Writergirl

Prior to the surggery I spent several months in a downward spiral, eating everything in sight, and thn some. I then had to make a decision... either lose weight, or go into surgery at my highest weight ever, with the outcome of that terrifying to me. So I went on low carb, and lost about 30 pounds. I can't tell you how good that was for me. Just getting the carb monster under control made it so much easier to face all the changes I've had to make after surgery. Now, almost 4 months out, I am facing all my other bad habits. Boredom grazing. Emotional eating. Late night snacking. I'm tackling them one at a time, because, as you mentioned, I want to succeed for the rest of my life. This is quite a process, and you'll come face-to-face with ALL your eating issues if you are going to succeed. I find this website and constant self-monitoring are very helpful.

My bp has been 90/53 or thereabouts every time they check it, and no one has seemed concerned! Finally, the nutritionist saw it and scolded me a bit. She said it's that low because I'm not drinking enough liquids. I got the message!

Congratulations! Other than that you're about 100 pounds less than me, we're kind of in the same place. I have lost 89 pounds and am getting really excited about the big 100 mark! I, too, have a very slow metabolism. I was sleeved in January and have lost (only) 44 pounds since the surgery. We should support each other and cheer each other on as we work toward our goal!

Nothing's wrong! You're probably just hungry! Since my surgery in January, I get hungry every 2 hours like clockwork. Frustrated, I asked the doctor about it, since I thought I'd never be hungry again after the surgery. He said in a small number of cases people just go the other way and get hungry all the time. (yay, me.) Meanwhile, I was on an acid reducer so it wasn't acid. It stands to reason that we would get hungry when we're eating such small amounts. I will say this, though... I've learned that sometimes when I feel hungry it's just stomach irritation. If I've just eaten and feel hungry, I know it's not hunger again. So now if I'm really hungry I drink a small amount of ice water. If I can feel the cold in my stomach, I know I'm empty. If I don't feel it, I know it's something else and I just ignore it for awhile and it goes away. Don't panic! It's no big deal.

Wow! Whew! Take a deep breath! You have a LOT going on here, including complications that you've had to deal with. Your body is going through a tremendous shock and tremendous changes, and everyone is different at this stage. Let me just address MyFitness Pal, though. I, too, log every single bite, and when I reached stalls it was SO beneficial to look at everything and see where I might tweak things. I highly recommend you continue to do this, now and forever. At the same time, the calorie goals set my MFP are for people who are on traditional diets. The unsleeved masses could not comfortably or successfully consume the small number of calories we can consume after surgery. The nutritionist at my bariatric center (of excellence) told me I should be consuming about 800 calories per day, including the 250 I get from my two protein drinks. Right now, you should be highly focussed on water, protein, vitamins, and as much exercise as you can do without injuring yourself or setting yourself back. After a lifetime of failed dieting, it's easy and natural to feel that once again we are failing. However, this is a game changer, and all the rules are different. Again, take a deep breath, track, relax, and go through the process. It's going to be ok!

Very good question. As Cheri said, this is exactly the reality I'm dealing with at about 3 months out. I was so sure prior to surgery that I was going to be absolutely miserable and deprived over the small portions, but that hasn't really bothered me. The going got tough when I stopped losing and had to really address my eating issues. Luckily, I've been tracking every morsel I eat in My Fitness Pal, so it was easy to see that snacking is a big problem for me. I've been a grazer for my entire eating life, and I've determined that this is the habit that has to go if I'm to succeed long term. In the past, I wanted to lose weight but I didn't want to change. Now, for the first time ever, I WANT to change. So I would have to say my biggest obstacle to overcome is me. It's a work in progress!

I was JUST looking at that gadget and wondering about it. Does it measure how many calories you're burning based on your actual metabolic rate (body temp, etc.), or is it just measuring movement and applying some kind of formula for estimated calories burned? I think the Body Bug actually goes by your body temp, perspiration, etc. But I'd like to get this and sync it with MFP.

