Search the Community

Hi Helenah, I exercised for 45 mins twice a day and tried to eat less than 1800 calories a day.

I agree that you could be building muscle. Measurements might help allay your concerns. I had my bypass 2 days after you. I don't mean this as a criticism at all, but I am wondering how you can eat 4-5 oz of chicken? The most I can get down is 2 boiled eggs, or half a can of chili (200g). In terms of your protein it's a good thing, especially since you are working out so much. Calories probably don't matter too much either, even though i think that's more than a standard serving size. When's your next visit with the nutritionist? I'm curious what they might say? Hang in there!

Im sorry the Facebook group was so harsh. Maybe everyone is having a rough week or something. I’d brush them off I’ve learned the body needs a base level of protein to function and more if you want to build muscle while working out. Based on what you’ve said, it’s possible you need more protein to support your workouts. You didn’t mention vitamins or supplements. Are you getting all of those in as well? The sleuth in me would keep a daily journal (for at least a week) of everything you’re eating and an honest assessment of calories and such. I’d also start taking body measurements with a cloth tape because you could be trimming up even though the scale isn’t moving much. Finally, make sure you have a dietician or time to review your food journal with your doctor so you can work together to understand what combination of macros would be best for your new lifestyle. Im always a little bothered when people try to sum things up in black or white (”it was the bbq sauce”, “you’re eating too much” or “you’re working out too much”). Our bodies are just too complex for that kind of minimization. Anyways, I’m sure others can weigh in here too. There’s so much experience on these forums

I had bypass on 2/13, I've always followed the plan very closely. I managed to lose 70 pounds pre-op on the dieticians plans and working out and then 20 pounds on the liquid diet. Since surgery I've only lost 5 pounds. I thought I was doing very well but I guess not? I stick close to the diet plan, though I admit my calories can go over but my main goal has always been to get to my protein goal before anything else. I've been working out 4-5 times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes. I do a lot of strength training because I am into strongwoman stuff, so its been weird staying in the weight restriction. I also hit my water goals alongside my protein goals. I made the mistake of posting this on a facebook support group and.. wow. I don't think I've ever felt worse about myself, there was almost no support and a lot of telling me I'm doing something wrong obviously. A lot of people there were blaming the scant amount of bbq sauce I use or the single string cheese. Most were telling me I'm eating far too much. Others were telling me to stop working out entirely? I don't want to be skinny, I want to be healthy and I want to be strong. Am I eating too much still? When I don't work out I get 600 calories, and when I do its usually more around 800 to be honest. I don't feel like I'm making the wrong decisions. Meal 1: Oikos Triple Zero yogurt to take my meds with. Meal 2: Fairlife elite core protein in my coffee. Meal 3: 3 oz turkey lunch meat 1 oz of cheeze and mustard. Meal 4: 1 String cheese. Meal 5: 4-5 oz of chicken with bbq sauce (its not sugar free, I live in the country and the rural grocery store doesnt stock sugar free and the next closest is over 50 miles away). I'm so confused and heartbroken.

Just chiming in to say that I also was never given a calorie goal in the beginning. I was loosely given a protein goal, but even that the nurse said no to worry about it in the beginning as you are taking in such small amounts, it's hard to get it all in. More importantly, congratulations on your surgery and welcome to the other side!!! You are probably still full of IV fluids, so once you start peeing your brains out, you will be shedding weight like never before!!! Best of luck to you!!!

Thanks everyone, the liquid protein shakes take me a while to drink but are getting easier. I need to get three per day (60-80g protein). Three shakes total about 450-500 calories. If I have some thinned yogurt, SF pudding or soup broth, the calories go up to 600 or so. I reached out to my dietician but she probably won’t respond until Monday.

I didn’t get a calorie goal until my 3-month post-op visit.

I didn’t get calories either. Did get portion size for from purée (1/4 - 1/3 cup slowly increasing to a cup). If you’d feel more comfortable & confident with some some calorie guidelines for from purée/soft food on, ask your dietician for some that will best complement you & your needs (we’re all different).

