PdxMan

I did!

Check out THIS thread. It has what my surgeon told me.

Thank you for your honesty. It is funny how many new sleevers do the same thing, but get upset when their "desires" aren't validated. If we really want to be successful with this deal, we know when we are doing things we shouldn't be doing. Again, thanks for your honesty. Really appreciate it.

Sleeved on Friday, back to desk job on Wednesday.

I've never bought a single ounce of the bariatric food you see advertised. I cook all of my meals from scratch and 90% of them take me less than 20 minutes to make. The bottom line, as John points out, is to eliminate processed foods as much as you can. Consume healthy Proteins and carbs. Get a balance of nutrition from your foods, and you'll be fine. Just keep reading and asking questions

Yup. I use an immersion blender, too, for soups.

Ha! I am eating meatloaf right now. Not kidding. But I made it, not SweetTee, but I'll let my wife know I'll be looking for dessert later. Yeah, this is a tough, emotional time for us and we set expectations for the people around us that they are just not able to meet. Remember, expectations are just resentments in the making, so try to right-size your expectations. The only thing you have power over is yourself and your actions. Now, where's my ketchup?

Look up members Rootman and MassIndex. They are both swimmers. I swim, but only for pleasure. Tried doing it for exercise, but staring at the bottom of a pool drove me crazy.

I would just focus on cardio routines for awhile. Targeting specific areas is mainly for muscle development. You can't work an area to lose the fat there. It just doesn't work that way. Cardio will get you burning more calories and help your weight loss efforts. Get into this routine before you hit the machines. Find a gym that offers a variety of exercise classes. They are fun and motivating.

Yes, it does feel that way, doesn't it? Your first priority should be to get your liquids in. You can end up in the hospital due to dehydration, but you won't end up there because of lack of Protein. Are you able to have a Water bottle at work? Just do the best you can and know it will get better.

My surgeon said that after 6 weeks, the staple line should be completely scarred over. This is when I was cleared for physical activity, also.

SweetTee, I see you joined over 8 months ago and have over 500 posts. This tells me you have been on this site reading and posting quite a bit while researching this procedure. Assuming everything I just wrote is true, then I know you have seen dozens of threads by women talking about how bitchy they find themselves post sleeve. If they say they aren't bitchy, then their spouse all of a sudden is ... hmmm ... I'm not saying it's you, but what has changed lately? Since you joined a while ago, I'm also guessing your husband has known about this procedure and you have been talking to him about it. Again, I'm not saying it's you, but can you honestly say you have no ownership in anything regarding the latest conflict? Have you been rigorously honest with your husband about your emotions throughout this all?

They did not use a catheter during my surgery. I asked about it pre-op and they said they only use them for procedures over an hour and the sleeve doesn't take that long. But, each center is going to have their own guidelines. Catheters are nothing to worry about. I, too, had a sleepy bladder after my last back surgery and the nurse let me catheterize myself to have the post-op pee. Not a big deal.

Hey, do they have the internet in Mexico? Can I bring my computer with me?

Are you tracking in MyFitnessPal, or the like? What does your average day look like food-wise? Type and quantity ...

Yeah, when I get this feeling, I try to focus on what my body is lacking. What "sounds good" to eat? What have I had today and where am I falling short nutritionally. I then try to focus on that and most of the time, I get quite sated. I have heard the craving for chocolate is actually the body telling you it needs potassium. A banana can satisfy a chocolate craving. But also know, it takes practice. Just like everything. Ever try meditating? I bet you were terrible the first time. But after awhile, it comes natural. I'm still in the learning stages nutritional-wise, and I am not perfect. I do cheat. But I KNOW when I am cheating and when I am feeding. I don't try to lie to myself about it. "Jeesh! I was hungry and ate that jelly donut, but I am still hungry ... WTF?" Yeah ... no ... I know why I am still hungry, but I ate the jelly donut because I wanted to eat the jelly donut. Not to satisfy my hunger. I truely believe this is the way "skinny" people eat. They eat what their body needs and they know when they are cheating. And they don't make excuses for it, either. All the things I am trying to learn ... But, I am learning, not ignoring.

