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How did you break bad habits (aside from the tricks you mentioned above)? I'm so scared I'm falling back into them and I don't want to screw this up. Hmm, tough to answer because I don't think I'm at the point where my habits are necessarily broken. I still eat when I'm not hungry, I still order things that aren't the best choice. I probably always will. I do beat it, but only on a day-to-day basis. For me beating it (because until Monday of this week, I had only loose restriction) was a factor of a few different things. One - paranoia that I will lose my band. I don't vocalize that often, and it isn't a constant, but it's there just enough to make me stop eating when I'm no longer hungry, even if I really want to eat more. Sometimes I do eat more, but 95% of the time I'm able to stop. But it's not just the paranoia. So for two, it's also -- for me, once I lose a chunk of weight, it's easy to behave because I'm seeing results and that keeps me motivated. When I'm not seeing results (plateaued, stalled, no changes in sizes, etc.) is really the only time I have a major challenge. And for three, I was fed enough with failing at weightloss efforts that I volunteered to have the first surgery of my life. That was very significant to me. So in that sense, I am propelled by the sense of "dammit, I went through a lot for this, and I'm lucky to have it, and I'm doing a huge disservice if I don't take advantage of it". But don't get me wrong - I don't "diet". I just pay a lot of attention to how much I'm eating and make myself stop when I've eaten a decent portion. Well, until this week anyway. With the restriction I have now, I'm pretty much being stopped more than stopping myself. And you know - honestly, a fourth factor is simply that PBs hurt me, A LOT, and I have a very high pain tolerance. Once you've gone through that, especially a few times, it's surprising how much you'll give up without a second thought or a moment of missing/regret. The first time I tried to eat a cheeseburger post-surgery, I couldn't chew it well enough, and it hurt. I didn't PB it, but it hurt. I've not had red meat since. What do you think are the best things you do that has helped you have so much success? Part of the "success" is just numbers. I had a lot to lose, so I lost a lot quickly. That's really slowed down to a crawl. But if I had to identify one thing, it would be listening to my body when I eat, and really paying attention to when I'm no longer hungry vs. when I'm full. Those are two completely different states. And being an overeater, "full" usually meant miserable, not even healthy full. So I start with small portions, 1 of whatever I'm having... so 1 spoon of veggies, 1 chicken tender. And I eat it slowly, and when I'm no longer feeling hungry I stop. Almost every meal I could have eaten more if I really wanted it, but stopping when I'm no longer hungry really helped me keep it in check. And the other side to that is by only taking 1 of whatever, it's pretty much impossible to start off with too much food on my plate. When you do that, "clean your plate" syndrome kicks in. And you know what? In a wweird "rpud of myself" kind of way, it's awesome to be at a restaurant and have the waitor take a plate away that still has food on it.

I had surgery 6/28/16, lost 27 lbs in three weeks and have now stalled and only consuming between 500-800 calories/day. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I love this thread so much! I have been reading and decided to join! So I'm only about 3 1/2 weeks out (in my dreaded "three week stall" right now - ugh!) and I had an NSV the other night. We went out to dinner with some friends and I wore a maxi skirt that is elastic at the waist (so it is more comfy than my jeans that fall off of me!) and it kept hitting the tops of my feet. It's never done that before so I was highly confused until I realised that it's because it doesn't have to stretch so much to reach around me anymore! My skirt is actually longer, lol. Didn't see that coming! It was silly, but so fun when I finally made the connection!

I am with Blackberry juice...we are on track with each other we have around the same weight loss and I think our surgery dates were a week apart and we had similar BMI to start. I also eat around 1000 calories a day. I am exercising and I am toning and slimming at same time. I think you need to feed your body, people who are advised to get between 500-600 calories a day just seem baffling to me as to why they are told to do that. Not that I am the poster child for weight loss by any means lol. I just know mine has been steady and consistent and for someone who didn't start off with a bunch to lose I think I must be doing something correct. I try to limit the simple carbs, keep my Protein way above the amount of carbs I do get and eat lots of different veggies. I can say I don't crave the sweets like I used to. I don't crave Snacks. I just eat three good meals and sometimes a little something after dinner. Everyones weight loss will vary and stalls happen though I am crossing my fingers that I can at least get a pound or two a week until my goal. I just don't see the logic in these really low low cal post op diets. I see more people struggling who are trying to stay really low too. I wonder if docs think that we are going to cheat so they give us the low number and hope that by doing so if we do eat a couple hundred more that it will still be within the correct range? Who knows. Blackberry what is Goal weight: 145 and jacked ? hehe . btw that is my first goal weight also, I dont see myself wanting to go any lower then 135...but i think 145 would be perfect for my body shape.

