lsereno

I ate low fat ham lunchmeat from costco, Greek Yogurt mixed with splenda to sweeten it, Anderson Split Pea Soup, and Protein drinks mixed with soy milk or the unjury chicken protein. It took awhile for things to taste good and go down well again. I could only eat one ounce of protein for a while. It took time to get to two ounces and now I can usually fit three ounces, but not always. Be sure to get your liquids in and eat protein first! It's a process, but well worth it if you ask me! At 7 months out from surgery, I'm just 9 teeny pounds from my personal goal of 135, which will put me at a BMI of 21.8. I'm small boned and prefer a long, lean look so I went for a lower BMI. Lynda

I'm so sorry your dear friend has had such a serious complication. When you are weighing your options, please consider the health risks and life imitations of being overweight. For me, those risks and limitations far outweighed the risks of surgery. I was very afraid when I went to surgery, but not too afraid to follow through with it. One thing that helped me was to read people's stories. Most people with complications have overcame them and gone on to succeed. And the majority of people sail through without complications. I'm seven months out and the only issue I've had is that I'm now lactose intolerant. I can deal with that! Best wishes to you on your weight loss journey and healing wishes for your friend. Lynda

Reach my goal weight and maintain (within a 5 lb. window either side) throughout the year. Continue my exercise program. Do not succumb to alcohol addiction now that I can't eat as much. Lynda

Are you drinking at least 64 oz of Water a day? I am hungry and my weight loss stalls if I don't get at least 64 oz. of fluids every day. Are you eating Protein first at every meal? With 1200 calories per day, you should be able to get at least 60 grams of protein in food alone without the Protein Drink. For example, 6 oz. of beef has 42 grams of protein and 6 oz. of chicken breast has 60 grams of protein, according to about.com, http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/a/highproteinfood.htm. If I don't eat protein first, I am hungry after meals. Are you exercising? My weight loss sped up after I returned to a full exercise regimen after surgery. My program recommends at least 5 days per week. I walk fast for 45 minutes at a time twice a week, do strength training with a personal trainer once per week, and take two group exercise classes (body pump and cardio sculpt). Are you taking Iron? I felt tired till I started taking an iron supplement a couple of times per week. Those are my ideas. Hope they help. Lynda

Thanks Forensikchic! I'm in! My goal for Valentine's Day is based on losing another about 1.25 lbs. per week and arriving at GOAL one year after I began the pre-op diet and nine months post-surgery. I weight every day but I only log my weight on Fridays (except for the final challenge date) to keep myself sane. 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: Fivelbs. 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-144.2..............Goal-135 Dec. 25: 144.2 Dec. 30: Jan. 6: Jan. 13: Jan. 20: Jan. 27: Feb. 3: Feb. 10: Valentine's Day:

Congrats Raine! What a great Christmas present. And I think it's a good idea to wait a little before having surgery to remove extra skin. My understanding is that some of it disappears on its own during the first year at goal weight. Lynda

I take the calcium with Breakfast and dinner and then have the Iron just before I go to bed. Lynda

I think that applies to RNY only. I know my program allows them but if I take them I also have to take prilosec or the generic version, omeprazole. Lynda

I had extra drinks (I can have 1-2 per week now that I'm more than 6 months post-op and doing well), sweets, and a little fried food (chips and the fried green Beans at PF Changs). I tried to get my Protein and Fluid in each day, which limits how bad I can be. And I can't drink or eat sweets like I did pre-op, so that slows me down too. On Christmas, I had the foods I traditionally eat. Just a lot less of them. For Breakfast, I had a sweet roll, a sausage link, and a tangerine for breakfast. For lunch, I had lowfat cheese sticks, another sausage link, and whole grain crackers. For dinner I had smoked sturgeon mixed with low-fat mayo, more whole wheat crackers, and another tangerine. During the day, I ate nuts (in the shell, so it takes longer to eat them) and three pieces of Sees candy. Today, the day after Christmas, I am back on track. Even on track I have an occasional cheat, but I whooped it up in Vegas and on Christmas Day. Here's to a happy, healthy, and successful 2012 to all my fellow VSGers! Cheating is not failure. Failure is when you never climb back on the wagon! Lynda

I drank one ounce every 15 minutes while I was up. I watched the clock and used a measuring cup as my pitcher and a shot glass or a one-ounce medicine cup as my drinking cup. It took the whole 15 minutes to finish the ounce because I had to take small sips, but breaking it down and measuring it helped me get in my 64 oz. every day until I could take bigger sips. Lynda

Any doctor can order the blood work. Kaiser has a cheat sheet for General Practitioners that details what should be checked: http://www.permanent...r/pdf/63284.pdf Some stuff in the sheet applies to other surgeries, but most info applies to sleeve. Lynda

I strongly recommend starting Iron and taking all other supplements your program recommends. I am about one month ahead of you and I got my full energy back between months 4 and 5. I actually have more energy now that pre-surgery. No suprise since I not dragging around an extra 100 lbs. everywhere I go! I take Ferrimin 150 a couple of times a week. It has a stool softener built in, which is helpful with iron. And the type of iron it contains is absorbed more easily than the type that is is most iron supplements. Lynda

