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flgirl23

Pre Op
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  1. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to waterwoman in What do non-cooks eat in the 4th month?   
    I’m 5 years out and don’t cook. I found I could eat almost anything in smaller portions. I have the sliders at Arbys when I’m out and about. I also do Asian food. I never eat sweets anymore because I still dump, thank goodness.
  2. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to mswillis5 in What do non-cooks eat in the 4th month?   
    costco has a few items that are premade that we have had that are quite delicious and moderately nutritious.
    Egg bites, frozen chicken enchiladas that have a chicken tortilla, egg turkey and cheese breakfast sandwiches (the egg replaces the bread), and cauliflower crusted pizza.
  3. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to Amy Braun in What do non-cooks eat in the 4th month?   
    Thank you, but I specifically said I do not cook, so recipes are not helpful for me. I did find an earlier post of some options for people who don't cook. I know I would be more successful it I enjoyed pouring over recipes and making stuff, but I just won't do that.
  4. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to Maribelle76 in Post VSG Regrets?   
    I am about 3 weeks out from the surgery, and I don't have any regrets so far. It is an emotionally trying time, because I'm having to learn how to control myself in ways I've never controlled myself. I'm not a disciplined person, so it can be a struggle. But I know that this is something that I have to learn how to do or I will not be able to keep up with my children.
    I haven't had any complications thankfully. I was feeling good by day four and pretty much able to do most of my daily life by seven days out with the exception of lifting. I was also worried about chugging Water, but I can get a whole cup of water down pretty quickly now. The only time I have problems is if I let my acid reflux flare up (sometimes I forget my omeprazole because the surgery had helped decrease my GERD so far). If I start to have a problem getting down water, I make sure to get some antacids and that fixes it up the next day.
    My thought is that if you've come this far in the process, it is most likely the best thing for you and something that you really want in your heart. Otherwise you never would have put in the effort and time to get this far. A life lived in fear is a life half-lived...
    When I got a little nervous before surgery, I started looking back through all of the monthly threads. I think I looked at the March, April, May, and June threads. It was a relief to see that all of the surgeries were safe, and the complications were fairly limited and of short duration. Maybe if you go through those threads, too, that will help give you a good feel for the risks vs. the benefits.
  5. Like
    flgirl23 got a reaction from Jon1rene in 15-year-old with a BMI about 40. ESG   
    I would not do the gastric balloon and honestly for a 15 year old, I don't think ESG is a good option either because you have to be really committed to lifestyle changes for it to work and it is hard enough for adults to lose weight on it. I would recommend like the other person posted - nutritional counseling, weight watchers, and at most a prescription weight loss drug such as Wegovy or Saxenda. Wegovy has had results as good as an ESG but can be quite expensive if not covered by insurance.
  6. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to LaoDaBeirut in 15-year-old with a BMI about 40. ESG   
    From what you're saying it sounds like YOU are willing to do the work, but has he said this is 100% what he wants? This sounds manipulative IMO.
  7. Like
    flgirl23 got a reaction from Arabesque in Bearly eat   
    Thank you for bringing that point up. I have been self- reflecting as well. I am not a binge eater but I do not eat the best or exercise currently and those are things I will have to change going with either procedure. That being said the regular sleeve forces you to comply more than the ESG. I even convinced a friend that the sleeve was better for her for that reason but she had higher stats than me so it was a no brainer for her.
  8. Like
    flgirl23 got a reaction from Arabesque in Bearly eat   
    I haven't completely decided yet but my reasons are:
    > I really don't want the down time that you have with the regular sleeve. I like the idea of a quicker recovery.
    > I like the idea of losing weight at a slower pace. I don't want to get too skinny too fast. I only want to lose 50-60lbs. Of course there is that chance I won't even lose that much with ESG vs. with the sleeve the odds are better.
    > I feel like if I had more to lose I would definitely do the sleeve but it seems like it is a drastic move for that amount of weight loss.
  9. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to 5DogMa in 10 Years Post Op - My love/hate relationship with my Sleeve.   
    I've been thinking a lot lately about how it's already been 10 years since I got my sleeve. I've also been thinking about new people just starting on this journey and remembering how I felt about the whole process. I should mention I'm 5ft 2in and weighed 233 lbs and was 56 years old at the time I started my journey. I tried every diet, I mean every diet. Spent too much money on fads and diet supplements.
