DLCoggin

I'm just one guy but I could not possibly agree more strongly! This "city boy" has had more than enough "city". I often wonder how many other city boys and girls feel the same. Well said!!

Interestingly enough, the success of bariatric surgery along with the very serious implications of the worldwide obesity epidemic has resulted in significant increases in research dollars. Research moves painfully slow and results are still premature but there is mounting evidence that in some cases, genetics almost certainly plays a role. How big a role and what percentage of the overall number are affected still remains to be determined. But early indications should not be surprising given the importance that "family history" plays in almost every aspect of modern medicine. Much more research still needs to be done but there are early indications that differences in metabolic rates from one individual to the next are much more significant than once thought. And there is also evidence that in some cases, those differences may have a genetic origin. Folks who share the widely held belief that "diet and exercise" are the key to solving the obesity epidemic are at best naive, frequently blatantly prejudiced, always ignorant of the facts, and in some cases just plain fools.

Certainly the relatively low cost, convenience, and the almost unlimited marketing resources of fast food and soft drink companies are a factor. And as kristy points out TV, video games, and even cell phones also play a role. School menus are coming under closer scrutiny but budgetary factors come into play - fresh, healthy food is more expensive than "meat and potatoes". Living and maintaining an active life style takes time and commitment and parents are short of both. For most, the 40 hour work week is a distant memory and job security is a myth - it simply no longer exists. It's very tough to go out for a great "family walk" after a ten or twelve hour day on the job. The bottom line is that it is a complex problem. But we can, and we must, recognize the problem and start taking steps to solve it. The cost is already staggering and there is no denying that it will get worse. Not only in terms of dollars and cents, but in terms of quality of life and quite literally life span itself. Failure to take action is not an option and it starts with conversations like this one.

The Center for Disease Control has released their annual report on "Obesity Trends Among U.S. Adults". The report is prepared based on data gathered with the world's largest, on-going health telephone survey system - the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Data is collected from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. For the purposes of the report, obesity is defined as adults with a BMI greater than or equal to 30. Unfortunately, the news has not been good for a number of years, and this latest report based on data gathered in 2011, is no exception. More than one-third of U.S. adults, 35.7%, are obese. There is not a single state in the U.S. that has an obesity rate below 20%. Mississippi is the #1 state with 34.9% of the adult population being obese. Colorado is the leanest state with 20.7% of the adult population being obsese. 39 states had a score of 25% or more. Of those 39 states, 12 had a score of 30% or more: Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Misissippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia. The South had the highest prevalence of obesity (29.5%), followed by the Midwest (29.0%), the Northeast (25.3%) and the West (24.3%). As if the dramatic increase in adult obesity is not scary enough, the CDC also reports: Obesity now affects 17% of all children and adolescents in the U.S. The percentage of adolescents and children who are obese tripled from 1980 to 2008. If we add children who are overweight - in 2008 alone, more than one third of U.S. children and adolescents were overweight or obese. Statistics show that children and adolescents who are obese have a 70% to 80% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. http://www.cdc.gov/Features/ObesityAndKids/ And the cost of obesity? Here's what the Harvard School of Public Health reports: By one estimate, the U.S. spent $190 billion on obesity-related health care expenses in 2005—double previous estimates. Looking at the "gold-standard" source of health care spending data in the U.S. (the National Health Expenditure Accounts dataset), obesity may have been responsible for as much as $147 billion of health care spending in 2006. Looking ahead, researchers have estimated that by 2030, if obesity trends continue unchecked, obesity-related medical costs alone could rise by $48 to $66 billion a year in the U.S. On average, medical spending for obese people was $1429 or 42% greater than spending for people of normal weight in 2006. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-consequences/economic/ The methodology used by the BRFSS was changed for 2011. Data for the reports generated from 1985 to 2010, was collected using traditional "land line" telephones. In recent years, the number of people exclusively using cell/mobile phones has increased steadily. In order to incorporate cell phone users into the data collected, changes to the BRFSS were necessary. Survey results from 2011 on will better reflect the health status of the people of the United States. But the changes also mean that new data cannot be accurately compared to previous findings. In spite of this change, we can still learn a lot from the historical data collected from 1985 to 2010. For a dramatic graphical representations of the growth of obesity in the U.S., click the link below. The link is for an animated file that scrolls through the CDC obesity maps from 1985 to 2010. In essence you will see a "movie" of the changes in the U.S. maps showing the spread and increase of obesity over a 26 year period. I can think of no audience who can better understand the implications of these numbers. Please take a moment to view these maps and share your reaction and comments. Curbing and eventually reversing this trend is a matter of national importance - for ourselves, for our kids, and for our country's economic future. In future posts I'll share with you some of the suspected causes of this epidemic, some things that are being done, and many more that could be done with support from folks just like us. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Obesity_state_level_estimates_1985-2010.gif

