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Boars head has a great low sodium turkey. Great source of Protein, low calorie, and low fat.

Thanks everyone for your feedback! I also thought 62 pounds was pretty good for 4 1/2 months in! I went for my fill today and I lost 6 #'s since my last fill a month ago. He told me I could do better. He said now I should try to keep my calories between 600 and 800. Jeez!!! I guess he's of the aggressive surgeons! I agree I could do better with exercise, and maybe with 2 more cc's I'll have better restriction to help eat a little less, but I think 600 calories is absurd! Does anyone else have a doc that expects this?:smile2:

Hi guys, So I'm 2 days post op and to say I'm a little sore is an understatement, it's not just that my abdomen aches every time I move, it's this unbelievable gas pain that just won't budge, I feel like it's taking over my whole body and when I feel in my chest that I need burp I try to bring it up but it just doesn't come! I'm so bloated it's unreal, I've tried drinking gripe Water which helps move it along but it just doesn't come out! Walking also helps move it around but still nothing comes out! I'm so uncomfortable. Also nobody told me before surgery that I would have to inject myself! Wth! Luckily my partner doesn't mind because there is no way I could do that myself, the thought alone makes me feel queasy. The calories I've consumed in the last 2 days amount to 3 cup o Soups and 3 ice poles which I'm sure isn't enough to keep me going, so my questions are, How do I help relieve this gas pain? What else can I eat/drink to help me consume a few more calories? Thanks guys ????

My weight has been the one thing I can't really control in life. I come from a long line of tall, big-boned giants in my family. (Seriously, my dad is a non-athlete and needed a knee replacement the size of a football player's.) I am 5'9 and have always had long legs and curves, even at my highest weight. I developed earlier than other girls when I was in my teens, and owned a size 12 (Between 165-185 lbs) until my sophomore year in college. I've always loved my body and felt that it was beautiful even if I was more voluptuous than other girls in school. During college I ate more. I discovered that beer and wine were good. (You know, before you realized they contained boat loads of empty calories?) My sleep patterns changed and the stress of tests, papers and social life added up-- and so did the pounds. By the time I graduated I was larger (Size 18-20, 240-260 lbs) but still had my curves. Dieting became more of a priority now, but the dieting almost made it worse. I would lose weight, regain. Cut carbs, try intuitive eating, then go to a doctor, go to the gym and try to get on a new plan, try the South Beach Diet, Eat Vegetarian... you get it? Right? I felt like my energy was sucked up with trying to lose the pounds and it was discouraging thinking about it. I worked hard at my career while still trying to work out and eat less carbs. I was supervised by a doctor, personal trainer and nutritionist-- but somehow I just couldn't stop the lose and regain cycle I had started. Every time I stepped on the scale, I was more than 20 lbs heavier than the last time. I wore nice clothes to the office, but as my weight creeped higher and higher-- my heels got lower and lower-- because my sitting and walking posture were losing strength. I felt my muscles weaken and it was weird for me. (By this time, I was about 300-320 lbs.) I added more time in the gym to help keep me active and to prevent myself from becoming completely glued to my office chair or in meetings. I gave up alcohol and only drank water.For a year and a half before my wedding, I worked out 4-5 days a week (cardio and strength). My diet was balanced, (whole grain, lean meats, vegetables, occasional treats) but between working out, going to work 40-55 hours a week-- I ate way more when I came home. Not out of stress, but because I felt HUNGRY. No fast foods, no crazy fried foods-- just balanced meals choices... but HUGE portions. I ended up losing 5 pounds in a year and a half for my wedding. Then gaining 15 while on my honeymoon-- my highest weight. (376 lbs.) So let's fast forward to today: I am a successful profession in marketing. I have some competitive skills and work well with others. I am able to look people in the eye with the same confidence I have always had. I love myself, and I love my life. I just want to be a winner of my own health, too. I am working out in the gym still, eating a balanced diet, now reducing my portions and I weighed in today at 358 lbs. I am currently at a size high 24 and low 26. I still wear heels to work, but low ones. I am at a point where I can walk up and down stairs, quickly through hallways and to my car with a bit of a heavy breath-- but still doable. My chair is snugger than I would like it to be, but it works. I pass on the endless parade of employee birthday cakes, but still participate in the celebrations. My struggle now is trying to control the urge to eat at night and keep my calories in check. It's hard. It's hard not to be tired after work. It's hard to be as focused on my duties, be a leader and ensure I take care of my body with the proper nutrients and exercise it needs. I have some aches that I didn't have before. My lower back gets tight and my joints crack more. This is a new development and one of the reasons I am moving forward with the VSG surgery. Working out IS HARDER at this weight, and it still feels like I am not getting anywhere. However, I am staying positive no matter what. I have decided that I am going to take control and apply this tool (the VSG, is a tool-- not a cure-all) to my gym routine and eat like my nutritionist instructs. Protein, small amounts, stay away from those starchy carbs. I only drink water and iced coffee with a little light cream in the morning. I am already learning to love my scale and thinking of it as a unit of measurement. (The same way I would measure success at work.) I can still be my big-boned, tall self at work-- I just need some help and taking these next steps will help me do that. Anyone else struggle with the weight and work? (In the office or at home?) I'd love to hear about it. I will continue to write more. The good, the bad and the UGLY It's here we can all share these experiences and learn from each other.

