Try super cold iced Water. I had a problem post-op where any Water that wasn't ICE cold with literally ice cubes floating in it would sit really heavy in my stomach and make me feel uncomfortable. It also often caused a gurgling sensation up the back of my throat. I now drink water from an insulated bottle that keeps ice cold all day long and it has helped tremendously!
I'm 2.5 weeks post op and I was shocked when I kept finding myself cold. Before I seemed to always be hot and with little effort I broke out into sweats. I had terrible night sweats too and that hasn't happened at all. What a nice side effect.
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App
Yesterday I had a bad diet day. I had people over for a game night and participated in the demolishing of a pack of m&m Cookies. I went to bed feeling guilty and upset with myself.
I am SO close to reaching onederland and a 100lbs loss (currently 204.0, 197.6 will be -100lbs). Today I refocused, worked out with my trainer, it's only 12:30pm and I'm half way to my Water and Protein goals!
If I can do it SO CAN YOU! If you had a bad day brush it off and start over. We can do this!
I have learned that you need to be kind to your body whist its healing
I have learned that i am overly critical of my body
I have learned that obsessing over my weight is not going to you lose weight any faster
If you are on a stall early on, eat more, drink more and stay off the scale. For those of you under 500-600 calories, you are starving yourself and training your body to get by with less and less calories. This will make it harder to lose and maintain when you get farther out. My longest stall was at my lowest calorie intake when I Was sick from a medication and too nauseous to eat. As soon as I Doubled my intake the pounds fell off. I don't track or measure anything, but a couple spot checks of my calories showed 1000 calories by 2-3 months, 1200 calories at 6 months and been maintaining 12 pounds below goal for 4 months on 1400-1600 calories.
Eat Protein, drink Water, take your Vitamins, include a balance of veggies, fruits and whole grains. Quit making postop so hard and STAY OFF THE FUCKING scale.< /p>
THIS MAKES ME SOOOO EXCITED! I'm 3 weeks out and down 27 lbs. Being in ONE-derland is 57 lbs away...I CAN'T WAIT! Thank you for the morning motivation!!!
THIS MAKES ME SOOOO EXCITED! I'm 3 weeks out and down 27 lbs. Being in ONE-derland is 57 lbs away...I CAN'T WAIT! Thank you for the morning motivation!!!
THIS MAKES ME SOOOO EXCITED! I'm 3 weeks out and down 27 lbs. Being in ONE-derland is 57 lbs away...I CAN'T WAIT! Thank you for the morning motivation!!!
I'm so happy! Best decision of my life! I would do this again in a heartbeat! Almost 2 months out on Sunday! Surgery date was March 15, 2016. Started at 236.8 Current 198.2! Progress!
Yesterday was my one year Surgiversary!! Woohoo!!!! Hard to believe that I have made it this far, but alas, here I am... *AND* I have not only survived but I am loving life. There is so much to reflect on, but overall, I truly believe this was the best decision I have ever made and I am now a happier, healthier version of me. That’s not to say that the past year hasn’t been without its share of ups and downs … plenty of those! However, all in all, if I had to go back to the point of no return I can honestly say I would be willing to do it all over again.
Here’s how things are looking…
HW: 305lbs
SW: 265lbs
CW: 173lbs
Total weight lost: 132lbs
Clothes: From a size 5X or 26/28 to a size L or 10/12
Health: Diabetes - Controlled without medication (Fasting glucose avg.105 with no meds from 155 on high dose of meds), Blood Pressure - Controlled without medication, Cholesterol - Controlled without medication, Previous Spine Injury - Controlled with OTC meds as needed.
Fitness: From being able to walk less than 15 minutes on a treadmill in physical therapy to having completed 10+ 5K races with my most recent at a sub-13 minute mile pace. Registered to walk my first marathon in September 2016.
Goals: I don’t have a target weight, as this was never about a number for me. My surgeon would like to see me at 150lbs. We’ll see. Non-weight goals have been my focus all along and this is the direction I continue to move.
What have I learned? LOTS!!! I could seriously write a book, but then again, couldn’t we all?!?! Here are the things that really stick out to me. As a graduate speaker at my program, these are the things I try to stress to new patients as they begin the process.
Listen to your team! They really do know what they are doing. My NUT has been super supportive and told me that it was better to ask questions than to worry myself over nothing. I eventually stopped calling her regularly, but just having those niggling little questions answered was a huge weight off my shoulders. When they say drink X-amount of Water, drink it. When they say eat X-amount of Protein, eat it. There really is a reason behind your program and following it will help you a 100 times over.
