MegInNOLA

Alcohol will "feel" different after surgery for most of us in one way or another. I'm one of the ones who found it hit a lot harder than pre-surgery. I also discovered the hard way that it makes it almost impossible to tell how much is actually IN your stomach at a given time--it seems to make things relax to the point that my usual "I'm full" signals don't work very well... I'll leave the rest to your imagination, but it was not pretty and I didn't even get to enjoy a buzz!! LOL As with all things post-sleeve, caution and paying attention to your body are the keys--only problem is that it's difficult to do that with the alcohol working in you. :-) Slow is your best bet.

126 pounds.

I agree, your weight is dropping off--you're losing fast! You're young, so please listen when I say: EXERCISE. It's not about dropping the weight faster--it's about retaining your shape and strength as you lose the weight. I'm going to be--gulp--50 this month and I didn't/don't exercise. Yes, I dropped the weight anyway, but I am paying for that lack of exercise and fast loss with MUCH loose skin and odd bumpy shapes on my belly--skin droooops, and you do not want that! You want to look HAWT when you're done and be able to show off that gorgeous shape without worrying about floppiness. Exercise will help tighten stuff up. Trust me, please; unfortunately, I know what I'm talking about. My skin isn't so loose that it flaps (some people do lose so much so fast that their skin cannot keep up and it literally flaps), but it is NOT pretty and everything--"everything"--lost perkiness. So exercise. :-) Hugs to you--keep doing what you're doing but ADD EXERCISE!

If you want to add some protein, you can add 1/2 c. ricotta cheese or cottage cheese to the mixture.... just be sure to whip it up really well with the pudding mix BEFORE you fold in the Cool Whip and pineapple. One of my favorite desserts is what we in East Texas called "orange fluff," which is basically cottage cheese whipped up with orange Jell-O with some Cool Whip and mandarin oranges folded in. So the whole thing is a technique as well as a recipe--experiment! :-)

I use the salted caramel with greek yogurt, a little sf vanilla pudding powder, almond milk, and a touch of coffee concentrate. Zap with a couple of ice cubes. YUM YUM YUM

I agree with Supersweetums--it sounds like you made some really great decisions under some emotional circumstances. When I get "hungry" and I've just eaten, I always ask myself if I want an apple or some tomato. If I'm really hungry, I eat the apple or the tomato (sweet or savory--both low-cal and filling for me). If I don't want the apple or the tomato, it's not really hunger; it's head hunger or boredom or some other "thing." I don't typically eat for emotional reasons, but I definitely enjoy eating; getting up and moving around and finding something productive to do usually gets me off the "I'd like something to eat" train of thought. Hang in there--seems like you've been pretty proactive in staying on track!

Hey y'all: I'd like "in," please! I recently lowered my goal weight by 6 pounds and then promptly lost one.... go figure. I have 5 to go to get to my new goal, and my losing is kind of super slow, like a pound every few weeks. I'd like to lose the last 5 pounds this month, which I think I should be able to do with some discipline and a little EXERCISE--which is my Achilles heel. Starting weight 180 Goal weight 175 (literally goal weight, LOL!) Pounds to go: 5 Strategies: 1. Cut down on the cheese!!! Hi, I'm Meg, and I'm a cheese-aholic. Substitute nonfat yogurt more often for good protein without the calories of the cheese. 2. Watch the frozen yogurt portion size--it's been creeping up for the last couple of months, and I need to keep it small. Stop purchasing Skinny Cow products of any description (just until goal--they can come back later, MAYBE). 3. Greens every single day, period. 4. Stay better hydrated--only one coffee drink per day, please, and plenty of water. 5. Move your butt a bit--check out the gym at work and at least look into the walking track and lap pool!! 6. Stop eating after 8 p.m.

***Disclaimer*** I'm using some unladylike language here, but it's just how strongly I feel about this!! I hate that word "afraid"!!! I'm personally sick and tired of being afraid. I absolutely refuse to be afraid any more. That's why I had the surgery in the first place. I was fat because I was afraid--a history of childhood sexual abuse and an absolute determination to avoid true intimacy--yeah, fat was a pretty good suit of armor. But I am damned if I will feel afraid like that again--and not just like that. I'm not talking about taking crazy chances or doing stuff that's outside my comfort zone (like bungee jumping or something--not happening in this lifetime). But I am not going to allow fear to be my boss, my determining factor. As my students would say, HELLS to the no!! If you miss the gym, get in there and kick ASS--and show yourself (and secondarily, anyone who might be observing) that you ARE the warrior princess you are in your mind's eye. I for sure am--I am strong, I am capable, I am fearless, I AM ENOUGH!!!!! Make it a mantra--just repeat it over and over. I am strong. I am capable. I am fearless. I AM ENOUGH!! I absolutely fell apart while watching "The Help" when Abilene is telling the baby, "You is kind. You is smart. You is important." She says it over and over, and the child is repeating it... WHY don't we each get that message from the beginning? Well, because we didn't. But it's never too late. We are strong. We are capable. We are fearless. WE ARE FREAKING ENOUGH. Okay. Ladylike Meg is back. (But I love me some warrior princess Meg, too....)

