Mystique2015

I literally feel full and satisfied.. Was a learning process to pinpoint the exact feeling for me though. But I am a pro at it now

Instead of losing who you are, you will discover who you are. Weight loss shrinks your belly, not your sense of humor. Most of our bariatric teams include access to a psychologist who can help us navigate through the mental and emotional changes that come with a shape we are not familiar with.
You don't have to eat healthy food. You get to eat healthy food. You will no longer be a slave to the processed food industry and their marketing machine. Their stuff is not really food anyway. They produce factory edibles full of chemicals and pesticides. With you new high Protein lifestyle, your body will thrive instead of just exist under reduced circumstances.
You don't have to exercise. You will be in a new body the enables you to exercise. The human body is built to move. That is why we have arms and legs and muscles and joints. We were not meant to become part of the sofa, but that is what our excess weight has done to us,
You will get to re-invent yourself. You may be shy now, but when you lose weight, you gain confidence. When someone gives you are hard time about your body or medical choices, you will either want to educate them or cold-konk them. But you won't take it any more and hide behind your weight with shame.
Although it may be painful, people can't keep their opinions to themselves and they will expose how they really think of you. That's when you realize that you may indeed have to adjust your circle of friends or distance yourself from toxic family who would rather see you fail than be thinner, happier and healthier than they are.
Chirp up. You can ditch the spiral of despair and grief for the old you and accept the challenge and adventure of creating the best you that you are supposed to be.
Are you familiar with the comedienne Lisa Lampanelli? She got sleeved a couple of years ago and is just as funny as she ever was.
You have already had your surgery and may as well hang on for the ride.
By the way, the discomfort and nausea will go away. Before you know it, you will be at your one year anniversary and wonder where the time went.

I am gastric sleeve and I do full fat everything. In fact, if I am having a weight loss stall, I just eat more bacon and it seems to get me losing again. What I stay away from is sugar, flour, rice and "bad carbs". I do have Beans and smashed potatoes (mashed with the skins on) because unlike sugar and flour...beans and potatoes (with skins on) have lots of Fiber Vitamins (including potassium) and nutritional value (vs the purely empty calories from sugar and flour). Of course I do all things in moderation. Also you should be aware that many "light" or "low fat" or "fat free" items have added sugar or carbs to make up for the taste. That being said I do have a preference for light (not fat free) sour cream and light mayo...probably from years of eating it. Also with the light sour cream I am usually using it in my mashed potatoes with plenty of grass fed (Kerrygold Irish) butter, so there is already plenty of fat. Also since it's hard to get enough veggies I also purée some roasted cauliflower (fauxtatoes) and mix it about half and half with actual smashed potatoes. If you need more Protein in your purées you can also use high protein "Fairlife" milk and/or look for "Bone Broth" instead of regular chicken broth (or just add a scoop of unflavored Protein Powder to the mixture.

That was a little rude. He was just making a comparison between the differences in the suggestions from different countries. I thought the point of BariatricPAL was to be supportive, not critical. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using the BariatricPal App

Belgium Guy, twinkles are gross, so you'r not missing anything, my nutritionist also said I could eat whole grain bread and Pasta, I just need to keep under 140 grams in carbs a day. I've lost 100 pounds and kept it off successfully for a year. Ignore the rudeness.
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I don't even know what Twinkies are and I have never had milkshake in my whole life. I just said my surgeon and my dietitian never told me anything wrong about brown pastas/rice and whole grain bread, I sure hope they know what they are doing since they studied around 9years to be there.
My mother also had a sleeve and still eat these things while maintaining 22 BMI, which is far from being bad.
And yes indeed I am a "newbie", I didn't come here for people to laugh at me or being condenscending. Have a nice day.

I have been wanting more tattoos also, but I plan on getting plastic surgery so I think it would be good to wait. I currently have 3 in places that don't get loose skin so they are ok. I think getting one on your foot or somewhere that has very little fat is your best bet. Probably where I will get one soon, my feet are all skin and bone now.

I didn't have a puree phase, but I ate (and still eat) a lot of geek yogurt, cottage cheese, tuna, refried Beans, chili, Protein pudding, etc. Everything tastes better with melted cheese on top (except maybe the Greek yogurt).
A lot of folks like The World According to Eggface's ricotta bake. It wasn't one of my favorites.
What does your NUT suggest?

I think we need to stop policing other's choices unless they are asking for input. There is a big difference between the occasional hot dog at a baseball game or on the 4th of July and making it a regular part of one's choices.
The OP was illustrating his post with volume he could consume.
I'm a huge baseball fan. My husband works for the SF Giants. I get to two or three games a year. Someday I'd like to have a hotdog or half a bratwurst at a game. That won't happen this season. In the meantime, the Giants actually have a vegetable garden and adjacent food options that are organic, grown right there in the Park, and including vegan choices. It was the idea of one of our players, actually. It started out as an avocado tree grown from a pit by one of the grounds crew. True story.
My point is, not everyone wants, needs, or enjoys eating your way. Or mine. And that's fine. What we all need to do is keep an eye on our own choices, making sure that they're volume-appropriate, nutritionally dense, and enjoyable. There is room in everyone's life for the occasional different choice so long as we're mindful of how often "occasional" is.

