bestdecisionmade

I was (and still am) the same.

I've always been able to eat more and tolerate more than my fellow sleevers, at every point of the journey.

I worried like crazy about this (see my early posts...) but now I'm so grateful for the ability to eat "normally".

Try as much as you can to trust the process.

As long as you meet your Protein and Water needs, you should be okay.

I'd also say less mashed potato and more scrambled eggs or cottage cheese. That will affect your feeling of fullness.

I'm now very near my goal weight, just 7 months after surgery. I eat all types of food, nothing is off limits (apart from chocolate - my trigger food) and I eat between 1400 and 1800 calories a day and I'm still losing.

I'm 6 months out and I now eat between 1300 and 1800 calories a day.

I'm 5ft 11" and female. I'm still losing weight at approximately 1lb to 2lbs a week with this calorie intake.

To maintain my current weight, I would need to eat around 2200 calories a day. So anything less than that is likely to result in weight loss.

Oh, it's such a battle isn't it?! I also tolerate carbs very well and it's the thorn in my side too.

I have made an agreement with myself that I can have a carby snack every day - usually in the evening when the children have gone to bed. I'll have a salted caramel nut bar or a small bowl of baked crisps (chips).

You've lost over 10lbs a month on average... that's pretty good going. Maybe you're already at the weight you're meant to be?

Are you still tracking Protein and calories?

I'm 6.5 months out and I've started to experience an extremely noisy tummy in the last few weeks.

I mean reeeeally loud and long gurgling at the most inopportune times! 😅

I'm not overly bothered by it, but I do wonder why it's started now?

Anyone else know?

In better news, I've lost 92lbs in that time. I'm well chuffed with that.

15 hours ago, Sunshine Princess said:

I’m right around the three month mark post surgery and I’ve hit a stall. Is this common around this point? I’ve lost 35 lbs since my surgery date.

It seems that weight loss stalls are common; though I've been very fortunate to not have one (so far, at least)

At the risk of offending you with another pertinent question: are you tracking calories as well as Protein?

I've lost over 70lb in 4 months - and I attribute that to minimum of 80g protein and minimum 1000 calories each day.

Exactly the same!

I was worried about this initially - especially on reading so many accounts of people 3 months post-op only being able to eat 700 to 800 calories a day.

But my surgeon put my mind at rest on this.

And so did this guy on YouTube

Hey...

I had my VSG on 4th April, 2022 (so nearly 4 months ago)

For the last month, I've been eating around 1100 to 1200 calories a day.

The weight is still coming off at approximately 1lb to 3lbs each week.

Including my 2 week pre-op diet I've lost 66lb so far... I've got another 45lb to go.

I'm nearly 3 months post op and I eat between 1100 and 1300 calories a day.

I've never stalled in my post op weight loss and my surgeon, dietician and I believe it's because I eat this level of calories.

On 5/19/2022 at 2:54 PM, Kelly Sweetheart said:

the taller you are the longer the stomach thus the more it can hold.

Wowzers! So it might be true then; taller sleevers simply have taller sleeves.

Thanks for the post Kelly 😍- it's given good insight

Despite my ability to eat more food, I'm averaging 4.8lbs loss each week. I'm well chuffed with that!

On 5/16/2022 at 3:56 AM, Arabesque said:

At three weeks out you are still healing, hence the staged return to eating to not stress your tummy. A lot of nerve endings were cut & damaged & until they are healed you won’t get the same messages like for full.

Keep measuring, keep sipping. It gets better & easier.

100% this! 👆

I spoke with my dietitian yesterday and told her my fears.

She said a few things I found helpful for my situation (and possibly others?)

1. Being able to eat a bit more than the average sleever is not a big problem; not all sleeves are made the same.
2. In the first month or two, the stomach is still healing, so it's too early to worry about hunger/restriction.
3. Dense Protein and low-carb veggies should always be the go-to to keep the body feeling fuller for longer.
4. I'm not over-eating (praise the Lord!) Calorie-wise, I am to aim for 1000 calories in the first few months, then 1200 calories next six months with a longer-term aim of 1500 calories maintenance.

I feel much, much happier knowing this. I hope it helps others too.

12 hours ago, Arabesque said:

So you can breath about that. You’re ok.

There’s a difference in removing 80% of a tummy that could hold say 3 cups of food versus 80% removed of a tummy that could hold 5 cups. The larger tummy is still going to be able to hold more. Simple maths.

Once again, I feel reassured on some key points; thank you.

I do believe my stomach pre-surgery was probably larger than average. In binges, I could shamefully stack away a HUGE quantity of food without feeling stuffed. In fact, I rarely remember feeling full in my entire adult life.

I just hope I develop more restriction as time goes on. I don't like the idea of having to second guess it forever.

Kind of starting to wish I'd got the RNY, but also trying not to go down that negative thought line.

10 minutes ago, ShoppGirl said:

I have learned to stop with that portion and when I wait a few minutes I realize that I am satisfied. I don’t wait for that full to the brim feeling anymore. Just to be satisfied.

Thank you so much for your candid wisdom and personal experience; you have given me much food for thought (if you can forgive the dreadful pun!) 👍

3 minutes ago, ShoppGirl said:

For fish, chicken or steak i have about 3-4 ounces and a small amount of veggies.

But I am 14 months out.

I guess this is what worries me...