Think I have finally moved from my stall. Just shy of 7 weeks and I am down 42 pounds. Minus 4lbs in the past three days. I also went to my Primary Care Physician yesterday and I have not only said good bye to 42 lbs (the equivalent weight of 5 gallons of milk) but I have now said goodbye to Metformin, Simvastatin and Lotrel. Two of them having been a part of my life for 11 years. I am also walking about five miles per day, climbing about 10 flights of stairs and burning about 3200 calories daily. I am feeling very good about my decision to sleeve and know I am headed for a better life. Come on summer and come on roller coasters. Enough about me. I would ask that you keep one of our September sleevers in your thoughts today. She has had her share of struggles since surgery and this morning they are thinking she has developed a leak. She will be tested this morning and if positive surgery to follow. Good luck friend. 11/12/13.

So I bought two pair of pants when I went back to work three weeks ago and they were two sizes smaller then before and they are already too big. Had a long stall and once it broke the weight is finally falling off. I should invest in suspenders to keep my pants up or get some new ones. This is crazy but I am loving every minute of it! Thank you sleevie!

Today is day 15 for me. I'm struggling with my energy level and I also feel like I either pulled a muscle in my ab or I have an incisional hernia. I get major pain when I engage that muscle. I'm praying it's just a strain. I'm on soft solids and doing well. Trying to get in my protein. To date I've lost 24 lbs but the scale hasn't moved in a few days. Hoping it's the three week stall everyone talks about.

I had surgery 3/28/16 and have lost 31 lbs... but I've been at the same weight for the last 4 days. I know everyone says during week 3 you hit a stall, but it's still disheartening when all I have been on full liquids for three weeks.

Hi All: I have been busy keeping busy watching all the new posts and wishing everyone well from here in CA. I wanted to write a follow-up to life after the sleeve procedure almost three weeks out this Thursday. First of all I wake up every morning and tell myself this is a JOURNEY, not a RACE! With immediate success with weight loss during the pre-op phase and even rigth after surgery, you get this feeling like "Wow, At this rate, I should be down 100 pounds in no time." Reality check, you didn't gain the weight in two months so it isn't going to come off that fast. For those that are feeling a little let down because the weight loss is slower than you expected, please, please do not get discouraged. I know that I started at 240 On Oct 1st and don't know what I weighed on surgery day. As of today I am 214. While on the surface you might say that is fantastic, let me tell you the whole story behind this weigh loss. After surgery I am assuming I immediately lost weight. How could one not... you aren't eating or drinking anything. I think we are sort of like spounges that after preop and the one week post op, we are all rung out. There is literally nothing left in you. Then you start to feel better and you get rehydrated. Guess what, rehydration will start to actually make you gain weight. Now the former fat girl in me starts to panic at this point. I say to myself, "you just paid an ungodly amount for this surgery and you are gaining weight?!" Again,we revert back to what most of us know and are familar with and that is yo-yo dieting and the initial rush of weight loss followed by a serious let down of regaining the weight. Got a news flash for you.... you are not gaining weight and you are not reverting back to your old ways. It is almost impossible for you to gain weight back with 7/8 of you stomach being gone. Anyway.. back to my story. So I start to rehydrate and gravitate around the 216-217 mark on the scale. At week two I start back on soft foods (actually truth be knowns, I started back on a lot of things that were not on my doctors short list.) For me, I am really looking at this as a life long change and I am taking my time along the way to get to know the new me and the new stomach. Tast buds to change and things that I loved before don't work for me know. This is not to say I am eating like a crazy woman (again, you won't be able to because trust me, we you get beyond three ounces of anything you literally start feeling like you are having a heart attack with chest pains, cold sweat, dizziness. I think this is normal. For me the best advice is if this happens to you, stand up and criss cross your arms over you head. It passes but it shares the daylights out of you.) So back to my diet, The good things I have been eating are fish, greek yogurt, meatballs with a small amount of sauce, ground beef, chicken chewed really really well, eggs, oatmeal, Soups, potatoes, cheese. What I have experimented with (and when I say experiments I mean like one bite.. doughnut, ice cream, cookie and three tortilla chips with salsa. These were favorites from my past. While us sleevers don't experience dumping, at least for me the sweets don't sit well with me and have actually lost a lot of there appeal. My sampling of foods for me was a good exercise to see what works and what doesn't. I think I have a realsitic view of what I can eat and how much. I have really had to educate my immediate family on not being the food police with me. A simple explanation of "I know my body or at least an learning new things every day about it... I appreciate your love and support but I also need you to trust me. If I have a bite of something that does not look like "diet foos" please don't freak out and judge. I can only eat 3 oz at a time and I know that eating my proteins first is what works for me. I am human and my head is still going to send me triggers that I want something so let me try and learn along the way. I am no longer a fat person that is going to go through life on a yo-yo diet. The surgery I have done is permanent and restricts my intake so while there are food choices that I can make, I cannot undo the procedure or sabotage the journey to being health and happy as I did in the past. This weigh loss is going to happen." After a week of going up a couple of pounds and then holding at the same weight I am starting to lose again (not five pounds a day but a steady progress.) Kepp the faith for those of you who are entering week two or three, you probably will experience a stall. It is normal. You did not make a mistake in your decision nor are you the one rare exception in the bunch that got sleeved and won't lose the weight. Remember... it is a JOURNEY not a RACE. A year from now, we will all go back through the posts and say "Remember when I was complaining about the pre-op diet, freaked out about my surgery day, in pain the first day or so, nervous about starting food, mad at the weight stall, excited about the change in sizes and the comments that friends and family are making. We are all going to get there and in our own time. Sending my love and support to my fellow November sleevers. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! - Marshawn

