Holly5.3

I am sure, like me and a lot of others, you could lose weight without your sleeve -but it's the lifetime of keeping the weight off that's been my challenge! Example - Feb. 2010 I joined Jenny Craig at 272 pounds. By December, I lost almost 70 pounds. A coworker had WLS also in Feb. 2010. She lost a little more than me by Dec. -say, 90 pounds. (Meanwhile I was working out 5x a week and spending an average of $350 a month on Jenny). A year and a half later - I weighed 278 and she lost over 150 pounds and is a tiny little woman now! I was so embarrassed and ashamed to yet again put the weight back on that I worked so hard to lose! First I plateaued on Jenny-normal, then I had a bunion pressing into a nerve so I had surgery last Feb. Once I stopped working out and eating too many cals/carbs again, I was a gonner! So, I called the Bariatric center my coworker (and several others) had and here I am. Did I expect it to be as hard as it is? No way! Is it a walk in the park? No! Will I lose the 100+ pounds once and for all-yes! Will it take hard work-yes, anything worth getting does! I am keep positive images of what I'm going to look and feel like when I make my goal in my mind and know that what a difference a year makes..2013 will be a great year!!

You are so pretty! What an inspiration, thanks for posting before and after picks. Makes the eating like a toddler (5 weeks post-op) and everything else we go through worth it! Congrats!

I am sure, like me and a lot of others, you could lose weight without your sleeve -but it's the lifetime of keeping the weight off that's been my challenge! Example - Feb. 2010 I joined Jenny Craig at 272 pounds. By December, I lost almost 70 pounds. A coworker had WLS also in Feb. 2010. She lost a little more than me by Dec. -say, 90 pounds. (Meanwhile I was working out 5x a week and spending an average of $350 a month on Jenny). A year and a half later - I weighed 278 and she lost over 150 pounds and is a tiny little woman now! I was so embarrassed and ashamed to yet again put the weight back on that I worked so hard to lose! First I plateaued on Jenny-normal, then I had a bunion pressing into a nerve so I had surgery last Feb. Once I stopped working out and eating too many cals/carbs again, I was a gonner! So, I called the Bariatric center my coworker (and several others) had and here I am. Did I expect it to be as hard as it is? No way! Is it a walk in the park? No! Will I lose the 100+ pounds once and for all-yes! Will it take hard work-yes, anything worth getting does! I am keep positive images of what I'm going to look and feel like when I make my goal in my mind and know that what a difference a year makes..2013 will be a great year!!

I am 5 weeks out and I can honestly say, it was -IS-the hardest thing I've ever done in my life! I haven't had life-threatening complications like some others have, but everyone's revovery and weight loss is different. Before my surgery, I don't think I expected any pain after reading posts about people shopping etc. just days after surgery. When I had pain and difficulty (nothing unusual) I was scared thinking that something was wrong. As I heal and can eat a little more than the week before, I still feel a liitle bit of "what the heck have I done to myself?" but I no longer snore-sleep apnea is going away, I was Pre-diabetic-Now I'm not; and I had one of 3 hernias (that I didn't know I even had!) repaired, and I've lost 49 pounds since August. Every day I weigh the pros and cons and every day there are mire "pros"! I feel a weird "hunger" but can go a long time without eating (eventhough I shouldn't!), but I can. Before surgery I was so obsessed with food I barely went an hour without eating something -was always starving!
Just be educated on pros and cons and how they could affect your life. Good luck!

My diet recommends 20-30% of daily calories come from carbs-or max of 20 grams/day at 600 calories. I track on MFP so I can see some days I'm fine but others I'm over. When I have 2 Protein Shakes a day as 2 meals and a few dairy items, I'm good. Once I increase food and decrease shakes, the % goes up.

I love how you love your daughter so much to share about her here! What a dad! Like so many have stated above it comes down to tracking food in and exercise out! I can see from being newly sleeved that besides my emotional hunger-needing to be over-full, my body needs a lot less calories than I was giving it! All my prior 'diets' worked, for a while, as long as my calories were very restricted. Whether it was Portion Control (Jenny Craig, WW) or exercising to burn off excess cals. as soon as I stopped-I gained!
I hope for her sake and from seeing what you and your wife have gone through with obesity that she gets a grip on her 30 pounds before it's 40 than 50! I never would have dreamed as a young girl that so much if my adult life wound be consumed with weight loss! I wish I "got it" in my teens when the yo-yo-ing started! Good luck to your 2 pounds to goal-fabulous!!

