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JennyBeez you wrote; " grieve the convenience of high fat/sugar/calorie foods. The ability to go anywhere with friends or family for a meal and not have to worry about 'will I be able to find something I can eat?' and cruising the menu online first." Hi, I'm blonde patriot living in CDA, and I have a problem. I'm a social eater..." This is the hardest for me. I am already sick of doing the menu scans beforehand. It quickly made me realize that 99.9% of the food at restaurants is a no go due to being fried, made with sugar or extremely high in carbs and calories! Plus, if you're like I am, I detest cooking and eating out is what my husband, friends and family do - we enjoy, excuse me I use to and they still do enjoy food and the experience. It took all the joy out of get togethers for me. Plus most food I can eat tastes bland now. Now before anyone says "but you can still enjoy being with friends and family foods just a small part of that" <rolls eyes> they don't understand - it wasn't and isn't a small part of it. When we used to go out it was to eat, we'd share our choices, talk about the differences between this and that choice here and at other restaurants etc. It was one of the main reasons we got together! We had certain restaurants for celebrating birthdays, promotions, good semester grades and holidays etc. We had certain dishes - our favorites depending on what our activities for the day were. Now, I spend the first 15 mins examining the menu picking each thing apart ..does it have fat, too many calories, carbs, protein or hidden sugars will it even taste decent? Is it 300 calories or preferably less? After that I look longingly at others choices I actually want. Then comes the dreaded lets get an after dinner drink or coffee with dessert. So I get to watch that too from the sidelines. Even my husbands and my retirement has changed, we had a list of the places in the U.S. that were known for specialties such as a lobster rolls in Maine, black beans and rice in New Orleans, Philly cheese steaks in Philly, New York pizza etc., for our first year of retirement we were going to rent an RV and travel..visit those places based on our food choices and eat their specialties, they were our destinations. Then, after the first year my husband wanted to "belly up" to the shrimp and lobster bars on cruises for "days on end." Now all this has changed and I'm now resentful at myself and society. Myself because well becoming obese and society for being judgmental and valuing youth, beauty and being thin over the value of a persons worth inside! Yes, I'm thinner and healthier and most likely will live longer (no guarantees)... but...to be honest I don't want to take a walk instead of going to a restaurant as one person said and as my dietician suggests. They're NOT the same thing, one does not equal the other! No friend who wants to go out and about with the girls to shop and eat wants to substitute a walk instead. I DO know its my "new reality" and I do what I must, I'm just not happy about it. It feels as if a part of the joy has been removed, sucked out of life along with a portion of my stomach. Yes...I do try and find other things.. .but yeah well. Everything involved food, go to the beach pack a lunch (not two separate lunches one I can eat and the rest for everyone else), go shopping, go to the theater with dinner beforehand, go to the movies, go dancing - nope no alcohol or anything with calories oh joy - water!!!. Lol no one ever said hey girls lets do a girls day...and hit the gym where we can all sweat together, grunt and watch others pop veins struggling to lift a weight bar for fun! Even my poor husband has had to change, he used to be excited to bring some new food home he found at a new restaurant or even at the grocery store he'd want to share with me...nope not anymore. He just eats it before he gets home to save me and him the having to turn it down. So yes, I mourn not only the food, but the convenience, fun and get togethers. I have even noticed my friends don't call much anymore to "do" lunches because they'd always ask "where CAN you eat now"? The choices were limited or I'd have to ask the server for considerations..making it more work than fun. 300 calories or less is extremely hard to do at restaurants and my friends didn't want to put me through it anymore. So yes, I mourn. Sorry for the long whine/rant but Jenny geez brought it all up again for me.

