McButterpants

If I had to do it all over again, I would have chucked the scale on Day 1. Weighing every day is bad for your soul. I did better when my husband hid the scale and brought it out once per week. Stay the course - find other ways to monitor your progress...take pictures and take your measurements.

There have been times during this process where I feel like I cheated for some reason - like life is supposed to be hard or a struggle. I can tell you, this "easy way out" is freakin' hard... I had to ween myself off caffeine in order to have surgery. I had to live on 2 Protein Shakes and 1 meal for 2 weeks prior to surgery. I had 80% of my stomach removed. Had to recover from major surgery. I had to address my emotional attachment to food while recovery from the above major surgery. I consumed hundreds of Protein shakes instead of real food for months. I had to make meals for my family and watch them eat while I drank yet another shake. I've logged about 600 miles on the treadmill, walking trails and elliptical machine since surgery 8 months ago. I've given up a lot of foods I used to love - not just the "bad" foods...Salads upset my stomach, some raw fruits are hard to eat. I could go on and on, but you get my point. Yeah, this is the easy way out...

I just started running again...I ran a mile without stopping the other day. It was amazing! When I first started jogging I started out running for 30 seconds, then walking for a minute. Then my next run, I increased to running a minute, walking a minute. Then the next time, I would run for 3 minutes walk for 2. I'm amazed at how fast I was able to build the amount of time I could run. (I can do 50-60 minutes on the elliptical no problem, so the cardio portion wasn't an issue, it was muscular - using different muscles than on the elliptical or walking.) I love the way my body feels after I run - it's so different that doing a long hike or walk, which feels good, but after a run, my body feels more "alive", if that makes sense. That feelings lasts longer than a walk. My 14 year old son and I have a set a goal for next summer to run a couple of 5K events. He's my running buddy...Probably the best part of running right now is him cheering me on, telling me I can keep going. He even said he was proud of me - that was priceless!

I had the same problem with the Nectar using the blender bottle...I moved to the Magic Bullet and didn't have the problem any more.

unjury makes a chicken Soup which is a nice savory flavor as opposed to the shakes. They come in individual packages. I also purchased some hot chocolates from www.mybariatricpantry.com - it was nice to drink something hot as opposed to cold shakes. I also suggest trying some sugar free Torani syrups to change up the flavors... Add some sugar free peppermint syrup to a chocolate shake. Add some sugar free vanilla or hazelnut to a chocolate shake. Add some sugar free raspberry to a vanilla shake. Use some ice cubes to bulk the shake up and make them thicker. On my pre-op diet I started drinking decaf green tea - it really helped with the hunger. Best of luck to you! This part of your journey will be over before you know it!

First you need to makes sure you're following your doctor's/NUT's plan - eat and drink only what's on your plan. Second, follow their plan for portions - this is important. Your stomach is still healing - you may not feel full, you need to stop at the portion size specified in your plan. I could eat more than the specified portion when I was 2 weeks out - that doesn't mean I should. When I was two weeks out, I ate every 3 hours and drank in between. It's a chore - it feels overwhelming with the watching the clock, weighing or measuring everything. It occupies a lot of time, but that will change in a couple of months and you'll get back to normal.

I agree. I carefully choose my foods - I savor my food. I enjoy my food. I purchase high quality goods. I don't bother with zero fat foods - I don't eat enough cheese for it to make a difference. I didn't have this surgery to be on yet another diet - this is my new lifestyle! Enjoy!

I agree - follow what the NUT suggests. You should lose. This is similar to my 2 week pre-op diet - it won't be easy, but stick to it. Follow the plan - that's the best you can do. I found drinking decaf green tea helped me with hunger. Best of luck to you!

I was cleared for coffee at my 8 week appointment, but had to pinky shake that I wouldn't go back to my old habits of 5-6 cups of regular coffee per day. I am 8 months out now - I allow myself 2 cups of regular now and 1-2 cups of decaf. I find too much caffeine will trigger hunger, so be mindful of how you feel afterwards. Find your happy medium!

