Hi Sleevers,

I am in need of some tough love.

I am probably one of the very few that has fallen off the wagon so early on. I am only 11 days post-op and I've already cheated. Today, I had such a giant craving for some bread that I drove down to Trader Joes and bought myself some rolls. My only saving grace, I think, is that I chose the rolls that seemed the healthiest because one roll had 10 grams of Protein and 5 grams of Fiber. Well, I took those puppies home and ate one with a small bowl of creamy tomato and bell pepper Soup. I did not eat it all at once, as it would not fit, but I did manage to eat it. It did feel somewhat weird in my stomach for a bit but it do not come back up or cause me pain.

What is wrong with me? Why am I already messing up? I am supposed to be on full liquids for 3 more days and then transition to pureed foods, but I'm already eating bread.

I paid for the surgery myself, so I was able to get it very quickly and without any hassel. I did not have to see a nutritionist or lose weight to qualify or anything. Maybe this is why I am being so weak, so early on. I've already dropped a total of 15 pounds since starting my 7 day pre-op diet, and I'm feeling good about how I look. This might also be why I'm veering from my path, or maybe I'm subconsciously afraid to get thin, or something. I don't know what is wrong with me, but if I don't straighten myself out now, then I can be sure that more and more cheating will soon come.

Does anyone have any good words for me? I appreciate your help and support.

Adriana

Well Amanda I'm glad you didn't say anything 0_o

I think she was questioning about calories in the weeks to come.... There are a lot of different opinions on here about how many calories.

And to have someone shove it down her throat about never going above a certain amount can confuse a new person don't you think??

Right!! That is precisely what I'm doing; I'm inquiring into the reasoning for the very low calories for the months of the weight loss phase. Although, I was slightly concerned that having insufficient calories might slow down my healing process, but someone else already spoke to that and said that it's more important to worry about Protein than calories for the healing phase, according to her nutritionist. This makes sense, too, because protein builds muscle and aids in reparing the body.

I thank you so much for your help and support!!

I didn't realize she wanted to do 1200 at two weeks out... My bad I must of missed that..

See post @ 6:41pm yesterday. At 2 weeks, most will be eating between 100-300 calories and it will be liquids. You would be still very swollen at this point, so impossible to even drink much.

I bet I could get 1200 calories from eating tortilla chips all day long. Those suckers chew down to nothing, especially the kind they serve you in Mexican restaraunts. Just saying that there are ways...

Oh Yea, throw in some Mexican cheese dip, and It's all over for me!

Well I help people that struggle with anorexia and they typically eat about 300 calories. Besides this point is mute, from what I'm reading on these posts, there seems to be a struggle going on. You report that you haven't researched medical journals but you have reads a lot of posts from individuals on his/her experiences. If you want to eat high calorie, fat sugar latent foods, then eat that food so you can get your calories up. But I really dont advise. We are all individuals and we make our own choices. Peace to you and wish you luck on your journey......

Oh, I see. You get your numbers from your work with anorexics. Very cool!

Yes, I've been struggling with head hunger and tempation and even gave in yesterday. Today, that struggle is much conqured, thanks to the words of wisdom from so many of you.

Do you have some medical journals that you'd recommend I look at? Head hunger, though, seems to me to be more psychological than medical. But, knowing the facts does not always stop me from engaging in poor behavior, sadly. I knew of many physical consequences that could come from obesity and poor eating but that did not stop me for becoming obese or eating a bunch of junk food.

Thanks for your well wishes and support!!

I am not sleeved yet so I hope I am not speaking out of turn. But I think since you paid for your surgery, you missed some of the built-in hoops that most people have to jump through, like the dietitian and the psychologist. Those hoops are there for a reason, to teach you about dietary needs and requirements after the sleeve, and coping mechanisms to keep you on the right track. It might be worth your money to book yourself in for those appointments now, even after the surgery. And find a support group even if it is not with the doctor you chose. At the very least, go on amazon.com and search for books on the gastric sleeve. I read a great one called The Sleeved Life. I am reading another one called The Emotional First Aid Kit, which is geared to people who have had bariatric surgery.

I see some of myself in you. I am that person who always thinks she knows best and always questions rules. But if I were right as much as I think I am, I wouldn't need this surgery. It will be challenging but try to let go of the idea that you know best. Most of us feel like nutrition experts since we have done every diet in the book. But look where that got us. Lets both bow to the wisdom of the bariatric medicine field and see how we do.

Oh' date=' I see. You get your numbers from your work with anorexics. Very cool!

Yes, I've been struggling with head hunger and tempation and even gave in yesterday. Today, that struggle is much conqured, thanks to the words of wisdom from so many of you. <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Do you have some medical journals that you'd recommend I look at? Head hunger, though, seems to me to be more psychological than medical. But, knowing the facts does not always stop me from engaging in poor behavior, sadly. I knew of many physical consequences that could come from obesity and poor eating but that did not stop me for becoming obese or eating a bunch of junk food.

Thanks for your well wishes and support!![/quote']

Just remember when you have to cheat we are also working on being in Ketosis for maximum weight loss. I am only 5 days out and I "cheated" today with stage 1 turkey and broth baby food with a little salt. I was so hungry and weirdly enough it was good! I tried to defend myself by saying "I know I'm only supposed to have liquids, but I was told to use applesauce for my ground up Vicodin so what's the harm?" Needless to say I feel fine but I'm super paranoid there is a turkey flake stuck in my staple line...ugh! Look up Ketosis on Pubmed or anorexia and you will find thousands of publications. You are not in danger of becoming anorexic...anorexics are practically forced those calories and they don't make good choices. Think celery, iceburg lettuce and things with little nutritional value.