Just look for the 3 week stall. I stalled for 10 days around three weeks.

Haven't been on here in awhile! I have had the craziest, most stressful and rewarding three months of my life. With this came a huge stall.... No gain, but no loss. Frustrating but I have no one to blame but myself. I finished up my Capstone in December, and had my pinning early December. Around that same time my grandmother, I was her full time caregiver, was admitted into Hospice. While waiting for my Authorization to Test from my state boards and studying for my boards I was watching my grandmother slowly dwindle away into a person I didn't know. I finally scheduled my boards for 2/13, the week before my test my grandma had the worst week ever, I found myself crying on the floor next to her bed one night begging her to stay in bed and go to sleep, the last week of her life was constant, constant yelling for help, constantly awake except for short naps, I was exhausted, I was snappy, I was not remotely trying to do what I needed to be doing. On 2/8 a Hospice nurse came out after she had been awake for 20 hours and yelled the whole time, while being given Morphine and Haldol and nothing would help her calm down, they decided to admit her for medication stabilization, we anticipated her coming home after a few days. At 6am on 2/9 a hospice nurse called us (8 hours after her admission) and told us we needed to come say our goodbyes. I lost my grandmother at 2/9 at 1400, my dad was at her side, we all had the opportunity to say our goodbyes. Her loss has left a complete void in my life, I rescheduled my test for 2/22 and after taking the week of my grandmothers death off from studying, I hit the books hard. The Thursday before my test I had an interview for a local Hospital in their medical unit, it was a great interview, they just wanted me to let them know if I passed my test. I took my test last Saturday and walked out over the moon, I knew I had passed, I had no doubt in my mind. I received my notification of passing on Monday, notified my interviewer Monday evening and was offered a position yesterday. Talk about a crazy whirlwind week! I am ready to be back on track, I start my position in 2 weeks and I want to be comfortable in scrubs! I dusted off my, My Fitness Pal app, and pulled out my blender, started the day with a fruity Protein drink.

I am with you. I have stalled for five weeks between 161 to 157 and inbetween. Weighed in at my six month dr appt at 159. He wanted me at 150. Will see him in three months and am hoping my personal goal is met (135 lbs). I still...after six months, have only dropped two pants sizes (size 14). I remember years ago being a size 12 weighing 180 lbs. Frustrated.

You're in the very well known and discussed three week stall. It happens all the time, and there are literally hundreds of threads just on this forum alone about how a person is panicking since their weight loss has stopped. Stalls will happen ALL THE TIME over the next year for everyone that is losing weight. No way to tell how long they will last, or how often they will happen, but as long as you are sticking to your doctor's guidelines for food, Protein, and Water intake and doing some gentle activity (ramping up to real exercise as soon as you are cleared to do so), the stalls eventually break and you'll be just fine. Stalls are the body's way of taking a breather and ramping up for the next round of weight loss. No one loses weight steady; it's always going to be lose some... stall for a week. Lose some more; stall for three weeks... rinse and repeat. http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/351046-embrace-the-stall/ And no, you can't stretch your pouch or sleeve out from eating and drinking foods you're supposed to be eating/drinking. Even if you overate, you'd likely just throw up. The stretchy part of your stomach is gone if you had the sleeve surgery. Your stomach will eventually relax once the swelling has gone down and by a year out, it might hold slightly more volume than at 3 months, but it won't grow back or otherwise stretch.

that's really bizarre that your surgeon doesn't know about the three week stall. Pretty much everyone has that. I was told about it in my pre-op classes.

