Hope4NewMe

I first came to this board in March of 2022. I had my 1st surgery (sleeve) in May 2022. I had my revision to bypass (due to A LOT of complications with the sleeve) in June of 2023. Since then I have been complication free. But I was struggling to maintain my weight. I was put on a diet and exercise regimen to gain and then maintain my weight.
Well, my metabolism finally sorted itself out, but I wasn't paying attention. I was supposed to weigh myself once a week to see how things are going. I went 4 weeks without weighing myself. And I was just eating whatever I wanted in hopes I would gain. And boy oh boy, I did gain. I went from 176 to 190 in 5 weeks. That shocked me, because I wanted to get to 180 - 183.
Now I have to stop eating willy nilly, get my diet back on track, and focus more on my workouts. I became lax with what I needed to do and I found myself going back to old eating habits. Examples include eating whatever I wanted, even when it went against my diet. Not working out as much as I was supposed to because I was tired or didn't feel like it. Eating when I was bored. Eating something because it's there, not because I was hungry. Grazing all day and night, which was ALWAYS my issue.
I'm telling you all this because I've seen so many posts where some of you guys really beat yourself up for messing up. You're afraid you'll undo all your progress. I admit, that has creeped into my mind a bit, but I remind myself that I know what to do and what not to do. I know how to get back on track. And I know how to give myself grace while still holding myself accountable. It's just a matter of doing it.
So I'm going to course correct, get back to the proper diet and exercise routine, and really work on my eating habits. Just know that EVERYONE can slip up. It's not the end of the world....even if it feels like it is. Just own up to your mistakes, correct your actions, eat and exercise properly, and it'll all be ok. And with that, I need to go work out. Have a good one, and wish me luck that I get this sorted.

I live on low fat string cheese and oikos triple zero yogurt. I have it for Breakfast every day and sometimes lunch too. I don't know why I haven't gotten tired of them after a year but I still look forward to my cheese and yogurt lol. Do you find that you eat a lot of the same food now? I used to get bored with foods and change often but after the surgery I eat the same foods happily and don't want to change. It's a weird side effect of the surgery for me at least. Grapes are my other food I live on but that's not the Protein food you were looking for.

Today is my 7 year surgiversary 🎉
I can’t believe it’s been that long but my lifestyle does have a lived in feel to it. My weight is stable-ish with a current BMI of ~25.
I have no problem finding safe things to eat while out but this year I cooked the major of my meals. That means I accidentally began meal prepping because of cooking foods only I seem to want to eat twice in a row. I’m ok with this as I actually like eating the same things, ad nauseum 🤣.
I drink hot tea every morning and most nights. I have fully returned to carbonated Water, kombucha and pre/probiotic drinks.< br />
Some highlights of this year includes sending my last child off to college, my first colonoscopy, started reading spicy books (thanks ACOTAR) and a few bucket list trips (The Space Coast to visit Kennedy Space center, Grand Canyon and the New Mexico hot air balloon festival).
I’m still very satisfied with the outcome of WLS and all of the new advancements in obesity medicine.

Day 4 after arm lifts and reverse mini abdominal, October 17, 2024. A bit sore right now in the elbows and hands, but pain is manageable. I do look forward to Fall leather jackets fitting better without arm bulk and layering issues. This will complete previous plastics + adventures after sleeve in December 2018. Yay!

Just finished a Half Marathon in ~2:10. Not too shabby for an old man that had a total knee replacement and open heart surgery, and that used to weight >330 lbs a couple of years ago.

That's all, thanks for indulging me! 😀

Today marks 6 months since my gastric bypass surgery! It's also almost exactly one year since I attended the orientation class at the weight loss center that was the first step in beginning the surgical program. I came home after the class and took a "before" photo. I had just weighed in at my highest weight ever. I was on blood pressure meds and my A1c put me in the prediabetic danger zone. My joints ached every morning. My 50th birthday was looming and I felt so old.
The day after that photo, I started making changes to my diet. I lost 13 lbs from August until early February. I lost an additional 13 lbs on my 2-week liquid diet. I had my surgery on February 21 and since then, I've lost another 45lbs, for a total of 71 lbs down! My blood pressure is normal, and so is my A1c. The aches and pains are gone, and I'm hitting my 10k step goal several days each week. I'm nowhere near perfect, but I'm improving steadily.
I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I was this weight. It had to have been when I was around 22 years old. Like pretty much everyone says, my only regret is not doing this sooner.

