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I'm about for weeks post op (Monday) and I will be cleared to start soft foods. I recently invested in a 1qt (1.5Litre) slow cooker as I'm just cooking for myself, but I don't really know where to start using it. My mother's old stewed beef recipe is calling to me as it's always been a favourite and soft, melt in your mouth beef sounds perfect for this stage. But she didn't write it down so I have to remember what she taught me. Does anyone know any good stewed beef slow cooker recipes?

I'm back in the US for two weeks at the end of this months (I'm a Montana girl no matter how long I've lived in the UK) and I'm hoping I can hit all the thrift stores while I'm there. There's a few thrift stores here, but not so many that have plus sizes. I'm guessing I'm a UK 20 (US 18) now so still a plus size.

I agree with this. I'm about 4 weeks post op. According to my plan, I can start soft foods on Monday. But I've struggled with purees and eating too fast so I've gone back to liquids and protein shakes. I'm honestly kind of scared of moving to soft foods and even more scared of moving to solid foods. I think if you're going to use shakes and things to supplement your diet, Meal Replacement shakes are a better alternative to protein shakes as they also have more vitamins. While on my LSD, I would mix the chocolate slimfast with some chocolate protein powder and little skimmed milk to disguise the taste of the slimfast, but also to give it a little more protein. I would not WANT to live on those long term, but occasionally, I think can still have a place in the diet if you're in a rush or not feeling well enough to cook.

I'm about 4 weeks post op so I don't have a lot of smaller clothes. I'm trying to go as long as I can without buy new clothes because I don't know what size I will settle at. But I really like these jeans because they are skinny cargo jeans. I might just buy these in 2 different sizes just in case. I also find leggings not being tight annoying. My problem has always been that I'm too short for standard leggings so I would need a size 22 leggings but they would be too long. Now they are baggy and too long. But I've always been able to wear legging a size smaller than jeans or trousers because of the stretch.

Thank you so much. I am actually feeling a bit more positive this morning. I stepped on the scale and I dropped over two pounds to finally get into “onederland”which I kinda hoped was going to happen sometime next week but had assumed that wouldn’t happen with no activity. Well 199.6 but still under 200. So maybe that’s a sign that I need to just stay positive and that I can still handle this.

I'm also really sick of wearing compression socks, but two more weeks to go.

I'm now 4 weeks post op. I'm not really in any pain except my hip which is unrelated. I'm about to start the soft foods phase,. I'm nervous about when I will start solid foods because solid foods are what helped me get big in the first place. I have my ne month review with my surgical team in the 7th of November.

Even though plans are fundamentally the same, surgeons will have their own requirements many based on you, your health and your needs. Best advice is always follow the plan you have been given. Of course, if you are struggling with the plan, contact your team and discuss alternative substitutions you may be able to include. As for the pre surgical diet I was one who put on a keto diet for those two weeks. (I did about 2.5 weeks.) But I know a friend with the same surgeon, who had a higher starting BMI was on 3 shakes a day. Another, again same surgeon, was put on 2 shakes & one meal (protein & vegetable/undressed salad) a day. If you are concerned speak to your team.

No! No! No! Besides why would you? Let’s be honest. We enjoy eating. The smell, the textures, the flavours, the look and sometimes the sound of food ( like the crunch of an apple) is appealing & gives us pleasure. We celebrate with food. We share food with loved ones. We give thanks with food. Why would you sacrifice that to drink a protein shake for every meal? Yes, you may be prescribed shakes in your pre surgical diet and you will be prescribed them for usually 2 weeks after surgery. The pre surgery shakes are to increase your weight loss to improve your surgical success odds & to shrink your liver so the surgeon can see the surgical field more easily. Post surgery it’s to support your healing & not strain your digestive system (remember all those sutures & stables holding it together). Short term reliance on shakes. The goals of the surgery include you changing your relationship with food and establishing a healthy, nutritionally dense, sustainable way of eating. Drinking shakes for any extended period of time is simply not sustainable. It’s not nutritionally sound, only gives more power to cravings, creates new bad relationships with food and will highly likely result in weight regain & poor health. Key word here is supplement. If you are struggling to get your protein in via the real food you eat, sure a protein shake can be beneficial as a supplement to your earring. Same with any vitamin or supplement. If your body is lacking in specific vitamin or minerals, sure take a supplement but they should never be what you totally rely on to get the nutrients your body needs to function unless you have a specific medical condition that means you can not eat real, solid food. I never touched another shake after I began purées (start of week 3). My goal was always to get all the nutrients I needed through real food. And I do. I don’t even take vitamins now (except in winter when I have a dip in my vitamin D - I feel the cold so hibernate in winter & rug up if I have to go out so little sunlight for me then). Ask your nutritionalist, surgeon & GP. I bet they agree with all of us.