I went on low-carb for the first time several months before my surgery, and for the first time in my life, I lost a good amount of weight fast. When I went for the surgery I was already down 50 pounds. I nearly drove myself crazy with the decision, and my family and friends said they would support me either way. Finally, after being really honest with myself, I admitted that every diet I had ever been on had come to an end at some point, and the weight eventually came back and then some. The time to end that cycle of self-abuse had come. I'm about 11 weeks out and even though I'm losing slowly (probably because I lost so much beforehand), I don't have a single regret about my decision. You're on this path for a reason, and you just need to remind yourself of it. Good luck!

What a sad and terrible thing. I know that most of us, as we consider the surgery (ANY elective surgery for that matter), consider that this might happen. For many of us (certainly for me), the decision to have surgery comes down to whether we will die young from weight related illness or take the chance to increase our health and well being for many years. I pray that your family finds peace.

I remember when you lost your mom. I was also sleeved in January, and I commented to my husband that I couldn't even imagine what you were going through. This is what I do know, though, after having lost a baby daughter and my brother (teen suicide, many years ago)... there are some hurts that no amount of food, friendship, talk, prayer, or any other thing will completely heal. These are the things we take deep inside ourselves, and really, the only way to cope is to acknowledge that around this subject there will always be sadness, and that's ok. Eating and other distractions are things we do to try to make the pain go away. Once we acknowledge that it never will, we can just take it out and quietly talk to it every now and then, but we don't have to let it live with it's hands around our throats. Does this make sense? I'm trying to say, I feel your pain, and it's ok for you to feel your pain. It's part of who you are now. The first year is the hardest, but it will get better. Your husband sounds very wise. You're on the right path.

We all have those days. Luckily, they end when we go to bed!

Here's my rant... 3 yrs ago my ortho doc told me to lose weight so I could get my knees done or I'd be in a wheelchair. So, ok, then came menopause, countless failed diets, etc, and finally the sleeve in Jan. Between dieting and the sleeve, I'm down 82 pounds. Yes, I still have a lot to go, but when I saw him the other day, he looked at me warily and said, "So, I see nothing's changed." I told him I had the surgery and how much I had lost. He looked shocked. Then, in the course of our 20 min conversation, he must have lectured me for 15 of it about how I can't just lose the weight and gain it back, about how I have to change my habits, about how I can't go to restaurants anymore, about how I have to take it seriously, etc. I told him I thought that having 85 percent of my stomach removed showed a pretty serious committment. I walked out of there resolved to find a new doctor. BUT... and oh, I hate myself for this, he has gotten into my head. All I've wanted to do is eat since then, feeling like I'm doomed to fail. I walked in feeling good and positive, walked out feeling doomed. Yes, I know, time for therapy. The only "revenge" I get is that knee replacement is a very profitable enterprise for him, and I'm taking BOTH my bad knees to another surgeon. Meanwhile, I'm trying to shake it off and get back to my happy place.

Be calm, be confident, and be happy you soon won't have to work with the girls' club anymore. Good luck!

Stalls suck. You need to either trip that b*tch in the hall as you pass her, or just politely say, "Thanks for asking, but no need. I'll be sure to give you an update next time something significant happens."

Thank you so much for sharing your story and your eating regimen. Congratulations on your huge success! I can tell how excited you are, and it's really motivating to me! Keep us updated on your journey!

It was really no big deal, and I'm happy if my post helped reinforce your decision. It's going to be great!

