Domika03

Hey everyone, I had gastric sleeve surgery back in 2014. I did pretty well over the years coming from almost 240 all the way down to 140 but now about 165. I'm definitely a stress eater. This year has been a struggle & I'm not even talking about COVID. No point in sharing my reasons because they don't help. I'd like to get back on track but I don't even remember how to start. I'd like to ask what you guys are eating on a daily basis; a sample menu perhaps? I'd be so grateful if anyone could give me pointers on how to get back on the right path! Many thanks, Fran

This question goes out to anyone in the north Denver area. I had facilitated a weight loss support group a few years ago & did it for about 2 years before I had to stop. It was non-medically supervised so basically just a bunch of people looking to help & support one another in their weight loss journey. We shared everything from A to Z; talked about what surgeries we had, what worked, what didn't work, the emotional roller coaster associated with weight loss surgery, recipe suggestions, etc... You name it, we talked about it. The one rule was that everything we discussed was kept confidential. I opened it up to anyone wanting to have surgery OR that had surgery. The goal was simply to support one another. Again, I am not in the medical field nor am I an authority in the subject. What I am is an extrovert that enjoys meeting new people & helping provide support. Would you be interested in a weight loss surgery support meeting in the Westminster / Broomfield area?

5/31/19 Oh, the journey I've traveled. It's been years since I last posted but I was such an avid contributor that I thought I'd "check in" again. My weight gain started after a very depressing first marriage & continued on through single parenthood. By the time I met my current husband (of almost 20 yrs now), I guess I was comfortable with myself & my terrible eating habits. I'm not sure I can pinpoint the moment I decided to have the gastric sleeve, but like many, I got to the point where I was so damn depressed that I didn't even want to go out. I didn't want to be seen or noticed. I was incredibly embarrassed with myself. Fast forward, I had my surgery around 2014. Became a weight loss facilitator hosting support meetings for newbies & post surgery. Started a demanding job that took me away from continuing the meetings only to wind up getting laid off 1 1/2 yrs later. Found a temp job but was very unhappy with the commute so I left. Here's where you need to pay attention. I wound up unemployed for almost 7 months. I became quite depressed and, guess what gained 25 pounds back. UGH, how could this happen, right? Easy. I feel back into old habits. I didn't watch what I was eating & I certainly didn't pay attention to portion control. Granted, I didn't eat a lot in the sense of how much I ate, but it was enough. Don't think for a minute that weight loss surgery is a quick fix. It's truly a tool & you are responsible for making it work for you. We all gain weight for many different reasons but I feel it almost always is a result of a psychological journey we're going through. Fortunately, once I was employed & allowed myself to become accountable to myself again, I started Weight Watchers. Yea, you would think I knew what I had to do to lose the weight again but I needed the support & something I could 'share' with others. Here I am, 4 months later & I lost the weight. Pheww... I'm 5'2 and my average weight is around 142 pounds. I may start those support meetings up again in the North Denver area. MIght be a great resource for many as it was when I first did it .

Great article though a bit scary to confirm we we already know ~ that our stomachs will expand to hold a slightly larger capacity, "but" that WLS was always a "tool." A tool that we alone have complete control over. Treat it well & it will treat us well in return. I'm thankful every day for my tool. I'm almost 8 months post revision to sleeve, and this thought scares me. I hope it's enough to always keep me focused!!!

I really enjoyed this article & hope to incorporate it into our next N Denver Chapter Meeting Thanks for sharing! Fran

Hopefully, my attachment will work. Pre- surgery weight = 245 Current weight = 137

Three months ago today I had my band removed & revised to the gastric sleeve. In my opinion, the best decision I ever made! I kinda wish I had gone with the sleeve back in 2012, but... live & learn... While I had experience with nutrition from my band days, I'm finding the sleeve a whole new experience. A good one at that. I'm much more mindful about what I eat these days, although, I won't lie, I will munch on chips or something "unhealthy" from time to time. Why? Just because it's there, quick & easy. Old habits die hard people. I've learned what my body can handle & not handle. For example, I don't seem to tolerate starches very well, nor should I really. I've pretty much left bread, pasta & rice in my past. I might have a nibble here or there, but it'll be a rare occurrence. The crazy part is that those were probably my biggest weakness back when I was over weight. I was definitely a major carboholic! I'm happy to say that, thankfully, I really don't crave them. I do eat La Tortilla low carb tortillas sometimes as they have 12g of fiber, 80 calories, 8 g of protein and 18 carbs. For the most part, I try to look for foods that are lower in sugar & higher in protein. Not always successful, but I feel this is a work in progress. I'm learning a lot about myself, my cravings, what makes me tick, etc... I enjoy cooking so looking for healthier alternatives is actually fun for me. I know, I know. I actually plan our family menu about a month in advance. Yup, a month in advance. And no, we don't follow it to a tee, because let's face it. life happens. But, it helps keeps us somewhat organized & we all know that pre-planning is vital to our WLS success. My advice to the newbies out there (come on, you know you want to hear it, LOL): Remember that, regardless of which WLS you had (by-pass, sleeve, band...), it's only a tool. YOU are in control. YOU have the power to be successful, or not successful Be sure to follow your surgeons orders. They know what they're doing. I know we may not always agree with them, because we're impatient & just want the weight to come off, but they do have our best interest in mind. Don't just "hear" what they're saying to you, but take the time to really "listen" and understand why they're saying it. NOTE: We are all different. What works for one person may not work for another. This is a great forum to get suggestions from, but most of us are not licensed in the medical / bariatric field, so know that we're only offering suggestions & that only your Dr can give you the best advice for your situation. Plan your food ahead of time. OK, maybe not a month in advance, but definitely a day in advance. This will help you avoid bad choices. Always keep a snack handy when you're out. Something as simple as a protein bar, cheese stick...etc... Be sure to drink your fluids. I've personally struggled with getting all my fluids in on a daily basis, but it makes a difference. Find what works for you. I find that if I don't drink enough, I get light-headed & dizzy, AND run into issues with not having BM's. It's important we drink enough. Exercise: Most of us don't really enjoy this a lot. But, it's really vital to helping you with your weight loss. Oh, I'm sure you'll still lose weight if you don't do any exercise. But, um, have you seen what 50, 75, 100+ pounds of FLAB looks like? It's not pretty people. Besides, it's the healthy way to go. It'll keep your heart pumping, your muscles working nicely, keep your brain happy, and that flab not so flabby. Some people will opt to have tummy tucks & lifts, and that's OK. Now that I'm on maintenance, my next personal goal will be to...you guessed it, exercise! It's time to tone & firm up my legs & arms. Think I'll go on my recumbent bike every day again. I'll start out slowly & try to just work my way up. Looking healthy is great, but feeling it is even better! Wishing everyone continued success! PS - I've got a friend scheduled to have the sleeve on the 29th & I am soooo excited for her. I know where she's at emotionally & physically, and I look forward to helping her with the best moral support I can offer

