Lanette

I have been trying to do "protein first" for years and it's not necessarily because of the plan that goes along with VSG. When I was preggo, I had Gestational Diabetes. I remember my OB explaining to me that our bodies process the carbs so quickly that we need to let our stomach get busy working on some Protein so that the carbs break down appropriately and do not turn to sugar so quickly. NOW, add to that the fact that in order to come even close to 70 grams of protein, I have to eat a lot of it. To answer your question though, I will have a small "treat" every now and then with my family. Example.....We went to yogurt shop after dinner the other night to Celebrate my sons Baptism. I made sure that a) I had protein in my tummy from dinner I looked at nutrition facts and chose lowest carbs possible c) had a very small portion. One thing I really had to learn about myself was to get rid of this "well crap, I fell off the wagon so if I'm gonna be bad I might as well be really bad" mentality. I have REALLY been trying to "think like a skinny person" and mitigate the damages when a treat is inevitable. (eating with protein and making best choice I can) I am trying really hard to be like 2bslimKim and eat almost no carbs and drink a ton of Water. However, I wanted this surgery to feel "normal" and I'm finally starting to. I want to take full advantage of this first year, but at the same time I want to enjoy the journey. I think it is going to be a daily balancing act for me. Just trying not to beat myself up over the small (tiny) treats that are few and far between and when they do happen try to make the best choices possible. Good luck with your balancing!!

My first challenge!! SN................Starting Wt..........Current..........Goal...........Lbs to Goal Lanette..........225.5...................225.5.............199............26.5

My favorite before was the Mediterranean pizza from Papa Murphey's. I bought the stuff and made my own version. I used a Flatout flat bread for my crust. Topped it with a drizzle of olive oil and minced garlic then spread it around. Then put mozzarella cheese, grilled chicken, sun dried tomatoes, and Feta. I put it in the toaster oven. I SWEAR it tastes just like theirs! Even my kids and husband love it.

Congrats!!!!! So happy for you!

Oh heavens no....I've only lost 23 in 5 1/2 weeks. All of the rest of that was pre-op. I was sleeved on 3/28 at 252lb and today I am 229. I was 270 at my consult visit, 290 when I started my 6 month requirement with my PCP....that's where the 61 comes from. Sorry for the confusion.

On my 3 week stall now and it has been 3 1/2 weeks.....really needed to hear this today. Thanks for sharing. When you went back to liquids did you stop losing when you went back to solids? I just posted about this earlier today because, like you, I have been scared to death that I'm going to be that person that it doesn't work for.

Kim- I didn't see yours earlier when I responded to the others. Can you share what your daily meals are looking like? I'm noticing your calories seem a lot lower than mine so that may be part of my problem. And how much Water would you say you're getting?

Hip -I'm so thankful to hear you say yours is lasting that long as well. Don't take that the wrong way....not meaning I wish a stall on anyone, but glad that it might not be that unusual for it to last this long. I'm just disappointed that I go back to the doc next week and haven't lost since my last appointment. Deakay- my doc started me on real food a little earlier so I've been getting around 900 calories. I've been wondering if maybe that is too many?!? Heck if I know. All I know is I want to start losing again. I did my shake for Breakfast this morning and I'm going to try to get back up in the 70-80 range on Protein. I was just getting so burned out on them. I've been doing ham and cheese roll ups, eggs, tuna, pepperoni stix, Greek yogurt (with strawberries mixed in...can't stand plain yet). Been doing the meat that I cook for the fam (salmon, grilled chicken, etc) and not a lot with it. I can't see signatures on the iPad so I'm wondering how much you've lost since our stats are about the same starting out. Just wish so bad I could have a nutritionist move in with me or a week!! . Thanks for listening guys!

I SWORE to myself that I was not going to let the 3 week stall get to me, but it's starting to. Mine started in the third week and I haven't lost anything in 3 1/2 weeks now. I'm really getting discouraged. I wanted so badly to be a sleeve rock star and it's just not feeling like it's gonna work out that way. I have seriously struggled with getting all my Water and Protein in, but have done well at keeping the carbs low. I would say I am getting about 50-65 grams of protein daily (from food b/c i am SO sick of shakes) and about 50 ounces of water. The last few days I have increased both hoping to jump start things, but still nothing. I'm even sitting here drinking my shake as I type. Just wanting to know how long other people's stalls have lasted and if this still seems normal. I knew it would START around week 3, but didn't know it would LAST 3 weeks plus. Trying to make sure I have included everything people normally ask. My stats are: sleeved 3/28 at 252lb. As of 5/5, 229lb. All of that 23 lb loss was during the first two weeks. I appreciate any feedback/ wisdom you guys can provide. My greatest fear going into this was that I would be that one person it doesn't work for and while rationally I know better....today it's feeling like that might be the case.

Just what I needed.....starting my fourth week of my "three week stall". So ready to be losing again.

Just yesterday I came across the CUTEST size 8 jeans at a garage sale. I bought them and let my sister "borrow" them until I can wear them. She and my mom both kind of looked at me funny and later started in about reasonable goals, etc. I can tell they don't think I'll get there but who cares! I want out of the double didgets SO bad I can't stand it. i didn't want to spend big bucks on an outfi but wa happy to find my $5 goal jeans.

Husky....I also used Hall's Refresh and absolutely LOVED them.

