johnlatte

Thanks for the clarification and I have a better understanding of where you are coming from. I just wonder though if those that grant absolution to those that come to this board seeking it, are really doing the right thing. If this was a board of alcoholics and someone came on and wanted to know which of the twelve steps allowed for beer, would we agree that beer would be okay? I'm just thinking out loud here, and not putting this to you at all. I do question what types of decisions have been made when someone comes here and asks about certain foods or certain behaviors that have been proven to be detrimental to one's health (like soda and all the foods you mention). I just wonder if any of us on this board is doing the right thing by saying well..."do it if you want to, it certainly won't kill you"....when maybe we should be saying "it would be better for your health and your recovery if you didn't do it." Maybe if we did more of that, we wouldn't see so many "I've failed at WLS...or I can't get the scale to move" posts. I dunno, just thinking out loud on a rainy day....

I've spent a fair amount of time in the PacNW. You folks aren't used to doing anything in the heat . Being a good ol son of the South, where we live in the heat most of the year, I can say hydration will be very key. I've never used a hydration belt, but I do try to super hydrate the day before any long runs or races if I know it is going to be hot. I also try to avoid running in the hottest parts of the day. I used to get up around 6:00a and do a run in the middle of the summer, there's still a fair amount of moisture in the air and it makes for a good runtime. Also try to get some sodium in before running. Gatorade is good or powerade zero. I try to stay away from it afterward and drink only water. Maybe and hour or so after the fact I'll sip some gatorade, but doing so right after a long run, gives me the hurls.

So..help me understand....you say that wheat products are the devil for you, and you wouldn't want to eat them, but do not understand why someone wouldn't want to drink a soda that contains mostly sugar and chemicals that have more letters than the alphabet? I agree there is no one size here, but you admit that there are foods that you avoid, why can't soda be avoided as well. I'm really confused? BTW I avoid most processed wheat products as well as soda...

Sorry to disagree...and I really am not trying to come off preachy, but yes I do consider it and will always consider it a tool to help me become a more healthy individual. It isn't the cure for obesity that many would like to think, but it is a stepping stone for a better way to live my life. I will be happy also to tell you that I don't have cravings. I have worked terribly hard to put my relationship with food in perspective and deal daily with my obesity. I am no way, shape or means perfect and have as many failings as the next person. But I do not and will not accept food a controller in my world it is only a fuel so that I may live. If soda is it for you, by all means have that soda, as everyone has to follow their own path to their own end. I genuinely wish you all the best.

the short answer (for some) is never. Probably this is the most debated topic on this board. I think that most Drs. and nutritionists put soda on the never again list. However, many on this board believe that soda is okay and have the occasional sip. Some also drink soda with abandon. I guess if you feel that it is something that you must do, I would say go for it and see what happens. I would suggest that the gas and bubbles are going to make you feel just a bit uncomfortable. For a lot of us, the commitment to get healthy and shake off the shackles of obesity means that certain bad habits and bad nutritional choices must be eliminated from our worlds to help ensure the success of our surgeries. I personally didn't climb spread eagle on an operating table to let a group of strangers cut out an otherwise perfectly performing stomach, without making the commitment to become the healthiest I could. So I said goodbye to soda. But I've come to realize that I am a different type of mutant on this board. Good luck with what ever you decide to do.

^^^^This...one of my favorite up calorie Snacks is a melted peanut, strawberry and wheat germ taco on a low carb soft tortilla. About 10 seconds in the microwave..really good on those days when things just won't go down the way they should, or if I have been low calorie for several days in a row. Just can't guac though. Something about the texture. Didn't like it pre-surgery and can eat it fine, just really don't like it. It is healthy though so I am trying it more often, but still not liking it.

Tried it years ago, wasn't a fan. The texture, for me just wasn't good. I'd just rather make my own or get some ground nut butters from the health food store.

Should be required reading for anyone thinking about having the surgery. Good post!

Good luck with selling your book. I would point out there's not a point on your FAQ and a whole lot more, that isn't asked and answered on this board at least 10 times a day, every day...............free of charge. Again, best of luck with your entrepreneurial endeavors.

