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Which protein powder did you use?

HI! Thank you so much!!! I started with walking around 2-3 postop, 20-30min and just built up to working out from home with light 5lbs weights. I follow Sydney Cummings or Juice and Toya work out videos. I would alternate 1 day upper body, 1 day lower body, ect...Then I would walk for 1 hour one day a week. Then I joined the gym when I was comfortable with the weights and that's when I really saw results. That was around 8-9 week post op. I cut down to 20min cardio and 30min strength training still alternating and still having 1hour walking days. Now that I am at my weight that I want to be at and not wanting to bulk up anymore just shred and tighten up my loose skin that I can possibly tighten up, I do 4 weight days 2 upper body, 2 lower body body with 30 min of cardio (usually treadmill at 12-13.5 incline and 3.3-3.7 speed) then 2 days I focus only on Cardio HIIT workouts. Now I do all my own workouts just from researching online and building my own workouts. I think they work? LOL I feel good afterwards, and my body composition is changing so I am rolling with it LOL I focus on high protein like over 100g, carbs I kept around 60g and fat around 20g. I have been fortunate where the weight came off pretty quickly, right now I am eating around 1400 cal 150g of protein 80-90g carbs and 25-30g fat. I am not actively trying to lose anymore, I want to more so maintain but I am still losing, so I am waiting till that figures itself out. LOL

Not everyone gets to their protein goal right away and that’s not the end of the world so long as you are trying Your protein shakes count as both fluid and protein though and they usually have 25-30g each so it shouldn’t be as hard as you think with the shakes. Fluids are the mist important thing immediately afterwards. For most of us, drinking gets easier by the hour as swelling goes down. I actually had no issue drinking from day one. I also wasn’t in any pain and was off all pain meds before I left the hospital. I did need a little more sleep than usual but it wasn’t like other surgeries where I needed pain meds and I was more groggy constantly. With those surgeries I woke up to my alarm to take meds or whatever and had no problem going right back to sleep though so you should be fine either way. As far as hunger your hunger hormone is reduced. Most of us do not feel hungry at all. But as you should see on the pre op diet. The protein in them shakes is surprisingly filling anyways. Also, if you were not getting a little bit nervous by now you would be the exception and not The rule. Just try to keep your eyes on your goals. If you haven’t set one check out the “weirdest non scale victories” thread. There are some pretty good ones that you may not have even thought of yet.

Did you see the idea for the ricotta bake? I have posted it a couple of times but it’s really good. I will add though that with the purée stage I was eating a lot of cheese and barely any fiber and between that and the shakes the constipation was pretty bad. I ended up adding some purée oats with the NP permission and some purée veggies with Genepro unflavored protein powder mixed in and I added a teaspoon of soluble fiber to my daily proffee and all that seems to have helped. The other thing that is pretty good is puree egg salad. I just made it like normal then put it in the food processor. Well I did use less of the yolks and subbed some Greek yogurt for half the low fat Mayo to cut some fat. I thought it was gonna be really gross honestly but it pretty much tastes the same. The other thing I did was to purée a whole container of salsa and I add that to my scrambled egg beaters and my purée refried beans for some flavor.

@Mandalynne Welcome! I'm due for surgery the day before you - It's feeling really real now. And the August surgeries have started here. Looks like you have some good prep work done! As long as you are getting your protein, you shouldn't lose very much muscle (what my Dr. told me, because I also do weight resistance) - you'll be burning fat. The headaches should go away soon, and energy will return. Mine were a bear to get over. My LSD is 3 Fairlife shakes, with one meal of broccoli and 4 oz. of chicken breast. After 10 days, I'd kill for a V8 or pudding, haha. Let us know how everything's going!

