Gastric Sleeve Experts... Please Chime In!

[NtvTxn 1,262]

I treat my calories like cash. Some days I spend my "money" on good foods and have some to spare, some days I go crazy and have drinks but I make sure to stay within "budget"

If only I were this strict with my actual money lol

I do the very same thing! To get all my calories in, I have to eat a snack two or three times a day....when I know we are going to get ice cream or do something out of the ordinary, I will cut the morning and afternoon snack out.....it all comes out good. I do manage to keep my Protein between 60 and 90, and that is my 'daily goal'.

[SleeveDreamer 383]

I am 17 months out and I stopped counting calories about 9 months ago. I was tracking on MFP and never came close so I thought I would try it on my own because I didn't want to think I was always on a diet, and thats's what counting calories reminded me of. I have been very successful and have gotten to my goal of 75 lbs. i really only had 60 lbs. to lose that my doctor wanted me to lose but he said I could go to 75 if I wanted to as long as I felt good but not any more. I just started tracking calories again yeterday on MFP and have not changed anything, I just ws curious to see about how many I am actually taking in so I can tell him next month when I go for my 18 month checkup. He himself told me that alot of his patients stress out too much and worry about calorie intake. I was surprised yesterday when I started tracking again and I am taking in less than 1,000 still. I still can't eat that much, but he did tell me that your stomach restriction changes at 18 months. So I am right on track for that and have proven that I have changed my wy of eating so much, that I can do it on my own. I will continue tracking for 3 months to see if my restrictions change like he says they will, and will probably have to increase my caloric intake a little to keep from losing more. I am 62 and healthier than I have ever been my entire adult life. Have gone from a size 18 jeans to a size 2. I take Bariatric Advantage chewable Multi Vitamins, BA Chewable Iron, BA sublimal B12 and BA Vitamin D. I am not on ANY meds at all at age 62! Will be 63 next month! LOVE MY SLEEVE!

[Sydney Lynn Pinckley 20]

No counting calories isn't a bad thing.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

That's the one part I didn't understand. Then I do suck at math. My SW was 265. I go to my 1st post spot tomorrow. But I was wondering if my goal is to about 180 what percentage would that be?

If your goal is 180,and you lose all the way to 180, then you will be at goal, and that will be 100% EWL. If your goal was 179 and you got to 179 then that would be 100% as well! getting to goal is losing 100%. If you get half way to goal, that is 50% EWL.

[mariamitani 405]

I love my fitness pal it makes it easier to keep track of my Protein , Calcium, Iron, potassium and calories. When I dont log I go below My goals.

[Cabingirl 55]

Averages are just that - the compilation of outcomes for thousands of patients/individuals with many different personal results.

The problem is that us non-physician types want to know what we can do best case.

When a surgeon tells us what may be expected, he/she can only give us that proven average. To suggest anything else would be professionally inappropriate.

[7 Bites_Jen 479]

Here is a presentation from 2008 from Dr. Cirangle with some 5 year stats:

2008 Cirangle Presentation

If the link doesn't work, let me know. You have to run the link in Internet Explorer. It will not work with Firefox.

Thank you!!

Just a note - it won't work on Chrome either :-)

I've already surpassed the 65% - I think more people lose more than the average they give. It's the select few that don't do what they're supposed to and don't lose ANY weight that drag the average down, LOL.

[TimeForANewMe 4]

<br />I lost all m weight. If you stick to Protein first and a little veggies when you have room, you can't help but lose.<br />Try not to worry. Of course if you cheat and eat candy which goes down very easily. that will change everything.<br /><br />You can do it if you are dedicated to following the rules and adding some exercise in.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Oh how I wish this were true for me, but it isn't. I track every single morsel that goes in my mouth, I keep my carbs lower than low, and my food choices pristine. Yet, I'm not losing weight. The party line of VSG is that on such low calories it is impossible not to lose weight. Well, here I am. I exercise 5 days a week, 30 minutes elliptical, full weights rotation. I eat 80+ grams protein, 10-20 grams carbs, 60-90 ounces Water, every day. Not only have I stopped losing weight (a month without loss), but I have gained. I do not eat bread, potatoes, rice, grains, etc. I am supposed to be on 600 calories a day.

