Rogofulm

...you can actually run up the four flights of stairs that used to have you huffing and puffing after climbing the first two! (And that's just the beginning of your workout.)

That's great to know! I'm 5'6" (66") so my ideal waist is a 33 -- which is where I am right now (down from a 46-stretch). Unfortunately, In most slacks, size 33/29 is really hard to find, but 34 is too loose and 32 is kind of snug. Except in jeans, where a 32 is just right. And it's really amazing to wear size 32 jeans!! I almost want to go without a belt so people can see the size on the hip patch.

I'm with you, @@AlanaRN! I live in Maryland, but am married to a New Orleans girl and we love Mardi Gras too!!! And like you, I haven't had King Cake (or a beignet) in over 18 months. But I'll tell ya what I DO eat: crawfish (or shrimp) etouffee, shrimp creole, any type of gumbo, andouille sausage, and yes, even jambalaya. How? Easy – no rice. My wife thinks it's a sacrilege, but I've found that those dishes are even MORE flavorful without diluting them with rice. I've even found a few restaurants here that will serve me rice-free jambalaya! (An oxymoron, according to my wife.) Don't know how long this will last, but as long as I don't eat any starches or sweets, fat and calories don't seem to affect my weight too much. So all those amazing Cajun and Creole sauces are fine. I suspect that if I were to have them AND the rice, I'd blow up like a pufferfish so I just never make that choice. Can't swear that this will work for everyone, but so far so good..... I'm with you, @@AlanaRN! I live in Maryland, but am married to a New Orleans girl and we love Mardi Gras too!!! And like you, I haven't had King Cake (or a beignet) in over 18 months. But I'll tell ya what I DO eat: crawfish (or shrimp) etouffee, shrimp creole, any type of gumbo, andouille sausage, and yes, even jambalaya. How? Easy – no rice. My wife thinks it's a sacrilege, but I've found that those dishes are even MORE flavorful without diluting them with rice. I've even found a few restaurants here that will serve me rice-free jambalaya! (An oxymoron, according to my wife.) Don't know how long this will last, but as long as I don't eat any starches or sweets, fat and calories don't seem to affect my weight too much. So all those amazing Cajun and Creole sauces are fine. I suspect that if I were to have them AND the rice, I'd blow up like a pufferfish so I just never make that choice. Can't swear that this will work for everyone, but so far so good.....

@@VSGAnn2014, I think you really nailed it when you wrote: "Everyone I've read who's 3-4-5 or more years post-op (with a sleeve) agrees that being aware, consistent, disciplined and mindful is very important to their long-term success." I've often read that mindful eating is a key to long-term success. And I can vouch for the fact that when I eat more than I should, it's usually done mindlessly, like munching while watching TV or surfing the Web, which was one of @@Bufflehead's points earlier in this thread. This is must-read stuff!

@@bikrchk, I admire that you can handle small amounts of everything, but I'm still nervous. Lately I've started taking a tiny bite of special foods my wife or daughter make just so I can ooh and ahh over them. But just a taste, not enough to go, "Wow, I want more of that!" But I'm still 3 months shy of one year since making goal weight. We'll see where I am in another year or more. I've heard/read a number of times that years 2 and 3 are critical to long-term success. Which is what I wish for you and for us all.

Done. I've added it to my signature.

