SParkle

You're looking fabulous!! Keep up the great work.

I found it hard to break this habit too... but I stop drinking the moment I start eating.... so I get my pre dinner drink (if eating out) and drink that down, then put it to one side as soon as my 'meal' arrives. Its hard, but when you think that it helps wash food thru the sleeve, thus you'll eat more, plus if you drink and eat you may risk stretching your sleeve as well.... I read that protein lasts a lot longer in the stomach than carbs, hence the fact you feel fuller for longer, so if you can avoid any fluid going in with your protein then you'll get the best nutritional stuff out of it and stay fuller for longer. Good luck

You look fabulous! Well done!

Congrats on your sleeve! It sounds pretty normal to me.... I'm 3.5months out and can eat 4oz cottage cheese in one sitting, but nothing else. If I take my time and eat really slowly then I can spread my meal out and eat a little more, but not much more. It took me a while to get used to the tiny portions I could manage... and I often amazed myself by feeling full way sooner than I thought I would on such small amounts. But I still have great restriction. Don't rush to eat..... listen to your body and let the sleeve work for you... and then watch the results. Good luck.

I love the Lean Dessert and Syntha 6 too.... the Caramel Latte Syntha 6 is lush - and I've just ordered the Vanilla one and the Moccahino too. on the Lean Dessert front I was disappointed with the Chocolate Coconut as it wasn't very coconutty at all, but the fav was the Cinnamon one... very nice indeed!!

I was having some spicy foods...while I was trying to quit my Nexium, but was still getting a lot of acid. We went away for 12 days and as it happened I laid off the spice, and surprise, no acid.... I've not had any spice since, and only very mild issues with acid and only taken Nexium once since. I might try it again and see if it reoccurs.... as I love medium spiced things.... so I do hope its not going to erupt again as a result.... but then I'd rather lay off the spice than have the acid issues!

Fab update Tiff - thanks... although I can't see the photo.....thanks for all the support you give to us all on here.

At the moment the more I seem to eat the more I lose.... which goes against everything I have been used to in the past!!!

I'm 3.5months post op and reckon I average about 1000 per day, sometimes I'll be about 900, sometimes maybe even 1200....I don't track every day but I am eating what I want to. We've just been away for 12 days and I ate what I wanted, didn't track, and still lost 3.75lbs over the 2 weeks weigh ins! Loving the sleeve!!! I am stepping up the exercise tho - although did none apart from walking whilst away.

I was on Nexium twice a day for the first month, then down to one a day, now its as needed.... weening off slowly.

I can only really echo what the other posts say, and add that I really can't believe the change in myself since being sleeved. I used to be a huge volume eater, but now don't even miss that - infact I look at normal portion sizes in amazement..... wondering how people can eat it all. You need to be prepared to battle with any cravings and need to want to change your way of living - you will be eating to live, not living to eat. food really becomes unimportant - which considering I have spend half my life on diets of one form or another is a wierd thing to say. I'll still eat everything, having spoonful of hubbys dessert because I can, and not buying diet produce because now I don't have to..... I watch what I eat and the quantities, but I need to shed the diet mentality that has become ingrained in my brain. We went out with friends to an all you can eat chinese buffet the other night, and I was thinking what a waste of money for me..... but I managed to go up 3 times..... each time getting little portions on my plate, eating slowly and unrushed... and no one said anything about how little I was eating. I chose carefully and really enjoyed my meal! My husband is amazed that I have changed so much, and is in awe of the fact each day he wakes up to a new wife.... getting smaller by the day. like many the only regret was that I didn't do it sooner. Good luck.

Hi Jane I looked at your post just after you first did it, but couldn't relate to it or offer and advice, so didn't bother replying.... however..... I couldn't get hold of my usual vits yesterday and so bought another brand, roughly same formula. Weirdly, half way thru this one, which I prepped in the same way I felt really nauseous,and started sliming.... I put this down to the fact maybe I just drank it too quick, but the same thing happened this morning as well, so it must be something in it which is making me react to it. I'm not sure what.... and will be interested to see if anyone else has encountered this issue. I'm sorry but not being in the US I can't help with offering other brands or things for you to try... but I hope you get it sorted soon.

Thanks Maddie

You'll be there before you know it...... good luck.

Thanks - I really can't wait for our home to be a non smoking zone - even tho he doesn't smoke in the house, we have ash trays in the garden..... so it'll be a huge ceremony to get rid of them all!!

