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Yeah, I can pack away a lot of bacon too if I want. That is why we only make it once in a while and I don't care how much of it I eat. And once cooked (as long as you don't fry it in its own fat), it is not AS bad as one would think. My lettuce wrap with 4 pieces might have had around 200-250 calories all together, at the most (4 slices bacon=170 calories, lettuce+tomato=almost nothing, 1 tbsp light miracle whip=30 cal, which I did not put a while TBSP on). So it is not that bad when you look at it! Yes, I am below target. I actually never thought I would get to my target as my weight loss really slowed down. I actually did not reach goal until 18 months post op and the last 2 months I have been losing and have lost around 5 lbs, so it is true that you can continue to lose for the first 2 years! I am proof!

I did not try it on, there were a whole bunch of other parents standing around and I was a little caught off guard! And you are right, we really do need to give ourselves credit. I kept saying that I really didn't do anything and that I do not know why I have been successful, and my husband kept saying that I need to really stop that because I have made lots of changes. I have never counted calories, carbs or Protein, but I changed the way I eat and what I eat significantly. I feel like I eat a pretty normal diet now, but didn't recognize the change. When I was big, I always made it a point to not say anything about myself in front of my children. My mom always made fun of herself and put herself down, but turned around and told me I was beautiful. It doesn't really work that way, and I learned from my Mom how to run myself down. I vowed I would not do that to my children!

oh, come on, its tasty! Or you could just have mayo. I am sure turkey bacon would be good too, but I am not into that stuff!

Thank you very much.

OK, so I have seen commercials lately for mayo and it is all about a BLT. I love BLT's, but rarely eat them. I eat a lot of lettuce wraps, and decided, hey, wouldn't that make a great BLT. So I got a piece of iceberg lettuce, diced some tomatoes, spread a little low cal miracle whip on the lettuce and added 4 slices of bacon, and, TA-DA a BLT. All the taste without the bread. I cook my bacon in the oven on racks so the fat drips off and then drain on paper towel. One slice of bacon has 42 calories, 3 g of fat and 3 g a Protein. PS, I am 20 months post op, not for the newly sleeved and not something to eat everyday, but boy oh boy, did it hit the spot!

I don't normally post NSV for myself, but I thought I would post this one today. Especially since I really struggle with recognizing myself and my weight loss and not seeing a fat person staring back at me in the mirror. Today helped me put in perspective that I really do see myself differently than the rest of the world. I take my daughter to swimming lessons and have to be in the pool with her because she is not yet 3 years old and all the classes are parented. Today was life jacket day and I decided to put one one for my daughter as a good example. The first one I grabbed, the instructor said "Oh, I think that will be too big for you", so I grabbed another one and started to put it on, and she said to me in front of everyone else that I could probably even wear the size 2 life jackets (these are youth size life jackets!). I still wore the bigger one, but was shocked that someone thought I could wear something so small! The instructor is a young woman and I think she has a fabulous figure, and for her to look at me and suggest I need something smaller...I was blown away.

OK, yummy. I am going to have to try a couple of these!

Greek yogurt plain is gross, so I am not sure if that is why you are saying that you do not like it. I always sweeten it with sugar free syrups (torani) and splenda. Then it is thick and creamy and yummy! You can also use it to make shakes, just add a little milk, strawberries or whatever fruit you like, and splenda to sweeten.

Greek yogurt, has 16-18 grams of protein per 3/4 cup in most brands. Have you tried unflavored protein mixed in soup or anything like that?

I am 33, have had 2 children (1 c-section, 1 regular), and have been overweight since kindergarten. I have lost over 120lbs total and I have a fair amount of lose skin. Like one person wrote, I look 80 yrs old naked, but 20 dressed is a great analogy. It is not an easy thing to deal with, especially to come so far and have skin still getting in the way a little. That being said, I would much rather have some loose skin that I can basically hide with clothing than be overweight.

search the dreaded 3rd week stall, which is where about yours seems to have started...very common.