I had surgery in June,2013 and my nut said that if you eat more than 70 grams protein that the scale will stop moving down...she said I may lose inches but not the weight...(I was aiming for 80 grams protein/day) so I changed to between 60-70 grams trying to get close to 70 and the scale did start moving again... Good luck!

[BigGirlPanties 957]

I haven't read all of these...but I'm pretty sure the 65% loss was during the "honeymoon" period... i.e. the first 6 months after surgery...after that the loss is slower, but if you stay on point, you will lose!

[hopeful2 be slim 121]

even I am curious about the weight loss...we loose some every week isnt it...more so in first 2 weeks.

My date is 24th...hoping to get it done soon...

[hayesa727 4]

Hi everyone I have a general question for you. I am almost a week post op and I am struggling with knowing my hunger signals. I realize the there are a certain amount of grams I need for Protein a day as well as Water intake, however I a genuinely not feeling hungry. Actually it wasn't until about a day ago before I stopped throwing up. In any case what has everyone else did in regard to meal time. In addition did anyone find it a struggle to get the 3 liters of water a day. I barely get through the top of the bottle and my stomach is cramping, this is even with bird sips. I need help please and thank you.

[neece14 0]

im 1 week post op and so far the last 2 days i have been getting cold sweats. today i had really loose stool and the area my drain was pulled out of is always sore and feels like it is throbbing. i get a little dizzy walking as well has anyone else felt like this?

[mistysj 1,939]

im 1 week post op and so far the last 2 days i have been getting cold sweats. today i had really loose stool and the area my drain was pulled out of is always sore and feels like it is throbbing. i get a little dizzy walking as well has anyone else felt like this?

Call your doctor or go to urgent care. Better safe than sorry.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Hi everyone I have a general question for you. I am almost a week post op and I am struggling with knowing my hunger signals. I realize the there are a certain amount of grams I need for Protein a day as well as Water intake, however I a genuinely not feeling hungry. Actually it wasn't until about a day ago before I stopped throwing up. In any case what has everyone else did in regard to meal time. In addition did anyone find it a struggle to get the 3 liters of water a day. I barely get through the top of the bottle and my stomach is cramping, this is even with bird sips. I need help please and thank you.

Protein and water are medicine now. If you have to carry it around with you and sip every minute to get it in, then do that. Many people have to do that. Later it will become easier, and really, most people find their hunger comes back and it is VERY easy to eat, so take this as part of the honeymoon, do what you need to to heal and get your protein/water in, and watch the scale go down! (not always when you want, or how much you want... but it will go down)

[Bridget312001 70]

It has been a while since I have logged on... and I just had my 4th month post op visit with my doctor/nutritionist. I have lost 43 pounds in total and am so EXCITED! I feel great!!

Now, I am a little bit concerned because the NUT said that I am about 50%. He said most gastric sleeve patients lose 65% of their excess weight. So, that would mean, if I weighed 100 pounds over my IDEAL weight then I am expected to lose about 65 pounds and they consider that to be the norm. NOW, I want to lose the 100 pounds that I am over weight by -- but the NUT made me feel like that was not typical and went one to say that when one is heavy it takes more energy and therefore you lose more weight but once you have lost about 65% of the excess weight it is more difficult... So, is he trying to discourage me or, well, I don't know?

So, those of you who have had the surgery and are at the 1 year mark -- did you lose ALL your excess weight or was it the 65% of the EXCESS weight that my NUT was talking about?

Throw the NUT's nonsense out of the window. If you want to loose 100lbs you can most definitely loose 100lbs! I went from 214lbs down to 131 and am working on the last 6lbs. YOU CAN DO THIS! :-)