Rogofulm

"Blank" him! I mean, come on, you've lost over 200 pounds and kept it off for a couple of years. How many people can say that? You are far healthier than you were before, and most if not all of your weight-related co-morbidities are probably gone. So yes, you have other health issues. Lots of people thin, fat, or green have medical issues. Do not let that jerk derail your success. Because make no mistake about it, you are a smashing success!!!!! Did I mention, "Blank" him?!!! It bears repeating......

Way to go!!! Okay, here's your heads-up that at around 3 weeks out you're likely to stall for 2-3 weeks. It sucks, but it's expected and normal. If/when that happens if you'd like more info, let me know and I'll send you a link. BTW... Even during stalls, the inches keep coming off. Keep up the good work, and make good decisions every day!

After two weeks, my surgeon pretty much left it up to me to decide what I could and couldn't tolerate and when. In my opinion, steak goes down much easier than chicken or pork. Probably because the higher fat content makes it softer. I do fine with it unless I get distracted and don't chew enough. Then it can get stuck just like other meats and may have to come back up before anything else can use the pipe. And you you can grease the skids with apple sauce or other low-carb sauces. Fat and calories don't really matter much at this stage because you'll be taking in less than 100 a day anyway. But keep those calories to Protein as much as possible. And as a steak lover you'll be happy to hear that my on-the-fly meal is a bag of Jerky. A 3-oz bag is a meal. Gotta watch the sodium, though. Enjoy the ride!

Congratulations and welcome to the club! As you know (but it bears repeating), sip, sip, sip! Right now, fluids are even more important than Protein for healing and to avoid constipation. And walk, walk, walk. I know you're going to be very successful because you've done your homework and have a great attitude. Enjoy the journey!!!

Congratulations, @@Teachamy, you're looking great! Keep it up!!!!

I'd have to say that I feel a little weaker than before in my upper body. I try to get to the gym once a week, but our family schedule often gets in the way. I do walk regularly, though, and my lower body fees strong. Guess I'd better get my butt back to the gym for some lifting!

Congratulations on your one-year surgiversary! How's the maintenance phase going? Have you introduced new foods and how have they affected your loss? Good luck with maintenance in the New Year!!!

Congratulations on making your personal goal, and in the anticipation of making your surgeon's goal! I look forward to hearing how you handle the maintenance phase. In a month or so I'll be looking for advice on how to introduce new foods without torpedoing my progress. Good luck with maintenance in the New Year!!!

Pimp my sleeve! Love it!!!

OK, I get that I'm a guy so my contribution to this subject may be moot. I'm down 98 pounds, and 13 from goal. Do I consider myself thin? No. But I don't think of myself as fat anymore either. My goal is a target that puts me exactly one pound into the "Normal" BMI range. So is "normal" the same thing as "thin"? Ouch! That's a rough equation! But for my peace of mind, I want to get out of the "Overweight" BMI category. While that may be my weight-loss goal, I've actually been seeing a normal-weight person in the mirror for the last 25 pounds or so. I remember telling my wife, "I don't feel like a fat guy anymore," a couple of months ago. And it's true! I suspect that we all have different definitions of "normal", depending on how far our journey has taken us, our self-image (old and new), and even the perceptions of those around us. So what does "thin" mean? Or "slender"? Or even "skinny"? Everybody's definition is likely to be different. But if we equate those terms with the BMI charts, (and I recognize that many/most don't believe in them), I'm going to put "thin" and "skinny" in the "Underweight" category. And I will choose the word "slender" to define the "Normal" BMI range. In fact, this topic has made me re-think my tag-line and change the word "thin" to "slender". Lookout, Slender, here I come!!!

Hi Susan, I'm at 267 today. As always, thanks for doing this! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a very Happy and Successful New Year!!!!! Rog

This is a great opportunity to find out how much fun you can have without drinking. You know how they say we shouldn't drink fruit juices because they are pure sugar with no food value? That goes double for booze. Besides... Catching a buzz leads to other less than optimal choices -- eating, driving, and otherwise. Yeah, I'm a Dad. But think about it, okay?

