mi75

hey all- just looking for thoughts and opinions about PF and the workouts there. also are there trainers on staff who can design a 'program' for you? my family was going to join the Y this week but turns out it is a LOT more money than we expected. really disappointed because on top of the $85 a month family fee, it's $45 for 6 wks of swimming lessons for each kid, another $35 for me to attend yoga, another $35 for tai chi, etc. you get the picture...MONEY galore. we just can't afford that right now. so the next option is the PF in town. it's in a mall, so a little bit intimidating with gawkers, but they do a good job of shielding... also are there classes to do, or group workouts? ***is the place weight-lifting focused or more of just a cardio-focused place??? i already get cardio at the gym at work and specifically need weight/resistance for early-onset osteoporosis. lastly is it a year contract or monthly or how does that work? THANKS!

YUM saving to try next weekend!

YUM- saving recipe to try this week~!

i started walking the day after surgery and have walked 5/7 days since then (8 wks out). the exception is THIS past week when i only walked 3 days, and i have GAINED 1.5 lbs this week. coorelation- definitely! we are joining the "Y" this week and family is super excited!

i agree with the above. if you really are convicted to have surgery, focus on your commitments to the bariatric diet FIRST for a while to let your body heal. it will go through a lot of stress, shock, etc just from the surgery. after a few months if you are still convicted, then go for it. i work with somebody who is very convicted for a plant-based lifestyle and it's more for health but i know that they get very little Protein other than nuts and Beans. nothing like the 75+ grams we need daily after surgery though. we spend a lot of time observing each other's diets and i would guess they MAYBE get 18-25 grams a day... good luck!

i ordered the actual Zumba DVDs (with Beto!!) several years ago thinking that i would love it. i do, BUT the instruction video to teach you the moves is longer than the actual workout and very tedious! however, zumba is cool and LOOKS pretty darn sexy like salsa dancing when you do it right! oh, and the actual workout you get is awesome too! i agree with go to youtube. TONS of videos there and you can try till you find what you like! i would also bet that there are some of the original dvd sets for sale all over e-bay. good luck!

I add Benefiber to every Water i drink every day to help keep things going. i also eat a full Quest bar every day which is at least 17 grams Fiber. no issues at 8 wks out, but i had problems from weeks 2-3 until i added the Benefiber.

for ME, we had an incredibly strong marriage of almost 20 years before my surgery. my husband was scared for me and was watching me slowly die. now we exercise together, go on date nights, walk with our kids every day, go camping, etc. it is SO much better than before surgery. initially i was scared that maybe i would change and he wouldn't, but this hasn't been a problem at all. i have read threads of both ways too.

me too,i first saw a surgeon in 2012, then flaked then went back and forth for another year before deciding. been there. it's really exciting. for ME, pre op was exciting, i talked a lot about it, and the post op it wasn't such a huge deal anymore. in fact, at 7 wks post op, nobody around me barely talks about it anymore except my hubs and kids! i am steadily losing though and feel great. happy for you!

i had some spotting right after surgery and then WHAMMO, 29 days later it arrived. spontaneously. FIRST time in over 20 years i had a spontaneous cycle without meds, injections, etc. Surgeon's staff told me that most cycles are affected due to the severe swings in diet and nutrition. also, estrogen is stored in fat so as we burn fat, our estrogen levels are swinging like crazy.

i admire your strength to stop at 6!!! seriously, i'm sure that we will ALL deal with old habits, cravings, etc. my program includes all foods, including Desserts, but all programs are different. just keep your eye on the prize, get some movement, drink some Water and move forward. you can't undo what you've already done. i know this is several days later, hope you are doing well!

i am 7 wks out and i chose this option (sleeve) so that i wouldn't have to FOREVER be on a 'diet' and feel guilty over eating something like a slice of pizza... i too have had a thin crust slice. no guilt, scale continues to move downward nicely! i guess i wouldn't consider the fact that you ate a very limited portion of a 'treat' food a bad day. pizza USED to be a twice-a-week occasion for me, now it will likely be about once a month or so. no issues. that said, if you are following your program then you have nothing to feel bad about! my program includes ALL foods, including breads, rice, Pasta, yes-pizza, and even Desserts in LIMITED wise quantities (1 slice). i have NO problems overeating and feel VERY full well before i'm done eating ANY meal!

i have 2 kids, a tween (12) and a toddler. smaller one doesn't notice a thing. my older one has been a little emotional because we no longer go out to eat as much as we did, and also the fact that EVERYTHING we used to do as a family included eating somewhere (restaurant) and doesn't too much anymore. she is RAIL THIN naturally but implementing the changes like no pop, cooking at home, etc will ultimately benefit her in the long run. i'm 7 wks post op and she has pretty much adjusted...i still keep her favorites around and they aren't an issue for me at all.

like others have said this is just a tool. i am only 7 wks post op but eating pretty much all foods and not having problems with any foods. that said, i'm choosing to always have my Proteins first and small amounts of healthy carbs IF i have room for them. yes, i too could CHOOSE to eat cakes, Cookies, or candies but i have chosen NOT to thus far. i could also CHOOSE to go back to pop but not anymore! i have had thin crust pizza, mcdonalds, steak, seafood, tacos, and chinese food. but the CHOICES i make are wise and include VERY small portions, healthy lean meats, complex carbs, and good veggies. i love the fact that the mind shift is strong for me and that i can still have very limited portions of the foods i used to enjoy in MASSIVE quantities!