Actually, the info Actually, this info is for 1 cup of mashed bananas, not a medium banana. You should make sure you check your info before posting. This is the information for a medium banana Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long) (118.0 g) Amount Per Serving Calories 105 Calories from Fat 4 % Daily Value* Total Fat 0.4g 1% Saturated Fat 0.1g 1% Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g Monounsaturated Fat 0.0g Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 1mg 0% Total Carbohydrates 27.0g 9% Dietary Fiber 3.1g 12% Sugars 14.4g Protein 1.3g Vitamin A 2% • Vitamin C 17% Calcium 1% • Iron 2% Yes, bananas have sugars, natural sugars, not processed sugars, so our bodies process them differently. And yes, they have carbs in them. But bananas aren't going to make you fat. They are a great snack and full of healthy nutrients. I am tired of bananas getting a bad rap. They are healthy and it is not like you are going to eat 10 bananas a day. If you are concerned about carbs and don't want to eat them, that is your choice. But quit spreading uninformed information.

I have very fine hair too. After it started falling out in handfuls, I decided to get it cut to try to minimize the look of the thinning and so that I wouldn't notice it falling out as much. I was the same as you...wanted short hair but didn't want to cut my hair while I had a chubby face. There are so many great things to the sleeve!

In the meantime, I've gone and gotten a pixie cut (veeerrrry chic for a 49 year old I can tell you) and I'm reveling in the no muss no fuss hair days after years of long (and sometimes very long) hair. Yup, hence my super short hair! Got tired of pulling long strands out in the shower!

Not to burst any bubbles, but the hair loss usually doesn't start until about 3 months out. A lot of people are under the impression that it starts falling out right away, but that is not the case. That being said, some people don't lose any or very little. From the people I have talked to, the ones that lost it just lost it no matter what they did or tried. From my own experience, I was 3 months post op when my hair started falling out and I lost a lot. I lost until about 9-10 months post op. The only thing I found that helped me at all was Biosil (not to be mistaken with Biotin). Biosil is a silcon supplement which is suppose to help hair and nail growth as well as skin. I didn't start taking it until later but did notice that it helped my new hair coming in. I am now 20 months post op and all my hair is back in and healthier than ever!

I have never seen sugar free energy drinks, but then again, I live in Canada and we don't have half the stuff there is in the USA. The only thing to be careful of is if they contain caffeine, which is a diuretic, you need to drink that much more water or other fluids (for every cup of coffee you drink, you are suppose to drink a cup of water to make up for the fluid loss).

This will sound crazy, but I have always had a harder time drinking water after surgery. I can drink sugar free drinks (like crystal light or arizona lemon ice tea sticks sweetened with splenda) with no problems, but water always seems to sit funny in my stomach. I have no explanation and I have heard other people tell me the same thing. I know you tried snapple, but keep trying some other things. And yes, like others have said, try something warm, soup broth, tea, sometimes the warm fluids go down easier than the cold ones.

Wow MinaT, not only did you send me a wonderful email this morning, but then I read this posting afterward and you just about had me in tears. You are amazingly strong and I can not believe what you have overcome just to live, let alone to have this surgery. I agree with everything you say. I am not going to say I never have a treat here and there, but I have changed how I eat for the long term. It is just habit now to have a lettuce wrap instead of a bread wrap. Not to have grilled cheese when I make them for my kids, but to grill up zucchini and have some low fat ham or turkey with it. Thanks for the amazing post, I hope everyone on this form reads it and learns from you!

