Alright December Sleevers, I'm hoping that this title brings more people in so we can follow and encourage each other through our journeys.

I am 40. I'm 5'4" and about 308 right now. I'd like to get to a healthy BMI which would be around 145. I'm hoping for a December 4th or 5th date with Dr. William Johnson.

Everyone introduce yourselves!


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All: I need your help and feedback. Has anyone else become obsessed with tracking their food? I track everything I eat, I think about food all the time. I feel a little obsessed. My goals are 60-90 grams of Protein a day, no more than 60 grams of carbs a day, and no more than 1000 calories. I am often hungry in the 3 hours between small meals, but I don't eat extra. I was starting to calm down, but when I went to my 3 mo. visit my surgeon kinda corrected me for eating things like a 1/2 a banana or a 1/2 apple, or 1/2 an English muffin, or popcorn (all of which fit into eating no more than 60 grams of carbs a day). He mentioned the word Paleo - which is definitely not the diet on the booklet they give out. I went away from that check-in pretty depressed. Especially when the Dr. said I would be eating like this for the rest of my life. Now, I knew that I would not be going back to my bad habits of eating cake and Cookies (and I don't cheat now), but somehow the idea of having to track everything and worry about eating a banana was not what I pictured in my future. I work out 3 times a week (40 mins. swimming laps, or 35 mins. on the treadmill at 3.8 speed, or 35 mins. on elliptical). I also do the bad thing of weighing myself everyday. Most weeks I see a drop of about 2 lbs. This week I went down, then up and am now going back down. Constipation has been an issue. I am a little worried that I'm too fixated on this, but I can't stop thinking about my food and weight loss. I guess I feel that I have made this major change in my life and I want it to work consistently, really want to be back to what I consider "normal" life. How many calories are you all eating per day? Are you hungry (actual stomach growling) between meals? Is anyone else sorta fixated on this? I feel like I'm waiting for my life to start again and feeling a little depressed. Thanks for your feedback.

With all due respect to your surgeon, I disagree with his opinion and I think you should seek a second opinion - this is from my perspective of being both a doctor (family Medicine) and a gastric sleeve patient.

There's no reason you can't switch your post-op follow up to a different Bariatric surgeon.

You are meeting your weight loss and protein goals, you are for the most part avoiding refined carbs, so I don't see a problem.

Congrats to you for your success thus far! You're doing great!!

Just wanted to recommend a few new cookbooks I got from Amazon today. I've already marked several recipes and an planning a big grocery trip and day of cooking Sunday.

Weight Loss Surgery Cookbook for Dummies is great! Easy recipes, includes nutrition background and helpful hints about each diet phase.

Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery- recipes are a little more difficult and many require a food processors and an experimental palate. Love the desert and sauces recipes. Never thought I could have a "healthy" cheesecake. Again, nutritional facts are included as well as helpful hints about each diet phase.

Both books make recipes for four servings so it's perfect for your family or to refrigerate and have for leftovers.

Happy Cooking!!!

All:

Thanks so much for the all the kind words and input. I can see that we all have slightly different ways of getting to the same end result - a healthy weight. I also wonder if maybe we are being told carbs should be limited because our medical professionals are afraid we will slip back into our old ways of eating to excess.

I, like some of you, don't want to feel like I have to "diet" the rest of my life. I also want to make sure I make my weight goal and maintain a healthy weight. So, after reading your posts I feel like I will take my surgeon's words with a grain of salt and try to relax a little bit. I am a rule follower - so it upset me that I was found lacking.

But I have to keep remembering that this plan is for the long haul and I need to incorporate some of the foods I like in addition to the Protein.

We'll see how it goes this week as I am a teacher on spring break!

What would we do without each other?

Take care, and thanks for all your posts!

Edited March 29, 201412 yr by cabstewart

Xmarycontrary:

I agree those cookbooks look great!

