Water in various forms and strive to get in 64 ounces a day to flush out fat, keep from retaining too much water, and to stay hydrated. I don't really like plain water, so I got a PUR water filter and flavoring cartridge that I attached to my faucet. I either make flavored water by the glass or keep a pitcher in the fridge to fill up my water bottle. For dairy foods, I'll usually eat the low-carb 4 oz. yogurts although I find that yogurt does not do a very good job filling me up! I do still make Protein shakes with store brand skim lactaid milk (I'm still working on my bottomless container of Champion Nutrition whey Protein powder from a year ago)! I usually make it with about 8 ounces of liquid, 1 scoop of powder, and enough crushed ice to raise the volume to 10 ounces. I buy fat free cottage cheese and eat 1/2 cup with different things mixed in. I might add a teaspoon of sugar free strawberry jam (10 whole calories!) or a tablespoon of yogurt just to add some flavor. My doctor advised me not to add fruit like applesauce to it to avoid eating too many carbs. I eat string cheese sometimes with about 4 whole wheat crackers. I tried the lowfat version once, but wasn't too crazy about it. I also eat Egg Beaters for Breakfast often. Some stores sell flavored Egg Beaters--Southwest/Garden Vegetables, etc. Those are pretty good. I usually buy the plain kind and add something to it (chopped scallions, salsa, a sprinkle of cheese, chopped onions, peppers, and tomatoes, etc.). You can also play with spices as well. I eat refried Beans pretty often. I take a 1/2 cup of fat-free refried beans and combine it with a tablespoon or so of different types of salsa just to make it more interesting (peach salsa, pineapple salsa, etc.). Sometimes I add a teaspoon of fat free sour cream or a little sprinkle of shredded cheese on top (emphasis on little sprinkle--cheese can have a lot of fat). I also eat canned salmon a lot. I'll take a 1/2 cup of canned salmon and stir in different things (chopped scallions, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, dill, etc.). If you buy a couple of plum tomatoes instead of the big ones, that makes enough to mix in without having a lot of tomato left over to spoil. I add to that fat free mayonnaise or a fat free dressing that goes well with salmon. I do the same with canned tuna. I always rinse tuna (packed in water, not oil) in a collander to wash off the salt, too. That's an old habit I picked up from my dad's diet plan after he had a heart attack years ago. I also season salmon steaks with lemon juice and pepper and broil or bake it and then serve it with non-starchy veggies. I enjoy other types of fish as well (bake tilapia topped with salsa or canned chipotle peppers with adobe sauce which is very spicy, bake any white fish with a can of chopped tomatoes over it, etc.). All of these fish ideas can be split into smaller serving sizes and frozen. I make stir-fry often with chicken or shrimp and frozen stir-fry veggies. It's very quick and easy, and you can freeze the leftovers in small portions for another time. I find it's too salty if I use regular soy sauce, so I usually buy the low sodium kind. I make a basic soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and cornstarch sauce found in most cookbooks. I usually cook rice for my son, but I don't usually eat any because I eat the meat and veggies first in my little plastic container and I get filled up. For chicken, I have the best luck if I use chicken broth to cook it. Dry chicken and I don't get along well! Blech! Sometimes I'll cook a whole package of boneless chicken breast in my pressure cooker with 1 1/2 cups of low sodium chicken broth or a can of diced or stewed tomatoes to keep the meat moist. Once the meat cools, I'll chop it up and freeze it in 4 oz. serving sizes. I'll mix the cold or hot cubed chicken with all kinds of things. For warm meals, I'll heat the chicken up with some salsa, chopped tomatoes, or frozen non-starchy veggies. I'll add the cold chicken to salads, add fat free mayonnaise and scallions to make cold chicken salad, or grind it up with FF mayo and eat it on a few whole-wheat crackers. I use turkey the same way. I haven't quite mastered making pork easy to eat yet. I'm still working on it. I can't eat shake 'n Bake pork chops anymore. Again, if it's too dry, I gag on it! :puke:I do have beef on occasion, but I make an effort to eat fish, chicken, and dairy more often. I do purchase frozed meals sometimes (Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, etc.). I try to buy the ones that have just meat and veggies like steak tips and broccoli or turkey and veggies. If it's too much, I'll save the rest for another meal. If I buy a salad, I find that it lasts me for a good 2-3 meals. I dip my lettuce in the dressing as I eat rather than pouring the dressing all over the salad. It stays crisp a bit longer that way. You'll notice that I didn't mention the words bread or potato. I do eat some of these, but sparingly. I'll have a toast with Peanut Butter on occasion for breakfast. I can say now that I no longer eat doughy foods like doughnuts or cinnamon rolls. I avoid processed carbs as much as I can (chips, Snacks in the cookie/cracker aisle, etc.). I don't know if any of this babbling helps at all, but at least there's a few ideas in there that might appeal to you! Part of learning to live with the band is changing your thinking--the hardest part of this journey is overcoming what your brain is telling you from years and years of bad habits. If you make the food taste good and look good, you won't miss junk food at all. I feel like I'm a successful bandster not because I lost 100 lbs. in a year (which I most definitely haven't), but because I'm focusing on the good things I can eat and not bemoaning all of the foods I really shouldn't be eating in the first place. I'm choosing to lose weight at a slower pace than some folks--I'm not in a race with anyone but myself. I'm trying to make good choices to be healthy in order to change my lifestyle. I want to make lasting changes, not fall victim to the "fad diet" quick fix mentality if that makes sense. I didn't spend money to get banded and go back on the cabbage Soup diet, if you know what I mean! My band is just a tool to help me curb my appetite--the behavior modification and exercise is all up to me! Good luck!!!!

