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Liquid in, liquid out. Normal. I have been drinking a protein shake daily since I was sleeved in '10 never had constipation issues.

All regular food sits heavy on my stomach. I generally stick with eating meats only for the protein value; since I don't get all my protein in from protein shakes. My meal plan states eat the meat first, then vegs and last carbs. However, I can only get in the meat before I start feeling stuffed. Then I spend the next 30-60 minutes waiting for it to digest; praying that it doesn't come back up. I also did well with cereal, but my doc said that was a big no-no. Overall my stomach is very finicky. I can eat something one day and it tastes good and I enjoy it; but the next day I'll eat the same thing and don't enjoy it at all. Mostly trial and error so far.

1) your probably not going to get all the required protein in first thing. Try some isopure ready made clear drinks if you can find them they have 40grams per bottle and aren't milky. 2) try some Mirlax 3)Don't! Just NO! I'm virtually smacking your hand - 4)It probably itches because it's healing. 5)Wait until your comfortable with the idea, if you think your stomach hurts now lord have mercy! And you CANT have a cigarette So really what's the point??! J.j lol!!!

For Protein shakes - I also highly recommend the Syntrax nectar Powdered Protein drinks - they have them in fruit flavors and lemonade, you can buy sample packs from Amazon or "MyBariatricPantry" For the bathroom question - During these first few weeks you will not poo as much as you used to - it is definitely due to the liquid diet, once you move to more dense foods it will be more normal, I am 6 months out and I still sometimes go every three days or so. And I am eating normal foods and tend to eat high Fiber. For the smoking - just don't, take this time as the time to not go back. think about the steps you are taking to take back your health - and how the man is taking all of your money all the while knowing they are slowly killing you.... About the weird cravings - I had weird cravings, even in my dreams. It is like your brain is screaming "Why aren't you eating??" and since the diet isn't changing your brain tries to trick you. It gets better, I promise it does, and when you are 6 months out and 80 lbs down like I am, you dance every time your clothes are too big and you just keep shrinking :-D For the incisions, the healing itches, it gets better too - try bio oil after the tape falls off - I can barely see most of my incisions now. For the sex - if you feel like it, go for it, maybe go slow until you know you aren't overdoing it, it is good exercise too!

I am 11 days post op. This wked we were invited out to breakfast which we did not go.. we came up w. A an excuse but of course l felt guilty.. I am not really eating at this point yet. Starting to introduce mushy food. Focusing on my fluids and protein shakes.. I have another two wks I believe when I will be able to start eating more foods.. I am starting to feel bad for my husband. I told him we can go out .. we will just go somewhere where I can order a soup or a meal w. My son who is 3 and feed him and have like mashed potatoes or something.. So when did u all have your first dining out experience after surgery??

Thanks soo much ladies!! I am do thankful fir this forum of support! I promise not cigarettes and I will givebyhr sex a few more days. I going to Walmart tomorrow to get some different shake options. My follow-up appt is Thursday Im sure they will help to. THANKS SO MUCH AGAIN good luvk yo you all! Im feeling inspired and a lot less anxious

So im 4 days post op surgery date was Dec 3rd. I was released from the hospital after two nights. I am still having a lot of pain, I actually went back to the ER the other night b/c the pain was more than I could bare. I have stronger meds now and I'm doing some what better. I am 25 and childless so I think I was not prepared at all for the pain. I am doing okay on my liquid diet I am really having a hard time drinking the NASTY Premier Protein drinks. I am mostly drinking Water, crystal light, sugar free Jello, and unsweetened applesauce. Im noticing that i have to really slow down when consuming anything. I am trying to walk as much as I can but it hurts my stomach to move around too much. I do hsve a few questions some my be a little TMI.. sorry 1. I am supposed to be consuming 60 grams of protein a day I'm getting about half that due to the fact I really hate the premier shakes and when I drink them my chest hurts. Any high concentrated shakes anyone can recommend? (Btw I hate chocolate anything and anything milk tasting) 2. I have not had a bowel movement since dec 2nd the night before my surgery so 6 days should I be concerned? 3. I quit smoking cigarettes before the surgery, ever since leaving the hospital I have been having extreme urges... what would happen if i have just one? 4. My stomach, beasts, and sides are really itchy especially around the incision areas. Is that normal? 5. How long should I wait for sex I am still quite sore but I just want to make sure its all in working order lol. I know this is a looong post God Bless you if you have time to skim it and help a chick out! Thanks in adavnced -Tiera