    In the beginning I was excited and worried about having the sleeve. You can't grow your stomach back! Not that I had an emotional attachment to my stomach and actually thought my stomach was my enemy. The thought of removing part of a perfectly good organ in my body. Well, that's just crazy - isn't it??? I have to go to this extreme to stop killing myself??
    I couldn't eat hardly anything at first. If I ate one bite too many I was in horrible pain and had to lay down. I remember thinking if I just could eat 1/2 of a small hamburger or one little taco I'd be happy. But pretty much 2 bites of anything and I was done. The weight came off fast in the beginning. But my energy was low, I didn't feel good and I had some regrets. Couldn't go out to eat it was a total waste of money. Besides since I could only eat a couple bites the waitress thought there was something wrong with the food. Naw, just wasn't that hungry I'd tell them. I get a doggy bag and attempt to eat the rest later.
    So yes, the first 8-10 months the weight fell off. I don't remember exactly how long it took me to loose the first time over 90 lbs. Yes, I said the first time. I didn't gain it all back though. I still was not at peace with my sleeve. It was the enemy keeping me from eating as much as I wanted and when I wanted. BTW I still can't eat salad anymore it's just too hard on my stomach. I loved salad but NO sleeve doesn't like it!!
    So here's the deal...no I couldn't eat a whole hamburger BUT I can eat maybe 1/2 now and then 2 hours later I eat the rest. Same with everything else. HAHA sleeve I win. I really struggled with my love/hate relationship with my sleeve. A couple years go by and I gain back around 50 lbs. HAHA sleeve I win???? Did I already say that learning to live with the sleeve was a real struggle for me?
    So, it took me along time to be at peace with my sleeve. Well, I am now. It wasn't easy but I did it and it feels good today not to stress out over not being able to eat as much as I want and I stop when my friend the sleeve says "that's enough!" Okay, you win sleeve. I've lost the weight that I had gained back. No, I'm not skinny but I'm at a comfortable weight that looks good on me. The real win is my health. My blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol are good/normal! My sleep apnea is gone! I don't shop in the "big ladies" department and I fit in an airline seat and can put the tray table down! I can walk for miles and I don't break out in a sweat just walking to the mail box. I can play with my Grandkids!
    If I were to give advise to anyone considering having VSG. Don't expect the sleeve to be the magic bullet. You have to work with it and listen to your sleeve. You might have to go through what I did. I hope if you do eventually you'll start listening. Most, not all of us have a food addiction and most of us don't want to stop eating when we are really full. Food tastes good, we love it. It's social and everything we do socially has food involved. Television ads for fast food, and restaurants at every commercial break! I was so addicted to food. Well, actually. I still am. But.. most of the time now I stop eating when my sleeve tells me to stop. I have a family member who had gastric bypass. She is so frustrated. " Ya can't eat a meal!" " Nope, we can't but we can share a meal and still have leftovers." I believe long term success (not that I'm saying I have that either) will happen when you accept, make peace and listen to your sleeve. It could just save your life like I believe mine has done for me.
    Good luck to everyone on this journey or getting ready to start it. It was the best decision I've made for my health. No regrets!
  10. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to Creekimp13 in Should I Get Sleeved? Would love your input...   
    I'm 3.5 years post op.
    Super glad I did it:) Wish I'd done it years ago.
    I wish I'd known the true statistics of what percentage of people have outcomes they are happy with. I'm extremely happy, but I know several people who are struggling and revising and in my opinion have not gotten the help they need to address the core issues....the disordered eating that drives obesity.
    This surgery will fix your guts temporarity so it's difficult to overeat. It doesn't fix your head. Eventually, you will be able to eat pretty freely again and can easily self sabotage if you don't fix your eating issues.
    I do think I'll be able to stay at a healthy weight for the long term. Last year, my yearly exam was a phone exam due to Covid. This year I went in and was weighed for the first time in two years...and was within one pound of what I weighed two years ago. I'm stupid proud of that. If I gain five pounds, I see the bariatric therapist ASAP. I talk about all the events leading up to the gain and try to figure out what triggered it and how to avoid the behaviors, and replace them with different coping mechanisms. I always feel better, and in short order, am back down 5 pounds. See the therapist. It works and can be just as important as the surgery.
