AgentShepard

Weighed in this morning and I'm 91 pounds down! I don't really have a solid "goal weight" - I'm planning on waiting until I get farther along and then seeing how all my health indicators are doing to find a nice healthy place- but I'm thinking that I'd eventually like to lose between 200 and 250 pounds all told. I'm really looking forward to having lost 100 - there's just something so satisfying about those nice round numbers. If my pattern continues, I could get to 100 some time in the next month - I've slowed down to 10-15 pounds a month since I got back on normal food.
One thing I'm going to try to build into my measurement is a body fat percentage measure - I think it might be better to set goals based on that rather than just weight or BMI, as I've got very sturdy bones from being so big for so long. They took a measurement at my doctor before surgery; next time I go I think I'll ask them to do it again, just to see my progress from that angle.

Totally normal to feel extra tired when you start resuming normal activities. I was shocked how tiring sitting at a desk for eight or nine hours really was!!
My advice is to take things as slow as you can and give yourself time to recover. Build your activity level up gradually so you don't push yourself so hard you end up in bed for a day recovering! (Voice of experience on that one.)
I know that I didn't get back to my normal energy levels until about six weeks after the surgery. Fortunately I have a very supportive workplace that was flexible with me during that time!

If you like dill, it's great in a creamy cheesy scrambled egg!
Also the ricotta bake is delicious and amazing and I adored them when I was on mushies.

Totally normal to feel extra tired when you start resuming normal activities. I was shocked how tiring sitting at a desk for eight or nine hours really was!!
My advice is to take things as slow as you can and give yourself time to recover. Build your activity level up gradually so you don't push yourself so hard you end up in bed for a day recovering! (Voice of experience on that one.)
I know that I didn't get back to my normal energy levels until about six weeks after the surgery. Fortunately I have a very supportive workplace that was flexible with me during that time!

Today was a good day; I finally fit into the first set of my old jeans that I had "grown out of" and can thus now finally get rid of my last pair of dowdy old-lady jeans that were the only thing I could find in my size.
CUTE JEANS AGAIN! HOORAY!!!!!

Today was a good day; I finally fit into the first set of my old jeans that I had "grown out of" and can thus now finally get rid of my last pair of dowdy old-lady jeans that were the only thing I could find in my size.
CUTE JEANS AGAIN! HOORAY!!!!!

For those of you worried about hair loss, the medical name for diffuse Hair loss following a physical stress like surgery is "telogen effluvium". That may be a useful search term.

For those of you worried about hair loss, the medical name for diffuse Hair loss following a physical stress like surgery is "telogen effluvium". That may be a useful search term.

For those of you worried about hair loss, the medical name for diffuse Hair loss following a physical stress like surgery is "telogen effluvium". That may be a useful search term.

I went back to the gym this afternoon for the first time since surgery. Success! I was able to walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes and do a full round of (gentle) upper-body weights. I've been walking since surgery, of course, but it's been in smaller chunks of time or else slowly - this was the most intense workout I've done in a while - before surgery my knee hurt too much and I struggled to do 10 minutes at a time! So I am feeling super jazzed.
I got a voucher for a few sessions with a fitness trainer with my surgery packet. I want to meet with her and see if she'll work with me to build a program I can do on my own and only meet with her every once in a while, as I can't afford to see a trainer every week or whatever.
I'd be interested to hear if anyone else is doing strength training, what kind of routine you do.

They moved me from IV drugs to oral oxycodone the day after surgery, and it wasn't enough. The nurses called my surgeon and he ordered me a change to Percocet. That did the trick and enabled me to keep up my walking! I moved to the oral oxycodone when I went home the next day and was fine. The moral to this story is, if it isn't working, ask for a change - it can make a world of difference.

