Struggling on day 7 with liquid diet (after sleeve). Am I undermining myself by adding things like crackers or mashed potatoes? I am feeling really hungry and unable to meet my protein for the day….(Am only able to tolerate very small amounts and chew things excessively before swallowing)…Tell me this gets easier ?

Edited June 12, 20233 yr by Hungry_hipster

it gets A LOT easier! The first few weeks are tough. But you'll gradually have fewer and fewer food restrictions and at some point will be able to eat more normal amounts (still small compared to pre-surgery, but something that looks more like "light eating" than "I just had weight loss surgery" small). So hang in there!

as far as what you're eating, crackers are not a good choice - not only do they have little nutritional value, but it's way too early to be eating them. Some of us are able to eat mashed potatoes when we get to the pureed stage (unless we're on an ultra-low carb plan, which some clinics push), but they have little (maybe nothing?) in the way of protein. WIth as little as you'll be taking in the first few weeks, you need to focus on protein.

try to make yourself stick to liquids for now, if that's what your clinic wants you to do. You'll soon be able to move on to purees, where you'll be able to add other things, mostly protein-rich, like Greek yogurt, fat-free refried beans, hummus, cottage cheese (you may have to whip this in a blender first - can't remember), sugar free protein pudding, etc. Protein fills you up more (simple carbs like crackers tend to make people hungrier by spiking their blood sugar, which then drops an hour or two later, which means you just get hungry again). Plus your body needs the protein to heal. And since you're only taking in a few hundred calories/day the first few weeks (and maybe the first few MONTHS, depending on your plan), that needs to be your main focus.

I literally just made it out of the post-op liquid phase and felt the same way you did. I blundered and ate potato chips that my dbf left unattended. It gets easier after week 2. I started to feel true restriction and felt better after adding eggs, rotisserie chicken, and ricotta to my plan (my plan doesn't have a puree phase, just two stages of full liquids). The change to your appetite and hunger levels will happen so quickly. I was crying because I ate potato chips this past Saturday and by Monday, my appetite had completely changed. I will strongly encourage you to not eat the crackers but only because of the potential damage to your pouch. We are human and make mistakes.