Arabesque

I can’t believe I forgot this thread. I found it last year ( well year before now) when I was still losing, I so could have used it this last 12 months. It’s lovely there are many familiar faces here & though I know about a lot of your experiences, I’ve found reading about your specific issues & learnings about maintenance helpful & reassuring. Some of the things that have resonated are: Feeling like I’m eating all the time. Eating to a routine not hunger cause I’m often not. Finding the balance so I don’t lose more which I still struggle with. I’m going to get in trouble when I see my surgical team in a week & a half cause I’ve lost another kilo since my last appointment. That’s 11.5 down in 12 months. And no, eating Christmas cake, my steamed marmalade pudding & custard or champagne for days did not change my weight at all! Not even 100g. The drinking eating balance. I find I sort of can drink green tea & eat my mid morning crackers together without much of an issue but I do this slowly over an hour. But at other times the least time between I can manage is 15 mins before or after & only sipping. My restriction is still pretty active. I wrote briefly about this in an update earlier this week. Being scared to put weight on again. Not just a kilo or two but 10+ Because I think if I put on that much, I’ll put on another 10 & another ... & I’ll be back where I started. I’m still very careful about what I eat too (well 99% of the time). Avoiding as much sugar as I can, keeping to whole or multi grains, low fat. I regularly eat fruit & vegetables. Predominately green vegetables: beans, sugar snap peas, asparagus, broccolini, lettuce - no starchy ones except the odd bit of carrot. I also have fruit twice a day: blue berries on my rolled oats & then apples, grapes, cherries, strawberries, lychees, mandarin, rockmelon, watermelon or paw paw at night after dinner. I don’t consider them empty calories cause they’re full of essential vitamins & minerals. I don’t take any vitamins or use supplements in my diet so it’s essential I get these in through the food I eat. Yes, the fruit has sugar but it is naturally occurring & not added. I do suffer a little from hyperglycaemic so the sweetness in the fruit helps. Yes, they are carbs but again I look at them as a naturally occurring carb & they’re fibre rich not like processed carbs in bread & pasta. We do need some carbs in our diet to help regulate our insulin, for energy, to keep us regular, etc.

It will depend on how you usually scar. I have five tiny fine white lines that I have to look for now from my sleeve surgery. Four are across my tummy in line with my belly button & the fifth one is half way between my belly button & breasts. They’re less than a centimetre long. I used bio oil once the wounds were healed. Vitamin E oil can work to reduce scarring too as can silicon tapes. Good luck with your surgery.

I wonder if you’re eating enough during the day. Coffee isn’t a meal & a thin soup could be just a snack if it’s a broth/consommé at this stage. How many calories are you consuming? Are you meeting your protein goals? At four months you should easily be able to eat three nutritious, small portioned meals & maybe a snack. I would eat scrambled eggs or rolled oats for breakfast, chicken or some other protein at lunch, and a protein & vegetables at night. I’d have yoghurt mid afternoon & usually some fruit at some time during the day. I couldn’t eat a whole egg, my protein was 2- 3oz & the vegetables would be a couple of green beans or cauliflower florists, etc. The first time I felt real hunger was when I hit my goal & I had missed a meal & snack that day. So it is possible you are hungry because you’re not eating enough.

You’re not alone. We all have our stories to tell, our emotional baggage we’ve worked through on this journey. Would you feel shame if you bought yourself a gym membership or signed up for a weight loss program? The surgery is a tool too. And just like a gym membership or weight loss program if you don’t use it & take advantage of it, nothing will change & you won’t be successful. Unfortunately, some may think it’s an easy out - it’s soooo not. Some may be critical. Some may be unsupportive & some may attempt to sabotage you. But more will be supportive, encouraging & so happy for you. You can always chose who you tell, who you don’t & how much you share. Don’t fear your failing when you’ve hardly begun. Don’t sabotage yourself - if you expect to fail you likely will. We don’t know what will happen if the future and sometimes life just throws us massive curve balls. Yes, some do gain weight but some work hard to lose it again. But a lot are very successful. It’s really up to you, your motivation & determination to stay the course long term. Even after you’ve reached goal, continue to monitor your weight & keep to the changes you’ve adopted to lose the weight. (Mind you I’m only 19.5 months out so I have a long way to go.) Discovering who you are in your slim body is part of the head work we all do. Even really seeing yourself in your much smaller body can be a challenge. Your interests & hobbies may change. You may try things you never thought you would. Your confidence will increase (which may be a challenge for some friends). You may make changes in your friendship circles - welcome new friends or say farewell to old ones. The discoveries can be very exciting. Good luck with your surgery. You can do this & it’s going to be amazing.

