Arabesque

It must have been so frightening to hear you stopped breathing during surgery. I’m sorry that happened to you. As for the chest congestion & cough, check with your surgical team. Anything that seems odd to you post surgery should be checked medically.

You should be able to eat any protein. I eat beef, lamb, pork, chicken, seafood as well as yoghurt, milk, cheese & eggs. You could try some plant based proteins as an alternative. Over the last fortnight I’ve been eating small slices of Christmas cake & drinking champagne. I dropped 1 or 2 snacks a day to compensate a little (though I was low on my protein as a result ☹️) & kept to my routine with everything else. I’m completely back on track now. For me, I find comfort in routines: knowing what I can eat, how much I can eat & when I eat. It’s dependable. (Makes grocery shopping a breeze too.) Hate to say it but it’s time to break those bad habits again. Get rid of the lemonade & the alcohol. Avoid sugars including the artificial ones as they still feed any sugar cravings. They’re all empty calories & offering no nutritional value. Chewing gum stimulates your stomach making you think you’re hungry. Try some of the dry mouth drops available at pharmacies instead of the gum. Start taking advantage of your tool again, remember portion size, monitor your calories, eat slowly & meet your protein & fluid goals. What was working for you to get to 140? It will work again. Good luck.

I live alone & I ended up throwing a lot of food out too. I didn’t like the idea of throwing away so much food either. I think it’s why I left it so long to do it but by then I didn’t have a choice except to toss it as the expiry dates had been passed. I had multiple packets of rice, pasta, quinoa, etc. It was ridiculous. As for the frozen, I tossed a lot of that too but do you have neighbours or friends with children? You could always offer them the ice cream & other frozen foods. I understand you’re not telling them about your surgery but how have you been explaining your weight loss? If you’ve said a dietician or change of diet use that as to why you’re offering them some of the frozen foods.

So pretty BayougirlMrsS. Glad you finally had a chance to wear the blouse. Such a lovely colour. Love the snake skin shoes too.

I wasn’t a good sleeper for years so I understand your frustration. My mother is also a bad sleeper - way worse than me. Melatonin didn’t work for her either. She took it for 2+ years cause it supposed to take a long time to build up in your body to become effective but nothing. I understood that bypass patients have less hunger hormone in their bodies because the hormone is produced in the section of the stomach that is sectioned off so it can’t circulate through the body as it used too to stimulate the hungry feeling. Which prompts me to ask: Are you really hungry? Or are you eating out of habit? (Did you eat during the night before you had surgery?) Or because you’re frustrated by not sleeping? Or because you’re bored being awake? Working out why you eat, doing the head work, is a big part of the journey which we’re always working our way through. Are you reaching your protein goals during the day? The only times I’ve felt real hunger was at night was when I didn’t come close to my meeting my protein goals during the day (cause... you know... life). Both times occurred in this last year after I reached my goal weight. I found a protein rich snack helped - a small piece of meat or a protein bar. Good luck.

I found the food prep in the first couple of months really easy. Because you eat so little (like only 1/4 cup) you only need to prep food every couple of days. The freezer & microwave were my friends - they still are actually. If I scrambled 2 eggs, it took me three days to eat them. Like Catwoman7, I rotated through a small number of meals too. A lot of my old favourites did not taste the same (your taste buds temporarily change) & I admit I had to toss some things I made because they tasted terrible. While I didn’t experience any issues with food intolerances, I added new foods to my diet slowly. Good luck on your journey.

It will depend on how you recover. I always take longer to recover than others if I’m sick & it was the same post surgery. A friend was back after a week. Another after 2 weeks. Me, 4 weeks later I picked up a part time contract & I was wiped every afternoon. I was having issues with low blood pressure & low energy. I have Gilbert’s & slow recovery is common. I was a primary teacher & I know how physically & mentally demanding the job is. I’d probably look at having the surgery in your longer break. It will give you time to work through the pre solid food stages & start getting your head around how your new tummy works for you. Good luck with your surgery.

Honestly I can’t remember. After about two months I wasn’t really looking at them. They just got lighter & lighter. They’ve been like they are now for more than at least 6 months. They’re nothing. I have way worse scars on other parts of me from acne, mole removal, etc. I doubt any one would even notice them unless they were really looking for them.

I couldn’t handle shakes either & don’t get me started on protein powders. Shudder! I was so glad to get to soft foods when I put those shakes & powders away. I set myself a goal that I would get all my protein, vitamins & minerals from what I ate not from supplements. It was slow to start. In the soft food stage I made slow cooked meals - stews, casseroles, bolognese, etc. I also made soup which I’d simmer for ages so any meats or beans were really soft. Yoghurt was my friend as were scrambled eggs & rolled oats. Good luck.

Awesome! Congratulations. ?

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.