PorkChopExpress

"Listening to your body" right now is actually "Listening to your mind." It has nothing to do with your body, you just want eggs and sausage and the "old diet." Nobody here (at least I hope nobody here) is going to tell you, "Go for it!"
Seriously, if your surgeon hasn't cleared you for it, you don't eat it. Period. You may feel "all healed up" but you are NOT...and you won't be for another 4-5 weeks.

I think one thing that keeps driving home how much I've lost is my belt. I was on the fifth hole (tight) when I started all this at 385. I'm now on the last hole and will have to start punching new ones, before too long. I plan to make this belt a reminder of where I came from...I'm just going to keep punching new holes. Until someone tells me it looks ugly and I have to stop, that is.

I had a couple crates of stuff that had gotten way too small for me over the years. I waited until I had hit a couple of new belt loops on my belt and noticed my t-shirts were getting pretty big, and dug into them (this was about two weeks ago). I found that about half of the stuff fit me perfectly. So I took the "big" clothes and donated them, and started wearing the stuff I'd pulled out of storage. I think in about a month or so, I'll be getting into the rest of the stuff that didn't fit and doing it again.
After that, I'm going to have to wait until those clothes are clearly too big and then start looking at Goodwill...because that will mean I'm into 2x territory again, which is a size I haven't been able to wear since I was probably twenty years old.
That's going to be exciting.

@@PorkChopExpress ,
Thanks fro your thoughts. I will definitely consult with my NUT and see what she says. I have always struggled with maintaining a very low fat diet. However, I'll do whatever works best. And I am changing things up a bit, to see what happens!
I suspect your nutritionist will also tell you that fats should be the smallest percentage of your diet, right now. Protein > carbs > fat.
If, however, you wanted to be in ketosis...then you'd want Protein and fat with almost no carbs at all. But it's not all that healthy to stay in ketosis for long periods of time. Some people do that to jump-start their metabolism too, though.
In the end, nobody is going to be able to give you a magic solution to breaking a plateau, though - not your nutritionist, and nobody here. Everybody's body reacts differently to calorie restriction and even the breakdown of your macros. To some extent, you'll have to try different things. But I would first try restricting fats and boosting carbs a little bit, personally...because what you know for sure is that your current breakdown isn't doing the trick.

I suspect your nutritionist will also tell you that fats should be the smallest percentage of your diet, right now. Protein > carbs > fat.
If, however, you wanted to be in ketosis...then you'd want Protein and fat with almost no carbs at all. But it's not all that healthy to stay in ketosis for long periods of time. Some people do that to jump-start their metabolism too, though.
In the end, nobody is going to be able to give you a magic solution to breaking a plateau, though - not your nutritionist, and nobody here. Everybody's body reacts differently to calorie restriction and even the breakdown of your macros. To some extent, you'll have to try different things. But I would first try restricting fats and boosting carbs a little bit, personally...because what you know for sure is that your current breakdown isn't doing the trick.

Sleeved June 14, 2016 382lbs.
Current weight 289
14 inches off my waist
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

No, I had done all the prerequisites under the Blue Shield program for like a year, and I was paying out of pocket for that policy through the exchange, so I figured I'd better try to get some of my money back out of the insurance company!

Me too. 36lbs to go. Hopefully before the new year. HW 385 SW 359 CW 335 (50lbs down!) Sleeved 10/5/16

Felt better than I thought it would. Started out thinking just a number on the way to my goal, not I am pretty enthusiastic about it. Sent from my SM-N920T using the BariatricPal App

Hung out with a friend of mine today and had my first awkward moment, when it comes to food, post-op. He suggested we go hit In-N-Out (a well-known SoCal burger chain, for those not familiar with the place) and I had to explain that I couldn't really eat there. Since I haven't spread it around that I had the sleeve surgery, he was pretty befuddled by that reaction, coming from a guy who would have been all about In-N-Out only a couple of months ago. I had to explain that I'd had the surgery, that I wasn't spreading it around but that I did need to make a healthier choice. We ended up at a Korean BBQ place and we were both happy with that choice.
It officially got weird for me today, I guess. I felt self-conscious that I had to explain it, and that I no longer have the freedoms other "normal" people have, when it comes to food. I cost myself that freedom by being irresponsible about my eating for so long. He didn't react too weirdly to the news that I had surgery, but also seemed to not know exactly WHAT to say about it. "Congratulations" doesn't seem quite right, I'm sure...and "Good for you" also doesn't seem like the right sentiment. So it's weird for others who know me, as well.
Just another new wrinkle in the experience. But it ended well, anyway.

Hung out with a friend of mine today and had my first awkward moment, when it comes to food, post-op. He suggested we go hit In-N-Out (a well-known SoCal burger chain, for those not familiar with the place) and I had to explain that I couldn't really eat there. Since I haven't spread it around that I had the sleeve surgery, he was pretty befuddled by that reaction, coming from a guy who would have been all about In-N-Out only a couple of months ago. I had to explain that I'd had the surgery, that I wasn't spreading it around but that I did need to make a healthier choice. We ended up at a Korean BBQ place and we were both happy with that choice.
It officially got weird for me today, I guess. I felt self-conscious that I had to explain it, and that I no longer have the freedoms other "normal" people have, when it comes to food. I cost myself that freedom by being irresponsible about my eating for so long. He didn't react too weirdly to the news that I had surgery, but also seemed to not know exactly WHAT to say about it. "Congratulations" doesn't seem quite right, I'm sure...and "Good for you" also doesn't seem like the right sentiment. So it's weird for others who know me, as well.
Just another new wrinkle in the experience. But it ended well, anyway.

