Cape Crooner

Yes, I do fully appreciate the weight loss and satiety benefits of high Protein and low simple carbs. For 40 years, it was the only way I could lose weight. I was simply looking back at many popular diets that have very little protein (Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, etc) and noting their relative success.

Last night I looked at my loseit app and saw I was at 55 grams of Protein for the day. I quickly downed a Protein shake and some Greek yogurt. Afterwards, I was thinking about pre opt. Being a guy who ate salads all week, I'm sure I went several days without getting 72 grams. How come I need to worry about it now?

I'm only 2 1/2 months out, but I think I'm eating too few. Midweek, I'm around 800 calories and weekends 1100-1200. Riding my bike an hour - 5 days a week. Last week, I stayed the same all week then dropped a pound and a half after eating 1100 on Friday night. I did just get some 100 mg Metamucil caps. Does anyone know how much and how often I should take?

When I started my journey, I researched hospitals first. Newton Wellesley is the top wls hospital in New England and top 5 in the country, so I started there. At the orientation, they made a point to say that they no longer do lap bands for two reasons; they provide no metabolic help, and so many are being revised to sleeves. Not saying this is true, but considering the source, I'd give it some consideration. For me personally, I looked at all the options and selected the sleeve for the simple reason that it was simple and eventually, you completely heal and are left with a normal body and a "skinny girl" stomach. It is the one option that gives the least trouble with food textures, ibuprofen, and alcohol. Also, my life style doesn't lend itself to frequent doctors visits for adjustment. That said, I am impressed by the success stories I read on this forum from banders. I think it's safe to say any of the wls options will be better than just trying to lose weight on your own!

I'm losing steadily. I'm down 66 overall and 37 since 10/6 surgery (2-3/week). I think the biggest factor for me is eating high protein/low carb and 75 ounces of water. Calories don't seem to matter much (659-1050). I am getting in over 10,000 steps a day walking or riding my bike. Oh yeah, 3 people have asked me if I have cancer!

Can't wait to hear from Marcia, so happy for her!

I started thinking that our timing is perfect for the Holidays. Our sleeves will be in the Honeymoon stage, so we can't overeat without pain, but we'll be able to eat anything, so we can fully enjoy the tastes of the Holiday!

So, I did experiment a little last night. I had a 10 ounce diet cranberry juice and added a half an ounce of vodka. Didn't do much for me. I did feel light headed after a few sips, but never really got the old buzz I enjoyed. I only drank half of it and put it down. I suspect it may have been a function of eating and drinking (very little) at the same time and the fact that I'm not a big fan of diet cran! Next test will be red wine over Thanksgiving...

As I weighed in near the beginning of this thread, I have only told a few close family members, but my 92 year old mother has been telling others. When she mentions someone else she's told, my wife calls them and asks them to keep it private. My sense is that it's out or will be soon, so I've moved to Plan B! Now, I tell people that I entered a very strict medical weight loss program run by a hospital (all true). Then I leave out the details. I'm at peace with this!

Thanks Danny, I like real stories. I have always restricted my alcohol intake and limited how many I have in any given week. My initial concern was damaging my sleeve, but I'm okayed for ibuprofen, so why not a weak Bloody Mary? After that, stalling my weight loss came second, but at this point, the sleeve won't let me eat enough to get close to the calories I'm burning. I still probably won't, but the fact that everyone says something different is bugging me!

Okay, I am 7 weeks out and down 62 lbs. My friends don't know I had VSG and can't understand why I eat so little. I'm already thinner than most of them. Although, I knew my eating would be restricted, I never imagined it would be this much. Yesterday, I was "full" after 3 ounces of thin chili. There is no way I could eat more than 1000 calories a day. I was dropping 3-5 pounds a week in pre-opt eating 1700 calories a day. I have social events this weekend and I'm considering a little vodka in my V-8 or a glass of wine. Why not?

After eating at home for 3 months, I ate out last night and again today! No problems????. Last night at Tommy Bahamas, I had a cup of their Tortilla Soup and shared fish tacos with my wife. I ate the insides of one and just the fish of the second. Left stuffed. Today I had a grilled artichoke and a few ounces of my wife's turkey burger. Left stuffed.

Great news, I'm now down 58 lbs since August and people who think "I'm just dieting" are asking me why I'm still doing it. I actually have about 30 to go, but seeing that bright light at the end of the tunnel makes it all worthwhile.

Just had 3 ounces of grilled tenderloin and an ounce of Asian Salad. Tasted great going down (lotsa chewing). Sitting okay, but a little stuffed!

Another "guideline" that seems to vary greatly is whole topic of "Eating, Drinking, and Time In Between..." My program handbook says to wait 15 minutes after drinking to eat and then 30 minutes after eating to drink. I noticed the first week that thin Soups seems to go down with no issue, but Beans and sweet potato hit the restriction. I starting thinking ahead (6 months out) and going out to dinner, having Soup for an appetizer, and a glass of wine with my uber small dinner dish. So I asked one of our doctors to explain this guideline in physiological terms. She said there was nothing magic about the time intervals. The reason they suggest it (ah, sure sounds like a rule), is because they want to make sure we get our 70+ grams of Protein every day. She said that if we drink with our solid food, we won't get enough in our stomach before we feel full. To me, that explains the 15 minutes before, but not the 30 after... I thought I had read somewhere about food digesting differently in the stomach than the small intestine, but she said that wasn't the case. How about you? 1. What's your guideline? 2. Have you deviated? 3. Anything bad happen? PS: Not interested in advice, just personal stories...

