Introversion

If you are willing to spend $30 on a step platform like the one pictured below, you can perform step aerobics in the comfort of your own home around the kids for a decent cardio workout. If you are interested in lifting weights, you can start out with an adjustable dumbbell set or a couple of kettlebells for a home-based strength training workout.

The 60% excess weight loss (EWL) statistic groups every sleeved person into the same statistical cluster, so it's an average result. For example, folks who lost 100 percent of excess body weight (EBW) are tabulated with everyone else, including average losers who lost 60 to 70 percent of EBW, and poor responders who lost considerably less than 50 percent of EBW. After all numbers are tabulated, the result is 60 to 70 percent EWL. So, the results of a person like me who attained goal weight and lost almost 100 percent of EBW is in the same statistical data mine as the dude who only lost 25 pounds post-op since he never changed his eating habits and still grazes on Twinkies, Fritos, pizza, and ice cream. Also, results differ because people differ in their level of adherence to lifestyle changes. I maintain a moderately high level of physical activity and watch what I eat. Other people made no lifestyle changes whatsoever and it tends to be these persons who either lose suboptimal weight or start regaining fiercely.

The 60% to 70% statistic places every sleeved person into the same pool. For instance, statistics of those who lost 100 percent of excess weight are pooled with average losers who lost 60 to 70 percent of excess weight, as well as poor responders who lose far less than 50 percent of excess weight. When all numbers are averaged, it comes out to 60 to 70 percent of excess weight lost. In other words, someone like me who reached goal weight and lost nearly 100 percent of my excess body weight is thrown into the same statistical pool with the lady who only lost 30 pounds post-sleeve since she self-medicates with cookies and Coca-Cola due to her undiagnosed depressive disorder.

FOREWORD...I am not a revision patient. The sleeve is my first and (hopefully) only weight loss surgical procedure. Three years ago I qualified for the sleeve through my insurance company with a BMI of 37 and one single comorbid condition (elevated cholesterol, a.k.a. dyslipidemia). Like you, I was in my mid-30s and sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. I'd telephone a local bariatric surgery practice in your area and schedule a consultation if I were you. The patient advocate or office coordinator at the bariatric surgery practice will call your insurance company to verify if the procedure will be covered in addition to any additional hoops required by the insurance policy such as supervised diet visits, psych eval, nutritionist appointments, sleep study, cardiac clearance, etc.

Running didn't increase my appetite. The opposite occurred: it actually reduced my appetite. Then again, I didn't start running until 3 months post-op, so that may have been a factor. The only activity that causes an appreciable appetite increase in me is heavy weightlifting. Lifting weights leaves me hungrier than usual for about 24 hours after the weight training session.

Do you currently have reflux? I haven't had any acid reflux problems or GERD since being sleeved. If you didn't have reflux prior to surgery, it usually won't be a problem afterward. I concur. I had pre-existing deficiencies in vitamins D and A prior to bariatric surgery. It's estimated that 60+ percent of the U.S. population has vitamin D deficiency due to lack of outdoor time combined with increasing sunblock lotion usage. My vitamin A deficiency prior to surgery was multifactorial: I was prone to it due to hypothyroidism, and my processed food/fast food diet with very few green veggies ensured I'd be deficient.

How long ago was the gastric bypass? I'm asking because many people find that, years after a bypass, they are metabolically challenged due to a phenomenon called intestinal adaptation. Intestinal adaptation occurs when the small intestine adapts to being bypassed. The intestinal section that hasn't been bypassed undergoes adaptations such as villus enlargement, which promotes rapid and efficient calorie absorption. This has two effects: slow weight loss and rapid regain the further out you are.

In addition to blizair's questions, it would be helpful to know which bariatric surgical procedure you had. Was it a band, sleeve, bypass or DS? Also, what was your starting weight on the day of surgery? Since this is posted in the General Weight Loss forums, we have no way of knowing unless you answer. Good luck to you.

Conduct a search of the terms "three-week stall," "third week stall" and "3 week stall." Yes, this phenomenon is so common it has a name. Most sleevers stall sometime between the second and fourth week post-op. Now, here's the hard part: stay off the scale for a few weeks and allow your body to sort out the trauma it's been through. Always expecting a daily or weekly loss is unrealistic. Post-sleeve weight loss happens in a non-linear, unpredictable manner: we lose a few pounds, hold onto some, then stall and plateau and even gain water weight at times before losing again. Be patient with the process. Good luck to you.

Since the original poster (OP) is considering a mini gastric bypass and not a sleeve or lap band, she'll definitely need lifelong supplementation if she opts to undergo this procedure.

The answer to your question is a resounding "No." In reality, most peoples' sleeves tolerate bad foods remarkably well. We can eat only 1 chicken breast before feeling stuffed, but crap such as chips, cookies, pretzels, popcorn and other sliders can be eaten in nearly unlimited amounts because they don't activate the stomach's stretch receptors, so you never feel full. So, the sleeve won't be enough to say "No" to junk foods. The surgeon operates on our stomachs, not our heads. Therefore, each sleeved person needs to have a strong enough psychological constitution and self-restraint to say no. 90 percent of success after bariatric surgery is psychological.