First the average weight loss statistic for sleeve or bypass is about 65% of the weight you have to lose to put you in a healthier range. Of course some lose more & some lose less. Now the why. The surgery will reset your body’s set point. This is the weight your body is happiest at & is easiest to maintain. Your set point could end up higher or lower than you’d prefer. Life. It can throw crap at you & make it more difficult to lose or maintain your weight (stress, emotions). Health conditions & medications. Some meds are notorious for increasing your appetite & causing weight gain & some health conditions limit your ability to lose all the weight you want e.g, restrict mobility. Personal choice. Some feel happier at a higher weight. Or they make food choices that better complement their life & how they want to live their life. Your body reaches a lower weight but resettles a bit heavier. A bounce back regain of 10+/- lbs can occur. And so on. I understand your fear of regaining. I mean we all have a lifetime of experiencing weight loss & the inevitable regain. This is the first time in my life (was almost 54 when I had my surgery) I have ever maintained my weight after losing for longer than a couple of months. The difference is I did not go back to eating in the sane way as I always did. I worked out a way of eating that I’m comfortable with, doesn’t make me feel like I’m missing out or making sacrifices, allows me to live my life as I want, is sustainable (very important) & works for me & my body. I changed my relationship with food. My choices may not work for you or others & some may think it too restrictive. I din consider it a die but just how I eat. I avoid as much sugar, sugar alternatives & artificial sweeteners as I can so no sodas & sweets only a couple of times a year (e.g. Christmas). If I want/need sweet I eat fruit. I prep & cook most of what I eat - mostly lots of whole foods & low processed ingredients. I rarely have takeaway & haven’t had fast food since before my surgery. I keep my carbs lowish & choose whole & multi grains more complex carbs. No bread or similar products pasta or rice (choice & also sit heavily in my tummy). I also chose not to exercise. I didn’t want to have to spend hours in a gym or run or cycle miles every week to maintain my weight. I’m happy with the stretches, resistance band exercises & sit ups I do. (Takes a total of about 25 minutes over a couple of sessions a day & wouldn’t burn 30 calories - LOL!). It works for me & my body seems happy at this weight (set point). I’ve basically maintained my weight since my surgery. Chat with your surgeon about a realistic goal weight after surgery & what you might experience & your dietician about how your future of eating might look. Research & avoid trendy diets - if they worked & were sustainable no one would have weight issues. You may find this video informative. You may find this video informative. Dr John Pilcher has many great videos on a variety of topics. Dr Matt Weiner is very good too.

Don't worry about calories at this stage you will be getting such small amounts of food in the calories will be minimal

No I didn't receive any calorie goals or restrictins for post op phases. While some may have, from what I have seen on here, its most protein and fluids goals and for some people there may have been carbs targets or limits.

I had my VSG on Monday (5 days post op now) and on full liquids. I was given protein and fluid goals, but nothing else. Did you have calorie goals/restrictions during each phase (clear, full, purée, soft)?

High protein, low carb calorie deficit with low impact excersices! I was just consistent with it

Lost 2 stone myself on a low fat diet I lost 5 stone with Weight watchers, put it back on in 2 years Lost 2 stone with the local doctors weigh in clinic, Tried prescription diet pills, hated them I lost 7 stone with Slimming world, put it back on over 10 years with stopping smoking and the Covid lock in. So I just couldn't face the whole diet struggle again. I just knew I wanted this surgery, I paid. I am overjoyed with my results. You and only you will know if you are ready to do this, its tough for some, me included. I had no pain with the surgery but had months of nausea and had trouble with my restriction. Would I have had this surgery in my 30's if I could get it on the NHS, hell yes. All my life has been ruled by the weighing scales, calories and feeling guilty if I ate something 'bad'. I now feel liberated

I average about 1200 a day. My team wanted me to up my calories as I was running short on energy. I feel better now.

No, I just weigh it before I pack it and/or bring portion controlled, single-serving items (I am very guilty of eating Lunchables and leaving the crackers behind in a pinch LOL). I actually pack both my breakfast AND lunch AND snacks when I go into the office, a 10 hr day that starts at 6:30 AM once a week. The way I figure it I need to take care of Future Me's needs so I don't feel tempted to go poking around in the vending machine. My lunch usually looks like this (I am 18m post op and am in maintenance, but my calories are low because I am a small person): Breakfast: Zero sugar Chobani, 1/4 oz of chopped walnuts or pecans, Super Coffee protein shake as a mid morning snack. (all in, about 200 calories and 25g of protein) Lunch: Veggies, some kind of dip (if you aren't making dips with greek yogurt what are you doing with your life?), usually a couple of "lunchmeat roll ups" that are each one slice of deli meat and half a slice of cheese, another 1/4 oz of nuts (usually pistachios this time), a couple pickle slices (usually somewhere around 250-ish calories and another 25g of protein) Snacks: Options include Babybel light and a couple triscuits, Campbell's Well Yes sippable soups, protein shakes, or half a protein bar (I usually end up with leftovers)(any of these would give another 10g or so of protein). I eat dinner at home with my husband on these days and it's usually something protein-heavy

Ask for some portion size &/or calorie goal guidance from your dietician. I was told 1/4 - 1/3 cup from purée slowly increasing to a cup at goal (6months) but no calorie goals. All plans are different but I wasn’t allowed any bread or similar products so wraps weren't allowed. Plus too filling in your small tummy. Remember eat your protein first then your vegetables and finally any allowed carbs if you are able.

Yep, I’d go down the soup path too. Homemade or bought you’ll be able to get a better range of your needed nutrients & calories. I had Covid a month ago & continued to eat in my usual way. My taste & smell wasn’t affected. (Horrendous throat at night, congestion, cough & low energy only.) My appetite was a little affected so sometimes I didn’t eat all my meal though usually most of it. It will, however, depend on your symptoms & how they make you feel. Hope you feel better soon.