LOL - white light is all good things wrapped up in one! Don't give up on all the things you like because of vomiting. Wait a while and then try "X" again. If it doesn't work, wait a while and try it again. Sounds like your pouch is pretty trigger happy but it will eventually pass. None of which is meant to imply that continual vomiting is normal. You definitely want to get with your doctor and get that under control. They have lots of options and I'm confident they'll have you back on track in no time!! You're a true inspiration to so many Mami - I know you've got the "right stuff" to get past this!!

Give the liquids a try for a few days and then try the soft foods again. Maybe start with one meal of soft foods and see how things go. If it doesn't work, back to liquids for a day or two and then try again. Everyone is different but you'll get there! Keep your chin up and keep moving forward!!

Keep doing EXACTLY what you're doing. Follow the protocol as close to the letter as you can. Stay active. And...YES the weight absolutely, positively, beyond any shadow of a doubt will come off. And as others have said, long term there are very few things that you will never be able to eat again. You WILL reach your goal and you will celebrate your decision every single day for the rest of your new life. What you're feeling right now is quite common (as you can tell from the responses). It will pass and you're gonna love the new you!!!

chicken, fish, turkey, ground beef, lean steak, shrimp, scallops, tuna, pork tenderloin, low fat cheese, skim or non-fat milk, Beans, hummus - all great sources of protein. And no, you can't "live on Water and not eating" and you Ms. Mami know that. It's not sustainable, it's not healthy, and it's a sure formula for slowing your weight loss. Once you get the vomiting under control you'll be on your way! Keep us posted on what your doctor says and I'm sending you tons of white light!!

RNY is no different than other surgeries - there are risks and there are no guarantees. But as you well know, there are risks and no guarantees with obesity as well. Approximately 85% of RNY patients experience a remission of their type 2 diabetes and that's pretty amazing odds. It is well documented that RNY is the single most effective treatment for type 2 diabetes currently known to medical science. And...you're gonna love the new you! Welcome to the forum! You're in the right place!!

Great job!! Nothing to fear from the chicken breast and other solid foods. Chew very well and eat slowly. You may discover that you get full much faster, stay full longer, and consume considerably less in terms of volume than you would with soft foods. All good things and chicken is an over-the-top source of protein. Congratulations!!

Congratulations nann and thanks so much for sharing. As you can tell from some of the responses, posts like yours are so important. I'm coming up on eleven months out and I still get excited about folks like yourself that are discovering a whole new you! Well done!!

No doubt about it, the waiting sucks. But I love stories about doctors that always take a conservative approach to medicine. That tells me that you have the right doctor and you can feel confident that your surgery will be done when your body is ready. Feel better and keep your spirits up!!

We're here for you jessamarie and it will get better!! Keep your spirits up and you'll be back to smooth sailing before you know it!!

As you can see from the wide variety of answers, there really isn't one right answer to your question. I'm convinced that for some folks, weighing too often can be a big mistake. It can sabotage your efforts when you're thinking that you've worked so hard and done everything exactly right and you don't see the results you were expecting on the scales. The reality is that everyone loses weight differently - different speeds, different patterns, differences between men and women, just plain different. The fact that my weight loss is different from yours means absolutely nothing. If you understand that and are strong enough not to measure your success strictly on what the scales tell you, there's no problem with weighing when you want to. If not, then it's probably a very good idea to limit weighing to once a week at the most, and every two weeks might be even better.

Great news! Congratulations!!

I see from your profile that you're less than a week out from your surgery. Very common to not "feel" full for some time following the surgery. Everyone heals differently so the time varies. Nerves are cut during the surgery and the stretch sensors in your pouch are often (usually) affected. You're doing exactly what you should be doing and it's nothing to worry about. Everything will heal before you know it and you're pouch will start doing lots of talking - including "full". Speedydvr and I have pouches are especially gabby about all kinds of things! LOL! You're gonna love the new you!!

