andreamy7

I like Muscle milk chocolate light flavor. If I stop dropping weight, I go back to these for breakfast. They are about $30 in a case at Costco. I like Premeor also, but do not like the powders except for Aria vanilla and I put it in smoothies. I like starwberry mango blended together with some vanilla nonfat greek yogurt, coconut water and some orange juice and some aria. Great smoothie. Good luck!

I understand how tough our food addictions are. I have to still work on this myself. I realize the act of chewing releases tension and then the sense of the act feeds the feeling of eating. I think you have to really go through the steps which includes not eating and getting away from sugar. It does serve a real purpose to help you break the cycles of food addiction. You are experiencing withdrawal to a certain degree. I went through it too. I just think you have to try and stick with it. I know it's tough, good luck and wish you all the best as you work through this step.

I have been emotionally eating today. Gee I wonder if it's because I am moving over 500 miles away, starting a new job with a new company and trying to pack up my life in less than 14 hours from now? I think moving stress has gotten to me. I went and got a slice nd I ate the whole thing but it made me so sick. Terribly dizzy, saliva starting going. No weird gut wrenching or acidic stuff just kind of like here ya go. 5 mins later felt fine. However, no more for me. I am done eating this evening. The dough really did me in. I think I got cocky and brave. Lol. I am glad my body now stops my bad behavior. It reminds me-hey you-yeah you-cut it out!! I am so much smaller and am shrinking fast. I still make mistakes, I am human, I mess up. I am food addicted. I love to eat when stressed and I love the chewing feeling. Weird right? This process has allowed me to start breaking this down for.myself. I was so out of touch with my feelings and eating that this keeps me in check and makes me try and undersrand why I am trying to eat for pleasure. I did not realize this before, I would never have identified the over eating as stress eating before surgery. I have a problem with food. I am still overcoming my tendency to emotionally eat. It feels really good though to know what is happening and to be aware of this now more than ever. I will be sure to try and eat better, and listen to my body more. This is part of the process to a better me, a smaller me.

Thank you all for your kind words and support. I appreciate the motivation and honesty in your responses. I am so happy to know I am not alone. I feel like I can be successful at learning how to manage it, but not without mistakes. I want to be good to myself and make me the best version of me-on all levels. Thanks for listening in and responding!! It really does help.

Congrats on your decision to move forward!! Just my opinion, but I would really suggest you take at least 12 days in a row off. I only did 8 days and I was still in pain and still (obviously) recovering from surgery. One of my staff that reports into me was like 'oh you are not in any shape to be here' and called me out on it, saying 'my boss needs to go home.' I was fatigued from the clear liquid and liquid diet. I could not get in enough protein or water so I felt weak like 'oh its 3p I need to lay down, now.' One day I drove home super tired went home,laid down around 2p and woke up at 10p. No joke. If you have to go back, maybe just do half days literally 4 hrs only for the first few days back. I will say, everyone is different and I did bounce back the following week. Just be aware that you may need to give yourself more time off, take care of yourself the healing process is super important to your success. Enjoy the process and do what you think is best, perhaps you are tougher than me!

I was in a size 20 when I started. I am 5 months post op, down 55 lbs and now more like a size 16. I broke down and bought a few work pants cuz even my nicest suits look super baggy. One of my co workers was almost laughing on day at how much room was in the legs of my pants. I don't want to buy a whole new wardrobe as I really want to wait until I hit the weight I think I will be for a while. Not sure when that is though?!? I also had some really skinny jeans that I used to squeeze into when I would flex and lose a bit of weight so glad I still had these pants! This last weekend I went through my closet and got rid of a garbage bag size bag of clothes. Wow. That was awesome. My wardrobe is a bit boring right now, but everything fits better so whatever I out on looks better than it used to...I agree that dresses are still fitting as well, just fit a little better now!! I did also recently break down and buy a blazer online at ebay that is a size 14w and it fits perfectly! Yay. Ebay is great-lots of good deals on clothes. Good luck and congrats!!

I sometimes still have issues with certain foods and am 5 months post op. Around the first few months I had real issues with getting enough protein and tolerating anything. I agree that going back to the basics will help. Broth, pureed soups, protein shakes should all be on your diet right now until your pouch heals up more. I still occassionally have a day where I cannot tolerate certain foods. Also, if I eat too much its not a vomiting feeling its more like regurgitation, which is gross but if I push too much in too fast thats what happens. When I eat really slowly and stick to seafood I am good. Still cant really eat BBQ or tougher meats. I have days where I can eat anything, then I have other days where I have to really be careful. Although the pouch likes jerky...so who knows?? The pouch does what it wants.

