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I agree with the above posters. I was curious about the same thing and measured out what feels comfortable when eating. I can eat 4oz of meat, tofu or whatever protein. Then I feel good with 1/2 cup of salad or berries or anything veg/fruit. If the meat is physically bigger, just 2 oz of veg/fruit fits in afterwards. I’m 11 months out. All mashed up, about 1 cup of food fits in, like the size of my fist closed up. I did overeat at family reunion this weekend for the first time, watermelon, I went for a walk to feel comfortable again. There was no throwing up. Again, everyone is different.

It’s like we share a brain, I swear. I went over 600 calories yesterday and the mental beat down I gave myself was horrible. Even though I burned 400 calories with exercise that same day. 🤦‍♀️ I had the sleeve first in 2017 and truthfully should have been diagnosed with some sort of restrictive eating disorder. I’m trying to be better about it this time with my revision but old habits have emerged. My nutritionist says calories for the day are not important, that I need to only stay around 60g protein, under 35 carb, and under 30 fat amounts. I am trying to get on board with her way of thinking. I personally benefit from a therapist because my issue is with control because of trauma background. Not a Bariatric therapist, just A therapist. Because it’s not about the food. It’s about my control and fear issues. I am practicing intuitive eating, but I don’t know if it would help you since I think you’ve said you feel hunger quite often. I don’t, so eating when I feel hungry has helped me since my body doesn’t usually talk to me unless it needs something 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’ve also spoke with my team’s psychologist a few times. If your team has one that could work. Wish I could be more help. But I’m afraid all I’ve offered is a “you are NOT alone” vibe.

I am 16 months out and I can comfortably eat about one serving of most things. Not everyone can eat a full serving though. I see people who say there is no way they could eat like a hamburger for instance. I can’t eat a big one like one from a restaurant but I make small burgers at home and I can eat that with a thin roll which seems more than I expected to be able to eat. I also make fish sandwich with those thin rolls and fish filets and I can finish that whole thing. Normally I eat around. 3-4 ounce serving of protein and some veggies and I am done though. I mean I am satisfied and I stop myself but I could eat more if I tried. Or if I have cauliflower pizza I only make one slice but I could probably eat more. I can’t eat a whole salad still for some reason. I mainly eat the toppings off of it with a little bit of lettuce and toss the rest. To sum it up I basically eat the main entree portion of what I used to eat and skip the rest.

I use the bubly drops in my plain Water without issue. I’m sure that’s not how they intended it to be used but gives the water a nice subtle flavor when I want a little change from plain water. I like that it’s zero carbs and zero calories, and I have a sensitivity (digestive) to some artificial sweeteners so crystal light and things like that aren’t an option for me - but this keeps me for reaching for juice or other calorie drinks when I want something different. 

Pre surgery I drank a 12 pack of Coke Zero a day. Now, 16 months out I have not had a single one. My team said I am medically cleared to have it but it is associated with weight gain. They still don’t know exactly why the zero calorie beverage causes it but study after study shows the association and that’s enough to have kept me off of it. I like the crystal light. I use two packets to mix it by the gallon at home and have a ziplock bag full of them at all times in my purse. I like that I can switch up the flavors. A newer option is cirkul. Its a drink bottle that they sell flavored cartridges for. My aunt swears the flavors are even better than crystal light. They have their own website or you can get the starter pack at bed bath and beyond. She likes that you can adjust the intensity of the flavor because she likes them with more water. I suppose you can play around with the amount of water you add to crystal light and achieve the same thing though. I also like to mix two flavors together when I mix a gallon to create new flavors.

I have had a rough ride with nausea and vomiting from day 1. My food and calorie intake was really poor. At about 4 months out my calories were about 350 to 500 a day. I just could not meet my protein target. I just stopped loosing weight. It took me another 6 weeks of really hard work, sourcing different foods and trying to up my intake of protein. When I got to around 800 calories a day, my weight began to drop again. I felt so much better and stronger. I have just had a hotel holiday abroad and I have really struggled with the food. My Cal count went back down to 500. I didn't loose any weight once again. Despite all the walking, swimming and dancing I have done.

Ooh. Well at least consider trying the clear protein drinks. Hopefully they won’t fill you up as much.

