sheila2050

WLS Do’s and Don’ts

DO remove the word ONLY from your vocabulary. Ex: I’ve ONLY lost 10 Lbs in 2 weeks… Now let’s look at this again without the word ONLY: I’ve lost 10 Lbs in 2 weeks!! See what I mean? Perception is reality folks!!

DON’T assume you’ll never eat all of your favorite foods again. This is just an excuse your brain has designed to allow you to indulge. You WILL eat all your favorites again someday, just much less but find it to me more enjoyable. Which leads directly into the next:

DON’T do the “last meal” syndrome. You will only sabotage your weight loss you might have pre-surgery or set you back further from your ultimate goal post-op. This surgery is very serious and is for the serious minded. Use this time wisely to get the feeling of how life might be like post op.

DO learn all of the rules pre-op that you will endure post-op. Such as, no drinking with meals, using smaller utensils and plates, engaging in some type of workout routine, limiting your sugar and sodium intake, joining as many WLS support groups as you can.

DO Celebrate every single pound lost! Imagine one pound of butter. Yeah… that’s gone from your body forever. It is noteworthy and worth every bit of a pat on the back as any others that may go along with it.

DON’T compare your successes and losses to others. Chances are very high that you will only come out on the short end and only find yourself disappointed. Everyone’s journeys are their own…

DO keep track of your losses in many different ways than just the scale! Examples:

DO keep one set of your largest clothes you’ve ever worn. Make it a point to try them on, especially when you’re having a down moment. You will find this will really pick up your spirits! This is a real rollercoaster of a ride, and anything that will keep you positive is what you should do!

DON'T keep any other fat clothes around. Get rid of them ASAP. You're never going to fit them again, right? So... off to donations they go.

DO take photos of yourself just before your surgery. Keep them close. Again, having a bad day? Look at them and compare them. As a matter of fact, take photos of yourself often. You will also find that the more you lose, the more you will want to take pictures. Nothing wrong with that!!! That goes with celebrating your losses.

DO take measurements of yourself often. Keeping track of all your inches lost will really keep you on the right track when your scale is being stubborn!!

DO reward yourself every time you hit a mini goal. Make some more worthy than others. I like to go shopping when I hit a goal, it is my favorite thing to do now.

DON’T let the scale define you. Great majority of us will endure many fluctuations and stalls in this journey. It is what it is… patience is the key here. Meditate and envision yourself months down the road at your goal. Smile, then move on!!

DO find out about measuring body fat! It’s more than just weight loss, FAT LOSS is the real goal here. Keep in mind that the BMI scale is greatly inaccurate and most Health Studies do prove this. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE) our body fat % ranges should be average: 25-31% for Women and 18-24% for men. Any higher is considered obese. However it does go more in depth, according to ages and more. Everyone has different genetic make ups, frame sizes and fitness levels... even a different ethnicity can post differences.

DO have many goals in sight. Having only one, especially a simple weight goal you will find can be difficult. Have many MINI goals along your journey, and more than just ones that involve the scale. Such as, clothing size goals, body fat% goals, fitness or workout goals, dietary goals, etc…

DO challenge yourself always!! Whether it’s a global challenge with others, or personal challenges... It will keep you motivated and always willing to go further than you ever thought you could!

DO have a mentor! Find someone that you can trust and confide in, and that you know has “been there”. Preferably someone you know in person. You will find many folks in your life who have been there, for obesity is worldwide now and there are so many who have been able to defeat this demon. It’s not easy! It quite literally is the toughest feat I’ve ever had to endure. I can say this too, my job will never be done. This is for life!
DON'T believe the myth that your tool has an expiration date. Yes, it's true you will lose the most weight in the first year and it's also true that the further out you are and the closer you are to goal, the harder it is to lose. However, as long as you keep up with your healthy eating and fitness routines you will continue to lose weight and / or keep it off in the many years post op. It all boils down to calories in vs. calories out.
DON'T believe the myth that having WLS will keep the weight off forever. That is our individual responsibility.

And finally…

DON’T ever beat yourself up! We all make mistakes, and dare I say not one person on this Earth is perfect. I try hard to be, no doubt! I always admit that I’m a perfectionist – but I’m far from perfect. I just try to be… The only thing you can do is pick yourself up, give yourself a pep talk, perhaps contact your mentor for reassurance and move on!!! Again, this is for life. Every day you wake up is a second chance.

DO look for solutions to your problems. Otherwise they will just become excuses.


DON’T EVER GIVE UP! I don’t think any explanation is necessary here.

