PdxMan

You can create your own "exercise". Do a Google search on the topic of how many calories are burned and create your entry. Estimate on the low end, though is my suggestion. People tend to believe they exert far more effort in activities than they actually do. Just because you sweat a lot doesn't necessarily translate into real exertion. Same thing with entering foods. People often think their portion size is smaller than it actually is ... estimate your portion sizes larger.

Take a deep breath. Panic is not the solution. Knowledge is. First off, when you go on these diets pretty much everybody who complies loses the "quick 10" as this is your body burning through the glycogen stored in the liver. You are not burning fat (at least as much as you may believe you are) After this initial loss, you body must now turn to muscle and fat repositories converting them to glycogen for energy. This is a much slower process. So, you compliance is key and the reason why most people give up on diets after the first week as they stop seeing the "amazing" results. This is quite normal and should actually encourage you as you have moved from burning the stored glycogen to actually tapping fat and muscle. Stay with the Protein, though, so as not to lose too much muscle. How much weight do they want you to lose?

Yeah, 2 weeks out, it is impossible to hit 70-80 grams of Protein. Don't do the shots, either, as it is usually casein protein, which is OK before bed if you are power lifting, but is a slow absorber otherwise. Ensure you are hitting your liquid goals first as you can end up in the ER for dehydration, but not for lack of protein. Know what I mean? The protein goals will come.

Please share your solution as you are probably not the only one who may have this problem.

I lost a lot of muscle mass, but I tried to keep it to a minimum by being pretty diligent with my Protein intake both through natural sources and Protein drinks. I lifted a couple times a week, but my main concentration was aerobic exercise through running and HIIT. I know I lost a lot of muscle, but I would like to think it wasn't as bad as it could have been had I not done these things to ensure that when my body was going to be doing muscle repair, it had the protein available to do so. There is a whole exercise and fitness forum HERE.

I think it is up to the individual. At about the 6 month mark, people get to the stage where there sleeve can handle just about any type of food. They learn what foods will "slide" right through. It is strange feeling restriction after only a few bites. Pre-sleeve, our solution to this was to drink liquids to settle an uncomfortable stomach. Those who choose to ignore this guideline post-sleeve will have something to drink when this feeling comes and are able to consume more calories than the person who doesn't drink with their meals. So, I firmly believe that if you follow the guidelines of eating lean Protein first, chewing well and not drinking 15 minutes prior, during or 15 minutes after eating (and of course exercise), you can lose weight anytime you need to post-sleeve. Myself, I am almost 2 and a half years post-sleeve and have excellent restriction when I follow these guidelines. I know my slider foods and avoid them when I am looking to lose a few pounds. I'm sure you have seen it posted here several times that this is a surgery on our stomachs, not our heads. If a person doesn't face the issues as to why they got to being obese, the sleeve isn't going to change this behavior. If you want to abuse food post sleeve, you will be able to. The 6 month "honeymoon" is a time when it is too painful to do it, so this is the time when you need to face these demons and make the fundamental change with your relationship with food. If you are able to do this, then the honeymoon lasts forever.

I eat my whole yogurt, too. But not to throw the thread off topic, when did yogurt become so sugary? Have you compared the nutritional information on the back of these things? Some of them are worse than candy bars. But it's yogurt, so it's healthy ... right?

Can you be more precise? Are you using a mobile device or web browser? If from a mobile device, are you using the VST application or through a browser? When you respond to an existing thread, you are not seeing your response among the other responses? If so, are you sure you are hitting the Post button after typing your response? If you are not seeing responses other people are posting to threads you create, then, well ... you probably can't read this one, soo ... but check in your settings whether you are blocking people.

All I can say is WOW! Wow.

Wow ... soooo ... a lot of harsh reactions here, for sure. Before posting something harsh, reflect on your own demons and struggles. Have you ever struggled with depression or had the feeling that you just didn't care what happens to you? The OP may be dealing with some depression. This is such a difficult thing as denial, rage, self-loathing, apathy and well, depression sets in. It can be difficult to see the forest for the trees. The denial of responsibility creates a vicious circle where the person spirals downward. Not recognizing this and seeking helps further aggravates the issues. To the OP, think about it. What is the worst thing that can happen if you reach out for help? What is the best thing that could happen? The truth lies somewhere in between, but it only starts when you reach out for help. You recognize this and have taken the first step by posting here. Take the next step.

Oy! This thread has trended in a direction I or Laura would be blamed for. Nice job Butter! Lol! Anyhow, you need to read the entire thread because there has been a dialog with the OP for which they have been responding to other people's posts and giving us more information. Information YOU need to make an informative response instead of, well ... I mean, come on ... the thread is over 3 pages ... don't you think there may be more to the story than just the first post?

