fuzzymonkey

I'm 5 days out. Day 1 fine. Day 2 omg what did I do , buyers remorse . Nausea vomiting. Day 4 felt good. Day 5 omg ! Feel wonderful . New chapter starting for all of us. Best of luck!

My friend had her vsg 1& 1/2 yrs ago and she used muscle milk all the time. Idk if it was 100 cal or sugar free tho but she's always suggesting I use it when I get sleeved next month. Hope that helps!

I eat avocado daily. It's the perfect health food. Good fat, soft, flavorful. Hasn't hurt me a bit.

I'm an avocado addict . I too do just fine with it. No problems here- I'm happily at goal and stay within my 5lb range (128-133lbs) with little trouble these days.

You are fantastic!!!! 19 months out is different from people doing this at 3 to 6 weeks out.... Totally different story. Congrats on your bundle of joy and great mindset.

I eat light and fit Greek yogurt
Has 80 calories and 12 grams of Protein.

I totally understand your concerns because I've had the exact same ones. But because I've been too intimidated to ask I've increased my research on the subject (to the point of obsession).
In my research I've found two very important things that differentiates the sleeve from a normal diet.
1) grehlin hormone: hunger hormone that is reduced. (Which you already know)
2) The bile acids are changed: the acids don't bind to a nuclear receptor called FXR. Research has shown that In the absence of FXR weight-loss occurs
So to answer your question, the point of the surgery is to restrict your stomach so you won't eat as much, reduce your want to eat, and change how your bile acids work. You will absolutely have to work at it but all these things combined cannot be done without the surgery.
Hope this helps

I agree that it's just a tool and in my case, one HELLUVA expensive tool because I'm paying for most of it. But that's the trade off.
That's why I'm planning to doing everything to change my sleeve from a mere tool a catalyst. For me its a line not in the sand but in rock, so there's a clear before and after from the person that I was to the one I will become.

You have to want it and I want it bad.

Have you tried kale chips? Google it, there are plenty of recipes online. They are really easy to make and tend to satisfy the crunch cravings.
They also have some really good snack chips at Sams called Veggie Straws...have the texture and taste of Funyuns.
Good luck!

WHat are some of your favorite foods that give some crunch besides veggies? I would like to find a " healthier" option to chips, but I sure am craving some hot air popcorn and/or Sunchips. I saw some quinoa chips, black bean chips.... But would like to know what is good ( and brand names too would be helpful). Thanks in advance.

Know this May sound strange to some, but I start back to work tomorrow after my medical leave, and I start an on call rotation at the same time (I do IT support). We are also in the midst of a support group reorg. And for some reason today I am extremely anxious about going back to work. There is no physical reason why I could not go back, just this anxiety. Is this weird, or have others gone through this? How do I talk myself down from these feelings?

Behavior changes is the biggest component to a successful weight loss.... Even after surgery people think that they can just eat the bad or unhealthy in moderation... Isn't that what got us in this predicament in the first place? Sleevers need to remember that just because you can eat something and " it goes down ok" you need to ask yourself: Do I NEED this ( piece of cake, bite of cracker...) because just because you CAN EAT IT without issues, doesn't mean you should.

I think you got some great answers. I tried and tried and tried to lose and keep ANY weight off for years. I considered it wonderful if I could be under 250# - at 5'5" not exactly svelte.
I was hungry 24/7 - I had a drive to eat that was at times overwhelming. I would try different programs and have temporary success and then regain. I reached a point where I wasn't even having temporary success anymore - yikes!
So, for me the point of the sleeve was to give me a forced restriction of food, and a true hunger reduction to give me a chance to get off the eating/obesity hamster wheel. A chance to learn new behaviors. A chance to understand the physical drives and how to control them. Oh, and Portion Control.< /p>
What I started to realize is how carb sensitive I am. That processed foods have something in them that just isn't good for me, makes me want to consume compulsively. I realized that something about being obese itself actually triggers hunger - like a chemical imbalance or something.
My hunger did start to return about 8 months out and I worried... My NUT pointed out I was eating Protein bars like candy. Two things there 1. too many carbs and 2. Behavior. Knowledge is power and you can be sure my favorite Protein Bars no longer live in my house. Same with Peanut Butter and other trigger type foods. This didn't happen overnight, but I eat small portions, I keep trigger foods out of the house and I have good strategies for situations.
I am 2.5 year out, I have lost about 160 pounds (currently weigh 140). My hunger is under very good control. I work at it, but not nearly as hard as I previously worked to stay under 300#.
I treat my obesity like a disease in remission... my condition is still there, but I am currently managing it's primary symptom - excess weight, very well. I must remain focused or it could very easily creep back... although frankly right now, it is not a problem at all.

