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Breakfast - overnight oatmeal.< /p>

Use mason jar

1/4 c oats

1/3 c unsweetened almond mile

1/4 c Greek yogurt (vanilla)

1t chia seeds

1T sugar free maple Syrup

Mix (just shake the jar)

Add your favorite ingredients.

mine is 2 T unsweetened coconut and 1T mini choc chips

other ideas: raspberries / blueberries

Put in the frig overnight

If you aren't using something like my fitness pal I would start there. Don't track calories, but Protein and carbs.

Make sure you are practicing the same good habits as you did when you first started.

Water, exercise, and Protein first, then veggies, then carbs if you have room.

No drinking with meals

All the things you know how to do. It's easy to slip back to old habits so take a look and see if anything has changed.

If not, change up your exercise routine and add some weight training.

You have been successful and will continue to be - remember....you are worth it

I have been sleeved now for a year and a half. Missing food was one of my worries as well.

I don't know how best to explain it other than there are so many more important things in my life I focus on that I don't miss the food. Not like you would think. Maybe once in while when friends are at dinner and everyone is raving about the bread (i haven't had bread since before my surgery) but then i look back at how I felt 18 months ago and how I feel now. I don't miss the sweets, I don't miss the Pasta, I don't miss anything food related.

It has been worth it for me.

if you haven't--start using My Fitness Pal and track Protein, carbs and sugar. That has helped me stay on track. I'm at almost 1 1/2 years out. I can tell when I haven't been as diligent as I should so I log back into my fitness pal and get back on track. I don't track calories, only Protein, carbs and sugars.

I think exercising helps me stay focused as well.

You can do it!

I took 1 week completely off and worked from home the 2nd week. I almost wish I would have worked from home the 3rd weeks as well--only from the perspective of "eating". At week 3 I was still on liquids / soft foods and it was very hard to plan that.

Here are a couple issues I still deal with

i still see the fat girl in the mirror

I am far more critical of my new body than I was my old body

When I pick up a size 6 pants I can't believe how "big" they look.

I hate to eat - it tastes good when i do but it is very stressful for me.

IT doesn't happen as often as it used to, but sometimes is still there....

I would do this again in a minute!!

I went about it in a different way. I picked a dress size I wanted to be, not a weight. Mt doctor suggested a weight.

I know my body type isn't a size 2 so I picked 8. I wanted to be a size 8. If I weigh 160 or 140 it didn't matter. My goal was an 8.

Here I am. I've been a size 8 for 3 months. I'm below my "goal weight" my doctor picked for me. I try really hard not to obsess about the weight and focus on how the clothes feel.

Just a different way to think about it.

Good Luck- you'll do great

i still get heartburn after a year, but it isn't as bad. I took an acid reducer for 3 months before it finally subsided where I didn't need it every day.

On the Fluid front: Try some sugar free Popsicles. They each have 4 oz of liquid. I used flavored drops in my Water to make it easier. I had a hard time finding the right temp for Water. At first it had to be cold, then a bout a month later i could start having it warm with tea

As far as eating - it will continue to be a chore in my opinion. I am NOT a cook so that may be part of it. . I am over a year out and I hate eating. This is the one side effect I didn't expect. I actually don't mind it - I rarely focus on food now. I eat because I have to. I have no cravings; food tastes good I just don't really like the act of eating.

Good luck.

i am over a year post-op...

Be excited about everything--it is all worth it

Crossing my legs in an airplane seat

wearing white pants

being able to clip my work badge on the waste band of my pants - with my shirt tucked in

spending all day at a fair or concert and not feeling exhausted after an hour

taking the stairs ALL THE TIME

feeling good about not eating junk

buying clothes off the rack

getting up from sitting down and having nothing hurt

crying about the number on the scale for the opposite reasons I did in the past

love every thing about the new you

I am from Houston (well, Spring) as well. I am 1 year post-op and went to Dr Balette in the Woodlands. Couldn't be happier.

I won't lie - I miss the guzzle ability...but buying a size 6 off the rack and my bones not hurting, and being able to keep up in daily activities, staying active without really trying far outweighs the guzzle....

