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Saturday I went to my sweet little 3 year old neices b-day party. George D. Band allowed me to eat a hamburger, which was very yummy. That night on the way home (1.5 hr drive) I called to see what the hub wanted to do for dinner, since I was getting home late, I wasn't in the mood for cooking. He said come home get me and we will go out. He wanted to go to our place, On the Border, a mexi resturant that we went on our first date at. We both love mexi/southwest food, so it was always a fav. I hadn't been there but once since surgery, so wasn't really sure what to think. We order southwest tacos. While it comes with the sides of refried beans and mexi rice, I didn't eat those- no room. I ate two of the three tacos they brought and didn't want anything else. The hubs ate my remaining taco. By the time I got to the car my tummy was screaming. It wasn't a pain of being stuck- it was a presure pain. I've never had that pain since being banded. It felt like my tummy was blowed up like a balloon. I got home, went potty, no relief. I laid and belly ached for a while, it took about an hour for the pressure/pain to subside. I have no idea what caused that- but it was no fun. I worry that the pain/pressure whatever it was could have caused a problem with my band. Since Saturday night I have had no problems. Typically morning tightness, the remainder of the day normal yesterday. I seem to have slight indigestion this morning, not sure what that is from. My breakfast was greek yogurt with a sprinkle of granola. On the weight side of things- I contiue to weigh in daily- my weight each day bounces between 187.5 and 189.5 in the morning. I so wish it would drop lower, but I know stress effects weight and I have had my fair share of that of late. Thankfully, my hubs told me this weekend that I he thinks I look awesome and he is very happy with it that I feel great to him. He said he doesn't want an anerexic chick, in his words I still have a little chusion for the pushin- LOL. I am titering between a size 12 and 14 size pant and large shirts. Some large shirts are to big depending on cut. Some pants that were a little snug a month ago are loose now, so I must be firming in places, even though the weight isn't moving. Just praying today that George D Band is happy and healthy.

i'm looking for new shake recipees too. Does the greek yogurt have less sugar than the others??????

I mixed the following: - high Protein slim fast creamy chocolate shake - 3.5 oz nonfat plain greek yogurt (1/2 a small carton of fage brand) - packet of general mills international 'on the go' cafe mocha mix It tastes like a mocha cheesecake - so good !!!!!! -the mocha mix adds 60 cal. and yogurt 45 cal. but you get an additional 7.5 g protein from the yogurt speaking of tasting like cheesecake - I'll also mix the same amount of yogurt into a vanilla shake with 1/2 cup frozen rasberries and blueberries and 2 packets splenda - delicious I have even added a whole carton of yogurt when I'm not as restricted for more protein. In my mind - you can't beat the amount of protein you get for minimal calories with the nonfat plain greek yogurt.

Okay - November, I'm starting off with the right mind and doing it right! I WILL lose weight this month, I WILL stay true to my Billy Bob (the name of my band), I WILL get back to exercising this month, and I WILL keep my journal updated more. I talked to my Physical therapyst today regarding the elliptical machine, she gave me the okay to start on it this weekend, however, I have to take it slllooooow. She said no more than 15 min to start out on and not to go super fast (this is going to be hard for me to follow - but I will do my best). So, I am planning on exercising tomorrow. Next week, it will be back to the 5 am exercises I think. I'm going to try and do 15 min everyday next week of the elliptical! My menu today Bfast - liquid calories - bad bad bad (had a white mocha been coffee drink - grrrrrrr so mad at myself) Lunch - about 1/2 cup of cottage cheese mixed with 1/2 container of carb control yogurt snack - hand full of nuts which included almonds, macadamias, cashews. Dinner - Salad bar from Ruby Tuesdays Exercise - worked out at the PT office - did 10 min on bike, did some leg lifts, and did some resistance with my knee on 20 lbs (ouch). Afternoon Exercise - did 10 min on recumbant bike Suppliments - took 1 Quickslim-30, daily 5 veggie & fruit drink

I'm curious, how long does it take you to consume that much? Are you sipping it over a certain period of time? I can do 8 ounces of milk and protein mix over 20-30 minutes, but I can only do 3-4 ounces of cream soup or yogurt in that time.

