Chimera

Just logged some gym time on My Fitness Pal and thought I would post my MFP avatar - really makes you want to get up and shake it haha!

Seattleite here (but you knew that), I think I went wrong when I wouldn't stop eating things that were terrible for me in copious amounts over many years coupled with my goal to stop moving haha.

Just like when the computer needs a reboot - so do our eating habits Reboot to the rules we all need to follow for success- Protein first, oceans of non-caloric, non carbonated liquid, drop the carbs - I go for Atkins 72 personally - which means 0-20 grams a day to detox from flour, sugar, etc.

Don't beat yourself up - yesterday is gone. Be honest about what you consume and expend. This is a process that will never end

Lol see it never ends - I look at my own ticker and realize I have 32 lbs to go to hit goal and not 42. Lord knows the work involved when I eventually do attain the elusive 140 lbs. I have never gotten there.

My husband and I deal with this on a daily basis and we have both had the surgery hah! He works out like an animal 6 days a week, he has a gym at work and has pals that he works out with daily - I am not quite there yet. He lost all of his weight in the first six months and is maintaining and is building muscle - competing in events like the Warrior Dash etc.

Meanwhile, I am not in maintenance - I have 42 more lbs. to burn and like many others, the losses have slowed way down for me - I will get there eventually though. I certainly am not going to get down on myself at this stage of the game. In truth, I am already there as my Doc says - all of my co-morbidities have been resolved. It is still hard to wrap my mind around the truth that I am only a few lbs away from being just overweight rather than super morbidly obese. I often struggle with body dysmorphia issues - washing my own clothes and not realizing they are mine, always thinking "I cant fit into something that small" these aren't my clothes and just generally not being able to see myself.

Over the past months I have thought an awful lot about this very issue - I know in some ways it has to be tied to identity - and for those of us who have never seen themselves as athletic (me) trying on a new viewpoint.

I am getting to the point that I actually look forward to exercise (how crazy is that!) - I know that I need to continually be mindful and focus on how much better I feel about myself being more active, and to remember just how far I have come - I am literally unrecognizable from who I was only a year ago not to mention 2,3,5,10 years ago.

Change comes incrementally - those short evening walks a couple times a week turn into running 7-10 mph on a treadmill very quickly. Progress is cumulative - all of those little changes we make add up to some pretty big victories.

My husband goes out and challenges himself with much more exercise than I do and we spend time each week doing active things together that are easier for me. I don't know if I will ever see myself as athletic but I am working on it

The hardest part of all of this is altering our mindset - and making the healthiest choices we can. Its really, really important to work on the habits that will make the surgery a success - what's the Doc say? Protein first. Protein first. Protein first.

Take it from me - who just came back from a trip and witnessed my sister in law - who had lost all of her excess weight after a RNY - working her way back up - gaining 35 lbs since Christmas eating crap - little bits at a time.

I have been having the same problem out of the blue - my work around was to make a word doc and cut and paste from there- just a bit clunky...I am on Windows 7 desktop as well.

food funerals don't mean much when you are addicted to food. Even after surgery you will have the same issues with food after you heal and a ways out from surgery. Then the stakes are even higher, because to undo all of one's hard work on this marathon of a journey is tragic. Honestly I think most of us struggle with this stuff.

2. Don't ever do a plank in a loose shirt that you can look down, you will be terrified!

Hahaha! I have scared myself a few times with that one What's so strange is how the remaining fat and skin is like some strange outfit you have on - standing in place and shaking oneself too and fro (like a dog shaking off water) is crazy...some days I think I could start an earthquake...

The Fitbit and the neat scale are on my wish list for my birthday - good to hear that you guys love it!

Swizzly do you ever read Mark's Daily Apple? it is a primal site with lots of great recipes, stories, and info (primal is similar to Paleo but allows dairy) I must have my extra sharp cheese on occasion as well as my latte's and Greek yogurt

Here is a link - this is where the recipe for those fat guacamole devils came from btw (devils eggs with yolks mixed with avocado - yay for healthy fats). I also really like his take on fitness - it makes sense.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/#axzz2Z3ZQVymy

I would ask my Doc for their opinion on how long to wait on exercise post surgery - I was really run down for a long time after my own (had complications though) I do think it takes about 8 weeks for things to really heal up - Crossfit sessions could be a bit too much early out. I would walk to start, and focus on healing and getting fluids in.

