Tony B - NJ

I lost about 19 pounds on the pre-op diet. I did it for a little longer than I had to because I was so eager to lose.

I did not have quite as much to lose but I did reach a point where I felt that people were not looking at me and judging me any more. Then, after another 30 or so pounds I found that people, especially women were looking at me because I actually looked good. I also get looks because I really stepped up my wardrobe now that I am comfortable enough to wear clothes that are not baggy and hide my body size. There is a point where you will stop being self conscious..hang in there it is coming.

Nice job. More to come

great job!

I am almost 1 year post surgery and down 114 pounds. My resting heart rate is 47 or so most days and atleast once a day it drops to the low 40s and I get an alarm on my Apple Watch. I saw my surgeon who did not think it was a huge concern but referred me back to my Primary who I see later this week. I don't think it is a big deal personally since I lost so much weight and work out 60-90 minutes per day.

One of the nicest non scale victories I have experienced is that I am not sweating near as much as I have in the past. I walk outside during the work day to get a little extra exercise. In the past walking around in 90 degree weather would make me soaking wet in just a short 10 or 15 minutes. I am walking a good 20 minutes several times a day without sweating very much at all. I did not think it was possible.

I am 11 months post op and I seem to have stopped losing. I am still exercising and counting calories but nothing seems to move the weight lately. I lost about 113 pounds which is great but was hoping for just a bit more to get below a bmi of 25

I think i would start off aggressively monitoring your calories using one of the many apps available. you will have to weight your food and pay attention to portion size etc. If you are legitimately getting the calories you think you are and are exercising as you indicate and still cannot lose, then that is a different story. Too many of us think we are eating X amount of calories but when we weigh it out and record every single bite, we realize it is a lot more than we thought.

If you use a tracking app like My Fitness Pal, you can type in what you are eating and it gives some close proximations of calories and usually several options to choose from. That is better than just guessing if you do not want to calculate every ingredient.

5 hours ago, Queen ApisM said:

I definitely feel less back pain now.

I will say, I did experience increased pain for a bit - from my tailbone! I sit a lot for work, and as I lost weight, I really was getting uncomfortable, sitting and standing. I was a mess. But it was easily fixed with a special cushion on my chair. Now, no pain and my back is the best it has been in literal decades. It's a fairly common thing as we lose fat around the tailbone area so nothing to worry about.

I second this entry. I had horrible pain in my tail bone after I lost a bunch of weight and lost my cushion. I bought a cushion for my work chair and home office as well as my car and I feel 100% better. I never had pain standing or lying down but sitting in a hard chair was murder for me. This is definitely to be expected when you lose your ass fat from what I read. I still use the cushion at work but no longer need it in the car or at home unless I am sitting on a hard chair for an extended time.

22 hours ago, lizonaplane said:

I had surgery exactly 10 months ago. The last few months, I've really stayed about the same, maybe lost a few pounds total in 3-4 months. But... when I take my measurements, my waist measurement is INCREASING!! I can't understand why this would be. I've started working out with a trainer, but that shouldn't cause my waist to GROW, right? My other measurements (I only take chest, waist, and hips) are about the same, maybe a little smaller. Am I changing the way that I measure somehow? (I'm not pregnant LOL!)

Did this happen to anyone else?

I am around the same time out as you are. I am having a heck of a time taking off the last bit of weight I want to get to my ultimate goal. I am experiencing the exact opposite issue where my waist seems to be shrinking and my pants are getting loose. It doesn't make sense either way because I am doing the same eating, exercise etc.

Good luck. you are roughly the same size as I am, a little heavier but very similar. I lost 113 pounds so far in almost 11 months. I am down to 180 now. Stick to the program, start to exercise (I walked about an hour total for the first 6 months in 3 or 4 different walks). count the calories honestly and do what the team tells you to do. You will be pleasantly surprised.

2 hours ago, ThinIce said:

Scheduled to show up for my gastric sleeve today at 11:30. I'm not as nervous as I thought I would be, but there's still time for that to change! Pre op Liver shrink wasn't so bad. But sticking to Clear Liquids only at the end (and I did) was a little tough while cooking for my family. Mag citrate was (and still is unfortunately) and adventure. But, I'm down 16 pounds from highest point now thanks to the pre op diet and can't wait to see what the next month brings. I have loads of trust in my surgeon however we all know the unexpected can happen no matter how rare and unlikely. Kind thoughts/prayers/positive energy welcome.

