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@BlueParis depending how much milk you're using in tea and coffee, that's a decent source of protein. I don't know if you have ultra-filtered milk available in France (in US, the brand is Fairlife, like the protein shakes, but it's just milk that has been filtered to lower carbs and amp up the protein, not supplemented like the shakes). I started buying Fairlife milk and make a 1L thermal container of hot tea every morning, with between 125 and 250ml of milk in it, so my morning tea alone gives me between 7 and 13g protein. I would try adding a slice of smoked salmon to the bagel, but that's just because I love that combo. The omelet seems very healthy and the pannacotta sounds delicious. You might consider adding more beans/legumes to your rotation. I am getting so tired of meat. I've just ordered a vegan cookbook to help me discover new recipes that are based on plant proteins (not the fake meat, processed plant products but real foods). Maybe bean soups and stews, lentil curries? Your stall will break eventually, but in your case, because you're already at a "normal" BMI, it may be a lot harder and slower from here on out. Don't lose hope! After barely losing weight the entire month of May, I'm losing at the quickest pace since surgery, 9 lbs in 16 days! That's been a real surprise. I am eyeing my next milestone, which is 5.6 lbs away, the point where I will cross from an "obesity" BMI into just the "overweight" category. I have never looked so forward to being called "overweight" in my life! I'm also noticing I'm just not very interested in food. Even though I can technically eat a bit more now than in the beginning, I don't really want to. I'm not hungry and chewing is a chore. I'm sick of meat. I'm tired of thinking about protein. And while I do still enjoy going out for a meal, I am exhausted by looking at the plate and seeing 4 days' worth of food in front of me. I'll be going on a family summer vacation next week and have no idea what I'll manage to eat. We're going to amusement parks and water parks, so the typical fare will be pizza and hot dogs, which sound terrible. I'm stocking up on protein bars, which I find a bit better than shakes, though not something I want in my diet normally. But better than a hot dog! So if anyone has a favorite protein bar, especially one that won't melt in my bag on a hot day at an amusement park, please share!

Good morning! I have officially joined the "stallers" club this week. It is sad to see the scale at the same place it was a week ago. But I have all of you going through it, too, and while we don't like it, it does help some. I guess I'm glad to be part of the club lol.

So i had egg salad and tuna salad this week. Its so annoying how my stomach reacts. Im not sure if its the mayo but i wish i could eat more before my stomach starts to cramp up. I’m 9 fays post op. Any suggestions?

Keep in mind that most nutritionists, it's their job to tell you to stay within certain limits that were decided by prior care teams who-knows how many years ago, based on individuals who could be much different than you. Those limits may be absolute BS, but they have to cover their own ass and give you these 'healthy guidelines'. In my care team, I have three different nutritionists I've seen so far. One of them seems very open, very with it, and all her advice so far has been really helpful. The other two have been absolutely useless. (Ironically, one is constantly looking at my food logs and saying things like "and where do you see that you could have added more protein here" even though I'm usually already in the 80-100g range -- and I DO NOT work out) For what it's worth, I think you're doing exceedingly well. Every time I see you post around here, I pay attention because you really seem to be in tune with your own body. If you're not having any protein over-consumption symptoms and your labs are good, I would take what's useful from the NUT and throw the rest away. (Are they sending you for bloodwork routinely, or has that fallen through the cracks too?)

