2016ismine

Below is a "typical" day's menu:
As for carbs, mostly I get them from my shakes, Greek yogurt, and the very limited veggies I'm able to fit in after my Protein. Other doctors and nutritionists give you carb targets, but my doctor just says to limit them as much as possible. If you're not logging your food yet, I'd suggest using http://www.myfitnesspal.com/. It helps you keep track of your Protein and fluids, but also can help you figure out if anything is going off track and affecting your weight loss.
Okay, here's an example of my day:
I keep a 3-quart jug and a 24-oz Tervis tumbler (with a handle) both at home and at work. I fill the jug with Water and a 2-quart packet of Crystal Light ice tea, because full strength is too sweet. I count my morning Protein shake as a meal, not a Fluid. (30 grams of protein) 30-60 minutes later, I have a cup or two of coffee. (Count it as a Fluid if you like.) After that, I drink a 24-oz. tumbler of sugar-free iced tea throughout the morning. (Lots of frequent sips) Then I walk for 35+ minutes. Then it's lunchtime - tuna salad or chicken salad, or leftover protein from dinner. (16-22 grams of protein) and maybe a bite of veggies if there's room. About 45 minutes after lunch, I'll fill another 24-oz tumbler of iced tea and sip that throughout the afternoon, finishing by 30 minutes before my afternoon snack.< /li> At around 4:00 or 4:30, my afternoon snack is usually a Greek yogurt (12 grams of protein) or some leftovers. (This is also a good time to get in some veggies or a V-8 if you're getting enough protein at other times.) Maybe a cup of hot tea in the later afternoon. (Count it as a fluid you like.) Then dinner – again, getting 20-25 grams of protein from lean steak, fish, chicken, or pork, and maybe a bite or two of veggies. Finally, another 24-oz cup of iced tea or Water 30-45 minutes after dinner that I sip throughout the evening. If I'm hungry later, sugar-free Jello or sugar-free popsicles are good. And if I'm short on protein or still hungry, another yogurt or Protein Shake. (I'm not worried about the calories because this menu only provides 700-900 per day.) So that's 70+ grams of protein and 72-120 ounces of fluid, with some exercise as well. If you have a regular enough schedule, you can follow it every day. If not, maybe a modified version will work. The big trick is in pre-planning your meals and your fluids, especially if you're going to be away from home or work. In those cases, I always make sure there will be something I can eat, or I bring along a Protein shake or some kind of meat to carry me through. I've also gotten pretty good at restaurant eating. I avoid the bread and salad, order chicken, steak, lamb, fish, or pork, trade-in the starch for a second veggie, skip the dessert.... and end up taking half of the meat, and almost all of the veggies home. Hope that helps! Rog

Once you have gotten past all the stages and liquids and softs foods and have started on a regular daily diet. what are you eating. What does your daily menu really look like?

