MamaBear

4 year Veteran here. I drink Water right up until I eat, and not an hour after... it is fine. Don't count chews, it makes you crazy - just put your fork down once in a while. I reacted HORRIBLY to two bites of smoked meat (I think if you are in the US it is known as brisket) and I think it is the preservatives Pork that isn't tender has been an issue that caused an hour's walk right in the middle of a big family dinner - I just had to leave Greasy food that I used to be able to eat takes three bites and I can't take another bite of anything for hours. It is so not worth it. I used to be a big wine drinker, but now the carbs make me a prisoner to the toilet the whole next day , so now I drink vodka and water with a crystal lite in it See my other post on planning your food.

Hey you... ya you beautiful lady. No slacking this early on. I am four years out and I have made some serious mistakes (like not going to the gym enough) but the one thing I did right was to go hard core for the first year.... there is no slacking in that first while because as time passes it gets harder. You have a window of opportunity now is not the time to take a break. I am giving you the mom look now... can you see it? No slacking... (this advice is exactly what I have needed along the way, so I am giving you the same words I got when I needed it)

About two tablespoons. I don't count it that close, because then I get too caught up in the ultra focus on every calorie and I start acting like a crazy person.

Control Freaks unite! So I got this sleeve thing 4 years ago. Hit near enough goal weight to be happy. I mean really - to weigh what I did in highschool was good enough. I regained to 20 pounds above that perfect weight for me. SO now I had a little panic, which has sent me flying back into the arms of on line chat forums. Since I signed up here again and started participating and reading I am back down 5 pounds. And seriously - have not made any exceptional efforts. What I realize is that I had gotten out of the habit of doing has been the exceptional food planning that I did in the earlier days. I NEVER used to let myself get to a place where I needed to eat and didn't have a plan - because that is when bad choices can happen. It is that area where you can talk yourself into a bad snack. So here are my food planning tips: 1. Assume that your sleeve will be fussy - so have a number of options depending on what it feels like eating. 2. Carbs are not a snack - ever for any reason - just say no 3. Have almonds in little bags everywhere - this is called the "Squirrel method" 4. When I am on top of my game I don't eat my first carbs of any kind before 3pm - it works. 5. If you don't have a consistent plan for Breakfast you can blow your day. I make two weeks worth of cottage cheese pancakes and freeze them. 6. I don't care what my family wants, we do not keep junk food or my trigger foods in the house except for special occasions - they will thank me later - I am the Mom so I decide. So - what do you do to plan your food for success?

High Protein Cottage cheese pancakes That totally rock 3 cups of 2% Cottage Cheese 6 eggs slightly beaten 3 tablespoons dark rye flour (because this kind is low glycemic and good for not triggering insulin spike) 3 tablespoons Benefibre dissolving fibre - because bariatric patients need fibre too and we have trouble getting enough 3 Tablespoons Psyllium Fibre (full not powdered) - single best natural method of reducing cholestorol 3 Tablespoons Splenda Cinnamon to taste ½ Teaspoon Apple Pie Spice Put all ingredients into a large bowl and then stir in the beaten eggs. Cook like regular pancakes over medium heat (they take quite a bit longer to cook). Let cool on the counter, and freeze. Make the entire mixture (will probably yield about 8 to 10 pancakes) and then lay them out allowing to cool completely. Freeze in bags by two for easy and fast reheating in the nuker. These go really well with Peanut Butter. My estimate: 1 serving = 2 pancakes includes peanut butter: 400cal, 10gms protein, 10 carbs, at least 5gm fibre High protein and fibre, low carb. You can also make a savoury version of this by not using cinnamon/apple pie spice and splenda, but include caramelized onions and a bit of salt instead.

