DebCat

Happy to hear that, Sarahjane79, My first week was the easiest of all for which I am grateful. A rough beginning would suck! Remember, lazy days will be happening frequently for a bit of time due to your body screaming for food that it's no longer going to get. Yay for jammy days!

I hope everyone is mending nicely! Be gentle with yourselves.

Y'all are so pumped up for surgery! That's fantastic. I'm 8 months post-op and am so happy that I had the surgery. Lots of days in the beginning I didn't feel that way and even some days later. With the help of my family, friends, physical trainer and THERAPIST, I'm looking at a completely different life. I've lost 80 pounds (slow loser), but have maintained (and gained!) muscle mass thanks to having an amazing trainer and lots of support at my gym. I'm at my half-way mark so 80 more to go. Ways my life has changed: I do in one day what used to take a week Fantastic high heeled shoes are in constant rotation now Mental acuity is significantly better Shoe size is even a size smaller I can sit anywhere at sporting events now even all the way to top row of bleachers I can buckle the seatbelt on the airplane now WITH SEVERAL INCHES TO SPARE Eating enough Protein is still a challenge Shopping in regular sized clothing now (size XL- woo hoo!) The only body aches I have are from working out Sex is different now - not better, not worst. Different. Cut off my long hair I've rid myself of all kinds of extraneous "protection" - fat, hair, too much stuff in my house, too many clothes... The first few months were brutal for me emotionally. I had a lot of work to do on myself to uncover why I was hiding behind all the weight and all the material possessions. Excavation is still underway, but I really like what I'm uncovering. Good luck to all of you and this mission!

Incredible job! I'm not near that rate of loss. I had surgery at the end of June and am around 65 lbs down. What are you doing to have such awesome results? I'm only at the gym a few hours per week (personal trainer 2X/week). I count all my calories and still don't exceed more than 1,000 per day most of which come from Proteins, but my carbs get up around 70 per day. It's a sloooooow process. :l Thanks for sharing! Deb

That's fantastic!

Oh the long moments of regret! I have them, but I know they will subside. At 6 weeks out, I am just now being able to feel somewhat normal since week 1. Week 1 was much easier and I felt better than I do now even. Protein shakes are NOT my friend. I've struggled with dehydration and even passed out from it. I am very sad about the situation. HOWEVER, I am still hopeful. Before I decided to have the surgery, I didn't have hope and I had let go of my dreams of being able to do so many of the things I loved to do prior to becoming obese. We've done something (albeit extreme!) about it. I truly wish I hadn't gone so far down the obesity road that I felt destined to stay there. But since I did, the only way back to looking and feeling like the "me" I once knew is to somehow find a way to embrace this tough road ahead. When I can start seeing "me" again, I know the regrets will be forgotten and I will run towards the healthier woman that is fit and strong and had the courage to start this journey to begin with. I started seeing a therapist a couple of months before surgery and I know I will be with her for the duration of this journey. It has been the most crucial part of the equation so far. I am so grateful that I took this precaution and realized that being obese wasn't as simple as eating too much. Regret is an enormous burden. Peace and hope be with you, Nani...

Thanks y'all for the words of encouragement. I guess I am a bit impatient. I just want to start living NOW. Yesterday! But, I am probably being a bit unrealistic. I felt so good the first week post-op besides hunger. I had it on a Monday, home by Wednesday and didn't need any pain meds after Tuesday. By Friday, I was out weeding the garden and trimming bushes. I thought it was going to be a matter of increases in energy. Was I wrong! I've upped my Protein to average around 65g per day this week. My Water is a minimum of 64 oz daily now too. Calories are between 500-600. In my mind, I'm swimming laps, going for a run, doing yoga and riding horses. The skinny b***h inside me is harassing me! I guess she will have to simmer down until after I can, at least, catch up on my laundry.

Looking good, Tiffany!!! Thanks for sharing and sharing your Youtube Vid. You're going to turn even more heads @ 6'1" and slim. Dang girl! Yay for you!

