LisaPunkinHead

When I was on pureed foods, I used a demitasse spoon (like a baby spoon but a shorter handle) to make sure I didn't get big bites. Now I use small Rubbermaid containers, like others have said. I also use the Laptop lunch bento containers for smaller portions. I am still continually surprised at how little food it takes for me to feel full, and my biggest challenge is slowing down -- I still eat too fast!!!

Havent tried the Quest but I have tried the Shirataki noodles in the past... not a fan. Spaghetti squash is good topped with sauce, so is zuchinni noodles.

1. "I DO look skinny today! And HEY! I don't just LOOK it, I am SKINNY TODAY!!!"
2. "Hubs DOES love my new body, does YOURS? Might be time for a change!"
3. " I DO feel better being slimmer. Do you?" (and give that famous up-and-down all-knowing look while you're at it!)
4. "Why, yes! I will get a pedicure. Want to join me, I see you're due, as well!"
5. "Oh, please, give her my number. Maybe this time it will work for her!"

Almost 3 weeks out and getting a runny nose and will sneeze most of the time when I'm full. Thought I was losing it until I confirmed with my NUT yesterday that said he has heard quite abit about this. Thank goodness the pain is almost gone...sneezing HURTS for the first couple weeks!

I read the runny nose is a result of the vagus nerve being moved when taking the stomach out. Since my surgery I have had a runny nose. But if I start burping I have to stop eating, or I will wind up with the hiccups -- also have that when I eat too fast.

Doing pretty well these days, with my days of the complications behind me. Thought I'd share some before after shots. Thanks all for your support.
Al

Mine started the day of surgery and 14 months later, it is still running...only the right nostril

Oh my God! I'm sitting hear with my nose dripping as I began to read this and I was thinking wth!!! Since I had surgery my nose is constantly dripping clear junk! Tooo weird.

Whether it stretches (dilates) or not at end of day what matters is what goes into our mouths.

@@AELee
congrats on testing the waters
jumping in with your first post
unless your doc told you differently
2 months PO you might not have to drink Protein shakes any more
ask doc/NUT
before WLS you were probably eating many, many, many, many calories
now you are taking in so few calories, the weight WILL come off, it has to, really
your exercising sounds great
doing it so often too, good for you
for 49 years you didn't have/want breakfast
KNOCK IT OFF!!! - DEAL WITH IT
you need to have breakfast
gets your metabolism going
protein bars can be used for quick/easy breakfast (lunch, dinner or snack)
Quest Bars are terrific
20 gram of protein
there are "recipe" sites on the computer/boards
According to Egg Face is a great one
many suggestions/thoughts/recipes are given
tells how much Protein, carbs etc that the item has
that is great that you love Water so much
sorry you are unable to drink/gulp like you did pre-op
that time will/should happen eventually
for now, drink your Water slowly
put glass down, and drink again, glass down drink again and again and again....
you get the idea
continue alllll day
slow and steady wins the race
do you have any problems eating chicken, fish, meat???
these foods are chocked full of protein
track your food on MFP (my fitness plan)
or any other site
keeping track of what you eat, drink, how much you exercise is wonderful
this is helpful
you might be doing better than you think
not being able/want to have stuff with sugar in it, is a good thing
i was told a meal shouldn't last more than 1/2 an hour
even though you didn't eat much within 30-60 minutes
i would stop eating
eating, spreading food over too long of a period is "kind" of like grazing
definitely check/talk to your doc about this situation and he'll advise/help you
don't remember for sure, but at 2 months i "think" i was eating 600-800 calories a day
hold your NUT hostage for partial/guestimate answers to your questions
as long as you continue to follow all the rules you will loose the weight
sounds like you are are on the right track
loosing 10+ lbs a month is average/good
54 lbs in 2 months is great
some of that loss might be pre-op, but you are still doing terrific
don't worry too much
it causes wrinkles
keep up the good job
kathy
@@Fatdiva14 oooops - sorry i hijacked your question
what was the question again??

(Disclaimer: I’m not a sleeve patient). I understand your fear, but like the others have said, you just have to stick to your diet. If you eat right, you’ll lose weight. Maybe the sleeve will feel like it stretches as it calms down after surgery, and maybe it’ll stretch a little over time, but you can lose weight if you stick to the diet.
There may be some times when you’re hungry and it’s not time to eat yet. You just have to wait a little (or eat a little bit of your next meal now and save the rest for later). That’s normal, even if your sleeve hasn’t stretched.
You can definitely “outeat” your sleeve if you try. Maybe it’s because you stretch it, or maybe it’s because you eat around it. If you eat too often, choose high-calorie foods, drink drinks with calories, drink when you eat…break the rules of your diet, you’ll out-eat your sleeve. Maybe it’s because you’ve eaten around it, or maybe it’s because you’ve stretched it. Whatever it is, it’s because of going off the diet.
As for eating slowly…it takes practice. Think of it as a challenge, and as an opportunity. Taste your food. Feel free to play games with it. Good luck!

Today the UPS guy left a package at my door. As I went out to get it, I yelled a thank you to him as he walked down my driveway. He stopped and asked "Are you the lady that has lived here for years now?' Yes I am. To which he totally freaked out "WOW you look so different I didn't even recognize you I had to ask I thought I left the package at the wrong house. Whatever you did congrats"
After thanking him, I walked back in the house laughing. I'm now used to people I know commenting on my appearance, but I never expected it from the UPS guy, a relative stranger. What a surprising NSV.