    If you qualify for the surgery, I would absolutely recommend it.
    Best wishes!
  11. Thanks
    flgirl23 reacted to SamanthaC12 in ESG providers in Florida?   
    I'm from Central Florida and did a ton of research before selecting a doctor. The only place I felt comfortable with in Florida was mayo Clinic, but the price was insanely high. I ended up going to Dr. McGowan in Raleigh, NC. I flew in with my sister the day before the procedure. Had the procedure on a Friday, a nurse came to my hotel on Saturday to give me IV fluids, and I flew out on Sunday. McGowan and his staff are top notch. Their costs are 10 - 12k, depending on which package you pick. For example, the highest priced one includes 1 year of complication insurance, unlimited visits with the nutritionist, etc. I knew I'd have a ton of questions for the nutritionist, so I went that route.
  12. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to lizonaplane in Sleeve Diet for those who don't cook   
    I feel you... I travel for work (at least until COVID) so once COVID is over I will have no choice but to eat out 5 days a week. I will not be able to cook at home. I haven't had surgery yet, but here are the strategies I'm planning: ordering plain grilled meat and fish with a side of steamed or roasted veggies (most nicer restaurants will let you order this way and I will bring a mini food scale that is about the size of a deck of cards with me - I already have it, or a measuring cup. I don't care who thinks I'm weird). For fast food, I will order a grilled chicken sandwich or egg, ham, and cheese breakfast sandwich and not eat the bread. I have heard a lot of people talking about P3 packs and I've eaten them before. I can just eat the cheese and nuts and skip the raisins or craisins. I can buy cheese sticks and packs of deli meat at grocery stores in most cities where I have access to a grocery store and a fridge in my hotel room.

    I am not saying I will be perfect, but I know what the options are. You can eat healthy at restaurants. No, you don't know exactly what is in your food, but you can ask them not to add the butter/oil to your grilled meat or fish, you can say no to the bread, potatoes, rice, etc. And unless you're staying at a hotel with no fridge or microwave, you can take the food home for your next meal.

    You got this! You may or may not be able to turn yourself into a gourmet cook, but either way, it is possible. My nutritionist felt like I could go back on the road after surgery and be successful, so I think you can too!
  13. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to blairbecky78 in Sleeve Diet for those who don't cook   
    I think you should really look into meal delivery services. Ask around your area for local places or look on Facebook, etc. Also, there are online places that will send meals you only have to heat up.
  14. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to ms.sss in Sleeve Diet for those who don't cook   
    Some suggestions:
    buy smaller amounts? only buy food that you really want to eat? pre-portion groceries into cute containers and freeze them? (same goes for already made food)? IF you can muster the patience to maybe cook even just once a week, or every two weeks, you can whip up a sh*tload of food, portion and freeze. Then just take out what you need when you need it.
    Also, regarding bringing measuring cups to restaurants....a long time ago a member posted these she used. These would probably be a little more portable than actual measuring cups....
    https://store.bariatricpal.com/products/portionmate-meal-portion-control-rings-nutrition-tool
    Good Luck! ❤️


  15. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to HeatherE in Sleeve Diet for those who don't cook   
    I don’t cook either. Haven’t had surgery yet, but planning on appetizers or kids meals minus the carbs. Thinking shrimp cocktail without the sauce or kids grilled chicken breast with steamed vegetables.

    Chain restaurants post calories so I look in advance and avoid anywhere tempting. Pre liquid diet I had Chipotle (lettuce, pico, steak, fajita veggies). Also, Panda Express bowl (green veggies (90 calories) and broccoli beef (150 calories). After surgery maybe it’ll be more than one meal for me.

    From the supermarket I get crab legs (protein), and cooked shrimp.

    Looking forward to other peoples’ ideas.
  16. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to ShoppGirl in Sleeve Diet for those who don't cook   
    I don’t eat at restaurants very often but I got a card on Amazon for after surgery that asks the restaurant to allow you to order off the children’s menu or to purchase a half portion. It’s called a medical alert special menu request. Maybe that will help a little.
  17. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to Creekimp13 in Sleeve Diet for those who don't cook   
    Thinking about the time and energy it would take to accurately figure out how many calories I'm eating at restaurants at every meal, how to measure my protien, etc...
