Search the Community

May be only 15 cals each but they are not zero calorie. The sugar alcohols can cause tummy upsets and may have a laxative effect if you have too much of them. If you are having surgery on Monday, you don't want to be having tummy upsets or worse which could cause dehydration. You don't want to be dehydrated before surgery.

Hi I have a VSG scheduled on Monday 06/19. I am required to be on 2 days of Liquid Diet. instruction says I am allowed zero-calorie liquids in between Protein shakes it includes sugar-free popsicles. However they are 15 cal each and has 6 g sugar alcohols. I am confused. Can I have them or not?

These are instructions I was given: 2 days prior to surgery, start the following: LIQUIDS ONLY (Premier protein shakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner). No solid food and no snacks during these 2 days. Your stomach needs to be emptied of food particles by the time of surgery. Make sure to drink plenty of water during these 2 days, so that you arrive on your surgery day well hydrated. NO SNACKING in between meals. However, you may have zero-calorie liquids in between meals such as water, Crystal Light, sugar-free Jello, sugar-free popsicles. DIABETIC PATIENTS may need to lower their medications during these 2 days to avoid hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). If you eat any solid food during the 2 days prior to surgery, you operation will be cancelled.

I hate to say this, but 1800 calories a day is too much unless you are doing really strenuous exercising. I can maintain my 150 plus pound weight loss at about 1000 to 1200 calories a day, and I currently weight about 160, I am 67 years old and have had no skin removal. My doctors feel that if I did, I would be around 145 to 150. But I need new knees and there is no way I am going to have more elective surgery. But If I eat 1800 calories a day, I gain weight. Fast. Like in a couple days. And yes, there IS more restriction in eating chicken, and fish and other meats. I eat more cheese and dairy than I probably should. But it works for me. I also eat eggs. I make sure at least 2 meals a day have a simple protein like eggs, or chicken or fish, and the occasional beef meal. I happen not to eat shellfish or pork. If I have oatmeal for breakfast, I make sure to have a yogurt for a midmorning snack. I eat few processed carbs and keep my pasta, rice or bread to very very low amounts. Protein, vegetables, fresh fruits. This morning I am having my coffee then, fresh watermelon and scrambled eggs with some shredded cheese. Get back to basics and re check with your doctor or nutritionist about calories. Frankly I rarely if ever count calories; but I know what I am eating and what I can eat to maintain my weight loss. Best of luck and healthy eating to you !

My clinic did metabolic testing and my Max calories to maintain was 1587. I was pissed at the years of 1800-2000 calorie recommendation from experts when less than 1600 was what I needed to maintain!!

These are terrific questions! I think everyone's answer will differ, so I don't want to speak for everyone's experience but I can tell a couple of my own experiences. I used to absolutely love Egg McMuffins. 300 calories, 17 grams of protein, 12 grams of fat....they're really not even that bad for you. I used to joke that they were my personal perfect comfort food....I loved the taste, felt accomplished that I had a favorite that wasn't that bad....and just generally was happy about them. I remember starting solids again after surgery and taking a little bite of one....expecting that wonderful feeling. It was like (pardon me) sex with no orgasm. Zero pleasure. It didn't taste gross or anything, but it wasn't wonderful anymore. All of my EggMcMagic was GONE. I wasn't angry, I wasn't relieved. I was sad. It was a weird loss. The better part of my brain was happy and proud I no longer had such an intensely happy feeling about them....because I know that's disordered eating and I wanted to get away from that. But the nostalgic part of me that was still busy coping....felt the loss deeply. Most days, I was happy and relieved that food seemed to be losing control in my life. It felt good to say no, to throw things away after a few bites. It felt good when I had that crazy moment and bought something terrible like a box of little donuts....took one bite and had the strength to say....What the hell am I doing? And throw them all away. I'm proud I can do that now. That I can have a screw up, get something really awful, and have one or two bites and throw the package away. We're not perfect. We'll have moments. But the ability to pull up sooner and right the course sooner...has been a welcome and wonderful change. And as the years have gone by, I'm getting even better at this. I buy a lot less stuff to throw away now. LOL. Some people have a lot of emotional upheaval after surgery. Marriages can get worse, relationships can change. Be very aware of and use caution with cross-over addictions. Watch alcohol, gambling, flirting, over-spending, substances. Anything that gives you a pop of pleasure and distraction....keep a close eye on. Lots of data to show those things can bite you in the butt. The struggle is real, but so are the rewards. It is WONDERFUL to be able to walk five miles a day and get things done. It is wonderful to find cute clothes that fit, and like how you look in pictures. It is wonderful to inspire folks you love to make healthier choices. Lots of stuff is so nice. I remember the first time I could shave my legs and breathe at the same time. LOL! I remember the first time I tried on a swimsuit and went...holy ****! this looks great on me! The little victories are so lovely. About acid reflux... I have had almost no problem with it, with one notable exception. If I eat and lie down, I can end up with very nasty acid. If I wait an hour after eating before laying down...zero problems. I just need to be careful not to snack right before bed, which is a bad idea anyway, so the reminder isn't even that bad. I get a little bit of heart burn laying down maybe once every month or two now. I take a swig of Pepto and it's gone in a few minutes. Wishing you the best.

