MegInNOLA

Oh Tracey, the much-dreaded 3-week stall is just a week late for you. Search this site for "three-week stall" and you will feel so much better--we all have it in one way, form, or fashion. It will pass. Just keep doing what you're supposed to do and hang in there. The time AFTER the stall breaks is some of the fastest loss you'll experience, so fun times are ahead!

Cottage cheese, refried beans (oh, wow, they were the BEST thing I had eaten at that point-- I was so ready for food!), soup whizzed up in the bullet blender, yogurt, peanut butter by the 1/2 teaspoon.

Seems like you're aware that might not have been your best option. :-) If you can tolerate that type of food and you want to incorporate it into the larger picture of your diet, just be sure to count it appropriately--log the calories and carbs and protein just as you would any other food. I'm someone who feels that no food should be "off limits" or "not allowed," as long as there's a clear understanding of what consuming that food might mean in terms of weight loss/stall or increased sodium, etc. etc.

I take a separate iron supplement in the morning along with my Synthroid. I don't take my multi and calcium supplement until bedtime (my multi doesn't have iron in it). Since you have separate supplements, you might ask your doc's office for advice about the best schedule for maximizing absorption. Don't forget to take your iron with orange juice or a vitamin C--it helps with absorption, too. Cheers!

Hey y'all: Since I'm so close to goal and have been sort of bouncing around here for a couple of months, I have begun to focus on eating for long-term health. I'm interested to see how others eat for optimum nutrition and energy--eating for health and sustenance rather than necessarily for weight loss, although I absolutely do NOT want to gain anything back! Here's where I am: Breakfast: coffee with milk, shot of chocolate syrup (yeah, I know, but...), whole-grain Breakfast cookie (physician recommended since I'm thiamine-deficient) Snack: 1/4 c. almond/cranberry mix and finish the coffee Lunch: Small mixed salad with dark greens, tomato, cucumber, 1/4 avocado, feta cheese, vinaigrette Snack: Low-fat cheese or yogurt, fruit Supper: Varies a lot--includes dairy or vegetable Protein and veggies Snack: Corn chips and salsa (max of 6 chips or so), cheese, low-fat sour cream; OR a couple of crackers with cheese I also supplement with Multivitamin, calcium/vitamin D, Vitamin C, super B complex, and I'm about to add an Omega fatty acid supplement since I don't eat a lot of foods that contain those. (Note that the above sequence of 5-6 mini-meals is what my sleeve is comfortable doing--I can't eat a lot of volume at one time, and sleevie still doesn't tolerate meat, most chicken, eggs, and flour products other than the occasional cracker.) So, is anyone else already eating with an eye to nutrient density, or do you have recommendations for resources I could check into?

and it looks from your post that this is 3 pounds in 2 weeks--which is sort of like 6 pounds in a month, right? Like others have said, take the word "only" out of your vocabulary. Sometimes you just won't lose as much as other times--check my stats in my signature for proof! Just hang in there and keep doing what you're doing. If you are not tracking your intake, that might be a good idea, just so you know you're getting the right quantities of Water and Protein and you know how many calories you're taking in. You're doing okay, though!! No worries.

Powders and vitamins are fine--if you're just taking a carry-on, sounds like a domestic flight, and you'll be fine.

YAY! I have to say, though, you're probably going to zoom right out of those jeans in a couple of weeks. :-) Keep rocking that sleeve!!

I didn't have much nausea at all. I did have to start Prilosec postop, but now I'm not even on that. I left the hospital with no prescription meds at all and was just fine--no pain meds, nothing. I didn't even take Tylenol. Let me add that I don't have a particularly high tolerance for pain; I think I was just one of the fortunate ones, although there are many, who didn't have a lot of postop pain. I think you'll be fine; sounds like you're prepared!

Congratulations to you!

I was sleeved last April and went through our New Orleans summer MUCH more comfortably. Now, down 141 pounds from my highest weight, I'm FREEZING even in our extremely temperate winter and cannot wait for summer. :-) I didn't notice any issues with additional sunburning, but I'm not a sunbather. Staying hydrated is still a problem for me now, so I have to be careful. Nothing new there. And rashes are actually LESS frequent now--I don't have the same problems with heat rash in the "creases" of the body, and my bra band doesn't rub across sweaty skin any more, so that has completely disappeared. I think you're going to be pleasantly surprised with how you feel this summer. Like I said, I can't wait!! And yeah, outdoor activities are going to be SO much more fun. :-) Edited to add that it's also really great not to break into a sweat just from moving from the house to the car--and I rarely run my air conditioner in the car any more--just don't need it. Moving into a sun-warmed car feels good, the way it did when we were little kids.