My stall was about three weeks out and lasted for about a week. I was sleeved on 12/18. My weight lose is now steady and I really try only to weight myself a couple of time a week but that's not working to well. I'm still on phase two of my physician's diet. Don't move to fruits and veggies for another two weeks. :-(. Missing my veggies. My physician is conservative on diets. Hope that's a good thing. I go back to work on the 29th and I'm looking forward to getting back in a routine. I'm trying to get my daily meals on my work schedule to make it easier. I work some crazy hours and take call at least three days a week. My days can last from 10 to 16 hours especially this time of year when so many dialysis patients are hospitalize due to illness. Taking a big tub of my favorite protein powder to leave in my locker for those O My Goodness moments need some energy. Need some ideas on easy meals for breakfast and lunch.

hi everyone - Three weeks out. Yesterday one one of my incisions started oozing yellow. I had a small green spot on the scab as of last week. I messaged my care team. I have a feeling it is infected. It looked wonky since the start and they told me at my last appt it looked fine. All my others are nearly gone now. Still dealing with the seriously itchy welts from the Lovonox allergy. They have not gone away or gotten smaller. I have one 2-4 inches in diameter every place I injected for the first two weeks. Literally covered in then. Between weeks 2-3 I only lost half a pound (I only weighed Sunday). Either the stall came early, or all the Benadryl and swelling from my rash is keeping me from loosing (Benadryl can cause weight gain when taken over time, and I was taking it 3-4x per day for a week). Pretty down about everything. I feel like I am missing a chance for major weight loss and just ridiculously uncomfortable.

Had a RNY on 20 Dec, and things are going overall pretty well. Loving the soft / smooshy foods... my love affair with protein shakes is sadly o.v.e.r. for now. Hoping to start liking them again some day soon. I'm afraid the three-week weight stall has me in its grasp. I have always told myself that it's natural, to be stoic about it, it will surely pass, stay away from the scale... but golly I'm not feeling nearly as adult about it now that my scale isn't steadily dropping the weight. I've been bouncing around for about five days now on the same pound. It's fine, I know, but I'm just eager for more dropped pounds. 🙂 Starting weight: 228 Surgery weight: 205 Current weight: 187

I am the day after you, 1/10/18. I lost 23 pounds so far, but this week barely anything. We are at the "three week stall" I looked this up and it happens to a lot of people, but we will get over it like everyone else did. I read somewhere to only weigh once a week now so we don't get discouraged, because the first two weeks we were losing a pound or two a day and now it will be less. I am having trouble getting in everything, the nutritionist said I should do the 3 protein shakes for the first two months and to think of it like medicine, that the food is less important at this point, that we are eating just to really get used to it again. I am still having trouble doing the three shakes and three "meals" so I am usually short one shake and one meal a day. I think I need to make sure I get that third shake in because our bodies need the 60 g of protein to keep losing I heard.

HW 320 SW 313 12/17/13 CW 285.4 Weeks three and four have been a slow go but since it is still going down almost every other day I guess I won't call it a stall.

@j15big: I was similar to you post-op. I lost about 13 pounds in my first 2 weeks post-op, then stalled for 3 weeks. Over those three weeks my weight would go up and down, usually between 1-2 pounds, almost daily (but never going below the "low" weight). Finally, my stall broke and I lost another 5 pounds. Then stalled. I just recently broke my 3rd stall. Now, I'm exactly 2 months out from surgery and have lost 30 pounds (54 in total including pre-op). Like you, I have almost no restriction. I can eat 2 eggs or 4 ounces of any meat (usually chicken or salmon) at one sitting, and still have room for some veggies. I recently flew to Germany and was given a very nice lean steak for my "diabetic" meal (I thought it would be the most bariatric diet friendly). I was able to eat most of it, I'm guessing around 4 ounces (that was one month post-op). Unlike other people's programs, my nutritionist recommended never going below 800 calories a day (not that counting calories is important) to avoid going into starvation mode. That said, regardless of how much I think I'm eating, the end result is that I usually stay between 8-900 calories a day, with over 100g of protein (I let fat fall where it may). I have no problems eating protein bars, but try to avoid them - just use them for emergency situations. I agree with the others though - your "food" in your daily sample seems to be a lot of artificial food - like the diet drinks and protein bars. Even though I drink one (sometimes 2) homemade protein shakes a day, my meals are always with real food - eggs for breakfast, chicken for lunch, salmon for dinner (and veggies on the side for each). All other liquids are water or herbal tea (I like mint tea because it's good hot or cold). Although I'm getting better at recognising when I feel full, it's not like how others mention here, feeling sick or nauseous or in pain. I try to be conscious that just because I don't feel these symptoms, that it's not necessarily good to keep on eating. Also, I try to finish eating within 20-25 minutes. If I can't, it probably means I have too much food and should save the rest for later. I don't really get hungry (only when I eat things I shouldn't, like protein bars), so I find that I can get by with eating less rather than mindlessly cleaning my plate while watching YouTube videos, which is how I got here in the first place. Anyway...just my take from the peanut gallery.

