courtoomp

I wish I dumped sometimes. I can have any and all food with no consequences. Consider dumping from overindulging in sweets a blessing. I am struggling this week with too many Desserts and wish I had something physical to keep my choices in check. I decided to do a week with no processed foods or excess sugars to 'detox' these simple carbs out of me.
Damn, now I want chocolate

Ok, I think it is easy to think what we "cannot" do. And I get it - we are trained to eat a specific way to maximize weight loss, and to be successful are very devoted to that. But you will likely have to broaden your thinking and become more Fluid in your approach to stop the weight loss.
So, with your Protein shake mix in Peanut Butter. You need the calories, it will not excessively fill your sleeve. If you blend 2T Peanut Butter into your shake it would be a good start. Another option is to also add 1/2 or even 1 banana. Because it is blended your body will think it is a liquid and it will pass through the sleeve easily. It gets around the restriction issue.
And, the thing about one ounce of cheese as a snack is that it is essentially a slider. So, 1/2 ounce of cheese is about the size of a dice, maybe a bit bigger. Chew it up, and it is much smaller. I would guess even a tiny tummy could handle that twice daily. Cooking your meat in olive oil, again, will not take extra room in your sleeve. Stop using egg beaters - use eggs. You need the calories. It doesn't matter if you get slightly less Protein. Get a minimum of 60-70. And your nutritionist was right - during the weight loss phase focus on protein at the exclusion of other foods. But it is time to switch your thinking to a more well rounded approach. You probably have to focus mostly on adding fats initially, but with some time will probably figure out how to add some carbs or veggies.
Prioritize stopping the weight loss over arbitrary rules about sticking just to protein at all costs.

Those are before????

I wish I dumped sometimes. I can have any and all food with no consequences. Consider dumping from overindulging in sweets a blessing. I am struggling this week with too many Desserts and wish I had something physical to keep my choices in check. I decided to do a week with no processed foods or excess sugars to 'detox' these simple carbs out of me.
Damn, now I want chocolate

SW: 226
Date of Surgery: 202
CW: 142
Height: 5'2"
Feeling like I do: PRICELESS!

Friend. I'd rather spend 120 calories on a half cup of edamame, than 200 calories on a Protein Bar full of sugar and additives.

You have a great butt!!

I have answer for you because I went to a gyn.
Back when I was obese, even post menopause I had lots of moisture down there. That is because all that fat generates estrogen - which is probably why obese women have higher breast cancer rates.
Once I got close to my goal weight, it became dry and no amount of drinking Water helped....
The only solution is to use lubricant, or to root cause fix it is to take hormone suppositories. My problem became bad enough i noticed it when riding bike, horseback riding etc... just more delicate when it gets dried out.
If you are having this problem and are not menopausal, I wonder if you are moving toward perimenoupausal (ie pre menopause). If that isn't the case, well, then I don't know the answer, but bottom line is...
fat girls make more wet then skinny girls.

Personally I would not set a pounds lost goal because the amount of weight you lose in any given period of time is up to your body and not completely within your control.
Instead, I would set goals that are within your control. For example, make a goal that between now and June 1st you will reach your Water and Protein goals every day. Or between now and then you will exercise at least four days a week or you won't go over "x" amount of carbs or you'll do 30 minutes of walking a day etc... Set goals that are a challenge to you, but are within your control.
When you set a weight goal, you run the risk of being disappointed if you miss it by a small amount even if you did everything right as far as macros and exercise goes. When you pick goals within your control, the weight loss will come as a benefit of being healthy and you set yourself up for success! Good Luck!!

Just a thought, but maybe VSG has become the trend and people are leaping without doing enough looking? Or perhaps the food addiction part isn't truly being addressed preop? Maybe expecting a magical cure all?
I'm not saying this is the case, but it's "food for thought."

You got this! Try logging everything you eat...not to be a crazy stickler, but to really show yourself what you eat. I log every day no matter how many Cookies I have. I may not lose as much as others but I have a balanced and healthy relationship with food. Food is meant to be enjoyed and if you enjoy a cookie it's fine...just be accountable. But it sounds like you didn't really enjoy it but for a moment...dumping! So stop beating yourself up. You're human. You had a cookie, didn't kill someone. Yes refocus but also focus on the big picture and forgive yourself. Good luck!

You got this! Try logging everything you eat...not to be a crazy stickler, but to really show yourself what you eat. I log every day no matter how many Cookies I have. I may not lose as much as others but I have a balanced and healthy relationship with food. Food is meant to be enjoyed and if you enjoy a cookie it's fine...just be accountable. But it sounds like you didn't really enjoy it but for a moment...dumping! So stop beating yourself up. You're human. You had a cookie, didn't kill someone. Yes refocus but also focus on the big picture and forgive yourself. Good luck!

