crocodoxie

Things that helped me before... I watched a lot of videos of ppl's experiences. Scoured the boards and took notes. A book that was recommended somewhere on here before is called: The Emotional First-Aid Kit, etc...and I really enjoyed reading that. https://www.amazon.com/Emotional-First-Aid-Kit-Practical-ebook/dp/B0054RXXS0 What I did otherwise. I got off my Diet Coke which basically owned me. I traded bad habits for better ones. I learned to eat slower, take my time, and be more mindful. I started making better choices. The six months prior helped me tackle some of my food demons, so that by the time my surgery came around, I felt more in control. Everybody is different, but hopefully some of these things give you an idea. For me, it was tackling the mind-game of the journey.

Hope everything went smoothly!

My pre-op was as follows: B: one shake/1/4 cup of fruit L: one shake/ 1/4 cup of fruit Snack: one shake/1/4 cup of fruit D: one shake/2 cups non-starchy veggies I found myself satisfied and not craving anything else. Much easier than I anticipated. I was on it for 2 weeks. Though, I'd talk to your doctor's office and ask their opinion. They may have something they recommend if you want to start early. Each doc is so different.

Thank you for sharing what's possible! It helps keep me inspired. Such a beautiful lady...enjoy your success.

You look amazing! What a wonderful feeling that must be. I can't wait to get to that point.

Good luck on your journey!

Sip fluids, move/walk as much as you can (sometimes I'd simply pace after eating/drinking to get a few extra steps in), and focus on protein. I found that taking a small bit every fifteen minutes made it easier to keep track of. I set a timer, and it made it so much easier to not "think" about it, but just react when the timer went off. Best of luck on your journey!

Walmart carries it. I learned about it when I was a runner. Also, BodyGlide is well worth mentioning if you chafe.

Yeah!!! Glad it went well for you.

Wonderful that things are improving. I found day 6 or so was a big difference from me. Sort of from pain to hurt/discomfort, then it sort of evaporated! I was like, wow...I feel great. Can't wait to see your journey. I'm 17 days post op and feel fabulous.

Pakko, you're doing great! You can see the changes especially in your face. Keep going, and continued success to you.

I had the ricotta bake for the first time today...oh my heavens. LOVE.

Bella, walking helped me the most with gas pains. Move when you can...omg, I burp so much when I'm walking, but it felt so much better!

My goodness! Thank you for the inspiration. I'm 2 weeks out with a long way to go, but the thought that I might look like that at some point is a huge motivator.

Burt's Bees/Chapstick... was my absolute favorite thing I brought. I used nothing else I brought. I was too sore, sleeping, or walking the halls.

What helped me reach my fluid goals was to do an ounce/shot glass size (i used diluted protein shakes - so a nectar protein scoop to 16 ounces of water/instead of 8...then had one ounce every 15 mins. Also, room temp. liquid felt better going down for me. I set a timer, sipped it down, reset timer. Good luck, each day will get easier.

Can you get a dog sitter or kennel for a few days? That was the biggest helper for me during the first week. Two lap dogs who like to climb on me, I bend to pet, feed, let in and out, etc...Otherwise, with pain meds (hubs was here), I think I would have been slow/but okay to do it gently on my own. The dog part...honestly, huge help.

Clapping for you. Keep it up!

Maybe try the board at the bottom... https://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/992-website-assistance-suggestions/ Website assistance. They might have a quick answer for you.

I've used trainers in the past. As mentioned above, there's a mix and match of education. I went to a woman who was both a dietitian and trainer. We worked on clean eating, cardio, and strength. Cost is something that would be subjective to the area you live in. I'm in the northeast, and it tends to be spendy around this area. I found a nice balance with a different trainer a while later, where I just worked on strength....really, depends on your wants/needs. I always went for the private studio experience over the gym, because I was self-conscious, so I was willing to pay for that. This was all PRIOR to surgery, so can't help on the other part of your question. Now that I'm through surgery, I'll be going back to the second one I mentioned, focusing on strength. The other things I'll do on my own.

Welcome to the group, and congratulations on getting to the point of moving forward!

If you've not had surgery before...here's the thing. You'll be brought into the room. They'll give you something to relax you through your IV or through an oxygen mask...before you realize it, you'll wake up and it's over. You won't feel anything, so if that's part of your concern, let go of that. I've had a bunch of surgeries...don't feel anything. If you're nervous about nausea after, know that they give you something. Some put a patch behind your ear, and some give you medication in your IV...some do both. I had both. It easily remedied the issue. Don't be afraid to ask for something if you're not feeling well when you wake up. They anticipate it, and are used to people coming out of anesthesia. It's going to be okay. ((big hugs)) You've got this.

Mrs J. Best of luck on your surgery. Can't wait to follow your success as time moves forward.

Gorgeous! Congrats on all the hard work.

Great list, thanks. Going to jot these down as a reminder for later in my journey. BWT, jess, I smiled when you mentioned Ragner on another thread. I have friends that have done those. Very cool! I know how hard-core that can be.