WhoKnows

Statistically speaking, I think only around 1% of people who lose significant amounts of weight keep it off long term. If you want to find out whether or not you can be a statistical outlier, then put off the surgery. But just remember, there's a reason people who lose over 100lb (without surgery) often make the news: it doesn't happen that often. Are you sure you only qualify for the bypass? My acid reflux was entirely due to my food choices, and during the pre-op diet when I was eating totally clean, it completely went away. Every once and while I get that acidic hungry feeling, but at over 3 months post-op, that only happens one or two times a month and then I just take pill for it. I know I would have been a lot more hesitant about surgery if the bypass were the only thing I qualified for. I know lots of people are happy with it and it's a tried and true tool for weight loss, but personally, I didn't feel ready it. My sleeve, on the other hand, I'm very happy with.

I asked the doctor today if my calorie count was too high, and she said just to listen to my body. So, I dunno. I'm losing and I'm working out a lot, so for the time being, I'm not gonna worry too much.

I'm down about 50lb since surgery (over 60 since the pre-op diet and just three pounds from one-derland!). I keep my calories between 800-1200 depending on whether I've worked out that day or not. I worry that I can eat too "normally" already in terms of volume -- one of the downsides of being able to tolerate everything and overall just having very smooth process with this whole thing. I keep my protein above 100g grams a day though, and my carbs are generally under 35g, so I guess I'm doing ok. Anyway, I'm off to my 3.5 month checkup now!

Agreed! We all get spooked by body changes and adjustments in the beginning, but I think considering your recent medical history, no one in the ER would think you were overreacting. Get it checked immediately, and when you have time, let us know how it goes.

I have a similar problem. Luckily stability exercises are pretty well incorporated into the work outs my trainer plans. We mostly use free weights (otherwise just one machine with pullies) and do a lot of lifts "inline" or in a (I forget the technical term) a non-moving lunge position. I tend to have a lot of trouble with these! But I'm getting better. I too prefer dead lifting and bench presses, but I know it's good in the long run that I don't fall over all the time.

Does anyone else feel like they're always eating? I know I only eat about 850 calories a day, but they come in so many tiny meals, it just seems like I'm eating or having a shake about every two hours! I guess that's a good thing. But it's so funny, I thought my life was all about food before, but now it still is, just in such a different way! I certainly wouldn't go back, but it's just a bit funny I suppose.

I eat up to 800 on the days when I don't work out, and I aim for closer to 1100 on the days when I lift. I also get between 85-110g of Protein daily, and I'm all good on my liquids. I'd say you can also safely invest in some heavier weights if you know how to use them. Not to make sweeping generalizations, but women often get caught up doing something like six sets of twenty reps with 2lb weights. What a waste of time, literally! You can totally lift heavier. I dead lifted almost 70lb the other day, and if you'd told me four months ago that I'd be doing that, I would've said you're crazy. (My guess is that it'll be over 100lb by the holidays.) Good luck and don't sell yourself short strength-wise!

At about five weeks post-op I started going to a fitness club to lift weights and I haven't looked back since. I lift three days a week. My goal right away was to build muscle volume to give my skin something to hang on to as I lose fat, so I started lifting heavy right away (I had no surgical complications and I healed very well). I do cardio too, but weights are the priority. My body fat is way down, and I'm also about a size smaller than I was the last time I was at this weight, which makes sense since muscle is heavier than fat. I feel great! Definitely don't skimp on the weight training!

If you look at a graph of people's weight loss, it tends not to look like a downward slope so much as a stair case. For example, I now know I usually lose for two weeks and then hold steady for two weeks. It's just the rhythm my body has gotten into. So just give your body time to do its thing. This early on, I doubt many people go more than three weeks without a loss. I wouldn't worry until you're further out and start going for months without a loss (and are still far from goal).

Yup. Are you entering your food into some sort of tracking program so you know exactly how much Protein you got from it? My guess is you didn't eat a whole serving and it's a very good idea to keep track.

At three days out I was still really, really tired. I didn't start leaving the house for more than a walk to get the mail until about two weeks out. But that's just me. Some people's early healing phase goes much more quickly.

Go you! Miso soup is an awesome choice, btw.

I think not drinking with meals has less to do with stretching the sleeve and more to do with not washing the food through you quickly. If you let it sit, you absorb more nutrients (or so I've heard) and you stay fuller longer. That being said, I drink while I eat if 1. I accidentally eat too much (I'm 3 months out and this happens from time to time when I'm trying something new) and 2. When I'm out with people who don't know I've had surgery. If you drink while you eat, you can eat more, so it comes it handy if you feel uncomfortably full or if you want to look like you're eating an almost normal amount (I still can't come anywhere close to finishing a normal serving, but I look like regular dieter if I drink while I eat, instead of like I have an eating disorder or didn't like the food). I'd say I do think maybe once a week. Definitely not a habit.