GT, I don't think that sounds horrible at all--that seems really reasonable and pretty protein-dense. Are you upset about the bread or the M&Ms? Girl, if I was moving out of my house and had that stress, I'm thinking a few M&Ms would probably be a GOOD thing--there's essential ingredients in that chocolate for the female psyche, and you were just taking some medicine. It's not an everyday thing, and I think you should let that go. Don't beat yourself up over that! :-) You know you'll get back on track soon. Take CARE of yourself--it's so hard to be gentle with ourselves and not expect everything to be perfect. Give yourself permission to live, to enjoy the moment, to be -- lands, I was about to launch into a rather Zen-mode speech there, but seriously--you're young, you're gorgeous, you're smart. Give yourself permission to enjoy that and to stop being so hard on yourself for what you perceive as shortcomings! It's hard to do at first--it's easier if we just do it than wait for others to do it (from a lifetime of being overweight--you know what I mean). We slam ourselves first and hardest. Stop that! HUGS EDITED to add: I speak first hand. My husband has been making me realize that I have an almost impossible time accepting compliments. He's started this funny thing with me. He says, "You're hot," and my reply is supposed to be, "Yes, I know." I absolutely do NOT know that, but my standard response of, "Thank you, I'm really glad you think so" isn't cutting it for him (and is IS a cop-out, isn't it?). It's been really funny just to get used to saying, "Yes, I know," but he thinks it's the first step in changing my thinking, and I'm not sure he's wrong about that. I still don't think I'm hot, but it's less surprising to me to think about it now than it was a few days ago. Change your thinking, change your life....?!

Wheetsin gives you some EXCELLENT suggestions above. I will also chime in with the "just eat what you're used to, in small quantities" voices--you can always grab a few bites of something later on if you're still hungry. I was also scared about being sick at work--I'm a university teacher, and the closest bathroom is way down the hall, and it's not a faculty restroom--I definitely didn't want to be throwing up in a stall next to my students!! So my advice is just take it easy--don't eat new foods at work, and don't eat too much or too fast. You'll be fine. You might experiment with eating two or three mini-meals throughout the morning instead of one bigger lunchtime meal--use the extra time at your lunch break to get up and walk around or visit with friends or whatever. I keep Protein bars at my desk and typically a bite or two every so often can tide me through a particularly stressful or busy day when I think maybe eating a "regular" lunch might not be a good idea. You should be just fine. :-) Slow and familiar is the key.

I think maybe you might want to search this site a bit to find some tips for post-sleeve mushie foods that will maximize your loss. At first, it's super important to get in your Protein and your liquids, so rice and crackers might not be the best choices.... if you can tolerate them, great, but perhaps starting with some egg salad, scrambled egg, cottage cheese, refried Beans with melted cheese, etc...... that way, you're getting your protein (which will fill you up and keep you from getting hungry) and not getting too many refined carbs, which can make it hard to stay away from sugar or other carby foods. But yay! your sleeve seems pretty tolerant--that's a blessing! :-)

I'm a big fan of Quest and Think Thin--both are gluten-free and have 20 g of protein for their calories. Quest bars are under 200. I don't like protein bars to be too sweet, and these fit the bill--sweet but not horridly sweet. :-) Best wishes!

You look amazing! Congratulations on your success!!

Hey Joy: I got over the protein shakes before I even got into them--my sleeve rejected each and every one in a most vigorous (and unpleasant) way. I make my own--I don't know if you're just looking for high-protein foods in general, or things that would sort of work like a shake but not be a shake. Here's some ideas for both: 1. Animal proteins like eggs and meat and fish are great sources of protein. You can make salads (use yogurt or Greek yogurt instead of mayo, or a little ricotta cheese -- Lissa's idea!) with shredded or minced eggs or meat or fish. You can make lunch-meat rollups with cheese in the middle--Eggface's website has several great combos for this, and she even browns them in a skillet to melt the cheese inside the lunch meat--sounds delicious! 2. Vegetable proteins like beans, nuts, tofu--all delicious and pretty soft. I like to hide a bunch of protein in a smoothie that I make without that nasty powder. I use Greek yogurt, almond milk, (tofu or powdered milk to up the protein, if I need/want it), some fruit, a squirt or two of sugar-free torani syrup, and about a cup of raw spinach--YES, spinach. It turns the smoothie an odd color, but you won't taste the spinach and it's FABULOUS for you. You can also get brave and put in some cooked white beans--low sodium, please, that you rinsed well--maybe a couple of tablespoons, tops--they will blend in and give you extra fiber and protein and you won't know they're there. 3. You live in Wisconsin--dairy foods have GREAT protein--cheese, milk, curds, yogurt, etc. 4. Anything can be made into a soup or puree--if it tastes good, try it in soup format. I took some chicken broth, some canned chicken, a little cilantro, and some lime juice and zapped it in the magic bullet--heated up, it tasted better than restaurant soup, and it was CHEAP and EASY. Zap up some black beans with a little pico de gallo--heat up, top with cheese--delicious bean enchilada soup! 5. Avocado is surprisingly high in vegetable protein. Enjoy an avocado smushed up on a piece of turkey lunchmeat. Delicious!