I for one have found therapy an invaluable part of this whole experience. Every person is different, has different issues related to their size and health, and different things that will be emotionally difficult. People talk a lot about things like stress-eating, but that isn't everyone's issue.
For instance, I have been big my whole life and that is a fundamental part of my self-image. I spent many difficult years coming to peace with the body I had and working on repairing the damage that years of cruelty about my size had done to my psyche. I had reached a place where my weight was high but stable, I was getting in a good amount of activity and was in good shape, my health was good, and I was satisfied.
Then, I had an injury that made it difficult to get exercise, and I started gaining weight again, and it was like I passed a tipping point - I started having more and more health problems that made it harder and harder to do anything and then got bigger and bigger, which made the health problems worse, etc., etc. - you probably know the vicious cycle. I finally decided that I could either have the surgery and hopefully get my health back on track, or I could continue sliding into more and more disability and poor health.
I chose the surgery, but it wasn't an easy choice. I felt like I was betraying all the work I had done to accept myself, that I was literally choosing to maim my body in order to make myself into a different person. That I was making a desperate sacrifice. That I was giving in to all the people who had been cruel to me in the past, that I was validating everyone who had told me that I wasn't good enough the way I was.
My therapist is a key part in helping me to work through these issues and come to terms with my feelings.
Everyone is different. Just because you don't have binge eating disorder (I don't) or a food addiction (I don't) or a serious stress eating problem (not really) doesn't mean you may not benefit from therapy of some kind, whether it's individual or group.
Just something to think about.

Just adding in, I average about 900 calories a day at this point but it varies between 800 and 1100. Of course I am 5'8" so my needs are different than more petite ladies! I am generally doing one Protein shake a day and getting the rest from food. I avoid added sugars but I am not going out of my way to do low fat - I figure, fat doesn't make me ill, so as long as I'm meeting goals for Protein and sugars, I'm not going to worry about it. There are only so many things I can count at a time, you know?

Just adding in, I average about 900 calories a day at this point but it varies between 800 and 1100. Of course I am 5'8" so my needs are different than more petite ladies! I am generally doing one Protein shake a day and getting the rest from food. I avoid added sugars but I am not going out of my way to do low fat - I figure, fat doesn't make me ill, so as long as I'm meeting goals for Protein and sugars, I'm not going to worry about it. There are only so many things I can count at a time, you know?

A word on the straw thing - in my pre-surgery class I asked about this specifically, because I have sensitive teeth and need to use a straw to avoid pain from cold drinks. I was told that if I needed to use the straw, it was okay, just make sure that the straw is completely submerged in the liquid. The noise when you try to drink through a straw in a mostly-empty cup is you sucking in air, so that's a no-no. I've been using straws in accordance with these instructions since like two weeks after surgery and been fine.
Hope this is helpful.

So I wanted to talk a little bit about my progress so far! I'm seven weeks out from surgery, and I've lost just under 70 pounds, 37.4 of which were post-surgery. Looking in the mirror, I don't think I look very different, but others have told me that I do. I have noticed the difference in clothes; I'm down 1-2 sizes in pants and 2-3 in tops. Fortunately I have about five different sizes of clothes in my closet, so I should be good for another few months before I have to shop much.
Mostly though, in the last week I've been noticing a significant improvement in my mobility. My bad knee is much improved, to the point that I have gone from needing a cane every day to only needing it if I'm going to be out and walking for several hours. I can stand and walk for extended periods of time, where at my highest weight I could barely walk or stand for 5-10 minutes before my back and my knee were in so much pain I had to sit. I couldn't even cook dinner without taking breaks, I would be in so much pain. Now, that back pain is gone, and I stand and walk without even thinking about it.
I'm hoping that I'll continue to lose weight and improve my health in various ways, but I'm so glad that my most severe problems are already so much better. It's very encouraging and gives me hope for the future!