Be warned, they may ask you to take off shoes and jacket, but you can always wear heavy clothes, as the others have said, and also hide some roles of quarters in your bra. Like everyone said, lots of food, lots of Water, and also, low Fiber. You want your body to hang on to everything.

I do two protein shakes a day, split up into three "meals." I use soy milk and I mix in chia seeds. I make them ahead of time the night before, so the chia seeds inflate. They're super healthy (great omega3 to omega6 ratio!) and make the protein shakes more substantial so they keep me fuller longer. Additionally, I'll usually eat something like a tofurky or PB2 sandwich (always on low-carb protein bread!). I cut it into halves or thirds and split it up throughout the day as well. On gym days, I aim for about 1000 calories, and if I don't hit it by the time I'm home, I'll have a vegan protein bar or some nuts or fruit, depending on how my macro nutrients for the day look. On non-gym days, I try to stay under 800, so I don't always eat much else. If I eat out, lentil soup is a go to. Not exactly low carb, but no starch and some protein. Or a nice tomato and mozzarella salad if it's available. According to Cronometer, this week I've averaged 865 calories, 98.7g protein, 29.9g carbs and 40.4g of fat. I know my fat is high, but it's mostly plant based, healthy fat, so I don't worry. Plus my protein is high and my carbs are low. I'm losing well too!

sleep was rough for me until I healed up some. It got progressively better, but I wasn't sleeping well until maybe week 3 or 4. I'm a stomach sleeper, and I was stuck on my back the first few weeks, which for some reason, made my tailbone hurt like hell. I was propped up on pillows. I'm sure a recliner would have been nice, but there's simply no room in my apartment.

Roasted soy Beans are great. High Protein, pretty low carb. Just find ones without too much added oil or anything.

This is the best standard hummus recipe I've ever used, just in terms of proportions and adding things in the correct order for the best texture: http://www.food.com/recipe/cooks-illustrated-restaurant-style-hummus-380146 Of course, the taste would be the same even if you threw everything into the food processor at once, but if you wanna make hummus that will really knock people's socks off, this is an awesome base recipe. You can add all sorts of stuff to it: more spices, more lemon juice, roasted garlic, etc. It's awesome. I get sooo many compliments on hummus and this recipe (as the base, anyway) is to thank for it.

If you make your own (which is yummiest anyway), you can cut down on calories by substituting some or all of the chickpeas for cauliflower. Just do a quick google search for cauliflower hummus. You can add in some Protein powder too (for hummus, I like pumpkin seed Protein Powder, since it tastes like actual food).

Well said! Eating enough protein isn't the only ingredient when it comes to not losing muscle. With such drastic weight loss, you will lose muscle if you do not work to build it! We don't want to end up "skinny fat," do we?

I'm three months out and I haven't had trouble eating anything (though I haven't tried anything "bad"). I can and do eat salad. I absolutely looove salad, but since I'm looking for nutritional density, I don't often do lettuce based salads. I can eat a fair amount at once, but lettuce just takes up too much room to be worth it nutritionally. So, nice crunchy salads with chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, chickpeas, etc are a great summer choice for me!

Two things to remember: 1. Acid can mimic hunger and head hunger can mimic hunger. Just because you think you feel hungry, doesn't mean the sleeve isn't doing what it's supposed to do. 2. At first, your sleeve may still be numb. Just because you feel like you can eat a whole cup of Jello, doesn't mean you should. I'm sure your doctor gave you a recommended volume amount that you can aim for per sitting. Measure out your jello or yogurt or whatever, and just eat that. Don't worry about whether or not you feel full. You may not feel full until you're on solids anyway.

@@tfarr Have you thought about an IUD? They make hormonal ones that function like the pill, but there are also the old-fashioned copper ones. Very effective and 100% reversible if you decide it's time for another baby.

I remember being crazy tired for the first few weeks. People kept on talking about walking several miles a day a week after surgery, and I simply could not fathom how they were doing that. I'd go to the grocery store around the corner and come home feeling like I'd run a marathon, then pull myself up the two flights of stairs to my apartment, taking four stops on the way. But I think by week four or even three that had all pretty much stopped. I felt back to normal. And at week five when I started going to the gym, I actually started to feel more energetic. I don't think I'll ever be, like, a high energy person or anything, but the difference between now and a year ago is staggering. I sleep better too. So, hang in there. Our bodies all recover at different speeds, but you'll start to feel normal again, and then bar for normal will just keep getting raised.

I think to a certain extent this is something a lot of us struggle with, but if you feel like it's getting worse and threatening to become unmanageable or something that greatly affects your quality of life, you might want to consider therapy. Would that be a viable option for you?