Babbs

Before I even clicked on the post, I KNEW you were a newer post op. 99% of people feel a touch of regret at first when things are hurting, uncomfortable, you can barely eat, drink, you're worried about the future, and your hormones are going nuts. It's a small, small piece of time in the grand scheme of things, you'll see. Just like having a newborn baby. The time flies so fast, you can't even remember them that small anymore

@@Honeybee17 I started strictly post surgery. I walked the first 6 months, then when my weight loss stalled a bit, decided to join a gym. I did get a trainer to show me how to tone with specific exercises, but only utilized him for a few sessions when I felt I got the info I needed You can find so much info online, also.

You look great! Any exercise tips, routines or suggestions? I carry a lot of my weight in my belly as well. I plan on resistance training with a band and I have a treadmill. Have you worked out using one of those big exercise balls? Looks like it might be easy on the back and help strengthen the core.Sent from my Y538 using the BariatricPal App Yes, you've got the right idea. I've been working out for two years straight at this point (wow, right? I've NEVER stuck to it this long!) and I do a combination of cardio (running, Stair Climber) and weights/resistance training. I do 30-40 minutes of cardio, and then switch off days working either legs, arms or abs. I utilize all the things you mentioned: Kettle bells, exercise ball, straps, and weight machines. I will also use my own body for resistance with planks, pull ups, burpees and squats. I honestly don't kill myself. I will push myself, but I also don't want to hurt myself and not be able to do any exercise at all. Right now in maintenence I work our 3 days a week, and do walking the days I don't go to the gym. The key is mixing things up to create muscle confusion, and raising and lowering your heart rate through out your work outs. Make sure you're doing what you like so you will stick to it! I get bored easily, that's why I do many different things to keep me motivated

I love my granite! We did our kitchen, and had leftover from the slab so we had them fab the rest for the bathroom And Thanks for the kind words! I feel amazing!

It just all depends on how stretched out the area is. If it's been overly stretched due to age and long term obesity, there's no amount of lotions, potions, wraps, Vitamins or strength training that will bring it back or even minimize it. I'm a perfect example. I'm in my late 40's, yo yo dieted my self to 235, a lot of which I carried in my stomach. I've done well with strength training to minimize the areas I could (arms), but the only way my stomach is ever going back is with surgery. My upper stomach is relatively flat from exercise, but the skin from my pannus area is pretty bad. I have a had a surgical consultation to have it removed, but still on the fence about it. I still look okay in clothes Anyway, see pic below of my arms and my stomach.

Never. I have to be vigilant for the rest of my life or I will become obese again. Not worrying about what to eat, how to eat, how much to eat got me to 235 pounds. Like what was said above, it becomes kind of second nature after a while. It is very overwhelming at first, that's for sure. But if someone truly wants to change, they learn to adapt. I feel completely normal now at over two years out otherwise. I think it took about 6 months to get into a groove.

It just depends. Some don't for a while because they are totally bloated from the IV's and the trauma of the surgery itself. Some will see it almost immediately. Having a surgery like that is a lot of trauma for our bodies. Add in the fact that we can't eat. Our bodies go whacky. That's why it's more important to focus on your surgeons orders of fluids and Protein so healing can start and let the weight loss just happen when it's going to happen and not stress about it.

@@Christina.Rose I, like @@Djmohr had the surgery for health reasons also. Young people just don't understand that although you may think you're 'healthy' and fat, it DOES and WILL catch up to you once you hit your 40's. I went up and down with my weight most of my adult life, all the while touting I was 'healthy' fat. Once I reached 47, my blood pressure was sky high, I became diabetic and had a fatty liver. My mom had died 3 years earlier at 68 of heart disease from high blood pressure. I wasn't about to go down that road and die relatively young like her. So yes, people do have the surgery for health reasons. Once they lose the weight, the benefit of looking slimmer and healthier is just icing on the cake.

My husband had the bypass 10 years ago and eats whatever he wants, and for the most part keeps his weight off. But there's checks and balances. He moves and stays very active. When he finds himself putting on weight, he cuts back on the crap and goes back to high Protein and no sugar or carbs until he takes it back off. I personally at 2 years out cannot eat anything I want, or I will gain all my weight back. What is working for me in maintenence is a 90/10 balance. I follow my program 90% of the time, and give myself the 10% for that peice of cake at the party or couple glasses of wine with dinner. We all have to find what works for us.