Thank you for validating what I was feeling on the treadmill. I was trying to watch tv which was not directly in front of me too because it’s angled from the corner of the room but the treadmill was too close to it (kinda hard to explain) anyways, it did hurt my stomach worse so I had to quit. Also, mine can’t really go 2.0 mph. Anything less than 3.0 and it sputters…..is that the right word? I thought maybe it was my weight because I remember I was close to the high weight for it last time before I had surgery but that would make it 250 and I’m 228 now and it worked then at 335. In any case it’s really hard to keep my balance when that’s going on so I upped the speed and that didn’t hurt at first but caught up to me. I just don’t understand the bar that you cannot reach, lol, that thing makes no sense to me as I’m wishing I had something to grab and keep my balance. Awesome job sticking to just your protein and nothing more at the hospital. Especially when bored and worried about him and probably tired and all the things that would make us want to eat before all of this. Congratulations on getting cleared for soft foods. I started mine yesterday and it was so nice to be able to chew something. On that website that was suggested the fitness coach said she told her patients to do two bites of protein and one of veggie and I sorta stuck to that. I still obviously have to supplement with shakes that way but I would anyways so I figured it’s good for me to get into that habit. Hopefully my team will agree that is a good strategy. I’m not sure how early you get up but my time varies so I set alarms beginning at 9AM for my vitamins. I have been getting up at 8 and that works great I drink my protein shake and take my multi vitamin and stool softener by 9. Then the three calcium’s are 12, 3 and 6. Then at 9 I take my magnesium and stool softener. Basically every 3 hours I take something. I also added reminders in the Baritastic App so I can check it off each time which helps me to not question if I just turned off the alarm or if I actually took it. I’m really hoping they don’t add anything else or I will have to wake up in the middle of the night to take vitamins 😆 Congratulations on your non scale victory. I’m sure that others can see your 30 pound loss. It’s sometimes difficult for us to see in the mirror. It’s called body dysmorphia. People chat about it all the time in here who have lost 100 pounds and don’t see it. Three things that may help are side by side photos, taking measurements and if you look on Amazon they have a replica of one or five pounds of fat. You can visualize SIX of them big five pounders and see that IS ALOT!! it’s great that you are evaluating your hungry feeling to see if they are from the actual need for nutrition. When the hunger came back for me post sleeve that’s when things started to go wrong for me. I started giving into those feelings and I hadn’t changed my diet enough so the larger portions and more frequent meals and snacks added up quicker than if it was healthy foods. That’s why this time every healthy meal I make and actually like is a huge win for me as something to put into my Arsenal for when I am feeling hunger again. it sounds like you are really starting to get back into your groove. I’m so glad to hear it. Keep allowing yourself to take them little naps if you need them. It takes a while to get back to 100%’ from any major surgery. Never mind on the reduced calories we are taking in.

I haven't checked in in a while. I got super busy with haunt season starting and getting into the groove of working weekends. So far, everything has been going well. I haven't had any dumping, overeating, etc. I'm on regular diet now with a daily goal of 64oz of protein but I blow through that and usually hit over 100. I am still supplementing with a Fairlife either for breakfast or a snack before going to the gym. Last night was my first time eating out out (I've done Sunday breakfast but it's always an egg). We went to BJs and it's crazy how hyperaware you become of portions. In the past, we would get an app, entree, and dessert. My kids are having "sympathy pains" and have started eating smaller portions so we only got entrees. In the past, I would have gotten a burger or sandwich with fries and eaten the whole thing. I ended up getting a chicken breast dish and brought enough home to have lunch for the next two days. The weight loss has been up and down since I weigh daily right now. I won't say I've stalled because if I just looked at my Monday entries, it shows a consistent loss. This week is the first week that people have noticed and I can see a difference when I look in the mirror. I donated almost half my closet of size 18/20 items that were just too big. I'm in a size 16, almost a 14 and I went from a 2XL shirt to a large.

You might have (temporarily) gotten lactose intolerance. Most medications have lactose as a binder and if you’re sensitive, look out! You’ve sure been through a lot! It’s only been a week so I guess you’re on liquids. I used OWYN shakes because there’s no lactose in them. Others on here turned me onto Fairlife milk and shakes, there’s no lactose there either and both are high in protein but less than 5gms carbs. Who’s at home with you now?

Me too! I'm on day 5 of pre-op diet and already so tired of "sweet" stuff from the protein drinks and SF jello.

