hope2beslim

Not true. When people are battling co-morbities along with their weight, the need is there. Everyone has their own struggles. I have seen people on here that were under 200 and had vsg

If you are a happy atheist like me, then you will likely find 12 step based programmes frustrating. I have no doubt that they work for hundreds of thousands of people who believe they are addicted to something. I don't knock what gets others through their life in one piece. However I also know that for those of us who do not believe in something external to us having control (god, universe, higher power) that these programmes have little impact.
I consider I am the creator of my own destiny. I consider I have the power to chose, actively and consciously, how I react and respond to my life. I consider I have the control. It means that I do not believe in addiction because addiction by its very definition gives control to something external to the self. And that clashes with my fundamental value system. So I beat my drug and cigarette habits by taking control, not surrendering it, and i am doing the same with food I hope this makes sense. I know my view is very much in the minority but it works for my life.

OA can really help a lot of people. There's a great book, a very short read, about overeating called "Hungry" by Allen Zadoff. He's not a surgery advocate and didn't have surgery, but it does address his journey with overeating and how he overcame it.
The sleeve WILL prevent you from eating massive amounts of food and it will do it from day one for the rest of your life. Eating enough to stretch it even the small amount it will give will cause you pain and you will simply toss the extra bites of food back up. This is not a pouch that will slowly give way to overeating. It will never stretch out to anything remotely like a preop stomach.
That said, it's possible to eat just about any food with the sleeve, and we have no malabsorption. So if you make the choice to eat massive amounts of, say, ice cream or pudding, there is nothing to stop you. Nothing in the sleeve forces you to eat less calories, at least once you're healed. If you make the same poor choices after surgery, you will not succeed in reaching your goal. Sure, you can't eat a whole pizza, an order of wings and drink two liters of soda. But you could easily consume over 2,000 calories a day if you made them slider foods.
I've seen very few people post about regains on here. I've seen a small number of people come back here because they've only managed to lose a third of their excess weight and need help getting back on track. There could be a larger number of people struggling and they're simply not admitting it out in a public forum. There's no way to know.
Just like any WLS, the sleeve can only take you so far. I think the most important part of reaching and maintaining goal is working on the emotional/mental issues that make us fat in the first place. Beyond that, the sleeve really is only a tool that gives us the restriction we need to feel satisfied with less food.
Don't hold me to it, but I'm pretty sure that every single time someone has posted on here with real issues losing, they admit to not really following a good diet. I know that every regain post I've seen has had to do with people not working on their issues prior to goal and being unprepared for life in maintenance. You would have to WORK at eating the wrong things to fail at the sleeve. But the most important thing any of us can do to ensure a fully healthy body and mind after surgery (and for the rest of our lives) is working through the baggage, not just aiming for a number on the scale. So OA, counseling, coming here - whatever it is that you need to do to work on things - you have to do it. If you don't, you'll get to goal and have learned nothing more than how to lose weight restricting calories and you won't have the tools you need or the healthy outlook to easily maintain.
I, personally, LOVE my sleeve. It got me to goal. It took away my hunger and let me stick to the restrictive diet I needed for the 17 months it took me to hit goal. It gave me the time I needed to work on my emotional eating and overeating issues, which was much easier to do when food wasn't as appealing and it was difficult to eat much. I'm maintaining pretty easily and I now eat pretty much whatever I want but I do it in moderation. I'm normal, and I couldn't have done it without my sleeve.
~Cheri

Portion your chips or crackers and only eat them after Protein. If you eat your Protein first, there will be less room. If you start with the slider, such as chips and crackers, you will fit a lot more in before you get full.
Your breakfast should have more protein. One egg is 7 grams. Mix in some lowfat protein and have a glass of fatfree milk or soy milk during the morning.
For easy to eat meals, here are some of my favs:
For veggies, which I have with lunch and dinner:
Can of V8 if I'm too busy to eat veggies
Handful of raw veggies such as snap peas, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes.
I also buy romaine and clean it by cutting it at the base, rinsing and drying. I put the leaves in a baggie and then use them as needed for salads, sandwiches, and lettuce wraps.
I also like zuchinni, brussel sprouts, brocolli heads, frozen green Beans, and frozen mixed vegtables. It's easy to just cook at little of them and to buy a small amount.

For fruit, which I have with breakfast and as a snack:
I cut up a small watermelon or cantelope
Wash grapes
I buy a little of pretty much whatever is in season - I love fruit. but I couldn't eat anything except melons till I was about 6 months out. At first, fruit was too acidic.