That's exactly how I felt holly! Reading all the posts of people shopping after surgery, driving, going for walks, even going back to work- People who had no pain at all- wasn't really preparing myself to not heal like that. I woke with pain and was like 'what?' I think it's important to NOT compare yourself to others. Your right this journey- recovery, weight loss etc its such a personal thing. Comparing ourselves to other sets us up for disaster.
So glad to hear your list of pros has gone up! I know I'll get there too eventually!

I am 5 weeks out and I can honestly say, it was -IS-the hardest thing I've ever done in my life! I haven't had life-threatening complications like some others have, but everyone's revovery and weight loss is different. Before my surgery, I don't think I expected any pain after reading posts about people shopping etc. just days after surgery. When I had pain and difficulty (nothing unusual) I was scared thinking that something was wrong. As I heal and can eat a little more than the week before, I still feel a liitle bit of "what the heck have I done to myself?" but I no longer snore-sleep apnea is going away, I was Pre-diabetic-Now I'm not; and I had one of 3 hernias (that I didn't know I even had!) repaired, and I've lost 49 pounds since August. Every day I weigh the pros and cons and every day there are mire "pros"! I feel a weird "hunger" but can go a long time without eating (eventhough I shouldn't!), but I can. Before surgery I was so obsessed with food I barely went an hour without eating something -was always starving!
Just be educated on pros and cons and how they could affect your life. Good luck!

Wow! That's fantastic! I just posted my current size is a baggy Layne Bryant jeans, I started in a tight 22 in August. My dream is to be smaller than a 10-good work, girlfriend! You did it!

I have found the perfect flour tortilla after much looking and tasting!. Mission Carb Balance Flour Tortillas. 120 calories each but only 6 NET carbs per tortilla. They are pefect size for a burrito and are only 1 1/2 oz. each. They taste just like regular flour tortillas and don't taste like cardboard like most of the other low-carb ones I have found.

My quick 2 cents... C-section deliveries! Woman died in childbirth for centuries before Dr's. realized they could save the baby and the mother by cutting open uterus. No one chooses this route lightly either! Just like my recent VSG-it was necessary to save my life! Gid blessed our surgeons with skills to help people! Ok, I'm done!

I just had my 1 month post-op dr. visit and can have regular food, but avoid bread! (-23 pounds, yaaaa!) On way home we stopped at Country Rotisserie, I ordered chicken, mashed potatoes and corn. Was excited to have dinner out -havent since August, and to eat non-pureed food again. 3 little bites of chicken, 2 bites potato with corn and done! The belching began (my new alarm clock-too much or too little food and it tells me, and anyone else in ear shot!) so my excitement was replaced with I guess disappointment. I know it takes time, but that feeling you get when the food fills the sleeve too high is plain disgusting! It's hard to breath, and the food doesn't want to move up or down.

I just had my 1 month post-op dr. visit and can have regular food, but avoid bread! (-23 pounds, yaaaa!) On way home we stopped at Country Rotisserie, I ordered chicken, mashed potatoes and corn. Was excited to have dinner out -havent since August, and to eat non-pureed food again. 3 little bites of chicken, 2 bites potato with corn and done! The belching began (my new alarm clock-too much or too little food and it tells me, and anyone else in ear shot!) so my excitement was replaced with I guess disappointment. I know it takes time, but that feeling you get when the food fills the sleeve too high is plain disgusting! It's hard to breath, and the food doesn't want to move up or down.

I used to think, "when I'm finished with --- (WW, Jenny Vraig, etc.), I'll be normal". If course, only to gain every lost ounce snd then some, back! But what is normal? My sister who is built exactly like me never let's her weight go above 145. She works at keeping her shape every day of her life snd it shows! If she gains a pound or two, she cuts down on her carbs and sugar and steps up her fitness a liitle. She has never ever said she was on a diet-she say's, "she's watching!" (She's my hero!) if that's what it takes to be normal, then that's what I've signed up for with this surgery! We are also married to brothers and it's been hard being the 'big' one! I feel bad for my husband, too, because he's had to live with me and my weight issues since we've been married, 22 years!

I bought a package of plastic baby feeding spoons at supermarket. I tried only eating 1/2 a tsp. or so at a time with regular teaspoon, but I still took too much at once and would get that rock in the throat feeling. The baby teaspoons are perfect! They go great with my little bowl and Gerber oatmeal that I had today for lunch! Goo goo, ga ga!