So many excellent points, @@VSGAnn2014! (As always.) Just to close out my last post... I don't disagree that it's the responsibility of the one going under the knife to learn everything they can about the surgery and the long road ahead. But the "When can I have pizza?" question from those who are only a few weeks or months out indicate that the education portion of their program has not been effective. Maybe that's a better way to say it. Now, on to your question... I think driving through to goal weight and having some degree of success in maintenance requires a single-minded focus on the prize. We didn't get heavy through self-discipline, but that's what it takes to get thin. Other factors: Not merely fear of failure, we all have that going into surgery, but some degree of terror of the "slippery slope" that certain foods might put us on. Accept that the 12-18 month window for optimizing our weight loss is real and must be used to its full advantage. I was told by my doc that it takes the 12-18 months to inculcate the good eating habits. Learn quickly from our missteps. If we eat just two bites of cake, but then eat a whole slice the next day, then we know that the two bites were a bad idea and we shouldn't do that again. Certain foods are never going to be a good idea for us, and the list is different for everyone. But my doc told us that ice cream and fruit juices should always be avoided as pure empty sugar calories -- the ultimate slider foods. Realize that alcohol is not only empty calories, but can also lead to poor eating choices. I've done an informal poll of everyone I know (including myself) who quit smoking and then started again. 95% to 100% had an alcoholic beverage in their hand when they took that first puff. I finally quit smoking permanently 20 years ago when I became terrified to have even one puff. It's the same with food! Stress and boredom eating are real. Stress and loss don't cause me to eat, but watching TV does. Many of my friends go for the comfort of food when stressed. We're always going to have a certain amount of stress in our lives, so finding non-food coping mechanisms is crucial to our weight loss success. The ability to embrace our well-deserved success, look forward to the new slimmer/healthier self, believe what we see in the mirror, and don't look over our shoulders waiting for our former selves to pull us back. There are many more reasons, but that will suffice for now.

Wow – so many excellent posts on this topic!!! Every WLS patient should read this thread. Whenever I hear/read a "When can I go back to eating/drinking... [crap]?" type of question, I have to wonder about their doctor/nutritionist. Weren't they informed about lifestyle changes before getting cut? I almost feel like their surgical centers need to be "outed" for negligence, if not malpractice. I mean, it's one thing if we get educated on how we should eat, and then ignore the instructions. That's entirely on us. And yes, all the information you need to succeed is easily found on the internet. But it still seems that a surprisingly high number of patients are completely unaware of how this works. What's up with that?!!

As the others have said, with the sleeve we CAN eventually eat pretty much anything we want. But that doesn't mean we is not the same as SHOULD. In order to succeed, you'll need to stay away from starches and sweets. Seriously! Wrap your head around that fact and you'll do better. I told myself early on that, "Resisting certain foods isn't nearly as hard as losing the weight they would cause me to gain." (It's kind of the opposite of my tag line.) And I promise, the longer you stay away from starches and sweets, the less they pull at you. But the minute I give in, they'll have the gravitational pull of the Sun!

Great job, congratulations!!!

I don't know that particular product, but I take a probiotic from costco every day. Also supplement with a psylium capsule twice a day. And remember, you can get probiotics from Greek yogurt too. It's a great afternoon snack.

It works, yes, but just like the initial surgery, it's a tool not a magic bullet. And if it's abused with carbs, sugar, and slider foods, it won't last as long as we'd like. So if you do it, follow the plan perfectly for the 5 days, then continue eating the way your doctor/nutritionist told you to after surgery. And at the risk of sounding preachy, if you're 8 months out, please take advantage of the honeymoon period to lose as much as you can. It will never get any easier than it is during the first 12-18 months. If we ingrain the right habits and they become our new "normal", we can get to goal weight and maintain it. It will take hard work and good choices for the rest of our lives. But we knew that going in, right? Good luck!

Thanks very much for this post, @kulita! Since you've researched this, I have a follow-up question... What about non-carb soft foods like yogurt and guacamole? Do they also have the slider effect even though they are protein-based?

Anyone who has read my posts knows that I'm pretty upbeat and positive about weight loss surgery in general, and the sleeve in particular. That's why it pains me to share the results of a new study that is not terribly optimistic (links below). With that being said, I think what this means is that we need to be put even more energy into getting all the way to goal weight, and then be even more diligent about maintaining it for the rest of our life. Otherwise, some of the weight will come back and bring co-morbidities along for the ride – especially diabetes. So hard as it may be, my suggestion to myself and everyone else is to remember that there is no finish line! We have to stay ultra-focused on our healthy eating programs forever. Of course we already knew that, but this study really brings it home. So let's use that as extra motivation to succeed!!! Washington Post Synopsis JAMA abstract of the study results

This isn't a game! Or a contest. You're using the best tool available to save your life. If you were drowning in the ocean, would it be cheating to throw you a life preserver instead of making you swim for it? It's exactly the same thing. If they don't get that, ignore them and don't let it bother you. You're making the right choice for your health, and that's what matters. Congratulations!!!

