to all "seasoned sleevers"

please speak to me and others about being sleeved the 1rst year mark and maybe into the 2nd....year. would like to know if the sleeve is still assisting you. Obviously, you need to be eating properly, and drinking.

I've known since I was a "baby" sleever in diapers that the sleeve is only a tool. I fully get that.

now that you have passed "childhood" and have made it to "adulthood" how goes it. I'm sure you can eat more, very carefully - how does the sleeve help you now?

thanx

kathy

ps i know this has been asked before, please refresh my memory.

What I find interesting now is that the sleeve restriction is not directly helping me, it's the habits that are ingrained now at 15 months post-op. I eat mostly the same things each day and in the quantities I ate 8 months ago. I am baffled by topics that say "I am X months out and I can eat X amount of X food." I don't know how many slices of pizza I can eat, or hamburgers, or chicken nuggets, because I have a portion set in my mind and that's what I eat. I eat 3 jumbo shrimp. I eat 2.5-3.0 oz of steak. I eat 3 broccoli florets. I don't know if I can eat more (I suspect I can) but I don't. I know that if I try to overeat my sleeve will stop me but I don't test the limits. I eat sweets but I am not obsessed by them anymore. I don't eat rice or soft bread as they feel bad no matter what quantity I consume but I enjoy toast and crackers.

I guess I feel like I eat now the way I thought naturally skinny women ate when I was fat--in small portions but not denying themselves anything.

I am so grateful to this surgery for allowing me to make these discoveries.

Amen Foxbins......I too don't push my sleeve. I eat 1/2 cup of cottage cheese. No more than 3 ounces of chicken, fish or beef. This is what I have found that keeps me in check. I do eat veges, just can't fit much in after eating the Protein. I do not deny myself any sweets either. I just consume less, way less. I have found that over time I can't tolerate sweets as often or as much as I could pre-sleeve. I don't have a desire to have desssert every night. I can't eat bread. It feels way too heavy. Rice and Pasta I am holding off until I am ready. Not sure if it will feel heavy or leave my sleeve feeling too tight. Like overeating. I too think sure I can eat more but why would I??? I am so grateful that I have this tool. When you know what you can and can not eat. It makes the food choices much easier. (Found out at Easter, I can not tolerate a reeses Peanut Butter cups anymore. Way too sweet and it tasted aweful!!!! Blessing in disguise maybe????) You will figure out what works for you.

Deb

foxbins & ldydrgkpr

hello ladies

the info from you "seasoned" sleevers that the sleeve will continue to work as long as we work with it, is just what i hoped to hear.

We've had it drummed into us that the sleeve is only a "tool" - we must use it to the best of its capability, and be responsible for ourselves Eating and drinking correctly is always very important.

And of course never, never, never and ever, over..........indulge.

best wishes

your fellow sleever

thanx so much for you help and response

kathy

ps. did i say above correctly?

pps - any other "seasoned" sleevers are welcome to jump in. Don't be shy

Just like Foxbins and Ldydrgkpr- I too watch my portion control. I bought myself a cute red salad plate that is my dinner plate. I eat a lot more leafy greens and fish then most other stuff. My family loves the cooking that I am doing. My oldest who is 13 says that he likes the way he feels after he has eaten now. Not before when the meal was mainly fast food or a carb. We are not sluggish and over stuffed. I ALWAYS stop eating when I feel the slightest bit full.

I do indulge in sweets ( from time to time), a crouton or 2, and Peanut Butter toast- but a very small amount, and not everyday. Denying myself is not something that works for me. I do have children, so I am also trying to teach them way better eating habits now then what was at the house 2 years ago. So, I explain to them that things are okay in moderation. Have a glass of Water and piece of string cheese, fruit or veg for a snack instead of the old way of Cookies and junk. My kids are really liking the new variety they are getting in their school lunches and actually make healthy requests at home! This is a huge motivation for me!

I have found out the hard way that I cannot eat : rice, Pasta and bread. I feel terrible after I eat it and it's really not worth it. I don't like how I feel and I still sometimes throw up if something doesn't sit well. And to be honest to myself, it was eating way to much of that (bread, pasta and rice)- that got me to 385 pounds in the first place!

My #1 thing that I do for myself that has really helped is to plan my meals. That way I have everything I need. I can grab, create and eat! It's amazing how much the tastebuds change after the surgery. I was a fast food junkie- and now the smell revolts me! Never in a million years did I ever think that was gonna happen to me!

I love what the surgery had started for me. Or the tool that was given to me and my family. I am not the only one that is digging my sleeve- my kids are too. I gained a better life because of it and new outlook on life. Although there are still downer days for me (food addiction/emo eating)- they are far and few in between. Nothing like how it was.

ji

At closer to two years from surgery (Sept 2010) I am not as disciplined as the other wonderful responders. Goal was quick for me, so I did not keep all of my great habits during the weight loss.