Can't wait till I crack 300. Shouldn't be long.

... And it feels nice. Started at 368 in June had surgery 10/31 weighing in at 322. Really want some "real food," but we'll other than that.
Just wanted to share.
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@@morningangel79 It's really not as bad as people think it's going to be, usually. The recovery isn't the most fun thing in the world, but the actual surgery, you aren't even aware of.

You are going to be the one that has to take it all the way home. The surgery itself isn't going to get you all the way there. The sleeve doesn't create long-term malabsorption issues, which in my view is a positive because that is only really valuable while you are losing weight. After that, it will become a hinderance. The sleeve will create a serious restriction and help you re-learn how to eat, and create a new relationship with food. That's critical if you're going to reach your goal.
At 5'3" I think you'll find most BMI/weight scales would still classify you as overweight at 160lbs. You'd be looking more at 130-140 to be a "normal" BMI/weight. Totally do-able, but you have to be prepared for the fact that it's going to require you to master your diet, get consistent with exercise, and really be disciplined. The surgery isn't a magic bullet.

@@SalOdyssey Not really, everyone's body loses fat at its own rate. What you care about mainly is the trend over time, and the average per week. Just track it over a period of a month or so, that's a better gauge of how you're doing. But the body doesn't go on a 7 day schedule like most of us weigh. You may drop two pounds the day after you weigh, as your fat cells had been holding onto Water that day and then expelled a bunch of their contents the next.
@@Ignatius Nice! I wouldn't sweat the scale for a few weeks post-op though, the healing process combined with other hormonal issues can cause Water retention and so you may find that you don't lose as much as you THINK you should have, given the restriction...but it'll catch up. It's awesome not feeling hungry though, that has really been the key for enabling me to fight my mental demons, because I'm not battling that hunger and the compulsions it has traditionally caused in me. You will probably go through some "feels" about eating, your old habits, fighting against a desire to go back to some old behaviors...there WILL be some psychological hurdles. Probably not until you start eating "real" food again and are feeling more healed up, but I went through some stuff the first couple of weeks, as a kind of mourning period over my old relationship with food. I'm going into week 7 now and I feel real good though, it's been empowering.
But yeah, I also have to be mindful to even eat, and although I like what I eat, it's really a totally different thought process now. It's an awareness that I need to get my Protein in for the day, I need to get my dietary needs met...but there's not a big "entertainment" component there. I want it to taste good, but it's not being done for fun, or to soothe, or whatever. It's just to feed the body. That's a pretty major change.

Education and mental preparation. Read everything you can about peoples' experiences with the surgery, what they went through and what they continue to struggle with. This is 80% mental, and 20% physical...taking care of the size of your stomach will help, but if your mind isn't right, you WILL find a way to eat around the smaller stomach. So just really start focusing on your mental process, disciplining your mind and bringing it under control, so that you are able to control your behavior and choices.
Surgery is no sweat. I've had a bunch of them...three abdominal (including this one) by laparascopy. Basically, here's what'll happen...you'll go check in at the hospital. They'll call you into the recovery room to get ready, you'll get naked and wear their thick paper gown (unless you're at a hospital that still does cloth), and then lay down on your gurney. A nurse will eventually come by to set you up with your IV tap (needle in the top of your hand most likely), put a blood pressure cuff on your arm and a pulse rate monitor on your finger. Take your vitals (they'll do that constantly while you're in the hospital). The anesthesiologist will drop by to introduce themselves, talk a little about whether you have any drug allergies that you know of, make sure you didn't eat or drink anything since midnight. They'll explain that when you wake up, your throat will probably be sore and you'll be very dry in the mouth and throat. This will be due to intubation, which helps keep your airways open while you are operated on. And he'll be right, as you'll discover when you wake up. The surgeon may or may not show up to talk to you - depends on whether he runs a high volume practice or not, or whether he cares at all about bedside manner
Then the time will come after a while of waiting, and they'll wheel you down the hall to the operating room. You'll go in, they'll line your gurney up with the operating table and have you help get yourself aligned in the middle, with your head in the right spot, etc... They'll have you reach your arms out to the sides and start securing them, because the nervous system has a bad habit of forcing your hands to clutch at your abdomen when they start operating on you. While you're getting your arms situated and you're seeing the various people buzzing around you...
...you'll hear a voice from what seems like far, far away - and you'll feel like your head is full of molasses. Slowly but surely, the voices will start to sound sharper and clearer, and closer, and your eyes will open...and you'll realize that you're in the recovery room, and surgery is over. You may feel a slightly "pinchy" sensation in your belly. Your throat will definitely be sore and dry, but you won't be able to drink anything for a bit...all of your liquids will be coming from the IV for at least an hour or so after you wake up. Then they may let you have a tiny bit of ice to suck on, to help moisten your mouth and throat. You're going to be seriously groggy...but the fact is, you will realize that you slept through the hard part, and it's over. You're officially on the other side of the entire ordeal, and it's time to start recovering.
When you get to your room, they'll encourage you to start walking. Do it...do it as much as you can, because your peritoneal cavity (the space between your abdominal wall and organs) is full of surgical gas. The only way it will pass through your intestinal tissues and out of your body is through movement...walking. So walk a lot, you will feel a lot better a lot faster, if you do. Eventually the nurses will probably give you little tiny cups and tell you how much you can drink per hour. You'll probably start with one little shot glass of Water. Then a couple, then three, etc... Eventually, they will try to get you going on some really horrible Protein shake, but do your best on it. They'll remove the IV fluids and then expect you to start trying to get liquids orally, so you'll have to try to stay on top of it. That means drinking often. This is important, because for weeks to come you are going to find that your sips have to be TINY to go down comfortably, and to get the Water you need will require sipping every couple minutes, all day long.
Then, if there are no complications, you're getting around good and your pain is well-managed, after a one night stay they'll probably discharge you and send you home. And then, you'll have to get yourself on a schedule with drinking and walking. It'll come together, just stay on top of things and focus on the process. Prepare yourself mentally for a bit of a "mourning period" where your brain struggles with the fact that you just robbed it of a major coping mechanism. You may obsess about food. You may find yourself preoccupied about WHEN you will be able to eat good things again, or what those things will be. It's all in your mind. This is the little voice you haven't been hearing, that has been dominating your behavior. Now it's time to shut the voice up and take back control.
This is an approximation of the experience and your mileage may vary, but I hope it helps calm your nerves a bit. Trust me, you'll be in and out before you know it, and moving on with your new life.

