unbesleevable1

Yep, it's real simple, guys. You will lose some degree of restriction eventually. If I eat carbs, I gain. If I stop exercising, I gain. I have to stick with the program, and eat mostly Protein and vegetables, or I will gain. I don't do perfect, but about 80% of the time. I am currently losing again by finally coming to terms with the simple truths.

Here is my other tip. Learn to be comfortable being hungry. I'm serious. Our stomachs are not supposed to be full all the time. Get comfortable with drinking liquids all the time, and always drink Water first when you think you're hungry.

It's ok, that 2 or 3 week liquid phase pre op is brutal. I was so HANGRY!!!!!

You're not going to do it perfect. I think I cheated twice. I remember it being a very difficult period, so you're not alone! Don't give up! The surgery is going to make it a lot easier to stay on track. You can do it!!!!

How much chicken are you eating? How much veggies are you eating? How much fruit are you eating? How many total calories are you consuming every day?

Your Water intake sounds ok.

I recommend touching base with a nutritionist or bariatric nurse educator/ case manager regarding their recommendations. Each institution usually have their own program and can guide you as far as what you should be eating and how much/ how often.

I am one of those that went back to carbonation post surgery. I don't have a problem with it, and I don't find it causes discomfort of any kind.

I have also developed a dairy intolerance, which is new at about 3 years post op.

Also I had a mild vit d deficiency, and had to take extra supplements for a month or so.

Other than that, I have had no problems whatsoever. I highly recommend the counseling before and after surgery. The hunger and cravings do come back for some, and I am one of those. I can do really poorly by eating junk and I will gain. It also makes me feel bad. Or I can eat food that is fuel to my body, which actually makes me feel good.

A huge part of success for me in the later years post op, is getting comfortable with the feeling of hunger. What happens if you don't eat every time you feel it? You realize being hungry is something not quite so scary, and can be tolerated at times. you have to be really disciplined after the first year, because gaining weight can happen if you're not vigilant and careful.

I am so grateful for my gastrectomy, and the things I have been able to accomplish with this tool. It allows me to actually be ok limiting my food, and the cravings lessen as you get comfortable with it. I do 5:2 so I have had to learn to fast. I require less food overall, and try to only put good things in my body. I don't do perfect every day, but I stay on track about 80% of the time. You can be so successful with this tool, but the hard work begins after the first year, when the weight does not fall off quite so easily, and you have more of a normal appetite. Just speaking from my own personal experience.

I haven't been here in at least a year. Why are all the vets gone? What happened? PM Me. I had gastric sleeve nov 2013. I got down to about 175 lb and then bounced up to 194lb around year 3. I am now back on track and back to 183lb. I do some 5:2 days and I really try to just put fuel in my body. The more you get comfortable with hunger and that it's not as scary as it seems at first. Your body will eventually adjust to not eating every time you have a little hunger. I drink a lot of liquids, and I still drink Protein shakes for lunch a lot. It's just easy, and I get liquids and Protein.

It's a shame to hear the people with experience are gone for some reason.

I had a 3 week Protein shake/ clears + small dry salad pre op diet. I think I cheated twice. One time I had a cookie, and I don't remember what the other time was. It was really the hardest part of the whole process for me. I was so irritable and rage-filled.

It's normal. Don't pull on it. It will fall off.

I started at 275 and lost about 25 pre op. From surgery I have lost 78lbs. I have lost a total of 98lbs. YAY! I still have about 15 more that I would like to lose over the next 6 months or so. I am getting married in October, so perfect timing for my ultimate goal of 160. I am 5'7"

your place of business cannot request your actual medical records without signed authorization from you. So, to answer your question, No, they can't find out you had the surgery any other way than you telling them. You do not have to answer the question.

The most important thing about starting to run, after good shoes, is start SLOW. You have to walk before you can run. Break it up into intervals. You probably have a decent cardio base from the zumba. You will probably be able to jog a little bit. Start the treadmill at a low speed walking and increase it to a slow jog. Seriously if that's 4mph, do that. jog as long as you can until you HAVE to stop. then slow it down to a walk again and recover. When you're recovered enough, crank it back up and jog again. do this repetitively, and soon, you will be jogging non-stop. The only way to fail is not to try. or to hurt yourself. thats why you need to start slow.

i'm well over a year out and still smell people's breath like crazy. Like, I ride a shuttle to work from the parking lot, and I know these people are brushing in the morning. I should be a gingivits-sniffing dog.

