TheCurvyJones

Spoonfuls. Like... I was amazed at how little I could eat and feel stuffed... 2 or 3 and I was down for the count, for at least a few hours.

As for full, it's different for different people but you'll know beyond a shadow of a doubt that one more bite will spell trouble! For me, once I start to hiccup I know I am done.

Gas, plus stitches on the inside.... all normal pains. If you feel any hardness, any debilitating pain accompanied by fever or what have you, please see a doctor and as always consult your surgeon's office with anything serious!

Not at all. It just means you're normal. Give yourself a break and start again. There is no such thing as willpower. It's a decision. Either you're going to do this or you're not. Don't beat yourself up about being human... change does not occur overnight. You made it X days before... go for one more day this time around. Every SINGLE day, make the choice to stay on your path.

Believe me, by the time you get your surgery date, it becomes SO REAL. When having your surgery is completely dependent on how you do pre-surgery, it clicks that switch in your brain that doesn't give you the option to back down.

Good on you for already making changes. Press on! Tomorrow is a new day!

Hi Everyone, I have a question for those of you who are in the pre-op diet stage or beyond it. My surgery date is Sept. 3rd and I I have ordered the Syntrax and unjury sample packs (thanks to this forum's advice). So now these packages are sitting in my kitchen and they do NOT look very appealing What would you advise - should I start trying them now so I know what I like or are they going to be so bad that it will make me dread the pre-op phase even more?! When did you start drinking them - ahead of time or only when you HAD to?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I drank them presurgery. I refused to buy large tubs of powder because I knew my tastes would change post surgery. I did get a lot of sample packets though and I sampled a lot just to get used to making shakes and drinking them. Post surgery I don't like the taste of a lot of RTD or powder shakes, but I still love ABOUT TIME Protein powder and Atkins Protein Shakes.

You're going to lose hair. Drinking Protein shakes won't stop that, don't let that NUT frighten you into harming yourself. If your body doesn't like the shakes you're drinking, keep sampling till you find one that works well with you. Right out of surgery there's no way to eat enough Protein to satisfy your daily needs. You NEED the protein, so find a way to get it in... Isopure or protein bullets are another option.

You can also take Biotin and hair, skin, nails Vitamins but HONESTLY... you're going to lose hair. Guaranteed. You may be able to SLOW the loss or prod your hair to grow more to replace what you're going to lose, but drinking shakes and taking pills won't stop Hair loss. You won't be bald and really a lot of people won't notice. The number of people that complain about losing a lot of hair still have full heads of hair to me.

Receiving compliments gets easier. And fun! I think we all have to make a concerted effort to demarc the line between what used to be us and what is us. We're no longer responsible for what used to be us, so we're not reacting to it at all. I'm not accepting compliments anymore, thinking that the caveat is that I was so huge before that I wasn't pretty. No more of that. And when people say, hey you look nice today............not that you didn't look nice before....I stop them. Hey. Don't qualify your compliment by trying to boost the self esteem of a woman long gone. Just give the compliment and let it stand.

You might also find that your body prefers liquids at a very cold temperature. I much prefer a Water ice cold than room temperature.

Yes some days I can eat a lot (like before my cycle) and some days I have no capacity.

According to my surgeon the sleeve is like any other organ and is affected by things like atmosphere, humidity… There are days when we have higher and lower capacity based on the atmosphere around us. Sort of like when lap-banders fly and they feel their band tightening because their stomach swells.

Aside from something like Gas x, not sure! It's a common problem.

The kind of stuff they look for is a person who is desperate to have the surgery because they think it'll solve ALL of their problems. Your approach is realistic and founded in real life. You've already taken some of the steps you needed to take.... and I would encourage you to continue counseling AFTER your surgery because drastic life changes + a surge in hormones from weight loss made me feel crazy! I see a lot of people exhibit "OH MY GOD You need some time on a couch" behavior, post surgery.

I am a year and a half (just about) out and I still take Prilosec every day. Depending on what I eat or drink I can skip it. My sleeve doesn't like coffee or anything acidic. Right when I am about to say it's better, I get really terrible heartburn! That said it does get easier to manage. I was on a double dose of Zantac (especially at night) but I switched to Prilosec and it's gone much better.

I remember wishing I'd had bypass because I felt like those patients lost a ton of weight with minimal efffort... but I know more than a few bypass patients who struggle with their weight, so this is very individual. The best BEST thing you can do is not compare, because it will just frustrate you.

27lbs (I assume that is what 16 stone is?) over a 2 month period is nothing to sneeze at. Our bodies will do what our bodies will do. WE can't make it happen any faster than it's going to happen.

