DLCoggin

You will have goals at various stages of your journey and you will make decisions regarding steps you can take to reach those goals. You might find it useful to consider your goals and your actions to reach them in the context of "realistic and sustainable". Anything that does not pass that test should likely be discarded in favor of options that do. For example, "I am going to eat x calories per day for the rest of my life" - unrealistic and not sustainable. "I am never going to have an off day" - unrealistic and not sustainable. You have to allow yourself to be human. There are going to special occasions, holidays, date nights, parties and a whole list of other opportunities, most of which involve food. And that's all part of life and more importantly, living your life. You allowed yourself to enjoy a piece of chicken and resisted the temptation to allow that to become a source of guilt. Congratulations! Good for you!! A great start to a realistic and sustainable weight loss journey!!

I don't know the size although your surgeon presumably could give you an idea. Keep in mind that a certain amount of change in the stoma and the pouch are normal over time. Not sure if it will help you but the results of one study published by the National Institute of Health defined an enlarged stoma as >2 cm and an enlarged pouch as greater than 6 cm long and 5 cm wide. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22055390

The success of bariatric surgery coupled with a worldwide obesity epidemic has resulted in a dramatic increase in the amount of information available. They have also resulted in increases in funding for research into all aspects of causes and treatments for obesity. New discoveries are being made almost daily. And with each new discovery comes new questions. Although there is a great deal of excellent information available on the Internet, there is also a great deal of nonsense. Here is a partial list of resources that I have found to be informative and to the greatest extent possible, based on credible science. There are many more and I would very much appreciate everyone's suggestions for adding other resources to this list. http://www.mayoclinic.org/ http://www.webmd.com/ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ http://www.who.int/en/ http://iom.edu/ http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/ http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/ http://asmbs.org/ http://www.mbsaqip.org/ http://www.eatright.org/public/ http://medicalxpress.com/overweight-obesity-news/ http://www.medscape.com/today http://www.medpagetoday.com/ http://www.cdc.gov/ http://www.sciencedaily.com/

On its way!

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Quick reminder guys that I need your email address to send you the spreadsheet!

. Please send the list to me if you still have it! eac1446@yahoo.com Just emailed!

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Pushing against thoughts, opinions and experiences that you disagree with is a missed opportunity to add your reinforcement and support of thoughts, opinions and experiences that you find valuable and beneficial. Perhaps the second option is a considerably more powerful contribution to our community.

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I'd love the list as well thargettgeorge@icloud.com Thanks! Just emailed!

Just a quick question and this may sound silly... BUT what if you don't have a plan (or weren't given one for example...)? I mean sure, I was told to have Protein (they were vague on details. I think I was told 60g per day), loads of Water, and a Multivitamin... But that's about it! I haven't been told about the amount of carbs, fats, calories, or a specific meal plan to stick to... It's a bit perplexing when you haven't got something to guide you... Sooo to add to the original request on gaining tips. I'd like to ask, where did you 'plan' come from? Phil Not a silly question at all Phil. Following the surgery, most folks are given a plan (doctors will sometimes refer to it as a protocol) for reintroducing you to food. That progression is usually four to twelve weeks. The guidelines are different for each surgeon and each patient. It's important to strictly follow your surgeon's (or in some cases your dietician's) guidelines to avoid complications later on. The progression is usually done in stages. For example: Clear liquids > full liquids > pureed food > soft food > and finally regular diet. But again, surgeons vary widely in the diet guidelines they recommend and often change those recommendations based on each individual patient. It is vitally important that you get your surgeon's recommendations. Protein is extremely important and not something that you want to guess at. Ask your surgeon how many grams of protein he/she recommends and then do everything you can to meet that goal on a consistent, daily basis. The same goes for carbs and fat and also water. Do not guess or assume. Ask questions and keep asking until you are confident that you know exactly what your dietary plan is. That's what your team is there for and you most certainly will not be the first to ask. Beyond diet, the elements of my plan include: Stay positive - as long as you are following your plan, there is absolutely no doubt that you will lose weight. The laws of science and the universe cannot be denied. Trust the process. Stay patient - forget about a timeline. Commit to following your plan for as long as it takes. Never compare your weight loss to someone else's weight loss. Everyone is different. There are simply too many variables. Exercise - when cleared by your doctor, exercise at least three times a week. Exercise does not have to be synonymous with working your body to exhaustion. I lost 130 lbs just plain old walking. Three or more times per week. I started with 20 minutes each time. Today I walk about 3 miles at least three times a week, sometimes more. About two months ago I purchased a Total Gym and started doing strength training on the days I don't walk. So I get three days of cardio and three days of muscle toning per week. Lol - nobody is going to mistake me for Chuck Norris but I can honestly say I'm enjoying the strength training and there's no doubt that I feel even better! Stay away from the scales - we all understand the temptation. But there are going to be times when you lose weight very quickly, other times when you lose more slowly, and still other times when you don't lose at all. You know those times are coming. You know they're all perfectly normal. If you measure your success by the number on the scale, it is frustrating, stressful, discouraging and even self-defeating. Regardless of what your weight is doing, your response is a l w a y s the same - follow your plan. The weight will take care of itself. Do your best to resist the temptation to weigh more often than every two weeks. Maintain a food log - My Fitness Pal is highly recommended but there are a number of apps that do essentially the same thing. There are countless benefits to using a food log but perhaps this is the most important one - clinical studies have proven, again and again, that folks who maintain a food log lose more weight, lose it faster and are more successful at maintaining their weight than those who don't. Next to the surgery, food logs are the most powerful tool you can have in your arsenal. Forget about a weight goal - I know, this is a tough one, but it has great benefits. Commit to following your plan until your body tells you that it's at the weight it wants to be at. In my case my weight stabilized at 155 just a little under 14 months post-op. Today, a year and a half later, I'm at 153. That's where my body wants to be. Your journey will be less stressful, less frustrating, more fun, and much easier if you just trust the process, trust your body, and let it happen. Your goal is physical change but your challenge is mental discipline. Follow your plan and... You're gonna love the new you!!

