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I am going to try to have just turkey with a bit of gravy & a small portion of ham. I still want to keep my protein intake high! I'm only being 1mo out means I don't have much space for the fun carbs yet. buuuut I do hope to find a bit of space for some pie later in the night!

sigh. I was in the hospital for 4 days. I swore I wasn't going to be one of those people who had to go to the ER bc I've been getting all of my fluids, protein, vitamins, etc but one of my medications made my blood pressure shockingly low. I couldn't even stand up & walk without almost passing out. dad had to call 911 to take me to a local hospital. All that work just for a medication to set me back. Plus the hospital food was NOT great in terms of protein. They served a lot of ground beef dishes which was a shock to my system. Back home now & gonna get back on track

Stalls are common and normal. It takes a while for your body to adjust and your set-point to change. Be diligent in weighing and measuring. Eye-balling quantities just does not work. Weighing, measuring, and recording keeps you honest. If you have not already done so, get some bariatric cookbooks or look up bariatric recipes online so that your meals are not boring and repetitive. You might try cutting out all high carb items such as bread and other things made with flour, white potatoes, rice, processed foods, and anything made with sugar. Avoid protein bars and processed "protein snacks"--they are CANDY to your body and will trigger you to eat more. In the almost two years since I started in the bariatric program I have encountered stalls frequently. The worst one lasted for over three months. My best advice is to stay off the scale, no matter how tempting it is. Check the scale just once a month. Contra-intuitively, sometimes it takes eating MORE for a few days to help reset your set-point. Measure yourself instead: neck, upper arm, bust, chest below bust, waist, hips, thighs. Record the measurements in an app or diary. You'll see losses even if the pounds are sticking. You'll also see your clothes fitting differently or need to replace them with smaller sizes. My second tip is to shop at thrift stores! I've gone down from size 30-32 (4x) to 18-20 (1-2x). Who can afford retail with that many size changes?!

Just an update: just got done with my post op appointment with the surgeon and he says the clear protein water counts as liquids as does the isopure and water. I've been doing my best to meet the requirements without using these in my liquids! I've been exceeding the requirements! Scared but excited.

Current recommendations vary a bit, but most suggest that to lose weight and prevent re-gain, 250 to 300 minutes of moderate physical activity per week are needed. Of that, at least 150 to 180 should be aerobic activities such as brisk walking, running, swimming or bicycling. Moderate by the way, is defined as attaining a heart rate of 50-70% of your max heart rate. The easiest way to estimate you maximum heart rate is to subtract your age from 220. For example, if you are 50, your max heart rate would be 170, so 50% to 70% of that would be 85 to 119 BPM. In addition to the aerobic activities, strength training should be included. The recommendation would be to perform 2-3 sessions per week for 30-60 minutes. Detailed recommendations are beyond the scope of what I can add here. For beginners, bodyweight training would be my recommendation. Doing so you'll be at a much lower risk of injury and IMO, bodyweight training should be the foundation of all other strength training. Google "bodyweight training for beginners" and you should see some recommendations. Just make sure the website is from a reputable source. there are lots of "fads" out there and some of them could be harmful. The reason strength training is so critical is that muscle is significantly more metabolically active than fat. By gaining muscle, you'll actually increase your overall metabolic rate, meaning you'll burn more calories even when you're not exercising. This means you'll be better able to lose weight or maintain weight at a higher overall number of calories than you would otherwise. In addition, strength training can help you age gracefully by reducing the risk of osteoporosis, improving mental acuity, improving balance and physical functioning, and helping manage pain. Finally, in addition to the aerobic and strength training recommendation, I also think it's a good idea to participate in functional fitness that helps improve balance, coordination, and flexibility. There are lots of options here, but yoga and tai chi are good choices if you need recommendations.

I am nearly 5 years out, and I still can't drink a protein shake in less than a half hour. 🙃 I remember the day after my surgery, I had a barium swallow to test for leaks, assess the size of my stomach etc etc. Did your surgeon do that test?

