MegInNOLA

Congratulations, Crosswind!! And I understand exactly how you feel--I never in a million years thought I would really hit goal, and I'm definitely not ready to stop yet, although I have no idea at all where I'm going to end up. I'll look forward to your future posts and watching the next steps!!

What a traumatic experience for your family! Of course you're falling back into old habits after that--makes perfect sense to want some semblance of normal or the feeling of familiarity and comfort. But you know that food isn't really going to change anything about what's happened. Sometimes I actually say out loud: Eating this food won't change ______ (fill in the blank). It helps my brain disconnect from my emotions a bit. Eating this food won't change that ugly thing someone said. Eating this won't change that my significant other is seriously ill. Eating this won't change that my son was hurt by our dog. Whatever the situation is, eating food that isn't right for you isn't going to change it. Bear with me here, because I'm definitely not a psychologist and I don't know you, but I know about feelings of second-hand guilt. Part of what you may be feeling is a sense of guilt and responsibility, even though you weren't there, even though you didn't do it--because you're a mom and this is your precious son, and he was hurt. Making poor food choices now might be a subtle means of self-punishment, a way to say, "I should have ___, and I didn't ____, so I don't deserve ___." Seems like a lot of us set unreasonable expectations of ourselves--somehow we feel we should be "super people" and that we are responsible for all sorts of things that we really aren't responsible for--but boy, do we love to punish ourselves for them! If that might be part of the picture, you may want to see a counselor--this might not be the only thing that you're thinking of in this way. It's 100% understandable that you would seek comfort and familiarity and the sense of "how things used to be" through food, but the happy news is you don't have to. Maybe check your cabinets and ditch some of the more potent trigger foods--I actually threw out some stuff yesterday that I realized was "calling" me--and substitute with things you really do enjoy that are also healthy. Hugs to you and prayers for your family!! Hang in there, though--you're going through some big changes! Focus on your goals--for your benefit and for your family's long-term benefit.

Hey GT: YES. Off spray (they make a new kind that doesn't have any sort of scent) and hydration--take some of those packets of Crystal Light or Gatorade that you can mix into your Water bottle. I was just at a crawfish boil last night--YUM, by the way--and got my first mosquito bites of the season; then I found the can of Off and no more skeeters, so it definitely works. More importantly, be sure you take some sunscreen that won't sweat off. I don't know what sorts of activities you'll be doing, but if you're going to be outside, sunscreen is a MUST. I like the Neutrogena "dry spray" stuff--I don't really even know I have it on after I apply it, but it works. I get the highest SPF I can find, as I have very fair skin, and I go through the "burn and peel" cycle without really tanning--dang it! But yeah, hydration--last summer, I was still in losing mode, and I noticed that I definitely needed to be more mindful of drinking when it was hot. I also really love mixing in a little bit of fruit juice into my water--not enough to be like lemonade or orange ade or whatever, just enough to sort of flavor the water. You might try squishing up some herbs (mint, fresh basil, or fresh lemon thyme) along with a piece of citrus into your water for added flavor punch and incentive to slurp. :-) I have found that just keeping a cup of ice water next to me here at my computer means I drink a lot more water--so proximity is part of the solution for me.

It used to bother me, but seriously--anyone who says that out loud in front of me isn't someone whose opinions I'm going to worry too much about. I prefer to surround myself with intelligent, positive, supportive people. :-) I did have one lady tell me she had lost weight "the hard way," and I said, "Congratulations!" Who needs negativity??

Y'all are cracking me up. Coops, "maintenance" is fine; there's almost no difference between now and before, except that now I don't hop on the scale every single day. I'm doing what I call "the bounce," as per usual--still hovering right around my goal weight, some days 1 pound less, some days 1 pound more--I don't sweat it, since I know what I'm eating. I have switched around a bit, sort of stealthily, to a diet that has more sugar in it than I would like. My sleeve used to outright reject baked goods and sweets; unfortunately, it doesn't reject them any more, so I have to avoid them. I haven't been doing such a great job at avoiding them, but at least most of the time they haven't been fatty sweet things--for instance, I'll eat a few jelly Beans. But I don't really need/want/like jelly beans, so what's that about? LOL Now I have to eat like all the other grownups, sleeve or no sleeve. :-) I'm still having trouble with the shortness of breath issue, especially when singing, which I do on a regular basis; I have some tests scheduled for later this month that hopefully will be the start to a thorough checkup about it. I had thought the symptoms were due to low Iron, but my doctor said that was really unlikely (even though I felt better on the iron tablets--?), so more tests are coming and we are definitely going to figure it out. She is still worried about some kind of diaphragmatic paralysis or damage from the surgery, although she feels it's highly unlikely, since my surgeon is meticulous, but we're in the "rule out" phase for now. Anyway, we've been on spring break this week (I work for a Catholic university, and we get Holy Week off)--going to enjoy this weekend to the fullest, since the next few weekends are nonstop!! But summer is coming!!!