I had sleeve but you do know that the shakes count as liquid too, right? Maybe you should try the clear protein drinks. I don’t think they are as filling as the protein shakes. At least they weren’t for me. I liked premiere protein clear fruit punch but there are so many brands out there.

I'm about 5 weeks post-op and struggling to get 64 oz of water in plus 60g protein (60-80 is the goal in my program for right now). I'm curious about other folks who had gastric bypass - how long did it take you to get to your water and protein goals? I can get to 60g protein but only at the cost of my liquids. I feel too full and uncomfortable. I'm supposed to be shifting to soft foods but find that I can't get enough pureed in to stop using shakes. I have an endoscopy scheduled this week to see if there is a stricture but in case there isn't, I'm wondering how others' healing timelines went. Luckily, even though I feel really full, I haven't had any vomiting - but the constipation is real, even though I measure my liquids out and sip constantly. Thanks in advance for your experiences!

I wouldn't worry much about it. With only a seven day diet like you describe, it doesn't seem that your program is all that concerned with the "liver shrinking" aspect of it as some programs are, that do longer and more intense diets (some surgeons are seriously intimidated by that issue while others don't care in the least.)It sounds like they are mostly working to transition you to their early post op diet. While they probably don't want fruit in there owing to sugar content, raspberries are on the benign end of the scale there (which is why you may see them on a "keto approved" list somewhere. Which is another lesson here - just because something may be "keto" doesn't mean that it is right or good for your needs. Keto is not necessarily healthy or weight loss oriented (but it can be, if done right - as with many popular diets.) There is plenty of junk food out there that is "keto approved". Most here who want to do keto do something called bariatric keto, which is basically old school Atkins because the macro ratios typically seen in most keto references don't make sense with the small amount that we are eating during our loss phase (generally too low in protein.) Not to mention the dubious nature of being in ketosis - K specifically avoided that owing to its side effects and was still working to slow my weight loss after six months, so it really isn't necessary for successful weight loss, and generally a bad habit to get into for long term health and weight maintenance.

I agree that it’s not really self sabotage unless you actually intended to harm or sabotage yourself. Don’t beat yourself up, Just try to learn from your mistake and do better today. Have you tried searching for a sugar free or no sugar added alternative? I have found Many sugar free or no sugar added options out there that honestly don’t taste bad. I had sleeve so I don’t have issues with sugar, but I found Yasso Greek yogurt bars that are only 100 calories and satisfy my sweet cravings. They do have some sugar 13g total and 9g added sugars? I am pretty sure that’s quite a bit LESS than regular ice cream though. I don’t have any ice cream to compare it to. Okay I just searched Walmart real quick and it is less than regular ice cream but Klondike makes no sugar added desert bars that have even less. 6g of sugar per bar (11g of sugar alcohol. I’m not sure how that plays into it). Also, Bryers makes no sugar added with 5g sugar and 10g sugar alcohol (salted caramel flavor). I personally like the idea of the bars cause it’s already portioned out for us. Most but Not all products have the nutrition info online so a little research and hopefully you can find an option that will work for you. If you live near a Publix I have found that they tend to carry a wider variety and have more of the healthier options (compared to walmart). Trader Joe’s and Aldi are supposed to be good for healthy options too but I don’t have either of those I am, of course, not advocating that you eat ice cream this early out but i will admit that I tried a few treats just to see if I could eat them once I got to regular food such as chocolate, pizza and pasta. For me it was a mindset thing. Once I knew I could tolerate them in small amounts and eventually have them later it was that much easier to do without them until maintenance. Everyone is different though. All we can do is what we think is best for us. I hope this helps

I packed a box of all my post surgical needs so when I got home from hospital I had all I needed & wouldn’t have to leave the house to go shopping. Just off the top of my head: Over the counter meds: non NSAID pain meds like tylenol, gas x, stool softener, Imodium. A variety of shakes, broths, soups, yoghurt drinks, etc. protein water & any other allowed ‘foods’. Post surgery, your taste buds can go a bit haywire temporarily & flavours you liked before may taste awful. So that shake you enjoyed may be disgusting: too sweet, too salty or just blah! Electrolyte drinks like Hydralyte. Some are given their post surgical med scripts before surgery. If so get those scripts filled before your surgery too. All the best.