So, I just got back from a computer conference in Vegas for 5 days and I thought I would report on what it was like. For those who don't know me, I was sleeved 07/08/2011 and have been maintaining at goal since 03/2012. The conference supplied a continental Breakfast buffet everyday which consisted of: Fruit (melons, berries, pineapple), cereals, yogurt and about 7 different danish/roll type things. Oh, also had a variety of Odwalla juices and of course, coffee. lunch was a choice of two different meat dishes, one poultry and the other a beef item. One day was spaghetti and meatballs. The had a salad, bread rolls and two choices for vegetables. Again, this was buffet style. First off, those who read a lot around here might remember food was limitless and I wouldn't be able to abuse food the way I had before. I learned a lot about myself and the strength my sleeve gave me on that trip and I am happy to report I had no anxiety going to Vegas knowing that pretty much 67% of my meals were going to be from a buffet and I was going to be surrounded by a large percentage of people who were going to be eating quite large portions. So, for breakfast, I would take some fruit a yogurt and the yummiest looking danish thingy I saw. I would start with my yogurt because I knew that had the biggest nutritional impact of my choices. There was no way I was going to be able to eat all the fruit I took and I was able to have about two bites of the danish. I also took one of the Odwalla drinks ... the superfoods one with the spiralla (sp?) stuff in it. Since I was at a conference and breaks were few and far in-between (and I would spend most of that break time speaking to the presenter) I knew I did not have time to snack in between sessions, so I would be able to drink that and not make noise of opening a Protein bar or the like. Lunches were similar in that I would grab some salad, some veggies and each of the meat selections. Like suggested by the guidelines, I would eat the meat first having about 3 bites putting down my utensil after each bite and chewing well. The first day the server asked me wanted to drink and looked at me funny when I said, "Nothing, thanks!", so I would order a Water, but never drank from it. Besides ... it's water from Vegas ... have you ever tried that stuff? OY! Anyhew, after about 3 bites of meat, I would have a couple bites of salad (with the dressing) and a couple bites of veggies. All together, I would say about 10 bites and I was stuffed to the gills. I had no anxiety about the others stuffing themselves around me and was able to move on to the next session and NOT be in a food coma ... unlike a lot of my cohorts. At night, I went to fabulous restaurants: Emeril's (amazing chowder with half a roll and I had gumbo another night ... incredible) Hugo's Cellar (by far the best salad ... I've been going there for it for over 20 years, but had leftovers this time) and Wolfgang Puck's splitting a cheese burger (I removed the top bun and had a couple fries). I don't drink, but am in AA as a recovering alcoholic. I would have loved to have either met up with other WLS folks or gone to an AA meeting, but I simply had no time. Did a little bit of gambling and came home about $175 ahead. So, no anxiety about food and had a great time. No food or alcohol hangovers and had a great time with my fellow computer geeks. Shows me that life with the sleeve means so much MORE, not less. You can do this deal ... really.

I used to be so warm. Too warm, to be honest. My wife loved it, though. But, post-sleeve, I was so cold all the time. Even in the summer. I would say a little after a year, maybe 15 months post-op, this started to get better. Now, I am not as warm as I used to be, but I am not as cold as I was post-op either. A very happy middle ground I would like to think most "normal" people are at.

Self sabotage is a tricky thing. I know, that when I have the symptoms of HALT(Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired), I can sabotage myself without even realizing it. And not just food. It sounds like you may be following a similar path of the F*-its. I know this is going to come across as judgemental, but please know that it is not. I just don't have the literary skills to be as tactful as you (and other readers) may like, but know that my response is based in concern and love. You know the guidelines, but are ignoring them. You know you are not supposed to have liquids with meals, but alas ... Cereal with milk ... sure. You are going to be able to eat a ton of that because it is not going to sit in your stomach. But you know this ... and you still you cry that the sleeve is not working for you. Cookies with Water ... well ... what did you really expect? You have expectations for the sleeve which are not real. Everything you have heard about the sleeve is true, but what you did not listen to is that you are going to have to be a participant in this, too. The sleeve will help you move mountains, for sure, but you know what? You need to bring your own shovel, too. Sorry for the tough love, but if you really want this to work, then get to work. If you want change, then make a change.

Well, you are losing inches, right? Isn't that the bottom line? Are you wanting to lose fat, muscle or weight? THAT is the question we must ask ourselves ... Is it OK if we lose fat, but stay at the same weight? Is it OK if we lose muscle AND lose weight? Is it OK if we ... I know that right now ... for me ... I would be happy as all get out if I could gain 5 pounds of muscle. I think a lot of based on what our goals are and how well we understand WHAT exactly our body is doing.

As long as your consumption of calories is less than what you burn, you will lose. It will slow down over time as you get closer and closer to a "normal" BMI, but this will always hold true. Bottom line, if you don't follow the basic guidelines and consume the same number of calories as you burn, then yes, you will be done losing. Add exercise, follow the guidelines (eat lean Protein first, no drinking thing) and you will lose.

I was on the same diet. It took me until day 5/6 before I found my groove.