Hello. I am 6 weeks out and down 41 pounds as of today (which includes a 2 weeks low carb preop diet where I lost 13 pounds). I went from a BMI of 39 to 33 and will be 32 with one more pound loss. I was 235 when I had my sleeve and lost down to 167 but I stalled there for a few months and then started gaining it all back plus 23 pounds. Aside from a few blisters that are slowing my walking down I feel fantastic. I have more energy and motivation then I have had in years. I’m exercising (walking 5-7 miles a day) and making all my meals from scratch. I am also planning to start yoga the week after next when I am 8 weeks. The NP actually said 6 weeks is okay but I’ve never done it so I’m afraid it will be strenuous and I’d rather be safe than sorry. I did have a pretty tough recovery. I was in the hospital for 5 days because they couldn’t get my pain to a level that was manageable with meds they were willing to send me home on. Well once I finally passed gas like 5 times I was fine without any pain meds but it still was a far tougher recovery than my sleeve. Not sure why but with my sleeve I was home and out front the next day and asked my husband to pass me the basketball because I forgot I had surgery and that was with no pain meds. This time they also took my gall bladder out though because it looked bad. I wasn’t expecting it because I never had any symptoms so we didn’t discuss it but the post op pathology came back that I had gall stones so it saved me from another surgery I guess. I suggest discussing some of the things like that which may pop up during your surgery and what your wishes are since they can’t wake you up to ask. I was kinda surprised that mine went ahead and did it but the NP said his thought was that it already looked bad and that the anticipated quick weight loss was going to only make it worse. Anyways, I took it easy for the full 6 weeks this time. My floors have never been so disgusting. I have done laundry because I have the pedestals and dishes and that’s about it. My hubby has freshened up the bathrooms and changed the sheets but other than that it’s all waited for me. I confess that it’s still waiting. I am supposed to be cleaning now but I sat down for lunch and got started on here 😂 My surgeon does not believe in resizing the stomach so my surgery was only on my intestines. This made my recovery in terms of food tolerance go way quicker. I am back to normal food already. I had raw veggies in my spring rolls even and that was fine. Of course ask your team before you do it. I didn’t have any food tolerance issues after my sleeve either though. I have not had any of the diarrhea that they warned me about. They said some of their SADI patients had it for 3 months. One had it so bad it interfered with work. I have been eating very healthy though. I was actually constipated In the beginning and even with the stool softeners I had to do milk of magnesia a couple of times but now I am able to eat a bit more fiber in my diet so I am trying to cut back the stool softeners slowly. if you don’t log your food now I suggest the Baritastic app. You can log EVERYTHING there. You food, weight, measurements, exercise, moods, even your bowel movements and you can also set notifications for your vitamins (although I don’t hear them so I have alarms set as well). I really like looking at the trends and graphs to see how I am progressing. A fitness watch is really good too. I had a much older Apple Watch that I dusted off and it makes it so much more fun to do my walking and stuff because you can see how fast it adds up. I never exercised with my sleeve but I talked on the phone with my friend the first few times and then my husband got me these awesome headphones that don’t go in or over your ear so you can still hear traffic while listening to music. They are called “bone phones”. Now I just put on my music and take off walking. Makes the time go by so much faster. I wear them all day actually. You can listen to music on low and hold a conversation with someone even. I also started posting here and attending the in person support group meetings before my surgery this time so post surgery I have had lots of support. I go to check in with my NP more often than they generally require too because I have pretty severe anxiety and that comes with lots of questions and I just need the reassurance that everything is okay. Don’t forget to take photos and do measurements before you start your preop diet and again before surgery and set reminders in your calendar for once a month or so to keep doing them. And if you want to use that Baritastic app you can also keep track of your protein and water on there so familiarize yourself with it early. I kinda rambled but I tried to cover everything I could think of that may be helpful.

I never really had the emotional ups and downs, mostly because at the time I had PCOS, and the influx of estrogen from both my surgeries actually normalized my hormones for a few months each time lol What I DID have, however, is the emotional issues that came with changing my relationship with food. I had NO IDEA that would be a thing lol Changing what you eat, how you eat, when and why you eat, how often you eat is like breaking up with a toxic partner. You've been together for a REALLY long time, and even though you KNOW it's a terrible, unhealthy relationship, it's really all you know and you're so dependent on it you don't think you can function without it. And now you have to figure out how to. You have to completely retrain your brain, learn the difference between true hunger and head hunger (there is an actual, real difference), and you have to learn to read the nutrition labels, track your calories and Protein and carbs, work out, don't cheat (and don't make excuse after excuse and justification after justification for why you went back to the toxic relationship even after you knew it was bad for you, yet still gave in), measure food, track fluids, take HONEST accountability for your actions (which isn't something most of us had been particularly good at) and make adjustments as needed to stay as compliant as possible for the long haul. Contrary to what so many think, there's actually a LOT of work that has to happen after the surgery. The surgery itself is just a tool. It's not a miracle cure. It won't fix all the issues if you don't put in the actual work. Just eating smaller amounts without making any of the necessary changes isn't enough, and that's a hard lesson many learn later on. All of this is such a mind eff, and takes a toll on a person. It's a lot of changes, and a lot of work, thrown at a person all at once. And no matter how ready you think you are, it can still cause so much emotional turmoil, and understandably so. What I, and so many, don't realize is that we all have ED (eating disorders) in order to get to being obese and morbidly obese (or in some cases, super morbidly obese). It's not just anorexia or bulimia. I genuinely didn't know that. We have to retrain our brains to get out of that, and sometimes that requires help, and we have to be ok with getting that help. And because we have to do that, we then get incredibly frustrated and defeated feeling when the weight comes off slower than we thought it would, or we hit stalls (or in my case, stall after stall after stall - which is COMPLETELY normal, by the way, and should be expected). I said all of this to say there's SO many different reasons we can have emotions all over the place. Influx of hormones all at once, changes in relationship with food, changes in routines and increase in the things we don't particularly like doing (or not doing anymore), learning we have to do a lot of work to get and maintain the results we want after the surgery, learning PATIENCE with the rate of weight loss and trusting the process (easier said than done, believe me, I know), realizing that body dysmorphia is REAL and we can and do struggle with seeing ourselves as anything other than our formerly obese selves (I'm 182 pounds and I still see 421 pounds sometimes when I look in the mirror), and of course, hair loss (also COMPLETELY normal, and will eventually stop). You won't go bald, there's nothing to prevent it or stop it, you need to increase your Protein, Biotin doesn't slow it down, and it's a COMPLETELY normal part of the process that many of us don't know about until it happens and then we freak out. So give yourself some grace and just know this is normal. You're doing great, and we're all here for you, just like everyone was here for me