Depends on when you had surgery. I was easily eating 1200 calories at 6 months and last summer while training for 3 triathlons, I was eating 1700-2100 calories a day....without any problem!!! Now, if I was told to eat those calories in meat and vegatables I would be dying!!! But if I supplement with Protein bars and shakes, it's easy.
You also need more carbs when you are woking out hard. Carbs are stored as glycogen in your muscle and glycogen is what's used to fuel your muscles. If you work out hard or for a long time and you don't get enough carbs, you can start to feel sluggish.
I don't subscribe to the whole low carb thing. Our bodies were developed to run efficiently on a proper balance of carbs/protein/fat. Eating more calories doesn't make you gain weight if your body is using these nutrients efficiently.

Early on I had a bite of a donut. Now, if I want a bite of a donut, I eat it. I've had Cookies and cake, I shared a Reeses PB Easter egg with my husband, I've eaten french fries (froed potato ANYTHING is my cryptonite since the sleeve)!! I am not a 'perfect' sleever, I know I could lose more and faster if I was stricter with what I eat, but I didn't do this surgery to live with a sense of deprivation and tons of cannots. I did this surgery to control the amount of food I consume. Granted, i eat TONS healthier now than I did before, I think a lot before I eat something 'bad', but I still ahven't had a soda, I've rolled about 2 drops around in my mouth since the surgery, but just the carbonation in my mouth doesn't feel good. I think that not depriving myself has been my key to success so far. I don't 'eat bad' everyday, or even every week, but if I want a Dorito, I'm doing more than licking that powder off!

In theory there shouldn't be any "cheat" foods. With a sleeve you are only restricting the amount of what you eat, not what you eat. If you are having problems digesting a certain food, after a bit of time, you should be able to eat them. I would never deny myself something that I really wanted, that's the easiest way to fail. Denying yourself then giving in, leads to guilt, guilt leads to more eating, more eating leads to weight gain. Eating healthy 99% with an occasional treat, is just fine and is a sensible approach. Your sleeve will let you know when you've gone overboard.

Thanks everyone. So glad to hear others also want REAL food! I am very much on board with eating delicious stuff bc we can only have a little. I just got so tired of reading recipes and posts with ff products!

I am starting to move away from the word "stall" and have adopted 'pattern' instead. When I had my first 'stall' last year I did not lose any weight for weeks, but the clothing sizes changed in a big way - it's like my body was reconfiguring itself even though the scale did not budge.
My pattern now seems to be losing small amounts every week - with a larger drop post menses - much like stair steps. When I look at the trend overall (I track each Saturdays weight weekly) it has been down every week except 3 times since surgery.
I think this was one reason I would gt depressed at weekly Weight Watchers weigh-ins before ever considering surgery - if I did not have a good week a few weeks in a row, then I would beat myself and start the same binge/gain cycle all over again. I am working very hard to be my own best cheerleader nowadays - not perfect, but mindful. Working on taking good care of myself and my health

I went to the nutritionist today. Like so many here i have considered myself a slow loser...well relative to all the super speedy ones!...and I have been down for not seeing results as quickly as I wanted.
Well, the nut told me to increase my food. She said at this stage I am healed and should be focusing on eating normally. Wow what a concept! Not 100grams of Protein and 25 carbs?? Nope. She told me to up my cals to 800 and if I don't lose in 2 weeks then up it to 1000. I was shocked! She also said to get 80ish or more carbs a day from fruits and veg and whole grains. I have never been more thrilled at the idea of a quinua salad and some apple!
Anyway I shared this to confirm that eating real food may make the journey a bit slower but all the tastier and hopefully lasting.
Courtney

On Nov 5th, 2012 I decided to start my journey I've been doing great no mayor complaints I get full very very quick, and my blood work it's great all under control.
I know we all say this after surgery but this was by far the best desicion i've made in my life I'm 62 pounds down and I think I'm doing great what do you guy think???

Hi everyone!
I had a nutritionist appointment last Thursday where she told me to increase my overall caloric intake and especially my carbs. I was one of those die hards staying between 20-50 carbs a day. She told me to not worry about it. To add fruits and veggies and some whole grains, too. She also told me to get my Protein but don't obsess over it. She claims I am healed and dont' need 100g protein a day... for such a shortie like me 50-60 is perfect she said. So happy to rid of those nasty protein shakes!
Well, since doing this for four days, I'm happy to report I think she was right! I have dropped 3 pounds since Thursday...in the 170s woop woop!!! This could be a coincidence as I typically do lose in a stair-step fashion, but I don't think so.
It's been fun to add in some blueberries and raspberries and peppers, onions, broccoli. Funny how I've been missing this healthy food more than chips and Cookies (don't get me wrong...some days I crave these too!).
Anyway, thought I'd follow up from my Thursday post to let y'all know upping my cals and carbs helped. The lesson I learned, however, is to add variety to my diet and not obsess. This is a lifetime process, and it's crucial for me to develop a healthy, normal relationship with food now. I've spent so many years dealing with disordered eating, and I'm ready for food to just be food...nothing more or less.
Courtney

