Dub

Goodbye French fries (I used to hit them with hot sauce) Goodbye shepards pie. I've never been much of a ketchup fan. Mustard, I really like and am glad it gets the stay around.

Nothing easy about it, but it's really simple. You can nail it down. It's only two weeks. It'll be a lot easier after your surgery.

Howdy @@oldmike You raise some great questions. Before my surgery I was a big fan of grilling & chilling. I'm not far enough along with my weight loss surgery allowable diet to see. Still in the liquids stage. I'm thinking that I'll still really enjoy it and just buy smaller cuts like OKCPirate is doing. Right now I'd eat the hind leg off a hobby horse to get away from these damn shakes. Who knows.......I may do some burgers for my family tomorrow.

I get it. It is revealing how much our family time occurs at meals and snack times. I just picked my son up from school and stopped at a local bbq restaurant on the way home to pic up a family order. Ribs, pulled pork, slaw, baked Beans, etc, etc, etc. Made it home and watched as my family dug in and enjoyed themselves grubbing down on foods that I love. I hung back and had my glass of Water. Thing of it is.....they are all lean ad healthy.....unlike me. I've enjoyed way more than my share of such food over the years and it's perfectly okay for me right now to not have these things but to stick to my plan. There is a lot to be learned from watching healthy folks eat and enjoy food in healthy ways. It's helping me put things into perspective and learn how to handle myself in the future.

Restaurant hasn't happened for me yet....I'll be 3 weeks post-op tomorrow. I'm certain that it'll be someplace with tasty Soups, though.

So, my take? I would bet that many, if not most, of us fall off the wagon at least once during our process but DUDE!! Hostess cupcakes? Little Debbies? Pop Tarts? Popcorn balls!?!?!? If you are going to fall, at least fall with something that is worth it. Cheesecake, homemade fudge brownies, great quality chocolate.... add some hookers and a bottle of "Jack" and I'm there! I'm down with that !!!!!

My starting weight on June 1st was 478. My weight the morning of my October 13th surgery was 422. My weight this morning was 389. I feel much better than I have in a long, long time. My knee arthritis is doing well, but it's not being heavily dosed with meds like it was pre-op. I'll be returning to work this week so I'll see how that goes and how people respond. I've been running out of gas really quick since post op and attribute that to consuming so few calories. I'll be upping my calories next week, according to my surgeon as I add stuff to my menu. It's very, very early on with the deal but the progress has been steady and I have been feeling much better in my joints and back, especially. I am really looking forward to reaching and maintaining my goal weight. This is going to be not only fun but the quality of life will be improved a great deal. I am very glad I finally had this surgery. I think I can finally gain the advantage over the weight battle....once and for all.....and quit losing and regaining the same 25, 50, 100 pounds all the time.

Great deal !!!!! Cool thing about the Loser's Bench is that we claim our spot on it.........but we shrink and make room for others. Best wishes on your surgery.

I applaud you for taking action now.....during your youth. I have a younger sister who had weight loss surgery at your age.....15 years ago. She's been lean and healthy ever since and has led an active and rewarding life. I waited until I was 47 and just had mine a few days after you did. I wished I'd have done it sooner. I did it on my own....lost heaps of weight.....only to regain it. This cycle has gone on for the last twenty years. The biggest chunk I got off was 120 pounds......felt like a rock star....began partying like one, too. Didn't maintain that weight loss, either. Again, I applaud your doing this now....in your youth. There will be naysayers in your life......but you'll be fit, healthy and look it, too. Their voices will cease to be heard as you get into your new groove and stay there. Much respect for what you've done. Go forth and rock LIFE.

Waiting sucks. I truly get that. There's a few ways to spend the time. Some good....some not so good. Don't let the waiting delay you losing weight, though. You can move ahead with a strong weight loss diet now knowing that you'll be transitioning to the surgery and the weight loss will continue on. The best thing about your 2-week pre-op diet is that it's not 3-weeks. Actually, the best thing about it is that you can better ensure a safer surgery and start losing at a similar rate that you'll experience post-op. It passes quick, too. Once you begin it.....you'll be on the Final Countdown for sure. Good stuff. Go forth and kick some butt.

YOU'VE BEEN VERY, VERY BAD! YOU'RE A BAD BOY, AREN'T YOU?? Okay, I'm done..... Now repeat that but wearing a leather domination outfit and high heels. Damn right !!!!!!! That's the type of coaching I'd respond best to.........

Damn. All I can say is you are gorgeous. I'll bet there wasn't a guy at that party that wasn't drooling and stumbling all over themselves to talk to you. I'm proud of you for taking control of things while you are young. You will benefit from your actions for the rest of your life. Trust me.....old guy talking here......There are many problems you have eliminated from occurring by taking charge right now at this point in your life. Well done, young lady. Well done. That is really cool to see you not only enjoying going to the Halloween party.....but to be confused with a movie star at the same time.....really cool.