I think I changed my mind a hundred times between August, 2013 when I decided to have surgery and November, 2013 when I had my surgery. I had similar thoughts..."Have I tried hard enough to lose weight?" "Is this cheating - taking the easy way out?" "What am I doing to myself?" I think it's perfectly normal. I almost backed out the night before surgery and the morning of surgery. I was terrified. I remember sitting in admitting thinking, "I could walk out of here right now and I'll only be out $500." I looked at my husband and he was as scared as I was, but he had this look on his face that let me know everything is going to be OK. At that moment, I knew - I knew that I was doing the right thing. I'm 8.5 months post-op - I feel like I'm finally starting to live the life I am supposed to live. I'm becoming the person I'm supposed to be. I'm a better wife and mom now. I feel better about myself. I'm learning to become content. It hasn't been an easy road. I have bad days still. It's not all sunshine and lollipops, HOWEVER, my life today is so much better than it was one year ago when I was at my high weight. You'll know when you're ready - be prepared for an emotional roller coaster between now and surgery day. Be kind to yourself. Best of luck to you!

I agree with Lipstick...it also depends on what I eat. I'm 9 months out - if I eat an egg and a turkey sausage patty for breakfast, I can't drink anything for about 45 minutes or an hour. If I eat something like deli meat I force myself to wait the 30 minutes.

I telecommute full time - I had surgery on Thursday and worked 1/2 days the following week. If I had to get up, get dressed and go to a job, I would have taken 2 weeks off. Even though I had no complications and my recovery was seemless, I got tired very quickly - I needed to rest and nap. If you don't have a desk job, I would suggest taking 2 full weeks off if you can...You need to make sure you take care of yourself!

I was self pay all the way...I know how you feel. I figured so far with my trip to Las Vegas, subsequent follow up visits with local doc and testing, I'm into this $13,000. I'm fortunate that we had the resources to do this without affecting our lifestyle, but at times I do feel guilty that something I needed costs so much money. There are other days that I feel you can't put a price tag on the benefits - I'm more active, I'm more engaged in my family life, I'm happier, I'm healthier, etc. What I would tell you is, if your family is on board, try your best to not feel guilty. They are going to get a better version of you on the other side. Best of luck to you!

I felt the same way...almost 9 months ago now. I don't regret going thru the surgery and I'm so happy I didn't let my fear get the best of me. The night before surgery, my husband I were driving around and I was thinking things like, "I'll never be able to eat there again" as we passed by some of my favorite places to eat. Other times during that evening I thought "What am I doing?" "Have I tried hard enough?" The morning of my surgery, as I sat in admitting I thought, "I could walk out of here right now and only be out $500." I glanced at my husband who was sitting about 20 feet away. He didn't look at me, he was just sitting there, nervous for me. I decided, I CHOSE to go thru the surgery - I knew at that moment, I needed to do it. I needed to follow the path I laid out for a better life. That was the best decision I have ever made. I didn't let the fear get the best of me. I think it's perfectly normal to feel anxiety, 2nd guessing yourself, etc. This is a life changer. It's also a life saver. My life is so much better today - I'm not saying I don't struggle, because I do. It's still hard some days. But I'm living a better, more active and product life than I was a year ago. My relationships are better. So, hang in there. Keep reading success stories here. You're going to do great!

I went into this hoping my only regret was that I didn't do it sooner...that is so true. I'm almost 9 months out and I have a great life. I'm not at goal weight (have 25-30 more pounds to go) and I've been a slow loser compared to some. I've had really great days and I've had really crappy days during this process. It's hard work - this is not the easy way out. I've worked my a$$ off at the gym to get where I am today. I've had days where mentally I wondered if this was the right thing to do. I can unequivocally say - NO REGRETS! My suggestion is to get your head straight before surgery - I was not prepared for the emotional part of this process. I researched enough about the procedure itself that I probably could have assisted the surgeon. I had to address my emotional eating issues while recovering and not able to eat. It's hard. This surgery is a life changer - life saver! It has changed my relationship with my husband and son. I'm more active. I feel better. I have tons more energy. I'm more productive in my life. I feel good about myself - something that hasn't happened in DECADES.

Every one recovers at a different pace...My recovery was uneventful and easy. I telecommute full time. I was operated on Thursday and worked 1/2 days the following week, working a full day that Tuesday. I was tired. If I had to get up, get dressed and go to an office for a full day, I probably would have been OK 2 weeks after surgery. I got tired easily and needed to take a nap. Remember to be kind to yourself and take care immediately after surgery - this is major surgery!

