PdxMan

Well ... I, too, loved the family gatherings and the food fests. Going to a buffet? Count me in. But this attitude and relationship with food was killing me. I had to make a change if I was going to make it to retirement. How many morbidly obese 65 year olds do you see? I'm not working my whole life so my wife can enjoy retirement and my children's kids have perhaps only one grandpa. I knew if I did a band, the way my mind worked, I would justify the smallest complication would mean removal and back to old habits. I needed a permanent change. I'm over 20 months out and this has been the best decision of my life. Sure, at first, I mourned food. Now I rejoice in the fact that I am no longer a slave to it.

You can manually change your goals in MFP from the website, but I am not sure about the mobile app. Home --> Goals --> Change Goals

Drinking it straight is one of the oldest weight loss methods in the books. I also use it in cabbage salads and dressings, too. Check THIS out.

Oh, I still drop by and read ... you girls are hilarious with your banter. Susan said there have been several complaints from the ladies about men posting here. She is right ... some of the posts here from the men have been downright childish. I understand a joke is a joke, but there are forums for that. I want to respect that and never want to make anyone feel uncomfortable ... but 6 WEEKS? After childbirth the time is 4 weeks, right? And that is after passing a watermelon through there ... can't understand 6 weeks after VSG ... I think the Dr is being overly protective of his reputation, IMO.

Does there make a difference?

Sorry, I know I'm not supposed to be posting in the powder Room and promised Susan I would respect her request that boys not post here, but I just gotta ask ... Anyone hear of scissors position? 6 weeks ... yikes! Scissors here 4 days post-op ... no problems.

Should be no problem for you, then. Try it and report back.

I haven't, (at least not straight) but you are talking about something pretty sweet (sugary) and apples are pretty fiberous. May be difficult for the immediate post-op patient. There is a reason they suggest *clear* liquids. The stomach is the mechanical part of digestion, so ...

I made smoked ham and lentil soup with onions and carrots. As I progressed through the phase, I would puree it less and less. It is packed with protein and good carbs. REALLY tasty and took me about 20 minutes to make a huge batch. I stored the leftovers in jelly jars and put them in the freezer. Grabbed one on my way out the door to work. I also made chicken veggie and turky chili. Same thing. Puree with hand blender as needed.

Hmmm ... of course, listen to your Dr, but I just had a couple back surgeries and had no issues taking them. All the doctors involved know about my sleeve and I told them there is a concern regarding NSAID's. Their stance on it is this ... there is a cost/benefit/risk for everything in life, right? Does the benefit of taking the NSAID's outweigh the potential risk? Was it more important to reduce the swelling around my spine than the potential ulcer? As long as I was taking it as directed and listening to my body, the Drs had no issue with me taking it. I have also taken it a few times after physical therapy when things were a little aggressive. Everytime has been only for that day or perhaps a few days. Taking it everyday for a period of time, though, is something all together different.

Sounds to me like an allergic reaction to something ... anything new in the diet? I have heard of folks becoming lactose intolerant post-op, but I do not know the symptoms ...

I've had mine since 2001. I can sleep without it and not snore, but I find that I do sleep better with it, so I have opted to keep using it. I have set the pressure way down (3). I don't think I require it, but the bottom line is I do sleep better. Is it because I'm just used to it? Perhaps if I tried going longer than a week without, I would adapt, but it is not a big deal for me to use it.

Delta is absolutely correct. Think of it this way ... who's average loss is going to be more?: Woman or man with a BMI of 40 Two women, one with a BMI of 35, the other with a BMI of 45 Two women, same BMI, one exercises 4x per week, the other none at all Two women, same BMI, neither exercises, but one had a long previous history of weight training Two women, same BMI, one has thyroid issues ... on and on it goes. It really isn't fair to compare yourself to anyone else. You are not the same as another. Don't future trip. You are only setting expectations which may not be met. Remember, expectations are resentments waiting to happen. Do yourself a favor and stay in the NOW.

