MarKing15

As a Dad/Guy, here are a few things I can't wait to not have to do:
Put off going camping, hiking, fishing, biking and other outdoor activities
Not being able to ride amusement park rides with my kids - finally take my son to Magic Mountain!
Having to dress 10 years older because that's what fits
Worrying about weight limits for furniture and activities
Make excuses for not going to the beach
Having my size/weight define who I am
Worry about hypertension, diabetes and heart disease as a result of my weight

It's best to eat every 2 or 3 hours. I have a Greek Yogurt in between each meal as a snack to fill me up and give me extra Protein. The yogurts with my fluids, are keeping me feeling full and getting me through the day.
Good luck.

This is a bit of a carry over from another topic I am participating in, but the conversation we were all having made me very curious. I would like to see how much of a factor having faith in God matters to those who have had the surgery or are in the process of having the surgery.
Personally, my having this surgery is totally dependant on my faith in God and His will for my life. I have been praying and seeking God on this issue since I first started looking into it. Throughout the process there have been open doors that I have taken as signs that it is ok for me to proceed. Of course the biggest one will be insurance approval and if I wind up not getting approved, then I will not press the issue.I want to make sure that this is something God wants for my life, not just something that I am deciding because I want to. I put my complete faith and trust in God and I know that He will guide me through this journey.
Just wanted to see what other people think about this issue.
While I expect that everyone has a right to their own opinion, I respectfully ask everyone please do not turn this into a God bashing session!
For myself and others, God has a lot to do with the decision to have this surgery.
Thanks!

I've done more damage to my body before this surgery then this surgery ever will.

I've done more damage to my body before this surgery then this surgery ever will.

I've done more damage to my body before this surgery then this surgery ever will.

I've done more damage to my body before this surgery then this surgery ever will.

I've done more damage to my body before this surgery then this surgery ever will.

I've done more damage to my body before this surgery then this surgery ever will.

I've done more damage to my body before this surgery then this surgery ever will.

I've 'only' lost 20 lbs in the first 4 weeks. Wait...what! I lost 20 lbs! How awesome is that!
Perspective is everything!
Each one of us will lose at a different rates for all sorts of reasons.
A loss is a loss is a loss....

I've 'only' lost 20 lbs in the first 4 weeks. Wait...what! I lost 20 lbs! How awesome is that!
Perspective is everything!
Each one of us will lose at a different rates for all sorts of reasons.
A loss is a loss is a loss....

Congrats. For me, the first two days were the roughest and by day 3, I felt good and it's gotten better each day since.

I'm just a few weeks behind you and feel the same way.

Thank you voice of reason. I've done everything you said and I've lost 125 pounds in less than 5 months so I must be doing something right. Amazingly, I've enjoyed every second of it. I'm not miserable, or deprived, or on a diet. I'm living healthy. It's great and it works.

Hello all who are in the pre-op stage,
I am 7 weeks post-op and by no means a sleeve expert, but I would love to share a bit of what worked for me thus far.
Please, please, please, do the work!
All of it.
I know how hard pre-op dieting is, I know how difficult exercise is, I know how painful it is to dig deep and figure out why we got so fat, and I also understand how anxious you are to just get the surgery done.
I have had an uneventful, rather effortless time, post-op and I attribute it to a great surgeon and doing everything I listed above. I haven't experienced a bit of emotional (head) hunger and I would like to believe that it had a lot to do with dieting and losing weight pre-op as prescribed by my DR. Oh, it was AWFUL and I was pretty miserable during the time but I have zero regrets now. I could have gone through the motions and pretended to do the work but in the end I would have only hurt myself, mainly by being 25lbs heavier today and feeling deprived from fattening food. I suffered through the liver shrinking diet and my liver was perfect...I have no idea if it would have been otherwise but I was not willing to risk it. I stepped up my exercise and HATED every second but it turned into a habit. I still HATE it but I just go to the gym and do it. I worked hard at ending my old abusive relationship with food by saying GOOD BYE and today food doesn't haunt me. I love how it looks, tastes, smells but it no longer controls me. I crave nothing. I gave up carbonated drinks, drinking while eating and with a straw. Weaned myself off caffeine which was so difficult. I began upping my Water intake pre-op and that also became a habit.
I am not claiming that if you do what I did, you will have the same experience. Who knows what my situation will be a year from now? I am merely suggesting, why not give yourself every possible chance to have the best possible outcome?
I wish you all great success and skinny futures!
Carol
55 lbs lighter

