Cobrargc

This month marks 6 months since my sleeve surgery. I’ve been pretty quiet on the forum lately as I’ve been very busy. I just wanted to let everyone know things are going very well. My decision to have the surgery is probably one of the best decisions I ever made. Certainly there have been many adjustments over the past months, but those adjustments are my new normal and I’ve accepted them as if they’ve been with me my whole life.

I’m closing in on 80lbs lost. My energy level is incredible. I recently took my two sons, both who are in their mid 20’s, on a birthday trip to Boston to sightsee and attend a couple Red Socks games. They commented that they weren’t able to keep up with me.

I’ve been riding my bicycle to work 3 days a week. I walk a 4 mile route every day during my lunch hour.

The weight loss has slowed as expected, but I’ll reach my goal over time. All is well!

This month marks 6 months since my sleeve surgery. I’ve been pretty quiet on the forum lately as I’ve been very busy. I just wanted to let everyone know things are going very well. My decision to have the surgery is probably one of the best decisions I ever made. Certainly there have been many adjustments over the past months, but those adjustments are my new normal and I’ve accepted them as if they’ve been with me my whole life.

I’m closing in on 80lbs lost. My energy level is incredible. I recently took my two sons, both who are in their mid 20’s, on a birthday trip to Boston to sightsee and attend a couple Red Socks games. They commented that they weren’t able to keep up with me.

I’ve been riding my bicycle to work 3 days a week. I walk a 4 mile route every day during my lunch hour.

The weight loss has slowed as expected, but I’ll reach my goal over time. All is well!

I waited two weeks before eating spicy food. I didn't have any issues with spicy food at all. You may want to start out slowly until you can gauge how your sleeve tolerates the food.

I would stay away from fried foods as much as possible. This is the type of food that got us in trouble to begin with. I wouldn't say you could NEVER eat heavy fried foods, but eat them in very limited quantities. I'm 9 weeks out today and have eaten fried foods twice. Once was a fried chicken (leg and wing) and the other time was pork schnitzel. My sleeve didn't have any problems digesting this food, but it made me lethargic afterwards. If you intend to have a heavier type of meal, I would suggest your other meals be lighter in calories to balance out you daily caloric intake.

I take the Walmart brand of multi Vitamin in the morning along with a Biotin (for hair) supplement. Before bed is take another multi vitamin, Biotin and Zinc.

I don’t understand all the worry about plateau’s and stalls. It can be frustrating to not lose weight at times, but haven’t we got the rest of our lives? We are always going to have a stomach that’s 15% of what it used to be. How can we not lose our weight over time?

Please don’t get me wrong! I empathize with everyone when it comes to weight loss expectations. I just think that getting on the scale all the time is like when you were a kid and you watched the clock and waited for the final bell at the end of the school day. The more you watch the clock, or scale, the slower the time seems to move or weight loss happens. Sleevers will then tend to get discouraged because it’s not happening fast enough. Remember, the up side to slower weight loss is less saggy skin.

I know I’m probably the “odd duck” because I rarely get on the scale, except to perhaps update my ticker. I feel a whole lot better and more successful when I see my clothes get looser and my old “skinny” clothes come back out of the closet. That is success to me, not some number on the scale.

Am I looking at this wrong?

I don’t understand all the worry about plateau’s and stalls. It can be frustrating to not lose weight at times, but haven’t we got the rest of our lives? We are always going to have a stomach that’s 15% of what it used to be. How can we not lose our weight over time?

Please don’t get me wrong! I empathize with everyone when it comes to weight loss expectations. I just think that getting on the scale all the time is like when you were a kid and you watched the clock and waited for the final bell at the end of the school day. The more you watch the clock, or scale, the slower the time seems to move or weight loss happens. Sleevers will then tend to get discouraged because it’s not happening fast enough. Remember, the up side to slower weight loss is less saggy skin.

I know I’m probably the “odd duck” because I rarely get on the scale, except to perhaps update my ticker. I feel a whole lot better and more successful when I see my clothes get looser and my old “skinny” clothes come back out of the closet. That is success to me, not some number on the scale.

Am I looking at this wrong?

Well this was the topic of the discussion and it is just a discussion. What's going on is very real and I think it should be talked out by the weight loss community and the Obesity Action Coalition.
This is already impacting people. Apparently people are losing their jobs and not being hired NOW. Government is already getting involved in what restaurant can and cannot sell. Why on earth would you call more expensive insurance premiums "paranoia." It's already happening. As for the government forcing the issue of weight loss when I've already been the victim of it. -- well, nice to know that I shouldn't worry about ... what was I talking about? La-la-la-la-la-la, can't hear you while my head is in the sand, clouds, whatever.
BTW, I am happy, but prepared.
BTW, you do not need to participate in a thread that makes you uncomfortable.