I'm 3 weeks post-op and traveled this weekend with my mom, aunt and sister. I portioned some Protein powder into individual serving ziploc bags and chose yogurts for breakfast. At restaurants I often had egg beaters or Soup. One restaurant we chose had a crab cake entree that was only lightly breaded, and had very little bready filler. I just picked off the crusty edges. Basically, I tried to stick to soft foods that were good sources of protein. Of course, traveling with my own personal band of food nazis made it easier! I kept myself on track by logging every bite in my Calorie Counter app (fatsecret.com) that I installed on my mobile phone. ETA: Our post-op diet is 2 weeks Clear liquids, 2 weeks full liquids/pureed foods then 2-4 months of soft foods. My doc has been encouraging me to try more solid foods as tolerated, and the only thing I had any issues with was the pieces of beef in some minestrone soup I tried. The meat seemed soft and I chewed well, but it still seemed to "stick"

The bandster "rules" as I remember them (many of these rules are variations on rules for RnY patients to maximize the benefits of their pouch). These are not necessarily in any particular order: 1. The Water rules: I. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day.<O:p</O:p II. No drinking with meals - the liquid either washes the food through the pouch/stoma faster allowing you to eat more before feeling full, or it makes you "stuck" and you PB.<O:p</O:p III. Waterload prior to mealtimes so that:<O:p a) you're hydrated your pouch gets that initial stretching so that the "full" sensation can kick in sooner. Even though the water should pretty much drain right through, the stretching effect can last 30 minutes or so, which helps you to feel less hungry. To waterload - start drinking water an hour before you want to eat. About 15 minutes for you want to eat drink as much water as fast as you can until you feel full.<O:p</O:p IV. Wait at least an hour after eating before drinking again. Again, this helps the pouch stay full longer, maximizing the stretching/full sensation.<O:p</O:p 4. CHEW CHEW CHEW. Worst case scenario, inadequate chewing can result in obstruction requiring doctor intervention to remove the offending piece. Less drastic ramifications of inadequate chewing can be severe pain and/or recurrent vomiting until the offending piece has been expelled. 5. SLOW DOWN when eating. Eating too fast, even if the food is well chewed, can result in your pouch filling faster than it empties, resulting in the “golfball” feeling (which is really, really painful/uncomfortable), and/or vomiting the overflow. 6. Eat solid foods. Solid foods pass more slowly through the stoma, allowing the pouch to fill and create the stretch that turns off hunger and creates a feeling of satiety. 7. Protein first, veggies, and then if you have room, other stuff. Since your portions will become much smaller, you must make every bite count nutrition-wise. Get your nutritious foods in first before you indulge in empty calories, otherwise you will be too full to eat the stuff your body needs to be healthy. 8. Stop eating after 20 minutes. It is possible to eat so slowly that the pouch empties either at the rate of eating, or faster than the rate of eating, which means you can eat too much in one very long sitting. Limiting your eating to twenty minutes at a time helps keep your portions under control. 9. Avoid liquid calories. liquids generally pass right through the stoma and don’t create a lasting feeling of fullness. You can really go overboard on calories by consuming caloric liquids. (Yes, ICE CREAM is considered a “liquid”… ) 10. Keep up with your correct fill level - too loose and you will eat more than your body needs before you feel full. Too tight and you will resort to mushies/liquids and eat around the band (or vomit a lot, which is the number one cause of slippage). 