As others have said, absolutely not. Fruit, veg, and lean protein is essential to good health. I had protein shakes for the two weeks before surgery to shrink my liver, and for the first few weeks after as my insides healed. I would never want to rely on them beyond that. I can't even imagine how horrible and unfulfilling that would be. I've continued to have maybe one shake a day as a supplement when it's difficult to hit my protein goals. Tonight I'm having a protein hot chocolate from Premier Protein because it's chilly outside and a nice treat. But mostly I eat real, minimally processed foods. It's important to remember that supplements and vitamins and minerals are only able to provide the nutrients we know about, the ones scientists have discovered are directly responsible for diseases and disorders if you don't get them. But there are countless thousands of compounds in natural foods that we need and that are absent from shakes and supplements because they haven't been studied. The only way to get that is to eat a wide variety of real whole foods.

I am asking for your help/advice. I am a physical therapist and I underwent my own bariatric surgery in 2022. I am looking to develop a unique bariatric program that provides exercise programs and support to people undergoing rapid weight loss whether from surgery or from medication. If you guys could answer a few questions for me it would be greatly appreciated and would help me build my practice! 1. Did you exercise before surgery? And what was your biggest challenge? 2. Would you have benefited from a preop physical therapy appointment to develop a customize strength training program that took into consideration your current limitations and orthopedic issues. 3. how were you educated on post operative activity and physical restrictions? Would you have liked a week by week guide on what activities you can return to and when? 4. Were you educated on exercises to maintain muscle mass through your first year postoperatively? 5. What kind of exercises did you do postoperatively in the first year? Did you hire a personal trainer? Join the gym? Search online? 6. Did you develop any new or worsening musculoskeletal pain as you were more mobile and your body composition changed? 7. Let me know if you have any other ideas on how having a physical therapist on your bariatric team would have benefited you both before and after surgery. Thanks so much everyone. I may be piloting this program with a few patients. Email me if you’re interested (I’m licensed to treat in N.C.) contact@localpointpt.com

Hi I'm currently three days into my liquid diet I've been googling about things I can have so my question is Egg Drop Soup would it be ok to have I figured I could get an accurate answer from someone who's been through this process before

hmmm...maybe because CAMH is high demand/high level cases? 🤷🏻‍♀️ back in 2016 i was able to get an appt with one at Markham-Stouffville hosptial within 1 week of refferal. last year, my daughter was able to get an appt with Mackenzie Health (in Richmond Hill) within a month...and this location is probably the CAMH equivalent in york region (my words, not anyone elses! lol) neither of us would i consider to be one of the "most severe cases of mental health" (but we did each get a referral from our family doc). anyway, maybe check it out...IF YOU WANT TO...i don't want to come off as pressuring you to do something you don't really want to do! whatever you decide to do (or even if you don't do anything at all), hope you find a way to get some peace.

to this question: i was told to have 3 protein shakes a day for two weeks (and that was all). that said, i HATED the protein shakes they told me to drink (too sweet, omg), so i maybe had 2 shakes a day for the first maybe 8 days, then went down to 1 shake a day until the end. (btw, after surgery, i found a less sweet protein shake, thank goodness).

I have heard a lot of people talking about completing a liver shrinking diet some weeks before surgery. My surgeon has told me that because my BMI is only 36 I don't need to do this and that it is only for larger people. What's your thoughts on this guys? I carry all of my weight around my midriff, I haver super skinny arms and legs so I'm more inclined to think that my liver does need shrinking before my op. I am intending to do a 2 week diet consisting of meal replacement shakes and at least 2 litres of water. Those that completed a liver shrinking diet, what did you consume? Those that didn't were there any problems with the surgery? Thank you!

