IcanMakeit

My VSG was in May 2014 and I have lost all of my excess weight. The VSG worked for me because I followed my surgeon's program as closely as I could. From my observations, that is the most important factor determining success or failure. The people who seriously follow the guidelines almost always lose most of their excess weight. It is a wonderful tool. The VSG gives you some months (it varies) when you are more in control of your food intake because your hunger is greatly diminished, but it doesn't make your food choices for you. Most VSG patients can eat most things (although in smaller quantities) once their stomachs have healed.
You are wise to question yourself and learn about the successes and failures of others before committing yourself to surgery. When your surgery date finally comes, you will feel informed and confident. Good luck.

One of my closest friends is a physicist. A PhD-holding, Oxford fellowship-winning physicist. When he has questions about health, do you think he consults other physicists? Or just knows the answer? Or do you think he asks someone who has knowledge of and research in health and medical topics? (HINT: It's the latter.)
Physics is not biology is not physics. Using the "BUT PHYSICS SAYS..." argument doesn't change the fact that living organisms are infinitely more complicated than a simple "If x, then y..." explanation. (Or that you probably are NOT a physicist and therefore probably don't have a very indepth understanding of physics in the first place, no offense.)
Are stalls real? Sometimes. That's how human beings lose weight. In fits and starts, some falls off and then we hold onto some, and then we lose some again, and we lose inches while not losing pounds, and we lose weight when we feel like we should have gained.
Are we fooling ourselves? Sometimes. We get lax about tracking, we conveniently overlook the fact that we had a couple handfuls of nuts or a few tastes here and there or didn't work out for a few days because it was pouring out.
But grade-school physics doesn't really come into play.

I think stalls are real and an absolutely normal part of the weight loss process. Just part of your body adapting. However, if you "stall" lasts more than 6 weeks or so, you probably need to change up your behavior\routine. You could be eating too much or too little or not getting all the nutrition\exercise you need to get to your goal. If what you're doing is not working for a couple of months, you need to take a hard look and probably do something different!

When I joined this forum in December 2012, I was morbidly obese and in so much joint pain that I was probably only months away from being wheelchair bound. I was terrified of surgery and terrified of what lay ahead. I expected the lap band to fail as everything else had failed when it came to weight loss. But it was my only shot as I needed hip and knee surgery and no orthopedist would work on me at nearly 270 pounds and with a BMI over 50.
I decided my forum name would be gowalking because that was my wish..my desire, my hope. Walking, like breathing, is something we all take for granted till we can't do it. Then we realize how badly we are impacted when every step is torture.
Many of you know my story so I'll do a quick summary. I was banded on January 14th, 2013. I lost enough weight by June of 2013 to get my surgery scheduled. I had both hips replaced in October and after a long and difficult rehab, and another scary and unexpected surgery, I am finally as mobile as anyone else out there. No...I can't run and yes...I still have pain and issues but I no longer fear not being able to get to the grocery store, or running any kind of errand. If I can't catch a cab, I can walk. If there's a ton of traffic, I can walk down the steps to the subway and move around underground...which is sometimes the only way to get anywhere in New York City. That feeling of helplessness and panic is gone.
My knees are still with me. I am small enough now at 113 pounds that while I have bad arthritis in the knees, I can move them pretty darn good and have been able to delay knee replacement indefinitely for now.
So...here's the big news. For those folks who have travelled this journey with me on LapBandTalk and now BP, I always said that I wanted to visit England and see all the sights I've seen on TV since I was a teenager watching Upstairs/Downstairs which was the '70s version of Downton Abbey. I want to see it all from Buckingham Palace to Big Ben, to a boat ride on the Thames to a day in the English Countryside.
Friends...my trip is booked. I'm heading to London in July. I even booked a bike tour of Hyde Park, and St. James Park along with a walking tour of the East End and Whitechapel...where Jack the Ripper lurked. So I'm going to sit in coach on British Airways for 6+ hours and will be comfy because I fit. I'm going to walk and bike and explore and enjoy the city I've wanted to go to for nearly my whole life.
For anyone out there who is starting their weight loss journey or struggling with maintaining or in the midst of a stall or doing really well as I have been fortunate enough to be, just know that WLS has given me a second chance at life and I can't begin to explain how truly grateful I am. The numbers on the scale, the size of our jeans, all the goals big and small that we set for ourselves as we travel this road together makes me feel overwhelmed with good fortune. I've lost 150+ pounds and gained back my life. I think it was a pretty good deal, don't you?
One more thing....I can't thank all of you enough for being my support and strength these past two and a half years. I've made some wonderful friendships here and value each and every one of you. I did not do this alone and wanted to make sure to show you all my appreciation. I just wish some of the folks who helped me back in the beginning were still here to see this post and know how thrilled I am to finally say that I'm getting a big item on my bucket list checked off.
Have a great holiday weekend everyone and thanks for reading this long, but heartfelt post.