I've had popcorn several times since my surgery because I am/was a popcorn addict. I limit myself to one of the 100 calorie microwave packs a week and only if I've been good during the week with exercise and eating. I may catch heat for this comment but, I had surgery so I could eat a little of everything I love. I know a lot of people won't do that until after they are at goal, but I don't want getting to goal to be miserable so I allow myself to enjoy some popcorn. I'm prepared and willing for whatever consequences there may be from my eating it. Good luck

I was told that the portion of the stomach that remains is the thickest and therefore very stretch resistant. As others have said, the size will likely increase in the weeks following the surgery due to the swelling going down.
Stretching was the problem with the old "stomach stapling" technique many years ago. They would staple off a portion of the stomach on the opposite side. Over time this thinner area of stomach wall would indeed stretch, sometimes break the staples and reopen the entire stomach.
I think the sleeve is by far the best bariatric treatment out there. There is no stretching, no band erosion, no band slippage, no dumping and no bowel rerouting.

I was told that the portion of the stomach that remains is the thickest and therefore very stretch resistant. As others have said, the size will likely increase in the weeks following the surgery due to the swelling going down.
Stretching was the problem with the old "stomach stapling" technique many years ago. They would staple off a portion of the stomach on the opposite side. Over time this thinner area of stomach wall would indeed stretch, sometimes break the staples and reopen the entire stomach.
I think the sleeve is by far the best bariatric treatment out there. There is no stretching, no band erosion, no band slippage, no dumping and no bowel rerouting.

This is a man chiming in here, but my wife always has always had the same issue following anesthesia. Her doctor said this is normal following surgery where anesthesia is involved. The stuff is pretty powerful and stays in the body for some time. My wife is more 'normal' the following month.

This is a man chiming in here, but my wife always has always had the same issue following anesthesia. Her doctor said this is normal following surgery where anesthesia is involved. The stuff is pretty powerful and stays in the body for some time. My wife is more 'normal' the following month.

I know it is frustrating when that pesky scales doesn't move very quickly... believe me I am the Queen of Slow...lol! I am 20+mths out and still not at goal... do I want to be there... hell yea! Am I getting stressed about it... not any more.
I am fitter and healthier now than I have been for the best part of 20years. My point? Don't just measure your success by numbers. Look at other factors too... think about how your clothes are fittng; how you are working out more and making improvements to your overall strength and fitness level; how you are looking; how you are feeling.
These things, to me, are now more important than numbers.
Don't get me wrong, the slow route can sometimes be painful and annoying... especially if you start to compare yourself to others, which I did and I did it often. This was a bad move for me as I got to a dark place and I convinced myself that I was doing something wrong or that I wasn't good enough. I set loads of personal goals and didn't make many of them.
I stopped all that nonsense and started to compare myself just to ME! That was a real eye-opener. I then realised that I was a success, that I was doing things right and that my body will do what the hell it wants to when it wants to regardless of how I fuel it.
Now, that didn't give me license to go mad with sugar and sweets; I just do what I can, eat good wholesome food and wait for my body to realise that it is healthy and to release some more fat.
That is my logical side, which I see most days now - yesterday however, I was a raging rat bad who was full of hormones and agnst...lol!!
Keep doing what you are doing... you will see results and believe me they are worth the wait. Remember the scenic route is the most beautiful way to go... =]

I’ve noticed a lot of emphasis on post-op diets. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not a dietician and I am not telling anyone what they should and should not be eating. Instead I am offering my take on sleeve dieting.

Would most agree that we did not become overweight simply because of the type of food we ate, but rather the amount of foods we ate? I was nearly 140lbs overweight when I had my surgery. My problem was quantity. When I ate out I would eat 3 or 4 of everything. Seriously, when I ate out I would eat 10 tacos at Taco Bell, or an entire large pizza from Pizza Hut, or two Whoppers at Burger King or two 12” Subway sandwiches. If my wife made steaks for dinner I would have 3 of them.

I rarely ate Breakfast during the work week, but on weekends I would stuff myself with pastries. I would also tend to eat and watch TV until bedtime.

These are the things that got me, and I would suspect most people, into trouble. My new sleeve has changed all that. I physically CAN NOT eat foods in the same quantity as before. Thank the LORD! My meals are much, much smaller. This has required me to learn that breakfast and lunch are just as important as dinner.

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I have no foods that are off limits. I eat mostly the same kind of foods I enjoyed before surgery. I just have to be smarter about it. The Proteins are eaten first in my meals, followed by other nutritionally dense foods. The carb rich stuff like breads is eaten last if my sleeve isn’t already full.

This was my Easter holiday meals:

For breakfast I had a Protein Shake.< /span>

After church my wife wanted to stop at McDonalds on the way home. I didn’t want to overindulge so I opted for a kids “Happy Meal”. It was 4 chicken nuggets, a kid fry and sugar free lemonade. It was less than 300 calories and I still got 10 grams of Protein out of this treat.

For dinner I used a rotisserie on my grill and smoked a whole chicken for the holiday. I had a drumstick and a small portion of a breast, about a ¼ cup of mashed potatoes with some gravy, 3 tablespoons of steamed broccoli, and a freshly made wheat roll. The chicken was eaten first followed by the broccoli and potatoes. I only had a nibble off the roll because I was full. This was not my typical meal, but it was a holiday so I intended to enjoy myself while having dinner with my family.

