Search the Community

Yogurt, cottage cheese, baked potatoes, creamy soups. That is what I lived on. Good luck.

I remember immediately after my surgery, barely able to eat a few bites of yogurt or Soup. Then the swelling went down, and I had to keep getting fills over the course of 6 months. I then went a year without a fill, and was concerned that I could eat a jr hamburger (yes, I was tempted, and was able to eat it). The Dr. said I shouldn't wait so long to come in, the Water can evaporate (how that's possible in a closed system is beyond me). So I got a good fill, and was back on the road to weight loss. Then this month (it's been another year since my last fill, but I've lost 25 lbs in the last year - so I wasn't going to run in and get a fill when I keep losing weight) I lost 10 lbs. Feels like my band is tight, like I just had a fill. That's how I found this site. I wondered if rapid weight loss might cause the band to tighten. I am definitely not complaining. in the 2yrs and 4 months since my surgery i've lost 70 lbs. I just took in a bunch of custom clothes I had made, after my first big weight loss, to the tailor to have them altered 3 pant sizes. My brain has definitely been trained. I used to drive by McDonalds and stop to get fries (even if I wasn't hungry). Now I keep driving. I can't barely eat 1 or 2 fries without regurgitating them. I eat soup and salad most days. My appetite is a fraction of what it used to be (I would order 2 combo meals for lunch and 2 combo meals for dinner...now I can't even do 2 fries!). This surgery was the best thing I could do for my health. My Blood Pressure is better, I feel better, and I save so much money on NOT eating out, or even eating period.

I like to take 6oz of yogurt and add a scoop of unflavored Isopure powder. You can't even tell it is in there. I'm not sure if you are able to eat that much? It is yogurt, so it should slide right through, and it makes normal eating the rest of the day much easier.

So we're just past the 5-month mark and I just got the notification of removal date, which will be April 19th. My husband's removal is April 29th so end-to-end he'll have his balloon in for about 2 weeks more than I have mine. As of today I've lost about 60lb, I say "about" because I had a different scale when I first started, but if it's 58lb or 62lb, either way, I'm pretty happy with that. I will probably end up right around 65lb lost, and my husband has been doing great- he will probably end up in the 70-75lb loss range. I am not looking forward to the actual removal, as I have to do 3 days of liquid diet (which can include smoothies, yogurt, etc) and 1 of clear liquids only. I've started taking some night classes so I'm worried about my ability to concentrate while on a diet like this, as well as the logistics of that last "clear liquids only" day since that's a work-then-school day but I assume I'll survive, so I'll stop complaining (for now). I have to admit, while I'm definitely happy with my progress, I'm also a little disappointed; I'd had daydreams of losing 80lb or more during the 6-month balloon period, and I think that is one of the lessons I really need to learn: be proud of what I've done so far, and stop feeling like it's somehow not good enough. It's plenty good. I also need to learn to give myself credit for what I've done (and my husband needs to do this as well), because losing weight is hard work. The gastric balloon isn't some magical short-cut; if anything, it's harder than doing it on your own because those first couple of weeks suuuuuuuuuuuuck. We're taught as kids that it's bad to be boastful, but honestly there are some things that we just have to boast about, and this is one of them. Going forward... I don't really expect any major changes to our lifestyle once the balloons come out. We're still eating around 1000 calories/day and exercising 30 minutes 5-6 times a week, and there's no reason we can't sustain this. I don't think the portions we are consuming to get those 1000 calories are so small that we'll feel hungry without the balloons. We certainly don't feel deprived-- in my previous career, I was a chef, so I can *cook* and my husband is no slouch either-- and we've managed to have the occasional night out (and yes, even dessert and beer). So this is perfectly sustainable. We just need to sustain it. Big lesson for now: this never ends. We don't reach our goals then revert back to our unhealthy habits. This is the new normal, and that's a big realization, but I'm totally okay with it.

