triplethreat

I went running today (I run 2-3 miles 3X week). My abductors ache. I feel like I'm 135 years old. Any stretches to help with this?

Thanks!

I also love edamame, but my favorite snack is kale chips and hummus.

Adductor, not abductor.

If you pursue therapy, you might have good results with a CBT (cognitive behavioral therapist). CBT is showing promise in treating addictive behaviors. Here's some general information - I like that they address dysfunctional thinking as well dysfunctional behavior.

I'd up the carbs a little at a time, if I were you. Do you know how many you were consuming before you fell off the wagon? I'd maybe up it 5-10 g, see what that does, up it again, etc until you find the sweet spot. I can't do zero carbs. I don't even want to. I do limit carbs but without carbs, I can barely think. I need to think to function. I've gradually increased mine and I feel great.

DIET is the key. I also eat low carbs/high protein and imagine I will for life. I enjoy exercise now, but it doesn't move the scale.

Have been married 22 years. For a while when I was at my highest weight, my rings were too snug and then when I bit gw, they were way too loose. I mentioned to my daughter that one of my acquaintances had her rings resized after wls. She talked to my husband... My husband surprised me with resized rings that actually fit. I've dropped two ring sizes!

Once I started eating normal foods my husband made bolgogi for me at least once a week; beef sliced then and marinated in fish sauce and a little soy sauce, garlic, and green onion. Served on lettuce leaves (for me) and rice (not for me). Delicious! Also really like avocados stuffed with seasoned chicken. Paleo recipes usually work well.

Toppik fibers help until your new hair comes in. Biotin can help speed up regrets as well. My hair stylist explained that hair that is in the resting stage of growth comes out after surgery, similar to what many women experience after childbirth.

What did you eat? Sodium makes me gain about a pound overnight but it's water retention. You probably didn't gain a "real" pound, how many calories are you able to eat?

I don't drink beer (no carbonation). I don't tolerate red wine anymore. Liquor gives me ferocious heartburn. Postop all I can have is white wine. However, alcohol has plenty of carbs and I am on carb restriction for life so I have to budget my carbs if I'm going to have wine.

I cook and eat with my family, and have since 8 weeks post op, when I was cleared to eat anything. My kids are 17-17-15-10 and they were used to healthy eating before I had wls; post surgery of course everything was low carb. Feeding your child low carb meals certainly won't deprive him, and if he eats a sandwich once in a while he's getting plenty of carbs. My kids are old enough to cook and have taken over making dinner 2 nights a week-- maybe including your son in meal planning, if not production, would be helpful. As for people looking at you, that isn't something you can control, but a therapist might be able to address how you perceive it and help you identify strategies for responding. You will have to take vitamins for life. I had the sleeve and still need iron, B12, and calcium. This takes 30 seconds a day. I'm worth 30 seconds a day. It's not a burden. If you don't feel ready for this, then my advice would be to wait. You can't undo it and you have to be sure. For me, it's given me a new, active life and I would absolutely do it again; but, I considered it for 4 years before I was ready to commit.

You are gong to be ok. Really. I call what you are experiencing "buyer's remorse." I was three or four days post op when I broker down and cried because I felt like you are feeling. It's done. There is no going back, but why would you want to? You've just done what may be the most proactive thing you've ever done for yourself and that can be scary. And you just had surgery! You're probably sore, uncomfortable, exhausted, hormonal, etc. You are fragile right now. It will pass! Rather than fret over what's done, focus on what's going to happen now. Imagine all of the pressure on your heart and organs and how they are going to be relieved of having to work so hard and how much better you are going to feel. Take care of yourself and concentrate on what you are gaining and what you are gong to lose-- gaining health and energy, losing pounds and inches. It will be ok, really!

Hi all - not quite sure where this issue/question best fits, so...I was sleeved last summer and am in maintenance phase now. I was a size 20 when I was sleeved and am a size 8 now. For a couple of months I've been very happy with how I look and feel. However, lately (the last two weeks), I have an issue with seeing myself accurately. I see myself as overweight and feel like I want to go back to my former habits of hiding my body through overly large, baggy clothing (which is difficult because I've made an effort to rebuild my wardrobe with items that actually fit me). It's irrational, I know. Part of my dissatisfaction is that I have what I think of as too much abdominal fat (and I'm actively working on this); part of it is that I've never been particularly attentive to how I look. Now I am. I am wondering if this is a common happening for people who reach gw and if so... what to do about it?

I would not forego surgery because of this concern. I'd visit with a trusted hair stylist before surgery and have him/her walk you through what to expect. You may just need a new 'do as you transition. I had no hair loss until 4 months and it stopped coming out at 6 months. I take biotin for regrowth. I've heard that Nioxin works well too. You can't prevent it but you can ensure that the regrowth is healthy and fast.

Nothing negative happened. I did overhear a co-worker comment that his wife was getting heavy and he wanted her to lose weight around that time, and I also saw some old friends whom I've not seen since wls- they were very positive about how I look, though. Some days when I'm getting dressed (this week) I pull out clothes and then think that they won't fit me, even though of course they will. I do need to start building a new body image, you are right. One day at a time. Time to start being friends with the mirror instead of avoiding it.

4 weeks. Self-pay.

I began with BMI around 34-35 and I'm at a normal BMI now. It took me 6 months to get here. I hit a stall at three months and may be at another stall now. Keep to your program and don't feel discouraged. Believe that you are worth investing in!

I reached gw and a little below about 6 weeks ago; since then the scale doesn't move. I'd like to be 10 lbs below gw but my body doesn't seem to want to lose anymore. I've tried increasing protein and exercise and my carbs are around 30 a day. I feel like this is my new set point and am frustrated. Would love advice on losing stubborn lbs!

Not a bit. I do regret not doing it five years ago when I started to look into it.

My surgical team told me that my sleeve would work if I could be compliant 85% of the time. Knowing that nothing is actually forbidden (according to my plan-- but there are things I don't think I'll ever eat or drink again; carbonated anything and rice, for instance-- also French fries ) psychologically liberates me and I don't have the guilt issues. I actually adhere to my plan about 95% of the time.

My kids-- two 17 year olds, 15, and 10 (all were a year younger when I was sleeved) have been great! They are all active and athletic and keep me honest wrt exercise. My recovery was really easy and I honestly think they often forget I had wls. The older ones did some research and that alleviate their concerns. On my third day post op I had a big crying spell caused by a major case of buyer's remorse-- my oldest son told me that there was no going back and that my courage inspired him to get beyond his own fear in a certain area, which made me feel guilty about my pity party and determined to go forward. The kids keep me busy and I'm so grateful that I told them.

Should add that I'm not as consistent as I could be!

7 months post op. I exercise 5 days a week-- three days hard exercise like running or swimming and two days weight training plus 30 mins walking the dogs.