I had the SADI-S on June 14, 2024. Tomorrow (Aug 2) is my 7 week post op day. I was 278 when I started my liquid diet. I was 268 on surgery day. I was 275 directly after the surgery. Last week I was 238 and I had a combined inches lost of 31. I have been experiencing a stall for a few weeks. I’ll lose some and gain some but it’s the same 3 pounds. As such I’ve been trying to get more movement into my life. I’m eating, at the advice of my surgeon, in a trial and error way. He wants me to be able to eat normal foods as it is easier to get to your protein goals. I haven’t eaten bread, sugar, pasta, or potatoes. I probably won’t go back to those foods. The pain feels like you went hard on Abs day. It was pretty much gone after 3 weeks. Eating too much (even by a single bite) or drinking too soon after a meal hurts worse than after the surgery. If you feel full and you think it’s too soon, take a break then pick it back up. You’ll be able to get it down eventually. Your anastomosis will be swollen (the link between your stomach and intestines) so there’s a bit of backing up before it goes down. I found shaking my stomach helps the food/liquid go down. Get good with your food being cold. Even if it’s hot when you start eating, you can’t eat it fast enough for it to stay warm. This has been the worst change for me besides the smell of my 💩. Work on finding low fat/non fat substitutes for cheese, dairy, etc. Sugar free substitutes for drinks can help get water in. I like G Zero and the added electrolytes are helpful. Track your food in an app. Weight/measure everything. Avoid “eating out” even if you can find reasonable foods to eat, it’s impossible to know your macros when you’re only eating small bits of meals and maybe removing bread etc. I only have been out once and that was two days ago. I ate a few bites off my husband’s plate. I kept looking at everyone’s full plates and thinking about how I would have eaten all of that and still been hungry. You will be exhausted from lack of food and energy. However force yourself to at least walk laps around your home. Only weigh once a week. I had my husband hide my scale. It was pissing me off that my weight was fluctuating. You will see more movement in measurements than you see on the scale. Try not to fixate on the numbers and remember not to compare yourself to others. People with more to lose will be losing faster than you. Some will not follow a good diet and lose very slowly. Let your doctor guide you on follow ups. Trust the process. Im new to this message board but feel free to reach out to me if you want. I’m on instagram as @BariatricBunnyBabe and TikTok as @Bariatric.Bunny and when I find things that work I post about them. I also share my wins and my weight loss stats. SADI-S can 100% feel lonely but we’re out here doing the thing!

I am 5.5 months out and at 3 weeks out I have been out to dinner at least once a week/twice sometimes. I traveled at 3 weeks out, 3 months out and at 7 months out (upcoming), and what I can tell you is this: - It never hindered my weight loss, on the contrary, I weigh in every Sunday and I see the weight melting off the morning after being out on date night and having yummy food. - It is truly enjoyable, I get to try a little bit of this and that and not stuff myself. A bite or two is enough. - I TAKE MY TIME. I have been a fast eater my entire life and since surgery I am forced to slow down and actually savor what I am eating. This has turned date night dinner from a 1.5 hour affair to at least 3 - 3.5 hours and I would have lengthy deep conversations with the hubby which also forces him to slow down (the connection and conversation part can apply to whoever your companion is). - SHARE - I order one salad/entree with the person I'm eating with and I portion out what I'm having. - I make good food choices, I scan the menu and choose the best option of protein & Veg. I always start with my protein, a salad/veggies, then if I can I'll have a bite of a fun thing, either a tiny bit of carb or a bite or two of dessert (not always, whenever I'm feeling like it). But generally meals out don't get in the way of how I eat and what I eat. I think it is important to train your body and mind to be okay with eating out without it being a hurdle or a trigger. Living after weight loss surgery should include experiences like travel and food because it's a lifestyle and not alienation from what life used to be. I knew early on that I would not stop myself from eating out (I love love love dining out and trying different cuisines and restaurants) and traveling, it's just how I would do it in a way that doesn't involve losing control and hindering my progress or causing a negative mind shift. Happy belated birthday, I hope you had a blast!