The further out you go, the more hunger you will experience. It won't be this "if I don't eat right this minute I will pass out" type of hunger, but it is there. It's not gas, nor head hunger. Its the real thing. For me, the first three months, I didn't get hungry and often just forgot to eat. At month 4, you start to feel like it is time to eat something (again no big rush, but it is definitely there). At month 5, you KNOW when you need to eat something but again, if I don't eat, it isn't a big deal. So yes, you will feel hunger, it won't be this big thing that you might have had before and it is easily manageable. I eat 5-6 small meals a day, so I can say, yes I never get hungry, but if I don't do this, then I do feel it.

I read the article and I'm still skeptical about this. I'd really like to see how the studies were conducted. I'm guessing they studied folks running on a flat straight course and didn't take into account, hills, trails, treadmills vs tracks vs pavements. I totally get the minimalist movement in shoes was a terrible idea and I think that the article seems to lean in that direction more than anything. And form, yes, that is important, but not everyone is going to go out their front door and have perfect form nor will they have access to a running coach to do an extensive diagnosis of their gait, stride and foot strike. I just don't believe that it is possible to discount what the appropriate shoe does for preventing injuries. Like I said in my own experience, running in a crappy pair of cheap New Balance trainers, vs. running in a the pair of Sauconys that I use for street running, made a world of difference. It's like running in a pair of wooden shoes vs. running in a cushioned, comfortable environment. I had terrible shin splints in the NBs and had none in the Saucony's. My PF flared up running on asphalt in a old pair of Sauconys that I hadn't ran in, in years and were pretty worn out and had nothing left in the heel and minimal support left in the mid-foot. My Brooks Ghost that I use on most treadmill runs still lets me run with the PF and be almost pain free on either the treadmill or the street. Not trying to argue and I think the article has a lot of merit, but there's more to the story I think.

hmm don't think I can sign on to this one BTB. I've ran in crap shoes before and had a hell of time with shin splints and hip problems. Once I got in a good pair of shoes, the pain pretty much went away. The issue is most people's form sucks, and if you are overweight and haven't run much, your form really sucks. Getting a shoe with a good foundation, adequate (not over) cushioning can go a long way in keeping injuries from happening. It may not keep the from happening completely, but one leg or foot injury can stop somebody from running completely, especially if they are new at it. At the running store where I get my shoes, they video their customer's while they run on a treadmill and analyze both their feet and their gait to get a good idea what works right. Then they let you try the shoes on and go run in them. If you don't like them or they aren't the right fit, you bring them back and they keep working on it until you are dialed in. I think that if you are new to running and you have a significant weight problem, then getting fitted for a decent pair of shoes goes a long way in making sure you don't hurt yourself.

sprint triathlon, wow, that's gutsy if you haven't don't a lot of this type of sports before. Good for you. I runand at first, I didn't particularly like it. I started in a treadmill and worked my way out. Ran dozens of 5ks before breaking my foot and that started the long slow spiral back into obesity. I'm running again, I run about 4 days a week. I started the couch to 5k program and that helps keep me motivated and provides some structure. Loving it? Not sure, but I do like how I feel afterwards. i love being able to run for 10-15-20 minutes at a time and not have to stop. I have a good running list of songs on my phone that I listen to and sort of just get lost in it. Before I know it, I'm done. I plan on getting back into 5ks and 10ks this summer and run with my kids who both are runners. I don't worry so much about what can happen if I do run, but I do worry a lot about what will happen if I don't run. I guess the real advice that I can give it to put one foot in front of another, rinse and repeat. Start slow, figure out what's comfortable for you and go from there. The passion comes from knowing the end result, not from the work it takes to get there. Good luck with this, I am really interested in hearing how you progress. Please keep us updated.

The biggest issue is that there is NO set rules. Every Dr. and every nutritionist says something different and when you question them, you don't get a consistent answer. Most of what you hear is based on RNY surgery, not sleeve surgery. The whole thing about stomach stretching with a sleeve is pretty much not possible, but is possible with RNY. Like the whole thing about soda. Carbonation will not stretch your sleeve, it physically isn't possible. So this whole drinking before and after meals, really doesn't make a ton of sense. I don't gulp fluids with my meals like I did before, but if I need to take a drink while I am eating, or afterwards, it isn't going to make a ton of difference. I follow my Drs and my nutritionists directions, but if I need to do something and I feel that it is the best thing for ME, that's what I do. I've never followed the drinking rule one way or another, and I'm doing just fine.