<p>All:</p> <p> </p> <p>Thanks so much for the all the kind words and input. I can see that we all have slightly different ways of getting to the same end result - a healthy weight. I also wonder if maybe we are being told carbs should be limited because our medical professionals are afraid we will slip back into our old ways of eating to excess. </p> <p> </p> <p>I, like some of you, don't want to feel like I have to "diet" the rest of my life. I also want to make sure I make my weight goal and maintain a healthy weight. So, after reading your posts I feel like I will take my surgeon's words with a grain of salt and try to relax a little bit. I am a rule follower - so it upset me that I was found lacking. </p> <p> </p> <p>But I have to keep remembering that this plan is for the long haul and I need to incorporate some of the foods I like in addition to the protein.</p> <p> </p> <p>We'll see how it goes this week as I am a teacher on spring break!</p> <p> </p> <p>What would we do without each other?</p> <p> </p> <p>Take care, and thanks for all your posts!</p>

I think that's a good plan. Just keep in mind if you change your diet you may see a slight stall in your loss but don't get discouraged by it. You have to be happy and not stressed out by this new lifestyle. I'm glad you found some solace in our responses! You're doing great!

Loving my sleeve! Down 2 lbs this week! God bless your Week ahead and enjoy this beautiful journey hair loss and all...yes I have started losing brush fulls:-(

SW 248

CW 195

53 lbs gone forever! Went from a tight XL to a nicely fitting medium...I am 5'9 so the weight loss is really showing on me now:-) thanking Jesus!!!

Just wanted to recommend a few new cookbooks I got from Amazon today. I've already marked several recipes and an planning a big grocery trip and day of cooking Sunday. Weight Loss Surgery Cookbook for Dummies is great! Easy recipes, includes nutrition background and helpful hints about each diet phase. Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery- recipes are a little more difficult and many require a food processors and an experimental palate. Love the desert and sauces recipes. Never thought I could have a "healthy" cheesecake. Again, nutritional facts are included as well as helpful hints about each diet phase. Both books make recipes for four servings so it's perfect for your family or to refrigerate and have for leftovers. Happy Cooking!!!

I had looked at both of those on Amazon but didn't purchase them yet. Given your endorsement I'm gonna go for it

Thanks Mary!

Just wanted to recommend a few new cookbooks I got from Amazon today. I've already marked several recipes and an planning a big grocery trip and day of cooking Sunday.

Weight Loss Surgery Cookbook for Dummies is great! Easy recipes, includes nutrition background and helpful hints about each diet phase.

Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery- recipes are a little more difficult and many require a food processors and an experimental palate. Love the desert and sauces recipes. Never thought I could have a "healthy" cheesecake. Again, nutritional facts are included as well as helpful hints about each diet phase.

Both books make recipes for four servings so it's perfect for your family or to refrigerate and have for leftovers.

Happy Cooking!!!

I got these books and love them!!!

Edited March 30, 201412 yr by whosaysyoucant

Just had my three month post op visit!

Nine inches off the waist and almost eight inches off the hips.

Cab, I'm late coming in, but here's what I think...

Most of what I've heard/read about weight loss indicates that daily weigh-ins probably do more harm than good as far as making you stressed about "today's weight." Weekly or even monthly is probably better.

If you like tracking food, more power to you! I try, but was having trouble finding an app I like. I use DIETMINDER Personal Food & Fitness Journal (from Amazon), but I don't always remember to fill in stuff in the evenings. Again, studies indicate that tracking food helps stay on track, so that sounds fine.

Really, though, it's a matter of your own comfort zone as far as "am I thinking about food too much," or "is half a banana okay." I'm enjoying the fact that I don't seem to be obsessing about food as much now as I did pre-surgery. But if I was practicing good self-care, I'd probably be thinking about it more and making sure I was eating the right stuff.

So let's talk about that banana half... your doctor is probably right, for optimum weight loss, a banana is not your best choice, and I think that's where s/he's coming from. But you have to live with this stomach and this plan, and you get to decide what works for you. My doctor doesn't like me to have any fruit because of the carbs. But if I said "should I have half an apple or a bag of chips, he'd pick the apple. I feel like it's their job to give me the best information so I can make informed choices, but it's my choice. That said, if I go chip or apple happy and gain or stall, at least I know why and what choices to make to change that.

Hope that helps. It's hard work. Be kind to yourself.