I recall feeling similarly at 4 weeks. Some of that was due to the nerves being cut and dulled from surgery, I think, because I feel it more now. Also, I assume you are probably still on the softer proteins. I find I don't have the full feeling as quickly with things like yogurt or cottage cheese, or even a flaky white fish, the way I do with chicken or beef. I can eat a serving of yogurt and still have room for fruit, but if I eat 3 oz of chicken or beef, that's all I'm having!

So I had the sleeve and then a year later revision to bypass (due to complications). I can tell you that I developed sensitivities and outright allergies to foods I had never had before IN MY LIFE after my surgeries. After my sleeve, I developed an allergy to peanuts. Not horrible, but I need to take something if I eat them, so I just don't eat them or anything with peanuts in them. I also became lactose intolerant. BADLY. So I avoid dairy and use almond milk and lactose free things. I also have a low tolerance for salt. I use to salt EVERYTHING and now I pretty much never use it at all because I can't tolerate the taste. It's very metallic tasting and gives me a headache. When I had my revision, all of that stayed the same PLUS I suddenly got a serious, life threatening allergy to shellfish. I have to carry an epi pen with me at all times. I can't eat it, touch it, or even be in the room when it's being cooked because even breathing in the proteins that are released into the air when it's being cooked causes a reaction. I was born and raised in Florida. Shellfish are a way of life there. I could LIVE on crab legs and shrimp. It literally BROKE MY HEART when I realized I'd never be able to eat it again. Also from the revision, I developed an allergy to surgical glue lol Didn't have that with my first surgery, or any other surgery before it, but from my revision on, can't tolerate it, and can barely tolerate band-aids lol I mean, what??? That's so strange to me, but it's true. I've had every test under the sun, and while it's common for taste buds and likes/dislikes for foods and drinks to change after these surgeries (definitely have that, as well), and even to develop sensitivities to foods like dairy and sugar and salt, it's rare to get such major allergies to foods (happens, but it's rare). So of course, my doctors were super interested in me lol Not trying to make history, ya'll, just tryin to feel better lol

I put my surgery day weight in my stats instead of my highest weight because I wanted to track what I was losing since the actual surgery. But if you look at my signature, you can see what my numbers were, and they weren't pretty by any means. Everyone loses at a different weight. It depends on what we have going on with our bodies. It took me 2 years to lose 200 pounds. Some on here have lost more than that in that same time. Some have lost a lot less. We can't compare ourselves to anyone else. HAVING SAID THAT..... you lost, from your surgery date, 367 pounds - 294 pounds = 73 pounds lost. In 4 1/2 months. That's an average loss of roughly 16.5 pounds per month, or just a hair over 4 pounds per week. For reference, I lost 79 pounds by 5 months out. So you're very close to where I was. Don't lose hope or feel discouraged. You're doing well. Maybe try hitting the gym once a week and also going for a nice long walk once a week. You'll see the extra movement really helps a lot, too. Stick to your protein first, then veggies, then carbs, then healthy fats and you'll also do well. If you can't get the protein and fluids in at the amount you need, do your best. Supplement with a protein shake for now, on top of the rest of your foods because that counts for both.

Some of my eats the past few days: Strawberry summer salad. I have an obsession with salads!! This one has baby spinach, strawberries, pomegranate seeds, cucumbers, walnuts, feta cheese, topped with crispy shallots and crispy garlic, with a pomegranate molasses dressing. My bowl below which I ate over the course of 3 hours. Chocolate basil seed protein pudding. 2/3 cups of basil seeds, 1.5 cups unsweetened almond milk, 1 scoop chocolate whey, 2 tbsp melted peanut butter, stir and leave overnight. Top with berries and pumpkin seeds. I ate 3/4 of one.

This really is the big fear, isn't it? I mean, I know when my bad habits hit. It's when I'm stressed and short on time. Like this week, where one kid had a major school presentation and the other was both sick AND had rehearsals for dance recital every night. And they need to be fed, and have all their stuff, and did they remember their water bottles, and money for a snack, and where are the dance shoes, and what time is pick up and...oh, wait, have I eaten anything today? And now all the food I bought to be so good and healthy is still frozen and I'm trying to figure out if I should choke down a protein shake or if putting peanut butter on a Ritz cracker can count as protein... This is definitely where those new, good habits need to be built. Because of course I can anticipate the craziness of a week like this ahead of time and prepare for it. I just need to work on actually doing so because a trip through McDonald's is no longer in the offing or I'll end up right back where I was. The modern world is built for convenience, but not for good health.