I didn't start to move around much until 9 months post vsg - started with Water aerobics twice a week. I know nutrition is responsible for 80% of WL - I am finding that working on my long walks, enjoying my new gym membership, etc. are helping me build strength and flexibility in a big way. I am trying to get away from the mindset of exercise as a means to lose more weight - but rather use it as a tool to be able to do more things that I could not do when I was almost 320 lbs. I still have to make myself go exercise, but it is a bit better these days.

We enjoyed a family hike yesterday and there is no way in heck I would have been able to participate in this prior to losing the weight that I have. I have terrible arthritis in my ankles, knees and hips and am working towards building up strength so that I am not as hindered by it. This has become the new goal - fitness so that I can live a better life.

A few weeks ago while driving through the parking lot at our small local mall I saw a woman who was in her 70's struggling with opening the door at the local Barnes & Noble - she honestly did not have the upper body strength to pull it open...I want to be strong enough to do the things I want to do!

heh sounds like carb detox - its hell at first, but it gets waaay better - I feel ill now when I eat the way I used to before surgery.

Just want to chime in regarding the inspiration in this thread - we will all get there! My losses are harder to come by these days and I am very much looking forward to next week when our houseguests return home and there are no more Cookies, or hamburger Buns, or bread in my normally safe, bad-carb free home. They go down waaaay to easily after that first year - my hubby who is also sleeved has lost his mind I guess...he is at goal and can seemingly eat anything and not gain.

I also had a fright seeing my sister-in-law last week - who was the inspiration for my husband and I to have WL surgery in the first place. She had a RNY and is 3.5 years out, after a very stressful spring with her job, she had gained back 35 lbs of the 165 she had lost.

Over a weeks camping, she had a personal stash of packages of golden Oreo's, those giant containers of goldfish crackers, chips, juice, and bags of dried fruits, including coconut (when I looked at the bags nutrition content and how her dear husband, who is heavier than he has ever been could not seem to stop eating from it - not good.) I am worried that she will gain more back - she has a weakness for sweet carbs

This felt like the cautionary tale, the wake-up call - for me to be careful, and mindful, and to keep on working on things that are healthy habits. It is so freaking hard some days...

I was just going to recommend BCAA's too Fiddle they work wonders! and hope your wife is recovering well from her surgery.

Wow I guess I don't see these threads - maybe because I am post op and read mainly threads on fitness and nutrition, and friends updates. There are a lot of folks in the world who are angry and bitter - maybe WLS will improve their outlook

My surgeon used a 40 on my husband and myself - the larger the bougie, the fewer the complications. We have terrific restriction, he hit goal in less than a year and I am 80% there - so far so good.

Thanks everyone! I love reading your responses! Im starting at 290 at 5'3" and I'd loveeeeee to get down to 130. My nutritionist said its never going to happen. He's a jerk though, and very against surgery.

I suppose they have to go by statistics - remember you can do anything you want to do - this surgery will change you - big time. I am 48, 5'3" and I plan on losing every ounce of my EW.

This is a post from another WL board (OH) - one of my favorite folks Elina_7. She offers some wise advise:

This is a post for those of you that think that this surgery will get you to your goal, and I am here to share the bad news with you that it will not. This surgery alone will most likely only lead you to lose to about 50-60% of EW all by itself (on average, some people lose much less and others more). That is the bad news.

The good news is that this does not have to be your fate. You can make a choice to do much better than this statistic. You can choose to lose all the way to 100% EW and be in the top 10% of sleeve patients. You really can do this and than keep your results.

I am here at four years into my maintenance sharing this with you from my personal experience as well as observation. You can reach goal and you can keep it. This is what it takes (from my point of view) to get there and to stay there.