I had no problems hitting my fluid goals just a few days after surgery. Starting hitting my protein goals within about a week and a half. I always measured my food so I knew I wasn't eating too much and ate VERY slow to be safe. Your stomach is still healing, the nerves have been cut so don't push it even if you can. You won't have full sensation until your stomach heals.

I 100% agree you shoukd listen to your doctors without question. I jist did it because I was jot getting any protein. Please listen to your doctors and the plan they have for you.

Tofu Shirataki tonkotsu noodle soup (150 cal), 2 Chinese sausages (45 cal each, air fried first) and napa cabbage and Korean pepper to make it spicy. Soup helps me with hydration, and it's delicious and low calorie & filling. Here the kit, it comes with two servings. I always add things to it like an eggs, proteins, veggies... Etc. https://www.safeway.com/shop/product-details.960528886.html

Yep it's the same for me with the protein shakes! I can finish off a 8oz shake easily. Liquids just go straight through ya

Have you tried drinking the protein shake. Yeah I’m slowing transitioning into purée food. Just found it weird I was able to eat a several spoons of mash potatoes without a problem. Of course I didn’t go over bored but yeah hopefully it’s not the same with solids.

Hi guys. I am 1 week and a few days post Op from my sleeve surgery. I’m a little concern because I have notice that I am able to drink Water like normal. I’m also able to drink Protein Shakes without a problem. I had mash potato and I was able to eat a good amount without having to feel horrible. I know everyone is different. I just find it strange. Has anyone dealt with this? I’m just nervous that this surgery did not work.

Hi guys. I am 1 week and a few days post Op from my sleeve surgery. I’m a little concern because I have notice that I am able to drink Water like normal. I’m also able to drink Protein Shakes without a problem. I had mash potato and I was able to eat a good amount without having to feel horrible. I know everyone is different. I just find it strange. Has anyone dealt with this? I’m just nervous that this surgery did not work.

Hi guys. I am 1 week and a few days post Op from my sleeve surgery. I’m a little concern because I have notice that I am able to drink water like normal. I’m also able to drink protein shakes without a problem. I had mash potato and I was able to eat a good amount without having to feel horrible. I know everyone is different. I just find it strange. Has anyone dealt with this? I’m just nervous that this surgery did not work.

As far as the kid, there is such a fine line. You want to teach them how to eat healthy but without giving them a complex or making them feel bad about themselves. Otherwise, you could create an eating disorder on the other side of the spectrum. (Anorexia, etc) My SIL struggles with weight and when her daughter got chubby, made a big deal and was worried about her dealing with what she had dealt with through her life. But IMO opinion did it in a bad way. She's 16 now, healthy and happy but the risk was there. The other part (and forgive me if I sound rude) but not your kid not your problem. Just love your niece for who she is and when she is with you, offer up healthier options and do activities to stray away from boredom eating. If she asks you questions in regard to your weigh loss or whatever you can then just explain how you eat and explain healthier choices. Side note: I never say anything to people but sometimes it makes me sick to see how much people eat. I was one of those people so it even makes me disgusted with myself too. I don't judge (although that sounded horribly judgy) and never comment, some of these people aren't even overweight in the least so eat what you want and live your life. I guess it gives me flash backs or maybe minor PTSD. haha Everyone is allowed to eat what and how they want and they have to deal with the results, regardless of what they are.