For desert I had a Cadbury egg.

The point I’m trying to make is that moderation is the key. I had a few things yesterday that are not typical for me, but a reward for 30 days post-op and a holiday. This morning I am back to my regular routine. I had a single serving of oatmeal with honey for breakfast and a “Lean Cuisine” 290 calorie entrée for lunch. My wife is making tacos for dinner. I will likely have a taco and ¼ cup of Spanish rice with salsa.

Don’t beat yourselves up by thinking you’ve “ruined” your diet because you ate something that perhaps is contrary to dieting guidelines. You can simply make up for it with a later meal. We are all eating less because of our wonderful new sleeves and hopefully we’re a lot more active than we used to be. These two things alone will encourage weight loss. Don’t get hung up on what you eat. Pay far more attention to how much you’re eating. Try to make the smartest food choices when choosing your main entrée. I’m down nearly 40lbs in the 30 days since my surgery and I eat what I want.

Let the flaming begin.

I was surprised to see the mostly positive responses to my thread. I’d expected a lot more opposition to this take on dieting. There are so many bariatric surgeons and dieticians out there with their own philosophy on what we should/shouldn’t be eating. I think much of it is nothing more than misinformation. Some of the diet guidelines I’ve read are so restrictive that they have a tendency to set us up for failure, particularly from a mental perspective. I mean we are already dealing with the fact that we’ve undergone major surgery because most of us weren’t able to control our appetites. I am one of those individuals. I think there is a negative stigma attached to bariatric surgery that we need to overcome first. Some “outsiders” would consider the surgery as cheating. I don’t see it any differently than a smoker who uses Chantix to stop smoking. Then when a dietician places us on a lifetime diet that strips us of all the foods that we enjoy, this also puts us on the fast track to failure or at least makes the lifetime transition more difficult.

‘Coops’ was right when he said our sleeve is a tool. The sleeve does force us to make better food choices. It’s made me a pickier eater than I used to be. I can still enjoy a slice of pizza or piece of fried chicken without feeling like I gave into the forbidden fruit temptation. Life is meant to be lived to the fullest and I intend to do just that. I’m not going to beat myself up if I decide to have a piece of birthday cake at a family get together. I don’t know about everyone else, but my sleeve gave me a new lease on life. I have much of my old energy back and feel a whole lot better. Hopefully my sleeve has added many more years to my life.

Stop and think for a moment about where our lives were headed had we not intervened and decided to have bariatric surgery. The thought scares the heck out of me. My biggest fear was my wife waking up one morning and finding me lifeless next to her. It could have been amputated limbs due to diabetes or a massive stoke that left me a burden to my loved ones.

Most of those reading this thread have already had the surgery and have so much to be thankful for. For those who are browsing this forum, like many of us did before making the decision, and are at that point in their lives where they know they need to make a life change, please consider bariatric surgery as an option. I’m glad I did.

I’ve noticed a lot of emphasis on post-op diets. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not a dietician and I am not telling anyone what they should and should not be eating. Instead I am offering my take on sleeve dieting.

Would most agree that we did not become overweight simply because of the type of food we ate, but rather the amount of foods we ate? I was nearly 140lbs overweight when I had my surgery. My problem was quantity. When I ate out I would eat 3 or 4 of everything. Seriously, when I ate out I would eat 10 tacos at Taco Bell, or an entire large pizza from Pizza Hut, or two Whoppers at Burger King or two 12” Subway sandwiches. If my wife made steaks for dinner I would have 3 of them.

I rarely ate Breakfast during the work week, but on weekends I would stuff myself with pastries. I would also tend to eat and watch TV until bedtime.

These are the things that got me, and I would suspect most people, into trouble. My new sleeve has changed all that. I physically CAN NOT eat foods in the same quantity as before. Thank the LORD! My meals are much, much smaller. This has required me to learn that breakfast and lunch are just as important as dinner.

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I have no foods that are off limits. I eat mostly the same kind of foods I enjoyed before surgery. I just have to be smarter about it. The Proteins are eaten first in my meals, followed by other nutritionally dense foods. The carb rich stuff like breads is eaten last if my sleeve isn’t already full.

This was my Easter holiday meals:

For breakfast I had a Protein Shake.< /span>

After church my wife wanted to stop at McDonalds on the way home. I didn’t want to overindulge so I opted for a kids “Happy Meal”. It was 4 chicken nuggets, a kid fry and sugar free lemonade. It was less than 300 calories and I still got 10 grams of Protein out of this treat.

For dinner I used a rotisserie on my grill and smoked a whole chicken for the holiday. I had a drumstick and a small portion of a breast, about a ¼ cup of mashed potatoes with some gravy, 3 tablespoons of steamed broccoli, and a freshly made wheat roll. The chicken was eaten first followed by the broccoli and potatoes. I only had a nibble off the roll because I was full. This was not my typical meal, but it was a holiday so I intended to enjoy myself while having dinner with my family.