Today - I still battle my mind and it is a good thing that my sleeve restricts me. Yes, I can eat more than I think I should - throwing in slider foods (chips/candy/sauces) in with meals which allows me to eat more than I think I should. I snack between meals. I still eat too quickly a bad habit that has come back. This tricks my stomach into allowing me to get more in since my full signal (I sneeze about three times) is overridden when eating quickly. I need to drink more often rather than grab a snack. VSG surgery has turned me into a sugar a holic. food is not in my every waking thought. I don't plan my day around food anymore, dreaming of my next meal. I eat because of smell, texture and social reasons. Sadly-a few recent emotional downturns have caused me to slide into some bad habits again. Working on being better.

No I do not measure food, what I do is at every meal...every meal I eat on a small plate. If out to dinner, I eat off the bread plate. So others at the table do not feel uncomfortable, I place my plate on top of a regular dinner plate, using the dinner plate as a charger. Tricks my mind into thinking I am getting a lot of food. People do not "watch" my portions too. My problem prior to surgery was volume and using food as a cure for everything. Guess what my problem is after surgery? Same thing but my "sleevie wonder" stops me from overeating...as if I could over eat now. HA HA. Surgeon made my stomach smaller and did not fix my brain. Although I do not feel physical hunger I suffer from snacking urges due to boredom, bad habits or neglecting to drink enough.

I am maintaining my weight - within 5 pounds approx but I still need to make better food choices. The sleeve did not fix my mind - food is still a battle but now with VSG I can win the war. I win more battles than I lose. Need to stratagize daily to win more battles. I am the enemy. I am the victor. No one is responsible for my future long term success of VSG but me.

Stay vigilant with your good habits even after goal. No regrets, I love my sleeve.

I am 21mths post op and my sleeve still has great restriction - the same as it was around the 7-8mth marker. I mostly eat three times a day as per my post op instructions and I find this has now become a habit. There are days when I include a snack but it is not every day. i am very lucky in one way as my sleeve can tolerate absolutely anything, and I have had no problems - although this is good I have to be mindful of what I put in my mouth... yes, the sleeve is a tool. I used to weigh everything... now I can eyeball my portions well... but, I do weigh to keep on track every now and again!

At this stage for me it is about what, when and how I eat. Since July 2010 I am not interested in sh*tty food - especailly packaged foods and processed foods... if it needs to go ping in a microwave then I won't eat it ...YUK!! I eat a lot of fresh meat and veg now and I have found a huge love of red, orange and yellow peppers... they are my new 'sweeties'!!

When it comes to treats, yep, I too eat them, but as the other posters said, they do not rule my world anymore...and say for instance, if I have a biscuit, one or two is my limit as opposed to one or two packets pre sleeve. I also don't feel guilty about treats now! This month has been a food nightmare...Easter, my dad's birthday, my daughter's birthday and my birthday... so lots of treats around and I have enjoyed a small piece of cake or a little bit of chocolate egg...

I chose the sleeve because I wanted to be able to eat like a 'naturally slim' person... and it is doing its job well!

Good luck as you grow into your teenage sleeve and onwards...

I gained a better life because of it and new outlook on life. Although there are still downer days for me (food addiction/emo eating)- they are far and few in between. Nothing like how it was.

I definitely think that eating properly is still paramount. While I don't feel that my restriction has changed much at, say, 10 months vs. 19 months out, I have more of a sweet tooth now - although certainly not as much as pre-op! If you indulged at every meal, you'd absolutely gain weight. It wouldn't be 10 lbs a month, but I'm sure you could gain 2-3 lbs a month without a problem. Say, I had a chocolate Easter egg about every other day last week; that's 200 calories. I can eat a whole egg in one sitting without any issue. If I had, say, 2-3 eggs a day - one in the morning, one with lunch, one at night - that's 600-700 calories extra! Same with things like chips, Pasta with cream sauce, or other fatty things. Yeah, you can only eat a small serving at a time, maybe 200-300 calories' worth, but you can certainly find a way to stuff 5 of these servings into yourself over the course of a whole day.

drinks are another problem! I personally enjoy lattes, and I have to be mindful that essentially, one latte = 1 serving of chocolate as far as calories go. I like to have 2 a day, but if I'm having dessert that day, I cut it down to one or, if I'm feeling ambitious, none at all.

I'm 21 months out and my sleeve is still doing exactly what it's supposed to do: it restricts my intake.

This, in turn, causes me to consider what I eat constantly. I think about what I've had so far that day and I add in a Protein shake if I need it, or choose to eat more chicken and skip the rice, or eat that cookie if I'm on track with everything else. I hardly record my calories at all now, though I do have to log a few days every few weeks to be sure that I'm on track. And that goes both ways, because more often than not I find that I'm still not eating enough! Sometimes I'm overindulging a bit but I don't really see any gains on the scale (I've got a happy little 4 pound window I live within) so I don't fret overmuch.