Yeah, I'm in a stall myself at the moment. I admit to torturing myself by visiting the scale every morning. But, I log all my food, I'm exercising every day, and following all the directions I've been given. I'm sure one of these days, I'll get a nice surprise when I get on the scale. But 12 lbs in three weeks was good. Four weeks on Wednesday and no regrets!

WOOHOOO....congratulations and welcome to TWO-derland...your stay will be short and sweet I am sure! Absolutely claim that half a pound...I'm on day 3 (or 4) of the three week stall, so even if I lost 1/10 of a pound, I would be claiming it! Yahooo!!!! Way to go!

187.4 today. I suspected I was already in a late "three week stall" when I weighed a couple of days ago, and found my weight had not changed. Then, I landed in the ER last night after passing out at home a couple of times, and when all tests came back okay, doc suspected dehydration and pumped me full of fluids. I suspect this week's gain is from both stall + IV fluids, but I still hope it comes off quickly. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@slareau I wanna say I'm Ina stall but truthfully, my weight lost hasn't been fast at all (other than my first week) First week I lost over 8lbs week two- 4 week three -2 I am three days into my fourth week, lost1 lb today,so we'll see if I lose anymore by Friday( my weigh in date). I'm clearly showing a trend of slowing down. I'm really not worried about it to be honest. I read so much about the stalls prior to the surgery that I am mentally prepared. Now if it last longer than three weeks, I might be singing a different tune.