I'm eating 6 servings total a day of food Packet Plain Instant hot ceral 1 carb master yogurt 1 cup low fat broth or Campbell healthy request 98% fat free cream Soup or Progresso light 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce 1 cup of baby carrots, celery,cucumber,broccoli,tomato,or iceberg lettuce. And 64 Oz Water (use mio flavored water) with sugar free Jello, Popsicles etc nothing more then 5 cal. 3 servings of Protein shakes (I use unjury,nectre brands) Hope this helps Sent from my SM-N900T using the BariatricPal App

you can eat deli meats like turkey and chicken breast, low sodium ham, american and munster cheese. Mashed potatoes, soup, pudding, yogurt, ricotta, cottage cheese.

I couldn't eat anything until the day after surgery. Not to worry though because you will not feel any hunger. For the next 2 days I was on a liquid diet (just broth, jello & tea/water). From day 3 until my 2 week check up I was on stage 2 of the liquid diet which included yogurt, mashed potatoes, creamy soups and a few other items that I can't remember but they should all be in the handbook Hope that helps a little.

I was told the eventual goal is 3 meals per day with no Snacks. But also that everyone is a little different and if you feel you need a snack it should be healthy, choose fruits and veggies, or a yogurt or ounce of cheese. Although I'm still on post-op full liquids so I can't say what I'm doing yet!

I am in love with Greek Yogurt!!!!!!! I'm 7 days post opp & today I had to have 2 containers of it, do u think that's ok???

my snacks are usually something like a protein shake or a Dannon Light & Fit Greek yogurt. Occasionally I'll have some baby carrots with about 1/4 C hummus (raw vegetables can be hard on my stomach, even two years out, but because they can be irritating, it stops me from eating too much. Hey - whatever works!). At night I'll sometimes have a couple of sugar free popsicles. Like raw vegetables, the sugar alcohols in sugar free popsicles bother my stomach, so all I can handle is two of them. I also eat Light & Fit yogurt occasionally at night, too, especially if I'm craving ice cream. The creaminess/sweetness/dairy aspect of the yogurt hit the same spot as ice cream would. I also drink *a lot* of fluid (usually Crystal Light) - which helps sometimes, but I know sometimes you just have to have real food...

I would focus on liquids before foods, that's a pretty quick progression to mushies. I know I had no appetite the first few days because of the swelling, etc. I also was on full liquids, which allowed for puddings, yogurt, Jello and found that I felt extremely nauseous when I ate some of those foods. Do you know if you received a fill at time of surgery? This could also be a problem if you have a fill

I'm asking for help here. I'm miserable. I was sent home with a 24 hr liquid diet then after that mushies. Have been tolerating mushies and protein shakes and water but I cannot shake nausea and the feeling of being full no matter whether I've eaten, drank, or not. The only time I feel my best is first thing in the morning when I wake. When I first drink something is when I start to feel full. At first, I'm sorry to be graphic here but I need to be, yesterday had marked a week since a BM so I had taken Miralax, drank a half of bottle of Magnesium Citrate and then finally a little relief but not much. The things I'm eating are like cream of wheat, oatmeal, yogurt, mashed potatoes, soup. I talked to my surgeons nurse this morning and she said maybe its because I haven't gone to the bathroom. I just can't seem to get my liquids in because I'm so full feeling. Help, anyone.

String cheese. Kashi cereal mixed with the Greek yogurt. The kashi I eat has 9g protein per serving.