I have posted several times in the past about Couch to 5k and the fact that I am now training for a half marathon. Throughout those threads, I have received several requests to put together a complete guide to running for those of us starting out as obese. If you are reading this, I am going to assume that you are a.) interested in running and b.) have been or currently are obese. There are a lot of things that heavier people need to take into consideration when they begin running and, while programs like Couch to 5k are great for inactive people, they aren't necessarily targeted at people who are carrying around an extra 80, 100, or more pounds. So I will try to break this post up into logical and manageable chunks and I hope it proves useful to any of you who are aspiring runners.
My History
Like most people on this site, I have struggled with my weight my entire life. And while I had dieted and lost a little weight here and there in the past, my most successful pre-WLS attempt began in Nov. 2009 after the death of my sister-in-law. She died from a pulmonary embolism, most likely due to her obesity, and it really motivated me to try to get my butt in gear to spare my family another major loss. At the time I was 270 pounds. I ultimately managed to lose 90 pounds over the course of a year, thanks in part to a lot of exercise, including Couch to 5k.
I had never been a runner, but always watched marathons and triathlons on TV in awe of people who ran. My dad was a runner when I was little and I always loved going to races and cheering him on. But I had never managed to even run a full mile in my entire life. My first attempts at running ended abruptly when I developed Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, better known as "runner's knee" in both knees. Turns out, I had been walking and carrying my weight incorrectly my whole life. I ended up going to physical therapy, learning the proper way to walk and stand, learning some great stretches and strength training exercises, and learning about proper equipment. I will share my findings with you in the sections below.
After losing the 90 pounds, relearning how to walk and run, and participating in several 5k races in the summer of 2011, I decided to have plastic surgery. Complications from my Tummy Tuck caused soft tissue swelling in my lower back that rendered me pretty much immobile for months. Needless to say, I fell off the fitness bandwagon. Once I was recovered, I redid Couch to 5k and participated in another 5k race in July of 2012. Then it was off and on the fitness train over and over as I gained and lost and gained and lost weight all the way up until the time I had my VSG in Sept, 2014.
Once I was recovered from my VSG and cleared for intense exercise, I completed Couch to 5k yet again and participated in several 5k races last summer. Now I am training for a half marathon on April 24th. I plan to participate in several 10K races this summer and finish out the running season with another half marathon on September 18.
Equipment
As I mentioned in the previous section, I have learned some valuable lessons through my attempts at running over the past 6 years. It might be tempting to throw on your cotton socks and your Payless tennis shoes and try to run. That's what I did when I started! I quickly learned the error of my ways in the form of blisters and injuries. So let me save you the trouble and offer a little advice. You can learn from my mistakes!
Shoes - Obviously this is a critical area. I don't know why I didn't realize how big a deal it would be to wear terrible shoes, but if you do, you are looking at blisters, arch pain, knee injuries, hip injuries, etc. DO NOT SKIMP on your shoes. Ideally you should go to a store that specializes in running and be properly fitted for proper running shoes. Make sure the sales assistant knows that you will be both walking and running in these shoes, because some shoes are made for just walking, some for just running, and some for both. As a beginner, you aren't going to need the super light-weight shoes designed for speed and distance running. You will want something a little heavier that offers proper arch support and cushioning. Be prepared to spend upward of $100 for a good pair of shoes. It might seem like a lot, but it will save you so much trouble down the road that it will be well worth it.
Inserts - Turns out that the factory installed inserts are just flimsy pieces of cheap foam. Even if you buy those expensive $100+ running shoes. They aren't meant to actually be used. They are just place-holders for the REAL inserts that you need to buy separately. When I learned about this, it was from my physical therapist and she recommended SuperFeet inserts. I used them for a while, but ultimately switched to Dr. Scholl's Active Series and they have worked just fine for me, even through this half marathon training where I'm running 10+ miles at a time. Note: you should replace your inserts every six months.
Socks - So it turns out cotton is not your friend when it comes to running. This goes for bras, shirts, pants, and ESPECIALLY socks. I began running in my white cotton socks and quickly developed blisters on my heels. What you need are some sports socks. They don't have to be anything fancy. I bought a 6-pack of Danskin Now socks from Walmart at first and I still have some of them 6 years and thousands of miles later. I've had to supplement with some newer packs, but they last a good long time. I recommend something low cut and with extra elastic around the arch, like these fruit of the Loom socks.
Bras - This one is for the ladies. If you are obese and just starting out running, you will likely struggle mightily with the issues of bouncing and chafing in the boob department. For me, the easiest solution has been to double up on cheap, seamless sports bras. I have invested in a couple more expensive bras from Moving Comfort and Under Armor, but honestly, for my shorter runs I will wear one of these cotton Fruit of the Loom bras on bottom with one of these seamless Danskin Now bras on top. This strategy doesn't seem to work as well for my long runs during my half marathon training where the chafing potential of cotton is realized, so for those I've just been doubling up on the seamless Danskin Now bras and putting band-aids over my nipples.
Underwear - For my short runs, I wear my usual cotton underwear. But for biking and long runs, chafing has been rearing it's ugly head again, so I recently discovered Saucony's Runderpants and I love them. But they are pricey, so I only bought a couple pairs and wear them only on my long runs and bike rides. They only go up to an extra large, though, so might not be an option for women starting at a higher weight.
Compression Wear - Let's face it, large people have jiggly bits. And as we lose weight, we have loose skin. The best way to keep everything tight and tucked and to avoid chafing is to wear compression wear, like Under Armor. This is an area where you are really going to have to find what works best for you. If you are running on a treadmill in the comfort of your home, like I do most of the time, you can probably get by with just wearing some compression leggings and sports bras. But if you are at the gym or running outside, you are going to have to layer. So a tight compression legging or short with a looser running short over in might be a bit more modest. And sports bras with a compression t-shirt over them and then a loose t-shirt or tank over that? You'll have to figure out what you can tolerate and what you really need to control your own unique jiggly bits.
Moleskin - In the event that you do develop some blisters or calluses, I highly recommend moleskin as way to cover them and keep on going with little to no down time for healing. If you get a blister on your heel or toe, slap a square of moleskin on it, leave it there for a few days, and continue running as normal. It's pretty awesome, but it does mean no excuses to skip runs.... PS: Don't get the foam kind. It might sound nice, but it doesn't stay in place well. Get just the thin, fabric-y kind.
Tape - If you are like me and have issues with your arches and plantar fasciitis once you start running, watch this video on how to tape up your feet before a run. It helped me SOOOOOO much back when I had trouble with my arches. Luckily they got better as I lost weight and I no longer have to tape my feet up like this for every run. Proper Form
As I began running, I almost immediately started experiencing issues with my knees. Obviously running while carrying around so much extra weight is going to put a lot of strain on the knees. But there are several things you can do to lessen that, including carrying yourself with proper posture. Not just while running, but while walking and standing as well. Turns out that for the first 30 years of my life, I was walking wrong. I carried myself with too much Anterior Pelvic Tilt, which basically means I walked with my butt stuck out and my knees hyper extended. I learned that I needed to pull my butt under me and keep my knees slightly bent. That was easier said than done. For a couple of months I had to consciously think about every step I took and I had sore muscles where I didn't even know I had muscles, but I eventually got the hang of it and it's just second nature to me. If you think you might be walking improperly or start experiencing any lingering knee pain once you begin running, I highly recommend seeing your PCP for a referral to a physical therapist who can evaluate your posture and stride and recommend ways of correcting the issues.
Speaking of stride, another important factor in running is the way your foot strikes the ground. I am a heavy heel-striker, which is ultimately bad for my heels, knees, and hips. It causes more impact than is actually necessary for running. So as I began doing Couch to 5K I started to mentally focus on trying to land on the balls of my feet more. Ideally you want to be landing on your toes almost, that's what those stupid toe shoes some runners wear are for. I never really mastered it that much. But I have gotten better at at least landing more on the middle to front of my foot while running. Still terrible about it while walking though! One thing that kind of helped me mentally while running was to imagine I'm falling forward and kind of catching myself with the front of my foot.
