Slenderella

Great job! Keep up the good work.

Just out of curiosity, did you keep them up or did you bring them back down to normal levels after the stall broke?

I agree with butterthebean. I was at a stall for about 3 wks. I upped my calories and started losing again.

I have the same question. Once they scale starts moving again do you go back to your previous caloric intake or stay at the elevated levels. I'm so nervous about upping the calories, seems like its might be an opportunity for me to get of track. :/

I've noticed the same thing, I'm getting pretty soft. LOL! I'm thinking that some toning exercises will help. Must start that soon before I turn to mush.

WHOOO hoooo! You look great!

Today I ate the best thing since I started this journey back in July!!! This is huge for me, because I've really been struggling to find nutritious & flavor packed food that I can tolerate well. My taste buds have change a lot, and I find a lot of the foods I used to enjoy are either too unhealthy, rich and/or heavy for my tiny tummy. Quite frankly, eating has been a drag.

Anyway, you have to try the recipe for Turkey White Bean pumpkin Chili on the SkinnyTaste website. It has a whopping 23g of Protein, only 187 calories and tons of yummy flavor!!!! I added a little extra chiIi powder and some smoked chipolte pepper to mine. Here's the link: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/10/crockpot-turkey-white-bean-pumpkin.html

Me too! I've been bouncing around 160 for 10+ days, funny thing is I've dropped a whole size while stalled. I think I'll do my measurements today to gain some perspective.

The scale will start moving again...soon!

Ha, ha. Sounds like a dream but some of us "experienced" sleevers whispered during our SoCal support group get together about how to stop losing weight. Seriously.

I lost too much weight and needed to put back on weight. I looked sickly for my height/weight. I am still 10 lbs below surgeons goal weight for me. Sure, I looked good in clothes but I missed some of my curves. Yes, I said it.

So, yes you know a million ways to gain back weight...but consider this...do you know how to maintain and not yo-yo diet for the rest of your life? Gain 5 lbs, lose 5 lbs and so on. Sound familiar?

My body was extra stubborn too. I think some Weight loss clinics have wings named in my honor due to my repeat visits. Same with TV ads. Buildings built in my name for the money I invested.

During maintenance you learn how to balance calories. It is a mind game. Will I gain back all my weight? Changing the mind to not count every calorie/carb that enters your body. Will fear overcome your need for control? When is your weight loss enough? When your surgeon says it is? When your body says it is? When you say it is? What is the right weight? Sounds like a dream but it can be scary so prepare yourself as you approach goal weight. I have seen a few VST members go overboard and go way below a normal BMI weight. IMO this is not physical but mental issue. We need support throughout the entire process, even after goal.

Hugs to all of you. I love my sleeve and have no regrets.

The questions you wrote are the ones that have been making me a bit anxious lately. I'm 18 lbs form MY goal, and 28 lbs from my doctors goal. I have search and search for maintenance info, but it's pretty limited. As my goal gets closer to being a reality, I'm becoming more apprehensive about how I will manage to not yo-yo for the rst of my life. I'm trying to get educated, but there is very little info out there on the next phase.

Way to go!

I could have written this post. I too only had 4 days off. I came back from surgery and nobody asked where I had been. I have only lost about 18 lbs in 5 weeks, certainly not shocking to anyone. In fact, nobody has even noticed.

This past weekend I was at a BBQ, nobody commented on my plate (small portions of protein).

I think it will be very possible to live a nice full life without sharing my medical history with anyone other than those closest to me.

Yes, it's totally doable. I have eaten with several and no one has asked about my portions. I'm getting great at moving food around! .

I have to respond to people who think you should tell everyone. I did not take "weeks off of work" - I took 4 days off. Not too unusual. I have lost some weight but because I am not that heavy to begin with my weight loss is not "shocking" nor is it that noticeable. Only one person has mentioned it - but she didn't even ask me how I lost weight, just that my face looks thinner.

I am not ready to share with the world how I am managing my medical condition - and I probably never will. I have not misinformed anyone but to be honest, no one has asked me anything.