11. No carbonation (CONTROVERSIAL - many do anyway) The number one reason cited for this is to avoid “stretching” the pouch, as carbonation expands. Personally I don’t buy that, since the pouch is not a closed system and gas can be belched up to relieve pressure. I would be more concerned about the high acid content and the possibility of that damaging the lining of the stomach. Regardless, some docs say “okay”, some say “never”, some say “as tolerated”. And regardless of what their docs say, some people indulge in carbonation. Some find they are unable to handle carbonation, as it is just too uncomfortable. Others have no problems with it, and still others will make some effort to eliminate at least some of the carbonation before drinking the beverage, either by letting it go flat naturally, or helping it along somewhat by stirring, shaking, etc. 12. NO NSAIDS!!!! These types of medications can cause ulcerations in non-banded patients, so are particularly dangerous for banded patients where the medication in pill form has a chance to be caught in the upper pouch or stoma and lay against the stomach wall, burning a hole in the lining of your stomach and possibly increasing your risk of erosion. Also, it's not just the physical presence of the pill in the stomach that is problematic. There's something about the way the drug works in our bodies that causes increased susceptibility to ulcers and bleeding. Liquid Tylenol is generally recommended as an aspirin substitute, but always check with your doc before taking any medications. ALWAYS check with your band doctor before taking any kind of medication. Many band docs will closely monitor those patients that must take NSAIDs for whatever reasons. http://lyberty.com/encyc/articles/nsaid.html NSAIDs : non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Aspirin (Anacin, Ascriptin, Bayer, Bufferin, Ecotrin, Excedrin) Choline and magnesium salicylates (CMT, Tricosal, Trilisate) Choline salicylate (Arthropan) Celecoxib (Celebrex) Diclofenac potassium (Cataflam) Diclofenac sodium (Voltaren, Voltaren XR) Diclofenac sodium with misoprostol (Arthrotec) Diflunisal (Dolobid) Etodolac (Lodine, Lodine XL) Fenoprofen Calcium (Nalfon) Flurbiprofen (Ansaid) Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Motrin IB, Nuprin) Indomethacin (Indocin, Indocin SR) Ketoprofen (Actron, Orudis, Orudis KT, Oruvail) Magnesium salicylate (Arthritab, Bayer Select, Doan's pills, Magan, Mobidin, Mobogesic) Meclofenamate sodium (Meclomen) Mefenamic acid (Ponstel) Meloxicam (Mobic) Nabumetone (Relafen) Naproxen (Naprosyn, Naprelan*) Naproxen sodium (Aleve, Anaprox) Oxaprozin (Daypro) Piroxicam (Feldene) Rofecoxib (Vioxx) Salsalate (Amigesic, Anaflex 750, Disalcid, Marthritic, Mono-Gesic, Salflex, Salsitab) Sodium salicylate (various generics) Sulindac (Clinoril) Tolmetin sodium (Tolectin) Valdecoxib (Bextra)<O:p></O:p> Note: Some products, such as Excedrin, are combination drugs (Excedrin is acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine).<O:p></O:p> Note that acetaminophen (Paracetamol; Tylenol) is not on this list. Acetaminophen belongs to a class of drugs called analgesics (pain relievers) and antipyretics (fever reducers). The exact mechanism of action of acetaminophen is not known. Acetaminophen relieves pain by elevating the pain threshold, that is, by requiring a greater amount of pain to develop before it is felt by a person. It reduces fever through its action on the heat-regulating center of the brain. Specifically, it tells the center to lower the body's temperature when the temperature is elevated. Acetaminophen relieves pain in mild arthritis but has no effect on the underlying inflammation, redness and swelling of the joint. Paracetamol, unlike other common analgesics such as aspirin and ibuprofen, has no anti-inflammatory properties, and so it is not a member of the class of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. <O:p * Naproxen Sodium " Naprelan contains naproxen sodium, a member of the arylacetic acid group of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)" "The chemical name for naproxen sodium is 2-naphthaleneacetic acid, 6-methoxy-a-methyl-sodium salt, (S)." 