DON'T expect the scale to post a loss every single day. As a matter of fact, don't expect it to move that much even weekly! Just keep doing all the right things and the scale will move in the right direction when it needs to.

DO expect to see fluctuations on the scale, both down AND up. DON'T lose your head over it either. This isn't a miracle cure and the weight isn't going to magically disappear in a few weeks. You have to keep pushing with healthy eating, some type of workout and getting plenty of Fluid.

DON'T let the scale define your journey when there are so many pieces to that puzzle!!!



Good luck to all of you. This journey is a tough one, but if you are here, then you believed in yourself enough to give yourself the life you’ve always dreamed of. YOU WILL BE successful. Always keep that in mind.

Add-ons by other experienced sleevers:

DO keep a list of NSV (Non scale victories) to reflect on when times are getting hard. Can you walk up 2 extra flights of stairs before getting winded? Cross your legs?" and

"DO NOT be afraid to change things if they aren't working. Stalls happen even gains happen. If you are on a long stall look at your eating and decided if changes need to be made. Utilize your tool!" -- Southern Sleever

DO: Keep a food diary of what you eat and drink. This is a great learning tool as to which foods have what amounts of fat, Protein and carbs that add up to your daily intake goals. There are many ways to diary your food - from old fashioned pen and notebook to many options via smartphone apps. Keeping one is the important thing - however is right for you. I use mine now to look back for meal ideas when I hit a blank as to what to prepare for a day or a week.

DO: Realize this is not a diet to be followed for a while then set aside. This is a permanent lifestyle change. Yes, the amount of food you eat will increase as time passes, but your relationship with food will be forever altered. How you Celebrate your joys, successes and holidays will be different. How you mourn your sorrows will be different. Some people need outside help to get through the sometimes overwhelming mental changes this process brings. If you need help with this part of the deal- reach out and get it. -- SKCUNNINGHAM

DO roll with the punches!! -- fern

Hi there! I'm Sept 12th too! I start the Clear liquids today so pretty much Isopure...and more Isopure and water! Justine13 - I'm scared too and extremely nervous, but I think that is natural for any surgery, especially when we are out on general anesthesia.
I'm ready for 3 months from now to be here so I can look back and smile :-)
Good luck to everyone on Wednesday!!!

Are you loco? I'm not ready. I'm scared
But that's me. I knew I would be. Hang on for the ride! R u ready?

I go Sept 11th... My doctor said we didn't have to do a formal pre op diet, just to do whatever diet we've been most successful on thus far... I stopped eating solids today, just in case. Hopefully by Tuesday I'll be completely cleaned out and my liver will have gotten small enough to not cause any issues.

I am ready but i am also nervous. I know that GOD is going to take care of me because he aint through with me yet. I am pre-admitted and HUNGRY...lol. My surgery is Sept. 17. My family was/is not happy with me doing this but they are supporting me because they know that i have made up my mind. I have learned a lot about myself during this pre-op diet
1. i am truly addicted to food and will have to work on my mental everyday(as i do now)
2. I know that i have strong will power and will be able to get through this successfully
3. i will not be able to do this without my surgery.. i know that it will really aide in my weightloss....
4. I AM PRAYED UP AND READY!!!

I'm somewhat ready. I don't have a long pre op- just 48 hours but I'm also starting on Wednesday too. So tomorrow is my food funeral - ok I lied. I have had a six month food funeral . So I'm ready

I was supposed to start my pre-op diet on Aug.30th but haven't. It's not a liquid diet just cutting out carbs so I guess I'll start tomorrow with the holidays being over. I'm nervous, excited, anxious, and a whole lot more but I'm going to leave it to God. I've noticed I've been on this website way too much lately, lol. It's addicting.

Congrats, mine is 12th as well - on my 6th day liquid diet... I've only been able to eat some carrots here & there per the nurse @ te Dr office... I have lost about 8lbs so far... I'm anxious but nervous @ the same time but ready...
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I start my pre op liquid diet on weds...not too worried about that..I already have been doing the shakes for awhile...lost 20 lbs already..mostly from worrying! I am already preadmitted...just show up and get hooked to iv...and that's it...kind of exicted and scared at the same time!

