Momonanomo

Do you have a NUT you can consult with? I understand how it doesn't feel right -- because it is a vastly new way of eating -- soooo different from how we all ate BEFORE surgery. Your stomach is healing so sticking with liquid is the norm. Most people do find it a challenge to meet their protein and liquid goals right away. And, everyone's doctor seems to have a different plan as far as food progression goes. I had to do clear liquids the first 3 days if I remember right, then "full" liquids (protein shakes) for like the next 10 days. So it was a while before I could have cottage cheese. Oh you better beleive I was day dreaming about cottage cheese by day 6 of the full liquids! ANYways, you should be following your surgeon and NUT's plan to a T at this point. So if it doesn't feel right, definitely check in with them! Good luck!

yep you've got to add some fruit to kinda disguise the leafy greens. The nutriblast literature says the basic formula is: 1/2 fruit 1/2 veggie (this includes either 1/2 small avocado or banana) and then a sprinkling of a 'booster' like goji berries or healthy nuts. and some Water I also then add a packet of Syntrax nectar to add Protein and give it extra sweetness. Otherwise ti would likely require splenda. One of my fave recipes is to use a cored, unpeeled red apple, 1/2 small avo, 1 c kale or baby spinach, vanilla Protein Powder, 1/2 oz almonds, and a sprinkling of cinnamon. Another fave is frozen cherries, 1/2 small avo, 1 c kale or baby spinach, chocolate protein powder, 1/2 oz almonds. Voila! blackforest cake! Or frozen peaches, 1/2 small avo, 1 c kale or baby spinach, the syntrax fuzzy navel powder, 1/2 oz dried goji berries. I have these green shakes 5 days a week. Love em and I feel like they've done me a lot of good! I really haven't had any hair loss (yet -- knock on wood) and I attribute it to getting my calories & nutrition up early on with these shakes, and also the avocado. Yum yum YUM!!!!

I know the liquid diet gets old, but you have to think of it not as if it's just another diet --- this liquid diet is because you had your tummy cut and it needs to heal. Do not be tempted to advance your diet too fast, because it is dangerous and could result in complications. You can do this. Time will pass and you'll get through it!

I work in accounting, so I am a real nerd about keeping exact numbers and averages etc. At 16 weeks post surgery, I am down 67 lbs but that includes the 2 week pre-op diet. So 57 lbs since surgery. Big losses initially, then a pattern that follows my TOM. I'm averaging minus 1.36% per week. HOWEVER! i completely agree with Arts that you will lose exactly the amount that is right for YOU when your follow you plan. It is fun to think about where you could be in the future though Rest assured that it WILL be at a smaller size than you are at now. And I agree with Pretty as well --- you WILL look and feel fabulous!

Gas x strips are good to have on hand, and some lip balm. Other than that, plan to sip, walk, sip, rest, and repeat! Over and over! Also, don't over do it if you're feeling fine. You will get tired easily. Give your body some good TLC healing time. Good luck!

I was sick and tired of being sick and tired!

I ave more energy and my balance has gotten better. Also I am thrilled that I can easily cross my legs again!

I love those things, and I am the same way -- it's a once-in-a-while treat for me!! very satisfying!

Omg L i just saw your post....like 7 months later You are so sweet to make that offer! Now dr comes to maui for my appts yes mary asked me a goal & i said 150....butimgoing to try to go for 145....

Sending positive thoughts your way! I wish you a fast & easy recovery :)good luck!

Oh yeah! Another favorite recipe is to use a leafy green & the 1/2 avo plus a cored apple with vanilla protein and a dash of cinammon! usually put some lemon juice in to keep it from browning. It is SO yummy!

I love my nutribullet; I got it after surgery when I was missing my veggies like you are. I put in kale, chard, or spinach with half an avocado (a small one!), some frozen peaches or mango or berries, some goji berries or 1/2 oz of almonds, and protein powder. I like the syntrax nectar -- I use fuzzy navel with my peaches, and strawberry kiwi with berries. Vanilla is good with just about anything! I have a green shake 5 days a week (I take it to the office). I'm 4 months out and hoping the avocado will help prevent major hair loss....so far so good --- fingers crossed. I definitely began to feel better and more "balanced" once I started my green shakes.

when I've had problems with stomach acid, aka heartburn or acid reflux, I could easily describe it as a lump in my throat feeling. Have they given you anything to control acid? Like a PPI?

