Rogofulm

My family eats out all the time and it's easy! Order a grilled meat dish (chicken, steak, pork, lamb, etc.). It usually comes with 2 sides, one veggie and one starch. Swap out the starch for a second veggie. Skip the bread, drink, and dessert. Eat the Protein first. And good luck eating any veggies after that. So most of the veggies come home in a box for later meals. At Mexican, while my family eats chips and salsa, I ask for my own salsa and have a few bites with a spoon. I order fajitas, skip the chips and the tortillas, and maybe eat a bite of Beans. At Chinese, I order chicken and veggies in a white sauce. At Italian, I order a meat dish like chicken or veal piccata or marsala, skip the Pasta, and follow the rules above. Etc., etc. etc. Remember, calories are not our problem, starches and sweets are. So just stay away from them and don't worry about sauces too much. And, of course, don't drink with your meal. Good luck!

My initial goal was to reach the "normal" BMI range (154). Got it. Then my goal was to give myself a 4-pound cushion so I wouldn't become "overweight" everytime I bounced a bit (150). Still working on that. And then, I read that the ideal weight for my age and body type is 148. So that's my new stretch goal. 5 pounds to go!

Happy Onderbirthdaylations!!!!!

It will take some time for you to be able to handle 64 oz. BUT... As soon as possible you need to get there, for many reasons: fluids help with weight loss; fluids help prevent constipation; fluids give your skin more elasticity so it has a better chance of bouncing back after weight loss; and fluids may help (but Protein definitely helps) prevent hair loss. So with that being said, you'll want to get that Fluid intake up as quickly and as high as possible. Here are my tips: I bought two 24-ounce Tervis Tumblers (and handles) at Bed, Bath & Beyond; one for work and one for home. At least 45 minutes after Breakfast I fill one up with sugar-free, decaf Crystal Light (or generic) iced tea (Mio works too) and sip it all morning, finishing up at least 30 minutes before lunch. At least 45 minutes after lunch, I fill another and sip it all afternoon. Then, at least 45 minutes after dinner I fill my last one at home and sip it all evening. That's 72+ ounces of fluid every day! If I have to go somewhere, I bring my tumbler in the car with me. And if I'm hungry and it's not mealtime or snacktime, I drink even more. If I'm going to a casual party where there won't be anything "appropriate" for me to drink, I bring along more tea in a cooler. Between the iced tea, coffee (yeah, I know), and my Protein shake, I'm easily getting in 120 oz of fluid per day. But you have to make it a daily routine. Good luck!!!

If he's not happy with that, I think you should punch him in the nose! (Kidding, I'm kidding...) Congratulations on your great success in the past year!!!!!

This may be old news on this thread, but here are two recipes for no-carb pizza. Haven't tried them, but others say they're delicious! Mix: 2 cups fine grated cauliflower, 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, and 2 eggs. Mix and press in a parchment paper lined 10 inch. pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes or until brownish on top. Let stand for 10 min then add pizza toppings. Pop in the oven for another 5 or so min. until cheese bubbles. . AND

Hi again, Susan! Starting weight: 153 Goal weight: 148 Thanks so much for doing these! You are performing a fantastic service to the Bariatric community, and the weekly accountability really helps! Rog

I've had several surgeries and used Vicodin for pain relief. In every case I was off of them in 4 days. Just plan to do that. If you're still concerned about having them in the house, throw the rest of the bottle away, or better yet, return it to the pharmacy for proper disposal. If you don't already have a substance abuse problem (except for food), you shouldn't anticipate having difficulties with the short-term use of pain meds. Good luck!

Try satisfying your hunger with Protein. Lots of it. And fluids, lots and lots of it. Good luck!

Woo HOO!!! You're rockin it!!! And you hit goal too?!! Congratulations!!!!!

Heads up! Since this 5-week event seems to be a big deal for you, you need to be warned that at week 3 you are likely to stall and not lose any more weight before week 5. Just wanted you to know this so you don't freak out when it happens. Below is my standard post on the subject. Read the link to get a better understanding about what's going on. The good news is that inches will still come off even while the pounds take a siesta. Good luck! Congratulations! You have reached The Dreaded Week-3 Stall. It's perfectly normal, and just about all of us have suffered through it. You're not crazy, and your doctor didn't screw up. In fact, you might not lose any weight for two weeks or even longer. But don't worry – after that, the weight will start falling off if you stick to your program. And, the inches will continue to come off even while the scale isn't budging. Here's a good article that explains why it happens and why we all have to go through it. Hang in there. Pretty soon it'll be in the rear-view mirror and you'll be dropping weight again! (Apologies to BP regulars who have seen this repeatedly, but it's a big deal to those who are going through it!)

Congratulations! You have reached The Dreaded Week-3 Stall. It's perfectly normal, and just about all of us have suffered through it. You're not crazy, and your doctor didn't screw up. In fact, you might not lose any weight for two weeks or even longer. But don't worry – after that, the weight will start falling off if you stick to your program. And, the inches will continue to come off even while the scale isn't budging. Here's a good article that explains why it happens and why we all have to go through it. Hang in there. Pretty soon it'll be in the rear-view mirror and you'll be dropping weight again! (Apologies to BP regulars who have seen this repeatedly, but it's a big deal to those who are going through it!)

Congratulations, you look fantastic!!!

