joatsaint

I"ve got 2. :-)

You're laying on your side, feel a sharp pain, reach under to pull out whatever is sticking you AND IT'S YOUR RIB!!!!! I CAN FEEL MY RIBS!! :-)

You get in the car, and for the first time in your life, you have to scoot the seat forward! :-)

I have kept most of my meals very simple.

During that 1st year post-op, I was so afraid that I would "break the magic" after WLS,

that I wanted and still want my meals to be boring and basic.

I'm never going to allow food to have so much control over me again! :-)

Hey guys. So glad I found this forum. I'm entering goal weight and I'm afraid of slipping back into old eating patterns. I'm at a loss of how to eat now. For the last 6 months I've had a severe stricture which made my food choices very limited. It's opening up now and I've been able to eat more, and I need to make sure I set good habits.

1. Breakfast.

I really struggle with this one. Can you give me some low carb, low fat ideas for breakfast? I've been eating Bagels and cereal which I feel is too high carb.

2. lunch.

I hate smoothies- and I eat out a ton because of my job. Anyone have any great lunch ideas that will keep me satisfied until at least the afternoon?

3. Snack

I don't really like snacking but I do get hungry in the afternoon. I've been eating beef Jerky. Any other ideas as to what will keep in my car?


4. dinner.

I'm always at a loss for dinner. What do you eat?


5. Late night snack.< br />
I like to eat before bed although I know I shouldn't. Hopefully I can get some options here besides cereal which is my go to.


Thanks guys!!!!

What if my craving is for human brains?

Is that head hunger or am I a zombie? :-P

If you are hungry "for" a particular kind (or kinds) of food, that is head hunger. If you find yourself thinking "I could go for a burger" or "I need a cupcake" or "surely there is something crunchy and salty in these cupboards" -- that is head hunger. But if you are hungry and *anything* short of roasted kittens or fricasseed human flesh sounds good, then you are probably actually hungry.

Head Hunger for me is a craving for sweets or carbohydrates
without feeling any physical signs of hunger.

My stomach is full or at least not empty
and I don't feel the normal sensation of real hunger.

Pre-surgery, my Head Hunger came in the form of a craving
for a particular flavor... hamburgers, fries, cherry pie, ect.

Post-surgery, my Head Hunger is more generic,
just a general feeling that I want to eat, no particular flavor though.

Get my FREE eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt!

Here's what it was like when I had Head Hunger pre-op. :-)

https://youtu.be/0WwEU1ddI1k?t=5m37s

I did a quick Google search and found these 2 bariatric friendly cook books from Georgetown Community Hospital.

http://georgetowncommunityhospital.com/sites/www_georgetowncommunityhospital_com/Uploads/CookBook.pdf

http://georgetowncommunityhospital.com/sites/www_georgetowncommunityhospital_com/Uploads/BARATRIC%20COOKBOOK.pdf

I want to lose as much as I can in my first year. I will not cheat or give in etc. I went into this surgery knowing my life was changing forever & I was not going back. I have no interest in carbs or sweets shockingly. Thankfully.

So I have been looking at recipes on here & various Bariatric sites & Pinterest & I am worried when I see carbs. I want to stay away from carbs.

So I am calling out to all of the VERY STRICT sleevers who are in their first year or who are past their first year and were strict. I am looking for ideas of recipes with no carbs & no sugar please.

Can we start a thread going here to support each other? Thanks in advance

I was very strict my first year and stayed completely on my recommended diet.

But that diet included carbs - in the form of vegetables - low glycemic vegetables, high in Fiber. (broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts...)

Staying away from processed foods/sugar is a good thing, but I still needed carbs for energy and the nutrients that were in those foods.

Carbs are not a bad thing and I didn't need to stay completely away from them.

I have a couple of recipes that I used A LOT the first year:

I started taking tablets as soon as I was released to full foods.

I tested Frankensleeve by taking a half tablet the first time.

When he had no reaction, I started taking a whole tablet.

The hardest part was being able to swallow enough Water to wash it down.

At 1 month, I still wasn't able to take in much more than a tablespoon of Water per swallow.

I'm 3 years out and gained back 15lbs since March. I'm struggling to lose the weight too.

There are 3 things that have worked for me in the last 3 weeks.

1) watch my portion size, go back to using my old bowls and plates - that way I know how much I'm eating.

2) stop eating when I'm satisfied and not over full. Frankensleeve lets me know when hes too full, but I've gotten back into the "clean your plate" club. I've decided, I'd rather put less food on my plate, rather than have too much and feel the need to finish it all.