Everything that @catwoman7 said. I’d just add: 1: Haven’t heard of any breathing issues post surgery, but if you are a smoker this may be something to watch. See #3. 2: Vomiting is a possibility post surgery but haven’t heard of any one vomiting blood. When I had the awful diarrhoea attack day 3 it was very dark & I presumed it was old blood. 3. Some require you to stop nicotine before surgery. Nicotine will slow your recovery & increases risks for surgical complications. 4: I had trouble swallowing for about three days because of swelling. I was spitting up a lot of saliva. Though not easy, I was still able to sip & swallow meds. I found warm/hot drinks are more soothing that cool/cold. 5: Missing the odd vitamin is ok. We all forget at some time but don’t make it a habit. You don’t want be become lacking in an essential vitamin, mineral or nutrient. I am someone who was allowed off my multivitamins - at 8 months which was 2 months after I reached goal. I was having blood tests every three months (sometimes more) & my surgeon told me if there were any drops I’d be back on the multi vitamin. Three years out & my bloods are still good. Lethargy & energy drops in the weeks post surgery aren’t uncommon. You’re healing, recovering, & on a reduced diet. Adding an electrolyte drink can help, as does getting in your fluids, protein & vitamins & resting when you need to. 6: Pre existing reflux usually rules you out for a sleeve as sleeves are predisposed to develop reflux/gerd post surgery. Being prescribed a PPI (acid reducer) post surgery for a couple of months is pretty common as your tummy tends to produce excess stomach acid while healing & in response to changes to your digestive system & eating. Personally, I’d had reflux for years before my surgery. It was pretty mild. I controlled it with dietary choices & rarely took medication - a couple of times a year maybe. I still have reflux. It’s still not very bad but it manifests differently. I still watch my food choices & take a PPI every day.

My concern isn't that I'm going to start over eating. My concern is that I'm so afraid of gaining weight that I under eat and then exercise it all off. The protein pack is a small snack pack that I have as breakfast. Every time I have something more substantial, I'm so freaked out that it's going to cause weight gain that I restrict even more and ignore more hunger. Clearly I went from over eating to not eating enough or more substantial foods. My friend said I need to eat more than just enough to survive, that I have to actually eat to live properly and happily. It's just hard to do that these days.

Addiction transfer is not uncommon after weight loss surgery. When your addiction to food can’t be satisfied, you seek an alternative. Alcohol is a big concern as it’s often the easiest to slip into. Then smoking and sexual addictions. So I think @shoppgirl could be right in her suggestion as to what you may be experiencing. It’s also a control issue. Aspects of your life seem out of control because of all the changes you are making so you try to control at least one thing. In your case ignoring your hunger which then spirals into you overeating. Yes, many swear by the help of a therapist to navigate these challenges. I’m glad you recognise some of what you’re battling & you are open to seeking a therapist to support you. That alone puts you ahead. PS - try adding a more substantial protein for lunch than just hummus. Try chicken or turkey tenders, fish or other seafood, etc. To me hummus & capsicum is more like a snack. Is the protein snack a snack or part of your breakfast? If it’s part of your breakfast, you may need something more textually substantial (which can be more satisfying than just a shake) at breakfast as it could be why you have the snack as well. (Remember a shake is equivalent to a meal.) Try scrambled eggs or an omelette with cheese, bacon/turkey/chicken, & some vegetables like spinach, celery, mushrooms, etc. (cook the vegetables first) or rolled oats made on milk with seeds.

I've started to notice something about my mindset with food now. I know how much I'm supposed to eat, but every bite makes me feel like I'm going to stop losing weight (especially when the scale doesn't move for a day or 2) and I find myself restricting what I eat. Because I never lost my hunger hormone, it's always a dance trying to figure out when to stop eating (it's hard to stop when you're still so hungry but you've eaten the allotted amount for that meal). So now I've somehow gotten myself to the point where I don't like to eat anything because I just know that I know it'll pack the weight back on. I'm always hungry, so I'm getting used to ignoring it. So it seems I operate in extremes. I either eat and eat and eat until I'm so full I can barely move, or I hardly eat at all and ignore the hunger because I'm afraid of gaining. For example, for breakfast, I had my Protein Shake (Fairlife with caffeine) and a P3 Portable Protein snack Pack with Turkey Almonds & Colby Jack cheese. For lunch I had a few bell pepper strips (about 6) and hummus. For dinner I had 4 lemon pepper chicken wings and a sugar free protein gatorade. And for a snack later I'll have a few pieces of watermelon and pineapple. That's an example of how/what I eat per day lately. Plus I work out twice a day. It's like I went from one disordered mind set (massively over eating) to another (not eating nearly enough and working off most of what I eat). Not sure why I'm so scared of food now, but there has to be a happy medium somewhere, and I have to find it. I get upset if I eat within my limits because I'm convinced I'll gain weight again, so I eat WAY under what I'm supposed to. 2 steps forward, 3 steps back. I swear...

