NMJG

10 months out I can eat anything, however, I find that I can get softer foods (i.e. Hamburger vs steak) down in larger quantities than firm Protein foods. I am also diligent about limiting sliders (chips, ice cream, candy) that go down way too easily. I have them on occasion, but I have to watch the amounts. Have no problem maintaining my loss. My main foods are Proteins, fats, and low carb vegs. I don't eat Pasta or bread, potatoes or corn, etc. except very very rarely. I do eat meats, cheese, avocados, nuts, whole milk, cream, butter, olive oil, fish and poultry, and lots of vegs. This summer I am eating fruit, too, but watching the serving size to limit the carbs. Fresh berries with creme fraische yum! Very few carbs and totally decadent.

I was a closet sweets eater and still am to some extent. For nonsweets, I eat whatever I want and don't bother with others, but I am at goal so no one really cares. Mostly I hide the sweets because my family gives me a hard time about it.

Best wishes for a successful surgery

53 here. Yep, loose skin especially on midsection and upper arms. Thighs, too. It's never going to shrink up, will require surgery.

Have a question for all of you, How do you approach someone, nicely, they need to loose weight?

Easy. You don't.

Sounds like you are on a great plan. I do low carb, too. If you want some variety on vegs, look up their net carbs, there are lot more you can buy fresh that will not impact your loss. Beans are great, too, although they do have carbs. A half cup cooked legumes does wonders for you. Great source of Fiber and B Vitamins and easy on the sleeve. Those are carbs well spent.

So true! My phone doesn't fit in my pocket. Only a lip balm.

I start my day with a cup of hot herbal tea with 3 teaspoons of Benefiber (or similar). Before i could eat vegetables regularly I added 10-12 grams of Fiber a day via supplements. Also I use Fiber Well gummies to add an extra 5 grams of fiber when needed.

Sounds like an over-filled sleeve. I have had similar feeling when I thought I could hold a few more bites, but was so wrong LOL. cheese is mostly fat and fat is very filling. The meat needs to be chewed really well. It's not dumping, most sleevers do not experience true dumping. That is an RNY pleasure, because they have no pyloric sphincter and the sugar runs quickly into the intestine...blah, blah,blah. Learning when to stop before we hit the full mark can be challenging.

Actually, some sleevers do dump. It isn't common, but it does happen on occasion. fruit is a common culprit for bringing it on for new sleevers.

I think maybe it is what you are eating, not the speed or amount. You are only a month out. Seems like chicken might be pushing the envelope. I was on soft foods for much longer (and I mean soft like fish, cottage cheese, etc.). Maybe try going back to soft foods for a few weeks and see if that helps. Good luck.

Where are you going?

At size 20 XXL I would only buy cheap clothes. They looked awful. Now I buy beautiful size 6 clothes . Actually fit into size 4 yesterday. Still too tight to wear in public, but I could zip them up! Never thought I would see the day.

For me , carbs were my downfall. I recommend you read Gary Taub's Good Calories, Bad Calories. It completely changed my outlook. I now track carbs, not calories, and eat high fat and 70+g of Protein a day. I limit my carbs to no more than 15 g at a time, usually far less, and no more than 45 g per day. I started this a few months ago. I am never hungry. Have gone from size 8 to size 6. If you are addicted to carbs like I am, read the books on this topic and give it a try for a few weeks. I will eat like this for the rest of my life. Yes, I do have bad days when I indulge in high carb treats. But that is the minority, I enjoy it, then I go back to my low carb regimen. It works, that's all I can say.

Just my $0.02, but I'd sure look at what your food is comprised of. I have gone ultra low carb in the last few months. books like Gary Taub's Good Calories, Bad Calories and also Grain Brain have been real eye openers for me. I don't count calories any more, I just count carbs. I do have high carb treats on occasion, maybe 10-20% of the time, but generally I shoot for no more then 45 carbs a day now and no more than 15 carbs at a time. I did a max of 60 carbs a day during my big loss period, but I have lowered it for maintenance indefinitely. I don't want to gain back an ounce. I eat all the Protein and fat I want (which obviously isn't that much with the sleeve). I never go hungry. Since I have started this new routine a few months ago, I have gone from size 8 to size 6 with no weight change. Good luck to you.

REALLY!!?? You need to take a chill pill, Madam Reverie. This place is for everyone to learn, vent, talk and enjoy the camaraderie of all of us in this unique situation. Everyone else here is seems so happy to help others as they were once helped themselves. If you don't fit this 'mold' anymore, well...goodbye...

No, Revs stays. She is a refreshing breath of fresh air and a truly unique individual. This would be a poorer community if she left. If you don't like diversity on this site, perhaps you should take your own advice.

@@RNBSN786 Yes, you are pretty early out, but time will fly and then you can taco your heart out

I hate exercise. I set myself a goal to walk every day. First my goal was 30 minutes a day. Then I got up to an hour. Now at 9 months my goal is 90 minutes a day. If you set your goal to walk every day, then if you miss a day or two a week, you still get in enough exercise. After some of the weight comes off you may find something else you like, too. I like gentle yoga now. It is all stretchy and nice and I feel good afterwards.

I have a free app on my phone called Accupedo that is a pedometer. Very useful for tracking how much I walk.

Call your doctor immediately. You may have a stricture. This is NOT normal.

he jokes that he has burritos bigger than me for dinner.

That is hilarious!

Beef Jerky and 1 oz nut packs are easy to carry. For meals, pretty much any sandwich will be fine and every place has them, just don't eat the bread. I like to roll up my sandwich filling in the lettuce (if there is lettuce on the sandwich). I bet if you asked for the sandwich "protein style" in a lettuce wrap instead of on bread, they would be happy to accommodate. Have fun!

Yes, that is not uncommon and it gets better. However, you shouldn't be eating a potato, that is a waste of your precious little appetite. Replace that potato with cottage cheese or hummus or greek yogurt or some other Protein. You need to focus on protein, not carbs. You will feel much better and it will get you in a habit that is going to last the rest of your life...protein first, then vegs, then carbs last.

When I did weight training my losses were cut in half. I do find that walking for cardio did well for me, though. I used to walk an hour every day. Now I shoot for 90 minutes, as these last few pounds are much slower coming off.

You went through all this to blow it on frickin' pretzels? Really?

If you are going to cheat yourself of this great opportunity to change your life, at least do it on something special.

Yeah, I'm a meanie. It's not OK what you did, and you can do better.

Come on, you can do this. Love yourself and quit sabotaging your sleeve. Believe in yourself. Be kind to yourself. Stay the course. Best of luck to you.

Watch out for "light" options. They often substitute carbs for fat. Fat does not make you fat, but carbs will nail you.

Forgot to mention Japanese. Sashimi, edamame, cucumber salad, miso Soup. Low carb and high Protein. Great!

I take the Trader Joe's High Potency chewable Multi -- lower in carbs, calories, and/or price than virtually all the other chewable multi's out there. I get my labs drawn regularly and they are always great.

I second that. These have been a godsend.