I'm not really going to comment on the "easy way out" stuff, because everyone here absolutely knows what that's about. You are a wonderful, caring, compassionate woman to have those feelings about the others who are struggling. I guess it's like survivors guilt in a way. You can't be responsible for saving all these people. You can, however, be kind to them, and treat them as you wanted to be treated when you were in that condition. You can share your story if and when it's appropriate. I've chosen to keep my surgery private, but at work if one of the people here that I work with who are obese were to ask me what my "secret" is to losing weight I would tell them. It would be cruel not to I think. But, if they don't ask me, I will not give unsolicited testimony to them. People know that WLS exists -- it's not a big secret in this day and age. Some choose not to go that route, and it is their choice. We made the choice that was best for us. There are a myriad of reasons the people you see haven't chosen surgery. You are not responsible for those reasons. Try to enjoy your choice, your empowerment, your health. You might also consider talking with a counselor about these feelings -- just to help you sort through them. Extreme weight loss is not just about changing the body -- it can really do a number on your head as well.

omg that does look good!

I think that my taste buds have changed in regards to ground beef! it always tastes a bit "off" to me now.

Today is exactly 16 weeks since surgery & I’ve lost 55 lbs since then. That plus the 10 lbs I lost pre-op mean I am down a total so far of 65 lbs! 65.4 to be exact, but who’s counting lol. I am excited! I am about 7 lbs away from being half way to goal. I am doing a lot of closet shopping, and now I realize if I don’t try on things frequently, I am in danger of several items becoming too big before I even get a chance to wear them! My sweet & generous husband thinks I should buy new stuff whenever I feel like it, even if I know I will only wear it a short time, & he says there are worse problems to have and that I should treat myself for having earned it. While I certainly agree with him in theory I cannot bring myself to go out and buy brand new things when I am not close to goal yet. I’m cruising ebay a lot. I have maxi dresses that I can wear quite a bit longer without them getting too obviously big, and a Donna Karan wrap dress that will just need to be wrapped tighter and tighter, but my pants and jeans…oh boy when you can take off your jeans without unbuttoning or unzipping them, you know they’re getting too big! So I need to get a smaller pair of jeans….and that’s where ebay comes in. I’m bidding on my favorite kind of Levi’s in the next smaller size and if I can get them for less than $20 I consider that a success. I’m so grateful for the sleeve. I’ve really had no problems with it, except for a bout with stomach acid a few weeks ago. I’m managing it with OTC meds and hoping eventually I won’t have to take it much. If I do have to take it every day forever, then so be it. It’s a very small price to pay, in contrast to the laundry list of health problems that I was headed for with obesity. My relationship with food has turned a compete 360. It is a bit of a mind trip though, because having loved food so much for all my 41 years, I still get excited about it. And then I eat it and after 4 bites I’m like “ugh, that’s enough”. So in some ways I feel like I live with a ghost – the memory of how satisfying stuffing myself used to be. And yet, now after a couple of bites I don’t want – can’t have – any more. (please note this is when following the "protein first" rule) It’s a very strange thing to wrap my head around -- this new ambiguous feeling about food, but it is actually a good thing. It’s what I wanted. I’ve always envied people whose lives weren’t driven by the urge to eat – food was always my obsession. When to eat, what to eat, when to eat next, what to eat if no one was there to see. Now I don’t have that uncontrollable urge, and it is lovely. I hope it lasts forever. I easily & happily stick to pretty paleo type eating, and have recently added one day a week where I have some good starch like whole grain bread. I think that revved my metabolism a bit, although I think it dampens my energy some on those days. I just don’t eat many carbs in the way of starches any more, and I absolutely do not miss them! I think I’ve had some dark chocolate maybe twice and my reaction was “meh” ....so why have it again? I have to say I am detoxed from refined sugar and thank God for it. I was a slave to sugar before. That evil is behind me and I do not ever ever want to let that monster out of its cage again. Because I fear sugar could sabotage me in the future, I am going to be very cautious about ever reintroducing it. My husband, who really wasn’t entirely on board with me having the surgery, has recently talked quite a bit about how happy he is with how things are turning out Go figure. LOL. We bought a 42 lb thing of cat litter at Costco last week, and as he said “ooof!” while hefting it into the shopping cart, I said “Yeah, well I’ve lost 1 ½ the weight of that” and it Absolutely. Blew. His. mind. Now, that was more than a week ago, and he’s remarked on it several times since – contemplating the weight I used to carry like that really had an impact on him. I said, “now you understand why I never had energy, right? Aren’t you glad the 65 lbs is gone? And, think about me losing another 65 lbs! You’ll have to put a tether on me or I might just float away!!” LOL Really, my energy has gotten so much better and I’m less than half way there….it is hard to imagine how good I’m going to feel when I get to goal! (please do note that I say ‘when’ not ‘if’) I’m stoked. I had a great week, and a great month. I track the patterns in my weight loss – regardless of intake or working out, every third week it flat lines. I accept it. The big picture is important; meeting mini goals are important. Meeting goals that are not related to numbers on a scale are important too. I’m all over this! Onward!