Hi everyone!
I had a nutritionist appointment last Thursday where she told me to increase my overall caloric intake and especially my carbs. I was one of those die hards staying between 20-50 carbs a day. She told me to not worry about it. To add fruits and veggies and some whole grains, too. She also told me to get my Protein but don't obsess over it. She claims I am healed and dont' need 100g protein a day... for such a shortie like me 50-60 is perfect she said. So happy to rid of those nasty protein shakes!
Well, since doing this for four days, I'm happy to report I think she was right! I have dropped 3 pounds since Thursday...in the 170s woop woop!!! This could be a coincidence as I typically do lose in a stair-step fashion, but I don't think so.
It's been fun to add in some blueberries and raspberries and peppers, onions, broccoli. Funny how I've been missing this healthy food more than chips and Cookies (don't get me wrong...some days I crave these too!).
Anyway, thought I'd follow up from my Thursday post to let y'all know upping my cals and carbs helped. The lesson I learned, however, is to add variety to my diet and not obsess. This is a lifetime process, and it's crucial for me to develop a healthy, normal relationship with food now. I've spent so many years dealing with disordered eating, and I'm ready for food to just be food...nothing more or less.
Courtney

I don't know about you, but food has long been a best friend to me. When my "real" friends weren't available or when I just didn't want to bother them with why I was depressed/sad/lonely/stressed yet again...I could turn to food. Always there to support me, numb me out to all feelings, and help temporarily turn off those damn self-critical voices polluting my brain.
I knew I had a lot of food head issues going into this surgery. Accordingly, I have been seeing a therapist for eight weeks, twice a week. I am now moving to once a week. I started at my therapist's office thinking we would work on behavioral changes...you know, distraction and healthy habits to avoid bingeing. What I've found is that we've barely talked about food at all. Instead, we speak about WHY I turn to food...you know, core issues and all. For me, it's about loneliness and self-criticism. I am, as most of us are, my own worst critic, and I exert so much energy trying to control how others perceive me that I'm left exhausted at the end of my day...and food is there to nurture me in a way I haven't been nurturing myself (and in a way I haven't let others nurture me either).
Enough of my psychobabble. I really wanted to start this thread to offer a safe place to discuss the emotional toll food has taken on us. And a place to discuss how our disordered eating is really a parallell too, and extension of, or disordered thinking/feeling. And further, to offer each other support as we grieve the loss of our good friend, food.
I grieved super hard core last Wednesday at my therapy appointment. I was a hot freaking mess, and my therapist was the one who pointed out it sounds like I'm grieving. And she was right! I was so upset because I was feeling isolated from my friends and family AND didn't have my comforting binge foods to soothe me either. So I had to soothe myself (read a book, took a hot shower, wrote down my feelings). How do you get through hard spots without food to lean on?
Wishing you all a nurturing day and hope to hear how you have dealt with the loss of your old best friend.
Courtney

Hi everyone!
I had a nutritionist appointment last Thursday where she told me to increase my overall caloric intake and especially my carbs. I was one of those die hards staying between 20-50 carbs a day. She told me to not worry about it. To add fruits and veggies and some whole grains, too. She also told me to get my Protein but don't obsess over it. She claims I am healed and dont' need 100g protein a day... for such a shortie like me 50-60 is perfect she said. So happy to rid of those nasty protein shakes!
Well, since doing this for four days, I'm happy to report I think she was right! I have dropped 3 pounds since Thursday...in the 170s woop woop!!! This could be a coincidence as I typically do lose in a stair-step fashion, but I don't think so.
It's been fun to add in some blueberries and raspberries and peppers, onions, broccoli. Funny how I've been missing this healthy food more than chips and Cookies (don't get me wrong...some days I crave these too!).
Anyway, thought I'd follow up from my Thursday post to let y'all know upping my cals and carbs helped. The lesson I learned, however, is to add variety to my diet and not obsess. This is a lifetime process, and it's crucial for me to develop a healthy, normal relationship with food now. I've spent so many years dealing with disordered eating, and I'm ready for food to just be food...nothing more or less.
Courtney

This is the most sane post about our post-op diet I have seen in a long time! I always understood that for long term success, we needed to eat more "normally" and more "well-rounded". The sleeve helps us to make better choices- that includes adding whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Man & woman should not live on Protein alone!
-Kendra