Diana_in_Philly

I'm 3+ years out and can't remember specifics, but I can tell you I'm down 150 pounds and fluctuate between 152-160 most weeks.

Get your head in the right place. Start working through why you are doing this and what your goals are. Use the time before your surgery to get your head in the right place - protein first. Water always. Make peace with the things you won't be able to eat frequently going forward. (I'm 3+ years post op - I can pretty much eat anything, but I pay a price for it. For example, I had a submarine sandwich from a place I loved after a fencing tournament this weekend and my stomach was upset for three days.) If you need to see a therapist about your relationship with food, do it now. Surgery is a tool to jumpstart your weight loss. The hard work will be up to you after the honeymoon phase. Best wishes.

FWIW - 5'3", 55 years old at time of surgery. 3rd surgi-versary in a few days (8/23). Highest weight- roughly 300+. Current weight - about 162. Lowest 152 after contracting e coli. I told only my immediate family (two teen daughters and husband.) I did not tell my mother or my sister (mom died without knowing and sister still doesn't know). I am NATIONALLY RANKED as a fencer now in my age group in two weapons (foil and saber). I can deadlift 240 and back squat the same. Getting your head in the right place is the biggest issues. Learning to deal with emotions without food is huge for most of us. Finding an exercise you love is important. Tell who you choose, or not. But I can tell you that this made a mammoth difference in my life. Best wishes to you.

I have about 10 extra pounds of skin/fat that are going nowhere and I work out like a demon. I fence (as in en garde) 6-7 hours a week, do a cross fit type class three hours a week, work with a personal trainer 1 hour a week and do pilates and yoga another 2 hours a week. Every other weekend I am fencing competitively. I have a pouch. Nothing is going to do anything about it until I have plastics. If I tighten my abdominals under it you can see the six pack that is there, but that fat and skin is going to have to be surgically removed. You can tighten up the muscles, but that won't cure the giggle.

I work with a trainer and do a Crossfit type Olympic Lifting class three times a week. I'm a 58 year old woman (5'3") who weighs about 152. I can deadlift and back squat 240. I can bench about 110. Overhead Press about 80. I'm not going for the physique, specifically and as a post-menopausal woman, I'm not going to build muscle like a man, but can you see definition - damn straight you can. I'm also a nationally ranked fencer (as in en garde) in both foil (22) and saber (37) in my age group. Yep. You can do it. In fact, tonight, I went to pick heavy things up and put heavy things down because I was in a crappy mood. Throwing metal always makes me feel better.

Try a service like Daily Burn. It's around $10 a month and you get new workouts, literally, daily at all levels. They give you a one week trial for free. Until I joined a gym, I used it for Pilates.

I fence (as in en garde) starting about a year post sleeve. When I had my mammogram, I had so many bruises that the tech asked me if I was safe at home!!!

Try collagen based proteins or a vegan protein. Good Luck.

Are you lactose intolerant? It may be that you are using whey protein. Change the type of protein you are using.

Before surgery 300+. Currently, 152. 5'3". So 180-210 would be 60-70 percent of my body weight. I look really stupid below 150. My body fat is under 30% and I haven't had plastics yet. I dead lift and back squat 240. I'm 58 years old, three years out and nationally ranked as a fencer in two events.

Torani makes a whole line of sugar free coffee-house syrups. I have a station set up in my house. It's amazing what you can do - Chocolate protein powder, caramel syrup an 1 TB PB2 - Snickers. Want to up your fiber - add some chia seeds. Too thin - couple of tablespoons of oikos triple zero. The possibilities are limited only by your own tastes.

Iced cold brew frapp at home One cup cold brew coffee. One Premier Protein Caramel Shake. One squirt sugar free chocolate syrup. Ice. Blender. Same thing can be done with caramel, vanilla or chocolate protein powder and Fairlife Skim. Fairlife Skim - 13 g protein 80 cal Protein Powder 23g protein 110 cal. Coffee - 0 Sugar Free syrup 0 protein 5 cals. Ice 0 So you've got roughly 200 calories and 36g of protein plus your morning joe. I still do this a couple of days a week. I'm 3 years out.

I probably had GERD before my sleeve, but didn't take anything for it. To be honest, I can live with taking Protonix and vitamins for the benefits I've gotten.

I'm 3 years out next month. I feel so much better than normal. I pretty much eat what I want (within limits) and give myself the option of the occasional slice of pizza or small plate of pasta. I still take a PPI for reflux and my vitamins. But what I can do now that I couldn't do before when I was 300 pounds: I'm ranked 22 among women in my age group in foil fencing (as in en garde) NATIONALLY I'm ranked 37 among women in my age group in saber fencing NATIONALLY I can deadlift and back squat 240 pounds. I can clean and jerk 75 pounds. If I had the plastics done, you'd see the six pack. I'm in the best shape I've ever been in during my adult life. Do I have a cocktail once or twice a week? Sure Do I eat popcorn occasionally? Sure But my weight is stable around 152 with about 25% body fat which is pretty darn good for a post menopausal woman who has lost 150 pounds. Do I know I have a sleeve - sure - if I try to eat too much or eat too fast I'm reminded. But that doesn't happen very often.

My girls were 13 and 16 when I had my VSG. They had watched me struggle with my weight for years. I explained simply what the surgery was, why I was having it (to be healthy and be there to see them grow up, get married and have kids if that's what they choose), to be able to enjoy things with them that I couldn't and to try to put off having my knees replaced. (They knew very clearly about my history of knee issues.) There were some questions. One was very supportive, the other not as much, but that has more to do with their personality types. You have to approach them in a way that works for them given their fears/concerns. I left plenty of time for them to ask questions or not. My girls were mostly concerned about the actual surgical procedure and anesthesia for me, but in large part that's because I've handled quite a few medical malpractice cases in my day and they would hear me talk about those issues. But they also know as a result I'm very picky about what doctors and hospitals treat me!