3wks after surgery I am suppose to be in a puree diet but it is had to get it down. One tsp of yogurt I am so full for hrs, I can't finish a whole egg. I find comfort still with liquids and I have been sticking to it to get down my Protein in take and Water for hydration. Anybody with this same issues pls. Lost 21Ib. Sent from my SM-G920T using the BariatricPal App

Don't Keep your Eye OFF that PRIZE! Anything you want in life thats worth anything is not going to be easy! I see that you have made changes to this journey you started a long time ago! I could have waited to get my date,,, but I know the anticipation you are feeling,,, just know now is the time to deny that love obsession for the foods you can't live with out! REALLY,,,, I know you want this band and I encourage you to continue ur efforts,,, but we all have bad habits that has brought you to the idea that you need help loosing this extra weight. You have time to understand the types of foods u should be eating and the amounts whichARE VERY small. I eat less than 500 calories per day and I take in about 75 grams of protein; I work out 3 to 5 x per week,, but i move alot more easily than I did before! I would like to quote another Bandster (don't remember her name) she said," I wish I would have had the surgery a long time ago, it is very painful to heal, But I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!" You must take this BANDING TOOL and use it as all successful Bandits have, make better food choices, eat to satiety( satisified NOT STUFFED), learn to eat for 30 min taking one small bite at a time and find a whey Protein (in take 60- 80 grms per day no more!) that you can tolerate, then go to this web site and look for sugar free syrups to add to ur shakes, and ideas for new recipes! Good luck on your Journey, though ur not an Offical Bandster,,, I will offer any help to encourage the fact that your Banding date is closer than you will expect! http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ God Bless!

Hi, I am new here and scared shitless. I did so well for so long, even when my eating became more or less normal. I didn't go back to binging, but I wasn't sticking to the plan. I have slowly been allowing my weight to creep up. I didn't worry I guess because I still felt good, my clothes felt good, I felt sexy, I am active.....but now my size 10 jeans are tight, I really see the weight in my pictures, and I FEEL like that fat girl is trying to reemerge. I am trying desperately to get back on a plan, shrink my pouch, protein first, no sugar......but I am spiraling out of control. I can't be that girl again, I don't want to live at all if it has to be fat. I guess I just needed to say it. No one else in my family is heavy or ever has been. No one understands what it feels like to be addicted to food.

All the nutritionists say that same thing. Personally, I don't find them very helpful. Mostly because I want to know WHY a lot of times. Or I need help and they just say--"you're doing great." But I don't know what it is that is great especially when I feel like I'm floundering. Anyway, don't get hung up on data. If you wait to eat until you are hungry, you might overeat. You should eat Protein every couple of hours. Which basically is Breakfast, lunch, dinner and Snacks. Maybe if you just ate smaller portions during those meals? You said you aren't hungry anyway. And eating every few hours keeps you from getting hungry. My nutritionist had me stop doing the shakes when I went on solid food. Every once in a while I'll add them back in but I found that I am eating enough protein that I don't need them. I try to have yogurt or cottage cheese as my snack instead of the shakes. If I know I will have a hard time getting enough protein in, I drink the Isopure Protein Drink which is an acquired taste (and I now really like them) but is better than the shakes. Also, the fact that your weight loss is less, is normal. Losing a few pounds a week is pretty normal from what I hear. The more you exercise, the more you can lose each week. So, as much as it pains me to say it, focus on getting in your protein and get lot's of exercise. I know that they have me starting to watch the grams of sugar in food now but they have never mentioned sodium. I just try to keep it low by eating protein, veg, and fruit with some carbs. Those don't have sodium so you naturally keep it at bay. I don't think I'm helping you but I'm definitely helping me by writing this! I need it reinforced! Best of luck.

