indian

Been there man.....I hear ya. I try to get my fill on mostly lean Protein when I'm feeling like that. And since mine usually comes after intense lifting sessions, I'll add in just a few complex carbs as well. But if you're getting in mostly protein when you're feeling really hungry, you should be fine. Also, the drinking Water approach when hungry can work too, but if you know it's really hunger, I wouldn't sit there and just starve and be miserable. Eat good lean protein and veggies and you'll be fine. Gotta watch those granolas and/or protein bars, some of them have a good bit of sugar in them, which is really just a slightly more nutritious candy bar.

I am six months out and am kinda feeling similar, I found these Pure Protien bars at costco and Target. They have 20gs Protien and only 2 grams sugar but are about 200 calories. I think they are tasty and really fill me up. I would give them a try, I actually keep some in my car to prevent me from eating junk food when I'm out and get hungry.

Warning TMI alert! OMG! I'm not sure if its because of the weight loss but tonight for the first time in over 2 years my husband came onto me! He initiated sex all on his own and he had no trouble getting "prepared". I'm literally in tears over the shock and excitement. He never initiates sex nor does he show any desire to be with me. Maybe it was the weight loss or maybe the new dress but he NOTICED me and actually liked it. I can't believe it. I'm still in shock. We had hot sweaty sex before I almost had a heart attack. Lmbo. I didn't want to freak him out and start crying.

I want to share a vegetarian recipe. Take some curd + Water + cucumber pieces + salt. Puree it. It tastes good.

The initial weight loss will act as a rocket booster for your weight loss ! Please begin exercising and walking !

The initial weight loss in first month along with your ecstatic state of mind will make all the naysayers irrelevant, believe me !

Im sure they take a sneak peak for educational purposes haha

You guys are hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I waxed and sprayed a little perfume on myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy legs. Get your mines out the gutter. Lol

I'm Colby and I've been lurking for a while so I decided I should go ahead and introduce myself. I've just started the process. I went to a seminar a few weeks ago. Found out that my secondary insurance covers the surgery (thank you mama!) and decided on the sleeve.
I'm 22 (23 in may), married to a wonderful and supportive man, brandon and we have two beautiful daughters. Amira will be 3 in June and Isla is our leap day baby. She just turned one. We live in Lubbock, Texas.
I've been overweight since I was about 13 but now it is out of control. I'm 5'6 and weigh almost 300 pounds. It really makes me sick. Everyday is a struggle for me. I don't know how I'm living like this.
I just buried my uncle who practically raised me. He was almost 500 pounds and died heart failure and a stroke. He had two twin boys who recently tried to join him if you know what I mean...
I just can't be unhealthy and put my family through that. It's not fair to anyone.
My aunt also is in heart failure but she is starting the process to get the sleeve.
Not very many people in my life support me. My husband does of course. I hope that I can find support here.
Sorry if I was rambling, I'm so tired lol

No secret. I just walk and exercise everyday and eat Protein and veggies.

I had my surgery on 12/18 and I have dropped 95lbs. Has anyone else experienced friends that you were close to before the surgery suddenly not have time to hang out? It's kind of discouraging.

I want to share a vegetarian recipe. Take some curd + Water + cucumber pieces + salt. Puree it. It tastes good.

I tell them wait a minute let me get a pen to write this information down, or better yet I'm interested just write everything down and I'll try it. The looks on their faces......priceless.
I'm sure they don't mean any harm, they are just trying to be helpful.

I'm like, "OK, thanks" and walk away. Some people are generally trying to be helpful so I try not to say it *too* sarcastically. I have been lucky since almost ALL feedback from people that know has been very positive.

LOL. I didn't tell many people for that exact reason. My aunt, however, was talking to my mom and my mom told her she was proud of me because I'm losing weight and went from a 24 to a 14 already. My Aunt flipped out! She immediately called me up and was rude and snide and demanded to know what surgery I had because it would be impossible to lose that much weight without surgery, and why haven't I posted pictures if I've lost so much weight. She was SUCH a B*TCH, and all I could do...was laugh. I laughed so hard I actually teared up. I could not believe the icy disguist spewing from her mouth. My laughing didn't help at all. I never did tell her I did the sleeve, and now I probably never will. When people would offer me unsolicited advice, I just laugh and tell them thanks, I appreciate their thoughts. I think these people make their suggestions and comments because they are jealous, and scared that you might actually succeed while they...stay the same. Laughter is the best medicine, and it lets them know you don't take them seriously, because they are saying ridiculous things. Hold your chin up, ROCK that sleeve, and become the woman outside you've always been on the inside

I say Thanks and move away from them. I don't waste time defending myself.
Lynda

That's amazing!! Congratulations... Can I ask what a typical day for you is (eating wise)?

