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I am not advocating that cheating is ok, but I am saying that shaming yourself over it is not going to help the situation and might even make it worse. We are always our hardest critics and we have to learn to forgive ourselves.

You are too funny...I love the little tiny font! The problem, like you have said, is to overcome the mental game of it. Why should we apologize for eating a donut every once in a while. I do it! We have Tim Horton's here in Canada and they have Timbits (donut holes). The once every 3 weeks to month that we have them, I usually have 4-6...you heard right, 4-6! I am full afterward, but I enjoyed them. Whether or not you feel like it is becoming a problem is really up to you, and not for any of us to judge.

Well, the head hunger never goes away, and I still struggle with it....and I know I most likely always will. But the hunger feeling that I get is not bad at all, and like I said, it is only after hours of not eating (ie, I will eat Breakfast at 6:30am and by noon I might be starting to feel a little hungry). So it is not something I would tell you to worry about. The emotional eating and head hunger is a much bigger demon to deal with. But I personally feel by adopting a normal but healthy diet is the best way to set yourself up for success. I know that I could never go a lifetime eating less than 20 carbs, never eating fruit, or never having an ice cream cone again. So do I eat them, yes, but in moderation. Best of luck!

I am glad that you are happy with your decision. From what I can see, you have done amazing! Congratulations!

Hang in there everyone! It will happen. I posted originally on June 14th, so 6 weeks ago, I am 20 months post op now, and still losing a little and below my goal now without making any changes. Take the first 6 months to change your habits and develop new ones and you will set yourself up for success. The weight does slow down after 6 months, so do not get discouraged. I lost my first about 55lbs in the first 6 months, and it has taken 14 more months to lose another 30 lbs. But it came off! And sleeved&hopeful is right, studies show that sleeve patients continue to lose for up to 2 years after surgery, and I can attest to that! Good luck everyone!

Working out that hard, and being a man, I would say you probably need to bump things up. I was going to mention carbs, but it looks like you do eat carbs. Try eating more calories and see how you feel. If it doesn't help, you know that it might be something else. Also, have you ever gotten a full blood workup done? Low iron, low vitamin D, low vitamin B, and thyroid problems can make you tired too. Worth a check. Also, could be a side effect from the new medication. I am on an anti-depressant too, and so many of them have side effects. Not sure what you just started, but maybe read up on it and see.

What a great feeling!! Congratulations and enjoy watching the category drop!

For me, yes, but not the same. I do get physically hungry when I haven't eaten for a long time (more 5 hours). It does not feel the same as before surgery though. It is not that gnawing feeling like I am going to starve to death, sometimes almost feel nauseated hunger that I used to get. I can feel it, it is like a little twinge in my stomach. Hard to describe, but really not the same anymore!

I am flattered. Thank you very much! That is exactly how I felt going in and still do today. I did make many changes and eat healthy, but in a way that I can maintain and live with.

This is well said. I never actually counted anything, but cut out most of the white stuff the majority of the time. I do always eat my protein and veggies first. Then if I have room, I might eat a bite or 2 of rice if that is the side dish. The carbs in fruits and veggies are complex carbs and our bodies process then differently than refined sugar and refined flour. I am also a firm believer in moderation. That being said, if you are a carb-o-holic and cannot stop at a bite or 2, you would be better off cutting them out completely. As you get further and further out, you being to really learn how you and your body handle different foods. Some people, once they start, they can't stop. If you are like that, then you need to be extra vigilant. I am almost 2 years post op, below my goal and eat healthy. But I can also allow myself the pasta if we are out for supper, or the half a piece of garlic toast, or the few bites of cheesecake and I can enjoy it and walk away. Take this time to learn your body and what will work for you.

First of all, congratulations on your loss and your maintenance. I had my surgery in November of the same year that you did. I do struggle with it sometimes too, feeling cheated because I can't eat more. Sometimes I enjoy the taste so much, that I do wish I could have a little more. You did a great thing leaving the table, it is a testament to your success. Most of the time, I stop, I know my limits. There have been times where I have taken that extra couple of bites and then paid for it afterward. I do not think you are alone with that feeling. The one thing that has helped me with those situations is something a fellow sleeve patient who was a few more years out than me said. She said that when she feels like that she tells herself, "If I could, I would, and that is how I got here in the first place". Unfortunately, I think emotional eating is something that is very difficult to overcome. I know that I haven't, but I do my best to set up my world that I just can't eat a whole bunch of food that is not as good for me. I don't keep anything in my house that will tempt me...and boy does it suck when I just want some chips because I think they will make me feel better, and there are none. So what do I do, I end up eating a Protein ice cream pop (homemade), or an apple with a little natural Peanut Butter and honey because that is all I have. So I am still eating because I am stressed? Emotional? Whatever the reason which is not real hunger, but I am not sabotaging myself in the process. Make sense?? I should quit rambling, but I appreciate you posting this with honest feelings. It does get harder the further out you are, but to me, it really sounds like you know how to manage your diet in a healthy way. You didn't eat more pizza, you didn't eat the second taco, you made the right choices and you know your bodies limits.