My VSG was in May 2014 and I have lost all of my excess weight. The VSG worked for me because I followed my surgeon's program as closely as I could. From my observations, that is the most important factor determining success or failure. The people who seriously follow the guidelines almost always lose most of their excess weight. It is a wonderful tool. The VSG gives you some months (it varies) when you are more in control of your food intake because your hunger is greatly diminished, but it doesn't make your food choices for you. Most VSG patients can eat most things (although in smaller quantities) once their stomachs have healed.
You are wise to question yourself and learn about the successes and failures of others before committing yourself to surgery. When your surgery date finally comes, you will feel informed and confident. Good luck.

I have decided to get an activity tracker, but which one? My most consistent exercise actvities are walking and bike riding. I would like to track distance and speed. I'm also interested in user friendliness and easy integration with MyFitnessPal. So with those preferences, what do you all recommend?
I was also thinking that maybe I should get one with a screen. I'm not good with cryptic symbols and indicator lights. Does anyone have any recommendations.

I have a Garmin 310xt, so I'm biased towards them....I often say its the best money I've EVER spent. When I first bought it over 2 years ago, I pretty much used it for cycling only. Now I use it for running, and some limited swimming. It has built in GPS, and you SHOULD use a Heart rate strap with it, although it works without it. Nothing that I'm aware of will accurately keep track of calories burned without a HRM.
My GF has a Fitbit Charge HR, and she really likes it.....FOR MOST THINGS. It does not keep accurate distance when she runs. Walking it's spot on when compared to a GPS unit. IMO, "activity trackers" are a good device for general tracking.
Fitbit makes the Surge as well that has a HRM built into it....but she took it back because it was too bulky for her.
If you wanna check out DCRainmaker on youtube, he reviews all of the various devices.
My vote.......Garmin products....and ONLY with a HRM.

Just in case you're interested, heres what garmin shows....
cycling
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/786582265
running
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/793066873

Eating less will make you thin. Exercise will make you healthy. Eating less and exercise will make you thin and healthy.

I only weighed myself once a week during the weight loss phase. Weight fluctuates so much from day to day that you will drive yourself nuts if you weigh daily while trying to lose weight. But now that I'm in maintenance, I do weigh every day. I want to be able to spot and deal with any problems as early as possible. I make sure I weigh in, wearing nothing, first thing in the morning before my first glass of Water every time.

My main question here would be, why are you only getting in 40-50 grams of Protein a day? What are/aren't you eating? Are you putting protein first with every meal? Are you supplementing your protein intake with shakes or bars? At 3 months out, I had no food restrictions and was able to get in the 85-100 grams of protein per day my nutritionist recommended.

I developed a rash a few weeks after my surgery. It just went away on its own after a couple of weeks. I never figured out what caused it, but I suspect it was a reaction to the surgical tape or glue. I hope yours is something simple like that.
When you're feeling frustrated and hopeless, try to look on the positive side of your weight loss experience. You are taking affirmative steps to improve your health. You can feel proud of yourself for that.

@@Swampdoggie
Ha! I am going to try to work this into a conversation today.

You are so fortunate to have such wise and loving daughters. I would have felt mortified to have been the target of their intervention, but you are smart enough to listen to what they are saying rather than react to them having the audacity to tell you about yourself. Great post. I'm going to try to learn from your experience so I don't have my family members telling me about myself!

I've been doing very well in maintenance so far. My weight has only gone up or down a pound and a half for the last few weeks. I'm hoping you guys can help me stay on track.
Today's weight 111
Goal weight 111
Thanks again, stephh.

You are so fortunate to have such wise and loving daughters. I would have felt mortified to have been the target of their intervention, but you are smart enough to listen to what they are saying rather than react to them having the audacity to tell you about yourself. Great post. I'm going to try to learn from your experience so I don't have my family members telling me about myself!

You are so fortunate to have such wise and loving daughters. I would have felt mortified to have been the target of their intervention, but you are smart enough to listen to what they are saying rather than react to them having the audacity to tell you about yourself. Great post. I'm going to try to learn from your experience so I don't have my family members telling me about myself!

You are so fortunate to have such wise and loving daughters. I would have felt mortified to have been the target of their intervention, but you are smart enough to listen to what they are saying rather than react to them having the audacity to tell you about yourself. Great post. I'm going to try to learn from your experience so I don't have my family members telling me about myself!

