CammyC

Try not to focus on what others have lost. You never know what the variables are within their bodies. Example, I originally lost 140lbs with the Lap-Band. That sounds great but that came at a cost of vomiting everyday, severe pain and pure misery. This is your journey and it won't be the same as anyone else's.
You have your head focused on the game and following the rules. I know it's hard especially this early in your journey when you're still healing from surgery and trying to find a new normal. The weight loss WILL come.

Thank you so much for your response, but what you are telling me is not the case. I simply am losing weight at a snail's pace and that's with STRICT dieting (500 - 700 calories daily since February 26. I communicated with my surgeon to be certain that she did, indeed, remove as much of my stomach as she had told me she would. She reassured me that she did, but she had no feedback as to why I'm hardly losing.

Sounds like you're in the "buyer's remorse" stage of surgery. I'm sorry you are going through this but it's a phase that I went through as well and pretty common from what I hear. Often times we are forced to deal with our issues when we can no longer use food as a crutch to make us feel better so depression is very common. Your body is also trying to deal with a rapid decrease in calories and potentially hormone changes. It doesn't help that we are currently facing a pandemic while you're trying to heal and find a new normal.
One thing I was told many years ago when I started my journey is people who have food addictions must be very careful in making sure they do not turn to a different addiction (alcohol, drugs, shopping, sex, etc.) in an effort to please the same part of the brain food used to.
Take one day at a time. I promise you are stronger than you think and you will get through this. (((HUGS)))

Something to consider:
You will be able to maintain 1000 calories a day quite easily. It might be much harder for your sister to do this once you’ve reached goal weight. You would have to push past full, or eat very frequently. Your sister would be able to eat 2-3 times as much at a sitting before feeling full. So while it makes sense you are both losing the same amount now, since your both eating the same amount of calories, I suspect it will be much harder for her to keep the weight off or fend off hunger pangs .

Grace,It's good to see your post. One thing you have to remember is that we who are older and I am 73 will not lose as fast as those who are younger and a bit more active. Other things that affect weight loss are the medications that you are on and a lower metbolism. I had my surgery about a week before you and I have only lost 15 lbs. While it is frustrating I am okay with that and will be patient. It is a process. I do I'm eating between 6 and 700 calories a day which is where my doctors want me to be. I make sure that I get the prescribed amount of Protein as well as fluids. My stomach definitely tells me when it's full and that's when I stop.So that is the advantage of your tool.Although you and your sister are both losing weight right now here's what's going to be different for you. You have a lifelong tool now a smaller stomach that's gonna help you maintain proper portions to lose your weight and to maintain your ideal weight. We have all experienced the ups and downs of weight loss and weight gain because the body tries to throw everything at us to regaining that weight (Hunger changing metabolism at cetera) And that's what your sister may go through again and you won't if you follow The rules. The surgery Lowers your setpoint For your body weight. Hang in there and try not to get too discouraged. And stay safe through the corona virus.

willpower is a factor, yes - esp as you get further out. But I still could never have done it without the surgery.

WOW !!!
You've done phenomenally well!!! BIG congratulations to you !!
WILLPOWER certainly has so much to do with it.

@IAmGrace I’m not an expert at this but from what I’ve gathered is that people who weighed more prior to surgery lose more at first. Now I don’t know for sure but. My start weight on 10/7/19 was 256.6. Surgery date of 3/3/20 I was 230. Today I 215.8. I’ve noticed people 300+ seem to have more weight loss at first. I’m not sure what your weight was / is, but it’s working! I’m down 15 pounds in 4 weeks! It took me 5 months to lose 26. I don’t lose weight every day, it’s more like every 3 to 4 days a drop a pound. But I’ll take it! Also I got into a pair of pants yestersay I haven’t been able to wear since 2017. Whoop whoop!!
We Just keep doing the right thing and it will pay off for all of us!

I haven’t ordered yet like I’ve not had surgery but I’ve been driving past a Taco Bell recently really wanting a crunchy taco. I wanted it really bad. I’m 4 weeks post op, no way is tummy going to handle a crunchy taco but I get it.

I haven’t ordered yet like I’ve not had surgery but I’ve been driving past a Taco Bell recently really wanting a crunchy taco. I wanted it really bad. I’m 4 weeks post op, no way is tummy going to handle a crunchy taco but I get it.

