DropWt4Life

1/1012018 CW: 229.7 Killed it this week! Was in the gym everyday. I am now 9 pounds from my goal weight. Don’t know if I can reach it by my 6 month mark, but I am definitely going to get close. Thanks for all of the work that you put into this challenge! We appreciate you.

Take protein powders, and ask for water or use milk from one of the many restaurants. Protein bars are good. Sugar free apple sauces are already stored unrefrigerated in the stores. Oranges and apples will last you. I will take apples with 'Jif to go Natural' peanut butter cups. Tyson premium chunk white chicken breast can be snacked on with cheese sticks. Also, you can get a salad at just about any place there.

Take protein powders, and ask for water or use milk from one of the many restaurants. Protein bars are good. Sugar free apple sauces are already stored unrefrigerated in the stores. Oranges and apples will last you. I will take apples with 'Jif to go Natural' peanut butter cups. Tyson premium chunk white chicken breast can be snacked on with cheese sticks. Also, you can get a salad at just about any place there.

Good luck! Don't worry. Everything will be fine!

Measuring cups, a food scale, tiny half cup bowls with lids for packing purees for work, and a blender bottle for mixing protein shakes.

1/3/2018 CW: 232.3 Dropped the pound and then another. I'm surely not going to make 230 by next week, but I'll try!

My brother thinks he's an honorary member of the food police around me. He will see me eating a half flatout wrap with a grilled salmon patty and tomato/spinach, and ask if I should be eating the wrap...All while he is eating his salmon patty on a 200+ calorie buttered bun with mayo, two slices of cheese, no veggies, and French fries on the side. I just have to laugh. I know he cares, but it is funny nonetheless. I just pull out myFitnessPal, and show him my food stats. That usually gets him to zip it. For some reason, I keep having to tell him that I am not on a keto or other low carb diet. Oh well, he is the only one that ever comments about what I eat. Everyone else just keeps their comments/questions to themselves.

Sorry...I’m late as well. CW on 12/27 - 234.2 Slight gain, but I’m ok with that. I am trying to get that number back down by Wednesday. We’ll see if I can pull it off. Anyway, Happy New Year guys and gals!

I eat carbs, so my answer would be...If your plan allows it, have it. If you are eating low carb, then just account for it in the rest of your day. I try to stay under 100g of Carbs daily, and get most of that from veggies, fruit and ancient grains, but I use Flat-Out Light Wraps every once in a while as well. They contain about 6g Net Carbs each. I make pizzas, tacos, burritos and nachos out of them.

My plan didn’t really specify, but I will have my first drink(s) on New Year’s Eve.

12/20/2017 CW: 233.8

You look great! Congratulations on your success!

You don't have to join a gym to build muscle. My best friend lives 15 miles from a gym. He joined it, but found that it was too hard to find the time and discipline to go religiously. He hired a personal trainer there to teach him how to workout total body with nothing but dumbbells. He now walks, does exercises without the need of weights (pushups, dips, squats, abs, etc.), and uses 20lb, 30lb, and 40lb. sets of dumbbells to work things like shoulders and back. He left the gym, bought the weights at Walmart, and got into great shape. Maybe you could try that. You could start with lower weight, and gradually increase over a long period of time. My mom also has bands that she exercises with. She is 73, and she gets great workouts with the bands.

Nine pounds per month is great. I am only losing about five. You will see later on that your weight loss is going to slow down even quite a bit more than that. I eat less than 1,200 calories per day, work out 6-8X per week, and still only manage to drop a pound on average per week. I am definitely leaning up though, even though I'm not losing much weight. I am also pretty close to goal, so a slower weight loss it expected. Don't be discouraged though. Even a five pound per month loss is still sixty pounds per year.