I bought a ninja creami machine and I get the Keto chow mix and I make a yummy Protein ice cream. I tend to use milk or Water instead of heavy cream because of the calories but it still turns out ok. I also love just fruit in it too, my favorite is pears. coffee with a Protein Shake also makes great ice cream. It's fun to throw in weird things and see what happens lol.

I bought a ninja creami machine and I get the Keto chow mix and I make a yummy Protein ice cream. I tend to use milk or Water instead of heavy cream because of the calories but it still turns out ok. I also love just fruit in it too, my favorite is pears. coffee with a Protein Shake also makes great ice cream. It's fun to throw in weird things and see what happens lol.

I bought a ninja creami machine and I get the Keto chow mix and I make a yummy Protein ice cream. I tend to use milk or Water instead of heavy cream because of the calories but it still turns out ok. I also love just fruit in it too, my favorite is pears. coffee with a Protein Shake also makes great ice cream. It's fun to throw in weird things and see what happens lol.

I’m counting it since my body has been fluctuating weight for the last month! 😂 but this is insane, never have I ever been this weight in my adult life! Never have I ever been this fit, never have I ever stayed on this path and stuck it through. What an amazing tool! Next goal? BOOBIES 😅

Thank you all so much. I was so taken aback by this entire conversation. She even had the gall and AUDACITY to ask me if I wanted to try phentermine!!! PHENTERMINE!!! I told her that not only would I never ever take that, I would be finding a new doctor. For her to KNOW about the cardiac issues I had after my hernia surgery in December and then suggest a medication with known cardiac implications....I can't fathom what was going through her mind.
She said to me that if I felt better at maybe 170 instead of 155 or 160, she could maybe see if that would be ok. I said "Ok with WHO?? It's MY body, and I'm ok with it as it is now". She said I've come so far and made so much progress that it seems like such a shame to not get myself to a healthier and more normal weight and bmi. I explained AGAIN that I lost 238 pounds from my highest weight, which is what I weighed when I first came to her. I reminded her that SHE REFERRED ME TO THE BARIATRIC SURGEON. I reminded her that I've lost 205 pounds since my first surgery.
I've done enough. I've gotten off all of my meds that I wanted to, started the career I wanted, became active and started doing all the things I wanted to. I have my life and health back. There is NOTHING else I need or want to accomplish, besides plastics in a few years.
She didn't use to be like this. She was an amazing doctor. But for some reason, she's jumped on the BMI bandwagon and decided that it's the only way to judge if someone is healthy. I can't get behind that, and I can't tolerate this from her anymore. Definitely looking for a new doctor.

I have to be honest about my experience so far with dietitians, and with post-bariatric advice and counseling in general. If you ask 100 dietitians what we are supposed to be doing, you will get 101 different responses. And if you ask them a second time, you will probably get even more. Too much Protein, not enough protein, carbs are the devil, carbs are fine, low fat, don't worry about fat, count calories, only count macros, work out more, don't exercise too much...
You've lost over 100 pounds. You are 12.8 pounds from your goal at only 5 months post-op, work out 6 days a week, and look and feel great. You seem really happy. I fail to see why you should change anything if you are happy with your results, unless you think the advice will benefit you. You know your body and what works for you, and unless your dietitian is a bariatric patient, she's never been through what you are doing first hand.
Take what she says with a grain of salt, except salt is bad, unless it isn't because electrolytes are good...who knows?

