NP_WIP

Even if you were gaining muscle weight, you would notice a change in the way your clothes fit.
When my nutritionist told me to eat carbs pre-op, my Keto mind screamed no. I did it though and lost weight. But I highly limited them. If you are not tracking on an app like Bariastic. you can easily consume way more carbs or calories than what you need. Some people can drink their calories for the day before ever eating any food.
I would limit those carbs and be mindful of how much you are eating in a day. I know before surgery, I told everyone I didn't eat that much till I started tracking my food intake and was shocked to find out I was overeating.
Also..not sure what surgery you had but my doc told me of a sleeve patient/friend of hers that did everything right and lost only 30 pounds within the first year. She ended up putting her on Ozempic to help. So there are some people who simply don't respond as well to the surgery based on age, meds etc. But before going that route, I would examine the food intake amounts first. Good luck!!!

A month after, I was already in regular foods, chose lean meats and was only able to eat 2oz

Sent from my SM-S916U1 using BariatricPal mobile app

A few NSV, I can finally close the towel around me, my hubby folded my tank top and put in his drawer thinking it was his, and my digital scale kept giving me a warning to have the app open when weighing in because people were within same range, I thought it was me because I was trying to see how much my weight fluctuated and how that affected my body fat % but turns out I'm 8 lbs lighter than my husband.

happy one year anniversary fellow september 2022 surgery friends! my surgery was september 7, 2022 so my one year anniversary this coming week. i went back and found this picture - i panicked minutes before my surgery because i hadn't taken any before pictures and took this just before i went to get prepped, surgery weight 355 lbs.

and i took this one today, 206 lbs ☺️

highest weight: 410 | surgery weight: 355 | current weight: 206 | goal weight: 185
gastric bypass surgery was the best decision i ever made
i wish you all healthy reflections as we reach our one year milestones!
-kukui 😊❤️

I think I may have cried when I realized that the towel wrapped around me.

When my doctor told me to change my eating habits within that first year or 2 of major restriction, I took it seriously. I learned how to make better choices 80% of the time. Don’t get me wrong, I eat chips, dips, pizza, cake & all the other bad stuff. I even drink beer. However, I eat and drink in moderation and I do it occasionally. I stay away from sugary drinks and those extra calories that add up quickly—most of the time. I  do indulge occasionally. I also learned easy swaps when cooking to help reduce calories. For example, I cook with cooking spay, not oil. I use lean ground turkey meat, chicken breast, and other lean meats. I still wake and go with a Greek yogurt for Breakfast, and I will add Protein Powder in the mix & top with fresh fruit. I love eggs in so many combinations, and if I want eggs with bacon or cheese (or other high calorie toppings/sides, I’ll use egg whites instead of the whole egg. I do zucchini noodles instead of pasta…all these little things that have become habitual are what make a BIG difference in the long run. I literally changed my eating lifestyle.

The 2nd component was body composition. I started lifting weights. Heavy weights…for me. The heavy lifting helped me add muscle and lean out at the same time. I don’t do cardio…or, I hardly EVER do cardio. I hate it. My fitness is purely from heavy weightlifting. It became another aspect of my lifestyle. I have lifted 4-6 days a week…Consistently…Year round…Since I was sleeved & released for physical activity. If I’m on vacation, I’m on vacation. If there’s an emergency, there’s an emergency. However! Tired. Not tired. I go to the gym. I think of it as my job. Whether I want up go or not, I have to work.

And yes, I still have restriction 10 years out! But sliders are definitely still a thing, and if I stick to my Protein, veggies, and complex carbs, I don’t really crave or care to indulge in those sliders too often!

Bottom line. It’s a lifestyle change. Change your habits. Be consistent.

I think in our journeys we all have different moments that accumulate over a course of time. 2 months prior to surgery I had a doctors appointment because I was not getting my period at that point for 7 months. They were referring me to an endo since obesity causes PCOS and they wanted to rule that out and my BP medicine was being raised and my cholesterol was being monitored. A few weeks later I was on vacation and taking some pictures. While I was posing a certain way, my body wasn't doing that at all. I took those moments to actually see what I was doing with my life, and made the decision 2 weeks later.

I think in our journeys we all have different moments that accumulate over a course of time. 2 months prior to surgery I had a doctors appointment because I was not getting my period at that point for 7 months. They were referring me to an endo since obesity causes PCOS and they wanted to rule that out and my BP medicine was being raised and my cholesterol was being monitored. A few weeks later I was on vacation and taking some pictures. While I was posing a certain way, my body wasn't doing that at all. I took those moments to actually see what I was doing with my life, and made the decision 2 weeks later.

Prior to surgery, I was walking, but not consistently. I will walk one week, then stop for two, then start again etc. Once I decided to do the surgery, I do not recall trying to follow any exercise program.
I did not start walking until about 6 weeks post op, 2x a week. I was cleared by that time for strength training but still had some minor tingling in the big incision so was advised to do core exercises as I could handle them. I had all intentions to start a strength training program I had purchased end of January but did not start until March and have been following consistently. This consist of strength training with weights and resistance bands, 5x a week and depending on the week range from 30min to 45 min.
Loose skin depends on too many factors to determine. I was told by my doctor that anyone who is loosing over 100lbs will have loose skin, the severity will vary by those factors. I personally thought I will have more loose skin, but being 20lbs or so from goal, I feel like I only have in my arms and breast, the other areas are not that much and I feel like by building muscle they will look a little better.
Note that if you do decide to start adding strength training to your exercise routine, the number on scale will be different as you are gaining muscle and loosing inches. Some people have a hard time with that. I personally have shifted my focus to body composition instead of the number on the scale since I'm 8 months post op and reached my original goal weight.