YAY YAY YAY!!! Congratulations, Lila--maybe that whole "avoiding sugar" thing is the key. I have to second (or third, or fourth) everyone's great comments to GT regarding treating yourself the way you would treat someone else. Why is it that we feel perfectly comfortable being so horrid to ourselves, and we would never in a million years treat anyone else that way? My own interior monologue is always so negative, in the guise of being "realistic." My husband has been pointing out to me lately that I never, ever accept a compliment or a nice comment from him--I always "correct" him or say something like "I'm really glad you think so," instead of just saying, "Thank you." I am SO much more supportive of others than I am of myself--and so much more negative to myself than I am to others. It's so strange.... We are more than enough. I can "know" it with my head but not "feel" it with my heart. Very frustrating!

I have a "car pack" that travels with me. It has a small pack of almonds, some Peanut Butter crackers (I don't low-carb), a Protein bar--careful if your car gets super warm--and some spoons so I can run into a store and grab a yogurt or some Soup, since lots of places now carry ready-to-eat soup. I have experienced that frazzled, really-not-myself feeling many times, and they are ALWAYS tied to times when I don't eat properly. Having a sleeve sometimes means you don't feel hunger, or you don't feel it in the same way, so definitely stock your purse or your car (I also have a couple of things in a desk drawer at work) to avoid having the crash. Don't forget that good old vending machine peanuts will work in a crunch (ha!), as will a cheese stick or beef Jerky from a convenience store if your sleeve tolerates them (cheese yes, jerky no for me). Glad you're feeling better, and now you know!!

They gave me coffee in the hospital during my recuperation, so... :-) I'm a caffeine hound, I freely admit it, and I've been enjoying it all along. No rule against it from my surgeon, but you should follow your doc's rules!

Another option is Beanitos chips--made of pinto Beans or black beans, so super high in Protein. They are definitely not low-carb, but they're a good option if you can get them. Whole Foods and a local chain stock them here, or you can check out their website, beanitos.com for stores. I'm not a rep, LOL, I just like the chips! Yet another option is my personal favorite, cucumber slices. I decided the additional cost of purchasing the English cucumbers (the ones with a very small seed tunnel, and very small seeds) was worth the price, and I use cucumber slices instead of chips routinely for dipping even warm foods like taco meat or cheese dip or whatever. I love making a cup of "dip" and using the cucumber slices to dunk. Love the lettuce cup idea above, too!

I'm a fan of the Yoplait high-protein coconut flavor. I like to dunk my BelVita Breakfast Cookies in there--tastes like cheesecake and is healthy! I usually eat 1/2 a container of the yogurt and 2 of the 4 cookies as a "mini-meal," and it's yummy! Also you can doctor your own yogurt--either sweet or savory. For sweet, get some of those syrups from Monin or Torani (both have lots of sugar-free flavors if you prefer sugar-free--you can order on Amazon or get them at some groceries, World Market, or coffee shops) and/or Jello or pudding packets--just use a spoonful of the powder, stir in, and yum! You can use drink mix powder for this, too--or instant coffee. For savory, stir in a couple of spoons of dip mix (ranch or onion), some instant Soup powder, salsa with or without extra herbs (cilantro, chives, chopped roasted garlic), or sriracha--makes a delicious dip for veggies (cucumber slices make good chips!), meat/chicken bites, crackers, whatever. Use it like sour cream. One of my favs is worchestershire sauce (just a couple drops!), some dehydrated onion flakes, a little salt, and a clove of smashed-up roasted garlic--voila! onion dip that reminds me of my childhood favorite but oh so much better!!

I'm almost a year out, and my advice is do what feels right for your body. At your stage, I couldn't eat much, either--bites, as you say, at a time. I never could get the hang of eating a "meal." My sleeve is too restrictive for that, really. Even now, I eat what I call "mini-meals" through the day. I do not low-carb; I do not calorie count. Because my sleeve is the way it is, that has worked for me--it may not work for a lot of people. And I might have had even better results if I did that kind of thing, but there ya go; my body, my decision. :-) Sample mini-meals (I do NOT eat all of this in one day! I'll have maybe five mini-meals through the course of a day): 1. 1/2 a Protein bar. 2. 1/2 a whole-grain cookie (I'm thiamine deficient and these are physician recommended) 3. 3 or 4 boiled shrimp with cocktail sauce. 4. 1 c. salad--lettuce, tomato, cucumber, whatever, plus a vinaigrette-type dressing (sleeve can't tolerate mayo!) and 1 TBS feta cheese 5. A few bites of gyro meat dipped in hummus--this is a new food for me this month, as prior to this, my sleeve would not tolerate meat very well--and I'm almost a year out!! 6. A couple of crackers with cheese (brie, pimento cheese, cheddar, whatever we have handy) or hummus or Peanut Butter 7. Six corn chips made into nachos with very little cheese and a few jalapeno cubes--I usually put light sour cream on top to help with the moisture factor 8. Veggies! 1/4 c. to 1/2 c. of whatever I have in the fridge--currently roast brussels sprouts, roasted carrots, roasted beets, grilled asparagus, fresh tomatoes, sauteed chard. I tend to roast a batch and eat on them for a few days. 9. Frozen yogurt from Red Mango--I get a small bit, add some flax-seed granola, and enjoy. 10. Couple of tablespoons of nut/cranberry mix. 11. Soup! Still a favorite, especially when we go out. I try to aim for less fattening ones (vegetable beef) or something filling like chili instead of cream-based ones or potato Soup. 12. BelVita breakfast cookies--2 of the pack of 4 Cookies swirled into 1/2 a container of Greek yogurt--tastes like dessert and is actually healthy! 13. Fruit! 1/4 or 1/2 c of whatever I feel like having--usually citrus or melon, since I still have a serious citrus craving! I can't do apples, pineapple, banana, or mango (my sleeve hates them!), and strawberries are a hit or miss--sometimes they're fine, sometimes they're not. 14. 3 slices of bacon. Don't judge. LOL that's a meal. That pretty much sums up my eating. Small, frequent meals of whatever my body is craving. The BIG DEAL is that now, because of my sleeve, I actually do listen to my body, and I cannot physically overeat--I've learned to stop when I'm not hungry any more as opposed to when I'm full--that's a HUGE DIFFERENCE, and it's all due to my sleeve.