Seems soft foods are less restricting and allowing more consumption. I have been trying to avoid soft foods to keep my calories down and also because I seem to be satisfied longer when I eat meat vs. soft foods like refried beans. One thing I like to snack on is homemade cole slaw, it's low in calories, gives me a crunchy consistency that I crave and I'm filled up with a 1-2 ounce portion. I hope I have the same results in month two as you have. Did you stall during month one? I'm a band to sleeve revision and on another discussion board for us revision patients it seems to be very common for a longer stall than people who haven't had the band too. Not much of a stall -- 3 days max during week 4. Since then, I've been dropping every day (0.2 - 1.5 lbs/day). I like Asian Salads (similar to a slaw), but I'm not cleared for raw veggies til next week, but nothing has been a problem (yet).

I had a brief slow down in week 4, but since adding more real meat, I have accelerated my loses. Also, I've been able to cut back to one Protein shake per day and still getting in 70+ grams of protein a day.

I am eating about 4 ounces every meal. I feel the restriction after my last 1-2 bites. I have no real restriction on liquids. 5.3 ounces of yogurt, no problem (although I don't eat yogurt very often). Why do you think they're recommending 2 ounce portions? My guess is it's a "one size fits all" prescription and they want their 50+ BMI'rs to get to their goal before the honeymoon ends. I'm losing faster in month 2, than I did in month 1 and I think my friends think I have cancer. I think it's from eating meat instead of refried beans and sweet potatoes. What do you think?

Thanks Blerd, I plan to stick to the 6 months, I was just trying to find what others have heard/done.

It's nice to see you running to defend ole Blerd! I asked two questions (let me paraphrase): 1. How about you? (did you get a 6 month moratorium on coffee or something else). 2. (If you got different guidelines...) Why do you think your advice differed? I have read Blerd's "response" several times and for the life of me, I'm having a hard time finding an answer to these two questions. I have no idea what her program suggested. Instead the lame (motherly) unsolicited "advice" (I never asked for advice) that "that's what my surgeon and NUT recommend". In fact they disagreed - WHICH IS WHY I ASKED. Spare me!

Blerd - That's a rather lame answer to a rather straight forward question???? But thanks Mom!

My surgeon is very hard line on coffee - 6 months! This is longer than the recommendation in the VSG handbook for the program. How do your guidelines compare - any idea why it would be 6 months?

I'm having a tough time with this. When I first decided, I was thinking that I'd eventually be open about it, but decided to keep it on a need-to-know basis for the time being. "Need to know" turned out to be my wife (of course) and family with whom I had events scheduled that would not have been able to cancel without hurting them. Unfortunately, my mother is 92 and she forgets that it's a secret. She also is full of old school misinformation about WLS (it doesn't work, the surgery is a magic trick and I don't have to do anything else). I know that's she's told three people and probably more. Meanwhile, I haven't been telling any of my close friends and I'm afraid they'll find out from someone my mother told and be upset that I didn't tell them! My "story" has been evolving... 1. My BMI was in the high 30's and I carried it well, so people didn't consider me obese (I think). 2. I have been dropping weight very fast (57 pounds since August) and people are blown away. 3. I have been holed up in a remote vacation home and avoiding social activity for 3 months, but now I'm back in a very social community; I think people will notice that I'm only eating 4 ounces of food. 4. My current thinking is to respond to people who ask me "how are you doing it?" with: - I discovered I had diabetes in the summer (true) - My primary care doctor wanted to go down the diabetes treatment path (true) - Instead, I entered a physician supervised medical Weight Loss Program (true) - I have been an A+ patient (true) This way, I can always concede that a surgical procedure was part of the program - if I feel the need. Why would I feel the need? I have a lot of close friends who would benefit from a VSG and I'd like to help them find this path... I wish I hadn't told anyone!

I'm a relative newbie, but I am getting great pleasure watching my weight drop and contemplating two questions: 1. When was the first time I weighed this much? I would say it was my sophomore year in college (1972). I remember weighing 219 on my mother's 25 year old bathroom scale that consistently registered 10 lbs light! 2. When was the last time I weighed this much? I'm thinking 2002. I remember weighing 219 (again) on a light scale. I went to a wedding and recall it was the last time I wore 38" waist pants. How about you?

ABS - How did the popcorn go down? I had a long debate with my Dietician (not sure if she's a Nutritionist) about popcorn. She wanted me to look for Protein Snacks like cheese and coldcuts. I was a lifelong low carb dieter and got in trouble eating too many nuts and too much cheese. I lost 30 pounds pre-opt once I discovered Skinnypop, which something no one on Atkins would ever consider! I'm projecting down the road (when my capacity increases and my appetite come back) and thinking about big things I'll change to keep the weight off. I know that 90% of my overeating came after drinking on weekend nights. I know that I will eventually drink again (hopefully less) and since I don't drink high-cal drinks, that's not going to be my problem; my problem will be snacking while drinking. I'm looking to getting full on 100 calories of Jolly Time Kettle Corn and calling it a night!