I'm learning just how careful you have to be!

So I did a really dumb thing yesterday. I decided to try out this new smoothie place after work seeing as they had some healthy options on their menu. So I ordered off of their light and fit menu. I even asked the lady at the drive thru window if the option I had chosen contained any sugar? She wasn't sure and had to go check. That should have been my first clue. She came back and told me it did not contain any sugar so I ordered it. After getting home I did what I should have done in the first place.....looked up the ingredients. I was shocked to find it had 15 grams of sugar!

Luckily I did not care too much for the flavor and had only taken a couple of sips....threw the rest away. Total waste of money. But gosh I should have known that even though no sugar may have been added, the juices they used in the smoothie most likely contained sugar. Just goes to show how completely dumb I can be! For now own if I want a smoothie I'll make my own at home. I'm afraid to even order out anymore because I really have no idea what ingredients they put in. I've always been a huge Starbucks lover, but I'm even afraid to order from there anymore. There is still so much I am still learning about what I can and can't have after surgery and it really is harder than I thought! You truly have to be very careful!

I am extremely paranoid about ordering things that may or may not have sugar in them. I have gotten very sick from eating supposedly sugar free items. It's just not worth it.

When in doubt I leave it out. The last thing I want is to order a sugar free coffee drink and find out too late that they messed up and gave me the regular version. I actually bring my sugar free creamer with me when I am going some place and planning on having coffee. I know I can handle it and that way I don't have to take any chances.

I also will order it unsweetened and put milk and Splenda in myself. That way I know for sure what I am getting. Fortunately I haven't dumped that many times but the times I have are because I thought something was sugar free and it wasn't and the experience was so bad I don't want a repeat.

I'm surprised that smoothies, of any sort, are on your menu.

I, personally, have not had one since surgery because I made the decision to never drink my calories.

Maybe you want to give that a thought if you want to be successful in the long term. This is way harder than you can imagine and your honeymoon period is the time to learn good habits you can live with.

I'm pretty much with the others on this. After my diet advanced to 'regular' food the protein shake mix pretty much went away. I can count on my fingers the number of smoothies/shakes I've had in the last ten years.

It's not that they are inherently bad. It's that solid food, especially dense proteins, keep me full for so much longer. And my dumping has gotten severe enough that I refuse to take a chance on someone's guess as far as sugar grams in anything.

Be very, VERY careful with Starbux. Some of their drinks are up around 500 calories per. It's hard to get up there without some kind of sugar.

This is my observation only, but I seem to remember another time not too long ago where you were kind of testing the waters with off-plan foods on your camping trip. Please be vigilant about sticking to plan. Those diet progressions are endless and boring, but as soon as you're good for regular foods it gets better. I say this because having made those mistakes myself, I hope for others to be able to avoid them.

Good luck. Shake yourself off and get/stay back on plan. It really is easier that way. =)

Amy, just to illustrate the variety among us - I'm coming up on 10 years out and I have a shake every single morning. (Partly, I'm lazy. I know exactly what time I need some real food for a light snack or early lunch though, and can respond to my own hunger level and blood sugar "feeling" after all this time.)

But yes - we have to be SO cautious of those hidden sugars. A place like Tropical Smoothie cafe can offer up added protein in what disguises itself as a "healthy" option. And 400 calories and a load of sugar later, it's just not pretty!

I'm over 10 years out too and believe me, I know we all vary. There are many here who still have shakes and are successful. I don't generally concern myself with what others are eating or drinking.

My comment was intended to remind or inform that liquid calories generally don't provide as much satiety as dense protein. Many times I'm looking for the biggest bang for my calorie buck because I want to stay far away from (another) regain. This shakes vs food discussion is an opportunity to learn which foods keep the most hunger away for the longest period of time.

Obviously there's no inherent "bad" in liquids. But it's similar to the discussion re carbs. Carbs aren't evil either. Most of us who avoid the simple ones do so mainly because they don't seem to provide much of a lasting sense of satisfaction. Dense proteins do.

That's all. =)

Been there, done that, and ripped off the t-shirt during the dumping episode that followed. ( but it was a coffee...not a smoothie. )

When I go to Starbucks and am feeling fancy, I get a skinny mocha and grill them on the SF status, telling them if it's not sugar free that my ghost will haunt the place after I die from ingesting too much sugar. I ways go in and watch them make it to make sure. If I were you though, I'd play it safe for now and just get an Americano and add your own stuff.

Easiest thing to do-avoid all smoothies for the rest of your life. They're just liquid sugar, even if they're "sugar free". Fruit is something I avoid like the plague; it makes me so, so sick.

Yep! Lesson learned.....I think I will just stay away from smoothies for now on. Figured it would be ok since it was low in carbs and high in protein, but there is still so much I'm learning on this diet. Ever since I've been cleared for solid foods it's been a struggle trying to figure out what I can and can't or shouldn't have.

Aside from the smoothie, I got back on track this past week after gaining a few pounds the week before and have managed to lose the weight I had gained plus a couple more pounds and am finally below 300 now. I've been back to drinking my protein shakes, eating baked salmon, salads etc. Hopefully I will continue on the losing track. Have a long way to go yet!

I've noticed lately I've been getting really tired for no apparent reason. Like the other morning I was brushing my hair and it was all I could do to lift my arm to bru**** I felt so tired and weak that I had to sit down. And this weekend I've pretty much slept all weekend....can't seem to get enough sleep. I've also been having daily headaches which could just be from the pollen which is pretty bad here right now. Anyway, anyone else experience this?

Also just to clarify, the only time I drink my protein shakes are for breakfast. I find that in the mornings I'm not really hungry and the protein shakes are about the only thing I can get down. I've tried other things like some scrambled eggs early in the morning, but it just makes me feel like I'm going to throw up so I stick to the shakes.

What is your water intake per day? Dehydration can cause the symptoms you're experiencing. The recommendation is a minimum of 64 oz a day but many people do better on more.