All:

Thanks so much for the all the kind words and input. I can see that we all have slightly different ways of getting to the same end result - a healthy weight. I also wonder if maybe we are being told carbs should be limited because our medical professionals are afraid we will slip back into our old ways of eating to excess.

I, like some of you, don't want to feel like I have to "diet" the rest of my life. I also want to make sure I make my weight goal and maintain a healthy weight. So, after reading your posts I feel like I will take my surgeon's words with a grain of salt and try to relax a little bit. I am a rule follower - so it upset me that I was found lacking.

But I have to keep remembering that this plan is for the long haul and I need to incorporate some of the foods I like in addition to the protein.

We'll see how it goes this week as I am a teacher on spring break!

What would we do without each other?

Take care, and thanks for all your posts!

I too have been so frustrated! Seems like the scale has not moved in a month! I only weigh in on Sundays. I go to the gym 3 x /week and do somewhat (usually 4 pple there) of a personal training class. In good weather, i walk on the other days. I stopped logging onto MFP due to the time it takes and quite frankly sick of thinking of food 24/7!

However - am i the only one who wonders "am i normal"? I know everyone is different but oh boy - it would be so nice to know you are doing the right thing or the weight coming off is at a "normal" pace. I started this process Aug of 2013 and weighed 337. The morning of my surgery i was 292. At one of my post-op visits the nut said i was losing too fast and she was concerned. Damn her - she cursed me!! Been like a snail's pace every since!! Seriously wonder if I am done losing! Can anyone else elaborate if you feel the same way?

Also - is anyone chewing gum yet?

And one more thing - I am leaving in a few days to an all inclusive place in the DR. I have one suitcase of food! This is nuts! Protein drinks - bars - crackers etc! Has anyone ventured to any place like this yet? Part of me is excited and part of me is scared!!

THANK YOU!

I too have been so frustrated! Seems like the scale has not moved in a month! I only weigh in on Sundays. I go to the gym 3 x /week and do somewhat (usually 4 pple there) of a personal training class. In good weather, i walk on the other days. I stopped logging onto MFP due to the time it takes and quite frankly sick of thinking of food 24/7!

However - am i the only one who wonders "am i normal"? I know everyone is different but oh boy - it would be so nice to know you are doing the right thing or the weight coming off is at a "normal" pace. I started this process Aug of 2013 and weighed 337. The morning of my surgery i was 292. At one of my post-op visits the nut said i was losing too fast and she was concerned. Damn her - she cursed me!! Been like a snail's pace every since!! Seriously wonder if I am done losing! Can anyone else elaborate if you feel the same way?

Also - is anyone chewing gum yet?

And one more thing - I am leaving in a few days to an all inclusive place in the DR. I have one suitcase of food! This is nuts! Protein drinks - bars - crackers etc! Has anyone ventured to any place like this yet? Part of me is excited and part of me is scared!!

THANK YOU!

Hello Chef, lol to the comment that she cursed you! Silly Nut, some people should only think and not speak:/ in any case, I've had my difficulties since surgery, so I too feel I am a slow loser, just my luck, gain weight like rabbits having babies, but losing like a turtle. But we are doing gr8 bc we r losing. Congrats. And yes we are all different but if ur scales going down, awesome, if it's stalling, it's part of the process, I stalled most of March and 2 times prior, frustrating But part of the package. As for gum, I'm 3 months out and have been chewing sf dentyne for about a month. What I find that happens is, my tummy growls a lot when I chew it but nothing major, it sounds like it's growling for food. But I've not had any trouble. I pray that things start looking up for u and going down faster. No matter what, uve done awesomeeee!! Happy losing:)

Edited April 3, 201412 yr by DeezJeanz

Regarding the all inclusive-- I went on a cruise last month. I didn't take anything with me except some instant breakfast (which I didn't drink). I gained a pound that week, but it got lost again pretty quickly. I think I would have been fine if I'd stuck to protein and veggies, but you know-- cruises-- you can have multiple desserts! I didn't HAVE multiple desserts, but it turns out one each day is enough to sink you.

Relax and have fun!

Edited April 4, 201412 yr by WombatVSG

Dec 23,2013 sleever

Yes, I chew sugar free gum. I've had no problems.