I’m meat all the way. Big carnivore. Big dairy eater. (Not eggs over the last year as my tummy decided it now doesn’t like eggs for some reason). Though at times I supplement meat with plant based proteins like lentils or beans. Like I’m making chicken soup tomorrow & I’ll add lentils to boost the protein content. One issue I have with plant protein (specifically the faux meat) is it’s a processed food. So I’d rather eat real beef, chicken, lamb, etc. than a plant based version. I have tried a couple of vegan dairy options but there’s something about the taste & texture though it could just be me 🙂. We all find what works best for us in regards to food choices & nutrient sources & that’s the most important thing. It may be all plant or all animal or a mix of both. Any way is good.

August 7th isn't too far away! You're close to the preop diet. I started mine a few days ago and it's testing me, but I knew it would. If I were a smaller person, I don't think it would be such an issue. If I weren't having appetite issues even before the diet, things would be easier, too. What's helped has been sipping on broth or slurping on sugar free Jell-O all day. I go slow with those so it feels like I'm eating/taking in more than I am. I'm only nervous about one thing: the gas pains immediately after surgery. I've never had surgery before, so I am not sure what to expect. I want to have a realistic expectation of pain before experiencing it. I know I will handle it better that way. Luckily, I have a few family members who have had laparoscopic procedures before and we willing to be honest about the experience. I've been avoiding stories online of others' experiences of that moment, because we all have different pain thresholds and it's too easy to go down the rabbit hole of scary stories. Especially with AI/algorithms thinking we want to see the worst of the worst. I want to share why I made my decision to have the SADI-S vs a sleeve or bypass. While I cannot speak to what things will be like after surgery, I am confident I'm making the correct decision for myself. I'm in my 30s with no kids, but would like some. I have been struggling with my weight ballooning up and down for the last 20 years. At my heaviest, I was over 320 pounds. I hit that as I made the decision for surgery. I didn't know what surgery I wanted, so I started doing research into the best bariatric surgeons in my state. I read through their websites and looked at reviews for the surgeons through my insurance provider, google, yelp, and other such websites. Then I asked a few friends in the medical field which doctors they would want doing surgery on them. All of that narrowed my list down significantly. I ultimately went on gut instinct and don't regret it at all. My surgeon is amazing. Her teams is extremely supportive. Here's some information she gave me on my options: -- Gastric Bypass: She does not recommend the procedure to any patient. It has more points for potential surgery complications and, in her medical opinion, the highest chance for weight regain. -- Sleeve: potential to lose 70% of excess weight. Less than 1% chance for complications. -- SIPS/SADI-S: potential to lose 80% of excess weight. Less than 1% chance of surgical complications. I want to have children, and she advised that the SIPS/SADI-S (there really needs to be a better name for this) is the best choice to allow me to get pregnant a year or so post-op (depending on how I'm doing) and reenter weight loss when appropriate post-birth. I will have to work very closely with my weight loss team throughout the entire pregnancy, but it really feels like a bonus to have more support. My surgeon's office also recommends patients to very talented specialists for all surgery clearances. They all treated me like they were part of a huge team dedicated to helping me get through surgery clearance. It was amazing. I was given a packet with all the possible issues I might encounter post-op, what can be done if they happen, and how to avoid them in the first place. When I read through it spelled out in black and white, it's easy to see what my life would need to be to avoid a horrible experience. The most embarrassing ones are noted as being most common with gastric bypass than sleeve or DS. Most of these complications can be avoided by chewing well, not drinking during meals, and not overeating. One of my doctors said I am going back to being a baby again, digestively. I will need to reteach my body how to process what I eat and not be afraid to push back milestones if I'm not ready to start the next leg of the journey. I'm definitely anxious. The unknown is always scary. I'm confident at the same time because of the team I'm working with. And because of the support I have at home. I know I'm extremely lucky to have the surgeon and support I do. It's definitely a burden to afford this surgery right now, but I don't believe I will feel that way in 5 or 10 years.

Zoloft has always given me stomach issues, pre and post-op. My solution has been to take it with milk/protein shake and make sure you have a few oz of the milk/protein shake in your stomach before taking the pill. That has mitigated all issues for me.

Not a before and after, but baked some high protein cheddar and truffle biscuits, topped with jalapeños. The whole house smelled amazing! Didn’t try yet but excited to take one to work tomorrow.

