Schmincke

Hey Kitty!
Consider using Protein shakes to get in more Protein.< /p>
See, if you can eat pizza, it's NOT your tummy, it's your head! So you need to start your head battle! We ALL have evil brains (I call mine Skippy). Skippy really wants me to eat sugars and carbs and stuff. And when I do I MUST have more and more and more. I have to be very strong for 3 or 4 days and the cravings DO go away.
Also, please consider OA or therapy. We all are a bit bent when it comes to food, and there IS help out there.
We are with you as you start this DIFFICULT path.

I, too, am walking with so much more confidence. My boobs aren't as heavy now, so I'm more upright. I can feel that I walk more upright.
My commentator-friends really are friends; they don't mean to hurt me, I'm sure. I think, as many here have said, they are so used to my butterball face, that any weight loss would freak them out. Those who know of my VSG are concerned I might lose too much over time.
But, hey, I am still over 200 pounds (218 pounds, and stalled x 5 days), so I am nowhere near being finished. I want to reach 175, then maybe 150 (since I'll probably gain some back after 2-3 years anyway). It is amazing how just these near-40 pounds gone can boost one's spirit, approach, outlook, energy, self-confidence. etc.
My friends will just have to buckle up and hold on for what they might feel is a bumpy ride, but for me, it'll be smooth sailing into midlife, AARP-card-carrying Sexy-ville (I'm 58). I will return to "breathtaking!"
For those of you who haven't heard it/don't know it, youtube "She's a Bad Mama Jama" song. That was my theme song (to work out to years ago); I've been playing it lately, this time, to embrace the words!! (I was too 'churchy' before). Also, in Blurred Lines..." You're the hottest B**** in this place" --my, my, my. Soon, Robin Thicke; soon. ha ha!!

Thanks, you guys. I'm feeling better somewhat. And a friend who had the RYGB in Sept., said to tell them to "kiss your skinny ..... ... in a couple of months!" :-)
I did this for me; they'll see the fly butterfly emerge from the cocoon and then they'll see the total package. They hear in my voice that I'm happier! It'll be fine. All is well.
I have a board meeting tomorrow and am wearing a knit skirt and sweater I haven't worn in more than 7 years! Yes!

I had my surgery 1/29 in Cincinnati, OH. Weighed myself yesterday and I'm down a total of 60 lbs since I started my own diet in November then my pre op diet. Two week follow up this week :-)

I still use shakes to boost the numbers. I like to have a 30 g pure Protein Shake as part of my first meal with a heavy dose of carb like Fiber one Cereal or oatmeal. For my last meal, I will have 60 g or so of casein shake (bed time). In between, I have 6 meals to play with. I will have oatmeal with 40 G Protein Powder before working out and a AMRAP bar (15 g) following the workout. For morning snack, I will have some lean chicken (about 25 g) and veggies. For lunch and dinner, I will target 25-30 G lean protein for each meal with veggies. So adding this all up: 230 g of protein a day on average. I am 17 months post op and maintaining pretty easily. I am glad exercise is available so starving is off the table. My muscles are not huge from the protein, but respectable and defined. Thank you cross fit.

No I haven't because our NUT warned us that they will stretch the sleeve.

No I haven't because our NUT warned us that they will stretch the sleeve.

The society we live in can be so cruel. I've been teased, bullied, mooed at. Ignored, disrespected and humiliated from a very early age. Obesity genes play a part on both sides of my family.
Diagnosed with hypoglycemia in my twenties and Degenerating Joint Disease in my hips.
Hypothyroidism when i was thirty.
Type 2 Diabetes when i was forty.
My weight sky rocketed to the highest of 385 in 1992. The year i was married and also the year i was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism Once my thyroid was under control i became pregnant. My OBGYN told me i was a high risk pregnancy and that i could endure many unhealthy hurdles. But i went ahead with our pregnancy. I did get gestational Diabetes and gave myself insulin shots through out my 2nd and 3rd trimester. I was put on a Diabetic diet during my pregnancy and actually gained 19 pounds because i had started losing weight at the end of my pregnancy. The Diabetes left as soon as i had my baby. Only for it to show up six years later as Type 2 Diabetes.
That was the straw for me.
I have endured Breast Cancer, Acute Severe sleep Apnea on top of morbid obesity. I had to make a change or i want going to see my daughter live her life and experience all the wonderful life experiences you do with a daughter.
So i opted for weight loss surgery. Best decision i ever made. Well, one of them at least.
Hope has returned and i am so looking froward to getting off the sidelines of life and back into the main stream of enjoying life again. When you hear of people say they came fro the school of hard knocks, well i'm one of them.
It definitely built character and wisdom and gave me the tools to go with the tool i received "the Sleeve" Looking forward to what life has in store for me now.

