auntb1

Hi everybody. Just checking in. I was sleeved June 19 and have lost 50. The rate of loss has slowed, but that's OK. I am learning how to eat all over again and settling into what works for me. I won't say that I never cheat, and there are still a couple of behaviors that are not helping me, but I AM SO GLAD that I did this. I love going "shopping" in my old wardrobe and finding things that fit and are loose, even. I've had to buy pants twice. Bras are a little problematic because everything is so deflated in the chest area. But it's all good. The other night my Dad (who is pushing 90) said that he didn't understand how I could be pushing 62 when I look so much younger than I used to. I feel great and so much more free.

I have eaten lots of zucchini, cooked with a few drops of olive oil. Mainly because my friends are gardeners and it's September..... But it tastes good to me with garlic and seems to work well with various proteins. I had marinated fresh green beans and that was a big mistake. Start soft, whatever you choose.

I have those 4 oz. containers for my lunch at work. I made a sort of salad with canned chx breast, cottage cheese, a dab of Dijon mustard, and canned, drained, and rinsed small white beans. A little seasoning and divided into my containers it was low cal, tasty, and protein-ful. I'm getting more creative all the time with my high protein foods. My program also offers a free bariatric cooking class which I am looking forward to.

Well, I am only 3 months out, but I certainly have noticed that my tastes in food have changed! And that is a simple fact. I want to eat fish 3 or 4 times a week. Pizza smells good but the thought of swallowing it--uh, no. Before the surgery I worried about not having my favorite comfort foods in medicinal quantities, but so far it's sort of a non-issue because I have new favorites now, better ones. And of course my moderation-helper (mini-stomach). Don't throw hand grenades into the future.

To Mich W (my twin in Sleeveland): I know just what you are talking about. When life is out of "control" I want something direct to change the way I feel for a while. We are practically hardwired by experience to distract ourselves with sensation--flavor and fullness--from awareness of the present reality. At least I am. It's so easy. The downsides are so (relatively) remote. BUT. You have done very very well and that can't be undone by 1/2 slice of pizza or a cookie. It's such an odd quirk of our minds that we focus so much on our failures and our successes can just whoosh by unnoticed. I am sorry that family troubles are weighing down your spirit right now. Take care of yourself and remember that God doesn't make mistakes.

As for me: I LOVE my coffee. I think that was one of my first questions for the surgeon post-op. "How soon can I drink coffee?" followed by "How did the surgery go?" I am losing and I have 1-2 cups a day. I need to adopt a new lifestyle, and I am. Coffee is part of it. For me, there are bigger issues, such as what drives me to eat when I'm not hungry, etc.

Bread and pasta and such have a psychological effect on me as well as a physical one. I didn't become overweight eating protein and vegetables! These are the foods I turn to for emotional comfort and I have to deal with that. It is better for me to abstain completely and just be creative in learning to eat in a way that satisfies and does not involve grains and sugars.

Think about this, though. I no longer feel nearly as conspicuous when I am out and about. Blending in feels good to me right now. I have to say that I felt much more lonely and misunderstood before I started losing. Of course I am 1) nine weeks out, and 2) an old lady, so I am probably not feeling the blues that come from hormonal fluctuations!

Nine weeks out and I have a new face.

Very nice! Time for a new shirt!

I would say yes. But I can handle a small quantity only, so you don't get the sedative effect of a big bowl of noodles!

I have tried the lentil and zucchini pasta. It's OK. Pretty high in carbs so not an every day sort of thing. One bag is good for about 6 servings for me. I used some grated Parmesan on it.

Being stuck is the pits. I'm about 7 weeks from surgery and this is my second. And I am stuck at 200.0! Argh! I think my lesson here is that I am obsessed with a given number at a given time. And obsessions like that are really not helpful. My go-to thought is that I'm doing something wrong and it's just a short step from there to "I'm a failure." Again. While we all want to follow our instructions perfectly, I have to remember that part of this journey is listening to and trusting my own unique body. This is pretty new territory for me. Probably why I give too much attention to external things like the number. The bottom line is this: I haven't felt this good in a long time and my clothing is baggy!

Six weeks out and my nutritionist said NO bread or grains (or fruits). Right now my go-to veg is zucchini. I bought a spiralizer and I am like a kid with it. I swear everything tastes better if it's "spiral." Lightly sauteed spiral zucchini with shrimp and a small dab of basil pesto. I also seem to like tuna salad and egg salad but only if it is made with cottage cheese and not mayo or anything else. Go figure.

Oh for crying out loud. You are certainly SUCCESSFUL! Congratulations and keep it up. Obviously the doctor needs some kind of sensitivity training or something--or (s)he is just plain unhelpful in the post-op world. Ignore the comment if you can and move forward. You will prevail.

Oh yeah. Mine started at week three and lasted 11 or 12 days. Be sure and take your measurements, because as most people have mentioned, I kept losing "volume." Savor the moment every time you put on a shirt that used to be tight and now is not. At six weeks now, I am right on target for weight loss, and I am realizing it is OK to think in terms of months, not days. Hang in there.

My stall finally broke, too. Boink! Five lbs. gone! I come to work and someone says "Oh! Is that a new top? It looks nice." And I reply "No. It's from the archives." We all have 'em.

I'm June 19, down 30 and thrilled about it. I'm doing OK on water and protein, but getting 350-450 calories per day. It doesn't sound like enough, but I feel great and I go to work for my 10-hour days. I am still having lower GI distress about half the time, and that's getting really old. I made a commitment to eat plain NF Greek yogurt with active cultures every morning for breakfast, and that seems to be helping.

I have been in the dreaded "3 week stall" for about a week now, which corresponds to the time I started introducing the standard "real" foods (cottage cheese, tuna, yogurt, etc.). Are the two related? Just curious about others' experience.

I am 5 weeks out for VGS and I can pretty much drink water normally (no chugging). I had a eureka moment when I discovered that drinking it out of a glass was much much easier for me than my water bottle or the bottled-water bottle (strange sentence, but I hope clear enough).

I started drinking 1 cup/day with milk about 2.5 weeks out. Nutritionist said no, surgeon said OK. I chose to believe Dr.! I love my morning cup, and I haven't had any problems with it. I don't drink Diet Pepsi (aka Nectar of the Goddesses) anymore, nor do I drink coffee multiple times/day at work anymore. So my consumption of caffeine is way down, but my enjoyment of that one cup is sublime.

Sigh. I have been the same weight for 8 days now. I have a scale that weighs to 0.1 pounds and I am amazed that I can be the EXACT same three days in a row. At least I'm fluctuating 0.4 pounds or I would think my scale was broken! But like Dory I'll just keep swimming, just keep swimming....

My surgery was June 19. Good recovery--I was back at work in 2.5 weeks. I'm eating gentle real foods now and supplementing with at least 1 protein shake/day. Around 400-500 calories/day. I have been on a weight plateau for about a week now after losing 25 since surgery. One thing I have noticed is that while I have more energy throughout the day, once I get tired I hit the wall. It's good to be aware of this and take care of myself by getting enough rest. And of course, when I hit the stall my inner tape recorder started up with "You are eating too much!" Hah! 500 calories of 95% protein? I think not! (That is my reply to the tape recorder). I am so glad I did this. I'm 62 and I'll be retiring in a few years. It's so great to know that I will not retire as an invalid but as a healthy active person looking forward to the next thing.