Since I started my weight loss journey 2 years ago with my first surgery, he decided to change his eating and exercising habits. I lost 200 pounds in 2 years, he lost 66 pounds in 2 years. We're both absolutely thrilled
My A1c went from 7.9 to 5.0, no more more high bp or diabetes or high cholesterol (mine went from 249 to 170). His A1c went from 12.8 (yes you read that right) to 5.9, no more high bp, and his cholesterol went from 266 to 194.
I went from a size 30/5x to a size 14/XL. He went from a size 52 waist to 42. And from a size 3x shirt to XL.
And we go on 3+ mile walks together twice a week and he works out for an hour to an hour and a half twice a week with me (I work out above and beyond that). He's changed about 80% of his eating habits. He's more confident and happier, as am I .
It certainly helps when you have a supportive spouse that wants to better themselves because they see you doing well and get inspired. That's what he told me

First time posting on these forums, so hello everyone. Glad to have found this space to talk about my experience as I find it very hard to communicate with everyone else in my regular day to day life.
I'm exactly 15 days post op (Gastric Sleeve) as I type this. And honestly, after reading many replies on here, I almost feel survivors guilt, but I do feel blessed as I thankfully did not experience many issues whatsoever. 24 hours after surgery I walked out of the hospital on my own, sore, but proud. I guess my biggest issue has been sleeping as I move around a lot while I sleep and at the beginning it would wake me up from pain for twisting and turning while I slept, and even then, that's no longer an issue. But, I never had nausea, or vomit, did not take any pain medication past the first 48 hours, I'm not trying to brag, just feeling fortunate after reading some stories on here.
Everyone has their own stories and journeys, for me I was obese my whole life. This was ok through my 20s as I felt invincible, and eventually those checks I was writing on my body came back to collect. Back pain and diabetes were first. But it wasn't until a week before the world shut down that things went really off the wall. A long term relationship ended, and as the world closed, it kept me from my support groups, and led me down a dark path of basically eating and drinking myself almost to death with nowhere to go. At my absolute heaviest I thought I would die at a staggering 407 pounds. Poetic as that's the area code for my city lol.
Knowing I had to make a change or I would not make it to 40 I went to a doctor, which led to a cancer scare. At that moment my life changed, and I knew change needed to happen now. I began diet and working out and made it down to about 375-380 where I had been hovering for over two years. Bariatric surgery is what I knew I needed to help me, and after fighting with insurance for two years, I finally got a new job last November, and the insurance there covered the surgery 100%! So I began the process in January. And on May 30th, 2024, at 10AM, I went in for surgery.
To say that life has changed, for the better, is an understatement. In two weeks I have dropped almost 30 pounds. I'm feeling amazing as far as my stomach (kinda weirds me out to say pouch lol) is concerned post surgery. Still in the liquid diet though looking forward to chewing something this weekend, as I'm absolutely sick of Jello. I am still not hungry, and almost feels like a miracle. My blood sugar is stabilizing without medication. My blood pressure is improving almost daily. Walking a mile a day does not leave me searching for oxygen, and I can't wait to start the gym on June 30th and really kick this into high gear.
TL/DR: This is a second change at life, and I will not waste it.
Look forward to learning more from others through this process. Onwards and upwards.

I’m just beginning my second week of my pre op learning and it’s been a fun, interesting week (for me anyway!) I started eating a little better, getting more Protein in to my daily diet and logging everything. Good news is that I’m 9lbs down in the first week so I will take that win thank you very much. I’ve also been practicing mindful eating too. My approach to eating was to hoover food up as quickly as possible but, after reading about WLS and what I need to concentrate on post-surgery, I have made sure that every meal has taken 20 mins to eat, that I eat off a plate, put my cutlery down between bites, don’t put more food in my mouth when I already have some food in there etc. Being a sceptical kind of person, I wasn’t really sold on the benefits of this but I gave it a whirl, just to see. I will definitely hold my hand up and admit that my scepticism was misplaced. My head and stomach now recognise that I have actually eaten something and it’s registered with them. I now have a feeling of fullness that I didn’t have before, which really is an eye opener. I know it probably sounds strange but I honestly cannot remember having this? Disordered eating has been such a part of my life for a very long time.