My "goal weight" is more of a window, because I'm not as much focused on scale weight as I am how I am looking and feeling. I have an image in my mind of what I want to end up being like, and my goal weight is basically just a "jumping off point" for that. So it doesn't really demonstrate my goal, because my goal isn't a weight. It's a state of being.

No sugar, no carbs, everything non-fat. Protein shakes 3x daily (low-carb) for at least 25g/protein per shake. 64oz of Water a day minimum. Low-sodium as much as possible.
You WILL lose enough weight doing this. In fact, since I suspect this is because you slacked on what you were supposed to be doing and this is what has caused the big emergency, you probably have at least 5 pounds of Water weight that will come right off. So it's not as bad as you think. But you WILL have to be ultra-disciplined for the next two weeks and not cheat at all.

I've never heard of Sheetz before, but it sounds like fast food and fast food is tricky. A lot of things seem to set peoples' stomachs off after surgery. Might have been a sauce, or maybe the cheese...who knows. I have some safe go-to things now for when I have to resort to a meal out. Taco Bell pintos & cheese and a side of chicken or steak, and a side of green Beans and chicken or mushroom chicken at Panda Express. Those both work well for me.

I wanted to revisit this thread for one very good reason. In 6 months, I have gone from my "frustrating" 115 lbs to an honest 200 lbs squat! Baby steps every week, eating right, and actually using rest days have allowed me to hit my 200 lbs goal.
My deadlift is up to 240 and I am cool with that, but when I made the 200 lb squat goal, I weighed 200 lbs. Now I weigh 213. Argh! The goal has moved on me!!
Oh well, just have to keep working on it...

@@Ignatius Welcome to the club man! Follow your surgeon's instructions, put a high priority on getting your Protein needs met and you are probably going to be feeling great a week from now, your body will heal faster and better. Also walking daily, as much as you can tolerate.
You're going to go through some psychological stuff, as your old brain fights the situation...but you'll know it when you feel it, and you will see it really clearly for what it is. This surgery changes the entire game. Since the morning of surgery, I've been averaging 5lbs lost per week. That means my average daily calorie deficit is in the neighborhood of 2,500. My Mom saw me over the weekend and was amazed at how much I've lost since she spent the first week helping me recover, but when she watched me eat, she said, "I can't believe you're still able to walk around and function, on so little calories!" lol

My "goal weight" is more of a window, because I'm not as much focused on scale weight as I am how I am looking and feeling. I have an image in my mind of what I want to end up being like, and my goal weight is basically just a "jumping off point" for that. So it doesn't really demonstrate my goal, because my goal isn't a weight. It's a state of being.

Preparation, preparation, preparation. Not having food prepared, or having a plan for healthy things to get while you're out and can't get home, is DEATH to weight loss. As you have seen, surgery didn't fix your mind. You are not a different person after surgery. The behavior part is on all of us to fix.
The grazing is going to create so much calorie creep in your diet, you'll be shocked.

Addiction transferrence. You basically are prevented from indulging in your food addiction, so you end up transferring it to another thing, in order to "cope." Often, that's alcohol. The solution is, don't drink alcohol. My surgeon said I need to avoid it for a year post-op, anyway. Probably partly because it converts to sugar and partly to avoid the risk of transferring my mental/emotional addiction to alcohol.