AZhiker

You are right - it IS work and there are no quick fixes, but everyone wants a gimmick. I was there, too. I never tried anything too radical - well, maybe starvation for 25 days was radical - but at the end of the day, it still boils down to hard work, excellent nutrition, portion control, and exercise.

Knowing how judgmental people can be and already having heard negative comments about WLS, I decided to keep my surgery very private, Coworkers are starting to comment on my weight loss now, however, and some have asked, "What are you doing?" My standard answer is truthful - that I have made some major lifestyle changes that have been ongoing for months and even years. I tell them that I have given up wheat, sugar, soda, alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweetners/colors, additives, and processed foods. I also tell them that I have stepped up my exercise a lot (which they see, because I wear my tracker and try to get as many steps in as I can during a work shift.) Usually by the time I get to the sugar or alcohol they sort of sigh and walk away. I don't think I am being dishonest, as all these lifestyle changes are necessary for me to be ultimately successful, regardless if I had surgery or not. Anyone not willing to make substantial changes is not going to lose weight and keep it off, so I don't feel I need to go any further. WLS is just one more tool, but doesn't guarantee success by itself, as we all know. But I still feel a little guilty. What do you think?

I will have my 8 week post-op appt with the nutritionist who will finally give me the go-ahead for vegetables! I have a big organic garden full of veggies I can't eat and it's killing me! So this appt is very exciting. The food restrictions will be lifted and I can start eating more normal food. But..... I am scared. I have been doing great for the past month on 500 cal/day - protein shakes and protein foods. When I add some berries to my morning smoothie, some veggies and a salad with meals, and then try to gradually add more legumes, seeds, and nuts, the calories are going to go up. I have been losing 4 pounds/week for the past month, and I don't want to lose that momentum. I have also been adding more to my exercise regimen every week and will continue to do so. (Presently, I walk at least 10,000 steps, climb 10 flights of stairs, do 100 wall pushups, and alternate between Elliptical and weights, every other day.) I will add time to the Elliptical each week and more time/pounds to the weights each week. Anyway, I am hoping the extra exercise will counter act the extra calories, My plan is to increase the calories 100/day at a time for at least a week to find the amount I can eat and still keep losing. Does this sound reasonable? I have been doing so well, and I just don't want the additional food groups to cause a stall.

I was scared right up to the pre-op room. I am a nurse, and I think knowing all the possible complications and CHOOSING to risk them in an elective surgery really messed with my mind. I thought over and over, "I should just do it on my own." But who am I fooling? After dieting for 5 decades? My PCP told me, "If you had been able to do it on your own, you would have." I was literally crying in pre-op. Then my surgeon came in and told me that none of his patients had ever come back wishing they had NOT had the surgery. Was he telling the truth? I don't know, but it was the reassurance I needed to go ahead. The first little bit is hard, for sure. And I had a complication of a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) that I am still taking a blood thinner for. But I feel like this is the best decisions I have ever made for myself. After 48 pounds off, I can walk up hills and stairs without being winded. I have so much more energy and I think the very best years of my life are still ahead! Bottom line - some fear and ambivalence can be perfectly normal - just means you are weighing the risks seriously. However, life is so much better on this side of the surgery, and you can never know until you take the plunge!

Maybe the itching is also related to a lack of oils. I am just craving oils. My skin is so dry and my hair is like straw. I actually "cheated" and started having 1/8 of an avocado most days, using a little butter, and using 2% cottage cheese instead of fat free. I figure as long as I log it and include all the calories, it is OK as long as my protein is still where it should be. I will get the "green light" in 10 days to add these things "officially." I can hardly wait to add in some nuts, seeds, and olive oil.

I have found that if I eat until I think I am full, I will have pain. I have to stop before that point and just let things rest. I usually have to divide my protein meal in half and eat the second part about an hour later. I also found that I need to have a lot more moisture with my protein, so I add chicken broth and cottage cheese to almost everything. If I eat too much, or eat too fast, or don't chew really really well, it will be painful. A couple of times, it was so bad I thought I would have to go to the ER, but it passed. I had swallowed too much too fast and it only takes a time or two to learn not to do THAT again!

