ncturtle

I wasn't over 350, and I'm a few pounds away from a normal BMI, so I don't quite fit your criteria, but I think I can offer something to the conversation.
My highest recorded weight was 325, and I'm short, so I do know what it's like to be super morbidly obese. I was 306 when I started the process (had lost about 75 pounds on WW 5 years before and only gained back 50 - I can't explain that!). I also felt a little discouraged that even when I had lost 100 pounds, I still had more to go. I saw people being sleeved who weighed less than me when I had lost that much! I'm not sure why, but at the time, it made me still feel like the fattest girl in the room.
I have learned that it IS possible to succeed, even if we do start at a much higher weight. I think there may be more and different challenges for us. For most people, the weight comes off easiest in the early months. You have to go out of your way to not lose. The hardship comes in the fact that human beings can't usually lose more than about 120-150 pounds in a year. When you have 200 or more to lose, you quickly realize that your peers are passing you by. It took me 14 months to lose 145 pounds, and I'd still like to lose that last 10ish pounds. But I'm going to need to work really, really hard to do that because my body likes this weight.
Here is another lesson I learned - I am way better off than I was, with every pound lost. I am my ONLY competitor. I see this as a competition I'm in with only myself. So, I continue to win as long as I maintain my loss. That's a hard thing to live when you are trying so hard and it feels like you will never "get there". I'm here to tell you that even though I'm "not there", I have SO ARRIVED!
The moral of my story is that I was super morbidly obese for 30 years, and overweight or obese the rest of it, except for 5 minutes in the 80s. I lost a total of more than half my body weight (from highest weight) and 145 of it with the sleeve in 14 months. I've kept it of about a year and a half, and that is a fight every day. I wear a size medium top and an 8 pants. I look way younger, and feel way better than I have in years. I have my life back and it holds so much promise. So while I still wish I could lose a little more, when I look at where I started, I am better off. I had to stop comparing myself to others and start comparing me to myself to gain a true understanding of my accomplishment.
The short version of all that is that you can succeed, one pound at a time, just like anyone!

I'm just a lurker here but wanted to share as I know the frustration of not seeing a lot of people on here that started out at higher BMIs. First off, I'm not at goal, only about 1/2 way there. I started out at way more than most of you, my highest recorded weight was 463, and honestly I'm sure it was higher than that at some point. As of today I'm at 330. Altogether I've lost 133 lbs in 6 months. I've went from a (tight) size 38 in jeans to a 26. I really, really hope to be at goal by next July which will mean 273 lbs lost (seems impossible!).
The changes to my life have been staggering. I'm 35 and at my lowest weight in at least 10 years. I still have a lot of doubts about making it to goal but I just keep to the plan. At 6 months out I get in around 1200 calories and have no trouble sticking to that. A lot of people talk about the "head hunger," I never really had that. It was almost like after stuffing myself silly for YEARS I am ready to not really care about food. I still enjoy things that taste good but when people bring cake or doughnuts to work I don't have any problem passing them up. I follow a ketogenic diet (high good fats, moderate Protein, low carb) and it works for me. My body does not process carbs well at all.
I exercise 5-6 days a week, mix of cardio and strength training, and I feel so amazing and healthy. I don't gasp for air after climbing 10 steps, my joint and back pain has disappeared, and my high blood pressure has gone back to normal.
I'm not going to post any pictures - mostly because I don't have any saved to the computer, but I also still sort of hate pics of myself. I do take a new pic each month and when I need motivation I go back through them all and see all the changes and it helps keep me going.
I wish you all the best of luck! It's been a big adjustment but there's not a day that goes by that I regret it.
463 - 1/2/15 Start of pre-op diet
445 - 1/15/15 Day of surgery
330 - 7/5/15 Current weight

I'm 48, forced menopausal due to a full hysterectomy, and it took me a year to lose 85 pounds and get to goal. Since then, I have lost 7 more in 4 months.
Fairly slow, but I got there. I did start at a relatively lower weight (235) than most, and that sometimes can make a difference, too. Weight loss also slows the closer to goal you get.
Of course it was worth it! Just because it took me a little longer, doesn't mean it wasn't worth it. My health is better, I look better and feel better. I wouldn't trade that even if it took me TWO years to get there!
I really wish people would stop obsessing about how long it takes to get there and worry more about learning proper nutrition and excersise to maximize health and weight loss so then they can ultimately KEEP the weight off.

