Spinoza

I'm still like this almost 5 months after my sleeve and it's protein that does it. To the degree that I can only eat lightly during my working day - soup, fruit and yoghurt, etc. I have to eat the majority of my protein after I finish work, and just accept that I am super-sleepy afterwards. So I have a fully protein dinner, get my veg/fruit earlier in the day, and a big protein snack at bedtime. I have always had to eat at bedtime anyway - can't sleep if I'm hungry!

I stuck to my 2 week 800 calorie a day pre-op diet religiously, only to have my surgery cancelled the day, no *the night* before, on the most spurious of pretexts. After that I was waiting for the results of various tests and thinking I might get the call any time, so I stuck to the diet until I got a second definite date, which was a full 2 months after my original date. Then it was right in to the 2 week proper pre-op diet again. I ended up losing 25lbs in those 2 months and boy am I glad that I don't have those still ahead of me. So - I wouldn't change a thing. But you do you! We all approach WLS differently. Just don't do anything you'll regret. Once you're on the pre-op diet, do that.

Anyway, I actually came to post my NSV - ran for 300 steps in a row today. I haven't done that for about 12 years. I really want to get back to running - I used to love it.

4.5 months after my sleeve and I am officially overweight. It's the best thing I have ever done. I cannot believe the speed with which I have lost all that weight. I know that I want to lose another 40 pounds or so and I can only hope that I do, but honestly if I stopped losing weight in the morning I would be happy with what I have achieved right now. Best of luck to those of you starting out on your journey - it's a wild ride.

OMG I cannot wait for this to happen for me. I have never been the same weight two days in a row (never mind two years in a row) for my entire adult life. I have either been gaining or losing forever. Cannot wait to not have to check every day which one is happening *TO ME*.

I stayed 1 night after my sleeve (afternoon operation) and I am glad I did. I probably could have managed at home but I was groggy after the anaesthetic and pretty sore.

I should say too that 600 calories a day sounds really little to me - is that until you get where you want to be or just for the first few weeks?

There are calculators but your body won't know that Kelly! They're based on averages and most people don't stick to those. If you're looking for a ballpark my surgeon said that people lose an average of 60-70% of their *excess* body weight in two years. That's not to say all people though - some do (much) better some do (much) worse. I'm a bit control freaky too so I have had a hard time not being able to predict what will happen from one week or month to the next. But I have learned to trust my sleeve - it's working really well for me. Your body will already have a new set point in mind and once you get there that's it - I believe we either accept that or we fight tooth and nail to lose more to get to OUR ideal (not our BODY'S new ideal) and then fight forever to stay there. And most of us have spent a good part of our lives fighting the same fight and losing. I hope you do really well with your sleeve - you're already doing brilliantly. Stick to the rules and you will lose, there's no way on this earth that you won't. And if you stick to the rules for a long time you will get to your new set weight. How much you will lose and how fast is, unfortunately for you and me, pretty much impossible to say.

Just updating to say I entered onederland today and it's every bit as good as I remember. I hope I never leave. Onwards and downwards!!

Mine too - is that not how the liver gets shrunk? I was on 800 calories a day for 2 weeks pre-op. OP I hope you can get back on the horse and not slip again - it would be awful if your operation didn't go ahead. It is super hard though. Good luck.

I'm a very private person generally so I have told my partner and children and nobody else, and I don't think I ever will. Totally my business and my choice. I won't tell a lie if asked outright but I will deflect - 'wow - what makes you think that?' etc. It would take a very determined and persistent questioner to get past me My life, and nobody else's opinions are necessary to validate my decisions thank you very much.

Really helpful - thank you!

Just scarily well organised

OMG this looks amazing! Thank you for the recipe.

Thank you and thanks to ForMyOhana - I am an idiot for not thinking of this myself - I *know* that I drink flavoured water much quicker - doing that from tomorrow. Edited to add - I am on around 1000 - 1100 calories a day now. Maybe a bit more at the weekend when I have a glass of wine. And I am on 4-6 small meals or snacks a day now, very variable. I always make up my calories at the end of the day so I'l have cheese or hummus or nut butter if I haven't got to 1000 by bedtime. Protein is no problem because I like to snack on deli meat or meat I cook myself and cut up for my tub in the fridge. I have a meat tub AND a cheese tub, LOL.

Oh wow I've looked that up and it looks amazing - thank you! I do use a travel mug when I remember but even that doesn't save me from big gulps of lukewarm coffee when I forget how long it's been sitting there.

I stir out all the fizz and drink it pretty much flat. Even with that there are immediate burps - sometimes very impressive ones

I think loads of us experience the very same anxiety whilst we're on a liquid diet. The initial jitteriness of your stomach from being cut open and hauled about settles down, and liquids slide right through your pouch and out the other side. I totally convinced myself my surgery had gone horribly wrong. Please don't worry too much - as soon as you start eating more solid food you will fill up really quickly. Sounds like you're recovering really well

Oh these are fab - thank you! I love wordle and quordle but now I have more games to play!

Fab to hear your update @DaisyAndSunshine 13lbs is so inspiring - to you and everyone here! I've lost 10 or 11lbs a month for the last 3 months now. Not expecting things to stay at that rate but it's pretty sweet while it lasts. We've lost a similar amount and have a similar way to go. Bring it on! My main issue remains getting enough fluids would you believe. I get hungry and eat without thinking that I will need an hour (more usually) afterwards to let that settle so I can drink. And then I get hungry again and have to eat RIGHT NOW. I have tried loads of different strategies but I think my work is to blame - it's so busy and immersive that my coffee goes cold and my water bottle just sits there. What I often end up doing is drinking two or three glasses of diet coke after my evening meal and before my supper - I seem to have no problem getting *that* in!

Wow that really is a big difference - looks fab! I think I would be too chicken to have it myself though - pain is to be avoided at all costs I'm sure you're thrilled with how you look having had those little nips and tucks - it's like the icing on the cake of weight loss My belly is getting really flabby now 70lbs into this but I'm a big fan of spanx and so far they're really doing the job. I have a holiday in July so will need to see how I feel in swimwear - I suspect a lot better than the last time I wore it, and I will be getting some with all the underwiring and pulling in power I possible can! (Any recommendations anyone?)

Same here. Absolutely no regrets almost 5 months out - other than not doing it 12 years ago when I first contacted my surgeon and he talked me out of it.

Not your target audience but I started off at 276 lbs and 4.5 months after gastric sleeve I'm overweight (rather than morbidly obese) for the first time in 10 years. Surgery is the only way to lose a significant amount of weight and have a good chance of keeping it off. I could not be happier with my choice to do this - only wish I had done it years ago!

Abso-flipping-lutely this

I am 4.5 months post sleeve and I eat salad all the time. Have done for several weeks without a problem. I have also drunk alcohol from about 6 weeks post op, again no issue with that other than that I need to count calories very carefully at the weekend when I imbibe. I live in Ireland and it's really hard to do anything social without having alcohol so I needed to incorporate that into my diet pretty early. I understand that lots of people won't want or need to. Horses for courses!