cabstewart

Hi all, just checking back in. I hit my first major goal yesterday, 100 pounds lost!! I started my journey last April so it took me one year to lose the 100 pounds. I've lost about 58 since surgery on 12-16-13.
Went on a major shopping spree this weekend & almost cried in the dressing room when I was able to actually wear "normal" clothes (16) from a "normal" store!!!

Congrats!! I'm also down 80lbs since surgery on 12-09!! So exciting!! The only problem is WANTING TO BUY EVERYTHING!!! I bought a BIKINI for the summer. It's one of those retro high waisted ones, glad they came back in style because it hides the scars from surgery! last time I had a bikini was in grade five, twenty years ago!!
Good luck to you!!

Feeling more "normal" than I have in 25 years. My wife and I went away for the weekend and when swimming in the pool it felt great to take off my shirt and look fairly normal.
When I was a 3x/4x I felt like a moose swimming and usually left a t-shirt on. Now, wearing a size Large shirt I feel great sitting by the pool without a shirt.
Then when shopping for a t-shirt it felt great when the worker said "you're a Medium right?"

So sorry to hear fatigue has kicked back in on you. I have had tremendous fatigue as well and it comes and goes. Although it sounds counterintuitive, I find that when I start my day with some exercise, it keeps the tiredness at bay. Sometimes I am not able to do as much as other days but I get something done and it helps.
I have also been amazed at how dehydration affects me. Make sure you are getting in all of your water--- super important.
Hang in there!

I've been seeing my therapist for about a year, before and after surgery, and it's been a great help through my weight loss journey. I owe a lot of my success to Regina for helping me through all the reasons I have been addicted to food. I really hope you find a good therapist to help you also get to the root of your addiction so you can be successful in your journey. Bless you Mary you've done a great job. Put on your little girl panties Lol and finish this journey. You can do this

I've been screwing up... Bad! I'm not making great choices, not meeting my Protein requirements and I haven't been to the gym in three weeks. I see so many of my bad habits creeping back and my weight loss has stalled for two weeks because of it.
I guess I just wanted to confess as I know this is all part of the journey. I signed myself up for a 5k mud run in September. I'm hoping it will encourage me to get my butt back in the gym and start making healthier food choices.
Has anyone been back to visit their psych since surgery? I was thinking of scheduling an appointment to help me work through the messed up relationship I have with food. I know the sleeve will only get me so far and if I really want to be healthy and happy, it's going to take a lot of hard work and a new outlook on nutrition.
Thanks for letting me vent. Hope you all are doing well. xxxooo
Mary

Regarding the all inclusive-- I went on a cruise last month. I didn't take anything with me except some instant Breakfast (which I didn't drink). I gained a pound that week, but it got lost again pretty quickly. I think I would have been fine if I'd stuck to Protein and veggies, but you know-- cruises-- you can have multiple desserts! I didn't HAVE multiple Desserts, but it turns out one each day is enough to sink you.
Relax and have fun!

I too have been so frustrated! Seems like the scale has not moved in a month! I only weigh in on Sundays. I go to the gym 3 x /week and do somewhat (usually 4 pple there) of a personal training class. In good weather, i walk on the other days. I stopped logging onto MFP due to the time it takes and quite frankly sick of thinking of food 24/7!
However - am i the only one who wonders "am i normal"? I know everyone is different but oh boy - it would be so nice to know you are doing the right thing or the weight coming off is at a "normal" pace. I started this process Aug of 2013 and weighed 337. The morning of my surgery i was 292. At one of my post-op visits the nut said i was losing too fast and she was concerned. Damn her - she cursed me!! Been like a snail's pace every since!! Seriously wonder if I am done losing! Can anyone else elaborate if you feel the same way?
Also - is anyone chewing gum yet?
And one more thing - I am leaving in a few days to an all inclusive place in the DR. I have one suitcase of food! This is nuts! Protein drinks - bars - crackers etc! Has anyone ventured to any place like this yet? Part of me is excited and part of me is scared!!
THANK YOU!