Med Pass 2.0 has 480 calories per 8 fluid ounces. It's what they give anorexics and elderly nursing facility residents to help them gain weight and become more nutritionally stable. http://www.hormelhealthlabs.com/product-support/product-protocols/med-pass

I know of a fellow sleever who participates in competitive bicycling (read: 70+ mile bike rides). Personally, I run 20+ miles per week. I used to run 35+ miles weekly, but have cut back because I'm now lifting heavy in an attempt to build muscle. For the first 6 months I doubt you'll be able to eat enough calories to properly fuel your endurance sport endeavors, and a combo of over-exercising and under-eating is notorious for leading to stalls/plateaus during your weight loss phase. I think you'll be fine after 6 months because your stomach will have relaxed enough to consume enough food to fuel your activity level. Good luck to you.

I was required to be released to a responsible driver after both my endoscopy and sleeve procedures. However, both of these friends lived somewhat far from me (45+ miles) and driving me home would have been a chore for them. During each instance, once the friend and I were out in the parking lot, we went our separate ways: they drove away in their vehicles and I drove home in my car.

You aren't doing anything wrong except perhaps weighing in too frequently... When is the last time you lost 20 pounds in 3 weeks via old fashioned diet and exercise? I'll bet top dollar that the answer is "Never." You're doing wonderfully. For comparison, I lost 15 pounds the 1st month, 12.5 pounds the 2nd month, and an average of 3 to 7 pounds monthly thereafter until I reached my goal weight. Some months I only lost 1 pound. It took 17+ months for me to lose 100 pounds. Weight loss with a sleeve doesn't occur in a linear pattern. Don't expect daily losses. Our bodies lose a few pounds, then hold onto a few pounds with occasional stalls and plateaus before losing again. At times the scale displays a bigger number than the day before day due to water retention and/or hormonal issues. You're doing well. Now stay off the scale.

I drove myself home from the hospital on the day I was sleeved since my procedure was a same-day surgery. I was fine enough to start driving immediately.

Realistically...your chances of achieving and maintaining a 100+ pound weight loss without the help of bariatric surgery are less than 5 percent. Diet plans aren't terribly sustainable for the long-term. I'm in my mid-30s and have lost 200+ pounds over the years with yo-yo dieting (lose 30 lbs, regain 50, lose 50, regain 90, lose 60, regain 100). Most of us can lose weight without surgery. However, due to the incurable nature of obesity, most of us cannot keep weight off without surgery. You can choose another diet plan, but the odds are heavily stacked against sticking with it for 5, 10, 15, or 20+ years from now. Again, dieting isn't a sustainable way to live. The diet you pick in order to lose the weight will resemble the one you'll need to adhere to maintain the weight loss for life. Just some food for thought.

The answer to your question is really dependent upon whether the body weight fluctuations matter to your insurance company. Some insurance policies refuse to cover bariatric surgery if the insured person's BMI has fallen below 35 at any time in the preceding 5-year period, while other policies only look at initial prequalification weight. And yes, any weight that is found in your medical record can count for or against you, regardless of which doctor or specialist obtained it, as long as your insurance is paying for these visits.

Other than perhaps over-exercising, I don't see what you could be doing wrong. Our starting weights were similar: I weighed 218 on surgery day and had lost 27.5 pounds by 2 months out. It took me 17+ months to lose 100 pounds, so I was a slower loser. After those first 2 months I started losing at an average rate of anywhere from 3 to 7 pounds monthly. Nonetheless, I'm still pleased with my sleeve. It's an amazing tool if you're patient and allow the process to unfold with realistic expectations. Now, back to the exercise...a combination of under-eating and over-exercising is notorious for slowing down the rate of weight loss. Click on the article link below for more info. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/another-look-at-metabolic-damage.html/

What was your starting weight? The less you weighed on surgery day, the slower you'll tend to lose. Be mindful that most sleeved people don't lose 30+ pounds monthly. Realistic expectations are important during the weight loss phase.

I use a Centrum complete over-the-counter multivitamin. A 3-month supply costs less than $12 at Walmart or Target, and my nutritional lab work always comes back perfect. Those of us with sleeves really have no need for expensive bariatric vitamins because our weight loss surgical procedure doesn't result in malabsorption.

I am 27 months (2 years & 3 months) out. I was sleeved in April 2015 and have been maintaining my goal weight since September 2016. So far I've been pleased with my sleeve.

Yes...one pre-op patient's idea of a healthy meal was mashed potatoes, a fried egg sandwich with mayonnaise, and Southern sweet tea (yes, he was from the Deep South). Some people believe foods such as granola, Cream of Wheat, and Special-K cereal are healthy. Others feel Lean Cuisine frozen meals are healthy options. In a nutshell, the concept of healthy eating differs with each individual.

I am 5'1 and weighed 218 lbs on surgery day, so I started with the same stats as you. It took me nearly 18 months to lose 100 lbs, so I was a slower loser. After the first 2 months, I lost at a rate of 3 to 6 lbs monthly. However, I'm pleased at the final result and thankful for my sleeve. The surgery will work for you as long as you work your sleeve, hold up your end of the bargain, and have realistic expectations throughout the weight loss phase. Your goal weight is set very low. Statistically, the sleeve's restriction by itself won't be enough to get you down to 110 pounds. In all likelihood you'll need to put in extra time and work to get there. Nonetheless, you can get there if you are compliant, work your sleeve to the max, and exercise. Good luck to you.

I didn't have a driving restriction at all... Mine was a same-day procedure. I had surgery that morning and drove myself home 45 miles on the interstate late that night after discharging from the hospital. So, it depends. Ask your surgeon. In addition, assess how you feel.