fruitandveggies

I didn't get surgery at your age but I was very into health, fitness, and weight loss. At that age, I lost 110 pounds on my own, so I was very committed. I honestly never had an issue with my friends or family. Maybe I was lucky, but it just felt like they didn't care what I ate, they were there to hang out with me, not feed me. If you go out to eat with them, there's always options for you to get, even if you have to ask off menu (as a vegan I know all about this!). I think people don't notice you're eating small bites or slower if you're there chatting and socializing with them. And if you feel comfortable enough, you can let them know about your surgery. If they're good friends they will understand and care about you enough to not give you any grief!

According to my surgeon, you're fine to do anything at all after 4 weeks. I would just add to obviously make sure you're getting enough water in though since it's so hot in there!

Totally agree, I should have used quotes when I said "improvement." Even at 300 pounds I was a kickboxing machine, but BMI didn't care about that. I'm not very muscular (even when working out) so I fit within the BMI as is, but it's obviously not good enough to be used as a standard for everyone. Not really sure if there can be a weight standard for all people, it should be based on each individual, judged on other health factors.

Here's some questions I would ask (no need to answer them all, just to think about): Have you tried different brands? Have you tried different types (liquid, chewable, gummy, etc)? Have you tried them with food (or without food if you are doing with food)? Have you tried taking less? My program says to take double doses but I couldn't do that at first so I didn't. Do you know what is causing the issue? Like does it automatically make you vomit or does it take a while for you to get sick? At first, mine were way, way too big and I couldn't get them down with enough water.

There's no hard and fast rule for most things on this journey! But of course, you can follow your program's lead. I have pho all the time, along with other white things. I've lost 130 pounds in 11 months, so it really hasn't made any difference in my weight loss. At 6 weeks, I started having pho, but the biggest thing I had trouble with was broccoli! I couldn't eat that without throwing up for months. So everyone is different, I would just slowly experiment with what works for you.

I know, I have the same problem. The only other realistic OTC option is acetaminophen but for me that literally does nothing. Sometimes I've broken down in pain and took an NSAID but of course I don't want to risk taking it more than once a month or so. So I usually just lay in bed with heating pad and eat chocolate. Sorry, totally not helpful, but I commiserate!

I honestly don't know. I overheard a nurse telling one of my doctors she thought my goal weight was crazy. If it's so crazy then why are you using the BMI chart for anything? What imaginary standard are they getting this from? The old height/weight charts were even lower and BMI is the only improvement we've made for weight standards. I'm basically just saying screw you (in my head) to anyone telling me my goal is wrong. Unless I get some sound, scientifically backed reason, my goal is my goal. I certainly don't think you're the minority! That's the thing about it, you set your goal to whatever YOU want it to be. That's the whole jist of this thread, people feeling like they have the right to tell us what our weight should be. We know our bodies and we don't need anyone telling us what is healthy. We knew we were unhealthy at an obese weight, we will know when we are healthy at a lower weight, too. Sorry for the rant, this topic really lights a fire under my ass!

My first to go are fingers, feet, and boobs. Like, c'mon. Everything eventually has shrunk but my hips are taking their sweet sweet time! I've heard for guys the stomach is hardest to lose, women it's hips and thighs.

So funny how all doctors seem to be different in their protocol. Mine said just 6 weeks for carbonated alcohol and only 5 weeks for non-carbonated! Had no adverse effects.

I'm with you, but maybe just have a few days of super salty stuff right before you have to weigh in. I don't know about you, but sodium makes me blow up like crazy! Recently gained 12 pounds in a week thanks to good old chinese food.

I agree with Introversion, this is SO much easier than any other way I've tried to lose weight. There have been difficulties sure, but overall it has been much, much easier than the rest of my weight loss life. The real question is, why wouldn't people WANT the easy way for you? Why would our loved ones want us to suffer through the "hard way"? Like it's inherently bad for things to be easy? Why is easy equated with evil?

