ColieCallwell

Congratulations!!! I'm 9 weeks post op too! I've lost 47 pounds. It is AMAZING! I had my 2 month post op at my surgeon's last week and they were happy with my progress. I was a little discouraged because I stalled out for about a week, but my nutritionist reminded me of all the NSVs...I've stopped having to use my cpap, my feet don't ache anymore, I'm down from a size 18 to a size 12. I still want to lose about another 40 lbs, and the weight loss is moving much slower now. I really have to be more diligent. We had a Halloween party to go to yesterday, and it is HARD to navigate the food (and drink) table at a party! My husband and I were the only sober people there, lol. But it was still fun! I'm learning you don't need food and alcohol to have a good time.

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I'm doing okay so far, but won't even take a taste of alcohol for fear I'll take it up again. We went to a party last night and it was not as hard as I thought it would be to not have a drink.

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Congratulations!!! I'm 9 weeks post op too! I've lost 47 pounds. It is AMAZING! I had my 2 month post op at my surgeon's last week and they were happy with my progress. I was a little discouraged because I stalled out for about a week, but my nutritionist reminded me of all the NSVs...I've stopped having to use my cpap, my feet don't ache anymore, I'm down from a size 18 to a size 12. I still want to lose about another 40 lbs, and the weight loss is moving much slower now. I really have to be more diligent. We had a Halloween party to go to yesterday, and it is HARD to navigate the food (and drink) table at a party! My husband and I were the only sober people there, lol. But it was still fun! I'm learning you don't need food and alcohol to have a good time.

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9 weeks Post Op - Lost 45 lbs with 30 more to go....reduced my Blood Pressure medication dosage and reduced my CPAP PSI..... Feel great and able to workout on my eliptical for 30 minutes a day and still take 45 minute walks 5 times a week.
Not quite clean yet with Blood Pressure meds but sober and feeling like I turned a corner after a 2 week plateau.

Hi Friends!
I rarely ever get on this anymore, but I know how pivotal these forums were to me at the beginning of my journey to have people alongside me going through similar experiences! I did this around this time last year and figured another post wouldn't hurt anyone. So, the facts! I'm currently 3.5 years out from VSG, down 140 pounds and kept off, and still living my best life! I have had two plastic surgeries, completed two degrees, and have never been happier in my life. For those just beginning, please do not get discouraged. I remember so vividly the nights I would cry with regret that I had made such a mistake, that my life was ruined, that I was upset I couldn't just do it the "normal" way. These are such valid feelings, but with time they fade. I still have my moments, even this far out, where I have thoughts of "I wonder.." but they are quickly shut down when I think of the quality of life I have provided for myself by going on this journey and seeing photos of myself from 4-5 years ago. So stay strong, stay dedicated, count those grams of Protein and ounces of water!! You have silent supporters in your corner! Always happy to answer questions or provide words of encouragement! Sending best wishes and hugs to all those who need it!

Colie, If you find it hard trying not to drink, try a meeting, and look for aa forums.

Little update, I’ll be 9 weeks po tomorrow and have lost 50 pounds! I’m so happy 😁 it took me a while to notice the weight coming off because I still felt the same, but I now also weigh less than my husband for the first time ever and I think that flipped a switch!

I stopped exercising after a couple of months (I was walking on my treadmill) because of my low energy & low blood pressure. The day I almost fell off due to being so tired & light headed I decided enough.
It’s true. Exercise contributes very little to actual weight loss. But it does contribute to your general health. It also increases your appetite to compensate for the calories you’ve burnt. I still don’t exercise but try to be active in other ways. Dash up & down the stairs in my house. Park further away from where I’m going. Walk at a pace around shopping centres etc. Take stairs when possible. Walk to the local shops. It all helps.

Over easy or poached. The runnier the better!

My go to 90% of the time .... 1 egg, 1 egg white, 2 tbsp fairlife Milk with 1 oz cheese ..omlette.
It fills me up, gives me my needed Protein boost in the morning.

...and can I just say I'm jealous of those that live in the US and can buy the microwaveable egg and turkey sausage breakfast sandwiches in the frozen foods section (my fave was the one at Trader Joes). I had that while on vacation, 3/4 of it and I was good. So satisfying in the morning.