This post is common - I have no idea how you can eat a 14 oz steak after this surgery I am lucky if i can eat 4oz. You are at a crossroads, same position most of us hit. You are head hungry not really hungry, sorry seems brutal but once the shock and awe was over you are losing the battle in your head not your stomach. My view is you need a nutritionist or a deep study into nutrition. The surgery is a tool it shrunk your stomach by 85% and removed the nerves that made you feel hungry. Couple of things you did not mention you should be filling up on Protein Shakes Loaded with vitamins and supplements. This will make you feel incredible without calories. I am out about 120 days and there is not a chance in hell i would try and eat steak or any solid hard food. I suggest you set a daily routine - If you read around here there are a ton of people who have posted there Routine. here is mine set by a Paid Nutritionist 1. Breakfast - 10 oz protien shake 30g protien 20 Calories, Two heaping Yogurt spoon fulls Vitamin Powder and Supplement Powder. I also add a few pieces of fruit for taste - 8 blueberrys or 3 cut peaches or a few strawberrys- You drink this over 30 min and no way you are hungry! 2. 10:00 Am - A Protien Bar - High end good quaility Bar - If i need it usually dont 3. Lunch - This is a tough one for me due to work so usually - Handful of peanuts, granola or maybe some chuncked fish or turkey 4. 2:00 Here comes another Protien shake - Usually add Peanut butter or some other funky Yogurt etc 5. 5:30 By dinner i am whipped so really have no desire to eat, usually skip about half the time - Scallops, Shrimp, Fish or a simple protein, Side is usually some small veggie 6. 40oz water a day - I CAN SAY I HATE WATER BUT IT IS A KEY TO FLUSHING OUT AND KEEPING THE KETOSIS GOING. i have this down where i can adjust my loss from .05 pounds per day up to 3/4 a day - I am also very active so that really helps me out. Summary - You have completed step one the surgery - Step two is the diet and intake - The mind is brutal on this surgery and head games to me are harder then the dang surgery to me - You said size i have gone from a size 50 pants to 42 currently and this is the reward! We all were food addicted no doubt - THe US is freakin disgusting with how we eat, Huge portions, all processed and filled with sugar. Good luck and you will get it - I have stalled a few times due to Vodka and M and M's so its not like your alone

magpie26 thanks!!! i went to doc today. They did in fact push me back to liquids and yogurt till I see then tuesday if nasaua is better, then I’ll move on again. they want to make sure there is nothing wrong he thinks it could be a combo of irritation stomach and I was talking to one of the girls who work there, she had it. She said I may not be eating enough and getting naseau from no food in stomach she said to get mint oil. I did. She said to put on my wrist. Also warm liquids over cold, and just to keep sipping protein shake. im gonna try that I have to be honest, I really havnt ate all that much oh, he also tailed back on vitamins, till Tuesday

Ok, Breathe. Its happened to lots of us and we survived to tell the tale and help others. If you have tried all the shakes and hate them all, try letting them down with milk. Try milk and protein yogurt mixed thin. Try protein water. If all that fails try milk with dried milk powder added to it to boost the protein count. Try warm drinks. Leave the food a couple of days while you up your liquid count. Your Doc has no right being mad at you because you are trying your best. Its your teams job to help you recover, make them help you

I am on day 6 and was on clear liquids only until this morning. Now I am on full liquids for 2 weeks - today I had protein shakes, some greek yogurt (the second serving I flavored with guacamole seasoning of all things) and cream soups.

@ eclecticavatar...Thank you for the compliment. But I don't really feel I'm crushing it. I get discouraged because some are losing way faster than me but my inches are flying off. I just try to get in 60 G Protein daily n my Water as well as Greek yogurt, re fried Beans , asparagus, grilled chicken. I can't eat a lot because my sleeve is picky but I do my best . I am now down 26 lbs and it's almost 6 weeks. If I had not had the surgery, there's no way the weight would be gone. Celebrate other victories beside just the scale. If you saw me in person , I don't look 191 so I take pride in the inches that are falling off. So I don't get bummed anymore when I see some people who have lost 45 lbs or some huge number that had surgery around the same date as myself.... why, because I tell myself I look good and some people lose it and you can't see it but mine is super noticeable so I take pride in that and so should you. 15 lbs gone is great ... I should have taken measurements but I didn't but I do advise you to measure yourself so that you can track inches lost. I measure mine by my clothes that I was busting out of and they are now falling off and the waist is huge on me. So that's how I know. Stay strong . We are gonna rock this thing. Just takes a lil time.

