BigSue

Sorry to butt in here, but I just wanted to say that I love my air fryer! Buy one! It is honestly life-changing. I just made some amazing garlic parmesan carrot chips in the air fryer tonight. I used the air fryer a lot more before my surgery because it's really good for frozen fries and anything breaded, which I don't eat anymore, but it's also awesome for cooking meat (you can air-fry fantastic chicken wings without any oil), roasting veggies, reheating stuff, etc. You can definitely air-fry meatballs, and I've never made falafel, but Google shows tons of air fryer falafel recipes, so I'd say that's also a yes. I almost never use my toaster oven anymore because the air fryer does almost everything better. I have this one:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LX9T6HF
But I bought it a couple of years ago, so there are probably better ones on the market now.

Yes, that's very true! I have watched a lot of her videos, and there is definitely more to the story. She gained some weight due to pregnancy and she has acknowledged adding foods back into her diet that she shouldn't be eating. What she says in the video implies that her portion sizes were too large and she was "eating around the surgery" by eating too large a portion over a longer period of time. That's not what I'm doing -- I'm planning out an appropriate portion of healthy food for each meal -- but I'm also only 6 months out from surgery and still in the honeymoon period. I'm trying to avoid habits that could cause problems later on, so I was concerned when she cited this as something that contributed to her regain.

Are you sure your insurance will cover it? Just because your insurance covers bariatric surgery doesn’t mean they will approve it for everyone. As Catwoman7 said, you would not qualify for most insurance companies’ criteria for bariatric surgery approval.
Even if your insurance company really would pay for it, bariatric surgery is not something to be taken lightly. Gastric sleeve is a major surgery that permanently removes a large portion of your stomach. It requires lifelong changes in eating, taking supplements, and regular follow up monitoring. It can also have complications (the most common one for gastric sleeve is GERD, which can be so severe that it requires medication or even additional surgery). It is also not magic; if you do not fully commit to the lifestyle chances, you could regain some or all of the weight,
These risks and drawbacks are true for everyone who gets bariatric surgery, so everyone has to evaluate the pros and cons. For someone who has 100+ pounds to lose and serious health problems related to obesity, it may be worth the trade off. But it would be a lot to go through to lose 20 pounds, especially if you don’t have any other health problems related to your weight. That’s why insurance companies only approve it under certain circumstances — they only want you to do it if there is a very good chance that it will improve your overall health.

This! I expected a lot of changes to my body, but it never occurred to me that my armpits would change so much! It is such a struggle to shave them now.

This! I expected a lot of changes to my body, but it never occurred to me that my armpits would change so much! It is such a struggle to shave them now.

Are you sure your insurance will cover it? Just because your insurance covers bariatric surgery doesn’t mean they will approve it for everyone. As Catwoman7 said, you would not qualify for most insurance companies’ criteria for bariatric surgery approval.
Even if your insurance company really would pay for it, bariatric surgery is not something to be taken lightly. Gastric sleeve is a major surgery that permanently removes a large portion of your stomach. It requires lifelong changes in eating, taking supplements, and regular follow up monitoring. It can also have complications (the most common one for gastric sleeve is GERD, which can be so severe that it requires medication or even additional surgery). It is also not magic; if you do not fully commit to the lifestyle chances, you could regain some or all of the weight,
These risks and drawbacks are true for everyone who gets bariatric surgery, so everyone has to evaluate the pros and cons. For someone who has 100+ pounds to lose and serious health problems related to obesity, it may be worth the trade off. But it would be a lot to go through to lose 20 pounds, especially if you don’t have any other health problems related to your weight. That’s why insurance companies only approve it under certain circumstances — they only want you to do it if there is a very good chance that it will improve your overall health.

That's great! I, too, have a bunch of company shirts in my closet that I never wore because they were too small (even the biggest size available). I remembered that recently and I thought, "Hey, now I'm small enough to wear those company shirts!" Well, now most of them are too big! I have a really nice one that I never got to wear because it was too small, and now I could almost wear it as a dress.

