Brit in Oz

Remember that you need to burn more than you eat. If bad habits are creeping back in then you need to address that OR get moving. Exercise, exercise, exercise. Good luck☘️

Good luck. If you really stick to your diet you will start a whole new life and never look back. All the best

I have just reached my goal and am just under 150lbs, 53 years old and almost 6 months post op. I have lost 70lbs. I eat around 800-1000 calories per day as I still want to lose a little more. Anyone eating less than 700-800 calories per day I would be very concerned that you're not getting all the nutrients you need. I have my bloods done every 4 weeks and have found that I'm now B12 deficient so have injections and my potassium is very high which can lead to heart problems. My doctor is investigating why this has happened. My advice, have very regular dietician appointments and make sure you eat everything recommended. I eat extremely healthy, absolutely nothing naughty and have still ended up with nutrient issues. Be careful.

Hi Melesg, congratulations on your approval???. So you're on your way. Yes I had to do the liquid diet but just for 2 weeks. It really gets your weight loss kickstarted. I lost 5kgs (11lbs) which was such a positive boost. Try to keep it interesting by buying in or making plenty of different soups and smoothies. It's hard going and a shock to the system but well worth it. I also ate loads of raw veggies which I was allowed and I really love them anyway. The more you can lose the better for the surgery. The liver is partly in front of the stomach and can be wrapped in a lot of fat which makes accessing the stomach harder. However it is one of the first areas to shed fat when you do the liquid diet. This is why most surgeons get you on this pre-op diet. What is your weight loss goal?

Hi Melesg, im going really well thanks. Im just 2kgs (4.5lbs) from goal weight, my BMI is right in healthy range and I'm feeling terrific. I have lost 28kgs (62lbs) in just under 5 months. I have worked really hard to get here. I walk at least 6-7kms each weekday and at least 30kms every weekend and I'm ultra careful about what I eat. I've just joined a gym and do Zumba, pump and barre classes. It takes staying power and focus to really do this, surgery is not a quick fix but it's all so worth it. I hope all goes well for you with your surgery approval. Let us know how you get on.

XYZXYZXYZ1955 I would be very very careful about adding in anything like butter or cheese. I have found that the foods that are really calorie-laden are best left out of the diet for ever otherwise you'll start getting a taste for them again and undo all the hard work. I have been walking and running at least 10kms every weekday and hiking 30-40kms every weekend with my husband. I don't eat ANY of the bad stuff, butter, cheese, pasta, rice, cookies, cakes, bread, deserts (except very low calorie ice-cream) and I haven't bought chocolate since my op. I quite literally used to be addicted to the stuff. I don't drink alcohol or sweetened drinks. I find I can't have the thinks I used to pig out on in even the smallest amounts, I have to cut them completely, otherwise I'll just go back to bad habits. I now have a real taste for salads, fish, meat, seafood, fruit and all things yum and healthy. I would never add any butter because it's an unhealthy fat. I do use a little Olive Oil in cooking though, which actually helps stimulate ketosis. Good luck on your journey. It will get easier.

Thanks Berry78. My surgeon and dietician have a slightly different approach. They encourage me not to focus on calories but more on portion size and how the stomach feels otherwise you end up eating enormous portions (of the good stuff of course) and you stretch your stomach. This bariatric process is supposed to become second nature, not a scientific one. I guess I'll just have to be patient for this last 5lbs to come off. I'm finding mixing up my exercise routine is helping.

I think we all eat more than those first few weeks post op as the sleeve is made very small as there is bound to be some natural stretch. I think the types of food make a difference to the stomach. For instance I eat a heap of salad and it crunches down to almost nothing and is virtually made of water. I can fit a huge bowl of salad in. Proteins are way more dense, meat, fish etc and I can only eat a small portion of these. You will know that you are stretching your stomach if you always feel really full to the point of being uncomfortable after eating. Try to divid your meal in half. Eat the first half slowly and then wait for 20 minutes. If you still feel very hungry then pick at the other half. Really listen to your body so you don't eat for the sake of it. I hope this helps. Good luck.

Thank you, that's very kind. You're going to do great and change your life forever.