I think this is a really complicated issue.
It's not just habits or emotional eating here. I see a common theme that a lot of folks never got to their visualized goal and were forced to compromise even before beginning the lifelong struggle of maintenance. I'm one of them! I got far closer than I thought I would, sure, but I never did reach that ideal window for me and even "at goal" I'm overweight on the BMI chart.
I don't know a good answer.
What I do hope is that many researching and newly sleeved people read this thread. I think many (even some of us!) don't truly grasp the idea that the sleeve really is just a tool, and that the mental/emotional/physical struggles that helped us reach obesity in the first place might never go away or be fully resolved.
I'll be three years out in July and yes, I'm currently horribly stressed and I'm currently pregnant. But those old triggers and habits are still there, under the surface. If I had put an ounce less work into my mental health while losing, I have no doubt I'd be up forty pounds in this pregnancy rather than the twenty six I'm up. And all of this bad diet temptation reared it's really ugly, convenient head as soon as I got back to the states, where I'm positively bombarded with bad choices and temptations every where I go. And yes, it's STILL a struggle sometimes. I STILL have to stop myself from grabbing candy. I STILL have to say, "No, I will not go through the drive-thru and eat absolute crap today." It's STILL a temptation. Right now, I'm resisting about 90% of the time.
But no mistake...it's still there and I have no doubt that it will always be there.
And I can see that if we do stop tracking and we do get complacent (or injured, or sick, or put on a new medication, or have a great deal of stress, or hey, LIVE NORMAL LIVES) that it could possibly get harder and harder to maintain the farther we get out from surgery.
Maybe, at the heart of things, this is the real reason we see almost nobody 5+ years out and why the stats for long term maintenance (even with our awesome sleeves) are so dispiriting.
Please keep this thread alive. And maybe starting a similar one in the Vet Forum would be beneficial and attract more people that aren't sharing their struggles.
~Cheri

It is not easy that's for sure. Even with the sleeve restricting our portions, it's very easy to graze and get out of control. I hate that it's a life long battle!

putting on socks is getting easier!
my blood pressure which was borderline now perfect...
my moderate also apnea Will go...maybe it's
my boys and husband and rest if my people are excited i have finally this

I can wear my 10 year old clothes.

Guys loose so much faster. They must work hard too but they get bigger pay outs for their hard work.

I have a Protein Shake in the morning, a piece of chicken or a lean turkey patty for lunch, and for dinner I have 4oz tuna or a hard boiled egg. I get done work at 10pm then hit the gym for a hour or two. I first do 30 min of cardio then I weight train with low weight and high reps then I do 15 min cardio. Around midnight I have a Protein Bar. That's pretty much my day in a nutshell. Plus like stated before I believe men lose faster and I have more to lose.

