rene50

I am just back from Puerto Vallarta. I had my surgery Monday and I'm feeling good, no problems whatsoever. Who is doing your surgery? Dr. Juan Francisco Hidalgo did mine at the CMQ Rivera Nayarit Hospital. It was like having surgery while on a tropical vacation!

I'm seven months out and have had alcohol several times. My surgeon said no alcohol for 6 months, but I had a few glasses of wine at a party at 5 months out. I don't drink on a regular basis, and never more than a few glasses of wine, but I haven't noticed it has a differnet affect than before surgery.

Thank you so much. I am kinda excited that after all these years of fighting that I am mentally ready to take such a big step but it feels like so many people are trying to convince me not to do it and all the things that will and can happen, which makes me think should I really change my mind. Thing is at my age i feel like this is a do or die situation. And if i dont, there will be no turning back and i will get all the medical issues that goes along with being so over weight.

I'm so sorry they pointed out your loose skin which I'm sure you had already noticed. I'm dealing with the same thing and have been excercising religiously, light arm weights, yoga, bike riding and swimming. I also put coconut oil on my arms, legs and neck, although I have no idea if this really helps, just read it somehwhere, so figured it couldn't hurt. LOL! I saw a young lady yesterday who is 4 years post surgery, and her arms looked worse than mine, but she's lost more than 100 pounds. From my reading, I think toning and building muscle will help some, but there's no absolute fix unless you have surgery, which I am not considering. Like others mentioned, I am hoping my skin will tighten a little after a year, but I'm 57, so it may not, and I'm okay with that because I still look and feel better. How old are you? It's the very top of my thighs and my batwings that bother me, but, oh well. At my age, I'm not trying to get skinny, just healthy, and if I feel good at 170, I may try to maintain that to avoid more sagging, instead of losing to 160.

I'm not going to do that. I'm not trying to get involved in anything negative. I hope what you say is true, but it seems a little disingenuous when you follow her to another post to comment. Maybe there's some sort of disconnect, but if it were me, I'd handle that with extra kindness rather than trying to defend a position. People don't get here because their lives were easy, and we can demonstrate grace, even when someone is wrong. Stay well. I sincerely wish you the best, a

I'm so sorry they pointed out your loose skin which I'm sure you had already noticed. I'm dealing with the same thing and have been excercising religiously, light arm weights, yoga, bike riding and swimming. I also put coconut oil on my arms, legs and neck, although I have no idea if this really helps, just read it somehwhere, so figured it couldn't hurt. LOL! I saw a young lady yesterday who is 4 years post surgery, and her arms looked worse than mine, but she's lost more than 100 pounds. From my reading, I think toning and building muscle will help some, but there's no absolute fix unless you have surgery, which I am not considering. Like others mentioned, I am hoping my skin will tighten a little after a year, but I'm 57, so it may not, and I'm okay with that because I still look and feel better. How old are you? It's the very top of my thighs and my batwings that bother me, but, oh well. At my age, I'm not trying to get skinny, just healthy, and if I feel good at 170, I may try to maintain that to avoid more sagging, instead of losing to 160.

For years, my doctor has told me to stop dieting. In fact, she's told me all the dieting I've done has made me fatter. She's preached lifestyle change, over and over, but I just couldn't make the change until now. She wasn't onboard with my surgery because I didn't have health issues, but I think she might be changing her mind because I'm doing so well. I haven't lost crazy-fast and I'm feeling great, labs are good. I'm only 5.5 months out, so it's still new, but I'm listening to my doc now. No crazy diets, just eating healthy and exercising. Maybe, just maybe, the surgery got me on track!
Do you feel you have finally made a lifestyle change ?

There's not been much good news about this pandemic and having to wear masks all the time. But I finally found one! I've gotten sensitive about my "turkey wattle" but don't want to pay the cost of plastic surgery. But wearing a mask--instant face lift! I look YEARS younger with a mask on!!😁

For years, my doctor has told me to stop dieting. In fact, she's told me all the dieting I've done has made me fatter. She's preached lifestyle change, over and over, but I just couldn't make the change until now. She wasn't onboard with my surgery because I didn't have health issues, but I think she might be changing her mind because I'm doing so well. I haven't lost crazy-fast and I'm feeling great, labs are good. I'm only 5.5 months out, so it's still new, but I'm listening to my doc now. No crazy diets, just eating healthy and exercising. Maybe, just maybe, the surgery got me on track!
Do you feel you have finally made a lifestyle change ?

