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I am fairly new to VST. I am scheduled to have the sleeve late next month. I've been doing my fair share of research and reading the materials that were given to me by the nutritionist t. I am in the process of preparing myself for my new life style. I've joined a gym and have been working out 3 days a week hopefully I'll be up to 5 days pretty soon. I haven't been on an extremely strict diet but I have been watching what I eat. I feel that I have all the information I need to for the pre-op diet, the liquid phase post-op, blended stage and soft food stage.

However, I am little concerned about the on-going nutrition phase. I really want to make sure I have all the knowledge and tools needed to be successful post-op. For those that are post-op do you have any tips or advice for somebody who is going through the process? Any tips for getting in all of your Water and Protein pot-op? Did you find any books, guides and/or weight loss surgery cookbooks useful?

**side note about the cookbook, I am not a cook so I am looking for a cookbook with simple recipes :) ***

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Congrats on your upcoming sleeve. Here is a couple websites that have great, easy recipes for all stages. The mini-muffins are the perfect size for our new tummies. I'm almost 6 weeks out and can eat 3 of them. http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ & http://www.emilybites.com/

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research and reading - preparing myself for new life style. joined a gym - working out 3 days a week

have been watching what I eat.

KDT8402

Wow - you are doing great preparing for WLS - your enthusiasm is contagious!!!!

"tips" as far as Water - drinking is one of the most important parts of your new life style

after you've been sleeved, you will probably/might not be able to drink much at a first - you can use those little "ounce cups" that the NUT has - always sip slllllowly

immediately PO you must drink as much as possible so you don't get dehydrated

after a while, you will be drinking easier, take your time - never push yourself early in the game

you need to drink as much as possible soon - 64 oz to be exact throughout the day - sounds like a lot - but do your best!!! its necessary

I'm not a cook either (i used to make a mean bowl of frosted flakes :lol: )

Weight Loss Surgery Cookbook for Dummies ;) (i'm not proud :lol:)

getting info, eating better, going to the gym - you are all hyped up

keep those feelings alive going til WLS - then for the rest of your longer, healthier, happier life :)

you rock!!!!

take care bud :)

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The Protein Shakes helped me get in my fluids plus my Protein. I just sipped on them often...Find a brand that you like and stock up on them...You sound prepared! This will be an awesome journey for you. I just reached my ultimate goal of 125lbs yesterday! I was sleeved Aug. 28th 2012...I feel great! I've had good days where I felt great, and days where I didn't....Eating post op is alot of trial and error. Some can tolerate different foods than others. You'll do great and have a new lease on your wonderful life!!!Keep us posted on your progress, we're here for you...

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I'm 7 weeks postop today and by no means do I know it all. I can only tell you what I experienced. I had a hard time up until recently getting in all my fluids everyday. I could only sip and I think my body wanted to drink more at a time and then I would forget or just not push the liquids enough. I never got dehydrated but I know I was not getting enough.

For me it took time to be able to get that in.

Www. Emily bites. Com and www.theworldaccordingtoeggface.com are great sites for recipes. Shelly on egg face had rny and her site is all about a day in her pouch (what she eats). Lots of helpful stuff out there.

I'm now on full foods. Something I can eat more of somethings less of. Some days I don't eat a lot. Some days I'm starving all the time.

I'm just learning to read my body and know if it's head hunger or am I hungry. I know some sleevers say they aren't hungry. I think they're full of crap lol. No but for real I do get hungry and sometimes will push it off to see if it passes and I undoubtedly will get sick to my stomach and feel like I'm going to pass out. Happened yesterday. So I'm still learning my new tummy and finding what works for me.

You'll learn everyone is different. What one person likes you may not. Which is true with most things pre sleeve too but....

Hmmm not sure what else to tell you.

Sounds like your on a great start to your new life!

Let me know if I csn help at all.

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Thank you all for your tips, advice and encouragement. I have bookmarked the websites. I am going to look into the weight loss surgery cookbook for dummies. It sounds right up my alley, lol.

I am practing sipping Water and chewing 30 times before swallowing. Not working out so much for me, lol. After chewing that many times I get so bored and don't even finish my food. I guess that is a good thing, lol. I normally drink Water a reusable plastic cup with a straw. I recently started drinking from a glass so that I could practice sipping. I understand what you mean. It took me 4 hours to finish a glass of water because I would forget about it. Still a work in progress but I know I will push through.

Thank you all so very much.

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Hi and good luck on your journey. I found having a cup of crushed ice around helped me get my Water requirement in. Even now 4 months out and 51 #s down...I still use crushed ice. I like the ice to be really thin so I buy it from the local Sonic Drive in. Just a thought..you might remember this after your surgery.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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