I’ve also been giving different sources of protein a try, not for post-op as I’ve really taken on board people’s findings of tastes etc changing after surgery, but for the liver reduction diet and to give myself some variety now as I move towards that. I have tried protein Water (a bit sweet but doable) protein yoghurts and protein puddings. Hubby recommended some PHD whey protein but I haven’t tried that yet. The bag isn’t yet open and all I can smell is overpowering vanilla 🤢 I will try it at some point this week, just to see if it tastes better than it smells! I’ve also ordered some 0%-everything flavour drops to try in Greek yoghurt etc, just waiting for those to arrive.

My Bariatric plates arrived this week, plus measuring cups and spoons. I’ve been consistently taking my Multivitamin, Vitamin D and folic acid (because of pre-existing meds) have taken the dreaded ‘before’ photos (and managed not to cry) and generally had a positive week. I know my surgery may be a long way off but things are moving in the right direction and I’m happy about that.

Onwards and downwards!

I hit my final goal!!! I'm actually, literally ugly crying right now. I didn't expect it to happen so fast!!!

I agree that you may not need a calorie goal especially this early on. My office did not have a strict rule on calories but I was like you and wanted that structure so they told me that they recommended 600 calories by month 2 and 800 calories by month 3 and then 1000 by month 6. Not to go over 1000 until goal weight after that. Protein was always the most important but I was encouraged to eat some carbs too. You have to watch yourself later on though and set your own guidelines. Probably around month 3 you will start to see how you lose or not lose with the calories you take in. I found out that if I was under 800 I would stall and if I ate over 1200 I would stop losing. Other people can't eat over 800 and still lose and some, especially those that exercise a lot can't eat less that 1200 or stall. So your calorie needs may be different but I hope this helps. Good luck!

I hit my original goal of 200 and moved it to 195. I just hit my next goal of 195 and moved it to 190. Let's see how long it takes me to hit 190 now!!!! The question is, will I actually hit my secret goal??!?!

I agree that you may not need a calorie goal especially this early on. My office did not have a strict rule on calories but I was like you and wanted that structure so they told me that they recommended 600 calories by month 2 and 800 calories by month 3 and then 1000 by month 6. Not to go over 1000 until goal weight after that. Protein was always the most important but I was encouraged to eat some carbs too. You have to watch yourself later on though and set your own guidelines. Probably around month 3 you will start to see how you lose or not lose with the calories you take in. I found out that if I was under 800 I would stall and if I ate over 1200 I would stop losing. Other people can't eat over 800 and still lose and some, especially those that exercise a lot can't eat less that 1200 or stall. So your calorie needs may be different but I hope this helps. Good luck!

I started my bariatric journey in October 2023. In the picture I'll post is a recent picture @ 236 lbs. the other is me last July at 363+ lbs. From October to my surgery date Feb 7th 2024 I lost 79 lbs. Around 15 of that was after the two week liquid diet leading up to surgery day. I've lost 48 lbs. since surgery. Which doesn't seem like it, since I have had stalls. Despite having a torn meniscus since last June. I workout nearly everyday. Walking when tolerable, but usually on a stationary bike along with lifting light weights. Nothing crazy. I feel like I lose inches far better than I lose pounds. For the first time since 2003-04 I can wear a large shirt without all the XXXX's on it. This was definitely worth it. But, I also feel lucky. I've not had any big issues.

I'm ugly crying!!! I made it to ONEderland!! Omg!!!! 4 more pounds to go to hit goal!!!

I don't know why, but something told me to check my weight today. I had no intention of doing it for another week, but because I take Linzess for IBS-C and it pulls Water from the body to help with pooing, I thought maybe I was shedding the water weight a little faster. Not only that, but I wanted to see if I lost the 3 pounds from the surgery I had, so I checked this morning.
Omg almost there!!! 5 more pounds until I hit my official goal weight!!!! 😁

Oh, and this was me yesterday after I got the incision restitched. No more preggo looking tummy!!! I still have a little swelling, but even that's gonna get better. And then the other pic is me about 10 minutes ago. I got my hair cut this morning because it's friggin too hot for long hair lol

