Jaelzion

I used to dislike raw carrots and now I munch on them almost every day. Conversely, I used to love barbecue and now it's "meh".

I shared mine in an earlier post:

Quote

My Mom died 10 years ago and my sister and I divided her personal belongings between us. My mom had a fabulous wardrobe but because I was at my top weight, I couldn't wear anything of hers. Last month, I asked my sister to pick me out one or two items that were Mommy's since I can fit them now. My sister generously picked out several of her most gorgeous outfits and I can fit them all now! It feels surreal, like a dream. It's another way to connect with her now that she's in heaven. ☺️

Just now, mischa23 said:

Did u get any drink from there

If I remember correctly, I drank hot tea because cold liquids still didn't feel good in my tummy.

I was in your place 2 years ago. In my case the family went out to P.F. Changs. I asked for a bowl of the broth from wonton Soup, with nothing else in it. It was tasty and kept me from sitting there eating nothing.

I don't have any "never again" foods but there are some things that just aren't good to me anymore. I used to love barbecue and now it's "meh". I remember how good it used to taste but it just doesn't now. I love holiday food, so I usually let myself taste everything at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Then it's right back on plan.

53 minutes ago, BigSue said:

Yes, I absolutely love Built Bars and I consider them a treat. I like to have something I can look forward to eating at the end of the day -- saving the best for last.

This is what I do. I usually have something I consider a treat toward the end of the day. Often it's sugar free pudding or something sweet like a Quest Peanut Butter cup. I save those calories specifically to address the nighttime nibbles, LOL.

I haven't, but I'm glad you found something you can drink. Staying hydrated is hard at first, so it's great to have a drink you like at least. Sip slowly and enjoy. 🤗

Your question is so broad that it's hard to answer. There are a million different philosophies about what humans should eat to be healthy. Some people will tell you a plant-based diet is healthiest. Others prefer paleo. A lot of doctors promote the Mediterranean style diet as the healthiest (which the mayo Clinic describes as "While there is no single definition of the Mediterranean diet, it is typically high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, Beans, nut and seeds, and olive oil." Most of us probably would benefit from limiting intake of processed foods and junk food.

Different bodies react differently, so it may be a matter of trial and error to see what kind of regular diet agrees with you. Personally, I do best with moderately controlled carbs (with very few of the refined, white variety). I'm also a carnivore who needs at least a little meat in my diet. I eat fruit regularly, but I can't overdo it as the sugar in fruit starts to affect me just like the sugar in a candy bar. So I pretty much eat meat, dairy, eggs, veggies, a moderate amount of fruit, nuts, and various kinds of fats. But that's what MY body likes. Your body may prefer vegan or something else entirely. It's really a matter of trying different approaches and seeing what works best. Good luck!

I had both pain and nausea but both were controlled by medication. What I was given for pain at first did not work, so my doctor upped it to a stronger med. Even if you're one of those who does have pain after surgery, your care team should work with you to keep it controlled.

Yeah, sorry to say, it doesn’t show any signs of going away. It doesn’t really bother me but it is notable.

Yep. My post-surgical tummy is quite "vocal". I'm not sure why that is, I just chalked it up to the structural changes the surgery made to my digestive tract.

1 hour ago, greenchilegoddess said:

Thank you so much for such a thoughtful and detailed response! I'm also just an inch taller than you so we are very similar! I think I'm used to dropping a lot of weight the first month of a diet bc of "water weight" and then having things slow down, and sort of assumed that might be what the first month of post op is like (or might not be like if I already lost 70lbs).

I also noticed you got gastric bypass in 2015. Do you mind me asking why you chose that over the sleeve? I originally went in wanting the bypass because of my terror of just hitting a wall and not losing after a certain point. My surgeon was open to it but suggested the sleeve since I'm young (28 at surgery time) and don't have GERD, so I've been leaning that way now. I just still have that nagging desire to do the thing that will give me the best shot at losing the most weight long term, and the malabsorbtive part of bypass is appealing for that reason.

Also, I totally understand if that's too personal or involved! Happy to talk in DMs or not at all. You've been super helpful!

Hi there,

I felt just like you, I really wanted the bypass because my reading had told me that bypass patients on average lose more weight and keep it off longer. So I was super disappointed when it turned out that there was a medical reason why I couldn't have the bypass (at least not safely). But I went forward with the sleeve and it all worked out for the best. The surgery has been very effective for me and I lost a lot more than that 70% average of excess body weight you read about. I lost it all. I know learning how to maintain it crucial, so that's what I'm focused on now. The best way to eat for long-term maintenance. So @catwoman7 is absolutely right. That 70% average is not a hard cap on how much you can lose with the sleeve. It's just an average based on outcomes they have tracked. I'd suggest you talk it out with your surgeon and get all the pros and cons to help you make your decision. Kind regards. 🤗

I'm sorry you're not feeling well. You should definitely call your surgeon's office to check in and see what they say. However, at only 11 days out, it's still VERY early. At that point, a lot of us felt weak, had major problems trying to drink, couldn't eat at all, couldn't hit the Protein targets, couldn't walk much. It wasn't until week 3 that I started to feel better. I know on this forum you see a lot of people post that they had no pain and were able to go back to work after a week. I believe them and I'm glad for them, but not everyone has that experience. It's normal to feel pain and weakness after major surgery. But if you're at all concerned, that's what your surgical team is for. I called several times when something happened that I didn't expect and they were always willing to listen and advise. Yours should be too.