Cab, I'm late coming in, but here's what I think...
Most of what I've heard/read about weight loss indicates that daily weigh-ins probably do more harm than good as far as making you stressed about "today's weight." Weekly or even monthly is probably better.
If you like tracking food, more power to you! I try, but was having trouble finding an app I like. I use DIETMINDER Personal Food & Fitness Journal (from Amazon), but I don't always remember to fill in stuff in the evenings. Again, studies indicate that tracking food helps stay on track, so that sounds fine.
Really, though, it's a matter of your own comfort zone as far as "am I thinking about food too much," or "is half a banana okay." I'm enjoying the fact that I don't seem to be obsessing about food as much now as I did pre-surgery. But if I was practicing good self-care, I'd probably be thinking about it more and making sure I was eating the right stuff.
So let's talk about that banana half... your doctor is probably right, for optimum weight loss, a banana is not your best choice, and I think that's where s/he's coming from. But you have to live with this stomach and this plan, and you get to decide what works for you. My doctor doesn't like me to have any fruit because of the carbs. But if I said "should I have half an apple or a bag of chips, he'd pick the apple. I feel like it's their job to give me the best information so I can make informed choices, but it's my choice. That said, if I go chip or apple happy and gain or stall, at least I know why and what choices to make to change that.
Hope that helps. It's hard work. Be kind to yourself.

I think that's a good plan. Just keep in mind if you change your diet you may see a slight stall in your loss but don't get discouraged by it. You have to be happy and not stressed out by this new lifestyle. I'm glad you found some solace in our responses! You're doing great!

All:
Thanks so much for the all the kind words and input. I can see that we all have slightly different ways of getting to the same end result - a healthy weight. I also wonder if maybe we are being told carbs should be limited because our medical professionals are afraid we will slip back into our old ways of eating to excess.
I, like some of you, don't want to feel like I have to "diet" the rest of my life. I also want to make sure I make my weight goal and maintain a healthy weight. So, after reading your posts I feel like I will take my surgeon's words with a grain of salt and try to relax a little bit. I am a rule follower - so it upset me that I was found lacking.
But I have to keep remembering that this plan is for the long haul and I need to incorporate some of the foods I like in addition to the Protein.
We'll see how it goes this week as I am a teacher on spring break!
What would we do without each other?
Take care, and thanks for all your posts!

All:
I need your help and feedback.
Has anyone else become obsessed with tracking their food? I track everything I eat, I think about food all the time. I feel a little obsessed. My goals are 60-90 grams of Protein a day, no more than 60 grams of carbs a day, and no more than 1000 calories. I am often hungry in the 3 hours between small meals, but I don't eat extra.
I was starting to calm down, but when I went to my 3 mo. visit my surgeon kinda corrected me for eating things like a 1/2 a banana or a 1/2 apple, or 1/2 an English muffin, or popcorn (all of which fit into eating no more than 60 grams of carbs a day). He mentioned the word Paleo - which is definitely not the diet on the booklet they give out. I went away from that check-in pretty depressed. Especially when the Dr. said I would be eating like this for the rest of my life.
Now, I knew that I would not be going back to my bad habits of eating cake and Cookies (and I don't cheat now), but somehow the idea of having to track everything and worry about eating a banana was not what I pictured in my future.
I work out 3 times a week (40 mins. swimming laps, or 35 mins. on the treadmill at 3.8 speed, or 35 mins. on elliptical).
I also do the bad thing of weighing myself everyday. Most weeks I see a drop of about 2 lbs. This week I went down, then up and am now going back down. Constipation has been an issue.
I am a little worried that I'm too fixated on this, but I can't stop thinking about my food and weight loss. I guess I feel that I have made this major change in my life and I want it to work consistently, really want to be back to what I consider "normal" life.
How many calories are you all eating per day? Are you hungry (actual stomach growling) between meals? Is anyone else sorta fixated on this? I feel like I'm waiting for my life to start again and feeling a little depressed.
Thanks for your feedback.

Just wanted to recommend a few new cookbooks I got from Amazon today. I've already marked several recipes and an planning a big grocery trip and day of cooking Sunday.
Weight Loss Surgery Cookbook for Dummies is great! Easy recipes, includes nutrition background and helpful hints about each diet phase.
Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery- recipes are a little more difficult and many require a food processors and an experimental palate. Love the desert and sauces recipes. Never thought I could have a "healthy" cheesecake. Again, nutritional facts are included as well as helpful hints about each diet phase.
Both books make recipes for four servings so it's perfect for your family or to refrigerate and have for leftovers.
Happy Cooking!!!

With all due respect to your surgeon, I disagree with his opinion and I think you should seek a second opinion - this is from my perspective of being both a doctor (family Medicine) and a gastric sleeve patient.
There's no reason you can't switch your post-op follow up to a different Bariatric surgeon.
You are meeting your weight loss and Protein goals, you are for the most part avoiding refined carbs, so I don't see a problem.
Congrats to you for your success thus far! You're doing great!!

