Bob2013

I am 18 months out and have been at my target for about 8 months with over 115lbs lost since surgery and 150 since my highest weight. With that said, Yes, stalls are real but the body will catch up. I had a couple weeks here and there where I lost nothing and even a time where I gained a few pounds. But after a week poof, 5+ lbs disappear. And in the end I got to my goal. Just be honest with yourself, and make sure the stall wasnt your own doing. If it was, get back on track and move on.

I had slight tenderness many weeks out.

Im pretty sure we all have been through it.. Take some deep breaths and think about the new healthier you that is coming.

Morning star black bean burgers are pretty good. Refried Beans with salsa and maybe a bit of cheese. eggs in so many different ways. Grilled chicken, tuna, turkey with a small amount of veggie. Beef Jerky as a lunch meal isnt bad. The crackers? Thats a demon your going to have to work through. But there are alot of foods out there to replace the canned chicken and tuna.

Sashimi was one of my first solid foods post op. I dont do much for rolls because of the rice. But nutrition wise sashimi is as good as it gets for Protein.

You just need to watch the ingredients. Ive seen smoothies which contain all kinds of sugars, calories and other unhealthy ingredients. And I have seen others which are high Protein, low sugar and generally healthy. Not all smoothies are created the same.

For the most part they all go hand in hand. If you are getting enough Protein and keeping watch of your calories, the carbs and fat usually stay in acceptable levels. Most foods that are high in simple carbs will be high in calories. and with fats its something that can be kept track of with common sense. for example, fat in eggs is generally good fat, while fat in bacon is bad. and you mentioned not losing weight if you eat too many carbs. Many people dont realize it but our post op diet is basically a variation of adkins diet. What helps us lose the weight is our bodies going into ketosis. When you deprive your body of simple carbs it goes into fat eating mode. It takes a few days of low carb intake to achieve ketosis but one good shot of carbs will take you out of it and a few days to get back into it. I think many of our stalls (not all)can be attributed to this.

The first months after surgery its probably not a good idea. As others said, empty carbs. But down the line there is nothing wrong with it as long as you dont get the butter, cheese or whatever else flavors due to the calories and fat. My wife buys a couple different brands that have 35 calories per cup. I will fill a snack sized ziplock which is maybe over a half a cup. The big thing with something like this is to portion it. Dont sit down with a big bag of you regret it later when your bloated and sick because you ate too much. Some others have mentioned nuts. Yes they are great and healthy, BUT(there is always the but) Nuts are very very high in calories for very little amounts. If raw they are not as bad, but dry roasted and the calories skyrocket. Again, its about portioning. Dont sit down with that whole can of nuts. Grab your scale weigh out an oz or so and put the can away before eating. While I have eaten nuts when I needed an on the go meal from a convenience store, I am mostly saving them for when I hit maintenance and need to bring my calorie count up.

You said "Also I am able to eat anything including rice and bread.".. I hope you are not eating rice and bread. These items and any other high carb items have no place in the weight loss phase. A nibble here or there isnt bad, but only if it is a nibble.

Its a hard question to answer. Some people have minimal pain, others its more. Drinking is difficult and a bit uncomfortable. As far as being able to tell the stomach is gone, No, you cant tell at first, there is no empty feeling. You really wont notice any difference for days until you start eating something other than Clear liquids. And as far as the immediate pain goes after you wake up. Most of it will come from the incisions and bloating from the gas they fill your abdomen with. If you follow the doctors instructions and get active as soon as you are able (usually within a few hours of waking) there shouldn't be any severe pain. Walk, walk walk!!! The more you move around, the faster the extra air from the surgery will work its way out of your body. With me, it was just being very sore. Like I severely over did it with sit ups the day before.

For some time after surgery your stomach is swollen. The upper part of your new stomach is very narrow due to the swelling so when you eat it has to squeeze through it and pushes the air down to the pouch so you need to burp to get the air out to allow food in. In time the swelling will go down and the burping will be less. although I dont think it will ever go away completely. I try and get air out after each bite. That way it doesnt all come out at once as a loud belch.

If you go around telling everyone "it will be ok" or "everyone does it different" your not helping anyone. They will take it as their bad choices are just fine. And for many of us who have dealt with weight problems, one bad choice may be the start of a avalanche of bad choices. I am sure most people here can relate to this on previous weight loss attempts. Im not saying its ok to be an a-hole to anyone, but not telling someone when they make a bad choice is a hell of alot worse. Most people come here looking for guidance, and sometimes the guidance hurts. If you just condone everything, your not helping anyone.

I was able to stay in clothing for the first 6 months from breaking out clothing I have outgrown over the years that despite my wifes pleads I refused to throw away. Because I knew I would be back there someday. Unfortunately I have gone past all those old items and am just buying what I need to get by until iI hit my goal. Which is coming up quick.

When I reply to a topic I try and give the OP as much information as I can. I will post positive feedback to problems, and cheer on great status updates. BUT, I feel many topics need to be answered honestly and to the point. Even if it means being harsh and maybe even slightly rude. Some people put stuff out there looking for justification on something they did or are thinking of doing. I feel those type of posts need to be nipped in the butt. Many people like to reply with the whole "everybody does it different". That is a bunch of crap. While we may do things slightly different than each other its more a matter of veering off slightly from the center line. Not veering into oncoming traffic. So when somebody posts something like "I am a week post op and I just love Cookies so much I am going to buy a box of oreos and eat just a few". My response is not going to be pretty.

I also agree on the calories. I would work towards at least 800 a day. A bit more on workout days. Weight loss surgery is not a magic bullet. It still takes time for the weight to come off. The sleeve/band just makes it easier to stay on track. Also if you are working out, muscle is replacing fat. Muscle is more dense than the fat so you may be losing fat but the muscle gain will make the scale move much more slowly. As time goes by and your body gets use to the new cycle, you will probably see more dramatic losses now and then. Try getting a measuring tape and use myfitnesspal to track your measurements. While you may not see the scale move as fast as you would like. The inches will probably take up the slack.