Hi guys,

I'm so scared and ashamed of myself. I was sleeved December 10 and here it is December 27 and I already cheated. I am not getting my protein in (maybe 20 g a day) I hate the taste of my protein shakes already and I'm so tired of soup and cottage cheese, grits and oatmeal. I ate 2 deviled eggs today ( chewed them to mush ) but I just felt like I had to have them. Now I am scared a piece will get stuck in my staple or something and I feel like a total failure. I can only eat about 3 oz at a time which I know is correct but I get hungry so fast, within an hour. I know some of it has to be head hunger, but I'm trying not to be a failure at this and just keep thinking if I failed my full liquid diet already, am I just setting myself up to fail at it all? I wasn't supposed to start puréed foods until 4 weeks which will be on January 7th. I lost 27 pounds the first 2 weeks but now I haven't lost anything for the last 4 days. Can anyone help with any advise? I'm not going to cheat again and am praying so hard I will be successful at this.

_{I am not judging you, but I am 4 moths out and have cheated a lot this wek from the holidays, Not good. Just plan and DO better}

Ok, we all screw up and clearly it didn't hurt you so it is time for you to move on.

You must get your Protein or you will get sick and your hair will shed worse.

I could not tolerate milk or whey protein in the beginning either. My surgeons office told me to go buy Premier Protein ready made shakes. They taste much better, there is no grit and they do not smell like whey protein. they have 30 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar in each one. In the beginning they had me use half the shake and half lactose free milk just to thin them out a little. By week 8 I was able to drink the shake without milking it down. They are travel ready and you no longer need to deal with blenders or shaker cups.

You can get them in bulk at Sam's or costco - January they will be on sale at Costco for $5 off a case again. I stock up.

You can also get them in smaller packs at both Walgreens and Walmart

They are great because you don't have to drink so much protein to get to your goals. 30 grams in one 11 oz. shake is awesome.

I still drink 1 every day and I am 15 months post op. I simply cannot eat enough to get all my protein from food.

Please be good to your body,both at protein is critical to making you feel full and stay full.

Also with your surgery you should not be feeling actually hunger. So either you are dealing with head hunger or you are actually dehydrated which feels exactly like hunger. Make sure you are getting enough fluids as well as protein.

Good luck to you!

what a great post ...@@Djmohr. You are an amazing support, God bless you. I needed info too

xoxoxoxLeanne

You've gotten really good advice so I won't add to that. I do want to comment on your language in that post because it gives a bit of insight into your thinking. Words like "cheated" "failed" came up frequently. It's negative language that I try to avoid because for me it was how I thought when I would diet over and over again. When I decided I wanted better health, I was looking to change my lifestyle. That meant, how I eat, how I think about food and how I exercise as part of that life. The reintroducing food stages aren't forever. What is forever is how you plan to eat going forward. "cheating" on you diet implies sneaking and doing something bad. You want to be able to live and plan Snacks and indulgences.

For now just plan and think about how to follow your program from this day forward. Stop treating yourself like a naughty child that needs to be scolded into doing the right thing. You can do this!

........

Also with your surgery you should not be feeling actually hunger. So either you are dealing with head hunger or you are actually dehydrated which feels exactly like hunger. Make sure you are getting enough fluids as well as Protein.

Good luck to you!

She may also need a PPI like prilosec/omeprazole.

YES you need to find some premier Protein shakes!! I don't know if I could make it through this liquid phase without them. I can't stand the way most shakes taste so I was so happy to find one I liked. I did not cut it with anything and have not had any problems. I drink 2 a day right now to get in 60 g.

The only other thing that I have found and liked is the powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury chicken Soup powder. I mix that in with half a cup of actual cream of chicken soup (low fat/sodium). I have tried it mixed in with other types of Soups, as well. I like having a second option to help stave off some of the boredom.

The other part of it I am going through is just accepting that, yes, having just 1-2 food choices is BORING. And that is okay because it is not forever!!! I have the date I move to puréed and soft foods circled on my calendar and I watch the days tick by. I remember that I want to heal so that I can move forward.

When I am struggling, I talk to my family and say how much I am missing food and different tastes. They are supportive and will listen to me and understand. It also helps remind them to keep the lovely smelling food away from me and not leave triggering treats around. Another person to talk to is a therapist or on these message boards- like you did.

Ultimately, forgive yourself. Luckily, you are okay and each moment is a new opportunity. Also, find a way to get the feelings and frustration out if you are feeling them (I sure am!)

I am 6 days post-op... Not an expert... But hope this helps!

My surgeons office told me to go buy Premier Protein ready made shakes. They taste much better, there is no grit and they do not smell like whey protein. they have 30 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar in each one. In the beginning they had me use half the shake and half lactose free milk just to thin them out a little. By week 8 I was able to drink the shake without milking it down. They are travel ready and you no longer need to deal with blenders or shaker cups.