The ticker is automatically included in your signature, it's in the one you just posted!

This kills me. In 2006 I lost 115 pounds and people told me I was too skinny. I was a size 14, 144 pounds at 5'5. I let it get to my head and gained all my weight back and then some. This time, my doctors are doing it. ALL of them. They are telling me my goal weight is crazy, that at the least I could be in the 150s. I have no idea why they are discouraging me and telling me things that are obviously against basic standards set by their own medical community (BMI). I've got a very small frame (wedding ring is a size 4) and I know what I look like at 150. Like I said, I was still a size 14. This pisses me off so much I don't even want to go to any appointments anymore. When someone says this kind of thing to me I want to become a teenager again and scream LEAVE ME THE EFF ALONE!! So yeah...feel you!

Obviously all plans are different, but my Cigna plan required 3 months of meetings with a dietician or a doctor's order for three months of a formal weight loss plan. I found out that going to Weight Watchers for the last two years didn't count, it would need to be doctor's orders. So, in my experience, the three months would start with your first dietician appointment. Your bariatric office should be able to help you verify that, but that's how it worked for me.

If your surgeon requires protein shakes, try out some now and see how you like them. I personally hate (DESPISE) protein shakes of all kinds and I wish I had just tried some of them beforehand when I wasn't already feeling crappy. Thank goodness he only required two weeks of them, but man they were a ghastly two weeks... I also really enjoyed having some of those organic baby food pouches. Peach pear never tasted so good!

As soon as you can! Even if you can't do full on raw veggies yet, you can do purees and maybe nut butters if you can handle it (early on I couldn't do much fat).

It can last for weeks! Just think about it, it's physically impossible to not lose weight eventually if you're eating at a calorie deficit. You're currently in trauma mode as your body is still trying to heal and figure out WTF is going on. I know it's really hard, but try to not stress about it. Stress physically makes the situation worse. If you can relax your mind, it will be easier for your body to realize it's not in a dire situation that it needs to conserve calories for.

I was hoping I'd that I'd be a cheap date and get more affected by alcohol like they say you will. But I don't. I can drink my 3-4 gin and tonics with no issue. But at 3 weeks? Not so sure that's a good idea since wine is so acidic and your stomach is still all torn up inside. It also might make you forget that hey, you can't snack right now. I personally wouldn't do it at this point, but my surgeon said okay after 6 weeks. Happy anniversary though!

It's water retention for sure. Every 400mg of sodium will retain about 4 cups of water which equals 2 pounds. Just think about it, there are at least 200mg in one slice of bread (not that you're eating bread--just for reference). If you eat meat or cheese, both are FILLED with sodium. You lost a lot of water weight during the non-solid phase and this is it coming back.

Yes, virtually everyone has a stall in the first month. You're fine, just keep doing what you're supposed to on your plan and it will start moving along. Stress makes it worse!

When the dress you bought last month for a holiday party this month is too big! Thank goodness for waist belts (which was also too big, haha).

Great reminder, I can't believe how long I've put this off. The last one I have was before I met my husband--13 years ago!

Yay, go us!! We can do it! I need to sit down and figure out what I can realistically pay off in a year, but I'm doing a big chunk at least, dammit! Thanks!! I'm feeling really stuck right now and old habits are creeping back because of stress of money and my sweet little fur baby is very sick and doesn't have long left. I find myself going to the gym less and less the last few months, just enough to get a reimbursement for my membership from work (10 sessions per month). I have on my schedule to go 4 times per week, I'd like to get back to that!

Great topic! Last year I made a bunch of goals and never made any of them happen. This year I have just two simple goals: get to my goal weight (120 lbs) and pay off at least 1/3 of my debt. I'm 125 pounds down with about 60ish to go, so on my way with that! Totally NO-where on my debt goals though! Haha. Gotta start somewhere...

Same, my hair is super fine, black, pin straight and shiny. No body or curls to hide that it's been falling out! Can't wait til it's back to normal.