Hello Kathy, I was 62 when I had the surgery, almost at the point of being fully disabled. So I had to start from the back. Building my fitness took me 6 to 9 months. My calorie intake was so low, about 300 cals a day till 6 months. I soon realised doing any exercise on so little food was not going to happen. I took it slow, just walking when I had the energy. Sleep/ take a short nap when you need to Leave your chores, focus on yourself. Anything else will come when it happens, we are not spring chickens anymore. My brain thinks I am 27 but I still run out off energy and need to top up my food and drinks before I feel ok again.

I’m 53 and sleeve surgery date was 1/9/23 so about 5 months post op. So far lost 78 lbs with a few stalls along the way. Longest was 3 weeks (painful wait!). Weight loss has slowed down some but still consistently 2 lbs week sometimes more. I average 900 calories per day and goal of 80 grams protein sometimes I hit more. My doc suggested I increase protein intake and fluids. I never miss fluids 64-70 oz day. I’ve found my meals are pretty consistent and predictable and honestly don’t stray too far in my choices yet. I’m full at 5oz but can eat 6oz. Anything over that in one sitting is too much. I don’t really snack and just eat 3 meals a day. My one concession is 1/2 TBS peanut butter in late evening when I start to feel hungry before bed. Nice treat and curbs the hunger. I have another 70 lbs to lose and look forward to the day when I can eat 1200 calories a day! It’s a journey but feeling great. The biggest bummer is sagging skin and a sad reminder of how I got here in the first place. I’m sure changes in our hormones affect the swings of weight loss along the way but overall I’m convinced we just need to stay the course and it will fall off.

Thank you Arabesque! I kind of get in my head at times because i really think menopause did a number on me as far as weight gain and inability to lose it on my own without surgery. I know everyone is different and we should not compare the rate or amount of weight loss to others. I just wonder at some point if menopause will interfere with the amount of weight i am able to lose as it seems my hormones seem to be sabotaging me as far as hot flashes, etc. My "banana" was born on 4/12/23 and I've lost 37 lbs. I suppose not bad for 2 months. I average 400-500 calories a day. I get about 60g of protein per day. I will be honest and say i don't exercise as much as i should. Water is hard for me to drink the amount you are supposed to so i did switch to decaf black tea with splenda and of course that is easier for me to drink more of it but still dont think i'm getting the 64oz of liquid.

I wasn’t given a calorie goal either just the portion sizes. I’d did random checks out of my own interest so I know I didn’t get to around 900 calories until 6 months & I was okay. I eat about 1500 to maintain my weight. I love rolled oats. Ate it from purée & still eat them every day now so I hope the grits go down well for you. Instead of eating a whole taco, eat the filling only. The shell could be off your plan being a high processed, simple carb. The spices & other flavours in the filling will likely satisfy your desire. Good luck with the mandarin.

Guys I am at week 5 and I am still stalled I don’t know what I am doing wrong!!! I am a total of 45 pounds down and have been stuck at 359/360 for 2 and a half weeks. I exercise everyday walk or swim. I am hitting water and protein goal trying to get my calories to at least 700 in that process but happier if they go over since they want me close to 1000 I don’t know what else to do. I have been pretty good at not weighing my self everyday now but still!!!! How long did your three week stall last

Without knowing your pre-op weight, its difficult to know if 50lbs is typical or not for 7 weeks post op. If you were on the lighter side pre surgery, 50lbs would be way too much and given your walking you may be lacking in calories (way less than typical for post op), and are losing a lot of lean body mass (muscle). Your body could be struggling to cope?? Perhaps talk to your doctor sooner than later.

You are all so lucky. I got hunger back almost right away! I struggle with being really empty feeling...then overfull. I know what parts are cravings (which are bad too) but hunger is present. I don't know what to do. I'm 3 mos. out and lost 40 lbs but that's after gaining a couple lbs back this past week. Any suggestions? How many calories should I focus on and how often does everyone exercise. I walk for an hour/hour 1/2 5 times a week. I usually get over 10k steps.