I completely agree Pink!!! I eat whatever. Three kids and a husband to cook for, in school full time and all the extras make me very busy. I always have Protein Bars with me if there are no reasonable options but for the most part I eat what I want in small doses. I'm not a huge sweets fan since the surgery but I eat cheese and crackers ( multigrain) and I'll eat at friends' and families homes as well. Life is too short to count calories! If I'm hungry, I eat. So far I've lost 80 lbs and in 6 more lbs I'll be in the overweight category!!! (Not obese!!) I'm a size 12 and feel GREAT!!!
Try to relax a little bit and try different things. The surgery is a life changing thing for sure but it doesn't mean you have to be a prisoner to it.
Good luck!!

I agree. I eat whatever I want to eat and I have been doing just fine. Losing 2-3 pounds a week. I just started working out this week and have lost a little more than usual but I don't count or track or anything. Yesterday for lunch I had a single serve bag of popcorn. That's it. For dinner I had half a steak and half a small baked potato and then I had two chocolate chip cookies. Yes I had two chocolate chips cookies. I eat whatever just not all day and too much like I did before. If I don't treat myself then it won't work for me. I have always gotten freaked out when I thought about being on a diet and that there were things I "can't" eat and I didn't want this to be like that either. My stomach can't hold more than half a cup so I never eat more than that but I eat a half cup if whatever I want. I have lost 43 pounds in all this and was sleeved on dec. 30 so I'm happy knowing I don't obsess over anything and continue to lose the way I should. Hope this helps.

Hello cabstewart
First, congratulations on what you have achieved. It is no small step to get where you are.
Since you asked, let me share what works for me. Our current daily goals are similar. 1000 calories, 80-100 grams Protein and less than 60 carbs a day. I do cardio exercise 30-60 minutes a day, 5 days a week. I eat three meals a day with two Snacks, never going more than 3-4 hours without eating. My only comment after reading your post is that one of the keys for me is to maintain a feeling of satiety for as long as possible. That way I am not tempted with typical snack foods. I try to do this by focusing on dense Proteins, vegetables then fruit at meals. Then protein as part of a snack during the day. This way I have a constant feeling of fullness.
I will be honest, I have not eaten popcorn, Pasta, potatoes, rice, and bread by choice. For me it is part of the low carb approach that works for me. Except for the fruit I add to a Breakfast Protein Shake, I do not have room to eat them at meals. 3-4 ounces of protein and a few vegetables completely fills me up. My snacks are usually Greek yogurt, beef Jerky, Quest bars, an occasional PB with apple slices, nuts or string cheese.< /p>
I do not feel deprived of any foods because I eat what I want, albeit on a schedule I have established for myself.
Continued good luck to you on this journey.

Seriously? You got scolded? Look at your progress, look at how far you've come! Yes, we need to re-build habits for life, but I say you deserve a tight hug and pat on the back my friend! I think it is great that you are tracking your food - I stopped tracking for a couple of weeks and I started cheating - not good. I do think that tracking helps keep you focused, it might be one of those good obsessions to have.
Now, should you be obsessing about 1/2 a banana? I don't think so. Let's face it, we did get to where we are because we ate too many bananas! My doctor tells me to stay away from foods that trigger my bad habits. I don't ever feel guilty about too many veggies or even fruit. I believe in eating 'close to earth' and I don't think the extra calories from strawberries will get me in trouble. I much rather eat a banana than some processed low fat yogurt, but that's the organic me.
I can tell you for sure that you are doing better than I have in the past two weeks. I have gotten lazy about exercising and have gone off track with my diet. I am tightening the belt again, because 2lbs should never turn to 20lbs extra - ever again.
To answer your question, my MD told me to eat about 1,000 calories per day. Eat your Protein first, then veggies, then carbs, if there is room. And yes, I do have popcorn every now and then. Especially if it will keep me from snacking on something bad. I do stay away from bread (incl. English muffins) only because they trigger my carb craving.
Stay the course, I think you are doing great!

