Today is a horrible day I woke up at 10:00 a.m. and hungry as hell. I drank my broth and later had a yogurt. I am sooooo hungry and want to cheat big time. I just had 2 more oz of chicken broth and I put a cracker in it and let it get soggy and ate it. I know this is cheating but I want to cheat even more. Usually I feel ok with hunger pains but I don't know why today I am mad because I want to eat so bad. I can have an egg starting monday, but I was going to go ahead and have one today because of my hunger. MY DAMN LUCk I went to the fridge and we have no eggs. I am so sad I am crying I want to eat. Please someone give me some encouraging words. Thanks

Don't cheat, you could make youself really sick. You are not reallly hungry you just think you are. I know that sounds weird but really, if your stomach is full, you aren't hungry, but because you know you are eating so little you think your hungry. Did you understand cause I've already confussed myself. Listen honey, it is tough in the beginning, but you can do this, think of how wonderful it will be once those fat ugly pounds start dropping off. Besides that the doctors put us on a specific diet for a reason, I made myself very sick and landed myself in the hospital cause of my stupidity. So calm down, find something to do, read a book and don't stress about it cause the more you think about it, the anxiety will kick in. so relax and remember, Monday will be here before you know it. Take care.

Are you on clear liquids or basically anything you can sip through a straw? If its the second one, try something like potato and leek soup with a bit of extra water added, pureed. Or some minestrone pureed. I know it doesn't sound appetizing, but both of those are really filling. I lived on them during my liquid stage post op.

The post op diet, especially this early out, is designed so that your band and port have time to settle into place. It sucks, but it's needed so that you don't cause harm.

Only two more days left - you can do this! And when all else fails, go for a walk so there's no food around lol. Keep busy and the next two days will fly by. Enjoy that egg on Monday

I remember posting that I couldn't open my dog's food without wanting to eat the Alpo. But now I appreciate the fact that I am able to get hungry without wanting to inhale everything in sight. Just take a deep breath, take a bath (I took alot of them - multiple baths many evenings), go for a walk, go to the mall, etc. Anything to get away from food.

Don't watch tv - too many food commercials. Stay away from magazines with pictures of food. Put yourself on a food-images diet.

Try any tactic you can think of to get through the weekend and think of how good it will feel to look better!!!

I'd try to find something you can drink that's not sweet. I'd imagine on the liquid and puree phase its easy to just have relatively sweet things and start to crave some more hearty food.

The soup suggestions are good ones. Would you be allowed to puree some baked beans in tomato soup for some protein?

My surgeon takes the view it doesnt matter what it is as long as its been pureed down and can go up a straw - meat, beans, etc can be included. He wants me to try to avoid that massive fast initial weight loss which he pointed out isnt really fat anyway.

Thank you for all your responses I needed some encouraging words. Unfortunatley at first my dr said anything as long as it is in liquid form. But at my post of visit I told him that I was doing ok and that I had boiled and pureed some squash ( I love squash) with a little sour cream and tomato sauce. He said that was a no no right now and that he didnt want me to having anything that isnt already in liquid form. He said that I had not reached the mushy stage until Monday and could not puree until then. He also said he still wanted most of my food to be liquids although on Monday I can add an egg and some other mushies he still wants me to be having alot of liquids ( water, crystal light, watery mashed potatoes, gatorade. This really sucks I had been doing so good and today I just don't know what happened. I am going to take your advice and not cheat. I am also going to take a long walk maybe that will help. Thanks guys I luv my LBT family.

If you can have watery mashed potatoes you should be able to handle thinned soups, did he say anything about soups? I survived the full liquids stage by pureeing and straining cream of mushroom and creamy broccoli soup. They have more nutritional value than mashed potatoes, and should be no harder to digest.

Exercise is a great hunger buster. It helps promote endorphins, a natural chemical in the brain which helps you feel good. A good cardio workout is best, it doesn't have to be a long workout, just whatever you can tolerate right now.

I also go to the before and after pictures thread here, they are verrrry inspirational.

Good luck and be strong, it's getting closer to Monday with each passing minute.

Cindy

Dont give up, I cant wait till you come back to work so we can support each other. We need you back at work Monday so take you a nap or take the baby for a walk.

You have come this far, you can make it a bit further. My doctor said that the purpose of the liquid diet is to keep it from slipping. Would it really be worth it to eat and then have it slip out of place on you? Liquid is HARD...I couldn't even do it on my pre-op phase, but I couldn't imagine how upset I would be at myself to have spent all this money, cheated, had the band slip and then go through another procedure and recovery. I think it would be HORRIBLE.

Everyone, if I come back in a few days saying the same thing and wanting real food please direct me to this post I made. (haha)

im on liquids to and it is hard

im having pumpkin soup, potato and leek soup, low fat custard, banana smoothies, tomato soup, low fat yoghurt, and orange juice!!!

this is all liquid and goes through a straw.

have u tried any of these things??

Today is my first day on soft foods so I can definitely relate. Are you drinking enough protein shakes? That seemed to help me. My doctor recommends 60 grams a day so I tried to get in 3 shakes a day. Good luck and hang in there!

Oh - this was me last night! I was craving anything that wasn't a liquid!!! I know it's for the good of the band, but ahhhhhhhh! Back on track today, but last night I was ready to drag out some lunchmeat and bread. This too shall pass!

Egg drop soup is a great filler and lots of protein.

Found an easy recipe on Food Network - just need to get some green onions for seasoning, but not eating!

Asian Egg Drop Soup

4 cups prepared chicken stock, plus 2 tablespoons

1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 green onions, chopped, including ends

Salt and white pepper, to taste

Bring soup stock, grated ginger and soy sauce to a boil. In a small cup, make a slurry by combining the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of chicken stock. Stir until dissolved. Slowly pour in the cornstarch mixture while stirring the stock, until thickened. Reduce heat to a simmer. Pour in the eggs slowly while stirring the soup in the same direction. The egg will spread and feather. Turn off the heat and add the green onions. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

I am also on full liquids. It won't be three weeks until Thursday, and my Doctor says he wants me on this full liquid diet for 6 weeks! It seems like it will never end. I had to laugh about the ALPO, as I feel the same way! I did find this great squash soup by Campbells. It has been a life saver.