So I wanted to talk a little bit about my progress so far! I'm seven weeks out from surgery, and I've lost just under 70 pounds, 37.4 of which were post-surgery. Looking in the mirror, I don't think I look very different, but others have told me that I do. I have noticed the difference in clothes; I'm down 1-2 sizes in pants and 2-3 in tops. Fortunately I have about five different sizes of clothes in my closet, so I should be good for another few months before I have to shop much.
Mostly though, in the last week I've been noticing a significant improvement in my mobility. My bad knee is much improved, to the point that I have gone from needing a cane every day to only needing it if I'm going to be out and walking for several hours. I can stand and walk for extended periods of time, where at my highest weight I could barely walk or stand for 5-10 minutes before my back and my knee were in so much pain I had to sit. I couldn't even cook dinner without taking breaks, I would be in so much pain. Now, that back pain is gone, and I stand and walk without even thinking about it.
I'm hoping that I'll continue to lose weight and improve my health in various ways, but I'm so glad that my most severe problems are already so much better. It's very encouraging and gives me hope for the future!

So I wanted to talk a little bit about my progress so far! I'm seven weeks out from surgery, and I've lost just under 70 pounds, 37.4 of which were post-surgery. Looking in the mirror, I don't think I look very different, but others have told me that I do. I have noticed the difference in clothes; I'm down 1-2 sizes in pants and 2-3 in tops. Fortunately I have about five different sizes of clothes in my closet, so I should be good for another few months before I have to shop much.
Mostly though, in the last week I've been noticing a significant improvement in my mobility. My bad knee is much improved, to the point that I have gone from needing a cane every day to only needing it if I'm going to be out and walking for several hours. I can stand and walk for extended periods of time, where at my highest weight I could barely walk or stand for 5-10 minutes before my back and my knee were in so much pain I had to sit. I couldn't even cook dinner without taking breaks, I would be in so much pain. Now, that back pain is gone, and I stand and walk without even thinking about it.
I'm hoping that I'll continue to lose weight and improve my health in various ways, but I'm so glad that my most severe problems are already so much better. It's very encouraging and gives me hope for the future!

So I wanted to talk a little bit about my progress so far! I'm seven weeks out from surgery, and I've lost just under 70 pounds, 37.4 of which were post-surgery. Looking in the mirror, I don't think I look very different, but others have told me that I do. I have noticed the difference in clothes; I'm down 1-2 sizes in pants and 2-3 in tops. Fortunately I have about five different sizes of clothes in my closet, so I should be good for another few months before I have to shop much.
Mostly though, in the last week I've been noticing a significant improvement in my mobility. My bad knee is much improved, to the point that I have gone from needing a cane every day to only needing it if I'm going to be out and walking for several hours. I can stand and walk for extended periods of time, where at my highest weight I could barely walk or stand for 5-10 minutes before my back and my knee were in so much pain I had to sit. I couldn't even cook dinner without taking breaks, I would be in so much pain. Now, that back pain is gone, and I stand and walk without even thinking about it.
I'm hoping that I'll continue to lose weight and improve my health in various ways, but I'm so glad that my most severe problems are already so much better. It's very encouraging and gives me hope for the future!

So I wanted to talk a little bit about my progress so far! I'm seven weeks out from surgery, and I've lost just under 70 pounds, 37.4 of which were post-surgery. Looking in the mirror, I don't think I look very different, but others have told me that I do. I have noticed the difference in clothes; I'm down 1-2 sizes in pants and 2-3 in tops. Fortunately I have about five different sizes of clothes in my closet, so I should be good for another few months before I have to shop much.
Mostly though, in the last week I've been noticing a significant improvement in my mobility. My bad knee is much improved, to the point that I have gone from needing a cane every day to only needing it if I'm going to be out and walking for several hours. I can stand and walk for extended periods of time, where at my highest weight I could barely walk or stand for 5-10 minutes before my back and my knee were in so much pain I had to sit. I couldn't even cook dinner without taking breaks, I would be in so much pain. Now, that back pain is gone, and I stand and walk without even thinking about it.
I'm hoping that I'll continue to lose weight and improve my health in various ways, but I'm so glad that my most severe problems are already so much better. It's very encouraging and gives me hope for the future!