When I was going through this, I talked to my NUT. She said it was due to lack of carbs and needed to get more in. I was pureeing Soups, so I added more veggies (corn, onions, green beans) to them. chicken veggie and ham/lentil were some of my favorites. It worked for me. My energy levels came back within a day or two. Give it a try and see if it works for you.

Pre-surgery, I had this talk with my surgeon about hunger. He said that with the change in gherlin levels, I would not be hungry in the conventional sense ... my body would be sending me new signals when it needed food and I would learn those new signals. So, if my body is running short of some nutrient, I will get the feeling that I am running short on something. I will continue to get that feeling until I refill that bucket. Eating well balanced meals will continually keep all those nutritional buckets filled which limits my body telling me to eat. It made sense to me, but I don't know if I am explaining it well. Think of all the different elements you absorb from food ... Vitamins, minerals, carbs, fats, Proteins ... Your body needs a certain quota of each and if you are lacking, your body will say, "HEY, I NEED SOME Calcium BECAUSE I GOTTA DO SOME REPAIRS OVER HERE IN SECTION #4356." So, you get the urge that is usually settled by having a glass of milk or some cheese. But what if you eat popcorn or a steak, instead? The craving will continue and you'll think, "Jeesh! Why am I hungry all the time?" Well balanced meals So many people get sleeved and then think they need to go on some kind of "diet". Limit fats and carbs ... our sleeve is doing that for us. Our job is to well balanced meals. It's been working for me. Your milage may vary.

So, FYI, the pulled pork I made Saturday was/is awesome! Just follow that recipe. Took me no more than 10 minutes from start to finish. If you have seen my other food/cooking/recipe posts, you know I use the mason jelly jars (8 oz) to put all of my Soups and leftovers in, toss them in the freezer and pull them out as I need them. Did the same here. I now have a bunch of yummy Protein packed meals waiting for me in the freezer. Just pull that crock pot out of the coat closet and start using it. Now I'm going to have to make a pot roast ... thanks Less ...

Put the utencil down between bites and assess how the last (small) bite felt. The point is to change our old habit of just inhaling food, but to be conscience of how the food is going in. Starting new habits is difficult, but is important to your long-term success. Put down the fork!

I also did not have any scopes pre-surgery. I didn't know I had a hiatal hernial until I was in post-op. My surgeon comes on by for the usual post-op visit and he says, "Oh, you also had a hiatal hernia, so while I was in there, I yanked your esophagus back down through your diaphragm and then sewed your diaphragm up tight, so you will experience a little tightness with swallowing for an extra few days." Since I was self-pay, I asked him about cost and he said it basically takes him about 5 minutes to do and there would be no extra charge. I had reflux on a daily basis prior and have had no issues since! But he was right ... swallowing, even liquids, felt like a lump in my throat for about 10 days.

Yeah, that one had me wondering, too. How about the one from the Powder Room asking whether to wax or shave prior to surgery downtown. Really? I have heard of this prior to giving birth which raised my eyebrows, but women think about this stuff? Really? Now don't get me wrong. I do a little manscaping, too, but in prep for surgery? Did you tattoo your phone number across your belly, too? "Doing anything after you take out my stomach?"

I was told to wait 3 weeks to ensure everything was closed. And not just closed with a scab, but closed, closed. Complete with scar tissue and everything.

I have been thinking about pulled pork since I posted this so, I stopped at the store this morning and picked up a pork shoulder. It is smelling heavenly already. BTW, I didn't mention that after it is done cooking, remove the roast, drain the grease and use two forks to "pull" the pork apart. Put everything back in the sauce and you are good to go. Cabbage is one of those things that does require some serious mechanical digestion to take place, just like salads, so you don't really want to tackle that too early out, but like Frye mentions, he shreds it, so that is going to aid in the process.

Pork butt (which is actually the shoulder) cooked reeeeeeaaaaalllly slow. Crock pot works. Way easy. Google a recipe, but I use a butt, diced onion, garlic, 8 oz ketchup, 3 oz balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and two tablespoons hickory liquid smoke. Put it in the crockpot at the lowest temperature. Drain the grease off after. Add bacon, avocado and canbage ... I guess ...