ThisMomOf5

Good Morning fellow Feb bypassers
I hope everyone is doing good. I have to say i am really happy with my results so far. The weight loss has been great (78lbs), As the time goes by I notice the little things that I can do now that I struggled with before. I cut the grass yesterday, before I would be winded and have to take some breaks and sweat my ass off, Yesterday was great, no breaks, no sweating and I could breath. I have a Jeep, I use to have to grab something to help me get in, i don’t now. I could go on on about the little things I’ve noticed. I still have 40Lbs+ to go and am looking forward to finding out what more I can do..


Mike

Hi fellow Feb members. I moving right long and doing well. I still have times when, at the end of the day, I find myself hitting a protein drink to get my protein in for the day. I am doing great at exercise and use free weights and weight machines 99% of the time. My back does not hurt as bad And I don’t lose my breath when I walk across the room. Down 49 lbs and counting, so glad I had the surgery no found these blogs which have offered me so much support, device and ideas.

So, I was getting my hair cut today and was talking to the women cutting my hair (not someone I've seen before). We started talking about how there isn't much to do right now because we are still pretty limited. I mentioned I was out hiking yesterday since being outside is one of the things we can do. She said that must be why I'm so skinny I've NEVER, not once before been called skinny...

I had glue. Mine naturally peeled at 2 weeks. (except for 1 which my mom accidentally took off early with baby oil a few days out trying to remove tape marks! oops! But it turned out to be fine)
I was told I could take baths again at 2 weeks when the glue is gone so I figure that's about the timing to expect. Of course we all have different surgeons with different methods but my point is, its probably fine unless its leaking or looks inflamed.

I live in a super small town and did not broadcast I had WLS, the rumor was I had some crazy disease for the longest time, I sure hope I wasn't dying. After the compliments came the sympathy casseroles ......lol.

now most people have gotten the message that I am not dying nor do I have a strange disease or cancer, I am just healthy !!!
Gotta love it!

I am down 45-46lbs. We were at the pool yesterday ( shirt still on) and people are saying wow you look good! I really wasn't expecting that yet but I guess it has started. Questions like what are you doing?...Answer---Not eating much and not drinking alcohol which is true. I have the right tool to get this done!

Now, I must say, I'm still 250 pounds, so I have at least 60 or 70 pounds to go to get to goal and actually more than that to not be considered overweight for my height, but I was almost 400 pounds, so this a huge difference and I'm feeling amazing.
My wedding dress is a size 24. I got married in 2006, and I have not been able to fit into it since 2010. It is now too big! I had to get something notarized the other day and when I got out my driver's license I noticed my weight said 350 and realized I am 100 pounds less than that weight now, which was a lie anyway. Lol That is an amazing feeling. I have never, ever weighed less than what my drivers license said. Even back when I weighed around 150 I never thought I was thin enough and always lied. When I renew it, I will tell the truth, because I accept myself now at any weight. It's been a long journey to get to that point.
I got a new dress the other day and thought it needed a belt and the only one I had was from my highest weight and I can wrap it around me twice. It's crazy!
This might be dumb, and maybe tmi for some, but my belly was so big before I couldn't use a squatty potty, and now I can. I just bought one and it really helps with my constipation. Lol



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I know we aren’t supposed to compare ourselves to others but I see we are still twinning ? My weight loss just slowed to about 2lbs a weeks too. It’s hard to be patient after the early whirlwind of pounds flying off.

Ive been walking a lot lately. My joints are still complaining but it’s getting easier and easier. My husband also got me an electric bike for my birthday and I’m biking just about everywhere these days. I LOVE it!

Nobody knows your body better than you do! When I told my hubby of 20 years that "according to the BMI charts" I had another 50-55lbs to lose he said "don't you dare!" and while I do have some more to lose to *feel* my best I'd look ill losing another 50lbs!
I'm sure you're beautiful & beyond that you're concerned with FEELING healthy which is far more accurate than some one size fits all chart.
Congrats on the steps you've taken and your progress so far! ?