Is all of this on your doctor's plan? Do you plan on losing weight using only your restriction or do you plan on learning how to make healthier choices? You are making some interesting choices for your new tummy.

One month out I ate a lot of chicken and turkey breast. Buying a rotisserie chicken as the poster above suggests is a good thing - it's many meals. I ate a lot of deli meat and sharp cheddar cheese as well - I rolled the turkey around the cheese - you can dip in mustard or spread on some guacamole or add some cucumber sticks. Frozen turkey meatballs are a good choice. Fat free refried Beans w/ some melted cheddar - top is off with some plain Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream) and, if your stomach will tolerate it, a little salsa - yummo. For Breakfast it has been a Jimmy Dean Turkey sausage patty and scrambled egg.
Hope this helps!

I wasn't cleared for salad until about 3 months out and I still can't tolerate it very well at 7 months. Some docs say no salad for the first year. Also, the goat cheese may have been ambitious on your new tiny tummy.
Your hunger feeling could be acid - many new sleevers will confuse hunger with acid. I did. I do feel hunger and have felt it for quite some time, but it's different than before surgery. Hungry for me feels more like empty. You'll have to learn what your new hunger feels like.
Also, if something doesn't agree with you early on, like your salad and goat cheese experiment, give it a week or two and try it again. It's going to be trial and error while your tummy is healing.
I eat about every 2-3 hours. In the beginning, like you are a month out, I measured everything. I focused on 1-2 ounces of Protein - turkey breast, chicken breast, deli meat, etc. If I had room for anything else, a bit or two of vegetable or Beans. Know that you may not be able to eat the same amount at every meal. Some times 1 ounce filled me up, others I felt like 2 ounces wasn't enough. Focus on chewing your food 20-25 times and slowing down your eating.

I'll be honest - I had similar thoughts pre-surgery. And, I failed at so many diets that I wondered "will I fail at this, too?"
First, I wasn't prepared for the emotional / mental part of this process. I read and researched so much about the physical part - how the surgery is performed. I didn't think much about the reasons I got to 256 pounds - I didn't think about my binge eating, my eating in secret, emotional eating, etc. I wish I had been more mentally/emotionally prepared - it would have made things easier in the beginning. Instead, I had to address my emotional issues while I was learning how to eat with my new tiny tummy.
Second, the sleeve doesn't stop you from making bad decisions. I have a sleeve of steel...The only thing that bothers my stomach to the point of getting sick is my bariatric Vitamins. I haven't found a food that my stomach doesn't like. That's a double edged sword. I can eat anything - that's not necessarily a good thing for an overeater. So, I have to CHOOSE to make good food decisions. I can eat ice cream before I go to bed...I have to choose not to do that. I can eat a bag of tortilla chips because that's a slider food for me - I have to choose to not have them in my house. The sleeve will only stop you from eating copious amounts of food in one sitting. It doesn't stop you from going back to the bag of chips 30 minutes later when you can fit more into your sleeve. The sleeve is simply one tool in your tool box.
Thirdly, the sleeve doesn't drive you to the gym or make you put on your tennis shoes to go for a walk. That's you. You are responsible for that.
As far as being able to lose 2-3 pounds a week - you're right. I could lose 2-3 pounds per week up to about 20-30 pounds. Then the weight loss would stop and I'd fall off the wagon. What you're doing on the pre-op diet and immediately after surgery isn't sustainable for the long-term. My husband said it best right before surgery...."This is going to force your hand." It has. My weight loss at 7 months out is moving at a snail's pace...I log 80-100 miles in a month at the gym and I focus on getting my Protein in. I get discouraged because I'm not losing at the same rate I was 5 months ago, but I'm still fighting the good fight - and you know what? It's easier to fight knowing I have this tool in my tool box.