Although I agree with what I believe to be the point of this article (that in order to achieve long term success, we have to make permanent changes to our way of eating), I was also put off by some of its assertions. I do not agree that the first 100 lbs lost is all due to surgery. So many people never reach that milestone because they were unable to follow the program set out for them. Losing that much weight takes sacrifice and focus. I don't like hearing anyone diminish this accomplishment.
The other assertion that I don't really agree with is that it's wrong to enjoy substitutes for white carbs. There are many healthy ways to enjoy your Pasta sauce, not just Shirataki noodles, and to me, no reason not to try them.
Unfortunately for me (since I really enjoy carbs), I do agree that I need to severely limit white carbs forever if I want long term success, but I know that not everyone agrees with that.

Amen Terry! I was waiting to see if anyone would post that. The nutritionist is setting you up for failure. Have a good long talk with him/her. Telling you that you are not where you should be is not only wrong...but counterproductive.
Really....think about going with another nutritionist.

change nutritionist

It's an interesting topic.
My experience (can only describe my own) is that initially post-op food started getting less tasty by which I mean I could differentiate tastes less well than I once could.
But now at about 9-1/2 months post-op my taste buds are coming back. Last night we had an amazing meal -- a great oaky chardonnay with massive waves of finish, mussels cooked in wine/cream sauce (just shockingly tasty!), a jalopeno muffin (ye gads, that thing was great!) and for dessert, a single chocolate truffle (those things have NOT abated in their deliciousness). Needless to say, we do not eat like this every night or even every week!
However, fast foods are not nearly as tasty to me as they were pre-op. I eat them only in a pinch. But lately, they taste so blah I'm avoiding them even in a pinch.
In other words, I've become a gourmet and am no longer a gourmand.

Although I am in maintenance, I would like to participate in the next challenge. Reading about all the struggles and successes of others really helps me stay on track. Please add my name. My goal weight will be my current weight, 111.

Although I agree with what I believe to be the point of this article (that in order to achieve long term success, we have to make permanent changes to our way of eating), I was also put off by some of its assertions. I do not agree that the first 100 lbs lost is all due to surgery. So many people never reach that milestone because they were unable to follow the program set out for them. Losing that much weight takes sacrifice and focus. I don't like hearing anyone diminish this accomplishment.
The other assertion that I don't really agree with is that it's wrong to enjoy substitutes for white carbs. There are many healthy ways to enjoy your Pasta sauce, not just Shirataki noodles, and to me, no reason not to try them.
Unfortunately for me (since I really enjoy carbs), I do agree that I need to severely limit white carbs forever if I want long term success, but I know that not everyone agrees with that.

I'm really enjoying this thread. It's really great to hear about your real lives.

I'm female and 61 years old but I often jokingly tell people that that I'm 39 (like Jack Benny). I've been married to a patient and loving man for almost 39 years and we have two grown children (a son and a daughter) and two fantastically cute grandsons, aged one and four. We also have a German Shepherd who is so handsome that we feel like he's a celebrity and we're his entourage.

I'm from San Francisco originally and I still live near the Bay Area, so rooting for the Giants is in my blood.

I also check in to this website every day. You all keep me focused and give me such great advice. I'm very grateful.

Many of us know the morning battle of getting dressed each day. For most people, this is a fairly simple routine, but for the morbidly obese it can be a daunting task.
For me it goes sitting on the edge of the bed and placing my pants on the floor, while holding one side. I catch the other side with my left toe (I'm holding them the my right hand), then kind of kick my foot into the leg. Once the left leg is encased, the real battle begins. I have trouble getting my right leg high enough to get it where it belongs, so I have to lift the leg with my hand while trying to hang on to the pants at the same time. By the time I have won this battle with my clothes, or given up in defeat and put on a skirt (yes folks, that's why I wear skirts so often) I feel like I've been "Sweating to the Oldies" with Richard Simmons.
The next task is shoes. If I have decided against flip flops that requires placing foot in shoe and getting it as far as my swollen foot will go. Then I either pick up the leg and cross it over the other knee and while holding it in place with one hand, work it in place with the other, or twist it into an unnatural position beside me and work it on. I never buy lace up shoes because we all know where that bow will wind up.
Well, I've been doing a lot of walking lately and needed a decent pair of shoes. The pair I had were slipped on canvas shoes that were just not made for that purpose, so I went looking for a pair of athletic shoes that wouldn't kill my budget. The only pair I could find were lace up. I prepared for the up coming battle. First , I loosened up the laces and put my foot in the shoe. With out even thinking about what I was doing, instead of wrestling my leg into position, I reached down, and with very little effort, got my foot the rest of the way in the shoe. Then , amazingly, I proceeded to tie the shoe with the bow in the middle where it belongs. Then I did the same thing with the other shoe.
I was so proud of myself that I took a picture and posted it on fb.
This morning when I got dressed, I realized when I was done, that I had not gone into battle, but had simply stepped into my pants like everyone else!
While I thought this little tale might get a laugh, I also thought it might offer up some encouragement to someone who also wears skirts because they are easier to put on.
VIVA LA PANTS AND SHOES!!!!!!!