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I love to travel. I use Gold Standard Pro vanilla Protein powder and mix it in my shaker cup with a packet of Starbucks Via Italian Roast Decaf. I also travel with the unjury chicken flavored protein. Once you are on solids, beef jerky is a great protein snack. I usually pack some flavor packets for Water too. Most airports I've been in lately have a Starbucks. If I need a snack in the airport, I get a soy latte or for a bigger snack, I get a yogurt cup. For car trips, I bring along my fav quick foods: 55% reduced fat Gallo Salami (that 55% is important - they make two kinds of light salami and the 95% reduced fat is nasty!), light string cheese, greek yogurt cups, and whole wheat crackers. I also throw a case of bottled water in the trunk. I also travel with remedies for constipation. If I miss a day, I'm on it. Lynda

About three days for me. I would not take the miralax right now unless your doctor recommended it. After I started pooping again, it was a couple of weeks before things firmed up and I got back to my one poop per day schedule. Lynda

Congrats! Enjoy that extra space - you worked hard to get it! Lynda

Foxbins, Congrats on a successful surgery. I've heard the surgeons in Costa Rica are very good. I do think you are still swollen a bit and that it will take time to get used to the new look on your face. Best wishes on a speedy recovery! Lynda

Hey Former_VBG, you are doing great too! I'm so glad this tool is around for all of us. I know what you mean about weighing yourself. It's so much more fun now :-) Can't wait to see your post about the 130s! Lynda

Congrats Lash! Happy surgiversary! Lynda

Congrats Feedyoureye! Slow but sure wins the race and you are winning.! Your pics are fabulous! I agree with Coops- you are one stylish lady, at any size! Lynda

Hi all, This morning I hopped on the scale and I have less than 5 lbs. to go to goal!!!!! I wasn't sure I would ever get this close and I thought it make take up to a year to get to goal, maybe more. I am so stoked and in love with my sleeve right now that I could sing and dance down my street singing the praises of the sleeve! I am blessed that my food addiction was less than some and head hunger has not ruled my life post-op. It does get to me sometimes, but so far, so good. And it's not like I haven't worked hard to get here. I've resisted extra treats, forced myself to work out when I didn't want to, and tracked food and Water intake till I'm pretty sure I could do it in my sleep. I was not a Protein first eater pre-op, but I have stuck with it long enough now that it is a comfortable habit for me. If you have head hunger that is ruling your life post-sleeve, I really recommend counseling. Our sleeve is a tool, but for some, I think an extra tool is needed, on top of the sleeve. For example, Weight Watchers was a good tool for me, it taught me good eating habits, tricks to get head hunger under control, and how to accurately measure and track my food and exercise. But it wasn't enough of a tool for me. I needed the sleeve to help me get my hunger under control. Without the sleeve, I was always hungry. I had to eat a bigger meal to be satisfied and I got hungry faster after I ate. I finally realized I needed another tool and I got it through the sleeve. If you are not getting where you want with the sleeve, look for another tool to help you get there. Maybe it's counseling to deal with head hunger, maybe it's finding an exercise program that you actually like and can do (for me that means it has to be a scheduled, group activity!), maybe it's investing in a food scale to accurately measure your food. Whatever, you are so worth it!!!!! My wish for 2012 is to see everyone here getting healthy, happy, and heading towards or at their own goal! Lynda

Hi all, I had a great week this week! I lost 3.3 lb.s this week and hit my last two mini-goals. My number starts with 13. I haven't weighed that since the early 90s. And I now have less than 5 lbs (3.4 lbs to be exact!) to go to my final goal weight. It was my second full week at my regular workout schedule after the holidays and I managed to get the snack monster under control. I did enjoy a bag of 94% fat free kettle corn, a Mai Tai, and an extra snack after dinner one night, but other than those extras I stuck to my three meals, Protein first. I love my sleeve!!!!!!! My Valentine's Goal also includes reaching the following goals: 144: This was my Christmas goal and I've lost 110 lbs. (32 pre-op and 78 post op). 9 lbs. to my final goal!!! 142: I've lost 80 lbs. post-op 140: Five lbs. to my final goal!!! 139: My number starts with 13. I haven't weighed this since the early-90s. 135: GOOOAAAL! Lynda Valentine's Day Goal: SW-144.2.............CW-138.4..............Goal-135 Dec. 25: 144.2 Dec. 30: 142.8 Jan. 6: 142.6 Jan. 13: 141.7 Jan. 20: 138.4 Jan. 27: Feb. 3: Feb. 10: Valentine's Day:

hair loss started for me at 4 months. Hope you don't have any! Mine is very manageable- it's thinner, not see through, but I can't wait for it to grow back. My ponytail is a sad little skinny thing unless i fluff it. Lynda

Oooh! Nine months is almost here for me! My heair is thinner. Not so thin you can see my scalp, but noticeably thinner. Can't wait for it to grow back in! Lynda

I am 5'6" and was 222 the day before surgery. I lost 32 lbs. on the pre-op diet. At 8 months out, I am a few teeny pounds from goal, which will put me at 135 with a BMI of 21.8. I wanted a BMI in the middle of the normal range. Also, in my teens and early 20s I weighed 118 and liked how I looked, so I added a few pounds to that for age. I do exercise 5 days a week and I'm pretty compliant with the nutritional guidelines recommended by my program. Lynda

