NYVSGguy

Okay so I've been cooking a lot more lately and I have found that when I eat clean (meaning as little preservatives, gluten and processed crap) I tend to lose more weight quicker, feel better and actually get adequate amounts of nutrition. I made this dinner the other night and let me tell you, it was delicious. Absolutely great Almond Crusted Tilapia fried in Coconut Oil and Creamy Parmesan Spinach. Healthy fats, good Protein and rich greens.
Ingredients:
Tilapia (I like to go for wild caught instead of farmed)
2 TbleSP Coconut Oil
Salt, Pepper, Onion powder, Garlic (to taste)
Almond Flour
1 package Organic spinach (It doesn't have to be organic).
3 tablespoons cream cheese
2-3 tablespoons parm cheese
Melt your coconut oil in pan. Coat the Tilapia with your seasoning and each side dusted with almond flour. Place in pan for 2-3 minutes on each side letting it cook all the way through.
Remove all the Water out of the spinach and warm it up on stove, gradually stirring in the cream cheese and parm cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
So simple and loaded with healthy fats, great source of Protein and dark leafy veggies. I was able to eat half of the tilapia piece and almost half of the spinach. It was delicious.
ENJOY!

My new one is Veg Lasagna. Instead of Pasta, I use thinly sliced eggplant. For filling in between the layers I use Italian sausage, sliced zucchini, sliced mushrooms, and ricotta. I liberally sprinkle with mozzarella. I layer with low carb Pasta Sauce or Trader Joe's Arrabiata Sauce (naturally low carb). I saute the vegs first and cook the sausage beforehand, so it is done faster. It only takes about 30-45 minutes at 400 degrees to finish up if you precook your sausage and vegs.
Note this is low carb and not low fat. Good for those of us following low carb/high fat plans. Very satisfying and stores/freezes well. The whole family likes it. No one misses the Pasta.< /p>

I had my surgery last march, so just a hair over 9 months. went from a tight 48... ok 50 waist, and an now at a 36 waist. xxxl shirts and now in a comfortable large. 380 lbs down to 220. it happened so fast... i had some complications, but man in 9 months i am back to where i was when i got married 21 years ago...

It has been 6 months since my VSG.... And I still LOVE my sleeve. Aside from marrying my husband, this is the best thing I've ever done. No regrets... I'm not at all saying its easy. It's not all sunshine and rainbows. The emotional stuff is hard. I look in the mirror and cry sometimes, but the good outweighs the bad completely.
I still write down everything I eat. Protein first. I still (and plan to forever) stay away from potatoes, bread, Pasta, and rice. I try my best to take in enough Fluid (notice I said TRY). I still use Protein shakes and bars as Meal Replacements from time to time-- but truth is, I really enjoy them. I exercise 1-2 hours most days a week- walking, jogging, weights, crunches, squats, BodyFlow classes (my new fav), whatever-- but tonight is my first belly dancing class. Wow, never would've done that before!
As of this week I am 92 lbs down and officially "overweight!" I have 8 lbs until I meet my original goal of 100 lbs GONE! (But I'll probably revise and lower that goal).
I can't explain how much I truly love this lifestyle-- the workouts, the food choices, the energy... Just feeling so good. Oh , and the sex hehe, sorry.
Info:
Age: 26
Ht: 5 ft (4' 11.5")
Sleeved on 6/11/2013
Highest weight: 245
Surgery weight: 240
Current weight: 148
Largest size in my closet; 24. Most days I fit a 20-22. Currently size 12.

  