Stretching
My time in physical therapy really taught me the value of proper stretching, which I really had NO CLUE about before. When you are doing any kind of cardio, you need to start with a warm-up, NOT stretching. Stretching is for AFTER you work out and your muscles are already warm. Cold muscles need to be warmed up and the easiest way to do that is by doing a slower or simpler version of the main workout. So in the case of running, simply walking is the best way to warm up. I always start any run with a 5-minute warm-up walk. I try to walk at a comfortably brisk pace, pushing a little faster than my normal leisurely walk (imagine the pace at which you walk from your car into a store from the parking lot), but not so fast that I am uncomfortable in my stride.
Similarly, you want to cool-down with a walk as well. I usually do about 5 minutes at the same pace as my warm-up and then 2-3 minutes even slower than that... like really slow... as slow as I can be and still be "walking".
Immediately after that cool-down walk I do a series of stretches that I learned from my physical therapist.
Standing Quad Stretch - Okay, this one you have probably seen people do a lot. One thing my physical therapist advised is that you should hold your ankle with your OPPOSITE hand. If you use the hand on the same side of your body, you are more prone to twist you hip out to the side and not get a proper stretch. If you are like me when I started, you are too fat to actually do this stretch. The trick there is to use a strap or a resistance band or something and wrap that around your foot and lift the end of it up, instead of actually grabbing your foot/ankle with your hand. Also, I still to this day have to hold onto something while I do this, because my balance sucks. I hold this stretch for 5 seconds each leg and repeat 5 times. Calf Stretch - Okay, this is likely one you've seen before too. My physical therapist has me do it this traditional way first, but then bend my back knee at about a 45 degree angle and hold that as well, which really stretches out the ankle. So I hold this the normal way for 30 seconds, then down into the second bent-knee position for 30 seconds. I do that on each side then repeat again for 30 seconds in each position on each side. IT Band Stretch - During one of my forays into running I developed pain on the outside of my left knee. It turned out to be IT Band Syndrome, which is inflammation of the tendon that connects the outside of your knee and hip. This stretch helped alleviate that. I hold for 30 seconds on each side. Sumo Squat - This one is pretty self explanatory. I hold this for 30 seconds total. That's it! Those are the only stretches I do and I have honed them after various injuries and random pain. After I am all done with those, I change into my pajamas and I elevate and ice my knees for 15-20 minutes. I don't know if I really NEED to ice my knees at this point. I haven't been struggling with any knee pain lately. But I figure it can't hurt! And there was definitely a time when I needed to ice my knees after every run to stave off inflammation.
You will, of course, have to hone your own stretching routine once aches and pains start to develop and focus on your specific problem areas, but this will at least give you a baseline. And I would recommend going ahead and getting into the habit of elevating and icing your knees as well.
Strength Training
Running shouldn't be your only method of strengthening your legs. If you do regular lower body strength training on your cardio rest days, you can strengthen your muscles and tendons and ultimately make running easier. I do lower body strength training twice a week. For a little while, when I was in physical therapy, I did it every day! But 2-3 times a week should be sufficient if you aren't already injured. Here's my routine:
Balance on One Leg - This is exactly what it sounds like. My physical therapist had me start by just balancing on one leg for 10 seconds at a time. She then had me start balancing on one leg with my eyes closed. She THEN had me start balancing on one leg with my eyes closed while standing on a pillow! I'm now to the point where I balance one leg, with my eyes closed, standing on a pillow for 30 seconds. I do this twice for each leg. Single Leg Squats - These are very shallow "squats". I don't get all the way down into a squat position. Just more of a "dip" really. I do 10 of these on each side with my free foot sliding out in front of me, then 10 on each side with my free foot sliding out to the side. I am even to the point where I now do these while balancing on a pillow! My physical therapist says you can always make balancing exercises harder by standing on a pillow. She's right! Single Leg Raises - These are pretty straight forward. Lay on your back with one knee bent and one knee straight (physical therapist said this is the only time allowed to fully extend my knee). Lift your straight leg up off the ground as high as you can and then lower it back down. I do two sets of 15 of these on each side. Lying Abduction - I like to think of these next two exercises as my "Jane Fonda Workout". They are straight out of an 80's fitness video. But they still work! You lie on your side and raise the top leg up to a 45 degree or greater angle and lower it back down. I do two sets of 15 reps of these on each side. Lying Adduction - Just like the last one, straight out of the 80's. This time you have to bend the knee of your top leg and brace yourself on the floor with your foot, then raise and lower your bottom leg. Two sets of 15 on each side here as well. Bridges - This one is super sexy. Made even sexier by the fact that my physical therapist told me to hold a pillow in between my knees while I do them! For this one I hold the bridge position at the top for a 5-count, then lower my butt back down. I do two sets of 15 of these as well. Stretching - I usually do a shortened version of my post-run stretching after my strength training. Training Programs & Strategies
As I've already mentioned about 15 times, I'm a fan of Couch to 5k and have completed it several times. Because of my excess weight and my terrible level of conditioning, I had to make some modifications in order to make the program feasible. Here are a few tips that might make the program more manageable for you:
Don't start with Week 1 - The first workout of Week 1 has you running for 1 minute, followed by 90 seconds of walking. If you are like me, starting out with 100+ excess pounds and NO physical conditioning, this will be too much. When I started out, I would run for 1 minute and then walk for FOUR minutes. I repeated that 5-minute cycle 5 or 6 times. Once I was comfortable with that, I finally officially started C25k. The point here is, if you need to ramp up to Week 1 Day 1, then ramp up to it. There's no shame in that. It's better to take it slow and work your way up to it than to get injured right away and stop altogether. Repeat workouts as needed - Couch to 5K is structured to take 9 weeks. Each "week" has three workouts. If you are struggling with completing a workout, then don't just advance to the next workout. Repeat the current workout until you have it down, or even revert to the previous workout if necessary. While part of the beauty of Couch to 5K is that it pushes you to do things you didn't think you were capable of, it can also push you TOO far. So, listen to your body. It's good to test your limits and push yourself that little bit further. But again, an injury is only going to set you back. Stretch Weeks 5 & 6 into two full weeks each - If you look at the schedule for C25K, you will see that in Weeks 5 & 6, each day is a different workout with one "long" run on the final day of the week. For me this was just TOO MUCH. So what I did was repeat Week 5, Day 1 three times (making it it's own whole week). Then I repeated Week 5, Day 2 three times. THEN I did the Week 5 long run once. Then I advanced to Week 6 where I did the same thing. Week 6, Day 1 became it's own whole week. Then Week 6, Day 2 three times. THEN finally the long run of Week 6. After that it's all just progressively longer runs. Most running programs are only going to have you running 3 days a week. You should use the remaining days for cross training and/or strength training. It is VERY important to give your muscles a chance to rest. So don't try to do the same exercise multiple days in a row. Cross training will give you a chance to continue burning calories on your non-running days. Strength training will allow you to build muscle which will burn calories all day long. My current plan is:
Sunday: strength training/cardio rest day
Monday: run
Tuesday: bike
Wednesday: run
Thursday: strength training/cardio rest
Friday: bike
Saturday: long run
In the past I have incorporated some chunk of strength training on cardio days and taken true rest days. Like Monday might be running AND upper body strength training. Tuesday might be bike and core... Wednesday run and lower body... you get the idea. For me, with my current schedule, it's easiest for me to do ALL of my strength training together on my cardio rest days. Which, unfortunately means I don't get any true REST days from working out. Oh well!
If you are crazy like me and want to work on training for longer distances once you have completed Couch to 5K, here is the training program I'm currently using for my half marathon: http://www.walkjogrun.net/training/half-marathon/training-plan.cfm?planId=half-beg-rw
Conclusion
Whew! That got long! I hope this proves useful to some of you. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have about anything here or anything I might have left out. Happy running!