Yes!! My tummy gurgles especially in the morning. I named my tummy Gurgly Gail. She’s usually got something to say. I’m 4 weeks post op. I’ve seen several veterans mention their stomachs gurgle too. Nothing to worry about ❤️

I understand that you may think things were working against you. My original surgery was scheduled for 1/14. It got delayed for almost two months. At one point I thought too it wasn’t meant to be. At the very end tho it went super fast. I found out I was approved for my surgery on 3/2 the day before I was scheduled to have it 3/3 and I did my all liquid diet in hopes I would have it. it was that close. So I get it.
here I am on the other side and so happy my life and my body are transforming!
Good luck and don’t give up on this experience! ❤️

well, yea - that the two of you would lose at the same rate doesn't surprise me. But how long will she be able to keep it up? And how long she will be able to maintain her loss? That's not to say you definitely will - but it'll be MUCH easier for you to sustain and maintain it.
I lost 50-60 lbs a gazillion times before surgery. But it'd eventually all come back. And I had over 200 lbs to lose. I've lost it all and have kept it off for three years now. There's NO WAY I could have done that without surgery.

I'm totally interested in some sort of community activity ❤

I miss having a monthly “challenge” of some sort. It helps drive a sense of community and keeps me more engaged. I was thinking of self care, creativity, fun picture challenges, etc..
Anyone have any ideas or interest?

I always order normal, but never like i did pre surgery. The food sits too long in the fridge and then has to go in the trash.. Now.. automatically half goes in the freezer and i am 16 months out.. almost 17.

I'm 14 months out, and although I can eat anything I want, my tummy still reminds me of volume. I find that the things I used to love eating a LOT of - like stir fry veggies, just don't sit so well any more. I can eat out anywhere (except now!) or fix any kind of food, and in that sense, things are back to normal. But volume is definitely not the same - THANKFULLY!
I am presently enduring 2 weeks of home isolation due to COVID-19 symptoms, which are resolving without any problems, but I admit that there has been heightened anxiety/stress during all this. I am utterly dismayed to find myself resorting to food for comfort - I thought I had that one licked, but it has raised its ugly head, and I have gained 5 pounds! I have been too tired to exercise, so I have been a couch potato/food addict for nearly 2 weeks, and now I am paying the price. But.... I am now back on track with starting some exercise again, tracking my food, intermittent fasting, and working on my emotional issues. It feels MUCH BETTER to be in control of the food, rather than the food being in control of me. I need to hold this thought and remember that the long term reward greatly outweighs the short term gratification.

I'm just over a year out from surgery, and I have never forgotten. I actually think that's a good thing, because it means I think about everything I put in my mouth.

Yep, that one last bite isn't the same as before surgery. My mind was thinking, you are eating such a small amount of food, the one more bite isn't going to hurt. Oh does it hurt and terribly bad.
My goal is to monitor what my full is, before I physically feel full. This is my immediate goal during April, learning "Ariel's " likes, dislikes, when she's had enough without hurting both of us, lol.