My surgery was on 12/17/12.
I want to preface this by saying that everyone’s journey and way of living and eating after surgery is a personal choice, and no way is wrong if you are happy and continuing to lose weight in a healthy manner. This is just my experience in the year since surgery.
Weight loss is not linear. Throughout this first year I lost in a stair-step pattern. It was literally stall 2-3 weeks, lose 1 week. I had to learn that if I was doing everything right (eating at a deficit), it would eventually come off- and it did! LOG YOUR FOOD! I use MyFitnessPal every single day. It is responsible for 99% of my success up to this point. I started at approximately a month after surgery and have not missed a day. I went on vacation for 2 weeks in June and logged the whole time using the app on my phone. Perseverance throughout is key. Most people slip up from time to time and eat something “off plan”. It’s normal. We are human. Life happens. Just don’t let it derail you. Start again the very next meal. Pick yourself up and dust yourself off. Don’t beat yourself up. The only failure is not getting up and trying again. Carbs are not evil. No, not even refined carbs. Yes, really. In fact, no food should be off limits. If you can, have a bit of what you’re craving, or find a “healthified” replacement for it. I can guarantee you won’t have room for a lot of it anyway. I had this surgery to save my life, but I also don’t want to live it miserable. Find your happy medium. This is for the newbies: follow your doctor’s advice, especially in the beginning. There’s more than one reason your doctor wants you to eat in stages (liquids, purees, soft foods, etc.) Sure, it’s safer that way, but he/she wants you to learn HOW to eat. We have to learn how to eat all over again, in a way. Our tummies don’t operate the same in the sense of feeling full. It’s a learning process that I am STILL adjusting to a year out. LOG YOUR FOOD! Restriction at 12 months out is still very much in evidence. If I stick to the Protein first rule, my meals are still very small. Losing weight after the sleeve is not rocket science. Don’t over-complicate it. Having the sleeve makes it easy to lose weight, but only if you work it every day the way it is supposed to be worked. Make healthy choices (including carbs) 90% of the time. Indulge every once in a while if your sleeve can handle it. Have a small piece of a dessert of your choice on special occasions. Just don’t do it every day. Eat out if you want to and don’t stress out or be afraid of it. The sleeve allows you that “buffer zone” of not being ravenous before meals so that you can pause and think before ordering. Plan out what you’re going to eat ahead of time. If anyone is interested in knowing what I eat at certain restaurants, message me. LOG YOUR FOOD! Find exercise that you like to do. I absolutely despise the elliptical and all indoor gym equipment. I do Zumba and C25k, only using the treadmill if the weather is bad. I found things that don’t feel like exercise to me. I think that the word for eating < 1000 calories after 6 months post-op is “anorexia”. You don’t have to go that low. I have been eating more than 1200/day since June and have lost perfectly fine. I refuse to ruin my metabolism. The truth is that the more weight you lose, the more you need to eat. As you move from being obese, there is less energy in the form of fat for your body to turn to in order to supplement your very low calorie diet. Your organs may begin to suffer if you continue eating less than say, 1200 calories/day. It gets harder to adhere to your plan the further out you get. I am fully healed in every sense of the word and feel like I can eat anything. It’s scary. Don’t be afraid to talk to a professional if you need to. There’s no shame. It’s going to take therapy for most of us to cope with this life change. None of us got fat because we were so happy with our lives- it’s the opposite. You will go through periods of depression. It’s normal, since we can no longer turn to food to cope. We are being forced into feeling all of our emotions rather than being able to “stuff them down”. My therapist has helped me immensely by just being an objective ear. LOG YOUR FOOD. I also want to say that I admire you all and am amazed at the bravery you have all displayed by deciding to undergo this miraculous and lifesaving surgery. Your lives are worth it! Everyone have a fabulous holiday season and keep on rocking those sleeves!!!!

I was sleeved on 11/4 and have lost almost 40 pounds, which includes 10 pounds from pre op.
I do get hungry sometimes, but think it is because I need to drink more Water. Also need to get bettee at tracking my fluids and Protein.
This has been the best decision I have made. I already feel so much better already!

I was sleeved on 11/4 and have lost almost 40 pounds, which includes 10 pounds from pre op.
I do get hungry sometimes, but think it is because I need to drink more Water. Also need to get bettee at tracking my fluids and Protein.
This has been the best decision I have made. I already feel so much better already!

[ATTACH]38062[/ATTACH]

One year down 78lbs after my sleeve


I'm at goal now

Hw299 Cw 171 down 128 pounds in 10 months

8 weeks out

[ATTACH]37525[/ATTACH]

I'm about 12 lbs from goal (will revise goal when I get there- want to be a bit smaller). Nothing like some good before & after pics to remind you how you're doing.
Feel free to share y'all oo.    

Found an awesome looking recipe I'm trying this week, thought I'd shAre!
http://www.recipebyphoto.com/breakfast-ham-cups/
Kim

http://www.lovewithrecipe.com/recipe/313.html
Link to chicken Cordon Bleu recipe. Only bread item is a light topping of panko and bit of flour in the sauce, otherwise it's all protein- ham, Swiss cheese, chicken breast! I edited it a bit- kept the butter called for to make the roux in the sauce the same, but cut the butter in the panko topping to 2 Tbsp. I also subbed alpine lace reduced fat Swiss cheese for regular Swiss, and used lowfat milk instead of whole (don't try nonfat- you'll lose the creaminess factor). Makes a large 9x13 pan...would probably freeze well after chilling in the fridge. Cut into individual portions and defrost as needed! Very very tasty! 10 servings- 1 serving (I eat 1/2 of one) is 336 calories, 13.7g carbs, 37.2 G Protein, 14 g fat, per recipe creation on MFP with my ingredient substitutions.

So I just made this. So delicious and easy on the sleeve. Who knew?! My new favorite! I was leery at first but it turned out great
Slice squash in half
Scoop out seeds
Thinly coat with olive oil and spices
I used garlic powder, seasoning blend, and a pinch of salt and pepper
Place face down on baking sheet
Bake at 375 for 45 minutes
(I think I baked mine a bit more, I like a softer texture)
Scrape out spaghetti squash into a dish
Top with a sauce with browned turkey
Yummo!