It is really hard to make these changes, even with surgery! Most of us have developed poor eating habits over the course of a lifetime, and we can't change them overnight. Good for you for taking action to get counseling and get back on track. This is a great time to resolve to make the changes you need for your health.
How do you track your food? If you haven't tried an app like MyFitnessPal or Baritastic, those make it so much easier than tracking on paper. I don't know if this will help you, but something that has helped me is to make it a personal rule that I always track my food BEFORE I eat it. I often plan out what I'm going to eat for the whole day, and then I don't even need to worry about tracking it as long as I only eat what I entered.
I probably have it a little easier than most people because I live alone, so I'm not constantly around food that I shouldn't eat. It is hard on those occasions that I am, like when I'm at work and people bring in treats to share. I also live in a rural area where there aren't many restaurants around, but I even have a hard time when I drive to the city and have to pass all of the restaurants I love. It might be easier for you to avoid temptation if you can physically stay away from the foods that tempt you. If possible, get rid of the foods that aren't on your plan. I assume your husband eats some foods that aren't on your plan, but maybe you could keep those foods in a different cabinet so you don't have to look at them. Also, just stay out of the kitchen as much as possible.
Do you use Pinterest? I have found lots of healthy meal ideas there -- things that I am excited about making and eating. Since I am eating small portions, one recipe can make a bunch of meals to freeze for later, so I have a freezer full of individual portions that I can just throw in the microwave. When you have food you like that fits into your plan, there's a lot less temptation to go off track.

That's great! I, too, have a bunch of company shirts in my closet that I never wore because they were too small (even the biggest size available). I remembered that recently and I thought, "Hey, now I'm small enough to wear those company shirts!" Well, now most of them are too big! I have a really nice one that I never got to wear because it was too small, and now I could almost wear it as a dress.

I don’t have any advice on exercises, but I will say that for me, weight loss has greatly improved my flexibility and mobility. At my highest weight, I couldn’t tie my shoes while they were on my feet. Now, it’s effortless to bend down and tie my shoes. Everything is easier — getting up from the floor or chairs, going up and down stairs (I can climb stairs without holding the handrails now), walking, climbing over/under/around stuff — without the extra 150 pounds. I do still have some knee issues (stiffness when I sit for a long time, aches/pain when I stand for a long time, and I still can’t squat all the way down), but that has also improved with less weight stressing my knees.

That's great! I, too, have a bunch of company shirts in my closet that I never wore because they were too small (even the biggest size available). I remembered that recently and I thought, "Hey, now I'm small enough to wear those company shirts!" Well, now most of them are too big! I have a really nice one that I never got to wear because it was too small, and now I could almost wear it as a dress.

Stalls typically last 1-3 weeks, but they can be longer. It varies from one person to the next, so there's no telling how long it will be for you.
There's a lot of superstition around how to break a stall, but really, the only thing you can do is be patient. It's just your body catching up with all of the changes. Keep following the program and your weight loss will resume.
Have you lost 56 pounds since your surgery, or was some of that before surgery? If that was all since surgery, 56 pounds in less than 2 months is fantastic! But on the flip side, losing so much so fast means that your body has a lot of catching up to do.

Ugh, clothing stores are annoying! There seems to be a new trend for determining your size, and they start by asking the size and brand of your best-fitting clothing. Well, I don’t own any clothing that fits! That’s why I’m trying to figure out my size!

I haven't heard of such a service, but if you're willing to pay, I'm sure you could get a private chef to prepare stuff for you. But honestly, I don't see a need for it because (1) the liquid/pureed stage is very short in the great scheme of things (I mean, it feels like an eternity when you're in it, but it's really only a few weeks), and (2) you're so limited in what you can eat that it's pretty easy. Has your surgeon provided a list of foods for each stage? Take those foods and add some Protein Powder and you're all set for the pureed stage.
I over-stocked pureed foods. I bought a bunch of sugar-free pudding and unsweetened applesauce for the pureed stage, and I made a big batch of pureed black bean Soup (frozen in individual servings), and 5 months later, I still have a lot of it. I even stayed on pureed foods for longer than required because I was afraid of getting sick from eating solid food. I guess I was kind of stupid when I bought all of that because I wasn't thinking about how I could only eat half a container at a time. Since I've been out of pureed and soft foods, I haven't eaten much of that stuff because there are better things I can eat now.

