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Biggest part of my work out is running, so I never eat before working out for fear that my food isn't completely digested. Fearing the stomach cramping or it possibly coming back up. I'll drink water during workouts & drink a protein shake afterwards. Been working for me for over a year now. But Everyone's different so Find what works for you.

Wow surprised you tried to go back to work so early. Tomorrow I will be 1 week post op and I feel very week. Still sore at incision sites too. I have 2 weeks off. If there is any way you can take more time you should. Very important that you let your body recover. Big hugs. I hear things get better when we can consume protein drinks. For me that is tomorrow so really hoping I feel better soon!

Hi JPC, many people are hungry post surgery -- normal, normal, normal! Just keep following your doctors' post-op protocol and healing up from the surgery. Once you start getting fills you will experience the dimming of appetite. Some people call this time Bandster Hell because they feel able to eat anything and it's basically just a diet until you get the right fill. You are not alone. Take it easy, be patient, listen to your body and get some walking in -- don't forget to congratulate yourself on this big step for your healthy future. Some people enjoy egg drop soup if that's allowed at this phase - filling, savory, yummy.

Welcome Michelle, This is a great place to come to talk and ask questions. Let me tell you a little about me. I am seven months out and I feel great. I had no major complications from the surgery. I eat at restaurants when I go out socially. I eat a variety of foods. I find by trail and error that I can eat certain fishes over others. I can eat turkey and chicken only in certain forms. I can eat beef if it's slow cooked and soft. I prefer Egg Beaters over eggs but can eat regular eggs too. I eat reduced fat cheese and some times with crackers. I eat greek yogurt with Splenda and sometimes fruit because regular yogurts have to much sugar. I eat a Quest Protein Bar every day and a Protein shake every day to make sure I get in enough protein in. I drink plenty of Water. Probably enough to fill an ocean. LOL. I eat fruit and vegetables. The most important thing you can do is listen to your surgeon and nutritionist and follow the guidelines they give you. Always eat first of all your protein and drink all your water every day. Your feelings are normal about this surgery and you will be glad you did it. I wish you success on your journey into this new chapter of your life.

Seven months out here. I am in the several small meals rather than 3 meals a day camp. Breakfast/first meal in the morning I usually do a Protein shake. Sometimes I will do a NF cappucino and then have a Protein Shake later in the day. Then I have 3-5 other small meals that typically consist of one of these things: Greek yogurt (Chiobani 100, Dannon light & fit or Fage) 1oz turkey Jerky Sharp cheddar made with 2% milk String cheese Thin sliced cold cuts Poached chicken breast 1/3-1/2 of a pure protein or Quest bar Raw veggies with Fage mixed with ranch dressing mix 1oz almonds or cashews 1/2 c Turkey chilli 2 turkey meatballs w/marinara I will usually pair one or two of these small meals with a carb like 1/4-1/2 cup berries, melon, plums, apricots Hummus with veggies Roasted root vegetables Sliced tomatoes with balsamic and olive oil and basil Small salad with full fat dressing Flat out low carb wrap (1/2) or a low carb tortilla (1/2) A couple of times a week I will splurge and add in something the family is eating or eat out. I don't deny myself a bit or this or that including.... A few French fries A cheese won ton (had this today!) Half a slice of thin crust pizza Insides of a street taco Popcorn at the movies Chick fil a grilled nuggets A few bites of almost anything my husband or kids order I have completely stayed away from bread, rice, sugar drinks including juice, Pasta...other than that I don't have any forbidden foods....including a very occasional dessert. I eat around 800 calories a day, typically 70g protein (60+) less than 60 carbs (usually less than 40).

Hi! I just got back from the hospital. I'm on the first stage of the liquid diet and I need 60gr of Protein intake. I have to drink PreProtein but It tastes so bad, It make my stomach feel weird. Can you please suggest any protein I can drink during this fase? Thanks for your help.

Four oz of Protein shake fills me up for hours. I've only been managing ~500 cal and between 30 and 40 g protein with a 25 g protein shake during the liquid phase. That's within my docs recommendations for the first few weeks. I'm sure I'll be increasing protein as I add some higher protein mushie foods, and I'm not too worried about reaching 60 g once I get to solids... I definitely have struggled with finding Liquid Protein that I can tolerate. That's kind of how it feels for me, plus a feeling of fullness behind my breastbone. Alyson

I know what you mean. I've been drinking the Isopure Zero Carb clear drinks (40 grams of protein/160 calories per 20 oz. bottle) and I gag every time I have to swallow the swill. Some people have posted different websites that offer sample sizes of Protein Drinks. You may be able to try a few until you find one that you like. If I come across those posts again, I'll send you the link.