Thank you! My surgeon said I can eat what I want and in the same breath asked me to write a review on google…lol I have mandarin oranges to try and combat the OJ craving. I am going to try and eat a packet of grits today and see how that goes. I have popsicles that I am getting tired of so I need a change. Taco Bell has been a huge craving of mine. I read on here some folks have been able to eat 1 taco without any issues. I was told not to count calories by my surgeon because it causes a bad relationship with food to develop. I know already my caloric intake is low.

i had a serious (and extended) case of food aversion. still get it every once in a while now at 4.5+ years out. during those/these times i don't actually feel hungry though...its more like "i should probably eat something", but don't want to cuz i had/have the icks. so i don't. i'm of the (minority) mind that i won't force myself to eat if it will lead to an unpleasant experience. i just didn't/don't want to have that kind of relationship with food (or anything really) with that said there where periods where i ate very little..,but i would always get a window eventually when i did want to eat. and did. with so little calories i did feel very weak and tired, plus my blood pressure went way low, and would get woozy if i moved too fast. this happened regularly for about 3 months and by month 4-5 it was much better, probably because i was eating more and moving around much more. one thing my doc did suggest, which i think did help with the wooziness was increase my sodium intake. which was fine by me cuz i love salty things lol. as for throwing out shaker bottles and never having soup/broths again...never say never: things are always changing and will continue to change no matter what. if you can accept and make peace (sans angst!) with whatever comes and goes, as part and parcel of ur weight loss (of life, really), then the ride will be alot smoother. Good Luck! ❤️

it gets A LOT easier! The first few weeks are tough. But you'll gradually have fewer and fewer food restrictions and at some point will be able to eat more normal amounts (still small compared to pre-surgery, but something that looks more like "light eating" than "I just had weight loss surgery" small). So hang in there! as far as what you're eating, crackers are not a good choice - not only do they have little nutritional value, but it's way too early to be eating them. Some of us are able to eat mashed potatoes when we get to the pureed stage (unless we're on an ultra-low carb plan, which some clinics push), but they have little (maybe nothing?) in the way of protein. WIth as little as you'll be taking in the first few weeks, you need to focus on protein. try to make yourself stick to liquids for now, if that's what your clinic wants you to do. You'll soon be able to move on to purees, where you'll be able to add other things, mostly protein-rich, like Greek yogurt, fat-free refried beans, hummus, cottage cheese (you may have to whip this in a blender first - can't remember), sugar free protein pudding, etc. Protein fills you up more (simple carbs like crackers tend to make people hungrier by spiking their blood sugar, which then drops an hour or two later, which means you just get hungry again). Plus your body needs the protein to heal. And since you're only taking in a few hundred calories/day the first few weeks (and maybe the first few MONTHS, depending on your plan), that needs to be your main focus.

You can’t not eat. There’s some great advice from the others about reintroducing food into your day. Demand your surgeon give you guidelines & also request a referral to a dietician/nutritionalist who is knowledgeable of the needs of post surgery patients. Ask for portion recommendations, protein & fluid goals, and goals/limits of other macros. Also ask for a referral to a therapist. Many find therapy very helpful as they work through their fears & relationship with food. Can’t believe your surgeon said to eat whatever you want. I mean that’s how you became overweight in the first place. Yes, vomiting (I call it regurgitating cause it’s not like vomiting of old) is most possible in the beginning while you are healing but because you haven’t been eating your tummy may struggle for a while until it gets used to food again. You may have odd occurrences if something doesn’t sit well or if you have the foamies (eating food that may be too dry or too coarse or eating too quickly) too. I gave up shakes as soon as I began purées & got my protein from real food too. It was my goal & my surgeon & dietician were happy. I found a good high protein yoghurt & yoghurt drink to give me a boost of protein each day to supplement the solid/real foods I was eating. I was also advised to eat about 1/4 - 1/3 cup of food from purées slowly increasing to a cup. I got to the cup at 6 months. Now I eat about a recommended serve or a little less & am maintaining my weight. If you follow your plan & dietician recommendations you won’t gain weight. It’s literally impossible in the lower calorie intake we have until our weight stabilises unless you exceed those guidelines & recommendations. All the best. PS. Try to avoid fruit juices as they have a high natural sugar content (that’s why it may say no added sugar but may have sugar identified on the nutrient panel). It takes several oranges to make a glass of orange juice but you would only eat one whole orange at a time. When you are able, it’s always better to eat the whole fruit & get the additional nutrients like fibre & fewer carbs.

low/no energy is pretty common the first few weeks after surgery. Your body went through a lot of trauma, and it's getting very few calories now to boot. I think I was about where you are when I started feeling like myself again, so you may be close... as far as no interest in food (or being repulsed by food), I know this sounds really weird at this point, but enjoy it while it lasts - or at least take full advantage of it. Hunger eventually comes back for almost all of us sometime during the first year (mine came roaring back at five months out), and the going gets a lot tougher then. Even though never being hungry and not giving a flip about food was pretty weird for me to get used to, I honestly wish I would have been one of those lucky few whose hunger never came back. I'm eight years out and although I've maintained most of my loss, it's a challenge every day.