I couldn't agree more! Very well said and well responded. I am almost 2 years post op, and it is a lot different now than then. For the first 6 months of being sleeved, I was very diligent and followed my plan which helped me learn new behaviors and a new outlook on food. And to say that I have not adopted a healthy lifestyle because I sometimes eat ice cream or chocolate is uninformed and really a little judgemental. Like I said, I have changed the way I eat and what I eat. I eat very healthy most of the time, but if I want an ice cream cone, I eat it and not feel guilty or shameful because of it. I do agree with people that make no changes, still eat the french fries and ice cream everyday and say, well, I can only eat a couple. Well, I'll tell you right now, 1 year post op, or 2 years post op, you will be able to eat way more and you will find your weight most likely creeping back on. I have said it numerous times, it is a tool that you need to learn to work with or you will continue to struggle with your weight. I am truly at a place where I can say that I am happy. I eat a diet that I enjoy and can easily maintain. Maybe it is not for everyone, but I have managed to lose 85lbs post-op and 125lbs from my highest weight, I am below my goal weight and I am still losing 20 months out, so I think I am doing just fine and enjoying the occasional ice cream cone or small bag of chips at the same time.

True! It is burned into my brain!!

Some people are very lucky and never have hair loss. I know other people that have eaten lots of protein, taken every supplement under the sun, and still lost their hair. I think it really depends on the person and how their bodies react to stress.

Your jam does sound yummy. I do use a bit of sugar free stuff, but I also use regular fat stuff instead of fat free. I use 2% greek yogurt, 2% milk, I make Protein ice cream with whole milk. Like I said, I thought your meal plan looked pretty reasonable. You had just asked if it looked bad? good? cheating? I agree, there is so much psychology behind it, it is really baffling. I know I am a stress eater and a comfort eater. And a hormonal eater, hence keeping stuff out of my house or else I would eat it all. The sleeve has not changed any of that for me, it is not a magic cure like some people hope it will be (I thought I wouldn't be hungry? Crave Sweets? Overeat? Etc..) The biggest change I have made within myself is not to beat myself up for having a treat. I really do think that is when we get into trouble. If you have a bad day, oh well. The wonderful thing about the sleeve is it is easy to do better the next day and falling off the wagon doesn't mean gaining 30 or 40 lbs like I would have in the past.

I think coffee is fine, decaf was on my plan from the beginning (although I am not a coffee drinker). The only thing that I was told is that caffeine is a diuretic, so if you drink a cup of coffee, you should be drinking an extra glass of water/liquids to make up for the water loss your body will experience...decaf is different though...it counts towards your fluid intake, regular does not.

Here is the link to eggface: http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.ca/ I think your meal plan for the day sounds pretty reasonable. If you are looking to cut a little from it, I agree with the above, maybe some sugar free jam. Also, what kind of dressing are you using on your salad. Regular Caesar dressing is very high in fat, calories and carbs. And I think a little bit of chocolate isn't going to kill you either (but a whole bad of m&m's that is a different story). I am a firm believer in moderation. I agree with UTGal99, that it is unrealistic the expect that you will NEVER eat any kind of treat ever again. I have to laugh when I see people say that they will NEVER eat cake, chocolate, fast food, alcohol, or anything bad EVER again. The sleeve is a tool and you DO have to change your habits and adopt a healthy lifestyle. But to place the expectation on yourself that you will never eat anything bad ever again is just setting yourself up for failure and self-deprecating behavior. The cycle of eating, shame and guilt, and eating more is so burned into our brains, that so many people continue to do it even after the surgery. From the beginning, I choose not to count anything. I watch what I eat, have changed what I eat, and I have worked with my sleeve to be successful. Do I eat chocolate sometimes? Yup! Do I eat ice cream sometimes? You better believe it! Do I feel bad about? Not a chance! I didn't get the sleeve so I could live the rest of my life on a strict diet. The key is I eat these things in moderation. And I know my weaknesses. The surgery did NOT give me any more will power. I have chosen not to keep trigger foods in my house. If they are there tempting me, I will eat them. This may be a stance that you may have to take. I may have lost more slowly that some, but I am still losing 20 months post op and am below my target weight. You need to find a system that is going to work for you. Look back at what you were doing before that was working. The point is, it has to be something that you can live with for the rest of your life, not just for the here and now to lose the last few pounds. If it is not sustainable, you might lose, but you will most likely end up gaining back.