13. Be extremely careful of food/products that expand with water. Rice, Pasta, potatoes and bread are the most common food items that people have problems with. These food items either swell in liquids and/or tend to combine in the pouch into large, globby, sticky balls that are too large to pass through the stoma, which results in the “stuck”/“golfball” feeling, and/or vomiting until the offending piece is expelled. Eating these foods in combination with other, less sticky foods can often help reduce the incidence of problems. Fiber products, such as Metamucil and psyllium husks SWELL in water to many times their dry volume. VERY, VERY dangerous if this swelling takes place in the pouch. If you need to add fiber to your diet, try a non-bulking agent such as Benefibre. If you do taking a bulking agent such as Metamucil/psyllium husks, be sure to wash it through with lots and lots of water so that it will bulk in your lower stomach, not your pouch. 14. Avoid Vomiting/PBing (productive burping) at ALL Costs. Vomiting/PBing is the NUMBER ONE CAUSE of slippage. In addition to being the number one cause of slippage, vomiting/PBing usually results in (and/or from) an irritated stoma/pouch, which causes swelling. Continuing to eat after a vomiting/PBing episode is likely to increase your chances of repeating the episode, and people can be caught in a vicious cycle where they eventually will have to get an unfill to allow the stoma/pouch/esophagus to heal. The best ways to avoid vomiting/PBing: a) CHEW CHEW CHEW SLOW DOWN your eating c) Avoid overly dry foods. Help lubricate dry foods with gravy/sauces. d) Avoid/be extremely careful with foods that swell/recombine in the pouch, such as rice, pasta, potatoes and bread. Take extra care to consume these items slowly, and chew them very well. e) Avoid/be extremely careful with foods that do not breakdown well even with chewing, such as hardboiled eggs and rubbery foods like calamari. The “After the Vomiting/PBing” Rules: a) Stop eating immediately Do liquids only until the next meal. c) If you still have problems at the next meal, do 24 hours of liquids before trying solids again. d) If after 24 hours of only liquids you still have problems, you should probably make an appointment with your band doctor, and stay on liquids until you can be seen by them. e) If you are unable to tolerate even liquids after 24 hours you MUST see your doctor right away. Dehydration is a very serious risk. 15. Don’t Cut/Crush Pills without Doctor Approval. You shouldn’t have to break/cut/crush your medications as a general rule, but people on the tight side, or those who must take very large pills oftentimes will have problems. NEVER break/cut/crush a medication without checking with the prescribing doctor first. Some medications are meant only to be taken in whole form, and it can be dangerous to take them cut or crushed. Time-released formulas are a good example – cutting/crushing a time-released pill means you would get too much of the medication too quickly. 16. Get a prescription for an anti-nausea medication and keep it on hand. Phenergren is one of the common medicines for this, and comes in oral and suppository forms. If you have a tendency towards motion-sickness, make sure you take Dramamine or the equivalent BEFORE the motion-sickness activity – I believe 30 minutes is the suggested timeframe. Read the instructions and plan ahead.