BCs 1000

Would you like my surgeon to call you personally?

I've not read all the replies, but...

I drink Coke Zero. Through a straw. My surgeon OK'd it a 6 months out because I was almost to goal. I had no other "vices" so this one was approved, but barely.

Sleeves don't stretch (per my surgeon) and if they did, it would not be because of carbonation. Air is air.

I have always consumed diet soda only, and post op, it must be through a fountain soda or a poured soda. Canned or bottled hurts so I avoid. It doesn't increase my cravings as I am not a sweets person, but MY experience is not anyone else's.

YOU DO YOU. Listen to your surgeon and work from there.

- When you're in the local supermarket, just minding your own business, when, at the far end of the aisle, a PT from the gym you used to go to walks past, looks you right in the eye, then keeps going, only to do a MASSIVE double-take, comeback and stand in the middle of the far end of the aforementioned aisle, and yell -
"WHAT THE F*CK??!?! HAVE A LOOK AT YOU!!!"
Happened today..

when you don't risk hurting yourself to shave your legs
bending around is just so much easier without that belly in the way!

You can wear huge over sized hoop earrings and they don't touch your shoulder anymore because your collar bone is visible now.

@@MamaRhea
I read the whole thread when I was pre op too. I found it so inspirational and it got me so excited about my surgery.
You will be posting here before you know it

Yes, yes yes... everything in my closet is brand new, even my shoes!!!! Every morning I look at all of my beautiful clothes and have so many good choices of what to wear. Before I used to put together an outfit that looked the least worst.

Well, look at it this way -- you learned / relearned some things today that don't work well.
Protein and healthy veggies (not "crunchy things") are much more filling and satisfying.
Those who are "perfect" after WLS don't post on this forum often. But those who succeed with WLS do learn from their "experiments" and go on not to repeat them very often. I certainly have -- and do. All the time.

Heheeee! And I see him in his mumu he wore when he hatched the scheme to get out of work by being overweight. I loved his doctors tips to gain weight... If you rub a food on a piece of paper and the paper is clear from the grease, it's a winner food! Hahaha!!!! Too bad life isn't just one long cartoon. Gosh I miss pita chips.
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm a firm believer that it's impossible to eat something at home that never leaves the grocery store, so I buy into that philosophy and I do avoid that aisle as much as possible.
That said, we all need to develop new habits that work over the long term and I find painful abstinence almost always fails during our weaker moments.
So here's another strategy that might work -- earn your carbs...
Basically, you're not fighting the carbs, you're fighting the "green light mindlessly consuming the entire bag". To me the key is not avoiding the potato chips like kryptonite, but rather removing the taboo by inserting consequences I can manage and live with.

1. I can eat as much as I want of anything, but if I'm over my goal weight, I MUST log it so I don't forget that I ate it. Yes, I have logged 7 ounces of potato chips and the 1200 calories that went with them.
2. If I do this, then I'm unlikely to eat anything bad when I'm near or over my goal weight, the risk comes when I'm down a few pounds.
3. If I'm 5-7 pounds below my goal weight, I might allow myself one of these evil indulgences, but do so deliberately, not mindlessly.
4. Understand that while I can have some anytime, I CAN NOT have as many as I want all the time unless I want to be obese all over again.
5. Mentally associate the consumption of these bad foods with the painful work that's required to consume them responsibly (working out an extra 30 minutes, counting calories for 2-3 days, etc).

Essentially, it's a mental exercise that teaches your brain to avoid these bad foods...

So far so good, but I'm only on month 3 of maintenance.

The weight loss will catch up with you and there will be a moment when you realise there is something you can do that you were not able to do before. Then there will be another one, and another one....
I guarantee there have been huge limits on your life that you were not even aware of, it had just become your normal.
Once you get to this point it will spur you on and your perspective on the worth of your surgery will change.
Everything is better for me now. How I walk, how I sit, how I sleep, how I drive, how I play with my kids, what I do with my spare time, how I breathe.
Hang in there, all of the positive outcomes are just around the corner.

Just for the record I never "dipped or dapped during the post op stage" and I am not a liar. I was scared to do anything that wasn't recommend in fear I might cause a complication.

The advice being given is not judgemental....it's simply the honest truth. Sure, it's not what you or the OP wants to hear because it's not supporting and justifying going against surgeon's orders. But the advice IS being offered in the hopes of possibly saving a life (or at least an extended hospital stay). It's been less than a week and you are eating solids cause you are "over" shakes and cream Soups? ! Give me a break. i was on liquids for over a month and never once did the thought of eating off plan even cross my mind. My health and safety were far too important. I was committed to my choice and everything that goes along with WLS.
Do you realize our stomachs are being held together with a very thin line of teeny tiny staples? Do you know what a piece of tuna fish or salmon could do to that fresh, raw incision if it gets stuck in the staple line? The postop diet instructions exist so that we can heal without complications. It's not a torture method handed out by surgeons just for fun.
Yes, we have all been through it, so we do know what it feels like. But It's truly amazing to me how quickly some people are willing to start doing the wrong thing. Long term success depends on changing your eating habits....forever. Giving in to an urge after less than a week is not a good start.

Mine were handfuls before but... whoops... nothing but ladies in here. Nevermind...

I went from a 44DD to a 36A/B. If I didn't need someplace to stuff all that extra skin I wouldn't need a bra at all. Wish I could donate it to a burn center....do they do that?

You can buy some new ones.

I was a 42 or 44D. I'm now a 34 Long.

Thank you very much.
I'm glad to be around to post...........'being around' wasn't a safe bet a year ago. Comorbitities were piling up and dragging me down.
I'm grateful and trying to set things up so I can do a better job for the next half of my life.

I have abused my body in many ways.......yet my sleeve still has been a major tool in getting back to where I need to be......
Just taken.....late in the day.........

the progress you have made is inspiring. I always look forward to seeing your posts.

I went on amusement park rides with my kids Sunday and fit with room to spare!

I suggest you weigh yourself only once a week at the same time each week. There are too many fluctuations that occur naturally for daily weighing to be useful.
I remember early on the lbs seemed to come off very slowly, but they really do add up quickly. As time goes on you won't be continually thinking about the surgery you had as other things take over attention as life moves on.
It is a bit like pregnancy. The first trimester feels really slow. The third goes by so fast and before you know it your baby has arrived.

Yes, yes yes... everything in my closet is brand new, even my shoes!!!! Every morning I look at all of my beautiful clothes and have so many good choices of what to wear. Before I used to put together an outfit that looked the least worst.

Dr took my blood pressure today, 88/63

Dr took my blood pressure today, 88/63