YES!! He did my surgery in Nov 2013. Everything went great. He is kind of a weirdo, not super personable, but an excellent surgeon. (if you know surgeons, that is pretty normal)

Any questions, ask away.

-amanda

glad to have disturbed you.

thank you. i've changed my opinion based on your self-righteous response. reading the nurse practice act right now and repenting my sins. oh yeah, i dont really give a fugggg.

just know that it's normal and you just keep trudging along. we never lose as fast as we want and there are times the scale doesn't move. the best thing is to not focus on the number. i'm serious! its a huge mindf**k, and most of us fall into it. it serves no purpose. stay positive, and keep doing what you are doing. don't cut your calories any more. watch the carbs and sugar. make sure everything that goes into your mouth is high in Protein and low in carbs/sugar. how is your bowel program? sometimes you need to increase Fiber to keep things moving through. please dont fall into the 'im a failure, im in a stall' bs you see so often happen. this is a year+/ lifetime process. my other recommendation is to keep track of your weight on a graph. i dont know if mfp has graphs. one good one that does is called libra. it is so cool to see the progress in visual data. i love my graph!!

I was supposed to give up caffeine for 2 weeks pre op. i didnt, and i paid for it to the tune of a major post op Migraine caffeine withdrawal headache. it was the worst part of post op for me. i had figured if i got a caffeine withdrawal headache, the pain meds would help. they made me nauseated and the headache worse. i just wanted ibuprofen which of course, they couldnt give me. so i tell my tale here to hopefully warn you about the misery you could experience if you disobey your doctors suggestions.

anyhoooo, Decaf is probably ok. barf.

the smoking cigs post op is to help with healing, as nicotine constricts blood vessels and causes poor circulation. after you're all healed (4-6 weeks), there is no immediate surgical risk. you do run the risk for blood clots for as long as 6 months post surgery, and cigarettes can increase this risk as well. so although it's not recommended that you resume smoking cigarettes, if you are going to, you should wait until the heightened risk of venous thromboembolism (blood clots) decreases.

I have no idea about the marijuana. it is pretty safe actually, but will definitely change the effects of any post op pain meds you may be still taking. i hope this helps.

I woulda pulled the sucker out myself. it's not rocket science. (also an RN)

no such thing as a stall or slow loser. just my opinion but it is just how the body reacts to this type of surgery/ trauma. weight does not fall off continuously at all. it is a documented stair-step phenomenon. you lose, you plateau a little, you lose more, etc etc. do not let yourself get into a negative head space about something that is completely normal.

enjoy it while it lasts. it will soon turn to Constipation. ask your doc if its ok for you to take imodium.

if it is a pre op requirement, you have to bite the bullet. if your on insurance, they may cover some part of the cost. you can always pay in installments.

I was cleared for any exercise at 6 weeks. did not start till my weight lost began to slow around month 4. just my story. but wait for physician's clearance to do strenuous exercise. Personally I dont think the elliptical is not very strenuous and there is very little impact, so if you go easy, you are probably fine. but im just some random person on the internet.

a lot of the commercial Protein supplements (special k, slimfast, ensure etc) are higher in sugar and lower in Protein than your ideal product. i always tell people about herbalife Protein Drink (its a clear drink that comes in a powder). a tub is about $20 and you can order on ebay or Amazon. it comes in orange mango or berry. or get the Premier Protein pre packaged shakes from costco. probably easier to not have to mix something with Mexico Water, now that i think of it.

you cannot rush perfection or weightloss. personally, mine slowed down after about 5 months post op. i am still losing, but it's just a slower rate. i don't stress about it. i work out 3-4 x a week (running) and do some body weight exercises a few times a week. i eat pretty good, sometimes i get sloppy. when i want to re-focus my efforts, i cut out almost all carbs, and do Protein Protein protein. also i mix up my workouts and do more hills/ sprints. this shet takes time. from a health perspective, the most you should be losing is a pound or 2 a week.