It depends on your program! This question would be best directed to your nutritionist. Every program is different and each have VERY different 'rules'. My program DOES allow rice, Pasta, bread, toast, tortillas, etc. I am 7 wks out and eating many forms of whole grain carbs and complex grains and losing nicely.

approx 3 months post op, then after that i will be every 4 months for a year, then yearly. all the usual stuff, just making sure i don't need to be supplemented. biggies are electrolytes (magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium, etc) and b Vitamins, folate, Iron, CBC, liver enzymes, liver function, thyroid function, etc.

in many cases, which doctor you go see will depend on if you are needing an actual pannulectomy OR a tummy tuck. i would start with the surgeon who did your bariatrics. they are all general surgeons first, and if you need a panni they may do it themselves. a tummy tuck though would need a referral to a plastics guy. in any case, if you are at the point where you have open sores it needs to be dealt with ASAP.

no, at 7 wks i am on a 'regular' diet and chewing all foods. tonight i had a small steak and potato and some steamed broccoli. it was AWESOME! i DO still have a Protein shake every day and anticipate doing that for the next 7-9 months until i can eat enough in my daily routine. i am guessing that for ME, my sudden energy high is due to these things: 1. i was drinking almost a GALLON of regular pop every day and likely my blood sugar was sky high, draining me of vital energy. 2. i was on 200 mg of a beta blocker medication for my blood pressure, this medication as a class can make you pretty fatigued. 3. i couldn't move.i couldn't breathe, i couldn't do anything! it was all i could do to just get through my work day. now i go and exercise 4/4 work days every week and on the weekends i do some other sort of physical activity that gets my requirements in. i think my body is just rejoicing in the fact that i am turning things around and no longer killing myself with my diet and lifestyle!

i was also told no gummies but like all things bariatric, each program is different! as far as i know there are no gummies on the market that have Iron in them, so you would need to do supplemental iron dosing. i started out with Centrum children's chewables 2 a day and now i'm taking Twin Lab Bariatric chewable once a day. not a fan of chewables and next i'm going to try a liquid version that somebody on here pointed out to me.

I am 7 wks out post sleeve. heaviest weight: 233 surgery day weight: 218 current weight: 195. i eat EVERYTHING i want to including the good carbs. my bariatric program is very big and very successful and they strive to teach you to eat normal portions of all healthy macronutrients. I have had whole grain toast, wheat thin crackers, thin crust pizza and whole wheat tortillas. all fruits, all meats except for roast beef, and most veg at this point. I hit a stall 3 wks out also and didn't budge for about 12 days but moving good since. exercise is key for me, if i don't do it, the scale doesn't move the next day. cravings for me have been very minimal. right now i'm craving steak so i'm betting my Iron is a bit low. going to grill up a nice little fillet for dinner with sweet potato and i'll be good. my sleeve is a TOOL to help me learn to eat right, choose healthy options and normal portions. i feel awesome, am off all meds, am down 2 pants sizes and have enough energy to go go go all day long!

i did Centrum childrens chewables, 2 a day then switched to the Bariatric chewable from Twinlab. not a fan of either one. i hate chewables. hopeful i can switch back to just a regular adult multi eventually...

just standard testing for pre-op. if you are a certain age, it's an automatic thing. it's also required of some surgeons regardless of age. good luck, i'm sure it will be A-ok!

i also just did one thing at a time. i started with cream soup and found one or two that were very tolerable. i ate them for like 3-4 days then found something else new to try. worked good.

I use Barilla plus or Dreamfields now. Both taste pretty good to me. Barilla Plus is actually made from lentils. My surgeon runs a pretty huge and successful program and it's one where ALL macronutrients are encouraged, including healthy carb options, because they are essential to body functions. All my meals start with Protein first, but all also include a veg, and a small amount of starch or carb like rice, Pasta, or fruit. like all things bariatric, every doctor is different and every program is different but this is my program. yes i eat pasta.

i CAN eat there! i can tolerate bread but i don't like to have a LOT of it. so instead of that HUGE loaf they serve my sub on, i will pull out ALL the innerds (squishy white part) of the top and bottom bread and just have the very crusty outer parts left. i have found that post op i can tolerate just about any foods. bread used to be one of my very favorite things. now i prefer toast or crusty options instead!