I haven't had surgery yet, but I make Protein shakes sometimes as a Meal Replacement. I start with some powder protein, usually whey protein and vanilla flavored. I then add about two tablespoons of Fage nonfat plain greek yogurt, one cut up banana, a little skim milk, a couple almonds, and just a little vanilla extract for flavor. Refrigerate for a couple hours and your good to go. Now most people don't like crunchy shakes so you skip the almonds but I don't mind.

Sliders can be soft foods like ice cream, yogurt, custard, etc. For many of us, other foods are sliders, too. Mostly junk food! Popcorn slides, as do things like chips or crunchy Cookies. Anything you can chew into tiny little bits that doesn't swell when it hits the stomach (not meat, bread, rice, Pasta, etc.) is a slider food. The best thing to do when you first start out is to stop that pylorus up with your dense Protein first - there's more than one reason eating protein first is a good thing! Doing this prevents you from overeating your other foods because the dense meat will take a while to digest. Sliders are an issue when you have an eating problem (like overeating, bingeing or emotional eating) and especially when you don't track every bite you put in your mouth. It's easy to "forget" to record several hundred calories if you graze all day. And to answer the original post, you'll find an increased capacity to the point where you eat mostly normally around 6-9 months and you'll reach your "forever" capacity sometime between 9-15 months. I'm nearly two years out (21 months) and I still eat very small amounts compared to people without surgery. It takes real work to stretch a sleeve. Not just overindulging once in a while - it takes eating to the point of pain and sickness repeatedly to stretch the stomach out and it's still never going to be even half of what it once was. ~Cheri

What kind of liquids? I'm on liquids but "full liquids" and my surgeon allows blenderized Soups, Greek yogurt, thinned out cream of wheat, etc It is tough, but I'm only 5 days post op so I have no real desire to eat I just do it because I have to. I definitely couldn't cheat, I'm too afraid to damage my new stomach. At this point I've been on this diet for nearly 3 weeks so one more wont kill me. I am pretty excited for scrambled eggs and tuna though!

Yes plain Greek yogurt does suck! Love the suggestions:) thanks gals!

Try plain fat free yogurt sweetened with splenda, and add your favorite flavoring....cherry, vanilla, lemon...whatever you can find in the spice/baking isle. You can make it as sweet as you like, and make the flavor as strong as you like....with no added sugar!!

My store sells Greek yogurt with honey and in have been eating that since week 2! I even went and had the strawberry today at 3 weeks 2 days. Yummy

In my pureed stage I had a protein shake for breakfast, usually cream soup of some sort for lunch, greek yogurt as a snack, actual pureed food for dinner, and a protein shake between dinner and bed time. Once I was allowed soft foods, I started having an egg in place of soup for lunch and introduced string cheese as an afternoon snack.

Hello Everyone, I would like to see if anyone has advice for me. I had my surgery on April 22, 2008. I lost 15lb before surgery and have only lost a grand total of 26pounds. They never explained to me that i would still be very hungry after i had this surgery. The first week after i was miserable. Ok fine i got over that. I was never able to eat chicken after the surgery ok fine i am over that. i had my first fill 6 weeks after surgery. It did nothing at all. My second and third fill was the same. I still felt hungry all the time:thumbdown: and could eat alot of food. although my choices are better i am still not loosing weight. I just had my fourth fill and i am at 7cc's in a REALIZE band. this fill has been very hard. The list of foods i CAN eat is very limited as aposed to the list of foods i can not eat. I have a hard time with eggs but if i have cereal for breakfast i am starving by 11am. I throw up alot and i dont ever feel full and i am not loosing weight. I have been eating good foods. i had eggs for breakfast, celery and cheese for snack, salad and yogurt for lunch and steak and beets for dinner. still starving. HELP!!! what do i do?