Hope this helps you out on your VSG journey. Remember to follow your own surgeons plan as each surgeon has different methods. These are just so you can see what others are saying about how to reach goal.
Me? Generally I tried to stay above 60 gm of Protein and below 30 gm of carbs. This is what worked for me and may not be right for you.
Hope you like!
Bariatric diet guidelines.pdf
bariatric nutrition guide-sleeve gastrectomy.pdf
diet guide vsg.pdf
dietary_guidelines_sleeve_gastrectomy.pdf
nutrition_sleeve from hopkins.pdf
sleeve-gastrectomy-diet from northwest.pdf
Sleeve Cookbook.pdf

I haven't been here for a couple of weeks but I guess that's a good thing. The truth is I haven't had one minutes trouble from my surgery or my sleeve and in some ways that makes me nervous. I guess I expected more discomfort and problems.
I am now 8 weeks out. Have never had real pain, no nausea, no vomiting and seldom feel any real constriction. I can drink normally and I can take normal bites of food. I sometimes wonder if this is normal?
I eat right, high Protein, low carb and SELDOM over step the serving size. Over eating is the only thing that causes me any unusual feelings and I get a little restriction in the upper belly or at what I consider the connection of the esophagus into the stomach.
Right after surgery I was out of the gate flying and lost 20 lbs in 3 weeks, to me that was great and what I expected. Since then however my weight loss is VERY slow. In the last 5 weeks I have lost only another 8 pounds. This seems like very little to me even though I am happy to be losing at all. I just felt like I would be losing bigger chunks. Especially when I am eating under 1000 calories a day and low carbing.
I can say that I see changes in my body (not all good) but I can see a difference, I just worry that this isn't going to work for me the way it seems to work for others. I guess what I need to know is whether my loss is normal or not. I am not unhappy just a little worried that I am doing something wrong. I see the PA and NUT on Thursday the 28th and I almost expect them to b***h at me for not losing more because it feels like I should have because I had WLS for goodness sake.
HELP me shut my brain up!