A few NSV, I can finally close the towel around me, my hubby folded my tank top and put in his drawer thinking it was his, and my digital scale kept giving me a warning to have the app open when weighing in because people were within same range, I thought it was me because I was trying to see how much my weight fluctuated and how that affected my body fat % but turns out I'm 8 lbs lighter than my husband.

I have only had issues with chicken breast, since it tends to dry out when reheating in the microwave. Have to make sure you are eating it slowly and chewing it completely. Otherwise I reheat everything, but bring it out to room temperature first so reheating is less than a minute in the microwave. You can always add some sauce or broth if its too dry.

I love fall just for the pumpkin spice anything lol I have been on Pinterest the last few weeks eyeing variations on how to make this lighter. I usually don't do coffee shops even before surgery, but have some gift cards to use.
I did finally find Premier Pumpkin spice and have been using that in my morning coffee all week.

A few NSV, I can finally close the towel around me, my hubby folded my tank top and put in his drawer thinking it was his, and my digital scale kept giving me a warning to have the app open when weighing in because people were within same range, I thought it was me because I was trying to see how much my weight fluctuated and how that affected my body fat % but turns out I'm 8 lbs lighter than my husband.

A few NSV, I can finally close the towel around me, my hubby folded my tank top and put in his drawer thinking it was his, and my digital scale kept giving me a warning to have the app open when weighing in because people were within same range, I thought it was me because I was trying to see how much my weight fluctuated and how that affected my body fat % but turns out I'm 8 lbs lighter than my husband.

So far my only aversion is beer. I can't stand the feeling of it on my tongue or the sour taste. I was an avid beer drinker and now, hard pass. I think is the hop because I can do champagne but I'm actually glad I can skip it and save those empty calories.

Thanks for the information. I'll looked into it. It looks like it'll help some. I'm thinking exercise and surgery will be my only best option. Thankfully it's not too bad, but I hate it, especially on my legs where everyone can see it when I wear shorts or dresses.

Prior to surgery, I was walking, but not consistently. I will walk one week, then stop for two, then start again etc. Once I decided to do the surgery, I do not recall trying to follow any exercise program.
I did not start walking until about 6 weeks post op, 2x a week. I was cleared by that time for strength training but still had some minor tingling in the big incision so was advised to do core exercises as I could handle them. I had all intentions to start a strength training program I had purchased end of January but did not start until March and have been following consistently. This consist of strength training with weights and resistance bands, 5x a week and depending on the week range from 30min to 45 min.
Loose skin depends on too many factors to determine. I was told by my doctor that anyone who is loosing over 100lbs will have loose skin, the severity will vary by those factors. I personally thought I will have more loose skin, but being 20lbs or so from goal, I feel like I only have in my arms and breast, the other areas are not that much and I feel like by building muscle they will look a little better.
Note that if you do decide to start adding strength training to your exercise routine, the number on scale will be different as you are gaining muscle and loosing inches. Some people have a hard time with that. I personally have shifted my focus to body composition instead of the number on the scale since I'm 8 months post op and reached my original goal weight.

I will agree with logging what you are eating and reviewing that. I have not myself gained, but when I felt I didn't loose enough in a week, I realized I was either short on Protein or Water those days. Also exercising will change your weight on the scale as you retain liquid for muscle recovery.

Congratulations, you deserve it!

Taken about 20 minutes ago..... and peep the size I'm in now (from a size 30!!)

I was 275 in 2012. I had the sleeve in August 2012. I was down to 200 pounds by December. I have worked hard to keep it off. I am 63 and, as of today, am 190. I have kept it off for 11 years.

The first pic is 2012 before surgery. the next pic is recent.

 

I only told a handful of people to avoid unnecessary comments. My mom still doesn't know and she lives with me 🤷‍♀️
I feel like every journey is so personal that the last thing you want is others commenting when they have not walked in your shoes. Unfortunately, in my culture people think everything is done out of vanity, and that was not my reason and therefore I did not want to be associated with it.

I was told a year, but I sipped a beer at about 6 weeks, hated the taste and still do 8 months post op. Had my first official drink 8 weeks post op, a margarita with lots of ice to dilute the drink. It will hit you fast, 2 sips in and I started to feel a tingling sensation in my nape, that's how I still know I'm getting tipsy. I did notice that even though it hits faster, it also metabolizes faster.
I tasted wine about 4 months post op, prefer not to do it, cheap wine its not the way to go, my palate separates the alcohol and it taste like a sip of juice, followed by a sip of alcohol. Since then, I had done a skinny mojito twice. I do try to limit the amount of alcohol I'm consuming because of the empty calories, and because I do not want to go back to bad habits, socially I think is fine.

Not missing being bigger, but do understand where it comes from. You are going into something unknown and holding to things that are familiar appeases that fear. We also hold on to clothes we like that we do not fit into because one day we will.
Once you start seeing that you are sizing out of clothes, even the ones you used to love, you will not care. You will find joy in trying new clothes and new sizes.

This journey sort of requires you have to stop caring what other people think or you and your choices. We've all got a path to walk; some of us are good at staying on theirs and others feel like they've got to get in the middle of yours and pretend every choice they've made is perfect. Giving advice like, oh you just need to walk more, is condescending.