mesaucedo

Thanks everyone! It is nice to know that this can start out later and I am not just going crazy! I haven't had any symptoms like that at all Desertmom, the pain would worry me. I will have to talk to my doc about it!

Ok, I am not an expert in anyway. But just wanted to comment on your story. For starters, sorry you have had to deal with a ton on this journey. So, as you will see in many threads already posted, you are swollen and retaining Water. Lots of people gain weight after surgery for a few weeks. You shouldn't even have the scale out at all. This hunger may be a side effect of acid, I just posted a thread on this. It mimics hunger and you think you are hungry. Are you on an acid reducer? If not, get on one. It may also simply be head hunger, where your brain thinks you are hungry and should eat while your stomach disagrees. Getting in your water may greatly reduce the feeling of hunger as well, you are supposed to be aiming for 60ish oz (depending on whatever your NUT told you -- mine is 70oz.). Hang in there.

They can also do them through your stomach -- belly button or previous surgery scars -- so they are less noticeable. But if you have sag the only thing to fix that would be a lift. Most of us find that we look deflated after we lose weight, that doesn't change with implants, they will just be bigger and saggier. They would look lovely in a push up lol

It makes sense, I mean all our organs were probably more squished together. Why not that one? She said it would be almost unnoticeable and just be more comfortable. I wouldn't mind some more space down there. It is a little uncomfy for me know sometimes because I feel too snug. :wub:

Also! I bought a WLS for dummies cookbook and it has recipes based on our stages. I bought it for 10 bucks on amazon. I like it a lot!

I totally don't get all my Protein in either, I get around 60 grams a day from a 600-700 calorie diet. If I was eating 1200 I could easily fit it all in. Experiment with different foods, you don't have to do shakes for protein to get it in. Cheeses, meats, yogurts, Beans and tons of other foods have protein!

I drove 8 hours straight a few days out from surgery, I just brought a bunch of shakes/waters and it was ok. I was a bit stiff the day after though, nothing too bad.

I am between 5'5" and 5'6" and my goal weight is 140, which is still in the high BMI range for me. I would like to be around 25% body fat. Last time I got my body fat checked in a hydrostatic weighing system I was around 58% body fat. I am more concerned about body fat/size than weight. Ideally, a 6 or 8 would be amazing for me.

I sneak in cut up fruit in a bag, mangoes and apples are my fav! Sometimes I do some pita chips and hummus. Or cheese sticks!

I go all the time and buy a tea or bottled drink and nom on some goodies that I sneak in lol I had a love/hate relationship with popcorn before, it always got stuck in my teeth or tonsils and bugged the crap out of me for hours! So I am better off without it anyhow

I am only a little over 2 months out and I have lost about a cup size but also a band size. I am ok with them being smaller as long as it is all proportional in the end I do plan on getting a lift though, they were already pretty saggy from all the weight they had in them so now they are deflated balloons.

I just ordered a pair too! We will see how well they work.

I, too, can eat quite a bit of watermelon. I bought a cup of it with lemon and chili powder and tapatio the other day and I was able to eat it all, took about 45 mins, but I did it. I guess that would be considered grazing.....

I still don't take the whole 30 minutes for one meal. I can't, really. At work we are given a 15 minute break to eat out of our 4-6 hour shift, so I have to fit it into that time period. I still get full and seem to be doing just fine.

Haha I was just on this site yesterday after oogling Jessica Biel's body in Blade Trinity. Turns out she has like 6% body fat... so I guess that is out. :tongue2:

If it is too big, they won't do the surgery. Some people on here have had it cancelled. They are cut open and as soon as they see it is too big to safely move out of the way, they pull out, stitch them up and that is it. They have to do the diet all over again. But it is better that way instead of risking it with a large liver, they could accidentally puncture it and that wouldn't be good. Honestly, I have seen tons of people on here that have cheated once or twice on their diet and have been fine. But I would not advise anyone to ever do so.

So today I took my Experimental Psych final and was kind of nervous about climbing into the seats. Our lecture halls have smallish seats and no space to crawl over people if you come in late. A year ago, in the same hall, I actually had to stay and wait for everyone to finish in my row so I could crawl out without literally squishing someone. Not to mention that I couldn't put the desk down all the way - my thighs were too big -- and it dug into my tummy and I was squeezed on both sides from teh arm rests. WELL! Today, I fit nicely in the seats, WITH EXTRA SPACE! My desk went down all the way and I was able to slither my way out of the row when I finished my exam without any embarrassment. I have never felt so happy to fit into a damn seat. I was beaming through my whole exam .

Have you tried hot/cold/room temp variations? Some people say temp can help. Also, try adding some crystal light/lemon/flavoring to it. I have heard that plain Water is what hurts people.

I still don't get all my Water in everyday. It is tough! Same with Protein. I average 60 grams a day and probably around 50 oz for water. I need to buckle down with the water though! I got sick a few weeks ago, maybe a month, and ended up in the hospital because of dehydration. I am sure if I had been keeping up with it before it wouldn't have been so bad.

I am almost 3 months and eat between 600 and 800 a day depending on if I stay up to study. My days are usually from 5 am to 12 am or 7 am to 2 am. So I have a lot more time than others to fuel myself. Most people stay around 500 - 600 from what I have seen.

I finally fully fit into an 18, it took about 42 pounds down to not have a muffin top in them. I am hoping I don't have to wait another 40 for a 16! A friend mentioned after 18/16 sizes go down faster and she whizzed through them about 1 every 1-2 months until she stopped at a 6. Ahhh to be a 6 lol

I am not from the Bay, but am close-ish lol I am from Mendocino County, about 3-4 hours north of SF. I know someone that went to the Kaiser in Santa Clara. I am sure there are tons of people on here from that area, but wanted to offer support anyhow.

I started walking right away, not long or strenuous walks, but a good ten minutes a day for the first 2 weeks I bumped it up to 30 minutes until I was 6 weeks out. That is when I was cleared to do more by my doc. I started doing exercise videos. At UCSB we have a free gym, but it is filled with serious gym junkies and I don't feel comfy enough to go yet. So I do Jillian Michaels's 30 Day Shred and some Leslie Sanson videos. I use my HRM to keep track of how much I burn. With Jillian Michaels I burn around 320 calories in 25 minutes. I also do a few arm exercises and lunges and squats. Hope that helps!

My finance "forgot" too. I have told many friends and family, but his family despises me. I am not "Latina" enough for him. Anywho, he told them after I had asked him not to and his reasoning was if I could tell coworkers I should be able to tell family. That led to a huge fight about how they aren't MY family. Hang in there.

I will have to try one of those out! Thanks!