Here's a great article by Kaye Bailey re snacking: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you warm and well this second week of February. Today we continue our discussion of the Four Rules - we are at Number 3: No Snacking. It's a tough one and I dare say most of will or have struggled with snacking following weight loss surgery. And, as you will see from the articles in this newsletter, not all bariatric centers follow the same Four Rules that include no snacking. But what is consistent, across the front lines of those of us living with weight loss surgery, is that out-of-control snacking on poorly chosen foods leads to a stall in weight loss and may possibly lead to weight gain. So please, take a look at the information here and revisit the information you were provided at the time of your surgery. Find your personal position on the "No Snacking" rule based on knowledge, experience, and environment -- it is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself in this ongoing battle of weight management in a world where it is much easier to be fat. Happy 2011 - We are all in this together! Kaye KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com A Note: We have received the fourth printing of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood cookbook earlier than anticipated. We are processing backorders as quickly as possible - so look for yours in the next few days delivered by US Postal Service. Thanks for your patience! Link to view the previously published Weekly Digests in our 2011 Four Rules Series: Rule #1 - Protein First: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest January 20, 2011 <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> Rule #2 - Lots of Water LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest February 2, 2011 The Four Rules: Before surgery most of us were taught the Four Rules we must follow in order to achieve the best results with weight loss surgery - any procedure. Those rules (with minor variations from one bariatric surgeon to the next) are: Protein First Lots of Water No Snacking Daily Exercise In order to maintain weight loss and keep the obesity from which we suffer in remission we must follow these rules for life. When we meet patients who have maintained a healthy body weight for several years with weight loss surgery we learn that in most cases they live by the Four Rules. If it has been a while since you have given consideration to the Four Rules I invite you today to spend a little time refreshing your knowledge and enthusiasm about Protein First. Actually, this is my favorite rule because it means good food without the guilt! Link to the articles of interest and take a look at some of our great WLS recipes. There is something for everyone as we get excited again about the Four Rules! Every now and again it serves us well to step back into our pre-op mindset when we were hell-bent on making surgery work to achieve weight loss and improve our health and quality of living. Take a look at this article with your pre-surgery eyes. I think it will help renew your enthusiasm for working "the tool" and living well today: Understand the Four Rules of WLS Before Going Under the Knife Weight loss surgery is frequently perceived as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. However, patients who undergo bariatric surgery are prescribed Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management that they will follow for the rest of their life if they wish to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Here is what you need to know about the Four Rules of weight loss surgery before going under the knife. LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 No Snacking. It is the rule that works. Rule #3 - No Snacking Excerpted with permission from Day 6: Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test by Kaye Bailey Pages 43-45 - Copyright 2009 - Kaye Bailey - All Rights Reserved "Without a doubt, the "No Snacking" rule is the most divisive in the weight loss surgery community. In fact, I've received more angry letters on this topic than any other of the Four Rules. One school of thought is that snacking is absolutely forbidden. The other school swears that three meals plus two Snacks a day are essential for the nutritional survival of the weight loss surgery patient. "I am not a doctor and I am not a nutritionist. But I work on the front lines with weight loss surgery patients every day, patients who are many years out from surgery; patients who have lost touch with their bariatric centers. What I do know for certain is this: patients who snack and who are not engaged in extreme athletics gain weight. There is a fine line between snacking intelligently and grazing and few, if any, of us have the self-control to toe the line. In my experience and in my opinion there is no reason for the average person post-WLS to ever engage in snacking. If we follow the I {heart} DIET we will not be hungry in the 4-6 hours between planned meals; there will not be a blood glucose emergency and there will not be a physiological need to snack. "This may be a very unpopular stand for me to take. But I have spent the last six years working with my fellow weight loss surgery patients and in every case of weight regain snacking has been involved. And in most cases the initial instructions from the bariatric center were for the patient to eat every 3 to 4 hours and somewhere along the third year things went wrong. Snacking on Protein Bars or nuts became grazing on pretzels and crackers washed down with soda, coffee or tea. Slider foods overruled sensibility. "No Snacking. It is the rule that works. "Now, I'm obligated to tell you to follow the very specific instructions given you by your bariatric center. If they instructed you to have three meals a day and two snacks a day that's fine: please do not feel I'm beating you up here. But please, go get your original notes and instructions. Review the list of approved snacks. Copy that list and post it on your refrigerator to keep your memory refreshed. The snacks your center permitted during the phase of weight loss are the only snacks you are allowed for the rest of your life if you want to maintain your weight loss. "I personally feel the "NO Snacking" rule is a tremendous relief. For several years of my adult life, prior to surgery, I had a 40-minute commute to and from work each day. My morbidly obese irrational thinking had me convinced that I could not last that commute without a large soda and giant cookie: both morning and night. Looking back that was about 1,200 calories of snacking I was taking each day just to "survive" my commute. Twelve hundred calories is equal to our full day caloric allowance after surgery! How was it again, that I became morbidly obese? Hmmm. My car was always full of crumbs and the back seat littered with empty cups and cookie wrappers, not to mention the expense of my snacking habit. What a relief when "No Snacking" took that burden from me. "One reason we are prone to break the "No Snacking" rule is because traditional snack foods are ever present in our society and they tend to set more comfortably in our stomach pouch than protein dense food. Have you found yourself able to eat an endless bag of crackers or chips yet struggle to get a few bites of roast chicken down? The crackers are soft and when consumed with liquid create slurry that never compacts in the pouch the way protein does. The cracker slurry