Wholeheartedly with you on this. I was fit and in shape my whole adolescence, I had both my kids and stayed slim and never tracked anything. I worked out hard, ate well, prioritized protein and had fun on the weekends and that worked for me for over a decade and two pregnancies. My weight ballooned up all of a sudden and kept going up and never stopped, and no matter what I did I was never able to lose weight. I had a very bad ankle injury 2 years ago that caused even more weight gain (33 lbs) on top of what I had already gained and due to the injury my mobility was greatly affected and my weight was spiraling out of control. Even at my highest weight I worked out 5 days a week and ate well and Nothing! So I understand your frustration fully. The only thing that worked was the VSG, the pounds melted off like butter and I regained control. If I were to go back in time, I would track everything I ate to figure out where the issue lay, I would weigh myself multiple times a week and see what the scale is telling me. I would do this before jumping on the surgery wagon. I wish I did that, because no matter how much I worked out and how well I thought I was eating, I was doing something wrong, and the surgery outcome proves it. Now that is my own experience, I am all for living worry-free and being intuitive, however these tools can give us great insight until we are where we need to be. I never weighed myself regularly (went by how my clothes fit), now I do. I never tracked my calories, now I do a few times a week just so I don't go off track again. There are days where I don't track because I know roughly how much I'm eating, and some days I do just for QA. Again, calories from here and there add up, so it's good you're aware of that. Also, there are other tools out there (GLP-1s if you're willing) that can rev up your metabolism and help the weight loss start again. With all that being said, you are doing amazing and it is important you don't lose sight of that ♥️

First, congratulations on your surgery. No, it’s not uncommon to start having doubts, worries, be a bit emotional about things. This is a big thing. Something you have never gone edits so and have absolutely nothing to base these new experiences and emotional reactions you’re having upon. With a sleeve, about 75% of your tummy is removed. This differs person to person & depends upon the size of your tummy. Larger tummy, more is removed. I actually got an internal photo of my tummy being removed (it’s not framed up on my wall 😄). It is impossible for you to regain if you’re following your plan and the volume of food/calories you’re consuming. A very common occurrence, which almost every one experiences, is called the three week stall. Around the three week mark (could be earlier or later than then) your weight loss will stall. It may last from 1-3 weeks. It’s very normal & just your body taking a moment to adjust to the changes and reassess your new needs (metabolic rate, digestive hormones, etc.). You will start losing again. Because there is no hard and fast rule as to your rate of loss, surgeons don’t tend to set weight loss goals - interim or final. There are just lots of averages around how much you may lose and how long it may take. Your surgeon may have spoken to you about how much weight you may lose by a certain time but it’s no guarantee of what will happen but just an idea of what might happen. They may ask how much you’d like to lose and then advise if it is possible or not. Whether it is possible or not is based on stats (averages). Don’t worry about not meeting your fluid or protein goals in the first weeks. It’s not easy in the beginning. As long as you’re making an effort and aren’t too far off. You’ll notice you get closer and closer and some days will be easier & others will be a real struggle. A quarter cup of food seems like nothing to begin but is again not unusual. My advice was 1/4 - 1/3 cup from purée to about a cup at 6 months. If you’re struggling eating soft food you may need to go back a stage for a few days & that ‘s okay. Sometimes we’re ( our tummies) just aren’t ready & healed enough yet to tolerate the more & more dense food as you progress to each new stage. Often weeks 3 & 4 are purées and then soft foods in weeks 5 & 6 but plans do differ. Trust me, it does get better and easier in time.

Greetings, So I really hit a low point with some financial stress that I went through with a small business I have and reverted back to my old ways of dealing with things - very poor food choices over a couple of months. I feel terrible, but I am ready to get back on track. However I have some concerns. I am able to eat anything and even drink at the same time now - a year and a bit out from surgery. I don't get the "foamies" if I eat too much, etc. I don't get the full feeling that I was still getting right before my crash. What I am saying is - I am worried that the "tool" that was supposed to help me is no longer there to help keep me in check. I know the stomach can't be stretched to what it used to be, so I am fine with that knowledge after doing some research. However I am wondering once I go back to eating properly, drinking more water and getting my protein - will things go back to how things were prior to my 2 months of screwing up or is that probably gone forever now with feeling full, etc. Like I never had the surgery. I looked into a pouch reset - but it seems there is a lot of misinformation out there. That this is not a real thing from what doctors have said - like drinking just shakes for a week again or whatever will NOT reset your pouch. I would appreciate feedback on the above and if anyone went through something similar - what was your experience to get your sleeve back on track. Thank you very much. HM

Thank you all for your advice - it has been really eye-opening to see that dumping isn't actually all that common in bypass patients. I remember in a leaflet given to me by my surgical team, it listed dumping as a 'common' side effect, so I was fully expecting it! I am going to introduce things slowly, with protein as suggested. And as @The Greater Fool has said, I do think sometimes it could pose as a bit of an educational experience for me if it happens!