I bought a package of plastic baby feeding spoons at supermarket. I tried only eating 1/2 a tsp. or so at a time with regular teaspoon, but I still took too much at once and would get that rock in the throat feeling. The baby teaspoons are perfect! They go great with my little bowl and Gerber oatmeal that I had today for lunch! Goo goo, ga ga!

Just wondering how my fellow Octo-sleevers are doing now that it's November. Please share accomplishments and any struggles, if any. I know I've had a few!

Hi! As usual I over-packed formy VSG on 10/11/12. Chapstick and iPhone charger, hair and toothbrush/paste was all I used. I brought pjs, robe, slippers, makeup, skin care, manicure supplies, books, cards-you would've thought I was going for a month! Supposed to stay 2 nights-released a day early so only one night. The hospital gown works best, so many things attached to you, regular nightgowns get in the way.I could have used my robe over shoulders while walking,but was too bulky, used another hospital gown over shoulders. Too naeaus to read, skimmed through an US weekly magazine. No cards. No books. No manicure. No makeup. Same clothes home that I wore there. My husband was a bit annoyed since he carried everything (too bad!). Pack sparsely - you'll be home before you know it! Ggod luck, sweetie!

Tomato Protein soup can be ordered from mybariatricpantry, but I got mine from a little WLS store at my hospital.
Lobster bouillon may be harder to find, but try looking in the ethnic food section in your grocery store. If you cannot find it, try searching on Amazon. Amazon has literally everything. I got my small container from a little Italian store in the Pike place market in Seattle. It is so good and lasts forever. I understand you can't come to Pike Place market, but you might look for a world market or some other place like that. Definitely try then grocery store first.

Unflavored Unjury in raspberry crystal lite and Unjury chicken broth saved the day for ne. I couldn't drink a whole shake of any type. By week 2-1/2 I could drink an entire Premier 11 oz 30 grams if Protein skake from costco over an hour. Now at week 4, I'm still having a shake as my early breakfast and one as part of my lunch-this gives me my min. of 60 grams protein alone then I can have whatever puree food I want for meals keeping my calories at 600. I can only Niw eat about 1/4 cup of pureed foods.

I am sorry you got hit by sandy...I hope things will return to normal for you real soon. i live in florida and hurricane season always keeps me glued to the weather channel...keep in touch we can be good support for each other since we were sleeved close together...

Halloween morning; 237 (-18.5 lbs since surgery on 10/11/12 and 41 total since 8/15/12, started Pre-op diet)
Now to work on New Year's Challenge! 

I hope I didn't offend anyone with term eating disorder. For me, not eating appropriate food, eating too much or too little= dis. order. I'm not eating orderly, so I'm "dissing" the orders (based on sound nutrition for a lean and healthy body). a 5'5" woman weighing 278 pounds, who should weigh 138, does not follow "orders", she follows her addiction to fat, carbs, and sugar. Maybe its because I'm an "older middle-aged" woman and have gone through every program imaginable since I was 16 and finally realize it wasnt the diet that failed me, it was me failing me.

I agree with everyone! Starting weight/BMI, how your body reacts to the caloric deficit, your age, current health, amt. of physical activity, etc. will all play a part in #s lost at 6 months or a year. My dr. recommends no alcohol, for example, until a year post op. He asked, "Do you want to lose 100 pounds in a year?", Duh! Then he recommends limiting carbs as much as possible the first year. I love my bread (I almost inhaled a fresh loaf of Italian bread! I figured sniffing it didn't have calories, but boy the smell of yeast...yes, that is definately my addiction!) I'm doing well too, weight loss wise so I know it's hard to not get excited and then raise our expectations when the scale is behaving nicely! if I keep going at the rate I'm going, 100 pound loss is realistic somewhere between 6-12 months-I hope! I've lost 42.5 lbs. total since Pre-op in August-Start-278; DOS-255.5; 3weeks post-op-11/1/12-235.5. I know once I can tolerate more foods and my calories increase (currently staying at 600), I'm going to have to join a gym. (I'm thinking family membership as a Christmas gift for husband and daughters with some fitness attire. This way I know I'll get my membership...sneaky!)

I also agree-let's see where those clients are a year or two from now! Also, how many of these clients were losing weight for the first time? Big difference between a woman losing pregnancy weight than someone who has stuggled with weight their whole life! The best revenge is living well...you show that trainer that this was a healthy choice for you in the long run-it wasn't quick fix!