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- Before surgery Compare procedures, plan ahead, and get honest pre-op answers.
- Post-op Recovery, food stages, symptoms, and support.
- Long-term Regain, labs, habits, and life after the honeymoon.
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Everything posted by VACookey
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I Have My Surgery Tomorrow! Yay!
WOOT! You're going to change so fast it'll make your head spin!
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Nothing Humbles You Faster Than Taking A New Class
I've been weight/resistance training 3 times a week and taking step once a week. This Tuesday, I thought I'd take a new resistance class just to change up my routine. I can handle it right? I've been working out like a fiend so it should be ok. So after several minutes of squats, lunges, knees, kicks and more squats, I was really starting to feel it in my hamstrings and glutes. Then I bent over to put a weight in front of my board so it wouldn't slide and there went my hamstrings. Both of them. I couldn't do another lunge and I could barely walk out of the class. It's actually kinda funny looking back on it. Here I was thinking I was all that and this class put me in my place. I'm better now but that class has just issued a challenge to me. I will not let it win. So yes, I'm going back for more torture next Tuesday. Maybe I can find a different muscle to pull.
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Stomach Size- Thought This Was Crazy!
I amazed at how little I can eat, still feel full, and not feel like I'm going to pass out. I feel, dare I say it, normal. I'm eating far less but I'm not lacking in energy. I honestly thought I wouldn't be able to get out of bed from lack of sustenance but I was wrong.
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Has Anyone Ever Regretted Having Surgery? Be Honest?
I totally regretted it the first two weeks. I cried every day. I was miserable. Now? I'm rocking this sleeve! I'm down 80 pounds as of this morning and I look HAWT! I would do it again in a heartbeat.
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What Point Can You Start Doing Other Exercise Besides Just Walking?
I went to the gym about 3 weeks out. I was told not to do any twisty moves like the elliptical but biking, treadmill, and lifting no more than 10 pound weights was fine.
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How Do You Define A Stall?
I've been reading the posts and see a lot of people talking about having a stall but I'm not sure exactly what that is. I'm sure it means different things to different people. For me, I know that 2 weeks pre-TOM stops my weight loss and that as soon as TOM kicks in so does the weight loss. So I don't consider that a stall. I know it's hormonal. I haven't had a stall since surgery (knock on wood) but I'm sure at some point I will. I'm thinking at least 4 weeks without a loss would be a stall. That's how I would define it. So how do you define a stall? How many weeks? Do you factor hormonal issues into that? Or is it just flat out not losing weight with or without a hormonal shift?
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Onederland!
*YAY*
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Shopping Is Fun!
Awesome! I went shopping yesterday but didn't buy anything. I don't want to spend the money on something that won't fit me in a few months. But just trying on smaller sizes was a blast. I should try going to thrift shops but I don't even know where any are. I should probably look into that, huh?
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6 Month Update (My Road To Rocking My Sleeve) -Its
Awesome! Congratulations!!!
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3-Month Checkup
Got all my blood work done and the nurse says I'm doing AWESOME! Incredible weight loss, all my vitamins are good, protein levels are good, no deficiencies at all. In fact, my protein is so good that I can eliminate one of the protein shakes. Thank god for that. I'm actually getting sick of them. The only thing I need to work on is getting my good cholesterol up (it's a tad low). That prompted a discussion on good oils. I use olive oil for everything because it's supposed to be so healthy. She said NO! That's just marketing. I should be using canola oil. Color me surprised! So I'll make that switch and see if it helps bring my good cholesterol up. So in 3.5 months, I'm down 74 pounds and I've gone from a 26/28 to a 14/16...and I was able to do it without destroying my health. Holy crap! I never thought this would be possible. Best. Decision. EVER!
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March And April Sleevers How Are You Doing? What Are You Really Eating? (Confessions)
I lost 18 pounds on the pre-op liquid diet but since that was part of the whole surgical process, I consider it part of my sleeve loss. I swear, lifting weights 3 times a week has been so beneficial. I haven't had any stalls and no fatigue. And my doctor says I'm losing weight at the pace of a bypass patient. In fact, I was talking to a bypass patient last weekend who had her surgery a week after me. I've lost 20 pounds more than she has. It has to be the exercise!
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Will I Ever Be Able To....
I had a couple of fries over the weekend. You know what? I didn't like them. I felt like I was wasting precious stomach space on crap calories. And they didn't taste all that great and they didn't feel all that great. So there's really no point in eating them. It's funny how you don't really miss something once you realize it doesn't sit well on your stomach. I can't eat bacon. When I tried, I was sick for 3 days. Now? I just don't care. That's not to say that it doesn't smell REALLY GOOD when someone else in the house makes it. But when it's offered to me? eh, don't want it.
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How Often Do You Weigh Yourself?