Honestly if you are sure you want the surgery there isn’t much to do to prepare. You need to find a couple of protein shakes that you like and buy a few. Ideally not too many because some peoples tastes change. You may be allowed some yogurt or pudding and cream soups. They can be bought ahead as well. As long as you have someone who can to the store for you. You should be good with that. Do any preop labs or tests they requires and get your house as organized as possible for when you come home. Everything doesn’t have to be out. Just at counter height. They want you to walk every hour when you come home anyways so it’s good to have some stuff to do. The longer you have to wait the longer you have to second guess things.

Yes, @ShoppGirl, I had a similar experience with Miralax. I was at home, so no emergency, but I learned that lesson. My team didn't recommend stool softeners but I think I'm going to start one because this full liquids with protein powder is quite constipating. Monday I start pureed, and I am more than ready. I blendered some lentil soup with protein powder and extra water for dinner, and while it tasted good and satisfied my craving for something kind of hearty, it became this kind of brownish thin sludge and I was like, "This is what I eat now?" I know it's only day 11 and I'm still on liquids. I just want to be sure I don't give up the joy of good food. I'm not a cook at ALL but my husband and I decided we are on a mission to become foodies of healthy, clean, whole foods. Thank God my incisions are done itching. That was terrible. I mean, not a crisis in the grand scheme of things, but it was annoying. They're just about to the stage where I can start taking bubble baths again. I LOVE bubble baths and take a lot of them. That'll be really nice. I really feel everyone on trying to get it all right and balance things to get enough protein and keep the sugar and carbs low, and keep the quantities right. I'm still struggling with having zero feeling of fullness. I definitely do not feel hungry, which is crazy on less than 500 calories a day (I'm supposed to aim for 300 - 600 with no more than 1000). That's a total blessing and I hope I never get hunger back. That would help so much long term. But I do hope that once I advance my diet I will have fullness cues. I measure, so I guess I don't 'need' them, but I would be less afraid of overeating. Every once in a while, I have these sort of "mind echoes" of, "Oh, I want [insert high calorie comfort food here]". It's fleeting and it's not physical, it's totally a mind want, but it's interesting. I kind of shrug and say, "I don't do that anymore." I'm having an interesting thing happen with my one sister who was very against my having surgery but was being as supportive as she could of my decision. She's now sending me things like a mug warmer for my soups and an immersion blender, and links to Pinterest recipes for amazing soups. It's really cool. I am appreciating it a lot. I hope you all have supportive people around you. What is everyone doing regarding weighing? I kind of intend to weigh myself each morning when I get up, which will be more structured when I go back to work on Monday, but then I also don't want to get fixated on the scale and then get discouraged when I plateau, which I know will happen. On the third hand (LOL), it's exciting and reinforcing when I'm making these hard changes to see the scale move. I got a pill organizer and filled it with all my vitamins that I have to take starting Monday for the rest of my life. It's a LOT! I have to take pills 4X a day. Luckily, I haven't hated any of the bariatric chews and melts so far. And like @shoppgirl, I love the Bariatric Advantage calcium chews. They're basically Starburst candy!

Okay so tonight I had cauliflower crust pizza. I didn’t make the crust. It was frozen. Not the absolute greatest but not terrible either. I made it with ricotta, mozz, chicken and onions so I got my protein at least. I have a battle between my brain and my stomach trying not to eat too terrible in these next couple of weeks Before I start my preop.

Thanks ... but I fear a UK option might be too expensive. May I ask what you paid roughly?

