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Holy moly--you've done an amazing job--congratulations!!!!

Sohio, Dr. Ben-Meir couldn't let patients know where he was going for contractual reasons I'm sure. I always had great experiences, with the staff, especially my dietitian and patient advocate (her name was Sherry). Also, the practice sent me a letter that Dr. Ben-Meir was leaving and told me who I could use there for my follow-up care. I'm sorry that you didn't have a good experience, but Dr. Ben-Meir is an amazing surgeon who is very technically skilled and cares about his patients. He always goes above and beyond. I know the staff were really disappointed that he left St. Vincent's.

Great job! You look beautiful. Loved the title of your post.

I think the issue is that once you get in all of your water and protein and throw in a few veggies, there generally isn't a lot of room or time left to eat junk food or food that isn't on your plan. When we do that, it usually means we've relinquished something our body needs, which isn't a good trade-off.

Hope you feel better soon--it will get exponentially better every day. The first few days are the most difficult. Hang in there!

are you taking a gastro-protective agent (PPI) like Prilosec? I didn't need one before surgery but definitely do now. I always know if I forget it bc the heartburn comes even when drinking water.

I'm a vegetarian and so are some other people here, and you have lots of options if you don't want to eat meat. Have you tried the Morningstar "meat"balls or breakfast sausage? Also, I eat a lot of Greek yogurt and low-fat cheese.

What do you mean by "can't"? Like the food gets caught in your throat if you don't drink the water while eating, or psychologically it's too difficult? Both are legitimate things you can work through and correct, but it would help to know where the hurdle is. As for the 64 oz of water--you really just have to force yourself. I don't think I'll ever get used to it, but you just have to bite the bullet and do it. Try different temperatures, like cold, room temp or warm (hot tea is a good substitute). Try using flavorings like Dasani drops or SF Hawaiian punch packets or Crystal lite. It will really help you feel better and promote weight loss.

LOL love it, LL. Also, your things you've learned from your sleeve are great...favorite one is that your eyes are bigger than your stomach, literally. LOL!!

I do think that getting in some healthy fats (like avocado) is very important! sounds like you are on to something.

AMEN! Very well said.

Wishing you all the best!

I thought it said fried, not tried...lol

yes!

congrats! I'm going to say you can count this as an NSV. Now go buy some new pants!

haha...actually, I am a twin also! (have a twin brother). Double the fun! :-)

That's a great NSV, TwinsMama! I was smiling reading your post. I love how self-aware, confident, and realistic you are--I am sure those are assets during this journey.

ugh...good free aversion therapy, though, right? How far out are you? Once you are at least a couple of months out, you could try using Flat-Out lite wraps to make a homemade pizza. It is relatively low in carbs and has about 9 g of protein for a whole Flat Out (you might only be able to eat about half). You can crisp up in the oven first and then add protein toppings and put it back in the oven. My RD recommends this and I've tried it once--it was tasty. Flat Out says to put in oven at 350 degrees but I thought a higher temp of 400 or 425 worked better (crispier). It doesn't take long to crisp up. I don't really miss pizza so not a huge deal but for someone who does, it could be a good option.

Great post...way to go!

I do the Mosley 5:2 fast (intermittent fasting to keep your metabolism going). On the two "fast" days each week, I eat apx 500 calories. On other days, I try to stick to 1,000 or fewer. This is where I feel best and seem to lose weight the best. Others do better with calories slightly higher. I am hypothyroid secondary to pituitary issues so that may be why my calories need to be lower--my body is very metabolically efficient.

Patty Gee, I am so sorry for your loss--knowing that context is very meaningful though. It would make sense that you would want some privacy about your weight loss after feeling like you had a magnifying glass on your personal life from well-meaning people. Wishing you all the best.

I got caffeinated hot tea on my first hospital tray and my surgeon has never limited caffeine for the post op plan....

Wishing you all the best!!! :)

I didn't use a straw for the first 6 to 8 weeks but now I occasionally use them again. I like the bigger ones that allow you to get in more liquid and less air when I do use them.