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Sarah, thank you for your words of wisdom. I agree that stress is detrimental to the process. We all see post after post of phenominal loses including yours. Great job, you look gorgeous! I hope to get down to your size and to do that I have to trust the process. Again, great job and I can't wait to see when you reach your new goal.

Just wanted to share this pic with the intent I can encourage someone today..

My goal is to lose 25 pounds and be in Onderland by June 7 (3 month post appt).
I plan to join a gym when I am cleared for exercise in a couple of weeks. In the meantime I am walking 1-3 times a day. I go back to work full time on Monday and my goal is to walk at least once a day. I will walk during lunch time on days in the office and in the hotel gym or at the mall when traveling.

I had the same problem. I trimmed the lifted areas that were no longer sticking. To quell the itch, I swabbed a little rubbing alcohol on the red areas. It felt cooling and removed the tape residue that was making me red and itchy.

Follow your doctor's instructions. Get up and walking as soon as you can after surgery. Focus on your milestones not your set backs. Good luck, you'll do great!

Follow your doctor's instructions. Get up and walking as soon as you can after surgery. Focus on your milestones not your set backs. Good luck, you'll do great!

I love Chinese food! My fiancé is a fisherman and we barter fresh fish for free Chinese from our favorite spot, so yeah we eat a lot of Chinese in this house! I tried it & it was just okay, didn't sit so well 3 or 4 months out. Later, after my gallbladder removal I tried again w/out the rice -just a little. I got sooo sick & felt awful. I still crave it (seeing the remnants from my family ordering it when I work late) but Gollum (my sleeve) still WILL NOT have it. He's the boss, and he runs the show with an Iron fist.

One word: sharts

I've lost 63 lbs all together! Still have about 60 more to go, but I'm getting there!

Love Kale chips! I will be so excited when I am allowed to eat them again. I got a second dehydrator so double batches are in my future!

I would like to share some info about Curves. I am a guy but my wife and I own a Curves franchise.
First, let me clarify that this isn't a sales pitch and working out is the most important thing no matter where you go. I just wanted to clear up some misconceptions.
It is true Curves is designed for women. We have women of all shapes, ages and sized use our equipment. Proper form is key to not hurting yourself. The resistance on the machines is created with hydraulic cylinders. That means there is no adjusting weight plates which there wouldn't be time for since you rotate stations every 30 seconds. Also, the hydraulic cylinders provide more resistance the harder you work them and they provide resistance in both directions. For example, when you work your biceps in one direction, you will work your triceps in the other direction. The faster and harder you push yourselves, the more calories you will burn and the more lean muscle you will gain. Consequently, the faster your metabolism will be.
It is true you work out in a circle and you face each other. And to look at it like you have to stare at strangers is not the idea. You will make friends and you will have some great conversations with the other ladies working out with you. You will find working out with other ladies who you have things in common with, makes it more fun. It's your time. Time away from husbands, kids, house work, jobs... You name it.
And just FYI, Curves is now so much more then a fitness center. It is now a complete weightloss center with Curves Complete. I won't go into details because I promised this isn't a sales pitch. But if you want to know more, visit a Curves near you or curves.com (still not a sales pitch).
As for me, I don't go into our club during business hours unless something breaks. We keep it women's only out of respect for our members. I handle accounting and maintenance. My wife is there everyday at 530am. And I'm on this forum because I was sleeved one week ago on 2/27.
Here's to working out no matter where you choose to do it. Stay strong. Stay healthy.

I went through HR so I could qualify for FMLA should I have any post-op problems. I used 5 days of vacation, then switched over to disability. I figured I spent all these years paying into the system, that I should get some $ out of it! I took two and a half weeks off. Could have gone back sooner but my Dr does a two week follow up appt vs. a one week. I was happy for the time off and to not have used up all my vacation time. i told everyone I was having surgery and if someone asked what for I said hiatal hernia because I was diagnosed with one during my EGD.

Love Kale chips! I will be so excited when I am allowed to eat them again. I got a second dehydrator so double batches are in my future!

Love Kale chips! I will be so excited when I am allowed to eat them again. I got a second dehydrator so double batches are in my future!

For me, I pack my lunch if I'm going into my local office and if not, I can kinda eyeball how much to eat if purchasing in the cafeteria. I don't use smaller plates or utensils, when I start to get that feeling in my esophagus or as I call it "auto cut-off" I stop and the rest gets tossed. The portions are small to begin with so I don't feel bad about tossing the rest. I think in the beginning it was difficult for me to get that concept, but now its not a problem.

