Lissa

Me, you just have to find something that you like and do it. I second Fluffy's suggestion to load some good music on your phone or iPod and only listen to that music when you're working out. I'm fairly competitive, so that helps me as well. Favoredone posted about a month ago that she did 7 miles on the exercise bike on her FIRST visit to the gym. That motivated me to try to up my mileage during my 30 minute a day ride...and it worked. I'm now consistently hitting the 7 mile mark, so I'm now working on getting to 7.5 miles in 30 minutes. I like the idea of watching a tv show, too. I haven't tried that one, but it sounds like a great idea!

Wow, ESheldon, I was coming in here to wish you luck and here you are, already sleeved!! Welcome to the loser's bench. I'm sliding over...it's a good thing we're all losing weight because there are a lot of new sleevers this week!

Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn't. My doc fully expects that I'll be able to abandon my machine, but my last sleep study says that I haven't improved a ton yet. Of course, I had pneumonia last year and I developed asthma as a result. The doc and I are both waiting anxiously to see if further weight loss improves this issue.

Fluffy Libra, Coloring your hair won't tick it off. You'll just lose pretty colored hair instead of gray hair! Ask me how I know!

Congratulations!! You're rocking that sleeve!!

I think you've basically named our "diet" plan, or mine at least. BTW, I'm not wise, but I'm successful with my VSG - 91 pounds lost in 7 months so far. You'll have to concentrate on getting in your 70g of Protein and your Water, but the beauty of the sleeve is that we do reduce our food consumption. I'm still workiing on shopping for my reduced consumption, but I'd rather throw stuff away than eat more than I need. You should be fine eating more or less the same foods your family eats. Bonus for them is that you will be cooking healthier meals now than you were before surgery, so they may lose some weight too. Good luck!

Concentrate on getting in your 70g of Protein a day, plus 64 oz of Water. Other than that, don't worry about it. If you're going to eat carbs, though, be sure that they are high quality carbs, not slider crap (like cheetos)! From what I see and experience, I lose better when I get in my 64 oz of water. I don't worry about whether I'm under 1000 calories a day, although I don't usually even get that high. I eat to fuel my body so that I can live and keep up with my exercise. The question has been asked before about whether we should "eat our exercise calories"... and I don't usually. But, I worry more about meeting my protein goal for the day than whether I've stayed under some arbitrary number of calories. As a matter of fact, I find that I lose better when I've had several days where my calorie intake is higher than normal. You may have a different experience, but the extra calories seem to translate into more energy for me when I exercise.

I have really noticed this in the last few days. Last night I went to the meet and greet for my community, since I was specifically invited and I haven't been here long. I won a door prize! And, all the people there seemed to be determined to talk to me, including one couple who came over and asked me to sit with them specifically. I figured they were assigned to do that, but nope. Today, I've been working on some home maintenance, including buying (and using) a pressure washer on my house. The guy next door and the one across the street (both married) came over when they saw me sitting outside trying to put the machine together. Then, the one next door kept coming back to "make sure (I) am getting along okay". @@ Originally, I had planned to put on my one piece bathing suit and a pair of shorts, but I ended up doing the pressure washing in my workout clothes instead because he was starting to make me feel a little uncomfortable. I'm sure he was just being neighborly, but I'm not used to people being that "neighborly". Kapish?

Congrats on your sleeve! Here's hoping that you have the same amazing success with the sleeve that you've had in everything else!!

Well, you can always use the leftover wedding dress to make a tutu to run the half marathon in! Congrats to you and your fiance, both on your wedding and your new found healthy lifestyle!!

Yay!! I love the reference to an anthropologie project! That's what this is! We're unearthing all those hidden treasures in our bodies. I'm starting to see my collar bones. That's one of those NSVs that I've been anticipating so much!!

Yogurt pretty much slides right through me these days. I consider it more liquid than food for my sleeve. However, you probably have a couple of factors that affect how full you feel. First, you're early post-op, so your sleeve is still numb and may not feel "full" yet. That early post-op, I knew I was full when my shoulder hurt, not because my sleeve said to quit eating. Because of that numbness, my nut said to always measure my food and to try to under-eat the sleeve. Second, you're still dealing with head hunger and acid issues. Talk to your doctor about taking some kind of acid reducer. I still take Tums daily (for calcium) because it works better with other meds I'm on. I also started taking an acid reducer at about 2-3 months post op and both help with the hunger urges. I was going to call it a hungry feeling, but it's not really a feeling anymore. Third, you're on liquids, even if it's full liquids. They do not give you the same restriction that you'll experience when you get to eat denser Protein. chicken, beef and fish will all fill you up faster than anything you're allowed right now. Good luck! This will be over soon!

Good luck! There was a reason she was taken so young. We just don't know why. I know that my friend lived her life making sure that her loved ones KNEW they were loved. I'm blessed to have known her and, while I miss her, I'm quite certain she'll be waiting for me when it's my turn to go home.

I had a drain and it wasn't a big deal for me. Actually, I think mine was great in some ways because it forced me to stay close to home and rest since I had to empty it pretty often for the first couple of days. Mine felt like the drop on a roller coaster when it came out and I didn't have any big problems with the incision. Actually, I had a bigger problem with the bandaid my doctor put over the drain incision when he removed the drain than anything else. Most doctors don't use them. Mine does, and I am find with that.

