EmyWemy

Hi March 2012 sleevers...it has been a very long while since I have been on here.

Here's my own update. I'm currently in the middle of a stall (going on 5 months now), and although I have been frustrated at times that the scale is not moving in the down direction, I try to remain happy I've come down this far. I've been averaging about 1200 calories a day, which sometimes disappoints me because when I ate less than that I was losing weight.

I do however, get bothered by comments from people around me that say "You had weight loss surgery last year...how come you're not at goal weight yet?". It's frustrating and I have to hold my tongue from saying anything I might regret later. Today a co-worker said to me after she noticed I just had my lunch "If you started, you should finish." I hated hearing that and I just wanted to walk away.

I hope all you fellow sleevers are doing all right out there. Would be good to see how others are coming along too since this marks the 1 year post-op appointment.

I guess I treat the Constipation pills just like my Vitamins, I just have to take them on a regular basis so i can be 'regular'. As for the Water I have been drinking it on the hot side because i still feel cold all the time. When eating out I usually ask for hot water instead of the cold water that they bring automatically. I also enjoy the taste of Decaf coffee and sometimes dilute it more with adding hot water, just so I can get more water in. Hope you find what can work for you too.

For the steri-strips please do check with your surgeon's office on when you can actually remove them. I am 10 months out, but I think I removed mine a week after, but please double check on your own.

For pureed food I believe I had hummus, apple sauce, greek yogurt. I was not too inventive yet on what to eat since taste wasn't too much of an issue. I also had Soups such as butternut squash, creamy broccoli, creamy chicken (without the chicken chunks), etc. Hope this helps =)

I know how you feel and I know it's frustrating. Sometimes it can be as simple as drinking in more Water which I still struggle with today. For the Constipation I personally take Colace every single night before I go to bed. There's a generic form of Colace that I buy at costco and I take 3 pills at night. It wasn't working very well in the beginning but eventually it has worked for me to the point where I actually go every morning (at least most mornings, if not later in the day). Weight loss stalls do happen and it does take patience, but as long as you are doing all the things that have been advised for you the weight loss will continue. Hang in there!

_{Sounds yummy! I like greek yogurt with crumbled blue cheese...may sound weird but I love it.}

I actually do this from time to time, but I know it's not advisable. We're told to not drink for at least a 1/2 hour (preferably an hour) after your last bite so that your stomach will stay full as long as possible. Drinking anything right after (or perhaps during) will cause the food to flush out sooner, and thus may have you feeling hungry sooner.

Hi Aniimim =) ... had my VSG at Kaiser SSF and am 6 + months out post-op. Sounds like you are coming along in the process....best wishes to you on your journey!

Thanks for sharing your success! I love reading these kinds of stories.

@ Yazun82: Aw thanks! That grey dress is totally like t-shirt material - stretchy and super comfortable. I found it at Ross for like $15 I think. I can't bring myself to spend more than $20 on clothes right now. I'm a big fan of the "Clearance" section there. I also found some jeans on clearance for $6.99 too!

We're all rooting for you! Love the support on VST!

Thanks for this topic. I've been experiencing a lot of Hair loss at 5-1/2 months out and it's discouraging even though I'm reassured by other posts that it will grow back. Thanks for the suggestion of Biotin as I will give that supplement a try this week.

Here is my before and after. Im down to 336 now. i still have about 60 pounds to go.

Hi JMarshall...Absolutely awesome Progress PIC! Truly inspiring! Congrats =)

thanks for sharing your news...way to go!

Here's mine attached...I see a difference from the first to the last recently taken pic of me. somehow I think I might look *younger* . You can click on the pic to see a larger view of the thumbnail...Let me know what you think

By the way, that's a short glass of Water with a slice of lime in it (in case you were wondering)...

I totally feel you! At 10 calories a serving how about trying some sugar-free Jello during your pre-op diet? This helped me, and then I followed that by drinking a lot of Water to get me to feel full. The pre-op part wasn't easy for me either and I cried a lot thinking it was not worth it. Hang in there!

I like seeing all the creative ways everyone is doing with their coffee. I try for the most part to drink Decaf which I have been since about one month post-op, I think. I drink regular every now and then when I feel I need to 'wake up' more in the morning. Since I like the taste of mochas I had been mixing 'Proti Diet' brand hot cocoa mix with my coffee and just recently tried the 'Premier Nutrition' brand ready to drink Protein chocolate drink to mix in with my coffee. I heat up 1/2 the container in a coffee glass, add my coffee and 1 Stevia packet. Not too bad.

^{Feel free to add me. I'm 'specialemy'.}

MyFitnessPal.com seems to work for me. I adjusted my calorie settings to where I know it will work for me. Mine are currently set at 900 and MFP will tell you that it's too low because it doesn't know that I've had weight loss surgery. I feel it's a good tool to use, and plus it's free. Use whatever tool works for you. I personally feel it helps and keeps me motivated to stay on track. Feel free to add me if you're on there. I'm 'specialemy'.

I used to love that show too. Now it only makes me wonder what Adam Richman's cholesterol levels are like, almost makes me feel sorry for him in a way...

Hi pinktink -- You ARE NOT ALONE! People weave in and out of our lives, but you love yourself first! Here's to you on being stronger, smarter, and already soooo much lighter ...

I was going to say 'head hunger' as well. It sounds like you are 'craving' savory foods. The taste of chicken broth sort of did the trick for me post-op. I would take the chicken paste (I forget the brand name) and add hot Water to the salty level I wanted so I had a good strong taste of it. Sounds strange, but it seemed to work for me.

nonfat yogurt (whatever brand, flavor you like) freezes really well and you can eat them as popsicles if you'd like to try that...

Just wait until your underwear turns into parachutes! Sounds like you are well on your way to getting there

Congrats on doing your pre-op weight loss goal! After entering the bariatric program where I was it took me 7 months to get into the mind set of 'wanting' to really drop the initial weight. Wishing you a speedy recovery from surgery, and of course, much success!

So glad that I am not the only one getting all these questions aimed at me, especially during my lunch break at work when I'm in the kitchen trying to hurry up and put my lunch together before anyone sees me. I lack in the 'canned response' area and end up explaining myself everytime. It's been a little tiring, but these interactions actually help me stay even more motivated to keep on track. More power to the sleevers!