I am sensitive, always have been. The comment of taking the easy way out would have ruined my week. It is a nice thought not to let others get you down but that doesn't work for everyone.

I am sorry your co-worker hurt your feelings. Just stay on task and keep working toward your goal.

Thank you so much for the encouragement! Your words could have been mine-they closely describe how I feel about my journey. A drug addict isn't expected to share their recovery with their co-workers, and I feel like my recovery should be the same.

Good luck to you in your journey.

Wow. That must have been so painful, I'm so sorry. I was imagining myself in your position and I probably would have started to cry.

This struck a chord with me because I do feel like someone who has no self control and i have a lit of shame about that. This is precisely why I didn't share with any co-workers that I was having surgery. I worried about my boss & peers thinking less of me, like if I am lacking determination and control in my personal life how much can I be relied upon at work? But, keeping it secret feels false, like I am ashamed of my choice. Which I am not, at least I don't feel that way. Lots of sleevers say " i dont care what anyone thinks, this was for me" i agree with rhat to a certain extent but i do care what my employer thinks of me. This is a very complex topic.

You totally get where I'm coming from and that helps me a lot! Thanks for the encouragement.

First, only you can allow anyone to make you feel bad about these issues. Second, why the secrecy? Most intelligent people can put two and two together to figure it out. Someone disappears for a couple of weeks and upon return instantly starts losing weight very quickly. These days it's not rocket science, especially to anyone that witnesses us eating a meal. While not screaming it from the rooftops, if anyone asks how the weight loss is happening, I tell them. I am not ashamed of my decision and could care less what anyone about it. To date everyone has been supportive but if even one wasn't - so be it. This is my body and life, no one else had to live it but me.

Sorry, but I couldn't disagree with you more. I am human, and I'm occasionally affected by negative & judgemental attitudes, I think most people are. As I said before, I've done well not to let others opinion of WLS get to me, but today was a particularly rough day. I'm glad you have enough confidence to not let others attitudes get to you, but unfortunately an emotionally abusive past makes it difficult for me to be bullet proof 100% of the time.

Why the secrecy? Today is a perfect example of why I chose not to share my journey with others. I thought it was safe to do so here, but I guess I was wrong.

I am 2 months out today, and when I weighed this morning I was so elated because I'm down 40 lbs from my pre-surgery weight. Unfortunately my elation didn't last for long. ;(

I am a private person, so I haven't told anyone at work that I had WLS. When people say something about my weight loss I cringe and stumble through the whole, "I'm working really hard, under a DRs & NUTs care, no carb, low fat, no sugar, blah, blah, blah" schpiel. I hate addressing people's curiosity, and because 2 other ladies in my office had WLS in the last few years, I'm sure that some people are digging for info. I usually manage to brush these encounters off, but today was different.

So this morning as I'm rocking a brand new size 8 pair of jeans...down from a 16-TYVM...I go to the break room to cook my egg whites that I'm getting so damn sick of having for Breakfast, and a friendly colleague of mine says, "Girl, you are wasting away right before my eyes". I say, "I'm getting there." She then proceeds to tell me that she is so glad I didn't take the easy way out like the other two did!!!! I am dumbfounded, and trying to gracefully and tactfully get myself out of this conversation, but I honestly wanted to cry. I told her that I didn't think there was an easy way out with weight loss. She said, "yeah, I know, but taking the easy way out is sad and it really shows that you have no self control."

I was devastated, and I've been in a funk ever since. I know without a shadow of a doubt that she would have never said that if she knew...that makes me so sad. It also makes me sad to think that someone I admire in my professional life would be so condemning of an issue she obviously has never struggled with. I felt dirty and cheap and like a coward for not coming clean and telling her, "My dear, I had WLS and it is not the easy way out." Instead I just let her walk away thinking I'm this goddess of self control and that I have done this all by myself. Ughhh, I'm so mad at myself.

I have worked my ass off to get to this point and I've invested a TON of money in making sure my future is as healthy and happy as it can possibly be, because there are people in my life that I adore and I want to see 30,000 more sunsets with them. I have never fought for something so hard in my whole entire life.