<O:p 17. Don’t Skip Meals. Eating regularly helps keep your blood sugar stable, and helps keep you from being too hungry at the next meal and then eating too fast or too much.<O:p 18. Exercise. Exercise is always an important part of a healthy lifestyle, and will help keep your metabolism revved and your goals on track. Exercise also increases muscle mass, which takes up less room than fat mass of the same weight. So even if the scale isn’t moving downwards, you’re losing inches – plus, muscle is what burns fat, so the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism. This is why men generally tend to drop weight more quickly than women – they generally have more muscle mass, so their metabolisms are faster. <O:p 19. AFTERCARE. FOLLOW-UP, FOLLOW-UP, FOLLOW-UP. Regular follow-up with a band doctor will help ensure your success and band health, and keep problems to a minimum or nip them in the bud. If your banding doctor is far away, make sure you line up an aftercare doc BEFORE you get banded. This cannot be stressed enough.<O:p 20. Be your own best advocate. Learn everything you can about being banded, and the common warning signs of trouble. TRUST YOUR GUT. If something doesn’t feel right, CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR. Sometimes relatively minor problems can escalate into major problems because of delay in diagnosis/care.<O:p 21. Find and participate in some sort of support group. Most people are more successful when they have a support group. Plus it's lots of fun, and you learn a lot about being banded, and life in general. 22. Do not lay down sooner than 2-3 hours after eating. Laying down with a full pouch can cause reflux. 23. Do not leave reflux untreated. Reflux is a symptom that something is wrong – you are either too tight, are eating too close to bedtime, or are suffering from an esophageal problem. Unfortunately, reflux is the bain of many long time bandsters. If you are already following the guidelines for reducing reflux then you need to see your doc for prescription antacid medication. It is critical that you do NOT leave this untreated, as stomach acid in the wrong places can cause severe damage, and create pre-cancerous conditions.<O:p</O:p "ACID REFLUX CAN KILL YOU. YOU CAN ASPIRATE STOMACH ACID, GET REALLY BAD PNEUMONIA AND DIE." - GeezerSue<O:p</O:p The only solutions I know of are modification of diet/habits, medication, reduction/removal of fills, band removal (worst case scenario).<O:p</O:p You may find that something specific you are eating/drinking is contributing to this problem. If you're not interested in having a little fill removed, you may try eliminating these things from your diet for a while, and see if that makes a difference: 1. acidic juices/fruits, like citrus 2. caffeine - coffee, tea, chocolate 3. spicy foods Guidelines for reducing/avoiding reflux (in order of least to most aggressive):<O:p</O:p 1. Do not over eat. 2. Avoid acid producing foods/drinks, like caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate), peppermint, citrus fruits/juice, spicy food. 3. Do not lie down sooner than three hours after eating.<O:p</O:p 4. Do not eat or drink 3 hours before bedtime.<O:p</O:p 5. Switch evening medications to morning if okay with your doctor.<O:p 6. Take an OTC med to control reflux.<O:p 7. Elevate the head of the bed (helps keep the esophagus above the stomach so there's no backflow). 8. Have your doc prescribe anti-reflux medication.<O:p 9. Get a slight or complete unfill.<O:p If these things do not help you, you must seek the care of your physician for additional help. 24. After the fill protocol. Most docs recommend doing only liquids for a day or two after a fill to allow the stomach to adjust to the new restriction and allow any residual swelling to go down. Also is a cautious way for you to test out your new fill level.

