ryan_86

How far out from surgery and your goal are you? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I found sitting up more comfortable than lying down. Lying down causes your abdominal muscles to stretch out. She'll probably be very tired, so perhaps a blanket and a beck pillow, as if she was going on a flight, will help. Some people do like a regular pillow, but they hug it to their belly for support rather than lie on it. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

By week 3 I felt normal. Week 1 is a blur, week 2 I just felt kinda tired and blurry. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I lost 55 pounds PRE-op, and no one but family said a word until I was down about 70 pounds post-op. After the first few times, I wanted people to stop talking about it. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My favorite were the people who had known I had struggled with weight my whole life and who saw me yo-yo diet for years, and who when I told them I was having surgery actually said to me, "Have you tried dieting?" Well, yes, I have, and go f-k yourself. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Some people, for what it's worth, think artificial sweeteners are addictive. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Belly. Still have a gut and I dislike it immensely. Meanwhile my arms are getting skinny. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I've had it. It can also be caused by bad GERD. Mine didn't require treatment beyond what I was already taking. I wouldn't be concerned if your doctor wasn't concerned. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

The key is liking your liquid. I found that I loved Rockin' Refuel. 30 grams of Protein and 190 calories per serving. I looked forward to it. Beyond that, just remembering why you're doing it. Two weeks is nothing. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Bottom line is that this isn't liposuction. You don't wake up any thinner. You are on a high Protein, low calorie diet. That's why you are losing weight. Personally, I lost half the weight before surgery and half after, and both halves were my very own accomplishment because I stuck to my high protein, low calorie diet. Haters can dry up and shrivel for all I care about their opinions. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I heard a lot of well meaning people tell me "don't get too skinny," and many think my goal weight is too low. I appreciate their concern, but I ignore it. The only opinions that count are mine and my doctors'. Particularly today, in a very obese society, people's idea of a healthy weight are warped. My goal weight still leaves me technically overweight. And the people who know you will see a dramatic difference and base their opinion on what you used to look like, not on objective facts. Your opinion and your doctors' opinions are all that matter. The rest is noise. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Long story short I had a house fire on New Year's Day and haven't had a chance to hop on my scale since. I hoping I'll feel better if I can confirm I've continued to lose weight over the last couple weeks. Meantime, I don't feel much like congratulating myself. I feel like I'm letting bad habits, i.e. snacking, back in, even if my calorie count is still at 1000. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Long story short I had a house fire on New Year's Day and haven't had a chance to hop on my scale since. I hoping I'll feel better if I can confirm I've continued to lose weight over the last couple weeks. Meantime, I don't feel much like congratulating myself. I feel like I'm letting bad habits, i.e. snacking, back in, even if my calorie count is still at 1000. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm doing Quest bars as my Protein supplement. I have found that drinks keep me full longer, or at least take longer to consume. After all that liquid diet, though, I really enjoy chewing these days. I've been considering going back to shakes for a while, at least one per day, to see what happens. I also just stopped eating tortillas, which has become a staple. For a while I was essentially eating two tiny turkey tacos a day, one for lunch and one for dinner. I eliminated the tortilla for lunch, and switched to lettuce for dinner. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I've been fairly open about, but for the few who do ask, I tell them all the same thing: "That food pyramid shit really works." That's all I really did pre-op and post is follow the food pyramid, albeit if a small one. I sometimes get a whiff of jealousy, but as irritating as it is, it's also kinda cool. I don't think anyone has ever been jealous of my body before. I'll take it. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm almost 20 weeks post-op, and I'm hungry. I eat on very regular schedule, and generally eat the same thing daily. My largest meal is dinner, which comes to around 4 ounces. I get about 1000 calories a day but I feel like I could eat 1500 without getting sick. I'm having to resist snacking, which wasn't a problem a month ago. I'm not feeling much restriction. Are there signs to look for in a stretched sleeve, and is there truly a way to "reset" a sleeve? Thanks Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