So far, I have not really set any time/weight goals. I haven't had a clue how to even guess how much I would lose. My original goal in my head was to hit Onederland by July 4. I think based on factoring in a 3 week stall and losing about 5 pounds a week, I'm going to bump that up a little to around June 10th. So....there you have it....my first goal. I want to lose 35 pounds and hit Onederland by June 10th.

So today is 2 weeks post op....lost 7 more pounds this week for a total since surgery of 17 pounds. Finally on Mushies now. Bring on the tuna, eggs and refried beans baby! Weight Tracker: 300 - Highest weight Easter 2010 290 - Starting weight for 6 month PCP visits Size 24 270 - Consultation Date weight (BMI of 43.6) Size 20/22 252 - weight day of surgery 242 - 1 week post op 235 - 2 week post op Timeline: 2/1/10 - Clock ticking on one year employment requirement 6/1/10 - 12/1/10 - 6 monthly visits w/ PCP to document non-surgical weight loss 2/1/11 - One year employment anniversary 2/14/11 - Consult with Surgeon 2/19/11 - Psych Consult 2/22/11 - Dietition Consult 2/23/11 - Pre-Certification Packet submitted to insurance w/ scheduled date of 3/28/11 2/24/11 - Approved! 3/28/11 - Surgery

Congrats!

Lisa - I was sleeved on a Monday and that Thursday was HANDS DOWN one of the worst days of my life. I didn't want ANYTHING! I did gasX strips for the gas pain and just tried to sip Water and forgot about broth, etc. By that Friday, I was 1000 times better. After finally getting to full liquids (that Sunday) I was like my old self because I could finally get some Protein in. I also stopped taking my pain meds b/c they were making my nausea unbearable. I think it's b/c my stomach was so empty. I found that most of my pain was from gas and not as much incision related. One other thing, I started taking my PPI at night right before bed. I was waking up with a TON of acid after sleeping and not eating for 10 hours and the medicine wearing off. If I take it at night, the time that it is wearing off is in the early evening and I'm up and moving and the acid doesn't effect me so much. These are just my experiences. Wish you guys the best of luck with his recovery!!!!

You'll never know how bad this makes me want to whip up some tuna salad or egg salad. I was sleeved before you and I'm still on darn full liquids. I've never craved tuna so bad in my life!! LOL!

Met my hubby for lunch at a place in town that has awesome soups. I ordered a crab bisque that is already pureed and asked them to strain it for me. It was heavenly and nice and thin, but I think without measuring I just took "one bite too many". anyway, still never threw up but BOY have I felt like crap since lunch. Oh well...guess we live and learn. So much for my high hopes of having a nice lunch date with my husband!!

I wore foundation and mascara and my nails were painted (both fingers and toes). I had socks on the entire time so I don't think toes would have mattered either way. My nails are natural and it was a pail color, but I didn't remove it and no one said anything. I was on the pulse/ox monitor (snaps on your finger) and it worked fine.

I would LOVE to be in an 8. My sister is a size 8 and we look a lot alike. It's weird ot me to look at her and think OMG....that's what I'm gonna look like! I was in a 16 in high school and a 12/14 in junior high. I honestly can say that I do not even remember being in an 8. That would just be heavenly to me. Tried on a suit for church this past Sunday that I have held onto for years. The top totally fit, but the pants were snug....zipped up all the way, but snug. Anyway, I decided to take them off and try again this week. When I did, I noticed they were a..........SIXTEEN!!! I stood there crying in the closet in disbelief! I can honestly say that sizes matter WAY more to me than the scale and I know I will rejoice with every new size. going to try to go garage sale shopping this weekend for some 14/16's b/c that one suit is the only 16 thing I own! LOL! Fun thread....makes my heart happy just thinking about it.

I'm sure you'll do great! I got up and started walking as soon as they would let me and even did laps around our house when we got home. I really think that helped. I also kicked the pain meds to the curb on day 4 post op b/c I realized they were hurting more than helping. I think they were upsetting my stomach b/c I was still on Clear Liquids. Oh...and I also switched to taking my PPI at night before bed instead of the morning. I don't know what others do, but I was waking up with horrible acid issues b/c it had been 24 hours since taking it AND 8-12 hours since putting anything in my tummy. Made sense to me to take it before bed so that when it was wearing off (late evening) I would be up and could eat, etc. I really think that has helped as well. Good luck to both of you and keep us posted!!

Thanks so much you guys. I think I'm going to talk to them separately because I anticipate some serious questions from my 7 year old. This is honestly something I hadn't really thought about pre-op. I really appreciate all of your wisdom!

I think it probably depends on what you do for a living. I work from home so I went back at one week. I have felt great since starting full liquids and getting some protein in. I am still pretty wiped out at night though. I would have loved to have been able to have 2 weeks, but probably would have been a little stir crazy this week b/c I feel so good.

My kids are 4 & 7 and I'm just not sure what or how much to tell them about my VSG. They know I had surgery but I've been very vague about why. Now they CANNOT understand why I'm eating soup with baby spoons while they have my favorite foods. I'm torn between telling them because I want them to understand and not explaining it because I don't want them telling their friends/teachers, etc. Now....I haven't been keeping it a secret, but haven't been broadcasting it yet either though. Anyway, just wondering how you guys have handled this.

Couldn't agree more! Love it.