WL WARRIOR

I was diagnosed with NES (Night Eating Syndrome) when I was an adolescent. This syndrome has a genetic component and has been an issue in my family for the past three generations. Mostly only the males in my family are conflicted with the cycle of night eating. The cabinets in my kitchen were always locked because me, my brothers, and my Dad would get up (knowingly and unknowingly) 1-3 times a night to get something to eat. I was determined to break the night eating cycle during my post op phase and did so for the first 6 months. After that, it all started again full force. I wake up three times a night at the same times every night (12:30, 3:00, 4:30). I absolutely cannot get back to sleep unless I eat something. It has always been that way. My food choices are still smart and I have not gained any weight since this problem reappeared. My consumption at night is usually cucumbers with vinegar or pickles. For those of you that think night eating should be easily controlled, think again. Sleep medications and antidepressants have not helped at all. Night Eating Syndrome is characterized by these 5 primary signs: 1. Not hungry in the morning 2. Overeating in the evening 3. Difficulty falling asleep 4. Waking at night and eating (usually 2 or more times) 5. Feeling depressed I'm currently working through a step by step guidebook. I've reduced eating three times a night to two times night. I'm hoping to get it decreased to at least once a night. When I share this problem with others, I usually get a lecture about weight gain. I'm still including the calories from my night eating into my overall daily count. So, its not a huge problem yet because I've lost 140 pounds while struggling with this syndrome. I would love to be able to sleep through the night or get up only once. Part of me thinks that this is just a habit that I have to break like everything else. I would love to hear from others that struggle with night eating syndrome. If anyone has found a way to break the cycle or know some effective strategies, then that would be appreciated.

I've been slowly transitioning to a more plant based diet the past few months. I am almost a year out from surgery and have sustained goal weight since June. There are a variety of reasons that have persuaded me to drastically reduce my meat consumption. I've read many articles lately about the hormones in meat negatively effecting the human body. The hormone residues in food can increase the risk of breast cancer and other reproductive system cancers among women and may promote development of prostate cancer in men. It's estimated that two-thirds of the cattle raised in the U.S. are given hormones (usually testosterone or estrogens) to boost growth. This concerns me since I've eaten more meat in the past year than I have in the three years prior combined. Many experts say that you should only eat meat if you know where it came from and how the animals were raised. Can you imagine sitting in a nice restaurant and asking the waiter if he can tell you about the farm the chicken was raised on and how it was treated? Does anyone else worry about this? I'm not going 100% vegetarian, but I've drastically reduced my meat consumption. I'm actually eating venison for dinner tonight since I know its a safe choice. Do Hormones in the Food Supply Affect the Human Body? http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/hormones-food-supply-affect-human-body-2194.html Hormones In Food: Should You Worry? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/31/hormones-in-food-should-y_n_815385.html

I've been maintaining at goal weight for the past four months at 1800-2000 calories a day. However, I've pretty much stopped keeping track this past month. As long as I get in my Protein and stick with healthy food choices, I pretty much stay at the same weight. I dread the day when my metabolism starts slowing down. My main form of exercise is one hour of walking a day. I've tried to do more intense forms of exercise, but never stick to it long term.

http://news.yahoo.com/one-thing-no-one-tells-124907596.html When you lose over 100 pounds, there is a good chance you will see it in your face. I am 38 years old and have lost over 150 pounds. I do look older now and am trying to do what I can with retinoids and facial (chemical peels). Since I did lose my weight rather quickly, I am hoping that my deflated cheeks look a little better with time. I am mostly bothered with my parentheses lines, which were never there before. Plus, I tend to look a little more tired. Will this happen to everyone that loses a large amount of weight? No, probably not. It depends on age, how much weight lost, genetics, and how quickly you lost your weight. Anyone else notice this? Lucky you if you still look like you did when you were a teenager. I'm wanting to hear from those that have also experienced an aging face and what they are doing about it. This is only a minor setback. I would still have the surgery if I knew this was going to happen afterwards. At least my body feels 15 years younger.

Aren't the makers of Formula 1 in St. Louis, Missouri?. I got a free taste of Formula 1 at Supplement Superstore in Jefferson City. They actually have a Cinnamon Toast Crunch Flavor. Which is both good and bad because Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal is one of those foods I overate in my morbidly obese days. Also, it is terribly expensive. Not sure if the price is really worth it. I may change my mind.

I'm from the Columbia area and had my surgery done through the University of Missouri Bariatric clinic. Anyone else near my area or go through the same clinic? It appears that they rarely do sleeves anymore. I've only heard of one other person.

It's been a whole year since I've had a period. Since I'm 38, I thought that is was menopause. My bariatricin told me a few weeks ago that it was not menopause. Basically, he thinks I don't have enough fat in my body to have a monthly cycle. This seems absurd since I was 200 pounds when it started to cease January 2015. I eat more than enough throughout the day, so it doesn't have anything to with starvation mode or over exercising. Anyhow, my bariatrican told me not to worry about it since it will return once my weight stabilizes for a long length of time. Well, I've been the same weight since late September, so I'm not sure if he is right. I guess I'll find out sometime in the future.