Weight was up 3 pounds this morning. Yikes! Too much cheese and not enough Fiber and exercise. Gonna tackle those pounds with a vengeance before they can call for reinforcements!

Always have a plan! Never leave the house without knowing that wherever you're going, you will be able to stick to your program. Always have emergency food in case of the unknown. My car has beef Jerky and/or almonds in the trunk. Drink a Protein shake on your way to a party so you don't arrive hungry. Always bring a big jug of Crystal Light (or your sugar-free drink of choice) to a party. If you keep your sleeve/pouch full of liquid, you are less likely to go off your plan. At restaurants, be careful with appetizers, never order the starch (ask for a second veggie instead), and skip the dessert. Spaghetti with meat sauce (but without the spaghetti) is basically chili and very filling. Seafood Pasta without the pasta is even more delicious, and still fills you up. Ask for Water with lemon and put some sweetener in it so you can wet your whistle. (But don't drink more than a sip or two.) No point in paying for iced tea that you won't drink. Try to get some exercise at least every other day.

You'll want to learn how to go out to any kind of restaurants and be able to enjoy a meal. My wife and daughter have finally gotten used to the fact that I tweak every meal I eat out. The wait staff are always happy to accommodate the fact that I don't eat carbs or sugar. Frequently I'll replace the starch with a second veggie. (But I get full before I can eat it anyway.) So go online and look the sushi restaurant's menu with an eye toward avoiding the "white stuff". There's pretty much always an option you can enjoy. And if it's not posted, give them a call to find out about making you a sashimi salad or something like that. You've had lots of great suggestions already. Give them a shot, and stay strong! Once you get the hang of it, eating out is easy -- and still fun!

The longer you avoid trigger foods, the less you will crave them. I'm serious! After 19 months, I'm still off carbs and sweets, and really don't miss them. Even watching others eat yummy stuff doesn't bother me, because my news size is so much better. And as @@Justin Curtis said, sugar-free pudding is a treat, as is Jello. My daily dessert is a nice cup of low-calorie hot chocolate (with a shot of Miralax). The WLS veterans in the crowd will know what I mean.....

This has been a total blast! Even now, when the compliments and new clothing sizes have pretty much dried up, the mirror still surprises me every day. And when I see old pictures, I just shake my head and say, "Never again!"

I'm only 19 months out from surgery, so I'm still having blood work done fairly frequently. I hope to settle into a routine where I alternate between my bariatric surgeon and my GP every 6 months. That would mean getting my labs drawn twice a year to try and avoid any surprises.

Hey Rayjun Cayjun -- My wife's from NOLA, so I'm a Cajun-in-law. I reached my initial goal of 154 last February (10 months after surgery), over-shot my stretch goal last April to 142, and gained back up to my new goal weight of 145 in May. In October I bumped up 3-4 pounds, but knocked it back off by Thanksgiving. Since then, I've maintained within a pound or two, either direction. It sounds like you and I on the same trajectory. I eat all the time, just not carbs or sugar. Nothing else (fat or calories) seems to matter. I still love me some Louisiana cookin', but I eat crawfish etouffee, seafood and andouille gumbo, and shrimp creole without the rice. I enjoy spaghetti meat sauce without the spaghetti, and seafood linguine without the linguine. Don't need rice with Chinese food, or potatoes with steak, and if I order a hamburger, I don't eat the bun or fries. I love guacamole on cheese or veggies instead of chips, and hummus on carrots. They all still fill me up, and actually have MORE flavor without the starch to absorb the sauces! And no bread pudding or King Cake either. But that's okay. I've gotten to the point where I don't miss the carbs and Desserts anymore. If I can keep this up forever -- I'll be thrilled! Happy Mawdi Graw!!! Laissez les bon temps rouler!!!!!!

When you volunteer to take the seat next to a large person at the theater – because you know how uncomfortable they feel, and at your new size you can squeeze over to give them some extra space.

For the first time in 48 years, my New Year’s resolution is not “lose weight”. Forty-eight years!!! I love my sleeve! For those of you on the front end of this process, keep the faith, follow all the rules, and always try to make good choices. You can get there too! Happy and Healthy New Year!!!!!