I'm 4 years out and have maintained a stable weight for over 2 years. I've taken a lot of cues from the WLS veterans on this forum because I'm acutely aware that a lot of WLS patients experience significant regain, and I live in fear of that because I've gone through a lot to lose 200 pounds and I don't ever want to go back to obesity. I learned early on that one of the keys to long-term maintenance is closely monitoring and tracking weight, and taking action promptly if it starts to creep up. I weigh myself on a daily basis (usually more than once a day). My weight can fluctuate quite a bit, sometimes by 5 pounds within a single day, so I consider my normal weight range to be 135-140 pounds. As long as I'm within that range, I don't give it a second thought. I may be outside of that once in a while, but I don't worry about it too much unless I stay outside that range for more than a couple of days. I've continued to track everything I eat and stay within a calorie limit. Five years ago, I would have been horrified to imagine tracking my food long-term, but I actually think it makes weight maintenance more sustainable. I could probably get away without tracking at this point because I habitually eat healthy, low-calorie meals, but much like having a financial budget, having a calorie budget allows me to prioritize and make conscious decisions about what I want to consume. If I'm tracking my food, I know whether I have room in my budget for a treat today, or if I want a specific treat, I can make sure to leave room in my calorie budget. I think this is really important because I don't have to go off track or have an out-of-control "cheat day" to eat what I want. I eat healthy foods most of the time (with the occasional treat within my calorie budget), and I've completely overhauled my diet. I've gotten the sense that one of the pitfalls that can lead to regain for WLS patients is that we can rely on our restriction for the first year or so to limit our calorie consumption, but if we continue to eat high-calorie foods like fast food and highly processed snack foods, once the restriction is weaker, we can eat enough calories to regain the weight, and/or eat around the restriction by having multiple smaller portions of high-calorie foods. I eat a lot of vegetables and salads, lean protein (chicken, pork loin, seafood), and legumes, and avoid sugar, refined carbs (rice, pasta, bread, crackers), fried foods, and other calorie-dense foods like cheese. I've discovered a lot of healthy foods that I love eating, so I don't feel deprived with delicious low-calorie meals. Initially, I was very strict about weighing and tracking every bite of food, but I've gotten much more relaxed about it and I just eyeball things that are negligible. I still weigh and measure things with higher calorie density like meat or oil, but I don't measure lettuce because even if I underestimate, it will be a 10-15 calorie difference at the most, and I log half a tomato instead of weighing the exact number of grams. This is another reason that weighing myself is key -- I know that if I'm maintaining a stable weight, my guesstimates must be close enough. Exercise wasn't a huge part of my weight loss strategy; I didn't do any exercise at all for the first 75+ pounds, and then I just did YouTube videos at home. Exercise has become a huge part of my lifestyle in maintenance, though. Not only do I do cardio at home on a daily basis and a minimum of 15,000 steps per day, but I also take fitness classes including strength training a few days per week.

@ms.sss I do love an ice-breaker 😂 must be the manager in me 😅 That sounds so nice - I have never tried lobster before but I am dying to! I am rather impressed that you had to open and clean it yourself, very skilled haha. It is a shame you had to miss out on yoga, but definitely for the best after eating the lobster! Hope the rest of your week is good

I'm 10 months post op and have been in a stall for months and I've been contemplating starting a semiglutide. I've never not been hungry, nor have I been able to stop the constant food drum beat in my head even a few weeks post surgery so I fully understand the "white knuckling" it part. I've spoken to my surgeons office dietician and the psychologist at the clinic who actually was the one who suggested it after I told her the "food chatter" is so bad that its become my walking cadence "I am still hungry" over and over. I spoke with the psychologist because I wanted help with my anger, anger over the fact I went through all this to get healthy, stop the constantly thinking of food ...I've done and have been doing my part: I'm still "hungry" and no matter how much protein (80 grams) I eat, sticking to my 800 calories, drinking my water....my brain says eat. I'm tired of the constant battle. I'm angry because I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do...and yet I'm right back to the diet mind games I have to do ...work out instead of eating, clean the house..hoping the chatter will be blocked off or side tracked....etc.. I'm tired of this battle..I don't mind IF the weight is coming off, its a battle with results but it hasn't been for two plus months now the same two pounds over and over. So I understand what you're saying wanting it to help..and why you tried it! I'm glad to hear its worked for you! I have an appointment with my GP in 2 weeks to request the prescription as recommended by the psychologist and dietician. We shall see because there is NO way I can afford to pay $1000 A month. How long before did it shut off the brain chatter? At this point if it can stop that I can quit being angry...and continue to do the right things ..healthy things without the wondering why and if its worth it!