Hello yes I am meeting Protein and liquid goals. I do think that exercising slows down the weight loss, but a complete stall for weeks is discouraging. I decided to stay off the scale for a while. I do notice changes in my body even if the scale isn't moving so that is good! I am going to add protein on the days I exercise. Thanks for the response

Genuine first weird NSV:
Walking outside and experiencing that magical sensation of my undies slowly falling down inside my jeans, which are also slowly falling down. Holding my jeans up by the pockets on my way home, with my undies trying their best to be budget thigh-garters.
Sexy!

Hi -
Protein Shakes were driving me NUTS. I am at the very end of full liquids and beginning to introduce pureed food. However my purees are on the liquidier side because it is what I can handle. You can add less liquid to this recipe if your tummy can handle thicker stuff. I was so wanting something savory. I've been basically living off Premier Protein chocolate shakes and broth based Soups with flavorless Protein added (for awhile this was truly all I could handle otherwise I would feel quite ill) but - now I am trying more things gradually.
Note - this serves probably like 6-8 servings? Maybe more? I haven't measured. I just eat a few spoonfuls and don't over-do it.
Ingredients
🔸4 hard boiled eggs
🔸1.5 tbsp mayo (I used chosen foods - because it's paleo and doesn't have inflammatory oils - I was paleo before surgery and before pre-op even to help manage my PCOS symptoms)
🔸1 stalk celery chopped
🔸A dash of Himalayan Pink Salt
🔸A dash of Onion Salt (I used Trader Joe's brand)
🔸1/4C Pickle Juice (this is the liquidy element that helped me)
Directions
🔹 Throw everything into the blender and blend until completely smooth.
🔹 Store and refrigerate. I tend to eat 2 oz servings at a time.

Additional notes - you can probably add more seasoning to this if you're able to tolerate. Since I am so early on I wanted to keep it very simple and easy to digest. I loved loved loved this meal. Hope yours turn out great 👍

@Arabesque I have the same question about why am I still on pureeds! I am STARVING all the time! Even my surgeon's diet guide says soft foods start approximately 5 weeks after surgery. The surgeon scolded me on Facebook and said at 7 weeks out I should only be eating 3 tbsps of pureed food. I think the plan has changed or something happened to make the surgeon change the method, but the diet guide was never updated. It could be so that people lose more weight more quickly. I ditched the support group, it's not a requirement. I have started testing the Water with soft foods. I've been doing some tough workouts in the mornings, and I feel like I need an egg every now and then, lol (soft boiled or poached of course!).

Thank you to everyone who responded! I feel less like a failure hearing from all of you! And I really appreciate all the thoughtful input.