Those are significant truths. Here are some other ones: 1. You won't suddenly love your body when you hit goal - that is a mental issue and you need to deal with it. 2. There is no better option than this surgery but it isn't a gift, it is an opportunity. 3. food is still evil and must be treated like a snake that could strike at any moment. 4. Opinions are like bums.... everybody has one. You need to read read read because YOUR truth and best plan comes from the collaboration of the experiences of others who have gone before you. I have heard some stupid things that nutritionists and doctors have told VSG patients that make me crazy. Make your own plan out of the patchwork of your friends on here. I love truths and direct advice - this weight is a war and we need to fight.

Hey all, you know how I always view food volume with the sleeve? I feel that it has put me in line with how "normal" people who are not prone to obesity eat. So for instance, last night I ate 2 pork ribs, a piece of yam the size of a small apple, and a half a plate of salad - stuffed to the gills, but that was totally a normal meal for the average human. Before my sleeve I would have had 4 to 6 ribs, a whole large yam and salad and then dessert. If you over focus on the quantities you will start the emotinal triggers that make bad choices happen. That is PRECISELY why I refuse to count calories....it just triggers my diet pirate. I know that if I work really hard at it, I can regain all my weight... I know that - but there is so much more to live for than food, and my sleeve makes it something that I can more easily (not totally easily) ignore and just be normal and not always on a diet.

I love the humour on this page because in many places I feel outnumbered and it is so "not okay" to say that I don't believe in Santa or the Easter Bunny either but that doesn't make me a bad person. I come from the pragmatic viewpoint that many wars are caused by two segments of people fighting over who has the better invisible friend. Never mind that... I would prefer to be a good athiest than a bad intolerant Christian.

Just to "weigh in" to this conversation again... I never counted calories because that didn't work for me. It felt too much like a diet which triggers rebelion in me. I used my sleeve to tell me when I was needing to eat, and when I was full. It controls your intake - but you have to layer your food. 1. Protein first, then veg then if you still have two bits left, maybe carb. 2. Carb junkies like me shouldn't have your first carb of the day until after mid day to keep cravings at bay This is easier to maintain than calorie counting for some folks, and really tunes you in to your sleeve-boss.

Hey! We share a surgeon - the best of the best for sure. You know, in that first six months the habits you will keep forever really lock in. If I could give one piece of advice it is to be a complete freak about focus in the first year... follow the rules like a religion and when you are 4 years out like me... and you find yourself backsliding, you will have that solid base to rely on. If I had my time back I might have added more excercise into my new habits, but as far as following the bariatric lifestyle, I lived and breathed it, and it is serving me well now.

OH my darling, let me share with you from where I sit 4 years out. The fat cells that are rapidly emptying are also releasing serious quantities of estrogen. I had what felt like PMS for a year. Then there is the impact of losing your protective fat suit so all the world can see you. Then because you are focusing SO HARD on your food and learning how to manage your sleeve, you spend way too much time in your own head. On top of that you are trying to learn how to "be" as a regular sized person - which is kind of like moving to a foreign country where you don't speak the language. When I hit "normal' clothing sizes, every time I went into a clothing store, I was half waiting for the sales people to come and call me an imposter and tell me to go back to Lane Bryant. Rational huh? At the 11 month mark I was probably as miserable and isolated as I have ever felt (short of post partum when my kids were born). Stay on these boards, don't make ANY major life decisions and take care of you - it will pass. Do the things that feel good, and be mindful of when you are using food to hurt/comfort yourself. That is a sign that you aren't coping. Counselling helps. I wish I had the strength to reach out to a professional, but I was just so distraught yet thinking all should be well now that I wasn't so fat anymore. Fat was a symptom. I have been away from bariatric discussion forums for over 2 yeras. I am back because I too need some support. I send you a big hug and PROMISE that you will be ok.

There are two distinct categories of shakes that people like: 1. Creamy chocolate and Vanilla style 2. Fruity shakes I am firmly in the fruity camp. Get a 24 oz shaker bottle fill it with ice and Water, one scoop of a HIGH QUALITY fruit shake like nectar Brand and a matching crystal lite packet and shake. I have had one of those in various flavours every day for four years. Peach fuzzy navel, or lemon or ice tea are faves. I can't handle chalky creamy shakes. Go to GNC or somewhere and buy clean good quality Protein and try what I suggested. I have no advice if you are category 1, because I can't take those flavours. I also never drink them without a CL boost. Stick with it, your whole journey will be better if you can find a protein you like.