For desert I had a Cadbury egg.

The point I’m trying to make is that moderation is the key. I had a few things yesterday that are not typical for me, but a reward for 30 days post-op and a holiday. This morning I am back to my regular routine. I had a single serving of oatmeal with honey for breakfast and a “Lean Cuisine” 290 calorie entrée for lunch. My wife is making tacos for dinner. I will likely have a taco and ¼ cup of Spanish rice with salsa.

Don’t beat yourselves up by thinking you’ve “ruined” your diet because you ate something that perhaps is contrary to dieting guidelines. You can simply make up for it with a later meal. We are all eating less because of our wonderful new sleeves and hopefully we’re a lot more active than we used to be. These two things alone will encourage weight loss. Don’t get hung up on what you eat. Pay far more attention to how much you’re eating. Try to make the smartest food choices when choosing your main entrée. I’m down nearly 40lbs in the 30 days since my surgery and I eat what I want.

Let the flaming begin.

I’ve noticed a lot of emphasis on post-op diets. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not a dietician and I am not telling anyone what they should and should not be eating. Instead I am offering my take on sleeve dieting.

Would most agree that we did not become overweight simply because of the type of food we ate, but rather the amount of foods we ate? I was nearly 140lbs overweight when I had my surgery. My problem was quantity. When I ate out I would eat 3 or 4 of everything. Seriously, when I ate out I would eat 10 tacos at Taco Bell, or an entire large pizza from Pizza Hut, or two Whoppers at Burger King or two 12” Subway sandwiches. If my wife made steaks for dinner I would have 3 of them.

I rarely ate Breakfast during the work week, but on weekends I would stuff myself with pastries. I would also tend to eat and watch TV until bedtime.

These are the things that got me, and I would suspect most people, into trouble. My new sleeve has changed all that. I physically CAN NOT eat foods in the same quantity as before. Thank the LORD! My meals are much, much smaller. This has required me to learn that breakfast and lunch are just as important as dinner.

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I have no foods that are off limits. I eat mostly the same kind of foods I enjoyed before surgery. I just have to be smarter about it. The Proteins are eaten first in my meals, followed by other nutritionally dense foods. The carb rich stuff like breads is eaten last if my sleeve isn’t already full.

This was my Easter holiday meals:

For breakfast I had a Protein Shake.< /span>

After church my wife wanted to stop at McDonalds on the way home. I didn’t want to overindulge so I opted for a kids “Happy Meal”. It was 4 chicken nuggets, a kid fry and sugar free lemonade. It was less than 300 calories and I still got 10 grams of Protein out of this treat.

For dinner I used a rotisserie on my grill and smoked a whole chicken for the holiday. I had a drumstick and a small portion of a breast, about a ¼ cup of mashed potatoes with some gravy, 3 tablespoons of steamed broccoli, and a freshly made wheat roll. The chicken was eaten first followed by the broccoli and potatoes. I only had a nibble off the roll because I was full. This was not my typical meal, but it was a holiday so I intended to enjoy myself while having dinner with my family.

For desert I had a Cadbury egg.

The point I’m trying to make is that moderation is the key. I had a few things yesterday that are not typical for me, but a reward for 30 days post-op and a holiday. This morning I am back to my regular routine. I had a single serving of oatmeal with honey for breakfast and a “Lean Cuisine” 290 calorie entrée for lunch. My wife is making tacos for dinner. I will likely have a taco and ¼ cup of Spanish rice with salsa.

Don’t beat yourselves up by thinking you’ve “ruined” your diet because you ate something that perhaps is contrary to dieting guidelines. You can simply make up for it with a later meal. We are all eating less because of our wonderful new sleeves and hopefully we’re a lot more active than we used to be. These two things alone will encourage weight loss. Don’t get hung up on what you eat. Pay far more attention to how much you’re eating. Try to make the smartest food choices when choosing your main entrée. I’m down nearly 40lbs in the 30 days since my surgery and I eat what I want.

Let the flaming begin.

I’ve noticed a lot of emphasis on post-op diets. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not a dietician and I am not telling anyone what they should and should not be eating. Instead I am offering my take on sleeve dieting.

Would most agree that we did not become overweight simply because of the type of food we ate, but rather the amount of foods we ate? I was nearly 140lbs overweight when I had my surgery. My problem was quantity. When I ate out I would eat 3 or 4 of everything. Seriously, when I ate out I would eat 10 tacos at Taco Bell, or an entire large pizza from Pizza Hut, or two Whoppers at Burger King or two 12” Subway sandwiches. If my wife made steaks for dinner I would have 3 of them.

I rarely ate Breakfast during the work week, but on weekends I would stuff myself with pastries. I would also tend to eat and watch TV until bedtime.

These are the things that got me, and I would suspect most people, into trouble. My new sleeve has changed all that. I physically CAN NOT eat foods in the same quantity as before. Thank the LORD! My meals are much, much smaller. This has required me to learn that breakfast and lunch are just as important as dinner.

