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I personally added protein powder to everything that passed my lips the first four to six weeks! It doesn't have to be a lot, it adds up pretty quickly. I did this until I started on my Fair life elite core drinks (42grams)..just make sure to drink no more than half at each meal, anymore and our bodies can't process that much Protein in a short time (according to my surgeon and dietician).

My program has one week of liquids, soft proteins at week 2, and then if you are meeting your protein and hydration goals, you can start adding some veg and fruit starting the third week. So, I was eating things like eggs, tuna, cottage cheese, salmon, and some very well cooked veg like broccoli and green beans. I was doing fine until last week when I had several incidents of vomiting. So my doctor moved me back to liquids 5 days ago to allow healing. I'm stuck with it until my appointment a week from today and pretty much everything sounds terrible. Anything with sweetener is too sweet. I have clear protein water and I swear it tasted like perfume. I made a smoothie with frozen banana today and even that was too sweet. Protein shakes disgust me. I have one flavor I can handle. So I'm mostly doing cream soups with a scoop of unflavored protein. Everything about eating feels really disgusting right now, although I haven't had any issues with my stomach, so that's a good thing. And my hydration has been consistently good.

Ooh. PB cookie dough does sound good. Why were you set back to liquids? Have you tried the clear protein. I used the ones by premiere protein my first time around and they are pretty good. Seems like it was fruit punch or peach flavor was the options. I don’t lile peaches but the fruit punch wasn’t bad.

Glad you're doing well. I'm feeling good,maybe pushed myself a bit much yesterday so trying to not over do it today🙃 I was told you can't over do the protein, curious if others have gotten the same advice? And I asked for a belly binder, it's not typically part of the post op with my Dr. I've found it is helpful for me. Some people like the extra support it gives& others don't care for them. I don't think it plays any role in the healing process, more for comfort.

There is a brand of peanut butter powder that has flavors like cookie dough and such. I think that might be nice. And yes, the protein shake powder is way higher in protein. I feel like mixing it as a shake makes me gag, but using it as a fruit dip somehow changes how it tastes to me. I may try it with a strawberry banana shake mix I have too. Being back on liquids right now is messing with me because I've come to hate the texture of shakes. And even a more natural version made with yogurt, banana, and pb powder is making me gag today. One more week of this and then hopefully I can go back to eating soft protein and maybe a little bit of veg. I miss veg. I didn't expect to be back at square one 5 weeks post-op! As soon as I can, I'm going to have fruit dip!

I'm feeling pretty good. One of my incisions will occasionally hurt and to cough or sneeze was painful. How are you doing? For the more seasoned vets, is there such a thing as too much protein? I think I overdid it yesterday with my protein shake, bone broth and protein water. Belly binders? Are they necessary?

I supposed the OP has already worked this out since the post was 2015 but I just want to add that the surgeons do then to weight loss drugs as one of the tools in their belts post surgery now. They have quite a few in addition to phentermine nowadays too. For anyone out there experiencing weight gain please touch base with your team. I was unable to take the meds because if interactions with other meds I was on but that was definitely an option that was presented to me early on and for someone with only a fair amount of weight to lose it could help. I have taken phentermine in the past and it did reduce my appetite significantly. My problem is I wake up several times and night and eat too so once the med wore off I was hungry. For those reasons they didn’t work for me but they do work for many people.

if I’m not mistaken the PB Fit came in different flavors at one point??. I haven’t seen them in a while though. I’m wondering if that would be as good (if I can find it) since your dip sounds absolutely delish but I don’t like just chocolate shakes at all so I would have a ton of protein powder leftover. Edited to add that I realize why you do it that way now that I looked it up the PB Fit is only 6 grams of protein and the scoop of protein powder is a lot more. Ignore me. Lol

My partner does keto (very successfully) and has for years. He stays a mile away from processed foods that purport to be keto friendly. Ditching those allows for much more leeway with your carb goal. Cook everything from scratch and you will honestly never go wrong. In the immediate post WLS period it's hard to do full keto, or full any eating plan. Once you progress through the stages you can have whatever protein you like or can tolerate (and bear in mind that might change after your second procedure so don't be afraid to experiment!) plus green leafy veg/salad/mushrooms/cauli/broccoli/celeriac/whatever and smaller quantities of other veg (should not be a problem for you as all quantities are small quantities post WLS)! Cauli rice is fab with loads of meals. Sauce wise my partner eats bolognese/ragu - just no pasta. Curry - just no rice. Casseroles with no carbs and limited veg. I add the juices of meat or fish to the final protein part of the dinner and sometimes dress that up with a little cream or spice paste.