I know every surgeon's prescribed diet is different, but something I was advised to do once I advanced to mushies was to eat dense Proteins only, and then a little mashed veggie from a very short approved list, if there was room. I'm one of the few sleevers who don't eat yogurt. Greek yogurt is actually on my list, but I burned myself out on yogurt pre-op, and I don't care for greek yogurt. Eating the dense Proteins (tuna, salmon, chicken) fill you faster and stay with you longer, as opposed to yogurt which I imagine passes through a little more quickly. However, if you're on your surgeon's plan, and you're taking your recommended amounts, it sounds like there's nothing to concerned about.
I found the consequences of eating too much last night and it was horrible. I was sick to my stomach, I just felt this tuna sitting there in my esophagus trying to decide if it was going to go upstream or downstream. It was a tense half hour or so, to say the least. I have been able to finish a full serving my Protein, even though I've really wanted to. It's hard to leave a third of that meat in the bowl. However, today I had food for Breakfast for the first time instead of a Protein shake, and I was surprised that I actually was able to finish the whole thing! (2.6 ounces.)

I'm only 3 weeks out myself, and I, too, can eat fast, and seem to be eating more than most on here. I eat 1 c of cottage cheese for lunch, and finish it in about 10 minutes without feeling overfull. The more solid the food, the less I am able to eat and the longer it takes me. I have been eating around 800 - 1000 calories a day, and getting way over my minimum Protein. I am able to drink pretty normally, I just don't chug like I did before surgery. Reading the experiences of most on here, it sometimes concerns me, but I have been losing about 5 lbs a week since surgery, not including the 10 lbs of Water weight I gained from the IVs in the hospital. (Including that would make it 8 lbs a week!) I'm happy with that.
I also have not had any problems as far as throwing up, sliming, or anything like that.

I am 30 days out. At three weeks, a few days before my period, I had a 900 calorie day. Before and after, I get in between 400 and 600 per day. I feel more restriction and less hunger now than I did at three weeks. I was worried about being able to eat too much too soon, too. Turns out my sleeve had other plans for me. I also eat fast. I only eat 2 oz of most things, but I finish it in no time with minimal discomfort. I was in a stall, which ended today. Maybe the 900 calorie day helped.

I agree with everyone, I use small plates and utensils. I also pre-plan, cook and pack my lunches and snack for work and for the week. We have a fridge in the breakroom at work and so I always have hard boiled eggs, string cheese, greek yogurt and tuna in there. I am also a little OCD (ok a lot) was even before surgery and my husband swears I could eat for a week out of my purse! At any one time I'll have little packets of almonds, beef Jerky, individual packets of Peanut Butter and a cheese stick in my purse! It makes me feel better to know that I always have good options with me if I get in a jam. I'm now almost 6 months out and I find that I'm not as worried about having it all with me as I was in the beginning. I now know that I can stop in anywhere and get a cheese stick or some nuts! I also cook a lot from theworldaccordingtoeggface blog with her little mini muffin Protein Bites. My whole family loves all the different ones!

I agree with MGT. Packing food is great. If you cant pack have worked out in advance what you plan to eat. Spend time planning this, it's a good investment!
Also I agree with everyone about the small plate thing. I do this.
I was a plate cleaner and over time I've got better at not doing this. Now I actually enjoy leaving food - even if I've paid for it in a restaurant. I got in the habit of leaving a bit of food on my plate to be thrown out. Even if it was only half a teaspoon.

I agree the smaller plates and utensils help. I measure or weigh everything.
When I'm packing leftovers or lunch, I measure everything out and pack in small tupperware/glad containers. 4oz. each. I'm lucky not really to be feeling hungry but that wasn't really my issue prior to surgery. Portion Control was.
Good luck!

I got mine yesterday. I ordered a necklace and to the casual observer they probably won't notice the medical symbol unless they are checking out my jewelry but to a medical person it is obvious. The pendants is a dark grey scroll cross design but in the middle is the bright red symbol and it is raised to the touch. On the back is all my info so either way I think they would see it. Regardless, it makes me safer having it on.

It really doesn't sound like it's a problem, especially as your overall intake is only 500-600 calories a day. How long does it take you to eat a 'meal'?
I worry about eating too fast. I only get a 22 minute lunch break at work (I'm a teacher), and my mornings are very hectic with getting myself ready and getting my daughter up and moving so I can drop her off at school, so I don't have a lot of time to eat before I leave for school.