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I have no foods that are off limits. I eat mostly the same kind of foods I enjoyed before surgery. I just have to be smarter about it. The Proteins are eaten first in my meals, followed by other nutritionally dense foods. The carb rich stuff like breads is eaten last if my sleeve isn’t already full.

This was my Easter holiday meals:

For breakfast I had a Protein Shake.< /span>

After church my wife wanted to stop at McDonalds on the way home. I didn’t want to overindulge so I opted for a kids “Happy Meal”. It was 4 chicken nuggets, a kid fry and sugar free lemonade. It was less than 300 calories and I still got 10 grams of Protein out of this treat.

For dinner I used a rotisserie on my grill and smoked a whole chicken for the holiday. I had a drumstick and a small portion of a breast, about a ¼ cup of mashed potatoes with some gravy, 3 tablespoons of steamed broccoli, and a freshly made wheat roll. The chicken was eaten first followed by the broccoli and potatoes. I only had a nibble off the roll because I was full. This was not my typical meal, but it was a holiday so I intended to enjoy myself while having dinner with my family.

For desert I had a Cadbury egg.

The point I’m trying to make is that moderation is the key. I had a few things yesterday that are not typical for me, but a reward for 30 days post-op and a holiday. This morning I am back to my regular routine. I had a single serving of oatmeal with honey for breakfast and a “Lean Cuisine” 290 calorie entrée for lunch. My wife is making tacos for dinner. I will likely have a taco and ¼ cup of Spanish rice with salsa.

Don’t beat yourselves up by thinking you’ve “ruined” your diet because you ate something that perhaps is contrary to dieting guidelines. You can simply make up for it with a later meal. We are all eating less because of our wonderful new sleeves and hopefully we’re a lot more active than we used to be. These two things alone will encourage weight loss. Don’t get hung up on what you eat. Pay far more attention to how much you’re eating. Try to make the smartest food choices when choosing your main entrée. I’m down nearly 40lbs in the 30 days since my surgery and I eat what I want.

Let the flaming begin.

I’ve noticed a lot of emphasis on post-op diets. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not a dietician and I am not telling anyone what they should and should not be eating. Instead I am offering my take on sleeve dieting.

Would most agree that we did not become overweight simply because of the type of food we ate, but rather the amount of foods we ate? I was nearly 140lbs overweight when I had my surgery. My problem was quantity. When I ate out I would eat 3 or 4 of everything. Seriously, when I ate out I would eat 10 tacos at Taco Bell, or an entire large pizza from Pizza Hut, or two Whoppers at Burger King or two 12” Subway sandwiches. If my wife made steaks for dinner I would have 3 of them.

I rarely ate Breakfast during the work week, but on weekends I would stuff myself with pastries. I would also tend to eat and watch TV until bedtime.

These are the things that got me, and I would suspect most people, into trouble. My new sleeve has changed all that. I physically CAN NOT eat foods in the same quantity as before. Thank the LORD! My meals are much, much smaller. This has required me to learn that breakfast and lunch are just as important as dinner.

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I have no foods that are off limits. I eat mostly the same kind of foods I enjoyed before surgery. I just have to be smarter about it. The Proteins are eaten first in my meals, followed by other nutritionally dense foods. The carb rich stuff like breads is eaten last if my sleeve isn’t already full.

This was my Easter holiday meals:

For breakfast I had a Protein Shake.< /span>

After church my wife wanted to stop at McDonalds on the way home. I didn’t want to overindulge so I opted for a kids “Happy Meal”. It was 4 chicken nuggets, a kid fry and sugar free lemonade. It was less than 300 calories and I still got 10 grams of Protein out of this treat.

For dinner I used a rotisserie on my grill and smoked a whole chicken for the holiday. I had a drumstick and a small portion of a breast, about a ¼ cup of mashed potatoes with some gravy, 3 tablespoons of steamed broccoli, and a freshly made wheat roll. The chicken was eaten first followed by the broccoli and potatoes. I only had a nibble off the roll because I was full. This was not my typical meal, but it was a holiday so I intended to enjoy myself while having dinner with my family.

For desert I had a Cadbury egg.

The point I’m trying to make is that moderation is the key. I had a few things yesterday that are not typical for me, but a reward for 30 days post-op and a holiday. This morning I am back to my regular routine. I had a single serving of oatmeal with honey for breakfast and a “Lean Cuisine” 290 calorie entrée for lunch. My wife is making tacos for dinner. I will likely have a taco and ¼ cup of Spanish rice with salsa.

Don’t beat yourselves up by thinking you’ve “ruined” your diet because you ate something that perhaps is contrary to dieting guidelines. You can simply make up for it with a later meal. We are all eating less because of our wonderful new sleeves and hopefully we’re a lot more active than we used to be. These two things alone will encourage weight loss. Don’t get hung up on what you eat. Pay far more attention to how much you’re eating. Try to make the smartest food choices when choosing your main entrée. I’m down nearly 40lbs in the 30 days since my surgery and I eat what I want.

Let the flaming begin.