Hello all - new poster. 11 days post op for my gastric sleeve, spent the first seven days post op on liquids only and have been on a pre-select soft food diet for the past 5 days (oh what fun). Coming up with more and more odd combinations of refried bean, greek yogurt, egg white, sugar free pudding, and cottage cheese. Sad what passes for an "omelet" at the moment. Something odd I noted almost immediately upon arriving home was my sense of smell, particularly with regard to how foods smell, seem particularly altered. Have a household that has always enjoyed cooking and have done so several times for my lady as a thank you for how well she has been nursing me and the aroma of the foods is just nowhere near as full as pre op. Is this common? At least one other full bypass patient at my 1 week check in mentioned a similar change. Is it permanent or something that changes over time? Thanks all - and best of luck to all those on or getting ready for the same journey.

“I want to lose weight and get healthy this year.” That’s what we all want, but that’s not a solid resolution. A resolution says what you will do and how you will do it. It is clear. It has purpose. Taken together, all of your resolutions can add up to losing (or maintaining) weight and getting healthy. Here are our picks for New Year’s resolutions and why. “I’ll Make the Call Now” Are you considering weight loss surgery? Are you worried about an odd feeling in your throat after getting the lap-band? Do you have a question about whether a certain protein powder is safe after gastric bypass? Get help – now! Too often, we have a tendency to delay. It may be phoning all the surgeons in town to gather WLS information, calling your nutritionist with a diet question, or being on hold with your health insurance provider to find out whether the gastric sleeve is covered. Whatever the call is, make it now. Don’t put it off. It’s a way of prioritizing your health, and the good habits will rub off in the rest of your journey. “I’ll Eat 5 Servings of Vegetables Each Day.” Does this one come as a surprise? Did you think we’d start with protein? Here are our reasons for including a veggies resolution near the top of the list. Most people don’t get enough veggies – but they do get enough protein. Even weight loss surgery patients tend to get enough protein after a few months, while they don’t get enough vegetables. Vegetables are low in calories and super filling. Long term, it’s veggies that will reduce hunger so you can keep losing weight and eventually prevent weight regain. Eating more vegetables is linked to lower risk for heart disease, diabetes, stroke, osteoporosis, some cancers, and even dementia. They’ll help keep you regular because of their fiber...and that’s a big benefit for weight loss surgery patients! Unless you’re on your pre-op or post-op liquid diet or you’re having trouble swallowing, there’s no reason not to aim for 5 servings of vegetables. You can have salads, raw veggies for snacks, and steamed veggies on the side. You can also sneak them in, whether you add pureed eggplant and grated carrots to turkey meatloaf, double up on tomato sauce when you have low-carb pasta, or whip pumpkin puree into protein pancakes. “I’ll Drink 10 Cups of Water Each Day.” That’s 80 ounces. The standard recommendation is at least 64 ounces, but we think more is better when it comes to water. It helps you recover faster after surgery. When you’re even a little bit dehydrated, you can get headaches, feel weak, and lose energy. Plus, your metabolism slows. Go for plain water or low-calorie, sugar-free alternatives. Have them available throughout the day, whether it’s a water bottle in your car, a mug of decaffeinated green tea on your desk at work, or a pitcher of water in the fridge at home. “I’ll Use the Tools I Have.” The sleeve, bypass, or band is one tool for weight loss, but are you using all the other possible ones? Here are a few that are at your disposal. Nutrition labels. Do you really know what’s in the food you eat? If you’re not reading labels, you might be very wrong about the ingredients, number of calories, and amount of sugar in your food. Tracking apps. Research shows tracking your food helps you lose weight and keep it off. It holds you accountable and helps you make better decisions. There are so many apps now that track calories, protein, fluid, and anything else you can think of, and it takes only minutes a day. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale. If you’re guessing about your portions, you’re probably guessing wrong. Don’t put in all the effort of losing weight, only to be disappointed by the scale if it turns out you were eating more than you thought you were. Measure your food. Smaller plates and bowls. Smaller dishes help you take smaller portions. Smaller spoons and forks. When each bite is smaller, you eat slower, and tend to eat less naturally. You don’t have to use them all at once, but you might as well give each of them at least one try. They may help you lose weight without much more effort. “I’ll Eat My Protein First.” Don’t worry, we weren’t going to skip the protein! It keeps you full for longer, helps you maintain your lean body mass, and lets your immune system stay strong. It’s also helpful in preventing hair loss after surgery. Think of protein first when you plan meals and snacks, and eat it first so you don’t fill up before you get to it. Go for lean proteins, such as skinless chicken breast, fat-free cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, canned tuna, fresh fish, tofu, and beans. Skip processed and fatty options, such as bacon, ribs, and sausage. “I Will Exercise Most Days.” It burns calories, reduces stress, and keeps you focused. It improves mood, lowers disease risk, and gives you confidence. What’s not to love? If you really don’t like exercising, keep trying! There are so many types to try, from boot camp and Zumba classes to walking around the neighborhood to exercise DVDs to rock climbing to sports leagues. If none of those appeal, hire a personal trainer to give you more ideas and match you up with something you love. We’re convinced these resolutions are do-able and useful. If you implement some of these, we’re sure you can make good progress towards your overall weight loss and health goals for 2016. Put them together with your own resolutions, and keep us posted on your progress this year!