I started out losing 5-7 pounds a week. Then it dropped to 3-4, then 1-2. And now that I'm at goal and working on my stretch goal, I'm lucky to drop a pound every 2 weeks or more. So whether or not your weight loss is "rapid" depends greatly on where you are in your journey. Just keep making the right choices and the weight will come off, rapidly or not.

Thanks for sharing your story, @@samuelsmom! You make some excellent points that everyone, but particularly those who are early in life, should consider before choosing weight loss surgery. I wish you great success in your journey to healthfulness and better mobility!!!

Interesting perspective. I've gotta give you props for having the guts to share a dissenting opinion. I'd like to hear what finally convinced you to have the surgery yourself. What changed? Is there a lesson that younger WLS candidates can gain from your experience? Thanks!

Fantastic!!! Congratulations on your success, and good luck on hitting that stretch goal! You've got this!!!

Congratulations on your determination! The good news is that in a couple of weeks, skipping the pizza will be much easier. I've been to so many parties where I watched people eating pizza, wings, ice cream, and everything else you can think of. My trick? Planning!!! I drink a Protein shake on the way, bring along a big tumbler of Crystal Light iced tea, and have a bag of beef or turkey Jerky on hand in case of emergencies. Seriously, never allow lack of planning to derail your program. And good luck!!!

Plan, plan, plan to make good choices and not let this trip derail your progress. I went on a 10-day driving vacation at the 6-week mark and came back lighter than I left. Just stick with Protein options and you can't go wrong. Since calories aren't really much of an issue at this point, even the sauces on the meat dishes are okay, as long as you stay away from starches/carbs/sugars. Have fun and challenge yourself to succeed!!!

Guac, yes – chips, no! Stick it out through the 2-week liquid phase and you'll detox from the crap foods. Tell yourself you dont' want them anymore. Then introduce soft meats like tuna and chicken salad. You'll be amazed at how great they taste after 4 weeks of Protein shakes. I also found that warm chicken broth was very soothing during the first 2 weeks. Hang in there. It gets better quickly!!!

It is not the "easy way out". But it is definitely easier than the yo-yo life we've been leading. Tell her you've made your decision and you'd like her support. But if she is going to criticize your decision, you'll just need to spend some time apart. Sometimes, like any addiction, we need to separate ourselves from those who are toxic to our success. Good luck to you!!!

As with so many choices on this journey, it depends on whether you want to be on the fast track or take the slower path. My fast-track program didn't allow carbs other than from green-veggies, Protein shakes, and lo-cal Greek yogurt. I found that quicker weight loss, lots of compliments, and wearing better-fitting clothes was much more fun than eating the foods I used to like. And believe me, this trip really has been fun! For what it's worth, most WLS vets say that the first year is the best and easiest time to get our weight down. After that it can get more difficult, so I chose to take full advantage of my "honeymoon period". The truth is that we all have to find our own way to get to a weight where we're happy and comfortable for the long haul. I wish you all the success in the world!!!

Excellent points from everyone! So when did "easy" become "wrong"? There's an expression about not trying to move the mountain. Go to it, instead. In other words, why do something the hard (or impossible) way when there's an easier solution? Are microwave ovens wrong? How about washers and dryers? Are snow blowers wrong? Is word processing instead of typing or hand-writing wrong? Hell, are cars instead of feet or bicycles wrong? These are tools! That's what separates us from the animals, for crying out loud! As new tools get invented or perfected, mankind adopts them to make their lives better – or "easier". This is no different! Okay, rant over. So here's a question.... Could some of the negative reaction be due to our own insecurities or embarrassment about admitting what we're doing? At some underlying level, might we also worry that it could be "wrong"? And could we be opening the conversation in a tone that hints at that? I say this because I've been fortunate that nobody has questioned my decision. I confidently told everyone who needed to know in advance, and I've told anyone who asked how I was losing weight so quickly that I'd had bariatric surgery. But I try to be so open and enthusiastic that it doesn't leave any room for them to criticize me. Or if they feel that way, nobody has said it to my face. Maybe I'm just blessed to have more supportive-type people in my life. I also think that as we get older, more people around us have gone through enough "stuff" to make them less judgmental about some things. Since I'm 55, I'm surrounded by people with more wisdom than I was at 25. That could play into it too. One trick I've used is to ask them how much they know about bariatric surgery. Most people don't know much! Then I offer to tell them about it, and I go into descriptions of the three most common types of WLS. If there's time, I even draw little pictures of the procedures and talk about why I chose the sleeve. I find that people are fascinated by the subject! I joke with them that it feels like I've started a diet every Monday morning for 48 years, and I ended up with diabetes, apnea, asthma, high cholesterol, borderline blood pressure, and achy joints. Now I have none of those diseases. And yes, it was easier than trying the diet and exercise route again for the umpteenth time. And so I ask again... How, exactly, is that "wrong?

Thanks very much! Believe it or not, it's been fun!

Congratulations! You have reached The Dreaded Week-3 Stall. It's perfectly normal, and just about all of us have suffered through it. You're not crazy, and your doctor didn't screw up. In fact, you might not lose any weight for two weeks or even longer. But don't worry – after that, the weight will start falling off if you stick to your program. And, the inches will continue to come off even while the scale isn't budging. Here's a good article that explains why it happens and why we all have to go through it. Hang in there. Pretty soon it'll be in the rear-view mirror and you'll be dropping weight again! (Apologies to BP regulars who have seen this repeatedly, but it's a big deal to those who are going through it!)