I also got stuck too.. (and not for the first time) and decided to get back to basics which is what everyone always recommends. I made a list of meal ideas for each day.. Example: Breakfast- Protein Shake, smoothie, egg and cottage cheese, egg and turkey bacon, string cheese and almonds.. I did this for each meal and for snack ideas and then posted it on my fridge. Now every single time I want to eat, I look at the list first and choose a healthy idea. This has helped me get unstuck and loose 4 pounds since Thanksgiving. I'm going to keep it up... might work for you too?

Wow! Thank you all for swift responses. It's good to hear that my feelings are valid, and that this is unacceptable.
As far as making him move out...He is the bread winner, I'm disabled and filing for disability, just had a hysterctomy, about to have a sleeve surgery...and I moved in to the house he already owned (and gave up my apartment). So, leaving or having him leave isn't really an option.
It is abusive, I know it, and of course he tells me I deserve it. He is very attractive and I think he is embarrassed of me. I am embarrassed of me too. That is why I need this surgery. I need help. I know it. I have been (for the last nine months), doing something about it (classes, weigh-ins, a myriad of tests), and I'm having surgery in 4 weeks, so the badgering is just totally unnecessary. He tells me I'm conning the system because I gained 7 pounds to have this surgery. I sure did! 7 pounds waa not going to rob me of the opportunity to have this surgery. I have gained and lost all my life, and those 7 lbs would have come on organically, as my weight continued to keep going up.
I know saying I hate you...is really strong language. It's just hard to not have awful feelings toward someone who is beating you up mentally and shaming you about your body. Lord knows, I beat myself up enough. I don't need reinforcement.
Thank you again. It means a lot to know I'm not alone, and I'm so grateful for this website. It is a blessing!

Those are some very hurtful remarks from him. He sounds kinda controlling BUT I realize there are many sides to a story. One thought that struck me is you went I to his office hoping he would reward you for losing those 10#. I lost 125# and the man I loved never said a word. If you are looking to him for that kinda "atta girl" for losing weight you are setting yourself up for disappointment.
My dad belittled us kids and one time I overhead my mother, who was normally a doormat, stand up to him. His reply was that he wanted the me to do better so I could have a better future. His idea was that if you point out people's failings, they can then improve. It all made sense to him....
I share that example because I have to believe you two were in love...pretty recently. Maybe he is embarrassed, scared, insecure - who knows - and says those things without really hearing how mean they are.
I hope you consider marriage counseling and perhaps counseling for yourself.
This weight loss thing is very emotional anyway, and at least having him not be negative would be great.
I also ask you to gently consider the impact of saying words like "I hate you" - that is strong stuff that is hard to take back.

I've always was a slow loser , after my surgery. Well after hitting a stall at the end of November and beginning of December . I decided to only focus on my program and not the number. Well today at the office I weighted in with a 82 lb lost at six months. All I can say it was the best gift could've ever given to myself. Plus I'm under 200 lbs now. I'm so excited !!!????????????????????

I'm a little over 4 months post surgery, so I'm back on regular foods. Breakfast is usually a small omelet with egg beaters and some 2% shredded cheese. lunch is either a chicken breast with a few steamed vegetables or maybe another Protein based entree. dinner varies but can be another serving of lean Protein with some vegetables, small chicken/cheese quesadilla, lean cuisine or maybe some Soup. If I'm in a rush a meal may be as simple as a piece of string cheese and some raw almonds. I've also found that some of the Lunchables make a good quick meal as long as you go with the ones with higher protein content.
i add a Protein Bar or shake every day, and have tried to eliminate most all breads and starches from my diet, focusing on lean protein and vegetables. I will occasionally have part of a sandwich or a tortilla but it is not a daily occurrence.
My target right now is to stay under 1,000 calories per day which is pretty easy to do as long as I stay away from any sort of Snacks or slider foods. I try to keep my protein intake at 80 grams or more per day. This is usually plenty of calories and unless I have some type of head hunger issue I don't find myself hungry.
As far as liquids I have a couple cups of coffee each day. I've eliminated all carbonated drinks and usually drink Water with some occasional iced tea. At home to switch things up I'll have some Crystal Light. The biggest change here is seriously reducing alcohol intake. Before surgery I was a social drinker having beer a couple days a week. I've had alcohol a handful of times post surgery and found that once I got out of the habit I didn't miss it very much. If the setting is right I will have a cocktail or beer once in a great while but it has gone from a regular part of my routine to a special occasion item. If I do have a beer I need to pour it into a glass and let all of the carbonation escape before enjoying it. Generally not worth the hassle.
MyFitnessPal is a great app and website for tracking calorie intake which I have found is the key to managing a successful eating routine. I've looked at various different options and it seems to have the most extensive menu of food choices. Whatever you choose to eat, someone has most always already created an entry for it.
I also travel a lot and have found that eating in restaurants is still a little challenging. I can usually find a menu choice that works out okay, knowing I will only eat part of it. For a while I tried ordering off the appetizer menu because the portions are smaller but appetizer items tend to be high fat selections that are lower in protein, so I decided that it was ultimately better to order a good protein item from the regular menu and just leave some of it behind.
For air travel I always pack a Protein Bar in my carryon bag, and if I'm traveling over a meal period will add a Lunchables or a string cheese and some almonds for the meal in the air.
Good luck in your journey!