For protein:
Fat free plain greek yogurt made into a shake with a couple of strawbberries, some splenda, a splash of OJ and some Water. Pair with whole wheat toast or oatmeal (couldn't eat oatmeal till about 6 months out)
Lowfat string cheese with lowfat lunchmeat wrapped around it. Special K Crackers.
Sandwich: 1 slice whole wheat bread with lowfat mayo and honey mustard,
Rotissiere chicken: I use it salads, in stir fries, and mixed into canned Soup to up the protein. Sometimes I buy the premade salad bowls and then add chicken.
Ground beef: I portion up a pound putting each portion in a baggie. Then I squish the baggie flat and freeze. It thaws in 30 minutes.
Pork chops: I portion them into one chop per baggie and freeze.

I fry stuff in a little fry pan, tossing in some veggies at the end, or I grill it on a little countertop grill and grill veggies with the meat.
I love good food and I was used to cooking small amounts for myself because my husband's tastes have always been different than mine.
Lynda

This all depends on how you define "normal". If "normal" means being able to shove 1500 calories down your throat in one sitting or always getting the biggest size popcorn at he theater. Or maybe "normal" is being winded after climbing 1 flight of stairs. Then NO, Thank God, I will never feel "normal" again
I'm gonna be like my weirdo friends that actually climb mountains for recreation. You know, those crazy people that don't need to grab a candy bar & a soda every time the put gas in their car. Those oddballs that can walk by a box of donuts and not grab one(or 2 or 3 or 4). What about those nut jobs out there on Seadoos jumping waves and having fun.
Nah, in a country where 65% of the population are overweight, and over 1/2 of those are obese(38% of the population), I for one do NOT want to be normal.
Put me with the 35% minority, because that is where I'm heading. Excuse me for putting it so bluntly, but "normal" sucks.

I had my surgery the same day! July 23. Down 33lbs as of this morning... I am a happy girl!!!!!! :-)

My op in UK was July 23rd. Lost 28lb from start of pre op diet (which was food not liquid - very balanced but low calorie, fat and carbs). Now on baby food stage of liquid food. It's amazing to feel full so quickly and for the first time in my life not to be obsessed with thinking about food and eating.
Biggest challenge for me is to not put so much food on my plate. Still giving myself too large a portion (all be it much smaller than I used to eat) and then leaving half of it. Wonder when my head will catch on to this smaller stomach!! It's such a strange feeling for me to be able to shop and actually only come out of the supermarket with what I had on my shopping list, and not a whole load of "other" foods that just took my fancy.
Went back to work 7 days after op, took things easier (self employed) so lucky I don't have a boss to shout at me that I'm not doing enough lol and feeling so much better already from the weight loss.

My op in UK was July 23rd. Lost 28lb from start of pre op diet (which was food not liquid - very balanced but low calorie, fat and carbs). Now on baby food stage of liquid food. It's amazing to feel full so quickly and for the first time in my life not to be obsessed with thinking about food and eating.
Biggest challenge for me is to not put so much food on my plate. Still giving myself too large a portion (all be it much smaller than I used to eat) and then leaving half of it. Wonder when my head will catch on to this smaller stomach!! It's such a strange feeling for me to be able to shop and actually only come out of the supermarket with what I had on my shopping list, and not a whole load of "other" foods that just took my fancy.
Went back to work 7 days after op, took things easier (self employed) so lucky I don't have a boss to shout at me that I'm not doing enough lol and feeling so much better already from the weight loss.

Kinda not really fitting with this topic, but, did you know that Pop-Tarts are illegal to sell in GB? Kinda crazy I thought. How bad is a food to be banned by a government?

I was dog tired every day till I was right at 4 weeks out, then seemed to suddenly get back my mojo overnight. My energy level is much higher now than before surgery even on 600-800 calories and 8 weeks out. Hang in there cuz it will pass.