Omg look how radiant you are!

How far out are you? I ask because i was under the impression mood swings were an early out thing. However this week, at almost 4 months out, i seem to have turned into a raging b***h. Then i cry. Swinging on the mood swing & it is no fun. It was period week, but ive never been like this... Lol my new nickname is 'Fang'

You are awesome! Congratulations on your success everything has just fallen into place-- I love it! The things you were worried about turned out to be ok, and you've done SO WELL. I enjoyed reading this very much, and I thank you for sharing! I've had this crazy thought in my head recently that I might like to try running, but dismissed the thought as crazy....now you have inspired me to try! thanks!

I just had a moment of silence for my boobs RIP boobies. Lol . the good thing is, my tummy has gone down more than my boobs, so Im more of an hourglass now.

It most certainly does change when you switch to solids! Try not worry.

Sleeved 15 weeks here. When I think of a bite for me currently, it is equivalent to about 1/3 to 1/2 of a tablespoon I would say, whereas before surgery a bite for me could be about a tablespoon I think. There are 16 tablespoons in a cup, so a quarter cup would be 4 tablespoons (presurgery bites). . ..I don't feel like doing the math to figure out what a quarter cup in pmy postsurgery bites is it is less than a quarter cup tho, safe to say. If I'm eating chicken, beef, pork etc., I can only get about 4 bites in before I am full. eggs and fish I can do maybe 6 bites. I have been known to spit out that last bite that I realize while chewing will end up being one too many. What I do instead of measuring cups or bites is to measure ounces or grams on my little food scale. I measure out 3 oz of my Protein, and usually have 1 to 1 1/2 oz left when I'm done eating. ANYways, all of this only applies to eating protein. If I'm eating pudding or yogurt, I can defntly get more than a couple of bites in.

What helped me mentally prepare was to read VST and similar as much as possible. I read as many people's experiences as I could to help me gain perspective on what this journey is all about. It helped me also in that nothing that has happened to me so far has really been a surprise. Yes no two peoples experiences are exactly the same, but when you have been exposed to all the different possibilities beforehand, it gives you a chance to consider things before you're right in the middle of it. In some ways that has helped me shape my experience too. So my advice is to read read read as many blogs and msg board entries as you can!

Just to build on what others have said... I follow the protein first rule, then veggies, and so on, and honestly at this point I wouldn't have room for starches by the time I got to them! So although it is a 'diet' in that I am abstaining from starches, it's not like it is a struggle for me or that I feel deprived (doesn't the word diet have connotations of deprivation?). My sleeve, at 3 1/2 months, is definitely functioning as the tool that it is to help me stick to the food choices I believe are best for me right now. thank god!