How much Water are you drinking? An hour after eating you should be trying to get your fluids in. Are you taking anything for stomach acid?
Once you are healed unless you have a stricture you can eat non stop all day. You have to measure your food, track your Protein and eat till you meet your goals. That is it. In between you should be chugging all the Water you can take.

my days vary too. Just also depends on how hydrated you are. My doc told me that the days you feel like you can't eat anything you are dehydrated and need more Water. it takes me hours to eat one 6 oz steak, I will probably eat 3 oz of it then an hour and a half later be hungry and eat the rest.

I'm 17 months out, and it just depends on what it is.
If it's a light white fish, I can eat about 5-6 oz with a few bites of veggies. If it's beef, which is a little denser, only 4-5 oz with a couple bites of veggies. Same with chicken. I can eat 3/4 cup of Soup, cottage cheese, oatmeal, yogurt and the like.

I am sorry I didn't read the whole thread...so here is another stock reply. I have been maintaining 150#loss for a few years by making choices to help control hunger. Hunger is real, I was morbidly obese most of my life with a drive to eat that never stopped.
Sweet food (Water melon)triggers hunger. Snacking, spreading food out like that, you never get satiated and you wind up eating alot.
The solution is exactly what people have said. Eat Protein, dense Protein FIRST, folowed by green type veggies. Do that 4-5 times a day. If you eat chicken breast and broccoli, are you really hungry an hour later? Water load BIG time between meals. I never get thirsty, but if I don't get enough fluids, I am shockingly hungry...coincidence? Then, there is head hunger, that desire to eat...that is a whole nother subject but also quite real.
I guess I sound like a know it all, but all I really know is I spent decades in the 250-350 weight class and now hang out in the 150s....I was sleeves 4 years ago and I have learned that this "stock BS" actually works although it is not always easy....
Hang in there, keep working at it, make a plan, journal, set yourself up for success..you can do it!

This is me, but not sweets, it is bread. If I eat a piece of toast for Breakfast, I feel hungry all day. If I eat something high Protein, low carb for breakfast , I find it significantly easier to stick to my plan.
Maybe start tracking which days you are feeling the greatest hunger and see if there are any patterns with what you ate that day.
As much as I looooove toast for breakfast, after a handful of repeat outcomes, I have realised I just can't include it in my diet, even in moderation.

See -- this is what leads to long-term WLS success: Recognizing patterns and relationships between what you're eating and what happens afterward and, based on that, building a way to eat for the phase you're in that will work for you.
Way to go, @@BCs 1000 !

I'm only 14 weeks out, but I have had bouts of hunger off and on. One thing I've noticed is that the earlier in the day I eat simple carbs, the hungrier I'll get.
Sweet potato and watermelon would lead me to being hungry all day.
What do you have for Breakfast?

One thing I have learned through this whole process (surgery, pre-op diet, liquid phases, etc.) is that whether I think I am hungry or really HUNGRY, it won't kill me to wait until my next planned snack or meal.
I eat frequently in order to get my 100 grams of Protein so there is ALWAYS a meal or snack on the horizon. Drinking Water or making some tea or refreshing my Mio bottle will usually do the trick.
If all else fails then it won't be the end of the world if I eat a small Protein snack. Even a piece of fresh fruit occasionally is not the end of the world.
The red flag is when your head is telling you to eat, eat, eat, even though you aren't physically hungry. For me that is a signal that something else is going on -- not hunger.
If you don't have a counselor or therapist already, I suggest you consider finding one. A good book written by a therapist who works with WLS patients is called EAT IT UP! I found it really helpful.
I credit all of the years of therapy and working with my food addiction for helping me through this whole process. The help has been invaluable.