My wife wanted me to wait until after the holidays. I have enjoyed overeating all of these years that I decided now is the best time for to get sleeved. I will still enjoy the holidays, but with smaller portions. Insurance helped my decision too, I also met my deductible this year, so it made sense to have the surgery before next year.
I was sleeved on 11/4.

Made these for dinner tonight- 1 was more than enough for me (plus salad). The other adults in my family each ate 2. We all voted this is a definite do again!!!! Portion controlled.
Lasagna Cupcakes
2 cup marinara sauce (I just used 1 jar)
3/4 pound ground beef or turkey
24 wonton wrappers
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
3 ounces Parmesan cheese
4 ounces Ricotta cheese
(optional) basil for garnish
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin tin (12) with cooking spray.
Brown beef and season with salt and pepper. Drain. Add sauce. Mix.
Begin with a wonton wrapper and press it into the bottom of each muffin tin.
Spread with a small spoonful of Ricotta cheese.
Top with a little meat sauce then some parmesan and mozzarella.
Use around 2 teaspoons of all the ingredients depending on your personal preference.
Repeat layers ending with cheese.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until edges are brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. To remove use a knife to loosen the edges then pop each lasagna out. Garnish with basil (if desired) and serve.

Made this this morning for Breakfast. It's 1/4 of a flat out I toasted it crispy in toaster. Topped with a spoonful of homemade egg salad and a half slice of Tomato and salt and pepper. It was very good.
Egg salad flat out. Cals. 113. Carb 4.4. Protein 6.0.

Ok, here is my chicken cordon blue recipe that I recently reimagined to make healthier.
Start with a boneless, skinless chicken breast and pound flat with a meat tenderizer hammer, weigh and trim down to 4 oz. Take a slice of Aldi's lunch Mate 97% fat free ham and place it on the flat chicken breast, then take a slice of Sargento's Reduced fat Provolone cheese and place on top of that. Roll it. Now take a pack of shake and Bake Panko Seasoning and place the rolled breast in the bag and coat with the panko. Place on a cookie sheet and place in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Relevant numbers are Calories 215, Carbs 6, Protein 33, Fat 6.
P.S. forgive the picture with the scalloped potatoes, that was my son's plate from dinner.< /p>

here's the recipe with some modifications I made... It was amazing, I changed the recipe for my tastes and needs. It really is great and very hearty with the way I made it... I also put it in the crock pot. I will share the link so you can see the original recipe as well.
It made 12 1 cup servings (of which I could only eat 1/2 to 3/4 of, I just find measuring it one cup servings makes it easier in myfitness pal).. my husband ate it as well, (after he let me measure it all lol, he's such a trooper) which says a lot...
Shelly's Italian Beef & Bean Soup (modified)

1 lb. Ground Beef (90/10)
1/2lb lean Jenni-o turkey Breakfast sausage in the tube
1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 1/2 tablespoon smart balance light buttery spread with flax
1 medium yellow Onion, chopped
2 Green Onions, chopped
3 cloves of Garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning (0r more to taste)
1 tsp splenda
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 15 oz cans of Beans, not drained (I used a combo of cannelini and northern beans)
4 cups Beef Stock (reduced sodium)
3/4 cup Tomato Sauce
2 teaspoon Tomato Paste
1 box frozen Spinach
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Pepper

Sauté onions and garlic in spread/oil and cook until golden about 10 minutes. Add beef and sausage brown together, Add the minced and Italian Seasonings and stir to coat the onions let cook for 2 minutes or so but stir constantly so it does not burn. Add the rest of the ingredients to the crock pot, then add the beef/turkey/onion mixture. Cook on low in the crock pot for about 4 hours until warm and bubbly. (you can let it go longer if you need to, the longer they are together the more the flavors meld).
Nutrition information.... makes approximately 12 one cup servings (adjust with that based on needs like I said I can only eat 1/2 to 3/4's of a cup at a time) it is very hearty... I would recommend measuring for yourself I do all the time no matter the recipe. ( I put every ingredient into myfittness pal)
189 calories
6.5 fat
43.3 cholesterol
750 sodium (you could omit some of the salt to lower this)
14.6 carbs
4.5 Fiber -so 10.1 actual carbs-mostly from the beans
2.7 sugar
19.6 Protein
here is the non-modified link (I did change a few things)
http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2007/12/soups-on-again.html

Today's Recipe I haven't completely came up with a good name for yet but it is basically a Cheddar Stuffed chicken breast with Pretzel Breading. So, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take a Chicken breast and flatten it with a meat tenderizer hammer, trim to 4 oz if you want to ensure the numbers work. Get some Cabot - Sharp Extra Light Cheddar cheese 75% Less Fat, it's available at Walmart, cut 1 oz and roll into the chicken breast. Next bread it with shake 'n Bake - Crunchy Pretzel Flavored Coating Mix. Place on baking sheet and cook in oven for 20 minutes. Enjoy.
Now for the pertinent numbers Calories 195, Carbs 6, Protein 33, Fiber 0, Sodium 820, and Fat 4.
 