I am going to give a very detailed experience. It was the one thing I would search for and want to read when I began my search for my options of going to Mexico for my surgery. I am not going to give details of my surgeon, as we have all researched (or will) our Dr.'s and make the decision best for ourselves. I have only seen a couple of posts concerning who he is on these forums, and they were VERY vague and people having questions, no information. I am NOT a paid employee, nor do I work for free.
My surgery was on Friday, January 11.
I chose my surgery to be in Cancun. I opted to not to go to a border town, because I wanted scenery and beaches and a mini-vacation. I researched which physicians performed surgery in Cancun. There are several that practice in Puerta Vallarta, Monterrey, and Cancun. Easy enough.
I arrived Thursday, January 10 and was greeted at the airport with no waiting. Took me to my hotel. When I arrived, the hotel staff was extremely courteous and offered me a free upgrade to a villa. YAY!! (I have pics and should really post them at some time if you guys want to see them.)
Met in lobby on Friday at 8:30 a.m. There was someone else going, they were late and we did not leave until 9:30 because she over-slept.
Straight to the hospital. I arrive and greeted by a wonderful staff. I speak enough spanish to understand and to be understood. The best part? When in doubt...they have flash cards they bring to you to translate for themselves. My doctor comes to greet me (perfect english) and the labs/EKG and other stuff begins. Took about an hour, at the most. I had a room to myself. The floor was empty except for one other WLS patient. The hospital was great! My room had a shower, I sofa thatfolded out into a bed, working Wi-fi, and a tv with a blu-ray player.
Anesthesiologist comes in and she was great. I answered a few questions she had and she answered mine.
I changed into a gown and walked into the operating room and got on the table at 11:25 a.m. I remember singing "Proud Mary" and realized the anesthesiologist put something in my i.v.
Woke up in the recovery room, and I really needed to pee. lol the nurse asked me, in her way, if I felt ok to go. "si, si, si."
After that, I was in and out every for a couple of hours. Anesthesia wearing off. Then I was 'OFF!' I began with the laps. I had read about all kinds of major gas pain on here and to walk, walk, walk and that is what I did. Every hour (I timed by the TV shows: when it ended, I walked. repeat)
At one point I heaved a little and saliva/clear stuff came up. I was afraid because of my new tummy. The nurse came in later and I told her about and she came back and put something in my i.v. and I did NOT experience it again while in the hospital. The nurses knew of my one episode of 'nausea' and kept the anti-nausea meds in the i.v. I was checked on hourly, my drain was checked and/or emptied.
Was I not in pain because of the pain meds? I don't think so...I declined pain meds in my i.v. because I was not hurting. I have not taken NOT one bit of anything for pain since the surgery, nor since I left the hospital. Everyone's recovery is different. Walking helps.
Saturday: this is something I had NEVER read about on these forums, my mouth began to Water and knew I was about to heave something. It came up, but I will say it freaked the poo-poo out of me. It was dark. like something from a horror movie. And it came up 3 times total. LOL. I could taste the 'metallic' taste to it and knew it was blood. I WILL SAY THIS: as soon as I got that up, i swear I felt like I could run a marathon. I literally felt that much better. The nurse made her rounds and came in, I showed her and she assured me it was completely normal. My Doctor came by later that day and told me the same thing. I was given ice chips several times throughout the day and was allowed to take the best feeling shower I have ever had. walked, walked, walked. watched NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order, etc.
Sunday: The inevitable blue dye is brought to me. OMG. It is horrible. Think of liquid Nyquil, the green one, and about 12 oz of it. Dr comes and gets me and we go to look. I get downstairs and I took a drink of some other clear liquid and watch it go down in to my new little bitty tummy. It's BEAUTIFUL!! lol. No leaks appeared. back to the room and he looks at the drain, no leaks or blue dye in there, either. YAY! He tells me he is going to pull it out and "It doesn't hurt. It just feels funny." Is it going to make me laugh? "No, but it just feels like it." He pulls it out and honestly, it did not hurt. just a quick 'zip' and its out. No stitches, he states. It is natures way of laughing at Dr's because it is going to heal and look the best out of all the little one's you have. I laugh. I "can then shower dress and get ready to go, the driver will be here at 11:30 to get you. We will call the hotel and pay for an extra day because check-in time is not until 4 pm." Great! and he tells me to walk and keep walking. We leave, get to the hotel, and we get upgraded again because they couldn't get a room ready quick enough. Leave my things and went walking on the beach for 1 1/2 hours, then went to the mall for 2 hours.
Monday: I am on soft/pureed foods and really can't hold much at all. I buy guacamole, but please put nothing in it. So basically, a smushed up avocado. Can I tell you guys.. I was scared to death. My tummy loved it. the entire baby spoonful I ate. I ate it for lunch and dinner. So, about a tbsp for the entire day. and only got in about 20 oz. of gatorade for the day. i ate a nibble of a piece of watermelon (it's on my approved list - and it came right back up. scared the poo out of me because i kept thinking i sprung a leak) It's just too much sugar for the new guy.
Tuesday: Leaving today. Pack, leave my stuff at the hotel desk, and went shopping. Drank 20 oz. of gatorade, 2 baby spoonfuls of yogurt and get on the plane with my bottle of Water.< /p>
Wednesday-Friday: Every day has got better and better. I don't eat much. 1/2 a boiled egg and 1/2 tbsp of light mayo blended, water, and a couple of Protein drinks, a couple of bites of yogurt, 1/4 c of blended Beans. nothing chunky, just smooth. I am not hungry and I set a timer on my phone to remind me. Right now, by the time it takes me to drink 12-16 ozs. of water, it's usually time for some kind of Protein. I have got more protein today than any other day. So, when everyone says it gets better and better, it really does!!
I have no pain, I have only heaved the once with the watermelon, and I am walking around and doing okay. (don't want to jinx myself!) I love my new sleeved tummy!!
I have lost 18 lbs total. 6 for the 7 day preop and 13.2 since surgery on Friday, 7 days ago. I am sure it will start to slow down very soon.
Good luck on your journeys and I wish every single one of you nothing but success! Thanks to every one who posts here telling their experiences - I knew what to expect, because of those.