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I did keto as my pre surgery diet (2.5 weeks) but had no keto flu symptoms or withdrawal symptoms of headaches, etc. I was a little surprised though was already low caffeine so that helped a lot. At about 5 weeks post surgery I started having the ketosis body odour issues, low energy & brain fog. I lost about 5kg pre surgery (11lbs). I didn’t continue the keto eating plan after surgery because I had read some articles saying it wasn’t best as a long term way of eating & also my dietician advised it was a good way to kick start your loss but shouldn’t be continued. I was glad because I didn’t like the high fat aspect of keto & it never sat well with me. She & I both agreed on following a balanced diet making slight adjustments as best suited me, my body & needs. I am lowish carbs (focus on low processed multi & whole grains only) but & am lowish fats. I don’t track macros so I couldn’t tell you exactly how much my lowish is. I eat two serves of carbs a day vs the recommended 4 serves for someone my age. This does not include the carbs in vegetables, etc. This is what works for me. You may need something totally different.

Watch this brief YouTube. It's a great explanation for the scale stall.

Hello Arizona_Guy! Saw your post and have been meaning to reply. I’m in Phoenix and after going back and forth on options available to me to assist in managing my weight, I decided on the ESG (I used Plication here because ESG isn’t offered in the surgery drop down!) procedure. I learned that Dr Rahul Pannala / Mayo Clinic is a leading Gastroenterologist with many subspecialities who has also been working in the bariatric field. I met with him and his team and felt very comfortable and at ease with them. From my first consultation thru my procedure I heard from someone on the team: the dr, nutritionist, nurse for my procedure prep etc. weekly. They answered all my questions and Dr Pannala patiently talked thru some last minute anxiety issues I was experiencing 2 days before my date! I was extremely fortunate in that when I first had my consultation on June 21, I was advised that my procedure date would likely be in August, possibly even September. I lucked out because Dr Pannala had a surgical cancelation so I was able to get my July 29 date! I know, suhweet! The pre-procedure protocol isn’t too bad, apply anti-nausea patch night before, clear liquids 1 day before (I did 2) and that was it. I weighed in at 195.4 the morning of the procedure, 202.8 when I returned home some 6 hours later, lol. Since home I was on clear liquids for the first two days and have been on protein shakes and taking Liquid IV thru last Sunday. Sunday afternoon I made my tasty chicken veggie soup and have been having that puréed for one of my meals each day this week, the rest protein shakes. I typically have one premade and one homemade, gotta switch it up! So, that’s where I am now. I am feeling very good about it all and believe I made the right decision for myself. If you have any questions, Arizona_Guy, ask away!

OK, I feel a bit better to know that people can stall this early. I hope it won't last long. I weigh myself every day and have done for a long time. The only times I stop weighing myself is on vacation, or if I'm overeating and in wilful denial.

Hi Everyone, This forum is so helpful. Im 3.5 weeks post op and while i was cutting up a salad for my kids i had some chopped tomatoes. I must say i tolerated it better than cottage cheese. Is it an issue to eat chopped tomatoes (without peel) or soft mango even if officially its not on the food group allowed yet? Is there a risk that my stomach will stretch or something? I would love some clarification on that. Thanks so much!!

Hello everyone! I am scheduled for a gastric bypass on August 24… One more week… Prayers for everyone!

I don't believe it would be a waste of money if you go to a good surgeon. I wish I did my revision sooner or skip the sleeve all together because I got gerd from it. The revision was the best thing I have ever done and worth every penny. The sleeve was good at restriction but the rny, at least to me, is another animal altogether. I don't dump at all (once early on) but I get full so fast. Although I had my revision for uncontrolled gerd purposes, I lost over 90 lbs. in less than a year. I could never get below 160 lbs with the sleeve (which was fine at the time) but here I sit at 114 lbs. No gerd, no side effects, I feel great physically. I have been transitioning to get to maintenance the last 3 months.

Memorial hospital on Baymeadows also does the surgery. Theirs was like 3 grand cheaper and i heard good reviews but it being a for profit hospital turned me away. The next one i considered was st vincents over on riverside because another member here said they got theirs done there and had good experience.

Post op diet Do not eat anything not on the list Stage 1 weeks 1and 2 2-3 protein shakes, clear broth 1 SF jello and 1 SF popsicle Stage 2 weeks 3 through 8 2-3 protein shakes, pureed lean protein, eggs, soft cheese, beans, zucchini, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms. Stage 3 months 2 through 6 same as stage 2 but added in more non-starchy vegetables, cheeses, non-cream soups, limited fruit. Stage 4 Maintenance stage for life. Begins only after weight loss goal is met. Same as stage 3 but added in limited amount of grains and expanded fruit. Lessen the dependence of protein shakes.

I just stuck whatever I was making for the family's dinner in a blender and ate that. In fact I usually made 2 or 3 portions so that was my food for a day! It was absolutely fine and in fact after having only liquids for so long I thought it was sooo tasty and delicious.

