thinnerdaysahead

Hi - read your post and wanted to share. I am 6 months post-op and I have to remind myself to eat. I go to the gym 3 times per week and feel a little more hungry on those days, but I'm quickly satiated with a Protein bar. I always have a Protein Bar no matter what - available for insurance (no temptation to grab a candy bar etc. If you go into this with the right mind set (healthy eating & exercise) you will love your new body and love shopping for the small size in clothes. I've gone from a size XL (don't know my actual pre-op size - always had stretch pants and big tops). Now I'm a size 4 and can wear xs or small. Love the new me - I feel so good about myself and I would love everyone who has a serious weight problem to consider this option - it works for many of us. Good luck.

Hi - read your post and wanted to share. I am 6 months post-op and I have to remind myself to eat. I go to the gym 3 times per week and feel a little more hungry on those days, but I'm quickly satiated with a Protein bar. I always have a Protein Bar no matter what - available for insurance (no temptation to grab a candy bar etc. If you go into this with the right mind set (healthy eating & exercise) you will love your new body and love shopping for the small size in clothes. I've gone from a size XL (don't know my actual pre-op size - always had stretch pants and big tops). Now I'm a size 4 and can wear xs or small. Love the new me - I feel so good about myself and I would love everyone who has a serious weight problem to consider this option - it works for many of us. Good luck.

This may have been covered, but I just read an article in MD's office about the top 9 facial firming creams. The first (forgot the name) a swiss made product ($600 a bottle - I think that's why I forgot the name) - the 2nd best in test results is Neutrogena ($18) rapid tone repair - article said it was the retinol (the amount of retinol and how the skin reacts - apparently some retinol creams are too irritating and leave the skin red) - just wanted to share this - hope it helps.

I was told Multi-Vitamin, Calcium with Vit D and a sublingual B12. I added a probiotic to aid digestion and Biotin to cover the myth of hair loss prevention. For me, the only thing Biotin did is when my hair did grow back, it was thicker than it ever had been ... and all over my body, too! Never been hairier in my life. I did lost about 40% of my hair in months 6 through 9, but like I said, it all came back ... and then some.
Early out, I had issues and took Milk of Magnesia for about 2 weeks or so. About a month or so out, I started with prunes daily. Did that for about a year and I occasionally have them as I think they are yummy. Once you get your nutrition balanced, you shouldn't need anything to keep things moving.
I was given a patch during surgery for nausea, and had it for a few days, so never had an issue there.
Ulcer prevention ... I had terrible reflux pre-surgery but have had no issues post. Cross that bridge when you come to it if your stomach is feeling especially acidic.

You are not failing - take your measurements. I just came off a 3 week stall - it was so disheartening that I stopped weighing myself. After 3 weeks, I'm down 4 lbs. I was ready to think that I just wasn't going to lose any more weight, but just like me you will. Best wishes to you.

From someone who struggles, the best course is to never get off the good food choices. I know people will tell you not to deprive yourself if you want to have something - it depends on what that something is - if it is sugary and fat laden, my experience is don't do it. Yes, you can regroup and start over, but that is the hard way to go. Once you wake the simple carb demons - they are a tough bunch. I do the best when I eat my high Protein healthy carb foods.

Yea, I was with a friend (who is not sleeved) and a little nervous about lunch, but we both had enough samples to allow us to forego lunch. It was free and fun.

I am 4 1/2 mos out and the last month has been quite a challenge with emotional eating - after surg I thought I would always have a struggle eating enough - hah,, jokes on me. Now the real work begins.

These comments mirror a post a few weeks ago - hormones are stored in our fat cells and right now we are burning fat and releasing a large amount of hormones that can make you feel out of control - it will get better as your weight loss plateaus.

