SoCalLeslie

But with that being said I mainly stuck with refried Beans and ricotta cheese bake. They really are good though.

@@Babbs Lol! Gross! But yes you will LOVE blended food like you never thought possible.

By the time you're actually able to eat pureed foods after being on the liquid diet, a dead rat will taste good pureed. Believe me.

I was on Clear Liquids for a week, and then full liquids for another week before I got to have pureed/soft foods. So, yes.....by the time I got to that phase, I loved those eggs and blenderized tuna salad a whole bunch. LOL

I kept my bariatric notebook that I got from my bariatric team on my dining room table so I could see what I could have at each phase. It's not really that tough. You'll be fine.

It is overwhelming but ultimately, all the information you gather and things you are learning will come together to help you succeed.
What helped me was to lay out a calendar/schedule with everything I needed to do pre-op and post op.
Also, my program gave me a three-ring binder that I used to keep a lot of information in one place.
When I came home from the hospital, I kept my food plan and Vitamin list nearby and consulted it frequently until I got a hang of the program and developed some routines.
Using MyFitnessPal (a free food tracking app) has been invaluable for tracking and planning food and keeping up with Protein, fluids, exercise, and weight.
This site has also been great because I can search for topics and ideas as well as ask questions and get advise.
This is a tremendous change but so far for me going through the process has been worth it.

Kevbear--I too was sleeved 7/13 and feel so much better than I did even three days ago. It's truly amazing how quickly everything changes.
Now, that's not to say it isn't difficult, because it is! Every sip takes mindfulness and patience, otherwise a sharp pain radiates across my abdomen and I have to get up and walk laps in my house to feel normal again (well, my new normal).
I'm hungry but I'm not hungry. My sleeve wants something in it--a sip of Protein, some Water. My head wants to chew on the tacos my husband made for dinner (why can't everyone also not eat?! Haha.).
I'm losing weight and feeling not-too-bad, but I'm sleepy and sometimes moody. My body is coming to terms with a hard stop to a three decades long bad habit. My mind too--that's the real culprit.
Sometimes I have to stop and breathe mindfully to a count of five or ten to regain my composure. The need/desire/craving for food can hit me in a wave not unlike a panic attack. But that has only happened once or twice and I have righted myself quickly.
Right now, my main challenge is that I am in grad school and can't quite get my mind to 'turn on'. I'm behind already and losing more ground daily. It's so hard to focus on other things besides how I'm feeling, what I'm eating/drinking. And it is just plain hard to focus period.
I'm so amazed at all of you who have done this with children, or demanding jobs!
Anyway, all you other July Sleevers--we got this!!!

@@vickylyn1973 Great progress in such a short time! Congrats, and keep it up!

@@AWD12368 You are definitely not alone! I think it's normal to be nervous and have doubts (my opinion). During the time when I was still in the "am I doing the right thing?" phase I was focused mainly on what I'd be giving up - my favorite burrito, ice cream, pizza. food has been my best friend for most of my life. Now what I've started to focus on are the good things that will come into my life after surgery - being able to walk without knee pain, more self confidence, no more BP meds, more energy, etc. I want to actually write out a list and hang it up where I can see it everyday. My surgery is this Friday and I'm sure between now and then I'll still have a little of that feeling, but I know for me this is what I have to do. Hang in there, and good luck!

@@AWD12368 You are definitely not alone! I think it's normal to be nervous and have doubts (my opinion). During the time when I was still in the "am I doing the right thing?" phase I was focused mainly on what I'd be giving up - my favorite burrito, ice cream, pizza. food has been my best friend for most of my life. Now what I've started to focus on are the good things that will come into my life after surgery - being able to walk without knee pain, more self confidence, no more BP meds, more energy, etc. I want to actually write out a list and hang it up where I can see it everyday. My surgery is this Friday and I'm sure between now and then I'll still have a little of that feeling, but I know for me this is what I have to do. Hang in there, and good luck!

My response would be I took a long look at my life and decided that if I wanted to enjoy many more years that I had to make lots of changes...diet..exercises..personally mentally focusing on making better habits. ..not a lie but skirted around answer

I thought it was a great story too - so wonderful to experience all these confidence building moments!
This is the first thread of yours that I opened - to being put off by your user name. Yes, i understand the meaning of the word "linguist" but nonetheless, the way the screen name reads certainly implies the double entrende that Dr Meow and John mentions and I don't think fits with the "spirit" of this forum - but to each his / her own.

Your PAL name is offensive and not worthy of this site. Please change it.

Sending love and prayers. I think for all of us, this is something we really will struggle with. I've been severely overweight most of my life. I don't know anything else. I'm not sure I'll know how to deal with people and the world as a whole without my fat suit. It'll be like walking around naked! All I can really suggest is that you take it one day at a time, one problem at a time, and use your support. Get involved in a post op support group through your hospital and really just stay with them and use them. Many of them have been where you are and can help you navigate that territory.