There is nothing wrong with eating every 2-3 hours, I did. My team suggested this so I could get some extra calories in. For example, I would make up some egg salad and tuna salad. I would alternate these with some cheese and a small piece of fruit and a protein yogurt. In between I would drink milk or coffee made with milk [ I was allowed coffee] Early on my diet was loaded with dairy. Not every ones cup of tea I know. Work with the regime you have been given, its worth it in the end This is easy prep for you with such a heavy work load. I would also get in some tinned soups bearing in mind tomato soup is very acidic on your new stomach and it may bounce about. I found some low cal popsicles to have at other times. At about 3 months when your stomach is healed your restriction will kick in and then you get the full feeling of this surgery. Nearly every one feels bad in the beginning. Remorse and regret are the usual symptoms we say in the forum at this time, I did. It is a big surgery and takes a lot of getting used to. Just white knuckle it

Oh, and here are the mini vegetable samosas (Monsoon). I had them with homemade cilantro chutney (basically cilantro bunch, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, pepper, salt) instead of the sweet chutney it came with. They were so good. 180 calories for 4.

Roasted eggplant 1/2c (18cal) wraps (50g lettuce = 8 cal) with homemade salsa (10 cal). Low calorie, but filling, dinner. I ate 4 mini samosas at lunch [emoji24] so I ran out of calories lol.

yes the first few weeks and months can be tough, but it'll soon be behind you. I still log my food intake (at eight years out!) so I can monitor my overall calories, but otherwise, I don't really think about it at all - and haven't for a long time. At about six months out you'll no longer have any food restrictions (although you'll be encouraged to eat nutritiously and to watch your overall intake)), but you'll feel pretty normal.

I use raw sugar, just make sure you include the calories in your daily count

What’s normal? One thing I’ve learnt since my surgery is there is no normal or only one right or wrong way about our recovery, weight loss, food & eating just what is right or wrong for you. There will be similarities & there will be differences too because we’re not the same. And yes it will be different from what was right or wrong or usual for you before surgery because simply what we did before did us no favours. Will it get easier? Yes. Does it take time to meet all your goals? Yes. As long as you’re making an effort & getting closer it’s okay. Will you have good days & bad days? Yes. Will your tummy be sensitive & fussy about certain foods for a while? Yes but that’s the healing process. Will it take time to learn new eating habits? Yes. Will you learn all your signals for real hunger, fullness/satiety or feel your restriction? Yes. Nerves were cut during surgery & they have to heal. Your signals take time to register & they may be different than before surgery. Will you be able to drink more than sips? Yes though how much & when is individual. Will you be able to reduce the amount of time before & after eating to drink? Yes but again when & how long is individual. Will you eat your old favourites again? Yes, once your weight has stabilised. Though it won’t be in exactly the same way. You’ll work out variations, & how much & how often is right for you. I’ve made quite a few changes to what & how I eat. Like I don’t skip meals anymore & there are certain foods I don’t or rarely eat. Some are my choice & others because they don’t sit well in my smaller tummy. I don’t feel I’m missing out on anything I chose not to or can’t eat. It did take time to work out what was right for me - food choices, calories, nutrients, portions, frequency of eating. Once I reached maintenance I slowly added new foods, recipes, adjusted portions, etc. to see how I’d go & made modifications for probably a good year after I reached goal. I did keep losing for about 11 months after goal while working it out but have basically maintained since then. I’m four years out from surgery. I’ll make further adjustments as I need - lifestyle changes, age, health issues, etc. PS There is an exception to the no one right way to eat & that’s in the first weeks when you’re following your staged return to eating. That plan supports & protects your healing tummy (remember all those sutures & staples holding it together). Check your plan on what you’re allowed to eat. Yes, plans can be different but being allowed eggs & peanut paste three days out from surgery sounds highly unusual. All because you managed it doesn’t mean you can do it again or it didn’t impact your recovery in some way. Be careful.

1/3 a mcdonalds fillet-o-fish and some fries with ketchup. 183 calories. (seems like it should be way more calories , but i'll go with what MFP says 🤷🏻‍♀️ ) Ate it all, yummer.