@@MarceMonster ...
I'm one of those who didn't worry about low carb during my weight loss phases. Serindipitously, I wound up eating about the same number of grams of carbs and Proteins on an average daily basis.
I also am one of those who, after 4 months, starting increasing the number of calories I ate (on the advice of my bariatric PA) so as not to accustom my body to operating on low cals. I added calories by increasing my Protein and adding low-glycemic, high-Fiber carbs (colored veggies, lower-sugar fruits, whole grains).
I didn't lose as fast as you're losing, but I really didn't care so much about speed. On the other hand, I didn't have any big or long stalls, but lost steadily.
Although my daily intake varied, here are the daily averages I aimed for:
Month 1 - 500 cals, 60 gms Protein
Months 2-4 - 800 cals, 70-75 grams protein
Months 5-6 - 1,000 cals, 85 grams protein
Months 7-8 - 1,200 cals, 100 grams protein (I reached my weight goal (150 lbs) during Month 8)
Thereafter, I added 100 cals/day every few weeks, until I have found a "sweet spot" that works for me -- at 144 pounds and 1700-1750 cals/day (average).
I can't prove it, of course, but my theory is that eating more calories and more carbs while I was losing weight has helped me be able to eat more to maintain my weight at a pretty high calorie budget.
But I've only been at maintenance for 3.5 months. As I've said repeatedly, things may change. And if they do, I'll have to change how I'm eating.
This whole trip is very interesting. I've come to understand and accept that what works best for Person A is not necessarily what works best for Person B.

Fatty McFatster,
Support 100%!
Let’s see…
- No steak and baked potato or pizza for dinner. – Ground turkey burgers and mashed sweet potato? pizza with a portabello mushroom or lengthwise slice of eggplant (for a base) topped with sauce, low-fat mozzarella cheese, and Canadian bacon?
-No buttered popcorn and coke at a movie. – A sugar-free lollipop? Enjoying the movie more? Roasted edamame? Protein chips?
-No cake and ice cream after the gifts. – Why not? Like Miss Mac said, find your own fun recipe or use something like a high-protein, low-sugar option like these cakes. Or make “ice cream” with pureed bananas and flavor it with sugar-free chocolate Syrup. Be creative!
So definitely wallow in your self-pity, because it is a super hard thing to give up those special treats. But at the same time, figure out how you can gain wonderful things from your new lifestyle, including new recipes plus things like enjoying the movie and gifts more than the popcorn and cake.
And happy birthday!

Thank you all so very much. You have each helped brighten my birthday and I really appreciate that.
My wife also made it very special. She picked up a steak and baked potato and I pureed it and had about 2oz of steak and 1/4 of a baked potato. She also went out and bought 1 small cupcake at a local bakery and I was able to eat a couple of bites of it. So, I was able to eat almost everything I wanted, but on a much smaller scale...which was perfect!!!
Thanks again everyone!!!

From someone who is 16 months out, believe me when I say it's not always going to be that way.
My grown sons birthday was yesterday. We went out to eat, where I made a healthy but delicious choice of a honey Chipotle salmon with vegetables and took the rest home for lunch today. Then we went home where he wanted his favorite ice cream cake, and I had a tiny sliver and sent the rest home with him. I knew I was going to, so I ate light most of the day to save up the calories. No harm, no foul.
Always remember that things will be different 6 months, 12 months, 2 years from now. It is possible to live a relatively normal life with the sleeve. Even for birthdays
Happy Birthday!!

First off Happy Birthday!! It is a day to celebrate!!! It's the first Birthday of the New You!!
2ndly - I can empathize with you. I was feeling exactly like you felt when my birthday came around. I was 3 months post op and even though I could eat food I couldn't eat the way that I used to. My husband and I went out to my favorite Italian restaurant and I had 2 bites off of his plate and called it good. I couldn't eat the entire plate full, plus have my favorite desert and 2 or 3 glasses of wine. I was a little sad by it. BUT... after dinner when I got home and put on my Medium pajama pants I didn't feel so bad anymore. (I have always been an XL or a XXL) Also, when I realized that my gut didn't hurt from over stuffing it like it usually does, the feeling bad got a little better.
I was also a best friend to food and will admit that still sometimes when I see others eat it makes me a little sad but it gets much better over time. You are still going through the hormone crazy phase and once that passes you will feel so much better.
Good Luck and do something special for you on your Birthday like buying that item you have been eyeing or if you are like me binge watch some show on Netflix

For celebrations around here, we usually make a sugar-free cheesecake topped with fresh berries. I just scoop the custard filling off of the graham cracker crust.