Tomorrow I'm heading home (WA State) for 11 days. It's been two years since my last visit and have planned to be there over two weekends so that I had time to spend with old friends (who will mostly be working during the week). The more I talk with friends the more concerned and nervous I become about the whole eating thing. Fortunately my husband and I have eaten out quite a bit since surgery, so I am really good about finding nutritious, soft/mushy food (soup, eggs, grilled or broiled seafood), but I started studying the menus and nutrition values at restaurants I knew we frequented while I was pre-op. I will be staying at my grandmother's house, so I plan to head to the grocery store the morning after I get in since tomorrow night I have a friend picking me up from the airport and we're going straight to a barbeque. I think I'll buy some yogurt--I get the diabetic friendly kind--eggs whites, veggie cheese, turkey sausage, chicken breasts, and lactaid milk. I'm going to pack some protein powder to take with me since the only ones I can tolerate are only available by ordering...I think. Another big concern is helping my friends understand what I can and cannot eat. Although they all know about my surgery, I told everyone in my life (and some who weren't) when I first started looking into it, since they are so far away, I haven't really educated them on the ins and outs of my day to day eating. I have one friend that wants to treat me to lunch next week (she's a little depressed because all of her kids are now school aged for the first time). I'm thinking of suggesting visiting some places around town that we used to hang out and ride our bikes to when we were kids. Another two friends want to go to the big fair and in the past the fair has always been a place for me to overindulge in bad foods. She is much more health conscious and although she mentioned wanting to get a scone I know the trip will be more about checking out the booths and stuff. So I should be fine if I can fight the head hunger. I'm thinking about picking ONE treat that I can have and take a few bites. As for packing, I'm really confused on what to bring. Money has been a bit tight since I'm still not really working much and have about a month more off. I've budgeted out a certain amount and don't plan to go over. So normally I would use any vacation as a chance to add to my wardrobe (when I was a size 16 or below, larger than that and shopping was just not appealing), this time I really need to bring enough to get me by. I know all of these things will work out, but I'm just having last minute worries. I've been pretty fortunate since surgery in that I've been in a pretty controlled environment most days and able to plan ahead for the most part. With this trip, I kind of feel that I am now officially on training wheels.

Hi Vee! I am 2 days post op and excited also. I live in Texarkana (Hooks) but chose to have my surgery in Shreveport. I stayed overnight in the hospital and was so glad to get home, that first night was rough! I am instructed to have 4oz of liquid or liquid food every hour that I'm awake. I've had yogurt, cream Soups, popsicles, pudding, Water, tea, etc. It's all going down quite well! It is good to meet another Texan going through the same thing as me!

Today I am almost in shock! After not being able to tolerate much more than an egg, soup or 2oz of soft foods at a time, today I was able to eat 6oz of yogurt, a few peanuts, a few clams and one oyster fried very lightly. Of course I didn't eat all this at one time, but throughout the course of the day I was able to eat everything without vomiting. I also walked quite a bit today. Don't want to get use to the fried food thing, but I was out with some friends and we went to the food court. One of my friends ordered some clams and I took a couple of hers. I was so surprised that I was able to eat them (chewed them until the were pureed before swallowing that I actually purchased some for myself. Of course, I could only eat a couple of strips, but I have to tell you I was so happy; after 6 weeks of feeling like an alien LOL.

Shakes now upset my stomach. I wish i liked yogurt or cottage cheese but I can't eat either of them. I tried every brand and flavor.