Hi all, I am 3 weeks post-op, and I don’t have any calorie guides from my nutritionist. She only focuses on protein intake and low carb options. In the past I have used calories as my main indicator and am struggling a little with diet conceptions now and after the transition periods without them. I have a goal of 60 g of protein a day and 1-1.5 l of liquids for hydration. I was just wondering if anyone has daily calorie guidelines that they can share?? Tia!

Yeah, agree with @ms.sss -- everyone seems to get a slightly modified version from their care team, and it's best to just follow what directions they might give you. Part of this is also because different care teams also encourage different types and dosages of supplements, but also because everyone's medical history and starting point on their WL journey can have different requirements that need to be met. (Some of us have various co-morbidities like Heart issues, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, etc...) For example, my schedule was: Day 1-2: clear liquids Week 1 & 2: Liquids & Protein Shakes Week 3 & 4: Purees Weeks 5-9: Soft Foods Week 10+: introducing more variety of healthy foods

Lots of nerves were cut during your surgery so the messages/signals you used to feel around your eating rather aren’t getting through or are distorted. It’s why it’s so important to stick to the portion sizes and timing for eating/drinking you’ve been given. It takes about 8 weeks to fully recover from the surgery & the nerves are healed. It’s then too that you may start to feel your restriction (a tightness across your upper chest). It’s a good opportunity to become more aware of more subtle signals around having had enough or too much to eat or drink. I still ask myself do I need the next bite or sip or do I just want it & I’m five years out. Also when your signals do come back you may notice they’re different. Sneezing, runny nose, hiccups, etc can all be your new signals for having eaten or drunk enough. A gurgling tummy,or hunger pangs aren’t in most cases a signal you are hungry. They’re usual a signal that your digestive system is working. I don’t know why but the gurgling & growling seems much louder after surgery. Mine are very loud & yes I still get them (it’s happening now). I say I have a poltergeist in my tummy, rumbling, grumbling, squelching & rattling the chains. My younger nieces & nephew think it’s hilarious! All the best with your recovery.

I was given cream of chicken soup with bits in it at the hospital day 1 after surgery. I was still hopped up on anesthesia at the time and called a nurse in to question why. She took my spoon and looked at it, then said the bits weren't big enough to cause a problem???? I thought well...it is a bariatric hospital so I ate it. It did taste wonderful and thankfully nothing got stuck in my incisions but I still question it. In fact a relative of mine recently had WLS and on a phone consult within week 1 with same hospital nurses, was told to try a bit of bread for nausea??? I immediately remembered the soup they gave me and am now really questioning the nurses at that hospital and their knowledge of care for bariatric patients. I tried calling them to inquire about their iffy advice but never heard back. I need to call my bariatric team nutritionist to give them a heads up. As for OP question about salty cravings. Soup. Bouillons, strained cream soups and my fav... egg drop soup strained from a local Chinese restaurant. I even used a Vitamix to pulverize any bits that could cause problems later on. Good luck on your journey @Sami2209.

I was able to easily swallow tables about 4 or so days after surgery. The initial post surgery swelling made it painful the first three days but once the swelling went down it was okay. Spread taking them out. Like I had two multi to take so took one in the morning & one at night. Make sure you eat first before taking your vitamins because they a make you nauseous As you’re still on fluids, take your tablets (singularly) with the last sips of your shake. Remember too not to take your calcium, iron or PPI tablets together (wait an hour or so) between.

