Start here
Where are you in your journey?
Choose the path that fits today. We’ll take you to the most useful discussions.
- GLP-1 medication Zepbound, Wegovy, access, side effects, progress, and support.
- Before surgery Compare procedures, plan ahead, and get honest pre-op answers.
- Post-op Recovery, food stages, symptoms, and support.
- Long-term Regain, labs, habits, and life after the honeymoon.
- Revision Explore revision options, complications, and next steps.
- Replies 6
- Views 2.3k
- Created
- Last Reply
Top Posters In This Topic
-
Elisabethsew 2 posts
-
burnsun 1 post
-
ade123 1 post
I have been "challanged" to share my success story and am happy to do so.
I had my surgery in Jun 08 and since then I have lost over 120 lbs and went from size 28 to size 6 petite. The restriction I have as a direct result of the physical changes to my insides has been a part of my success but there is much more involved,
The sleeve itself helps me feel full faster and stay full longer and has allowed me to develop a different relationship with myself, food and eating.
I am now mindful of my eating which was a new concept for me. I do not diet per se, that never worked before. I am however now making better choices. The bottom line is, regardless of surgery we are all responsible for the choices we make.
I am about a year about and my daily intake now averages about 60-80 gms of carbs per day, almost all of which come from fruit and veggies and what is normally foods. I do not routinely eat bread, pasta, cookies, cake etc. I do eat this at times but not on a regular basis. This is not because I am depriving myself of them and I don't miss having them I am just making different choices today.
I keep my protein above 80 gms per day, usually between 80-100. I eat beef, chicken, fish, cottage cheese, carbmaster or greek yogurt and other high protein foods. I do drink a protein shake in the morning, not so much for the protein per se, but because I have never been a food in the morning person and this starts off my day. Before surgery my "food" in the morning was several cans of Mt Dew and in any given day I was drinking around a 12 pk of Mt Dew per day.
I now pay attention to myself when I am eating, not just mindlessly shoving food in to my mouth. I pay attention to how much I am eating, though I do not portion out my food. I did early on but no longer do. That does not mean I am not paying attention I just no longer need to measure.
I have started exercising and now walk 3-6 miles every morning during the week and more than that on the weekends when I have more time. On the weekends I generally do 8-10 miles. I gradually built up to those distances, started out doing a mile or so and kept increasing it. Walking in the morning starts my day off on a good note, helps with my awareness of myself and burns calories.
I have done a lot of work on myself related to my issues with myself, food and my relationship with food. I have done this through both individual and group therapy as well as local support groups. I highly encourage anyone with longstanding issues to do this. I also suggest finding a therapist that is familiar with issues related to compulsive overeating, obesity and related issues. I also strongly encourage getting invovled with a professionally run support group that deals with issues specific to this weight loss transformation/journey.
Losing weight rapidly can play havoc with our hormones and emotions. Having a new body meant for me working on a new body image, the messages I tell myself about my body and my identity. This is a challange I continue to struggle with as so many post op bariatric patients.
I have worked with and continue to do some follow up with a nutritionist dietican who is skilled in dealing with WLS patients. This is a powerful tool to have in your toolbox to help with continued successful maintenance of your weight loss.
This is a continuing journey and for sure it is not a sprint but a marathon.