Whoever said that was out of line. Your posts have been so timely for me being 1 month post op and just starting my journey! I too have chosen a higher goal weight. My NUT excitedly told me she can get me to 145 or 150 and I said no thanks. I am larger framed and pretty muscular under all this fat. Last year I had a body scan that said I have 145lbs of organs, muscle and bone under all the fat and water! Of course with fat loss I will lose some muscle but I’ll try to minimize that. Always been into sports and working out only lately the weight has made it so painful and hard. My 15 yo daughter who is built the same as me without the fat weighs 150 and she has serious abs and no curves (Dont tell her I said that! Luckily she won’t be reading this!!). I remember being happiest with my weight when I was 160-170. Clothes looked good, I felt good and I still had a boobs and a round butt. Ultimately whatever weight gets me to that point again is my true goal. Nice to see other like minded people out there!

Hey fellow Feb peeps!!
Glad to see you are doing well! Same over here! I’m down 20 post op lbs so @Chiquitatummy and @Tim Cwe are about the same. I was instructed to move onto solid food this week and so far no problems. Seafood is now my favorite protein. Odd because it was chicken before ? Biggest plus for me is my hip pain is gone and my energy is through the roof! I’ve been hiking, biking and doing all the things I used to love doing with my family but haven’t been able to do in a couple years.
My biggest challenge so far is trusting that this will continue to work and my body won’t betray me. That’s a work in progress for sure.

Hey fellow Feb peeps!!
Glad to see you are doing well! Same over here! I’m down 20 post op lbs so @Chiquitatummy and @Tim Cwe are about the same. I was instructed to move onto solid food this week and so far no problems. Seafood is now my favorite protein. Odd because it was chicken before ? Biggest plus for me is my hip pain is gone and my energy is through the roof! I’ve been hiking, biking and doing all the things I used to love doing with my family but haven’t been able to do in a couple years.
My biggest challenge so far is trusting that this will continue to work and my body won’t betray me. That’s a work in progress for sure.

And maybe fewer patients are suffering from dieting burnout as well.

I noticed this before my weight loss surgery journey when I did a Keto diet and now post bypass. I was on the verge of getting a double hip replacement due to arthritis. Now I think I’ve got some more years in my hips.I’ve even been walking and biking like crazy because now I can. ?

This description of the dangers of Very Low Calorie Diets (VLCD) from the University of Michigan describes some of the metabolic issues that are associated with sustained diets under 1000 calories a day.
https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/aa144561
(from the above link)
The following are the changes your body goes through during a VLCD:
Your metabolism slows to conserve energy because the body thinks it is starving. A slower metabolism burns fewer calories. To get the carbohydrate it needs, your body breaks down protein. You lose lean body tissues (muscle and organ tissue). It is important to preserve lean tissue, because it increases your basal metabolic rate. Losing too much lean tissue increases the percentage of fat in your body. The result is a reduced metabolism. This is one reason why it is so easy to regain weight after you lose weight quickly. In a VLCD (or during starvation), about half the weight you lose is fat and the other half is lean tissue, such as muscle. On a more moderate diet, you lose 3 times more fat than lean tissue. It is important to preserve lean tissue, since it increases your resting metabolic rate. Mineral and electrolyte imbalances can occur. These imbalances can be life-threatening. This is the reason these VLCDs must only be used under a health professional's supervision. Bone mass is lost. This is more risky for women, because they diet more often than men, and they are also at higher risk for osteoporosis.

Creekimp13 made some excellent points. A few studies would come in handy.
I've always been shocked how so many surgeons and patients approach the post-op experience as a crash diet. Lose as much as possible while eating as little as possible so you can lose weight as fast as you can. Then when you've lost your excess weight you (hopefully) learn the new appropriate way to eat. Or, as so many people do, return to their old ways and regain the weight.
My Doc's plan was to get on the 'forever' eating plan quickly. You learn new habits with the positive feedback of losing weight. All that success makes the plan solidly a habit. Then when you reach your goal (or stop point) you adjust very slightly to maintain.
Anyone can do anything for the short term, it's why diets work for a time. It's the long haul that we need to work on. That so many programs make these two phases completely different I think sets a lot of people up for failure, the same failure diets setup preop.
But, I would never say don't follow your surgeon's plan. Just remember that returning to the old "normal" will yield the same results as it did pre-op.

Hey Chiquita...I had surgery the same day. I have lost 22 pounds so about the same. I had two 5 day stalls in the first month. I m confident this will be successful as long as we stick to plan.