Sounds like you've done a lot of research. Good for you for doing that, and finding this web site. For the most part, you will really find this website & the wonderful people in here, very helpful. Ask questions, read posts & take it all in. Please keep us updated on your progress. Wishing you nothing but the best!

It's an awesome feeling & you SHOULD feel great and be proud of yourself! All your hard work is paying off. Take the time to look in the mirror, and smile!

Thought I would share this information in case anyone might find this helpful. I was at WalGreen's this afternoon & stumbled upon a potential new source of protein snacks. I only bought 2 items but there were 4 or 5 different snacks that seemed to have some good protein. Brand name is Kays Naturals Here's some nutritional on the 2 items I bought: Protein Chips Crispy Parmesan (just ate this after dinner & they were tasty) 1.2 oz bag Glutten free Protein: 12g Total Fat 2.5g Total Carb: 15g Dietary Fiber: 4g Sodium: 240g Protein Cereal Apple Cinnamon (I was thinking this might be great combined with some Greek Yogurt for breakfast) 1.2 oz Glutten free Protein: 12g Total Fat: 1.5g Total Carb: 19g Dietary Fiber: 4g Sodium: 150g

As time goes by, I find myself clinging to a few favorite foods over & over again. Some have more protein than others, but still remain my "go-to" foods. Does anyone else feel the same way? Here are 2 of mine: Cabbage Pork Vegetable Soup - pork maple ground sausage, onions, cabbage, canned & drained navy beans, mixed veggies, low sodium vegetable & beef broth. Cook onions, add pork sausage. Drain, put back in pot. Add broth, veggies & navy beans. Cook for 30 minutes. Add cabbage & cook an additional 15-20 minutes. The longer it cooks, the better the flavor (in my opinion). The pork sausage & combination broths give this soup a very flavorful taste. I measure out 1 cup & freeze it for lunch or dinner. Stouffer's Spinach Souffle - I split the package into 2 servings & it's more than enough as I add some type of a protein to this (chicken or even turkey meatballs) Any others out there?

As most of us know, this weight loss journey takes us on quite the psychological roller coaster ride, starting from how we felt as overweight people (pre-surgery) and straight through to wherever we are now. I'm no exception. I made my original WLS decision back in 2012 because I was extremely depressed, and, quite frankly, felt disgusted (oh yes, disgusted), with the way I looked. My weight affected "every" aspect of my life (work, social, family & marriage). With that said, I was approved by my insurance to have lap band surgery in August 2012. I lost about 90 pounds with the band before I ran into complications mid to end last year, wound up having my band completed un-filled, and was left with the fear (a huge fear, I might add) of possibly gaining the weight back. So, I made the decision of doing a revision to the sleeve, not knowing if I would wind up being self-pay or insurance approved. Thankfully, some how, some way, my insurance covered my surgery even though I only weighed 156 pre-sleeve surgery (not considered obese but still somewhat over-weight). Fast forward to the present: I had my revision surgery Jan 2014 and have since lost about 18 pounds since. I weigh 138 pounds, am considered to be on maintenance, and am a size 8. Amazing, coming from a size 22+. Mind you, I love, love, LOVE clothes shopping now & wearing all these nice outfits. They feel great & fit soooo much better than they did before. So, what's my issue? Is there an issue? The last few days, I've actually been feeling 'fat." Yea, I said 'fat.' I understand I am not fat as defined in the dictionary "(of a person or animal) having a large amount of excess flesh." Nonetheless, I can't explain it. Don't get me wrong, I'd been feeling great about my recent weight loss & finally hitting (and passing) my weight loss goal weight. I can't put my finger on it, but I can't shake this feeling. Hopefully, this is just a temporary feeling. Heck, I'm sure it's temporary. I just don't understand where this is coming from all of a sudden. Anyone else feel this way?

I'm happy to say, that as far as I can tell, all my blood work levels show within the 'normal' range!!! I had some concerns, but am happy to say it all looks good. My 3 month follow-up is on April 7th.