Globetrotter

Why though, of all the surgeries, would she go with the one with the lowest rate of success and highest rate of complication (lap)? Did she have the original "classic" gastric bypass?

I haven't lost in 3 months.

You ever have one of those days where you wake up, and you just feel swollen and heavy, and you just know the scale is going to have bad news? Yeah, that was today for me. While watching the NCAA championship last night I ate a small piece of pepperoni pizza, one meatball, and about 2 tablespoons of bean dip. I weighed myself this morning and? Up five pounds since a week ago, 9 pounds from my all time gall-bladder induced lowest. I may feel awesome at 11-1400 calories and have awesome energy at the gym but my fucked up body (excuse me) gains weight apparently if I do anything other than starvation 600. I am so miserable frightened angry upset right now, I have no words.

So, give us the contact info Dooter!

Hmmm, I have an idea ... What if all of us from VSG sent individual email complaints to the same address you did? That way, they would notice a spike in displeasure for their Albuquerque store,and pay attention to it? Coud work ...

I realized this morning that my sweets intake has really sky rocketed, which is confusing because I thought I was making the good conscientious choice by using stevia rather than sugar? In any given day though, I drink 4-6 cups of (stevia) sweetened hot tea, put SF torani in my yogurt and protein shake (that stuff is SO sweet), also put stevia in the yogurt, and have some kind of chocolate. Wonder what the trigger for all this is, am I not getting enough protein? Water? Is it because of my running? Hmm.

At 18 months out and 125 pounds lost, one would think I would know the answer to this but apparently I have forgotten. Can anyone help me? Right now it seems as though nothing I eat gives me total satisfaction or keeps me full for very long. I may eat something that has me feeling uncomfortably full after only 2 ounces worth, but it doesn't last, and an hour later I'm capable of eating more. Now, I know that some of it is head hunger and that is a different battle/aspect of the process, but can anyone tell me/remind me of certain foods that may provide me with a long lasting feeling of fullness and satisfaction? I'm already making sure to not eat and drink at the same time and I also wait to drink for 30 minutes after eating. I eat 5 times a day, (3 meals and 2 snacks), one every 3 hours, from 7-7.

The chocolate craving might actually be a need for magnesium, studies have shown that the link between women, TOM, and chocolate cravings isn't just a cliche. Rather, that we are super low on mag during TOM and chocolate is super high in mag, not to mention the fact that magnesium is a mood stabilizer and chocolate also contains the same chemical compound released by the brain when in love and most definitely yes, chocolate makes you feel better!!

I can now wrap my ankle around the back of his opposite hip =P

And you know it's not just that, it's everything, just touching is so amazing now! Being able to press warm skin against warm skin and really be able to press and be close, awesome!

Coops - oh dear! Sounds like the universe is telling you to slow your roll, and for your loved ones to take care of you for a bit =/ 600 calories was not good, to say the least. A Very Low Calorie Diet may be correct when one is super morbidly obese but it is not right for an average overweight person, my heart fluttered rapidly, I was dizzy and lethargic and could hardly move. I'm trying 800 instead plus steady daily running.

Go to an air conditioned gym!

A truly meaningful NSV for me: apart from all of the appearance-based motivations as I've lost weight, I had fitness goals. They included being able to do one perfect push-up, one classic pull-up, and being able to run 1 mile comfortably. After a year and a half I have now achieved the mile, and it feels awesome!

I'm impressed by your embracing of such a healthy mind set! And how warped is it that my next emotion was jealousy, that I weigh only 2 pounds more than you, and wear 14's! not fair.

Okay, here goes my experiment! Today I will eat one egg, one protein shake made with water, one container of greek yogurt with walnuts, and one protein shot, for a total of 600 cals, 78g protein, 21g carbs. After work I will go for a 2 mile run or 20 minutes of intervals, and lift weights. If it works like I hope it will, I should be down 3 pounds by the weekend. Let's see what happens!

Thanks Iowa, as of this morning I am 168 and am going to try the 600 experiment. I have to remind myself that this won't actually hurt, because I don't feel hunger. It will be interesting to note all of the emotions I feel, that will be brought up, like anxiety. Today I will have one egg, one protein shake made with water, one container of greek yogurt with walnuts, and one protein shot. 600 cals, 79g protein, 21g carbs. After work I will run 2 miles and lift weights, let's see what happens!

I've had it - I have tried everything, changed up the exercise, changed up the foods, increased calories, reduced calories, etc. etc. and I am just not losing, in fact, I am slowly slowly gaining, just like I have all of my life! I'm miserable about it. So, I am going back to 600 calories a day, <30 grams carbs, just like post-op. I'm sad to do it but I can't think of anything else. The only thing that scares me is that I am not super obese anymore so I don't know how my average body will react, will it shut down my metabolism? Make me unable to lose weight later? Make me gain if I try to eat regular cals? I started at 294, am currently 170 (lowest post-op was 164). Thoughts, advice, suggestions?

The only time I saw significant loss was when I kept to around 600 calories a day <30g's carbs in my first 6 months. Since then as my calories have gone up, so have my struggles to lose every frickin' ounce increased.

Honestly I don't know anymore what amount I should be eating and I have no guidance on this! Nobody ever seems to talk about the drastic changes in how your body loses weight once you are no longer morbidly obese and are just chunky trying to get to goal. I am 40 lbs away from goal and take in around 1200 calories a day. I upped this from 800 cals a day. My energy is better, but I whether at 800 or 1200, I haven't lost weight since the new year. =(

Group therapy is not for me, but I will see what my insurance covers.

I would love therapy, but am intimidated by the cost.

@Lila21 - intervals is what I've been doing, that 1-2 miles is cumulative.

I forgot about Eggface's tortilla pizzas, I may try those, but I'm really trying to cut out all unnecessary carbs right now, sort of a back-to-my-roots carb cleanse. @ SweetP, I've got all the ingredients for that at home right now, I will make it for dinner and report back!

I have a friend, non-VSG, who had hers out a few years ago and she blames everything on her not having a gallbladder, claims she can't lose weight because of it, claims she gains weight more easily because of it, is adamant that it is unnecessary to have it out and that all manner of bad things are a result of having it out. She blames quite a bit on not having a gallbladder, come to think of it. I'm 40+ lbs away from goal so it is scary to think that having it out could negatively affect my weight loss =(

Does anyone remember or know where I can find a recipe for crustless pizza? I know of the Eggface pizza bites but those are egg-based and don't sit well in El Sleevo. I'm craving the taste of pepperoni and the gooeyness of cheese ...