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I don’t like shakes. In fact I never had another one after the initial liquid stage. But you might find it easier to treat your shake as a drink with a protein bonus and not a meal or a snack as it can count towards your fluid intake. Dilute it a little more so it’s not as thick & heavy then just sip it throughout the day like you would water until you’ve finished it. Boost up the protein content of other drinks by adding flavoured or unflavoured protein powder to coffee, soup, porridge, yoghurt, etc. Find a good high protein yoghurt. That’s what I ate to boost my protein. Or you could try protein water. Lots of flavours available. I had pork scratchings/crackling a couple of times. Handy when travelling. Found a low salt one but it wasn’t worth it - no flavour. Need that salt. Keep to the recommended portion size though cause they can be very morish. Yum!

I personally have a somewhat pathological dislike for those calculators. I just tried the one @Bari_Hopeful posted and supposedly I should have stopped losing around 225 lbs. Even using the interquartile range listed, I shouldn't have made it past 200. I don't think of myself as exceptional in any way, though this calculator might make it look like it. If anything, I'm maybe just more stubborn and was willing to do whatever was needed so I could finally get to a normal weight. Settling for just overweight instead of obese was not really an option for me. I guess it just seems to me we set our expectations too low when we use an average like this. I know it's hard, but everyone can potentially make it to a "normal" weight range if they are willing to work at it.

Hey everyone everyday is a Win..in the baratric world we know everyday we have to either get fluids in, eat enough protein etc, ...what is your win for today? My Win is being consistent on my bariatric journey and movement, I have made it a goal to move almost daily!

I had problems meeting my protein goals and honestly fluid. I’d get close. I ended up doing water enemas to make up the difference so I didn’t end up needing it fluids the first week. (Yeah, gross I know). I had issues getting the non-premixed protein shakes down after surgery and then eventually any protein shakes. I went from loving sugar to despising it. Literally thought I was prepped and bought tons of crap that I just couldn’t stand after surgery Since you can walk at discharge I ended up going shopping daily for whatever my body said it wanted. Fairlife milk is a godsend. Yes, it’s just milk…. But with added whey protein so it pretty much tastes the same, or darn close. Runny eggs… soufle… custards without sugar, I ended up loving this wanna be 7 layer dip type meal with mashed beans, sour cream, avocado and hot sauce. Tomato basil soup with goat cheese (Campbell made with milk rather than water, basil (paste from a squeeze bottle) and a chunk of goat cheese swirled in after melting. Those ended up being my jam until I could add in tuna packets with various flavors (they make a ton now) and shredded chicken (then blended on pulse and mixed with avocado so it didn’t get dry stuck). Getting used to 1 can of soup being 4-6 meals was a bit of a shock. I had a ton of tiny meals in the fridge and would just sit down every 2 hours with some protein thing and slowly get it in. Then wait 30 min and set water timers. If I wasn’t “caught up” to where I should be by the end of 2 hours… I’d then sit and have to focus it down till I got it in. Don’t leave water till last minute, you can’t chug.

You said that you stopped eating meat, are you taking Protein supplements like shakes? You should be having a high protein diet and not so much in carbs, and some veggies are carbs, like peas for example. Fruit has natural sugar in them, you should be focusing on protein. I strongly urge you to talk to your dietician with your surgical team, and make a better diet plan than what you are on. Something you can do in the meantime is to look at the bariatric bowls and plates available on Amazon, and look at the portion sizes of fruits and veggies, then look at the size of the plate for protein. It may not be what you are eating, but could be your portion size. But based on your initial post, you are eating fruits and salads, you are not focused on protein. I say again, check with your nutrition specialist with your surgical team. I will say what others have, 60 pounds is a good amount of weight to lose. Remember that your surgery is a tool, and not a cure. It takes time to gain the weight, it will take time to lose it, when you are eating correctly and as your nutritionist says, contact your surgical team. Congratulations on your journey, you are doing great so far!!