Thanks Seela, love your post. I hadn't thought of it that way and I have been losing pretty good. 5 months post op 55 lbs loss. I have only had a couple of stalls but I also am seeing some loose skin around my neck, I have lost a lot of fat from my face. If it doesn't tighten naturally I will have it dealt with at some point. Maybe it will tighten on it's own? I hope so! I need a stall it sounds like! I def agree that our bodies continue to change even when we are not losing per se.

I am 5 months post op and down 55 lbs. I am very happy with the loss as long as I can keep it going. Don't get too 'ocd' with the scale, sometimes you lose sometimes you gain. I only weigh once a week now in order to keep myself on track and also to not be too critical of myself. Your body is still healing from surgery too, so take it easy and don't get too caught up in the numbers. The weight loss is dramatic for the first month-I think I lost around 20 the first month. I am a steady loser though-I lose on avg about 2-3 lbs per week. Then I will have a week where I gain 3! So it yoyos a bit. Take your time, get adjusted to the lifestyle/diet change and don't just focus on the number. Focus on the positive changes you are making to be a healthier person and congrats on the great loss so far!!

The insurance thing was a tough part of the process, but I just had to be persistent with them. You can push them too, make sure the case manager understands your struggle and that the weight is affecting your health. I personally was starting to have really bad asthma and mobility problems and my blood pressure was all over the place. You have to advocate for yourself. I had to write some letters, but my 6 months wait period was waved by the insurance company once I broke it down for them. Writing a couple of letters expalining my journey to get here also helped to get them to move things along as well. I think the more that people see you as a person affected by the weight, more compassion comes through in the process. They got into healthcare to help take care of people, that core value still exists in most healthcare workers I have encountered. They can wave the timeline, keep pushing for the results you want. The case mgr has the power to push you through to an acceptance letter, work on convincing her this is the best step for you to get in better health. Good luck!!

How is your protein and water intake? Are you drinking soda or eating sugar or are you on plan? How much exercise are you doing? I know its hard, but go back to tracking your calorie intake and then measure if you can stand to drop 100 cals down from where you are eating now. Start doing protein shakes for breakfast again or replace one meal with a shake. Do at least 2-3 20 min walks a week in a park or near your house. Exercise helped me through my last stall and since it worked so well, I am now trying to go to the gym twice a week, so far it's working but I am not much of a gym person so we shall see. I also think more water works as well. We all get stuck time to time. Work the plan--protein first, low carbs, water intake and walk or exercise to burn some extra calories. Keep trying, you can't give up and we all struggle to maintain loss, sometimes I just don't lose, even though I have been really good. I just try to go back to a smoothie and keep on trying to cut out the not good for me things. I do love crackers and froyo and sometimes that gets me into trouble. I still do not eat much bread, and try and keep the trigger foods out of.the house-not always easy!! At night I get cravings so I sip hot tea with a little sugar at night if I feel like snacking or if my body is trying to tell me I am hungry. Its a great way to fill up my pouch and trick it to think its full plus, I am getting in a lot of water in one sitting. Keep pushing through, this is what has worked for me. Don't give up, you have gone through so much for this!

Yeah we all stall. On my last stuck streak I went back to a smoothie/ protein shake in the AM and started going to work out more often. I got my boyfriend to start doing a rigorous hike once a week on the weekend and that made a difference and I started seeing loss again. I also stopped eating crackers and made sure I had protein laden snacks-cheese sticks, beef jerky. I think switching things up a bit reminds your body whats going on and adding physcial activity for me has been really great. I am not a gym person per se, I just look at it as part of the process to get down to where I want to be. I still ear froyo and a cookie sometimes though!! Down 55 lbs after 5 months...

I do think that this surgery is not for everyone. I was in shock post op as well but I bounced back much better than you did. I am sorry it was such a battle for you personally. I had more of the 'omg what did I do?' post op due to diet, the nausea and how I felt. I am fine, but at 6 months I sometimes experience incision pain and some days my pouch is so tight I can barely eat. I can eat in small doses though and am still learning how to control and yet work this crazy little pouch. I can see my old body coming back after starting exercise and I ordered a size 14 suit the other day and it fits like a glove-I was a 20/22. This is the reward, the complications and the eating changes are the risk. I still have not had a cheeseburger and fries since surgery almost 6 months ago....I don't think my body could handle it. I am so happy I did it, but the first 3 months were tough. Thanks for sharing your experience, I think it's good to go in knowing what you face after...

I am just hitting the 6 month mark. I have lost 54 lbs so far and did recently start adding in some exercise. I think the first couple of months are the hardest but also the time where the weight peels off. I still try and stress eat and that is my trigger to eat poorly but I cannot eat nearly as much as I used to. I have days where my pouch is really right and other days where I can drink 2 drinks and eat a small app for dinner-but this is really rare. I feel it works but you have to work too. It is a great tool, but you have to out it to work. I love walking and hiking again and am trying to get back into the gym, I am just not.that big on hamster like exercise so find something you like to do and it becomes easier to do it.