My surgeon is very strict, too. I knew this upfront and had the opportunity to pursue another surgeon. I chose not to, but to follow his guidelines. Doing so has not only helped me with the healing of my new "stomach", promoted aggressive weight loss while allowing high Protein intake it has also kept me from being "food focused". I am glad for all three. One of the biggest benefits has been breaking that food-focus. Look around on here and you'll see the same folks post day in and day out...."Can I eat this? Can I make this recipe? When can I eat this?". It seems like they are in a cycle of self-torment by staying so focused on food. This whole thing is about losing weight in an aggressive way. We had body altering surgeries to aid us with this. Becoming disassociated with food is a good thing right now. Sorry......long reply that wandered off course. Short response is: Yes, my surgeon is the same way. I am better off for it, too.

Okay....so you blew it bigtime. You went on a garbage food binge. Why? Why did you sabotage your progress? Figuring out the why is what I'd be concerned about at this point. Remember the psyche eval that was part of your checklist items? Maybe there were pre-eval videos you were required to watch....tests to take.....homework to do where you formulated how you were making this YOUR plan. Perhaps you can go back to those and get back in touch with your pre-op self and figure out why you'd sabotage things at this point. Maybe another visit with a psychiatrist will be beneficial.....or a series of visits. Maybe you have some type of counseling available through your employee benefits package. Halloween has passed.....but here comes Thanksgiving and Christmas......times when many folks just pile on the pounds without stopping......then find themselves on January 1st......hoping for control to magically come their way. Get in charge of yourself asap and solve the "why?" riddle. Nobody with any sense said this was going to be an easy path to follow.............BUT.......there is a reason you initially chose to go down it. Get back in touch with those reasons.

Hells Yes !!!!!! Gonna become a regular ole Dirk Diggler. Since starting the pre-op weight loss in June, I've been feeling better and better about every aspect of life. Getting off the blood pressure meds and gaining some larger toolage sounds good, too. Gonna be a fun ride.........

I've stuck to the plan thus far and see no reason not to.

I've got 9. I'll be glad to loan ya one ir you'd like. Some of mine were for the umbilical hernia repair done right after the sleeve.

I hear ya!!!! That has to be a great feeling to have done so well and in sight of where you want to get. Hoping you have a lot of fun on Wednesday night. Enjoy thyself.

I don't have a clue, but simply wanted to comment on your strong motivation. Way to go !!!!

You'll be back home and better than new in just a few days. You'll heal up while staying on track with your plan. You'll have to be careful with the 3 & 5 year old that they don't pile on top of you at times when you aren't ready. I was very, very pleased with the anesthesia, too. I've had a few surgeries over the years and it seems that the most recent ones have found me awake sooner after recovery room and no ill effects. The advances in the medications used is clearly improving. I sorta kept it to the bare minimum on my hospital trip as far as stuff goes. A couple new magazines, my iPhone and a remote battery, toiletries, changes of loose fitting gym clothes and that was about it. Oh yeah....a big bottle of hand sanitizer, too. I had that thing right beside my bed and hit it whenever I returned from my walks. Two helpful things I found for the car ride home: A full sized pillow and my post-op pain meds. After walking from my room out to the car......I sat down, took a swig of the pain meds (same as what I'd had that morning in hospital), placed the pillow over my abdomen and held it there for the ride home. It takes all the road shock and impact out of the equation and made the ride home very comfortable. I still sleep with one over my abdomen, too. It is comfortable and helps me ease off to sleep. ​You are going to do great and you'll feel better once it's all done and you are awake in your room and enjoying a cup of ice chips. Good stuff and good times. Those little munchkins will be super happy to see you....be careful not to let them hurt you. Best wishes !!!!!

Yup. She's got some kinda issues bouncing around in her head.....Her lack of progress compared to yours. I imagine it's a sore subject with her and probably will remain so until she gets things sorted and on track.

Thirst has never been a concern whatsoever. It's funny....once you get used to sipping.....you'll be involuntary reaching for the cup/bottle. Good stuff.

"Young?" Did you call me "young?" Men are so easy. I'm yours. Keep your glasses on and we'll get along famously. The only problem may be that, unlike Marlene Dietrich and @@Elode, I have no need to insure my legs. In fact I have to pay hush money to the insurance salesman to keep my dirty secret. Speaking of "dirty," it's not so much that my mind is such, it's more that some of your brethren are transparent. Speaking further of "dirty," is that what your phrase, "grind phase," is? See ya 'round, Sailor. P.S. You, too, fella. ........I'd better wait a while before I post up my photos. Folks may hurt themselves from laughing too hard. I gotta lot more grinding to do before I'm ready for pic. Damnitman.......That made me laugh too hard and remind me I'm still healing up. On a serious note. I'm hoping for equal balancing as things......normalize. It'd be weird having a crooked appendage. I'd feel compelled to tug on it all time.....in hopes of straightening it out.

I guess it depends on the surgery you had and what stage of weight loss you are in.

I'm going real slow right now, too. I was sleeved on Oct 13 and I'm staying on Protein shakes at least until my next surgeon's appointment on the Nov 9th. I figure it won't hurt anything and the weight loss has been nice. Looking at you stats fills me with confidence, too. You've really made a major change. Highly impressive.