I am 1 year post-op (exactly today!) In the months after the surgery, I have not had any significant issues with taste or food aversion. There were a couple of changes with foods that I used to love that, now, I could take them or leave them. I travel a lot for business, and when I am away from home eating in restaurants, I have started having experiences where certain foods taste like... seafood. I *hate* seafood in all forms, and always have. Meat is the most frequent problem, especially beef (except ground beef which is fine). Chicken is never a problem. I was just in China for 3 weeks, in many different cities, and everywhere I went, things were tasting fishy, especially meat. It wasn't just that something was prepared with fish sauce - I checked. Over and over and over again in city after city and restaurant after restaurant. (I have traveled to China before and loved the food; this time not so much.) But this wasn't just China - it has happened in other places as well - just not as often as in China. Now that I am back home with my normal food and normal recipes, there is no problem at all, however, at home I eat primarily chicken so maybe I would have an issue with beef tasting like seafood here too. Of course, I will discuss this with my doctor at my 1-year post-op appointment, but I am curious about other people's experiences with taste-related changes.

Hi and welcome to the forum! I got mines on Thurs 13th and currently in first week recovery. I can’t lie I have really struggled so far with the pains and aches since the surgery. The liquid diet isnt great for me so I am looking forward to chewing something. Anyway good luck and I hope you find something that works with your new stomach

I got it on the 5th and an anesthesia newbie like you. Recovery has been smooth so far except for a belly button discharge and odor which the surgeon says happened bc the nurse cleaned it too vigorously maybe. Fingers crossed for that to resolve with clotrimazole. liquid phase for 3 weeks .how are you doing with your fluid goals

Ugh. Getting back on track after vacation is harder than I thought it would be. I have no desire to cook and I'm craving snacks and sweets like crazy because I know they're in the house. I had done a thorough job of getting all the snacks and candy out of the cupboards leading up to surgery, but with the kids home all day for the summer, I've bought some things for them, and we also brought home stuff from our trip. Resisting the temptation when it's just in the next room while I'm working is HARD, especially because having a snack was often the way I would deal with avoiding a project for work that I didn't want to do (I work from home). Add on top of that the beginning of hunger returning and an increase in how much I can comfortably eat in one sitting and it's a battle. Plus the weather has been miserably hot so if I don't get out to walk first thing in the morning, it's not happening. Needless to say, my weight has bounced up a pound this week. So frustrated!

morbidity rate is 0.3% with bypass - which is super low. These aren't the same surgeries as they were years ago. They're only slightly more risky than the sleeve. Complication rate is really low, too. The most common (other than dumping) is stricture, which happens to about 5% of bypass patients, and that's an easy fix - they just do an upper endoscopy and stretch it out (I had one of those). Dumping happens to about 30% of bypass patients, and you can prevent that by not eating a ton of sugar or fat at one sitting (most dumpers can eat *some* sugar and fat, just not a ton of it at one sitting). I've never dumped, and I know lots of other bypassers who've never dumped, either. yes you do need to take supplements forever because of the malabsorption "feature" (which makes it a more powerful surgery than sleeve). But you get used to it pretty quickly. I don't even give it a thought anymore - taking them is now just part of my regular morning, afternoon, and evening routines, Most sleeve patients have to take vitamins as well - although slacking off on them has more dire consequences with bypass than it does with sleeve. Missing a day here and there - or even a few days in a row, isn't likely to cause problems. But simply not taking them can cause huge problems over time. To be honest, cutting off 3/4 of your stomach and throwing it in the garbage doesn't really seem that less radical to me than stapling across the top of your stomach and re-attaching your small intestine, but I know that thought seems really radical to a lot of people, so you're not alone in thinking that. Although unlike the sleeve, the RNY is reversible (although they'll only do that in extreme circumstances), which seemed oddly comforting to me. I chose RNY because I had GERD prior to surgery - and it did "fix" that. I'm very happy with my decision - I've had a lot of success with mine and no problems other than the aforementioned stricture I had at four weeks out. I'd make the same decision today.

the SADI is a fairly new surgery and isn't very common - which is probably why the office staff isn't that well versed in it. Although if the surgeon is going to be offering that surgery, they really need to get the office staff up to snuff, because they're the people you're usually going to see when you're there as far as red, purple, yogurt, and fudgsicles, they're probably talking about the day or two before the surgery, and not the regular pre-op diet that many of us have to do for a week or two before the surgery. I've had about four surgeries, plus a couple of colonoscopies, and having a completely liquid diet for the day or two before with nothing red or purple is pretty standard with any procedure. They don't want anything in your G/I tract (that's why they say only liquids), and red and purple fluids look like blood on the equipment they use, so they tell you to avoid anything red or purple.

