mi75

OK, here is the official call out for the New Year's challenge. We're going to plan way ahead this time so everybody who WANTS to, can plan ahead and get ready for a New Year, New Start! Just start thinking about it, and if you want to get started with all of us after Jan 1st, please just respond below so that I have an official count. I'll start the actual "Challenge Thread" late December, that thread will be for our 'official' stats, weigh ins, etc. The thread name will be "NEW YEAR, NEW START CHALLENGE" Here we go people, get ready!!!!!!!!

ok, I am closing THIS thread, and going to post the 'official' thread on the Regain forum. If there is anybody who has already responded and will be doing the challenge that MIGHT be interested in running the actual spreadsheet, please let me know. I'll only be doing the work on this site (bariatric pal). For me this is just a fun way to keep accountability with each other.... See you all there!

ok people, I am getting final deets into place, I will post the 'official' info tonight. It's not going to be a HUGE contest or anything, just simply an accountability contest to keep everyone on track. Please use whatever program you like, and get your food/shakes/broth/ etc ready to go.... taking my daughter for a haircut and i'll be back before midnight to post the info!

oh Kindle, I sure miss you! I was so glad to run into your update. I hope you're doing well, and having a good time with this new person of interest in your life! Please stop by the vets forum soon, some of us are still hanging around

stay tuned everybody, 'official' thread for challenge kick-off coming in the next few days. I just want to enjoy Christmas with my family before my life gets crazy with work again! See you all next Monday. Thread should be posted either Monday night or Tuesday morning

holy malone we have a LOT of people!!! Looking forward to kick starting the New Year with you all!!! 'official' thread coming in about 17 days

I thought you were straight on, and totally honest. been here about 3 years too. i think our surgeries were close in dates, but you have lost more to this point. I want to stay here because I have to tackle a regain and attempt to re-lose it plus the little bit i had to go until final goal. i agree that back then, i hung on the every word from the vets. they taught me SO much. my surgeon and staff were always so impressed that i had so much knowledge, all learned here! happy you are here!

Great job for recognizing what needs to be changed. Keep up the great work!!!

I guess I was just SO thankful when I was new, to get any good answers from vets. I looked at them-and still do- as an invaluable resource! I felt bad for the responder! Of course there was much discussion about the 'pouch stretch'. I WANTED to chime in that although with a sleeve there is no actual stretch, drinking pop CAN lead to a lot of regain- like it did with me. but, i didn't respond at all.

thanks- btw i'm NOT doing the 2 day as planned, I'm going to do the 5 day from kaye bailey. Kaye offers some great supportive videos on youtube AND her plan is much more similar to the post op phases (allows more eating of actual foods, 2 day then BOT plan advocates shakes all day and only one meal at night for dinner). hopefully this is Do-able because my eating is crazy. I work nights and afternoons (work 4 shifts a week and i have variable start and finish times- this is a nursing job but is flexible to allow me to finish NP school) and i find myself eating during the day THEN eating during the night to help me stay awake. I have to get out of this cycle, and I have about 24 months left in this job before i'm done with school. I really love the job so I don't want to go looking for a new one during the hardest part of my schooling. but, gaining weight all through these 24 months isn't an option...

not to mention that if you're obese and undergoing general anesthesia you are already at a HUGE risk for a pulmonary embolism- which can be fatal in an instant. smoking is just a MASSIVE addition of risk to the whole scenario. if you are still pre-op it is likely that you'll have to have a cardiac clearance and most cardiologists worth their salt won't clear you for surgery if you are actively smoking.

OK we are getting a nice group going!!!! Keep the responses coming

Twin Lab Bariatric chewable Vitamins or Optisource multi vit. For Calcium I use the chews (like star burst!) or sometimes the gummies. I use B complex sublingual drops and just started taking some Vitamin D and Biotin again.

The threads I've been reading are mostly the reason that I only post HERE (vet's forum) and in the Regain forum. All the others I don't really spent too much time in, but once in a while I will respond to some question about pre-op diet or exercise...I've really noticed a huge difference in the forums overall since I had surgery 2 years ago. It seems that MOST of the people that were posting back then are gone. There are still some (like y'all) still here and I'm so grateful. I'm coming down from a terrible re-gain cliff and working hard to get back on track. yes, I have to agree. I wonder if the insurance reforms that have happened in the past couple years have loosened the requirements for some states/insurance companies? Maybe these folks have different requirements than we did, and possibly WAY fewer requirements such as psych, nut etc??? THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMMM.....

I have posted details about my New Year's challenge sign up. The thread is over in the "regain and back on track" forum. Head over and take a look if you're interested. I"m still struggling along but feeling better every day and pushing myself harder all the time. I"ll get back where I was!