Summer is here and it is a hot a busy one! So many fun holidays, activities and family outings, one barely has time shop, let alone plan healthy meals. Luckily, many find that it is a bit easier to make better food choices in summertime, when heavy, high-calorie dishes seem less appealing. The best foods for weight loss in summer are Summer is here and it is a hot a busy one! So many fun holidays, activities and family outings, one barely has time shop, let alone plan healthy meals. Luckily, many find that it is a bit easier to make better food choices in summertime, when heavy, high-calorie dishes seem less appealing. The best foods for weight loss in summer are light, refreshing and, most important, keep you out of the hot kitchen. The single easiest way to trim calories from your summer diet, experts say, is to load up on nature’s bounty. Produce is at its peak in summer. Delicious fruits and vegetables abound at farmers' markets and in your local grocery. Besides being low in calories, produce is loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. With just a few WLS tweaks that I took the liberty of making, these top 6 summer foods for weight loss from Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD of www.webmd.com offer some great suggestions. Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 1: Chilled Soups Chilled soups like gazpacho or cucumber-dill that contain lots of chunky vegetables are great choices as long as we add a protein source. Chicken or ground beef perhaps? We are often asked if soup and a liquid, how can I have soup when I can not drink with my meals? Well, be smart. Know your own body, your own nutritional needs and your own sense of satiety. Then make a good choice for yourself. Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 2: Watermelon Who doesn’t love diving into a crisp, juicy slice of watermelon when it's hot outside? Half of the watermelon comes from water, they say. It’s a wonderful way to satisfy thirst and a yen for something sweet. Another great choice, cool, crisp, good for you and plentiful! Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 3: Grilled Veggies For Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, a plate of grilled vegetables is a summertime must-have. She recommends keeping a plate of grilled onions, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, eggplant, asparagus, and garlic in your fridge. Once again, it is important for WLS patients to be mindful and deliberate about eating protein at every meal. Grilled veggies are great – along side your protein. Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 4: Salads Salads make for quick, healthy meals -- with no recipes required. "Just give the produce a quick rinse; slice, dice, toss fruits, vegetables, low-fat cheese, a handful of toasted nuts with some salad greens and a light raspberry or ginger vinaigrette, along with a whole-grain roll, and you have a meal in minutes," Add garbanzo or kidney beans, extra cheese and perhaps some chicken and you have the perfect summertime WLS meal. You might also flavor with lots of herbs so you can go light on the dressing. Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 5: Low- and No-Calorie Beverages "Beverages can be the Achilles heel during summertime because we need to drink lots of liquids to stay cool, but liquids quench thirst and don’t usually impact our hunger," the article states. As always, WLS patients should avoid carbonated beverages but enjoy flavoring water with fresh fruit, mint leaves, and even vegetables like cucumbers. Also be mindful of even artificially sweetened beverages as you may find they too can activate your sweet tooth. Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 6: Fruit-Based Desserts Or better yet, how about just fruit! I have long been a fan of whole fruit of all sorts, bananas, oranges, apples and pears, berries too are favorites. To add some interesting variety, try grilling, baking or freezing fruit. Frozen cherries and grapes are quick and easy and grilled pineapple and a sliced peach – well, a little summer heaven! One of my favorite afternoon pick me ups is simply frozen fruit (berries, pineapple, peaches, whatever I have on hand) a ½ cup of fat free, plain Greek yogurt and a bit of Stevia to sweeten. Blend it up for a cool, healthy treat. Enjoy!

I'm on purée now and one of my favorite things right now is one scrambled egg white with two tablespoons of ricotta cheese, i put the ricotta on the skillet first so it melts a little bit and then pour the egg white over it and scramble it until it's cooked but still mush -- can do the same with a full egg i would assume, i just can't use yolks Also, i make chicken broth and take out the chicken, purée the chicken with some geek yogurt and a tiny bit of fat free mayo--- can do the same with tuna or eggs for an egg salad Other then that, yogurt, mozzarella sticks, cottage cheese HW: 221 SW: 209 CW: 198 Sleeved 2/13/18