    Oye. That seems like much more effort than cooking and eating simple things at home. I genuinely hate tracking every freaking calorie...but it's a necessary evil.
    I understand not wanting to deal with food any more than you have to...I get that totally. But you DO need to learn to accurately keep track of every calorie and make sure you're getting enough protien...and that's gonna be hard eating out.
    My advice....Stick to the chain restaurants with published nutritional information. Cut those meals down to reasonable portions. Hit your protien and calorie goals.
  18. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to XtinaDoesIt in Sleeve Diet for those who don't cook   
    I'm 4 weeks out so I'm no expert but I'm also not a big/good cook. I've cooked twice since post-op. I started puree/soft foods 2 weeks ago and this is what I do...
    For Breakfast and/or lunch, I eat yogurt or have a Protein Shake. My nutritionist said I can have turkey bacon so sometimes I throw some in the microwave and have that.
    For dinner: I've been eating canned salmon (not big on tuna) and canned chicken. They last a pretty long time and there are some really simple recipes for them. I don't consider that cooking because mostly I saute them with frozen onion and peppers, season it and I'm done in 10 mins. If I want more flair, I'll add a small amount of teriyaki sauce or oriental sauce.
    As far as fast food, I've also had rotisserie chicken from the Peruvian restaurant by my house. It went down better than the canned meat! Right now for the most part I just eat meat so it's pretty easy to track. I have a digital scale and I just measure out 3-4 oz.
    The 2 meals I cooked were 2 different types of chili. Both of which only had like 5 ingredients. I had leftovers for a few days.
    I haven't been to a restaurant yet but I like all the advice that BigSue gave on this. I'll def keep them in mind!
  19. Like
    flgirl23 got a reaction from BoyMom86 in Aetna 12 visits - surgeon says 12 months?   
    Wow! That is great. Thanks for sharing that info. My friend and I work at the same job so we both have Aetna and I am sharing this with her- hopefully our doctor lets her do that.
  20. Like
    flgirl23 got a reaction from KidaandRoux in Aetna 12 visits - surgeon says 12 months?   
    I agree with Stormimeyers. my doctor's office pretty much told me that it was 12 visits and even said he could have scheduled them quicker than once a week. In fact I think one week I did have two visits but he said he was doing weekly because you have to prove to the insurance that you tried to follow a diet program and it didn't work.
  21. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to Coleslaw in Low BMI and Gastric Sleeve   
    I was 47 with a 35 BMI, the minimum my insurance would cover. Looking back, I would have had the surgery at a lower BMI to avoid the negative feelings I had about myself as my weight continued to grow and dieting continued to fail me. After a certain age, which is different for all of us, our metabolism slows making weight loss much more difficult.
    This surgery is the absolute BEST thing I've ever done for myself physically. Prior to the surgery, I shared many of the concerns others share on this site. While I never suffered from eating disorders or food obsessions, I certainly loved to eat and eat well. I cooked frequently for myself and large groups of friends, and my lifestyle is social -- most of my social activities revolve around eating and drinking.
    So what has changed? Nothing, and everything. I still love to eat, and I still love what I eat. Other than pre-surgery and the first 2 months or so after, I haven't counted calories, haven't tracked macros, etc. The pre-surgery diet, although it felt brutal at the time, was extremely beneficial in getting my mind used to smaller portions. Knowing that I could do it, even with my whole stomach intact, was empowering. The post-surgery diet, which included counting calories for ~2 months, and more importantly accurately portioning my food (½ cup, ¾ cup, etc.), allowed me to gauge what a "sleeve" meal should consist of and look like.
    My social gatherings still revolve around food and drinks. I still cook for large groups. I still eat whatever I want. pizza, Pasta, French fries, etc. In that respect nothing has changed. I didn't drink alcohol for almost a year, but now I have a glass or two of wine almost every day, plus the occasional vodka (Deep Eddy Ruby Red vodka with Water -- in Austin, TX they call it "pink crack).
    What has changed is that I mostly only WANT to eat things that are high in Protein and otherwise healthy. Rather than wake up and drink 2-3 Diet Cokes, I drink water all day, every day. And not only do I not miss the soda, I crave the water. I carry it with me everywhere. If I've portioned correctly, I stop eating when my plate is empty. If I happen to add more to my plate than the recommended amount, my stomach tells me I've eaten enough before my plate is empty. I have more energy, I feel stronger physically, and I don't hate the mirror or the camera.