First of all, if you are following your surgeon's instructions, you are doing nothing wrong. Something I've found eye-opening about this forum is that different programs can vary quite a bit in pre- and post-surgery meal plans, so just because yours is different than someone else's doesn't mean it's wrong!
Second, if you feel comfortable entering some info about yourself in your profile, it would be helpful for context, because a lot of things depend on your starting weight and BMI, your current weight and BMI, and how long ago your surgery was. A lot of people who start at the low end (BMI <40) are disappointed in their weight loss because they compare themselves with people who started with a BMI over 60, but the higher your weight, the faster you can lose it. Also, if you are a tall man, your calorie needs will be higher in general than for a petite woman.
I am 5.5 months out from gastric bypass and I typically eat 500-600 calories per day. The nutritionist for my program told me at my 6-week followup to increase my calories to 800-1000 per day, and although I have followed all other instructions of my program very carefully, this is something I have not done, partly because I don't think that I could. My program says to eat three meals per day and avoid Snacks other than Protein Drinks. I'm also supposed to get at least 60 grams of Protein per day (and sometimes I fall short of that). Eating three small meals per day that are focused on protein, I would have a hard time getting 800 calories in a day. I feel that it is important for me to avoid snacking because I don't want to fall back into the old habits that got me to 341 pounds.
I have had two additional followups with my surgeon, and he says that I'm doing great and to keep on doing what I'm doing. I just got my 6-month bloodwork (I did it a little early) and everything is great, so I feel confident that this is working for me. But you are a different person, and you should listen to your surgeon for what will work for you. The caveat to that is that a lot of surgeons seem to have a one-size-fits-all approach, which I think is what happened with me. I'm a 5'3" woman, and I suspect the nutritionist gave me the same advice as she would give a 6'3" man.
Here are some examples from my food diary from the last few weeks (these are not consecutive days -- I tried to pick days with a variety of foods because I tend to eat the same things over and over). Ignore the weird order of meals; I was working night shift for a couple of these, so the timing of my meals was different.

I haven't heard of such a service, but if you're willing to pay, I'm sure you could get a private chef to prepare stuff for you. But honestly, I don't see a need for it because (1) the liquid/pureed stage is very short in the great scheme of things (I mean, it feels like an eternity when you're in it, but it's really only a few weeks), and (2) you're so limited in what you can eat that it's pretty easy. Has your surgeon provided a list of foods for each stage? Take those foods and add some Protein Powder and you're all set for the pureed stage.
I over-stocked pureed foods. I bought a bunch of sugar-free pudding and unsweetened applesauce for the pureed stage, and I made a big batch of pureed black bean Soup (frozen in individual servings), and 5 months later, I still have a lot of it. I even stayed on pureed foods for longer than required because I was afraid of getting sick from eating solid food. I guess I was kind of stupid when I bought all of that because I wasn't thinking about how I could only eat half a container at a time. Since I've been out of pureed and soft foods, I haven't eaten much of that stuff because there are better things I can eat now.

I don't have this problem, but I find that drinking a warm beverage fills me up pretty well during the day. Have you tried drinking a cup of tea, Decaf coffee, or Protein hot chocolate?
Also, are you taking a proton pump inhibitor (acid reducer)? I think if you have too much stomach acid, the feeling can be confused with hunger. It might be something to discuss with your surgeon.

Today is my 1 year surgeversary and despite everything going on in the world, its been a pretty good year. Since 12/31/2019 I am:
- Down 120 lbs from surgery (161.5 total)
- in the "normal" BMI range, for the first time in my adult life
- almost half of my weight (and will be when I reach goal)
My favorite NSVs
- My knees, what finally got me to have the surgery, feel SO much better
- I'm walking most days, anywhere from 1.5-2 miles and it feels so good both physically and mentally
- I want to be out and experiencing life again, v. being so tired at the end of the day and just wanting to sit on the couch
- I eat completely differently from before, and I have so much more energy
- Clothes fit so much better! From 2x-3x to a Medium in tops.
- Standard bath towels fit

Welcome! This forum is so helpful because most people in our lives don't understand what we have gone through living with obesity, or what we go through before, during, and after the surgery, but everyone on this forum is in some stage of that process.
I have chosen not to tell anyone other than medical professionals about my surgery. I am a private person in general, and I have heard too many ignorant, judgmental comments about people who have had weight loss surgery. Yes, a lot of people think surgery is the easy way out and that you're inferior if you can't lose weight without it, but those people are ignorant. WLS is not easy -- you are making permanent changes to your body and major changes to your lifestyle. WLS is proven to be the most effective treatment for obesity, and the only treatment with more than a 5% success rate for long-term weight loss. I think there should be no shame in getting the most effective treatment available. Unfortunately, people who have never had to struggle with their weight don't understand what it's like and want to feel superior by being able to manage their weight without surgery, but that is their problem, not yours.
I live in fear every day of regaining the weight. I would be devastated to go through all of this only to end up back where I started. WLS is pretty much the last resort, so I feel like this is my one shot and I can't waste it. I have paid a lot of attention to the people who are several years out and I'm trying to learn from the people who have kept the weight off as well as the people who have experienced regain. It seems that the keys for the people who have kept the weight off are (1) eat healthier foods, not just smaller quantities of the foods you used to eat, and (2) monitor your weight regularly and take action promptly if you see regain (don't wait until you've gained back 50 pounds).
I definitely get the weight as part of your identity, because it's been mine for decades. But I think you will find that the change is going to be overwhelmingly positive when your weight no longer limits everything you do.