@SpartanMaker I love butterscotch! Sounds delicious!! My go to's are: 1Cup FF Fairlife 1C Unsweetened Almond milk 1Tbl of FF SF pudding mix 1 scoop of Isopure- usually vanilla or chocolate Swerve to taste *if I do chocolate I'll add PB2 for a peanut butter taste Or Ill just do a fairlife protein shake and add the pudding mix My favorite one that I made thus far has been: 120ml of lite unsweetened coconut milk 285mil of unsweetened almond milk 1 scoop of vanilla isopure 1tbls of SF FF chocolate fudge pudding mix 1 tsp of cake batter extract 1 tsp of raw cacao 1tbls of swerve brown sugar The coconut milk really elevates the flavor and creaminess. Its higher in calories but in my option worth it! My recipes always makes 2 large servings!

We've had a number of veterans that have come back here recently after getting to goal (or mostly to goal), but then life got in the way and they had a significant amount of regain. I wanted to ask those that have gone through this, what thoughts you have for the rest of us on how to prevent the regain? It's easy for someone like me that's not faced this to think "it's easy, if regain starts, just do xyz", but I know it's never that simple. Maybe said differently, in hindsight would you have done anything differently? I know some of you went through some really rough patches mentally & emotionally and your health took a back seat. Maybe your options were limited and you might not have been able to do much about it. I still think it would be nice to hear what thoughts you have for the rest of us that maybe have not faced this (yet).

Just be careful with selecting meal replacements since a lot of them won't meet the guidelines as outlined by your team. As an example, the Bariatric Pal creamy chicken soup meal replacement mentioned above is too low in protein. While there are a few products out there that will meet those guidelines, most won't. They'll either be too low in protein, or too high in carbs. This includes the vast majority of products you'll find at grocery & drug stores.

My Sunday baking using protein wraps as the base and 4 eggs to help with the protein. Before Cut down to six portions so not exactly an after because I was able to eat the full portion.

I've been taking BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE capsules recently, and I've found them really helpful. They're flavorless, and you only need one a day, which is super convenient. There's a deal where a year's supply is just $99, which seems like great value. If you're interested, you can check it out at https://store.bariatricpal.com/99. One thing I appreciate about these vitamins is that experts in the field specifically design them with bariatric needs in mind. Just a heads-up, though – taking a separate calcium supplement is recommended, as it can affect iron absorption. If you're looking for options, BariatricPal has a range of calcium supplements that might suit your needs, available at https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/calcium. Also, if you're exploring different brands or types of bariatric multivitamins, there's a variety to choose from at https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/multivitamins. It's always good to have opt I've been taking BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE capsules recently, and I've found them really helpful. They're flavorless, and you only need one a day, which is super convenient. There's a deal where a year's supply is just $99, which seems like great value. If you're interested, you can check it out at https://store.bariatricpal.com/99. One thing I appreciate about these vitamins is that experts in the field specifically design them with bariatric needs in mind. Just a heads-up, though – taking a separate calcium supplement is recommended, as it can affect iron absorption. If you're looking for options, BariatricPal has a range of calcium supplements that might suit your needs, available at https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/calcium. Also, if you're exploring different brands or types of bariatric multivitamins, there's a variety to choose from at https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/multivitamins. It's always good to have options.

For 4 med bagels: 2/3 cups flour 1/3 cup plain greek yogurt ~1 teaspoon baking powder big pinch of salt Prep: Preheat oven 350 Mix dry ingredients, fold in wet ingredients. Knead until smooth, add a dash of water if too dry. Hand roll into balls, poke middle hole for bagel look. Dip into EBTB seasoning, optional: egg wash if you’re filthy rich 🤑 Bake: ~25-30mins at 350 (adjust for elevation). Cool completely before slicing ❤️

Hello and welcome. Don’t think in terms of why you didn’t start here because we all have our time that this is best for us and maybe back then you weren’t really ready. This surgery is an amazing tool but it’s really important that you are ready to do your part or you wont be nearly as successful. Sounds like now you know that the other options wouldn’t work for you and you are ready to do your part in making this tool work hard for you. You’ve got this!!

If you want to try collagen supplementation, you certainly can, though the scientific evidence is a bit of a mixed bag. Some studies seem to show benefit, but I think we have to keep in mind this condition is also a temporary issue brought on by the stress and dietary deficiencies you went through. In short, it's going to resolve by itself over time and thus it's really hard to know if the collagen is actually doing anything. IMO, the best possible thing you can do for your health, for your hair loss, as well as to speed your weight loss would be to really double down on dietary protein intake and not supplements. For those about to jump in and mention that collagen IS protein, yes that's true, but it does not contain all the essential amino acids. As such, you really should not count it toward your daily protein intake. Plus, a capsule isn't going to contain very much protein anyway. I'd guess less than a gram per capsule, though I suspect it might vary based on the source and size of the capsule itself.