Here is my 2 cents on this. You must eat. If you are not hungry you still need to eat. This is a tool and they work when you listen and do what you are susposed to. Eat every couple of hours. Your stomach can only hold about 3 ounces at a time so little amounts here and there are best. If you don't eat then you don't process nutrients and the body takes from your resources ie Calcium from your bones, etc so it gets what it needs when it wants it. Spice up your shakes with sugar free syrups-that what I do to change out the flavors. I ordered 8 flavors from Torani and depending on my mood depends on the flavor of the time. Easy and different. This is a new lifestyle for you and not really a diet per se so the NUTs don't stress calories as much as they state Protein first, veggies next and if room then carbs. Stick to that and you won't over eat. This is how you help your tool. Analize your exercise routine and make charts and send them to me to get me on an exercise kick. i could use the help! I know someone who did not eat because she was not hungry and she felt nauseous. She ended up in the e/r thinking she was dehydrated but instead was told she was malnurished. Don't rock the system-it works and let it work for you! She was yelled at and told she almost killed herself. Yikes! Hang in there Wayne!

Hi, I had my bypass on April 2nd of this year. I'm at that point where I'm still physically not hungry but "I could eat"... I have a couple of questions that I could really use some input on... Eating just because I'm told I have to, not because I'm hungry. Had my followup with the Nutritionist and -- being the data geek that I am -- showed her all sorts of charts from MFP as to calories, She is all over my butt saying "you MUST eat three meals a day, plus your two shakes". I've been doing that anyway, but it's NEVER because I'm physically hungry. Just because she keeps kicking that dead horse. I'm now up to an average between 1000 and 1300 calories a day, sometimes whether I feel or need them or not. (360 to 400 for the shakes, 500-900 for food) It has become a "habit" to eat something and not a "need".. The problem in my mind is that since going from Fluid to mushy to regular (officially cleared), my weight loss has gone from 1-3 pounds a day, to 2-3 pounds a week, to pretty much 1-3 pounds every 7 to 11 days... I "get" the need for the shakes, and I'm doing my best there despite the fact that I'm completely burned out on them, but am I supposed to be eating something when I'm not hungry JUST because it's on some checklist of stuff that the average post-op is supposed to do? It seems entirely counterintuitive. I feel like I'm getting crappy guidance, but there may be a real reason for it. I dunno. Calorie / other counts after surgery.... Again, being the data geek that I am, I go by statistics and charts to tell what I'm doing (right or wrong). During my followup, I asked my nutritionist DIRECTLY "How many calories, how much sodium, etcetera am I supposed to be getting?". Her reply -- which really burns my butt -- was "I'm really not worried about calories or that other stuff right now. I'm just focusing on you getting your protein"... A complete evasion and non-answer which I find useless and non-helpful. At 6'3" and now 245 pounds (down from 300 when I started the surgery route in October), how do I figure out how much *I* need to consume in order to make sure I can get to my 200/210 goal? MFP doesn't account for WLS, so I'm completely in the dark here. The average I'm consuming now, let's say an average 1200 calories, has me stalled at 245 and getting frustrated when I was told by the doctor that I could realistically expect 210/220 pounds... Thanks for any help you might be able to provide. If I'm just being silly, that's ok too, but "be gentle" about telling me that I'm an idiot.. Wayne

I'm 20 months out now so my capacity is greater. However looking back at my food logs at 8 weeks I was eating 90% protein. Protein shakes, 2 oz beef, 2-2.5 oz chicken, 3 oz fish or shrimp, Greek yogurt (the majority of a 5.3 oz container), beans, etc. on the rare occasion I had room, I would add in some softer veggies like broccoli or cauliflower. At that point for breakfast I was eating protein shakes and lunches were usually egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad, etc. 2-2.5 oz. Hope that helps

I'm 9 weeks out and I'm eating a Protein shake with a banana blended in for breakfast, about a 1/3cup of some kind of protein for lunch, and the same for dinner. I'll usually have an 80 cal yogurt for a snack or maybe some pieces of cheese. I've just started trying to get in some veggies like green Beans or broccoli. I also put some cheese on top of my chicken or whatever to add more protein. I have some low fat swiss that's carb free and only 50 cals. Something else I've been doing is broth with powdered Gelatin in it. That's 10 more grams of protein and 50cals. What I'm wondering is....how many calories were people consuming at this point out? I average about 780/day. I also am not losing weight. I went up a pound last week then finally lost that today but it's been stalled at 243 for about 1 1/2 week. Argggh! Also, sorry to post this in here but I haven't figured out how to start a thread and ask these questions.

At 8 weeks I was really just eating Protein. 6 oz of fish and 3 oz of any other meat, 4oz of lobster. Around that time I had fish 4 times a day so I didn't have to take Protein shakes, because I was tired of them. With fish I could eat enough to meet my protein goals and not have to supplement.

