mysleevemylife

Great info everyone. It was helpful to me as well, so thanks!

I am also struggling with late night snacking/eating as of like 3wks ago.

Does anyone else have a problem with holding down any breads or rice?

hey there! my surg date was march 6, 2013. I've had no issues with any of the above...unfortunately, lol. I take them all well.

I found PB2 at my local Kroger grocery store in the organic area. It was less than $5.00 for the jar. I think I'm still a couple weeks away from eating it since my dr has me on a liquid diet. Although, I have given it serious thought to put it in my Vitamix with my Protein powder and ff milk and just blend it. Any thoughts on that from anyone?

Cool! I looked at the small Walmart by my job for the PB2 today & was let down cause they don't carry it. I'm glad Kroger may have it. :-) Yay!

I must be fortunate enough to live in a world of rainbows and unicorns! I've never once thought of this forum in this manner nor have I ever felt "judged, ridiculed, discriminated against, our spirits crushed because of our (my) weight".

On a happier note, I went to a consignment store today and bought 4 pairs of size 14 capris and 5 size large tops today. I also weighed in at 197.5 at my three month follow up today, 2 pounds less than my home scale and I was fully dressed instead of buck nekky. WOOOT WOOOT!!

Oh sorry...got side tracked by my skittle pooping ponies.

CONGRATS!!

CONGRATS!

ME & MY RIGHT KNEE....WE BOTH HATE LUNGES!! LOL

BUT I'VE LEARNED TO LOVE SQUATS, THOUGH :-)

It's one of my fav fruits & I thanksfully have no digestion issues with it. I also continue to lose when I incorporate it into my weekly plan. I've found that the darker pink...the sweeter....YUMMY!!!!!

Struggle was probably the wrong word. I mean I will always need to remain cognizant of my food choices and never become complacent. The sleeve isn't the be all to end all--weight can creep back on. That's what I meant.

It's been a while since I've been able to get caught up on here, so sorry for late reply. I totally understand what you mean now. I agree. Same here. :-)

I hope that your sleeve will cooperate so that you will be able to enjoy your favs as an occasional treat!! I do! It's all about keeping a healthy balance so that you can continue living your life to the fullest without feeling deprived.

What I find ironic is how many sleevers like to complain when someone calls WLS the "easy way out", but then get upset that it isn't just that. Guess what? Your weight will always be a struggle--FOR LIFE!! The pounds won't fall off in a week, and when they're gone it still requires hard work to keep them gone.

I'm just wanting to explore this a little more. Do you really feel that you will struggle with your weight FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?? I think I know where you are coming from with this, but I think it's just the word "struggle" that caught my attention. I will take care of myself & love myself for the rest of my life, but there is no way I will "struggle" with my weight for the rest of my life. The struggle is ending & the coast is beginning. I claim victory & freedom from the years of bondage that have held me in a place where I've struggled with my weight. There will be a day that I will no longer struggle but I will reach back & help others who will & are struggling just like I once was. THis is in no way a means to start a blown out discussion....just my perspective.

I'm just wondering who else really enjoys updating your ticker. It's really something for me to look forward to. It's been very encouraging to see the girl on my ticker get closer & closer to the "finish line".

Now, on another note, this is random, but I was just thinking about how all of us are different. A lot has been said about this lately. I am fortunate that I am able to eat anything that I choose to without feeling sick and/or vomiting. I've discovered that one of my fav Snacks is popcorn. I allow myself some about once or twice every other week. I even give my Malti-Pooh some. He loves the crunch, lol.

I, lastly, want to encourage anyone that needs it. Continue to stick to what is best for you. Fight for yourself. Be good to yourself. Love yourself & make no appology for it either. Love should start "at home" (within) & THEN spread abroad. Put in the hard work & stay focused on your goal. You do the work & just trust that your body will follow your lead....in it's own way....but it knows how to catch up & act right eventually. SO DON'T GIVE UP! Enjoy occasional treats with NO GUILT!! Live life so that you enjoy it & are not held in bondage by rules & things as such. As long as you eat/do/drink nothihg that will literally inflict harm to your body, sit back & enjoy your journey day by day. I wish all of you the best. I know that this post is all over the place, but just typing what comes to mind. THANKS FOR READING IT!

Please stop and do the math.