Awesome! You're already getting the NSVs!! I'm happy to see that the NSV appreciation is spreading!

I'm sliding over, Angie! No need to push me! Congrats and welcome to the loser's bench!! It's all warm and toasty for you!

Yay!! That's an awesome NSV! I can't wait until I'm back into good enough shape to run myself. I ran track in high school and I can remember loving the time I spent on the road alone in the early mornings. I'm so proud of you and happy that you enjoyed the run!!!

Oh, better, I got you beat on this one! LOL I am a paralegal, so, before surgery, I redid all of my legal documents. I redid my Will, Living Will, Health Care Surrogate. I wrote letters to my kids, listed all of my passwords for banking and important websites, made sure my kids were listed as my payable on death beneficiaries on my accounts, and then hid all of that in a safe place, giving the key to my best friend in case it was needed. The weekend before surgery, I spent time with my youngest son, called my older son, and made sure I talked to my siblings and friends. I wanted to make sure those I loved KNEW it, just in case. Of course, I made it through surgery with flying colors, just like you will! One good thing came out of my craziness (I'm NOT calling you crazy, btw). My best friend updated all of her legal documents, password list and banking information while I was digging through my stuff. She was only 48 at the time, but it seemed like a good idea. It was a good idea, because she died suddenly in January. Since we had waded through everything together just a few months before, it made it very easy for me to help her family deal with closing down her business and finalizing her financials. Her husband had pooh poohed us when we were doing the updates, but he was thrilled that everything was spelled out for him when she passed away. So, it's a good idea to have all of that stuff updated, but don't do it just because you're worried about the surgery. Do it because it's a great idea to have things handled before there is a need for them to be handled.

I'm an optimist by nature, although I'm not sure WHERE I got that attitude. I've been on a couple of message boards for over 20 years with the same two groups of ladies and, over time, we've probably discussed everything under the sun. One of the gals on those boards started calling me the "Queen of the Silver Lining" because, no matter how bad a situation was, I was always looking for the positive in it. Sometimes I feel almost like Pollyanna because I just ignore a lot of bad things that happen. Maybe ignore isn't the right word, but it's like I don't even recognize how bad something is until I'm hit over the head with it. IMO, if that's what it takes for me to stay cheerful, then that's fine. I have my days where I falter, but I keep reminding myself that I've come SO far from where I was. I'm down over 90 pounds from where I started. I can walk longer distances than I could handle before, and I feel like I've lost 20 years off my age. What's not to be thrilled about? I still have a long way to go to get to my goal, but I WILL make it there. 7 and a half months ago I could not imagine that I would willingly go to the gym every day, or be thrilled when I got off the exercise bike dripping sweat. I couldn't imagine that I'd be happy to do calisthenics or to lift weights, but THAT is where I'm at now. I ride the bike (almost) every day. I lift weights daily and even carry a small weight in the car so I can do biceps curls when I'm driving. My future's so bright, I gotta wear shades!

Are you taking Biotin? If not, start now. It won't stop the falling out, but it will help with new hair growth. As a bonus, your nails will get stronger too. Also, make sure you are hitting your Protein goal every day. That will help to slow down the hair loss, as well as encourage new growth. I'm trying to grow my hair a bit longer, kind of stupid right after WLS, but that's how I roll! LOL I just had mine cut into a bob so that it won't look so thin and straggly as it grows out. My hairdresser said that the hair loss is improving.

Someone here on VST turned me on to putting my protein powder in my decaf coffee instead of using powdered creamer. It's helping me use up my stash of protein powders that I bought before surgery and it tastes delicious. As a matter of fact, I'm MORE likely to have a cup of decaf now because I can make it fit better into my plan. The beauty of drinking decaf is that I can count it as liquid just like my water, too. Win Win Win.

I won't lie. The pre-op diet is the toughest thing to do, but the rewards are SO worth it! You'll see weight loss, feel better, and be better prepared to follow the post-op diet. It also helps to start detoxing your body from caffeine and sugar so that those issues are out of the way before surgery. Hang tough! You can and will do this!! Good luck!! We're keeping a spot on the loser's bench warm for you!

It could be nothing, perhaps just a bit of pressure on an internal stitch which is most likely. But, this early post-op, it could also be something that needs attention. Call your doctor's office and talk to them. It will make you feel better for them to say either come in or don't worry about it.

Water, decaf iced tea, no calorie juices. Are you allergic to all sweeteners or just aspartame? Try shaking up your diet and exercise routine. Add calories, add exercise, then try subtracting some of both. You may not be stalled unless you are not losing inches. Our bodies do take a break sometimes and that's when I've noticed that things re-shape themselves. Good luck!!

That's because there aren't a lot of complications, but we have several sleevers here who have had complications. Jasleeve had a leak, stent, and TPN, as did SandyD, MeMeMee, Tiffykins, and a couple of others whose names escape me right now. If you research those names, you'll find their threads. The complication rate is very low, but you must do your own research to reassure yourself that this is right for you.