This is hard. I also realize now how much I was eating and am sort of disgusted by it, but I really try NOT to project that on other people. First off, I don't know where I will be in another year or two or four. I hope I will continue to use my tool properly, but I may not, and then I am just being judgmental and a hypocrite. Second, to the point @ms.sss made, I didn't like when people commented on my food intake before surgery, so why should I do that to others unless they ask for advice? All those comments do is make people defensive or sad or angry, and often leads to people doubling down on what they are doing, perhaps getting depressed and eating even worse, and often being afraid (when they are ready) to ask for help. Lastly, it's not like I have been the paragon of weight virtue for 40+ years of my life, so I am not exactly well positioned to tell other people what to do just because I've had some success now. I try to be very honest about my surgery (personally I think it is important to combat the stigma around surgery and obesity) and what it has helped me with, but I try to make it about me, and what changes it made for me, without commenting or directly connecting to their actions. There are ways to support people positively without saying things outright: making lower calorie/healthier options for family gatherings, engaging them in fun active activities, etc. A bit of leading by example, without saying something directly. I know this is hard - my Greek extended family is obsessed with food! I try to steer them toward not needing to have so much for the holidays (2 desserts instead of 5, for example) or making one of the options something healthier, but you have to be careful to not make people completely tune you out. It's counterproductive.

Hello, I am 7 months post-op bypass. Really, everyone is different so I can only share my experience. Dumping is common in about 30% of bypass patients. There is risk of becoming lactose intolerant which is the most common intolerance. I tolerate everything, or at least I haven't had anything that I don't tolerate. I had a few hiccups very early out, for example I couldn't eat cold chicken (I think it was too dry) but I do now without issue. Otherwise I haven't ran into anything that I don't tolerate and LUCKILY I am just fine with all kinds of dairy. I was worried about that one because I just love all the dairy products. My team/ Dietician is very "balanced diet" they do not restrict any foods once you get back to your normal diet phase of the process. They stress that the point of the surgery is that you can learn to eat a well balanced diet so you do not "feel like you are on a diet forever". I love this strategy because I am and always have been against all the fad diets. Our bodies really do need everything, just at different levels. (I'm ranting, back to the point) Therefore we are allowed all foods, with the priority of proteins FIRST and then if we have room in out bellies and our plan for the day can go on to others. I eat carbs, fat, sugar..etc. Not in excess and in moderation and after or once I know for sure I will hit my protein goal. Some carbs like breads fill me up super fast so I limit them just because of that. I have had regular pasta, brown and white rice, breads, crackers all of which are fine but I have a little at a time. Again, mainly for filling up reasons. I eat regular sugar sweets without issue. Although, little bits at a time and not often so I may just not have hit my "maxed to the point of dumping yet" or I just may not be a dumper. I really don't know for sure and I don't intend to push myself to the point of trying to dump to find out. haha I do pay attention to the sugars so if I do dump I know at what point pushed me there. So far I have had a max of 15g ADDED sugars at a time. I do not have any issues with dumping from fats either. Or, again maybe just haven't hit the dumping point yet. I have had fried chicken breast once but pulled the skin off. I have had chicken tenders too with the breading. Maybe a few fries (5-6). I usually only eat these things in a pinch, usually out just because they are always so high in calories. I might be a special case, I have has a seamless recovery and transition back to "normal" eating. I am so grateful for that! Eating too much will kick my a*s but I learned from that quick and it only happened 2 times. Gas...yea... it sucks. I definitely have more gas. haha I do notice if I eat those "bad" foods as mentioned above that i have more gas. I hope I answered all your questions and this helped. Good luck on whatever you decide!

I was hoping to get folks' opinion on the mini-bypass vs the bypass. Because I'm considering a revision, my thinking is I'd rather have the less dramatic revision. There are fewer adverse effects and nutritional requirements with the mini, and if in the future for some reason I need to convert to a full bypass, that option is on the table. On the other hand, I regret not going with the bypass 6 years ago. I didn't know how bad my GERD would get, but I also didn't think I'd regain as much weight as I did (40 pounds out of 140 lost). Who else has thought about these alternatives? What did you go with and why?

Shredded Chicken Gordita (B & A) I made it about 75% through but maybe I should have stopped sooner because it was surprisingly heavy on protein.

I really second what Monsaysimaooos says. My suggestion as well is to try to get a sample pack of clear whey protein powders if you can - MyProtein in the UK does a sample box so you can try lots of different flavours. Some of then I HATED but a few of them I really, really liked. Just like Momsaysimaoos says, they basically taste like juice. I drink 4 of those a day, and that smashes my water AND my protein targets for the day because I’m taking in 2 L of water, 80 g of protein, 10 carbs and about 350 calories every day. I know I probably sound like a zealot, but they honestly make post op life SO much easier!