Oh yes went out for a blow out meal with hubby.... Loads of wine and heaven knows how many calories... Lol
I had my sleeve on July 23rd, so started my diet on 12th. I am in UK and they don't seem to use liquid diet here pre op. I had to go on a very strict limited calorie but balanced diet. But was still very tough. There were a few times I could have blown it, but as I was paying myself for op just couldn't afford the thought they wouldn't do the op for me if my liver wasn't shrunk enough. It was that thought that kept me strictly on the path and on the diet!!
Keep at it and keep strong.... It's worth it. I have lost 23lb since July 12th, and for the first time in my life I don't crave food or feel hungry.... It hs the first time I can honestly say food doesn't control me.... I keep thinking I am going to wake up tomorrow morning and be starving hungry again , but it just doesn't happen.
Good luck with the diet and the op... It was no where near as bad as I was expecting, keep us informed of your progress

Wow... An inspiration to us all. Well done!

You can but a tongue scraper. Works a treat!

This is the first major goal I've been waiting for. I'm almost halfway there now. This dress will be WAY too big when I'm done!
Oh YES I did!!!

Maybe we should renew our vows while it still fits!
--danielle

I am day 6 post op... Getting the fluids in gets easier every day. Just keep sipping small sips but very often. If I go out I take a bottle of Water with me and keep sipping all the time

I am day 6 post op... Getting the fluids in gets easier every day. Just keep sipping small sips but very often. If I go out I take a bottle of Water with me and keep sipping all the time

Well day 2 for me and feeling loads better than yestday.... Still taking little sips of Water but off the oxygen and all the monitors gone. Glad to hear everyone else from yestday doing well. Keep up the good work fellow sleevers hope you continue to make good improvements

Well day 2 for me and feeling loads better than yestday.... Still taking little sips of Water but off the oxygen and all the monitors gone. Glad to hear everyone else from yestday doing well. Keep up the good work fellow sleevers hope you continue to make good improvements

Well I am currently 10 hours post op. woke up feeling rather groggy but no bad pain. Only way I can describe it is on my left side slightly off centre I feel like someone has punched me really hard in the stomach. None of the other incision places hurt in the slightest. Have been allowed 30ml of Water every half an hour which is lovely and have saline drip in the back of my hand for other Fluid.
Like everyone else says the trapped wind/air in the body cavity is the worst thing. Initially had quite bad pain in my left shoulder from trapped air, which has now subsided. Been burping like a fool, and nurse has said that's really good.
Asked to get up and have walked the corridors of hospital 3 times so far
Got to stay in HDU overnight, but what service.... got a nurse all to myself!!
Hope everyone else who have been sleeved today has had a smooth ride, and best of luck to everyone who are having it done in the future.

Well I am out the other side... Been up walking twice, my muse said I was the earliest she has seen anyone get out of bed. Determined to keep mobile to avoid the chance of any clots forming. Got socks and funny little air boots that keep squeezing my feet so hope all will be ok. Like a few others have reported I have got some discomfort around area they have cut stomach, and it hurts to breath deeply, other than this all is good, which considering only had it done at 8am (uk time) this morning is pretty good. Hope everyone else done today are feeling good too

I am having my gastric sleeve tomorrow (in the uk) very interested and pleased to see I am not the only one feeling nervous

Well I am currently 10 hours post op. woke up feeling rather groggy but no bad pain. Only way I can describe it is on my left side slightly off centre I feel like someone has punched me really hard in the stomach. None of the other incision places hurt in the slightest. Have been allowed 30ml of Water every half an hour which is lovely and have saline drip in the back of my hand for other Fluid.
Like everyone else says the trapped wind/air in the body cavity is the worst thing. Initially had quite bad pain in my left shoulder from trapped air, which has now subsided. Been burping like a fool, and nurse has said that's really good.
Asked to get up and have walked the corridors of hospital 3 times so far
Got to stay in HDU overnight, but what service.... got a nurse all to myself!!
Hope everyone else who have been sleeved today has had a smooth ride, and best of luck to everyone who are having it done in the future.

Well I am currently 10 hours post op. woke up feeling rather groggy but no bad pain. Only way I can describe it is on my left side slightly off centre I feel like someone has punched me really hard in the stomach. None of the other incision places hurt in the slightest. Have been allowed 30ml of Water every half an hour which is lovely and have saline drip in the back of my hand for other Fluid.
Like everyone else says the trapped wind/air in the body cavity is the worst thing. Initially had quite bad pain in my left shoulder from trapped air, which has now subsided. Been burping like a fool, and nurse has said that's really good.
Asked to get up and have walked the corridors of hospital 3 times so far
Got to stay in HDU overnight, but what service.... got a nurse all to myself!!
Hope everyone else who have been sleeved today has had a smooth ride, and best of luck to everyone who are having it done in the future.