That's exactly when I stalled out for a week. I had lost about 10 pre-op & 9 post op so I was trying not to kick myself too hard. it's been almost a week since I hopped back on the scale. It's currently shark week for me so I was waiting till it ended to hop on again since I tend to be heavier. My doctor told me not to watch the scale too hard in the first month anyways.

Great goals. I'm actually a big fan of bodyweight exercises and bands, but if that's not for you and you want to start with dumbbells, that's great too. Here's the thing, as a beginner, there is no wrong routine for you. Whatever you do will be beneficial. As far as what exercises to do, you can google stuff and find some great ideas there. Some of what you'll find is great, and some is not so good. To sort out the good from the bad, start by making sure it's from a reputable source. Next, look for routines that focus on these three things: Make sure they are working your you upper body, your lower body, and your core. Make sure there are both pushing exercises and pulling exercises for your upper body. For example, a chest press, matched with a bent over row. By making sure they have both, it gives you a better overall workout, helps prevent muscle imbalance, which in turn helps prevent injuries. If you see a routine that does not have both, that's a big red flag. Make sure they explain how to do the exercise and what correct form looks like. Most people that hurt themselves doing strength training, do so from bad form. Now that said, let's talk a bit about sets and reps. A set is when you do all the exercises for that session one time. Many routines have you do more than one set. Three is the most common, but depending on the goal, it could be one to five or even more. A rep is the number of times you do a single exercise before you move to the next exercise. The challenge here is that the ideal way to build muscle strength vs. muscle stamina are a bit different. Typically for strength, you want a really heavy weight and you'll do ~6 reps for 3-5 sets. If you're able to do all the sets at 6 reps, then the weight is too light and you should progress to a higher weight next time. For muscle endurance, you'd ideally use a much lighter weight and do maybe 3-4 sets at 15-20 reps. The same applies here as well, though. If you can do them all, it's time to up the weight, do more reps (maybe up to 25), or add another set. You should feel like you did real work when you are done. There is a sort of compromise that you could take as well (and honestly, this is what most people do), that doesn't strictly focus on strength or endurance per se, but is good for both. That would be to do roughly 3 sets at 6-12 reps. Once again, if you can do an exercise at 12 reps for three sets, it's time to up the weight. Keep in mind also here that what works for a while may stop working at some point. Every now and again, you need to change up the routine you are using and try a completely different program. I'd say probably every 12-18 week at most, move to something else. It could be dropping the dumbbells and moving to bodyweight, bands, kettlebells, barbells, or just varying the routine. For example, instead of 3 days a week, maybe you move to 4 days a week and separate out upper body from lower body work (2 days of each). This type of variation is key to long term success. Enough for now, but I hope this helps. Also, sorry for the novel, but I'm passionate about strength training and guess I got carried away!

I only had the surgery a week and one day ago, so I think that's too soon for a stall?

My had it listed as ok or I wouldn’t have - that and low fat cream soups … but I stuck with the tomato. That was the only real difference from the pre-op diet for me. I stay on liquids for a week, then transition to purées.

The binder helps hold the abdomen tight which helps with pain. I took it off for the first time since surgery when I got into my own bed. It was very bunched up from sitting in the car and at the table and uncomfortable. But when I’m getting up and moving around it helps keep my skin from pulling. Mushroom soups sounds yummy! And to answer your question - yes I’m worried to that I won’t loose weight and I’ll mess this up. How far out from surgery, are you possibly in a stall?

It's so weird how different doctors have different guidelines. My clinic actually gave me a set of recipes, including tomato soup. But I've seen this tomato soup thing in some online guidelines from clinics overseas. I'm not sure if I tolerate any of the added liquids well. I feel better than last week, but I have loose and watery stools. I don't think it's dumping syndrome, because I have no gas pain, sweat or nausea, so I guess it's normal?

Yes, I started with tomato soup and then I had mushroom soup today. They gave me recipes for several different soups, including broccoli, sweet potato, tomato etc., that I could make in the second week. What are you scared of?

You can puree virtually anything. Thai Chicken as a favorite, Chicken Alfredo (sans Fettuccini), even did Mongolian BBQ. Pulled pork. Any protein you like, with a whatever little sauce you like for moisture, along with a veggie you like, just pureed. I was eating like a king, if a king ate 2-3 ounces of good food without chewing. Things like mashed potatoes were not in my program, nor were typical refried beans (too much fat, I learned later they make me dump anyhow). Focus on protein first, then veggies. Puree is easy! Good luck, Tek

You are absolutely not alone in that possible failure feeling. I've been feeling it hard this past week. I finally decided to take a break from my scale. I've been looking for nonscale victories instead. I tried on a shirt that was way too tight 6 months ago, also thinking to myself I should probably return it and never did. I saw it in my closet the other day and tried it on. I was almost in tears at how good it looked and so proud of how far I'd come. The lbs aren't going to melt off in a day, with that being said I actually am starting to feel a lot of pressure from my family that knows I had surgery. I feel like their expectations now that I had the surgery are as if I just had lipo. It kinda stresses me out that the scale isn't moving like id like it to and I feel like I have all eyes on me waiting for me to fail.