I too am 6 weeks post-op and here is my daily intake
7AM Scrambled egg (about 3 bites and I'm done) / 1/4 of a piece of Canadian bacon (or turkey sausage)
9:30 AM Cottage cheese (1 oz) and 5-6 grapes ( or some other fruit)
11:30 / 12 1.5 oz baked chicken and 1 oz of re-fried Beans
2PM 3 saltines with hummus or pnut butter 1 piece of string cheese
5/6 PM 2 oz of baked fish or chicken, 1 oz green Beans (or carrots or some veggie I can handle)
Throughout the morning between meals I sip on a Protein drink and then drink Water the rest of the time.
This equates to about 600 calories a day and there are some days I can't get that much in.
To get on track----I try to add a new food every week. I pack my lunch each night before bed and first thing in the morning I add everything I'm going to eat into My Fitness Pal. My husband and I eat together and if he wants something not so healthy I make something different.
To be honest I really don't like eating since surgery. While the food tastes good I'm just not hungry - I have no cravings, but my body can feel when it needs fuel - that is all it is. There are still a lot of foods I can't tolerate so I stick with what I know will go down.
Good Luck

I have eaten tuna salad or chicken salad every day for the last 4 months and if I have to eat it one more day I am going to puke. I am almost 6 months out and find myself snacking on crackers because I can't stand the Protein anymore. This has slowed my weight loss down (only lost 10 pounds in the last 3 1/2 months). I don't want to fall into the trap I did before and start going out for lunch everyday. Any suggestions would be welcomed.

My surgery is in 11 days. I'm so nervous. I would love to hear post op stories - good or bad, don't care.
Were you nauseous? Did you puke? How was the pain? When did you start to feel better? Tell me everything!
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Well, I would stay away from potatoes, they are super high-carb and low Protein. Maybe try some Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. You can also Google Eggface Baked Ricotta to get a delicious recipe for high protein baked cheese & marinara dish that tastes like lasagna.
You want to start with very small amounts -- measure out maybe 3 tablespoons of food (less than a quarter cup) and eat very slowly. If you start to feel like you don't want any more, stop before you finish your measured portions.
Rumbling and grumbling from your stomach is pretty normal, but you don't want to feel pain.
If you are feeling pain or getting sick, go back to liquids for a few days before trying again. The food stages are not a race, and not everyone is ready to progress at the same rate. Good luck!

I tracked carefully for a period of time, and recongized I was letting small things in. 2 Quest bars in a day, when one would surely suffice. Crackers with meat and cheese.... and probably more crackers than was reasonable. Having half sandwiches for lunch, snacking on a nuts and other calorie and carb dense food. It's not like I was binging or anything... just was eating more than I needed if i wanted to keep losing. My ambition was to lose150#, so I felt a certain sense of urgency needed to make my goal.
The last meeting I had with my excellent nutritionalist before she moved.... she told me I was sliding into maintenance unintentionally. She advised completely eliminating Protein bars since i was struggling with controlling the frequency and quantity. The other thing we talked about is I had to face my own... ambivilence. Here is what i mean - I had lost enough that I was no longer super obese, health much improved, people were wowed by my appearance etc. But I think I was still a size 14-16 or something like that. I was proud of what i accomplished, but i also recognized I looked a bit matronly and I still felt kind of safe, emotionally, with the fat. i had to ask myself what i really wanted. i think that self reckoning was more important than ditching the Quest bars....
So, once my food was back on track, the losses returned to pretty good. Then, some folks on here started talking about High intensity interval training. I had become aware that i would do hours on the elliptical, did weight machines and the gym etc but I wasn;t really making leaps and bounds fitness progress. so, i tried my first spinning class. I found out why everyone put a towel under their bikes! i have long thick hair and by halfway through the class, my hair was soaked and dripping sweat on the floor. I learned more about HIIT and abandoned my old "low to med intensity" workouts in favor of the high intensity intervals, and shorter duration. That was like lighting a fire to the metabolism and I went back to losing 10-12 pounds a month again!!!! Of course, I was still very diligent about the low carbs and really managing my food because the food intake is really critical.
I have always said I had to do hand to hand combat with the last 40 or so pounds and it is the truth... but i made it to my goal of losing 150# in 14 months, even with that lull in progress while I got straightened out.
So, i think you do really need to decide what it is you want and what you are willing to do to get it. Not everyone just slides into goal doing the same old thing - we are all different. Many of us found ourselves off course... even a little can slow down progress. There are also plenty of people who are quite okay with losing say 100-120 when they need to lose 150 and i think that is perfectly valid too. For me, it was a lifelong dream to be normal size and I felt like that was my big chance so it was worth the push to make it happen. That is a very personal decision.
I do think it starts with self awareness and diligently tracking for a period of time makes you much more aware. BTW, I am a rare one that does not normally track, I have learned to eat more intuitively, but that is a subject for another day. I think tracking is an outstanding tool - whether you do it all the time or more as a spot check.

