Disney

What a great job! From 3X to a Large. Fantastic!!

You SHOULD be proud. Way to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and figure this all out for yourself. Great going on the weight loss already. Remember, the more you lose BEFORE surgery, the better. I wish I had lost more pre-op. Also, congrats on quitting smoking.

You are definitely not alone in this journey. You can come here anytime for 24/7 'counseling' !

You're not insane!! Look at all the happy Dr. Kelly patients that post here. You will be just fine

Good luck!

Hi everyone,

I'm kinda surprised that some of you are allowed to eat potatoes of any kind. I have a list of do's and don't. Potatoes are deffiantly on the don't list. I'm sure it's because they are a starch...... I am however to have a yam.......I hope all of your dr's gave you pages of the type of foods that are good to eat, and which foods you shouldnt eat any more....

I was not allowed to have mushy's until 4 weeks. (i was so sick of the liquids by that time..lol) i was also surprised to hear you say that on 11days out, you were eating mushy's, I imagine it might be hard to lose weight if you eat starchy foods like potatoes, but I know everyone dr. says something different, so, please double check, just because some things are a soft food, does not mean they they will be good for you to eat.

The only foods that enter my mouth are high Protein foods and vegetables, ie...chicken, fish, string cheese, yam, green veggies, cottage cheese, greek yogurt etc...., there are so many choices of things to eat out there, im just suggesting that you make the smart choice, if this is something you truley want for yourself.

Hope im not sounding too bossy, I just know there are alot of newly sleeved out there, maybe this post might make a difference on choices of foods

good luck

Donna

Not sure if you know that yams are not high in Protein at all. A serving (1/2 cup) only has 1 gram of protein and a high carb count of 19 grams. They are also very starchy, but they are low in fat if that is something you are looking for.

I will be watching this thread for sure. Very interested in any answers

Yayyyy! Such a long time coming! Congrats on your date! You will do great, I just know it

Wow, you look like a naturally thin person, just like you have always been that weight! Good for you

And loose size 8's?!?! Holy cow! I can't wait for that...woo-hoooo!

Every doctor is different. Maybe your BMI is just low enough not to need one. My surgeon does not require a pre-op diet if BMI is below 40. I was right on the edge, so I did it and it was a low carb diet and I lost 10 pounds in a week. If you really wanted to lose some quick pounds before the surgery, ask your doctor if it would be ok if you went ahead with one even though it is not 'required'. Be sure to get his/her OK first though!

I still have trouble with potatoes (fries, baked, thick mashed, hash browns) now at 5 months out. They just seem to sit there and take forever to go through!

As for the 'dumping' thing, there is no telling. Different people react differently to certain foods. I really never know what will cause it with me. Too much sweet food will, but also heavy fat or cream (like alfredo sauce or creamy soup). But, from what I've read, it does get better and my episodes seem to be getting farther and farther apart.

Maybe try it out again in a week or so. Also, like someone said, maybe thin them out more with milk (soy or lactaid to be on the safe side).

I was cold for the first couple weeks after surgery, which is extremely rare for me as I am the most hot-natured person I know!!

Sadly it did not last. We are having days with 110+ heat index here now and we are melting!!

That's normal. It really depends on how much you weighed when you had surgery. The higher the weight, the faster the loss. The first month will be the most, then it will start slowing down. Again, though, that will depend on how much you needed to lose. It may take several months to slow down if you had a lot to lose. Someone with a higher BMI generally loses faster than someone with a low starting BMI.

A lot also depends how "on program" you are.

WOW! You look absolutely amazing! Thanks for the inspiring pics. You look great in that blue dress!

Yes, thanks for posting this. It is always good to hear success stories like this. The more, the better! Glad she is cancer free and has been able to keep the weight off.

Congrats! Great job

You mentioned homework, so I'm not sure how old your kid(s) are, but I was told no lifting over 10 pounds for 6 weeks. I have a 3 year old and that was a tough one. But I did NOT pick her up even once till I was just a few days away from 6 weeks. I did not want to tear anything or cause a hernia. DD would climb up into my lap, so it was not so bad. I had lots of help from DH and mother and sister for about a week and then just DH. I had an easy recovery, no pain or nausea, etc. But I did feel tired for several weeks. Nothing I couldn't handle though. You will do fine.

Good luck to you!

I have heard of people wearing ankle wieghts and stuffing their bras and underwear with heavy bean bags.

That is hilarious and brilliant at the same time! They might notice some ankle weights, but they sure as heck better not be snooping around your bra!!

Don't know how I missed this one. You look really great and I LOVE your tattoo

Also, might have been mentioned in a previous reply, but have you tried Lactaid tablets for your lactose intolerance? If you can't get them there, maybe someone could mail you some? They don't work for everyone, but you might give them a try if you haven't already.

This is one of the hardest things for me, still. That and not drinking while eating. The only thing that works for me is putting my fork/spoon down between bites. I'm like you, I KNOW not to eat fast, it is just such a habit.

Congrats! You definitely earned it!!!

Why does everything have to be sugar free? Is this something we have to live by or is it something during the stages of food?

It doesn't have to be SF. I have never done sugar free. I can't tolerate the taste of it. I wish I could. But Nancy is right, too much at once and you can experience dumping. I have many times. No matter how many 'experts' say VSG'ers can't dump, they can. The key is moderation.

Way to go, Bryn. You're right, it IS a big deal. Congrats!!

I've found this treasure when I was a teenager some 20+ years ago. My ex-Stepmother had a copy of this book and I took it an read it. Suffice to say I never returned it... LOL :-) I still do have it to this day. It is by FAR the best workout book I have ever (well I can't say bought... haha) came across.

I have been getting many requests for tips on how I'm being able to keep my shape the way I am. I'd say there are several factors to this. Firstly, eating low carb... it does help with belly flab!! Believe that. Low carb eaters have much flatter tummies than those who do not.

Second, my running really is helping sculpt a very lean body structure. I can't say enough about this!! I don't think I've EVER been able to get my legs to cooperate as much as I can right now with looking thinner all the time.

Third, and this is what I'm sharing here with you all. It is called Callanetics: 10 Years Younger in 10 Hours. Best. Muscle toning workout. EVER!!! It does NOT bulk you up. I have a hard time keeping this from happening which is why I don't really do a lot of weight training. I don't want to look like a bodybuilder! I could get this way very easily. Instead these workouts only tone and sculpt a very lean and sexy figure, for both women AND men. There are testimonial pages showing this within the book. I just now bought the complimentary DVD's and I am planning to take these workouts to a whole new level.

I hope this inspires some! I'm not kidding these workouts are pretty amazing. Little known in the workout world but so worth it if you find it. FYI, some of the DVD's are a waste and are not created by the original founder of these workouts. If it's not by Callan Pinckney, don't waste your money on it. *hugs*

Callanetics: 10 Years Younger in 10 Hours

http://www.amazon.co..._pr_product_top

I am going to check this out, too! I have a problem with building muscle too quickly if I don't watch it. I would rather be long and lean, and not have big muscle-y legs. Just toned. Thanks for the info. Sounds like a great workout.

ETA....I just bought a copy off of Ebay for $1.00 !!! Can't wait to try it out!

Congrats, you look great!

Me too, Southernsleever, if this is not inspiration to start running, I don't know WHAT is....

Way to go, Irene. Do what you do!!!

Yes, completely normal. It seemed like a long time before I could swallow comfortably. As for the gurgly sounds, that is normal as well. Your tummy is angry at you right now and is letting you know! You have a lot of swelling and it will continue to make that sound for a while. As a matter of fact, there are some veterans here who still hear it now and again.