So fun side effect of surgery is being a lot less regular than I was, and a side effect of that is having gas. Daily, loudly, and odiferously. I don't like being around myself at the moment. Does anyone have any remedies, foods to avoid, etc? Gas-X isn't helping, and chlorophyll tablets don't do much either. Also, I'm down 110 pounds and my gut is still there. I've been eating a bit more (around 1000 calories a day) even though a lot of that is Snacks that aren't necessary. Hungry again, which totally sucks. I thought it would be much longer before I felt hungry again. Anyone have trouble getting rid of that guy, and did you finally manage it? Anyone got any tips for managing hunger? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

So I'm now about 16 weeks past surgery, and I'm not feeling much restriction. I measure most meals, but I'm finding that I can eat what seems like a lot in a short period. Today, for instance, I ate an entire slice of pizza at an office lunch. I'm edging up on 1,000 calories per day, which my surgeon okayed, but I'd rather be coming in under 800. I'm hungry, which isn't a good reason to eat, and feeling deprived, which is making it a harder to say no. I'm pretty bad about eating slowly and usually finish meals in less than 15 minutes. Any suggestions on how to extend meals? I've been thinking about putting a timer in front of myself. Should I be concerned at the lack of restriction? I'm concerned I'm inadvertently stretching my sleeve. Perhaps going back to a liquid diet for a couple days will help reset things.

@@jenn1 This isn't a wilderness hike. It's a pilgrimage trail, the Camino de Santiago. sleeping in hostels, eating at cafes, so there's plenty of food and drinking Water on hand, but the food tends to be very carb heavy. How did you get into running? I've been thinking about trying it. Last time I tried I developed stress fractures in both legs within the first week of mild jogging/walking on a treadmill.

Also trying to figure out how to get enough protein without carrying a canister of powder or 10 pounds of protein bars. Ideas very welcome!

About 85 miles over 6 days.

I'm planning on a long hiking trip in May. A friend felt pretty strongly I should speak with my doctor about how/how much to eat during the trip. I did the same trip 3 years ago, and I'd say a typical day probably required around 3,000 to 4,000 calories given the long distances covered. Frankly, I'm not concerned. Do others have experience with endurance sports post-surgery and dealing with the higher calorie need? I figured I'd graze during the trip or just shed a lot of weight (and probably both). Thanks

I can eat regularly now, 4 months post op. One thing to consider, though, is that certain foods are very calorie dense relative to their volume (think potato chips, which you can chew up so small), or foods that move through you quickly (such as ice cream, which liquifies and passes through your stomach fast). You can consume a lot of calories with these foods even if you don't eat much of them, and even with your smaller stomach you can consume quite a lot of them. Also, you can consume a lot of calories if you graze, and with a slower metabolism, you could put on weight even if you ate half what a normal person is supposed to eat in a day. I could eat a potato chip, but I choose not to. Maybe that's a permanent change, maybe not, but either way I just don't miss it, and I keep those foods out of my house. food just doesn't matter anymore, a frame of mind I couldn't imagine before. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I didn't name it, but for the two weeks or so between setting the date and starting the pre-op diet, I ate whatever I wanted. I wouldn't say I binged, but I ate foods I wouldn't eat on my 90-day pre-approval diet and haven't eaten since the surgery. What stood out to me, and still does, is that it was just not a big deal. So I ate a couple slices of pizza - it takes just a few minutes, it tastes only so good, and then it's over. It just isn't worth it. It's a mild, momentary high. So I don't regret it, and I do still have some of those same cravings, but i don't act on them, in part because I remember how I satisfying acting on them actually is. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm 4 months post-op and have, since beginning the process in May, lost 107 pounds. I'm 20 pounds from the goal my doctor said was very ambitious. I still want to eat bad food, and I still want to eat a lot of it, and I did over indulge during the holidays, but I didn't put any weight on. I don't love my sleeve, but I love being fit, and I love looking better, and I love feeling better, and I love that I'm not in danger of diabetes or heart disease or liver disease. It's worthy every bit of discomfort and every unsatisfied craving. I think you'll get there too. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I just walked post-op for six weeks. That was how long my doctor told me to avoid strenuous activity, so I did. Then I eased myself into more vigorous exercise, avoiding anything that hurt my abdomen. Now I swim, hike, kayak, and lift weights without any discomfort. Ask your doctor what activity to do post-op, when you can resume vigorous exercise, and what exercise to do. That's your best resource. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App