Actually he said I can always decide to do the bypass instead.on surgery day. In fact he asked me if he gets in there and can’t do the SADi for some reason if I want the bypass since he can’t exactly wake me up to ask. I said yes. I am 90% sure I want the SADI now though. I’m just scared. Scared of the what ifs that are more with the SADI. What if I am one of the ones that has problematic diarrhea that doesn’t resolve, what if my lifelong commitment to PPI’s causes ulcers or kidney issues. Even worse, what if that results in my needing a transplant now that I know that’s a problem because i can’t absorb the anti rejection meds properly. It was so much easier when I thought bypass was my only option. Now that I have a choice I am just petrified I am going to make the wrong one. I thought about postponing for a little while but I honestly don’t think that I am ever going to get to the point that I am 100% certain in my decision either way. I don’t think any amount of research is going to give me the clear cut assurance that I want. I know that I will lose with either surgery and that they both carry risks. I am just letting my anxiety get the best of me I think. I guess I really do just have to take the plunge with one of them and hope for the best.

@RRenaeL23, I can hardly believe what a badass you are! (And I mean that in a "wow you're awesome" way.) Walking 2 miles already? That is really great and I am so happy for you. Keep up the great work! I also need to start working on my muscles - for me it's core, arms, and legs (well, now that I think about it, that's pretty much everything, right?). @Greekmom4, I have never heard of the foamies, but I certainly don't want it! Hope that doesn't come back for you. Today I had a NSV because I'm wearing a fitted sweatshirt that I love but haven't work for a long time because it was tight across my middle. Not anymore: now it's just right. My middle is still far too thick, but at least the sweatshirt doesn't showcase it, LOL. I am starting to see little indications of weight loss; just flashes, but they're there. I don't know what my body dysmorphia will do going forward. When I've lost weight before, I've just felt like everyone else looked bigger to me, I didn't look smaller. But I currently don't recognize myself in pictures because in the mirror, my mind tells me I'm not as big as I really am. (I learned at Jenny Craig that's why we should take pictures, because your mind can't bend them.) On paper, I've now lost 36 pounds from my highest pre-surgery, but I certainly don't see that much weight loss (I'm only 5 feet tall, so that's a lot on my frame). I guess that's a function of how much I have yet to lose, but also they say I'll be the last one to see it. I'm now to the regular diet phase, although there is a lot I haven't tried yet. Ground beef and turkey seem to be fine, but I tried some pork chop which was a big mistake. I think I may get much more of my protein from plant sources (beans, etc.) going forward, which is fine with me. Today we got a whole bunch of groceries to make a list of recipes I'm going to try (hubby is the cook at our house). My sister's vegetarian and sent them to me, so they're all veggie. I'm slowly learning to branch out. Since I am eating 1/2 cup at a time, I've been just having protein, but I started craving veggies and fruit. I saw something that talked about having "a few bites" of things, so I'm incorporating that. I can have up to 3/4 cup now, so I have a bit of room to add some veggies and a little fruit. TMI ALERT: I am eating more beans than I ever have, so maybe that's it, but is anyone else producing a surprising amount of gas? I thought giving up carbonation (which was a massive sacrifice for this former Diet Coke addict) would mean a lessening, but DANG.

I do not want to be muscly lol, I want to be lean and toned. so maybe I cut down to 3 then...hmmmm. Now that I have lost all the fat that I can possibly lose without looking like a skeleton I wouldn't actually mind gaining a little bit more weight back. I start my weight lifting days with 15min of jogging or 15min of the stair master then do about 40min of weights. Cardio doesn't do much except I just feel good afterwards, like the endorphins, the sweat, just elevated heart rate lol which is why I wanted to do at least 2 days of that. I have been relying on the internet to give me workout regimens since weight lifting is new to me. When you 3 days do you do full body workouts each of those days? (You seem like your a guru at working out, sorry if I am asking too many questions) I agree you cant workout a bad diet so I focus on high protein low-ish carbs. My typical work days macros are 1300-1400cal 130-150g protein 75-80g carbs, 20-30g fat on my rest day its less since I am not as hungry. Idk if that is good or if I am effing up my sleeve. I haven't gained weight by doing this, but ya know its scary to fall back into bad habits.

Hello! I had my surgery on 6.12 and for me I use a fiber powder in my protein shakes and stool softeners, that seems to help me

Thanks that's really interesting. I was looking at abroad (which is considerably cheaper) but would obviously prefer a UK option. Will check it out. Thanks!