Latest NSV
an acquaintance/ friend of mine saw me yesterday for the first time since WLS (goal)
he gave me a big hug/embrace
i could feel his arms around my little waist
he could too and made a nice comment
pretty cool
kathy

8 months ago, the biggest belt I own didn't quite fit. This week, it doesn't quite fit.

When I fall off the wagon I like to go back and read the science of why this way of living is healthier. It helps put me back on track.

40 pounds and 8 weeks has already truly changed my life! I feel like it is a miracle that I never REALLY thought would happen!!
I have a way to go still but I am already living the life I could only dream of for so many years!! sniffle sniffle


This was taken yesterday while we walked 5 miles in Atlantic City!!

If WLS surgery is taking the "easy" way out then I would not be 18 months post op and still obese. While I have lost 100lbs, I am only a little over half way to goal. It is not easy. It takes work. The surgery is a tool that helps you, but it doesn't do everything for you. I am in no way trying to discourage you because I wouldn't change my decision to have the surgery. I am 100lbs lighter than I was, which I would have not lost on my own. If I could have dieted and exercised that off then I wouldn't be fat now. It is a fact I have a problem. I have control issues and a major carb addiction. To this day I struggle with my choices. My surgery helped me get past the initial roadblocks to get a lot of the excess off. Now I need to figure out how to get my head back into the game to get the rest off. Weight loss is probably 85% mental and 15% physical. ( Ok, just my opinion) Please do not follow the mass delusion that WLS is taking an easy way out because that is simply not true. Be proud that you have the courage to face your reality as to why you are heavy and that you are making an informed and proactive decision to change it!

I used to feel like that. I kicked the idea around for years but always said "Well, it would be great to lose it without surgery!" but I always knew in my heart I'd need it.
Now I can walk into any store and buy whatever I want. I'm a size 6/8 (originally a 32/34!) and how I got here doesn't matter a lick to me now because I feel fantastic!!
As others have said, this is a medical condition, and you are being treated by a medical team. If this was something that people could do on their own without medical intervention, no insurance on earth would pay for it!
If you find these thoughts pervasive, I'd recommend seeing a therapist, even if just for a short while, to sort out your emotions. Actually, I recommend long-term therapy for all bariatric patients. We didn't get to our heaviest because we have a good, easy relationship with food!

I see that some are taking Calcium carbonate (like in the Caltrate chews). My NUT insists that for bariatric patients, calcium citrate is a must as calcium carbonate won't be absorbed by our little tummies. I take the Bariatric Advantage 500 mg Chewy Bites. I alternate between chocolate and caramel -- just keep them all in a big bag and grab one. Next order I will try other flavors.

I have read several articles that talk about starvation mode is a myth -- it was based on a study of guys in Minnesota or Montana or some place really cold. BUT -- I agree, work on that protein! And don't let the head hunger get you down - we all have been through it!

My face and my FEET! I lost a shoe size before I lost a jean size!! Now it's coming off the upper torso area. I have lost a band size but fortunately not a cup size
It's fun to take my measurements every couple of weeks!

@@aubrey222 -- I agree, a lot of the first week or two feels like rehab. I'm a recovering alcoholic (sober 14-1/2 years) and as I was going through the pre-op classes I could see that a lot of what they were teaching felt very similar to the first months of sobriety, and I use a lot of those same tools I learned when first sober now that I am newly sleeved (just under 2 months out). In AA we ask what has to change -- EVERYTHING and nothing. The point is we still have to live our lives. We have to get up, go to work, shower, take care of the family, all that. But now we have to take care of ourselves. This is MY responsibility, just like staying sober was (is). Just like it would be dumb to drink to punish a perceived slight from someone (what we called "drink at them"), it would be dumb to "eat at them" too -- I'm only hurting me.
I don't really know where this came from this morning, lolol -- I just took the thread topic and turned it all inside out.

The best exercise is the one you will do!! I like Zumba (I use the Wii version) and I also still love the old Tae Bo DVDs. Leslie Sansone has the Walk Away the Pounds series that's fun. I love being outside on nice days too, so walking, biking, and I love running and am slowly building myself back up to be in shape to do that without destroying my knees!! Do you have an indoor pool near you? Water aerobics is a lot of fun!!

@@aubrey222 -- I agree, a lot of the first week or two feels like rehab. I'm a recovering alcoholic (sober 14-1/2 years) and as I was going through the pre-op classes I could see that a lot of what they were teaching felt very similar to the first months of sobriety, and I use a lot of those same tools I learned when first sober now that I am newly sleeved (just under 2 months out). In AA we ask what has to change -- EVERYTHING and nothing. The point is we still have to live our lives. We have to get up, go to work, shower, take care of the family, all that. But now we have to take care of ourselves. This is MY responsibility, just like staying sober was (is). Just like it would be dumb to drink to punish a perceived slight from someone (what we called "drink at them"), it would be dumb to "eat at them" too -- I'm only hurting me.
I don't really know where this came from this morning, lolol -- I just took the thread topic and turned it all inside out.

The best exercise is the one you will do!! I like Zumba (I use the Wii version) and I also still love the old Tae Bo DVDs. Leslie Sansone has the Walk Away the Pounds series that's fun. I love being outside on nice days too, so walking, biking, and I love running and am slowly building myself back up to be in shape to do that without destroying my knees!! Do you have an indoor pool near you? Water aerobics is a lot of fun!!