I have thought about this as well as I am in preparations to have my surgery next month. My decisive moment came when someone close to me and considerably smaller than me told me earlier this year that they were not supportive of WLS and "why can't you lose it naturally?" I've had a battle losing and gaining and losing and gaining, as I'm sure most of you have had. I was really torn up about that for awhile. Turns out this person turned around and then had the surgery almost a month ago and has taken to lying, and doing so very aggressively, to others about having the surgery. It was in that moment that I felt insulted by this. WLS is nothing to be ashamed of in my honest opinion and I don't think it should be treated as such. It's a tool to become a healthier you. That being said I don't see me singing about it from the hilltops a la Sound of Music, BUT if a friend of mine or coworker questions me about it I will be honest. Those close to me, my boss who I'm close with, and a select few others around the office know already anyway. I don't want to insult others who may be questioning having WLS in order to take control of their health by making it seem like something to lie about and being ashamed of.

I'm scheduled for surgery next month. My close friends and family know but I've shared with neighbors and colleagues that I'm spending the next year or so focusing on health, fitness and weight loss. I think someone might eventually ask if I've had surgery but for now my explanation of possible changes to come is all I'm really interested in sharing.

I echo what others have said. We're all different and have different "tipping points" of where people will notice. I hadn't really thought of this before, but also agree with what others said about people not being sure if they should say anything for fear of offending you. For me, it usually takes about 50 pounds for anyone to notice.
Something else to possibly consider: are you still wearing the same clothes? If your clothes are really loose, that might be why people aren't noticing too. Just a thought.
Keep up the good work!

@leag78---I feel your frustration. I also do get tired of Water. I put fresh lemon in mine everyday, but I still get tired of that. I have to stay away from artificial sweetners as much as possible, so crystal light products are out.
I drink ice tea on occasion, that helps. My surgeon says no caffeine though, so I have to watch that. I wasn't sure why the no caffeine rule. I asked at my last appointment and they said too much can lead to dehydration. I had an issue with this just a few days before my last appointment. I had been drinking diet Snapple and regular ice tea a lot for about a week. I started noticing my urine (sorry, TMI) was smelling really strong and I had an aching in my kidney area.
After telling my Dr. about this, and ruling out a UTI, he said it was because of the over use of caffeine. It had started causing dehydration and starting effecting my kidney. So I increased Water ALOT and that quickly took care of things.
I also miss carbonation. I had checked out those ICE drinks too and had to quickly say no! But I had taken just a sip of my son's soda one day and I was instantly in pain. (my pouch area actually had a burning sensation) NOT worth the carbonation!
It is all a life changing process, so we just have to take each day as it comes and learn from each other as much as we can.
Sometimes, even though we know the right answer, it's good to hear validation from others!

It happens. Especially early on. Your body is still adjusting to all the changes of surgery and a new way of eating. The closer you get to 64 ounces of fluids and 60+gms of Protein, the easier the weight loss. Keep working towards that.
It might be easier to only weigh bi-weekly for a while. I personally only weigh myself once a month. It helps me focus on my proper eating and exercise instead of numbers on the scale. If you need benchmarks, take your measurements. I did neck, boobs, waist and hips. Even when the scale doesn't move, the measurements will show you how your body is shifting and changing.

Did you have to clean your plate when you were a kid? Most of our patients enter the program with a history of having to clean their plate during childhood. This habit often follows you into your adult life. This is your learned fullness.


Think about how full you feel after a meal. If you often feel too full or stuffed, then you’ve learned to overeat. After surgery, you don’t have room to overeat even a teaspoon too much. Finding your natural fullness requires that you take the time to slow down your eating and chew well.
Natural fullness is when you feel comfortably full and satisfied with the amount that you ate. You realize that a couple more bites would leave you feeling a little overfull. It takes about 20 minutes of eating before your brain recognizes that your stomach is full. By slowing down and chewing to applesauce, you will be able to feel fullness on less food.< /p>
Weight loss and better digestive health are benefits of practicing the skills that help you recognize your natural fullness. This skill is covered with our patients during their first appointment with the dietitian. Learning to slow down and chew well will cost you some time and frustration, but the payoff will help you stay safe with your eating after surgery.

Drinking Water has been my most difficult task. I hate it, I'm luck if I get 8 oz in a day (for the last six months). Because of dehydration issues I've had to up it the best I can, now I get almost 32 oz a day in which is a BIG improvement (the past two weeks), but I just HATE it. I use to LOVE Water, but now it's a struggle. I hope to be able to increase the amount to maybe even 48 oz a day, but really 32 oz is a stretch right now. I have tried everything to try to get it in, so if anyone has any suggestions, I'm all for it, and sorry a marked mug isn't going to help.

Ya... As a veteran. Many years out.. This is one of my most difficult daily routines I have to work on and remind myself. I try to never sit down without a full water bottle next to me
Why is this so challenging?

I've been having a hell of a time getting all my Water in! I'm pretty sure I haven't even been getting half of what I'm supposed to get. My surgeon recommends 2 litres. So I saw something on Facebook that I thought would help me. See the picture below! Has anyone tried this? Does it work?

I have seen them but honestly I have found that simply filling up my Water bottle which is 24 oz. 3 times. I know if I am not on my second one by 11am, I need to catch up.
For me what works best is literally holding my Water bottle in my hand first thing in the am. I constantly sip/drink from it if it is in my hand. I go no where without it, even in my home.
It's weird but I actually crave water now and this habit helped me to learn to get my water in daily.
But that type of cup might help you. I would simply forget to do that on time and would have to catch up anyway. LOL

No! It's not the soda it all about the carbonation. Trust me you DO NOT want to drink carbonation!! I don't know how far post op you are? I'm assuming you are post op anyway but if you are new the last thing you want to do is fill your tiny belly up with gas! It will hurt!