I thought I would share this information with people. I added this supplement to my diet. I do not take as many as you are suppose to. Studies show that 3400mg is the optimal dose of CLA, but I only take 1 capsule a day A) They are a little pricey I have a crappy memory and never remember to take it more than that! CLA is suppose to help the body burn fat. I was already losing when I started taking it, so I am not sure if it has made a difference or not. But I have noticed that I have lost a few more pounds and inches, so it can't be hurting (I am 20 months post op at below goal). I also read that Tonalin CLA is one of the best and purest, so check that your supplement has the Tonalin symbol on the bottle. Of course it is up to you if you want to try it and I can't guarantee anything, so don't come back on here and hunt me down in the future! The link below is the one that I use. There are many brands, and the amount of CLA varies (make sure to read the label, it will say 1000mg but only has 840mg of CLA or 700mg of CLA...every brand is different). Oh, and the pill is huge and cause an upset tummy...I would not suggest for early post-op sleevers. http://www.drugstore.com/natures-bounty-cla-1000-mg-tonalin-softgels/qxp232842

I had set my goal at 140 lbs as it was just within normal range. I sat at around 143-145 for a few months and had figured I was done losing. I know how you feel, I wasn't thrilled, but I was happy. I still wanted to lose that last little bit. In the last few months I started losing again not having changed anything and I am now down to between 135-137 (I bounce around according to what point in my cycle I am in). So there is hope! Hang in there! There is one thing that I added to my supplements that may help, although I started taking it more recently and had already started losing again, so I am not really sure if it made a difference. I added a supplement called CLA (Conjugated linoleic acids). It is suppose to help your body burn fat. This is the brand that I use, and I only have been taking it once per day, although studies have found that 3400mg is the optimal dose. I only take 1 because it is a little pricey and I just never remember http://www.drugstore.com/natures-bounty-cla-1000-mg-tonalin-softgels/qxp232842 I also read that Tonalin CLA is the best one, so make sure the supplement you buy has their symbol on it. Worth a shot if you are interested.

I really do understand how tough it is. hair loss usually doesn't even start until the 3rd month. I lost a lot of hair, handfuls in the shower. I ended up cutting my hair because it was thinning so bad. I noticed the most, my husband said he could sort of tell, but not bad. I think it looks worse to us then anyone else. I continued to lose hair until about 8 or 9 months post op. It did slow down, but kept falling out. I can attest that you will not go bald. I am now 20 months post op and all my hair is back and even thicker I think because of all the supplements I take. The only thing that I found helpful was BIOSIL...it is NOT the same as Biotin. It is a silicon supplement that helps your body produce collagen. That is the only thing that I can suggest. I have talked to many people that have tried everything and nothing works. I think it just depends on the individual. http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4022428 Here is a link to GNC Canada with some information about it.

First of all, tell your husband to put down the burger. That is not very helpful to eat it right in front of you. Secondly, in this case, I would say it is head hunger, a craving. It looks good, it smells good, you want to taste it. If you say you are feeling full, then it is your head playing games with you. I do feel hungry, and I think others do as well. But I can tell you it is not the same as before surgery, and it is usually after I have not eaten for 5 plus hours. I DO still have head hunger and cravings though and that is the toughest part to overcome with surgery. You can have your stomach cut out, but not your brain, and your brain accounts for a big portion as to why you gained weight in the first place. And honestly, my taste buds have not changed. chocolate to me tastes just as good now as it did before. Everyone is different though, and many say that when they actually eat the burger, fried, pizza, chocolate, whatever, it doesn't taste as good. I do agree about the PPI's (proton pump inhibitors). Sometimes excess acid production can feel like a rumbly tummy, so make sure you talk to your doctor about it.

I had thought about the band before I had heard of the sleeve. For me personally, the band had too many problems with it that I didn't like. I choose the sleeve because it was permanent, plus it removes a large part of the stomach that produces Ghrelin. I personally am always a little confused by people saying they don't want something permanent. I wanted a permanent solution and a permanent lifestyle change. I had tried everything else, I had done it the right way (portion control and obscene amounts of exercise). I just could not maintain that lifestyle any longer. I wanted to live my life and not be ruled by food. I am so happy that I choose the sleeve and would not change it for a second.

Very common and very normal. Just search the 3-week stall and you will find many, many, many posts from people that have gone through it and from people that can assure you it is fine. Your body has been through major surgery and it is trying to adjust. It WILL start coming off again.

amazing, such a great feeling to be able to fit in clothes that we haven't worn in years, then to out shrink them!! Hooray for you!

The first few weeks are the absolute hardest so hang in there. Is pepcid a PPI (proton-pump inhibitor)? If not, you may have to ask your doctor for a prescription for one. It stops the stomach from producing acid and it is very common for sleeve patients to have to go on one.