My surgery is scheduled for the 27th. I am on day 3 of my liquid diet and boy am I struggling. It's very hard to break old habits of just snacking but even now on the liquid diet I want a healthy snack but unable to have it. I think it's the chewing sensation I miss. I am able to have one health meal a day and usually have protein shakes for the other meals. (breakfast and lunch) I try to save my healthy meal for dinner so I can eat with my family but with being on summer vacation it has been hard to not want to just snack all day. I have been going back and forth if this is something I should followed through with as I will not be able to enjoy the things I used to after surgery. Maybe I'm over thinking and it's just nerves for the post op life.

I made this post in another thread as a response to someone else, and then I realized it's something that might help others after they've had their surgery and find themselves struggling. Maybe you're seeing an increase in hormones all of a sudden...maybe you're discovering there's a lot more work involved in getting and keeping the results you need after having the surgery. Maybe you're struggling to change your relationship with food. Whatever the case is, maybe this will help "I never really had the emotional ups and downs, mostly because at the time I had PCOS, and the influx of estrogen from both my surgeries actually normalized my hormones for a few months each time lol What I DID have, however, is the emotional issues that came with changing my relationship with food. I had NO IDEA that would be a thing lol Changing what you eat, how you eat, when and why you eat, how often you eat is like breaking up with a toxic partner. You've been together for a REALLY long time, and even though you KNOW it's a terrible, unhealthy relationship, it's really all you know and you're so dependent on it you don't think you can function without it. And now you have to figure out how to. You have to completely retrain your brain, learn the difference between true hunger and head hunger (there is an actual, real difference), and you have to learn to read the nutrition labels, track your calories and Protein and carbs, work out, don't cheat (and don't make excuse after excuse and justification after justification for why you went back to the toxic relationship even after you knew it was bad for you, yet still gave in), measure food, track fluids, take HONEST accountability for your actions (which isn't something most of us had been particularly good at) and make adjustments as needed to stay as compliant as possible for the long haul. Contrary to what so many think, there's actually a LOT of work that has to happen after the surgery. The surgery itself is just a tool. It's not a miracle cure. It won't fix all the issues if you don't put in the actual work. Just eating smaller amounts without making any of the necessary changes isn't enough, and that's a hard lesson many learn later on. All of this is such a mind eff, and takes a toll on a person. It's a lot of changes, and a lot of work, thrown at a person all at once. And no matter how ready you think you are, it can still cause so much emotional turmoil, and understandably so. What I, and so many, don't realize is that we all have ED (eating disorders) in order to get to being obese and morbidly obese (or in some cases, super morbidly obese). It's not just anorexia or bulimia. I genuinely didn't know that. We have to retrain our brains to get out of that, and sometimes that requires help, and we have to be ok with getting that help. And because we have to do that, we then get incredibly frustrated and defeated feeling when the weight comes off slower than we thought it would, or we hit stalls (or in my case, stall after stall after stall - which is COMPLETELY normal, by the way, and should be expected). I said all of this to say there's SO many different reasons we can have emotions all over the place. Influx of hormones all at once, changes in relationship with food, changes in routines and increase in the things we don't particularly like doing (or not doing anymore), learning we have to do a lot of work to get and maintain the results we want after the surgery, learning PATIENCE with the rate of weight loss and trusting the process (easier said than done, believe me, I know), realizing that body dysmorphia is REAL and we can and do struggle with seeing ourselves as anything other than our formerly obese selves (I'm 182 pounds and I still see 421 pounds sometimes when I look in the mirror), and of course, hair loss (also COMPLETELY normal, and will eventually stop). You won't go bald, there's nothing to prevent it or stop it, you need to increase your protein, biotin doesn't slow it down, and it's a COMPLETELY normal part of the process that many of us don't know about until it happens and then we freak out. So give yourself some grace and just know this is normal. You're doing great, and we're all here for you, just like everyone was here for me "

