Pixie Jen

I'm at my goal weight!!!
I'm so excited. I haven't been this weight since I was a junior in High School. Now, it's time to really focus on tightening up the flabby areas as much as I can then decide if I want to have plastic surgery.

I'm at my goal weight!!!
I'm so excited. I haven't been this weight since I was a junior in High School. Now, it's time to really focus on tightening up the flabby areas as much as I can then decide if I want to have plastic surgery.

I'm at my goal weight!!!
I'm so excited. I haven't been this weight since I was a junior in High School. Now, it's time to really focus on tightening up the flabby areas as much as I can then decide if I want to have plastic surgery.

I'm at my goal weight!!!
I'm so excited. I haven't been this weight since I was a junior in High School. Now, it's time to really focus on tightening up the flabby areas as much as I can then decide if I want to have plastic surgery.

I told my immediate family, a few of my friends and a few people at work. The reason I wasn't open about it was due to all the stories everyone wants to tell you about how they know someone who had the surgery and this or that happened. I didn't want to hear that for the rest of my life. Now when people ask I just tell them I lost the weight by portion control and exercise. It may be a little white lie but it's one to keep my sanity.

I'm 5'2 and pre-surgery I was 240lbs. I'm now 8 months post-op and down 92lbs. Only 13lbs to my goal!

I’ve noticed a lot of emphasis on post-op diets. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not a dietician and I am not telling anyone what they should and should not be eating. Instead I am offering my take on sleeve dieting.

Would most agree that we did not become overweight simply because of the type of food we ate, but rather the amount of foods we ate? I was nearly 140lbs overweight when I had my surgery. My problem was quantity. When I ate out I would eat 3 or 4 of everything. Seriously, when I ate out I would eat 10 tacos at Taco Bell, or an entire large pizza from Pizza Hut, or two Whoppers at Burger King or two 12” Subway sandwiches. If my wife made steaks for dinner I would have 3 of them.

I rarely ate breakfast during the work week, but on weekends I would stuff myself with pastries. I would also tend to eat and watch TV until bedtime.

These are the things that got me, and I would suspect most people, into trouble. My new sleeve has changed all that. I physically CAN NOT eat foods in the same quantity as before. Thank the LORD! My meals are much, much smaller. This has required me to learn that breakfast and lunch are just as important as dinner.

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I have no foods that are off limits. I eat mostly the same kind of foods I enjoyed before surgery. I just have to be smarter about it. The proteins are eaten first in my meals, followed by other nutritionally dense foods. The carb rich stuff like breads is eaten last if my sleeve isn’t already full.

This was my Easter holiday meals:

For breakfast I had a protein shake.

After church my wife wanted to stop at McDonalds on the way home. I didn’t want to overindulge so I opted for a kids “Happy Meal”. It was 4 chicken nuggets, a kid fry and sugar free lemonade. It was less than 300 calories and I still got 10 grams of protein out of this treat.

For dinner I used a rotisserie on my grill and smoked a whole chicken for the holiday. I had a drumstick and a small portion of a breast, about a ¼ cup of mashed potatoes with some gravy, 3 tablespoons of steamed broccoli, and a freshly made wheat roll. The chicken was eaten first followed by the broccoli and potatoes. I only had a nibble off the roll because I was full. This was not my typical meal, but it was a holiday so I intended to enjoy myself while having dinner with my family.

For desert I had a Cadbury egg.

The point I’m trying to make is that moderation is the key. I had a few things yesterday that are not typical for me, but a reward for 30 days post-op and a holiday. This morning I am back to my regular routine. I had a single serving of oatmeal with honey for breakfast and a “Lean Cuisine” 290 calorie entrée for lunch. My wife is making tacos for dinner. I will likely have a taco and ¼ cup of Spanish rice with salsa.

Don’t beat yourselves up by thinking you’ve “ruined” your diet because you ate something that perhaps is contrary to dieting guidelines. You can simply make up for it with a later meal. We are all eating less because of our wonderful new sleeves and hopefully we’re a lot more active than we used to be. These two things alone will encourage weight loss. Don’t get hung up on what you eat. Pay far more attention to how much you’re eating. Try to make the smartest food choices when choosing your main entrée. I’m down nearly 40lbs in the 30 days since my surgery and I eat what I want.

Let the flaming begin.

I am 5 months out and 72 lbs down. I think the same thing sometimes, but then I put food on my plate and eat 6-7 bites and I'm full. Then I remember, woo hoo, it's still working. Hang in there.