I buy at Target and Walmart, with the occasional find at Ross or TJ Maxx. I buy the jeans with stretch at Target and get them very tight. At first, I don't dry them in the dryer, as the become looser, I dry them in the dryer to get a better fit for a little longer. Once they get baggy even when the first come out of the dryer, I buy a couple more pairs. I usually find them for about $15 per pair, so it's not a major investment. I buy a couple of sweaters and several t-shirts at Walmart or Target and layer stuff up. I can get quite a few looks out of stuff with scarves, jewelry, and just mixing sweaters, t-shirts, and jeans. I don't dress up much and nomally I would keep one dress up outfit but I haven't been doing that because there is no sense in buying one in each size. I figure if I need a dress up outfit, I 'll just run out and buy one that fits right then. Lynda

Congrats! What a wonderful Christmas present for you. Lynda

I'm 7 months out. I started at 254 (I'm 5'6") and was 222 the day before my surgery, May 16. I am now 144 (I only update my ticker once per week so it's at 145.4, which is what I weighed last Friday). I'm 9 lbs. away from my goal, which will put me at a BMI of 21.8. I have small bones, so I don't look as skinny as you might think. I still like sweets and greasy foods, but not very much of them. They don't set as well as they used to. I think it's because I am out of the habit of eating them. When I was younger and thin, I couldn't eat a lot of greasy food or sweet food because it bothered me. Not everyone who gets RNY gets dumping syndrome when eating sweets, so it may not offer the deterrent you hope for. I am very happy with my choice. The weight loss, appetite suppression, and ability to eat a small amount of any food I choose, has been everything I hoped for. Best wishes on a speedy recovery. I'm keeping you a seat warm on the losers' bench! Lynda

I drink a yogurt smoothie made with greek yogurt, splash of OJ, couple of strawberries, and Splenda every day for Breakfast. I started with 1/2 c. yogurt and am up to 1 cup of yogurt. Now that I'm further out, I also have 1/2 slice of whole wheat toast with it and a Soy Latte when I first get up. For lunch, my fav is Gallo Light Salami, a light string cheese, and a few whole wheat crackers. I started with one ounce of salami, but I now can eat two ounces of salami and a little fruit, such as 1/4 apple or orange or 1/2 a small tangerine. For dinner, my fav is ground beef (we grind our own) with a little bit of vegetables. I also love to get a costco roasted chicken and use the meat in Soup, chicken salad, or on its own with bbq or other sauce. Lynda

Welcome! At 55, I'm definitely of a certain age. My skin does look a bit more crinkly here and there, but that's what I expected. My hair is thinner, but not so thin you can see through it and not so thin that I had to change my style. Lynda

Raine, AKA Skinny Minnie: You are rockin' those boots! Lynda

I didn't in most joints. My feet, ankles, and knees are better though. The Dr. did tell me being overweight is known to cause inflammation and losing weight is supposed to help RA. Lynda

I'm 11 1/2 small pounds from goal and I know people treat me differently. I have always been well groomed, with a stylish do and makeup. My pic still shows me at close to my heaviest weight ever: 254. As you can see from my happy grin and hoisted drink, I knew how to have fun, play up my good points, and put on a winning smile. A few people comment on my weight every time they see me and ask what I weigh; once I weigh less than them, a look of distress crosses their face. I finally told one friend, don't worry I'll never weigh less than you (She's 4'11" and weighs 125.) One former friend avoids me now (we were supposed to have the surgery around the same time but she backed out of the program). Strangers are nicer to me and notice me more. My medical plan finally treated my joint issue (turns out I have rheumatoid arthritis). I think they could see the swollen joints more after I lost weight. I had been complaining for a couple of years, and joint problems are one of the reasons I wanted to lose weight. I don't think these people are evil haters. Bias for most people is something they are not even aware of. I was thin when I was younger and I thought the changes in other's attitudes were more about aging, but I see that it not true now. I am thankful I am older now, though: there is far less skanky male attention at 55 than in my teens, twenties, and thirties. Lynda

Congrats! What a fabulous Christmas present for you: Goal! Lynda

Recovery was a bit tougher than I expected. I was not one of the lucky ones who felt great in a week. I took pain meds for about a week and a half. I was super tired the first couple of months and didn't feel 100% in the energy department till about 5 months out. Instead of dropping steadily, my blood pressure did a wild up and down thing for a while and it still goes up once and a while. Losing weight did not cure my joint issues, but once I lost weight the doctor could see how swollen my joints can get and I have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. I am so grateful that while my hair has thinned, it is not so thin that I have had to change my hair style. I was worried I would have to get extensions or go short (hubby hates short hair). It was easier to go heavy on the Protein than I expected. I was a carb monster pre-op and I really dreaded having to eat protein first. But it totally doesn't bother me now. I was worried I would not be able to lose the weight even with surgery, but now I am just 13 teeny pounds from goal. At almost seven months out, I have fewer side effects than I expected. I can eat spicy food, have a drink, and generally enjoy myself without it bothering my tummy. One thing: I am now lactose intolerant and I drink my morning espresso as a Soy Latte instead of straight. Straight espresso is a bit harsh for my tummy now. Lynda

I'll be 7 months out on Dec. 17th. I have lost 100% of my excess weight (BMI <25) and have about 13 lbs. to go to goal (BMI 21.8). I have followed my program's eating, drinking, and exercise plan with a few Snacks (not a lot!). I had a lot of muscle mass going in to the operation because I had been working out with a trainer 3 x per week for several years (one of my many failed attempts to get my weight under control). I'm very small-boned (ring size 6) and prefer to have a long lean look with a few feminine curves, so my goal weight is less than many people who are the same height as me. Lynda

My program said to only take them for 3 months, but I took them for 6 months. I stopped without any problems at all. I did not have a problem with acid reflux before surgery (unless i had about 5 margaritas and a bunch of chips). Lynda

Congrats! You look fabulous! Lynda