People get completely freaked out by what I feel are unreasonable expectations. They fly into a panic. They assume that the first time they don't lose on the scale that their loss is done. They think that two weeks at one weight is a massive stall. They look at other people's large losses and forget that we don't all lose at the same rate.

First - if you did a pre-op diet you are not going to have the same loss your first month as someone who didn't do one. Your pre-op loss should get counted into your loss calculation if you did a pre-op diet.

Second - a stall is three weeks or more at the same weight with no fluctuation. Are you panicked after that? Well, my friend coops once spent twenty one MONTHS at the same weight. She finally broke through and never regained during that time, and even lost two sizes while not budging on the scale. Is it the miracle cure you may have been hoping for on the scale? No. But stalls are not the end of the world. They are certainly more normal that flying to goal in six weeks, I promise you.

Third - losing anything more than a pound a week is good. Are you eating less than ever before? Yes. Does that guarantee you'll lose faster than ever before? No. I had two nine week stalls - no movement except upwards for my monthly cycle. I had months where I lost but only in the tenths of a pound. It's not normal to expect a big loss every time you step on the scale. It's setting yourself up for disappointment.

Fourth - your pattern is your pattern. You can compare yourself to other people sleeved the same day or with the same stats but it doesn't matter. So much of this is individual. So if you're constantly seeking out other people and comparing your losses to theirs, you are eventually going to discourage and frustrate yourself.

Fifth - are you closing in on goal? We all lose even more slowly the less weight we have to lose. So if you only have sixty pounds to lose but shed thirty in your first three months, please don't be hysterical because you're "only" losing a pound a week now that you're past the halfway point. It's normal.

Stop. Breathe. Do the math. Adjust your expectations. This is not a race. You do not get a special award for reaching goal more quickly. Your surgery was not pointless or worthless if you manage to get to goal in two years instead of six months. The real goal is not losing the weight. It's keeping the weight off. That's real success - that's what we're here to do. It does not matter if you hit goal in nine months or two years - the real challenge and the real journey begins with maintenance. How quickly or slowly you lost does nothing to change the challenges you'll encounter there.

I am not ranting at anyone in particular. I just feel that this is an issue that comes up constantly and it's actually pretty silly for people to fly into such a panic without really thinking. I've seen folks upset when they're logging losses of upwards of four pounds a week. Point to the diet that helped you accomplish that and was easy to maintain prior to surgery.

~Cheri

Very well said. This is so true. I like the fact that your post did not seem to sarcastically mock individuals that feel this way & post about it. Your post was also encouraging. This is what we are all here for, to help, encourage, inform, uplift each other & even sometimes to help snap ea other back into a healthy reality...lol. I like this post & I'm glad that you posted it.

Let's see here....hmmm....

By end of 2013

1. jog comfortably on Tmill

2. jog comfortably on Land

3. Swim Better

By end Of 2014

1. Be heavily training to become a Boxer

2. Running comfortably (not struggling to breath) on the Tmill & on Land

3. Jog/Run a Marathon of any length

-These are the first that come to my mind.

pizza. At one point I was eating 3-4 whole pizzas a week.

Oh yeah, that's another one added to my list. I've eat pizza prob three times since my sleeve has "healed". I had no issues either, but it def didn't have the same Orgasmic, lol, affect that it used to.

I swore up and down that after spending 12k out of my pocket that I wouldnt cheat, easier said than done. Im originally from Australia (now Texas) and a friend sent me a care package (before surgery) which had my favorite chicken chips in them and I had some left over after surgery. I am guilty of stealing some here and there. The only good thing is that they are very salty and make me drink more Water.

Be honest....what have you eaten that you shouldn't?

One of my fav meals is (Chinese) Orange chicken with Steamed Brown Rice.

I enjoy eating the little skinny W.W. cakes. I have the Red Velvet right now.

I've had Buffalo Wild Wing Chicken Wings & enjoyed them.

These are a few things that are not on the "Healthy" list necessarily, but I enjoy them in moderation. Correction: Brown Rice is a healthy Carb. You know what I'm saying, though, LOL.