So exciting, your surgery is right around the corner. You're doing well with great pre-op loss, keep up the good work. Go girl.

Thank you badrum1220. You're already doing well with your pre-op loss, well done. If you're prepared to really put in the work, and I'm sure you are, you will look and feel great really soon. Good luck on your exciting weight loss journey.

Thanks DropWt4Life.

Thanks YeaMe and congratulations to you too!. I'm worried about easing up on my tight calorie intake because I can manage very well when I don't have ANY naughty things but having some and just moderating them is harder. I start to eat more and more, from experience, and it scares the bajeebers out of me! I'm just going to keep thinking how good I feel now, and how healthy, and remind myself that nothing I could possible eat would be worth undoing this. Good luck to you.

That's what scares me the most. How do I stop losing weight? If I want to level off at goal weight I will have to eat more calories and that's where the devil is. Eating more calories is dangerous for me because I might just get carried away. I suppose I just have to think about how good I feel right now and that anything I could eat will just not be worth it.

Thanks ZumbaMami. You'll find the weight will start to fall off and if you exercise regularly it will come off even quicker. I guess try not to fear the failure. There were people on here who were my inspirations too at the beginning but then you actually become your own inspiration and that helps you to push you through. Good luck.

STRUGGLING! I'm so close to my goal but really struggling with the last 3.5kgs. I've lost 26.5kgs (59lbs) in 20 weeks. Although I'm nearly there I'm terrified that I'm going to start self-sabotaging. I've been literally walking my butt off and being so, so careful with what I eat but now the thought of maintaining this huge loss is seeming like a massive mountain to climb for the rest of my life. I've been here so many times before, not with weight loss surgery though, but we all know that the surgery is just a weight loss tool and can be circumnavigated easily. Anyone have tips on how to get that last bit off and keep it off?

Remember that fluid leaves your stomach in around 5 minutes so you can have a few small mouthfuls of fluid every couple of minutes. It takes me about 20 mins to drink a cup of tea and I feel fine. If you are a gulper try using a straw, even for hot drinks, it really helps to slow you down. Don't forget to drink no less than half an hour before or after eating. If you drink too close to eating the fluid kind of dilutes the food in your stomach and causes it to leave the stomach too soon meaning you will not stay satisfied for as long as you should and your stomach won't have enough time to break it down for proper nutrient absorption. Good luck☕️??

Yes, definitely count it as part of your daily fluid but you must also count any calories/kjs in it.☕️

Hi, sorry you're struggling with your pre op diet. I too cheated but made sure it was with raw veggies, salad or other v low cal items. I got bored with the shakes but I still lost 10lbs in my 12 day pre op period. I agree with Jacinta. I think you're self sabotaging so you can cancel your op. I would advise talking to your surgeon and if he thinks he can still go ahead, do it. You won't regret it and and it will turn your life around. Never again will you have to go through this battle with your conscience and will power on this scale ever again. Good luck

I love that you respond to people's posts, it's very helpful for all of us as you have loads of experience and have done a fantastic job of losing weight. You have almost lost ME. I started at 198lbs! Looks like you're not far off hitting your goal so keep up the great work, you're totally inspiring.

Wow, not long now. You'll be great and will have no regrets, I'm sure. You sound like you have the exact right mind set to make a positive out of this. What surgery are you having? it still says 'undecided' on your profile. I'm 6 days post op from my Gastric Plication and am feeling great. No pain today, a couple of walks with my dog and husband, a couple of hours lying in the sun (sunny Australia) a few household chores... a really good day. You'll be feeling like this in no time too and will get a new boost in life. If you have any nerves, it's perfectly normal and understandable. If you didn't I might wonder if you hadn't researched enough, but as have you know it's not all roses It means you have made an informed decision to change your life. All the very best to you. Keep us posted, we're all here to cheer you on.

Wow, sounds like you've been extremely lucky with your low level pain and I'm sure you're lovely positive attitude helps heaps. Hope all continues to go well for you.

Glad to hear you're doing better. It would be so hard to stay hydrated if you can't keep anything down so it's really good that you can drink now. Good luck.