I got a lot of out of this article so wanted to share.
What Happens to Your Brain When You Eat Junk food (And Why We Crave It)
Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates that it contains. In the case of junk food, food manufacturers are looking for a perfect combination of salt, sugar, and fat that excites your brain and gets you coming back for more.
Here's how they do it...
How Science Creates Cravings
There are a range of factors that scientists and food manufacturers use to make food more addictive.
Dynamic contrast. Dynamic contrast refers to a combination of different sensations in the same food. In the words of Witherly, foods with dynamic contrast have:

... an edible shell that goes crunch followed by something soft or creamy and full of taste-active compounds. This rule applies to a variety of our favorite food structures -- the caramelized top of a creme brulee, a slice of pizza, or an Oreo cookie -- the brain finds crunching through something like this very novel and thrilling.
Salivary response. Salivation is part of the experience of eating food, and the more that a food causes you to salivate, the more it will swim throughout your mouth and cover your taste buds. For example, emulsified foods like butter, chocolate, Salad Dressing, ice cream, and Mayonnaise promote a salivary response that helps to lather your taste buds with goodness. This is one reason why many people enjoy foods that have sauces or glazes on them. The result is that foods that promote salivation do a happy little tap dance on your brain and taste better than ones that don't.
Rapid food meltdown and vanishing caloric density. Foods that rapidly vanish or "melt in your mouth" signal to your brain that you're not eating as much as you actually are. In other words, these foods literally tell your brain that you're not full, even though you're eating a lot of calories.
The result: You tend to overeat.
In his best-selling book chips to taste. He zeroed right in on the Cheetos. "This," Witherly said, "is one of the most marvelously constructed foods on the planet, in terms of pure pleasure." He ticked off a dozen attributes of the Cheetos that make the brain say more. But the one he focused on most was the puff's uncanny ability to melt in the mouth. "It's called vanishing caloric density," Witherly said. "If something melts down quickly, your brain thinks that there's no calories in it ... you can just keep eating it forever."

Sensory specific response. Your brain likes variety. When it comes to food, if you experience the same taste over and over again, then you start to get less pleasure from it. In other words, the sensitivity of that specific sensor will decrease over time. This can happen in just minutes.
Junk foods, however, are designed to avoid this sensory specific response. They provide enough taste to be interesting (your brain doesn't get tired of eating them), but it's not so stimulating that your sensory response is dulled. This is why you can swallow an entire bag of potato chips and still be ready to eat another. To your brain, the crunch and sensation of eating Doritos is novel and interesting every time.
Calorie density. Junk foods are designed to convince your brain that it is getting nutrition, but to not fill you up. Receptors in your mouth and stomach tell your brain about the mixture of Proteins, fats, carbohydrates in a particular food, and how filling that food is for your body. Junk food provides just enough calories that your brain says, "Yes, this will give you some energy," but not so many calories that you think, "That's enough, I'm full." The result is that you crave the food to begin with, but it takes quite some time to feel full from it.
Memories of past eating experiences. This is where the psychobiology of junk food really works against you. When you eat something tasty (say, a bag of potato chips), your brain registers that feeling. The next time you see that food, smell that food, or even read about that food, your brain starts to trigger the memories and responses that came when you ate it. These memories can actually cause physical responses like salivation and create the "mouth-watering" craving that you get when thinking about your favorite foods.
All of this brings us to the most important question of all.
Food companies are spending millions of dollars to design foods with addictive sensations. What can you and I do about it? Is there any way to counteract the money, the science, and the advertising behind the junk food industry?
How to Kick the Junk Food Habit and Eat Healthy
The good news is that the research shows that the less junk food you eat, the less you crave it. My own experiences have mirrored this. As I've slowly begun to eat healthier, I've noticed myself wanting pizza and candy and ice cream less and less. Some people refer to this transition period as "gene reprogramming."
Whatever you want to call it, the lesson is the same: If you can find ways to gradually eat healthier, you'll start to experience the cravings of junk food less and less. I've never claimed to have all the answers (or any, really), but here are three strategies that might help.
1. Use the "outer ring" strategy and the "5 ingredient rule" to buy healthier food.
The best course of action is to avoid buying processed and packaged foods. If you don't own it, you can't eat it. Furthermore, if you don't think about it, you can't be lured by it.
We've talked about the power of junk food to pull you in and how memories of tasty food in the past can cause you to crave more of it in the future. Obviously, you can't prevent yourself from ever thinking about junk food, but there are ways to reduce your cravings.
First, you can use my meat, eggs, etc.). Not everything on the outer ring is healthy, but you will avoid a lot of unhealthy foods.
You can also follow the "5 ingredient rule" when buying foods at the store. If something has more than 5 ingredients in it, don't buy it. Odds are, it has been designed to fool you into eating more of it. Avoid those products and stick with the more natural options.
2. Eat a variety of foods.
As we covered earlier, the brain craves novelty.
While you may not be able to replicate the crunchy/creamy contrast of an Oreo, you can vary your diet enough to keep things interesting. For example, you could dip a carrot (crunchy) in some hummus (creamy) and get a novel sensation. Similarly, finding ways to add new spices and flavors to your dishes can make eating healthy foods a more desirable experience.
Moral of the story: Eating healthy doesn't have to be bland. Mix up your foods to get different sensations and you may find it easier than eating the same foods over and over again. (At some point, however, you may have to fall in love with boredom.)
3. Find a better way to deal with your stress.
There's a reason why many people eat as a way to cope with stress. Stress causes certain regions of the brain to release chemicals (specifically, opiates and neuropeptide Y). These chemicals can trigger mechanisms that are similar to the cravings you get from fat and sugar. In other words, when you get stressed, your brain feels the addictive call of fat and sugar and you're pulled back to junk food.
We all have stressful situations that arise in our lives. Learning to deal with stress in a different way can help you overcome the addictive pull of junk food. This could includesimple breathing techniques or a short guided meditation. Or something more physical likeexercise or making art.
With that said, if you're looking for a better written and more detailed analysis of the science of junk food, I recommend reading the #1 New York Times best-seller Salt Sugar Fat.
Where to Go From Here
One of my goals with this article is to reveal just how complex poor eating habits can be. Junk food is designed to keep you coming back for more. Telling people that they "need more willpower" or should "just stop eating crap" is short-sighted at best.
Understanding the science behind junk food is an important first step, but I don't want you to stop there. I wrote a free 46-page guide called Transform Your Habits, which explains strategies for winning the battle against junk food and improving your eating habits. You can download it here.
James Clear writes at JamesClear.com, where he shares ideas about using behavior science to improve your performance and master your habits. For useful ideas on how to live a healthy life, both mentally and physically, join his free newsletter.

