Where are the 50's??? -- all I see is a topic about wrinkles! How has the surgery changed your life?

I'm 61 years old and 5 days out. No problems at all and not even taking the pain meds, anymore. The diet is what it is. I had made my mind up that eating and drinking the way I use to is a thing of the past and now I follow the plan religiously. Like a survival tool. Once this first month is over and I'm back on regular foods I can ease up on myself a bit but I know I am very structured and I will probably map out each week until I reach my goal weight. I miss my golf game, alot. My wife is getting sleeved in 9 days. I hope I have paved a road for her. I know I can offer the emotional support. But as I said, I was lucky to be relatively pain free and still have not felt hunger.

Clancy .... Good luck to you AND your wife when she gets hers....i hope she is as painfree as you!!!

Clancy .... Good luck to you AND your wife when she gets hers....i hope she is as painfree as you!!!

Hooray, I finally hit Onderland today!! So excited, it has been more years than I can count since I have been under 200. I feel great!

Congratulations! What an achievement! All that hard work is paying off.

I'm 61 years old and 5 days out. No problems at all and not even taking the pain meds, anymore. The diet is what it is. I had made my mind up that eating and drinking the way I use to is a thing of the past and now I follow the plan religiously. Like a survival tool. Once this first month is over and I'm back on regular foods I can ease up on myself a bit but I know I am very structured and I will probably map out each week until I reach my goal weight. I miss my golf game, alot. My wife is getting sleeved in 9 days. I hope I have paved a road for her. I know I can offer the emotional support. But as I said, I was lucky to be relatively pain free and still have not felt hunger.

Welcome and congratulations! I think it's wonderful that both you and your wife will be taking this journey together!

^{Weighed today, have lost all of the hospital gain plus 2 lbs. That put a smile on my face, lol. Having trouble getting the clear protein down for some reason. Things that tasted good before don't taste good at all right now. I have some low carb strawberry protein drink and I'm trying it today, even if it isn't clear. close to getting all of my water in, but a little short. going to really push that hard today.}

^{Yaay to you!!!!! It will really start coming off now! Congrats!}

Okay, what is the deal!!!!! I am REALLY REALLY REALLY craving carbs for the last two days. NOT giving in but it is difficult! lol Been low carbing and high proteining for the last two-three weeks with no difficulty. Lost 6 lbs of re-gain and want to lose another at least another 6 by July 4th. Its not the womanly thing since that ended in 2000 with hysto! lol Can't figure this out. Just took an acide reducer thinking maybe my body is telling my head that I'm hungry or some such poppycock. And I AM exercising more too! Any thoughts?

I've been giving a lot of thought to this and .... As fat people we refueled (and over fueled) as soon as we thought we felt hunger. What if what we were really feeling was emply (low on fuel). This is a good state to be in. When you are here you are burning fat and losing weight. But...it is an uncomfortable feeling until you accept it as a good feeling. Empty = good = weight loss. As we change what we feel about being full or not we change the state of mind. Make the uncomfortable into comfortable because you know you are losing. You've reached your target and have added many carbs to the diet. Old memories emerge and you have to recognize them and not deal with them as you did prior to weight loss. Talk to a healthy recovering alcoholic about things that trigger them.

With carbs, you can never get enough. You can be full, topped off, completely stuffed, and you could still go more! Eating carbs makes you crave more carbs.

Limiting carbs is still difficult, but much easier than eating low fat or low calorie. after awhile, you aren't craving anything at all. And your fat cells steadily release their fuel to be burned. Instead of getting more difficult over time, low carb eating actually gets easier as the lust for carbs subsides.

Once you reach your goal weight; you should first add fruit, then whole wheat while continuing to monitor your weight. The low carb way can be a way of life. Insulin has three effects you don't want:

1. Converts sugar in the blood to fat in the cells — tells the body to store all the fat it can while the sugar is available

2. Tells the cells

not

to burn any fat, since there are plenty of sugar molecules to burn

3. Makes you crave more carbs

One of the reasons a low carb diet works is that protein and fat satisfy your hunger. When you eat protein, you do not crave more protein. If you had a huge plate of chicken, you would not continue to eat it after you had enough. You would eat a certain amount and then you wouldn't want to eat any more. You don't need a cheering section to keep you from eating any more. You're done. You're satisfied.

With carbs, you can never get enough. You can be full, topped off, completely stuffed, and you could still go more! Eating carbs makes you crave more carbs.

Limiting carbs is still difficult, but much easier than eating low fat or low calorie. after awhile, you aren't craving anything at all. And your fat cells steadily release their fuel to be burned. Instead of getting more difficult over time, low carb eating actually gets easier as the lust for carbs subsides.