Since posting this I have been searching for recipe ideas online as well. A lot if the low carb seem to be much higher In fat. I guess we have to sift through to those that focus on protein. There is a website called Delish that has a lot of pictures that are making my mouth water but it’s a paid site and doesn’t even let you see the macros without paying. Assuming they even post the macros.

Hey there, fellow Massachusetts person! Here are a few options that might work for you for protein: If you like soups such as creamy tomato, butternut bisque, etc., add a scoop or two (10-20g protein) of unflavored protein powder such as Isopure or Syntrax to the soup. Also, if you make a canned soup like cream of chicken, make it with Fairlife skim milk for even more protein. 1/2 a cup cream of chicken with 1 scoop of protein would give you about 17g protein. If you are at a stage where you can have apples, make a great protein dip by taking 1 cup Greek yogurt and adding one serving chocolate protein powder and 1 scoop powdered peanut butter and eat 1/2 cup with 1/2 an apple. This gives you around 25g protein depending what brands you are using and tastes delicious. A great source of plant-based protein is edamame, which they sell already shelled and lightly salted, ready to eat, in the produce section of Hannaford (and probably other stores, I would assume). Also, four of the cracker-sized slices of Cabot cheddar have 8g protein, and if you pair it with Triscuit thins, that's another 3g for a nice 10g snack (when you can have crackers).

Hey there, fellow Massachusetts person! Here are a few options that might work for you for protein: If you like soups such as creamy tomato, butternut bisque, etc., add a scoop or two (10-20g protein) of unflavored protein powder such as Isopure or Syntrax to the soup. Also, if you make a canned soup like cream of chicken, make it with Fairlife skim milk for even more protein. 1/2 a cup cream of chicken with 1 scoop of protein would give you about 17g protein. If you are at a stage where you can have apples, make a great protein dip by taking 1 cup Greek yogurt and adding one serving chocolate protein powder and 1 scoop powdered peanut butter and eat 1/2 cup with 1/2 an apple. This gives you around 25g protein depending what brands you are using and tastes delicious. A great source of plant-based protein is edamame, which they sell already shelled and lightly salted, ready to eat, in the produce section of Hannaford (and probably other stores, I would assume). Also, four of the cracker-sized slices of Cabot cheddar have 8g protein, and if you pair it with Triscuit thins, that's another 3g for a nice 10g snack (when you can have crackers).

Hello, I am 4 weeks post-op after vsg and I am struggling with my protein intake. I was also dehydrated 2 week pop and I been focusing on my hydration but I realized I have been slacking on Protein. Protein shakes make me extremally nauseous and does any one have any tips or ideas in how to increase my protein daily so I don't stay stuck in this stall. Thanks.

Okay. If left to my own devices I basically eat like a child. In terms of health food I really only like chicken breast and mahi fish and i don’t love either of those. I also tend to like mostly higher carb veggies and higher sugar fruits. Lucky me, right?. Anyways, the only common veggies I seem to hate are Brussels sprouts and mushrooms and I like most of the typical fruits but I still need to manage to stay low-ish with the carbs. Three years ago post sleeve I ate grilled chicken or grilled fish with a veggie every single night. Just those two proteins on the grill with a couple basic spices and veggies and it got SOOOO boring that of course I didn’t stick to it. What I need is some recipe ideas that add variety to my low carb diet so I have better luck sticking with it this time around. I am going to get a cook book once I speak with my dietician (who I just left a second message with) if there is one that’s appropriate for SADI but I just hoped others would share their favorite recipes to get me started. last night my husband made me a fajita wrap with grilled chicken, sited peppers and onion and just a bit of reduced fat cheese and a low carb wrap and I thought to myself if I had more options like that I think I can do this. I am thinking I probably need to branch out to cuisines other than my typical American, Mexican, and Italian but I may need a little nudge. I am currently looking for a Mexican recipe with caluliflower rice. And I’m wondering if cauliflower pizza is a good option for once in a while and if so is the frozen one okay. I think my store has one by California kitchen. It’s 29g of carbs so I would have to be an angel the rest of the day but is there a better option? Also, I don’t hate the zucchini noodles or the spaghetti squash but I feel like that needs a really good sauce or something to make up for what’s missing. Any suggestions for sauces?

