Gastricsleeve4me

SW 5/21: 250 Challenge start weight: 215 CW: 209.8 GW: 195 (20 lbs) 6 weeks and 15 lbs to go!

Hit 40lb mark today! No pre op loss, so very excited to be at 210.5...190s here I come...look out

I try to stay no more than 10-20% of my calories (per my surgeon). My fitness pal can help you calculate how many that is, but for my 600-800 calories I usually try to stay in the 30-40 range

I suppose you do what's comfortable for you. But, for me, I stay silent on it all together for a while. They don't know the "you" before...so you don't have to introduce them I avoid dates surrounding food and recommend coffee, a drink (where I may or may not drink alcohol). If they ask about food I say I had a big lunch, aren't hungry, etc. once you get farther out you can eat, but won't eat as much and can use the same excuses. Good luck!

Unfiortunately, it is common and tough to avoid I understand. But there are some things you can try to do to try to minimize it or help it grow back a bit faster. How's your daily protein intake? Are you taking vitamins? Recommend adding biotin and zinc to vitamin regimen.

Not sure what you made, but I'm eight weeks post op and with all the recipes on my blog, I only eat one at a sitting. Tell me what you made...I'm curious!

Wow...I could have written all the same things. Quite struggling with this!

I really like this article about ideal body weight...NOT using the old BMI mess http://www.builtlean.com/2010/05/04/ideal-body-weight-formula-how-to-calculate-your-ideal-weight/

Brown rice crackers!! Small, thin, and a few won't kill your calories or carbs.

Oh my goodness - thank you for all the replies!! This was awesome!! So, the update: 1) The second date went very well We're off to a third on Wednesday. He has no clue about the surgery - figure I'll tackle that at some point down the line when it seem more appropriate. Just avoiding dates around meals at this point 2) I went for a infused strawberry vodka with a bit of lime juice. I decided to splurge slightly since I planned my calories for it and I wasn't planning on drinking much 3) I told the bartender I was a lightweight and asked him to take it easy on me. All I could think was, here I am on a second date...the last thing I need to do is get smashed unexpectedly, lol 4) I BARELY drank half. It felt good to have it there as an accessory so I didn't feel super-lame in the bar, but I felt no need to push it 5) I had no reaction to it. I did get a little warm at one point, didn't feel tipsy though, and felt a "weirdness" like a wave in my stomach at one point just for a moment 6) My Dr does say to take Prilosec..I totally thought about it earlier today and forgot!! I didn't drink much, but will definitely try to remember this for the future. Poor sleevie...sorry, buddy! So, a success on all fronts. Now I know I can have something, sipped slowly...perhaps I'll try again on date #3 on Wed! After reading what's here, and also looking online, red wine actually seems like a pretty decent choice Thanks ALL!!!

What's a skinny margarita?

Hey there! I'm eight weeks out and have a second date tonight. I avoided alcohol on the first, and haven't had a drink post-op yet, but would like to try sipping on a cocktail tonight (with no intention to finish it!). Looking for recommendations on some of my best options for not going crazy with carbs/sugar, and avoiding cabonation. I was thinking cranberry vodka, but not sure the juice is my best choice. Thoughts?

Finding this thread quite interesting. Wondering what people define as "slow" given some of the scenarios here. Going into this my expectation was 20-25 lbs the first month, and about 10 thereafter until anywhere from month 6 to 12. (I'm 5'7" and had a starting BMI of 40). What do folks consider "slow"?

I've been posting my recipes or modified versions of others on my blog at http://gastricsleeve4me.blogspot.com

Oh yes. My last two weekly videos have focused on it. They're on my blog if any interest. Http://gastricsleeve4me.blogspot.com I think it's a combo of estrogen fat stores dumping into my system, mourning of food, more time on my hands (loneliness without food to cope), and probably just some emotnal hunk I've held on to that's cropping up now that I'm feeling vulnerable (which is not a state I enjoy I think it's just part of the process. Thank god for my therapist! FYI I'm 8 weeks out and it started about 2 weeks ago

How's everyone doing as they're hitting the 8 week mark?! Hope everyone is well and enjoying getting to know real food again 5/21 surgery date (8 weeks ago) SW 250 CW 213 Loss 37 lbs

Ashlee!! I'm so sorry you're going through all this. Nightmare. But you're so right...at some point this will be a distant memory and replaced by the excitement of clothes shopping, the wedding, and all the rest of it! Once you're feeling back up to it, let's meet up for a jersey date again! Jo

Hey there. I told very few people (and no family yet). I'm two mos post op and have posts nearly 30 videos under my alias, gastricsleeve4me I can't possibly imagine how anyone I know would find the videos. I use a separate email address as my account that no one knows and nothing about my YouTube channel is associated with me or my name. The only way someone could stumble upon it is if they were considering the surgery and found it...in which case I'd be happy to discuss with them. Create a new email that's just for your sleeve journey, and pick a YouTube name. I wouldn't worry about it one bit beyond that.

Nutritionist

Dr Chau at Princeton and a younger woman at Somerset that's part of NJ Bariatrics (or something that sounds like that I liked both from a personality perspective, but they just don't have near the experience as the surgeons in Mexico. Chau has performed like 60+ sleeves vs Aceves' was like a thousand or two. They're also more conservative with bougie size, which does have some correlation to lower complication rate, but means potentially a larger sleeve. But, if you're using insurance, then you're using a US surgeon. I just wouldn't settle for the one that's close...find the best one you can that insurance will cover. With the most experience and the most patients saying they're amazing.