NtvTxn

I'm going to message you with days, times and addresses! There are two this week!

You sound like me, I lost an additional 5 lbs for a 'pad'. I am actually about 7 lbs under right now. I've been maintaining for over 2.5 years, and I need 1300 calories per day to maintain. At 1400 and I'll gain, it's a fine line. I had to add 'snacks' or a couple of smaller meals in per day to be able to get 1300 in daily!! You'll have to find what works for you. I'm 54 years old, 5'7" and fluctuate between 143 and 146.5. I weigh every morning, and I log my food on my fitness pal. If I am ever 147, I cut my calories by 100 - 200 calories and it's easy to lose. I really do not struggle with maintaining, knock on wood.

Yes, in the beginning, but I don't think they mean anything by it. I think they are surprised that there are not 'rules'. My sister in law said to me, after I reached goal and we were out to eat.....I am so glad to see you can eat like a real person, just less. She had NO idea what WLS was about and figured it would be something like all the other 'fad' diets we've all been on in the past!!

You are doing so good, doesn't it feel wonderful??!!!! Yay you!!

Rice and pasta are two things that seem to 'swell up' for me, after eating them. I have a chicken, rice casserole that I make, I measure all my food, so I know, at three years out, I'll eat a half cup of it and then about an 1/8th cup of a veggie or cottage cheese. Early on, I couldn't eat that much, just under eat your sleeve, you'll be fine. Just so I'm sure not to break any rules, can someone define "vet"? I'd say 2 + years out, but some think they're vets at 1 year or 15 months. Did Alex set this rule?

No silly at all, looking at a picture is different, or better yet, when you are out with someone, at the mall, grocery store, movies.....anywhere, have them point out somebody who is your size. SEEING somebody else is easy to see their size, but for some reason, looking in the mirror....it's not so easy!

I lost my mom when she was just a couple of years older than I am.....my entire life, at least from when I was in jr. high, my mom wore an 8, she always seemed so small, at least compared to me who at that time wore 14's, and that gradually increased. I was wearing 16's when she passed away. I think that is one reason I was soooo excited and so intent on getting to a size 8, I knew what an 8 looked like!!! Again, congrats. How tall are you? We are just about the same size, I weighed 143 this morning, I've been maintaining between 143.5 - 146.5. I was down a little today, but it's always up and down a little different each morning!

THIS is something. I remember how exciting it was, single digit size!!!!! Congratulations!!

I don't find it difficult at all, but I do keep a watch and mindfully eat. I will still occasionally over eat, it is always when we're eating out and the conversation/company is good. I don't feel like I'm on a diet EVER, for the first time in over thirty years. I do track and do weigh and I know what I need to maintain, THIS week I've been under every day and have lost two pounds. It is just as important for me to track my calories so I don't lose as it is to track them so I don't gain. I have up days and down days, but all in all, it's normal, at least it is my new normal. Anybody who doesn't make some lifestyle changes, I'd like to hear from them in ten years, if they can get a sleeve and do nothing else, ever, more power to them. There is a reason we all found ourselves sitting in the waiting room of a bariatric surgeon. It wasn't because we woke up fat one morning.

BMI, number on the scale.....OR - a certain size???!!!! BMI, which is probably the most important, from a doctor's point of view, it was icing on the cake to me. Scale, I wanted to be way below my husband. I am. Clothing size, I kept lowering it, I started out wanting to be in a 12, but that happened pretty fast, so I lowered it to an 8 and realized that I had underestimated what could be done with this new little tummy. An 8's swallow me. I am wearing 4's and 6's. Even if it's all vanity sizing......it is gratifying. Shallow???!!! Yes, but so what, right? Everyone is different, and everyone's goal is different, we all define 'success' differently. Some people want nothing more than to lose weight to get off all their medication, and rightly so. Goals run the gamut around here.

Good question. I did not. The biggest chance of a leak, and we do not want a leak....is the first six weeks. I wasn't hungry and was so excited about the surgery, I didn't want to do anything that wasn't on the 'plan'. I always figure, if something bad can happen, why not me!!! LOL Good luck, week three should probably allow soft food. Go get tortilla Soup at a Mexican food restaurant, tell them more broth, less 'stuff' and just sip the broth. You'll think you're in heaven!

this is EXACTLY what I did. I'd also rinse my mouth after sipping. Just like taking yucky penicillin when you're a kid!!! It got the job done, and made me determined to get all my protein with food ASAP!!!!

I do NOT miss being or feeling like the "biggest girl in the room"

Some of my biggest cheerleaders were my THIN friends, not the chubby ones, the ones that could and should think about it.....not so much. You know, I am over three years out, I'm not "out" to everyone, but I've told a lot of people......and I know there are many who think's it's the easy way out. I personally think popping prescription diet pills is the 'easy' way out, but whatever. It didn't work, well, it did, but when the prescription runs out, the weight comes back. If you are sarcastic at all, just say "I'm going to have 85% of my stomach surgically removed.....permanently. Clearly I want to take the easy way out" It's forced portion control, the doctor does his job, then it's up to you. If they cannot understand that, then maybe they'll understand when you are thinner, feel better about yourself and are a healthier you.