I really second what Monsaysimaooos says. My suggestion as well is to try to get a sample pack of clear whey protein powders if you can - MyProtein in the UK does a sample box so you can try lots of different flavours. Some of then I HATED but a few of them I really, really liked. Just like Momsaysimaoos says, they basically taste like juice. I drink 4 of those a day, and that smashes my water AND my protein targets for the day because I’m taking in 2 L of water, 80 g of protein, 10 carbs and about 350 calories every day. I know I probably sound like a zealot, but they honestly make post op life SO much easier!

I’m with you on the quantity of food people eat & add the quality of food. It almost makes me feel physically ill. Can’t stand ads, social media posts, movies, tv programs, etc. which show & celebrate the excess. Shudder. I can understand your concerns for your sister’s family & how you feel torn about what to do. My brother struggles with his weight like I did (do - as we always will) & I watch his children eat seemingly all the time & not always the best choices. The only thing is they are very active. Lots of sport & outdoor play & while they are young & that continues it will help. Though I worry most about the second daughter & son who I feel are very much like my brother & I & their maternal poppa. All I feel I can do is set an example. When they ask why I’m not eating or not eating much I tell them I’m careful about what I eat & how much I eat because I don’t want to put on weight again & I want to be healthy. When they’re with me, the food options are always more nutritious & I subtly restrict the quantities & how regularly they eat. (How about we go outside for a while & then we can have morning/afternoon tea.) It may be all your can do too. The worry is if you say something it may cause dissension & alienation.

Relax you’re doing fine @MyDogsLoveMe. Twelve pounds in three weeks is a pretty darn good achievement. People who lose at a faster rate initially usually start at a much higher weight than you did. Plus we all lose at our own rate. Some weeks you may lose more the next may be less. As long as your general trend is downwards you’re doing great. Struggling to eat much more than your protein is the way it goes at least for another couple of weeks when you may be able to get in some vegetables. In your soft food stage, try adding a few vegetables & see how you go. I remember being able to eat a single green bean or a small spoon of steamed cabbage back then. I was able to throw a few vegetables (tomatoes, onion, celery, mushrooms) in soups & mince dishes & let them simmer away for ages so extra mushy. You’ll slowly be able to eat more & a greater variety of food. Remember you are still healing & are starting the retraining of how & what you eat. Oh, and I still take about an hour to eat a tub of yoghurt & I’m almost 3.5yrs out. I eat slowly & taking more than 30 minutes to eat anything is usual for me.

I've developed hunger that's coming across as nausea. It happens about an hour after I drink a protein shake. If I eat a little cottage cheese, the nausea goes away. My body is definitely wanting food, now.

I make soups. Roast veggies in oven with avocado oil and tiny pinch salt. Carrots mushrooms broccoli cauliflower tomato Most times I need two trays. I try different protein. Easiest is a roasted chicken from supermarket. And while is is cooled down I devine and saute meat with onions and more avacado oil. Add roasted veggies ( two pots sometimes) add salt free broth( Campbell's ) and water. Low salt Soyasauce, Hossein sauce , Worcester sauce. Simmer for 20 min. Let cool and use emersion blender and grind up. It if too thick add some more liquid. I track all my ingredients by weight and using my fitness tracker add to my recipes. It will tell you calories and vitamins and protein values. To add portion size in tracker I weight total puree soup and divide by 250( it equals a cup or portion. ). Then you can track can calories per amount y you eat. Healthier and you control salt and fat intake and will know calorie count. ( Most of my soups have 70-90 calories per serving. Sometimes it is a bit thick still I'll add water to thin out and make a bigger portion. 250X2 . Works with super soft well cooked roasted beef or stew. Avoid potatoes, ( starch turns to suger) good luck hope this inspires you .