I never considered the lap band because I have read about all of the complications and I know several friends that have struggled with the band for years. One of my friends lost his life 4 days after surgery, another with the band vomits every time she eats and this has been for years. Several other of my band friends have gained much of their weight back. My sister had the sleeve one year ago, she weighs 130 and she has never looked back and she recommended that I do the research for myself. So after months of reading, doctor visits and talking to people on here, I went with the sleeve. I am 6 weeks post op, 36 pounds down and I would do it all over again. I have had some slight complications but nothing I couldn't handle and nothing that compares to losing 36 pounds in 6 weeks. Pounds that will never come back! Read all you can, ask questions, talk to your doctor and your nutritionist and make an educated decision. Good luck! Keep us posted on your journey. BTW, my BMI was lower but I have several co-morbidities and I am a self pay so I did not have to meet insurance criteria.

December 22nd, 2014 was the day that I had changed my life and body forever. On that day I had a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy done to help me lose a lot of excessive body weight. In 366 days, I have gone from being 463lbs to now 267lbs as of yesterday afternoon. I though that by having the surgery that I was taking the easy way out......Boy oh boy was I freaking wrong.

There is nothing about this process that is easy. In fact its the total opposite of easy. Its hard as f**k. Probably the hardest thing I've had to overcome in my life so far. Besides the reality of having one's body altered forever, I had to learn how to eat all over again, deal with emotional issues I've spent a lifetime trying to avoid, and also dealing with some of the complications post surgery, that even now 1 year later I still have to struggle with. So what are some of those bad, not so easy things have I had to deal with within the past year.
Well for starters I've had to give up the following items for a time period and/or forever:
Bread/Wheat - Forever Pasta - Forever Rice - Forever Red Meat/Pork - 6 months Sugar - 6/8 months Soda (Carbonated beverages) - Forever Alcoholic beverages -6/8 months Smoking - Forever And then there were the habits and routines I had to take on as part of change. Things that I had to make habit forming and stay consistent with in order to be successful with this.
Multivitamin supplements - Forever Iron supplements - Forever B12 supplements - Forever Yearly blood/cholesterol checks - Forever Daily walking/cardio work outs - Forever Yearly checkups with Surgeon to make sure I have no ulcers or leaks from staples - Forever Yeah, and then there were the complications from the surgery that I had to and still am having to deal with. One of the main ones was short term memory loss and comprehension issues. Issues that even as I type this post I am still dealing with in some shape or form. Just this past Monday morning I had to have spinal Fluid drawn from my back (better known as a Lumbar Puncture Procedure) to be analyzed by my Neurologist to give a final determining cause as to why I've been suffering from short term memory issues post surgery. Right now the major ruling is some sort of allergic reaction to the general anesthesia I was under during my surgery. Its funny cause I have been under anesthesia before, its just that I wasn't under for longer that 15-20 minutes at a time. When I had the surgery I was under for almost 3 hours.
My life has gotten a lot better in the last year, its just that things just haven't returned to a state of normalcy that I would like it to be at before the surgery. So as I sit around and wait for the test results of my spinal tap to come back, I move on and keep moving forward. I have too. If I sit around and dwell on everything that has/had gone wrong in the past year, I would be so depressed and miserable . And I refuse to allow that to be. So I stay focused on the positives of what has happened. I take comfort in all of the things I can check off my list as successes, and I continue on to the next goal.
I look in the mirror and I see a person staring back at me that I am now getting use to seeing. A person that I am actually comfortable seeing in the mirror. And not the stranger I was seeing for the first few months of this year as I was drastically dropping weight off of me. Dropping years of the affects that emotional eating had caused me. Its a change that I can now say that I comfortably welcome, from both the physical and now emotional aspect.

As far as weight lost goal, I am still about 70-80lbs away from the goal that I had set for myself. These last 70 -80lbs are going to be the hardest to get rid of, but I accept the challenge. I have no choice but to, because I didn't come this far, sacrificed so much just to quite 3 quarters of the way from completing the race.

I share this with the world because I know that my words, my thoughts right now, may not only help me down the road at some point, but it may help someone else out there right now who is struggling with self-image/body issues, obesity, diabetes, and/or deciding whether or not to have weight loss surgery. I hope that my words and experiences can help you when it comes to making a decision on surgery or not.
The question I am sure that anyone who is reading this would ask me:

"knowing now what I know, would I still have gone through with the procedure/surgery?"

