amyon2wheels

I couldn't agree more and its super important for the new patients to see that it really is a life long struggle regardless of surgery. BUT ----with the sleeve you are armed to win it.

Woo-hoo!!!!!!! The scale gods smiled on me today!! hee hee!! Down 4 lbs total. But better than that I feel back in control. I am excited about eating right. I have actually been craving healthy foods. Yesterday I had 2 scrambled eggs for Breakfast a Fit Frappe mid morning and you would think I would be tired but no...I had the best 5K run this year breaking a new record for myself. lunch was salmon, dinner I cheated and went to a firm protien and had chicken.

I spent some time on this site and have learned more about this 5:2 plan that some of the veteran's follow. I really like the idea and think it fits with my lifestyle. Basically the two liquid days I had ended up about 500 calories or so. I have a big cycling event on Saturday and another 5K on Sunday so I could use the extra calories so i have made an executive decison to transition my 5 day pouch test at this point to the 5:2 plan!

I will use the 2,000 calorie guidline but in sticking with the pouch rules...choose firm protien for my bulk of the calories. Monday will be a 500 calorie fasting day for sure each week and I think either Wednesday or Thursday will be my other one.

I won't clog up the message board here anymore but thank you so much to all for the encouragement and the wonderful advice I am finding on this site.

Keep rocking those sleeves!

first 2 days liquid protien, 3rd day soft protien, 3rd and 4th firm protien.

Yesterday was harder than the first day. I really feel for the newly sleeved on the all liquid diet. I forgot how hard it is. I had 3 protien shakes and several cups of chicken broth. The scale went down 1 lb this morning however, my rings are super tight and I'm holding lots of Water because of the sodium in that chicken broth. I'm pretty sensitive to salt so I can put on Water weight easily.

The good - I feel in control!!!! I feel so much better. I woke up this morning feeling energized. I ran and hit a PR (personal record) of a pace 11:47 avg mile for my 3.11 mile run. I am pumped about that. Then I got to work early and ate a scrambed egg at my desk. Ahhhhhhhh....an egg never tasted so wonderful. Today is soft protien so I have a salmon muffin or two for lunch (salmon, egg, cheese baked in muffin tins).

Yesterday I never even craved candy or trashy food....I just kept thinking about eggs or chicken, healthy foods. weird. So far I am sold on doing this 5 day test; not to "fix" your pouch - but to fix you brain!!!

Thanks so much...I will check out that 5/2 plan. Once I finish this 5 days maybe I need to transition into that until the weight is off.

Yes, I want to join the vetern's forum but I can't until I have 100 posts. Hey this counts as one, right?! LOL

jersey girl - that is exactly how I found cycling. My weight loss had slowed and I wanted something that would be fun. It is fun!!!!

I pretty much can eat anything (darn) with no problems. I get full faster than "normal" people but in an hour I can do the whole thing again. Too much sugar will make me feel icky but it takes a lot of sugar to get me there. Dense foods like chicken breast will fill up my pouch. I try to eat protien centered meals and tend to be very good during the week days and then on weekends it ends up being a free for all. I hope honestly is okay on this board? Anyway, I don't want to end up 355 again so that is why I am here to reign it back in and use my tool to ensure a healthy life continues.

I decided to do that 5 day pouch test I've heard about over the years. I don't think for a minute that my pouch is "broken" but I've heard from others that this 5 day plan gets you mentally and physically back on track and since I've gained 20 lbs over the past couple of years I figured I needed to try it.

I've noticed over the past year I have a bad binge cycle. I eat well for a few days and then go crazy. This probably scares the new sleeve patients and it should....bad habits lurk around the corner and our sleeve is a tool only not a miracle cure. Anyway, I am now an endurance athlete cycling long distances and running half marathons so I eat ALOT. I should choose good things to fuel my body but honestly I haven't been. So, time for change.

Google 5 day pouch test if you want to know details but basically it is liquid protien for 2 days, then soft protien for 1 day and then firm protien the last 2 days. A very shortened version of what you do right after surgery but you are doing it in only 5 days.

Yesterday was liquid only for me. WOW was it hard!!! I had forgotten what it was like to not eat food. I had a protien mocha frappe in the morning, protien hot chocolate, then a protien shake for lunch, chicken broth in the afternoon and evening and drank half an adkins shake. I felt very tired. I was supposed to ride about 40 miles on the bike and after 18 miles I called it good. Took 2 naps and I never nap.

Today I'm at work and have already had a cup of hot mocha protien coffee (Fit Frappe by Big Train) and then took an adkins shake blended it with a little PB2 and some ice. I brought broth with me and more powder for another shake. I am supposed to ride about 27 miles after work but we will see about that.

Weight loss so far - ready for this? NONE. That was not even right. No food and no Water weight loss? What the heck? LOL However - I feel so much more in control and so encouraged by doing this. I really am okay that the scale didn't move yet. It will. Stay tuned.

A local magazine did an article on my weight loss journey and I thought maybe it would encourage those of you thinking about a VSG. It is the best decision I ever made!

Transformaion_AmyDownsPagelayout.pdf

Can someone tell me which forum I should post my 5 day pouch updates to? I don't have enough posts to be able to use the veteren's forum. Diet and Nutrition maybe? I don't want to clutter up the wrong message board. Thanks! Amy

Thank you all for the warm welcome! I've never done the 5 day pouch test before but had heard from several who said it turned things around for them. First two days are liquids and it has been hard . But I want to be in control again and lose this regain and maybe even 10 more. I'll report each day.

Life is good post sleeve - the best thing I ever did. I'm a cyclist now and my entire life had changed. A local magazine just did a before and after story in me and I'll try to figure out how to share that link.

I'm a fellow okie too and new on this board. Had my sleeve at Weightwise in Edmond July 2008. Lost 200 lbs. working off 20 lb regain. The sleeve gave me a life!

So glad I found this board! Lost 200 and have 20 lb regain that I am focused on getting off. Started the 5 day pouch test today. Day one and two are liquids. Love my sleeve just need to dump the bad habits that crept back into my life.