I had sleeve. I’ve been having protein shakes, crystal light, bone broth with hot sauce and protein powder, fage 0% yogurt with tajin seasoning, a little cream of wheat with broth, and protein water. I’m getting pretty tired of the full liquids.

I buy almonds that are already sliced for me (you can usually buy slivered or sliced almonds in the baking aisle or bulk food store). The slivered ones tend to brown quickly, so I prefer the sliced. It does not slide for me, I find it very filling ( I also mix with yogurt as well). It keeps me full usually all morning!

Webchickadee, How are you measuring your calories? I use a scale for accuracy for most foods. If you are eyeballing or packing in a measuring cup, your calorie count may be off. Also, if you eat out a lot and are using the restaurant guide, you may be getting more calories than you think. For me, I find hunger increases when I eat any kind of non-nutrient dense foods. For example, last night I ate dinner and then had a muffin later. Before the muffin, I wasn't really hungry, but after I ate the one muffin, I really wanted another and my tummy was rumbling for it like a dump truck. The only thing that got me out of a stall was reducing calories. I know that others have found success in increasing calories, but that has never worked for me. I recommend dropping your calories to 1200 per day. To avoid hunger, make them really nutrient-dense. Low fat meats, fat free greek yogurt and milk, whole grains, and fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits. Lynda

I refuse to eat anything I don't like. I eat full fat cottage cheese, cheese, sour cream, butter, and salad dressing, if I'm going to have it. I don't eat all of those things all the time, and when I do, it's a small, measured amount. I work it into my calories for the day. I rarely drink milk, but if I do, it's whole milk. I don't eat much bread, rice, or Pasta, but I do on occasion. I also take advantage of some "diet" foods like Quest bars. One fat free thing I do eat is Fage 0 fat greek yogurt - because I like it.