My answer would still have been yes. Yes because now I no longer have to take insulin to keep my body's blood sugars under control. Yes because I can now buy clothing out of Walmart & other stores like a normal person and not having to go to the Big & Tall custom stores to find simple things like underwear and socks. Yes, because when I look in the mirror I see the person I was meant to be and not the person I was dreading to see. And finally yes, because I know that by doing this, I've given myself a fighting change to reach a longer life expectancy than 50-55 years. So did I do this all for me, you better believe I did!

I was 9 months post op on12/24 (surgery was 3/24). I started at 230 (5'6") and am currently 170 (6 pound weight gain from Thanksgiving until today).
I typically come to this site to research questions I have and see if anyone else is experiencing what I am while on this journey. I have posted questions and received good feedback. I figured it is time for me to give back in case there are others that are similar to me and wanting answers as I have.
Background: I am 43 years young, a teacher with three kids. I hovered around 180 pounds throughout my 20's with no real concern about my diet or exercise. I decided at age 27 to "get in shape" and started watching my diet and joined the YMCA. I got down to 150 pounds. Then I became pregnent with my first child and thought it was the green light to eat whatever I wanted, subsequently gaining 90 pounds. I also had the mentality that I could just go back to the gym 4-5 days a week and lose it all again. Ha! Was I naive!
I got back down to 190 after the first child, then became pregnant with the 2nd child. Here is where my blood sugar issues came into play. I was determined NOT to gain so much weight with this pregnancy but my blood sugar would drop all the time so I ended up gaining 50 pounds.
Over the next 6 years, I lost and gained the same 20 pounds all the while with blood sugar issues being my enemy (never formally diagnosed with Type II diabetes only insulin resistance). Then at 200 pounds, I became pregnant with my 3rd child at age 39. I was considered "high risk" due to my age and my weight and eventually had to take insulin shots. However, I only gained 20 pounds with this pregnancy as I was very vigilant with what I ate and the insulin shots helped my blood sugar drops.
Decision to have weight loss surgery: The was not an easy decision financially speaking as well as with my family. My husband (who is very fit) just thought if I worked out and watched what I ate, I could lose the weight. However, my blood sugar was still an issue (I was off insulin after the pregnancy and still not considered diabetic although on Metformin). After having an emotional break down, my husband was on board and I started the insurance process in December 2014. I was approved in late February 2015 and had my surgery on 3/24.
Honeymoon period: Like most, I was fully committed post surgery and LOVED watching the weight fall off. The fact that you can't eat helps your mind turn away food for a long time and I had the mentality of, "Oh, I can't eat that, it will make me sick." I had no blood sugar issues and I was so happy until about three months ago.
What I have learned from the process: About there months ago, the little cheats (a bite of cake here, a nibble of bread there) started to tell my brain that my stomach can tolerate all foods and eventually it can (I am not one who has dumping syndrome etc. I can eat it all). Those cheats lead to bad days. Days I started off really well, eating my Protein, drinking my Water etc. Then there was dinner with friends, treats around the holidays and the days became a wash. This really did't start happening until Thanksgiving. Since then I have gained 6 pounds which has me freaked out and part of the reason I am writing this right now.
My period of falling off the wagon has lasted awhile now and some things I have noticed are:
1. With an increase in carbs come an increase in hunger.
2. When trying to get back on track after a period of being off track (more carbs, sugar etc.) If you have blood sugar issues, expect that your will feel the blood sugar drops while your body adjusts to getting back on track.
3. The relationship with food that you had pre-surgery does not automatically change in the honeymoon period. The real work comes at about 6-9 months out!
4. Working out is key to success after the honeymoon period. However, expect to go through an adjustment period where working out doesn't seem "to work" and for frustration to set in. Started Orange Theory last week and still no weight loss. Could be due to Water retention and muscle gain. Trust me I have researched the hell out of the effects of starting an intense HIIT work out.
5. TRACK your food. My little vacation that has resulted in a 6 pound weight gain is primarily due to not tracking. It really is key!
I equate this experience to needing AA. For me, one bite of sugar or refined carbs leads down a slippery slope which leads to blood sugar drops and feeling like crap. SUGAR = POISON. Getting back on track is hard but can be done. Day one is today and I'm giving myself that mental day 1 chip for success.