On my liquid phase I lost about 16 pounds. I'm on my 3rd week (mushy foods) and after going from the liquid stage to the mushy foods I went up about 4 pounds. On liquids I was on about 300 to 400 calories a day to now about 700 - 1,000 per day. Why the weight gain if the calories are still low (under 1200)? When does the weight start coming off at a normal rate of 1 to 2 pounds a week? Once I start regular food and go to maybe 1200 will I gain all my weight back? Please let me know if this is typical in the beginning? Thanks,

Here I am 3 months after being banded. I feel proud of the progress that I've made... but sorta bummed because I have such a long road ahead of me. I look back to last April and I realize how far I've come. I actually weighed 332 lbs before I got sick. So, since then I've actually lost 70 some lbs. I know, I know I should be proud but I'm looking at more than a 100 lbs to go to get to my goal. That's a lot of weight. I need to set small goals to keep myself motivated. I'm also bummed because I have so many back problems that its making it impossible for me to exercise. I've had two fills. I have 6cc's in my 14 cc band. I'm calling today to see if I can come in early and get my third fill this week because I know I need it, I'm not in the green yet. Which brings me to my next thought. I had an "Ah Ha" moment this week. I don't know how many times I've heard that the band is just a tool it doesn't make you lose weight. This is SO TRUE! I've had the band for three months and really I've been dieting for three months. I've changed the way I eat and watch my calories. My band isn't tight enough to "KEEP" me from eating. Technically, I could eat whatever I wanted and quite a bit of it, but I'm using my willpower to keep myself on track. Some days are better than others. My point is the band isn't working for me right now so I'm still on my own. I made up my mind that I was going to lose weight and that's exactly what I'm doing! I just didn't realize it would take so long to get my band to the right spot to get me losing with my band. If anybody is reading this that hasn't been banded yet, just realize the band does work it just takes a lot of maintenance. You have to be in contact with your surgeon. I've only been going once a month but I'm hoping to start going every two to three weeks until I get where I need to be. After my fills usually by week two I know how I can eat and what's going on with my hunger. I know I'm just rambling, but that's what my blogs are for! I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving this year and I'm not worried about gaining. I'm more nervous about being around family, and them seeing how slow or what a small amount I eat. Plus, those who know will be looking at me to see if they can tell if I've lost weight. I've lost two jeans sizes. Go me! Go me! Go me! My daughter who comes home on the weekends from college always tells me she can tell the difference in my weight. She told me my clothes were too baggy and I needed to wear smaller clothes to show off my body more. This is another issue. I don't see myself any thinner so I'm still wearing clothes to disguise my body. I really still need to because I have a bad case of muffin top going on now. The jeans are all low cut and I need to lose weight around my middle. Can't wait until I'm to the point where I can get a tummy tuck!! Also, my poor tata's are shrinking. Of course, the first person to tell me about that was my hubby. LOL!! Finally, I mainly wrote this for myself to remind me where I've come from and where I am and to set my mind straight to where I wanna be! I can do this! I am doing this! BUT, its hard. This is not an easy fix. The band is not a quick fix. The band requires dedication and pure commitment to your goal. It's not just another diet either. It's a life changing way to help you eat healthier and in turn you get your life back! I'm getting out more. I'm doing more with my friends and that happy party girl is coming back! Everyone around me has noticed it. I'm THANKFUL that I feel more confident! I'm so glad I got the band and I'm so glad I found this site. Even though it's changed dramatically. I love all my new lapband friends! I'm thankful I have friends and family that are supportive! I feel blessed and I'm going to continue to work hard to lose these last 100 lbs. It might take me two years but I'm going to get there! Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving! Till Next Time, Tara