Doesn't the bariatric drink have lots of protein? I put a banana in my drink which I'm sure probable has protein. I'm also allowed raw veggies and fruit in between. In my drink I think there are 27 grams of protein, 2 drinks a day puts you to 54. I just started my drink today and already hungry. Urrrrrrr

exercise is 1 hour of crossfit Protein - 80-90 grams calories - 850-950 carbs - < 80 I REALLY try to get more calories in on the gym days.. but I can't seem to get over 950.. just do not seem to have any more room... also not exactly sure how many calories I am burning during crossfit

My name is Heather, I just joined this site a few days ago and I have been reading posts here for a few days. (Even posted an insurance question, but thought I should probably formally introduce myself. LOL!) Last week I spoke to my primary care doctor about having Lapband surgery. She thinks that it is my only option to be able to loose weight since I can't exercise due to facet disease. I can't exercise because of the pain from the facet disease, yet the pain gets worse as I gain weight. It's a catch-22. I am going to a siminar next Tuesday, the 24th. I don't know what to expect, so if anyone has any advice, it is appreciated!

Okay, this is a spin-off from the chicken recipe I posted the other day, with a twist! YOU are going to LOVE this! Super easy to make, TONS of Protein, and deeeeeelish! **This recipe is for ONE fish, you can 'double' up on the ingredients for how many pieces of fish you want** Ingredients: 4 ounce Tilapia fish 1/8 cup Lite Mayo 2 tsp. Grated Parmesan cheese 1 tbs. Chipolte Bread Crumbs (4C Makes a great one) 1/8 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning Non-stick spray Directions: Pre-heat oven 370 degrees - place a piece of aluminin foil in a pan or baking dish, spray foil with non-stick spray. Place fish on foil. In a small mixing bowl add the mayo, cheese, old bay seasoning (stir), top each Tilapia fish with the mixture, sprinkle top with chipolte bread crumbs. Place in oven for about 25-28 mins. (That's it)! Nutritional Facts: Calories: 281 Fat: 13.8 Carbs: 7 Protein: 31.8 <------- Look at that!

A good approach to hitting some good protein counts after surgery is to drink 1-2 ounces an hour while you are awake. You can do this with a shot glass or just measure it as you drink from a blender cup. Alternating between sweet ( protein shake) and savory ( protein soup) is also a good way to not get burned out on drinking the same shake all the time in liquids phase. I know it is hard at the beginning. It was for me too, especially during the first week when it was painful to even swallow. Try this approach to eating on the hour and it will really help you out when you need to eat every 2-3 hours during solids. Hope it gets better for you.

I had the ricotta bake last night! I divided It and baked it in muffin tins! My favorite Protein by far is Unjury! It's not too sweet and doesn't taste fake. I really enjoy it with PB2!

I'm only 7 months out, and been struggling with a stall. So yesterday I tracked absolutely everything I are/drank and discovered I haven't been doing what I should, too many carbs, 150 calories too many, not enough protein. And no exercise. So out came my "manual" and back to basics it is! Time to be accountable!

I need help and suggestions. Next week will be 1 year post op for me. I have lost 116lbs and I am very thankful for it, but I am really struggling right now. I was playing soccer 5 nights a week and getting all my protein in and felt great. However during one of my games about 1.5 months ago I twisted my ankle so bad I chipped some bone. I had to stop soccer and working out while it healed in a boot. On top of that my parents came to stay with my husband and I and they are not concerned with healthy eating. They bought lots of junk food and while they were here we either ate out or cooked fried foods. It put in motion the hole I am trying so desperately to dig out of right now. I am getting back to working out now, but my sweet tooth is so strong right now. My question is what do many of you do to curb that craving. I can't do the sugar free stuff as the fake sugars give me migraines. I don't usually dump on sugar. I am asking this group because I know I will get honest feedback. If I tell my family I will get the typical oh no you are too smart to gain the weight back, but it is my biggest fear. This group here are the only people to truly understand the demons we are facing. Please help me.

Hey New Yorker!! I am from Oswego, New York but transplanted to Plymouth, MA 20 yrs ago! Glad to hear your doing so well!! I'm scheduled for 3/5/14. They gave me an option this past Monday to do surgery today- 2 days notice but with work schedules it didn't work....so March 5th it is...good to hear your progress.