ChaChaBurch

I'm 50 and even though I'm only 5 weeks post-op, I know that I'll be having surgery to help remove the excess skin, etc. For me, this is just a natural extension of the VSG. I don't want to have to carry the excess skin around, plus it will help me feel better about ME! I figure I'll probably be around 51 - 52 by the time I reach goal and will have the surgery, but it is something that I KNOW will be the right thing to do. I say go for it!! And BTW - since having lost some weight, my sex life has never been better!

I don't really "measure" food per say. For instance, for breakfast I ate a yogurt and it satisfied me until lunch. For lunch I ate a 2.6oz packet of tuna mixed with 1 tablespoon of mayo, and it satisfied me. For dinner I had 6 slices of super thin deli turkey meat with 1 wedge of laughing cow cheese. That all satisfied me completely. In fact the dinner meal even made me feel just a "tad" off, which usually happens when I eat a bite too much. I don't get nauseous like some folks, just feel a bit off. Of course I drank lots and lots of water between meals. That's about as close as I come to measuring my food. BTW- how are you feeling?

Isn't admitting it the first step??? LOL!!!

I stopped my daily weighing by my 3rd week because I realized I was obsessing about it. So now, I only weigh on Fridays. I'll do a weekly weigh-in with you! Sign me up!!

MommaChaCha - please add me!

My Doc gave me Clear Liquids for 4 days post-op, then regular liquids (which included oatmeal, applesauce, cream of wheat, creamy soups) for 2 weeks, then pureed/mushy for 2 weeks. I know that each Doctor is different. Just follow what YOUR Doctor gave you.

@Bratvp63 - Congratulations on breaking your stall, and your over all weight loss. BTW - How did you get a picture of me for your avatar?

I spoke with my NUT today, and she gave me the "Thumbs Up" on moving onto "regular food". Hooray! One more hurdle passed

Now why didn't I think of that?

Hey Wheetsin - thanks for the update! Sorry to hear you're still having some discomfort though. I don't know where you are on your food -- although it sounds like you're in the soft/mushy phase, but for me, I eat 1-2 greek yogurts in a day (12g-14g each), and get the rest of my protein through tuna, chicken, pork and eggs. However, if there's a day where I just can't get it all in, I have the "protein shots" - they're 3.5 ounces and you can either drink them alone (although they taste really icky), or like me, I put mix them in 20oz of water, and it's palatable (barely), but still 42g of protein. And by the way, 53lbs!!! Way to go!!

Does anyone have a favorite WLS cookbook, or any suggestions for me? I love the recipes on this site, but I do much better with an actual book. I sure do wish Eggface would do a cookbook!!

My taste buds changed DRAMATICALLY once I got the surgery. I no longer have any interest in sweets, or especially Potato Chips. I don't crave ANYTHING, and have to make myself eat. I have had only 1-2 days where I couldn't seem to get full, but finally figured out that it was because I didn't get my protein in those days. Enjoy this change, there's a whole new world of healthy eating ahead of you.

I completely understand where you're coming from. I thought I would go stark raving mad!! But I FORCED myself to take it easy as long as the Doctor told me to. Now, I feel amazing and have zero restrictions on my activity. I'm really glad because it helped to reduce the possibility of any complications. So, I know it's hard to just take it super slow, but the payoff in the end is well worth it!

I had the band to sleeve revision in one single surgery. No complications, no issues. I am extremely happy with the sleeve! Wish I had done it first!!

You might want to try resistance training with the bands.

Congratulations! That's great!!!

You know . . . I never thought of it that way before!!! That's pretty funny !!!

Today I went to see my family doctor - the first time since the surgery - and according to his scales I had lost 34lbs - the same as what mine said. They did all my blood work and it came back fine. My cholesterol was 125, my HDL and LDL were within normal ranges, B12/Iron/Folic Acid - again, all normal. The only thing I'm waiting on is my TSH - we'll get that back tomorrow. I figure with the weight loss, they will have to change my dosage. I had to have my thyroid, and one of my parathyroids removed back in 2005, and getting my TSH checked regularly is pretty important. OH - and my Calcium and Vitamin D were great too!!! I go for my 2nd follow-up with the surgeon on May 9th, and I'm really looking forward to that. I still have a few questions for him too.

I'm looking for a few good books on WLS. I am an avid reader and would really appreciate your input on any books that you may have read about WLS. Primarily books dealing with the "after" surgery experience. I've looked on Amazon (I have a Kindle), and I see quite a few, but I wanted to get input from some folks who may have read some.

Lifting you up in my prayers! Please keep us posted!!

Okay, now I WANT one. What are the monthly fees? I looked at the website, but I can't find anything listing monthly fees.

I would LOVE to have someone here where I live to work with that had "been there". I don't currently work out at a gym because of that simple fact. I think you would be a great inspiration to others, and I think it will go a loooong way to help motivate and encourage others when they know your story. I think turning your life around in this way and using it to help others is awesome!!

I subscribe to her blog and think she's amazing! I even follow her on facebook.

Hooray!

Yesterday I was 5 weeks post-op. So far, the sleeve has been very good to me, and I have been good to it. I am following the plan the NUT gave me, and I have had no problems. I have lost 32lbs (including the pre-op diet). I count that because to me, that was a part of the sleeve journey that I had to go through. My current challenge is protein - sounds familiar huh? I cannot take another protein shake, shot, etc. I've tried numerous different "unflavored" protein powders, but can't stand the "feel" of the powder mixed with other things. I am also tired of chicken and tuna. I am going to town today to buy some thin sliced turkey deli meat, and will also buy some more talapia (it has 20g in each fillet). I guess I'll eat that until I get tired of it too. A real challenge for me is that I get bored with foods really quick. I will eat tuna every day then after about 7-10 days, I don't want to see another bite of tuna. Same thing with chicken. I knew going into this that protein was the #1 necessity once I had the sleeve, but I guess it just didn't really hit home how important it was, or how challenging it was going to be to get it. I know that in about 2 more weeks, once I get on "regular" foods, protein will be a little less challenging, but until, onward and forward My energy is WAY up - even from back before the surgery. I've lost 2 dress sizes (from a 24W to a 20W), and I'm walking 2.4 miles 3x a week. Prior to surgery, there was no way I could have walked even half that far without having to sit down and rest. I walk with a friend, and we even talk during the walk (and yes, we're walking, not strolling). Not that we aren't huffing and puffing that last little bit But just the fact that I can do that at all is amazing to me. I plan on starting Yoga next week via a DVD (Yoga for Beginners). Thought this might help with some stretching of muscles and flexibility. Since I'm 50, I just don't have the range of motion that I used to have, so I hope this helps. Might even help me to "center" myself a bit more. I have the Zumba DVD's and I'm a bit hesitant to start those yet. I think I'll save them until I've lost about 30 more pounds. I think it's going to really wear me out This forum has been such a fantastic source of encouragement, education, and support, and I KNOW I would have never had the courage to take this step if I hadn't found it. What a fantastic group of folks!! Thank you to everyone out there who has been cheering me on, and mentoring me!