I make my own shakes (I am on the regular diet but I make shakes/smoothies twice a week for breakfast for convenience sake). This morning I had 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt, 1/4 cup skim milk, 1 tablespoon vanilla Protein powder, 1/4 cup frozen diced strawberries, and a packet of stevia. Yesterday I didn't have the strawberries, instead I added some vanilla extract. 22 grams of protein. I tried the Slim Fast brand low carb shakes- OMG awful!!!!! I'll stick to my own- cheaper and better tasting by far! I had to add that in the days right after my surgery I used no sugar added Carnation instant breakfast- it's not bad- I thought it tasted like chocolate milk, but only 13 grams of protein including the milk. -Kendra

My band is scheduled for December 13 and my doctor already has me taking benefiber for constipation leading up to surgery with the strict diet I am on... It is sugar free, tastless and can be mixed in anything from yogurt to water. 2 teaspoons twice a day.

Can you have yogurt on full liquids? I found SF popsicles to really hit the spot because CHEWING is involved! :laugh: Also, sf Jello and for the same reason. __________________ Originally posted at www.lapbandtalk.com

Personally, I like my net calories to be less than 300 if I have any for the day. I don't have time to work out until the evening, so after I've entered all of my food into MyFitnessPal, I judge how much exercise is necessary beyond my normal routine. Right now, I'm only 4 1/2 weeks post-op, but I'm only taking in around 800 calories a day (I'm doing very lean Protein, veggie, and fruit if I'm still hungry, greek yogurt for Breakfast with fruit if I'm real hungry). It's probably too few calories, but I just had a fill and am still figuring out what I can and shouldn't eat, as well as how much. Little portions seem to keep me full for about 3 hours. Plus, I drink 80-100 oz of Water a day. I try to burn at least 500 calories a day with exercise. Again, this is just what I do personally, and I'm steadily losing weight.

i found it at our walmart next to the yogurts and butter. it is in a plain container and sort of looks like a bowl of butter. white dish with green writing.

My doctor put me on Full liquids after day two, this included yogurt, sugar free pudding, cottage cheese, cream of wheat cereal, milk, thick soups. The yogurt and pudding really helped at those times I was really hungry. Listen to your body, you will know when to stop eating. Now at two weeks I can progress to pureed foods. He told me to go slow when I start transitioning to 'real' food and to be careful with meat. When I saw him yesterday and he said I was doing great. I only have 30 more pounds to lose. My next visit is in six weeks. __________________ Originally posted at www.lapbandtalk.com

Thank you all of you!! I seem to be going back and forth on the 1lb. Yea I am on regular food but I really watch it. They said I was a fast healer and if I am comfortable eating it then its fine but be mindful about it. I couldn't eat a hamburger but more like salmon and some salad. I eat some crackers and suck on them to get them mooshy. But I also am on soups and yogurt. But I am proud of one thing, NO CAFFEINE or REGULAR POP!!! Good Luck to all of you!! And THANK YOU AGAIN