I too have lost weight many, many times but every single time I put the weight back on. So can you lose weight without surgery? Yes. The real question is can you keep it off. I always went back to eating the same way as soon as a diet was over so of course I put the weight back on. I also messed up my metabolic rate by doing those very low calorie diets too many times & practising meal skipping to ‘manage’ my weight. The surgery gave me time to change everything about what, why & when I ate, my habits & whole relationship with food. It was the best thing I ever did. I lost all my weight & more & have pretty much maintained that weight. Has it restricted my life in any way? No. Now some truths about weight loss surgery. The average weight loss after bypass or sleeve surgery is about 65% of the weight you have to lose to put you in a healthier weight range. Some lose less & some more. A lot of this is because of the new set point the surgery gives you (the new weight your body is happiest at & is easiest to maintain). Everyones set point is different & it may not be a low weight. Some lose less because a higher weight & new eating style better complements them & how they want to live their life. It may be because of age, gender, genetics, health issues, medications, personal choices, complacency, life events, bounce back regain, etc. The long term success of the surgery depends upon you & the changes you make to your eating, relationship with food & the head work you need to do to understand & manage those factors. It certainly is worth a conversation with the surgeon & then you will be better informed to make your decision. In the end, you are the only one who truely knows your self, your situation & lifestyle & your weight loss/gain history. All the best whatever you decide.

Firstly hi all, I'm new here. My name is Helena. Just a little backdrop - I'm 37 years old, from the UK. I'm 5'9 and weigh 270lbs/20 stone. I talked to my local doctor recently about getting weight loss surgery and then I few weeks later I suddenly get a letter through telling me that an appointment has been booked with a bariatric surgeon in a few months time! If I'm approved I will be getting the surgery done on the NHS which means I essentially don't have to pay for it. That sounds like a blessing. But of course now I'm freaking out, being the massive coward I am I have been binge watching vlogs and from everything I'm hearing - whilst the end result is great - I don't know if I want to or even if I CAN go through the operation. For many reasons. Firstly I have never been operated on. I've never had children so don't know what childbirth or a c section feels like. I've been pretty blessed, aside from a herniated disc I had a few years ago, I've managed to live a pretty pain free life. The second thing might sound a little bit selfish but in my 30s I grew to accept myself as a bigger person. Whilst I hate the size that I am I feel like I don't really care about getting down to my ideal bmi and that I would be perfectly happy being 220lbs or if I'm really lucky 200lbs (I told you, thats gonna sound selfish). I can live with a heavier me. Ideally I just want to lose some weight. But by some I don't mean 10lbs, enough so that I can lose a few dress sizes. Many years ago I lost just one dress size and felt amazing, so much more confident. But that was in my 20s and achieved from pretty much a starvation diet (about 700-800 calories a day, only lasted a few weeks and of course eventually put it all back on). I won't be able to do a starvation diet in my 30s, don't have the willpower now. So I want to keep the surgery option as my last, last, LAST option (without sounding ungrateful) but so far all the success stories I've heard of people who have lost roughly 50lbs-70lbs or more is that it was achieved through some sort of surgery. Do you honestly think its achievable to lose the weight naturally within a year (I need to lose it within a year) or do you think I should just prepare myself for the surgery?? Sorry if you think its a stupid question, I'm just kinda lonely with no one else to really turn to so I kinda need to get this off my chest. If you think it can be achieved naturally could you tell me what diet/weight loss plan I should opt for? Thank you for listening x

Every dr seems to have different rules. At 2 months out my dr wanted me to eat 800-900 calories and to not skip carbs. I would think that what you ate was fine and seems to fit your teams advice. Take care!

I have an Etekcity bathroom scales that charts weight, BMI, etc. I weight every morning, I feel it gives me an immediate insight as to things I did or didn't do appropriately: such as, did I have too much salt, did I drink enough water, did I get enough protein, what was my calorie count, and after surgery bathroom visits change a lot. I have had stalls, and increases, of course, but I think just being mindful works for me. Best wishes to everyone!

I had my VSG & hiatal hernia repair March 7th. I had no gas pain, brief nausea on day 1 coming off anesethia, and have been doing well. My first week I didn't have much hunger (I was very weak and tired, and also on my cycle). About day 4/5 post-op, I started feeling hungry; liquids don't offer a lot of satiety. At my 1 week follow-up, my surgeon approved me to move onto soft foods, to take vitamins, and to not have to crush pills. Their goal is between 700-800 calories, and today (so far) I have met 700. Soft foods are tolerated great, though eggs sit a little heavier in my stomach. I'm surprised at myself. I didn't think I'd be able to eat or drink this much (50oz water today; average 8 - 10 cups). I'm down 22 pounds, but I feel a little worried that I'm doing too well. I'm scared of eating too much and stalling weight loss. :( I feel conflicted, like I should be happy and energized, but I'm mostly anxious.

Thank you for all the support! @summerseeker how many calories a day is your goal?

This week I had two consecutive lunches that were very, very salty. I gained a pound each day. In my case its just water. It will slowly disappear. You will get used to these little fluctuations. I log all my foods and know my calories and protein every day. I therefore know I am always in a calorie deficit. It really helps