I was wondering how you all did with Easter this year. I was sleeved in January (deliberately held off until after the holidays), and this was my first true "test" of the sleeve. Because these types of situations were such a concern to me prior to surgery, I thought I'd share my experience for the benefit of those who are struggling one way or another. I'm the "mom," and have always loved to entertain. I don't do things on a small level. People come to my house empty-handed and leave with food, and we really like to have a good time. I love to plan menus, usually based on things I love to eat but don't indulge in very often! Easter is one of my smaller food holidays, but I made a big Smithfield ham, salad, shrimp cocktail, 3 kinds of veggies, baked apples, potatoes au gratin, two kinds of rolls, and so forth. The table was set with the Limoge china, crystal, silver, etc. Everyone got big Easter baskets filled with candy and age-appropriate goodies. So, after putting everything out, I sat down at the table and began to fill my plate. Threw a roll on it and took a huge pat of butter, and then said, "What am I doing??? I can't eat that!!" It was just automatic! So I had 3 bites of ham, about a tablespoon of potatoes, a T of edamame/cranberry salad, and that was it. Would I have liked to eat more? Yes. But it wasn't that big of a deal. I was full. I enjoyed talking, laughing, passing the food around, and reaping the compliments. I was fully conscious of how happy I was that I still love to entertain, that it really is about the people and not just the food fest. And get this!!! For dessert, I served a buffet of chocolate cake, mini cupcakes, lemon merengue pie, homemade strawberry shortcake, and vanilla ice cream. And then I sat at the table while everyone else ate, and I DIDN'T HAVE ONE BITE!!! I was too full!!! This was the first holiday meal in my entire food-eating life that I didn't have dessert, and lots of it. What did I really long for on Easter??? Well, I had this surgery so I could get my knees replaced, and I'm not there yet. So I longed for my knees and feet not to hurt while I was trying to get everything done. I longed to go outside and participate in the Easter egg hunt (can't walk on uneven surfaces). I longed to be able to get down on the floor with my granddaughter. Other than one small moment of feeling a little sorry for myself, I didn't really long for food. It was a revelation. And I know that next year at this time, my knees will be healed and I'll be able to do all the things I really wanted to do this year. Things that are a lot more fun and memorable than eating. Please let me know how YOU did!

Thank you, and congratulations on doing so well. I know if I had been on liquids I would have really felt sorry for myself, You're on a good path here!

That's fantastic! Thanks for sharing!

You know, I don't think you should be so hard on yourself. I have a real problem with grazing, too, so I understand your frustration with trying to kick this habit. However, my mom told me she talked to someone who had lost and maintained 250 pounds after gastric bypass. She asked her how she handles days like Thanksgiving, and the woman told her that she can only eat a little bit at a time, but she can do it several times, and at the end she feels she really enjoyed the holiday. Frankly, everyone grazes on holidays. It's not what we do on those few special days a year that will make or break us, it's what we do the other 360 days a year. So give yourself a break, and just worry about today.

Big, HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!!!! What an amazing feeling that must be. I have so far to go, but know I'll be there myself one day!

I don't know, but I love that you'd want to read it over and over again! I keep a Word file on my computer, and sometimes I just copy and paste things from this board so I can read it whenever I want to, Thanks for the feedback!

Please don't feel bad for sharing these feelings. As I made my decision to have surgery, I found very little of this kind of honest talk out there, and I wanted to know everything--the good and the bad. How could we not miss food? I'm only 9 weeks out, and for the most part I'm doing ok. But then I'll see an Olive Garden commercial and burst into tears, because I just want a BREAK!!! Just for a day!! I just want to go out and eat the salad, AND the bread stick, AND the meal! And then get right back on track! I worry about how it will be in a couple of years when I'm no longer losing and it's lost its novelty. That's why I'm working so hard on the mental changes. My plan is whenever I feel really bad about the food, I'll go buy myself something I could never have worn before. And yes, I will watch out for "transfer addiction." I don't have any real advice for you... Let me just say I feel your pain. AND your glory! Congratulations on your huge weight loss!

Thank you so much for all your great responses to this post. When I wrote it, I was having a really bad food day. I had a big cortisone shot the other day, and I've just been wanting to eat and sleep ever since. After I wrote this, I got up, put on my bathing suit, and went to the gym. After posting this reminder of my goals and then swimming, I just felt totally positive again. We can ALL DO this, but we have to "walk the walk," not just "talk the talk."

Ok! Let's just keep posting and keeping it honest!