Robeania

I am going through the same slow process and it is very frustrating! I know muscle weighs more, but I would like to see some reward on the scale! I was sleeved August 18th and I have only lost 30lbs. I started out eating about 500-600 calories a day, now it is closer to 800. I exercise about 30 minutes 5 days a week. The worst part is that I lost 20lbs the first week and then it haulted to a crawl! I have been at a 30lb loss for a month now and I get fearful that after everything thing this is going to be it, that is all I will lose!

I agree!! What happened. I definately do not check in as much as I used to because it takes too much time.

I tried potatoe soup and it affected me the same way. I tried it again a couple of weeks later and it still hurt. I decided that potatoe's don't offer that much value anyway. Though they never bothered me before?

You are such an inspiration! I love to hear these success stories! I hope mine will be like yours one year out. Great job!!

I have gone through this also. I have tried every diet there is and exercised and then did not loose the weight. Then I found when I started to be really focused and started a plan of action it became easier. I decided that I was going to prove to the medical community that there was something dramatically wrong with me, something that they had never seen. I bought a little notebook and I wrote down every single bite I ate, even if I licked my fingers. I got a scale and weighed everything I ate. I included condiments, drinks, every single thing. When I started recording I was surprised to find that I was eating far more than I thought. Some items had far more calories than I thought they did. I started making new choices. Still it was slow. This part is the hardest...pre sleeve. Just look at it as temporary to get you into surgery. Now I use a tool called My Food Diary. It is $9.00 a month, but all I have to do is weigh my food. The diary will calculate the rest for me. Every fast food and chain food item I put in is in there, if that is something you can afford. As for exercise I just walk a mile and a quarter a day. I have a set of weights at home and at the office. Every spare moment I have at work I do a set (like when my computer is sluggish) I know it must be working because I can "feel" it. I do get teased about it, but at least they know that I am trying to do something about my weight. The gym is like that too. Anyone that looks at us can tell we are over weight, but if you are in the gym working out you are respected for doing something about it. You can do this! :thumbup:Putting a plan together can really help, write it down. Get mad! Say you are going to do it and you will. Also, when you are writing everything down you can create a victory every day by accomplishing the goal you set for that day. So, at least if the scale doesn't budge, you accomplished something! Also, I was trying to loose on 1200 calories a day and it was not working. My doctor said to drop it to 800 a day. That is really hard before surgery, but it did work for me. It finally came off.

I had the same problem and scratching around the area worked best for me, as fatjuicymouse suggested. I also distracted myself. I am 7 weeks out and sometimes they still itch, but not bad. The biggest shock was when the tube scar started to get sucked in like a belly button. I know I will never wear a bikini again, but it was really ugly. I started putting putting Mederma on the scars and they have really faded out and the tube scar is now flat. Whew:w00t:

Thank you! I will have to try that. We should have this in Houston. I just never knew to look for it! You have some terrific ideas! I hear you on portion control. I have learned to measure everything because my guess work is not the best. I just ordered the Perfect Portions Food Scale recommended by Dr. Oz. That sounds as though it will help me even more in that regard. Thank you again for the information. They are on my grocery list for this weekend.:001_smile:

Wow Georgiegirl, you have some great menu ideas! Thank you for sharing! What is jicama? A snack that I like sometimes is a slice of lean lunch meat. Inside I either put a slice of cheese or I spread on hummas. If I put cheese on it I will melt it just a tad. Then inside I will put some cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes...whatever sounds good, then I roll it up and eat it like a taco. It is good with only the cheese and hummas too.

I had my gastric sleeve surgery August 18, 2010. I am older, in my late 50's, so I was worried about my recovery. Everything went extreamly well. I only had a couple days of real discomfort, then each day was better and better. I really like my Doctor, though I would not ever go back to the same hospital. The staff was horrible. Once I got home I recovered quickly. In my first week I lost 20 lbs! I was elated...then nothing. At my one month check up, I had lost 5 more lbs. So, it felt very disappointing that in 3 weeks I had only lost 5lbs. Then again, I am not sure what my expectations should be? At first I was not hungry at all. I could have skipped every meal. Then, as I was able to add solid foods, my hunger came back with a vengance. Luckily, I get full quickly, about half a cup to 3/4 cup, but then I am hungry again in a half an hour. I try to resist as much as I can, but I find that I have to have a snack. I try to keep the snacking to sugar free Jello or fruit, but the pattern of hunger bothers me. It is worse at work, during the day. I am not quite as hungry in the evening, though I do usually have an after dinner treat of fruit or a sugar free popcycle. I am getting my 40 grams of Protein every day, and drinking about 32oz of Water. So, I am not sure what to do at this point to keep the hunger at bay. It reminds me of the same problem I had before the surgery, except I need less food. I exercise 30-40 minutes each day, either walking a mile and a quarter or lifting weights. If my weight loss stays consistant that will be great, but I fear it will just stop, as it is so slow in these initial stages when the weight loss is supposed to be at the highest peak. I have not been able to find a good support group in my area so finding this forum has been a wonderful surprise!:thumbup:

Thank you! I will give that a try:thumbup1:

You have done an outstanding job! Especially with the loss you had PreOp. That shows the determination you had when you went into this! We must have had our surgery about the same time. I had mine on August 18. I did not lose any weight PreOpt, but I must admit I did not try that hard. I have lost 25lbs since my surgery. But, like you, I feel an inner strength that I could never find before. And when I dieted before, the hunger would become so overwhelming that I couldn't think of anything but food. Then every weekend I would give up. Now I can go out to eat, have a taste and feel as satisfied as I would with a whole meal before. This is the best solution I have found and the encouragement keeps me going. The success stories give me faith.:thumbup:

Me too! I just noticed it about 5 days ago! Natually it was AFTER I saw my Doctor! No one else (like my Hubby) has noticed and he said my breath is ok. So, I wonder what it is. I have been bathing like crazy and trying all different kinds of soaps. And the last couple of days I have been itching like crazy, maybe all of that bathing?:thumbup:

Absolutely! I cannot stay away from the scale. My Doctor told me to just weigh myself once a week. Right! I weigh myself twice a day. Morning and night. Plus, I fear that if I weigh myself just once a week I will catch myself on one of those days where my weight is up and become even more discouraged! So, I keep weighing myself, but I try to not take the numbers to heart. It sounds like you are doing all of the right things, eating what you are supposed to...I am sure you will do great. I can't wait to see how we are all doing 6 months from now!:thumbup:

My insurance would not cover the sleeve either. I had to borrow the money from my 401K. HR told me that it looks like they may start covering the sleeve up the road, but I did not want to wait. I knew a couple of people that had the band and were not happy with the complications. I am very, very happy with my decision. At 6 weeks out I feel back to normal in every way, except that I can only eat small portions. Not to say that my work is over, it has only just begun, with the exercise, making the right food choices, but I don't miss eating the way I did in the past at all!

One week after my surgery I lost 20lbs and I thought this was going to be a breeze...then I hit a stall. I thought I was the only person who wasn't loosing weight after surgery! I cried myself to sleep a couple of times. My scale did not budge the second week, the third week, and then in the 4th week I lost 5 more lbs. I am now in my 6th week and I have not lost any more weight. Reading everyone's stories really helps a lot. I have decided to really pay attention to what I am eating, and then just let nature take it's course. If I eat the right things and exercise the weight will eventually come off (I sure hope!) So, I am going to set my sights for the one year mark and not agonize over the in between patterns of loss.

Your writing is beautiful, so expressive. I really loved the way you wove your story and I identified with most of what you were writing about.

Thank you so much! The encouragement has been so helpful!:lol0:

Hi Globetrotter, thank you for the tips. I did not realize how short I am on Protein. I thought I was getting a good amount. Yesterday, I did up my Protein and did not have any cravings. I guess I need to find ways to work more in. I am not crazy about the Protein Shakes, I do force myself to have one a day, but I guess I need more than that. I am careful not to drink within 30 minutes before and after I eat. I am tracking my calories on a program called My Food Diary. I am getting in about 800 a day. It seems like a lot, for the amount I am eating. My surgeon told me that I could lift weights, but no abs for now. It doesn't seem to be a problem. Anyway, I will find ways to add in more Protein. If I am not hungry, sweet snacks will not be tempting. Thank you for the advise!

Thank you Tiffykins! I am getting some really helpful advise!! I just put the Beef Jerkey Turkey Steak and String Cheese on my shopping list! I will also stay away from the fruit for a while to see what happens. Maybe 40 grams of Protein is not enough for me? Do you know what is the average goal?:confused1:

Thank you so much for the advise! I am going to try more water and protein. I thought I was getting enough, but my stomach does gurgle a lot, so that may be the problem!:thumbup: