Arabesque

That’s the frustrating thing for me: I’m not eating crap. Still keeping to my same food options. No sweet snacks, no fast food, no takeaway, no carbonated drinks, etc. sneaking into my diet. Don’t have it in my house. Don’t buy it when I’m out. Upped my fluid intake (was getting in a good 1.5L now almost 2 L). Upped my activity a bit (not as much as you have @GradyCat). Cut back on a few small things - less salad dressing & bought diet, alternating low fat milk with full cream, etc. The increased protein has meant increased portion sizes & calories but the cuts & changes to my diet aren’t equaling the increases yet. I just hope the Creons I’ve been prescribed again work better this time & help me absorb more from what I eat so I can reduce my intake a bit. Grrr! Gotta try to work out my new balance of consuming & using.

I know how you feel @ShoppGirl. I’ve put on a little weight too this year (about 2 kgs) which I can’t lose. I hadn’t updated my weight here either but your post motivated me to do it. I’ve been struggling with the head aspects of the gain & you may think oh it’s only 2kgs but to me it’s 2kg in a giant loud hailer voice in my head & that it may be just the beginning. Logically I know there’s nothing wrong with what I weigh but I’d rather I was 49 again which I’d been stable at for over a year (48.5-49.5 fluctuation). I tell myself it’s just a number but …. Today I bought a new outfit for winter & all the while I’m agonising over the worry that if I continue to gain it may not fit when I want to wear it. Experienced that a lot in the past. Plus I’ve been avoiding the scale. Another old habit to avoid the reality of what I weigh. I know some of the cause has been because I’ve been trying to up my protein a little (I don’t absorb it well) & though I’ve reduced some things it’s obviously not been enough. I’m not very active either (I agree - gyms ugh!) but I have thrown in a couple of extra things to my usual daily running about routines & gentle stretching like standing push ups. May not help with my weight but might tone my arms a little. Gotta find a positive. My surgeon’s colleague was fine with the gain when I saw her 6 weeks ago for my 3 monthly check up. It’s just that I’m not. Sigh!

I have chicken tenders regularly with salad for lunch. Cook them in the airfryer & freeze in individual bags for when I want them. I spent two weeks eating out of my freezer recently. Decided I needed to eat some of leftovers I freeze because my freezer was full & there ‘s still heaps of meals left in there. It’s like the Magic Pudding of freezers (classic Aust children’s literature reference). Also been cleaning out my pantry again - a shelf every week. So much stuff to toss again with expired use by dates. A result of the buying in bulk habits from the last couple of years. Did keep the soya bean pasta I bought last year even though it didn’t work. I’ll give it another try one day (before it expires 😉).

No bread, pasta rice & still don’t - they doesn’t sit well. Started cooked vegetables from soft foods so week 5. Raw salad vegetables from about the 2 month mark (I rolled cucumber wedges in smoked salmon & a smear of cream cheese.) I could have fruit from around month 2 too - strawberries & watermelons were my go to. I wasn’t told no alcohol just to reduce &/or avoid for a while. I had a gin & tonic at about two months. Took me hours to drink it & didn’t really enjoy it that much thanks to changing tastebuds. I probably had a couple of drinks over the 6 months until goal. I still don’t drink much or often. Maybe once a month or less & often just a glass & take a while to drink it. It doesn’t interest me like it did before surgery. If I drink now I go for quality over quantity. I was told the no bread, pasta etc. was because they are empty calories & they swell & fill your tummy restricting your ability to eat the protein & other nutrients you need. Raw vegetables & fruit skins can be too hard & dry & cause discomfort upon eating to begin. The no alcohol was empty calories & the whole addiction issue (can’t turn to food so turn to alcohol). I saw a video recently where the surgeon said alcoholism or issues with alcohol affect 10% of bariatric patients. 😱.

No meat?? I was eating lots of meat & fish from week 3 but plans are different & it is best to follow yours. It is ultimately your choice but I do agree with @Sleeve me alone!’s advice to reflect upon what is driving this craving. Chicken is the meat that many seem to struggle with & find they can’t tolerate to begin so if you decide to go ahead be careful.

There’s information about that says the body can only process & use about 25g of protein at a time. Apparently the remainder is stored as fat or excreted. Besides putting strain on your kidneys, it can increase your cholesterol which leads to other health concerns too. Protein is still calories. Your diet should be balanced out with other nutrients sources which support the body’s ability to absorb what is needed from what you eat. Drop a shake. Get your protein from a wide variety of foods - animal proteins (meat, eggs, dairy) & plants (beans, legumes, etc.). Up your vegetables intake & add a little fruit. (I didn’t have a shake after liquids stage.) Congrats on doing well so far. Whoo hoo!!

Can’t recall being told I was fat outright but I do remember a boy at high school (I remember you Bill T) saying I was an ok swimmer because fat floats. And I wasn’t big or even really overweight then just puberty puffy. Got told often I was voluptuous, very curvy, a larger frame, & other pseudo politically correct euphemisms for fat. My mum was a bit passive aggressive: be careful or you’ll end up like your aunt Lilah. But she said nothing when I was at my highest because she was about the same size. My very close girlfriends & I would talk a bit derogatorily about being fat but we all were & we knew it. Will my fat ass fit beside you type comments. We’re honest & open about most things though.

Woke up one morning & decided enough & rang my GP for an appointment & referral. Had my surgery about 6 weeks later. Had been bouncing between 60 & 75kg all my adult like. Then menopause & I was 91 almost overnight. Tried to lose it for 3 years but couldn’t lose a pound. A friend had the surgery about 12 months earlier & was very happy so … I didn’t have any health issues except from aching feet from the rapid gain & then just some burning feet after (no more heels for me) but I knew it was in my future. You will have to make permanent changes to your eating habits if you want to have permanent success. But that is the same whatever means you use to lose weight - diet, medication, exercise. They are just tools like the surgery. The horror stories aren’t that common really. People write about them because they are seeking support & advice because they are uncommon. But all surgery has risks as do medications. Consider other weight loss drugs that were approved & then taken off the market because of adverse side effects that were discovered over time. If you’re worried, have a long honest chat with your surgeon about risks & the stats behind them. If you are relatively healthy now you are in a better place to have the surgery now than later when you may be experiencing some health issues. All the best whichever path you choose.

Some people do some don’t. Some do low carb high protein alternatives. Some are careful with portion sizes & frequency. Many avoid them until maintenance. Some are allowed small portions while losing. My friend was allowed 1/2 slice of bread from about month 3 (but not allowed rolled oats which I never understood). I still don’t do bread, rice or pasta at almost 3 years. Really don’t do starchy vegetables either (except carrots in stews, soups, etc.) They sit heavily in my tummy & fill me quickly. I’ve tried small tastes a couple of times over the last 2+years & have accepted they are not my best option. Don’t miss them much even though I was a big consumer before my surgery. They would have been danger temptation foods for me if I could still eat them easily. I do eat complex carbs (2 serves a day) of rolled oats & multigrain crackers. I had the rolled oats from purée & added the crackers in maintenance. If I want pasta I use fresh zucchini pasta & sometimes steam finely sliced cabbage instead of noodles in asian meals. I’ve ordered wrap free wraps at cafes & eaten just the fillings of sandwiches. Check with your dietician. Consider alternatives (low carb or no carb vegetable options) for now or from maintenance. You know yourself best too. Whether you want to be able to include some carbs in your future. Whether you can tolerate them easily. Etc.

Sometimes life just throws crap at you. Family, health, work, world issues, etc. can turn everything upside down & we look to old habits which offered comfort in the past. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this now after you had made such great progress. Don’t let the crap win. It probably all seems a huge mountain you have to start to climb again but you’ve actually already started. You know what the crap is & how it’s affected you. You know the old habits you’ve fallen back on & the new ones you’ve let slide. Make one change today to reincorporate one of those new habits. Then reincorporate another one next week . Go for a walk, get your protein in, get your fluids in, drop a snack or swap out a meal choice or whatever you’re ready to do each week. You’ll get there & you’ve great motivators in your children. All the best.

I had a similar conversation with my surgeon (but about my continued weight loss) & my response was the same: I can only eat what I can physically eat. I added snacks up to 5 a day & yes I felt like I was eating all day long. I still made pretty careful choices & added complex carbs & some more fat. Choosing from: cheese, humus or liverwurst & multigrain crackers, protein bar, yoghurt, fruit, roasted fava or chick peas, chia pudding, nuts, etc. I also use non diet salad dressings, full fat milk, add seeds & beans to meals. I don’t do sweet or breads, pasta, etc. & cook most of what I eat myself. I don’t drink shakes or need multi vitamins. Sometimes small change or swap in food choices can make big differences. I can only eat 1.5 eggs (approx 10g protein & 235 calories) but I can usually eat a full serve of rolled oats cause I keep it liquidy (make on milk, add seeds). approx 15g protein, 380 calories. No empty calories, lots of nutrients. My weight loss stopped when I was consuming about 1300 calories (about 18 months after surgery) but I’m not tall, have a smaller frame, am in my mid 50s & not very active. But you're not me & you may need more calories. You have to work out how much food your body needs to function effectively at a weight your happy at while living & enjoying your life how you want. It just takes time & some need more than others. Took me a good 2 years to get my portion sizes to about recommended sizes for most things. I still snack but about 3 times a day. Not sure how many calories I eat now as I’ve increased my protein intake a little due to an absorption issue (from gall surgery not sleeve surgery). Just start making small changes, try different things & see how you go & what works for you. It’s the only way.