Hi everyone! Just got my surgery date of August 12th. Suddenly it's all so real. So it looks like we'll all be surgery buddies!! I am really excited, scared, hopeful, and anxious. But at this point, I just want it done. I started my liver shrink diet yesterday. It's going great except that protein shakes really don't agree with me. I found one that is not so bad, but when you're drinking 3 a day (that was my doctor's minimum) it's a lot. My husband is super supportive although he doesn't like the idea of me having this surgery because he doesn't understand why I can't just lose weight and keep it off. (I bet you all do, though!) The good news is that he is a great guy and he's been with me every step, which is good because he's the cook at our house. I had my pre-anesthesia call today and I have my last appointment before surgery with the Physician's Assistant on Friday. Two weeks to go from today. I have done a lot of things to get ready. Since I work from home, I got a treadmill and an adjustable desk, so I can get up and walk on my treadmill during meetings. My goal is to walk 30 minutes 3 times a day (I'm up to 2 mph so that's 3 treadmill miles, although I know it's easier to walk on a treadmill than on the street). I don't always get 3 in, but it's SO much more exercise than I have gotten in years. I want to be in the best shape I can for surgery and recovery. I also got a bullet blender, tiny silverware, an electronic food scale, new measuring cups and spoons, and tiny storage containers to put pre-measured portions in so I can grab n' go. (Amazon makes it TOO easy to spend money!) I have read The Big Book on Gastric Bypass and I got several bariatric cookbooks so I can plan meals that meet the post-op requirements. I think the biggest part of all this for me is the idea of eating differently for the rest of my life. I have failed SO many diets (or they've failed me...) that it's really difficult to think I will really be able to lose my excess weight for good. I know that it is all up to me, and I am really hoping that having a tiny stomach and the new, shorter path for food digestion will be the key I've been looking for. I think it will be, because if I have a reason why I must eat small portions of nutritious foods and cannot eat sugar, that will make it much easier. Before, I could always say, "Oh, screw it, I'll just try again tomorrow" and give in to "mind hunger". That is why, like many of you have said, I will definitely need your support, and the support of my surgeon's clinic, to be successful in the long run. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and may we all be celebrating our successes together soon!

I had my surgery on 5/31. I’m knee deep in the liquid stage and I don’t feel like I’m going to make it the whole time on liquids. I only stay full on the liquids for a short while and I’m already so sick of the protein shakes. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

At 3 months out, I'm still between 1/2 cup to a cup per meal, depending on what it is. Thinner and wetter dishes are better tolerated for me; if I have a 2oz turkey burger patty, I can eat one or two bites of cooked vegetables -- but if I have that same amount of patty with gravy or ground up in a stew/chili/etc, I can stomach a bit more veg. At 2 months -- and even now at 3 -- the texture of food seems to affect me more than the quantity. Anything too dry (including both white and dark poultry for some reason) induces vomiting and/or dumping syndrome. Egg whites. Even when I think it's moist, often my body argues back and proves me wrong. I've heard from so many people -- on this forum, in my program support group, from my care team -- and it will get easier and better as time goes by, both in terms of portions and foods becoming less irritating, usually around the 1 to 2 year mark. Some people can never go back to a few certain foods, others can eat pretty normally. Bear through it. Cater to your tummy's tantrums when you need to -- move into soft food as slowly as you need to. Make your meal half puree and half soft if it helps (pureed sweet potato or really well mashed cauliflower/potato is a great side dish to help your protein get down).

Just made this. It serves 8-10 2-3 oz servings. Has sat well on my stomach in the pureed phase. 1 lb. soft tofu 1 bag of cauliflower stir fry rice with edamame and carrots Marinade 3 TBspoon soy 1 Tbspoon hoisin sauce 1-2 Tbspoon sriracha sauce 2 dashes of soybean oil Tsp spring roll sweet and sour Squeeze excess liquid from tofu by putting on a plate and laying 2-3 plates on top about 20 minutes. Dump excess liquid. Put tofu and marinade in zip bag for overnight. Put bag of cauliflower rice in microwave for 2 mins Drain tofu of excess marinade. Stir fry on med hi with a little soybean oil. It will look like scrambled egg that goes in stir fry rice. Add cauli rice and stir up to heat through. Slotted spoon to serve. No this is not restaurant stir fried rice. But it is also not carb heavy or calorie heavy. 1/3 cup is 68 cal, 2 fat grams, 7 protein grams, 6 gr carb.