If you're allowed, I found heating up a serving of tomato soup with unflavored protein powder was much more satisfying for my dinner than a shake. Just check that the combined calories and carbs of the soup plus the protein is roughly in line with a meal replacement shake. I used the Tomato Basil from Pacific Foods with 2 scoops of Syntrax unflavored and it was right in line with a Bariatric Fusion meal replacement shake but with a hot and savory flavor instead of sweet/cold.

@BlueParis The liquid diet isn't so bad. I guess it's a good thing I'm not actually hungry. I bought a bunch of smooth soups to add my protein powder to so I wouldn't need to do shakes, and picked up some favorite yogurt flavors. For the vitamin issue, are you able to buy Celebrate or Bariatric Fusion brands of vitamins in France? If so, they both make multivitamins that are iron free, and then a soft-chew iron supplement. I would suggest getting your multivitamin in first thing and then taking the soft chew iron in very little nibbles throughout the day. Celebrate's cherry flavor is pretty good, and the texture is like a chewy candy (like Starburst, if you are familiar with that candy). It's probably the 45mg of iron hitting all at once that's causing the issue, so if you took the very tiniest of bites 6 or even 12 times per day, you could get the iron in by the end of the day without the shock to your stomach.

The pouch reset diet is an old wives tale. You can’t ‘reset’ your pouch. You can only reset your head & thinking. If you think you are eating more than you should, watch your portion sizes carefully & your frequency of meals. Portion control will always be something we have to take care with because as the months pass we are physically able to eat more. Our restriction eases. Our tummy, while still small softens & is more pliable. And our hunger returns. We can also learn how to eat around our smaller tummy. I was told to eat about a cup at 6 months but as your surgeon said everyone’s journey is different and you may have different needs in regard to how much, what & when you eat. Check with your dietician for the best portion size of proteins, vegetables, etc. & frequency of meals for you. Then you just have to keep to those recommendations. As I always say, all because you can (in this case eat more) doesn’t mean you should. I’m glad your surgeon is so supportive & is willing to look at other ways of helping you to lose more weight & get closer to where you want to be.

Ooh and to answer your question, sorry, things I like to have between meals when I’m being good are fruits suck as apple slices, grapes, veggies such as broccoli and carrot chips, raw nuts, nut butter, cheese, Turkey jerkey, boiled eggs, lunch meat, hummus, guacamole, yogurt, and smoothies (but I watch the serving size and frequency because I like strawberry banana). They bave some protein packs at the grocery store that have a protein and fruits and veggies in them to give you some ideas. They are kinda pricey but they are easy enough to make at home.

I need help with this too. Also which veggies are okay and which are really not. When I had my sleeve I was just concerned with calories and protein. I think the idea was I could eat so little after my protein goal that I should be fine BUT…I could eat larger portions so that plan didn’t really work out so well. Anyways, apparently the SADI is mostly about the carbs so when I asked the dr what I could do for now he suggested low carb. Well the more I research, there are carbs in a lot more stuff than I realized. I can see them adding up to 40 pretty darn quick. But then there are the simple vs complex and the fiber offsets it but wait. Fiber IS a carb!! So do you count it twice? I posted the question In the DS forum but I’m still hoping for a response. I just need help understanding them. Is a carb a carb or are some really better and what do I count. Net carbs or total carbs?

Hi @Allie727- I had my procedure done in January at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. From what I’ve read online, compared to what they recommend for post-procedure guidelines, they recommend a pretty strict diet. Did the clinic provide you with how much food to consumer at each phase, along with how many calories? Here’s what they had me follow: - Weeks 1-4: Liquid diet (protein shakes + regular Gatorade). 60-80g protein, 64 oz liquids, less than 1,000 cals a day. I was probably only consuming 400-500 a day. - Weeks 5 & 6: Pureed foods (no more Gatorade). 60-80g protein, 64 oz liquids, 600-700 cals a day. A meal should be 2-3 ounces of food. - Weeks 7-10: Soft foods. 60-80g protein, 64 oz liquids, 700-900 cals a day. A meal should be 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup. I just started a regular diet/regular food today, 3/24. 60-80g protein, 64 oz liquids, under 1,200 cals (but I have a call with the dietitian in a week to see if that’s correct. A meal should be 1 cup to 1.5 cups. Like you, protein and water has never been an issue. I’ve never really felt restricted. I definitely feel full after I eat, but not sick-full at after eating. They also recommend you take at least 30 mins to eat. I found that if I finish my food quicker than that, I’ll get a stomach ache. I felt bloated earlier on post-procedure, but that slowly goes away. 6 weeks out, I had lost about 34 lbs at that point, but everyone is different!! Hope this helps!