You'll decide for yourself whether this is good news or bad: You are not unique.
1. food is necessary. What you are describing, however, is a lousy, unfulfilling marriage. You'll meet someone better: Yourself. You'll also find things about yourself that you never knew, but will value.
2. Excess skin is a cosmetic matter. Don't get so far ahead of things to worry about. At the right time you can choose solutions.
You're fine.

Go buy yourself a large Yeti stainless tumbler & lid.
Fill it up with ice & Water. (It holds 30 oz and there will still be ice in the cup at room temperature after 30 hours. Amazing cups)
Take it everywhere you go.....sip on on all day long. Refill as necessary.
3 days out from surgery and I was getting well over 100oz a day.

I normally would frown on spending money on such stuff......but the performance of these cups is simply unbelievable. Drank ice Water on the way to work. Left it in my cupholder of car. Worked a short day (6hrs). 90 degrees outside. I return to car and there is still ice water in the cup for the trip home.
I had a local guy re-finish a pistol for me in two Cerakote colors. He'd told me ahead of time that he was working on an order of Yeti cups for a local store, too.
I had him go ahead and do mine in the same colors as the pistol and I bought one on the way there for him to do for my wife.
He texted this pic to me to let me know they were ready:

On the way back home I made a pitstop for the best lemonade on Earth for her to break in her new cup with.

They've got to be hand washed, but it's no biggie. These things are insane. Fill 'em up with ice and water....put 'em on your nightstand (no condensation....no water marks) and you'll still have ice water the next morning waiting on you.
Everyone in my family has gone nuts over these things. They are available in 3 sizes now, I believe. I recommend the largest size (30oz).

Things have changed fairly rapidly over the last month since I had surgery on November 20th and wanted to share my progress. I know that I still have a VERY LONG way to go, but I have been shocked at how much things have changed in such a short period of time. I know some info might be TMI, but I just wanted to share with those that might be interested. So, here is my 1 Month Post-Op Progress Report.
Weight Lost: 36.2 pounds
Inches Lost: 27.5 inches
Pant Size: 58 down to 50 waist
Shirt Size: 4XL down to 2XL-3XL (depending on the shirt)
Short/Boxer Size: 4XL down to 2XL
Distance able to walk: Was at 50 yards and now up to 3.0 miles
Time able to walk: Was at 2 minutes (to mailbox and back) and now up to 60 minutes
Back Pain: Pain was excruciating and now almost non-existent
Knee Pain: Pain was excruciating and now it's mild
Windedness: Got winded getting up off the couch and now can walk 3 miles without being winded
Washing/Wiping: Had trouble fully washing myself and wiping, but now have no problems

Hi @Bs_Knees.....congrats on things moving forward. I can't believe it has already been 6 weeks since my surgery. I am doing great. I am 35 pounds down since May 1st - and 26 pounds down since surgery. I had a low BMI, so although that is a fast loss for me, I do read about others losing more - but I am thrilled with the progress and fell absolutely fabulous.
The first day and the third day in the hospital were the toughest. Not sure why, but I had heard the 3rd day after surgery is the toughest and it was true for me. However, I was up and walking within a couple of hours of surgery and the main pain was from the gas they put in your belly and not from the incisions. By second day I took a shower and was wearing my own clothes in the hospital. I hate hospital gowns! I had the option of going home the day after, but I knew I would not rest and over do it. So I stayed two nights in the hospital and I'm glad I did. It gives you time to get your pain meds in line before going home.
I am not good about getting the Water (64 oz) and Protein in and that is not good. You may experience a bit of panic as it feels like you will never eat real food again. Bu I have been on mushy food for the last 2 weeks and that helped a lot. The new way of eating takes a bit of getting used to - and eating out with my family is sometimes frustrating because of limited options.
Here is a bit of my advice based on 6 weeks:
1. do NOT buy the Bariatric Advantage Vitamins. they are gross and make me throw up. I would definitely start with liquid Multi Vitamins that you can get on Amazon. I have only thrown up twice and it is due to the chewable Multivitamins.
2. start the Vitamins and drinking at least 40 ounces of Water a month before your surgery. I did not and wish I had already instituted this change. I am not a big water drinker anyway.....and used to only drink bubbly water. So this has been one of the hardest things to conquer.
3. I did have head hunger - I thought I would not feel hungry at all, but I do get hungry. Not a big deal, but it threw me for a surprise.
4. Fill all of your prescriptions before surgery day. I didn't, and my mom and I had to stop on the way home from the hospital and it sucked.
5. They called in a prescription for syringes that you give yourself in your belly to keep from getting blood clots. No one at the docs office or the hospital told me this, so I was surprised when the guy at CVS gave them to me. Just be prepared. Doesn't hurt that much - but not fun either.
6. Schedule your surgery follow-up appointment before surgery day. The schedule was full, and I waited until 2 days after surgery. Made the staff cranky.
I was very lucky and healed super fast and was back to walking as soon as I got home. They were very happy at my 2 week follow-up. I was back to work at my office 6 days after surgery. I did get very tired by 7:30pm/8pm because of the drastic lack of calories - and I still get tired by 8:30pm. (highly unusual for me).
The good things:
1. I feel fantastic and in control of my own choices
2. I sleep SO much better and actually wake up rested
3. I have more patience for my children and my attitude in life is so much better
3. I'm having to dig through the attic to find old clothes to wear. It does feel like the weight falls off in the beginning. (although I know if I don't start getting more Protein that I will stall).
4. friends and colleagues have started to notice a big change
I'm happy to answer any questions you may have - keep 'em coming! It is one of the best decisions I ever made.
Seana

