Dub

You, sir, are a class act. Good guy.

The first person I'd like to call out on the carpet was my last NUT. She spent all this time telling my class how much she understood us......because she was one of us....a former wls patient, too. She gives all the same textbook answers each and every time in classes an on our private fb page. Same answers....same "myths" all the time. Her advice is hard to take for me.....for two reasons: 1) it never varies or is customized to the individual or their limitations or history 2) she must not be adhering to her own advice because she either never reached her goal......or has had significant regain.

Most surprising benefit of wls ? For me it has been how quickly I accept change. It's been surprising and alarming but I call it a benefit because every change I've been considering has been approached in direction of, "What is most healthy for me? What will make me the sincerely happy long term?". Been married for 23 years......worked for the same employer the past 21 years......been driving the same vehicle for the past 9 years.......yet I've gone through a good bit of speculation and consideration to make changes with each..... Some of this has been the self generated drama that has accompanied this initial 7 month post-op craziness. Now it's settling down. One thing that I really see myself changing is my job. Perhaps it's time for a new career.....less stress.

You are certainly going to be living in a huge calorie deficit on the days you do these gladiator workouts. Only you will know how you'll feel. Sounds like you have already learned to back off and avoid the portions that cause trouble. Good practice to get in. Being over motivated beats the heck out of the alternative in my opinion. The risk of this tendency is that injuries may occur if you don't listen to your body. All pain is not a bad thing.....but some pains are warning shots over your bow. It has taken me a while to distinguish the differences......

"The hip hip a hop, a you don't stop the rockin' To the bang bang boogie Say up jump the boogie to the rhythm of the boogie the beat" Powerful list and great sense of humor.

Similar issues here, too. I eat my meals too fast....and fill up very quickly. It would seem that I am very much living the science experiment that @@Kindle has presented. The only time I seem to take the bariatric recommended eating pace is when I'm eating a meal in a restaurant.

Mine did, thankfully. It scared me enough to be extremely careful post-op. i stayed on nothing but Protein shakes the first 4 weeks post-op due to fear of my healing stomach. By then......my feelings about food had changed. I'd learned that the term "comfort food" was such a misnomer. Food doesn't comfort. Air conditioners or blankets provide comfort. Food is simply something that you eat for sustenance and we very much are what eat. Perhaps this surgery doesn't come with enough post-op pain for folks to take it seriously? I mean, most everyone responds to pain with caution and careful actions, right ? Maybe it'd be better if we hurt more....and longer....post-op. I should have asked my surgeon for the enhanced pain upgrade, lol. My thoughts on the matter are that far too many people reach their surgery date with minimal instruction and understanding of the state of things......and far too little emotional coaching and strengthening. I had 75% of my stomach removed because I was using it poorly. I truly hope I can always find the right ways to use the remaining part responsibly. The sleeve is certainly a great tool, but it, like all tools, has to be utilized correctly in order to perform the work it was designed for.

Good deal. I noticed some calf pain the first two days I was him from the hospital. It quickly passed. I have no idea what it was.....I'm thinking that it was from dehydration once I returned home. Water intake was insufficient the first 24hrs I was home ???? You are going to love the weight loss that is about to occur. Love it !!!!!!!!

I took a me-only vacation on my 5th month post-op. Hopped a flight......first time in a decade that my arse was on a plane. Slid right into the seat like a bawse. No extender needed, thank you very much. I breathed a hyooooge sigh of relief upon doing so. I arrived at a destination that is known for 24 hr partying and I lost myself there. At some point I also found myself during that week. It was a life-changing trip and one that I hope to repeat at some future point. I've got a theme park family vacation planned for later next month....I anticipate riding any and every ride that we see......and being able to outtalk anyone in the group. Looking forward to this bigtime.

That is outstandingly awesome !!!!

Heck yes ! Great strategy, there. I've been more into the music in the gym, but a really good book by Tom Clancy, Stephen Hunter, Vince Flynn (R.I.P.) or Brad Thor will be a nice change on the extended treadmill sessions. Gonna adopt this practice. Thanks. Good job in getting back into the swing of things.

I'm out of touch with the current pre-workout drinks. When I was last using (2011-2012) them, Superpump from Gaspari was the ticket. Not sure what's what, now. I've returned to the gym....lifting carefully while working around some injuries and am not going full throttle on any lifts. I really don't want to get that crazy rush from that stuff until my weight and diet stabilize. I tried some stuff that a buddy gave me last weekend, though. Geez. It really did power me through cardio, lifting and then a workout on the punching bag. I was still amped up when I got home. B-Nox from Betancourt Nutrition is what it was. Not sure if I'll be fooling with that anytime soon. http://betancourtnutrition.com/collections/all/products/bullnox-androrush-35-servings-betancourt-nutrition BCAA powder by Scivation is excellent as "during" or "post-workout" drink. It mixes in a shaker bottle with ease....calorie free....tastes great.....and helps with recovery and cutting down on muscle soreness in a huge way. http://www.scivation.com/product/xtend/

The closest thing I've felt to anything like that was when my blood pressure dropped crazy low and my pulse rate went haywire. Cold sweat, dizzy, weak, exhausted.......bizarre. Scared the crap out of me. Called a buddy who is a paramedic and he felt it may be low blood sugar, too. I ate something and focused on getting well hydrated after that. Began feeling better a couple hours later and the blood pressure came back up into low-normal range by the evening. Cut my blood pressure meds in half the next day.....hoping to get off them altogether very soon. You are doing the right thing by staying on top of this with your doctor. Sudden weight loss probably will affect many of us....and in different ways.

