deedeemuffin

Thank you! I will definitely give it a try!

Thanks! I really noticed the difference in my legs in the pics. I'm going to walk those calves until they are looking better than my pre-heavy days. I'm 5'10" so, I have a lot of leg to work on...lol

We are all a little nervous in the beginning. In the first few weeks following surgery you will have a ton of questions & this website is a great tool for answers, encouragement & inspiration. I can't think of a better gift to yourself for your birthday than the gift of good health & a longer life. I wish you all the best & keep us updated!

You know, Laura, it's just crazy. I honestly don't see a difference when I look in the mirror, but the picture from 2 years ago Easter & then today are so different, My face was SO bloated looking. It was after an Easter egg hunt & I was helping one of the nieces in her age group. I was exhausted after half an hour. Just last week I was pushing a wheel barrow around the property where I live...filling it up with fire wood & hauling & stacking it. I never could have done that 4 months ago. It was hard even getting off my couch then!

Okay, so maybe there is a LITTLE difference now that I see them together & in sequence lol. I see it in my face & legs & some in the stomach & chest area. Looking forward to seeing what pics are like when I am at a healthy weight. I don't know how to put the pics side by side. If anyone can tell me I would really appreciate it!

Okay so I am going to give this a go. I know the scale has gone down 75 lbs., and I started out in a TIGHT size 32 & am now comfortably a size 24, and have had many other NSV over the past 4 months. I still don't see it. Someone recommended that I look at side by side pictures so here we go. 3 pictures are me at my highest weight of 418. One is 2 Easter's ago at an Easter Egg hunt with my boyfriend, nieces and nephew. 2 are from this August at Niagara Falls and in my sister's wedding. I was still ate 418 for those. My VSG was on 11/27. I'm not sure how these pictures are going to upload so the pic of me in the black & pink flower dress is from today. My boyfriend's 2 year old niece told me that I looked like a ballerina. LOL. Idk about all that, but hoping that I'll see a difference posting them together.

That's cool that we have the same surgery date. I definitely agree with not weighing yourself daily. As someone else pointed out the scale can definitely be a liar. I would really suggest making an appointment with your nutritionist. I would not recommend going back to only liquids. Our body is past that point. We need to be able to eat real food. Going back on liquids is like our past yo-yo dieting. A liquid restart would be for someone who had really gone off the rails in terms of eating. Every surgeon's office is different in their diet guidelines. I would definitely take a look at your sodium intake. When I see lunch meat, Jerky and a bar of some sort they are all LOADED with sodium. I have found that getting all my Water in is crucial to my success. Your body actually retains more Fluid the less you drink. Like I said, everyone's surgeon has different nutritional guidelines, but I will share mine with you. My nutritionist does not have me count calories. My guidelines are 60-70 grams of Protein, less than 40 grams net carbs (not including fruit or vegetables) and less than 1,500 mg of sodium. I do not vary what I eat very much as I have found that what I eat right now works pretty well for me. This is a sample of what my day looks like: Breakfast: 8 oz. almond milk, 1 scoop chocolate Designer whey Protein powder, 2 tbsp. PB2 & half a frozen banana blended into a shake. (Total of 24 g of protein) Lunch: Chobani 0% fat plain greek yogurt with 2 tbsp. of PB2 & 1 packet Truvia. (Total 23 g protein.) Snack: 2 Polly-O String cheese or 1/4 cup edamame (Total 14 g protein for either snack) So: before I even sit down to dinner I have had a total of 61g of protein. Dinner is always vegetarian: Tofu & veggies, Beans & rice, etc. If I feel like I need something at night I have a serving of fruit - strawberries, blueberries, red grapes & cantaloupe are my new favorites. I drink 16 oz of water in between Breakfast & Lunch. Then another 16 between lunch and snack. Another 16 between snack and dinner and my final 16 after dinner. I always follow the rule of no liquid 30 minutes prior to or after a meal. Sorry, I know that this is a super long post, but if even one thing helps you then it is well worth it. Don't give up. I started at a much higher weight than you. So, it makes sense that my weight loss is a bit of a higher number. This is really such a learning process of how to fuel our bodies not just feed them. I also think that some of us expected to lose more quickly, feel more restricted and lose huge numbers. I was sure that I would be down 100 lbs in the first 3 months & here I am 4 months out & down 75 lbs. Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not complaining! I just know that personally, I am learning to use my sleeve as just 1 tool in my weight loss efforts. I would say that I average between 750-900 calories a day, but I choose what those calories are comprised of. I can have 700 calories of healthy, body fueling food or 700 empty calories. So, there is still the aspect of needing to put healthy food in our bodies and exercising. Add the sleeve and you have a good weigh loss trifecta. The most important thing is not to give up. There are a multiplicity of reasons that you are not losing at the rate that you want to. It's up to you to find what that is. We continue to be here for support. I really hope that you are feeling better soon!