DISCLAIMER: This FAQ is in no way intended to replace or undermine the advice of your physician. Every person is different, every surgeon has different guidelines, and no two situations are identical. Therefore if any of the answers below are unclear or contradict your physicians’ instructions, always follow your physicians’ instructions. The responses given are a compilation from multiple sources and references.
How do I embed the weight loss ticker? Click on the liquid stage? During your clear liquid stage you can have anything that you can sip through a straw that is translucent, meaning see through. For instance: Water, juice, broth, sugar free popsicles, sugar free Jello, Isopure Protein Drinks, Gatorade, Powerade, Decaf tea just to name a few. Once you move on to full liquids you may add liquids that are not translucent. For instance: creamed Soups, soups with the chunks strained out, milk, Protein shakes etc…
When do I start mushies/purees? Every surgeon has different guidelines for the progression of your post-op diet. The majority of post-op diets progress as follows:
Day 1-7 Clear Liquids
Day 8-14 Full liquids
Day 15-21 Purees
Day 22-50 Mushies
What’s the difference between mushies and purees? The major difference is that purees are anything that has been blenderized/pureed to a baby food consistency and has no chunks. These should not be watery, but instead a thicker pudding like consistency. Mushies are soft foods that have not been pureed.< /p>
Should I be counting calories or carbs or both? Both. Again, every surgeon is different, but the majority of sleevers will be on a 600-1000 calorie/day diet with carbs kept at 60-80g or less. The general guideline is this: When eating, protein is always first, veggies are second, and if you have room carbs/starch last. The majority will rarely have room for the carbs.
How much protein should I be getting per day? The recommended protein intake may vary from 55 to 100g per day, depending on your individual needs and the bariatric diet provided by your surgeon or dietitian. The generally accepted minimum protein requirement for women is about 50 to 60g per day and men need at least 60 to 70g of protein per day.
How much liquid do i need for the day? About 60-80oz
When can I eat salad? Once you reach the point where you’re on normal solids you can try salad. Start with a small amount and see how your sleeve tolerates it as it can be difficult to digest.
Best Protein Shakes? This one depends on your particular tastes, however most seem to enjoy powders? utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury.