I’ve noticed a lot of emphasis on post-op diets. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not a dietician and I am not telling anyone what they should and should not be eating. Instead I am offering my take on sleeve dieting.

Would most agree that we did not become overweight simply because of the type of food we ate, but rather the amount of foods we ate? I was nearly 140lbs overweight when I had my surgery. My problem was quantity. When I ate out I would eat 3 or 4 of everything. Seriously, when I ate out I would eat 10 tacos at Taco Bell, or an entire large pizza from Pizza Hut, or two Whoppers at Burger King or two 12” Subway sandwiches. If my wife made steaks for dinner I would have 3 of them.

I rarely ate Breakfast during the work week, but on weekends I would stuff myself with pastries. I would also tend to eat and watch TV until bedtime.

These are the things that got me, and I would suspect most people, into trouble. My new sleeve has changed all that. I physically CAN NOT eat foods in the same quantity as before. Thank the LORD! My meals are much, much smaller. This has required me to learn that breakfast and lunch are just as important as dinner.

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I have no foods that are off limits. I eat mostly the same kind of foods I enjoyed before surgery. I just have to be smarter about it. The Proteins are eaten first in my meals, followed by other nutritionally dense foods. The carb rich stuff like breads is eaten last if my sleeve isn’t already full.

This was my Easter holiday meals:

For breakfast I had a Protein Shake.< /span>

After church my wife wanted to stop at McDonalds on the way home. I didn’t want to overindulge so I opted for a kids “Happy Meal”. It was 4 chicken nuggets, a kid fry and sugar free lemonade. It was less than 300 calories and I still got 10 grams of Protein out of this treat.

For dinner I used a rotisserie on my grill and smoked a whole chicken for the holiday. I had a drumstick and a small portion of a breast, about a ¼ cup of mashed potatoes with some gravy, 3 tablespoons of steamed broccoli, and a freshly made wheat roll. The chicken was eaten first followed by the broccoli and potatoes. I only had a nibble off the roll because I was full. This was not my typical meal, but it was a holiday so I intended to enjoy myself while having dinner with my family.

For desert I had a Cadbury egg.

The point I’m trying to make is that moderation is the key. I had a few things yesterday that are not typical for me, but a reward for 30 days post-op and a holiday. This morning I am back to my regular routine. I had a single serving of oatmeal with honey for breakfast and a “Lean Cuisine” 290 calorie entrée for lunch. My wife is making tacos for dinner. I will likely have a taco and ¼ cup of Spanish rice with salsa.

Don’t beat yourselves up by thinking you’ve “ruined” your diet because you ate something that perhaps is contrary to dieting guidelines. You can simply make up for it with a later meal. We are all eating less because of our wonderful new sleeves and hopefully we’re a lot more active than we used to be. These two things alone will encourage weight loss. Don’t get hung up on what you eat. Pay far more attention to how much you’re eating. Try to make the smartest food choices when choosing your main entrée. I’m down nearly 40lbs in the 30 days since my surgery and I eat what I want.

Let the flaming begin.

I’ve noticed a lot of emphasis on post-op diets. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not a dietician and I am not telling anyone what they should and should not be eating. Instead I am offering my take on sleeve dieting.

Would most agree that we did not become overweight simply because of the type of food we ate, but rather the amount of foods we ate? I was nearly 140lbs overweight when I had my surgery. My problem was quantity. When I ate out I would eat 3 or 4 of everything. Seriously, when I ate out I would eat 10 tacos at Taco Bell, or an entire large pizza from Pizza Hut, or two Whoppers at Burger King or two 12” Subway sandwiches. If my wife made steaks for dinner I would have 3 of them.

I rarely ate Breakfast during the work week, but on weekends I would stuff myself with pastries. I would also tend to eat and watch TV until bedtime.

These are the things that got me, and I would suspect most people, into trouble. My new sleeve has changed all that. I physically CAN NOT eat foods in the same quantity as before. Thank the LORD! My meals are much, much smaller. This has required me to learn that breakfast and lunch are just as important as dinner.

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I have no foods that are off limits. I eat mostly the same kind of foods I enjoyed before surgery. I just have to be smarter about it. The Proteins are eaten first in my meals, followed by other nutritionally dense foods. The carb rich stuff like breads is eaten last if my sleeve isn’t already full.

This was my Easter holiday meals:

For breakfast I had a Protein Shake.< /span>

After church my wife wanted to stop at McDonalds on the way home. I didn’t want to overindulge so I opted for a kids “Happy Meal”. It was 4 chicken nuggets, a kid fry and sugar free lemonade. It was less than 300 calories and I still got 10 grams of Protein out of this treat.

For dinner I used a rotisserie on my grill and smoked a whole chicken for the holiday. I had a drumstick and a small portion of a breast, about a ¼ cup of mashed potatoes with some gravy, 3 tablespoons of steamed broccoli, and a freshly made wheat roll. The chicken was eaten first followed by the broccoli and potatoes. I only had a nibble off the roll because I was full. This was not my typical meal, but it was a holiday so I intended to enjoy myself while having dinner with my family.