That said, at 2 months out, I was barely getting in 800 calories. I probably don't eat 1200 calories now and I am a year and a half out. If it were me, I'd take a look at the kinds of foods I am eating. I really only tracked Protein and carbs to keep them low, but I did find that I really like high fat meat-- bacon, beef, pork. I switched to lower fat, less dense meat like chicken and seafood and alternative Protein sources like Beans. It kept me eating a bit more often but it lowered the calorie count without sacrificing protein count. Watch your Snacks as well. A little here and a little there does add up when your sleeve is only 4 ounces.

I also find I do much better when I drink LOOOOOOOOOOOOTS of Water and I stop eating early at night. I know, fitness gurus. Our bodies don't know what time it is. But I personally do better when I stop eating by 8 and am in the bed by 11.

You're already active and moving, which is great. This is a lifetime job now. I know it's frustrating, but concentrate on today. Feel pride in the success you've accomplished so far. Take a look at your foods and your routines and see how you can shake them up, then measure it again in the coming weeks. Give yourself, say two weeks to see some kind of change.

How are your sizes? I find when I am not losing scale weight that I am dropping inches. Sometimes in weird places, like my watch will be flopping around my wrist or my shoes flopping off of my feet.

Hang in there! You're in it for the long haul! My first six months were so frustrating but I'm at the point now where this is my new normal and I love what I see in the mirror.

I don't cook. Very very rarely I will get in the kitchen. I've never really liked it and it's a waste of time and food for me. You can purchase food for every single phase, post surgery. Clear Soups like chicken broth, chicken noodle (just drain out the chicken and the noodles, the broth is delish), powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury Chicken Soup is pretty good. I bought one of those cup warmer things to keep it warm and near me. I couldn't drink it all before it got cold.

For the first 6 to 8 weeks, you won't be eating a lot. I went to Kroger and got broccoli cheese Soup, chili, chicken tortilla soup. Just stick them in the blender or strain the solids out ( just no Tomato Soup, it's too acidic. Well, my stomach doesn't like it anyway). You can get pre boiled eggs.. mash them up with some mayo and mustard, a little pickle juice, salt and pepper-- egg salad. Yummy, soft and about 5 grams of Protein. Yogurt, cottage cheese, refried Beans with cheese, mashed potatoes (at this point in your recovery, mashed potatoes won't make a huge difference. it'll be soft warm and filling). I like ham and bean soup, sent through the blender as well.

And don't forget your liquids! You can make suntea, sweetened with splenda or another alternative, or drink it plain. Water, juice (I drank white grape juice), diet snapple. There's also Isopure. Some people love the stuff. I wasn't too fond of it but there's, 40 grams of Protein per bottle! Check it out at your local GNC. I had to mask the flavor with some fruit juice.

Further along you will find that you can get a lot of things lowcarb. Just ask for no bun or a lettuce wrap-- Wendy's will serve their chicken/burgers on a bed of lettuce with a knife and a fork. Hardees/Carl's Jr sells all of their burgers Lowcarb-wrapped in lettuce leaves. Jimmy Johns has the Unwich which is any of their sandwiches wrapped in lettuce instead of bread, or chopped on a bed of lettuce like a salad. Same with subway.

And if they don't serve it that way, you can make it that way. It never hurts to ask. On the weekends, like Friday night I go through the drive thru at KFC and get a 4 piece in their grilled recipe. I take the skin off because I don't eat skin and at home I pair it with bagged salad or sometimes I can get myself to steam some vegetables to go with it. It doesn't take much to fll me up at all. ALSO Atkins has really great frozen lowcarb meals. The chicken broccoli alfredo is excellent.

Yes, it gets way better. Take it easy on yourself and your sleeve. Even if doc/nutritionists say you can move to a different stage, listen to your body. If you're in pain or uncomfy, stick to liquids, concentrate on your Proteins and your Water.

What are of GA are you in? I'm in Atlanta. Feel free to hit me up if you have questions!

I feel it in my back, actually. A dull ache. I stop as soon as I start to feel it. Pushing past that is.....just not pleasant! I also hiccup. I know when I hiccup that I am overfull.

Yes I agree. Slider foods, an increase in carbs (even too many good carbs like oatmeal), not burning what we eat. Our bodies eventually adjust to how small we can eat and so our processes adjust as well. We are no longer losing simply because we don't eat a lot.

And I know I am not alone when I say I can eat, wait 45 minutes and then eat some more.... Portion Control and keeping myself full with Proteins and good fats and working out have always been my struggles.

I would strain the broth and drink that. I would not risk food, mostly because your stomach may not react nicely to it. If it's a thick Soup, I would Water it down, then strain and again leave out any meat or vegetables. Don't risk your surgery on a few morsels. It's important to prep your stomach for post surgery. I know my surgeon wants a dry tummy when he goes to work. If you have to chew it, don't eat it.