last week was "testing the water" concerning plastic surgery
showed plastic surgeon the back of my legs -lllllots of hanging skin - he explained that this particular surgery is the hardest, i'd be on the table for a long time - large scar, and very long recovery
showed my tummy - realllly don't have much excess just wanted to discuss surgery
next, hanging skin under my arms area,
finally, discussed my turkey neck
i must sound like i'm such a mess - i'm really not
i never thought i would have any of these problems losing 90-100 lbs - oooops wrong!!!!
never thought i would do plastics, back of legs i really did want done - it just "feels" awkward back there
DH is only one that sees me like that, so i decided against any surgery
dr. advised strongly on NOT getting any plastics done - ex
just telling you there are some ethical dr. - surprise, surprise
i know i could go around the block and find another surgeon who would do the surgery
i think i'll listen to this dr. - he doesn't mind not taking my money - and i sure don't mind keeping money in wallet

My "Straw that broke the camels back" came on gradually, and then finally hit me all at once.
I have never been a tiny person. Even in school I was always just a little bit rounder than everyone else even though it was not morbid obesity. Over the past 7 years, I have steadily gained wait and was pretty much in a state of denial as to how big I am. Until I saw some photos...After that, i was more aware of my weight that ever before. I have an arthritic condition and the extra weight makes it very painful. Like so many of you, I got tired of not fitting into seats at certain establishments...it is so embarassing...I'm always afraid I will have a "Shallow Hal" moment and various modes of seating will collapse under me! I always make that joke to my closest friends who know my struggles and we have a good laugh...but there is always that small fear that that could be a reality for me under the right circumstances. Now please let me preface the following statement by saying that while I am a very "weepy" person , that's just how I deal with things, I am not one of those moping people looking for sympathy wherever I may find it. Having said this, I'm an only 25 and (however true or untrue this may be) I feel that if I continue to look and feel as I do that I will be alone forever! Almost all of my friends are married with children or in serious, heading toward marriage, relationships. I know that everyone is different and no two people live the same life, but good grief!! Something's gotta give! Forgive me for being totally transparent, but I feel this is a real & valid fear! But the one thing that finally gave me a reality check about this whole situation was when my parents (I live at home) sat me down and told me that I needed to do something because they were worried about my phyiscal & emotional health. Now nothing major has happened yet, and I am still in the preliminary stages but even if for some horrid reason I am not able to fund this surgery through insurance, I refuse to allow my life to be stagnant any longer!
...my word... now my fingers are numb from typing!

I had lots of reasons and experiences that led me to consider WLS but the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back was going on vacation with my husband (no kids!) and feeling sick about being in a swimsuit, then coming home and seeing a photo of me at the beach and I swear I looked like Jabba the Hut. My seminar was 2 weeks later and the rest is history.

When my blood pressure started going out of control, and my knees had begun to fail. I was forced to realize that these health issues among others including diabetes, arthritis, asthma and sleep apnea, spelled an early death for me. I also realized it could be a very slow painful death.
My knees are gone, those I will never get back. I may have knee surgery but they wouldn't touch it until I knocked off 60 lbs at least.
I have become an old woman before my time. I am more than ready. I also realized I couldn't afford to be overweight anymore. It's too costly. So, I had to choose life.

This is my first post, so I hope I am doing this right. I was diagnosed with diabeties last August. My parents both have diabeties and I have to help with their care. I do not want my son to have to take care of me.
I also was remarried two years ago. I am so happy in my marriage but I hate that I have to take up part of my husband's space when we go to Detroit Tiger games, on an airplane, or at the movies.
I want to be proud of myself. This is one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. I am only 9 days out of surgery, and although it has been difficult I am hopeful.
I have enjoyed reading about everyone. Thank you!
Robyn

The Final Straw for me was going to a doctor and stepping on the scale and it hitting 540 pounds . when my mother saw the scale she looked me dead in my eyes and started crying. My mother already lost my sisters 4 years ago from complications from Multiple Sclerosis .i know when she saw that scale she saw me in a grave next to my sister. i had also been having back issues and blood pressure issues. I saw myself in a full mirror and did not recognize who i was starring at. At that point i decided that i had to do something. A Lot of people say that this is elective surgery but for me it was not elective at all. Either i have the surgery or i'm dead by the age of 30. Best decision of my life

Two years after diagnoses of diabetes, I felt like I was losing the battle. Three months after being released from the hospital I had brought my a1c from 12.6 to 5.7. After a few more months it began to climb. I realized what is meant by a progressive disease. It is so scary to realize how out of control your body can become, and to feel so helpless. To know the damage that will come in the future to my organs,limbs. I started research a year ago this month. Tomarrow my surgeons office is sending for authorization . I have a husband I love dearly, two grown daughters, two son in laws and two precious grandchildren. I want to participate un encumbered in their lives and I want to live mine.