3) reduce/eliminate sugar, high glycemic vegetables/fruit, processed/canned/frozen foods and meals. I'm cooking as much of my food as possible and eating things "that are the ingredients for other things". :-)

My primary diet is pretty simple - roasted/crock pot pork or chicken, vegetables (brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower), high Protein bars, limited fruit (at most 2 of these per day - apples, pears, plums...), and nuts (less than 20 per day - almonds, pecans, ...no peanuts)

I have up to 3 cheat meals per week - Tuesday/Friday/Sat night. I don't go crazy, but I do eat a few more of the "bad for me" foods.

So far it's working. I've lost 5 lbs in 3 weeks.

You can follow my adventure in Battling Regain in this thread:

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/352539-ive-regained-weight-what-do-i-do-about-it/

I don't know if you've had an opportunity to read up on the psy eval, but it was pretty easy.

The doc only wanted to know that I knew what I was getting myself into.

And was mentally prepared to make the changes necessary to be successful at WLS.

He wasn't out to disqualify me, after all, it was in his best interest to see that I passed.

I'm sure my doc would not refer his patients to a psych. that disqualified his patients for frivolous reasons.

Get my free eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt!

In my case, it was a change in job and lifestyle that were the main factors.

#1 - I went from a job that allowed me to get off work early enough that I could walk for an hour each evening, to a job that barely allows me enough time to get home, check my email, eat and get to bed.

#2 - I went from being single to being in a relationship.

And she likes to eat food with more flavor (and more variety) and drink wine.

So, I kinda let myself start enjoying a bit more of the higher calorie foods and wine.

I've just allowed myself to get too complacent.

And I need to get back to my old habits of being more observant of what and how often I'm eating.

No snacking out of boredom, no eating out of habit.

Adjusting my caloric intake on my non-date nights to take in to account the extra calories I'm eating on date nights.

If I hadn't had those changes in my life, I'd still be eating the same foods and exercising like I was last year.

In my case, I became alarmed when I gained 5lbs and kept in on for months.

I got more worried when I gained 5 more.

When the extra weight went to 15lbs (11lbs now.... I've lost 4lbs) :-)

I decided it was time to take action before things got out of hand.

I have noticed this to be a pattern with long term veterans (2-5 years out from surgery). Not significant gains, like 10-20 pounds.

Is this something I can expect after a certain amount of time post sleeve? Doesn't it seem the norm? And when DO you just chalk it up to normal adjustments in weight and OMG I NEED TO DO SOMETHING?

This interests me.....

Thanks gowalking,

I have a plan, but I'm always open to new ideas. :-)

I'm sure others would like to hear your ideas too.

Because, what may work for me, may not fit the needs of someone else.

Your title is misleading.

I was going to tell you that you know what to do...but you beat me to the punch! Good luck on your journey back to mindful eating!

I've gained weight!!!!! What do I do about it?
Here's my plan to shed the pounds and get back on track!

I started 2015 weighing about 205 ~ 208lbs.
Now I've gained about 15lbs, as of September 2015.

I've had some life changes - new job, new relationship, going on more vacations.
All of which I've allowed to slowly get me away from the good habits I was practicing - that kept the weight off.
So here's my "adventure" in losing the weight I've regained.

I'm making it public for 2 reasons.
1) Watching my progress may help someone else.
2) It holds me accountable. Going public with my "adventure" in the Couch 2 5K jogging program worked for me. This should too! :-)

I'm going to be completely transparent and you will see how I deal with the things that are bound to get in the way.

I'll be posting video updates once a week to show my progress. Feel free to thumb them up or down. :-)
Get my free eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt!

I've created a spreadsheet that has my daily weigh-ins, plus what I'm eating and when.<br />
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1byhGB7pGMnvS_0L0YtQmjq3bejBPaDESEQVuSibXksM/edit?usp=sharing
The Intro:

Week 01 Update

Week 02 Update:

Week 03 Update:
I had a long weekend of debauchery at the Texas Renaissance Festival.
Even walking 20 thousand steps was not enough to burn off all the calories I ate! :-(

I've had to take Milk of Magnesia in the past. I took a double dose. 3 hours later, it was showtime! :-)

Other people have mentioned Smooth Move Tea, but I'm not a tea drinker and have never tried it.

When it comes to how often to weigh yourself, it is very controversial.

Some say once a week

Others say once a month

More say only weigh when you go in to the doctor for your follow-ups.

I made a deal with myself. I can weigh as often as I want, but only the morning weigh in counts.

The rest are just for my own amusement.

After 3 years, I'm still with that system.

I need the daily feedback to know I'm on track.

There's no right or wrong system, the best choice is the one that works for you.

Get my free eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt!

I had planned on using the savings from the food I was NOT going to be eating to pay for my surgery. :-)

I figured I was eating about $15 a day and would decrease to $5/day after.

And the savings would pay for my surgery in about 3 years.

I was pretty close in my estimation.

My Protein drinks only cost a little over a dollar each.

My food costs are very low.

I take the store brand generic Multivitamins.

I average about $7/day on all expenses related to eating and supplements.