I had a total abdominal hysterectomy on May 7th. I was in the hospital for 3 days and 2 nights. The initial surgery took 3 hours because not only did they remove my uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, and ovaries, but they also had to call in general surgery to detach my intestines from my uterus (was attached with lesions in 3 places).
My heart actually did really well and there were no complications.....with that. But it wouldn't be me if there wasn't something wrong somewhere. Ok, so I get back to recovery and seem to be doing well. Blood pressure is a little low, but all in all, not too bad. About an hour into my recovery, the nurse notices a lot of blood. She checks me and apparently I was hemorrhaging blood and clots. I went through 3 big pads in 25 minutes. Just as I came to, I was told I would have to go back into surgery on an emergency basis. My surgeon was with me and actually held my hand the whole way back to the OR and while I was being prepped.
The 2nd surgery took almost 2 hours but they got the 2 places that popped internal stitches on the vaginal cuff re-stitched. I was in recovery again for another 2 hours and then was FINALLY allowed to go to my room. My husband was extremely panicked and white as a ghost. He made all the necessary calls and told me he was scared. I felt awful for him.
I had to get 2 units of blood because I lost so much. I'm normally on the low side of normal because I'm chronically anemic. My blood pressure was also extremely low for over a day. They gave me a 1/2 liter saline bolus while I was getting the blood transfusion because my blood pressure was staying around 82/39 and thereabouts. It was around 4pm on day 3 that my blood pressure stabilized enough to go home (it stayed around about 93/55 for 4-5 hours).
Since I've been home, I sleep a lot, I walk 3-5 times per day, I just finally got off my pain meds and can get by with tylenol. I'm not cleared to drive or exercise, but I walk the apartment complex a couple times a day and that seems to do well. Still have some pain at the incision (it's about 6-7 inches long at the bikini line) and the muscles and nerves under the incision ache sometimes. I can only sit at the computer for about 15 minutes at a time, so this is the first chance I've had to type this out.
I had to go to my doctor yesterday because 2 stitches on the right side of my incision popped and I had to be re-stitched. That really sucked, but it is what it is. I'm on leave from work for 6 weeks (well, 5 now). I normally heal well, but this one is really slow going. I'm already on estrogen Patches (Climera) but I was told it takes anywhere from a couple of weeks to 2 months for the estrogen to fully kick in and get my hormones regulated. Lemme tell ya, I've been riding the crazy train, complete with night sweats, hot flashes and flushes, and insane mood swings. Can't wait to feel normal.
Initially, I gained 13 pounds of Water weight in the hospital, but it's slowly working it's way off. Once all the water is gone, I can't wait to see how much weight has actually dropped since my lady parts were removed (everything together, including the huge fibroids, weighed 3 pounds) so I'll start weighing myself again in about a week. That's about it!! So glad to finally be done with everything. Once I'm fully healed and on the other side of this, WATCH OUT!!! lol

Today marks five years since my sleeve surgery. Yay! I look in the mirror & think yep, best decision. I easily snuggle with my 6yr old nephew in a lounge chair & I think yep, best decision. I can jump, dance, walk, skip, scoot up stairs, … and I think, yep, best decision. The potential for health problems are further away & less likely to occur & I think yep, best decision….You get the idea.
I’m thankful it’s all gone pretty smoothly. Sure I have some fun & games with the foamies but I had a sensitive, quirky tummy before surgery & I still do so nothing all that different just how it manifests 😉. Sure I have some loose skin. It doesn’t affect what I want to do or wear so unimportant. I’m thankful I have a supportive GP who when I asked about surgery said yes without judgement & wrote the referral right away & continues to be interested in my progress. I’m thankful the doctor who does my follow ups is equally supportive. I have my 6 month check up with her next Monday which hopefully will go well again. It’s become more of a chat & catch up the last couple of years.
Apart from the medication issue which caused a small weight gain (a good 2+kg/5lb) a couple of years ago which when sorted saw that gain disappear. I sit at the same fluctuation I did when my weight first stabilised: 48.5 - 49..5kg (though usually a high of 49.3 these days).
I often think of the AA mantra of it works if you work it & you’re worth it. It really resonates. It works because I work it every day & I’m worth it.