The 23rd of March was my 1 month sleev-a-versary so I thought I'd post an update. I'd love to hear how others who are about a month out are doing, so feel free to share the good, bad, or gross (and I do mean poo talk).
My recovery has thankfully been uneventful. I had the normal struggles in the first week (nausea, water/protein intake, gas pain, uncomfortable sleeping) but nothing terrible. I have had some poo struggle days, that has been the worst! Right now the pipes are working (cross fingers) but a week ago - hoo boy, not great. I've discovered that I need to take a stool softener at least every other day or things stop moving. My energy has been better, but there are still days when I can't believe how tired I feel just walking up the stairs. I graduated to the pureed stage this week (my program does full liquids for 4 weeks) which was exciting but also a little scary to try "new" foods on my tiny tummy and see how she did. So far, she has handled everything like a champ and I am really enjoying eating more than protein shakes, protein soup, and yogurt.
I've lost 19 pounds since my surgery day and can feel a difference in how my body moves, how much less pain I have in my joints, and how my clothes fit. I can bend at the waist more comfortably, balance on one foot better, and crossing my arms or my legs is comfortable again. I tried on a dress that I wore to a family wedding in January of last year and was shocked to see how baggy it was on me.
One of my biggest WLS fears was my emotional state taking a downturn during recovery and from not being able to eat normally. I'm happy to say that hasn't happened, in fact it's been the opposite. I feel like I have a stronger perspective and more balanced moods overall. I think seeing some immediate positive results in how my body feels is part of the reason, along with having finally done the thing I spent so long thinking and worrying about. Now that I am on the other side I am experiencing what the reality of WLS is for me rather than worrying about what it might be.

Welcome to the other side! It sounds like that video is in line with what I was advised. Thanks for the feedback!

Man, if I had a dollar for every critic who said this to me on these boards. It's a past time of a certain type of dieter....to send me hate mail and try to shame me for being outspoken.
"You're still overweight! You shouldn't be telling people what to do! How dare you not feel ashamed at that weight!"
Shakin my head over here.
If I wanted to be 140, I could be. Have been. Looked god-awful and felt like I was starving all the time.
If I wanted to be 160, I could be. Have been. I wasn't particularly hungry, got a reasonable number of calories, but thought I looked older.
I like a little more round to my angles. I like less sag, fewer wrinkles. Not real interested in cosmetic surgery. Picked the best option for me.
I like eating 1600 calories a day. I like having space in my diet for a couple pieces of fruit because I think phytonutrients are beneficial and important. I like how i feel eating a high fiber diet. I like room to be a vegetarian some days. I like flexability. It's how I can face this as a lifelong change. It's how I can make peace with food forever....cause I know this plan is WORKABLE in pretty much all situations. I can eat on my plan during a holiday, a funeral, a birthday party....during a power outage, while recovering from an injury, during extreme emotional stress, on the road, and while dealing with my inlaws. LOL.
I typically weigh 165-170 pounds. I LOVE this weight. It is NOT "the best I could do because I couldn't get to a "healthy weight" ", it is an intentionally chosen set point. It's a choice. This is, I am 100% certain...the MOST healthy weight I can choose for myself.
That whole...Arnold Schwarzenegger's BMI was technically Obese when he won Mr. Universe figures in. BMI is flawed. It doesn't differentiate between light muscle frames and heavy muscle frames, bigger bones, smaller bones. Different ethnicities. Different body styles.
My feet, depending on the manufacturer are size 10 or 11. My shoulders are more broad than most men's my height. My butt, thighs and calves are overdeveloped because I rode huntseat and jumped horses for decades, even when I was quite heavy. My husband says they have a kinda superhero quality now. LOLOLOLOL
So here's the thing....If you feel inclined to send me a snarky note about how I shouldn't say anything....because I'm not American Media model skinny, you might have a problem.
As it happens, I have a good friend who models. He's 5' 10", weighs 157 pounds soaking wet, and they STILL wanted him to use coke for a week and fast...to look more sickly skinny for his last national ad campaign.
Our impression of body image in the media is grossly distorted and unhealthy.
And a lot of folks here....get a grossly distorted and unhealthy obsession with their eating habits, their BMI, the number on the scale, and how it defines them.
Please, please, please remember....health.
Physical health, strength, endurance, good labs, fewer medications.
Emotional health...loving yourself, enjoying your life, feeling challenged and happy.
Mental health...finding balance you can live with for a lifetime.
Love your strong healthy body. Love your good food choices that provide good nutrition to nurture that body. Love the flexability to make it work though the tough spots.
Avoid the fixations, the extremes, the inflexable rules, the disordered eating (and disordered not-eating)
You can trust yourself to get to where you need to be....without punishment.
Love yourself. Love yourself. Love yourself.