It really isn't all that bad.

* Just making it to surgery. Was nursing a back injury that was driving me nuts. Lost 55lbs during the pre-op months. Good momentum going into the surgery. * three weeks post op......and having low blood pressure for the first time ever. lol * 8-9 weeks post op........started grilling again. Felt great to be able to enjoy it. * Hopping on an airplane 5 months post-op and getting away to the time of my life for a week. It was a life-changing trip. Came home.....then went 3 weeks later on a 7 day cruise with my wife. Had fun on the cruise and went around shirtless most of the days. Pools & hot tubs for 7 days.....and being shocked at how much people really do eat on these cruises. * Going into my favorite restaurant for the first time in a while......and having to stop the waiter from bringing me a huge ice cold draft beer. He asked if I was feeling okay. Funny times. * Sitting in any booth in any restaurant........and being able to order from any menu and find stuff that fits my goals. * Wearing blue jeans for the first time in 25 years. Not the Levi's that I want to wear, though.....I'm not ready to have my waist size printed on the outside patch of my jeans. Soon, though.....button fly 501's will be worn all the time. * I have my 1 year appointment scheduled in October. I am really looking forward to this milestone appointment.

Well said !!!!

My goal weight is 250. I'm 6'4" I chose this as a goal because it was the weight I was in high school.....in excellent shape due to year round weight lifting, football, wrestling and overall very active. The BMI scale would have shown me obese/overweight at this weight.....yet my body fat percentage was 15% when checked at football camps. I'm closing in on 250......almost there. It's going to be a different 250, though. The muscles are gone....replaced with arthritis. lol. Yup....it'll be a different 250, but it sure beats the crap out of where I was this time last year !!!

I'll occasionally get grilled chicken breast salads. Good stuff.

@@Kindle that is very similar to my approach to telling folks. I'd targeted losing almost half my bodyweight. There was no cover story that I cared to use to explain it. Telling them that I'd had VSG surgery and following the low-carb way of eating has been what I've shared when asked. I work in a manufacturing plant with 2,000+ employees. This conversation comes up almost every day. Some of the questions, I've found, are from folks considering the surgery for themselves or family members. Always fun to speak with them and answer anything they ask in a direct and no bs way.

Chips and many other snacks foods.

I can only speak in terms for what works........or doesn't work for me. Others may have had different results. Cheese, while being an ultra-low carb, moderately high Protein food............is primarily composed of fat, thus calorie dense. That make it's something I avoid. Nuts are in the same category. Both are too calorie dense for my current goals. Down the road a piece......if and when I'm below goal and trying to maintain through increasing calories (as crazy as that concept seems to me now.....as an obese dude........may be valued low carb, higher protein add ins to my diet). For me......at this point in my battle against my weight.......chicken and fish are my two main sources of good Proteins. Admittedly, I use and abuse eggs for Breakfast proteins about as often as I use Protein powder shakes (difference between work days and off days). Positive is the only way to approach the way we find ourselves....................

I let my Costco membership lapse just prior to my wls in Oct 2015. I've yet to renew it because of the stuff I'll be tempted with. I do want it back to get the deals on: whole bean coffee olive oil seasonings meats fresh vegetables electronics clothes (went from 6x in shirts to 2x....so yes, clothes are now a possibility, lol) frozen foods for my family (stuff I don't eat) Cheeses and fruits are not on my list as they are not consistent with my current weight loss mode. Maybe later on.......

If only you knew. Just this afternoon........I've done something that I am sure I'll regret hugely.........because I'm stupid that way. I'll regret it, yet let things simmer down and take the course they must. Wisdom comes after the fact for me far too often.

Last thing you want is for one of those surgical wounds to become the site of a hernia. Trust me on this. I've been there and have the t-shirt that says so......... Allow yourself to heal properly. And then punish yourself through a carefully developed gym plan.

I tend to listen to country, blues, and live classic rock when I'm driving, grilling and just relaxing. The gym, though.......that's another arena altogether. I amp things up a great deal there. There's been many times when the music was all I had to power me through a workout. I tend to embrace heavy metal at these times. The latest album from Five Finger Death Punch gets tons of playtime on my earbuds......this and their last one....Killer tunes to get that little bit extra from you. It was what I was listening to this weekend.....after my 45 mins cardio and 30 mins lifting session was done......done......yet I was still feeling good....with something left in the tank. Walked by the punching bags and did my best old man beatdown on one of them. Results weren't pretty........but the tunes were fueling the inner beast. Avenged Sevenfold works nicely, too. I've never served in the military and I have great respect for those that have/do. With that being said.....I tend to gravitate towards the gym tunes that I'd love to hear if I was going to war. Battle tunes. lol. I guess I am waging a war on fat, right ?