I'm almost 6 months out and still relying on Protein powder to meet my requirements. I don't think I could get all my protein from food even if I ate nothing but meat, unless I started eating between meals, which I'm trying not to do because I don't want to fall back into old bad habits.
I got tired of Protein Shakes between the pre-op diet and the post-surgery liquid stage, so I mainly mix protein powder into my food. My go-to Breakfast is half a container of Greek yogurt plus half a scoop of protein powder (my favorite is birthday cake flavor, but I also use chocolate sometimes). That's 19 grams of protein. You can also mix protein powder into applesauce, protein oatmeal, or pudding, and unflavored protein powder into things like refried Beans, Soups, and other purees. A lot of people like to add protein shakes to their coffee instead of Creamer for a protein boost. I like protein hot cocoa and find it much easier to drink than cold shakes.
What brand of Protein Shake were you drinking when you had the allergic reaction? You'll have to avoid whatever caused that, which could limit the kinds of protein you can have (although it is possible that your reaction was to a different ingredient and not the protein itself). If it was whey protein (which is generally the recommended type), you may have to use plant-based protein. There are some recommendations on a recent thread here:

My program’s guidelines were less than 5 grams of sugar per serving, so both of those would be fine. Different programs have different requirements, though, so it would still be good to check.

I'm under 200 pounds!

It's hard to believe I started at 341 pounds with a BMI over 60, and I've lost all the way through the 200s. From super morbid obesity, all the way through morbid obesity. I have a long way to go before I get out of the obesity range, but I have come so far from where I started.
I tried on a pair of size 14 pants yesterday and they fit (they were actually a little baggy). Most people wouldn't consider that a great accomplishment, but 6 months ago, I was wearing size 26. Some plus-size brands didn't even go big enough for me at my highest weight, but I might be too small to buy plus-sized clothing soon!
I feel like I came back from the dead, because that was probably where I was heading a year ago. My weight has held me back so much in life and I have missed out on so many things. I wish I had done this sooner, but I never want to forget how it felt to be 341 pounds. Not many people know what it's like to face the world as a super morbidly obese person, and even fewer know what it's like to turn around from being seemingly hopelessly overweight. I used to see people who lost 100+ pounds and think it was impossible, but now I'm in the club.
I hope everyone else who was reborn in July 2020 is doing well and happy with your results!

Nope, you did not gain a pound! It takes 3500 excess calories to gain a pound, and I’m 100% sure you did not eat that much a week after surgery.
It’s completely normal for your weight to fluctuate by a couple of pounds. Even over the course of a single day, your weight can fluctuate by more than a pound, depending on the time of day, the timing with respect to eating and going to the bathroom, salt intake (which can make you retain water), etc. A lot of people recommend only weighing yourself once per week so you don’t see those little day-to-day fluctuations.
Mashed potatoes are not the best thing to eat because they’re high in carbs and low in Protein, but a lot of programs allow them in the puréed stage (you might want to mix in some unflavored Protein Powder to add some protein). Is a deviled egg really allowed in the puréed stage? At this point, the concern is not about stretching your stomach so much as tearing the sutures that are holding your stomach together. It’s really important to follow your surgeon’s instructions to allow your stomach to heal properly.

Nope, you did not gain a pound! It takes 3500 excess calories to gain a pound, and I’m 100% sure you did not eat that much a week after surgery.
It’s completely normal for your weight to fluctuate by a couple of pounds. Even over the course of a single day, your weight can fluctuate by more than a pound, depending on the time of day, the timing with respect to eating and going to the bathroom, salt intake (which can make you retain water), etc. A lot of people recommend only weighing yourself once per week so you don’t see those little day-to-day fluctuations.
Mashed potatoes are not the best thing to eat because they’re high in carbs and low in Protein, but a lot of programs allow them in the puréed stage (you might want to mix in some unflavored Protein Powder to add some protein). Is a deviled egg really allowed in the puréed stage? At this point, the concern is not about stretching your stomach so much as tearing the sutures that are holding your stomach together. It’s really important to follow your surgeon’s instructions to allow your stomach to heal properly.

Seven months after a Duodenal switch revision surgery I reached my goal weight of 190 lbs. That's 110 lbs. down from 300 at the beginning of 2020. I've adjusted well to my daily nutrition plan and am exercising every day.