I went through all the drawers and the closet today and got rid of a LOT of clothing...….. and I found quite a few pieces that I had been saving and that actually fit now! It sure opened up a lot of closet space and feels so good to fit into things I haven't worn in years. It was a real morale booster, as this has been a "hungry" day. Seeing all those clothes going out the door reminded me to stay strong and not even think about cheating.

Me too! Mostly on my belly. It itches all the time. My skin has been so dry ever since surgery, and I thought it was just dry skin. Lotion doesn't really stop the itching. Then I thought that maybe the skin was getting saggy and that was causing it. Good to know that ketones could be responsible.

45. In my face, of course!

I am diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. My CPAP setting is 10. However, I am now down 45 pounds and am finding that it is forcing air into my esophagus and pouch, causing a lot of burping. I have an appt with my sleep doctor to see if the setting can be lowered, As long as the machine shows less than 3 apneic episodes/per hour, I hope we can keep reducing the pressure until I don't need it anymore,

Just an idea to try - turned my life around. Gluten and sugar. (Wheat and sugar are the most inflammatory foods known.) I was nearly crippled and using a walker from inflammation and joint pain. I was using NSAIDS around the clock. Eliminating gluten and sugar has been transformational. I have not used NSAIDS for a long time and can walk and hike pain free. My brother had the same experience. He could hardly walk and is now training to hike the Grand Canyon. Yes, it requires a lot of label reading. It also opens up a whole realm of grains that people don't usually consider, but which are much healthier - quinoa, teff, amaranth, millet, buckwheat, sorghum. I can cook an entire Thanksgiving dinner with no wheat, and no one can tell the difference! Just an idea.

I started 10,000 mcg of Biotin at 2 weeks post op, when I started my other vitamins. I am 6 weeks post op, so it is still a bit early to tell about hair loss or not. My hair and skin have been sooooo dry since surgery. I look like an old, withered apple and my hair feels like straw. I am using a lot of lotion and got some shampoo for dry hair - something I've never had to do before.

I took 2 weeks off, which was just right, My weight loss has been steady - a big drop from the 2 week pre-op to surgery, bit of gain the week after surgery (normal with all the tissue swelling and IV fluids), and then 4 pounds a week ever since. I am really working at this, By day 7 post-op, I was walking 10,000 steps a day. I am still doing that, along with 10 flights of stairs a day. I am also working in time on my elliptical machine and starting some light weight work. I am up to eating about 500 cal/day, which feels right to me at this point. I have plenty of energy. I know stalls happen, but I am trying very hard to keep the scale heading down by trying to be super active and logging every bite. No cheating. It's not worth it! I would like to be pretty close to goal weight by 6 months out. That might be unrealistic, but right now I don't have an appetite and I sure want to take advantage of that while I have the opportunity, There are sublingual B-12 tablets that dissolve and absorb right under your tongue, bypassing the GI tract. That might be something you could try. You don't have to take them with meals. Please keep us informed about what your doctor says.

Have you ever gotten B-12 injections? Did they help?

diluting is a good idea. You could also use water and count it toward your required fluid intake, I LOVED Premier Protein shakes before surgery. I bought 4 cases on sale at Costco. But..... after surgery, they were just too sweet. Tasted like chocolate syrup! So poor hubby took the unopened cases back. They are considered a meal replacement - not just a protein supplement, How long does your doctor want you to keep on 3 shakes a day?

My question to you is why have you been anemic? There are many causes, and getting to the root of it may be your answer. Poor absorption, not enough dietary intake to start with, B-12 deficiency? sluggish bone marrow? The easiest to fix would be insufficient intake. You may have to increase your animal protein. I'm just starting to handle small amounts of egg, chicken, and fish. But soft liver goes down well and I am going to eat that every week, to help cover iron issues. If you can fix the underlying issue, it will be something you can deal with after surgery. Good luck. Let us know what the doctor says.