For 8 years I have dreaded my company's black tie holiday party. It's a fashion company so - everyone is a stick. The first two photos are of holiday party past. The last is this years dress. -73. Happy happy that dress is a medium!

Wheat berry, Kale and Cranberry salad
10 min. prep / 40 min. total
1 cup dried wheat berries
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups chopped kale, about a 1/2 of a bunch
1/2 cup red onion diced
1 yellow or red pepper, diced
Method:
Rinse wheat berries. Combine with 8 cups Water in a medium pot. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium high. Cook covered for 30-35 minutes. Stir in cranberries during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse in cold Water.< /p>
Whisk oil with vinegar and salt in a large bowl. Season with fresh pepper. Stir in wheat berry mixture, kale, onions and red/yellow pepper. Serve immediately. Keeps well left over in the refrigerator for 1 day.
Serves 12. 143 calories. 3 grams Protein. 20 grams carbs. 7 grams fat. 3 grams Fiber. 110 mg sodium. Excellent source of Vitamin C.
Add cooked diced chicken, or chick peas or dare I say bacon...Doing so will give you a complete protein.....

Here read this ok?? <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/249104-the-pre-op-diet-is-not-a-punishment-its-an-opportunity/?fromsearch=1'>http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/249104-the-pre-op-diet-is-not-a-punishment-its-an-opportunity/?fromsearch=1</a>
Hi guys. I see a lot of you are struggling and worried pre-op about the pre-op diet. It is a HUGE challenge, but for me, it was an important one.
Exactly 1 year ago, I was in the middle of a 2 week liquid pre-op diet because my BMI was 55+ and I was self-pay in Mexico. Traveling from Canada meant that a reschedule would be A LOT of extra expense if my surgeon had to stop due to an enlarged liver mid-surgery. I had NO CHOICE but to follow the diet.
It also meant that cheating would increase the chance of complications and a longer recovery (or worse), all because I could not follow a 2 WEEK diet. Really? Here I was, about to take a seriously radical, life-changing step and get 85% of my stomach cut out permanently. But I can't follow a 2 week diet? That's crazy.
Post-op was going to be difficult for MONTHS, not days. So if I couldn't get my head in the game for the pre-op diet, then maybe I wasn't ready for what was going to follow post-op. I was terrified!
So I started the liquid diet. And I was STARVING. I was dreaming of all the foods I thought were leaving my life forever. Suddenly I didn't care that I had spent my life morbidly obese, I wanted my comfort back. I wanted to fill myself to bursting at every meal, like it was my last meal forever.
But I didn't break my diet.
Because for once, I wasn't going to cheat myself. It was time to grow up (I'm 43....) and take responsibility for my health, my future and my choices. A lifetime of justification, gluttony and excuses brought me to that operating room. Now it was time to face the music and get on with owning my future.
The first 3 days were HELL. That is when your body is detoxing from the carbs. You are using up the glycogen in your liver (to help "shrink" it) and it's screaming for replacement carbs to fill it back up. You can get through it. After 3 days it gets MUCH better. After a week you start to feel normal and more healthy than you have felt in years. You may be hungry, but you don't have the carb cravings anymore.
Most importantly, you feel IN CONTROL; and mentally and emotionally strong for battling your demons and winning. This is the first tangible proof in an unsure future that you CAN get through the post-op recovery and that you CAN succeed in losing the weight this time, FOR LIFE.
Whatever weight you lose during your pre-op diet is really inconsequential. What is important is what you gain:
- Confidence
- Emotional and physical self-control
- The desire to succeed and overcome "impossible" obstacles
- The knowledge that you are a WINNER as long as you do your best
Please don't look at the pre-op diet as a "condition" that your surgeon imposes on you (and some surgeons don't require it!). It is an OPPORTUNITY for you to test yourself, to help build your will, character and emotional toughness BEFORE you have the surgery.
It's like training for a marathon.....you put the blood sweat and tears in before the race to help you finish the race on game day. Without training and preparation, you will likely fail and you can get hurt really badly along the way!
Use your pre-op diet to work through your demons, build up your confidence and prove to yourself you can do it. If you "fall off the wagon" one day, the next day is a fresh start.
Aim for excellence. You owe it to yourself.

Hi there! I'm 3 years out from vsg! I'm 30yrs old..5'6 163 my hw was 304 it took me about a year to lose the weight..I also had a baby since surgery..I'm looking to give back to people what this surgery has given me.I want to help and can answer all questions.

[ATTACH]37202[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]37203[/ATTACH]