You'll come out the stall eventually.... I didn't officially stall, but had a few blips along the way where i didn't shift any for a while.... but I'd say after the 2 mth mark for me then I started losing again, and now at 3 months I'm losing about 1.5-2lbs each week. I know exactly what you mean about one mouthful too many.... I did that on a meal out, and suffered the same for a few hours after! You really have o listen to your body and eat really slowly to make sure you get your timing right. Keep up the good work!

Congrats on coming off your stall. Its so frustrating when its not coming off where you want it to, but i bet it'll catch up when you least expect it!

No idea, but I hope you get it sorted soon.... fingers crossed for you.

Thanks everyone.... can't wait for the next few months.... a whole new life ahead of me now, never looking back!

Hi Cardsfan Can I ask, when you say you've already cheated on this plan... how? Please, please remember that this isn't like any other diet, the guidelines put in place by your surgeon are done so to protect your surgery and your new stomach. Eating foods outside of your guidelines (if thats what you meant by cheating) can be really harmful especially as you're only 10 days out and still at risk from leaks - I think 6 weeks is a safe zone to get past before risks are minimised. You have the rest of your life to eat whatever you want, so please try and stick to the guide you have.... I know the last think I wanted was for a leak to happen, having had problems with a previous unrelated surgery years ago I was just thrilled when my sleeve op went without any complications. I was a self pay so I had to make sure that as it cost so much I really couldn't let myself falter from the 'rules' as I couldn't afford the money or the time to put things right. Good luck with it all..... don't do too much too soon, keep up with the walking and you'll find it drops off, even by sticking to the rules.

Hiya I can only help with my experience, but to me you should stop eating no matter what your serving size when you feel you have had enough, NOT when you start to feel nauseous. Depending what I am eating depends on how much I can eat, I can eat 3.5 - 4oz cottage cheese slowly, and be ok, but can't manage a whole small chicken thigh - the heavier the meat the less I can eat. I've never been sick (except from the antibiotics in hospital) since I was sleeved, but do find I need to eat slowly and if in doubt stop eating, push it away. You can always come back and have some more later. I'm having maybe 5 or 6 small Snacks each day, which is how my dietician wants to me continue, each one isn't that much, but calorie wise I am around the 1000 calorie mark. An idea of what I have (although I am on full foods now) Morning - weetabix and skimmed milk Mid morning - crispbread with tuna mayo on it, or couple of slices of serrano ham and a babybel cheese, or fruit and greek yoghurt Lunch - 3.5 - 4oz cottage cheese Mid afternoon - Protein shake dinner - brown rice stir fry (I make hubby one so have a tiny amount of his), or chicken thigh marinated and then grilled, or small piece of white fish and some broccoli. I've gone from eating HUGE portions to only eating tiny amounts, hubby can't really understand how I can change SO much, but I have..... you need to really take your time eating, and really listen to how full you're feeling, even if it takes 30 mins to eat each meal. Good luck - I hope I've helped a bit.....

Hiya I've already said this in a message to you, but thought it might help others on your post..... you're in a similar situation to where I was.... a lighterweight than most, so it is harder to lose. Think of it all as a % of your body weight....rather than how many lbs. I actually gained in hospital which gutted me (literally! LOL) as I'd worked so hard on my pre op diet. But now, 3 months out and I am just over my half way marker already. Don't fret - it'll happen, the first 8 weeks are the worst IMO weightwise as you have to cope with recovery, then the food stages you must go thru and the possible stalling. It'll pay off in the end, you'll see. Hang on in there!!

I had my 3 months check up yesterday and also weighed in at home today at 173.75lbs, so now officially am just over half way to my goal of 140lbs, having lost 34.75lbs since beginning of pre op diet and 50.25 since November 2009 when I started Weight Watchers before making the decision about surgery. Also my BMI is now 29.7 - I have never been happier to be officially fat instead of Severely Obese!! I remember the time I saw my Dr write OBESE on my medical records and I was mortified..... and then I went on to gain more weight..... So, bring it on........ I'm aiming for 140lbs, although when I get to 147lbs my husband will quit smoking, and if stay below it he'll stay non smoking, hence the 140lbs goal combined with input from my Dr about how much he thinks I can loose. Happy? Oh hell yes!!! :D And I'd like to add a huge thank you to all you fellow sleevers out there for the support you've given - its so good to be able to research, and chat things thru both pre and post surgery.

Congratulations Jane!! It must be such a great feeling - can't wait until I can post the same! Happy days eh?!!

Many many congrats - its such a great feeling isn't it!!! I've also just hit half way and wondered why I never did this before! Keep up the great work and you'll soon be at goal.