First of all, congrats on your weight loss success!! This is MAJOR. Unfortunately when the outside improves, the inside does not always jump on board at the same time. There are things in the past that cause pain & affect us in ways that seem to scar us, BUT over time, even these scars will heal. I want to suggest a few things. First, seek counseling just to talk out the issues....as an outlet. & if not counseling, journaling, praying, a good sound church, any of these are good. Secondly, write down a list of EVERYTHING positive about yourself & place it where you can see it daily & also meditate on these things until you begin to FULLY believe them. Forgive yourself also. Forgive yourself for any time that you have let down yourself or others. No one is perfect & we all have not so pretty things "in our closet". Let the past go & propel forward. Refuse to let the past control you. Take one day at a time. Walk with you head held high & with confidence even if you dont feel that way yet. Please inbox me anytime. I know what you are going through to an extent.

Thanks for sharing! I hope that it will still apply by Friday-my pay day.

I enjoy both fruits & veggies, even those with skins on! I was very happy to discover that I have no issues with any of them that I've tried, including iceburg lettuce. I skin on the apple doesn't bother me either, thank God. I ate Watermelon yesterday for the 1st time since surg. I was suprised at how full I got so quickly while eating it, but I really enjoyed it. It quenched my thirst, too. I'm, personally, not hard on myself with fruit. Some ppl may harp on the sugar, but it's natural sugar & I make sure that I get my Protein in on days when I enjoy fruit. Best wishes to you on your journey!!

I posted here a week ago about how my girl of 10 yrs left me for someone else because she felt I looked to different and felt different. I wasn't the same man she fell in love with. I have been torn apart since that day and the guilt of getting the surgery and losing weight and causing her to leave me is eating me alive. I barely eat and I just can't sleep. I work 2 jobs and I have been working triple shifts to keep my mind busy but my body is just giving up. Can anyone offer some kind of advice on what to do to put my mind at ease. I just want to find peace again. I don't know how much more I can take of this. I'm sorry for being weak but I don't know where else to go or who to talk to anymore.

Stay strong as much as you can & NO NOT....I repeat....DO NOT GIVE UP, even if you are holding onto faith & encouragement with a thin thread that seems like it is going to break at any time. You are human & it's alright to feel, hurt, pain, anger, & any other emotion that comes with life & it's circumstances at times, but do not place a bandaid over your feelings. allow yourself to feel every emotion, because that is a part of healing. if you try to ignore or suppress your feelings, they will resurface in some kind of "ugly" way. the key is to let yourself go through the stages of "mourning". let nature take its place as far as what happens between you & your lady/relationship. let everything unfold according to "God's will/plan". Just take one day at a time. Focus on you & anything positive that makes you feel fulfilled & happy, whether that be a hobby or anything else positive. that will help your days not seem so long. surround yourself around ppl that genuinely wish you the best. get good rest & do not forsake your spiritual path cause you must stay balanced in all areas. this is my advice & i hope it helps some. I truly wish you the best. keep reaching out to all of us whenever you need to talk,vent, or just want to get our advice. feel free to also inbox anytime. Best wishes my friend.

LOL, the talking that my sleeve does I mean! I'm here at work being a good sleever working on my greek yogurt for the day but my sleeve is talking back to me and it's LOUD. Thank the lord I work alone or I'd be embarrassed. It's been this way since I woke up in recovery. I can deal with the talking people do but to get back talk from my body is both amusing and blush-inducing. LOL

lol! I like that.

Well, I know it's debatable if Panda Express is "real chinese" food as some say, but if you have one in your area, let me tell you....I treat myself to the steamed rice, mixed veggies, Teriyaki chicken (soooo tender & good), & orange chicken. I have no issues. My surg was 3/6/13. I chew well & take my time. I eat it for like three meals. try it again in even smaller quantities & maybe try another place. What I live by is that I WILL have anything in moderation. I want to enjoy life & food like I used to BUT, BUT, BUT....not abuse it like I used to. I do shy away from fried foods, but eventually, I will def try fried chicken, lol!

almost 3 months out and 1 without the crust at the end.

lol, I can't handle the crust on the ends either.

Thin Slice. Veggie. Two slices minus the crust at the ends. I was surprised that I could eat two, but I know it's cause they are thin sliced. :-) Not about perfection but everything in moderation---that's my motto...well, one of them at least, lol!

I've enjoyed wine on several occasions & I've had no issues either. I really enjoy having my wine every now & then. I am also still losing weight. & for those that might be waiting with the whip to attack me....before you do...my surgeon gave me his blessing to drink, lol. :-)