I was one of these people! Tried eggs as my first "soft food", had a horrible experience...but I tried them again 3-4 months out and it was fine!

Why do you have an abdominal binder? I've never heard of it. I made mushroom soup from scratch today and it was sooooo delicious. I was a bit tired of tomato soup, so it was a nice change. But I'm also worried about how much I can eat. I'm on liquid diet but allowed to have soups if they have no chunks. I put a little soup in my bowl, maybe 4-5 spoonfuls which I ate slowly, and I finished it but didn't feel full or anything. But I wasn't sure if I could have more, so I stopped. Is anyone else worried that they will be a failure and not lose a lot of weight, or lose and then regain? I've lost almost 4 kilos after the surgery and 3 kilos before. In all almost 7 kilos or fifteen pounds. The thing is, I've been the same weight for three days now and this is pretty much exactly the weight I've been able to get down to on my own in recent years, before I start gaining again. What if my body is able to hold on to the weight, in spite of the fact that I only eat a couple of hundred calories per day? Is that physically possible?

Keto flu is temporary, it can last anywhere from 3 days to a week.

I agree it is amazing the differences in the programs. Pre-op 2 weeks but split. 1st week I replace 2 meals with liquids but can eat 1 meal of solid food. Second week only liquids. Also calorie restriction of 800 max per day. Liquids allowed are protein shakes, skim milk, SF jello, SF pudding, 100% fruit juice (4 oz per day), broth, SF popsicles ,low-fat SF yogurt Post op - Same as above but can add in thinned cream of wheat, and strained cream soups. Expected to last 1-2 weeks but can only be advanced with Dr permission. Food not allowed are drinks with added sugar, caffeine or carbonation, and whole milks Pureed stage - once allowed I can add in scrambled eggs, low fat cottage cheese, mashed beans, applesauce, baby food, and any pureed fruits, veggies and meats. Not allowed is previous list plus fried foods and concentrated sweets. Expected time frame is 2 weeks but can advance as I feel comfortable. Mechanical soft - add in boiled eggs, fish, tofu, ground lean meat, low fat canned chicken and fish, canned fruits (no syrup), soft fresh fruits, soft cooked veggies, cooked cereals made with milk, beans, and toasted whole wheat bread. Not allowed crunchy foods, rice, popcorn, high-fat meats, high -fat starches. Can't advance with out Dr approval. Solid foods - life long Add foods in one at a time to check for tolerance, add in whole wheat toast, whole grain cereals, wheat tortillas and whole wheat pasta. Still not allowed whole milk, high fat foods, fried foods, popcorn, rice, and white flour.

Mine is: Pre-op: 1 day before surgery - clear liquids only, ie water, clear broth, fruit flavored drinks, plain/flavored gelatins, smooth fruit iced or popsicles, protein water. Possibly 2 ounces of milk of magnesia. Post op hospital: diet cranberry juice, fortified protein gelatin/drinks, protein supplement drinks. Stage 1 (wk 1-3): low-carb low-fat protein drinks pre-made or powder, non fat or 1% milk, unsweetened soy milk, sugar-free non-fat pudding, sugar-free low carb yogurt or plain kefir, strained reduced fat cream soup, strained broth soup, sugar-free crystal light, gelatin, popsicles, herbal tea. Stage 2 (wk 4-6): eggs, soft tofu, protein drinks from stage 1, low carb Greek yogurt, plain kefir, cottage cheese, other soft cheeses, sugar-free non-fat pudding or custard , reduced fat cream soups pureed chunks, pureed soups, non-fat refried beans, pureed Tuna or chicken salad, pureed soft cooked non-gassy vegetables, unsweetened applesauce, pureed soft fruit with no seeds or skins. Stage 3 (permanent lifestyle) : continue to take in fluid and protein goals, gradually introduced solid foods one at a time, chew all foods until smooth and the consistency of applesauce. Then it gives a bunch of foods to limit or minimize for lifelong healthy eating, but it's mostly non brainers like fried foods, high fat meats, ice creams, french fries, granola bars, large portions of fat etc. It does say avoid gas forming vegetables unless they don't bother me, or stringy vegetables like celery and asparagus unless they're cut into small pieces.

I had the band in 2014 and like you lost in the beginning, almost achieving my goal. About 2017, I started having reflux issues and had the band completely deflated in 2018. End result I gained all the weight back because I couldn’t get the band filled and insurance would not pay for a second WLS. After almost 2 years I’m one week out from bypass as that’s what the surgeon recommended.