FlawedMan

Wow! You made yourself a very happy new year. FM

Glad you have your date, sorry the family is not supporting you. Have the family read some of the success stories on this board. (print them out if need be). That should help bring them around. FM

Congrats on the date Delays are annoying, but at least it sounds like your docs had good reasons. FM

From my brief and unscientific experience. The pouch and the cans deliver very close to the same amount of chicken (after draining). I like the pouches because it is a couple less steps between me and meal time. I use the 2.5 ounce pouches of tuna as take alongs for lunch or Snacks, $.88 each for the Bumble Bee. I can see nothing wrong with using the cans if you don't mind draining. FM

Hi Debi. I am only marginally domesticated, so I grocery shop only at WalMart (and begrudgingly so). For what it is worth at my WalMart it is on a lower shelf and easy to overlook. I first saw it when a single can was setting out of place on an upper shelf. Maybe others can chime in with better info. FM

6.5 months post surgery. 155lbs down. Never lost a strand of hair. FM

I have a can of that in the cabinet and will be trying it with extra chicken tomorrow night! EDITED TO ADD Just tried GrannyK's idea... pretty darn good! Makes 4, 5.5 oz servings 170 Calories Fat-5 Carb-9 Protien-22 $1.98 Hormel White Chicken Chili (WalMart) $1.98 Tyson 7oz Premium Chunk White Chicken (WalMart) Apx $1 a meal I added chile powder, touch of sea salt and black pepper. FM

Hi Bama Keep the faith you can get there. 300 by my birthday was my goal too. Miissed it by over a month, but feel so good that I didn't even care. Since I started my pre-op I have logged everything I eat into an Excel spreadsheet. I think this helps keep me on track. Over the last 30 days I averaged (per day). 649 calories 28g Fat 42g Carbs 58g Protien I don't eat beef or pork (never have) and I can't tolerate artifical sweeteners, so most protien supplements are off the table for me. I don't log Water intake, but I refill 32oz bottles and usually go through 3 per day. Exercise: I walk a lot. At least 1 mile per day and 5 miles at least once a week. I also do light weights (30 lbs) mostly arms just to try and keep some tone. FM

You can do it. The travel will not be a problem. Eating will be a hassel, but can be done. I drank a lot of low fat milk during that time period. High in carbs, but keeps you hydrated and gets the Protein in. Hummus, refried Beans, cottage cheese are all options. Little single serve size cans of the refried beans (in chips and dips section) travel well. FM

As a prototypical single male for whom a meal is often eating tuna out of the can, EZ is essential. I have found this EZ chicken Enchilada Stew to be tasty and it provides decent stats for the VSGer Makes 4, 6.5 oz servings Fat-7 Carb-5 Protien-16 $1.48 Progresso Chicken cheese Enchilada Flavor Soup (WalMart) $1.98 Tyson 7oz Premium Chunk White Chicken (WalMart) [12oz can drained is an OK substitute] Apx $0.90 a meal Add chicken to soup and heat on the stove top. After chicken warms through, break it up w/ spatula I add a little cumin, chile powder and black pepper. It tastes better after the chicken has set in the soup over night. A few non sleeve friends have started eating it. They have it over rice or Pasta. FM

Nice work! FM

Thanks for all the encoragement. It also makes me feel tremendous if I have provided a little inspiration to some. Kathy, my list of flaws is embarrasingly long, but I am working on them FM

Hello VST community. 150 lbs GONE in 206 days since I started my pe-op diet 118 lbs gone in 179 days since VSG Under 300 lbs for the first time in over 20 years Over 1/3 of ME is gone. I can buy cheap clothes at Wal-Mart and second hand stores instead of expensive Big and Tall shops I can actually fit in places: public bus, port-a-potty etc. Females actually talk to me (ex wife is mad at me for losing weight) I guess you can tell I am pretty dog gone happy Why do stalls alway occur right before a major milestone? Lots of info and support from this board helped make it happen. Thank you. FM (not done yet)

I also drove myself 7 hours home, 36 hrs after surgery and 20 hrs off pain meds. Getting in and out of the car was the only real uncomfortable part. A week out you should be fine. FM