Would depend upon what the results revealed & whether it had any direct impact upon your surgery & recovery. It’s always helpful if your surgeon is aware of all your health issues. It may not delay or halt your surgery but may help your surgeon better prepare for your surgery & support your recovery. My doctor can see my blood work results requested by any of my doctors or specialists. Would think it would be the same in the US too. Got a printout of my last 6 lots of lab results from my surgeon’s colleague last month & it included two tests requested by my GP. I do go to the same pathology company for all my tests so not sure if that is a factor in what they can see.

I haven’t heard of anyone needing anti nausea meds long term. Though I experienced minor nausea I didn’t need to take meds at all. It maybe just your digestive system still being a little sensitive at first. A lot of vitamins can cause people to experience nausea & iron is one of the culprits. My nausea came from the multi vitamin I took so I split the dose - one in the morning & one at night. Sometimes changing brands can help. Also check to see if you’re doubling up on them by taking a multi vitamin & additional calcium or iron, etc.

I remember watching a documentary on obesity (can’t remember its name) & a doctor pointing out that obese people have been weight training 7 days a week for years as they carried around their weight. I was rather surprised but it makes sense when you think about it. The difference is when you do weights at a gym you use different muscle. Plus as you lose weight, your posture improves as your centre of balance changes so you may have to retrain muscles, tendons, etc, too. But in answer to your question: protein. Your body uses protein for recovery & healing, and muscle & bone health & growth. There’s some information about now saying that your body can’t absorb more than 25g of protein at a time & excess is stored as fat. Something to take into consideration. Congrats on your weight loss so far.

Gorgeous shoes, @kristieshannon. It’s so lovely not to have aching feet & burning soles anymore.

My favourite clothing store was having an up to 70% off warehouse sale. I was invited to a preview yesterday & picked up these two pieces: 71% off the cardigan & 65% off the leather skirt. Now don’t be shocked… they’re both colour. Even going to wear them as a complete outfit as one of the embroidered flowers on the cardigan is the same claret colour of the skirt. Can’t wait for the weather to cool so I can wear them.

As well as the above suggestions what about tofu. Legumes are very versatile. There are great recipes about that use chick peas instead of meat - Jamie Oliver has a heap just google. You will be able to eat cooked vegetables. I was putting onion, celery, tomato, mushrooms, carrots, capsicum, zucchini, etc. in lots of dishes from soft foods like omelettes, stews, mince dishes, soups, etc. Once in solid foods I could eat steamed green beans, cabbage & cauliflower & then other vegetables in time (my tummy was fussy at first).

It will depend upon what you can tolerate. I only eat whole & multi grains. The less processing the better. I only have two serves of grains a day - rolled oats & multi grain crackers as a snack. Every time I try a highly processed grains like in bread, pasta & rice they sit like a dead weight in my tummy. Interestingly I’ve discovered that multigrain brown rice crackers are a slider for me but the white rice ones aren’t which I don’t understand why.

Hey @Sheribear68. Lovely to see a post from you again & that you’ve been continuing o do so well. Yay! I haven’t gone down the plastics route but a girlfriend & fellow sleever (& both almost 57) often talk about the only way we will be able to get rid of our facial droop is with a face lift to cut off the skin excess skin but we’re too scared. We’ve only just gone down the Botox route (we blame peer pressure 😆) not that it will help the droop it but does reduce some of the associated wrinkling (my marionette lines beside my chin aren’t as deep or long whoo hoo ). I can’t do fillers because of an allergy but I’m not really upset about that as I’m not a lover of that puffy face look. I had a round face for too many years. All the best for your TT, lipo & thigh lift surgery & your foot surgery too.