How far out are you? You do need to wait until the suture line has completely scared over as has been mentioned. A stuck seed leads to infection which means they open you up. So, you have to decide how bad you want that tomato right now. I think I was at least 3 months post before I had toms or any berry.

I hear you. If you are anything like me, then you know you've tried. Honestly have tried. And the slim-fast and Atkins and South Beach diets all worked ... weight was lost ... But it was a lifestyle which could not be maintained. Rest easy tonight. You are seriously about to embark on some of the greatest times in your life. Seriously. Good luck and keep us posted.

Did you even read the article? It is from their Q&A section which may or may not be answered by a professional. At the bottom of the post, it states: This answer should not be considered medical advice and should not take the place of a doctors visit. Please see the bottom of the page for more information or visit our Terms and Conditions Trust me, you will always be able to validate ANY behavior you want to do by doing an internet search. I'm sure you can find health benefits to smoking crack coccaine in moderation ... Listen to your doctors until you become an expert yourself.

Yay!! Congrats! NOW GET WALKING!!!

Like Sarsar suggests, be sure to be well hydrated prior to working out. You should be carrying a water bottle with you all throughout the day. Also, be sure to be hydrating well all throughout your exercise. Even in the middle of Zumba while everyone else is bouncing all over the place, stop, take a drink and resume. It would be a pretty poor instructor who would criticize someone stopping for a drink, so just do it. You need to take care of yourself. Don't worry about other people's perceptions.

Try doing a site search for the word dizzy. There are many threads about it.

Try some form of aerobic exercise. Walking, perhaps some jogging. Try getting your heart rate up there for at least 30 minutes a day, 4 days a week.

Oh no ... just like a real family, we all have to vent. I think we just ask to vent in the appropriate places Just like if my brother used the living room for a bathroom, I would be like, "Hey! We have a place for that!" He may think I was harsh for yelling at him, but, that would be my initial reaction. Then, as he explained he didn't know I had a bathroom, I would direct him to where it was, and we would all go back to playing cards. (said with a Wisconsin/Minnesota type accent) BTW, someone with a BMI well in excess of 60 might easily be considered a slow loser if they lost 40 pounds in the first two months ... it just does nobody any good to compare. We just are not equal in body composition and weight loss and we ALL do each other no good to compare.

I will be 2 years on July 8th. It has been an incredible journey, for sure. I have to say I don't worry too much about what I eat after I have my base, balanced nutritional needs met. I'll have a yogurt and banana for Breakfast. About 8 oz of one of a great varieties of Soups I make: turkey chili, veggie chicken, smoked ham and bean ... many others. For dinner I'll have a salad with tuna or chicken. I will snack on some CheeseIts occassionally and have a bowl of ice cream a couple times a week. I have been able to maintain for one year now with this routine. I have found what works for me. I think that is the most important thing. Find a routine that is doable for you which doesn't feel like a diet. That is not why I got sleeved ... to be on a diet the rest of my life. I love my sleeved life and everything it has helped me achieve.

Go to the Gallery under my profile (use a web browser, not a mobile device) Have you been HERE?

I think we are a family. We have our issues, surely, like all families do. But in the end, we try to support each other. We all have had our struggles with weight loss over the years. Most folks would consider VSG a very radical step and there is so much fear that, like other diets in their past, this may not work for them either, after taking such a radical step. Since they have undergone this radical procedure, they set expectations which are not based in reality. They don't understand why someone with a BMI of 40+ loses weight quicker than the person with a BMI of 35. They grow anxious and begin to feel like a failure. Just like being criticized for their previous weight loss attempts, many folks here get defensive when a post like this arrives as it just re-enforces this negative thinking which most of us have been plagued with our entire lives. It is hard to keep positive all the time, so I find we I feel like you do regarding someone's thread, it is best if I just move on ...

Wow, 3 years out. Would love to hear your struggles and inspiration. There is a thread HERE which has a TON of MFP users. Welcome to VST! BTW, I'm Pdxman there, too, but I have to admit I don't track that much since I got to goal ...