You are doing great. I have "averaged" 5lb / wk for the 5 months since surgery. It started at 6-7 per /wk and has slowed to closer to 4 per week. I had more lbs to spare than the average WLS patient. FM

Great post Suzanne. I am only half way to goal and the quality of my life has improved immensely. FM

Hi Sleever4life. Your situation is very similar to where I was 4 months ago. (6'1" 448lbs, HBP and Cholesterol, probably a bit older than you are, fed up with being fat) Life after VSG will NOT always be easy, but the results are worth it. (I am down a little over 100lbs) You can do this! You can always turn here to Vertical Sleeve Talk with concerns and questions. Best support group around. FM

100 lbs are GONE!, in just 4 months. 1 month pre-op dieting and 3 months post-op. This includes a 23 day stall where I only lost 2lbs. I feel Grrreat!! I currently own only 3 shirts and 2 pairs of pants. no sense stocking up as I intend to keep on doing my incredible shrinking man impersonation. One concern is that the loss by month is slowing down. 31 - 30 - 22 - 17 However that 23 day stall straddeled months 3 and 4. I have lost an additional 7 lbs in the last 8 days, so I am hopeful that this month I can beat the 17 lbs I lost last month. FM

Woohoo! I am excited with you You may want to go easy on 7. Your tastes may well change after surgery. I myself can't tolerate artificial sweeteners now. No problem before surgery. I had to get Protein from non fat milk during my post-op liquid stage I hated the carbs, but it was my best option. Your journey will be unique, but you have hundreds of travel guides here to rely on. FM

Hi Kimmy. Congrats on your decicion to take control of your life. Your journey won't always be easy, but you have found a helpful bunch here at VST to turn to when needed. FM

Patience my friend Focus on eating well and getting in your liquid. Step on the scales once a week at MOST (I should take my own advice on this one) Stalls are part of the process as you body adjusts to the new way you eat. FM

Best of luck on your journey. You may want to start cutting back on carbs, especially bread, Pasta, rice, etc. They won't be on your menu after surgery. The waiting IS the hardest part. FM

I can only speak for my experience, but I've had no gas or acid reflux problems. I make my chili meat heavy. 1/2c has 101 calories 1g fat 11g carb 12g Protein. If anything, the Beans help keep the trains running on time When I eat or drink anything with sucralose my stomach knots up, I vomit, and feel queasy for hours. Not pleasant Soon2BMiniMommy, you are giving me too much credit. It is almost 50lbs in TWO months. (I am still happy) Good to hear the reply is liked, please feel free to adapt it as your own if the opportunity should present itself. FM

These first two months FLEW by. I have lost 47lbs post surgery 78lbs including pre-op diet. Weight loss has come in fits and starts. Nothing for a couple days, then a pound or two per day for a few days. Then back to nada. Only side effect I have encountered is a complete intolerance for artificial sweeteners (no problem before surgery). This is only a big deal in that it has taken protien powders off the menu, making getting in all my protien a challenge. Now eating any food I want. No prob getting in 60-80 oz Water 4oz wet food at one time (chili, tuna salad, cottage cheese) 2-3oz dry food (turkey, chicken, cheese) Average intake over the last 2wks: 427 calories 14g Fat 32g Carbs 43g Protien Favorite food: Chili (have 1/2c almost every day) I don't feel any smaller, but clothes are sloppy loose and the tape measure shows -6" from chest and -5" from waist. Energy is on the comeback however stamina is still not there. Light exercise: Walk 1 mile 3-4 times a week, weights (light) twice a week. Regarding the comment (many of you have heard similar) "if you can lose 30lbs before surgey why couldn't you lose it all naturally?" My reply "Can you hold your breath for 30 seconds? Why can't you hold it for an hour?" FM

32F asked and answered directly from Dr Almanza. The Bougie is only the diameter of your sleeve. The length of your sleeve will vary due to your personal anatomy. I was happy with my experience with Dr Almanza. A few htches, but nothing that would keep me from going back. FM