Like coops, I no longer waste calories on junky, processed foods. That extends into me avoiding sugar free or fat free food items. Yuck! If I'm going to eat only three or four bites of something, they need to be wonderful or I'll just find myself in the kitchen looking for something else later! I think part of why I never feel any discontent about my diet (and how I avoid binges or making a habit of overindulging) is because I do full fat, full flavor and don't beat myself up about it.

And I still firmly believe that part of why I am so healthy mentally is because I did not approach the sleeve like a diet and restrict myself to the max to hit goal quickly. I have a much more laid-back approach to food than a lot of people here, and maintenance has been easy as pie for me.

That said, I still hate exercise and every time I see BlackBerryJuice's posts I think I should get to the gym more. She looks fantastic, but then she's working very hard for it, too! I'll just be a little softer...and lazier, I think.

~Cheri

I'm 21 months out and my sleeve is still doing exactly what it's supposed to do: it restricts my intake.

I still hate exercise I think I should get to the gym more. I'll just be a little softer...and lazier, I think.

Cheri

Thank you so much for answering my biggest concern/fear - that the sleeve will continue do "its job" even after a period of time. Of course still and always the sleeve is only a tool, we have to do the hard work , but thats fine.

I don't like to exercise either. I know thats awful to stay, but the "truth sets you free" , right .

I really know that i must go back to the gym, , it would really help me so i will not become as "flabby". I have a membership to a gym, so that gives me no excuse not to go but.......... I just keep on working on trying to go. Its the thought that counts.

best

kathy

I definitely think that eating properly is still paramount. While I don't feel that my restriction has changed much at, say, 10 months vs. 19 months out, I have more of a sweet tooth now - although certainly not as much as pre-op! If you indulged at every meal, you'd absolutely gain weight. It wouldn't be 10 lbs a month, but I'm sure you could gain 2-3 lbs a month without a problem. Say, I had a chocolate Easter egg about every other day last week; that's 200 calories. I can eat a whole egg in one sitting without any issue. If I had, say, 2-3 eggs a day - one in the morning, one with lunch, one at night - that's 600-700 calories extra! Same with things like chips, Pasta with cream sauce, or other fatty things. Yeah, you can only eat a small serving at a time, maybe 200-300 calories' worth, but you can certainly find a way to stuff 5 of these servings into yourself over the course of a whole day.

drinks are another problem! I personally enjoy lattes, and I have to be mindful that essentially, one latte = 1 serving of chocolate as far as calories go. I like to have 2 a day, but if I'm having dessert that day, I cut it down to one or, if I'm feeling ambitious, none at all.

Blackberry - have you tried Click Mocha Protein powder? If you are craving lattes but feel guilty, this is the solution! Some Click, some chocolate Protein Powder, some torani syrup, some sf whip, put it in a fancy container and you would never know the difference between it and something from Starbucks. Plus, every serving of Click has the equivalent of 2 shots of espresso! buzzbuzzbuzz! =)

Blackberry - have you tried Click Mocha Protein Powder?

Yes, I second this one. It's not that great as just a Protein Drink but if you consider it a lower calorie sub with a protein perk for those lattes you might find yourself "indulging" your latte addiction.

~Cheri

Speaking to the topic - I am 20 months out and am still 40 lbs from goal. I am grieved to say that I feel physically as though I can eat anything and eat normal portions. Now, I know that I can eat a lot, but I must also realize that my idea of "a lot" is different than others because I eat out with my friend and he comments on my miniscule appetite. My head hunger is more intense than it has been since surgery, anxiety is up, and in the week prior to my cycle I lose the battle against carbs and binge like a damn junkie. You hear the old saw about, "they operated on our stomachs, not our brains" and that is so very true. I'm terrified of regaining weight, of not making it to goal, and yet I put that doughnut in my mouth, that tiramisu, that snickers. I don't feel supported in my daily life, and it has been so long since I've seen any enouragement from the scale that I've given up there.

Last night for dinner I had cheeseburger salad, which is a cheeseburger minus the buns with extra greens. It took me two hours to eat the entire thing, 3.5 oz (after cooking) ground beef, 6 leaves romaine, 2 dill pickles chopped, purple onion, mustard mayo). I should have stopped after I felt the first fullness which would have been after the third bite when I'd only been eating for 15 minutes. But I didn't.

They operated on our stomachs.

SparklingSarah, legal, Coops, BlacBerry juice, & GlobeTrotters

Ladies,

i really appreciate you all (plus the others above) for responding to my posts.

It seems like i don't usually get comments to my remarks to my post, so thanx for taking the time to respond to me.

best

kathy

ps " about others not responding" - maybe i'm the only one that takes it personally, no tears for me

pps on my way to cardiologist now for pre-op, having knee repacement one week from thursday

had the left one done 5 yrs ago, knew the right one had to be done too

later

kathy