lsereno

I stick to a schedule. At first, it was 1 oz every 15 minutes I was awake. Now that I'm further out, it's one cup before Breakfast, two more cups by lunch, three cups before dinner, and I.5 cups after dinner. The other 1/2 cup comes during the night. I always wake up and have a sip or two of wTer. I count all fluids towards my eight cups, but doctors Cary on what they count as fluids. During the winter, I drink my Water warm to hot because I'm always cold. Lynda

Well for me, stress incontenence disappeared, I am down to smaller doses of two blood pressure meds instead of bigger doses of three, off my cholesterol meds, my joint pain is a million times better and I have much more stamina. It feels fabulous to wear a regular size, fit in every chair and never feel like I am taking more than my share of space. Lynda

Hi Linda, so glad you are doing better now! I have to agree that I worry about needing meds that are hard on the tummy, but like you, one day at a tine. I am taking some heavy rheumatoid arthritis drugs, but I also take Prilosec daily. All I know for sure is my health is 100% better since getting to a normal weight. Lynda

I was surprised too. But the bodpod is supposed to be very accurate.i do have some flabby spots, which I rack up to my previous weight and my age. Lynda

They have info at bodpod.com. Sorry I couldn't get the link to work here. Lynds

I gotta tell you, I'm closer to 60 than 50, retired, 2 grand kids out of high school, and I still find new challenges and changes every year. Spring is my typical time to take on a new oroject. I'm still working on what that will be this year, but I'm thinking it will be making better use of my volunteer time to make the changes I want in my community. I got to goal weight in year 1, didn't opt for plastics so year two was all about staying at goal. Year three, more of the same, but with a smaller bounce range. With less than 6 months to my third surgiversery, I am much more accustomed to how I need to eat to maintain, my size and the size of my clothes, and how much I can do without tiring now that I don't carry an extra 100+ pounds with me everywhere I go. People rarely comment on my weight these days, which is a relief after hearing about it nonstop for the first year. I guess what I'm trying to say is similar to what LL said, enjoy the journey, it's all we've got. Lynda

Leave the starches behind for now. In the first months, eat dense Protein first. Not pizza, not Beans and cheese, not popcorn, etc. Eating dense protein helps ensure you are getting the protein your body needs to continue healing and retain muscle and it helps prevent overeating. Lynda

I've been here since 2010, sleeved in May 2011. Little miss diva and tiffykins were the board leaders. I couldn't wait to get sleeved and they seemed so experienced and knowledgeable. Now, I am much further out from surgery than they were at that time and I've been at goal almost two years. I really appreciate having fellow veterans who are still here posting. I have to work to maintain my weight and this forum is a big help to me. Lynda

I recommend sticking with a line about recent tummy troubles for those that don't want to share sleeve stories. Covers why you can't eat pizza and wings. Just throw that line out there and order the most bland soft thing on the menu or if there is truly nothing that will work, sip your drink and chat everyone up. I also recommend a blender ball cup, Protein powder and some flavoring. I used vanilla Protein Powder, starbucks instant decaf and Water when traveling. Mixed with room temp water, it tastes like a latte. I also packed sugar free drink mixes to blend with water. I had a Protein Drink two to three times per day to get me to protein goals while traveling. Easy protein food choices include fish, yogurt, string cheese, and cottage cheese. Enjoy your trip! Lynda

Yeah, I travel with food postoperative. I have a small cooler that I use on trips. Really helps stay on track when heathy food I enjoy is on hand. Lynda

Love the picture board idea. I haven't seen that posted here before but I have used them in the past. Made my last one pre-op with a picture of a happy healthy woman wearing a sundress and sandals standing by a beach cruiser. Check! Picture boards are really powerful tools. Lynda

And welcome from me too. I always swore if I got to goal weight again, I would continue going to Weight Watchers. I couldn't get there with Weight Watchers (although I learned lots of good habits and tricks that still serve me well) so this group is my version of WW. Lynda

Ask your doc about taking extra iron in the evening or ask them for a schedule. If you can take iron evening only! Here's a schedule that will work. Take the anti acid and thyroid medication as soon as you wake up. One hour later, take calcium and Vitamin and eat Breakfast. Take another calcium at lunch, and then with dinner. Right before bed, take your second vitamin and extra iron. Lynda