I’m about 3.5 months behind you. I think our convictions & will power sometimes just fail us. All the changes & effort to lose the weight has been pretty exhausting & then our old habits raise their horrid little heads. I often worry about this happening. It’s why I work at being very routine in what I eat, how much I eat & when I eat. I try not to buy foods that may cause me to gain. If it’s not in my house I can’t eat it. (Honestly, I’ve been eating Christmas cake lately which will be off my eating cycle in two days when the last pieces are gone & then it’s back to my normal routine.) If I have guests, I send them home with the leftovers so I’m not tempted by what’s in the fridge or cupboard. This is easier for me because I live alone. I know it’s more of a challenge if you have children or partners in your home. Go back to checking your portion sizes. Protein first, reduce your carbs, cut down or out your snacks. You can do this.

You will find it settles in time & it isn’t as bad. I developed lots of verticals lines running down the length of my neck from under my chin but they’re practically gone. I’ve also noticed the deep line that circumnavigated my neck for forever is like 80% of what it was. I did do about 20 sessions of Radio Frequency late last year & early this year. They helped but they’re not long term solutions. I just used my same old moisturiser. Though I use a facial oil as well at the moment. I’m pretty happy with my 55 1/2 yr old neck all things considered. Now if only I could get rid of those dang marionette lines around my mouth.

Oh yeah stalls. They’ll get you one way or another. You’ve done so well so far. Let your body have a break to catch up to the changes. Remember the stall may last one to three weeks and you may experience it again. (I had two.) Don’t get caught up in the 30+lb a month loses people on my 600lb life lose. They were 2 & 3 times your weight when they started. Remember, the more you have to lose the more you lose at the beginning, & your weight loss rate will slow as you get closer to your goal. Slow & steady wins the race. As long as your weight loss trend is heading downwards you’re golden.

I had a distinct drop in energy about 3 months out. Just so damn tired. Almost fell asleep walking on my treadmill! I don’t have any answers unfortunately. Some say it’s the lack of carbs in our diets. Some say it’s just our body getting used to the reduced calories & increasing activity. It could be your iron levels as you suspect. My iron levels were very good & I ate rolled oats a couple of times a week, so .... It eventually passed. Mind you I slept really well at night & I’d been a bad sleeper for years.

Congrats on your success so far. You could be experiencing real hunger. My real hunger makes me feel uncomfortable & restless. A lot of people have an increase in stomach acid which makes them think they’re hungry. Take an additional esomeprazole at night & see if that helps. I sometimes do if I feel my morning dose has worn off. Are you only eating three meals a day? Speak to your dietician about a healthy snack you could add after dinner to tide you over during the night as you may need to be consuming a few more calories. Have a small piece of cheese, a carrot stick, a couple of blueberries or strawberries or a small piece of chicken or other meat you may have in your fridge. Good luck.

Don’t fret too much about not reaching your protein goals at first. It’s hard because you’re consuming so little. Just slowly increase your intake as you’re able. It’s much easier when you start eating solid foods. Don’t forget your protein shakes count to your daily fluid goals too. Congrats on your surgery.