Oh, Lord, yes, I'm sorry, you may get taller. I'm saying this as a 6'2" woman... and yes, I think I'm much closer to 6'3" now. Great. LOL Seriously, I read that, too, that the joints of the spine decompress a bit as you lose as much weight as we are losing. That's not spectacular news for me, but it might be for you--and it IS good news for the health and pain-free operation of our collective backs!

Teacher here too! :-) Prepping ahead is ALWAYS a good idea, even if it's something as simple as grating cheese or chopping vegetables. I love cooking when I have time, and I love even more having home-cooked food available after a long day. I do what Lissa does in my veggie-centric way--less meat prep, more veggie prep, but same process. Currently in my fridge: crock-pot-cooked black-eyed peas, garlic sauteed spinach, onion "jam" (just onions and salt and pepper cooked down until golden brown and sweet--YUM), summer squash and red pepper stirfry. We also have sliced melon and homemade pico de gallo (tomato, onion, lime juice, cilantro). We use these things as the basis for meals--reheat some of the veggies quickly, add a couple slices of avocado with some of the pico, chunk of melon, and voila! For my meat-eating husband, there's cubed turkey, which he loves on a salad. Sometimes I just eat a couple of chunks of cheese or make a fruit smoothie--having cut-up fruit handy makes it a snap! I usually make three or four veggie-type things at once, because they store and re-heat easily and I typically use some of the same ingredients (chopped onion, minced garlic, chopped tomato, grated bell pepper) in several dishes, so it's quick prep. Prepping ahead also lets you take advantage of seasonal produce or great sales, so it's an economical and healthy way to go. Love to hear how others prep for success!

Hey there! I was sleeved by Dr. Ordoyne, and so was my husband. Let me know if you have any questions (you can PM). :-) Good luck!!

Congratulations to you! You're rocking that sleeve!!!

The first few weeks, since you're not eating a whole lot, it sometimes makes sense to keep a Protein shake or a carton of yogurt sitting next to you in a bowl with some ice (I set mine on a towel to avoid the drips!). Then you can take a sip or a slurp every so often when you're thinking about it. I absolutely second the very organized lollyfidy's tips from above (wow, she's got it going on!!) for traveling prepared. If for whatever reason you find yourself away from home and having a "crash," and you know what I'm talking about, where your energy level tanks and you start snapping at people for no apparent reason, remember that most convenience stores now have yogurt (some even have Greek yogurt!), reduced-sugar Gatorade (hydration!), and mozzarella sticks. I keep a pack of almonds or peanuts and a Protein Bar in my purse, and I'm 15-1/2 months out from surgery! Sometimes you just need a protein boost, and it's helpful to have it handy. But yeah, eat when you're hungry. You may not feel hunger--I didn't--so setting a timer isn't a bad idea until you get in the swing of things. Once you're more healed and more active, your energy will sort of tell you when it's time to eat if you don't get the typical hunger signals. Hydration is equally, if not more, important, so definitely be sure you're getting that water/fluid in! BEST!!