Many different surgeons have many different plans for their patients. This is primarily because they see different scenarios play out with their patients. What I don't understand is why they don't ALL err on the side of caution. Case in point...Liquid diets. Veggies and protein during this phase is not liquid, but it is allowed on some plans. I have recently replied to posters that were allowed to eat meat on day 3 post-op. That is crazy to me. Why not require a set of standards that apply to everyone? They can have substitutions for say those that are lactose intolerant, have a heart condition, etc. It is sometimes hard to tell people to follow their doctors' guidelines when they are told to eat meat a few days after surgery or that they should take weight loss pills (Phentermine) before and after surgery. Just Sayin'.

I am not worried about the holidays this year. I have already had 2 dinner outings at work this month, and my last one will be tonight. I stick to the fish/chicken and veggies options. We are going to Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse tonight, and I will have a good size salad and chicken. The fact that nobody at work knows that I've had surgery allows me to get away with killing the salad bar. I can eat more salad than protein, so I will break the protein first rule tonight as it will allow me to eat for longer. We are hosting Christmas and New Year's Eve parties this year as well, but I can control the menu, so it's all good. Don't stress fellow sleevers! Make the best choices that you can at these functions, stay strict in between, and everything will be fine. Happy Holidays to you all!

Impressive, Bro! You look like the other guy's little brother. You'll definitely be at goal in no time at all! Keep up the hard work!

Good job. Working out is great for you over the long term. Yes, take your time, and ease into it. Before you know it, you will start developing muscle definition everywhere. Good luck!

You are probably not getting enough fiber as Rainbow said. I would add the Benefiber and/or add some green smoothies into your pre-op liquid diet. I did the green smoothies, and never had to take anything else. I did a 32 ounce one daily along with 3 Premier protein shakes, and broths for 2 weeks. I stayed under 1,000 calories daily, lost 25 pounds, and was successful at shrinking my liver.

I agree with other posters that you should quit smoking immediately. Not only is smoking going to increase your risk of having the complications mentioned, but it is going to hinder your body's ability to heal quickly and correctly. I would also start walking at least 30 minutes per day now, and drinking tons of water. You want to build up lung capacity, and start getting into shape. I was already working out 6-8X per week before surgery, and everything was super easy for me. I could have returned to work after 2 days. I smoked for 10 years, and I understand how stress makes you grab for that cigarette. Don't do it though. You are doing this for your health, so why not make a complete change starting tomorrow? You can do this, and will be better off for it. Good luck to you.

Good luck. Everything will be fine. Think positive thoughts. Before you know it, you will be relaxing at home, and feeling great!

I have been dieting off and on since the early 80s. I was a 38 waist when I entered high school. I got down to a 31 waist by Sophomore year, and maintained until graduation (playing sports and very active). I ballooned back up to a 38 waist by the age of 25 I then started see-sawing back and forth every year, and the range bottom got higher and higher until I was 326 with a 44 waist. I definitely deserved this surgery. I paid for it. I did what I needed to do to prepare for it. I am doing what I need to do to ensure my success. I am a loose 36 waist now. I can wear some 34s. I am not going back. If you feel that you haven't legitimately tried to lose weight and keep it off before, then that doesn't mean you don't deserve the surgery. I will just say that you'd better put in the work now. You are going to have to change your relationship with food, and hopefully get over the resistance to exercise. Otherwise, you might have a hard time losing and/or keeping off the weight. This isn't a magic bullet, and isn't easy. It takes work even with the surgery. Your surgery is on January 17th. That means you have roughly a month to prepare. Go on a diet now, and see what you can do. Add in some walking everyday. You will at least have a better understanding of what it is going to take, and whether or not you will be able to do it without surgery. I wish you the very best.

Good Job Sullie! With any luck, you will be out of this stall and on the way to the 170s! Keep up the good work!

I would just worry about protein, water and vitamins. That is it. In a few weeks, you can decide whether you want to go low carb, low fat, etc. I would suggest that you update your profile to show that you are in fact post-op, and maybe add in your stats. It will help others to see where you are just in case you have need for help in the future. Congratulations on getting through the 1st major milestone in this process, and I wish you the best in the next phase of your journey.

Good luck bro! You will do well!