@New2Me2020
I had to go from my iphone to a computer to answer these questions. What you're asking is so important and exactly what a weight loss surgery patient should ask.
I guess my burning question is, is it okay to be scared? ABSOLUTELY! This is major surgery you're asking about. You are absolutely okay with being scared.
What if I still want to use food to cope, what if I fail, what if I die? I don't write these questions to be judged but maybe to get some wisdom from someone who has conquered these fears? That's the learning curve I think most of us worry about. After food, what else is there? I have found since my surgery on 3/3/20 that I am no focused on walking, lifting 3 pounds weights (I will add more pounds when my body lets me know I’m ready for it as I’m 4 weeks out) and stretching. Addiction though runs in my family. I am afraid after the newness wears off what will happen. I don't dwell on that though. Because my life is changing. My body is changing. I'm in therapy weekly (due to other things that happened in my life) and myself and my therapist are holding myself accountable for my actions.
I have my first appointment with psych on Friday and as nervous as I am, I am still excited. YAY!!!!! As you should be!
A few other questions:
Is it worth it/ do you regret it? It is sooo worth it! I am so happy I did this. Everyday I wake up knowing my body is changing and becoming a little smaller every day. Do I lose weight everyday. Nope. That's why I stopped weighing myself daily, but I can feel it in my energy and my clothes! I have more energy than I did before surgery even though I'm consuming way less calories and food. My clothes are becoming looser. My back doesn't hurt anymore. I can wipe my butt when I go potty (seriously, not joking....that's one of the reasons I looked into weight loss surgery because I sat on the potty and cried because I couldn't reach back there.) I know that may TMI, but it's one of the last straws that break the camel's back, as it were. When it comes to tying my shoes or putting on socks, I can now reach down and do both feet at once without having to sit up and take a breath because I cut off my breath from bending over! I'm going to be a lower risk for heart disease, diabetes and blood pressure which run in my family as well. We're just a hot mess all around lol.
Do you feel like your life is normal? YES! I feel more normal than before. I feel like this is who I'm meant to be and I'm becoming her more every day! I just want to add it took about 3 weeks before I got my energy back. So expect at least 2-4 weeks of feeling not great and questioning why in the hell did we do this at all! Read the forum, you’ll see. But you’ll also find those same ones thriving and happy and so grateful after recovering.
Can you do it with 50/50 support from those around you? 100% - I was one of those that told people I was having gastric sleeve surgery because I was so excited about it! You will have the nay-sayers. F' Them. In the most polite way possible. Everyone I told had their own ignorant, uninformed notion. "well you know so so had a terrible experience" ... "well if you really tried you could do it on your own" UGH! I looked them square in the eyes and when they paused, I said "thank you for your concern, but this is MY body. I'm doing the research and I will make the best decision for MYSELF!" Post surgery everyone now sees how happy and more energetic I am so they can suck it.

Do you have to lose weight first? I had too. My insurance is Anthem BCBS. I had to be under 6 months Dr. Supervised weight loss. I ended up losing 26 pounds. I was so scared of the 14-day liquid diet that I started substituting 1 Protein Shake a day (Ensure Max Protein) for 1 meal a day. When I was okay with that I substituted 2 meals a day with a Protein shake. *That liquid diet (if your surgeon prescribes one for you )is no joke. I also had to do heart stress test with a cardiologist, a sleep study with a pulmonologist, a psych evaluation with my psychiatrist, a note of approval from from PCP and 3 meetings with a nutritionist detailing my food journals. FYI going through all these things helped the time pass and helped me realize how much I wanted this!
I successfully made it 5 days all liquid lol. Days 14-9 I still ate one meal a day like a salad. Days 9-5 I would take a few bites of healthy food like broccoli or grilled chicken (like 3-4 bites of food in a day, I was scared of screwing up) and days 5-0 all liquid. I guess I did a good job because my surgeon said my liver looked good and didn’t even ask if I had stuck to the all liquid diet. Go figure.
Is the loose skin as bad as people make it out to be? I don't know that yet. That's why I'm incorporating walking, weights and stretching in my daily activities.
Hair loss? I haven't experienced that yet, but it's supposed to happen around the 3rd month from what I've gathered in reading other's experiences.
Tips?
Do your research. Find a dedicated bariactric center and surgeon that will advocate for you when it comes to the insurance companies if you are not self pay. Start working on minimizing your food consumption prior to surgery. These are the things that helped me.
Good LUCK!!! And congratulations on beginning your journey with these questions

Thank you for posting positivity ❤️

I haven’t ordered yet like I’ve not had surgery but I’ve been driving past a Taco Bell recently really wanting a crunchy taco. I wanted it really bad. I’m 4 weeks post op, no way is tummy going to handle a crunchy taco but I get it.