I’m 4 days post op and doing good, I think. I feel like I’ve done 1000 sit ups. I’m getting plenty of fluids compared to what the dietician mentioned. I can stomach sugar free pudding with protein powder added. I am ready for the next 3-4 weeks to fly by as I really want a bite of real food. Watching my husband eat is mentally exhausting. Thankfully he tries to eat his meals while I’m not around but that’s not always possible. I keep saying my stomach isn’t hungry but my head is. 🤣

pre-op diets vary so much between clinics that it's hard to answer that. And some clinics don't even require a pre-op diet at all. My clinic didn't allow any solid food at all - just clear liquids and 4-5 protein shakes a day for two weeks. So...I don't really know the answer to your question. I suspect you'll be OK, but if you're concerned, call your clinic.

Hi all! I have a question that I just need input on until I’m able to reach out to my nutritionist or surgeon. I think I messed up!!!! I’m on day 5 of my 7day pre-op diet. The first 5 days consists of tons of water and SF electrolytes, 3 protein shakes , 1-2 boiled eggs, cottage cheese or low-fat string cheese, a lean protein meal with non-starchy veg and non- starchy veggies, SF jello, SF popsicles and broth as snacks or to quell hunger pangs. Think Keto and in fact I have reached ketosis (i have that telltale fruity, albeit, rotten apple flavor in my mouth for 2 days and I have test strips that confirm because I once tried to follow the keto diet). The last two days are protein and then clear liquids. So here’s the thing my mind was set on “keto, keto, keto” and I completely flubbed and ate some raspberries this morning!!!! Raspberries are keto approved but….. I don’t know if they are pre-op gastric bypass approved!! I’m tail spinning. I think I totally messed up! Input please! Thank you!!

Good luck! When I did the preop diet back in 09, it definitely was hard, but got easier. If you're allowed, put a serving of frozen fruit in with your protein shake and blend it. That is one thing I would've done and I'm going to do when I have the preop diet. Keep yourself busy. And make sure to have the sugar free versions of your fav foods or drinks. Sf jello, sf pudding, sf Popsicles, sg fudgicles, sf drink mixes like Crystal light or sugar free iced tea and gatorade/sf Powerade. You know. But like I said, I highly recommend keeping yourself busy

that could/would have happened even if you'd never had surgery. It's not that unusual after being with someone for a long time. HOWEVER, the difference now is, you have more confidence - plus you're going to be attractive to a lot more potential partners. In other words, you have more options - and you don't have to put up with an unsatisfying situation if you don't want to (not that I'm encouraging you to leave - you're certainly not alone in falling out of love with a long-term partner. Some people stick with it regardless - others leave - but you have more options now and likely, a lot more confidence)

I agree - I'm surprised your surgeon didn't bring this up with you. Normally gastric bypass is recommended for people with reflux. as for your other questions, 1 . Does GS affect your breathing in any way ? Haven't heard of this issue 2. is there any vomitation of blood in the mouth after surgery haven't heard of this - but it seems plausible since it's stomach surgery, so I suppose it could happen 3. Can I smoke my vape with nicotine after GS we were told no smoking/nicotine 4. Is it hard to swallow (water/protein drinks) in the days after GS for some, yes - but for most, no. 5. What happens if I miss my Vitamin tablets for a couple of days , will I feel weak ? a couple of days shouldn't be an issue, but I wouldn't make a habit of it. We have a few sleevers on here who were given the go-ahead to stop taking certain or all vitamins based on their lab results - but it'll be awhile before that kind of decision (might be...) made. In the mean time, you should be taking them regularly. 6. I suffer from Heartburn (gastric reflux)will my heartburn tablets be ok to take after the surgery yes, you can take heartburn meds, but again, I'm a little surprised you'll be getting sleeve surgery since you suffer from heartburn. Sleeve can make that worse. It's not inevitable - and it doesn't even happen to the majority - but the risk is big enough that many surgeons will recommend bypass instead of sleeve for heartburn sufferers.