I didn't take the easy way out. The easy way out would have been to do nothing. The easy way out would have me giving into every craving and eating grotesque amounts of food just because I can. The easy way out would have been to continue to get fatter and fatter, and sicker and sicker and to die way before my time.

Sorry, I just had to come here where y'all would understand. Today hurt, and it discouraged me and it sucked. Thankfully, tomorrow is a new day...and I'm going to be one step closer to my goal.

I eat Kashi Go Lean about once a week. It has 21 grams of Protein when I add FF milk.

I have the same question. I am 8 weeks out and I'm around 500-600 calories per day. My NUT said he didn't want me counting calories, fat or carbs, only Protein and Water. I'm down 37 lbs, and I'm pleased with that, but I still wonder if I should be monitoring anything else.

@slenderellla You look great! I am so excited to get going with this, I am not enjoying the six month but have to get through it!!! the worst part is feeling like a failure because I have not been abble to follow this diet like I should be, I lost weight in the beginning but have gained sone of it back and not looking forward to getting weighed in when i go this week.

Kristi Kay, one day at a time, sweetie. The past is behind you and tomorrow is a new day. This is a journey, and we will have struggles. I had struggles with my pre-op as well, but knowing the end was in sight helped me get back on track and stay motivated. You will be astounded at the amount of will power and determination you have as your surgery day approaches.

Big hugs to you!

Ive never tried prunes...just the name put me running the other direction....may have to try one ...

They are so yummy! It's a special plum that's been dried. They are like a great big raisin and packed with anti-oxidants, Fiber, and Vitamins. I get the kind that are individually wrapped and have 1 or 2 per day.

I am also getting charley horses, so I have upped the Water and added potassium to may daily Vitamins. I simply can't get enough potassium for my body without eating more fruits and veggies, and I don't really have enough room in my tummy for that rit now. I also had this problem when I was on the HCG diet for a year.

As for the Constipation, I've added prunes to my diet and I consider them a triple whammy; they are packed with potassium, they are great for constipation, and they satisfy my sweet tooth. Love me some prunes!

I sure hope it happens to me. I'm 8 days post op and can't figure out when I'm full as crazy as it sounds. I'm on full liquids. But I've been measuring 2 oz of Soup or whatever it is that I eat.

When you move to soft foods you will feel the fullness. I didn't get a full feeling on liquids either, but as soon as I moved to something that was thicker I finally started feeling full.

My prescribed pre-op was only a week, but I started a little early because I p. I was allowed any clear liquid, 3 Protein shakes and any zero calorie drink I wanted. It 't fun, but knowing it was temporary made it doable.

My surgery was on August 1, so I am almost 2 months post-op.

For me following any diet long-term is impossible. I've tried MANY diets in the past and had only temporary success. I was never able to maintain my weight loss because eventually I got sick of dieting.

Now that I've had surgery, it's possible. I now have a tool that will help me maintain a healthy lifestyle for the rest of my life. Does it still require work and determination; yes! It's not a free ride, and it still requires discipline, but now I have a tummy that will not allow me to over eat. The sleeve isn't for everyone, but I know it was the answer for me.

I found I was a little frustrated during pre-op, but post-op I didn't struggle nearly as much. One I had my surgery it was easier to focus on my goal; forever weight loss. My ability to resist temptation has always been a problem, but now my will power is rock solid. I do have cravings, but I can easily change my train of thought by thinking about how far I've come in the last 8 weeks. Part of it is willpower, but part of it is the fact that the junk food just doesn't appeal to me as much anymore.

It's been a blessing to finally be free from my obsession with food. Now I eat to live; I don't feel deprived...I feel EMPOWERED.

Stay strong and focus on the prize of better health.

I generally measure my food, either by volume or by sight, but when I'm not able to do that I get a hiccup and I know I'm done.

Way to go!!! Isn't it exciting to see the transformation?

You get excited when you feel a bowel movement coming on (finally). And can't remember when you last had one.

Hahha!!! That is so true!

Youlook fantastic!! Thanks for posting this, I needed some encouragement today.