I have been indulging. A sliver of Christmas cake each day. Seven slices eaten two left. It was a wee cake I received as a gift. Very yummy. Moist & fruity. I was worried about the fondant but unfortunately I could eat it without a problem. 😂

I blanched all these yummy green vegetables for our Christmas Eve feast. Tossed them just with butter, salt & pepper & let their goodness shine. Had races eating the beans & asparagus with my 3yr old nephew. Num, num, num, num, num. 😁

I added whole & multigrain snacks & a bit more fruit (twice a day instead of once). I also found by maintenance I was eating a little more. Still small portions & less than a ‘recommended portion size’ just a few more vegetables, a little more protein. Hummus on multigrain crackers is a better snack that will add some calories. I use non diet dressings on my salads too like Hop_Scotch. Have a chat with your dietician for some nutritious additions to your diet. Mine suggested enriching my milk by adding milk powder. I do this if I make chia pudding. Extra protein as well as calories. Honestly, I’ve struggled to find the right balance so I don’t lose more or gain. It doesn’t take much for me to lose & the trend to head downwards again. So don’t be surprised if it takes a while to find the right balance for you to stabilise though it may be easy for you. Good luck & congrats on your weight loss - whoo hoo!

It always worries me when people ask will they still be able to eat ‘real food’ or eat like a ‘real person’. It is real food you are eating & will eat. It’s just healthier & more nutritious than you likely ate before. Remember the food you used to eat contributed to the weight you were when you decided to have surgery. You are a real person too. You just have to choose food that enables you to lose weight & then maintain your weight. But we’re all different & what works for someone else may not work for you regardless of their weight or if they’ve had surgery or not. While in the weight loss stage, especially the early stages, yes, you will be on restricted diet. But once you reach the third & fourth month post surgery you will be testing what foods your tummy will or won’t tolerate, exploring healthier food options & healthier cooking methods. Yes, your portion sizes will be small, they’ll be protein heavy & you may need to include supplements or shakes to meet your protein goals but this will settle in maintenance. You’ll still be able to eat out & socialise with friends. You just may have limited choices during your weight loss phase. I’ve been in maintenance for a year & I just eat smaller portions. (Most people eat very large servings of food that are above recommended portion sizes so your meals may seem really tiny.) I really don’t make or eat meals that are different to other people. There are foods I avoid or limit because they don’t work for me or contributed to my weight gain in the first place but I still have lots of food options. Sure I don’t eat bread, pasta or rice but there’s always alternatives on menus if you’re out. It doesn’t stop me dining out, eating with friends, or hosting dinner guests. I ensure I get all my nutrients from the food I eat not from supplements, shakes, or alternative foods like low carb breads or plant based proteins, etc. I can eat any meats, vegetables & dairy products. I can eat most fruits ( though some are a bit hard on me like mangoes). I eat small amounts of whole or multi grains. I avoid a lot of sugar & sweet foods. I don’t eat spicy foods because I have a sensitivity to them but I’ve always had that so no change there. This is what’s working for me. Congratulations on starting your journey. Good luck.

I only drink hot tea. No sweetness either. Sorry, but even the thought of iced tea makes me shudder.

I know green tea is promoted as an aide for weight loss but the reality has not been true for me. Believe me 17 odd years of drinking it did nothing for my weight. Lol! Maybe it does if you drink green tea instead of ice coffee or hot chocolate or carbonated drinks, etc. I started drinking it for the anti oxidants & low caffeine.

Think it was likely the amount of walking so early out post surgery. Your surgeon’s comments re sticking to your diet to lose weight is because exercise only accounts for 20% of any weight loss max. Though it does help with general fitness, muscle tone, strength & general well being. 😁 Congrats on your surgery & good luck on your journey.

Having weight loss surgery is a huge change to your life. And for some, even though they thought they were ready & understood the changes that would occur, the reality of life after surgery is a shock. This is where you are now. Yes, it does get better. You’ll get used to & accept the changes to how you eat, how much you eat & what you eat. Everything is strange & confusing at the moment especially in the first few months. Give yourself time to come to terms with everything. Things won’t be exactly the same as they were but if they were you’d be exactly where you were before surgery. You’ll have ups & downs on the way but remember why you wanted to have the surgery in the first place. It is a journey: a lot of learning, self reflection & discovering what works for you. Look at the wins as you see the scale go down, your clothes becoming looser & improvements in your general health. What you’re likely experiencing now is not real hunger but head hunger or emotional hunger or even just feeling hungry out of habit. Remember most of the area that produces the hunger hormone has been removed. You can do this.