Have you considered the DS? The gastric sleeve was originally designed to be just the first half of the complete surgery. Since so many people did well with just the first half (sleeved stomach) there was no need to do the second half. I don't know much about the DS, but it might be something worth looking into.

A one a day bariatric Vitamin makes your post op vitamin regimen so much easier.

Yesterday I went to my one year follow up about three months late. It had been a year since I last been to my bariatric clinic (follow up appointments are required only at 3 weeks, 3 months, and one year post op) and things have changed there. There is a new bariatrician that looks about 20 years old that is brand new to bariatric surgery. I wasn't all that impressed. What really puzzled the heck out of me was why all the clinics promotional materials only advertise the band and bypass now. It seems like they don't do the sleeve anymore or promote it. I overheard the bariatrician speaking to the nurse like I was the first sleeve patient he had ever seen there. This all makes me a little nervous about the future of the sleeve procedure. I wish I knew the real reason why they don't do it much anymore. I hope it has nothing to do with safety.

Dehydration can cause nausea and headaches. I would try drinking more fluids and see if that helps.

I lost 15O lbs in 7.5 months after my surgery. My period stopped at 4 months post op during the end of January this year. It never returned. My recent blood work shows that my hormones are still quite screwed up even though my weight has stablized these past few months. I am 38 and will now never get pregnant again, which i was hoping could be possible with weight loss.

Don't have it at all? Not having any of that kind of food for the past year has reduced cravings. My sleeve is larger than the typical sleeve and there is no way I could be satisfied with a few tablespoons of mac and cheese. So I just choose to have none at all. It's probably a good time to ignite a love for vegetables. Try different seasonings or preparation in the hopes of changing your cravings into a healthy variety of food. It's best to keep noodles and carb rich food out of your kitchen so that you don't indulge when you have a craving.

I am a little over a year out and have recently learned something important about this process: the sleeve has helped my to lose 150 pounds in less than a year, but after that, its mostly up to me................ My hunger returned around the year mark and sometimes I'm surprised at my capacity. In order to maintain, I have to stick to three meals a day with two small Snacks. Eating every three hours or grazing does not work so well when your capacity has increased. Of course, I can't eat as much as I use to. I can't sit down and eat five rice crispy treats like before. Like others have mentioned, stay away from processed food. I actually try to stay away from almost all foods at the bottom of the food triangle. You can still follow the bariatric diet without undergoing surgery because it is very similar to the Atkins program. I don't know anyone who has lost over 100 pounds and kept it off for more than a year without surgery. This surgery has reset my metabolism and now I can maintain my goal weight by eating 1800-2000 daily calories. This changing of your "set point" is probably the best aspect of VSG.

Yes, it does cause hormonal issues. The severity of hormone fluctuations vary from person to person. My period stopped altogether back in January (3 months post op) and put me in menopause at age 38. I have difficulty differentiating between symptoms of a depression/mood disorder and symptoms of hormone fluctuations. It all feels the same to me.

I've talked to a few post op bariatric patients that have gained some or all their weight back. All of them confessed that despite having great restriction, their weight started to pile back on when they added in unhealthy Snacks and soda back in their diet. I don't think unhealthy snacks (Cookies, chips, soda) have any place in your diet during the weight loss phase. Its been shown that many processed snack foods contain chemicals that make them addictive. If you go completely without, then you don't have to deal with daily cravings. Once you hit maintenance, it all depends on what works for you. Personally, I'm striving to hit a 95-98 daily percentage of healthy eating (Protein first, low carbs, low sugar). The other 2-5% may be a few pieces of hard candy (tootsie roll pops) or some marshmallows because my blood sugar feels low. This seems to be working right now since I've stayed below goal the paste few months. If I find myself craving sugary snacks more often, then I will change it up.

I just got a $60 refund check in the mail from the makers of Lipozene. I purchased two bottles online about three years ago. If you have purchased Lipozene in the past, you may be entitled to a refund as well. www.complaintsboard.com/lipozene-b116415 Lipozene complaints and reviews. Contact information. Phone number: (800) 998-6763. Submit your complaint or review on Lipozene. On similar note, I watched an interesting video about Dr. Oz's magic bean supplements. Although I love Dr. Oz, his claims on many diet supplements are misleading. In this video, comedian John Oliver reacts to the Dr. Oz's statements at the senate hearings. https://youtu.be/WA0wKeokWUU

How to prevent your stomach from stretching after surgery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=753&v=3_aahPETzH0

I'm actually a year out and it actually stops happening about 4-5 months out after your stomach relaxes a little. Anyway, it happened to me with sugar free fudge pops and butterscotch pudding. The butterscotch pudding sliming/frothing lasted around 5 hours and was awful. I would continually belch up a pudding and thick saliva mixture every 10 minutes.