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I am a person who always wants to know the "why" behind a rule (unfortunately!). So, as I've slowly been progressing through my surgeon's plan (still on pureeds for two more weeks, and I'm 7 weeks out), I've started wondering if we will always have to drink Protein Shakes. I hate them, they taste gross, and the ingredients list is like 5 paragraphs long full of things I can't even say - besides that, they're full of carbs and often high calorie. And if we do have to always drink them, why? Why can't we meet our Protein goals through eating real food? For example, an egg and a morningstar Breakfast sausage patty is 16 grams of protein and 150 calories. The Protein Shake I drink is almost 300 calories (bariatric advantage with PB2 over a plant based milk). Also, Bone Broth, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, tuna are all high protein, low calorie options that taste way better than protein shakes. If a person is able to meet protein goals and still stay around 600 calories a day during weight loss phase, why the shakes? (I don't know if that's feasible, I haven't tried it - I am still drinking the nasty protein).
So, I posted the question to the online support group my surgeon keeps on Facebook. I asked if a person can meet their daily protein goal through real food, are protein shakes still required. Man! You would have thought I asked if I could eat a full meat lovers pizza from Papa John's! People launched on me, accused me of eating too much food, told me if I wanted to lose weight and maintain it I HAD to drink protein shakes for life. Then the surgeon came on and publicly shamed me, said I was way off track and wasn't following the plan. What bomb did I set off???
And nobody ever explained WHY the shakes are required???
The previous time before this when I asked a question, almost the same thing happened. I asked if I could drink the Unjury ready made shakes instead of the powder because they taste so much better. People berated me, and told me the ready made shakes were not good for me. Then the surgeon chimed in and said the ready made were not as good because they are protein caseinate instead of whey isolate. Um, the packaging clearly says the Unjury brand is whey protein isolate. So now why are they bad for me?
The next day, my surgeon posted a long post about people having this surgery and not taking it seriously. I can't help but think it was in response to my question about protein shakes.
I didn't even have Facebook, I deleted it in 2016 when things started to get so nasty online. I only started using it again to join my surgeon's group.
I cancelled following the page. I was really ticked off at the responses. I'm so angry I don't even want to continue with my surgeon's office. AND, by the way, I am not way off track, I've lost 41 lbs. in these last 7 weeks, and I'm really happy with that. Started at 235, now 194 (and have been losing about 1 lb a day for the last few days).
I know I'm being a baby, I think I just needed to vent. I do like my surgeon when we meet one on one for appointments. Facebook is evil.
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I think my plan is a little different in that no foods are expressly forbidden, as long as you're getting enough Protein and staying within a reasonable calorie range. I know in my dieting past that cutting out entire groups of food (for example, on keto), would lead to cravings and bingeing, so I've been trying to allow a bite of everything from time to time.
For example, I've started going into work once a week on Fridays, and someone ALWAYS brings donuts. The first two weeks, I was completely uninterested. Last week, I thought I'd give it a try, found a maple bar that someone had already cut a piece off, and cut off a tiny square that was about a bite. Ate it, was shocked at how excessively sweet it was, logged 1/10th of a maple bar in my food journal, and moved on. I haven't wanted another taste since. For me personally, if this will be a lifetime change, I need to learn how to manage unhealthy foods in a reasonable way because I'm not sure it's really realistic to be able to avoid them forever. Others are certainly having different experiences and that's totally fine!

My mantra when I have a craving for those foods is, "When I reach my goal weight." When I reach my goal weight, I will be able to eat whatever I want, in moderation. A bite of pizza or a cookie here and there is not going to balloon me back to my starting weight, but eating those things with utter abandon will. So, I will allow myself very careful indulgences once I've lost the weight. Until then, I'm in losing mode and indulgences are not on the menu. Knowing the time will come when I can enjoy treats again helps me push past the cravings, where thinking they are forbidden forever makes me want some *right now.*

It definitely seems like the consensus is that a lot of post-sleevers just don’t really want the foods they use to want. This is exactly what I’m hoping for.

Since I haven’t had it done yet, it just seems a little unbelievable. I find myself wanting to grab the sugary things when I start getting hungry or tired. Or a Diet Coke. I’ve only recently stopped eating and drinking those things, so I suppose it’s only natural to be having longing thoughts about them. I miss them. Which is why I’m on here looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. But it sounds like I won’t be thinking about food the same way post surgery.
Also, I find myself sorta looking around my kitchen confused about what to eat. I feel aimless at times. I keep referring back to my binder for what I’m allowed to be eating (for phase 2 pre-op) and I’m so (cussing) hungry! I would usually just start eating on candy, chips, nuts, cheese stick, Water, Diet Coke (whatever I can quickly stuff in my mouth) as I figure out what I’m going to eat, and obviously that is part of the bad habits that have gotten me here.

I’m looking forward to craving healthy things!

I have hated the shakes since day one of the pre-op diet.
I have issues with sucralose, aceK and aspertame sweeteners (they induce immediate migraines) and EVERY product on my doctor's recommendations list contained them (shakes, puddings, drink mixes, etc). All of their proprietary private-labeled foods and drinks include them as well, you know, the ones at the office, which they really want to sell you "to make it easier." I had to search out alternatives with natural sweeteners and just about everything is sweetened with Stevia (rebA) or Monk Fruit extract and those products are HIGHLY over-sweetened. I used shakes during my pre-op when I could stand at the kitchen sink and chug them down, but once I had my surgery and could only sip slowly, they were out. I just couldn't drink them without gagging.
So, I was always using alternative products to what the practice recommended, and started seeking out real food methods to meet my Protein goals very early in the process. When I met the nutritionist she was impressed with my creativity and absolutely fine with my choices, the doctor not so much. Even though I was recovering well and losing weight, he seemed personally insulted that I wouldn't just take their plan "that has worked for thousands of patients" and unquestionably follow it. He tried to push me to go back to shakes and supplements, even though I was reaching my protein goals without them. He wasn't mean about it, but was quite forceful. I totally think it's an ego thing.
So, the moral of my story is, there is more than one way to reach the finish line. If you are willing to do the research and find choices that are more appealing to you, while being in line with the nutrients you need to meet your goals, then go for it. Avoid the places you've reached out for support and found only judgement and resistance, and find groups that will help you get there. Like this one!