Who knows? Maybe if I ever get to 140 I'll think differently. 140? That seems impossible to me. I haven't been 140 since high school. Tell me, how does 140 feel? Does it feel good? Do you ever rub your stomach or legs and think Where did I go? I do that now. Where's my stomach? What happened to my legs? I can't imagine being 140. I'll be rubbing myself all the time!
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March And April Sleevers How Are You Doing? What Are You Really Eating? (Confessions)
Spades, was that question for me? If so, I'm eating about 1,000 calories a day now. Although today I've only had 800 but I'm about to drink my last protein shake. I'd like to eat around 1,200 or so but I can't get there just yet. I have a doc appointment tomorrow. Perhaps I'll ask her if pushing to eat more calories is a good or bad thing.
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How Often Do You Weigh Yourself?
I weigh myself a million times a day. I find it fascinating how different things affect the scale. Drinking Water, eating lunch, exercising, whatever. The scale can read 4 pounds up from first thing in the morning. It's kinda neat. But really, I love how the scale is a little bit down practically every morning. This is so much fun! I love watching the weight drop. With that being said, I know I'll be getting to the point when the weight loss slows down. I've been discouraged in the past and that's derailed my weight loss. I don't want that to happen again. So the scale gets put away when I hit Onederland. I don't want this whole surgery thing to be about LOSING the weight. Ultimately, I want it to be about the weight being GONE. Because I know this fun will end someday. Maintenance will be boring. Better get used to it now. I hope that makes sense. It makes sense to me anyway!
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March And April Sleevers How Are You Doing? What Are You Really Eating? (Confessions)
I was sleeved March 7th. I'm down about 74 pounds. I'm eating pretty well, although I had two bites of macaroni and cheese with my catfish and green Beans for dinner tonight. I'm still eating a scrambled egg with veggies and cheese OR Weight Control banana bread oatmeal for Breakfast. Something like tuna fish with splenda sweetened relish, tomatoes, and olive oil mayo for lunch, and usually something grilled for dinner. chicken or steak medium rare. I can't leave leftovers because reheating it the next day makes it too tough, so I either make a little for myself or enough to give the rest to someone else. And I'm working out 4 times a week, weights and cardio. I feel fantastic, everything's working right, and I couldn't be happier!
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What If People Treat Me Better As A Thin Person? It Would Make Me So Angry!
I've noticed that I'm treated differently by strangers. Mainly, it's when I'm shopping. Before, I could walk into a store and do all my shopping and leave without anybody speaking to me except the cashier. Now? I literally cannot walk into a store without someone saying "How are you today?" or "Can I help you find anything?" This is men and women. It's really weird. If it's all about customer service, why didn't that happen before?
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10 Ways To Find Time For Exercise
I have a very busy job with unpredictable hours, so I try to follow #8. If I treat it as a doctor's appointment, I have to go right? I tell my boss "I have an appointment" and he has to let me go. Otherwise, I'd never make it to the gym.
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What To Eat Post Work Out?
I've always been told to eat a protein source after working out so I usually grab a protein shake at the gym.
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Vacation Last Week... I Was Such A Bad Banana Babe!
Sounds like you had a good time! And I LOVE it when the ex gets to see you looking way hotter than before. That's icing on the cake!
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Hiding The Scale
I just hit my 3 month anniversary (YAY) and I've lost 72 pounds. I weigh myself every day because I love watching the number go down. But I know this won't last forever. I'm bound to hit a stall eventually and I don't want that to distract from my goal (like it did the last time I lost a lot of weight.) So here's my plan: Once I hit Onederland, the scale goes away. I keep doing what I'm doing: eating right, taking my vitamins, working out 4-5 times a week, being more active in everything I do, etc. I'm going to focus on how I feel, how my clothes fit, and NOT worry about the number on that evil machine. I guess I need to weigh my self once a month or so, just to make sure I'm not backsliding, but no more daily weigh ins. Just 17 more pounds to Onederland!!!
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How Do You Get Unjury To...
When I ordered the sample pack they sent me a thermometer with it. So I just nuke some water, stick in the thermometer, and wait for the temperature to come down about 3-5 degrees below 130.
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Am I Allowed To Sleep In A Bed?
I couldn't sleep on my side for a long time because it felt like my belly button incision was ripping. And the first week I slept in the recliner because I had horrid acid reflux. But then I made it to the bed and put a big bean bag behind me. Once I got uncomfortable, I'd move it and sleep flat for a few hours. Then that became uncomfortable and I put the bean bag back. This went on for about 3 weeks until I could sleep flat without discomfort. So to make a long story short (too late!) take it easy and do what's the most comfortable for you.
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Protein - Not Sure How Much I Need
No, I got in 95 with one shake today. I drink the Premier Protein which has 30 grams. I don't usually get this much but I had steak for lunch and catfish for dinner. Tons o'protein with those 2 items alone.
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Protein - Not Sure How Much I Need
Then I'm doing ok. Thanks for the input!