breavsg

I thought the pre-op diet was the hardest part of the whole thing - so yes, it does get easier!

Well, one thing that will be different and should help is that you will only be taking in anywhere from 600-1,000 calories max during the weight loss phase. After that, maintenance phase will get up to 1,200-1,400 calories daily range, depending upon where you find your body begins putting weight on and is no longer losing is what will determine the magic number for you to maintain.
I know, this 600-1,000 cal daily sounds impossible, and prior to WLS it would have been for me. Your smaller pouch helps restrict you, as well as fewer hunger pangs.
Congratulations on your 24lb weight loss! We’re same height and that’s better than I did pre-op. You can do this!!

I hate to ask this question but I am month 4/6 in pre-approval process. My whole life I have tried anything you can think of and I have been so very sure each one was the answer. I usually lose between 8-12 pounds each attempt and then stall. It's been the same thing pre-op. I did intermittent fasting with being gluten free since 7/31/19, no problem fasting 20-22 hours but when I would try to do alternate day fasting or 24 hour fasting I would gain with the lower calories. I have researched starvation mode and most experts agree it does not exist. I ended up averaging 19 hours and plateaued at 12 pounds after 3 months and then started gaining again even with the fasting. When I did my pre-op I was at one of my lower weights (my weight plot looks like shark teeth) and was told I was not allowed to gain at all during the process or my surgery would be denied. As part of my pre-op I have continued intermittent fasting for an average of 16 hours but I also gave up all grains, dairy, sugar, and soy. I have lost another 12 pounds for a total of 24 but cannot get any lower. I've played with calories, food types, anything I can think of. I track all my calories and activities and range 1200-1500 being mostly on the lower end of the range and get at least 30 mins of walking 5 days a week. I have no emotional issues with food and am very disciplined. I do have Hashimoto's thyroiditis but my hormone ranges are good according to my bloodwork. My thyroid is almost not existent except for a large nodule so my endocrinologist wants me to have me thyroid removed in addition to the sleeve. My big fear is that there is something weird with my metabolism and that I'll have the surgery and not be successful. It sounds crazy to even say that but this is a support group and that is my truth.

I guess it depends on how one defines “honeymoon”. This will be different for everyone. For me, I think of the honeymoon period as a the time when eating very, very little calories took very minimal effort (again how one defines “effort” will vary from person to person).
Based on my own personal definition, my honeymoon probably lasted about 15 months.
These days (1 yr, 10mnths), I have to be much more mindful of what I’m eating & burning off, cuz if I dont pay attention I’ll likely gain weight.

I had my 6 month surgery mark on Sunday, and my tele-doc visit with the PA and the Nutritionist yesterday. Everything is on track, which is good to hear; my blood work is all good as far as Vitamins, macronutrients, Protein, etc. Because I use Myfitnesspal to track food, the nutritionist was able to review my diet with quite a bit of detail, and thinks my carbs are a bit low; sometimes my carbs are as low as 20-25 (but sometimes they are 85!); she suggested I monitor to see if I am tired on the days my carbs are below 40, and adjust.
I can't believe it has only been 6 months...February seems a lifetime ago, given all the ways our world has changed since then.
Thought I'd share a before and after (during? Because I hope I'm not "done"): Before is from a wedding in 2019; After is from a hike/walk on Sunday.

I just want to say that I think it was deeply irresponsible of your surgeon to put THEIR expectations onto you, especially when every single bariatric patient is unique and loses weight at different rates pre and post op. For every 5 people who manage to lose 100 pounds in 6 months time, you'll find 5 people who'll lose 50 or less pounds in that same span of time. Your surgeon should have allowed YOU to set your own goals for where you hoped to be by Thanksgiving and then helped you to get there.

Welcome to the mission! Been there done that! Ok trust me on this, you have to not let it get to you, you will end up in a rubber room with a jacket that buckles from the back.
Everyone above nailed it, Mix up your diet alot, different foods, try some fasting, and flucuate you calories
I would do 3 days at 1100 calories then drop to a day of 500 then bump to 800 - That really worked for me Your body is saying WTF and is trying to conserve its fat = You gotta trick it.
Love the post above Its not the scale, You will get there we all have and it will be the best journey you have ever done

Well first of all That is not slow @Luv2cruz . you are only 2 plus months out and that is a great start . Your body is still adjusting . Havent you lost inches? your clothes are fitting different im sure. I am 8 months out and as for pounds I only lost maybe 50 pounds but guess what I was wearing a size 22 but I sit here today writing to you wearing a size 14 comfortably on my way to a size 12 so sometimes its not the scale that will encourage you ..Its the inches … Be patient all of you .. Stay with your program and eat mad Protein Drink mad Water eliminate the carbs and sugar all together , track everything you put in your mouth and it will happen...you guys are bugging for nothing … it will happen.. Good Luck and don't compare your journey with anyone else … our bodies are gonna do it it's own way and time.... it is impossible not to lose if you do what I just said and even if you mess up it is still gonna lose ….