jgandg, This is the toughest time to be a bandster. You've just had major surgery and you feel like you deserve to be losing a ton of weight, but you just plain don't have any help until you get your fills. This time is for healing. Please don't forget that. If you can stick to a low calorie diet, you will lose and that will be great, but if you can't, just be sure to stick to the consistency of foods your doctor requires during this period and worry about losing lbs later when you have a fill. If it makes you feel any better, I didn't lose ANY weight during the 3-6 week post-op period (once I left liquids and before I got a fill). That said, I'm just shy of 6 months post-op and just shy of 100 lbs down. I tell you that because you shouldn't worry. This IS going to work, you just need to pass the next few weeks and then be diligent about getting to a proper restriction level. Best of luck!

Good evening. I am getting the band on 12/17/08. I have been on liquids only (three Slim Fast and soup each day) so it is not quite a shock after surgery. I met with the nutritionist and who said that the Slim Fast had too much sugar. The four items above give me the Protein required. I am wondering if the sugar is such a big deal when I am taking in only 1,000 calories per day. Any advice for alternatives. I thought sugar was a big deal with the bypass. Thank you.

If you really want to get a handle on how much food/calories you should be consuming to lose weight, you might want to consider getting a BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), or RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) test done. I got a RMR test done by a registered dietition at my gym. She plugged in my daily activity level, and the amount of exercise, and gave me a number to shoot for. The test was about $80, and well worth it. Although I don't believe in "starvation mode" per se, I do believe that some people eat too few calories to efficiently lose weight. They even talked about that on The Biggest Loser a week or so ago. Kim was fussing at Bryan for not eating enough! Of course, a huge component of The Biggest Loser, and for any of us wanting to lose weight and keep it off is to exercise consistently and progressively. It's the only way to imrove your metabolism. Tami

Start paying attention to your body, are you really hungry? Or is it mental. If you are already having stuck issues I doubt you need more fluid... I think what you are eating sounds about right. What your doctor says doesn't sound right. It'll never physically stop you from eating more than 900 calories. I could stop at 900 calories and not be hungry, but I wouldn't be satisfied. So I eat closer to what you said you are eating. I don't think that is unreasonable.

Smoothie King offers a shake called the gladiator. It only has 180 calories, you can buy the powder - I sometimes add strawberries

Yup! But it was actually this stuff: http://mybrands.com/product/Kitchens_of_India,Palak_Paneer-Spinach_w/Cottage_Cheese,10oz They have it at the grocery store and it's 170 calories per serving and nine carbs. There's not much food in the box really but it's nice and light.

Yep SLOW down!! My mom made the observation the other day that one problem with laprascopic surgery is that we forget we have had MAJOR SURGERY!! Also any other major surgery they would be encouraging us to eat good healthy foods for our body to heal, instead we have restricted our calories big time. It takes time. I went back to work after 2 weeks (but I only work 1 full day a week) had to take a nap at lunch, and it was 5 weeks before I returned to all my activities. But I also had complications during surgery, and I'm 53. I also felt like I should be more based on those posts you mentioned.

OK, I haven't been hungry but I've been eating only got some nutrients in. This morning in dread I whipped up some sugar free Carnantion Instant Breakfeast - chocolate, recommended by my program. To my suprise it was quite tasty! I used a milk frother I got to whip it up (also can be used for any protien powder liquid) and it worked awesome...not lumpy at all...so in 8oz I managed to get 14 grams of Protein and only 150 calories...and miraculously this headache that I now think may have been a signal of hunger is gone! For all the newbies if your looking for something to get your protien in and are waiting on a protien order or don't want to order this is pretty good...

Designer whey is 100 calories per scoop. With the shakes I make (adding 2 scoops, apples, bananas, strawberries and agave nectar and 1/2 of fage greek yogurt and 6oz of skim milk) it makes 44 oz (I split it up between the day or sip all day) and the whole thing is just under 500 calories. So if you divide that into 8oz servings (comes out to 5 and 1/2) that's just around 100 calories per serving. Making your own and using fresh and natural ingredients is always best.

I just wanted to share it has been 4 1/2 months since I had my band removed and I am at my goal. The band was a nightmare for me the multiple fills (which I had to pay for since I had my band done in Mx) food getting stuck, being afraid to eat, puking, sliming and knowing I had a foreign body in me with the port showing like a tumor! Strong advice: if you are getting a revision I would advise you choose a surgeon who has experience in revisions-it is not the same as a new sleeve, there is scar tissue involved making the surgery more challenging-this is not "routine surgery". I followed Dr Aceves post-surgery diet but modified it with the Cornell post-sleeve diet. My hunger is very much under control, I don't log in or count any calories. I am a professional dieter I KNOW what is in what! I eat enough protein (I still drink protein drinks but I did that before I got the band) I didn't/don't obsess about the scale didn't weight myself every day, weekly at best. Gauged how I was doing by how my clothes fit. Had a "collection size 16 to size 6". I got to goal a few years ago using sparkspeople, but like usual (got to goal w/weight watchers, TOPS, Atkins...) I gained the weight back. That is why I got the band to put an end to the obsession w/food. The band didn't do that for me but the sleeve so far has done that for me. Finally wearing my size 6 comfortably. People have noticed how "skinny" I am. I eat for nutrition, there is little room for much else! I have given my sizes 16 to 8 away, I have never done that before. Size 8 was the hardest to let go of. I would not have done the revision without this board. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you:001_wub: Dee