I hate decaf. caffeinated coffee helps me w/constipation. I use vanilla premier protein shake in my frother to add to my coffee. I only drink one cup of coffee a day. I also drink flavored (hazelnut) coffee beans.

I'm wondering if the way you handle your anxiety now opposed to how you might have handled it before is what is actually different and why you're noticing it as more extreme, did you use food to self sooth? Perhaps this is why you're noticing it more is because you can't/don't have that option anymore and the lack of soothing with food ramps up the anxiety? I don't know if that's what you used to do in anxious situations which is why I'm asking.. But if so its my guess opposed to it being something else. Plus, you've gone through a lot with surgery and your grandmother passing (sorry for your loss). Life can be riddled with anxiety inducing situations unfortunately. From reading your posts, you're a strong woman and I have no doubts that you will tackle this head on and come out on top! Perhaps talking to a mental heath professional may help, I've never personally been a huge fan and haven't found them worthwhile, but for a lot of ppl it does help! You've got this, just continue on being your strong self!

Sticking to soft foods and small portions is key, but you can still enjoy the celebration without overdoing it. Planning ahead helps—maybe eat a bit before the event so you're not tempted by off-limits foods. Also, if you're looking for something sharp to wear, https://www.gentlemansguru.com/product-category/wedding-tuxedos/ has some great options. Comfort is important, especially after surgery, so pick something that allows for movement and doesn’t feel too restrictive.

Thank you both so much for sharing flir stories and wisdom. I meet w the doc tomorrow to discuss options. In the meantime I was due for my wegovy shot on Thurs. Have been ravenous since Sat evening. Which is making me painfully aware that I may need a more permanent solution cause what if something changes and I no longer can get the meds via insurance. It's a lot to process. But now I guess I need to research more about sleeve vs band vs other options. Thanks again. Gina.

You are doing amazing but I do understand how you feel. In the very beginning I just wanted to lose the weight as quickly as possible but then I had an epiphany! I need to fix my relationship with food! I'm 10 weeks out so I'm still early days but I know that just losing weight is a sticking plaster for the real reason I used food as a coping mechanism. So I think I need to consider therapy! The food noise gets so bad for me sometimes its like torture! I will be so much more happier when I nail these obsessive food thoughts but it will take time, I've had them my whole life. Like many I have lost up to 6 stone and put it back on quite a few times before I took the plunge and had surgery so I guess I need to be kind to myself and learn to understand the parts of myself that I have ignored for so long. Are you counting calories? at the 5 week mark I was managing around 500 cals a day. I didn't have the protein drinks because I was fuller for longer eating minced chicken, tuna, eggs, lentils, cottage cheese and pureed foods for less calories, a quarter of a cup at a time. I still managed to get in my protein and at least 2 litres of fluids too. If I was a little under in my protein I would drink a clear whey isolate protein squash drink, they are around 100 cals and contain up to 22g of protein! I am on 800 cals a day now as my stomach has done a lot of healing since then. Everyone is different though and I know that some people still can't tolerate actual food at your stage, so listen to your body hun. Here's some ideas for purees for you, a quarter of a cup at a time is about right for the stage you are at but if you can't manage it all that's fine, its just a guide for you. Tuna and mayonnaise - 14 grams of protein Blended baked chicken. I would bake chicken in some tinned tomatoes and season with garlic and herbs then blend it. 50g of chicken has 16g protein Egg mayo - an egg has 6-7g protein Bolognese - use 5%fat minced beef and blend with a tomato based sauce or make your own - 11g protein Protein puddings available in all the supermarkets - 15-20g protein readybrek oats with some protein powder Fat free cottage cheese blended with peanut butter powder and some sweetener if you need it. Cottage cheese has 11g protein per 100g PB powder has 8g protein per serving Ricotta cheese bake - you can find the recipe on Pinterest and even on here! I wish you well on your journey my lovely. You are on a path of healing, mentally, physically and emotionally and you are doing amazing! Be kind to yourself the weight will come off and at 5 weeks you are still healing and probably holding extra fluid anyway. xx