Congrats on your weight loss so far. Whoo hoo! There are many reasons why you didn’t put on weight during your sabbatical but the main one that temporarily occurs as a result of our surgery is a faster metabolism. Mine is still going pretty dang fast but I don’t know how long it will last but it will slow again. The down side is that it lulls you into a false sense of security - that you can eat more & not gain. I can understand why you upped your intake after your surgery & in a way you were likely consuming enough to maintain. These last few pounds are likely to be the hardest to lose because you’re so close to your goal but you can do it. Focus back on your protein & fluid goals & portion control. I agree with Betty1971. Don’t think as this as a diet but just how you eat now: highly nutritious, healthy food. Good luck.

Congrats on your surgery. Whoo hoo. It always surprises me the different post surgical diets people are given. I wasn’t on puréed foods until week 5. Follow the plan you were given but don’t be surprised if something on the plan upsets your tummy - just avoid it. As Gradycat said take it slowly. And if you feel you’re struggling, never be afraid to go back a step. Potatoes are a starch which provide energy but if you don’t use that energy it will be converted to fat. The same with all carbs. This is why many of us are told to avoid them during our weight loss phase. Plus the fat you add when you mash them isn’t the best. They weren’t on my post surgical diet from either my dietician or my surgeon. I still avoid potatoes at 19.5 months out as they tend to sit in my tummy & consume very few carbs (except for whole or multigrain crackers or rolled oats). My 2.5week pre surgery diet was keto but all the reading I did & conversations with my dietician suggested keto was good as a kick start but because of the high fat not good long term. Don’t worry too much about fluctuations. Fluid retention, constipation, etc. will up the number on the scales. Plus you know sometimes it’s just our bodies. We can eat & drink exactly the same thing one day to the next but can gain or lose. As long as the your general weight loss trend is going down you’re doing well. (Ignore when you have a stall of course.😁) Good luck on your journey.

I’ve been drinking green tea for about 17 years because the caffeine in coffee was just killing me. It has about a quarter the caffeine of black tea & yes you can purchase decaffeinated green tea but it still has a small amount of caffeine. My surgeon was very happy for me to continue drinking green tea from right after my surgery probably because it’s lower in caffeine & I don’t drink multiple cups each day. I drink about 300-350mls a day around mid morning. Adds to my fluid intake too. But check with your surgical team.

Congrats on your surgery. Constipation & random diarrhoea is common during the weight loss phase. My first bowel movement after surgery literally just ran out of me on day 3. It was horribly embarrassing. They were giving me a very strong laxative in hospital but I stopped when I got home cause I felt it was too harsh & didn’t want any more experiences like day 3. Then I think it was a couple of days later before I went again. Catwoman7 is right: you really haven’t been consuming much so there’s nothing much there to pass. I added benefibre to a shake everyday & then if I got to three days without going I’d take a gentle stool softener. I was happy if I went every two days. Things went back to normal when I was eating more in maintenance. Good luck.

You can only eat what you can eat. There was no way I was eating 800 calories even close to maintenance. You will find you slowly increase your portion sizes as you progress but don’t force your self. As you increase your activity you likely will be able to consume more too. As I always say: listen to your body. It will tell you pretty darn quickly what you can or can’t do, or can or can’t tolerate. You have to discover what works for you. Aim to keep meeting your protein goal. Take you vitamins. Monitor your blood work & adjust your diet accordingly. Don’t ignore your dietician but maybe that their advice as guidelines rather than rules you have to follow. I’m not tall either. Nor am I overly active. There’s no way I need the same calories as someone who is very fit & active & 6 inches taller. But that’s my opinion. Good luck.

I eat very much to routine most of the time i.e. to time. I also don’t mind if I take an hour to eat a meal. It’s how I ensure I meet my goals & get in enough food during the day. There’s no rule to say you have to eat all of your meal in one sitting. As long as your meeting your goals each day. Skyewolfe’s suggestion to eat 4 or 5 smaller meals is a good one as is Mr Alley Gator’s of trying nutritionally boosted shakes to sip during the day. Give them a go. Different things work for different people. You just have to find what works for you. Have a chat with your medical team about your reluctance to eat. They may suggest you speak with a therapist to work through why you’re feeling this way. Good luck.