shy4574

We all definitely have our own paths to lead and we each need to find what works for us. I think we each need to find the lifestyle which we feel we can maintain not for just a few months, but for the long haul. If that, for you, means eliminating carbs (non-veggie), then I am happy you have found what works for you.
Myself, no way. I do love the occasional cracker with cheese ... can't pass up a small piece of pumpkin bread, either. But, I try to balance this with some exercise or other clean living.
Cindy, I see you are crossing into the 6 month post op category. Do you feel you need to eliminate carbs because the rate of loss is slowing or are there other indications for which you feel you need to eliminate them? 'Cause, you know, even with perfect adherence, your rate of loss is going to slow ... right?
Like Back2Barb asks ... if it isn't too personal, many other sleevers may benefit from your struggles and issues with carbs.

Cindy, I really don't mean to pry, but you would most definitely not be boring me with more details.

8.5 months post-op
down 101 pounds as of this morning.... Im 6 pounds away from "normal" BMI... I wear a size 10
trial for triathlon in 4 days...
Issues:
I had a stricture and trouble moving from liquids to mushies ( basically stayed on liquids for nearly 12 weeks and then straight to regular food)
I got dehydrated twice
some issues related to Vitamin & mineral absorption I had before VSG were worsened
I still cannot eat most chicken or turkey ( can do breast or chicken salad but no baked or fried, roasted, etc for some reason)
I get dumping everytime I have cake/cookies
I get sharts when I drink more than an ounce of juice...
DESPITE IT ALL I HAVE NOT A REGRET!!

Okay, sometimes my mind plays tricks and i don't see myself accurately. I was noticing over the last few weeks that my face looks a little drawn, a little thinner. My other meter, which is attention from the opposite gender is definately falling off too - but I think that happened when my boobs disappeared sometime in the last 10# lost...lol
It makes no sense because i have only lost maybe a couple of pounds since i hit goal in late Feb. I am not really trying to lose alot more, just wanting to get a little under goal to give me some "flex room" - goal is the top of my weight range now! I am also slowly adding in more food and wanting to coast into maintenance. I expected to stop losing becuase i increased my carbs but so far, I am still slowly losing.
Anyway, today I had a meeting with my boss who hasnt seen me in about 2 weeks and she said "it looks like you have lost more weight!". We agreed that it is probably just re-distributing but it was like "thank God someone else sees this. Maybe I am not completely nuts"
Anyway, my partner is of no help, he really does not have the best attitude toward this stuff. He thinks I can get thinner and is fairly oblivious to the fact that the "jelly roll" around my middle is skin and not fat. It plays with my brain.... I have decided to stay focused on what the surgeon and plastic surgeon tells me because i can see where it is very tempting to get quite thin.
A friend of mine who is itty bitty framed and only 5'0" tall is now under 100#. She told me that when I shared my weight (mid 150s) and she felt that I look better then she does that she realized that she is too thin. It was like it shook her up to realize that she looks like a broomstick - and in all honesty she does look too thin. She has never been anerexic but is seeing how it happens. She has alot of anxiety, and when she looks in the mirror she just thinks getting thinner will be better. IT is good to have other people help guide us on these topics since the brain plays funny tricks.
So, we are all individuals, but i truly do have a large frame and being at the upper end of the BMI "normal" seems about right to me. I am okay losing a few more, but i do not need or want to get down to a lower end of the normal BMI range.
Anyway, today for the first time I had that irrational thought "what if I can't stop losing". I about laughed at myself because I have a lifetime experience on how to gain weight. should it come to that, I suspect I can figure it out.

Have to share my new breakfast recipe.......1 scoop protien powder, 1 egg, and milk to the consistency you like for a pancake, pour in heated pan, add blueberries and make like a pancake YUMMY! With the Protein Powder my Dr has me using this one pancake has 17 grams Protein. As of today I have lost 40 lbs since surgery YEAH ME!

I am just over a month. I have been hitting 500-600 calories. The surgeon & NUT said I should be shooting for 800 and 80g of protein with approximately 1/2 of my calories from protein then 25% fat & the other 25% from carbs.
I must say it is hard to do!!!
I have been stalled, but the other day my husband was walking slower behind me. I asked him what he was doing...he said he was checking out my butt!!! LOL he said he could tell I'm losing!! Success!!!!