At 4 weeks post-op, I can eat around 2oz I think. Sometimes, maybe a little more and sometimes a little less. It depends on the food. I can eat 1 hard boiled egg, but not one more bite of anything else or it will come back up. Today, I had some poached Atlantic char (similar to a lighter salmon) for lunch and ate a little more than 2 oz. It's not as dense as the boiled egg. Cottage cheese is my go to food. I eat 1-2 oz depending on if I've put any berries or peaches with it. I'm simply not fretting about the quantity. I keep up with all of it on MyFitPal app, but once it's entered, I've moved onto something else in my life. Not food! Yay!!!

Thanks for posting the pics! Inspiration!

I'm a month post-op and was hoping to be doing some exercise by now. Instead, I'm really tired and just too weak to even get going. I have struggled with dehydration and it's happened twice already. My bp meds were out of whack and my cardiologist just took me off one and cut the other one in half this week. I can feel a difference already. However, after just showering, dressing and going on one errand, I'm exhausted and come back home for sleep. Not just a nap either. It's like 4 or 5 hours of sleep. I'm sleeping 7-9 hours at night and it's pretty sound sleep. I want to be able to exercise!!! My skin is already sagging and I feel so blah. I was much more active pre-op. How much longer until I feel like I have the energy to do something? I'm going out with friends for my first evening outing tomorrow. I know I will have to take a stupid nap before I go. Ugh! I have tickets for an R&B concert on 8/11 and I need to have some groove back. Help?

I"m only a month out, but I remember 3 weeks of unbelievable hunger. It was ridiculous! I wasn't prepared for that kind of hunger either. The full liquid diet seemed like a reprieve after the clear liquids for a week, but I just stayed in a pissed off mood and couldn't stand my protein shakes. I even went so far as to chew on some food and spit it out. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I was hungry and it was better than nothing. I don't know when I will ever want another creamy soup again either. Being on soft protein, I still crave salads and crunchy vegetables. Prior to surgery, I juiced vegetables almost daily and ate a lot of salads. Just know that it's normal to feel ravenously hungry. Try not to eat your children and keep your wickedness to yourself. I sent my own self to my room to spare my family. Coming out on the other side of it is a glorious thing! You can do it!

I'm 4 weeks post-op and was still battling the nausea until the other day. I took a promethazine pill that my surgeon had prescribed for post op. I hadn't taken one until this week and it made a huge difference. Not only was my nausea gone, but so was the constant headache. I've been able to up my nutrition as a result. The shakes were making me super nauseous so I don't have them every day any more. I'm still feeling pretty weak though. I've gotten dehydrated twice now. You'd think I'd learn after the first time!

Marci, The first few weeks were tough to get Protein in, but I managed to get more in at that time than I am now. I'm adding a Protein shake daily and at least 1/2 bottle of Isopure. That's giving me another 50g protein on top of being able to eat soft Proteins now as well. I didn't want to see another protein shake after I got through the 3rd week. I'm sucking it up and going back to them though. Ugh! Good luck to you as you get through the liquid portion of your post-op. I know it can really do a number on your psyche. I honestly didn't think I could do it. I amazed my own self! And you will amaze yourself too!! Deb

Height is relevant due to the length of muscles in a tall person vs a shorter person. The taller person in the same physical condition as the shorter person will have a larger amount of muscle mass that will need to be "fed" in order to maintain itself or increase in mass. Protein requirements increase with weight as well due to the need to 1.) carry that weight 2.) increase muscle mass that will burn off fat storage in the case of obesity 3.) maintain muscle mass in the case of body building. It is all relevant to muscle mass in any case. By considering height, weight and BMI of the individual, a more accurate protein requirement can be assessed. This is why answers will vary so much. I saw that no matter who answered my question, I was definitely not getting enough protein, So, I increased my goal to 80g protein for now. Haven't made it there yet, but I will get there shortly!