For desert I had a Cadbury egg.

The point I’m trying to make is that moderation is the key. I had a few things yesterday that are not typical for me, but a reward for 30 days post-op and a holiday. This morning I am back to my regular routine. I had a single serving of oatmeal with honey for breakfast and a “Lean Cuisine” 290 calorie entrée for lunch. My wife is making tacos for dinner. I will likely have a taco and ¼ cup of Spanish rice with salsa.

Don’t beat yourselves up by thinking you’ve “ruined” your diet because you ate something that perhaps is contrary to dieting guidelines. You can simply make up for it with a later meal. We are all eating less because of our wonderful new sleeves and hopefully we’re a lot more active than we used to be. These two things alone will encourage weight loss. Don’t get hung up on what you eat. Pay far more attention to how much you’re eating. Try to make the smartest food choices when choosing your main entrée. I’m down nearly 40lbs in the 30 days since my surgery and I eat what I want.

Let the flaming begin.

I’ve noticed a lot of emphasis on post-op diets. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not a dietician and I am not telling anyone what they should and should not be eating. Instead I am offering my take on sleeve dieting.

Would most agree that we did not become overweight simply because of the type of food we ate, but rather the amount of foods we ate? I was nearly 140lbs overweight when I had my surgery. My problem was quantity. When I ate out I would eat 3 or 4 of everything. Seriously, when I ate out I would eat 10 tacos at Taco Bell, or an entire large pizza from Pizza Hut, or two Whoppers at Burger King or two 12” Subway sandwiches. If my wife made steaks for dinner I would have 3 of them.

I rarely ate Breakfast during the work week, but on weekends I would stuff myself with pastries. I would also tend to eat and watch TV until bedtime.

These are the things that got me, and I would suspect most people, into trouble. My new sleeve has changed all that. I physically CAN NOT eat foods in the same quantity as before. Thank the LORD! My meals are much, much smaller. This has required me to learn that breakfast and lunch are just as important as dinner.

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I have no foods that are off limits. I eat mostly the same kind of foods I enjoyed before surgery. I just have to be smarter about it. The Proteins are eaten first in my meals, followed by other nutritionally dense foods. The carb rich stuff like breads is eaten last if my sleeve isn’t already full.

This was my Easter holiday meals:

For breakfast I had a Protein Shake.< /span>

After church my wife wanted to stop at McDonalds on the way home. I didn’t want to overindulge so I opted for a kids “Happy Meal”. It was 4 chicken nuggets, a kid fry and sugar free lemonade. It was less than 300 calories and I still got 10 grams of Protein out of this treat.

For dinner I used a rotisserie on my grill and smoked a whole chicken for the holiday. I had a drumstick and a small portion of a breast, about a ¼ cup of mashed potatoes with some gravy, 3 tablespoons of steamed broccoli, and a freshly made wheat roll. The chicken was eaten first followed by the broccoli and potatoes. I only had a nibble off the roll because I was full. This was not my typical meal, but it was a holiday so I intended to enjoy myself while having dinner with my family.

For desert I had a Cadbury egg.

The point I’m trying to make is that moderation is the key. I had a few things yesterday that are not typical for me, but a reward for 30 days post-op and a holiday. This morning I am back to my regular routine. I had a single serving of oatmeal with honey for breakfast and a “Lean Cuisine” 290 calorie entrée for lunch. My wife is making tacos for dinner. I will likely have a taco and ¼ cup of Spanish rice with salsa.

Don’t beat yourselves up by thinking you’ve “ruined” your diet because you ate something that perhaps is contrary to dieting guidelines. You can simply make up for it with a later meal. We are all eating less because of our wonderful new sleeves and hopefully we’re a lot more active than we used to be. These two things alone will encourage weight loss. Don’t get hung up on what you eat. Pay far more attention to how much you’re eating. Try to make the smartest food choices when choosing your main entrée. I’m down nearly 40lbs in the 30 days since my surgery and I eat what I want.

Let the flaming begin.

I’ve noticed a lot of emphasis on post-op diets. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not a dietician and I am not telling anyone what they should and should not be eating. Instead I am offering my take on sleeve dieting.

Would most agree that we did not become overweight simply because of the type of food we ate, but rather the amount of foods we ate? I was nearly 140lbs overweight when I had my surgery. My problem was quantity. When I ate out I would eat 3 or 4 of everything. Seriously, when I ate out I would eat 10 tacos at Taco Bell, or an entire large pizza from Pizza Hut, or two Whoppers at Burger King or two 12” Subway sandwiches. If my wife made steaks for dinner I would have 3 of them.

I rarely ate Breakfast during the work week, but on weekends I would stuff myself with pastries. I would also tend to eat and watch TV until bedtime.

These are the things that got me, and I would suspect most people, into trouble. My new sleeve has changed all that. I physically CAN NOT eat foods in the same quantity as before. Thank the LORD! My meals are much, much smaller. This has required me to learn that breakfast and lunch are just as important as dinner.