I have it too. Random episodes but I also experienced it before surgery. Friends used to laugh and say it was an excuse not to do any strenuous type exercise (which was when I mostly had episodes) until they witnessed me experiencing it. Freaked them out. Yes, keep little snacks on hand. Eat to a routine. (I started to do this early after surgery because of the lack of hunger and any interest in eating. I knew I had to eat to get in the nutrients my body needed. I still do 5 years out.) Have an electrolyte drink on hand if you know your day will be busy and you may miss meals. (I added a hydralyte tablet to a bottle of water when I knew I would be out or at work.) And I plan ahead in situations I know may cause an episode. For example, sometimes I pop out before breakfast to grab a few groceries. To ward off an attack I’ll have a few blueberries before I leave. My last attack was 4 weeks ago at hospital. The hospital doesn’t provide the sandwiches or cheese & crackers after you have surgery any more. That night I had an episode. It had been 24hrs since I’d eaten and when I spoke to a nurse, she informed me o had to order my own meals through an app or ring an order through. Sorry but still rather out of it from the anaesthetic, sleepy and having a hypoglycemia episode does not make downloading an app and creating passwords, etc. easy. Plus the phone & menu was out of my reach because of the IV and being plugged into those pulsing leg wrap things. Due to my woozy befuddled brain, I totally forgot I had packed a few protein bars which would have got me through. And yes, I had identified I had hypoglycemia on my admitting records.

@draikaina8503 I got a variety pack from Amazon. I might see if I can get a just Orange-Mango case. Today I met my water and protein goals but my incision pain on the right side has been out of control. I tried to take just Tylenol today but the biggest incision has just been to much. I think I overdid it as well. Two of my adult kids live with me (20, 23) and I thought I’d only need help until Monday but this has been harder than I thought. School restarted for them and so I’ve been home alone trying to manage the dogs, take care of my rabbit and her room, one of our cats keeps escaping and I have to chase him. It’s just been exhausting. Hopefully I feel better by Saturday because I have an event I have to leave the house for and I go back to work (wfh) on Monday.

Hi everyone, I’m very new to forums, but it’s Nice to meet you all. I started this process back in February of this year, but I had been considering it for a while. my sister had the Gastric Sleeve, but my doctor wants me to get the Gastric Bypass, so that’s what I’m going to do. My starting weight was 266, i’m 5’3 with a BMI of 45… my doctor put my goal at 120.. fingers crossed. So insurance is covering it but I have a deductible. I have a surgery date of August 14, 2024. I’m currently on 2 week of the liquid diet. Today being the first day with absolutely no solid foods allowed. I had started preparing with purchasing toddler utensils and measured food containers, and a food scale. I stocked up on Ensure Max Protein, Unflavored protein powder, PB2 (no sugar added peanut butter powder), powdered banana and powdered freeze dried strawberries… all with no sugar added. I also bought Vanilla plant based protein powder. I blend a mixture of whatever flavor I want with 8 oz of skim milk or water. My routine is 2 ensures a day, then a powdered skim milk shake (in my ninja single blender) with whatever flavor, then I have 1 or 2 Progresso soup(s) for dinner (strained so I only get the broth)… the doctor said he didn’t care about the sodium only the sugar. If i need snacks, i drink 4oz of V8 juice original, or I have a sugar free chocolate pudding. i have been slowly buying and stocking baby food. I buy veggies and fruit and some mixed meals, but this is in preparation of the post-op puréed meal portion. I like to be prepared. I bought a 32oz water bottle on Amazon with that doesn’t have a straw (teaches me to sip). I know that I have to get through 2 of those a day minimum. I usually do pretty good. My biggest problem is that I don’t have the energy to get off my behind and use my Bowflex anymore. Sometimes I’ll do Beat saber for cardio but I’m just low on energy. Have to say low carb is rough and it gives me mild headaches every day. I’m worried that I’ll lose weight so fast that I won’t have time to protect the muscles I have because I don’t have the energy to work out. I’m now 6 days away from my surgery, I’m determined but nervous because the Bypass is a big change. I’m not a smoker, but to all of you out there quitting for this, kudos to you!! You can all do it if you set your mind to it.