Good luck!

14 hours ago, TimberlynnVSG said:

Good evening,

I am looking to start drinking (decaf) coffee again - more like Iced coffee.

Anyone here drink Ice Coffee, what do you add to it?

Looking for some suggestions.

TIA

I NEVER held coffee from myself at any point. I drink black coffee with no sweetener so it is not a calorie issue with me. I had no adverse issues with coffee and it actually helps me. I often get bored and where I may normally reach for a snack, I pour myself a cup of coffee and that satisfies the urge as well as gives me a jolt of energy. As far as Decaf, I see no reason to limit that at all.

I think we all have this reaction after the first few weeks. I was not really comfortable with eating and drinking for over six months. I recently took a trip to Cancun and was able to eat when I wanted and drink what I wanted. The drinking has gotten infinitely better after 10 months or so post surgery. I can pretty much drink however much I want. I usually nurse a drink before and during the meal and hold off about 30 minutes after but I was able to maintain my buzz all day/every day in Mexico. Sometimes I wish I could really indulge in food but it is not worth the pain and the guilt. I also like being a size 34 waist vice a 48 or 50. There are some foods that I can splurge on like popcorn, nuts, tortilla chips etc from time to time when I get the munchies but it is very rare that I will do that. Since it is summertime, I have been eating a LOT of watermelon which gives me the hydration I need and a nice sweet, low calorie snack.

Things get much, much better....hang in there.

I do not think you are eating too much at all. This is pretty much what I was eating at this stage

I think it is kind of normal to think of yourself in a certain way when you have been that way for so long. Conversely, many people who have been skinny all their lives still live their life as if they were skinny when they are putting on a lot of weight. I always think of myself as an overweight person when I am out and about in the world. I still feel like people are looking at me and judging me for my appearance, what food I order or similar things. I think I will eventually think of myself as a normal sized person but I am sure it will be a slow evolution to that.

I some ways it is really not a bad thing because you know where you came from and will not pass judgement and scorn on those who are struggling with weight issues like has been done to all of us through our lives.

I have tried the Bariatric Advantage chewable and capsule. The chewable is disgusting, the capsule smells awful and makes me cringe to take it. The bariatric pal capsule is great for me. Same stats and the BA without the vile smell and taste.

The only concern would be infection of the tattoo site in my opinion. If you go to a reputable artist and do the proper aftercare and keep it super clean it should not be an issue at all. I have gotten 3 pist op staring at 4 months. No issues at all

1 hour ago, summerseeker said:

You look like a different guy altogether, Congratulations on your hard work. You must be so proud and happy

Thank you.

112 pounds in 10 months

Try the "Built" Bar. You can find on Amazon. It has 20 grams of Protein and 130 calories. I tried the salted caramel and the coconut and they are both very good. I use these when I am going to be out for a while and do not get a chance to stop for lunch. It holds the hunger off and gives me a shot of protein.

6 hours ago, Tami10 said:

I feel like I have given up a lot since starting this journey. I don't mind most of them. Mostly because I feel better and down 103 pounds. However I really really miss drinking while I eat.

Sent from my SM-A716U using BariatricPal mobile app

I miss this as well. Or more specifically, having a cocktail at a restaurant while waiting for my meal. Small sacrifice, but something I really miss.

They look delicious. My only drawback on these would be the fat and carb content.

The referral is the start of a process where you have time to figure out if it is the right thing for you. You will have to have a psychological evaluation, medical screenings etc. You will do a lot of soul searching during this time. Your seem convinced that you have done all your can with conventional methods and they have not worked for you. This is the point where most of us have had the same thoughts and have pursued the surgical route. You have to be ready to make sacrifices and to give up some of the habits you have fallen into previously. If you don't make those changes, you will not sustain the weight loss. The surgery gives you a tool in the short term to give you physical restrictions to over eating. During this time where your restriction is working for you, you need to develop good eating habits. If you do this, you will be successful. Some continue to have restrictions to eating others do not get the same restriction which again, the surgery is a tool to get you in the right mindset to make permanent changes to your habits and eating problem.