@New2Me2020
I had to go from my iphone to a computer to answer these questions. What you're asking is so important and exactly what a weight loss surgery patient should ask.
I guess my burning question is, is it okay to be scared? ABSOLUTELY! This is major surgery you're asking about. You are absolutely okay with being scared.
What if I still want to use food to cope, what if I fail, what if I die? I don't write these questions to be judged but maybe to get some wisdom from someone who has conquered these fears? That's the learning curve I think most of us worry about. After food, what else is there? I have found since my surgery on 3/3/20 that I am no focused on walking, lifting 3 pounds weights (I will add more pounds when my body lets me know I’m ready for it as I’m 4 weeks out) and stretching. Addiction though runs in my family. I am afraid after the newness wears off what will happen. I don't dwell on that though. Because my life is changing. My body is changing. I'm in therapy weekly (due to other things that happened in my life) and myself and my therapist are holding myself accountable for my actions.
I have my first appointment with psych on Friday and as nervous as I am, I am still excited. YAY!!!!! As you should be!
A few other questions:
Is it worth it/ do you regret it? It is sooo worth it! I am so happy I did this. Everyday I wake up knowing my body is changing and becoming a little smaller every day. Do I lose weight everyday. Nope. That's why I stopped weighing myself daily, but I can feel it in my energy and my clothes! I have more energy than I did before surgery even though I'm consuming way less calories and food. My clothes are becoming looser. My back doesn't hurt anymore. I can wipe my butt when I go potty (seriously, not joking....that's one of the reasons I looked into weight loss surgery because I sat on the potty and cried because I couldn't reach back there.) I know that may TMI, but it's one of the last straws that break the camel's back, as it were. When it comes to tying my shoes or putting on socks, I can now reach down and do both feet at once without having to sit up and take a breath because I cut off my breath from bending over! I'm going to be a lower risk for heart disease, diabetes and blood pressure which run in my family as well. We're just a hot mess all around lol.
Do you feel like your life is normal? YES! I feel more normal than before. I feel like this is who I'm meant to be and I'm becoming her more every day! I just want to add it took about 3 weeks before I got my energy back. So expect at least 2-4 weeks of feeling not great and questioning why in the hell did we do this at all! Read the forum, you’ll see. But you’ll also find those same ones thriving and happy and so grateful after recovering.
Can you do it with 50/50 support from those around you? 100% - I was one of those that told people I was having gastric sleeve surgery because I was so excited about it! You will have the nay-sayers. F' Them. In the most polite way possible. Everyone I told had their own ignorant, uninformed notion. "well you know so so had a terrible experience" ... "well if you really tried you could do it on your own" UGH! I looked them square in the eyes and when they paused, I said "thank you for your concern, but this is MY body. I'm doing the research and I will make the best decision for MYSELF!" Post surgery everyone now sees how happy and more energetic I am so they can suck it.

Do you have to lose weight first? I had too. My insurance is Anthem BCBS. I had to be under 6 months Dr. Supervised weight loss. I ended up losing 26 pounds. I was so scared of the 14-day liquid diet that I started substituting 1 Protein Shake a day (Ensure Max Protein) for 1 meal a day. When I was okay with that I substituted 2 meals a day with a Protein shake. *That liquid diet (if your surgeon prescribes one for you )is no joke. I also had to do heart stress test with a cardiologist, a sleep study with a pulmonologist, a psych evaluation with my psychiatrist, a note of approval from from PCP and 3 meetings with a nutritionist detailing my food journals. FYI going through all these things helped the time pass and helped me realize how much I wanted this!
I successfully made it 5 days all liquid lol. Days 14-9 I still ate one meal a day like a salad. Days 9-5 I would take a few bites of healthy food like broccoli or grilled chicken (like 3-4 bites of food in a day, I was scared of screwing up) and days 5-0 all liquid. I guess I did a good job because my surgeon said my liver looked good and didn’t even ask if I had stuck to the all liquid diet. Go figure.
Is the loose skin as bad as people make it out to be? I don't know that yet. That's why I'm incorporating walking, weights and stretching in my daily activities.
Hair loss? I haven't experienced that yet, but it's supposed to happen around the 3rd month from what I've gathered in reading other's experiences.
Tips?
Do your research. Find a dedicated bariactric center and surgeon that will advocate for you when it comes to the insurance companies if you are not self pay. Start working on minimizing your food consumption prior to surgery. These are the things that helped me.
Good LUCK!!! And congratulations on beginning your journey with these questions

I haven’t ordered yet like I’ve not had surgery but I’ve been driving past a Taco Bell recently really wanting a crunchy taco. I wanted it really bad. I’m 4 weeks post op, no way is tummy going to handle a crunchy taco but I get it.