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So thankful for this tool!! I’ve lost 210lbs!! My life is so different. This is a great idea to check in!!

I never had to chew a specific number of times. I’ve never understood that requirement even during the first couple of months when eating purées & soft foods unless you are a speed eater & gulper of food. Cut your food into small pieces, keep it tender & moist, eat slowly & take small bites you should be fine. But Lisa, aren’t you quite a time out now? This should be even less of a consideration for you.

I am 6 months out and have lost about 68 pounds. I had been stalled since the end of November and sought advice from my nutritionist. She said to to keep on keeping on. So I did and suddenly this past week, I started losing again. I go by volume rather than oz. But I eat 3/4 a cup at a time. Eat between 800-1000 calories a day. Work out at the gym 3 times a week and do 30 minutes of cardio 6 days a week. I wish it were more and I have certainly not my surgeons goals at any check up, but I am close. He wanted me to be at 160 by my February appt. I am not sure I am going to make that, but I will be within 10lbs of it.

I went to solids at 4 weeks as well. I was dying for real food after 5 weeks pre op liquid only diet, and 3 weeks of full solids and soft foods. I slow cooked some beef stew all day. It was absolutely divine.

Band-to-bypass patient here. I think I may have perspective that will help you considering I've been through it myself. I never lost weight with the lap band because it didn't work for me. It never reduced my appetite and it merely felt like a road block between my esophagus and stomach. Food slid through the band pretty easily (if I chewed well enough and/or ate slider foods) and considering it was much easier and more comfortable to eat that way, that's what I did. The lap band does NOTHING to stop you from eating as much ice cream or cheesy mashed potatoes as you want. With the lap band, if it's adjusted properly, you get a hard "stop" when your pouch is full. You have to be careful with the bypass because "full" is a much more gradual feeling. Eat slowly, or else you could end up eating too much and that is painful. Restriction is there but it's a gradual feeling rather than the sudden feeling of "I can't eat anymore." Keep in mind other benefits the bypass has that the lap band doesn't: malabsorption, reduced/muted appetite, and prolonged satiety. I would get hungry pretty fast after drinking water with my lap band (I always waited the 60 minutes we were told to wait and even so, the food washed right through my pouch). With the bypass I'll stay full for several hours. I get hungry but not *famished* to the point where I'm shaky and desperate. You're just 1 month post-op but it will get better feel free to PM me if you want to chat. Having had a lap band before will make this experience different for you. I'd get so frustrated when people told me the lap band was "just a tool" but it felt like someone gave me a bent screwdriver when what I needed was a jackhammer. The bypass is a much more powerful tool. I lost 20 pounds in 6 months with my lap band and then stopped. I was so frustrated with feeling miserable that I just gave up and ate what I wanted. With the bypass I've lost 101 pounds in 5 months. It's night and day, truly. Even on days when I want to give up and eat what I want, I can't. And I really appreciate that. Try eating a couple cookies and see what happens 😂 actually, don't. For me it's really bad farts but for a lot of people it results in terrible dumping so it's just not worth it. Anyway, I hope I provided some comfort for you. It will get better and you'll lose weight!!! It's such a better tool than the lap band (or as I call it, crap band!)

I agree most do not notice. But all said shrug and say eating out for all these days does not agree with me so I n staying ahead of stomach ache. I time in conferences and only a few people have ever commented.

I’m at the 3 year mark as well (just a little over). I order whatever I feel for (always more that I can actually eat every time, btw) and eat whatever I feel like I can eat. Those that knew me before the weight loss long ago stopped commenting on my eating habits (it’s old news now). People that don’t know me very well, or not at all (of whom are rare meal companions, especially since COVID) have yet to comment, so I don’t really have a go-to response. But I suppose if they did, I’d likely respond with something along the lines of “I’m good, thanks”.

The old is new again!!! We can in fact live our healthy life - for me it is a daily choice. I m getting it right some maybe even much of the time. You ll keep me grounded.

Thanks for posting. You're very generous with your time, and it's much appreciated.

Hey everyone! I am 39 years old and I have been single for about two months after a six year long relationship. I have the VSG about a year and a half ago, losing about 65 pounds, dropping from 241 to 176. I would love to lose more but as hard as I have been trying, I think my body is just happy at this point. Anyhow, like I said earlier, I was in a relationship for the past six years. We have a beautiful daughter, so she has been my focus and will continue to be so. It is hard to think about dating though. I am slightly self conscious about the extra skin I have, even though it is only on my arms. I have a good amount of money saved to have it removed, but my ex doesn’t believe in paying child support (even though he makes six figures), so that money will now be spent on an attorney. It really sucks, but it is what it is. Anyhow, the thought of dating is so scary. I don’t even know where to start, lol! How do y’all meet new people?