FishingNurse

Sleeve, that is awesome! Do you actually count calories at all in your window or just healthy choices?? I haven't tried it yet, but really thinking of it more and more!

I am more about counting Protein.... but I track on myfitnesspal and I have been anywhere between 1100-2200 calories and eveywhere in between.

this all will pass. just wait until you are 2.5 years out like me and you forget 98% of the time you were sleeved.

Actually... I noticed I felt significantly better about 3 weeks out, then at 3 months. Its a new normal. Everyday seems to get better. At 1 year i felt 100% normal, except I ate 1/3 as much as before. :-) It's all worth it in the long run, your new life has just begun!!

I started off with a BMI of 44 so I cannot relate, but I do get that you want help with weight loss. Were you able to get approved with such a low BMI?

Part of me wants to go back and not get down so low, I really restricted my calories for a whole year, I should have been more realistic. I can eat A lot more now... I am up 35 pounds now, it was 40. :-/

Have you been on? do you have an update for us????

Welcome jen!!!!! In my opinion, (I am 2.5 years out) and was heavy my whole life...... the sleeve is the best thing that ever happened to me. Could I have lost more weight? yes. The sleeve seems to work varrying degrees for people. Some people lose all their excess weight, some 30lbs. It depends on what you put in, and what you want. Post-op life is so much better (weight gain is not like before when dieting) but there is a risk of going back. I see the scale go up a few pounds then I blow an imaginary horn in my head. I can eat entire small box of cheezits in a few hours. I also can only eat 3 oz of steak and a few bites of veggies. It all depends of choices. What I am getting at is the sleeve is amazing but it is not guarantee to be thin for the rest of your life... (although I wish it was)

I just changed my goal weight to 155, a number I saw last on the scale in the 2nd or 3rd grade. Feeling attainable. Thanks everyone for kind words of wisdom.

Welcome back diva!!!! Keep us posted.

I am loving this plan.... down 5.6 pounds in 15 days. Any one else having any luck ??

I am really working on getting the Protein in as well, (100 grams per day) and when I have carbs I eat them with Protein, my trainer at Lifetime recommends this.

I am also working out 4-5 days a week with weights. about 40-50 mins a day.

I forgot Swizzly and M2G :-)

All my inspirations in one thread!!!!! I love to see everyone. I seriously read what Coops, CLK, Diva, feedyoureye, PDXman and several others read for hours a day while prepping for surgery. I am so glad everyone is checking in.

Diva, so sorry to hear about your struggles, thanks for coming back to inspire us again.

I am getting back on track too, working out with personal trainers, and plan to get to my NEW GOAL of 155lbs. I had put on 8lbs, down 4.5 now and plan to lose the rest by mid summer.

Hey !! we have the same surgeon!! :-)

I LOVE these! I can only find them at target though. They have plain, peach, and dill. Plain is awesome! Peach is not very good in my opinion. I have not tried dill yet though for some reason.

Fabulous to have on hand for those days when you are really low on Protein :-)

You poor girl. Your story sounds horrid!!! How frustrating!

I'm not sure if the 5:2 will be feasible with your hypoglycemia! 2 days a week you have modified fasting days where you consume around 500 calories a day. It may be tricky to keep your cals that low if your blood sugars get low after 3 hours.

Have you tried weight lifting to increase your lean muscle mass? That's what I am working on to get to my next goal. (I'm 2.5 years out)

<p>Oh my yum... where do you find it. I haven't seen it yet? But I want to lol!!</p> <p> </p> <p>Happy Birthday Proudgrammy </p>

I found it at cub foods and Byerlys (not sure if they are just Minnesota grocery stores!) right by the regular cottage cheese.

I wish this was around when I was a newbie! 21 grams of Protein per serving!! Tastes pretty good :-) !

SOS

hey bud, so nice to see you again

i have missed you

but................you are busy with your new healthier, happier life right??

i do like cottage cheese - 21 gr of Protein, sounds great

truth is i like my FAGE yogurt more than cottage cheese

i put in some blueberries and granola - mmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmmmm good

but gonna give the cottage a chance - taking your always good advice

btw - i turned 60 years young today!!!!

look at me now - still cute as a button!!!!! (really i am)

Missed you too!!! Happy happy birthday!!!!!! So glad you're doing well. I love the Greek yogurt too but I need savory food in the beginning... Too much sweet stuff made me ill, ya know?!Keep up the great work!

I wish this was around when I was a newbie! 21 grams of Protein per serving!! Tastes pretty good :-) !

Can you tell us more about how your leak complications are effecting you? Also with your low blood sugars, can you not go long periods without eat before getting too low??

you look amazing!!! awesome job!

so I have read! you are my inspiration!