It sounds like you're doing fine. But I worry about your Protein and Fluid intake. Heads-up – my doc said getting your protein level up quickly and maintaining it throughout is the best chance of preventing hair loss. He also said that hydration is a key to skin elasticity. Armed with that info, I try to get in 80-100 grams of protein and 100+ oz. of liquid every day. Anything else is gravy. Besides those two stipulations, my doc's only other rules are to take multi-vitamins and Calcium-citrate-plus-D every day, and keep carbs as low as possible. For me that means no starches or sugars (including alcohol). Here's my plan. Maybe it will help you get some ideas. Good luck! Rog Below is a "typical" day's menu: As for carbs, mostly I get them from my shakes, Greek yogurt, and the very limited veggies I'm able to fit in after my protein. Other doctors and nutritionists give you carb targets, but my doctor just says to limit them as much as possible. If you're not logging your food yet, I'd suggest using http://www.myfitnesspal.com/. It helps you keep track of your protein and fluids, but also can help you figure out if anything is going off track and affecting your weight loss. Okay, here's an example of my day: I keep a 2-quart jug and a 24-oz Tervis tumbler (with a handle) both at home and at work. I count my morning Protein Shake as a meal, not a fluid. (30 grams of protein) 30-60 minutes later, I have a cup of coffee. (Count it as a fluid if you like.) After that, I drink a 24-oz. tumbler of decaf, sugar-free iced tea, like Crystal Light throughout the morning. (Lots of frequent sips) Then I walk for 40+ minutes. Then it's lunchtime - tuna salad or chicken salad, or leftover protein from dinner. (16-22 grams of protein) and maybe a bite of veggies if there's room. About 45 minutes after lunch, I'll fill another 24-oz tumbler of iced tea and sip that throughout the afternoon, finishing by 30 minutes before my afternoon snack. At around 4:00 or 4:30, my afternoon snack is usually a Greek yogurt (12 grams of protein) or some leftovers. (This is also a good time to get in some veggies or a V-8 if you're getting enough protein at other times.) Maybe a cup of hot tea in the later afternoon. (Count it as a fluid you like.) Then dinner – again, getting 20-25 grams of protein from lean steak, fish, chicken, or pork, and maybe a bite or two of veggies. Finally, another 24-oz cup of iced tea or Water 30-45 minutes after dinner that I sip throughout the evening. If I'm hungry later, sugar-free Jello or sugar-free popsicles are good. And if I'm short on protein or still hungry, another yogurt or protein shake. (I'm not worried about the calories because this menu only provides 700-900 per day.) So that's 70+ grams of protein and 72+ ounces of fluid. If you have a regular enough schedule, you can follow it every day. If not, maybe a modified version will work. The big trick is in pre-planning your meals and your fluids, especially if you're going to be away from home or work. In those cases, I always make sure there will be something I can eat, or I bring along a Protein shake or some kind of meat to carry me through. Beef or turkey Jerky is my on-the-fly meal. A 3 oz bag is over 30 grams of protein and about 200 calories. The sodium can be high, so watch for that. I've also gotten pretty good at restaurant eating. I avoid the bread and salad, order chicken, steak, lamb, fish, or pork, trade in the starch for a second veggie, skip the dessert.... and end up taking half of the meat, and almost all of the veggies home. I know we need to learn to eat "normally", but I'm not there yet – especially when it comes to carbs. When I get to goal weight, I'll work on finding my new low-carb "normal". In the meantime, this eating plan is working really well.

Yes indeed, congratulations to you!!!!!

Thrilled!!!

Yup, I'm cold too. Funny thing is that before my surgery I was always hot and my wife was always cold. Now it's the reverse and we have totally flipped how we set the thermostat.. We are both in our 50s. Should I be worried about her feeling warm????!!!

I take prescription Protonix (generic=Pantoprazole). I went off it after 2 weeks and felt like crap. I've been back on it ever since and my tummy feels fine. BTW... I used to get terrible acid before surgery. Took several Zantac every day. Not any more....

Premier Protein, chocolate flavor here too. It's my Breakfast every single day. I've had at least one every day for over 6 months. I got kind of sick of them after the 4 weeks of liquid, but I'm okay with them now.

After reading up on the three most common procedures, I decided on the sleeve. I think the lap band has the highest failure rate; not because of the procedure itself, but because it's the easiest to misuse and cheat. I've seen/heard/read of many people converting from band to sleeve. The bypass seemed too extreme for the 110 lbs I wanted to lose and I worried about the malabsorptive aspects of the procedure. It seems that more daily supplements might be required to replace nutirients that aren't absorbed. Also, I got the impression that the skin used to create the new pouch is very elastic. I worried about it stretching and allowing me to cheat it as well. So the sleeve seemed to hit the Goldilocks spot right in the middle. It's permanent. It allows for more nutrient absorption than the bypass. The remaining portion of the stomach is less stretchy. And this is a biggie.... The area of the stomach that produces the hunger hormone ghrellin is in the section that is removed during surgery. The Wikipedia article on ghrellin states that the sleeve procedure reduces ghrellin levels 60% long-term. So that sealed it for me. You will have to decide which procedure is right for you based on your research and conversations with your doctor. As others have stated, the answer will involve the amount of weight you need to lose, your co-morbidities, and your ability to stick with different levels of follow-up care. Good luck with your decision!

I was wondering if that was you! Sorry you missed it. Several people brought carb-free meals for everyone to sample. I, of course, brought a turkey Jerky sampler. :-) Keep making good choices and enjoy your Holidays!!!!! Rog

Beautiful! Congratulations!!!

If the scale isn't cooperating, focus on your clothing. Do NOT start slacking; that will only sabotage your program. Occasional nuts are okay, but I find that when I start eating them I have a hard time stopping, and it slows down my progress. We all tend to look in the mirror, and what looks back at us is the weight we still need to lose. You're so early in the process. Before too long, you should start seeing real changes. Look forward to the new you, not backward. If you keep making the right choices, it will come off - promise!

Congratulations on maintaining so well for 3 years! You are truly an inspiration! And thanks for sharing your struggles and what you learned from the NUT. That's the kind of discussion those of us in the early parts of the journey need to hear. I wish you the best of success in re-engaging your program. It worked before, and it can work again!

Congratulations and Merry Christmas!

Hunger pangs can actually be thirst in disguise. If you are feeling hungry 1-2 hours after eating, drink your fluids. It helps, and you need to do it anyway. Good luck!