I have watched my weight climb since I turned 40.. The doctor, family, and friends all claim that is "normal"... 110 lbs in 6 years IS NOT NORMAL... All health systems check out normal. No co-morbidities and apparently no one believed I weighed over 225 lbs. I was playing with my grandson and the boyfriend asks me what "that noise" was... That noise, was my knees... they grind so loudly. I too have shrunk an inch which doesn't help.. But I had to travel to Michigan by plane for work and the armrest wouldn't stay down because my hips were in the way... I was so embarrassed and so done living like this... I was limiting my life to accommodate my size... Not any more.. I am scheduled for surgery this Wednesday...

I know everybody has their reasons for wanting to loose weight. Mine is about mobility. As a child I had weakensses in my lower body. I had a disorder that I believe was due to a reaction to the polio vaccine. Motor Neurons died in my legs leaving loss in muscles. I pretty much got by fine & played sports as a kid but always have been leg weak! Along with this weakness I have been overweight since the age of six.
As I have aged my walking gate and weight have taken a toll on my joints. One knee more than the other and both ankles along with my back have suffered. I also have arthritis in these joints. I started shortly after the new year (2012) to have to use a walking stick to get around... & prevent falling. I have balance issues and feel it would be easy to fall. I also found myself using motorized shopping carts when in stores for the past two years.
As I started to think things over I could see that very soon I would probably not be able to walk around ... This has been my motivation for surgery. It is my hope that I will recover my ability to navigate without the aid of canes or motor scooters...
I guess I could add that taking blood pressure meds for 27 years & diabetes medicine for the past 2 years should have been enough motivation along with CPAP machine at night... But it was mobility that made me want to get help with my weight!
Beyond all this my wife & I are raising our Grandson who will be 17 months on the 15th... I cannot keep up with him which places the bulk of the burden on my wife. I cannot bear to sit back and make her do all the work! He loves us both very much and depends on us completely!

Thankyou Tracey, I really appreciate your prayers and kind words... I'm doing a bit better again now, I still sometimes zone-out when eating but am finding if I eat with people I'm a lot less self-conscious and even sharing my food diary on myfitnesspal I'm blessed to have the help I do and pray HP is looking after all of us here! *peace*

Thank you for sharing your story. I will pray for you that you can wrap your arms around this with your medical team. It will be hard work, but you can do it! Great job on your 25 lb loss already! Keep up the good work. Nine months will pass by in a flash (that's about how long I had to wait when all was said and done) Keep us posted!

You are in my prayers for a financial solution.

Wow, so many familiar stories here! Mine was a compilation of so many of them over the years, but the final straw was when I got my height measured at my doc appt. I've been 5'8" forever. Last year it was 5'7.5" (could have been a mistake, I thought), and this year it was 5'7". I'm shrinking vertically. At the same weight, I'm getting fatter and have a higher BMI every year!

My back surgery did not go as well as planned and inorder to fix my back I need to drop the weight. I have tried on my own and been unsuccessful at pretty much all I tried...I am hoping this tool will be the answer for me! I am so tired of being in pain and not wanting to go anywhere because I am embarrassed or in pain...It is time!!

I have 3 straws...
I was at my hair salon in November 2011 getting my hair colored and I went into the dressing room to put on a smock. None of them fit. I had to come back out of the dressing room and tell The stylist that they didn't fit. Next thing I know they are all looking throughout the salon for a clean smock that will fit. They couldn't find one so my stylist took his off and gave it to me (he's 6'3" and approx 240). I was 5'5" and 243. Needless to say I was so humiliated.
The next month I get a call from my dad who lives alone. He's 400 lbs and 6'3". He says he can't feel his legs (diabetic neuropathy). We go pick him up and he can barely walk. Then he falls at my house and he is so heavy that we can't help him up so we call an ambulance. It takes 3 large men to get him off the floor. Then it hits me. Watching my father in this state is what my little boy will be doing with me if I don't get things under control. I don't want to put him through what my siblings and I have gone through to get my father proper care. It was very eye opening.
In January, I start looking into WLS. This same month my little boy asks why we don't have any family photos. I made something up like I just liked taking pictures of him, but the reality is I never wanted my picture taken. This broke my heart. A few weeks into January and I run into a friend who had gastric sleeve surgery and she looked amazing. I decided that was Devine intervention a took the hint.
I had my 1st appt later that month and surgery in March. I still have problems with those darn smocks, but now its because they are too big for me. This has been the best decision I have ever made (outside of my marriage and my child of course)!
Thanks for reading.