At the end of the day, you are still the SAME PERSON. I am the same person that got morbidly obese, and so is everybody else here. We've all had inappropriate/unhealthy relationships with food. If we only ate when truly hungry, nobody would need theses extreme interventions! And after surgery and recovery, that same person is still inside you. You still have to face your overeating triggers like stress, depression, etc. and cravings, too. Just because my tummy got tiny, chocolate did not become less delicious. Just because I got the sleeve, exercise didn't become something I don't rolls eyes about. It's a tool, and you still have to put in work. Otherwise youre not ready for this so don't waste your time.
I'm sorry if I sound bitchy, but this is the cold truth.

According to my Dr. 2/3 of Grehlin is in the stomach ( which is removed with surgery) and the other 1/3 is is the bowel with this surgery there is less chance of failure as complied to the band ( which at some point they won't even offer that as an option) and RNY has a higher risk of stretching out the stomach and as far as I know the RNY does not remove the hormone.

I am 7 weeks out today and my entire meal is a total of 2ounces. I was eating eggs at week 3, but they gave me terrible heartburn, so I don't eat them anymore.

fruit is naturally going to have higher carbs. What I ate/eat: yoplait fat free Greek yogurt (about 1/3 of the container), cottage cheese ( I go all out and buy the large curd) Jack Links Jerky tenders ( high in salt, but I'm not going to worry- also only have 1oz at a time) the canned chicken by Tyson is GREAT and super soft. Any veggie if over cooked is great, but I was told to stat away from broccoli, peppers and lettuce until ....? I also LOVE string cheese- smoked is the best. Packed tuna... Different flavors too. I have found that going to the grocery store is beginning to be more fun, discovering foods that I can eat. Plus, I love cheese, so that helps too. You can also do thin sliced deli meats, ,, roast beef with a piece of melted provolone on it and some horseradish.... Yum. Shrimp and white fish have lots of Protein too. I also stay clear away from potatoes of any sort... Too starchy and full of carbs. Eating carbs make one crave carbs

My doc said NO bread, Pasta, rice or potatoes for a year. Probably due to carbs not the fact that the sleeve might not like it. Our Mexican restaurant has something called vaca flaca tacos (I think). It is marinated steak with cilantro inside a lettuce leaf. When you get to regular foods, it's a nice alternative.

ok i hate to be the killjoy, but after i go through this surgery, there is NO WAY i am going back to what I was eating before surgery. Lets Face it, we the overweight or obese are just like junkies or alcoholics. Part of recovery is not going back to those things that got you there in the first place for a very very long time or even at all!
From every thing i have read, you are supposed to eat Protein first, then veggies and fruits, then if there is room carbs.
I get it that you will most likely have cravings but fight them! don't give in!
If you are not going to do what you know you are supposed to do, why did you have the surgery in the 1st place?
I am still a few weeks out and I have already started preparing myself for what is to come. Ive gotten rid of all the crap in my house, started drinking Protein shakes twice a day.
I made this decision and became informed. And although I may miss some foods, I will not cave into them, not this time!!!

I am a year out and my ability to eat those items?
pizza I was about 8 months out before I could get down 1/2 slice without the crust. And it makes me feel horrid. bagel Not going to happen. Sticks terribly. Mexican food: nachos, tacos, etc. Tortillas stick. meat, cheese, Beans, salsa are staples from soft foods to present. pretzel Soft, NO. Hard, 6 months. salad Chopped, at 3 months out but I rarely eat salad because the veggies fill me up and I can't eat Protein. corn on the cob See above, avocado From mushy foods on. A staple in my house. nuts From three months on. A staple in my house. lasagna Nope. Pasta makes me vomit.

I am over 5 months out and breads, Pasta, pizza, rice etc... are still a huge no no for me! I did try a bite of bread once and it hurt a lot. I wont be doing that again. Although a half a slice of toast every now and then with an egg does not bother me. Try and stay away from carbs if you can. I keep my carb intake low and I concentrate on Protein.