I PREFER them, but have a hard time finding good ones at the stores I frequent. I want to be concerned about grass fed beef, free roaming chickens, etc. However it IS expensive to eat this way and sometimes the budget needs to be kept in check!

Diet sounds pretty similar to most. Every doctor has different requirements. In my practice there were several docs and all of them had a different pre-op diet! The point is to shrink the liver and limiting added sugar will definitely do that. Natural sugar in the juices shouldn't hinder at all, it will only help keep your appetite in check. My pre-op diet also included a serving of Metamucil daily. Sounds crazy, but it DID really help with appetite also. I'm back to doing that daily just to ward off the cravings.

well, duh...obviously I'm in. (hubs too, and even though he's not a bariatric patient I'll have him doing bariatric diet with me so i'll post his stats too)...

Just reading some of the threads from re-starters and a lot of us are doing great. Keep up your good work. For all those still struggling, today just try to master ONE THING. then in a few days try another thing. It will kick back in! Check in here. I'm personally checking out a new support group in my area next week and although I'm nervous to go (because of my regain), I think that it really is necessary for accountability. Hang in there everybody!!

I really REALLY need to still do a lot of work and as the holidays approach i'm finding it harder again. is anybody here interested in doing a short challenge prior to turkey day? Something just to get us all going. Doesn't have to be a formal plan, just a 7 day window to post your stats, do whatever works for YOU and stay accountable daily on this thread? I will offer it up today, we could start this Wednesday (Nov 16) and go until midnight next Wednesday. I will offer this again for a 2 week challenge at the beginning of December. FOR ME, this is one way to get back on track, and stay there. Please respond by midnight tomorrow if you are interested. Here's what would be required: Post Day 1 stats- your current BMI for that morning Post daily meal info- doesn't have to include macros, just what you ate, what you did for movement, etc. Check in daily on this thread and offer support, word of wisdom, a great recipe, etc. Last day, next Wednesday- post current BMI for that day. No prize per se, just the satisfaction of being there for each other and trying to kick me in the butt a little. I really need this. Respond by tomorrow night if you want in. thanks!!

pre op and current op folks, you guys don't really need a challenge yet, you are all going to be losing with very little effort for the first MANY months post op, AND learning your post op program. Good luck to all of you! Come on re-gainers, let's hear from you on this challenge!!!!

Well, the whole point of me approaching Alex a few months ago and asking to get a Regain forum going was just this. There are a LOT of us out there. Some of us didn't ever reach our intended goal. Like me, i came within about 15 lbs of reaching my goal then gained about 20 back. So I too felt like a major failure. However, my husband pointed out to me over this past weekend that i really have lost a lot so far. Just because we take a few steps backward does not mean that we can't get moving forward again. Good luck. please use the resources and support that's here. you can do it!

there are various options for the pouch reset out there. the 5 day one seems to be the most popular. i tried that one and failed. then i restarted it. there is also a 2 day one out there, and i tried that one. surprisingly, it really helped me a lot! it doesn't seem likely but that seemed to be just enough to get me on track. shakes don't have any 'real' food in them per se, however they are good for trying to cut back, and also good for maintaining Protein intake if you are not in a position to be eating huge amounts of protein. i just saw my new RD about a month ago and she actually recommended some shakes to me, even just one a day is helping. you have to do what works for you. obviously if we were all of the 'eat less move more' school, we wouldn't be on a surgery forum, post surgery! good luck to all

I too struggle mostly because of a job. My current job is a night 'boss' situation. i really like the job, and it works really well for my schooling (i'm in a Doctor of Nursing Practice (NP) program). So I have to stick it out for about 24 more months. however, i have had 2 different bariatric docs talk to me about how night shift work goes against every thread of normal sleep/wake cycle that we have and is absolutely the worst thing for me. as much as i'd love to switch to days, right now i really can't. nights allows me to have time with my family AND get my residency hours done for school, and there is no day shift position that is the exact same as mine. the job i do is specifically meant for night time when the administration goes home. I found myself eating ALL the time at the new gig. i realized that i was eating just to stay awake. As a result i gained about 15 lbs. so I'm really truly trying now to be conscious of my eating. I prep, take a meal with me, take a Quest bar, keep some Protein shake mixes in my drawer in my office, etc. The downside is the cafeteria has awesome food and it's always still open when i get there. i find myself on auto pilot many nights and head in there for junk. so i'm really trying now to just keep out. i also am really REALLY working hard to only get stuff that is friendly to my lifestyle. hang in there.

hang in there! my pouch reset was hard as heck. i failed it multiple times before actually getting it right!