DanaInNewOrleans

Thanks!! How many calories are you taking in now? About how many in the first 3 months?

Thanks Ali! Question -- how many calories were you taking in during different stages...like at 3 months out, 6 months out? Congratulations on the 105 lbs!!

I'm taking both -- Prevacid in morning and night and Zantac in the evening.

How about helping your fellow (Sleeper) Sleevers and give us an idea of your daily menus? In detail!!! Surgery Date, weight loss, calories, carbs, exercise. Maybe share your secrets that you think have helped you become one of the elite. Or if you were once a Sleeper Sleever, what did you do to move on up to Overachiever Sleever status? And this applies to the Achiever Sleevers too.... Share the knowledge people!!! ~Dana, Sleeper Sleever in New Orleans

Do you mean you've haven't lost any weight or that you've gained recently?

Looking GREAT!

Count me in the slightly disappointed category. Surgery 12/21 and I'm only down 20 lbs....

I do the same with shrimp --- lots of protein in just a few of them. I keep them in the fridge and grab a few when I think about it.

Is the 300 calories a day 6 weeks post-op a typo? If not, that is extremely low. I certainly do not want to tell you not to listen to your doctor but ......well, I'm not sure what to say because 300 calories a day is absolutely starvation mode. Most people on here on probably on at least 600-800 calories a day at 6 weeks out and some are even higher. I'm sure there are some who are struggling to get in all their calories but I can't imagine their program limited calories to 300 a day. I apologize if I sound preachy...... just worried that you're not getting near enough calories. ~Dana

For some reason I did not feel the need to go crazy before surgery. My husband, friends and family were more concerned about me eating favorite things before surgery than I was. I think it was because I always viewed this as long term freedom -- I have every intention of eating what I want, the only difference being I will only be able to eat a small amount. I know that I will be able to eat my favorite things again, just in much smaller portions.

Hi Kay, Ok, so I know you've got to be somewhere around New Orleans if you're eating King Cake and boiled crawfish, shrimp and crabs! I'm in Mandeville...... I actually made sure I had a few things before surgery -- like beignets with as much powdered sugar as I could smoosh on them ( and I rarely eat beignets but for some reason I insisted that had to be one of my goodbye foods before surgery) ~Dana

Hi Traci, Calories are another thing that seem to be all over the map with everybody. I've been sticking to around 900-800 a day. But some people are posting that their doc has them on 300 calories 6 weeks out?? Some people are doing 500, some are doing 1200. My doc/nutritionist did not give any actual calorie guidelines, which I find kind of ridiculous. Their instructions say "if you are not hungry don't eat. Concentrate on fluids and protein" Well, if I waited until I was hungry I would never eat. I guess it's just individual trial and error on this journey... ~Dana

Trust me, if I could have eaten the whole biscuit I would have! But half was all I could do. Which is fine with me! My problem is that I am really not wanting to eat real food for some reason. I try and it almost disgusts me. Very weird. I am mostly relying on my shakes for Protein and calories. Of course, the high carb , zero protein biscuit tasted great!

I ate half of a biscuit yesterday and I was fine. So I don't think bread will be hard for me, other than its high in carbs and I need to eat it sparingly.

Hi, I'm not a big fan of overly sweet shakes. My favorite protein powder is Syntrax Nectar Chocolate Truffle. I don't find it overwhelming sweet but sometimes I add more low carb milk to cut the sweetness or use just 3/4 of a scoop. It works for me. ~Dana

Thanks for the reminders! I'm a slow loser and this helps keep things in perspective. ~Dana

Lucky you to live in such a beautiful place!!

I'm in my 6th week post-op and I am finding everything tastes bland or "off". I keep trying different things but after a few small bites I just cannot go anymore-- it's not just a full feeling -- it's a "ugh" feeling. It's like I just can't stand the thought of eating it. I keep wondering if it were my favorite pre-surgery foods like steak would I feel the same way. NOTHING appeals to me. The only way I am getting real calories in is from my Protein shakes....(which are also the easiest thing for me to get down) I am also having a hard time getting water/flavored Water down. Makes me slightly nauseous almost every time. How many calories are ya'll getting in around 6-8 weeks out? Of course, MyFitnessPal keeps warning me that my calories are way too low and my body will go into starvation mode... ~Dana

I'm going through the same thing. Really, the only way I am able to get to 800 calories a day is to rely on my protein shakes. They are the easiest thing for me to get down. I can only take a few bites of almost all other semi solid food. Without the shakes I don't think I could get anywhere near 800 calories-- I just can't eat enough of anything else for it to add up. I'm also having a REALLY hard time with water ....always makes me slightly nauseous.....

Surgery December 21 Down 20 lbs

So that is the reason things suddenly stopped "going out"!! It's been like a week! Thanks for letting me know!

I've had a very smooth post-op. No pain, no nausea, no throwing up (except once when I made myself throw up) and could tolerate all liquids and puree or mushy food that I tried. In the last two weeks I started with a deep gnawing empty feeling, almost like hunger but not quite. It was almost constant. I also had an almost constant feeling of slight nausea, especially when drinking Water or flavored water (not my Protein shakes). When I would have my Protein shake I would get some relief from both the nausea and gnawing feeling. I'm guessing ulcer and I remembered the beginning of it coincided with my taking Advil (3 is my normal dose) 2 days in a row on an empty stomach ( I just wasn't thinking). The gnawing empty feeling has pretty much disappeared but the nausea is a little worse. I'm avoiding drinking because drinking makes it worse. I did call the doc's office and they gave me Zofran, which I don't see helping very much. I'm just wondering if anybody on here has developed nausea weeks after surgery (I'm 5 weeks out) and if so, did it resolve on it's own? I'm not getting in my liquids and I also don't feel like eating... I'm on Prevacid 2x daily. Thanks for any insight... ~Dana

These are the kinds of things I'm eating.. Breakfast: Protein shake Lunch: egg whites or shrimp or Soup Dinner: egg foo young or soup, egg salad, cream of wheat, shrimp Snack: fresh blueberries, laughing cow cheese, guacamole, hummus This was my menu today Breakfast: Protein Shake Lunch: 1/2 cup chicken noodle soup Dinner: 1/2 cup shrimp egg foo young Snacks: 1 Sonoma light cheese wedge, 1/2 cup Special K Protein w/ low carb milk and fresh blueberries Exercise is usually walking our dogs. I just got the Wii Zumba Fitness a couple of days ago and that is a blast. And I just ordered the Biggest Loser Power Walk DVD.

Not a boring story!! I totally agree...this is the best thing I have ever done for myself. It feels like complete freedom and peacefulness. I can't explain it really... Congratulations--- You look great! ~Dana

I was doing light cleaning 2 days after surgery. Nothing strenuous -- but I dusted, vacuumed ( I have dogs too), swept the kitchen floor. I was very lucky....I had absolutely no pain other just a little soreness.