There’s so much conflicting information about it is confusing. I was advised 1/4 - 1/3 cup but this did depend on what the food was (still does almost three years out). I could always eat more soup but less if it was a less liquidy, more solid food like mince or a sausage. Some people can eat larger portions. Others can’t. Generally, tread slowly especially while you’re still healing & listen to your body. It is more challenging at first because the cut & damaged nerves from the surgery mean your old messages of being full etc. don’t work as well & you often find they’re not the same as they were either. Try not to eat until you feel full but until you’ve had enough. That full feeling is actually telling you you’ve eaten too much.

Small selection of carefully picked items of clothing that can be mixed & matched to create many more outfits. Often includes those classic separates like well cut trousers, a white shirt, a straight or slightly flared skirt, a blazer, a whit t- shirt, etc. They sometimes say you can include one or two pieces of trend or fad clothing but they still has to work with many of the other items. I’m not a great capsular wardrobe person because I prefer to buy a complete outfit. I find when I do a capsular wardrobe I often can’t wear the piece I want to wear. Like the shirt I want is in the wash as I wore it the day before. Also I get bored easily wearing the same shirts or pants, etc. every week. I could never wear a uniform.

You’re ok. Stalls are very common & part of the process of weight loss. We all talk about the a stall at around the 3 week mark but they can occur any number of times while you are losing. They tend to last 1-3 weeks. Think of them as your body needing to take a breath & getting used to the changes. If it persists for more than a month, chat with your dietician. You may need a small tweak to your diet or activity.

Are you taking a PPI? It will help with the acid in your tummy which often makes you think your hungry. Ask your surgeon for a script if not on one. You’ll only usually need it for a couple of months. And yes, your grumbling tummy is your digestive system working. I swear my tummy is way noisier since my surgery. My young nieces & nephews think it’s hilarious when my tummy growls. Sometimes the hunger is just our head coming to terms with so little food being enough & a desire for texture in our food too. As for the low energy, remember you just had pretty major surgery. You’re recovering from surgery & your body is healing. You can only see those 5 little incisions on your tummy but 80 odd % of your tummy has been cut away & there are a heap of sutures & staples holding what’s left together. If you feel tired or have less energy, it’s your body telling you to stop & rest or slow down. You won’t be able to do, in terms of activity, what you did before for a little while. Doing too much too soon can compromise yiur recovery.

Sounds more like dumping than foamies but??? You don’t tend to sweat (cold sweats) with the foamies. It passes quickly & you only vomit a couple of times & it’s more regurgitation than vomiting - much gentler almost bubbling up of the last thing or two you ate that caused the problem. Did your heart rate increase? Did you feel drained or tired? That’s dumping. Did you have discomfort like something was stuck & lots of saliva you had to spit up? That’s the foamies. The rice could have caused your blood sugar to rise. There could have been sugar in the sauce in the stir fry. Sugar & blood sugar spikes contribute to dumping. Being so soon out after surgery, your digestive system is still pretty sensitive & it doesn’t take much to react negatively. Plus bypass makes you more likely to experience dumping. Whichever you had, both are not pleasant. Tread lightly & slowly to begin. Don’t think you need to go back to purées. More just be extra careful with your food choices. And, as Tek advised, test new foods at home first.

First, congratulations on your weight loss & that you are feeling stronger & are able to be more active. How great is that! As @MiniGastricBypassDude said you don’t get to choose your body weight set point. Yes, you might be in or close to maintenance or in a prolonged stall. Yes, building muscles could contribute to the weight loss pause but also the more muscle you have the more calories you burn so you may need a calorie increase to compensate. Certain medications can also hamper weight loss. But logging your food & speaking with your dietician is always a good place to start. It can be easy to get a little complacent with portion sizes, etc., not meet protein goals or there maybe something missing in your diet. Sometimes a small tweak is all that is needed. The low blood pressure many experience after surgery is usually caused by an initial lack of nutrients from the restricted diet & dehydration. It’s why it’s usually a temporary experience. The same for the hypoglycaemic episodes you may have experienced. (Unfortunately I experienced them both before surgery & still do now almost three years post surgery. The low blood pressure is worse & occurs every day. Carrying my old weight actually used to help because it raised my BP to a normal 120/80 with just occasional drops. Didn’t expect that!) They get better as nutrition & portion sizes increase & fluid levels are maintained. You mentioned you have your annual check soon. How often do you see your surgeon or their team? How frequently do you have blood tests? I still see my surgeon’s colleague every three months & have a 3 monthly blood test so it always surprises me when people have follow ups much less frequently. All the best.