Reputation from Time4Me2015

Time4Me2015 reacted to LilMissDiva Irene in Feeling like I am taking the easy way out :-/ April 29, 2015

@@Butterfly512 Once you have the surgery you won't be feeling like its the easy way out anymore. I guarantee that.

Time4Me2015 reacted to Rogofulm in Feeling like I am taking the easy way out :-/ April 29, 2015

A lot of people post that 'others' have told them they're taking the easy way out, and that always touches a raw nerve in this Forum! Since you're the one that's feeling that way, you probably won't get scorched by the responses. But so you'll be as well-informed as possible about this decision you're about to make, I'm going to let you in on what this deal is REALLY about.
A message from someone who had gastric sleeve surgery, lost about 120 pounds, and is now living below goal weight.....

Is this the easy way out? Well, yes and no.

Yes, because the smaller stomach helps me control my appetite and the amount of food I can take in. Initially (but not forever), calories are greatly restricted because of the lesser volume consumed, but good choices still have to be made every single time I put something in my mouth.

And...

No, it's not easy, because since making this decision I have:
Taken nutritional counseling classes Attended monthly bariatric support group meetings Been evaluated by a psychologist Been evaluated by a cardiologist Been evaluated by a pulmonologist Had an upper GI evaluation Had a complete physical by my primary care physician Gone through a two-week pre-operative liquid diet Gone through and recovered from a major surgical procedure that removed 80% of my stomach Gone through a two-week post operative liquid diet Gone through a two-week soft food diet Eaten zero starches (bread, Pasta, rice, potatoes, pizza, etc.) Eaten zero sugary Desserts (cake, pie, pudding, ice cream, candy, etc.) Eaten very few fruits Had zero fruit juices Had zero sodas Had zero alcoholic beverages Eaten 80–100 grams of Protein every single day Not had anything to drink for 30-45 minutes before eating Not had anything to drink with meals Not had anything to drink for 30-45 minutes after eating But still managed to drink 64–120 ounces of fluids every single day Always eaten Protein first Always eaten non-starchy vegetables second (and there's never room for anything else) Exercised 5-6 times a week Logged everything I ate or drank for several months, and again whenever my weight loss slowed And through it all, I've watched my friends and family eat and drink whatever they want at restaurants, birthdays, dinner parties, sporting events, New Year's, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and so on.... Now, does that sound "the easy way"? Not by a long shot! (Just compare the 'yes' and 'no' sections above.) But it is a tool that makes the likelihood of long-term success much better than it would be without it. And, of course, now I'm starting maintenance, where I have to learn how to eat, exercise, and live in such a way as to not regain the weight I've lost – for the rest of my life! The easy way? Yeah, right!

Time4Me2015 got a reaction from glitter eyes in Spin Class April 29, 2015

I LOVE spinning!! I have purchased a gel seat at Walmart ($10). You will be sore the first couple classes. Don't be afraid to stand up during the class even if the instructor is not telling you to. Spinning is great because you get to determine how hard you work! Just make sure you adjust your calories for the day of the class.

Time4Me2015 reacted to LisaDomalewski in Feeling like I am taking the easy way out :-/ April 29, 2015

I am almost 3 weeks post op, and it is soooooooooooo not easy!!!!!!!

Time4Me2015 got a reaction from carolinacrumb88 in Meat 7 days out? April 2, 2015

I am 10 days out and have been CRAVING real food. I do realize that it is "head hunger", I don't feel hungry. The broth is just not satisfying me. I was able to add in cream of potato Soup and I ate a bit of very thin refried Beans today. I do find that I am full very, very quickly. I will say that I am looking forward to eating "real" food.

Time4Me2015 got a reaction from carolinacrumb88 in Meat 7 days out? April 2, 2015

I am 10 days out and have been CRAVING real food. I do realize that it is "head hunger", I don't feel hungry. The broth is just not satisfying me. I was able to add in cream of potato Soup and I ate a bit of very thin refried Beans today. I do find that I am full very, very quickly. I will say that I am looking forward to eating "real" food.

Time4Me2015 reacted to livingstone in Meat 7 days out? April 2, 2015

The way I see it, there are cheats that are bad for you in the sense that they can make you feel uncomfortable or nauseous.
Then there are cheats that are bad for you because they will slow your weight loss.
Then there are cheats that are bad for you because they could actually damage your new tummy while it is recovering.
To my mind, the one you need to worry most about is the third one. The first one you will learn yourself by trial and error - you will learn how to eat in a way that doesn't make you feel ill or uncomfortable. And it is different for everyone as to what makes them ill or uncomfortable.
The second one is a personal choice. Some people get WLS to change their lives 100%, and I fully respect that. These are people who make the decision that they don't want burgers or fried chicken or sweets in their life and they commit to that, and they usually do very well. But not everyone has WLS for that 100% change.
As an example, while I would love to get down to 150 lbs - if I end up at 200 lbs, I'm ok with that. I had WLS not because I want to be a perfect weight, but because I need, for my health, to be significantly lighter than I am. I want to eat less, and I want to eat better - I need to have a better relationship with unhealthy food. For me, that's not a total denial, but adopting the same moderate approach that everyone else can manage without surgery.
So if you want to cheat and the consequence is that it will slow your weight loss, that is a personal decision. You are an adult, and like most people who are overweight, you are probably acutely aware of what is healthy and unhealthy - you are able to make that decision for yourself.
It is the third cheat you need to be careful with - because becoming seriously ill due to a leak is not a choice you want to be making.
One of the issues I sometimes have on this site is that the three cheats get conflated - you ask a question about something wondering if it is dangerous to eat X or Y, and you'll get lots of advice about why eating X or Y will slow your weight loss. But you probably already know that.
I think we should all be clearer whether we think something should be avoided because it's dangerous, or because it's just a bad food decision.

Time4Me2015 got a reaction from CanyonBaby in Did anyone have MORE energy newly sleeved? April 2, 2015

I am 9 days post op and feel great! I have had NO problems getting my Protein and liquids in. I returned to work full time one week after my surgery. I am sleeping well and very alert during the day. I am enjoying the "sleeved" life! I am having a hard time still taking it easy so I heal completely. Since surgery I am down 12 pounds, and on the pre-op diet I lost 10. I have been so thankful I have chosen this road so far!

Time4Me2015 got a reaction from CanyonBaby in Did anyone have MORE energy newly sleeved? April 2, 2015

I am 9 days post op and feel great! I have had NO problems getting my Protein and liquids in. I returned to work full time one week after my surgery. I am sleeping well and very alert during the day. I am enjoying the "sleeved" life! I am having a hard time still taking it easy so I heal completely. Since surgery I am down 12 pounds, and on the pre-op diet I lost 10. I have been so thankful I have chosen this road so far!