He'll come around when he sees how happy, healthy and sexier (although I'm sure you're plenty sexy already) you'll be after the surgery. And if he's doesn't? You go on living with your sexy, sassy self without him.

Those are the bomb! So good!

You seem nice.

Happy Birthday and great job on all your success!

@@giglag1227 Did you not see my post above? You CAN eat what you're feeding your family once you are cleared for regualr foods. You eat the Protein, they eat everything else. Don't make things harder than they need to be.

Unfortunately the best way is to just stop eating them. Once you get over the hump of withdrawl, the cravings go away. I have to withdraw from them every once in a while when I indulge too much. It sucks.

It's a tool. It's not going to do the work for you. How about just saying "If I get to a healthy weight, I'd be happy" and not setting such a specific goal? Does that mean if you lost 60 or 70 pounds you'de feel like a failure? Any WLS will take you so far, but you've got to really do the work to achieve your ultimate goals. You get you put into it, whether it be band, VSG, RNY, balloon or plication.

I agree with a lot of your sentiment, but let me make one thing perfectly clear. Most people who have skin surgery after WLS are NOT doing it out of vanity, but out of necessity due to infections and the skin just being a hindrance in functioning normally. So to say it's 'vain' to have surgery to remove skin after WLS is insulting and frankly quite ignorant. And even if it's done out of vanity, so what? People feel amazing after large losses, and they want to feel even more amazing and have things tightened up and removed. That's their prerogative. And did you know that statistically people are more likely to keep the weight off after having plastic surgery?

Generally speaking, smoking can interfere with the healing process after a surgery and cause complications. A lot of surgeons will also do a nicotine test before surgery to ensure you haven't smoked several weeks before the surgery. I smoked for 23 years before I had surgery, but decided to quit 2 months before because I wanted to be healthy, not just skinny. I used a vape with nicotine, and each week cut back on the nicotine until I was at 0. I then just lost interest in the vape. I'm almost 2.5 years smoke free, and I'm more proud of that than even losing the weight!

Yeah it took me 5 months to lose 50 pounds. Then I really slowed down. Especially when we are talking relative "lightweights" like the OP is (and I was), the weight loss isn't as dramatic as some that start out heavier.

First thing, you're not losing weight because you are in the 3 week stall that we all had and is completely normal, not because of what you may or may not be eating. Honestly, it really doesn't matter what you're eating the first several months post op....the sheer calorie deficit is more than enough to make you lose weight almost automatically. Hope that makes you feel a bit better. That being said, you need Protein to heal and keep your muscle you're going to be losing with the weight. It also keeps you full and satisfied. If you are eating simple carbs and sugar, it's going to cause cravings. Try to JUST eat protein right now. If the dinners you're fixing involve a soft protein, nibble on that and nothing else. Keep dinners simple. What's wrong with a meat or fish with a veggie and let the rest of the family have the starch and you skip it? That's how I've cooked since surgery. Making spaghetti? You eat the meat and sauce and the family gets the Pasta. pizza? Eat the toppings. Tacos? Have the ground beef, cheese refried Beans and no tortilla. See? Keep it simple and it will be easier for you to stick to your plan. Protein is the key! Eat as much of that as you want through out the day!

It took me a year to lose 85 pounds, but I continued to lose up to 4 months past that. Yes, with some hand to hand combat, you can lose the last 30. I don't believe in those 'pouch resets' I just think if you start tracking your food with an app like Myfitnesspal, know where your calories need to be to start losing again, keeping your carbs under 50, moving more and drinking all 64 Oz of no calorie/low calorie Fluid, it will come off. Stay clear of processed food as much as you can and keep your menu mostly Protein and veggies. Boring, I know, but it does the trick. If you want to kind of jump start your metabolism again, read up on intermittent fasting. That helped me take off 5 pounds of regain. Good luck! You can do it!

Something ironic is that often the portion we can eat is indeed the serving size. This doesn't hold true for everything, but servings are often 1/4 to 1/2 cup. Just something I find interesting. Yes, totally. We eat what 'normal' portions SHOULD be, not what Americans think they are.