I think for some people, the weight loss is so easy, they never have to work at it a little. They still eat everything they were eating in small amounts and still lose weight. There was one in our support groups that was always eating fries and poutine but said, Oh, I only eat a few. And she lost all her weight really quickly. After a while, all the french fry eating caught up with her and she started gaining back. There are also a lot of habits and emotional issues when it comes to eating. Without dealing with those and gaining some control, you can sabotage yourself, even with the sleeve. It is important to remember that the sleeve (like the bypass) is just a tool. You still have to learn to eat healthier and get active to be truly successful. The only thing is there are some differences between the sleeve and the bypass. Many patients with the sleeve do not gain back weight, or a small amount (10% of what was lost is typical). The bypass leaves a pouch with the stretchy part of the stomach which can be stretched out easily as one eats more and more and more. The sleeve is significantly less stretchy, so you always retain a fair amount of restriction. The sleeve also takes out the portion of the stomach that produces ghrelin, the hunger hormone. You still have some, so don't expect to never feel hungry (some people do, some don't, I sometimes feel hungry, but not the same as before). The bypass leaves the entire stomach intact, thus your body continues to produce ghrelin. It is not a magic bullet. love the World According to Eggface, and my favorite quote from her is "Weight loss surgery is not a do-over (repeat the same mistakes = get a similar outcome.) Weight loss surgery is a do-better (make some lifestyle changes you can continue forever.)"

I rarely ever drink with meals, and I am 20 months post op. It is just habit for me now. We were told not to drink 15 mins before and 30 mins after meals. The analogy I was given was think of a clogged sink. If you flush Water through, it gets unclogged. So we are not suppose to drink because A: it can make you throw up, and B: because you will get hungrier sooner. And you would still absorb all the calories as that work is done by your intestines. You actually may end up eating more later because you are hungrier sooner. I think having a few sips to wash things down your throat is not so bad, but just be careful not to get in the habit of drinking a lot with meals.

They don't last too long, a few days. I just froze some recently but haven't thawed them and ate them yet, so I am not sure how they will hold up to freezing.

I would not worry too much then unless you start to gain, then re-evaluate. And your wife is right, you are gaining muscle. I think many of us struggle to see the new person that emerges (I am one of them). It is great that you are measuring. I know many people than don't lose pounds but lose inches. And it is all in how you carry your weight, not the numbers on the scale. I am short, so my weight range is something like 105-140lbs. Right now I weight 137-138 lbs and I wear a size 4 or 6 in women's clothing. If I weighed 120lbs, I would look sick. I think too many people set unrealistic weight goals that are virtually impossible to obtain, and then struggle emotionally and mentally when they cannot reach them. I have never been super strict about a specific diet either. Granted I have changed the way I eat and what I eat, but I still don't count calories or carbs, never have and never will. It took me longer to lose all my weight than others perhaps (it took me about 18 months to reach goal), but I still lost the weight and lived my life! I eat healthy and do have treats occasionally, but now I treat them as that, treats. So good on you! If you are happy, then don't let it get to you. It can drive a person insane obsessing about weight and numbers (I know, I am one of those that can be that way but I am learning to let go!) PS, I checked in my log book wear I record my weight and measurements, and my longest stall was 3 months!

After the 6 month mark, my weight loss really slowed down, so don't be shocked if it comes of a little slower. My longest stall was closer to goal and last about 2 months I think (I thought I was done losing, so I am not really sure how long it lasted, I wasn't paying attention!). Those calculators that tell you how many calories you are eating are out to lunch, so I wouldn't go by that. I know many have said it on here, but your calories do seem fairly high (especially 7 months post op) Are you looking at bodybuilding?? (Just wondering because of the high Protein, calories, and eggs). If you are happy where you are and don't gain, I wouldn't stress too much about it. That being said, you are still early out and will most likely continue to lose. I am 20 months post-op and still losing a little!

Thanks everyone. I did keep a pair of my pants, and I have before pictures too. I am like you Lissa, I tend to focus on all the bad parts that I don't like instead of focusing on how good I have done. I am a size and a weight that I never imagined even possible, and even grabbing clothes to buy is surreal. I am terrible for comparing myself to other women and I keep thinking...I wish I was a small as them, when in reality, I am but can't seem to wrap my head around it. I am hoping it will come with time!

I have read that people that have had a bypass need a medical alert bracelets. I have never been told anything about needing one after a sleeve, anyone else know anything. On Eggface's Blog, she says they usually have the following: Gastric Bypass No Blind NG Tubes No NSAIDS Contact Phone #'s Which I don't even know what it all means. I know that a bypass has had a lot more changes done to their insides than a sleeve, but I was just wondering if this is something I should be thinking about.