If anybody can speak from experience, I have tested the limits of my little best pal. Try eating pork stew a little too fast or just that one bite too much and you will be reminded rather promptly that you have been greedy. After 30 minutes of walking it off you will have rediscovered the respect. I am four years out, and yes I can eat more than I could in the first two years. It does take a full 18 months to heal completely... a much overlooked fact. HOWEVER - I still know when to stop. My kids know that when I hiccough I put my fork down. They all say "OH... Mommy is full". SO remember, trust your tool and respect it or it will open up a can of whoop ass on you when you push it.

I spent a whole lot of time on discussion boards back in 2008 when I got my sleeve. I was surrounded by lap banders and bypassers. There weren't many VSG folks - but generally everyody had the same journey to discuss and many of us were in the thick of it. I have ot credit those folks for their help. They were critical in my initial success. I often wondered why I didn't see more people who were 3 - 5 and more years out from their surgeries on thos boards. Now I know why. I too left the boards when they were no longer relevant. I didn't want to read the posts that sounded exactly like my initial ones - I am scared, what do I eat? will my boobs droop? How come I can't poo? - and more of the same. I had lost my weight, retrained myself to eat with a sleeve, and was on an excellent regimen. By the 18 month mark I was working through the incredible emotional impact my weight loss had. Who knew that such a happy thing might cause a tsunami of hormones and depression. Over it now... moving on. Then in 2011 my life became VERY stressful on all fronts. Where do I go? Comfort food. Granted I can't do quite as much damage in one sitting as I used to, but there is no limit to how much chocolate I can take in during a day. There is apparently also no limit to the amount of shame I can carry. I still cope with food. I am now struggling big time with that feeling of a loss of control and my weight is creeping up. I didn't do this whole surgery thing just to be fat again. But what the surgery didn't do for me is change three fundamental things: I still turn to food for comfort when I am hurting I have not learned to enjoy any form of excercise - I have such a crazy career/commute/learning disabled child that I would have to make a huge set of changes to make time for something I hate. Doesn't bode well does it? Self loathing and body image is not fixed with weight loss - I just found new things to hate I am hoping that there are a few later stage sleevers on this page who may be facing this and who have something helpful to suggest. Anybody out there experienced the panic and shame of weight regain? Thanks - I hope I have picked the right on line community.

AS I wade tentatively back into the Bariatric support community, I just want to say that these answers have been really helpful. I feel like I got a hug today. Thank you...

I got my surgery at 255 pounds, lowest 170 @ 18 months later. Goal is around 175 and I am back up to 193. So ya... significant backslide. You know I have often thought that therapy was probably the only way to overcome the stuff that holds me back, but it feels like if I open that pandora's box, I will cease to function for a period of time. Realistically I wonder how I can keep up with my obligations, my job (high profile and stressful) and function for my kids if I open up the tumour of pain and start digging around in it. I am interested to hear from folks who have tried this. Did you finally get to a point where you had to deal with the issues under the eating? Did it impact your ability to function? Did seeing a therapist knock you on your butt for a while until you could get up again? I just have this horrible feeling that if I actually take a good hard look at some of the uglies under my rocks that the whole thing will go off the rails. Thanks Globetrotter - I love straight talk. That is what I came for.

Just joined this forum and noticed the neatly laid out categories of sleevers. Then I saw a group "Christian Sleevers" and immediately smacked my forehead and thought.... "really?? They even found a way to bring being christian into weight loss surgery?!?" SO I was happy to see that there is a place for those of us who don't believe. Safe place to talk about our medical, nutritional and emotional issues around our sleeves, because those are the thing that are relevant, and not worry about what God thinks.