I never got an advice on "mindful eating" until AFTER I was a week post-op. I had a total of 15 minutes with a therapist pre-op. I have had to go back to staying on liquids because I just can't stop eating too quickly when it's purees. Even yoghurt is too heavy. It's definitely better to get in the habit now. I still haven't mastered it.

it really resonates with me! I actually love setting small targets because it keeps things fun without too much pressure. I tend to expect less deep down, so I'm not as disappointed if things don’t go exactly as planned. For example, this week, I told myself I'd probably lose just 1 kg, and then it turned out to be 2.2 kg! I really believe in choosing our words carefully too—don’t say if you lose the weight; say when you lose the weight! Shifting those small things helps reinforce our mindset, making it feel like reaching the goal is just a matter of time. And great job on finding different programs to keep you excited! It’s fantastic that you’re trying new things, and it sounds like you’re setting up a routine that truly feels sustainable. You’ve got this

I struggled to eat enough to slow my losing though not as much as you are. I reached goal at 6 months and was barely eating 900 calories. It took another year to get to about 1300 calories and for my weight loss to stabilise. To increase my intake I was eating all day long or it certainly felt that way. I had three meals and 5 or 6 snacks, predominately in the afternoon and evening. It took another year +/- to get to around 1600 calories which is about what I eat now to continue to pretty much maintain that initial stabilised weight.. And yes I still snack but only 3 or 4 times a day now to meet my caloric needs. So, yes, some of us do take time to get those calories up. But you are a more extreme case. If this has happened in rare other cases, what did they say what treatment was used in those cases? Can they stretch your pouch via an endoscopy or balloon? Have they suggested you incorporate those nutrient dense, high calorie smoothies like Ensure used for those with digestive and eating issues?

Right now I'm taking normal sized bites and just trying to make my meals last 20-30 minutes that's a vast improvement. Even if I come into the nutritionist with taking smaller bites and taking 30 minutes she might pass me after all she only gave me 2 weeks to work on this and I'll likely have 3-4 weeks to work on it before my surgery because it will take time for my insurance to approve the surgery and for them to get everything setup and everything. I can work on taking pea sized bites then. I'm sure the nutritionist will bring that up to me when I see her in 2 weeks right now she has just said I have to take small bites and hasn't elaborated as much as you have.

BlondePatriotinCDA- I have been tracking my food and beverages until yesterday I was eating 500-600 calories a day for the last year waking up at night is the only way I am able to increase my intake. My symptoms aside from low calorie intake was severe hair loss, extreme fatigue like I could only be awake for a few hours at a time. I have epilepsy with medication I typically have 1 seizure a month, suddenly I was having severe a week. My mood also changed I am usually a very happy bubble person and my thoughts and emotions started going to a very dark place. I lost the ability to think clearly, could not even watch a 30 min show without losing g focus. I was snapping at everyone and I had a general unwell feeling and I started to get back pain and upper stomach pain. Then my blood pressure dropped low.

My win is that I have had zero Halloween candy so far, even though its been in my house and at my office all week! This is a big deal for me because sweets were always my go to before surgery.

Chewing for 22 times or 22 seconds is fine. But then wait at least that long between swallowing and taking the next bite. That's how you make your meal last 20-30 minutes. Very small bites, lots of chewing, and pausing between bites to let your fullness signals have a chance to catch up. It's hard to explain how small your bites will need to be after surgery to remain comfortable and not make yourself sick early on. After surgery, I bought a set of cocktail forks and demitasse spoons. They are tiny, like something you would use for a doll. For the first three months, I ate with those. My bites were the size of a pea. Picture your golf ball size meal. Mentally cut it into 20 pieces. Or literally get yourself a 3 oz meatball and actually divide it into 20 pieces. Right now, you don't have any restriction, so it will feel crazy to do this, but after surgery, you can consume one piece per minute and you will most likely feel great. Faster and you risk feeling bad, at least for the first many months. I just made the mistake of eating about 1/2 cup of raw baby carrots too quickly because I was distracted by work, and I am filled with regret. And belly pain. I feel like I've gorged myself on Thanksgiving turkey and all the trimmings and gotten it stuck halfway down my throat. I now get to reflect for the next few hours about why that was a bad idea to not slow down. It's a learning process, even well after surgery.

GLP-1's have been put back on the shortage lists? The pharmacies have been adding other compounds for quite awhile which is how I originally started on Ozempic. The articles I've read though as of a few weeks ago stated since glp's were being removed from the shortage lists compounding would no longer be allowed, which is why I was asking.