I have been asked so many times on this board about what Protein drinks are good and some sample meals that I used during the first month and things I did after the 1st month. These are very valid questions and I know when I first started out I had all the same questions. Again this is long so please print this out if you would like. Protein Drinks. My all-time favorite is: Premier Protein Drink. It comes in 11 oz. drink boxes already mixed. There are 30 grams of protein in each box, 160 calories per box, 1 gram of sugar and 5 grams of carbs. The flavor I buy is Chocolate—that is all I can find at costco. I get mine at Costco and I understand that you can get them at Sam’s Club too. You can order these on line at Costco and Sam’s club. They are also available at this Web Site. http://www.premiernutrition.com/product.html I pay about $25.00 for a carton of 18 drink boxes at Costco in the city where I live. I drink one of these every morning for my Breakfast and nothing else and it has been almost 3 years since my “sleeve surgery.” The next Protein Drink that I have tried is called: Matrix 2.0 Mint Cookies made by Syntrax. You can check this out on this Web Site. http://www26.netrition.com/syntrax_matrix_page.html The cost for 2.16 lbs. is $22.99 plus postage. Item # 39-0963 My next Protein Drink that I have tried and like is: nectar, variety pack, you get 13 single servings in a variety pack. The cost is $22.95. This is the Web Site and they are made by Syntrax also. http://www6.netrition.com/syntrax_nectar_page.html There is one other Protein Drink that I found on Obesity Help.com that was rated really high by 188 people. I have never had it, but you might want to check it out. The name of the protein drink is: Carb Solution High Protein Power—it comes in more than one flavor. They also have cans of it already mixed. The Protein Powers cost $12.99. It has 110 calories, 1 gram of sugar, 4 carbs, and 20 grams of protein. This is the Web Site for Carb Solution at Wal-Mart. http://www.buycheapr.com/us/result.jsp?q=Carb+Solution&qs=ti&ga=us7&ts=go On www.ObesityHelp.com they have a lot of different information about Protein Drinks and they list so many different brands and people have rated the ones they really like check this site out. It has a lot of information about almost all the protein drinks that we find out there. http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/nutrition/a,prodsearch/searchtype,1/criteria,11/ I hate Isopure. It does NOT taste good to me—I know that some people like it. I call it Isopuke, and it reminds me of pond scum. I have been told if you buy it at a GNC and don’t like it and still have your receipt they will refund your money if it hasn’t been more than 30 days since you purchased it from them. I guess they will do that with protein powers too—ask before you buy what their policy is about returning something if you don’t like it. So if you want to try it remember this. There always seems to be a GNC in most Malls. This 1st month after weight loss surgery is going to be the hardest one to do. You just get tired of what they want you to do. It is for a reason—the doctors know what they are doing. You need to let your new stomach heal from a major surgery, so that is why you have to do these things the 1st month. You should try to keep your calories at 800 per day and no more than 20 carbs a day if you want to lose weight. The 1st month you really don’t eat a lot. So in the following months keep track of everything you are putting in your mouth. You can track what you eat on this site. I found it to be very helpful to write down EVERYTHING I was putting into my body. If I didn’t write it down I was going over 800 calories per day and would not know I was. It does take time to keep track of it—you are worth the effort, but once you get the hang of it you will know what 800 calories really are. When you exercise this site helps you figure out the number of calories you have burned and that allows you to eat more than 800 calories. It is an easy site to use and it if FREE. http://www.livestrong.com/ The 1st 10 days for me had to be clear liquids—you had to be able to see through them. broth. I used and love “Better Than Bouillon.” It comes in a jar and it is like a paste. I like it because it tastes great and you can make single servings. It is located with bouillon cubes and Soups in the grocery store. I had chicken and beef. I also made some home chicken Soup and strained everything out of it and just had the chicken broth. I would try to have ¼ of a cup of it for part of my meal, but sometimes it was just too much for me. Remember you have a new smaller stomach and it is swollen and can only hold about as much as the size of your thumb. Jello-- sugar free. I might have 2 tablespoons of Jello. That was something I had fixed and ready when I got home from the hospital. I tried to drink 64 oz. of Water and sometimes I could get it in and sometimes I couldn’t. Do the best you can, and just sip it all day long. I would add Crystal Light to the water—it made water taste a whole lot better. Apple juice, white grape juice, sugar free sports