Yes it has to be a completely new way of life its not a temporary fix it needs full commitment..

yes == it's definitely a lifestyle change. No way could I eat like I used to. At five years out, I still track everything I eat and try to stay within a certain calorie range to maintain my weight. I also exercise 5-6 days a week now. If I start slacking off, my weight starts going up. Been there.. And BTW - I have never-been-fat friends who have to do this as well to keep from gaining weight, so it's not just us!

Congratulations on your progress. it’s a wonderful feeling isn’t it?
I think coming to the realisation that continued success will only come with a lifestyle change is the game changer. I also realised that I will have to work at it for the rest of my life. The hard work continues.
I didn’t have any health issues before my surgery either but it would only have been a matter of time. My doctor was very supportive from the start & now she asks me questions about my experience so she can share with any of her patients who may also benefit from the surgery.

For years, my doctor has told me to stop dieting. In fact, she's told me all the dieting I've done has made me fatter. She's preached lifestyle change, over and over, but I just couldn't make the change until now. She wasn't onboard with my surgery because I didn't have health issues, but I think she might be changing her mind because I'm doing so well. I haven't lost crazy-fast and I'm feeling great, labs are good. I'm only 5.5 months out, so it's still new, but I'm listening to my doc now. No crazy diets, just eating healthy and exercising. Maybe, just maybe, the surgery got me on track!
Do you feel you have finally made a lifestyle change ?

Of course, my sincere apologies! I should have read the first post and the intent of this thread.

I'm almost 2 years out of surgery. I eat what my family eats only smaller portions and try to keep the carbs low, so if we have a Pasta night, I do a 1/4 cup and the rest will be salad, dressings I use and i dip my fork into it then grab lettuce. as for logging we cant always measure but a guesstimate is better then not logging at all, hhen i guesstimate I go higher calories then lower. For work I also keep low calorie Protein Bars on hand. As for bread I found a multigrain bread that's only 40 calories per slice, so if I have a sandwich I do open face and load up on veggies.
Also what surgery did you have @chequitaluv? Your profile says lap-band.
Good luck 😀

This is my first time here so I haven't looked at every post, but I'm with you rene50 - totally unclear on the purpose of pictures of food with 2-3 bites missing. I don't mean to offend, but that doesn't make any sense. Of course you're going to eat way less after WLS. I recently transitioned to a WFPB diet and need real-life inspiration from post-surgery peeps. The healthy meal ideas here are very helpful, thanks!

I am so enjoying the turn this tread has taken. Your healthy meals have given me ideas! Seeing pictures of meals of 2-3 bites missing is just silly to me, although I know people are happy about their restriction. I love my restriction too, but sharing healthy meal ideas is so helpful to me.

I am 9 years out I still walk 2-3 miles at least 4-5 times per week about 800-1000 calls per day

I am so enjoying the turn this tread has taken. Your healthy meals have given me ideas! Seeing pictures of meals of 2-3 bites missing is just silly to me, although I know people are happy about their restriction. I love my restriction too, but sharing healthy meal ideas is so helpful to me.

I too am sorry this happened to you. Hospitals do take extreme care to ward off complications, but they do happen. It will get better. I was working out a lot before surgery and now feel like a weak slug. I have an incision that is taking it's sweet time to heal so I'm being very careful that it doesn't get infected. I've had my fair share of surgeries, open heart took 12 weeks. This is a moment in time, it will get better. Take the time you need to get healthy.

Sometimes Hair loss is due to stress. So try to manage your stress hormones and see the difference!

I am so enjoying the turn this tread has taken. Your healthy meals have given me ideas! Seeing pictures of meals of 2-3 bites missing is just silly to me, although I know people are happy about their restriction. I love my restriction too, but sharing healthy meal ideas is so helpful to me.

Appreciate that you're curious about - and open to - exploring plant-based foods! That's a pretty good cookbook, too, one of a handful that we use regularly.
My kind, thoughtful daughter makes various energy bars for the family almost every week. She's only 13, but has already developed a great deal of capability in the kitchen (and elsewhere!). Years of massive kitchen waste and mess led to this point 😂, but it was all worth it because she'll carry these skills and this confidence in herself for the rest of her life. We just use a food-safe silicone mold to shape them: I've found that something like this is roughly the perfect size for virtually every kind of post-op treat.
Love the New Yorker and Bruce Kaplan. Thank you for that, and am attaching another of his cartoons in kind:

Amazing transformation!!! Congrats!!!

Wow, Jake! You have had amazing results, and i think the fact that you've altered your lifestyle is probably the key to your success. Thanks so much for sharing!