Im cool with it. It's better than sucking down four dogs like I use too. And healthier.

A year ago I never could have begun to hope that I would be where I am today. Feeling so very grateful! (VSG 11/17/15)

I haven't posted any pics in a while (hit my stretch goal a couple weeks ago now), but this is my absolute favorite before and after and really summarizes the reason I had surgery. My little girl is getting bigger and I've gotten smaller... hopefully she keeps holding my hand for a while longer. They just get so big so fast!

4.5 months and so happy!! 91 lbs gone since September 2015. Surgery was in December
I have so much more to lose but I feel so much better.

Half of me gone as of today!
Dec 2014 HW 298
SW June 2015 257
CW 148
Size 26 to now size 8

My acid reflux is completely gone and has been since about 2 months out of surgery(I also don't take any medicine to control it) But I had a hiatal hernia repair at the time of my sleeve also. I only get it once around "that time of the month" like clock work. I have never thrown up or got the "foamies" I have felt overly full plenty of times though.. just standing up and walking it off seems to be the best relief for me, when that does happen.

If you ask me, 1 psych evaluation isn't even close to what SHOULD be required for WLS. Post op therapy/counseling should be mandatory. Cause in the end, long term weight loss maintenance is 90% mental and maybe 10% physical.
With very few exceptions of certain metabolic disorders, the folks that regain years after WLS do so because they never got to the bottom of why they got fat in the first place. And without knowing the why means you can't change it. Going back to old behaviors when life deals you shit is the #1 cause of regain. The sleeve/band/bypass doesn't fail, the patient fails because not enough attention gets paid to the psychological aspect of losing and maintaining weight.

Honestly, its because insurance is paying for it and they want to know if you are just going to waste money. That's the brutal truth. If you do self pay you don't have to jump through all the hoops.

New update.. 131 pounds down.

My sentiments and experiences exactly! I have an Occasional scooped out bagel with Turkey bacon as a Breakfast and lunch. Rice is like concrete, and pasta has been only twice since my surgery. I am working on a healthy relationship with food, rather than becoming a calorie count fanatic, just my choice.

I have been wanting more tattoos also, but I plan on getting plastic surgery so I think it would be good to wait. I currently have 3 in places that don't get loose skin so they are ok. I think getting one on your foot or somewhere that has very little fat is your best bet. Probably where I will get one soon, my feet are all skin and bone now.

I think that the part we have to live with (possibly not making the ultimate weight) and I made up my mind where I would be happy. I am within 10lbs of it and like you about 15 -20lbs of the ultimate goal.
Is it still attainable? I think so.
I am 53 and that extra ten lb loss is probably a lot more loose skin. I feel pretty darn good and wearing size 12 jeans! That was something I thought I would never do again.

I know my fat is and was, in large part, a physical barrier to avoid unwanted attention. I agree that therapy and counseling is really helpful.
Attractiveness is so much more than physical looks. I know plenty of "pretty" people I find unattractive, usually due to their attitude, personality, how they treat other people, etc. and others who may not be conventionally "pretty" who are downright beautiful, usually because they are genuine, confident, kind, caring, generous, open, and honest.
P.S., drunks at nightclubs are not the best judges of character, attractiveness, or anything else. I would be wary of putting too much stock in anything someone says at a club (positive or negative).

My hair loss has finally come to a stop for the most part. I didn't loose length just thickness. I have heard lemon and lime Water is good for minimizing loose skin.. of course not all of it. I have bought organic lemon and lime juice that I just add to Water and I drink a good portion of it daily. So far so good.

5 weeks?!?! That seems super early for alcohol. I wasn't even on solid foods at 5 weeks. I wasn't cleared for alcohol until 3 months post-op.
I personally have found that I get drunk very quickly, but I also sober up really quickly. So one drink will have me feeling buzzed, but for only about 15-20 minutes tops.

Finally did it! Lost 100 pounds!!! As I write this, I am at 101.6 pounds lost!!! I am 10 months out. Started at 271. Now 169.4!! Never thought people would call me skinny, but they are and I love it! I've had some major stalls where I thought my journey was over at 60, then 80, then 95 pounds. But you can't "quit" the plan because your stomache just won't allow for overeating! Which was always my trouble before. I'd get frustrated and overeat. Now I run 4 miles 3-4 times a week and I Love my new body! Love my new life! Wish I would have done it sooner!!!!!!!!!! Yay me!!!!! I'm gonna keep on keepin' on! Let's see how low I can go!!!!!!!!!!!
Sent from my XT1254 using the BariatricPal App