Hey there @@scubasteph Congratulations on your surgery!! A few questions before anyone can properly answer your question - what kind of diet do they have you on post-op (clear liquid? Protein liquid?) How long have you been on that diet (may answer the 2nd question)

Two colace and a smooth move tea later, all is well. Having zero problems with the smooth liquids diet. Only problem is felt so good day 6 (thanksgiving) that I did too much. Taking it easy today and starting to focus on Protein.

Today I went to the doc for my two week post op appointment. Everyone was pleased with my progress and how well I'm doing. The dietitian was surprised at the amount of Protein I am getting, thanks to Premier Protein shakes. I also got my drain out after having it for two weeks. It gave me a bit of pain after it was taken out. I'm do I g better now. I got to eat some mashed potatoes and a small piece of canned chicken. It tasted so good and didn't bother my stomach. I do feel great and I'm glad I got my surgery.

In short, I had my surgery on 11/3. I Was in the hospital for two days, I haven't had any issues really. I have great restriction and no hunger still so I Track all my food to make sure I get all the protein and fluids I need in a day. I still only eat about 800 calories a day max. My carbs are low because of all the protein I may get 12 carbs a day. It's a work in progress. My surgeon would like me to eat 1100-1200 calories and more carbs but I do what I can. I've lost almost 40 lbs now and I feel great. I am also diligent about taking all my vitamins. It's been a smooth (learning) process so far. I went into this knowing that it was going to be quit a change so I try to stay stress free, I took measurements before surgery with my weight, I only weigh once every couple weeks. I try to stay off the scale. I know I'm not "cheating" I eat clean so I just allow my body to do its thing. It took me years to get as big as I was so I figure it's going to take some time to get it off. I've enjoyed the change! I'm still amazed at the fact that I'm not hungry all the time anymore. I love that my life is no longer focused around food constantly. It's been lovely.

Yes...if I revise, it will be to VSG. My husband is afraid of this, but his only comfortable options are another band or nothing. I can't do malabsorption due to other issues. We're still trying to figure this out. My GI doctor didn't think the band was at fault, but will be interesting to hear what he has to say in two weeks.

I don't usually bother with breakfast. Just drink coffee and save the protein shake for lunch.

So glad you posted this. We can be so hard on ourselves and overlook the changes our body is undergoing. I was feeling so down this morning. because tomorrow is 2 weeks and I am only down 3 pounds post surgery. I have to focus on the fact that since June 17 (my first doctor's appointment), I have lost 46 pounds. (I have also been battling constipation so I am returning to Optifast instead of a different Protein shake I have been using for a week which adds to my slightly grumpy demeanor.) Hang in there! We know if we work the plan, the plan will work!

I had to experiment with various protein drinks post-op, because my tastes for them definitely changed and some were less pleasant than others for my new sleeve. The ones I ended up drinking were EAS AdventEDGE Carb Control, which I bought at Walmart and Target. Another thing you can try to do is add unflavored whey protein powder to your soups and yogurts. Just be careful when adding it to soup. If the soup is too hot, it can cause the powder to curdle.

I am 13 months out from surgery (at goal weight) and frequent the BP boards for the exact reasons you stated. I agree that it is way too easy to become relaxed once you are at maintenance and let old habits creep in. I find "checking in" daily helps me with accountability and even though reading the same posts over and over again from the newbies about hair loss, Protein intake, incision care, the best Protein drinks to buy, Vitamins making them sick, etc. gets really boring after awhile, I'm also reminded of the rules over and over again that I should be following that I sometimes have become relaxed on! Reading these posts and sharing my experience helps keep me on track! I help them to help me! Sadly, it becomes all too common for those of us farther out from surgery to abandon the support of these boards. I think that is a BIG MISTAKE. The reality is there IS truth to a honeymoon phase. There will come a time were you will stop losing weight. There will come a time where you can eat whatever you want. I chuckle every time I read a post from someone who just had surgery worried that they can hardly eat anything. Now with that being said, I can now sit in a restaurant and eat like a "normal" person but my new normal is far from where I was pre-surgery. I know how big my new tummy is and I don't try and eat beyond it's capability. I still get a full feeling after eating 3/4-1 cup of food. Certain foods now make me feel sick (sandwiches) so I avoid them. I didn't come into this process with food addiction issues (PCOS contributed to my weight gain) so I had one less thing to make the process difficult. With that being said, I even find old habits starting to creep in. My tendency not to plan meals ahead of time and eat on the go was a biggie for me. I was finding myself eating out more than a few times this past week. These extra calories will add up over time. I'm being extra vigilant planning meals ahead of time this week. We all need to take a look at what contributed to our weight gain. Especially those dealing with food addiction issues. It is common to substitute one addiction for another. What I can say, is losing weight has been the easy part in this process for me. I was able to get to my goal weight without issue. What I wasn't prepared for was the process I would go through in accepting my new body. I still view my body with a fat lens at times and its only when I see myself in photographs that I realize how much weight I've lost! Anyway.... Welcome back! There's no judging here. The fact that you came back and made your post shows how committed you are. I applaud you for sharing your experience with others. Let the newbies learn from our mistakes. We will continue to pick ourselves up and carry on. This is a ongoing journey that never ends. We are all here to support you. ????