I've been at 128 pounds for the past two months. There are days here and there that are quite challenging. I decided to purchase Garcinia Cambogia, in hopes that it would make maintenance a little easier. There are many brands that carry this diet supplement and you have to take quite a high about 1,000 mg a day for full effect. After looking at different brands and variations, I decided to buy Metabolife ULTRA Advanced Weight Loss Formula from Wal-Mart. With an online coupon, I was able to get a months worth for $13. After two weeks, without any change in diet or exercise, I've lost 2.5 pounds. I found this mildly impressive seeing how I eat 1800 calories a day and my recent blood work showed that my hypothyroidism has gotten worse. Although, my purpose in taking this supplement was to help maintain my weight, losing a few pounds will help give me more wiggle room. Additionally, I don't have to feel so terribly guilty when I have a little sugar. Here's some more info. on the Metabolife ULTRA Advanced Weight Loss Formula: http://www.drugstore.com/metabolife-ultra-advanced-weight-loss-formula/qxp514805?tab=1#TblTabStrip You can find the coupon here:http://www.metabolife.com/product/metabolife-ultra%C2%AE-1 (click promotions)

I just got my blood work back this week and it showed the same thing. The doctor doesn't think its my meds because my meds haven't changed since my last blood test (which didn't show elevated enzymes). She thinks it is due to the stress from weight loss/surgery, although my surgery was a year ago. I did lose my weight quite quickly (140 pounds in 7 months). It also could be due to the fact that I was recovering from strep throat and an ear infection. I started taking Garcinia Cambogia (sp?) last month to help me out in maintenance, so maybe that is what caused it. Who knows? It also showed that my thyroid is even lower than it was 6 months ago. So, my hypothyroidism has worsened despite losing 150 pounds. All my Vitamins and minerals were in the normal range, thank goodness. I've taken the Pro Care One-a-Day bariatric Vitamin daily for the past year. Alex posted some info. regarding this particular vitamin because it was tested to show that the label information was incorrect. Well, according to my recent blood work, it must be working for me.

The first year after surgery is all about making lifestyle changes. After a year, frequent exercise and following the bariatric diet and guidelines should feel like second nature. I have gotten in the routine of only eating Protein, fruit, and vegetables. It is instinctual now to NOT reach for junk food when I'm hungry, bored, stressed, anxious, or depressed. If I got into the habit of adding ice cream to my food to add flavor, it could be the beginning of a bad habit or lead to other bad choices. Since you are so early out, you may still lose adequate weight with milkshakes. Heck, there are plenty of people who still lose quite a bit of weight during the first year without changing their diet. They can eat Cookies and junk food and still lose weight because their restriction is so great. However, once their capacity increases after the honeymoon period, they start experiencing stalls because they never learned to change their eating habits. They are confused why they stopped losing. Well, what did you think was going to happen? I've been on this site for over a year and observed quite a few people that received little or no education about the post op bariatric diet and lifestyle. They decide to follow the behaviors they read about here. Most of the time that is a good thing, but on a post such as this one? Not so much. Good Luck on your weight loss journey! I know that you were only trying to help others out.

I found the author's home experiment with food to be quite interesting. I've been in maintenance for a few months and agree with him on many points. I've been eating a more plant based diet and have noticed that I don't have to track calories and watch portion sizes like I use to. My Protein is still 3-4 ounces at every meal, but I generally eat my veggies and fruit until I feel full. Like I always say, nobody gained weight from eating too much spinach. There is even a study that showed that eating green vegetables in large amounts all day can actually make you lose weight. Even though I haven't 't tracked or reduced portion sizes, I still have remained at goal weight the past few months on a plant based (real foods) diet. Anyway, I would like to hear comments about the article. Shocking (In Pictures): Why We’re Fat – The Home Experiment by Alexander Heyne http://modernhealthmonk.com/why-youre-fat-experiment/ Dr. Weiner's YouTube video on benefits of a plant based diet after bariatric surgery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hf7KMEMA-Q If you like to read up on weight loss success stories or approaches, here are two more articles: 15 Habits of People Who Have Effectively Lost Over 20 – 30lbs and Kept it Off http://www.organizeyourselfskinny.com/2014/03/25/15-habits-of-people-who-have-effectively-lost-over-20-30lbs-and-kept-it-off/ Myth: Eat Fewer Calories If You Want to Lose Weight http://modernhealthmonk.com/low-calorie-myth/

Ever since switching to more of a plant based diet, I've noticed some positive changes. For one, its been easier to stay hydrated. I eat quite a few vegetables daily that have the highest Water content of any food. Below is an interesting article that lists such foods. Cucumbers just happen to be number 1 since they are about 98% water. I actually find that I crave cucumbers and apple cider vinegar during the day. Apple cider vinegar is wonderful for vitality and overall health. I've already written a long post about it a few months back, but I do recommend it for decreasing hunger and increasing energy. Ever since hitting goal, I've grown respect for fresh fruits and vegetables. The surgery has perhaps made them more appealing? Anyone else notice this? http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/list-fruits-vegetable-high-water-content-8958.html

The two free online cookbooks below have a variety of recipes for your food stage. The books are organized into food stages liquid, full liquid, pureed, soft foods, normal, etc. Each cookbook can be printed out (no copyright) and is a few hundred pages. I went to Kinko's to print it out, punch hole all the pages, and place in a binder for easy viewing. It's a great resource to have when you want something a little different to eat or feel creative in the kitchen. http://www.chicoweig...ookJuly2014.pdf http://www.mybaribud...46/cookbook.pdf