Hey everyone, it’s me again. I woke up early this morning feeling pretty good and refreshed. I think I’m still proud of myself for doing my walk last night. I told my husband that I was proud and I know that it’s not really that big of a deal but it feels huge to me and he reminded me that after my sleeve I never exercised so it is a big deal. When he would mention it I would just tell him what my surgeon said that it’s really a pretty small part of weight loss. I left out the part where he said that it is still important for physical and mental health though. So I guess the fact that I am less that a month out this time and trying a different approach already is a pretty good thing. I went to do my grocery pickup this morning and got my supplies for my first week of soft foods which I get to start tomorrow 🎉 I ordered a lot more that I need for sure. The guy just kept adding bags to the trunk and my fridge has never been so full. I got out my book that my Dr gave me and it doesn’t mention a portion size for soft foods. The handout the hospital gave me says 1/2 to 3/4 cup though so I guess I will stick to 1/2 cup to start and make sure that’s okay. I just took a little nap since I woke up early and plan to walk again tonight. I have been scouring the Internet for a solution to my shorts riding up. The best thing I can find is to put a boning in the seam so I think I may order some and give that a try. I guess I have to drag out my sewing machine and relearn how to thread it and all that so I’m not sure how long I will procrastinate before I do it. I did order a pair of inexpensive yoga shorts to wear in the mean time and good news is when I measured my waist and hips to get the right size I realized that I have lost two inches in both. My only concern I have now is that one incision that’s dented in still. Everyone says that they think It will be fine but i just don’t know I think it’s going to stay like that honestly and worry that when I lost and it’s extra skin it’s going to look even worse. I guess no one but my husband will ever see it but I really wish it would just flatten out I hope everyone else is having a wonderful holiday weekend and feeling better and better each day. I know that I am.

Nothing like completely avoiding the digestive tract. I love the convenience of only having to change the patch twice a week. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get my script filled - supply dramas sigh! My GP swapped me to a gel & a progesterone pill for two months hoping the patch would be available by then & also hoping I’d absorb enough progesterone to cover me for the short term. They’re hoping end of August for the patch to be back which means I’ll need four months of the gel & tablet. Unexpected effect of being smaller was I was told to rub the gel into my upper arm. Tried that but I’d had to rub it over my entire arm because of the amount of gel & it still wasn’t enough skin. I now rub it all over my butt & tummy. That’s only 1 pump. I’d be rubbing it all over my body if it was two pumps. Lol! PS I found eucalyptus oil really great at removing the sticky residue left on my skin from the patch.

I would assume that your medical team will provide you with the stages they would like you to go through. everyone one here were given widely differing sets of instructions post op, so it may get a little confusing with all the differing accounts. best to pick one program (easiest one would be the one provided by your team) and follow that. remember they are guidelines, so if you are unable to do a stage or meet a goal or have issues, do something else. don't force it. and get in touch with your team with that said, here was mine (almost 5 years ago): week 1: clear liquids week 2-3: full liquids week 4: purees (i skipped this one, i just did full liquids for another week because purees were YUCK! lol week 5-6: minced ...after that i was cleared for everything/anything (just reminded to chew alot).

