Rogofulm

Booze is liquid sugar, kind of like ice cream and fruit juices, so it can slow down weight loss. Plus, it can lead to other less-than-optimal choices. I guess it's just a question of how strictly you want to stick to a program and how quickly you want to lose. Many people feel that depriving themselves too much during the weight loss phase can lead to giving up. I tend to be an "all or nothing" kind of guy, so my approach was to get to goal as quickly as possible and then figure it out from there.

As a rule, ESPECIALLY in the honeymoon phase of WLS ( up to 18 months post surgery) you will still probably lose weight eating a few carbs. But as early out as you are, you should be eating protien and veggies, leaving little room for carbs (bread, crackers, etc). Protien is most important right now becuase you have such little real estate in your tummy, you gotta eat what counts. Those carbs from white stuff gives you no nutritional value right now. Another thing about a WLS person eating carbs is that it can be a slippery slope. Sure, you can't eat very much right now, but the sleeve relaxes after a while, and a few crackers turn into a box (these are also considered slider foods because more can be eaten) I don't know about you, but I could easily polish off a box of Cookies once I get going. That's why I choose to stay away. They also make me crave more carbs and sugar, and the next thing you know, you're stalled or gaining. No thanks! You will have plenty of time to introduce a few carbs the closer you get to goal and then maintenance. For now take advantage of this ever so important time when you're able to lose weight easily and minimize the carbs and get your protien and veggies first! After all, we all didn't get fat eating chicken and broccoli, did we? ___________________________________________________________________________________________ I agree with @@Babbs completely! During your honeymoon and weight loss phase, you will lose best if you limit carbs to those in dairy and green veggies. No starches, no refined sugar, and no alcohol. Once you get to goal weight, you can experiment with whole-grain carbs like brown rice, quinoa, barley, whole-wheat Pasta, and sweet potatoes to see what effect they have on your weight maintenance. That's where I am now -- taking baby steps to discover what works and what doesn't. This is for the rest of our lives, so there's no need to rush back to foods that used to be a problem for us. For example, as much as I love bread, I'm choosing to avoid it altogether. Good luck!

Okay, you got me with this one! Gotta try that!!!

Maybe after surgery you'll change your mind about this. I've had a protein shake just about every morning (except maybe 4 days) for the past 15 months. It's part of my switch to an "eat to live" mentality. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy food – I do! In fact, my wife is a wonderful cook and we love going out to restaurants. It's just that food fuels my day now, rather than vice versa. Good luck!

I couldn't agree more – this is the key to staying on track for the whole ride!!!

First of all, is your head in the right place to kick-start a program and stick with it? Without that, it's much harder. But since you're posting here, hopefully you've reached that place we all got to before our surgeries where we were ready to do anything and everything to get healthy. If so, here are a few sites you may find useful: First off, here's a site that describes the top 10 bariatric mistakes. You may find your own situation in several of the categories. This will show you that you're not alone in making these mistakes, and suggest changes you need to make to overcome them. http://www.bariatriceating.com/2015/03/02/top-10-bariatric-post-op-mistakes/ Next, here's a site that many people have used to "reset" their pouches and sleeves in order to feel the restriction again. There's a book you can buy on the website, but from what I can tell, all the info is there for free if you look around. This could be a powerful tool to help you start over! http://www.5daypouchtest.com/index.html And finally, if you need a refresher course on the rules of Bariatric Eating, here's a site that provides a ton of answers. You'll probably be most interested in Steps 9 and 10, but reading through the rest can remind you where you came from. Maybe by doing the 5-day pouch test and pretending that you just had a new surgery, you can feel like you're getting a fresh start. http://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/ Hope you find these sites to be helpful, and I wish you great success in the next leg of your journey to good health!!!

Yup, what everyone said. If you drink before, it fills you up so you can't eat enough Protein. If you drink afterward, it creates a "slurry" in your stomach that goes through quickly, leaving you hungry sooner. Best bet is to get used to not having a glass with you at the table. It's weird for the first few weeks, but then it becomes habit. All that being said, if you need a "1/2 sip" as you say, that shouldn't be a problem. Just don't let it slip to 1, then 2, then 3... And what the heck is a "diet cordial" anyway?

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 pounds 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!)

There's a lot of weird swelling still happening during the first few weeks. Give yourself a break and just keep following your program.