The subject of artificial sweeteners is an interesting one and I've enjoyed reading the variety of responses. I mentioned in my previous post that I had not located information on recommended limits of consumption. After doing more research I discovered that the FDA has established "Acceptable Daily Intakes" (ADI) for the seven non-nutritive artificial sweeteners that they have approved for use in the U.S. By definition, the ADI is 100 times less than the smallest amount considered safe for daily consumption by adults over the course of a life time. So what does that mean?
To put the ADI in perspective, we can look at aspartame (sold as Equal and NutraSweet). In addition to being a "tabletop" sweetener, aspartame is used in literally thousands of foods and beverages. The ADI for aspartame is 50 mg per kg of body weight. Still a little obscure for those of us who are metric challenged. So...that translates into 3,750 mg per day for a typical adult weighing 75 kgs or about 165 pounds. A 12 oz. can of diet soda contains, on average, 180 mgs of aspartame. So our typical adult would have to consume 21 cans of diet soda every day to go over the aspartame ADI, which is 100 times less than the smallest amount considered safe for daily consumption.
The ADIs for the other artificial sweeteners are as follows:
Saccharin (Sweet 'n Low or Sugar Twin) = 5 mg/kg or the equivalent of 9 to 12 packets per day. Some of us remember the saccharin cancer scare in the early 70's. That led to an FDA requirement for a warning label on all products containing saccharin. The initial study was performed using lab animals (rats) and was subsequently proven not to apply to humans. The warning label requirement was subsequently dropped. Sucralose (Splenda) = 5 mg/kg or the equivalent of six cans of diet soda containing sucralose per day. Splenda has been the subject of fewer health controversies than other artificial sweeteners. More than 100 studies have not identified any significant side effects related to the use of Splenda. Acesulfame K (Ace-K, Sunnet or Sweet One) = 15 mg/kg. I've never heard of this one but it apparently is used in some diet drinks. The K comes from the symbol for potassium. Stevia (Truvia, PureVia, or Sun Crystals) = 4 mg/kg. This one is complicated by the fact that stevia is metabolized by the body into steviol which is not absorbed into the blood stream and leaves the body unchanged. So the 4mg/kg translates into 12 mg/kg of steviol or about 12-14 cans of a diet drink containing stevia. Neotame - 18mg/kg. Neotame is one of the newest artificial sweeteners approved for use in packaged foods and beverages. And last but not least... Luo han guo - an ADI has not yet been established for this sweetener but it is classified by the FDA as "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS). GRAS substances are "deemed by qualified professionals based on scientific data as being safe for their intended use, or they have such a lengthy history of common use in food that they are considered generally safe and don't require FDA approval before sale." Artificial sweeteners have been controversial literally for decades and no doubt will continue to be. And new studies continue to be performed to this day. And even though no links have been identified with catastrophic diseases (cancers, tumors, etc.), many folks experience headaches, diarrhea, etc. which seem to be associated with different artificial sweeteners depending on the individual. As is so often the case in science, the search continues.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/artificial-sweeteners/art-20046936
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/aspartame
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007492.htm
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=289