I don't wait..... Don't see a difference waiting or not. Horror of horrors...I drink with my meals too! Nothing like I did before, but I might sip along if I am eating spicy food or something that is on the dry side. I've never waited before or after though....

Gum is supposedly a no-no, don't know why, don't chew gum so I never looked into it. Hard candy, okay if you are months out, wouldn't do it weeks out though. I hit up a sugar free jolly rancher every now and again.

First congratulations on your loss!. A 50 lb loss in the first two - three months is somewhat above average for most people having this surgery. If I could ask, what was your expectation at this point? I ask this a lot from folks that post similar and it is rare that I get an answer. I really am curious what you thought you would weigh two months out. Did you talk to your surgeon to see where he thought you would be? Again great job on the loss, I would not be "dicouraged" if i were you.

I was able to eat pretty much anything in this phase. Lots of humus, cottage cheese, yogurts. Soft vegs (no starchy potatoes though), scrambled eggs etc. I would worry so much about what you "can't" eat. You most likely will be able to eat what ever you want, sometime in the future. Subway, yes, shouldn't be a problem. Some folks have a problem with bread, and bread is something that I don't eat just because it tends to be over processed and too carby, but there isn't any real reason that you can't eat it if it goes down okay. Some folks seem to have certain intolerance to specific foods post surgery. I haven't had any of that. So it really depends on the person, I suppose.

I've been eating raw baby spinach for a while now. Haven't had a restaurant salad, but can't see why I would hurt. Been eating vegetables all along, my nutritionist is all about getting nutrients from food and not from a box, bottle/can or wrapper so I may be a different mutant.

A couple of things. Resistance bands are good and inexpensive and are a good way to get some flexibility and strength. Gallon milk jugs make great dumbells and is something that just about everybody has. Gallon cans of paint work good too. Throw the kids in a stroller or wagon and walk (don't have to run). Jump rope. Use the kids a dumbells or kettlebells (I've done this when mine where little). They have fun and you get exercise. Take them to the park, and you climb the monkey bars with them. Have fun!

Lots of folks that have had VSG are on myfitnesspal. There's a tread in here somewhere to get friends. Very supportive bunch. Very easy program to work.

Week 5 D2 done and in the books. Wasn't bad and was a good workout. The PF is much better, going to see what othotics are out there to add some cushion to the heel. Get through week 6 going to start looking at the schedule for a 5k. My beautiful daughter ran one last weekend with a time of 19:11. I know I can't catch her as my PR was around 30 minutes. I'm shooting for somewhere around 40 since that was 7 or 8 years ago. Also gotta start running on real pavement as soon as the PF clears up a bit more. Maybe I can get over to the high school and run on the track, not has hard as pavement.

I take what ever I need to take, and have since surgery. My metformin was pretty big so I just broke it in half for a couple of weeks. Never have had a problem taking anything.

I used my six months to really figure out why I was constantly yo-yoing. I had a fairly low BMI of 38 and had lost weight several times in the past but had a hard time keeping it off. The six months gave me the opportunity to really reconcile my relationship with food. I had a couple of good sessions with a therapist (I highly recommend this) and really got honest with myself about the changes that I was going to have to make to keep the weight off this time. I also used the 6 months to get in to a lot better shape physically. I hit the gym pretty much every day and got in what I felt was decent enough shape, that coming out of the surgery, I could realistically set some goals for my recovery, and hit them. I didn't focus on losing weight in those six months, I think I lost about 6 pounds total. They wanted 10-12, but I wasn't too concerned with it as I really wanted to get more prepared mentally than anything else. So far, I am glad that I did what I did. I think I have most of my emotional connections to food and eating in check, or at least I am able to identify certain triggers that can cause me to go off the deep end. No way shape or form perfect, but at least I can see the train coming before I get ran over by it.

Running and lifting help(s)ed me the most. Last time around I did tons of squats and that did a lot. Haven't gotten back into squatting this time around, but intend to at some point. Been focused mostly on running and not lifting as much heavy weight this time.