👉 You're 14 months out and eating 3-4 ounces of meat or fish.... it sounds good and right on track

👉 I'm 6 weeks out sometimes eating 5-6 ounces of meat or fish... it sounds like my stomach is too large/I'm too greedy/I've stretched my sleeve?

I feel like it's got to be at least one of these. 😕

Thanks again for your reply!

3 minutes ago, ShoppGirl said:

Eventually my team said I would be able to eat about one serving of most things and that’s about true now.

Thanks for your quick reply! 😊

Can I ask, what do you mean when you refer to as one serving?

I'm posting this here for traffic in the hope that some of you can advise and/or reassure me.

I had my VSG on the 4th April (around 6 weeks ago)

I am very worried that I am eating too easily so early out. Especially as I keep reading posts about people who can barely eat a postage-stamp sized piece of ham.

An example day this week was:

• Breakfast - 1 x Protein yoghurt pot (100 calories)
• snack - 2 hard-boiled eggs (120 calories)
• lunch - 100g / 4oz of pork sausages and vegetables (250 calories)
• Snack - 50g / 1oz of chicken pieces (150 calories)
• dinner - 130g / 4.5oz of salmon fillet and creamed spinach (200 calories)
• TOTAL 820 calories

I didn't feel any real restriction; I could easily have carried on, but I made myself stop.

I'm pleased with the protein, but is 820 calories too much at this stage? Could I stretch my sleeve with this? Or could my sleeve be too "baggy"?

For reference, in just under 6 weeks, I've lost 26lb.

I wondered if my height could affect my stomach capacity? I am a 6ft female with an Amazonian frame, so maybe my tummy is bigger or longer than average to begin with?

Thank you for any replies!!!

Thanks Cat, that is reassuring to know you are aiming for 4oz too.

It's a learning curve, isn't it?!

Waaaah! Just realised I forgot my second snack - two boiled eggs!!!

So today's food was:

• Breakfast - 1 x yoghurt pot (100 calories)
• Snack - 2 x small boiled eggs (120 calories)
• lunch - 100g / 4oz of pork sausages and vegetables (250 calories)
• snack - 50g / 1oz of chicken pieces (150 calories)
• dinner - 130g / 4.5oz of salmon fillet and spinach (200 calories)

TOTAL 820 calories

I also had my op on the 4th April (5.5 weeks ago) and I'm comparing my journey with you girls.

I am very worried that I am eating too much so early out. I keep reading posts about people who can barely eat a postage-stamp sized piece of ham!

Can I tell you what I ate today?

• Breakfast - 1 x yoghurt pot (100 calories)
• lunch - 100g / 4oz of pork sausages and vegetables (250 calories)
• snack - 50g / 1oz of chicken pieces (150 calories)
• dinner - 130g / 4.5oz of salmon fillet and spinach (200 calories)

I didn't feel any real restriction. I ate all of it fine.

I'm pleased with the Protein, but is 700 calories too much at this stage?

Could I stretch my sleeve with this?

For reference, in 5 weeks, I've lost 26lb.

Thank you for any replies!!!

Totally the same! I am 5 weeks post op - I can eat so much more than others on this forum!

Today, we had a shared lunch at church - I had one large sausage roll (minus the pastry casing), 3 tbsp of tuna Pasta salad, 3 tbsp bulgar wheat salad, the full topping of a large slice of veggie pizza and a Keto brownie.

The worrying thing is... I didn't feel restriction. 😲I only stopped because I felt I should.

Does anyone here think that a person's height and frame size has an effect on this?

10 hours ago, Tina 2.0 said:

Be mindful of this incredible tool you worked so hard for. Make the lifestyle changes and enjoy the gift!

Tina 2.0 🤗

Sage advice borne from much experience - thank you. I've taken this to heart xxx

Thank you so much for your reassuring reply.

Good plan on not weighing yourself - and I'm the same.

The unpredictability of the scales is too high, in my opinion. You might have a stall in your numbers over two weeks, but you could go down half a dress size over the same time period. Our bodies and physiology is complex and there are so many contributing factors to the numbers that flash up on the screen.

For that reason, I only measure my weight loss by how my clothes fit and feel.

It's been great chatting to you tonight! I hope your follow up appointment goes well tomorrow. Mine is 7 weeks away! 😮 Not sure if I should be worried or reassured by that! Ha! xxx

That is so reassuring to hear... 😅

I guess (or hope!) it will change when we start on solid food, because it won't "go through" us like liquid does?

When will you start on puree and soft foods? I'll start puree in a week and then soft foods a week after that.

Have you lost much weight in the last week?

I was away from my little brood for a week, as I recovered in peace and quiet at my brother's home. When my eldest boy saw me yesterday, he said "Wow, mum! You look so different!" 😍

Exactly the same as you with the pain and nausea! I had my first night of side-sleeping last night hopefully you will tonight!

I'm healing really well - almost too well, because I can eat lots without feeling any effects!

I've had 2 pints of milk, 1 pint of tea, 1 pint of Water and 2 pints of chicken Soup today with no issue. What are you able to eat/drink?

We had our surgeries on the same day!

I have been a bit lax in doing my tummy injections. You've just reminded me to do mine!

My nurse said to change the location of each injection.

How are you doing otherwise?

How is your sickness, pain and restriction?

xxx