What else counts as a liquid? Anything that can be sipped through a straw or that will reduce back to a liquid. For example: Jello, sugar free popsicles, frozen yogurt/ice cream (these are generally no no foods)
How long will my surgery last? Typically about 45mins assuming there are no complications or other procedures (ie: hernia repairs) being done at the time of your surgery. Every surgeon is different so for a more accurate answer you should consult your respective surgeon.
Why can't I tolerate plain water, is this normal? It’s called water nausea and it is completely normal. This is very common during the first few weeks following surgery and should eventually subside.
What is sliming/slimes? Sliming or slimes occur when you eat or drink something and then regurgitate a slimy, foamy, saliva like substance, usually when belching.
What is grazing? Grazing is when instead of consuming your standard 3 small meals and 2 small Snacks per day, you simply munch all day grabbing a handful here or a bite there. The rule is that your meals should take you 20-30 minutes to eat and should be about 3 hours apart with only fluids in between.
What do all these acronyms mean?
In no particular order:
WLS – Weight Loss Surgery
NSV – Non scale Victory (ie: smaller clothes, compliments, climbing a flight of stairs etc…)
NUT – Nutritionist
PCP – Primary Care Physician
VSG – Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
TOM – Time of the Month
SF – Sugar Free
WFL/WFD – What’s for Lunch/Dinner
How much did you lose at 1 month etc.? How much can I expect to lose in what time frame? Everyone’s body is different and so is everyone’s journey. There is no set amount you should expect lose in a set amount of time, and you should never compare your journey or your progress to someone elses. As long as you’re sticking with the program and following your surgeons guidelines, the weight will come off.
What is a stall? How long does it last and how do I break it? A stall is a point at which the scale stops moving for a period of time. The length of the stall varies from a few days to a few weeks and sometimes a few months. Non VSG’ers typically call it a plateau. Stalls are perfectly normal and to be expected. As we lose weight so dramatically, our bodies need time to catch up physically - this typically happens during a stall. While the scale may not be moving, you may notice an increase in compliments. This is because while the number on the scale isn’t getting any smaller, you are physically getting smaller. There are many tips and tricks for breaking a stall (increase your fluids and protein, increase your activity, up your calories…) but the reality is it will break on its own.
When can I have sex? When you’re ready. Keep it simple for the first few weeks post-op and don’t attempt any tricky positions. Be careful until you’ve been cleared by your surgeon for strenuous activity.
When can I start exercising? Typically right away, though the types of exercises you can do will be limited. Most surgeons restrict weight training/resistance training for about 3-4 weeks after surgery, but you should be walking/speed walking at least 30-45min daily starting from the day you get home.
What do I do with flabby skin? What's the best exercise etc.? The severity of the flab will vary based on many different factors. While there’s no way to tell how bad it will be or whether it will even be bad, there are a couple of proactive measures you can take. Make sure you’re using a moisturizing lotion with Vitamin E and Keratin several times daily. The vitamin E will help add elasticity back to your skin and the keratin will add moisture, both of which may help your skin bounce back as the weight falls off. The best exercises to target your problem areas are resistance and strength training in order to tone and build muscle to replace the fat. Lastly, be patient. Just as your weight stalls while your waist catches up to it, your skin will sag until it gets the signal to shrink. While it probably won’t ever be as tight as you’d like, it will shrink.
Will I lose hair? How much? What causes it? When does it return? Do Vitamins help? The truth is, yes, you probably will lose hair. Because of the drastic changes going on that are caused by the extreme reduction in protein and vitamins coming in as well as the hormonal fluctuations caused by the rapid weight loss, it takes our bodies a while to adjust. Don’t worry, as our hormones level out and our bodies get used to the new us, it will come back. There is no set time frame for it to do so however.
I’m constipated - what is it okay to take, especially in the beginning when newly sleeved? Will it get better? Worse? In the beginning a simple stool softener like Colace should do the trick. You don’t want to take a laxative or anything that may irritate your new sleeve. While you’re in the liquid/puree stage, Constipation shouldn’t be an issue, but as you reintroduce solids you may have to go back to your stool softeners. If you do find that stool softners are only offering temporary relief, try increasing your fluids and Fiber and decreasing your cheeses.
I’m having very loose bowel movements, is this normal? Totally. You do need to monitor stools of this consistency to ensure they contain no blood, but very loose stools, even watery stools, are completely normal for a few weeks post-op. When in doubt – ask your surgeon.
Will I feel fatigue? Will fatigue go away? Yes and yes. Your body has just undergone major surgery and it needs to heal. While it’s healing you will feel more fatigued than normal. Subsequent to having such a large portion of your stomach removed is the fact that you can no longer take in as much food (read: fuel) and therefore your body has to adjust and find a new fuel source. Your body will eventually begin to burn fat for fuel and some of the fatigue will subside. Your surgeon should also prescribe a B12 supplement which will also help with energy.
When can I go back to work? How much time should I take off? That will be entirely up to your surgeon. Most return to work within 2-3 weeks.
How many days in the hospital? Your hospital stay will depend on your recovery. When you are able to keep down liquids, are up and about and walking as directed, and your surgeon and nursing staff are confident there are no complications, you’ll be released. Your surgeon should be able to give you an expectation of the length of your stay.
Do the staples dissolve? No. The staples used to close the stomach are titanium and do not dissolve. The stomach tissue will eventually grow over the staple line. Your staples do not make metal detectors go off or make you ineligible for an MRI. They are completely benign.
Why am I always hungry? The most likely culprit is either head hunger or reflux/heartburn. Head hunger is a false sense of hunger triggered by boredom/emotions/the clock or any number of things which make you think you’re hungry when you’re really not. Heartburn is the most common culprit of constant hunger. Even though you may not feel as though you have heartburn, you may find that a simple antacid will eliminate that constant hungry feeling.
What is a stricture? A stricture is what happens when scar tissue builds up in your esophagus (sometimes caused by reflux) that causes your esophagus to narrow and makes swallowing difficult.
What is a leak and what are the symptoms? A leak is an opening along the suture line of your sleeve that allows bile and other digestive fluids to leak into your abdominal cavity. The symptoms of a leak vary but the most common symptoms are pain radiating across the abdomen, fever, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, and abdominal cramping. It is important to note that leaks are rare and only occur in about 1 out of every 100 cases.
Can you get a leak any time after surgery? Or is it just immediate? Most leaks happen very soon after surgery, but there is still a risk for about 4-6 weeks after. Again, it is important to note that leaks are rare and only occur in about 1 out of every 100 cases.
Some of my incisions are oozing - is this normal? If they’re oozing a green or yellowish Fluid, absolutely not. Green and yellow are the colors of infection and should be reported to your surgeon immediately. If your incisions are oozing a pinkish or clear watery fluid it’s your body’s way of keeping your incisions clean and isn’t usually a concern. When in doubt, ask your surgeon.