slides right through in a steady stream: slider food (more on this in Part II: I {heart} DIET Basics). Solid protein, on the other hand, settles in the pouch like an unwelcome second cousin on your sofa and lingers just a little too long. So naturally we prefer to eat something that gives us comfort, not discomfort. "But the fact is, the pouch when it is used correctly, is supposed to be a little bit uncomfortable. The discomfort is the signal to stop eating. When we are snacking on slider foods we do not get that signal and we do not stop eating." LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you warm and well this second week of February. Today we continue our discussion of the Four Rules - we are at Number 3: No Snacking. It's a tough one and I dare say most of will or have struggled with snacking following weight loss surgery. And, as you will see from the articles in this newsletter, not all bariatric centers follow the same Four Rules that include no snacking. But what is consistent, across the front lines of those of us living with weight loss surgery, is that out-of-control snacking on poorly chosen foods leads to a stall in weight loss and may possibly lead to weight gain. So please, take a look at the information here and revisit the information you were provided at the time of your surgery. Find your personal position on the "No Snacking" rule based on knowledge, experience, and environment -- it is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself in this ongoing battle of weight management in a world where it is much easier to be fat. Happy 2011 - We are all in this together! Kaye KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com A Note: We have received the fourth printing of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood cookbook earlier than anticipated. We are processing backorders as quickly as possible - so look for yours in the next few days delivered by US Postal Service. Thanks for your patience! Link to view the previously published Weekly Digests in our 2011 Four Rules Series: Rule #1 - Protein First: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest January 20, 2011 <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> Rule #2 - Lots of Water LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest February 2, 2011 The Four Rules: Before surgery most of us were taught the Four Rules we must follow in order to achieve the best results with weight loss surgery - any procedure. Those rules (with minor variations from one bariatric surgeon to the next) are: Protein First Lots of Water No Snacking Daily Exercise In order to maintain weight loss and keep the obesity from which we suffer in remission we must follow these rules for life. When we meet patients who have maintained a healthy body weight for several years with weight loss surgery we learn that in most cases they live by the Four Rules. If it has been a while since you have given consideration to the Four Rules I invite you today to spend a little time refreshing your knowledge and enthusiasm about Protein First. Actually, this is my favorite rule because it means good food without the guilt! Link to the articles of interest and take a look at some of our great WLS recipes. There is something for everyone as we get excited again about the Four Rules! Every now and again it serves us well to step back into our pre-op mindset when we were hell-bent on making surgery work to achieve weight loss and improve our health and quality of living. Take a look at this article with your pre-surgery eyes. I think it will help renew your enthusiasm for working "the tool" and living well today: Understand the Four Rules of WLS Before Going Under the Knife Weight loss surgery is frequently perceived as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. However, patients who undergo bariatric surgery are prescribed Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management that they will follow for the rest of their life if they wish to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Here is what you need to know about the Four Rules of weight loss surgery before going under the knife. LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you warm and well this second week of February. Today we continue our discussion of the Four Rules - we are at Number 3: No Snacking. It's a tough one and I dare say most of will or have struggled with snacking following weight loss surgery. And, as you will see from the articles in this newsletter, not all bariatric centers follow the same Four Rules that include no snacking. But what is consistent, across the front lines of those of us living with weight loss surgery, is that out-of-control snacking on poorly chosen foods leads to a stall in weight loss and may possibly lead to weight gain. So please, take a look at the information here and revisit the information you were provided at the time of your surgery. Find your personal position on the "No Snacking" rule based on knowledge, experience, and environment -- it is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself in this ongoing battle of weight management in a world where it is much easier to be fat. Happy 2011 - We are all in this together! Kaye KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com A Note: We have received the fourth printing of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood cookbook earlier than anticipated. We are processing backorders as quickly as possible - so look for yours in the next few days delivered by US Postal Service. Thanks for your patience! Link to view the previously published Weekly Digests in our 2011 Four Rules Series: Rule #1 - Protein First: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest January 20, 2011 <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> Rule #2 - Lots of Water LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest February 2, 2011 The Four Rules: Before surgery most of us were taught the Four Rules we must follow in order to achieve the best results with weight loss surgery - any procedure. Those rules (with minor variations from one bariatric surgeon to the next) are: Protein First Lots of Water No Snacking Daily Exercise In order to maintain weight loss and keep the obesity from which we suffer in remission we must follow these rules for life. When we meet patients who have maintained a healthy body weight for several years with weight loss surgery we learn that in most cases they live by the Four Rules. If it has been a while since you have given consideration to the Four Rules I invite you today to spend a little time refreshing your knowledge and enthusiasm about Protein First. Actually, this is my favorite rule because it means good food without the guilt! Link to the articles of interest and take a look at some of our great WLS recipes. There is something for everyone as we get excited again about the Four Rules! Every now and again it serves us well to step back into our pre-op mindset when we were hell-bent on making surgery work to achieve weight loss and improve our health and quality of living. Take a look at this article with your pre-surgery eyes. I think it will help renew your enthusiasm for working "the tool" and living well today: Understand the Four Rules of WLS Before Going Under the Knife Weight loss surgery is frequently perceived as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. However, patients who undergo bariatric surgery are