My MD let me take tablets the day of surgery - just told me to take one then wait 5 minutes before taking another. Had no problems.

My MD let me take tablets the day of surgery - just told me to take one then wait 5 minutes before taking another. Had no problems.

This may have been covered, but I just read an article in MD's office about the top 9 facial firming creams. The first (forgot the name) a swiss made product ($600 a bottle - I think that's why I forgot the name) - the 2nd best in test results is Neutrogena ($18) rapid tone repair - article said it was the retinol (the amount of retinol and how the skin reacts - apparently some retinol creams are too irritating and leave the skin red) - just wanted to share this - hope it helps.

I posted a couple of weeks ago how bad I felt. Well I knew I wasn't eating enough and I just could get my head around it. I just thought if I keep my calories down and work out that it would eventually come off. Look at the people starving in other countries. I really was afraid to up my calories. I work out so hard I tried to burn more calories than I consumed everyday except Monday was my day off from the gym. It doesn't work. Stalled for almost 4 months with the same 3-5lbs. I felt like that was it I failed that was all the weight I was going to loose and never see onederland. Well this morning I did. 197 I dropped 7lb in a week 1yr and 2mos out. WOW I can't believe it. I ate more I tried the every 2 hours method just to boost my metabolism and it worked. I suffered for 4months starving myself and finally I realize (with my Dr. help) that I was doing it all wrong. Well I love this board I've read this before but I was so afraid to eat more but your body needs something to burn when you work out. Also my Dr. recommended a couple of turkey and cheese roll ups 1hr before my work out and 1/2 hour after. He is not a big fan of Protein Shakes. He said if you have to but try not to. Eat your Protein not drink it that his advice not mine. The first pic is from right before and the other is from today. THANKS GUYS....................................

Thank you both it's been so hard. I don't have many before pics I avoided the camera completely. If someone took a pic of me I asked them to please delete it. I couldn't stand looking at myself. As you can see my reaction in the pic. I keep seeing the same picture that I have and it make me sick but at least it's something to compare to. I really wish I could go back just to take some more pictures. I still don't like to take them but I try harder now because I see how important it is. I also love to see everyone else's pics from before and after it's so much fun to see the changes.