I'd second calling your doctor. Constipation is usually not serious and relatively easily treated. But other possible causes may need to be ruled out and that's a job for the Big Kahuna.

Fascinating and promising indeed. The fact that ASO's are already FDA approved may allow them to move to clinical trials much faster than would otherwise be the case.

Calorie counts, even from a doctor or nutritionist, are an educated guess. There are simply too many variables for there to be a "one size fits all" number. Consider using a food log to determine "your" number. It's easy to do and you'll see the results where they matter the most - on the scale. I've been using My Fitness Pal for two and a half years so it's the one that I'm most familiar with but just about all apps will allow you to do something similar. Configure your app with all of your information - height, weight, age, gender etc. along with your weekly weight loss goal (MFP gives you options from half a pound a week up to two pounds a week in half pound increments). Once you have all of your information entered, your app will give you a calorie goal. That number is based on a "one size fits all" formula and does not take into consideration that you have had bariatric surgery. But that's OK - it's a starting point. Now using that calorie goal, log your food for a week and see what happens with your weight. If you meet your weight loss goal - great! Continue using that number. If you lose less than your goal or even gain a little, adjust the calorie goal down. Don't get too heavy handed - a 100 to 200 calorie adjustment is plenty. Now use that goal for a week and see what happens with your weight. Rinse and repeat until you identify the calorie number that gives you the results you are looking for. That's literally "your" number. The one that produces the results you want based on "your" lifestyle, "your" exercise level, "your" food intake, "your" Fluid intake - "your" everything. There's even a very cool added bonus. When you get to the weight you want to maintain, all you have to do is gradually increase your calorie goal until you find "your" goal for maintenance! It's easy, effective, doesn't cost you a dime and it works like a charm!

Numbers can be deceptive but a conservative estimate is that there is a 50/50 chance that you will experience dumping following gastric bypass. Reality check - that means that there is a 50% chance that you might not experience dumping at all. It is a mistake going into bariatric surgery assuming that dumping will occur. But in the overall scheme of things - dumping is just not that important. There is a long list of benefits associated with bariatric surgery including improvement or resolution of more than 30 comorbidities associated with obesity including type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension, cardio vascular disease and many more. Not a single one of these benefits is attributed to dumping. None. Zero. You certainly are not alone in having a pre-op sweet tooth and I'm sure others will share their post-op experiences. For now, consider the importance of what you likely heard at your seminar - lifestyle changes. The surgery is not a magic bullet. It can be defeated. Healthcare professionals seem to do a very good job of stressing the importance of lifestyle changes, but perhaps they are less effective in helping folks understand how to achieve those changes. In my experience, the key is "follow your plan". As closely to the letter as you possibly can. Your team will almost certainly give you detailed instructions regarding what your plan is for each stage of your journey. It is the act of following that plan, literally living that plan, that produces the all-important lifestyle changes. In the beginning, it can be challenging. But changes are taking place, even though you may not be aware of them. Every day it becomes a little easier. Every day you think about it a little less. Every day that you follow your plan is a success worthy of celebrating. Some tips for your consideration: Stay focused - follow your plan as closely to the letter as you possibly can. Stay positive - as long as you are following your plan, there is absolutely no doubt that you will lose weight. The laws of science and the universe cannot be denied. Trust the process. Stay patient - forget about a timeline. Commit to following your plan for as long as it takes. Never compare your weight loss to someone else's weight loss. Everyone is different. There are simply too many variables. Exercise - when cleared by your doctor, exercise at least three times a week. Exercise does not have to be synonymous with working your body to exhaustion. I lost 130 lbs just plain old walking. Three or more times per week. I started with 20 minutes each time. Today I walk about 3 miles at least three times a week, sometimes more. Stay away from the scales - we all understand the temptation. But there are going to be times when you lose weight very quickly, other times when you lose more slowly, and still other times when you don't lose at all. You know those times are coming. You know they're all perfectly normal. If you measure your success by the number on the scale, it is frustrating, stressful, discouraging and even self-defeating. Regardless of what your weight is doing, your response is a l w a y s the same - follow your plan. The weight will take care of itself. Do your best to resist the temptation to weigh more often than every two weeks. Maintain a food log - My Fitness Pal is highly recommended but there are a number of apps that do essentially the same thing. There are countless benefits to using a food log but perhaps this is the most important one - clinical studies have proven, again and again, that folks who maintain a food log lose more weight, lose it faster and are more successful at maintaining their weight than those who don't. Next to the surgery, food logs are the most powerful tool you can have in your arsenal. Forget about a weight goal - I know, this is a tough one, but it has great benefits. Commit to following your plan until your body tells you that it's at the weight it wants to be at. In my case my weight stabilized at 155 just a little under 14 months post-op. Today, a year and a half later, I'm at 153. That's where my body wants to be. Your journey will be less stressful, less frustrating, more fun, and much easier if you just trust the process, trust your body, and let it happen. Your goal is physical change but your challenge is mental discipline. Follow your plan and... You're gonna love the new you!!