I, myself, am in the low-carb boat. Some people say, "I got surgery so I wouldn't have to diet." And others say, "I want to eat whatever, just smaller portions of it." However, for myself, even "healthy" carbs slow down my weight loss.
Bananas are the carbiest fruit. I eat some fruit. I eat a tiny clementine or a few grapes, but only one serving each day. If I stick to meat, I can eat about 3.5 ounces, and I will not get hungry until 3 or 4 hours later. I think adding in carbs/vegetables makes the food not last as long and then you get hungry.
In my fridge, I have Premier Protein shakes, reduced fat hard salami which I spread cream cheese on and roll up, and Boar's Head black forest ham. For my 2 Snacks, I'll have a small piece of fruit as mentioned above or a Clausen pickle spear or a SF pudding cup. That's about it.
I also cook for my family. If I make hamburgers, meatloaf, roast beef or chicken, I will have the meat and none of the sides. If I make something with noodles, I'll eat "my food" instead.
When I added in "healthy" carbs such as cooked dry Beans (chili with meat and beans, lentil Soup with sausage, etc) loss slowed dramatically. Maybe you are one of those people very sensitive to carbs.
I don't consider my "low carb" way of eating as a dirty 4 letter word "diet". I just know it works and I want this weight off.
I don't obsess over it. My NUT said carbs above 30, and I do that. I eat the same things everyday so I don't log as much on MFP. However, I do weigh my meat on a food scale to make sure i'm getting between 3.5 and 4 ounces.
You may just need to focus on cutting the carbs and focusing on meat. I don't even have room for anything else if I eat my 3.5 ounces of meat and I'd rather fill my sleeve with the meat and not 'save room' for a veg that isn't going to add much to calories or Protein.< /p>
I hope you find some balance and find what works for you!

My post op "plan" has been pretty much opposite of yours. Despite reading all the "requirements" of successful sleevers to track my calories, track my carbs, track my protein, plan my meals, use fit bit, Use MFP, weigh everyday, etc. I chose to not do any of those things. Sounded too much like being on a diet to me. And I refuse to be on a diet the rest of my life. I did track my fluids and protein for the first month, because that was such a critical healing period and drinking enough was so hard. But once I could eat Regular food and drink pretty well, I have just been winging it.
I don't own a food scale, I don't use measuring cups, I don't plan my meals, and I don't have an app for tracking anything. I eat whatever I'm in the mood for following the rule protein first, then veggies, then carbs. I also don't go out of my way to go "low fat". Our body needs a certain amount of good fats for healthy cell function and Vitamin absorption. With that being said, I pretty much get stuffed on protein and a small amount of veggies and have yet to really even eat carbs. (Had a couple bites of rice noodles once and had 1 bite each of cheesecake and tiramisu at a party 2 weeks ago). I actually don't think I'm getting enough veggies, so I do try to drink a glass of V8 everyday. And I do take all my Vitamins.< /p>
I weigh myself once/week and I was on a stall for a month when I only lost 2 pounds. But I didn't fret over it because I know stalls are a normal thing. Even with the stall I've lost almost 60 pounds since Dec. 4. I'm thrilled with my sleeve and I'm living my life without being obsessed with food or feeling like I'm on a diet. I guess only time will tell if "my way" works for long term success.
I also don't have followup visits with a doctor or nutritionist, so I don't have anyone telling me I'm doing it "wrong". As for bananas, I blend one up with a chocolate Premier Protein and milk for a huge 32 oz Protein Drink at least 3 times/week.
Maybe you should take step back from your regimen for a week or two. No tracking, no weighing, no counting. Just eat what you want following the golden rule of protein and veggies. Try to limit carbs as they will not fill you up and they just make you want more carbs. See how that feels for you.

So I went to the doctor and have crazy low blood pressure. He said he can't believe I haven't fainted more often. I'm given two weeks to try and boost my blood pressure and if I can't I have to go on meds (don't want to!) gross thing is, I have to eat more salt. Blegh!! I have never liked salt. It's hard to find things to put salt on that isn't unhealthy. Had some potato and added salt and added it to my fish. But truly don't like the taste (unless we are talking popcorn!!)
Thanks everyone for your well wishes! I'm making sure I get my Protein in and my Water as well. Doing more to ensure self care!

Finally in onederland!
Sleeved dec 17 th
Start weight 251
Today 198
So happy scale is moving under 200!!!!!

Good job loriann... I was sleeved on 12/30/2013 HW 197 SW 186 CW 151 I have lost a total of 46lbs in 2 months 3 weeks! I'm almost at my first goal weight which is 143!! I'm so proud of everyone and keep up the great work! If there's anyone struggling keep moving and don't worry about the stalls just do something different that you didn't do the week prior and something will happen great!!!!

Jeans were pretty loose so I opened up the too small box and went shopping! 2 more pairs of jeans that I couldn't button a couple weeks ago!!! Yay!!

Yes, I found popcorn too, I make it at home - air popped but with 1 Tbs. melted butter. I only eat it on days that I have worked out. I increased my carbs about 3 weeks ago because of the foggy brain feeling. I am averaging about 60 carbs a day, no more than 900-1000 calories a day. I'm still losing, not as fast as some of you, but I feel better now.
Today I swam laps for 40 mins. - swimming the crawl - I love swimming!
Anyone else losing hair? I still am.