Nice treat.. Especially for new post-ops - SF chocolate pudding mixed with SF black cherry jello... Tastes like a chocolate-covered jelly ring :-)

I'm guessing you have been focusing on doing the low-carb thing? Do you know what your carb intake is?
This is a common falacy with new sleevers. We get sleeved and think we have to go on a diet. Huh?
The sleeve restriction is going to do that for us. We need to focus on getting well balanced meals. Make sure you are getting enough Protein, fats and carbs. Get a good variety of foods.
Don't diet, just eat smaller portions ... sleeved ... right?

If you are anywhere near Grand Rapids (they have patients from all over Michigan, Indiana and Illinois.) This is a great bariatric practice with superior surgeons. I HIGHLY recommend it. I had Dr. Foote who is very skilled. I had no complications, feel great and have lost 31 lbs in 6 weeks. I am 67 years old.

My Dr said to stay away from those protein shots bcuz it comes from i think he said collagen and that is not the type of protein we need to b consuming.

My husband was eating Stacy's pita chips and jalapeño and artichoke dip this afternoon and I kept hearing him crunch those delicious pita chips so I put one in my mouth and sucked on it and then spit it out just to get the flavor! My friend is a dietician and she actually said that to me the other day! If you get a bad craving for something then take a small bite chew it and then spit it back out!!

I'm in Vegas on vacation. Ran 2.5 miles today. First time for that in over 2 years!
Down about 45lbs in about 5 weeks.
Doc even gave me permission to have some wine/Bloody Mary's while I'm here.
Let the games begin!

I eat scrambled eggs, string cheese, tuna salad, ricotta bake, chicken salad, soft chicken...your food needs to be swallowed the consistency of apple sauce, so any high protein, low fat/carb food is great! My doctor said the more protein I can get from real food the better it is.

Look how much you've lost! Of course your energy is low. I'm at 5 weeks post-op too, have lost 51 lbs. including pre-op diet. Once I moved from liquid to soft I gained 8 and then plateaued for a week. The last few days I've been losing 1 to 2 lbs a day. Just saw my endocrinologist yesterday. She said hang in there, to expect low energy when getting 700-800 calories a day. Once off soft, and off exercise restriction I hope to have more energy. Everybody's body seems to be a little different with plateaus and rate of weight loss. It's certainly an adventure! Hang in there and don't get discouraged.

5 weeks out I was doing pretty good loosing the weight. Started out 263 down to 216. Seems like I hit a plateau. My only problem right now is that I'm feeling tired...even with the Vitamins. Anyone one having this issue...

I was sleeved 2/25 - exactly three weeks ago. I've lost 18 pounds since the surgery - so, six pounds a week.
I had already lost a total of 124 pounds on my six month pre-op diet (required by my insurance )and the two-week pre-op liquid fast.
If I can continue to lose 4 or 5 pounds a week, I'll reach my goal (under 200 lbs) by the end of the year.

My NSVs at this stage:
1. Only 30lbs lost and intimacy has become waaaay fantastic
2. Knees not hurting walking up stairs
3. Clothes are very baggy
4. Some smaller clothes look amazing on me again
5. Back not hurting as much when I wake up in the am
6. I can cross my legs cross cross applesauce style
7. My curves are noticeable again!
More to come I'm sure :-)

I started my pre-op diet today gearing up for the sleeve on the 26th. My doctor has me drinking 4 of the BariEssential shakes. I was so relieved to add the PB2, because I was struggling with just the Protein added to Almond Milk. It was too foamy for my liking.

Whew!! I was a little nervous posting that! Seriously though, this is a significant change in your life. You can't half-ass this one. You're either all-in, or you're out. I like the posts I've seen from you, and I'd really like to see you succeed.
Best,

First of all, I am so sorry if I posted this in the wrong forum,

Second, I cant seem to find an answer to all of my questions about life with the sleeve....