Sleeved on Friday, back half day on Wednesday, full time following Monday. Desk job.

Start by tracking everything in MyFitnessPal, or the like. And I mean everything. When estimating portions, be realistic. It is quite common for folks to underestimate portions and not get realistic numbers. Do this for a solid week and don't weigh yourself during this week. How are your clothes fitting? Are they tight all over ... fit in some places but not others ...

I was pretty consistent with my elliptical training in the month pre-sleeve, so I asked my surgeon when I could resume and he said, "6 weeks". I found that pretty crazy, so I asked him. His explanation was that it takes 6 weeks for the scar tissue to completely heal over the suture line. He elaborated that some folks post surgery can get a little light headed due to the lowered ability to get their fluids in and not getting the calories they once were. If I were to be going to town on the elliptical, get a bit light headed and lose my balance, I could fall and cause myself a leak. He told me to just do long walks and increase the distance/time/intensity as I saw fit. Seems to me I could have wiped out on a curb, but ... hey ... that is what my surgeon told me.

It is great to hear you are having no issues with your band and that maintenance is very low for you. Sounds like you have found a great solution which works for you. My friend (the one I spoke of earlier and how we found this thread) is leaning towards the band as she just can't wrap her head around having part of her stomach removed nor does she want to be re-routed. It is good to read stories such as yours. Like product reviews, people who have no issues rarely post about it. You will read several reviews of, "This knife won't cut a tomato, it is so dull!" but seldom will you read, "The knife cuts tomatoes just as advertised." Just curious ... which WLS surgery "starves" you? I get about 1,400 - 1,600 calories in a day, as do most sleevers who are past the initial healing phase, so, are you referring to RNY? How many calories do you consume a day? I am actually seeing my cousin (who had RNY 5 years ago) tomorrow as I am traveling to SoCal for business. I will ask him what his caloric intake is. If you're referring to sleeve as being "starving" ... then someone has been selling you some swampland, 'cause ... trust me, there's no starvation with the sleeve ... quite the opposite, actually. Gotta remember, we had most of the fundus removed which is the gherlin producer. I don't get "hungry" in the conventional sense and those who say they do are most likely dealing with "head hunger", which goes back to what I mentioned earlier about not dealing with one's issues with their relationship with food. If eating was a coping mechanism for you and you do nothing to address that, then yes, you may feel unsatiated by not being able to abuse food the way you used to, but ... isn't that true for banders, too?

I'm sorry to hear your sister is struggling. When did she get sleeved? It takes about 6 months before you are able to re-introduce ALL of the foods back in. Salads were the last thing for me, which did frustrate me as I have always LOVED salads of all kinds. Kale, spinach and romaine are so fibrous, it was no fun trying to eat them. But, as I progressed, I was able to eat them no problem. I would say it was at this point, I was able to enjoy eating again, but in no way is it like pre-sleeve. Again, I abused food ... used it at a crutch ... to celebrate ... to mourn ... it was not healthy. I don't want to "enjoy" food in that way again. So, I'm guessing your sister may still be in this window. I do know of some sleevers who do still struggle with enjoying eating after the month mark, but it has always let back to the individual's relationship with food. Having to take smaller bites, chew better, slowing down ... frustrations like that. As I like to define it, though, these are the behaviors which allowed me to abuse food, so i am quite happy I had to adopt them. It can be difficult, sometimes, to recognize some of our struggles as blessings. If she is in this window, ensure her it will get better and she will enjoy food again. Her expectations may have been a little ahead of reality. I've asked this a couple times in this thread, but it has never been answered. Don't banders have guidelines they must follow for success? And to add one, do you "enjoy" eating with your band?

Well, I'm more than a year out, but when I was a year out, I went from wide to "normal", but the same size.

I believe this is quite common. Well ... what's going on is you had 85% of your stomach removed. The stomach is the mechanical part of digestion, so, with 85% missing, the remaining 15% has a bit of work to do. Where the stomach was a vast expanse before, it is now a tiny sleeve smaller than a banana. Air is going to get trapped and released differently than it did pre-sleeve. I'm over two years out and my tummy still makes more noise than it did pre-surgery.

Chocolate is definitely one of those items that slides right through. I also find it helps other foods slide though, so, if I am feeling the restriction and I have a piece of chocolate, the pyloric valve does open and lets everything slip through, so it is one of those things I moderate (just like a "normal" person! ) Orange juice, of course, is going to go right on through and is pretty sweet. If she is drinking it while eating, sure ... there will be issues. If we eat our lean protein first, it gives us that "full feeling" really quick. Eating protein first, though, is important for all of us as muscle loss is so prevalent with rapid weight loss. I had foamies once at about 6 weeks post when, on pain killers for a separate, unrelated procedure, I didn't chew well enough and ate too quickly. Just wasn't thinking. Learned my lesson there. I put my utensil down in between bites to slow myself down and chew far more than I used to.