I would love this info....thanks luv2nursern@gmail.com Just emailed!

Id love a copy! If you dont mind sharing... my email addy is. mistyraine924@gmail.com Id love to have one to add to also!! Think I got everyone covered!

Could you email me the list as well? Crystal081478@icloud.com. Thank you Just emailed! Can I please have a copy of your list. Buie_aaron@yahoo.com It's on the way. You guys have a great day!

Could you email me the list as well? Crystal081478@icloud.com. Thank you Just emailed!

For many (if not most) folks, I'm not sure that timelines are not more problematic than helpful. Rather than wanting to lose as much as possible in six months, consider changing your focus on practicing the all-important lifestyle changes for as long as it takes. I very purposefully never set a goal weight. From the first day post-op, I said that I was going to follow my plan until my body told me it was at the weight it wanted to be at. And that's exactly what happened. I had no idea how long that might take so putting any kind of timeline (deadline?) on it really wasn't an option. In hindsight I absolutely believe the lack of a timeline was a huge advantage. In my case, I lost 130 pounds in just under 14 months. My weight stabilized at 155 and has not been lower than 151 or higher than 156 for the last year and a half. After reaching the 155, I very gradually increased my calorie intake until I identified the number that allows me to maintain my weight. In my case, about 1600 calories average per day. Not having a preconceived idea of time or weight goal has several advantages. Wanting to lose as much as possible in six months when it's "easy" to lose implies (psychologically) that anything you lose after that is going to be "hard" or at least "harder". I can say with all sincerity that I did not notice any increase in difficulty losing weight in the second six months. Along the same line of thinking, if you've set a goal of reaching xxx pounds and you fall short of that, it's easy for that shortfall to become, in your mind, "just another failure". When in reality, it's likely an amazing, life-changing triumph. The exact same principle applies to daily weigh-ins. A very bad idea. Frustrating, discouraging, stressful and often self-defeating. I love Pdxman's idea of weighing once a month. But many (including myself) will not be able to resist temptation for that long. Once every two weeks is a good compromise. I'm not implying that all goals are to be avoided. Goals can be powerful. If they meet certain criteria. As Pdxman pointed out, they must be realistic. To that I would add that they must be sustainable. You will almost certainly make changes in your eating and your thinking as you progress. Some will be almost automatic, many others will be changes you choose to make. In every case ask yourself - "Is this change realistic and sustainable long term?" Any change that fails to pass that test should be eliminated in favor of alternatives that meet both criteria. Realistic and sustainable are the very definition of lifestyle changes. You're gonna love the new you!!

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Well I don't qualify as an older veteran female but I've got two out of three covered. Lol. I'd just like to second what Destin said. The numbers you read are averages which simply translates into "some lose more, some lose less." It does not translate into you "can't" lose whatever you want to lose. I started at 285 with a BMI of 35. Today I'm 153 with a BMI right around 22.9 and my weight has been in the 151-156 window for over a year and a half. There's absolutely nothing special about me. No big red S on my chest. You don't have to go any further than this forum to read lots of stories of folks who have accomplished even more - much more. P.S. I was 62 when I had my gastric bypass - age is not a factor. You're gonna love the new you!!