Also, it looks as though there are genes involved in anorexia so I wouldn't worry.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/23313276/?i=6&from=anorexia%20caloric%20intake

I am not sleeved yet so I hope I am not speaking out of turn. But I think since you paid for your surgery, you missed some of the built-in hoops that most people have to jump through, like the dietitian and the psychologist. Those hoops are there for a reason, to teach you about dietary needs and requirements after the sleeve, and coping mechanisms to keep you on the right track. It might be worth your money to book yourself in for those appointments now, even after the surgery. And find a support group even if it is not with the doctor you chose. At the very least, go on amazon.com and search for books on the gastric sleeve. I read a great one called The Sleeved Life. I am reading another one called The Emotional First Aid Kit, which is geared to people who have had bariatric surgery.

I see some of myself in you. I am that person who always thinks she knows best and always questions rules. But if I were right as much as I think I am, I wouldn't need this surgery. It will be challenging but try to let go of the idea that you know best. Most of us feel like nutrition experts since we have done every diet in the book. But look where that got us. Lets both bow to the wisdom of the bariatric medicine field and see how we do.

Thanks for your suggestions!!

I was just hoping that someone had their hot little hands on the reasoning behind this 600 - 800 calorie instruction that many, but not all, post-ops are given to by their doctor or nutritionist.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/21165293/?i=3&from=/22379334/related

Why we are one strict protein low calorie diet other than for safety against leaks.

Just remember when you have to cheat we are also working on being in Ketosis for maximum weight loss. I am only 5 days out and I "cheated" today with stage 1 turkey and broth baby food with a little salt. I was so hungry and weirdly enough it was good! I tried to defend myself by saying "I know I'm only supposed to have liquids, but I was told to use applesauce for my ground up Vicodin so what's the harm?" Needless to say I feel fine but I'm super paranoid there is a turkey flake stuck in my staple line...ugh! Look up Ketosis on Pubmed or anorexia and you will find thousands of publications. You are not in danger of becoming anorexic...anorexics are practically forced those calories and they don't make good choices. Think celery, iceburg lettuce and things with little nutritional value.

Oh, I am not at all worried about becoming anorexic. The conversation sorta went off topic with that because I had compared a diet of 600 - 800 calories to that of someone's with an eating disorder. It's just that for more than 20 years of my adult life, being on and off diets, I heard the many warnings against going on crash diets, which are (or were) considered diets with less than say 1,000 calories a day, becaue you'll lose more muscle than fat and you'll end up lowering your metabolism.

I got this kind of information from stuff that I learned like in the 80s and 90s. I'm thinking that there might be newer research that substantiates the lower calories, but so far I've not found anyone that has it. Do you happen to know if there is newer research? I would not be surprised if there was.

I spent a good amount of the last 10+ years on and off of low carb diets. (I have Ketosis strips in my medicine cabinet.)

Thanks for your support!

I think what most people on here are trying to say is that with our sleeves if we focus on Protein goals and Fluid and make good food choices we typically stay pretty low calorie. I am 6 months out and track everything I eat on my fitness pal. Each meal I focus on high protein, then veggies or fruit. I eat my correct portions until I am full but not overly full. Right after surgery when you are still healing the amount is less. I always plan my food and make sure I have protein with me, but I am also at the point where I can go out to eat and make good high protein healthy choices! I am so thankful for my sleeve. I don't think someone that eats foods like scrambled eggs, turkey, fish, chicken, cheese, yogurt and vegetables would be considered anorexic! I now eat usually between 800 to 950 calories and have about 20 more lbs until goal! Hang in there!

Sent from my iPhone using VST

Here's an extreme example of the efficacy of very low calorie diets: http://pmj.bmj.com/content/49/569/203.full.pdf

http://www.ncbi.nlm....2379334/related

Why we are one strict Protein low calorie diet other than for safety against leaks.

Some of this is a bit over my head, but I think this abstract says that two groups of obese individuals were researched for weight loss, one group in ketosis and the other not, and that the group in ketosis had lost more weight. It seems to say that these individuals were tested for ketosis (ketonuria) after either 8 hours of fasting or caloric reduction.

If I've read this correctly, and there is a high probablity that I did NOT, this would indicate the researchers believe that low carb dieting is a faster way to lose weight. Well, low carb worked really well for me, but then I'd just put the weight back on.

I did not see a thing about bariatric surgery or lowering calories. Am I wrong? I'm sorry for my ignorance!

Some of this is a bit over my head' date=' but I think this abstract says that two groups of obese individuals were researched for weight loss, one group in ketosis and the other not, and that the group in ketosis had lost more weight. It seems to say that these individuals were tested for ketosis (ketonuria) after either 8 hours of fasting or caloric reduction.

If I've read this correctly, and there is a high probablity that I did NOT, this would indicate the researchers believe that low carb dieting is a faster way to lose weight. Well, low carb worked really well for me, but then I'd just put the weight back on. <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

I did not see a thing about bariatric surgery or lowering calories. Am I wrong? I'm sorry for my ignorance![/quote']

You did great! Here is another a bit more difficult but basically obesity causes inflammation and the low calorie restrictions re-set a lot of serum concentrations of inflammatory-related factors.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/21677057/?i=11&from=calorie%20restriction%20and%20bariatric%20surgery'>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/21677057/?i=11&from=calorie%20restriction%20and%20bariatric%20surgery

Just go to Pubmed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/

And look up anything you want.

That is why we get the sleeve,so when we fail,it is not as bad as before.Just keep on fighting you will be fine.