drinks, decaf hot tea, also decaf ice tea. Veggie broth or the broth from French Onion soup. Sugar Free Popsicles if my stomach was upset this really seemed to help. The 2nd 10 days. This was much easier to do. If I didn’t mention it, it was difficult for me to swallow my medication so I would crush the medication up and mix it with about 1 tablespoon of applesauce and some Equal and mix my meds in the applesauce and take my medication that way. You will have creamy foods the next 10 days I loved so many of the creamy soups. I used regular Campbell’s creamy soups that they had. I was only having about ¼ cup or maybe a few tablespoons of soup. Jello was still good for me. Sugar Free pudding, maybe 2 tablespoons full. Yogurt a few tablespoons of it. Frozen yogurt. Applesauce a couple tablespoons. A little cream cheese. Sugar Free Fudge Cycles. Premier Protein chocolate Drink mixed in blender with about 4 ice cubes and 1 cap full of Miralax. When you have a lot of protein you get constipated and Miralax works for that. It is tasteless and blends really great in the blender with the protein drink. I use the Miralx daily and it is NOT habit forming. Soft boiled eggs or soft scrambled eggs—eggs didn’t work that well for me. Low fat Chocolate milk. Cottage Cheese. Sugar Free Popsicles Creamy Peanut Butter. The 3rd 10 days and final part of the first month. Yeah the 1st month is almost over. I could eat mushy food. This was more of a challenge than I thought it would be. Mashed sweet potato or mashed yams with a small amount of butter on it. Mashed up chicken noodle soup. Mashed up homemade veggie soup. Eggs that were soft boiled or soft scrambled. Applesauce. Cottage cheese. Premier Protein Drink with miralax blended in the blender with 4 ice cubes. Mashed up steamed carrots Mashed up and blended a little tuna with a small amount of mayo. Blended chicken breast with no skin on it. Ham blended with a small amount of mayo. Water with Crystal Light Jello with fat free cool whip. Yogurt and frozen yogurt. Sugar free pudding. Protein Bars chewed up really well—I could never eat a whole one—just a few bites. Mashed potatoes and cream cheese mixed in with them. Mashed black Beans they have a lot of protein in them. I would have about 1/4 the a cup and that is about 9 grams of protein Sugar Free Popsicles Hard Boiled eggs made into egg salad. If I went out to eat I found that a cup of soup was about the best thing I found that I could eat. I also felt like I was on display sometimes because family and friends would watch me eat. It used to bother me, but not anymore. I watched them eat and I thought to myself. “Oh my gosh they inhale their food and they hardly chew it.” I was always the last one to finish eating. That is OK too. At first I actually mourned the loss of food. Later on I was thrilled that I had the restriction of a sleeve because I was losing weight. I found that chicken and fish were easier to chew and I liked them a lot more than red meat. I said that chicken was one of the main sources of protein for me. I found Kirkland (Costco brand) grilled Chicken breast strips. It is already cooked and I would put one bag (1 pound) in the freezer and use the other (1 pound bag later.) It is really handy to have around and a quick meal to fix if the chicken is already cooked. We also ate more fish. I would buy Halibut or Sole—a mild fish. I would marinate it in OJ or crushed strawberries or blueberries all day. I would also marinate it in law calories Italian Salad Dressing all day. I would cook it in a pan with Pam spray and put garlic or rosemary in the pan when I was cooking it. I don’t eat a lot of red meat and I used to be a real red meat lover. For me it took too much chewing and it just didn’t taste as good as it used to. I will now have a small hamburger and only eat 1/3 to ½ because it just is too much food for me. Ham was something that worked well for me too. I found I could get a large think slice of from the grocery story deli and I would have it for a protein—I would slice off about 2 oz. of the ham. I also enjoy a Taco Salad and I make mine with chicken instead of beef. I love Shrimp and lobster too, so those are my treats that I reward myself with. A typical meal I ate starting the 2nd month after WLS. Breakfast: Premier Protein Drink with Miralax and 4 ice cubes in the blender. Lunch: 2 oz. of chicken or ham with a small amount of cheese melted over it. I would have a bean salad—it has 4 different beans in it. Snack: I would have about 10 dry roasted almonds and maybe 10 dried cherries Dinner: 2 oz. of Chicken or Fish, steamed veggies of some kind. Sometimes my husband and I would split a small baked potato I put a teaspoon of butter and sour cream on it. Snack: Some type of fresh fruit or a Protein Bar. Carbs and what to eat and what NOT to eat About the 3rd month after WLS I would add a little bread in my diet—I could only eat about ½ a slice of bread or ½ of a hamburger bun and they are the “thin” buns that they have out now. They also make a thin bagel. You just have to look when you are shopping in your local grocery store for these things. Try to find