I know the feeling - some food just looks and smells so darn good! I had to fix a full on Mexican meal for a party at our house - just a couple of weeks post op!I Boy did that smell good, but I prepared myself with a couple of life slogans I have adopted, and didn't cheat. Cheating can start a cascade. One little bite can lead to another or another compromise, which could get you in trouble down the road. I adopted a slogan before surgery: "I AM NEVER GOING BACK!" And I mean it. My pre-op life was horrible and was slipping away before my eyes with all the ailments of aging obesity. I AM NEVER GOING BACK to that! Sooooooo, the next slogan is "IT IS JUST NOT WORTH IT!" Say that with every temptation. It's just not worth a minute of taste pleasure for the potential for setting you up for failure. Every journey begins with a step. Out weight loss journey is one step at a time. And our weight re-gain journey begins one cheat at a time, It's just not worth it … because I AM NEVER GOING BACK! You see how it works. It has to be a mental mindset. The other slogan to remember is "I'LL HAVE THAT SOON!" You'll get that chicken again and I'll get Mexican food again, but on OUR terms - not just because temptation presents itself. Just not now. One slip is just a slip. A slip up two days in a row is called relapse, We have to be honest with our addiction to food. Cheating is not our friend! It is a sneaky, alluring, seductive enemy to our success! I am rooting for you! This is hard! Set yourself up for success today and 10 years from now! Hang in there everyday! Use the slogans! Wishing the very best in your battle (and sometimes it feels like a war for the mind!) for a wonderful healthy life!!!!!

I've wondered this, too. Looked at a lot of articles, all of which say I should be eating more than I am. (Almost 6 weeks post op but can barely get to 500 cal/day.) But I get my protein, fluids, vitamins, and exercise in every day. My weight loss has been steady and I feel great with plenty of energy and mental alertness. The bottom line is to listen to your body. Get the requirements in and your body will tell you when you can handle more. I know I could get more calories if I added snacks, but I refuse to do that, because snacking is what got me in trouble in the first place and I am not going down that road again. My doctor says "3 meals and no snacks" so I am abiding by that, Truthfully, I sometimes have to divide my protein meal, because I can only handle 1 once of animal protein (fish, liver, chicken) at a time, so I will get the other half several hours later, But I don't consider that a snack. Relax and let your body tell you how much to take in. It is very helpful to keep a daily food log and to plan for the next day, because you do want to know that you are getting all your protein in. You are in a forced Keto diet right now, where your body is breaking down fat and creating ketones for energy. It is actually a healthy place to be, metabolically. I think there is a certain amount of euphoria that goes along with ketosis, as well, which can elevate mood and motivate activity. I am enjoying it!

I cut out caffeine, also, but did it gradually and eventually switched to decaf. I also cut out sugar, soda, and processed foods. Hard? Yup, but soooooo worth it! 1) You won't be dealing with withdrawal after surgery. Recovery is hard enough without dealing with withdrawal on top of it. 2) Without caffeine (and sugar) , my moods and energy have been so much more stable, I am just level throughout the day now - no need for a morning "wake-me-up" or a 3 pm "pick-me-up." 3) After surgery, I lost my taste for coffee completely! I am drinking herbal teas in the morning and evening now, and really enjoying the different flavors. This is actually good, as the acid in coffee is not all that great for reflux or for healing. My doctor prescribes acid reducers for 6 months to prevent ulcers. I already had a Barrett's lesion removed prior to surgery, so drinking coffee (even decaf) post op just didn't make sense and I am so glad to be off it. Perhaps the desire will come back later, but for now, it's gone. I am a complete advocate for getting rid of addictions (caffeine, sugar, soda, processed foods) BEFORE surgery so you can jump right into your healthy new lifestyle without compromise. Hang in there! You are making a great decision that will help you down the road!

Ha! I was hanging out my hummingbird feeders today and have to lean way over the deck railing to get them on the hooks. Has always been so hard to reach the hook. But today - no problem - just leaned over and hung them up! No big belly in the way! I also found myself squeezing my belly to get past a tight spot in the grocery store yesterday. It wasn't necessary - just a habit, because I was able to slip right through. The down side...… I lost my "shelf" for drinks while sitting in the recliner.

Use this time to think about how you want to eat for the rest of your life. In my opinion, every bite and sip after surgery and for the rest of your life should be as nutritious and healthy as possible. Artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavorings don't meet the healthy criteria. Water and herbal teas are great. There is a lot of research that shows artificial sweeteners to be very detrimental to weight loss. They confuse the body/brain - lots of sweet but no calories? Let's just lay down some fat reserves just in case. The stuff is toxic - a chemical cocktail. If your goal is long term healthy living, just give it up now and be done with it. Just my opinion, and I wish you the very best surgery!!!