Back from vacation last night and had a great time. We spent 2 days at the waterpark at Great Wolf Lodge, then drove to Hershey, Pennsylvania to visit the amusement park, followed by a trip through Lancaster County (where many Amish people live). I did what I could to meet protein goals and make healthy choices at restaurants, but I also allowed myself some sweets and tried not to stress about it too much. Weighed myself this morning and was down one pound since last week. Overall feeling good and looking forward to getting back to a more normal schedule, although I have a bit of a break from work until next week. A few random travel tips: Always make sure you are getting your food prepared the way you want it when you order. I saw a photo of a salad with grilled chicken on the menu, but I didn't realize it could also come fried until that was what the server brought me. She didn't ask which I wanted (she was new), and I just assumed it was grilled. A simple, "That's with grilled chicken, right?" would have saved me having to try to peel away all of the fried breading. If you must order fast food when on the road, a small cup of chili from Wendy's has 16g protein and 240 calories. I believe it's 22g carb (6g of which is fiber). They also have some nice salads. For a long car trip, bring a gallon-size thermal jug of ice water and keep it in the back to refill your smaller water bottle. Individual packs of edamame, beef jerky, and nuts made great portable snacks to get in some extra protein, and Quest protein chips are delicious! I also found protein pretzels in a gas station convenience store and they were good, although not as high in protein as Quest (which they also sold there).

Ohhh I hear you. Even at my lowest and highest weight, heat has always drained me. All I want is ice water and to munch cold grapes and for everything else to recede. My boss is the sweetest older Korean man. I speak a little Korean, he speaks a bit more English -- so we have language barriers but over the years we've found ways to understand each other pretty well. But the week I came back to work, I ended up having to take a sick day near the end of the week. I had eaten something that caused my first bout of dumping syndrome and it caused my healing body a fair amount of muscle / tissue / inner pain for the next couple days. When I came back I made the mistake of telling him that I'd eaten something that didn't agree with m, whether because it was to dry or I ate too much too fast. Well he heard "ate too much" and now everytime I'm not feeling my best / looking high-energied -- or he catches me having a shake for lunch because I'm feeling nauseated at the idea of food -- he starts questioning me if I've been eating too much. In his case I know he means it from a place of caring and concern, but it roughs up the ragged edges of my old eating-disorders in my psyche. I immediately feel judged for being overweight to begin with, and like I'm being watched/judged now, etc. And I know they're my issues, but I could certainly do with not being reminded of them so often.

Ok what??? HOW??? I was staying between 177-179 for the last few weeks so I thought I was FINALLY at the place my body was setting at. Apparently not!!! I've even increased how often I eat. But it seems like the more I eat, the more I lose. The less I eat, that's when my weight stays pretty much the same. And that seems pretty messed up to me. So I have to starve myself to STOP losing weight but if I eat well I'll keep going lower??? What??? I don't WANT to go lower. I was supposed to stop at 190!! Make it make sense, cuz the math ain't mathin. Just had blood work done. Other than being anemic (thanks lupus!!) everything was normal, including my thyroid. My nutritionist and I got my calories up to 1600 per day when not working out and 1800 when I am. Protein up to 90g on non work out days and 120g on work out days. Carbs are trickier since I'm super sensitive to them, but we got them up to 35g on non work out days (up from 20-25) and 45g on work out days (up from 35). Healthy fats we upped to 70g on non work out days and 100g on work out days. My fluids are always good. Normally I drink around 80 fl oz on non work out days and 100+ on work out days, which 20 of those being an electrolyte drink like Prime hydration, Propel, or Gatorade zero. Being that I'm 2 years and 4 months removed from my 1st surgery and 1 year and 2 months removed from my revision, she's really surprised that I'm still losing. I said "You and me both, lady. Now how do I make it stop?" She said to just keep doing what I'm doing and hopefully my body will eventually hit it's set point and stop on its own. Um...what?? I'm now 15 pounds below my goal. I understand the whole "bounce back weight gain" or whatever it is, but that can't happen until my body finally picks a weight to settle at. I really don't like how I look at this point, and it's frustrating that nothing fits...again. I know it seems crazy to complain about this kind of thing, and believe me, I never EVER thought I would be the one doing it. But something's gotta give, you know? I'm really starting to look sickly, and in my line of work, that's not a good thing at all.