"Is there a safe one (or safer one)?"
According to science, the short answer is "Yes". A Google search for "Safety of artificial sweeteners" returned 541,000 results. This link - http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/are-artificial-sweeteners-safe - is just one of several articles on WebMD on the subject of artificial sweeteners (there are links to many of them at the bottom of each page of this article). The bottom line is that all artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA for sale in the U.S. (including saccharin based sweeteners) are "recognized as safe". All have been tested. Some quite extensively, others less extensively.
"Do you limit?" Other than avoiding ridiculously large quantities, there seems to be very little if any published information on any limits of consumption.
That said, the debate over the safety of artificial sweeteners has been going on for a long time and will likely continue. Chemical content, processing, GMO and even the "natural" label are all controversial. The FDA, as of now, does not even regulate the use of the word "natural".
The benefits of artificial, "low-calorie" sweeteners for diabetics and those on the weight loss journey are undeniable. They do not affect blood sugars and have either no calories or contain so few calories that they are not considered significant.
"Reduced-calorie" sweeteners are usually sugar alcohols. They have about half the calories of sugar but some diabetics will experience an increase in blood sugars with sugar alcohols.
So the decision to use or not use artificial sweeteners continues to be a subjective one. And for those who opt to use them, the choice more often than not will revolve around taste. Estimates are that 7 out of 10 people in the U.S. use artificial sweeteners.

Random thoughts as surgery gets closer:
What happens if this doesn't work??
Oh my god, I can't eat that for awhile can I...should I do this (usually I answer this one right away, YES)
I would love to wear a normal size pair of boots and a cute pair of jeans. Can't wait to shop at normal stores.
Also...I keep thinking about talking to my mom about post op plans. So she asks me about surgery...so this is a pretty easy one...they just put like a sleeve over your stomach...like a shirt? WHAT?! I stared at her for a full five minutes, then laughed for another full 5...then explained it to her. "Oh so that's why you need a week of. I was going to say, aren't you being a bit dramatic for them just hooking a garment over your stomach?" If we didn't laugh, we would cry right?

I think you know WHAT to do. But you need to figure out why you're sabotaging yourself. I would consider seeing a therapist, and start coming up with ways to self soothe other than eating. I have some similar behaviors but not quite as severe. Get back on track now before regain starts. You can do this!! Good luck and keep us posted.

to start losing weight go back to basics as you were taught in your classes with the liquids / Protein shakes. Make an appointment with a Therapist that has experience with people and food addictions and especially someone who deals with WLS patients. Then get yourself into therapy, Your body can't be in the game unless your head is in the game. You have already admitted you need help, now go get it. In the mean time the rest of us are here and will be happy to talk out whatever problems you are having. You are not alone, we all have problems and understand how easy it is to turn to food. What is bothering you, what has pushed you so far off track?

75 extra pounds is hardly a "little excess". Eleven tries at Weight Watchers. Hypertension and high cholesterol. Back and hip problems. Hiatal hernia. Verge of diabetes. Family history of early heart attacks. I certainly fill the medical criteria. I have "successfully" lost hundreds of pounds since the age of 10, and always regained. Every year it is getting worse, and every year my surgical risk rises. I have reduced from BMI-39 to my present BMI. I am in my late 50s and would like to live to my late 80s. I think we all come from the same place here, although we may be different sizes right now. So regarding your comment, wouldn't that apply to any of us? We all know the reality of our situation.

Hiatal hernia surgery generally requires a special diet very similar to ours. Probably your best cover - and maybe your surgeon will be doing this anyway, many do this at the same time as VSG, so not a lie.
See:
http://www.upmc.com/patients-visitors/education/nutrition/pages/diet-after-nissen-fundoplication-surgery.aspx

Hiatal hernia surgery generally requires a special diet very similar to ours. Probably your best cover - and maybe your surgeon will be doing this anyway, many do this at the same time as VSG, so not a lie.
See:
http://www.upmc.com/patients-visitors/education/nutrition/pages/diet-after-nissen-fundoplication-surgery.aspx