I have found that there really is no "normal" when it comes to how peoples bodies react after surgery. I am almost 4 months out & ONLY down 74 lbs. I am what people call a "slow loser". How silly is that? As far as food, don't push yourself. It takes quite a bit of time for your stomach to completely heal. Talk with your nutritionist if you are concerned that you aren't getting in enough nutrition. There is always the go to shake of your choice. The are easy on the system when you are having a rough time. My go to shake is a cup of almond milk with Designer Whey Double Chocolate protein powder, 2 tbsp. of PB2 & half a frozen banana all blended together. It is easy on my sleeve & allows me to get in a full 20 grams of protein with just one meal. Being sleeved is like learning how to eat all over again. You can absolutely do this, and we are all here whenever you need support! Best wishes to you. This does get easier so, hang in there,

You absolutely can still lose weight. I am four months out & down 74 lbs. On this board that is considered being a "slow loser". How silly is that? If you look at my ticker in my signature you will see that I still have another 160 lbs or so to go. If I think about that I get totally overwhelmed. I just had a conversation last night with my boyfriend on how it has gotten much harder to lose weight since I started being able to tolerate any food that I eat. I haven't been doing very well for the past month with meeting my Protein or Water intake. Sometimes I would much rather have a handful of goldfish crackers than a snack of 2 string cheeses. We are in a position now where we need to eat to properly meet our nutritional needs. We don't really have the luxury of eating what we want or how much we want. This is very hard. Especially mentally & emotionally. We are not perfect. Every time we make a healthy choice it is a victory. Try to keep track of all your success on the scale and off the scale. Know that you are not alone. If, most people were honest they would share that they struggle too. There are many people here who do not judge and are willing to be supportive whenever you need it. You CAN do this! I am not saying that it will be easy, but it is possible. I really encourage you to Celebrate every victory and not compare your journey to anyone else. Come here every day of you want or need to. There are a lot of people who are willing to offer support. So, when I'm having a meltdown when I am down 100 lbs & have more than 100 to go, you might be there to lend an encouraging word. Hang in there & just keep pressing on. You are SO worth it! I wish you all the best!

First of all, congratulations on your great start losing weight. This surgery was a lot harder than I had anticipated. Just because we have tiny tummies now doesn't mean that we are immune from wanting food. even at almost 4 months out I still feel somewhat overwhelmed. When I see TV commercials for food I get upset. When I am at the grocery store & there are so many things that I know can't go in my cart, I feel stressed. At holidays & parties I literally sometimes feel sad because I can't have what I want. I should say that I can't have the quantity that I want. I'm sure that you get the picture. This change does not happen overnight & there will be weeks when the scale won't move. Just try to keep in mind your goals. How do you want to feel or look like? Is there something that you want to do that you can't do now because of your weight? Concentrating on those things really helps. Write them down & put them on the fridge or someplace that you see every day. This does get easier as time goes by. Also Celebrate every victory...a loss on the scale, going down a clothing size, being able to walk more without getting so tired. Whatever is a victory for you write it down. Then you can look at it when you need a little boost. You can do this. This is a great community to get support. So, utilize it. Wishing you all the best!

I had the exact same feeling before...that I couldn't run if my life depended on it & it scared me. It's something that I still struggle with. Now I can run a very short distance & so will you!

Ah, now that I can understand. Already I feel like my chest has kind of deflated and I need some kind of magic, anti-gravity bra! LOL. My sister in law lost over 100 lbs. & now runs. She told me that she has to wear 3 sports bras, layered together, because of boob issues. You couldn't pay me to wear 3 bras at once!

I very much dislike this! I hope that you can get some answers & that things get better...

Are you girls sure? Have you tried? I don't like to run, but it's always nice to know that you can. You know, in case you're being chased by a serial killer or a zombie apocalypse sets in...LOL.

Thanks! Now take a look at our weights. I outweigh you by over 100 lbs. You could start running now! It might not be far, but I am confident that you could start, though!

Those are awesome goals! My Brother In Law just did the Ironman in Arizona in November. If you are shooting for marathons or triathlons you are already an athlete in my book. You obviously have it in you. Go get it!

Thank heavens for shape wear! No, it won't actually get rid of any loose skin or jiggles, but it definitely reduces the appearance. I have one that goes from right above my knee to right below my bust. The only clothing that I have been spending money on since surgery is bras & shape wear. For me, It's all about hiding the loose skin & jiggles until I am at a weight where I can have plastic surgery. I've already started saving for a trip to Mexico! Yes, exercise helps & is so good for us of course. Unfortunately, most of us will need (or want) plastics in the long run. Good luck!