My doc uses a 40 and I believe that is standard for Kaiser. We talked about it before hand. He sew over the staple line. As others have mentioned, your tummy size depends on how they place the tool, how close to the tool they staple, if they oversew, etc. I believe taller people have longer tummies too. I have great restriction and I'm very happy with my tool. I am 8 months out so I'm guessing my tummy is at its final size. I can comfortably eat 3 oz. of firm Protein, and a tiny bit of vegetables and starch at a meal. I am easily getting my required protein and calories without eating extra meals or having Protein shakes. I've seen this discussed a lot, so you can probably search the forum for bougie and find a lot of topics. There was one that showed what each bougie size looks like compared to pens. There is not much difference in them, so it's easy to see that surgical technique also plays a role. I remember reading that when people first started getting the VSG a much larger bougie 48-60 was used and that people did not get sufficient restriction with that size. Lynda

I'm 5'6" and weighed 222 the day before surgery. I'm just a few pounds from goal and weight loss is slowing for me. I think it will be fairly easy to add enough calories to do maintenance. It's just going to take a little adjustment here and there. I hope to add enough calories from healthy foods that I've avoided, such as Peanut Butter, avocado, olive oil, and nuts. I'm looking forward to having a little more of these treats along with a couple more "bad" Snacks a week. For example, this week I had a Mai Tai. I'm trying to keep that as my only splurge so I can lose the last few pounds. After I get to goal, I might have two Mai Tais a week and dessert or popcorn once a week too. Woo-hoo! And I'm really looking forward to adding avocado to my lunch or a little Parmesan to dinner and using a little extra basil olive oil when cooking my veggies! For myself, I'm more worried about getting lax and tilting back to the too many calories side of the equation. Lynda

I like my greek yogurt made into a smoothie. Try it and see if it works better for you. Early on, I used 1/2 cup yogurt, splash of OJ, two small strawberries or one big one, 3 tablespoons Splenda, and 1/4-1/2 cup Water. I still have one for Breakfast everyday, but now I am up to 1 cup yogurt and I add a piece of whole wheat toast. You can also add the greek yogurt to Soups or use it to make dip (just substitute for sour cream in any dip recipe). Lynda

Thanks for sharing the new pics. You are looking fabulous! You are 8 months ahead of me and your leadership, advice, encouragement, support, and honesty has made my journey so much easier. As I get close to goal, I am more worried about maintenance, so I really appreciate that you continue to post now that you are at goal and maintaining. As for long struggles, I know what you mean! I have struggled with my weight since my 30s. The sleeve is the only thing I have found that worked for me. I tried it all (except fad diets, which I knew wouldn't work long-term)- Weight Watchers, Alli, hypnosis, personal trainer 3x per week. You name it, I did it! I love my sleeve. I know I still have to watch what I eat, but I feel like I have a fighting chance at the life and look I want for myself. Lynda

I'm colder now, even at 8 months out. I'm not as cold as I was at first. I was freezing all the time for the first few weeks after surgery. I just bundle up and thank heaven I can take off the extra layer instead of permanently wearing it like i did my fat! Also, once I start moving around I warm up fast. It mostly hits me when I am sitting around. Lynda

It took me till between 4 and 5 months to get my strength fast. I got light headed too. My blood work was good and my nutrtition/fluid/vitamin intake was good too. I was exercising. I think it just takes some people longer to bounce back after surgery. At 8 months, I am 100% and I really don't get dizzy anymore. I'm not sure when the occasional dizzy spell stopped and I can't remember the last time I was dizzy, so I would guess at least three months ago. Hang in there - it's so worth it! Lynda

Congrats Barbara! It is so good to hear from you. I'm just 8 months out and a few pounds from goal and maintenance is a bit scary to me. It boosts my confidence to learn that you are happy and successful two years out. Best wishes on your upcoming surgeries. Can't wait to see the pics! Lynda

I like Lipton Diet Green Tea with citrus. I was able to drink it within the first week or so following surgery. It has 11 mg of caffeine per serving, which is about the same amount as a cup of decaf coffee. I also like Crystal Light lemonaide, but at first it was a little too acidic for my tummy. I also like Diet Snapple Peach Tea. I'm not sure how much caffeine it has.

I agree with Meg. Unless i stick with Protein first I am hungry and eat more calories without feeling full. Eating protein first was a big change for me. I was never very protein-oriented pre-surgery and it was the last thing I would eat on my plate. But I notice how much better I feel if I eat protein first now and how much more satisfied I am after meals, so I'm a convert! I also think exercise is key. I exercise five days a week. For me, it's key to keeping my moods on an even keel and I think it has really made a difference it how my body looks. The last few pounds to goal are always the hardest. I've been whittling away at mine for the last couple of months. Lynda

Congrats! What a difference in the pants! Lynda

I'm lactose-intolerant post-surgery. I can have firm cheeses and yogurt, but milk, ice cream, and cottage cheese upset my tummy. I had runny poo the first few weeks post-op, but it got way better after I cut the milk and cottage cheese out of my diet. I went from going every couple of hours with gas pains throughout the day to minimal gas and going 3-4 times per day, slowly returning to once a day somewhere between 2 and 3 weeks out. Lynda

I love my food scale. It is so much more accurate and it can be easier than measuring once you get used to it. Mine has a zero function (I think most do), so I put my plate on it, zero it out, then add 3 oz. of Protein. I also measure my yogurt for my morning shake like that. Put the blender on it, then zero it and spoon it 227 grams of yogurt (1 cup). I was trying to eat to much because I thought I should, but I got over that and went back to drinking a Protein Shake. Our tummies all heal at different rates. I can get in enough protein now, but it took a few months before I could cut out the Protein shakes. I'm from the clean plate club, but it only bothers me at home. We served ourselves and were expected to eat what we put on our plates. My parents did not make me clean my plate at a restaurant because even then they served a lot of food! I have no problem leaving stuff on my plate at the restaurant! Lynda