Welcome back, stay and don't leave - even when you are back at the place you want to be. I'm 3 years post op, still not at the place I want to be weight wise, some gain too. I can see how alcohol can be the new 'friend' and I purposely keep an eye on that as there are others who have reported on here how so easily it replaced their friend food. What is your plan of attack, are you going to go Protein drinks for a few days, log using myfitnesspal, low carb, no alcohol? You have done this before and you know what works for you. I need this site, I lurk more than I post but I pick up valuable tips and advice and there is a group of people I can call on if I need help. There is the vets part of the site but I'm a bit unsure on what the conditions are for posting there. I think you have to be so many months post op and have a certain number of postings. Vets post there about their struggles and successes. Take it one day at a time, we can't change what we did yesterday, we don't know what is going to happen tomorrow but we can plan and alter things during today so that by the end of it we can say to ourselves "it might not be perfect but I tried my best".

Quest bars are a must have in your pantry cabinet. they are a great source of Protein when on the run or on the go.. Also I highly recommend OH YEAH One bars. The texture is smooth and chewy plus it comes in many good flavors such a birthday cake and cinnamon roll. 21 grams of protein and only 1 gram of sugar. Net carbs is between 4-5 grams depending on the flavor of the bar..

Did your surgeon recommend one? There are so many! I am starting pre-op on 12/3 and I am using Bariatric Advantage. Unjury is also super good. Some people like Premier Protein, and others like IsoPure

I just drank my protein shake. Isopure creamy vanilla and light vanilla soy. It taste really good but I couldn't drink it all..overly sweet stuff makes me have a headache. ..so I'm going to buy regular light soy and try it

It is absolutely possible for the band to work with little to no Fluid in it. I watched a Youtube video that was posted by 2 banded women (friends) who both had wonderful results with the band. One of the women has lost 120+ lbs and has never yet had a fill...! Just the pressure from the band being placed itself was enough to trigger satiety and weight loss. I believe this is the exception, rather than the rule. When you go for a consult, the nurse or whoever is doing your adjustment) will weigh you and then before touching the needle should ask you a lot of questions including: What is your satiety like between meals (can you go 3-4 hours or more between meals easily, or are you hungry and looking for food at the 2 hour mark)? What are you eating? (Adequate Protein, fibre, complex carbs?) Are you losing weight? How do you feel?? Depending on what your answers are, the nurse will decide whether a fill is required. If you are making progress and feel great, you and the nurse together may decide that a band adjustment is simply necessary at this point!

Nope! Still waiting and insurance is still saying pending. I was told today I can call Monday and speak to the pre certification staff because they are not there on the weekends. Wish I knew that was an option I would have done that yesterday.

With a 32fr size sleeve, I can eat 1 cup of food if it's mushy consistency, and I eat super slow (over 40 minutes). I can eat 3-5oz of dense Protein comfortably without issue. 3oz if I want a few bites of veggies, 5oz if all I want is the protein. Remember, that what you will be able to eat at 2-3 months will nearly double at 1 year out. If you go too big, it's been shown in the earlier sleeve days when larger bougies were used that there is a higher incidence of significan regain. Discuss all the options with your surgeon.

I would be inclined to think maybe since he has only done 150, that no one else had mentioned it to him. Hair loss following any big weight loss is very common. If you will go to the Search tab in the menu and search hair loss, you can find tons of people with the problem. I am 6 months out, mine just started within the last 4-6 weeks, and is getting pretty bad now. I had this happen when I lost 60+ pounds with Atkins too....so when they tell me "more protein!" I have to laugh, I lived on Protein with Atkins, and still lost it!! In that instance it shed for about 3 months, slowly tapering off in severity, and then began regrowing. It grew in fairly quickly, and was healthy as ever, now here we go again. The exciting thing is, when it grows back in this time, it will stay!!! I feel like I have been on a roller coaster with my hair. I used to have long straight blonde hair. Then cancer struck, lost it to the chemo, and it grew in curly and darker. Then lost a ton of hair with Atkins, grew it back, at least it didn't change color and texture that time. And here we go one more time!!! It WILL be worth it!!! Try the Search---you get lots of opinions....but nothing concrete. My Dr.'s both surgeon and fill Dr. say it is common with weight loss, one told me to take Biotin supplements, the other, just eat a healthy diet, it will grow back. Good Luck!!! Kat