Coops, it seems to me you've worked out a great way of eating that works for you and keeps you healthy! That's the point, isn't it? And it's cool that different people, different bodies work more or less well on any given combination of foods--we're really fortunate that we have the option for eating in a variety of ways. It's like they would never be having this conversation in 75% of the rest of the world--they'd just be grateful to get food, period. We are so very blessed. Your dad's garden sounds amazing! How lovely to have home-grown vegetables! I shop at a couple of farmers' markets around here and a couple of the local groceries that source from local farmers, and I really like eating as locally as possible--BUT I watch out for commercial farm/pesticide use. This area of Louisiana is well known for foods like strawberries, rice, tomatoes (NOTHING better than a home-grown Creole tomato!!), etc., and there's a lot of home-style farming going on. It's really nice. I don't know how it's going to be in the winter time--our winters are quite mild, and I'm hoping the co-op where I go for produce once a week continues through the winter; this will be their first winter in operation, so I don't know yet. I'm doing the same drop one pound, hang out there for a couple of weeks thing--I've been at 181 for the last week or so (still can't believe it when I see that number on the scale, honestly--who'da thunk it?) and am not doing anything different to try to drop any more. I still weigh every day and I completely understand how being without a scale for a week is strange--we went on a cruise earlier this summer and I didn't have one, and I was SCARED to get back up there after the cruise because I had been "naughty." Evidently I had also been a lot more active and/or my naughty choices weren't so horrid, because I hadn't gained, but it was scary to be without that daily affirmation. Coops, I think you'll have a lovely time, and as long as you're enjoying yourself and relaxing, it's a successful holiday. Congrats on the bathing costumes!! I actually bought mine in a "regular" store for the first time in years this summer. I actually cried in the dressing room--not unusual for me when bathing suit shopping, but this time, it was in grateful happiness that things FIT and I actually had choices. The saleslady was very kind--I had told her that I was completely unsure of my size, didn't have a clue, and why, and she was SUPER supportive and friendly--brought me a tissue--gave me a hug. :-) Selling a bunch of "fat clothes" on Ebay. Feels GREAT!!!!

Wow, what a gorgeous dress, and how fabulous that you are already almost out of it!! Congratulations on your success so far!!!

I don't think there's a recommended amount as in a supplement. It's everywhere--salt, mineral salts, you name it, there's sodium. If you're talking about an UPWARD limit on sodium, lower is always better, unless you have issues with super low blood pressure (and believe it or not, some of us do post-sleeve). It's almost impossible not to get "enough" sodium with any sort of processed food--I'm talking if you drink canned broth, use a bullion cube, eat a couple of crackers, eat a piece of lunch meat, eat cottage cheese, you're good to go for your daily sodium requirement. It's in almost every single food. Table salt adds to the total, as well. Don't know if this answered your question. :-)

Honestly, my sleeve was so picky in the beginning, and still is about a lot of things, that I have almost completely changed the way I eat since being sleeved. I don't follow any particular plan, no low-carb, low-fat, low-cal, low anything, but I try to eat the healthiest food for volume that my sleeve will tolerate. Yep, I'm a sleeve rebel. LOL That does include yummy things; the definition of my "yummy things" has changed to fruit smoothies, frozen nonfat yogurt--my current crush, melon, and so forth. I think you should do what's right for YOU, understanding the pros and cons of each type of lifestyle. It seems to me like you're doing really well! If the slow pace of your loss is really bothering you, yes, there are things you can do to speed it up. If it isn't really bothering you, GREAT! You've reached peace with your sleeve. I try to take a long-term outlook on stuff--like what can I imagine myself really doing eating-wise several months from now? Several years from now? How do I want to look/feel? What will best get me to that place? There's room in there for some modest treats, at least in my plan, and an occasional big splurge (I've been on a cruise and I ate that chocolate melting cake!). There it is. That's my life. That's how I feel best--eating mostly extremely healthy with the occasional treat. If I stopped the treats and cut some dairy, I could probably drop the last few pounds faster (or if I'd get off my butt occasionally and exercise!)... yeah. I'm pretty okay with how things are right now. That's what I wish for everyone--to get to a point where things are just "normal," and that normal is pretty darned great.

I was "stable" and thought I had hit goal, too, for a couple of months. Then I dropped three pounds in a week--don't know. Now, every couple of weeks, I drop a pound. I'm not doing anything differently, I don't think, during this slow drop period. I agree with the others--don't stress! You've really come a long way. I completely "get" that you'd like to attain your goal weight, and I firmly believe that you can, but if this is as good as it gets, are you unhappy? :-)

I love Quest bars, all flavors. I eat one a day, more or less (frequently start one and finish it the next day). I also eat Greek yogurt, but I hide it in a smoothie since I don't like the flavor/texture of it "as is." Good smoothie basic plan: Some fruit (I use whatever's in season, currently blueberries and peaches), a couple of ice cubes or some frozen cherries, almond milk, about a cup of spinach (yes!), some sugar-free Torani syrup (currently using peach or black cherry), zap and enjoy. I sometimes throw some raw almonds in there if I want a little texture, or a couple tablespoons of salt-free white Beans (yes!) if I want extra protein/fiber. You CANNOT taste the veggies, although it will turn a rather interesting color from the spinach. Just close your eyes--it's delicious. And for the most part, it's real food that won't make your nose tell your mouth not to put it in. :-) Edited to add: This smoothie technique has fruit in it; it's not "low-carb." If you're counting carbs, might not be the best choice for you. I've never counted carbs or calories, but if you're concerned, the total amount would depend on the type of fruit, almond/soy/coconut/dairy milk you use, and whether or not you add the beans (I would, for the fiber alone, but that's just me--they will up the overall carb count).