I know that I am reiterating what others have said, but really make sure to get in your water & protein. I will be 4 months out in about 9 days. I have found that at this stage you have to concentrate more. In the beginning I was trying to really take care of myself, heal properly, etc. that I stuck to the rules very closely. Being just almost 4 months out if I get busy it is VERY easy to skip meals & liquids. On Saturday I was putting away groceries & I got really dizzy & truly felt like I was going to pass out. Luckily my BF was home & I just held onto the refrigerator door while he grabbed a chair for me to sit. His first two questions were, "What did you eat today?" & "Have you been drinking your water?". My answers were "Nothing" & "No". It really makes all the difference in the world. We have radically changed how we eat, but it is important that we make sure that we are nourishing ourselves. I laid on the couch the rest of the evening & drank water & got in a protein shake. It is just as important now as it was the day after surgery to take care of ourselves. It is a learning process. The human body can live for over 3 weeks without food, but only 3 days without any water. That is how important it is to our bodies. So, be well!

I have been having a bit of a hard time with purging as well. Well, actually I haven't been able to do it yet! I am not down a lot of sizes but enough to get rid of stuff. I started out in a very tight 32/34 & am now in a 24. At 5'10" my goal is to get down to a size 12. I would be unhealthy in a single digit size. lol. I literally have piles of clothes in my bedroom now ranging from sizes 24-34. There is a clothing drop box not even half a mile from my apartment too. It is definitely a head thing. It took us a great amount of work before we were ready to really lose our weight by getting sleeved. I think that it will also take time for us to adjust to not being heavy. I ramble, but I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone!

Definitely take your time. You can never be too careful, especially in the beginning. I remember eating Jello & I took 20-30 minutes at least. Baby your sleeve & it will be good to you!

That is AMAZING progress. I hope that you are very happy. My official 12 week weigh in isn't until next Tuesday, but I am down 70 lbs in 16 weeks! My Dr. Said that I am doing really well too. So, 70 lbs in half that time is tremendous!

Yesterday I found out that I can run....well a little way at least. I still have another 9 days until my 4 month surgiversary so, hopefully I will be posting some better weight stats by then. At my last weigh in I was down 68 lbs. I know some people consider that slow, but it is fine with me. It averages to over 4.5 lbs. a week. I have a lot more weight to get rid of, but it amazes me every day how things are changing. Today I needed more fire wood for the wood stove. (I live in an apartment on a farm in NY & it's a little cold with more snow coming tonight). I didn't want to bother my land lord for it so, I decided to get it myself. I have NEVER done this! I ended up having to go all the way to the horse barn to get a wheel barrow. Then to the wood shed. I actually had to climb into the wood shed & throw logs out the door into the wheel barrow. Then wheeled the wood all the way to the apartment, unloaded & stacked the wood & then got the wheel barrow back to the barn. Phew! My dog was running circles around me the whole time & barking like crazy. I'm pretty sure she thought that I had lost my mind! LOL Later in the morning my mom came to visit. I don't see her very often because she lives about 2 hours away. We went out for a few hours & when we got back to my place I realized that I had forgotten to give her a gift that I had been holding on to. She had to leave in 2 minutes to get home in time for when her foster child gets off the bus. So, I RAN! It is definitely a bit of a hike from where you can park & where our apartment is on the property. I ran all the way down to the house, grabbed the gift & ran all the way back up the hill to my mom's car. Now, it's not like I did a 5K or anything, but I didn't know that I could run again at all! Almost 4 months ago I would be freezing right now instead of building a fire. There is no way I could have done all that walking, carrying, climbing, etc. at over 400 lbs. I'm not even tired right now after what was a pretty long day & far from over. There is still cooking and cleaning and home work to do. (Yes, I am a 34 year old college student :ph34r:) I think we sometimes get so obsessed with numbers on the scale that we miss the little or more important things. Keeping track of them & sharing them has been helpful to me. I can't wait for my BF to get home so that I can tell him that I ran today. He'll probably make me go outside & show him...LOL. So, keep the faith my fellow sleevers! Our new tool that we are using to live a healthier life IS working. So, who else is running? If you haven't tried yet, I DARE you! You might be surprised.

Eventually, you will be happy. Like I said, it is not just a physical journey. It is mental & emotional as well. I remember being happy when I could go from water to protein shakes. Then like 3 my days later I was miserable on protein shakes. The same goes for pureed/soft foods. Every transition I would be happy for a couple days & then miserable again. It was 6 weeks before I was cleared for all foods. It probably took me a good month to be okay with what my new portions. I would feel sad because I would only be able to eat enough to get a very small taste of something & then I would have to stop. I am fine now. though. I make sure to enjoy every bite just like it's the last bite. It helps! You will feel better. Promise!

Every surgeon gives different discharge instructions. I was only allowed water or crystal light for the first week. I had a hard time even sipping at first. So, my BF ground everything into ice chips for me. I remember being in SO much pain the 1st week. It really will get better. Just follow your discharge instructions very carefully. They are there to keep you & your new sleeve safe. I am happy to help anyway that I can. Just know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Thank you for not judging me by the Bread Thread! LOL. It is hard to have to quit smoking & then eating. You can do it, though. A lot of people have been where you are.