Tomorrow is the big day. I have been on my liquid diet for four days. Today has been the easiet day so far. I am actually pretty lucky because I can have yogurt/apple sauce/pudding. all of them have to be sugar free or fat free. It has not been so bad. The first day was the worse. I knew it was bad when I was sitting my pantry contemplating sucking on a cracker. Anyways, my surgery is tomorrow at 2:45 p.m. Starting to feel the butterflies.....so everyone say a little prayer or cross your fingers that everything goes okay!!!:thumbup:

Plain yogurt with any torani syrup and some berries. I am going to do a 5 I'm for the first time ever and I am concerned too about my stomach and closest washroom [emoji14] Good luck on your marathon. Sent from my Nexus 5 using BariatricPal mobile app

Okay, I think I can do this! I freaked out a little about lowering my carbs and upping my protein for my pre-op diet. Although I've been on and off of diets for 20 years, I have never tried a high protein diet because of my addiction to potatoes. The first week of trying, I was visiting family in another state. I had a mini-meltdown when I discovered I really did not know much about carbs in the foods I ate. I decided that I did know that I could eat meat, cheese, lettuce, and eggs. So I decided I could really focus on protein for breakfast and lunch with no or very little carbs and then not stress about dinners. I thought it was at least a start. Upon my return home, I had another meltdown. I was exhausted from the 13 hour drive the day before and just wanted something to eat. I had a protein bar for breakfast and one for lunch, but realized I would need to go grocery shopping. To tide me over I decided to have a yogurt and as I was eating it, read the back and realized how many carbs it contained. That's when I lost it. I felt that I did not have any idea what I was doing and that maybe this surgery wasn't going to work for me. Thankfully my husband was home and decided we needed to take a field trip (I'm a teacher, so he talked to me in my terms :-). I protested feeling that I needed to read the two South Beach diet books I had picked up and make a plan before heading to the store. He basically said that this wasn't that difficult and I could do it; I'd been talking daily about surgery for the last three months and reading like crazy. (A little background: my husband exercises at the gym 7 days a week and eats pretty healthy all the time, but never really knew how many carbs certain foods contained...he just makes sure to eat a balanced diet and stays away from potatoes.) We got to the store and started going through the isles reading labels and putting together foods I liked that could be for breakfast and lunch and snacks. This went really well and I was surprised at how many things we found. This all happened Wednesday, and I can say that each day I grow more confident that I am making the changes I need to to live a healthier life. I've also discovered that I enjoy cooking. We did go out on Friday and I was very pleased that I didn't crave fries. I had a salad without dressing and a chicken burger without the bun. On Saturday, we went to a baseball game and stopped by Subway (one of my favorite fast food places) and got a spinach salad with chicken and a cup of dressing on the side and didn't even use 1/4 of it. Tomorrow I meet with the nutritionist, so we'll see what other changes I need to make, but I feel good right now and think I can do this.

--- That's refreshing to know. Are you eating most solid foods at 6 weeks out? I hope I can get most of my Protein through food sources eventually cause protein supplements are a drag I know about tea and ice chips counting as liquids thankfully Good luck to you I'm at the soft food stage now and that's nice... I have 3 weeks to go before regular food... I'm not sure if you like yogurt but Chobani Greek yogurt had 18g of protein for a 6oz container... I love the cherry... The plain yogurt works great for smoothies... Which were life savers for me... You'll get there!!!

Sample of what I do, Greek yogurt (14-15g of protein) for breakfast. 2-3 ounces of tuna or chunk canned chicken mixed with very little mayo for lunch. 2-3 ounces of another meat (protein) for dinner. As a 4th meal I have another Greek yogurt. In between I have milk/ protein shake 2 times a day. Key is to get in a lot of protein.

I was banded 7/20 as well. Right now for dinner I am having a Boca BUrger (no Bun) and mashed Cauliflower (tastes like mashed potatos) Not too bad. Im still eating softer foods, fishes, Greek Yogurt, Cottage cheese, shakes and peas. Feeling good.