prescribed Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management that they will follow for the rest of their life if they wish to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Here is what you need to know about the Four Rules of weight loss surgery before going under the knife. LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you warm and well this second week of February. Today we continue our discussion of the Four Rules - we are at Number 3: No Snacking. It's a tough one and I dare say most of will or have struggled with snacking following weight loss surgery. And, as you will see from the articles in this newsletter, not all bariatric centers follow the same Four Rules that include no snacking. But what is consistent, across the front lines of those of us living with weight loss surgery, is that out-of-control snacking on poorly chosen foods leads to a stall in weight loss and may possibly lead to weight gain. So please, take a look at the information here and revisit the information you were provided at the time of your surgery. Find your personal position on the "No Snacking" rule based on knowledge, experience, and environment -- it is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself in this ongoing battle of weight management in a world where it is much easier to be fat. Happy 2011 - We are all in this together! Kaye KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com A Note: We have received the fourth printing of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood cookbook earlier than anticipated. We are processing backorders as quickly as possible - so look for yours in the next few days delivered by US Postal Service. Thanks for your patience! Link to view the previously published Weekly Digests in our 2011 Four Rules Series: Rule #1 - Protein First: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest January 20, 2011 <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> Rule #2 - Lots of Water LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest February 2, 2011 The Four Rules: Before surgery most of us were taught the Four Rules we must follow in order to achieve the best results with weight loss surgery - any procedure. Those rules (with minor variations from one bariatric surgeon to the next) are: Protein First Lots of Water No Snacking Daily Exercise In order to maintain weight loss and keep the obesity from which we suffer in remission we must follow these rules for life. When we meet patients who have maintained a healthy body weight for several years with weight loss surgery we learn that in most cases they live by the Four Rules. If it has been a while since you have given consideration to the Four Rules I invite you today to spend a little time refreshing your knowledge and enthusiasm about Protein First. Actually, this is my favorite rule because it means good food without the guilt! Link to the articles of interest and take a look at some of our great WLS recipes. There is something for everyone as we get excited again about the Four Rules! Every now and again it serves us well to step back into our pre-op mindset when we were hell-bent on making surgery work to achieve weight loss and improve our health and quality of living. Take a look at this article with your pre-surgery eyes. I think it will help renew your enthusiasm for working "the tool" and living well today: Understand the Four Rules of WLS Before Going Under the Knife Weight loss surgery is frequently perceived as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. However, patients who undergo bariatric surgery are prescribed Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management that they will follow for the rest of their life if they wish to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Here is what you need to know about the Four Rules of weight loss surgery before going under the knife. LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you warm and well this second week of February. Today we continue our discussion of the Four Rules - we are at Number 3: No Snacking. It's a tough one and I dare say most of will or have struggled with snacking following weight loss surgery. And, as you will see from the articles in this newsletter, not all bariatric centers follow the same Four Rules that include no snacking. But what is consistent, across the front lines of those of us living with weight loss surgery, is that out-of-control snacking on poorly chosen foods leads to a stall in weight loss and may possibly lead to weight gain. So please, take a look at the information here and revisit the information you were provided at the time of your surgery. Find your personal position on the "No Snacking" rule based on knowledge, experience, and environment -- it is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself in this ongoing battle of weight management in a world where it is much easier to be fat. Happy 2011 - We are all in this together! Kaye KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com A Note: We have received the fourth printing of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood cookbook earlier than anticipated. We are processing backorders as quickly as possible - so look for yours in the next few days delivered by US Postal Service. Thanks for your patience! Link to view the previously published Weekly Digests in our 2011 Four Rules Series: Rule #1 - Protein First: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest January 20, 2011 <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> Rule #2 - Lots of Water LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest February 2, 2011 The Four Rules: Before surgery most of us were taught the Four Rules we must follow in order to achieve the best results with weight loss surgery - any procedure. Those rules (with minor variations from one bariatric surgeon to the next) are: Protein First Lots of Water No Snacking Daily Exercise In order to maintain weight loss and keep the obesity from which we suffer in remission we must follow these rules for life. When we meet patients who have maintained a healthy body weight for several years with weight loss surgery we learn that in most cases they live by the Four Rules. If it has been a while since you have given consideration to the Four Rules I invite you today to spend a little time refreshing your knowledge and enthusiasm about Protein First. Actually, this is my favorite rule because it means good food without the guilt! Link to the articles of interest and take a look at some of our great WLS recipes. There is something for everyone as we get excited again about the Four Rules! Every now and again it serves us well to step back into our pre-op mindset when we were hell-bent on making surgery work to achieve weight loss and improve our health and quality of living. Take a look at this article with your pre-surgery eyes. I think it will help renew your enthusiasm for working "the tool" and living well today: Understand the Four Rules of WLS Before Going Under the Knife Weight loss surgery is frequently perceived as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. However, patients who undergo bariatric surgery are prescribed Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management that they will follow for the rest of their life if they wish to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Here is what you need to know about the Four Rules of weight loss surgery before going under the knife.