Well I did it finally. Im feeling good. Surgery was Tuesday morning and I was olhome before lunch time on Wednesday. They have me on very minimal medication, otc pain medication and a script for tummy issues, but i really don't even like taking them. I know I should, at least in the short term. Fwwling good. Ive lost 7 lbs in 2 days, but i still have a long way to go.
Eddy Blaine Brown II

I am glad to hear everyone is doing well, sorry to hear about those that have had to have additional surgeries. I hope you all heal up quickly and get to enjoy the new lives you've worked so hard for.
I am doing really well. I weigh in on Saturdays since I think to do it first thing in the morning on the first day of the weekend. I'm currently sitting at 180.2. Been two weeks now and I'm really excited you break into the 170s.
I am sticking to a workout routine for the first time in my life. It's amazing how much easier it is to exercise than it used to be. No wonder skinny people do it so often! I'm working out an hour a day, 5 days a week with rest days on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The hour is made up of 40 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of muscle work.
I can see I'm definitely going to have loose skin on my thighs, upper arms, and maybe my stomach so I'm not super pumped about that, but again seems like a small price to pay for what I can do now. I won't be stopping till I hit at least 140 and if I get there and feel comfortable, ill either stop or keep going. (I'm pretty short)
I struggle with some of my old sugar addiction, but I feel more prepared to handle it now and get back on track. Hoping the next 5 months are icing on this 7 month cake:)

Ice tea, coffee, pickles, coleslaw, salad, fruit salad, deconstructed burgers/sandwiches, lettuce bun burgers/sandwiches yogurt, cottage cheese, chili, etc...

Yeah, have to agree with all of the above. There are always options at every restaurant. I still eat with friends etc, but usually get a MUCH smaller plate in order to look like Im eating a normal amount. It also helps me fool myself in my head. Another thing I did recently when I was eating at a work dinner was eat what I could and then take the rest of the plate to the kitchen to get it away from me. Yeah, ppl were looking at my differently, but it was worth being able to just sit there and drink a cup of hot tea and socialize. It turns out that in the end ppl started drinking and I had a hilarious time watching them all drink. I sort of became the default designated driver and had such a fun time. So you just have to find a way through the challenge. You can do it!
Oh and considering Covid and all, you are actually helping everyone by eating at their or your home. So they might not even think it's about you at all and just a good thing to do considering the state of things.

In the early months, I would take a Protein Shake (or powders) as well as beef Jerky in my purse whenever I went out. As you are six months out, you *should* be able to order something off the menu, even if it is just a side or appetizer or maybe even a Soup? Or even a regular meal and just pick out the stuff you don't want/can't eat.
Though honestly, I cared more for the company than the food anyway...the surgery didn't alter the regularity to which I went to restaurants/bars/parties/family get-togethers.
It may just be a matter of getting used to? Maybe the more you go out and not make food the central focus, the more it won't bother you as much?

That's very much like my last shoulder. My first shoulder was very easy. All with the 'scope'. That was in 2010. In 2016, I needed to do the other shoulder. I expected, the doc told me, it would be 'scope', three small snips again. I woke up with the three small snips and a full filet cut across the top of my shoulder. Doc. said he was surprised to find that my tendons were in such good shape they could be repaired. And, OBTW, he said, I fixed your torn biceps too. That's why the filet. No problems since. All in all, I've had both cuffs, two neck fusions, and had all four tendons in my right hand had to be reattached. (I know a lot of docs.) I've been told I lead an active life.
I'm 74. I've lost 75 pounds since January. I'm down to 205. I walk 3 miles a day. I spend an hour and a half six days a week lifting weights. I spend a couple of hours a day playing/practicing my golf game. I could do none of those things before my sleeve. My BP was 165/80 with two pills per day. No meds now and it's 130/60. My resting heart beat is in the mid 50s. Not bad for an old guy.
I meet with the doc in two weeks for my six month check up. He's probably going to push for me to lose another 40 pounds. I don't know. I would be satisfied with another ten or fifteen.