Hi- I had my ESG done around the same date as you and hoping to hear an update. I live in San Diego so opted to have it done in Mexico. But I’m wondering if that was the wrong choice. I feel very little restriction 6 weeks out. I can eat a significant amount of food before a sudden full feeling comes on. I have no issues meeting protein or water goals. I can comfortably drink a protein shake in a minute.. I’ve had 10lbs weight loss and no weight loss since starting solid foods.

Oh wow. I wish I had a Whole Foods. Those would be perfect for me because it’s just myself and my hubby who also eats smaller portions. I need to actually go into the grocery store and look for something like that. I know that places are carrying more of the healthy options but I have been doing pickup and I don’t get the chance to really see what’s out there now.

So glad your continuing to feel great!!! I've been able to get 2 Protein shakes & my water so far. But, that's about it. I can have creamed soups(strained) if I've met the shake& water goals. I'll probably have a bit more energy if I could get a littler more calories. Which creamed soups do you like? And that's a good point about the supplements. I haven't started taking them. My doctor starts vitamins 2 weeks post surgery. I bet that will help a lot! I need to order some. Was planning on getting chewable (all in one). Which type do you like?

Everything went very smoothly, I'm feeling great. I have been able to get in 2 protein shakes and all of my water. My doctor has also allowed me to have creamed soups (strained). I alternate about 1/4 cup of each every 2 hours or so. Are you taking all of your supplements? I take 1or 2 short naps during the day, but for the most part I'm feeling great. I think the B vitamins are really helping.

I am so glad that you are still reaching out to your team and posting here. I won’t get too far into my story but because of “confusion,” about my mental health, interactions with meds and embarrassment the help I got from my team was not working for me and I gave up. I continued to gain and now I am back here facing revision weighing a little more than when I started this journey. People here are very helpful and understanding but your team should be giving you answers too. Sounds like they have a plan for the next step if need be and that’s great. if all else fails, The phentermine is the one medication that I could try which did work amazing during the day for me but I suffer from insomnia and when I can’t sleep I eat. So, the meds worked wonderfully during the day but at night, with my larger sleeve and being awake so many times, I was able to consume too much for the whole day and I still gained. But I can see how if you sleep throughout the night it really could work. I didn’t get to try mountjourno or any of the other brands it’s sold under because of financial reasons but if you can swing it, I have heard AMAZING things about that medicine too (there are some side effects for some people to consider). People claim they think they must know how skinny brains feel after taking it. They just don’t ever have to think or worry about food. One lady has to set alarms if she is busy to remind herself to eat something. Another drawback is how long you have to take it. Some say when you go off it you start to gain. They are doing studies now where they are trying to work out a maintenance dose that may be less than the regular dosage though. There are also places that are starting to “compound” it at compounding pharmacies. I wouldn’t necessarily trust the stuff from random sites online but my PCP was telling me they were working on getting it in their office and it is less than half the normal cost that way. I don’t know much about the other weight loss drug options because I couldn’t take them with my bipolar meds Interestingly, i just seen an ABC special Oprah did on weight loss injections the other night. (Ironically it was the day I went back to see my surgeon so I thought maybe it was meant to be which is why I inquired about them with my PCP). I’m really hoping that reached someone that has the power to change how accessible these meds are. I asked my pcp and she said it’s probably going to take a little while like everything else and she thinks at this point I shouldn’t wait on surgery for that but if your interested keep asking questions because these things tend to just change in the middle of the night and the word takes a while to reach you if you not the one asking. Anywahs, kudos to you for not giving up. Let your team do all they can to help you and keep posting here!!. I think when I stopped that I lost all hope. I was so isolated. Surrounded by skinny family and having only one heavyset friend who is perfectly content being that way I don’t have a lot of real life people who understand me the way that this community does. I felt so ashamed and I didn’t want to drag down the vibe here with my failures. Since I have returned I have been welcomed with open arms and honestly don’t know why I ever doubted that I would be. Keep doing what your doing and you will work this out. I know it. 🤗