Well, I got a new healthier body, a better job, my 1st real relationship.

I used to be a complete introvert, I'm now an extroverted introvert. :-P

You would have never caught me on camera pre-surgery.

AND best of all, I'm no longer going to be "one of the first to go" when the Zombie Apocalypse happens. (Watch the movie Zombieland to get the reference.)

Get my FREE eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt! http://frankensleeve.com

I knew about nutrition and the right things/portions to eat.... from years of dieting.

But I just couldn't control my hunger.

I was found to have a hiatal hernia after they did the pre-op EDG test on me.

But my doc never said it would interfere with the Sleeve surgery. He said it was very common and he routinely repaired the hernias as part of the operation.

But, I decided on the Sleeve before I chose a surgeon.

And found a surgeon that preferred doing the Sleeve.

I had a hiatal hernia and he repaired it during the Sleeve surgery.

He does both Sleeve and Bypass, but he never mentioned the Bypass option.

My face was the first thing I noticed.

They say, when losing weight, fat is lost from the most recent place it was stored.

So it takes a long time to lose weight in areas like the stomach and hips

- which are the first places we tend to store fat.

For me, I only gained weight in my face in the last 3 years pre-op,

and that's where I saw the most changes right after surgery.

I like Grape, Cherry, strawberry,.... but always go back to Lemonade flavor.

This week I found Jolly Rancher sugar free drink mix. It comes in Watermelon, Cherry, and Green Apple.

They taste great. I would say they taste like their candy counterparts,

but I haven't eaten a Jolly Rancher candy in years.

Now if only they would make the grape flavor in sugar free powder.

I found the Jolly Rancher sodas in grape (years ago) and they taste sooooo good.

But I gave them up because of the sugar.

I"m pre-op so I haven't hit that taste changing phenomenon.

I do like Crystal Light in most every flavor that I've tried.

I notice that there is a wide, wide range in sweetness in the various flavors. Their grape is awesome.....I really enjoy it.....but its much sweeter than other version. I loaded up this week when the local BiLo store had Crystal Light on sale. I looked like a Crystal Light fiend when I hit the checkout line.

I like sugar free pops. Frankensleeve didn't like them. Something about the artificial sweeter sent him into fits during those 1st weeks post-op. He grew to like them, but it was a rough trip. :-)

I've drank Crystal Light lemonade for years. And was drinking it the day I returned from the hospital. Never had a problem with it. But don't get me started on sugar free Popsicles! Frankensleeve never liked those!

What don't you like about sugar free pops? I have one every day for my 'dessert' if you want to call it that

I drink about 80-100 oz a day 3 weeks after surgery and about 90% of what I drink is crystal light, but I only use one packet per gallon compared to the recommended two packets. It makes it taste not like Water but not too sweet.

Thank you Cervidae. I wouldn't have been brave enough during my 1st year post-op.

Since losing the weight, my self-confidence has really soared and I want to help as many people as I can come to their own decision about WLS as fully informed as possible - the same way I wanted to know.

I'm never going to forget how nervous, unsure, and scared I was in the beginning.

Hopefully I can help others by sharing what I've learned.

I am nowhere near brave enough for this... I do, however, greatly admire you and everyone else able to do this! This is really awesome!

I hope it's good. I am used to being on camera alone. This will be a new NSV for me. :-)

Congratulations! its kind of amazing to have this good attention isnt it.

I went with the Sleeve because it was the least invasive. No rerouting of my intestines.

But it is slightly more difficult to lose weight as opposed to the Bypass - I've lost and kept off 160lbs for 3 years.

With the Bypass, intestines are rerouted and food isn't absorbed as well afterwards and taking a Multivitamin for life is necessary.

BUT having said that, I know 3 ladies that are 3, 5 and 11 years post-op Bypass and have lost the weight and kept it off.

We are all very happy with our results.

I don't think you can go wrong with either surgery.

I would go with my doctor's recommendation, he's in the best position to advise you.

Get my free eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt!

Hang in there! I had to lose 130lbs before I could quit my CPAP.

I had tried sleeping without the CPAP several times in the previous months when I was 90, 100, 100+ lbs down, but could not sleep without it. There was no weening off of the CPAP for me.

One week I HAD to use it, the next week I was off of it forever.

One of the symptoms I experienced when I was getting close to getting off the CPAP:

I would wake up in the night belching and passing gas like crazy!

I was passing so much gas that it was waking me up. :-P

i visited my pulmonologist yesterday and he told me he fully expects my sleep apnea will resolve but stated it wil take me losing 50-100 lbs. I asked my surgeon how much weight I would need to lose for the apnea to stop and he said "everyone is different." I have been on the CPAP machine since May and I cannot tell any difference at all. I am so tired some days I feel drunk. When I'm driving, I cant wait to get to a stop light so I can close my eyes for a minute. My apnea was classified as MODERATE.