Oh also if anyone is wondering the hair grows back fine. I did loose it in clumps but it stopped around 7months and it looks that same as it did before. It actually feels better because is newer growth.

Unfortunately, there are many who are afraid of there own weight issues (most women gain each year until they reach a point that it is unhealthy - just go to a public event and look at how big we as a nation have and are becoming). The fact that you have taken a major step to control your eating and allow you to choose healthier food choices and amounts is threatening to many. This is why I shared my sx with only 3 people. Remember everyone while have an opinion of you, so just develop thick skin and focus on yourself (which is hard for women to do). Congrats on your weight loss and keep up the good work.

i said i wont lie about it because im proud of the life changing decision i came to but i will warn you the Questions get boring quick!!
number one most asked question How Much Have You Lost?! and i just say idk What do you mean you dont know?
2.Are you goin to have loose skin?
3. DID it hurt?
4.HOw long til you can eat?
5.can you have sex?? like really i had weight loss surgery i wasnt castrated lol so just have a sense of humor when all these pop up because they will.
also the most annoying part is whe your close friends that know say it for you ¨Yea he just had surgery hes lookin thinner than ever¨and im just like DUDE! i dont even know this person lol if i was the one with surgery why the hell would u say anything about it and not me lol its like their personal achievement that i had surgery.But hey its all cool if this happens to you dont worry itll get more akward as we go.
Anyother questions that get you bored quick????
ohh almost forgot another one you know you have to get back in the gym quick so you can buff and tone up!!! NO $h&% SHERLOCK lol but its all love

Well honestly, your regret seems to be based on the false assumption that most of the world has....that anyone can lose the weight if they just eat less and exercise more. And yet the statistics do not bare that out. Less than 10% of obese people are able to lose the weight and keep it off. It's not from a lack of trying by those people. Indeed most if not all of us tried and failed many many times.
There are many factors both psychological and physiological that make it improbable for most of us to lose the weight and keep it off. The surgery is not the easy way out. It's not a short cut and it's not cheating. It's a tool to help you overcome those obstacles unfairly put in our way....those obstacles that most non obese people know nothing about. Do not feel guilty and do not regret your decision. I am almost 18 months post op. I've lost my weight, started a new life and found many reasons for living that I never dreamed existed. Those things would not be any sweeter had I lost the weight without surgery.

efeezell sorry you've been having problems
having/doing this process can/is difficult sometimes
some/many/most (me too) OP have also strayed on occassion
i have an old picture of myself i will look at
i never want to be that person again
i don't keep any chips, Cookies, et al in the house
if you want a jump start on a couple of pounds - do liquids/protein shakes for a couple of days
then as others have said - do Protein, dense Protein like chicken
that will fill you up easier/quicker
push the fluids
remind yourself of how successful you've been so far
you went through a lot to have WLS - you don't want to have done it in vain
gotta work hard
the ends justify the means!!!!
get back on that horse, and ride em' cowboy
i can see in your eyes the strength and determination you have
you are on the road to a healthier, happier, longer life!!!!
good luck
kathy

Dont need much space, Walking to power walking at home. Winter is coming but a great starter video we can all do at home and get that heart rate up for better weight loss!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rnB9rDRrCM

What a difference - you look amazing - congrats.

really the only way it could help with fat is via increasing thermogensis for a while which any caffeine would do. It also has antioxidants that can reduce inflammation. But the studies you see, people were drinking so much dang green tea to get those effects, for most of us it's not quite reasonable. There is some research to suggest belly fat is a result of excessive cortisol, which is the stress hormone. In that case, meditation, not "caffeination" is likely to be better IMHO. I think a good diet low in calories is probably what helps best with fat, whether belly or otherwise.

My surgeon uses a slightly larger tool for gauging the stomach size. His reasons were to reduce discomfort and nausea. (keep in mind this is only slightly larger than the usual size). I can still only eat about 5 bites of solid food before feeling full. I can drink about 8 ounces slowly. Hope this helps.

There are the risks associated with any major surgery. If you feel really concerned, speak with your MD - he/she knows your history. Have you ever had general anesthesia? Odds are on your side, everyone on this site who had the sx put themselves at some level of risk - you could also die of heart attack, stroke and/or diabetes related illnesses. You have be informed and make the best decision for you.