I for one have found therapy an invaluable part of this whole experience. Every person is different, has different issues related to their size and health, and different things that will be emotionally difficult. People talk a lot about things like stress-eating, but that isn't everyone's issue.
For instance, I have been big my whole life and that is a fundamental part of my self-image. I spent many difficult years coming to peace with the body I had and working on repairing the damage that years of cruelty about my size had done to my psyche. I had reached a place where my weight was high but stable, I was getting in a good amount of activity and was in good shape, my health was good, and I was satisfied.
Then, I had an injury that made it difficult to get exercise, and I started gaining weight again, and it was like I passed a tipping point - I started having more and more health problems that made it harder and harder to do anything and then got bigger and bigger, which made the health problems worse, etc., etc. - you probably know the vicious cycle. I finally decided that I could either have the surgery and hopefully get my health back on track, or I could continue sliding into more and more disability and poor health.
I chose the surgery, but it wasn't an easy choice. I felt like I was betraying all the work I had done to accept myself, that I was literally choosing to maim my body in order to make myself into a different person. That I was making a desperate sacrifice. That I was giving in to all the people who had been cruel to me in the past, that I was validating everyone who had told me that I wasn't good enough the way I was.
My therapist is a key part in helping me to work through these issues and come to terms with my feelings.
Everyone is different. Just because you don't have binge eating disorder (I don't) or a food addiction (I don't) or a serious stress eating problem (not really) doesn't mean you may not benefit from therapy of some kind, whether it's individual or group.
Just something to think about.

They moved me from IV drugs to oral oxycodone the day after surgery, and it wasn't enough. The nurses called my surgeon and he ordered me a change to Percocet. That did the trick and enabled me to keep up my walking! I moved to the oral oxycodone when I went home the next day and was fine. The moral to this story is, if it isn't working, ask for a change - it can make a world of difference.

Lacey, if you do go to the egg face blog, I tried her ricotta bake recipe and it was DELISH. I divided the recipe into four little ramekins and each ramekin ended up being about 250 calories and 18 grams of Protein (yours will vary depending on your ingredients of course.) I am on purees currently but I will say that I have a very tolerant sleeve. More picky sleeves might have some trouble with the melty cheese in this recipe. A half-cup ramekin made a full and satisfying meal for me, and I thought it was so yummy I would totally have even eaten it before surgery!
I've also been eating a lot of cheesy scrambled eggs (apparently a puree on my plan, go figure) and I can eat almost one egg (like 3/4 of the egg.) It helps if they are made nice and soft. There is a way to make scrambled eggs that comes out really soft and creamy and easy on the sleeve: http://beekman1802.com/recipes/joshs-lazy-scrambled-eggs/
If any thick stuff at all hurts your tummy, you can try the Isopure clear Protein drinks. They are not great tasting but they are thin. Also you could dilute with Water, Crystal Lite, etc., to try to cut the icky aftertaste.

Lacey, if you do go to the egg face blog, I tried her ricotta bake recipe and it was DELISH. I divided the recipe into four little ramekins and each ramekin ended up being about 250 calories and 18 grams of Protein (yours will vary depending on your ingredients of course.) I am on purees currently but I will say that I have a very tolerant sleeve. More picky sleeves might have some trouble with the melty cheese in this recipe. A half-cup ramekin made a full and satisfying meal for me, and I thought it was so yummy I would totally have even eaten it before surgery!
I've also been eating a lot of cheesy scrambled eggs (apparently a puree on my plan, go figure) and I can eat almost one egg (like 3/4 of the egg.) It helps if they are made nice and soft. There is a way to make scrambled eggs that comes out really soft and creamy and easy on the sleeve: http://beekman1802.com/recipes/joshs-lazy-scrambled-eggs/
If any thick stuff at all hurts your tummy, you can try the Isopure clear Protein drinks. They are not great tasting but they are thin. Also you could dilute with Water, Crystal Lite, etc., to try to cut the icky aftertaste.

@@AgentShepard
Awesome Boss! Great job on your weight loss. Take the time to fully recover and you get energy. We can do this.