As time goes on, our capacity changes. Depending on the density of the food, we CAN eat more. That's when following the rule of 2 to 4 oz of Protein per meal is important. Eating often is important, as is getting in that filling Fiber and good fats. You may have more capacity but think back to how much you used to eat. You'll never eat like that again!

I don't worry about it. I can always find something to eat, or something I can modify-- take the bun off of a burger, bread off of sandwich, grab a salad, add chicken or shrimp, dressing on the side.

I still have a lot of restriction too. Still can't really tolerate bread. If I eat too much, I can't drink anything for hours. Sometimes eating is a chore

Yup. a lot of times I don't even want to bother because I can't make/order anything small enough that I won't waste most of it. SO I might grab a cheese stick or a piece of meat or something to stave off hunger, otherwise I get lightheaded. But yes. SOmetimes eating is a total chore.

So I have a question.... My sleeve date was 12/06/12 and I still have so much restriction.After a 5.3 ounce yogurt I'm still very full am I the only one? Whats the most you can eat? Now I find it funny I can eat wrong foods there for making it seem like the restriction is pointless but I just want to know how much most of us are getting in 16 months out. Oh and by the way I stop eating slider foods and started eating right again so not to start any new bad habits with such a small stomach.

Not at all. My surgery date is a few weeks behind yours and I have tons of restriction. We're supposed to!

Okay everyone I know this may sound crazy.. But I have to ask.. I know our surgeries assisted us in our weight loss and its a good thing that we have restriction BUT am I the only one who gets mad when we want more but cant fit more? like right now I did only tuna for lunch no bread or crackers but now that I have reached my limit I want a slice of butter toast. (I dont eat crabs very often) But I'm angry I cant eat it because im full. Am I the only one who gets upset like this? Am I the only one who wants to still eat even after being full.. I try to choose the right foods so not to gain the weight back... So I chose a good lunch meal but am frustrated I really wanted a bad food and I really want to keep eating but cant.. Do you think what Im feeling is normal?

Every day. Almost every single day I sit down to a meal that I want to complete and I can't. Typically I can get in two or three bites before I start to feel full. Then I get pissed off and then I wait about a half an hour and try to fit in more food.

I think it's completely normal, you'll find a lot of people feel the same way. The sleeve only alters a body part it doesn't alter your mind.

Okay everyone I know this may sound crazy.. But I have to ask.. I know our surgeries assisted us in our weight loss and its a good thing that we have restriction BUT am I the only one who gets mad when we want more but cant fit more? like right now I did only tuna for lunch no bread or crackers but now that I have reached my limit I want a slice of butter toast. (I dont eat crabs very often) But I'm angry I cant eat it because im full. Am I the only one who gets upset like this? Am I the only one who wants to still eat even after being full.. I try to choose the right foods so not to gain the weight back... So I chose a good lunch meal but am frustrated I really wanted a bad food and I really want to keep eating but cant.. Do you think what Im feeling is normal?

Every day. Almost every single day I sit down to a meal that I want to complete and I can't. Typically I can get in two or three bites before I start to feel full. Then I get pissed off and then I wait about a half an hour and try to fit in more food.

I think it's completely normal, you'll find a lot of people feel the same way. The sleeve only alters a body part it doesn't alter your mind.

I'm absolutely still working at it! I want to see my personal goal of 173 and won't stop till that number pops up on the scale. That would be 100 lbs down, hopefully well get there before like June, but I am still in the low 180's and my loss has slowed considerably. Pretty much a standstill. I'm still losing inches though so I feel like I will hit my size goal (size 8 pants) before I hit that number. That would be FINE with me!

I'm wearing a size 6 dress today.... I've never worn a size 6 anything in my entire life.

Hello my fellow December 2012 sleevers...

Quick question... Are any of you still losing weight? If not, at what month did your body stop?

The reason I ask is because I'm still losing around around 3-5 pounds a month. My BMI is still in normal range (low side of normal).

I lose anywhere from 1-4 lbs a month, still. It started slowing down for me very quickly, because I was not losing a ton each month anyway. The inches are chipping away as well. After awhile, I just stopped paying attention. I do what I do and when I lose (usually after my cycle) Hooray! When my pants start getting baggy around the butt and thigh, I'm like ALRIGHT, NEW PANTS!

At just over a year out, my "new normal' is MOSTLY Protein, veggies if I can get them. Rarely fruit, occasional wheat or grain. coffee almost every day. as much Water as I can get in and I try to move my booty. I don't count count carbs or cals or fats. And if I see the scale creeping up, I know I am eating too much 'not protein' and spend a couple of days really concentrating on lean meats.

I go through my obsessive periods as well, esp when I am trying to lean out again after getting too loose, but I can't live there. I cycle through, though.