Oh yeah--yummy!!

Oh wow--I remember when you first joined the board. Congratulations on your excellent results! You look amazing!!

Bless your heart--I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this!! I know it feels horrid. I threw up regularly for the first two months after surgery. You don't mention if you're on a PPI (acid inhibitor). If not, please try some Prilosec ASAP. You will know well before next week if the Prilosec is helping. Fluids, especially Gatorade or something similar, sound like the plan until you can get in for that barium swallow. Hugs to you--hang in there! I'm sure they'll figure out the problem.

Wow! Keep up the great work! You're doing amazingly well!

Congratulations, all, on dropping those sizes! I know you feel great!! Keep rocking your sleeves!

Oh yeah, I had them in a big way. I lost 30 pounds the summer of 2010, and over the course of the next six months, around 20 of those came right back on. I had surgery in order to lose and KEEP IT OFF. Best wishes to you!

This is also why I still, at 10 months out, carry a little individual pack of almonds and a protein bar in my purse. :-) I can get a cup of coffee or a glass of tea or a bottle of water and be set up for a while with what I KNOW is sleeve-friendly and nutritious food.

I'm in! I'm 49, 306 pounds at my highest (yikes). Sleeved 4/18/2011. Current stats in my signature. No exercise program to speak of--which is going to change soon. Experience with hypothyroidism, Iron deficiency, Vitamin deficiency, all fine now. Feeling fabulous and healthy. I currently eat a mostly lactovegetarian diet with very occasional shrimp/crawfish--this is by my sleeve's preference. :-) I might be especially suited to mentor someone who, like me, has to manage the frustrations of a picky sleeve!

Kelly and Ginger, it was lovely to meet you today! Sorry I had to run out--barely made my 3 p.m. meeting on time!! LOL Let's do it again soon.

Vitamins were never high on my "must take daily" list. Post surgery, however, your food intake drops substantially; in some cases, like mine, the type of food you eat also changes--now that I don't eat much meat or many grain products, I need to supplement nutrients that I'm not getting from food. Presurgery, I took no vitamins. Post, I take a multi, calcium (I'm a girl close to 50 and I'm sure this is an osteoporosis prevention thing), Iron, and a super B. It's actually not a big deal--I keep them by my sink and take them at the appropriate time when I'm brushing my teeth. On the up side, if you're on "medications" that are obesity-related, you may find that those go away. My husband stopped all five of his diabetic meds, his blood pressure med, his lipid-lowering med--and we are THRILLED to just be on vitamins and minerals. Frankly, they help us feel better, so it's not difficult at all to remember to take them. And they're a lot cheaper and better for us than those prescription meds ever were.

I was given coffee in the hospital and I drink at least 3 coffee drinks a day to no ill effects. I definitely keep a close eye on the dehydration factor, but my coffee keeps my brain running at optimum levels (I feel), allows me to get in a little milk (which I hate otherwise), and is just a delicious thing in life. :-) That all being said, follow your doctor's orders! We're not all alike, and those rules do exist for a reason.

LOL Kelly, it's Meg. I'll see y'all there. :-)

For Lent, I usually aim not necessarily to give something up, but to try to do something proactively in which I can learn/improve discipline; sometimes that means giving something up, and other times it means altering my behavior to a more productive/thoughtful way of acting--one year, I gave up meat and actually ended up a vegan for two years after that. :-) Other things in the past included chocolate/sodas, television after 10 p.m. (which was one of the more difficult ones I've ever done!), no online shopping (also kind of difficult, as I need tall sizes, which stores don't usually carry, and large shoes, also not typically easy to find locally), and volunteering with a local resale/donation center. This year, I've got two major goals for Lent: The first is to re-shape my spending habits regarding non-necessities--my plan is to cut WAY back on those types of purchases and be able to donate the money to charity instead. The second is to do something every day that involves strenuous physical activity of some sort--strenuous enough that I break a sweat, which I rarely do in these thinner days of freezing my fanny off! Now that I seem to have the breathing issue under control with daily Iron tablets, there's no more excuse for not moving. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get my yoga pants on and get my butt out for a walk before it rains. :-) Happy Thursday, everyone.

Love the idea of putting the treadmill in front of the television! Also, just do a cabinet/fridge sweep and give away/throw away everything that you know you don't need to eat. Just keep the stuff that tempts you out of the house entirely. My snacking can easily become a habit. Hang in there--you have the tools and knowledge you need to be successful!