Past threads recommended the following for constipation. Apples with the skin Smooth Move Herbal Tea Prune juice (warmed) Prunes (4 in the morning and 4 at night) Magnesium citrate Insoluble fibers (Garden of Life Raw Fiber or Renew Life Triple Fiber). Haribo sugar free Gummy Bears Aerobic Magnesium 07 Ground Flax Seeds (but don’t try to grind it yourself). Use 2 tablespoons per glass of Water every night before going to bed. Low Fat Bran Muffin (recipe). 80 calories each 1 cup flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon cinnamon 2 cups bran Cereal 1 ¼ cups milk 1 egg ½ tablespoon applesauce optional: banana, berries, mini chocolate chips Bake 400° F for 22 minutes

It's weird so many surgeons have different plans, but it does seem like those in US do recommend protein shakes. The shake I drink is 170 calories for 35 gm of protein. Not bad! And how else can you get 50-70 grams per day? I can't actually eat that much. As far a airbornes goes, I tried it once and was only able to tolerate one sip. Boy that hit me fast and made me feel terrible. Maybe others can tolerate it, but I sure could not. It's definitely worse than soda.

I hear you. I was banded 5/21 and I lost 16 lbs the first week but nothing the second. I'm still on the post op diet and it was so exciting to lose the 16 lbs, but NOTHING the second week??? I know not to expect that kind of weight loss again but I'm probably only having 800 calories a day so how can I have lost NOTHING???

OH MY GOD, DON'T GET ME STARTED ON SOUP....and Protein drinks for that matter. Aren't we told from Day 1 to avoid liquid calories? How the hell is a bowl of chicken noodle different from a cherry coke? It doesn't fill you up any more than a cup of tea. I swear to god, the next time someone tells me to eat soup, I'm going to pour it on him.

Wow my first "meal" 2 weeks after my sleeve. "MUSHIES" was 1 ounce of Krab with a dab of plain Greek yogurt with spices and four cooked carrot slices and I'm full! 20 calories!!! But it was lovely after 4 weeks of liquids!!

Alex, as far as ingredients, for example: Make a can of tuna salad. Count the calories in the tuna, count the calories in the mayo, count the calories in the bread. If you make 2 sandwitches, divide the calories in half. Then you'll always know what a tuna sandwhich is. We can never be 100%, but his lesson was to get to know tuna on many levels. In your best Forest Gump, "plain tuna, tuna boat, spicy tuna roll, tuna casserollllll, etc." And Donali, did you actually doubt me? I interupted him plenty of times to discuss the sheer obession and compulsion. That's the "WORK" part that we gotta do. Breaking bad habits, working it. For example, I told him my recent binges were nervous eating over all my recent band problems, but he shot me down. Ouch, but he was right, cause what kind of excuse is that considering I've been obese my whole life? On another post, Bright talks about the food calling her like nails screeching down a chaulkboard. Billy said we gotta get rid of the chaulkboard. So I told him I would try to break my nightime eating by having cucumbers and carrots marinated in vingar instead of goodies. Easier than it sounds, but what it all boiled down to is that I won't lose any more weight unless I account for what I eat. Can I do this? I don't know. He seems to think I can. Like I said, I hate what he said, but I have to try. Deep sigh. And he said I should be having 1200 calories a day until I lose weight, and from there we'll reassess what my body needs. He also said nobody will actually eat 1200 calories (we'll eat more.) And one thing I was glad about is that we don't have to count veggies, they're a freebie.

How many calories are you getting? Most Docs recommend around 1000 a day. Do you exercise? You absolutely must get you water and protein in. I do best with 70+ grams of protein and around 100 oz of water. Keep in mind that you have less to loose than some of us so you loss may be slower. You've lost almost 1/4 of your weight I. 3 mos. If you can keep that up you should be fine.