I have one on my back and one on my hip. They look bigger now that I'm smaller

Other than that I haven't seen a difference.

I wouldn't recommend eating prepackaged foods. Look at the sugar and sodium content, the sugar is really the key. Fresh veggies and baked chicken are my go to's. I cook a breast of chicken and it lasts for at least 2 days. Best of luck.

I'm almost a year out and still experience gurgles....i too was on Clear Liquids for a week, then regular liquids for 2 weeks, then soft foods. The Protein could very easily be causing the noise. Best of luck -- best ride you will ever take!

I'm not surprised at the Constipation. Low carbs / high Protein can have that effect. I use Merialax. It's easy on the stomach has no flavor / taste and works great. I would try half the dosage at first if you've never used it before. Exercise and Water will help with that too. Walk a little more than you would and drink Water water water.

best of luck!

@@claudi2103 I have a Protein shake in the AM (23 gr of protein). I try to eat 3-4 oz of meat for lunch and dinner each. I have a scale, but after using it often enough you'll know pretty close what each serving weighs. Most of the sides I eat are high in Protein. (Beans, cottage cheese, eggs). I track it all through my fitness pal and focus on protein. Does that answer your question?

I am 11 months out and can't eat bread - I also have no desire to eat bread. I'll have a saltine every once in a while, but I can't eat bread - it is just too painful.

_{I am 11 months out and I still follow the rules. I am so fearful of gaining weight back that I have to be reminded that healthy is more important than anything.}

_{I keep track of Protein, watch sugar intake and track exercise. I don't count calories.}

_{I drink coffee daily, but have to push to get all my Water in.}

_{I exercise 6 days a week - at least 30 minutes. I alternate between cardio and weights.}

_{I also have chosen not to eat certain things: Pasta, rice and bread still hurts. Fried food hurt and I can't stand the taste of sweets (Cookies, cake, pie, etc).}

Grapes take care of my sweet-tooth.

The hardest thing I'm working on now is body image. I still see the fat girl in the mirror and I panic when I gain a pound. My husband has now hidden the scale to help me. Also, this fear / obsession didn't start until I hit my goal weight. I'm reading a couple books on post-op living and attending some support groups. In my opinion the surgery / weight-loss was the easy part. Overcoming these emotions and self-image are the hardest.

New Year - for the past 41 years I told myself this was the year. This was the one where I was going to lose the weight once and for all.

2014 WAS THE YEAR...

I am 3 pounds from my doctor's goal weight - I reached my goal of a size 8 last month.

So my questions / comment - now what? Other than maintain the weight and tone....I almost feel lost. I mean I've had the same un-reached goal for 41 years... This is the first year since I was 11 years old that the new year doesn't bring a new start feeling.

For those of you that have reached or are close to goal do you have new goals?

Did you have to get used to not having that weight loss goal?

If you didn't set any new goals - how does that make you feel?

I love how I feel and how I look.Just wondering how others have dealt with the fact that New Year's resolutions no longer revolve around weight, especially since it's been such a big part of my life for so long.

Hi Kealot - I live in Spring and am almost 5 months post-op.

i was also told by my doctor that while 80% of your stomach is gone the same amount of bile is produced. So you have a much smaller space with the same acids. I'm almost 5 months post op and still take a Pepcid once a day.

6 weeks before I was allowed to do anything other than walk.

i had a whole houseful of people here after my surgery - it seemed all they did was eat. AllI wanted to do was chew. It was HORRIBLE. It got better as I ate Soups and sf Jello while they had spaghetti and garlic bread. I kept telling me self it will be worth it. I think it was much harder the first month. Once you get to eat solid foods it isn't as big of a deal. For example last night my husband had a big burger and I had tuna - didn't bother me at all. And BTW - it was all worth it!!!

I would start with some samples; a lot nutrition stores will have samples. My tastes changed dramatically after surgery so I wouldn't stock up too much.

My favorite shake today is Ungery chocolate, PB2 and almond milk.