Congrats on your success so far - you're doing great and making great changes. A couple of suggestions for the next couple of months to prepare you for post-op living... Practice eating slower - there's an app called Eat Slower than you can download on your phone. It will chime when it's time to take another bit. You will be surprised how quickly you feel full on less food. Change to appetizer forks and spoons - this will force you to slow down and take smaller bites, a must post-op. Practice mindful eating - sit down at the table, turn off the TV and eat in peace. Savor your food and concentrate on how you feel. Again, you'll probably eat less. Walk - get in the best shape you can prior to surgery. You'll be able to walk right after surgery and walking, in my opinion, is the best medicine for recovery. Move your body. Start trying out different shakes and experiment with different flavors. Torani sugar-free syrups are a great way to enhance the flavor of shakes. Don't over purchase - your tastes may change post-op, so something you liked before surgery may taste bad post-op. Hope this helps!

I'll tell you what I see in this picture - a man that is spending time with his young child. It's beautiful. Cherish your time you have with your family. Now, close your eyes...Imagine you being able to run down the beach with your son. You can pick him up. You can play ball with him. All without getting tired or saying, "Dad has to rest a minute!" That will be you 6 months to a year after surgery. I ran with my son last night - I can run just shy of a mile without stopping. I don't run fast and I may look funny, but hearing my son say he's proud of me for accomplishing that...PRICELESS!

I couldn't drink plain Water after surgery - in fact at 8 months out, I still can't. It's like liquid sandpaper...Ugh. So, I drink Propel Zero or Vitamin Water Zero. I also add Mio drops or Dasani drops sometimes to change things up. For Protein shakes, I drink unjury - it has the protein isolate. You want a good quality protein. Unjury has a chicken Soup which is pretty good. It's a nice change from the sweet shakes. Also, there are protein hot chocolates (go to www.mybariatricpantry.com) for some options - the hot chocolate I purchased has about 5 grams less protein than a shake, but it's better than avoiding shakes. Unflavored protein is good, too - you can add to just about anything. Best of luck to you!

I loved fat-free refried Beans. Top with some shredded cheddar and a dollop of plain greek yogurt. Yum. I pureed some broccoli florets (just the tops) and cauliflower. I had ground beef with a little brown gravy and a bite of mashed potato. I ate a lot of scrambled eggs, too.

My doc said it best..."If you chart your weight loss it won't show a linear graph. It will be like a stair step." You're doing fine - I have had multiple stalls in my 8 months since surgery...take them in stride, don't drive yourself crazy with the scale. Take measurements and take pictures - they represent what's happening better than the scale!

@@Skywalker, I don't eat Soup - It's not dense enough. I will eat chili (Wendy's chili was a favorite once I was allowed). It's thicker and I don't get hungry quickly after I eat it. Once you're farther out, you will be able to eat soup if you wish, but like I said, it doesn't fill me up, so I stay away from it. I still drink my Protein shakes (not smoothies that you would purchase at the mall or something like that). I mix my Protein Shakes with about 1/4 cup of berries and ice cubes to give them some bulk. I'm 8 months out and still use shakes. Ice cream is not a good thing for me - it's a trigger food for me. I can't eat just a little bit, I'll want more. I may take a bite of my husband's or son's treat, but I rarely get my own - it's not worth it.

My pre-op diet consisted of 2 shakes and one lean and green meal (4-6 ounces of lean meat and a veggie) for two weeks. I was allowed to use milk in my shakes, so I opted to mix them with Water instead, so I could use the milk in my decaf coffee (I was required to be caffeine free 2 weeks before surgery). I was allowed 2-3 strawberries in my shakes or about 1/8 cup of blueberries - seriously, that's not much, but it helps bulk them up. Also, add some ice - that helps bulk them up as well. I purchased different kinds of Torani sugar-free syrups to mix up the flavors...one of my favorites was

Giggling!

I found it difficult at first, but like everything else in this process, practice helps. Looks like you have a little bit of time before your surgery, so practice in your mealtime now. Practice taking smaller bites (I started using appetizer forks and spoons before surgery - this helps you slow down and take smaller bites). Also practice chewing your food - 20-25 times per bite. Doing these things may lessen your need for water/drink during your meal. I will take a SIP now and then if I need to, but it's rare. I stop drinking 20-30 minutes before eating and will wait 30 minutes after. It's one of the rules we agree to when we go into having the surgery! (If I don't wait 30 minutes, I get hungry faster...thus eating more calories)