Definitely time to call your bariatric team. Lynda

Ha! I had to look that up. Thought you misspelled mangoes. I thought, wow she must of eaten a ton of them to have a problem! My personal christmas problems include Cookies and Sees candy. Prefer to not have them in the house. Lynda

And one more thing, after watching my naturally thin friends, they all eat healthy most of the time with the occasional splurge. There really isn't another way that I have seen. Lynda

I don't recommend all liquid at this phase. I'd cut out all carbs except those from veggies, whole grain and dairy. Clear the crap out of the cupboards and stock up on your fav low cal foods. Wanna treat? Eat fat free yogurt and veggie dippers. I mix my yogurt with the packaged ranch dressing mix. Very low cal and a splurge. Join the valentines challenge. Get a food scale if you don't have one and weigh your food. And remember, you can't hate yourself thin. When you want to snack, close your eyes and picture dancing on your wedding day, thinner, healthy and happy. See a counselor if you need to to help some of the "why" you eat. Buy yourself a present for getting back on the wagon. Make a list of foods you eat and then next to them write better substitutes. For example, instead of pasta, beans. They have more fiber and protein. Lynda

Well are you starting menopause or already through it? As we lose fat, a lot of hormones get releases (at least that's what I've read here over the years). And we ha e to. Feel our feelings now instead of eating a bag of chips and eating a pint of ice cram. Could be one of those things. Or it could be they see you differently now. Look into your own heart for the answer. Lynda

If I eat more than usual it happens to me. I think the food expands a bit while digesting and rolls back up the entrance route since the pyloric valve is still slammed shut. Lynda

I wouldn't worry about fruits and veggies now. After your capacity increases, you can slowly add them back in. At three weeks out, I added a splash of OJ and a frozen strawberry to my yogurt shake (1/2 cup of Fage 0 with a splash of Water and Splenda) and I had a bite of applesauce on occasion when I really missed fruit. To get my veggie fix, I ate Anderson's Split Pea soup (10 grams of protein per cup). As I was able to eat more, I added a bite or two of frozen veggies. I bought the mix and just heated them however I heated my protein. I also used a mandolins slicer to add a few bites of zucchini or yellow squash to a meal. One of the first fruits other than applesauce and frozen berries I ate was watermelon. Of course, I was sleeved in May so it was more available. All other fruit was too acidic for me at first. Are you taking Vitamins and other supplements? My program recommends several that I still take. Best wishes on your journey. Lynda

Oh yeah, forgot to mention you are in the "vanity zone" now. Nothing wrong with that. I wanted the vanity zone too ( losing more than is needed for better health alone).. Everyone is different. Just recognize it for what it is. My doc was happy with my weight at 155, but I wanted 135. It really is your decision to make. Some prefer a more curvy look and some seem to naturally settle at a certain weight and stay there. I had to up my exercise to 6 days per week and cut back on treats to get the last few pounds off. Lynda

If your planning on extensive plastics, it can knock a few lbs off. So maybe you will be 150 after that. How tall are you? Lynda

My weight naturally stabilized and I had to cut back on treats and step up the exercise to get the last few pounds off. I'm 5'6" and 135 lbs. I wear a 6 or small. Maybe your natural weight is less than 140? Lynda

I looked unhealthy to my family for a short period. All the weight came off my face, my hair thinned and people were just not used to seeing me at a normal BMI. I am 5'6" and weighed 254 in heavy clothes when approved for surgery. I weighed 222 the day before surgery, 4 months later. My feeling is that after rapid weight loss, it takes a while for everything to settle its place. They still comment about my size, but I don't are. I feel heathy and good and I'm squarely in the middle of the normal BMI for my height. Lynda

Usually low fat ham. I don't like eggs. Sometimes I eat turkey little smokies, or another type of meat such as turkey or roast chicken. So, at goal, my breakfast is generally a couple slices of low fat ham, a slice of whole wheat bread or oats (1/4 cup cooked with 3/4 c. Water), And later either yogurt with berries or a soy latte. Sometimes I eat cold Cereal with soy milk instead of the other grains and dairy, but not very often. Lynda