    FOOD: I eat every 3-4 hours.
    Breakfast is typically either: 2 eggs + 2 strips bacon, or a bowl of Kashi Go Lean high protein Cereal with Fairlife (higher in protein) milk. Sometimes I go wild and use Fairlife chocolate milk on the cereal - LOL!
    Lunch: if not leftovers of last night's dinner, usually it's 6 Triscuits with lunchmeat and cheese, or 6 saltines with chicken or tuna salad. Not sure why, but 6 seems to be my magic number when it comes to crackers. If I want a sandwich, I eat a sandwich, but I buy those little party rye loaves with the tiny pieces of bread and I always toast them -- like a grilled cheese sandwich, but with meat and cheese. I will add horseradish to roast beef, or chipotle mayo, spinach leaves, Tomato slices, or whatever. You'd be surprised how flavorful and satisfying you can make a tiny little sandwich. And I savor every bite.
    Dinner: Salmon, chicken, steak, shrimp, fish -- I have at least one of those every night for dinner, broiled, grilled, sautéed, stir-fry, or occasionally fried in coconut oil. Sides include a green veggie and a starch -- rice, pasta, potato. Those are mostly for my husband. I eat the protein, plus a very small portion of the sides. The fourth meal, either between lunch and dinner, or after dinner depending on what time we eat, is the same as what I described for lunch. I don't prioritize fruits or veggies, but I eat them when I want or when my body tells me it needs them. I get random cravings for oranges or salad, which I think is my body's way of telling me I need them. Also, I eat every meal now on a salad plate rather than a dinner plate. It's a small thing, but helps with Portion Control and to combat the visual impact of a nearly empty plate.
    THE DOWN SIDE: For me, months 3-9 were the most challenging, and mostly with social environments. I'm one of the people who didn't share my journey with my friends. After the third month, the weight loss was drastic. Month after month I dropped size after size. A good thing, right? Of course. But trying to maintain the secret, sit at a dinner table filled with food and friends, and eat at most a cup of food with no wine or cocktail? Sheesh, that was hard. The worst part was having overweight acquaintances ask me about the secret to my success. I wanted to share this amazing gift with everyone, but I chose not to trade the privacy of my personal health journey to become an ambassador for bariatric surgery. Now the questions have died down and I'm just normal me.
    I weigh myself 4-5 days a week. I hit goal about 8 months after surgery, and since then (21 months) I've gone +/- 3 pounds. If I eat pizza or fries, it's a small portion and not on a regular basis. Same with dessert. I'm actually satisfied with one Hershey kiss. Bizarre. It's like everything our doctors told us -- eat less, move more, eat healthier, use moderation. What seemed impossible to accomplish on a regular-sized stomach became simple with a tiny one.
    Sorry for this long post. I read everything I could find on this site pre-surgery and it really helped to have so many different perspectives from so many people. Our journeys are all different, and what works for some may not work for others. It's normal to feel nervous. But if you were to tally the regrets on this site, they would mostly be that we didn't take this step sooner.
  22. Like
    flgirl23 reacted to seldom78 in Happy banders   
    Old lapbandster here too! Have been banded for 10 years. Love my band most of the time and have no plans to remove it. Not for now at least. I think a lot of the problems are due to a band that is too tight. I was having issues in the past two years and found that an unfill + progressive fills to a lower level to have solved 90% of them. Don't let the band get too tight as it can happen even if you have not had fills for years! I am 14 pounds heavier now at a lower fill level but would rather be a little heavier and comfortable than thinner and miserable.
  23. Haha
    flgirl23 reacted to FINFAN3DP in Curious... How long before you could eat your first piece of pizza?   
    I have this thing about only eating foods that taste good, and don't make me vomit from the smell or taste.
    "potatoes, rosemary, garlic & Gorgonzola" on a pizza? My boss at the pizza place said back in the 80's when kids would come in and try to order pineapple and ham, "Get the eff outta hea"... Then he would turn to me and say "what's next, freakin jellybeans on a pizza!"
    I'm a purist, Pepperoni, Black olives, and occasionally sausage.

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