Hi I'm going for my gastric sleeve surgery in September in Istanbul turkey and I have a few questions? 1 . Does GS affect your breathing in any way ? 2. is there any vomitation of blood in the mouth after surgery 3. Can I smoke my vape with nicotine after GS 4. Is it hard to swallow (water/protein drinks) in the days after GS 5. What happens if I miss my vitamin tablets for a couple of days , will I feel weak ? 6. I suffer from Heartburn (gastric reflux)will my heartburn tablets be ok to take after the surgery Sent from my LE2123 using BariatricPal mobile app

I joyfully kissed all my shakes away on day one week three. It was always my goal to rely on real food to get all my nutrients in & not depend upon supplements or meal replacements. My surgeon was also okay if I was not hitting my protein goal while going through the first stages as long as I was making an effort so that took off some pressure. But as @ShoppGirl said it does depend upon how much you can eat. (I wasn’t able to eat much but usually hit 40-50g of my 60g protein goal.) I found a good high protein yoghurt (15-20g) & a yoghurt smoothie (22-30g) to keep my protein closer to goal. I also did things like make my scrambled eggs & rolled oats extra milky to get in a little more protein. But being lactose intolerant I realise this isn’t quite as easy for you. Were you given a caloric goal or a recommended carb intake or limit? How many extra carbs or calories are you getting in by consuming lactose free/dairy alternative products? Because we eat so little it would take a lot to really have a negative impact on your weight loss. I drink a lactose free milk because I can’t drink a lot of ordinary milk. (No issue with other dairy though.) And even though it has about double the calories, it didn’t have an impact on my weight loss. Milk alternatives can actually have fewer calories than cows milk (per 100mls): Full cream cow’s milk – 281 kilojoules (67 calories) Rice milk – 255 kilojoules (61 calories) Regular soy milk – 241 kilojoules (58 calories) Oat milk – 213 kilojoules (51 calories) Reduced-fat cow’s milk – 191 kilojoules (46 calories) Reduced-fat soy milk – 153 kilojoules (37 calories) Skim cow’s milk – 142 kilojoules (34 calories) Sweetened almond milk – 123 kilojoules (29 calories) Sweetened cashew milk – 123 kilojoules (29 calories) Coconut milk – 95 kilojoules (23 calories) Unsweetened cashew milk – 73 kilojoules (18 calories) Unsweetened almond milk – 69 kilojoules (16 calories) Same with carb content. Macadamia milk: 1 gram of carbs/cup Hemp milk: 1.3 grams of carbs/cup Soy milk: 1.6 grams of carbs/cup Almond milk: 1.99 grams of carbs/cup Flax milk: 2 grams of carbs/cup Coconut milk: 3.38 grams of carbs/cup Oat milk: 9 grams of carbs/cup cows milk: 12grams of carbs/cup Have a chat with your dietician. They should be able to recommend lower calorie or lower carb alternatives if your intake is excessive for you to try. PS - Stalls rarely have anything to do with the calories or carbs you are consuming but are a natural part of your weight loss journey. Your rate of loss is never constant but zigs & zags, ups & downs & plateaus. Your body stalls or takes a pause (as I heard a surgeon say recently) to catch up with the changes - surgery, weight loss, change in diet or activity, etc. Think of it as your body is stressed & it needs time to recover & accept the changes. Just like you do if emotionally or mentally stressed.

I was advised to slowly decrease the Shakes as I was able to eat larger portions. If you can only eat an ounce of chicken you aren’t going to be able to get enough protein from food. Well technically if you also eat a bunch of yogurt you can but you get my point. I am over a year out and still have a shake for breakfast everyday but that’s more for convenience and cause I like the taste of it (the caffe latte by premiere protein) many people get off them alltogether. But my advice would be to calculate your protein (not counting the shakes and yogurt) for a week or so and see if you consistently get to 30 or 60 or something like that and drop a shake as you can or just calculate for each day if you eat a lot of variety and have a shake or yogurt as a late snack if you need it.