Thank you both so much! This was the affirmation I was looking for from real people who experienced it. My surgeon and NUT both mentioned that this was my opportunity to metabolically start over. I didn’t fully understand what they were trying to say but the lightbulb has gone off with your explanation Creekimp!
I tend to overthink and worry too much! I can comfortably eat quite a bit before I feel full and surprisingly have no issues meeting these goals. Seafood has been my best friend! I also lost 5 lbs in the 5 days after I started following my new plan. Going forward I will try to trust this process and enjoy the ride!!?

The first few weeks I was advised to concentrate just on getting in the protein and fluids. The suggested menu for when I started the puree stage came to about 800 calories per day. This gradually increased with the new menu plans, and at the 3 month stage post-bypass my nutritionist told me to aim for between 1000-1200 per day. I couldn't have physically taken in 1200 calories at the stage you're at. My weight loss has been steady with this plan.

My group was actually involved in a study focused on upping calories sooner. I was encouraged to reach 1200 calories per day as soon as possible, and did so around week 3 after surgery.
I have not seen the study, but I was told by my doctor that people who eat more calories sooner will lose weight slower, BUT....statistically have much less regain later....the hypothosis being....this is because the metabolic set point is being re-estabilshed at a more robust livable caloric level.
I cannot speak for anyone's experience but my own, and can report observations of a family member who has also had bariatric surgery. My cousin is a few years younger, also had sleeve, and was on an extended restricted calorie plan. She ate 600-800 calories for months after surgery. She lost rapidly. She was appalled by the calories I was being encouraged to eat as soon as week 3. Gave me crap constantly that I would not lose the weight she had.
And at first...I was concerned she was right. She lost more weight than I did MUCH MUCH faster.
Eating 1200 calories a day, I lost slowly, but consistently. But I eventually reached goal.
I'm three years out, she's four years out.
I've maintained everything I lost and I eat around 1600 calories a day. If I go up five pounds, I don't have any problem taking it off by dropping my calories down to 1200-1400.
She's regained half of what she lost, and says she struggles to lose weight eating 1000-1200 calories a day. She blames the sleeve, and is planning to do revision surgery to RnY bypass.
My personal feeling...is that there could be something to this concern about metabolic reset at too low a calorie threshold.
Do I know that? Nope. People are extremely individual. This is a new science and there's a LOT we don't know, and even more that will vary by person, diet, and a dozen other variables.
But I do know that attitudes among bariatric surgeons regarding diet are changing at the major research universities....to favor higher calories sooner.
I'm guessing we'll know a lot more about how this all works out in the data.....in about ten years. LOL

UPDATE:
?✨MY STALL HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY BROKEN!!! ✨?
I miraculously lost 3 pounds over the course of three days and the ounces are on a steady decline as well (so far no regain).
Things that changed:
I had a sudden uptick in activity this week and walked a combined 10 hours (NYC baaaaby).
I upped my protein (though hardly at goal of 64 grams).
I ate considerably more food at regular times.
and...
I didn't weigh myself until today ?.
I hope anyone else stalling right now is able to break it soon! It's been 2-ish weeks for me and while not fun it made me focus on my nutrition/lifestyle rather than weightloss.

I had same concerns and felt like I was going to be able to eat everything. Liquid moves through pretty quick. Even most of the puree I did moved through pretty quick. The soft food week was rough trying to gage how many bites would fill me. It is still rough, trying to figure how much food will fill without giving me a lump in my chest for an hour. When you eat real food you will notice the limit of your stomach. I had surgery 1/28. Been eating solid for a few weeks. Everyman I have to remember to eat slow and stop when you start to feel even a little uncomfortable.