Whole Grain carb products and if you can’t the do the whole wheat. Try to stay away from WHITE carbs. They are white refined carbs and that is how we got fat eating a lot of them. Rice should be brown rice and only a small amount—NO white rice. Pasta comes is Spinach or Whole Wheat and you can have only small amounts of it. banana – Medium size has 27 Grams of carbs—I stay away from the banana, and I love them, but I just don’t want to spend all my carbs for the day on a banana. I use a Mexican soft flour shell made of spinach or sun dried tomatoes for making a small sandwich too—you know they call them wraps. Beverage: They do not want you to drink something when you eat—you need the room for the food so that you can get your protein in firsts. During the day I would have water or decaf tea for my liquid after I ate or all during the day. As I said the Crystal Light Individual packs and different flavors worked well in a bottle of water. It seems like it took me forever to eat and drink all the things I was supposed to be eating and drinking. I was always sipping on the protein drink and water. supplements you should take. It is important that you take a multi-Vitamin. I had a difficult time trying to swallowing large pills. Look for an Adult Chewable multi-vitamin. I also have the Chocolate Chewable Calcium that I buy at Costco. As time goes on it will get easier to swallow larger pills. Do NOT take the multi-vitamin on an empty stomach, it may make you sick. My Primary Care doctor was very helpful and after I had been home 2 weeks from WLS, she had me come into for an office visit. She ran a full blood panel and made sure all my levels were ok. I knew my potassium was low when I left Dr. Aceves in Mexicali—they ran my blood test before I left and gave me a very detailed report about my surgery to give to my doctor here in the US. Dr. Aceves told me to have it watched when I got home. I now take a potassium tablet prescribed by my doctor and work on eating food high in potassium. Starting the 3rd month I started to eat more salads about here. I had a favorite and still eat it. It is Fresh Spinach, with slices of almonds, feta cheese, dried cherries, or fresh strawberries, a tablespoon of bacon and Paul Newman’s Light Raspberry & Walnut dressing on it. I sometimes add some of my Kirkland (Costco) Grilled Chicken breast strips to it and then it is an entire meal in one bowl. Chef’s Salad is a great one meal in a bowl thing to have and I just use any kind of dressing I want on it. This salad has lettuce, tomatoes, olives, sliced hard boiled eggs, turkey or chicken, and some ham sliced on it with some cheese. REMEMBER make this in a much smaller bowl than the normal Chef’s salad comes in. Sometimes I will add a small amount of Whole Grain dinner roll or some bread with it. Stir Fry is a great way to get meat and veggies all in one meal too. I have a pan that works great on the BBQ grill and I do a stir fry on the BBQ in the summer time. Have a sense of adventure and take some of your old recipes and see if you can convert them into a healthier recipe. Use veggies that you have never tried. Try some “rubs” on you meat located in the spice section or the grocery store and try to marinate some of your meats all day before cooking them—it really changes the taste of them. Desert I don’t want you to feel deprived. I learned that sometime just a bite or two of a desert really satisfied my need for it. Instead of the WHOLE piece of cake or pie, just a sliver of it worked for me to satisfy my need for it. When you want a cookie have just one small cookie and not the entire bag OK. Sugar free pudding with a small amount of Fat Free Cool Whip is good too. Use Splendia to make a desert that you like. So everything in moderation works. Exercise I was never a fan of exercise until I started to walk and I found out how much I benefited from it. Now I try to exercise 5 days a week. Find some form of exercise that works for you and do it. Start slow and then add more until you are comfortable with it. I am sure I have missed a few things, and I will write those down as I think of them and make a Vol. 2 if I needed too. These are just my suggestions, spice them up and make your food interesting and don’t get in a rut. This is not a diet, you will learn to adapt it and find things that work for you and that you like eating. This is a LIFESTYLE change. Make it work for you. You have the tool of restriction now use your new tool to your advantage. The fat doesn’t just melt off of you. It does require work and effort on your part. Stalls—No weight loss for a period of days. Be prepared you may have periods where you lose NO weight. We call those “Stalls.” You will panic and think for sure that you are the “one person this is NOT going to work on.” I know I was sure that was me. NOT true at all. Our bodies just do this. Mine lasted for 9 days—no weight loss at all. Just keep doing what you are doing and the weight will start coming off again I promise you. I can tell you not to panic but most of you will anyway—that is pretty normal too. Hugs, Suzanne Sleeved 10/21/2008 Lost 105 pounds.