Like @joy59, I had help for only the first 3 days after surgery. I definitely needed it on day 1 and 2 at home, but by day 3 I was okay to be by myself. Of course everyone's experience is different, but you might not need someone for a full 1-2 weeks. It helps that you're still on liquids during that time, so there's no meal prep to speak of.

Edit to add: if they can't come to you, can you go to them and spend a few days at their house? They may be more open to that. I actually spent day 1 at my sister's house and she took me home on day 2. We were at my house together on day 3 and then she went home. That could be an option.

Edit again to add: if they are in their 70s, your parents may be worried about COVID-19. I ended up going through my knee replacement alone because the aunt who was going to take care of me was nervous about possible exposure to COVID-19 (and rightfully so, she's 72 and at high risk). Could that be behind your parents' reluctance?

I have chronic major depression and I take two antidepressants. Neither causes weight gain, in fact they're both known to sometimes suppress appetite so I've had no issues there. I have had to be treated with prednisone since my bariatric surgery for an unrelated condition and I didn't gain a lot of weight. As soon as I came off of it, I lost the Water weight and the few pounds I had put on.

Make sure to talk all your concerns out with your surgeon. I have a blood disorder and I am on anticoagulants for life. For this reason, my surgeon asked me to get clearance from my hematologist. The hemadoc told me I would need to switch anticoagulants after surgery because the one I was taking required a lot of food to be bioavailable. I tried to get the one he recommended but my insurance wouldn't cover it. It was too expensive for me to pay for out of pocket, so I stayed on my original anticoagulant. Six months later, I developed a blood clot just as my hemadoc predicted. So it's always good to make all your doctors aware that you are having surgery as there can be unexpected interactions between different areas of your health. Best of luck! 🤗

41 minutes ago, HealthyLifeStyle said:

Skinny Syrup? I never thought of adding that to a Protein Shake. Thanks for the tip.

It's delicious and it helps to provide variety. 👍

I remember the day before surgery. It's such a combination of excitement, nervousness, and stress as you work out the last of the logistics. It's funny, the actual day of surgery was much less emotional for me - by then I was on autopilot and just doing what I needed to do. Congratulations on your surgery, I hope it's an easy and uncomplicated procedure with a quick recovery. Hugs. 🤗

Hopefully by 6 months out we're not living on them, but Protein Shakes can still be useful. They are good when you're short on time or on-the-go. Or when you're far from your Protein goal but not really hungry enough to eat meat, cheese, yogurt, etc. To switch it up, I add a dash of Jordan's Skinny syrups to my Evolve protein shakes and warm them up. They're plant-based, so they don't curdle or thicken from being heated. Sometimes I'll sprinkle nutmeg on top. It's like a sweet, flavored latte but without the coffee. One of my favorite winter treats.

4 hours ago, summerset said:

Some pretty steep assumptions. Like... just wow.

Yah. And "It's not about calories, it's about energy"? Calories are literally a unit of energy. That's what a calorie is.

For me it was really basic. I had a painful knee that I had suffered with for 37 years and I wanted to get a knee replacement. They wouldn't do it at the weight I was then, so I took the plunge. I had my bariatric surgery in March 2019 and my knee was replaced in August 2020. It's SO GOOD being out of pain now!

29 minutes ago, BigSue said:

I am so thankful that my surgery has almost completely eliminated my hunger (so far... I know my hunger will probably return eventually). Before surgery, I felt like my stomach was a bottomless pit, and I could eat huge quantities of food and still be hungry. I tried waiting after I ate since we're always told it takes time for satiety to set in, and nope -- I would just keep getting hungrier.

Same here - my hunger was not completely eliminated, it started to return at the around the 1 year mark. However, it is so much lower (in urgency and frequency) than before that it is totally manageable. Even when I'm truly hungry because of not having eaten all day, my body just gives me a polite "Hey, it would be nice to eat something" where before it was "FEED ME NOW!"

Maple Pecan Bourbon is heavenly! I tried "Christmas cookies" and it was "meh". Not bad but not great.

9 minutes ago, CapK said:

No, they are hardly stretchy. I mean, in December they where uncomfortable to sit in because they dug into my gut and now I can sit in them. But at 50lbs down I definitely expected they would have fallen off and had to be replaced vs just feeling comfortable now (unless bloated).

I fully expect leggings to fit for forever! Lol

Oh, I see, LOL. 😁Well if they were tight before and they fit now then at least you know you're significantly smaller! My leggings had started to gap in an unattractive way, so I finally had to replace them, LOL. I'm sure you will "undergrow" ("ingrow"? Whatever is opposite of "outgrow", LOL) your jeans soon.

Are the dark jeans super-stretchy? I was able to wear my old leggings for almost two years because they just contracted to my new size. I am just now starting to replace them.

I LOVE these! My favorite so far is Maple Bourbon Pecan, LOL. But I've tried at least 12 flavors and only hit one I didn't love. And even that one is okay, just not great. I love adding these to Protein Shakes and coffee.