1) You will read about many programs on OH and your doctor will have their own program, my experience tells me that in most cases, the 600-800 cals, over 80 grams of Protein, under 40 grams of carbs is the way to go. Others will disagree, and I am OK with that. This is my post and my opinion and my observation. There is no way that I would have reached goal on 1200 calories. That is my maintenance level eating. This of course might need to be tweaked on an individual basis. If you are an athlete and workout multiple hours a day, or if you have a different goal than I did or if you have a super fast metabolism or are a guy and have tons of muscle, than maybe eating more calories will work for you. If you are a woman, petite, not a youngster, and work out an hour or so a day, in most cases, the higher calories will not get you to goal. Are there exceptions, of course there are exceptions. Are those exceptions common? No, they are not.

2) If you go into this with without realizing that the first six months to a year is all about your weight loss, you are cheating yourself. I read posts on here about how to add flavor to foods and often the point is about making this more palatable. There is nothing wrong with adding spices, or finding low carb, nutritious alternatives to some foods, however, when your focus is anything other than maximizing your weight loss, you are sabotaging your progress and your opportunity of reaching that elusive 100% EW. I can honestly tell you that I think I would have eaten cardboard in those early months if that was required of me. The dedication needs to be to the process, the rest is not that important. Find your groove with certain home made lean Proteins and mostly eat that until goal. This is not rocket science, eat 2-3 ounces of Protein and eat low carb veggies as Snacks.

3) Do not allow relationships to get in your way. I don't care if you have kids, or an unsupportive husband, or parents choose to undermine your efforts. That might sound callous, but really, I don't care and neither should you. This next six months to a year is about you and you alone. This is your selfish time, the time when nothing comes before you. If you can't have certain foods in the house, get rid of them. If your spouse sabotages you, stop them. Speak up, find your voice, set your boundaries and do not allow anyone to take your mind off the prize. You matter, you are important, you are precious, and you must find the strength to do the right thing for yourself. If the people in your life are not supportive of your efforts, minimize your contact, or set firm limits. You are in charge and you will not allow anyone to get in your way.

4) Find the warrior in you and give yourself over that part of you for now. Find your type A personality, your alpha and your OCD parts and marry them to get one heck of a fighter. This is not a passive experience, this takes guts, sweat and tears. This takes being over focused on the minutia of your eating and exercise. This is a second job, a new baby, a big deal. This is not about passively taking what comes your way. You must drive this and you must take full control and responsibility. This will not be easy, but it is worth it, really, really worth it. Stop thinking that it will just happen, stop thinking that it should be easy, stop thinking that this shouldn't take a good deal of your time and energy or that it will be convenient. It will not be any of these things, and yet, in the end, you will love the results and remember the process with fondness. You will feel proud to own your results. This journey will change you, and I don't just mean your weight.

In the end, it comes down to an age old question; how badly do you want this?

Congratulations! Good to hear that are on the mend after surgery. You might not have noticed that this board is May 2012 surgery folks, so it is a tad more quite as folks are 1 yr + out than May 2013 - which is your actual surgery month Best of luck.

I hope you are feeling well - I am a bit nervous about Mexico as well but it sounds as though many folks have had great success with those docs - I have a bit to go until I stabilize so I have plenty of time to consider all the options. I always wonder how much the extra skin weighs - it has got to be at least 10 lbs on each of my thighs.

There's scads of folks here and on other bariatric boards who have reached and surpassed goal. I am at 80% right now - and while my Doc says that I am a super success statistically - I am going for my own goal which is 100% EWL - perhaps even more once that milestone is achieved, I will reassess at that time. Not everyone will lose all of their weight within the 'magic' year - or even the magic 24 months post surgery. Remember that the surgery is a tool - just keep doing what you are supposed to and you will get there.

I'm a wee bit obsessive compulsive. I actually pre-track. I put in what I am going to have that day and adjust as I go along.

_{I track - use MFP and I also use these little paper journals from my doctors office. As Feedyoureye says above - tracking is important - at support group meetings it comes up often. Tracking one's intake is the single biggest factor in successful weight loss and maintenance according to statistics.}

Being the chef and gardener she is I am sure she could tear it up making delicious tasty Soups