Stretching in the sense that you mean it is exceedingly rare and only happens if someone consistently binge eats over a relatively long period of time. What does happen naturally is increased capacity. This is true for sleeve and bypass both. After 6 months or so, your stomach regains some of its elasticity and can accommodate a bit more at one sitting. This is fine and healthy. Everyone is different, and everyone's capacity at a given point post-op is different. I don't know what you were told for goals, but my program says 60-80g protein per day and 64oz minimum of water. They want my protein to be around 40% of my calories, and I generally aim for 800-1000 calories per day, but that was not strictly set and will change over time. 1200 seems to be a common goal for the later stages of weight loss, with the amount going up once you are in maintenance. 5oz per meal is reasonable, but you need to be eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Plus possibly a snack. My program says aim for 20-25g protein per meal, and supplement with a protein snack or shake as needed until you can get the full amount from food comfortably. By 9 months, you should be fine getting it all from food. Your brittle nails and hair loss suggest you are not getting enough protein and may not be getting enough other nutrients. You should continue to aim for around 4 oz of lean meat or fish, (or a serving of Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, for example) per meal. 4oz cooked skinless chicken breast has 25g protein. Your second priority at every meal should be nonstarchy veg. If you still have room, you can have a little bit of carb (rice, potato, sweet potato, bread, etc.). A serving of fruit makes a nice dessert. An easy way to eyeball it is to take a salad plate (not dinner plate), and put a piece of meat the size and thickness of your palm on one side, and fill about 2/3 of the other side with nonstarchy veg and the remaining 1/3 with carb. Go light on the sauces and butter. If in doubt, check Amazon for bariatric cookbooks. There are several by bariatric experts, including surgeons and registered dietitians. Kristin Willard's Bariatric Meal Prep is a personal favorite, with portion sizes for different stages, and a full color photo for every recipe.

I'm further out, so what you will be able to eat right after and what I can eat now are pretty far apart. What I can eat now, 1 year post revision surgery, is what I consider a normal amount. For example, last night for dinner, I had 2 chicken drum sticks, 1/2 a cup of french cut green beans, and 1/2 cup sauteed squash. It was delicious and I was satisfied and between comfortable and full. I ate that at 6pm and had my final snack at 9pm, which was a small handful (maybe 12 or 14) of lightly salted almonds and 7 colby jack cheese cubes. And I went to bed at 10pm. For breakfast this morning I had a 2 egg omelet with colby jack cheese and half a sliced avocado with my mushroom coffee. For my first snack of the day, I'm having strawberries and blueberries (about a half a cup of each) and a vanilla protein smoothie (mostly just because I find them yummy for a snack sometimes). For lunch I'm having a salad with cucumbers (3 sliced cut in half), bacon bits (just a small sprinkle), sliced grilled chicken (3 strips cut in half), spinach and romaine lettuce (about a cup), about half a handful of chick peas (aka garbanzo beans), and 4 tbsp of ranch dressing. No idea what I'm having beyond that today. But that gives you an idea of what is normal for me. Everyone is different, though. You have to see what will end up working for your body, your lifestyle, and your needs. It'll come in time, just be patient and trust the process.

Does anyone have vitamin suggestions? I am 5 weeks out from surgery. I used bariatric fusion soft chews and the bar is so high now cause it is honestly like candy. I thought of subscribing to it and getting 4 packs at a time but it isn't the best pricing, although if needed I will do it for sure. I initially got them for the first month so I wasn't dealing with massive tablets right away. This week I implemented tablets again and OMG I regret it immediately. I had the WORST nausea since getting this procedure. I was so close to vomiting, my heart was accelerating, and I was shaking. I took it with yogurt in the morning. I haven't had anything happen to me when it comes to my stomach even the first few days after surgery. I am avoiding tablets and capsules for now. My doctor also told me to not use gummies due to the sugar. I am open to gummies if they are sugar free. I would like to eventually buy in bulk but wanted to explore my options before I commit to the soft chews. Does anyone also have suggestions for calcium citrate? Those tablets are even worse! I used caltrate chewables but was reminded it was the wrong one! Let me know what you think folks!

This is happening to me too!!! I had my surgery may 17th and I almost convinced myself that they took out the gastric band and didn't do the sleeve. Liquids and protein drinks went down with ease the first week...started getting hungry. Went to puree, that helped curb the hunger. Contacted my surgeon, he advised that everyone is different. If you can tolerate puree, then try soft foods. After that try a little more regular food. That sure cured the hunger issue, and I am only 22 days out of surgery. I use the Baritastic app install of myfitnesspal. This one tracks your protein, calories, carbs and water intake. I am currently eating around 700 to 800 calories per day and I am satisfied. They told me to sip sip sip my water, hell I can gulp gulp gulp. I really watch how much food I am stuffing into that little stomach at one time. It is still trying to heal. On a side note: Baritastic does Not reduce the amount of your calorie intake when you exercise-this keeps you to the 1200 cal range. My Fitness Pal subtracts your exercise from you calories telling you can eat more. We are not suppose to eat more...

Welcome! I'm still a baby here myself (almost 12 weeks post-OP). I remember my first sip of creamy chicken broth on day 4, it felt like life and optimism was returning to me! If you need to, slow down even further. I remember my care team said 1 teaspoon every 5 minutes (when I was first reintroducing non-protein shake liquids), and sometimes that worked for me and sometimes it didn't. Most broths I could get down in shorter time, but creamier soups it would take quite a bit longer. You get used to either reheating your soup or sipping it cold, lol. XD