Fellas,
I'm getting sleeved in just over 2 weeks. Doing pretty good pre-op so far, but had a major slip up this weekend when I invited some buddies over for football. I'm back on track now, but it got me to thinking just what I'd tell the guys when I'll be around them soon eating practically nothing and sipping on Protein shakes and broth every quarter.
I've seen plenty of topics on this site about whether to tell your spouse/partner/GF/co-workers, etc. But what about the guys? You know what I'm talking about.
Here's how I envision that conversation goes down:
Me: Guys, I want to talk to you all about something.
Buddy #1: We know, your fantasy team sucks. Quit bitching about it!
Me: No, not that. Something serious.
Buddy #2: Is it cancer?
Me: No, nothing like that.
Buddy #3: Then it's not serious. Put your nuts back on
Me: No seriously guys. Listen, I'm planning on having WLS
Buddies #1, 2, 3, and 4: .......................(stunned silence) ..................................................
Me: Um, guys... Hello? what do you guys think?
Buddies #1, 2, 3, and 4: ............................(more stunned silence)..........................................
Me: I've been thinking about this for a long time, and I've decided to go through with it. It's the best decision for me, my health, and to get my life back
Buddy #4: I didn't realize you had a vagina
Me: Hey, that's not fair.
Buddy #2 (to Buddy #4): Yeah, that's not right dude.
Me: Thanks for the voice of support man
Buddy #2: No, I mean, I think we already knew you had a vagina.
Me: Uncalled for dude.
Buddy #1 (to Buddies #2 and 4): Guys, lay off him.
Me: (Not saying thanks, just waiting for the punchline....)
Buddy #1: I mean, it's probably just his time of the month.
Me: (And there it is). All right, you guys suck. I'm outta here.
Buddy #3 (yelling out as I leave): Hey, give Randy Jackson my best, dog!
DOOR SLAMS SHUT. <END SCENE>
So I ask you men: What have you told the fellas about your surgery and weight loss?

Ladies, before y'all start telling the OP that he needs new friends, you have to remember that men and women communicate differently. This is the means by which a lot of men tell each other they care. The more cr@p they give, the more they actually care. What you are witnessing in the above dialog is actually a very healthy, albeit sophamoric conversation between caring friends.
Llyod nailed the response.

Surgery went well yesterday. Only nausea was in the recovery room. Morphine PCA made it a lot easier. Had leak test this am, tasted like how lemon pledge smells. Not gritty though. Thinking of all the great ppl here getting sleeved today and this month. This is our season of hope. Feels like an early Christmas present. Best of luck. Jello for lunch, yeah!

Neil, I would like to agree with your sentiment about not obsessing, but I disagree with alot of your other assertions. There seems to be a theme to this thread that eating healthy equates to being "terrified of food". That's just not true. Some of us have turned a corner and decided that we want to be healthier individuals. The sleeve will make us lighter, not healthier. Eating less of the same junk that got us here will only make us slimmer unhealthy individuals. And yes, I do believe that eating junk is what got us here, not failing at diets. That was just a bump on the road to surgery. You would have never had those failed diets had you not made poor food decisions in the first place (and by "you" I mean all of us, of course...not singling you out).
And also let me say for the record, I am no veteran, but neither are you (now I mean you, Neil). You're feeling good right now because the sleeve will not allow you to eat much. Down the line that will change. For some the increase in hunger and appetite is drastic. If you continue to oblige your every whim and craving you may end up right back where you started if the restriction relaxes. There are plenty of people here with food addictions, and the advice you're giving them is incredibly irresponsible. It borders on enabling.
You obviously "know yourself"....but you don't know everyone else here.
Just my opinion.

It's best to eat every 2 or 3 hours. I have a Greek Yogurt in between each meal as a snack to fill me up and give me extra Protein. The yogurts with my fluids, are keeping me feeling full and getting me through the day.
Good luck.

This is definitely NOT the easy way. I tell people it's the dedicated way!

I am only three weeks out and I can eat more than that. Granted everybody is different in their recovery and their overall experience. I have been lucky and have had zero complications and never had trouble getting my Water or Protein in. At three weeks out I can eat a 5 oz yogurt, a 6 oz Protein Shake, or 3.5-4oz of moist chicken. Just listen to your body and don't push too hard.

My preop diet was only 1 day so I don't think there was much of a loss.
I did set a goal of 47-lbs loss during the 6 month supervised diet plan and was proud of myself for surpassing it and losing 63.
Good luck.