It's very common to have no hunger for a period of time following the surgery. In my case, it was about six weeks. Others have experienced it for much longer, some for a shorter period of time. Regardless, I think it's important to understand that getting hungry is a perfectly natural, perfectly healthy response of your body. Long term you will start experiencing hunger. Perhaps the most important thing to remember is - eat something! It is unlikely that you will be able to avoid getting hungry. What you want to avoid is ignoring it and then getting overly hungry - that's what can lead to overeating. Many, including myself, are told "never eat less than two hours apart". I expanded that rule to include - "never eat more than four hours apart". Specifically to avoid getting overly hungry. If it's been four hours, I eat something whether I'm "hungry" or not. It may only be a piece of fruit with a little cheese, but I eat something. Hunger isn't something to be feared, it's something to be managed. You might find some other ideas you can use down the road in my post "Managing Hunger" at - http://www.rnytalk.com/topic/1493-managing-hunger/page__fromsearch__1 . You're gonna love the new you!!

This is one of the most amazing posts that I have read in a long time! Good for you!! You are most certainly in the right place for the most incredible support group that you could possibly hope for! Congratulations on your upcoming surgery. You're gonna love the new you and I'm gonna love reading your posts sharing your progress toward your goals!!!

My surgeon did the same thing - Prevacid. Apparently works like a charm because I haven't had any problems! You have to let it dissolve on your tongue and if you can believe it, it even tastes good! LOL

I think fear is a natural and healthy part of having a surgery. I'd be much more worried about someone who isn't afraid! Just think how excited you're going to be when you wake up in recovery! You're gonna love the new you!!

Wow - this looks amazing - http://site.vitalicious.com/vitapizza/compare.html . Only problem is very limited distribution so far. This should be a big hit! Hope it sells so fast they go to nationwide distribution!!

Vitamins can be hard on the pouch immediately following the surgery. I'm sure they'll add those in the not too distant future. I am surprised that they don't have you on any protein. I was on protein immediately following the surgery when I was still in the hospital and every day after I came home. I would definitely run that by your doctor. Congratulations on your surgery!!

There's approximately 7g of protein in an ounce of ground beef so you'd need to eat about 17oz a day to hit 120g of protein. Might be doable if you really like ground beef. LOL. Adding beans to your chili will help add protein as well. Since the doctor cleared you for ground beef, you might check with him/her about turkey, chicken, eggs and fish as well. All very rich sources of protein and all, with the exception of eggs, could be ground. Eggs are pretty soft just about any way you eat them! Cottage cheese and low fat or skim milk are also good sources of protein. Hummus is another good protein source but pretty high in calories. You'll be back on regular food before you know it and then the options are almost limitless!!

My comment regarding getting all of your protein was in a post-op context. If you're on a clear liquid diet immediately preceeding your surgery, protein might not be nearly as important. That's an interesting question. My surgeon required that I lose 20-25 pounds pre-op. Period. No pre-op diet of any kind. She just said lose the 20-25 pounds or else - no surgery. If you are on a pre-op diet, I hope you'll share your doctor's response with us regarding protein. Doctors vary widely in their pre-op and post-op diet requirements. It will be interesting to hear what he/she has to say regarding pre-op protein.

Not uncommon at all to not be hungry for some time following surgery. Nothing to worry about. Not getting your Protein - that's a different story. You might try getting some unflavored Protein powder. First thing in the morning, put a scoop of the powder in a small bowl. Depending on the powder, one scoop is 20g or more of protein. When you eat or drink something, put a pinch of the protein powder in. You can add it to almost anything and if it's just a pinch, you shouldn't notice the taste too much. By the end of the day you've eaten an additional 20g of protein, a pinch at a time. I sometimes wonder if doctors and others in their offices do a good job of helping folks understand the importance of protein. Unlike fats or starches, your body cannot store protein. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and the nine "essential amino acids" must be obtained from food - they are essential because your body cannot manufacture them. That means they have to be replenished. Every day. Carbs are king when it comes to energy but when you're on a low carb diet, your body will use protein for energy instead. Every cell in your body contains protein. Remove all of the Water in your body and 75% of what's left is - protein. Protein is critically important in the healing process following surgery. Protein is a key player in helping the body fight off bacterial and viral infections. Protein will help minimize muscle loss during rapid weight loss and will also help reduce hair loss to a minimum. Try anything you can think of until you're getting ALL of your protein in, every day. You'll be glad you did! You're gonna love the new you!!