Compared to giving birth to a child, this is nothing. Going through cancer treatment, I saw my mom and mother in law both do that, this isn't even even close. Laproscopic surgery is really something. I had my tonsils out not quite 30 years ago, to me, it hurt more. I had very little pain with this surgery. I only took pain meds after being discharged, at night for less than two weeks. The 'worst' is when you sneeze, cough or laugh. Have a pillow near-by and hold it against your tummy if possible!! Turning over in bed at night, wasn't comfortable, which is why i took the pain medicine at night. I sleep on my side, so I had a nice flat pillow to put under my tummy.

I'm over three years out and I STILL feel this way. I feel surely it will come to a screeching halt. Paranoia, it's not a bad thing!!! LoL Congratulations, you are doing great. It only gets better!

Why? Not one health issue, though some day that might have been factored in. Why...because I'm totally, 100% shallow. I wanted to have fun shopping for myself, for the first time ever! Mission accomplished. Shopping, even just going to try on clothes because I can.....is fun! An added bonus, well, there are many of them, but it is wonderful to not be the biggest girl in the room, and many times I am the smallest girl in the room.

and we, all of us in our little group, are soooooo proud of you!!!

You have a realistic view of what it's all about. Don't be jealous, I'm just really obsessive! I do tell people at support groups that I am successful, TODAY. For all of us, it's one day at a time. In the back of my mind, I am scared of waking up tomorrow with a ravenous hunger and weighing 25 lbs more than I did the night before. I am living what your doctor said to you, close to it. When I was losing, I averaged 400 - 650 calories per day, the last month I was getting 700 - 800, never over 800. I maintain at 1300. My doctor didn't give me that number though. After I reached goal, I was told to increase my calories, but that I'd have to play with the amount to see what worked for me. It's a fine line between gaining, losing and maintaining. Great post!

I have NO idea, seriously! Dr. Davidson does not focus or have his patients count carbs UNLESS the patient isn't losing, then it is an issue. I've never had a problem, so it's never been discussed after the seminar. I religiously track my calories and Protein. I'm sorry!!!!!

I was never a big candy eater prior to surgery, but I find myself really enjoying my choc Calcium chews. The brand is Bariatric Advantage.....they're like little Tootsie Rolls! I take four per day.

I took three or four back to GNC and my husband ended up using one or two others. All of them grossed me out!!! I gave up and got the Protein bullets from GNC. I'd gotten a sample in my goodie bag when I was discharged from Forest Park.....let me assure you, it wasn't good either, but it was 3.5 ounces!!! Easy compared to a shake that seemed to keep "growing" as I had to keep adding ice to make it drinkable and the three days after discharge that I did finish one.....it literally took HOURS!!!!! The little bullet, I'd hold my nose and take a few sips in the morning, again at noon and finish it up in the evening. 43 grams of protein, all I had to do was rinse my mouth out after my sips. Just like taking medicine when I was a kid. LOL I never lost my hair (I also took Biotin) and my labs were always good. Good luck!!!!! Protein is important, I was determined to find something I could get down!

Look on line at the calories/nutritional value. I am pretty sure their beans are seasoned with bacon, but that is still your choice. I would eat about 1 TB of refried beans when eating out, and some times they are 'vegetarian' and some times they are not. I did eat FF refried beans at home with a sprinkle of 2% cheddar in them. Yum!

For the first 4 - 6 weeks, I could eat an eighth of a cup of broth, soup, soft foods (depending on the stage I was in). Slowly but surly you can eat a little more, which is too bad, i wish I was still eating a third of a cup at a time!! My doctor doesn't want his patients to EVER eat more than a cup at one meal. I was three years out this past June 10th - and I cannot eat a full cup of food. Depending on what I am eating, 3/4 cup, and that still isn't a lot, compared to what I could eat pre-op, but some times I feel like it IS a lot. All the head games!

Angela, I totally understood what you were trying to communicate. We all have different stories and we are all in different places on this wild ride we've chosen to board. At over three years out, it is still hard for ME to analyze this. I've been maintaining for over 2.5 years, and I'm still learning new things. I know of a great PhD doctor that does the psychological evaluations at a hospital in my area. If I could find a reason, I'd go see him one on one. He heads up one of the support groups I attend and he is very wise. My thoughts and advice are this - the doctor does his job, he removes approx. 85% of our tummy. After that, it's all up to us, there is no end date. What this surgery DOES do for us is make it much easier to make wiser decisions, and resist when we need or want to. For the first time in my life, I don't feel guilt when I eat something sweet. I feel like I eat like a naturally thin person. Nothing other than carbonation, is off limits. There are things I choose not to eat or not to eat often, but it is my choice. This is not a diet, it is a new way of life. To the OP - this is scary and exciting, it's life altering and it's the wisest decision I've ever made. I had no health issues, none, zero.....this is preventive maintenance. My knees feel better and I have more energy. Forced portion control is what I needed. Shopping for ME is fun for the first time in my life. It's fun not being or feeling like the 'biggest girl in the room'. This is totally, 100% your decision, nobody can or should drag you to the OR!!! You need to be on board and ready to make lifestyle changes, changes that you can live with forever. Good luck to you.......you'll take the plunge when you're ready and join us on the loser's bench. It's a nice view!! ** Angela, kudos to you!!! You are doing great. I STILL log my food on line, I still weigh and/or measure my food and I weigh myself every morning. It's my new life, it's not an effort, it's like breathing to me!!! **