My doctor's rule for carbs is "as few as possible" and only from legumes, green veggies, dairy, and a tiny bit of fruit. I'm a little over a year out and have just started introducing quinoa, brown rice, sweet potatoes, and a little more fruit as a way of tip-toeing into maintenance. And remember, measure out your Protein, and eat all your meals in this order: 1. Protein (meat, legumes, Greek yogurt) 2. Green veggies 3. Fruit 4. Starches (including green peas and corn) If you plan it right, you should be full, or at least satisfied, long before you get to Step 4. I'm always stuffed by Step 2. And when hunger strikes between meals, ask yourself if it's really thirst in disguise? If you're behind on your Fluid intake, catch up on that first, then wait 15-30 minutes before eating. And finally, when you want a snack, make it protein-based (meat, cheese, nuts, yogurt, jerky). Good luck!

You may have reached The Dreaded Week-3 Stall a little early. 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 pounds 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!)

coffee is the one "vice" I have left! One year out and I'm still taking my tummy pills (Protonix or OTC omnaprazole), so the acid doesn't bother my stomach. My personal rule is to not count caffeine drinks as Fluid, so every day I drink 64+ ounces of non-caffeinated beverages - mostly watered-down Crystal Light decaf iced tea. I will say that after a cup of coffee I feel a bit hungry, so I time my Snacks in order to have them 15-30 minutes after coffee. My other source of added energy is a B-12 supplement. I find that the sub-lingual type makes me jittery, so I take a time-released version, and that helps all day long.

Write down an eating, drinking, sleeping, and exercise plan as if you were working 7am-7pm... then flip it upside down.

... the very same people who've been nagging you to lose weight your whole life, start nagging you to GAIN weight. WTF?!!!

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 pounds 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!)

I collect music in my iPod and the exercise forces me to make the time to listen to it. New or old, every time I exercise is a different musical journey.

I was told by my surgical team to avoid it forever. Besides, sodas are one of the things that got many of us to the place where we needed surgery. Why go back there? Fruit juices and ice cream too!

You're kidding, right? What does the material provided by your doctor/nutritionist say about bread, Pasta, rice, and potatoes? If they didn't give you an eating plan, shame on them. And here's a site that can answer most, if not all, your questions: http://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/ As for this specific question, when my family has spaghetti, I just eat the meat sauce or meatballs and sauce and I'm satisfied. I think you will be too. Remember... Protein first, green veggies next, if you're still not full, maybe a tiny bit of fruit, and last and definitely least (as in, pretty much never)... starches. (Spaghetti squash and zucchini spaghetti count as green veggies.) And please call your doctor's office to ask why they didn't tell you what you should and should not eat after bariatric surgery. Good luck!

Yes. I was in rough shape during the first two weeks, until I discovered Miralax. And remember that during the first couple of weeks, fluids are even more important than Protein. Get that going, and so will you!

@@Yrkybarry, if you are following your program every day, then you just need to wait it out. And don't get discouraged – stalls happen, and then they end. While you're in them, look for non-scale victories (NSVs) like clothes getting looser, more energy, better blood sugar or blood pressure numbers, etc. Here are the basics of my program. Your doctor's plan may differ. And if you're still unsure, log your food, Fluid and exercise with MyFitnessPal or another app like that. It's a good idea to do that anyway. Every single day... 60-80+ grams of Protein 64+ ounces of fluids Keep carbs as low as possible, and only from legumes, green veggies and dairy products Get some exercise at least 4 times per week Take meds, Vitamins and supplements as directed Pretty simple, really. Except for all that emotional, psychological, social, and physical junk, right? But if you can manage to separate your weight loss program from all the other stuff, following those 5 rules really works. Good luck!

That was my m.o. too. And it works great... as long as you keep losing. I imagine that if you stop before reaching goal, the question and answer thing might get a little squeamish. On the other hand, it sure is a great motivator!

I've said this before, but my favorite comment was, "You've lost a crap ton of weight!" Makes me wonder, though... How many pounds are in a crap ton?

Sounds like you're doing all the right things, @MarceMonster. Just keep on keepin' on and the weight will come off. Stalls happen, and then they stop. It's a natural part of the process. Once you get past this, try to have fun making good choices and watching the pounds, inches, illnesses, and poor health fall away.

Last week, I spoke to someone in our bariatric support group who said it took her between 6 and 9 months to be happy with her decision to have surgery. I think that's on the long end of the spectrum, but as I said, we're all different. The point is that eventually we get there, and then the 2, 4, or 6 months of doubt start to recede in our memories.

Ding, ding, ding... Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!!! Congratulations, I'm so happy for you!!!!