Officially 8 weeks and 2 days Post-op and honestly I'm pretty comfortable with my progress though a little disappointed with my hydration. The weight loss is steady, protein intake was a little tricky but I think I got it, and keeping up with physical activity has been smooth. Last month's first follow up with the nutritionist did get under my skin, I questioned returning to my previous vitamins vs these nasty Flinstones...and she went on and on about my calcium, iron and protein levels wouldn't be sufficient due to me not eating meat. I explained I had no problem taking additional calcium or iron IF necessary, and finding new ways to add my protein BUT I wanted to see how my bloodwork came back. She finally conceded in saying "well, you're an adult, if you want to take more vitamins that's your choice". I mean OBVIOUSLY it is my choice and her condescending tone is one of the many reasons I've never cared for nutritionist. Nevertheless, guess who's blood work is PERFECT?! In other news, I will say this ketosis stage, while extremely beneficial... it is giving me the "ick" with side effects, smells, body odor etc... I've introduced some carbs hoping things will balance out but it seems to be a slow process. Uranalysis confirmed I'm still burning ketones sooooo there's that. 🤷🏽‍♀️but when will these side effects end ? Speaking of introducing carbs... I had a small bowl (4 oz) of mac and cheese (chickpea pasta)... this is a true trigger food for me, but I ate it, I enjoyed it and I moved on... it wasn't until the next day, I was thinking wow, I really didn't "Want" another bowl... "I'm good". In the head scratching category... I overheard my co-workers having a convo about individuals on the show "My 600lb life"... DISCLAIMER: I say overheard loosely, there's 3 of us in a small room, they were speaking freely as we usually do but I had my earbuds on and wasn't a part of the beginning of the convo. While I can't say I've ever watched a full episode, I am familiar with the premise of the title as well as what "reality shows" really entail when it comes to production and I'm sure I've caught a snippet of an episode on a meme, commercial etc. They also do not know I've had a procedure. I digress, at some point in the convo, they were both giving their opinions on "how could someone let it get so bad"..." when your pants stop fitting..." "when you're out of breath walking from house to mailbox..." etc. and while I have no doubt that they did not have malicious intentions nor have I personally fit into any of these examples... I suddenly became very offended. I even thought to myself have I lost that much weight that this is how "skinny" people speak freely among you ? (The answer is no, regarding me... I've lost a good amount, but they've known me for several years...at my heaviest). I thought, are they thinking I'm really deep into my work and not paying attention ? (The answer is no, we always engage with each other based off of body language to get the others attention and they were engaging). The answer boiled down to, they were just ignorant to the reasons this could happen to someone and the fact that reality tv has a way of making people look and behave at their worse. So I chimed in with "As a fellow big girl..." and explained to them that food addiction is real, and it's real easy to forget that unlike, drugs and alcohol, people have to eat for survival/nutrition and if you are addicted to such it's easy to forget how someone can "let it get so bad", there are also health issues and medication side effects. They were both receptive and admitted that didn't even consider that thought. We went on to talk about the state of "healthy" food choices, labels, vending machines in schools and all. But I definitely walked away from that convo scratching my head because they are both thin and love to eat and not always the "healthy" stuff... so I'm thinking it didn't occur to you others JUST CAN'T do that. Anyways, it was an experience and I'm glad I had it.

Since 2014 I have been gaining weight. I've gained 75 pounds. I was 150 at 5'7 inches tall and at that time I was relatively inactive but ate normally. A decade later I'm 225 and 34 and have not been able to lose. I cut out sugar, I joined a gym and got a dietician three years ago. I have still gained ten pounds per year. I've been tested for PCOS, Cushing's and Thyroid disorders and they have found no evidence. I eat less now than I did ten years ago. I love in Canada and rely on government healthcare. They won't approve me for gastric bypass. They gave me ozempic last year and it was a nightmare and worsened my IBS. I didn't lose weight I gained another 12 pounds on that drug. I'm out of options. This has basically destroyed my life. I haven't dated in ten years. Tried to commit suicide twice three years ago. The weight gain never stops. It's awful. I'm not doing it to myself. I don't over eat. I exercise, I go to the gym, I don't eat sugar and I just butt. It's a cruel joke this life.