I am going to post a whole bunch of questions and you dont have to answer all of them, only the one you know the answer to (just to make it easier)
I Live in theTexas Border and I am currently going to
DR. MICHAEL C. MORRIS, M.D. (Lone Star Surgical)
General, Laparoscopic & Bariatric Surgeon
He is a fairly young Dr. But He's the Trauma Director, Sub-director of ICU and Medical Director of Bariatrics at the Laredo Medical Center. (One of the Only 2 hospitals we have here)
So I thought it was one of my best choices.....
(Any Comments on Dr Morris?? Has anybody here been sleeved by him??)
Anyhow.... as for my questions...

I am Hispanic, so our foods are TRADITIONAL, We dont eat them often but when we do I would love to at least have a taste...

1-Compared to the lapband how difficult is it to eat "whatever"? Am I going to feel like I am going to die if I have a bite of something not considered Diet food? ?

2-Does the sleeve control your life as much as the band?

3-Has anybody gotten pregnant with the sleeve? If so how did it affect you?

4-Can you vomit with out any consequences? Unlike the band that puking is a BIG NO NO! (I mean 10 months after my surgery, if I get the Flu, will I be ok to let it take its course with all the puking?)

5-Do you get MALNURISHED with the sleeve?

6-Once you have reached your weight goal....can you STOP loosing weight? ( I dont want to be 5'7 and be 98lbs you know?)

7-Will I have to visit my DR every 2-3 weeks like with the band for the rest of my life??

8-WORST PART ABOUT HAVING THE SLEEVE??

9-CAN YOU DO SIT UPS AND CRUNCHES WITH THE SLEEVE?
(dumb question I know)

10-Is weight loss really alot faster with the sleeve than with the band??


11-Worst part about the sleeve Diet?


Ok I think that is all for now:blushing:
Knowing me I will probably have more later.....
Thank You :001_smile:!!!

This is what I packed for Breakfast and lunch today:
Protein shake with 6 oz milk, vanilla Protein and SF orange flavoring
2 oz ahi tuna steak
2 oz cottage cheese
5 slices of cucumber
1 oz Greek yogurt with blue cheese stirred in
5 high protein crackers I got at Cost Plus
The tuna is great protein. I cooked it fresh, but you can get it out of a can if you can't find ahi.
The cottage cheese is 2% fat from the store
Peel and slice a cumcumber
Mix 3 oz. Fage Greek yogurt with 2 oz of blue or gorganzola cheese. Take only 1 oz as a dip for the cucumber
I would skip the crackers if you can't find low carb, high protein ones.
Tomorrow I am having a Protein Shake, shrimp with cocktail sauce, cottage cheese, low carb crackers, cucumber and greek yogurt dip.
Next day: Protein Shake, 2 oz pan seared filet mignon, greek yogurt dip, cucumber and dip
Day after: Protein shake, Slice of turkey wrapped around a slice of avocado, 1 oz cheese, roasted chick peas.
It's not that you are going too fast. Most of us would not be eating fast food and if so, the bun would not be eaten.
I would definetely suggest nutrition classes and cooking classes. To me it's second nature. I forget that some folks just don't cook. Like the ahi. I went to Trader Joes and got sashimi grade ahi. I marinated in in soy, lemon juice, garlic and cayenne pepper. I heated up a cast Iron pan with a tiny bit of oil. I like mine really rare so I seared each side for 1 minute.
Barbecuing is a GREAT way to make healthy food. Get a lean piece of skinless chicken, pork or lean beed like fillet, london broil or even sirloin. Marinate the meat in your favorite herbs and spices. Grill. You can grill vegetables as well.
It looks like yor weight loss is fine, but I guaratee you will feel better eating good food that you make.

Hey, it is obviously working for you. I was sleeved the same day, 1/17. Two more weeks of the liquid phase and then two weeks of pureed phase for me. I do find it strange that you weren't given a post-op diet.

When you made the decision to pursue WLS and have the courage to come on here to admit your weakness, you've earned the right to stop beating yourself up over food. I agree, move forward, get back on track, be kind to your body and prepare it for surgery.

Yup! 26th here too. How do you feel just finding out and it's less than two weeks away? Excited?