Nice to see you sleeve! I was off track, and got back on... also the 5:2... Im at goal, and eventually will probably do what you have, and lower my goal another 8-10. Maintaining right now is good though.

The intermittent fasting seems to be the ticket for vets in a rut like myself. I gained 7-8 pounds back from my all time low over the last year. (I am 2.5 years out)

Unfortunately I am not able to only consume 500 calories or less per day. I wish I had the will power to do it!!!!

BUT I started a similar idea at the first of the year and I am down 3.5lbs!!!

It’s called the 8 hour diet. It’s simple. You eat 8 hours of the day only, the other 16 you fast. (you drink Water or other beverages with no calories.) Basically you can eat whatever in the 8 hours with in moderation, but no need to restrict calories significantly.

So far so good!!! It is surprisingly easy for me to follow. I have also been shooting for high Protein, lowerish carb, (but I am reasonable, I have still been getting my white chocolate iced espresso daily from Caribou coffee!!) and I have been at the gym which also helps.

I haven’t seen the scale move DOWN in more than a year I’d say!

I work 2^nd shift as a nurse, so I have slightly different hours to eat then some of you might… but this is what I do:

I eat Breakfast at about 11:30am, and then I can eat a snack around 2 or 3 and have dinner at 7-7:30 then I don’t eat again until 11:30am the next day. I thought it would be hard but it’s not! Also the book I read regarding the plan does say even if you follow this 4-5 days a week you will still see results. (google 8 hour diet for more info)

This plan seems to give your body a chance to use stored fat for energy. I feel great! Also the plan recommends a brief 8 min “workout” just before you break the fast in the morning. (I will lift my 5 pound dumb bells and push-ups and go up and down the stairs a few times.

I am very optimistic, I know I have only been following the plan for 10 days but I am excited to be on the loser’s bench again. I will keep everyone posted, I can’t wait to weigh myself tomorrow!!

Hello!!! I am getting back on track too. I am 2 1/2 years out. I am about 5lbs from my low weight (today) and 20lbs from my NEW goal. I was originally satisfied with just a BMI of 29.9 or less. Now I am shooting for 150's or a size 8, whichever comes first :-) (size 12 now) I was eating junk and not working out for the past year, I am lucky I only regained 7-8lbs! I am down 3.5 lbs since the first of the year.... I have been:

1.) following a modified intermittent fasting eating schedule, kind of like the 5:2 diet many vets are following...

2.) eating 80 grams of Protein per day

3.) drinking lots of Water

4.) weight lifting to increase lean muscle and rev my slightly slowed metabolism

We can do this!!!! I know we can. Summer is coming, and it is so nice to feel great about ourselves, that’s my motivation.

This was my 3rd sleeved Christmas .... I gained 6 pounds. Boo!!! Starting back at the gym and doing a D.tox through lifetime fitness. Yay we can do this!!

I am a RN and had VSG too! But I was obese long before I became a nurse in 2003.... ! I agree there may be a correlation between caregivers and those they find comfort in food.

My mom had stomach cancer 23 years ago. 3/4 of her stomach was surgically removed. She went from 195lbs to 115 pounds. And she has been cancer free and healthy ever since! So technically he had a similar procedure, and is soning just fine!

^{It's a very unpleasant expirence! It can happen post op if you don't chew we'll enough, or you sleeve doesn't like the texture, or you eat a little too much. You can feel like something is stuck in your throat, and your body tries to lubricate the stuck food out, and you form thick salavia to move the food through. Then you can throw up slimy saliva balls. It's horrid! Once you know your sleeve its easier to avoid. Seems to happen in the fist six months primarily.}

That actually worries me. You still feel the restriction though, right?

oh yeah, for most things. Its a new normal I suppose. I just don't get "discomfort" I am 26 months post op. My restriction does fluctuate. Examples of normal sized meals: 3-4 oz of steak and a few veggies 4-5 oz chicken breast and a few veggies, 1 small hotdog with small bun. 1 large slice of pizza. (or 2 small- like thin crust) or even 4 jumbo shrimp and I am stuffed. I can eat a 6inch sub, without the top of the bread. BUT I can eat an entire box of cheezits in a few hours. and trust me, I have. So I avoid sliders as much as possible, but not all the time. I have found a happy medium. I am very happy!

Many of the women I met this past weekend had Dr. Baker. I'm not telling any family outside my husband. My parents will just tell her all the bad things that will happen to me. As if I didn't realize the possible problems. I can't tell you guys how much it means to have someone to email and feel a connection. I would really like to make videos, blog and post Facebook. Maybe after I've had it done.

I was very open about my surgery. I told anyone I felt comfortable telling. I blogged and posted on facebook about it! New people I meet, I may or may not tell them. Totally do what you feel is right for you!