My 5 year old left me holding his vanilla frozen yogurt while he played at the kids play area at the mall. I took one tiny taste, and it disgusted me, it was way too sweet. I'm only 7 weeks out. I haven't had cravings for anything sweet or junky. My cravings are for things like an egg, or filet mignon, lol.

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So sorry to hear that! 😥
Protein Shakes made me vomit, for real. I tried drinking them for a couple weeks post-op since I somewhat liked them before surgery. But then said no, and got Protein through other sources.
I now use unflavored protein powder for 45g a day, in addition to food sources, and have done well with weight loss. I would say you can definitely be successful without the shakes!

And your weight loss sounds great!

I wouldn't mix Protein powder with milk unless you are deliberately choosing more calories and protein. One normally mixes them with Water.

There are protein mixes for Soup, not sweetened, for example, Bariatric Advantage and ProtiDiet.
I prefer plant-protein protein drinks and shakes over whey-based.
You can make your own Protein Shakes by adding unflavored protein powder to smoothies, for which there are lots of recipes online. Google "bariatric protein smoothies" or get a couple of bariatric cookbooks.
You probably won't need protein drinks once you are eating solid food.

@Arabesque I have the same question about why am I still on pureeds! I am STARVING all the time! Even my surgeon's diet guide says soft foods start approximately 5 weeks after surgery. The surgeon scolded me on Facebook and said at 7 weeks out I should only be eating 3 tbsps of pureed food. I think the plan has changed or something happened to make the surgeon change the method, but the diet guide was never updated. It could be so that people lose more weight more quickly. I ditched the support group, it's not a requirement. I have started testing the Water with soft foods. I've been doing some tough workouts in the mornings, and I feel like I need an egg every now and then, lol (soft boiled or poached of course!).

Thank you to everyone who responded! I feel less like a failure hearing from all of you! And I really appreciate all the thoughtful input.

Sent from my SM-N976V using BariatricPal mobile app

@Arabesque I have the same question about why am I still on pureeds! I am STARVING all the time! Even my surgeon's diet guide says soft foods start approximately 5 weeks after surgery. The surgeon scolded me on Facebook and said at 7 weeks out I should only be eating 3 tbsps of pureed food. I think the plan has changed or something happened to make the surgeon change the method, but the diet guide was never updated. It could be so that people lose more weight more quickly. I ditched the support group, it's not a requirement. I have started testing the Water with soft foods. I've been doing some tough workouts in the mornings, and I feel like I need an egg every now and then, lol (soft boiled or poached of course!).

Thank you to everyone who responded! I feel less like a failure hearing from all of you! And I really appreciate all the thoughtful input.

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I haven’t touched a Protein Shake since my two weeks of post surgical liquids finished. I lost all my weight plus more, met all my Protein goals & got all the nutrition I needed through the food I ate, even stopped Vitamins just after I reached goal. My plan was always to get the nutrition I needed through what I ate not through supplements.
I’m a question asker too. Plus I do a lot of my own research - love me some googling. I think your questions were very sensible. Can’t say the same for the responses from what you said though. Sheesh!! Do you have to be your surgeon’s support group? And why does he have you still on purées? That seems to be taking it too far at 7 weeks unless there are other health considerations at play of course.
Though I’m a stick to your plan person, I think you could slowly start to add real food sources of protein & other nutrients to your diet. Maybe don't jump to a steak tomorrow but move to soft food for a week or so. Check with your nutritionalist, make sensible nutrient dense healthy food choices & then tell your surgeon when you see them.
You’re doing well with your loss so far. Congratulations.