Listen to your body. It will talk to you … and I don’t mean all the gurgles and sounds from your new sleeve! When I found myself getting sluggish and tired I needed to look at my protein and water intake. Was I getting enough? Usually the answer was a resounding NO. When my sleeve revolted and I had uncomfortable cramping, had I eaten something new or different? YUP … usually, but as I continued to re-introduce more foods I found the discomfort would lessen and go away much faster. Certain foods may never like you again. Find something new to try. Your palate will change some & you might like something that you never did before. You know your body better than anyone else. If something seems wrong, don’t ignore it, ask. But try not to let it control you either.
Stalls happen, get used to it. I started out weighing myself every day and it quickly took a psychological toll on me. I needed to stop for the sake of my own sanity. I actually had my husband hide the scale on me and only allow me to have it once a week. Now it sits in the bedroom, but I still only weigh on Monday mornings (surgery was a Monday so I stuck with that day). Stalls have plagued me throughout the past year beginning with the dreaded 3 week post-op stall. I don’t like them & I get frustrated, but I am now used to them. Current stall has lasted me 2 ½ weeks so far. The scale will move eventually and I will move on with life until the next one.
Choose NSVs as goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Non-Scale Victories are my best friend! I started walking shortly after surgery & built up my distance from one block to the point of doing 3+ miles at a 25 minute mile pace in just 3 months, as an incentive I registered for a popular local race. When I finished my first 5K I bought myself a treat (Coloring Books! Not food-based). When I finished my first 10K I went shopping for a new bedroom comforter set. When I reached my first sub-13 minute pace I bought new running sneakers. My NSVs have kept me motivated and kept the focus OFF the scale … which often doesn’t move as quickly as I’d like.
You will change … maybe not your morals and values and the things at the core of your being, but your outlook and your confidence and the way you see yourself. It will be difficult at times. Make sure you have a good support system to help you through, and if you don’t consider seeing a therapist. So many times my husband and my best friend have listened to me rant and rave like a crazed lunatic. They let me cry it out & yell it out, and in the end, talk it out. Sometimes it has been stupid piddly sh!t that set me off, but right then it was all I could focus on and I needed to vent in order to move past it. People say things that they don’t mean to be negative, but being in an overly sensitive state I found things that normally didn’t bother me were my total undoing. I have (mostly) come to terms with the new “ME” … I don’t hide behind my weight anymore. I am not invisible. But I have had to learn how to handle this new found confidence and channel it in a positive way. My friends don’t treat me any differently than before, but some acquaintances and co-workers have been snide and negative. Let it go … they don’t define you, YOU do!
This is *YOUR* journey, and yours alone. You will have people support you and encourage you, and there may be those who try to tear you down. Your weight loss will be different than the next person, and different still than the person after that. Do not compare yourself to others or try to keep up with anyone else. I did not go through with my WLS for anyone other than myself, and that is the only comparison I should make. What’s the quote? “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Take the first step, and the next, and the next. Keep moving forward. Remember now and then to look back and see where you’ve been, and look ahead to where you are going, but don’t forget to stop and see where you are right now. Live your life, don’t just exist while trying to get to your goals.
I still have a long way to go, and goals that I want to achieve. I want to LIVE my life and not be limited by my size...I want to take a trip and not need a seat belt extender for the plane ride. I want to go to the caverns this summer and not be told I am too big to go in the crawl spaces. I want to try zip lining and be able to fit in the harness. I want to go on a cruise and I want to wear a bathing suit without being embarrassed. I want to be in a size 8/10 at least ONCE in my life. I want to be in photos with my children and grandchildren and not always be hiding behind the camera.
The good news is that I am on my way! And even better, I am determined to not only reach my goals, but to enjoy myself as I do. This summer I will do my first 10-mile race, and in September I will walk a marathon. We have a family trip planned and it will be my first plane ride since WLS. I can’t wait to just sit down & buckle up! I bought a bathing suit for the first time in years that doesn’t cover more than it shows. And I have started smiling and taking “selfies” with my granddaughter on a regular basis. My husband and I have grown even closer than before, and together we are building our “life after children”.
By the way ... in the photos I attached, the before pictures are literally from the day before my surgery and then two weeks after surgery. The after photos are from two days ago … almost exactly one year from my WLS.
I know this may be a stretch and maybe it is too personal for some to share, but I'm curious to know if anyone that has been diagnosed with PCOS has had success with Gastric Sleeve? How much of a difference do you see in your weight / skin / hair (loss and growth)? Mostly interested in the weight but also curious to see if I should expect any other changes? Thanks so much for those willing to share!
StacieLee got a reaction from jaxmom in Weight loss