I have lost 11.2 lbs on the challenge. Now down to 213.8 from 225 when we started. I was shooting for 209 I think...So I got close. And 11 lbs in a month or so I think is pretty good...the walking is helping a lot!!

You are setting yourself up with all these negative thoughts. You did this to seee your son-so the only option is continuing success. If you can't get to the gym, can you do a family walk right when you get home? Even a 20 min walk is better than nothing. The exercise is really helping me. I am trying to walk every other day-its tough, but I make it work. Just think about all the tools you have now that you didn't before. Do some positive visualization imagine you and your son 5 yrs from now in the park throwing balls and playing chase and doing active lifestyle things together-riding bikes. Find a way to meld in the exercise and bond with your son. You have to see it in your mind and then make it happen. You have the tools now, just have to continue the good eating habits and make exercise a part of your routine which it sounds . like you are.already doing! Don't worry, keep your focus and don't sabotage yourself-you can do it!!

I am at same weight as last week 219.5. Did not move. Will move this next week. I am walking daily and doing a hike on Sun! I am also back to tracking my intake.

Your family is scared that something bad can happen to you. They care about you is all. They just have an odd way of telling you that. They don't understand fully what it can do for you. I am 5 months post op and have lost almost 50 lbs. I try to overeat, I get sick. I emotionally eat now and then I feel sick. Your body will not really let you eat what you eat now, you will mourn food, you will crave things you cannot eat. I do get some weird pain now and again, I think I am still healing but I don't throw up. Its more like what you just swallowed comes back up--we are not talking horrible vomiting. I am trying to eat lighter but you can still cheat with ice cream etc...you have the power to do it. Get someone from the family to go to the dr with you. They can ask questions and bring some material home for them to read. There are some.good books out there. Make sure you take your time to find a good DR and good luck!! Oh and I still have all my hair and my bones are great.

Congrats on the interview-hope it goes well!! I agree with 2000m. Go to the interview, do not bring it up and do not disclose what you are having done. You should take at least a 12 days in a row off. As an employee you are protected from any discrimination but you should not disclose. All you have to say is I have to take x date to x date off just to let you know before I start that I am seeking this time off as a condition of employment. If after you start and they try and say you cannot go, you simply go to the dr and get them to write you out for the time you need and submit to the employer. With a drs note, I think you would be covered, You will noy be able to take sick time if you have only been with them a short time and you will not make money is all for the time you are off.

The drugs I had were good. I have no recolection of surgury just "Ok Andrea deep breath and count to 3"..then someone yelling at me to wake up and I was being rolled out and up to the floor. My handsome man was soooo nervous but he did ok. They put me in my room and I was hooked.up on saline. The nurse overnight missed my vein so my hand swelled up like crazy. That was just uncomfortable and I was up and walking pretty good. I wanted to leave-so I was motivated. I got maybe 3 hrs of sleep and was woken up all night long. I could not read since the nausea meds make you see double so I played solitaire on my phone all night. Glad that part is behind me. It was scary but not bad and I was.happy to be leaving.

I am 4 months post op and have not had coffee yet since it was on my nono list for.6.months per my surgeon. Coffee is a dieuretic and pushes the water out of your body so I recommend that you also drink another glass of water. Caffeine stimulates appetite and will tell you that you are hungry when maybe you are not. Be careful-very small amounts maybe go heavy on the milk? I do sugar in the raw in tea so I have fully swapped to tea in the AM if I need a caffeine lift. Good luck!

I don't take any of these at all and never have. I do sometimes have problems when I over eat and at certain times if I try to drink juice or wine I may end up with issues. It comes and goes but I would rather just deal-I think my body can tell me what it likes and doesn't and it keeps me in check.

I agree that eating more sugar and carbs spikes the cravings more. If its steak you want, its a texture thing for the sleeve. I am fine with a meatball but have a hard time with tough meats or grilled meats with a drier texture. If I do a roast in the crock pot, I am good and can eat it very slowly. You will find other things you kike and you will not obssess about food as much. It really becomes less important. However, I have not tried a steak solo yet. 4 months post op down 50 lbs.

I was sleeved 11/12 last yr. I have loud noises when I have not eaten in a while or if I eat something that my digestive tract does not like. I was sitting in a mtg the other day with my team and here came this alein sound frok my body. I had to say excuse me! Super embarrassing but my body is just telling me hey eat or hey dont eat that!

Go back to protein shakes for breakfast. Eat lighter. Go for brothy soups for lunch No bread...if you must have a sandwich on a mini pita. Call your DR and go in and tell the dr whats up. Ask him to refer a nutritionist Get in and get some more firm assistance. I am in therapy-its really helping. See if the Dr can refer someone that specializes in behavior modification. Good luck. Hang in there, you can do it!!!