Hiya fellow august rebirth people
well its been two years for me and i would not change a thing started this journey at 361 lbs i no longer take any meds i excise every day eat for fuel not for comfort or depression any longer the head work has been more important to me than anything dont get me wrong i still have my moments of depression and try to move forward with that and learn from those every day most of the time i am helping others and focusing on them and i have relied on there problems and the fixes for them to help keep me busy and not focus on myself which has been a problem for me always put others ahead of my self (the problem solver) well i see a pattern returning with that .so with that said i really need to stay focused on me first then i can help others .
today i weigh 186 lbs this morning and have a new out look on life the tool i was given has changed me
for the better for me and my future life thanks for giving me a place to not be judged and let out emotions that dont come out of me in person to person conversations i am getting better at letting people in my bubble still not good at it

Hey all it's August! Where are we all at in our journeys- our thread is hella dead 😂🤣 Well I myself don't come check in usually either, except every Tuesday on Weigh In days. Do you all have set weigh in days? I weigh in on surgery day, which was a Tuesday. Sometimes I'll step on the scale but I don't "log" it. I try not to make myself crazy though by putting so much pressure on my numbers.
Life is good for me, this Covid thing has really thrown me into working out though. I hike a lot. I don't work so hiking or biking are the only things I really go out of the house for anymore. It's so nice being smaller for hiking - some of the trails I use to hike when I weighed 300 pounds and I'm like I was amazing for doing it. Because now it's so "easy" I've become one of "those" people who can carry on a conversation while hiking - I just hated those people before 🙄🤦‍♀️
My food intake is still strange. The other day I overate - I kind of knew it too. I didn't listen to myself and was like I can have 2 more bites, well NO - you can not have 2 more bites! Those 2 bites threw me into an awfulness I don't want to repeat. The 2 bites were vegetables, I have such a hard time getting in veggies, because I need my Protein. Anyone having difficulty with finding the balance of still eating veggies?
Anyway would love to know how everyone is doing heading into this 7th month. Are you loving your "new" improved Life?

I'm RNY rather than VSG, but the most common regret of patients with either type of surgery is that they didn't have it earlier! The first few weeks can be rough (for some, anyway), but most ultimately consider it one of the best decisions they've ever made!

I'm a little more than 7 months out and have lost 130 lbs including the 23 I lost pre-op. I had a little nausea after surgery but was pretty much fine after 24 hours. The gas pain was uncomfortable but for me, not terrible. It got better over time.

Not gonna lie, I was ridiculously hungry at first and was surprised by that. I thought they'd done my sleeve incorrectly! But it got better after I got past the liquid phase.

Now, I'm healthier than I've been in years. I can walk, move, just do everything more easily. I have no regrets at all!

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I was only allowed to walk until I was about four weeks out. At that point I was cleared to do pretty much anything except weights. Those I could do at eight weeks out, I think.
you definitely do NOT want to do heavy exercise after major surgery!
Not sure why you feel like you should be punished. I had no hunger for about five months after surgery, so I was perfectly fine with shakes the first couple weeks - and very little food for the first few weeks/months. I also had almost no pain after this surgery. So everything you're experiencing (at least physically) is normal. The mental thing about feeling like you should be punished is NOT normal, though - I mean, why?? I agree with the others that you might benefit from counseling for that. There's absolutely no reason why you should feel like this should be punishing. It certainly wasn't for most of us!

Being the Designated Fat Friend!!!!

WLS is a complete mind game. You aren’t doing anything wrong if you’re following your post op plan. You aren’t cheating yourself and definitely hold off on any exercise besides walking for a while as it can lead to injury.
I’m going to suggest that maybe you try and find a therapist to talk with to help you better navigate this new way of life you’re now living. Might help put your mind at ease.

Also, shove that scale in a closet and leave it there for now. Only weigh yourself at the office that way it puts less pressure on you with the scale.

I won’t miss:
-weighing more than my husband for the entirety of our relationship.
-the feeling of all consuming shame when the nurse reads the numbers on the scale out loud.
-avoiding mirrors/reflections at all costs because I could not stand to look at myself from the neck down.
-trying on clothes and being terrified of getting stuck in them.
-holding my breath so that I can tie my shoes.
-sucking my gut in just to button and zip my fat jeans.
-skipping family activities because I would be the fattest person there, and most likely unable to participate because of my size.
-trying to hide my body from my husband because I was terrified that he’d find me repulsive.
-making jokes at my own expense before anyone else could do it.
-constantly stressing that I’d “grow” out of my fat clothes.

I won't miss:
chafing thighs and other bits, being self conscious everywhere I go, worrying if I'll be able to ride amusement park rides with my son, not being able to physically keep up with my son, being embarrassed to run into people from the past... Honestly I think I could go on and on lol


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I won't miss:
chafing thighs and other bits, being self conscious everywhere I go, worrying if I'll be able to ride amusement park rides with my son, not being able to physically keep up with my son, being embarrassed to run into people from the past... Honestly I think I could go on and on lol


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Lol, that still happens to me now!