You can get them in bulk at Sam's or costco - January they will be on sale at Costco for $5 off a case again. I stock up. You can also get them in smaller packs at both Walgreens and Walmart

They are great because you don't have to drink so much protein to get to your goals. 30 grams in one 11 oz. shake is awesome.

Premier Protein Shakes are the best!! Only ones I don't have to "choke" down.

This forum gives some of the best REAL LIFE advice on WLS that can be had imho.

It is so nice to see veterans helping others down the road to a much healthier life.

All the basics: find protein you can handle, drink your water, walk or move in some fashion.( I have heard all large mammals have a need to move and stretch their bodies)

I didn't feel like that before.... But have learned if I can just get to my work out place, I leave much happier

I digress..... Great, helpful advice is here to be had and I am grateful for these boards.

Don't beat yourself up...I was sleeved on December 14th and my doctor has his patients eating puréed/ soft foods starting the day after surgery as long as it's Protein.

They gave me tuna fish in the hospital and I've had egg salad or a scrambled egg pretty much every day since then (both recommended by my doctor as meal options). The first 2 days it was 1 oz only but I'm up to 1 full egg or 3oz of egg salad. Also blessed by my doctor is white flakey fish and even ground turkey and I've had both. I've had no problems at all - no nausea and very little gas if any and I'm losing weight very fast. 2 deviled eggs won't hurt

I'm curious why doctors have such different post-op restrictions. I've even seen some people on here at the opposite end where they are told by their doctor to be on Clear liquids for 2 weeks post op.

I also completely agree on Premier Protein shakes tasting great. I have one every day which helps me reach my protein goal and also to feel full. Good luck - you'll do great because you are so concerned.

It's been said...you have to let your stomach heal. Protein shakes aren't the best, but keep trying different ones and flavors. You have come so far, don't hurt your success so early on. Stalls are part of the process but you have to work through them. You can add some exercise at this point. Head hunger is real but don't let it get you. You need more protein. 20g is NOT enough. Praying for your success! When I get down I look at how far I have come. I started at 294. I was 260 on surgery day. I am exactly 8 months out and I am down to 146. That's 148 pounds. That's an entire person. Look at your before pics. I went to my hometown for the first time in 2 years and people literally did not recognize me. It was awesome!

@@dansacha

I use pre made Atkins Protein shakes ... and I mix in a scoop of Premier Protein Powder ... Yummie!

I drink one in the morning and one in the afternoon ... I actually CRAVE the afternoon shake ...

I am almost 6 months out ... and still drinking the 2/day ... because I feel like I don't get enough protein from my food yet ... still scared to try new foods ... but I'm getting there!!

And I agree with another poster ... Don't use "cheat" as a term to describe yourself not being completely faithful to the new way of life .... Just call it a momentary lapse in judgment ... You WILL get back on track

Best of luck!

i know i keep saying this but all of these comments and support really help!! i did great yesterday with all of the recommendations and i can't thank you all enough! my family is so supportive but sometimes you just have to hear the support and advice from people who can relate. i got in 40 g of Protein yesterday and stuck to my new way of life because i realized i am NOT a failure and yes this is a new way of life and not a diet. i need to change my relationship with food and thats something i need to work on. it doesn't mean i can't love it still, i just need to change the way i look at it. i got on pinterest and started looking at bariatric recipes, because i love to cook. I'm excited to continue on this journey knowing i can come here and get great advice and wonderful support by people that are real and have been through or are going through this journey. i found a couple protein shakes i like at GNC called lean shake that have 25g protein and only 2 sugars. banana,strawberry, vanilla, and a chocolate. i picked up some nectar brand unflavored powder as well. I'm going to get on my new elliptical and start a new exercise program today as well. guys THANK YOU so much and please keep the recommendations coming and the stories how we're all human and people veer off track but the important thing is to pick yourself up right away, figure out what caused it, and move on.

Yes, get that Protein in and make sure you are hydrated. also, are you exercising? Not only will it increase your metabolism, but it will distract you from old thinking and you will start to use new lifestyle skills.

Take one day at a time. I was sleeved on December 2. I have had a few, I feel crappy and why did I do this days, but you can do this! Rome wasn't built in a day...take a day at a time. Sometimes I feel like its an hour by hour ordeal, but I write down how I'm feeling and try to push thru it. What kind of protein shakes are you using? I've been using Premier strawberries and creme, I add about 6 ice cubes and blend. Its awesome! I've also used PB2 powder and added to chocolate protein powder, ice cubes and blend. Just keep trying, don't give up. You can do this!

I keep telling myself that I didn't go through that kind of surgery and do that to my body just to fail. I too struggle to break old habits. I am a gourmet cook and love to entertain but I was going to be 6 feet under in short order if I didn't change. Look for new hobbies to fill the time. Go to Whole Foods. On their Protein shake aisle they have lots of single serve packets. Buy a bunch of them and try them until you find one you like.