I ate grapefruit starting at around 4 months. I craved it--and still do! I still eat citrus almost every day--now I can eat 1/2 an orange, 1/2 a grapefruit (slowly, over about an hour!), or 1/2 c. of melon pretty comfortably. I definitely recommend eating the fruit as opposed to drinking the juice--there's Fiber in the fruit that you miss out on with just the juice, and juice by itself seems to make my sleeve (maybe not everyone's!) unhappy--maybe too much sugar? I don't know. I don't add sugar or sweetener when I eat fruit, I just enjoy it plain. My husband's been getting more fruit, too, since I usually cut up an orange or something and offer him slices, which he can't seem to resist. :-) Sneaky me.

Wow! How pretty are you? Congratulations on your achievements!!

YES. Down to normal body weight for the first time in over 25 years. No way would that have happened without this tool. I'd do it again tomorrow if I needed to.

Good for you! Keep up the great work!

Worst case scenario is your sleeve will reject it--if you get sick from it, no worries, just take it easy. Try it again in a few weeks/months, being sure to eat a couple of small bites and wait to see how it goes. I just had a few bites of steak at dinner, and I can definitely feel it in there--and I'm 11 months out. Sometimes dense protein just isn't the easiest thing in the world for us to digest. Hang in there!

Woot! Way to go, Lynda!! What a happy post!! I hope everyone in this thread gets their well-deserved jump-start!!

Congratulations!!

I saw a former student for the first time since surgery (and I'm down a total of 147 pounds, 116 since surgery). He smiled and nodded, but I could tell he didn't "get" it--then he did a double take and actually stood open-mouthed, after which he went kind of ballistic with the "oh, my gosh, you look fabulous!" stuff. It was pretty cool. :-) But (and is this just the devil on my shoulder or what??) I really sort of secretly can't wait until my next high school reunion. :-)

Woo-HOO!!! Congratulations!!!!

Hey Kris: My husband and I sell cruises as a sort of sideline business, so we're always excited to go and hear about others' experiences! I'm glad you had a great time! We went on our last one back in August, and I had been sleeved for four months. At that point, my sleeve was still being REALLY snippy about what it would and wouldn't tolerate, but I also managed to enjoy myself thoroughly--plenty of fruit, low-fat yogurt, Soup, etc.--and lots to do other than eat! Plus, I think that was the first cruise I had been on where I didn't feel like I was going to melt from feeling so HOT all the time. We're going again in May with a group from my school and in June with a community choir, and I expect to really enjoy both a LOT--also because now I don't feel so horrible about wearing shorts and cool, comfy clothes, and I can move around without breaking into a sweat. :-) You're right about the stewards, though--ours quickly got to know that I was going to order soup and fruit and maybe a dessert (from which I would take a couple of bites if sleevie allowed)--he finally quit worrying about me, but it made me realize how most Americans probably look to these guys, who are typically from much less economically developed countries. We eat SO MUCH FOOD! We saw numerous people ordering multiple Entrees and multiple Desserts. This whole sleeve experience has really helped me see the tie-in to our marketing system, our industrialization of the food-growing process/economy, our growing (hah) obesity problem, and the continuation of those issues into the pharma/healthcare area. It's all sort of one big circle, and I for one am glad to be breaking the chain of obesity-related illness in my life. Yay sleeve!! (and I'm a normal person, I promise, not a conspiracy theorist, but seriously--I can see such a link between how we're encouraged to eat, our resultant health, and the economy!)

I'm 6'2". I started at a 12W pre-surgery and am now a comfortable 12M, and honestly, 11.5 narrow would probably work a bit better, but they're really hard to find. My feet have definitely gotten smaller and more narrow.

Now guess what I'm craving--thanks! LOL Seriously, aren't they yummy? :-) Enjoy!

Congratulations!