I agree that every program seems to have a different set of guidelines. My biggest frustration is that I have a big vegetable garden, jam packed full of all kinds of veggies that I can't eat! It makes me depressed. I finally started taking the greens from the garden (turnip, radish, mustard, collards, beet, bok choy, spinach, broccoli, kale, chard) and blending them with water to make a slurry. I strain out the fiber and even filter the fluid through a coffee filter. I then have a clear, non caloric liquid that I add to smoothies, and just drink. Tastes like salad, is rich in phyto-nutrients, and makes me happy. At my follow up appt, the NP saw it and at first said I was cheating. I told her it met the clear liquid criteria and was a heck of a lot healthier than Crystal Lite, Diet Jello, or sugar free popsickles. She couldn't argue with that and said it was OK. Sheesh! I have 6 weeks to go before I can actually eat a real vegetable! Meanwhile, I have to freeze, can, and dehydrate them. Other programs say you can start on soft mushy veggies in week 3. I'd give anything for some mashed turnip or broccoli!

Gundy, any updates on how your friend is doing???????

I hear you! I am 4 weeks post op now and I have 2 mantras: "I'M NEVER GOING BACK!" and "IT's JUST NOT WORTH IT!" (when tempted to taste or take a bit of something not allowed.) This is way too much work, money, and risk to throw it away. Use this pre-op time to really clean up your eating. After surgery, you want every bite to be as nutritionally dense as possible, and as healthy as possible. The "New you" deserves nothing less. Get rid of the artificial sweeteners, colors and flavorings. Get rid of the soda and caffeine. (Caffeine may come back later, but you may find you feel better and more stable without it and really not want it anymore. I LOVED coffee, but can't even stomach the thought of it now!) Absolutely get rid of the sugar! ALL sugar! Get rid of processed food. Cook it yourself. Get rid of simple carbs/starches. Minimize wheat or get rid of it altogether. Learn to enjoy other whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, millet, teff, amaranth. Learn to enjoy veggies - LOTS of veggies! They will be the life saver of you success. Of course, get rid of alcohol and tobacco. If you can start making these lifestyle changes NOW, you will have a much easier time after surgery. Recovery is hard enough without having to cold turkey off addictions like sugar and caffeine. Use this time to really EMBRACE the changes. Each change you make means you "WILL NEVER GO BACK!" As far as temptations go, yes they are there, but..... "IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT!" I had to fix a full Mexican meal for a family party, make muffins for work, and cake for a birthday party. I did take a couple of tiny tastes to check for seasoning, but then I spit them out. I remind myself that my time will come to have some of these things, but not right now. Each choice you make is a choice to "go back" or "never go back." Remember that a slip up one day is a mistake. A slip up 2 days in a row is called RELAPSE. Just get back on board immediately. I found that keeping my food journal is critical. I plan all my meals (as tiny as they are) the day before, so there is no guess work the next day. We got ourselves where we are by a lot of bad choices over a long time. (Even if we thought they were good choices at the time with the dieting, starvation, and other crazy stuff we did to wreck our metabolisms and disrupt the normal hormone pathways.) It will take a lot of GOOD choices to rewire our brains and reframe our thinking about food - what is wonderful (veggies) and what is poison (sweets and simple carbs.) We can do it! Let your OCD and rules work for you!!!!!

That's exactly what I was afraid of and worried that I would feel too vulnerable and not confident enough to fend them off. So I only told a few close relatives (like my husband and kids) . about my surgery. No one at my work knows. Many of my "not so close" relatives have struggled with their own weight loss and regain, and I don't want to be under their scrutiny and judgement of my decision for surgery. I don't know if I will ever tell them. They will notice the weight loss for sure, but I don't have a problem telling them that I am eating a lot less, exercising a lot more, and using all the tools I know to achieve success. My heart goes out to you, because it must be really hard being under the microscope of the "diet police." I hope you come up with some really good one-liners! "Have you ever seen a fat monkey?" (In regard to the banana.) Please share what you come up with.