HI Faisal,
It takes 6 weeks for the stomach to heal from the trauma of surgery and about 6 months for your new stomach to reach it's full operational function (new normal that will last forever).
At the very least please wait at least 6 weeks. My Dr. said most serious leaks actually happen between 3 and 6 weeks. When I asked him what can I do to help prevent a leak, he said in all honestly, they don't know why some people get leaks. You can make all kinds of speculations, but they have no evidence to support what exactly causes a leak. He believes that it is simply the result of a weakness in the staple line that doesn't heal properly in the earlier stages. This would further the argument to have the patience to wait until that 6 week period is up.
I won't lecture you as I have no doubt you are full aware of the negative effects of smoking. If you do decide to try to kick the habit, I highly recommend looking into chantix. My SO tried to quit so many times with no success I actually got mad the last few times because I had zero faith it was even possible and HATED going through the "quitting" period. Well... chantix was totally different. I actually still enjoyed being around Mo and am still shocked it has been 6 years and Mo still has no desire to smoke. I swear, it was like a miracle to me.
i wish you the best. My best friend had lapband and lost 140 pounds with it, maintaining it for the last year, but she replaced her food addiction with cigarettes. I still love her, but i have come to hate going anywhere with her or spending any extended time with her because she compulsively smokes. It is hard to be around if you don't smoke.
I wish you the best and hope my post does not come off as judgemental, because I have no judgement for your situation or desires. We are all weak and cope in our own ways. Life is hard, it's seems to me to be an obstacle course in learning how to cope with things. The better we cope, the happier we seem to be.
I wish you the best and applaud you for attempting to seek good information to inform your decisions.

You have done so well so far....Something pushed you over. and just because it did does not mean that you can't start right now to eat properly again...that is the cool thing about this being an adventure or journey..It does not depend on you never making a mistake or having issues. It is about fixing your mind. Taking the time to find out why..So ask yourself why you ate so much that you threw up yesterday..I know you know the reason....
Step back kid and breath. And then think about it and make a change..that is what this journey is all about too!

I had to read this, and re-read it a few times before it set in. Being a woman of "color" born in Mobile, Alabama in 1963 (that would make me 50 years old), I am floored that you, or anyone else for that matter, would even think to use the term "colored" in this day and time. Born on the cusp of the civil rights movement, with parents and grand parents who had to live in and through it, I am more than offended by this term. It especially stings because my birth certificate refers to me (and my parents) as "colored." You'd have to be either really insensitive or just really out of touch with (or ignorant to) black history as it relates to the civil rights movement, and I'm hoping its the latter. It is not my intention to offend or belittle you, just to enlighten you a bit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African-American_Civil_Rights_Movement_(1955%E2%80%9368)

I'm sorry KristinaRnY that your post has been hijacked. I was actually looking forward to some helpful ideas and advise as well.
And while we're off topic...one of the things that has stuck with me from a recent talk with Dr. Mia Angelou that I was privileged to be a part of was :
"Don't ask yourself IF you are racist, ask yourself HOW are you racist."
It is easy to label someone as being racist when they poorly choose their words as in the case of the above poster. However, when you get all sanctimonious about it you are showing a lack of insight into the fact that you also have racist tendencies. We all do. It is impossible to be raised in the United States as a white person and not have bias and prejudice deeply imbedded in your psychology. To deny that is to think yourself untouched by what society is seeped in and it is that self-righteous denial which protects those deep deep seeds of racism and prevents eradicated them from your spirit.
So go ahead and throw stones. But don't kid yourself by thinking that because you know better than to use the word "colored" and will aggressively correct someone else's ignorance that you are somehow above all of that.

Educate instead of Humiliate. Persuade instead of Persecute. Converse instead of Chastise. If you want to help the situation ask yourself how YOU are a racist.

All a diuretic will do is dump Water. It will not dump fat. So that's no help to you - yes a reduction on the scale, but one that will bounce back as soon as you stop the diuretic. The point is to lose fat.
Sorry to bear bad news

All a diuretic will do is dump Water. It will not dump fat. So that's no help to you - yes a reduction on the scale, but one that will bounce back as soon as you stop the diuretic. The point is to lose fat.
Sorry to bear bad news

I'm going to get a hold of a psychiatrist on Monday. I just wanted to know if I was the only one. I feel very alone right now regarding this.

I just marched right into the office and said " wtf, people!, I've lost a boat load of weight and you people better start acknowledging it". Turns out they DID notice , but they were afraid to speak up about it! They thought by doing so, they'd be reminding me that I was fat....as if I'd forgotten
So, I think in order to experience that BIG REVEAL, one would need to walk in to the perfect storm of a situation. A setting where not only has this audience not laid eyes on you for some time, but also a bunch that is not afraid of/ intimidated by you (as they were in my case)

Interesting reports of increased alcoholism risk after Roux-en-Y. I don't know that the sleeve has been studied. See:
http://www.m.webmd.com/diet/news/20121015/addiction-risk-weight-loss-surgery?page=1