karenb4729

Not everyone loses their feeling of hunger - I didn't.

I read that same article and yes, I weigh every day. Part of the reason I do is that my weight gain came from ignoring the scale. I knew I was putting on weight and didn't get on a scale for 5 years because I didn't want to see that number..... Ignorance is NOT bliss and just because you don't look doesn't mean it isn't there. I will weigh myself daily for the rest of my life whether I want to or not and I will jump into action if I see a consistent increase - will never allow myself to be obese again!

I do quite of bit of exercising too and I keep my calorie level pretty consistent at 600 to 700 per day. What are you using to track the calories burned? My Fitness Pal is really high and not accurate because it doesn't take into account your body weight or age. Get a heart rate monitor if you want to accurately check the calories burned. Example, 1 hr on the elliptical on MFP has a burn of 576 but with a heart rate monitor, age and weight taken into consideration the actual burn is more like 409. Hope that makes sense. Forgot to add that I don't eat back my calories burned.

Ernestine, same thing for me, my weight really came on during menopause but I went through it at age 32 due to cancer treatment. Its funny though, I feel so much more energetic than I did at 40 and I'm so glad that I went through this, saggy skin and all!

Well, I can't lie, I have loose skin but as time goes by it's not as bad as it was. My problem areas are my arms, my butt (looks like an elephant) and my thighs. I workout 6 days a week and am working with a trainer 2x a week. I'm very close to my personal goal. My understanding is that you need to give your skin a year to catch up to the weight loss. I'm going to wait the year and work on gaining some muscle so that at least if I end up with the surgery I will have good muscle underneath it all. Oh, and I'm 55.

I understand it! I'm now 3 lbs from goal and I don't know what to do because it's been years since I was at a normal body weight and wasn't dieting. I think there is also the fear of regaining the weight. Its very scary.

Right after the surgery I had some moments of regret... I think its normal to have a moment when you wondered what the heck you did to yourself. But, I am almost 10 months out and very near my goal. I have had to really focus hard to get there but I wouldn't have come close without the sleeve to help me stick to my eating plan of under 800 calories, under 40 grams of carbs and 80+ grams of protein... it's what works to help me lose each week.

My Doctor used a 40f and I had no problems getting in my liquid but he had me work up to 64 ounces, he didn't require it upfront. I'm almost 10 months out, still have decent restriction and still measure all my food so I don't eat more than 3 ounces of meet and then usually some spinach if I have room. Only a few pounds from goal too!

I understand how you feel! I am 9 lbs away from a normal BMI and still kind of feel like I did at 271. Its a hard journey and I also wonder if I will ever be satisfied.

I keep mine to 20 grams or less.

This is actually not a stall according to my NUT but a plateau which is when you don't lose any weight for more than 4 weeks. For me, to keep losing weight I have to up my exercise because as you lose weight your body becomes much more efficient and doesn't burn as many calories. How many calories are you taking in? I do the usual plan here of 600 to 800 calories along with no more than 20 carbs (although yesterday I took in 32). My exercise routine is 60 minutes of cardio a day, 2 days of strength training and 1 bootcamp per week. I have lost more weight in the past 3 months doing this than I did in my first 5 months, averaging about 11 lbs a month.

You are doing very well! I lost 21 lbs my first month and only 3 pounds my second month so that would be 24 lbs in eight weeks. It all came on one pound at a time and it will come off one pound at a time. Now at 9 months out I'm almost at goal.

Are you tracking all your food? You may want to try cutting back a bit on your carbs to see if that can get the weight to move some. For me, I had my metabolism rate tested and found my resting rate was 1265 which is pretty darn low so to lose weight I really had to increase my activities without increasinng my calories a whole lot. I get between 600 to 800 calories, usually closer to 800. I also get in 1 hr of either eliptical or treadmill which will burn about 410 calories.... the amount burned goes down as you start to weigh less. You will get there... even 1 lb at a time.

BigDaddyJoe, you are doing to do wonderfully well! My sleep apnea has resolved but then again, it was mostly due to the excess weight. I feel like I'm at one of the healthiest points in my life and I'm turning 55 in April - just goes to show that it's never too late.

Let me tell you a story.... When I started looking into WLS I did it because what I really thought was if I had to do a structured diet for 6 months I would find that I could do this on my own. Well darn it, my isurance didn't require any type of 6 month diet or anything other than 5 years BMI at 40 or more. I knew I would be approved right away for surgery so I gave it one last shot on my own and after 3 months and only losing 10lbs I finally said to myself "F" it, I haven't lost the weight on my own in 23 year and I probably still won't and decided at the point to go through with surgery. My surgeon required a 30 day pre-op diet that is 30 grams of carbs or less and low and behold the weight started dropping off.... it fell off so fast that again I began to think that maybe I could just do it on my own. Thankfully reason again took over but the morning of my surgery I laid there and cried and apoligized to my huband that I couldn't do this on my own. Fast forward to today.... 9 months out of surgery, 121 lbs lost, 10 lbs from a normal BMI. YES, I'm so glad that I went this route. And, even though I have a small stomach because of the surgery I really do feel like I did it on my own because its still up to me to decide what to put in my small stomach and its me that's busting my butt in the gym everyday. This tool that I have has allowed me to do this on my own and I'm so very grateful! You can do this too!!

My first month after surgery I lived on Unjury's chicken broth. I got really tired of sweet tasting stuff and I couldn't do cold... even water had to be more at room tempature or luke warm. Thankfully my Dr told me to work up to the 64 oz of water, he was happy if I got in 32 oz in a day for the first two weeks and for protein it was the same thing, what ever I could manage in the first two weeks and then afterwards to get in my 80 grams.

I had a 4 week pre-op diet of 30 grams of carbs or less. For me, I actually started the diet two months early and so lost 27 lbs prior to my surgery. The two days before surgery I had liquid only as required.

I ate nothing during my first week after surgery because I was on liquids only for the first two weeks.

I love my fitbit, have had it for over a year now and it still motivates me to move!

My best weight loss occurs when I stay at 600 - 800 calories, 20 grams or less carbs, 25 grams or less fat, 100 grams protein and 100 ounces of water.

My surgeon uses a 40F and frankly it doesn't really matter the size what matters is what you choose to put in it afterwards.

I would avoid the carbs too until you are ready for maintenance. I have been keeping my calories at 800 or less and carbs around 20 grams or less. I also make sure Im getting in 100 grams of protein and 100 ozs of water because I do exercise daily. My weight loss has been pretty steady sincce I started following these limits.

Oh and I meant to say - some people just don't want to hear the truth and that's some of the mentality that probably got them to the weight where they needed surgery to correct it.

I really agree so much with this post! Personally, I think Doctors should focus more on the mental health eval than some of the other evals we go through when preparing for this surgery. Heck, even in my own surgeons practice we have people who say "I want to eat everything but just in smaller portions" or "I want to eat normally". I'm sorry but eating normally will not get you anywhere if your normal was including crap foods. For me, normal now is limiting carbs.... and yes, I love them but they don't love me. Normal is small portions of healthy foods, protein first and then some limited veggies. That's the way it has to be!