Once you reach your goal weight; you should first add fruit, then whole wheat while continuing to monitor your weight. The low carb way can be a way of life. Insulin has three effects you don't want:

1. Converts sugar in the blood to fat in the cells — tells the body to store all the fat it can while the sugar is available

2. Tells the cells

not

to burn any fat, since there are plenty of sugar molecules to burn

3. Makes you crave more carbs

I agree with the science behind not eating carbs, but (and I'm only speaking for myself here). I would never have waited until I reached my goal to start adding carbs in. One of the beauties for me of the sleeve, is that I feel I can eat like a normal person; meaning watching what I eat; whatever it is. Because we're limited in the amount we can eat, I of course always eat my protein first at each meal, and I have no desire for rice, pasta, even bread. But I eat crackers with my salad at lunch, I always have fruit every day, and I always have a goodie (usually a cookie) in the afternoon. I love my way of eating and I never feel I'm on a diet. My calorie level stays between 900-1300 which at this point is giving me a steady loss of 1 lb a week (but I have always always lost slowly). I am now within 8 lbs of goal weight without feeling I have ever been restricted in what I could eat. I think if you don't let yourself have something you crave (knowing it will be a small amount) in the end, could trigger more eating disorders. Just MHO.

My new normal, is what I think normal people do!

I agree Totallly Queen of Crop. I had no problem reaching goal easily and quickly eating pretty much what I wanted, when I wanted. Unfortunately, after hitting about a year and half started adding back in too many "slider" foods and snacks. (smile) So now I am trying to regain goal - I've found (and documented studies) that once your body reaches a certain point and it STAYS there for a few months, it likes it!! REALLY WELL! lol So it doesn't want to let go of those extra pounds. I also started experiencing periods of extremely low blood sugar caused by my little stomach digesting the carbs eaten too quickly and since cutting down on carbs, that has stabilized. I agree with the NORMAL part. Just want to THINK like one too!!!!!

I agree with the science behind not eating carbs, but (and I'm only speaking for myself here). I would never have waited until I reached my goal to start adding carbs in. One of the beauties for me of the sleeve, is that I feel I can eat like a normal person; meaning watching what I eat; whatever it is. Because we're limited in the amount we can eat, I of course always eat my protein first at each meal, and I have no desire for rice, pasta, even bread. But I eat crackers with my salad at lunch, I always have fruit every day, and I always have a goodie (usually a cookie) in the afternoon. I love my way of eating and I never feel I'm on a diet. My calorie level stays between 900-1300 which at this point is giving me a steady loss of 1 lb a week (but I have always always lost slowly). I am now within 8 lbs of goal weight without feeling I have ever been restricted in what I could eat. I think if you don't let yourself have something you crave (knowing it will be a small amount) in the end, could trigger more eating disorders. Just MHO.

My new normal, is what I think normal people do!

I agree with this post. I'm only six weeks out but I have added some good carbs to my diet as I am now on solid food. My usual breakfast is Greek Yogurt with fruit and my mid-morning snack is a cappuchino so the non-fat milk adds carbs. My snack in the afternoon is cucumbers spread with hummus. When I'm on the run or traveling, I throw in a protein bar that has a healthy amount of carbs. But like QueenofCrop, I don't eat pasta, rice, or bread. I could add in crackers, but right now I'm still eating so little (can't seem to get above 600 calories daily) that I don't usually have room after I get in my protein. The carbs that I am eating do not create any cravings for me. Perhaps if they were refined sugar types of carbs that would be different, but I have never really craved those anyway. The one thing that I am staying away from is wine. I absolutely loved red wine before the surgery. But I do fear that if I drink it (allowed after two months, but still discouraged by my NUT), I will crave more. So, for now at least, I will stay away from it.

Good advice on being out a year or two.....I think one of the other benefits of this surgery is that when you have been so successful, you learn to be more aware of a lb here a lb there.....my problem was I gained 3-5 lbs a year, hardly a blip, but I did it for 20 years! So when things do start going down easier, we need to learn to think like a thin person and cut back and exercise more and watch it all the time. I appreciate hearing that though because sometimes I think this has all been too easy. I'm just now starting to say no when I know I can eat more.

@newfoundlove: not trying to tempt you, but very early on, a few weeks out, I started having one or two saltine crackers with my lunch. Not because I wanted the carbs, but it seemed to keep my stomach settled, and I have to admit , it made eating my tuna, salmon or cottage cheese much more pleasant. But I have completely stayed away from pasta, rice, and bread. Now at 8 months out, I still have saltines, pretzel thins, and even tortilla chips, but if I buy a lunch size bag of tortilla chips, it will last me 2 weeks! But I think I wanted to mention it because something in the saltine crackers keeps you from having a tummy ache.

Good post everyone! So happy to see us old folks reshaping our lives!

Hi all. Today feeling much better. I guess this is my third day post surgery. I have lost 9 of the 11 lbs I gained during surgery. I am able to take bigger sips than I thought I would be able to' date=' but have to be careful or I get the hiccups or start burping, which I discovered does not feel good. I'm suppose to be on clear liquids for 7 days, then I go to full liquids.[/quote']

Hello there,

I had mine done march 8th, came home to 10 lbs heavier also, that sucked, but the good news it came off within 4 days, after 3 months down 48 lbs, get in about 800 calories a day, the drinking of water I still have a hard time getting it down, I average 2 bottles a day, so roughly 4 glasses. The weather here has been crappy so the walking is very inconsistent, started to play golf a month ago, and had no probs what's so ever, but I am tired after,lol.

You will do great I have not regretted doing this at all, I feel great, energy, galore, and love fitting into smaller clothes, the only thing that is different this time is weightl loss in the boobs, man can not find bra that fits properly,lol. This keeps up I will have none