My meal prepped breakfast for the week! Quinoa, egg whites, blackberries and walnuts with a side of ham. 262 cal, 25g carb, 20g protein 9g fat, 4g fiber

Some people can just have a taste but I learned after my sleeve that I am not one of them. I can’t have one slice of pizza or one brownie. Even if I manage to have just one that day I will crave more unhealthy stuff the following days. At bedtime I have been doing the sugar free popsicles. That seems to be working. If you have actual hunger then something with protein would be a better option. Like a Greek yogurt maybe. Can you budget the calories so you can do that. I think the triple zero is only like 80 calories. That should keep you full through the night though.

A couple of questions about recovery before a family wedding. I am scheduled for VSG on March 6. Yes, far out due to work commitments. I have a big family wedding two months later and am wondering (overthinking) how this will all work? 1) I am not in the wedding party but do have a role and need to get a new dress. At this point, I am planning to get a dress that fits me now and assume it may be a bit roomy two months following my surgery, but will still work. Does that seem reasonable, in others experience? 2) Is it likely I’ll be able to eat any of the wedding food two months out? I absolutely realize my experience may be different from others, just wondering what events have been like at two months for others going through the surgery. I also understand my options will be limited (plain protein?) but wondering if I’ll have to pack food/snacks. I’ve read all kinds recovery eating schedules but don’t have the proscribed one for my program yet. Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences and advice!

@WendyJane Thank you for your comment. I strength train quite a bit and I have been playing with the amount of protein that is suitable for my body. I noticed that If I drop lower on protein my body cannot handle my workouts and I am not building muscle. I tinker between 170-177lbs so this is actually okay. I do follow a whole foods diet. Lots of veggies, fruit, eggs, avocado ect...heck I even eat a piece of sourdough bread that I make with some kerrygold butter as my pre-workout meal. I have spoken to my primary doc, nutritionist and my surgeon and they are not concerned with the amount of protein that I am eating. My typical day is: pre-workout is sourdough bread and butter, after workout I make my profee, breakfast a few hours later is 1 egg, 1/2C egg whites, Turkey breakfast patty and cheese. Lunch is always a lean meat and lots of veggies, dinner is some sort of meat, veggie and carb like air fried potatoes, something like that. Snacks typically range from jerky, Greek yogurt with berries, string cheese, sometimes chips if I am feeling sassy lol My only thing I cannot eat is shellfish because I am allergic otherwise I am open to anything! @SpartanMaker I rarely eat red meat, my protein mostly comes from lean meats, eggs, protein powder in my iced coffee things like that. I will say I like eating this way, I feel good, my recovery is easier, and it helps with the cravings. When I don't eat enough of the good stuff (i.e weekends are a struggle for me) I get off course and not just a little but a lot. I was looking at overnight oats for my weekends! I haven't had them in a long time and I figured it would be good after my long runs. So I will definitely give those a go! I like the simplicity of that breakfast! Soups after a workout probably are great for you since you run long distances- what kind of soups do you eat? Love Greek Yogurt with berries and granola. I just found this granola from Magic Spoon and its delish!

I am scheduled for sleeve to SADI revision in 12 days and as I go over the book with the stages returned to eating I got a little concerned that it is gonna be extra hard for me since they are only operating on the bowel and not the stomach. Since I already had the sleeve part and my stomach is healed and hunger has returned, I will be expected to live on 2-4 tbsp meals while never feeling full and maintaining full hunger. This is going to be very hard. Anyways, researching this I finally came across some people that had this revision and they seemed to be struggling in the beginning but I don’t see any follow-up posts. Please let me know how this period went as well as how you are doing now if you had sleeve revision to SADI or DS. I still have option to switch to bypass but not for long.

I never had any on surgeons orders. I drank full skim milk and if I wanted a flavour added PB2 powder, banana, berries or a few spoons of protein yogurt. Super easy on the pocket too.

I’m in the middle of getting approved for surgery myself, so I’m not on the liquid diet yet but I’ve been doing a lot of reading and prep too. From what I’ve seen, a lot of people recommend broths (like chicken or bone broth), Jello (sugar free of course), and protein shakes and electrolyte drinks like Gatorade.