During my wait I enjoyed preparing and acquiring things. Most of what I bought I used only briefly. Some not at all.

I am very glad I got an AltaHR Fitbit and Aria scale. Those plus logging my food and water in Myfitnesspal are my fabulous accountability tools.

I bought too many kinds and too much protein powders. I used only the syntrax (because it didn't significantly change texture or flavor). I gave away 3 other kinds of protein powder and PB2--quite a bit of money. I never used protein bars, and only used powders through the purée stage.

I bought lots of gasX strips and only used about 4.

I bought cute little spoons and forks and briefly had fun with them, now they are put away.

I bought a covered ice tray, popsicle forms and 2oz containers and haven't used any of them. My portions aren't that small, and I didn't use popsicles.

I bought protein fortified instant soup from BariatricPal and they aren't clear enough for liquid stage and aren't tasty enough for purée stage.

I bought a year of Patch MD vitamins I am using and was happy to have at first, but I could easily have switched to oral 2 months in.

An over the shoulder cape-style heating pad was briefly useful, but I stopped being freezing a month in.

I had lots of smaller clothes, so didn't have to shop, but I was surprised how fast I went through sizes, and less than 5 months in I've found I will be needing smaller sizes than I've ever worn, even at what I thought was a healthy weight for me.

Basic message, try to curb the impulse to shop. What you have will work, and you won't need a lot of anything new for a long time.

I love my results. I make excellent healthy food choices, exercise daily, and just went out in a body hugging tank dress and felt good.

I was low BMI to start, slower weight loss than some, faster than others.

Awesome what is your weight now?

Sent from my LG-K373 using BariatricPal App

Congrats

Sent from my LG-K373 using BariatricPal App

Love this.
I bought patch md vitamins my NUT wouldn't let me use. I was gifted tiny bowls, plates, cutlery that I have used but know I won't long term (the dishes are so cute I'll display them). Gas x I only used one. Chicken protein powder soup that tasted good before surgery and is nasty to me now. New slippers (totally happy about them, so cute). Small mixer mates by Rubbermaid which are invaluable for shakes. A good cup that keeps liquids cold. Can't do warm shakes and can't drink them fast enough to stay cold. I bought a good food scale that I know I'll use when I progress.
6 days post op

Love this.
I bought patch md vitamins my NUT wouldn't let me use. I was gifted tiny bowls, plates, cutlery that I have used but know I won't long term (the dishes are so cute I'll display them). Gas x I only used one. Chicken protein powder soup that tasted good before surgery and is nasty to me now. New slippers (totally happy about them, so cute). Small mixer mates by Rubbermaid which are invaluable for shakes. A good cup that keeps liquids cold. Can't do warm shakes and can't drink them fast enough to stay cold. I bought a good food scale that I know I'll use when I progress.
6 days post op

Yes that protein chicken soup is horrible tasting now to me too.

Yes that protein chicken soup is horrible tasting now to me too.

Any broth. I just can't. I did eat a few tablespoons of tomato soup and I felt like I was eating prime rib. It was amazing.
The things that are keeping me from being too miserable are yogurt, halo top, unjury shakes, and sips of tomato soup (I'm scared of the acid so this is just for a warm treat). I can't believe how good I feel!

Awesome what is your weight now?

Sent from my LG-K373 using BariatricPal App

I weighed 208 going in and I'm 168 now. Just over 4 months. All the weight lost was fat--between healthy food choices and daily exercise I haven't lost lean mass. This isn't magic. I've lost a little faster and with less hunger than with previous efforts, but it is still all about quality nutrition and fitness. I didn't get the sleeve to lose weight. I got the sleeve to maintain a healthy body weight, which I've never done for any significant time.

I kind of hoarded and bought way too many small containers,water bottles, and shakers. Also a hand blender and a countertop small blender

Love this.
A good cup that keeps liquids cold. Can't do warm shakes and can't drink them fast enough to stay cold.

What cup keeps your liquids cold? Would love to know!

What cup keeps your liquids cold? Would love to know!

Something like a yeti tumbler keeps stuff hot or cold almost all day. Walmart brand tested better than the brand name and is about 1/3 the cost. They work great!

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I guess I'm confused why people would ditch their tiny dishes and flatware. I love mine so much! And at what point should I be eating more than 4-8 ounces of anything? (The answer is never! Except bulky salad). I'll add a second or third dish (protein, veg, starch), but no reason to go back to big plates and bowls.

The thing I want extra big are cups. I got rid of all the little mugs. Only kept those 14oz and larger. 16 or 18oz would be better. Bigger cups help meet fluid goals. (I like hot herbal tea and 1 cup of coffee).

I'm still looking at a couple partial tubs of protein powder.. will probably use them eventually.

I use my kitchen scale every day.

I didn't buy much before surgery, or after. You're right that you don't need much.

What cup keeps your liquids cold? Would love to know!

Yeti cups work great. Walmart sells a similar version (can't remember the name but the logo is mountains) that cup works just as well and less money. They both keep my drinks cold for hours!