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I have no foods that are off limits. I eat mostly the same kind of foods I enjoyed before surgery. I just have to be smarter about it. The Proteins are eaten first in my meals, followed by other nutritionally dense foods. The carb rich stuff like breads is eaten last if my sleeve isn’t already full.

This was my Easter holiday meals:

For breakfast I had a Protein Shake.< /span>

After church my wife wanted to stop at McDonalds on the way home. I didn’t want to overindulge so I opted for a kids “Happy Meal”. It was 4 chicken nuggets, a kid fry and sugar free lemonade. It was less than 300 calories and I still got 10 grams of Protein out of this treat.

For dinner I used a rotisserie on my grill and smoked a whole chicken for the holiday. I had a drumstick and a small portion of a breast, about a ¼ cup of mashed potatoes with some gravy, 3 tablespoons of steamed broccoli, and a freshly made wheat roll. The chicken was eaten first followed by the broccoli and potatoes. I only had a nibble off the roll because I was full. This was not my typical meal, but it was a holiday so I intended to enjoy myself while having dinner with my family.

For desert I had a Cadbury egg.

The point I’m trying to make is that moderation is the key. I had a few things yesterday that are not typical for me, but a reward for 30 days post-op and a holiday. This morning I am back to my regular routine. I had a single serving of oatmeal with honey for breakfast and a “Lean Cuisine” 290 calorie entrée for lunch. My wife is making tacos for dinner. I will likely have a taco and ¼ cup of Spanish rice with salsa.

Don’t beat yourselves up by thinking you’ve “ruined” your diet because you ate something that perhaps is contrary to dieting guidelines. You can simply make up for it with a later meal. We are all eating less because of our wonderful new sleeves and hopefully we’re a lot more active than we used to be. These two things alone will encourage weight loss. Don’t get hung up on what you eat. Pay far more attention to how much you’re eating. Try to make the smartest food choices when choosing your main entrée. I’m down nearly 40lbs in the 30 days since my surgery and I eat what I want.

Let the flaming begin.

I’m now 14 days post-op and everything is going extremely well. I’ve made the transition to solid foods a few days ago and so far no trouble tolerating any particular foods. My sleeve is even OK with spicy foods, which makes me happy. The only issue I’ve had is one of the incision areas completely opened back up the day after the staples were removed.

One thing I’ve noticed is if I keep my Protein intake in the 60-70 gram range I have a decent energy level and no tiredness. This was one of the things I worried about. So far I’ve found it difficult to achieve the target without supplementing with Protein Drinks. I hope to eventually be able to stop the drinks. Not sure if that’s going to happen though. I try to target daily calories to the 950-1200 range. In my previous life I was a pastry junkie. This was my biggest weakness and so far I haven’t touched them. The hunger signal is gone as I am no longer producing ghrelin after the surgery. I do get a desire for something sweet from time to time and yogurt fills the void.

One of the things I’ve found to eat is the “Lean Cuisine” type frozen Entrees. They are about 8oz, 270-300 calories, 10-18 grams of protein. I never though one of these little things would be filling, but they are just the right size for me. Walmart sells a variety of different brands and they are all $1.00.

I spent all day Saturday and Sunday afternoon doing my 1st yard work of the season and tilled the soil in my garden for spring planting. I’ve been back to work now for a week and as I said in an earlier thread, nobody even knows I had surgery.

The last couple days I’ve been itching from the waist up. It almost seems like I’m allergic to something. The only change to my regimen is the addition of a Biotin supplement. I am going to stop it for a few days to see if it goes away, and then resume it later.

I’ve had a bit of a blow to my ego this week as I’ve begun to wear suspenders to keep my pants up. I hate the things but I’m unable to wear a belt due to a compressed nerve along my waistline. I haven’t been on the scale this week but I suspect I’m down around 25lbs in the two weeks since surgery and the week of pre-op liquids.

I just wished all of my fellow sleevers were as fortunate as I've been with my surgery. I’m praying for all of those that are struggling with pain and discomfort.

I was seriously entertaining the idea of having mine done in Mexico. I then made an appointment with a doctor in KC. I'd wanted to see what this doctor was like. During my initial consultation with him I mentioned the possibility of having the procedure in Mexico. I could tell he uncomfortable when I brought it up. He told me the decision was mine. He thought the Mexican surgery would likely be safe and the result would be good. He did say "If you have any problems with the sleeve when you get back, don't come to me expecting me to fix it." He then brought up the phrase "medical tourism". He made it plain and clear that he didn't approve of Medical Tourism.
That's just too bad! Many folks have to go outside the US to be able to afford the procedure. Our country needs to get medical costs under control. Things just cost TOO much here. The same thing with prescription drugs being way cheaper in Canada. I was kind of chuckling to myself when the doctor was talking down to medical tourism. The doctor who did my surgery belong to a group in KC that has runs a special on their website. This special pricing is about $5,000 cheaper than here in the Omaha area. I don't know about all of you, but what he is doing seems like medical tourism to me. His lower price enticed me to travel elsewhere for the procedure.