One year since sugery- what I have learned (with pics)

[lilbearzmom 584]

My surgery was on 12/17/12.

I want to preface this by saying that everyone’s journey and way of living and eating after surgery is a personal choice, and no way is wrong if you are happy and continuing to lose weight in a healthy manner. This is just my experience in the year since surgery.

1. Weight loss is not linear. Throughout this first year I lost in a stair-step pattern. It was literally stall 2-3 weeks, lose 1 week. I had to learn that if I was doing everything right (eating at a deficit), it would eventually come off- and it did!
2. LOG YOUR FOOD! I use MyFitnessPal every single day. It is responsible for 99% of my success up to this point. I started at approximately a month after surgery and have not missed a day. I went on vacation for 2 weeks in June and logged the whole time using the app on my phone.
3. Perseverance throughout is key. Most people slip up from time to time and eat something “off plan”. It’s normal. We are human. Life happens. Just don’t let it derail you. Start again the very next meal. Pick yourself up and dust yourself off. Don’t beat yourself up. The only failure is not getting up and trying again.
4. Carbs are not evil. No, not even refined carbs. Yes, really. In fact, no food should be off limits. If you can, have a bit of what you’re craving, or find a “healthified” replacement for it. I can guarantee you won’t have room for a lot of it anyway. I had this surgery to save my life, but I also don’t want to live it miserable. Find your happy medium.
5. This is for the newbies: follow your doctor’s advice, especially in the beginning. There’s more than one reason your doctor wants you to eat in stages (liquids, purees, soft foods, etc.) Sure, it’s safer that way, but he/she wants you to learn HOW to eat. We have to learn how to eat all over again, in a way. Our tummies don’t operate the same in the sense of feeling full. It’s a learning process that I am STILL adjusting to a year out.
6. LOG YOUR FOOD!
7. Restriction at 12 months out is still very much in evidence. If I stick to the Protein first rule, my meals are still very small.
8. Losing weight after the sleeve is not rocket science. Don’t over-complicate it. Having the sleeve makes it easy to lose weight, but only if you work it every day the way it is supposed to be worked.
9. Make healthy choices (including carbs) 90% of the time. Indulge every once in a while if your sleeve can handle it. Have a small piece of a dessert of your choice on special occasions. Just don’t do it every day.
10. Eat out if you want to and don’t stress out or be afraid of it. The sleeve allows you that “buffer zone” of not being ravenous before meals so that you can pause and think before ordering. Plan out what you’re going to eat ahead of time. If anyone is interested in knowing what I eat at certain restaurants, message me.
11. LOG YOUR FOOD!
12. Find exercise that you like to do. I absolutely despise the elliptical and all indoor gym equipment. I do Zumba and C25k, only using the treadmill if the weather is bad. I found things that don’t feel like exercise to me.
13. I think that the word for eating < 1000 calories after 6 months post-op is “anorexia”. You don’t have to go that low. I have been eating more than 1200/day since June and have lost perfectly fine. I refuse to ruin my metabolism. The truth is that the more weight you lose, the more you need to eat. As you move from being obese, there is less energy in the form of fat for your body to turn to in order to supplement your very low calorie diet. Your organs may begin to suffer if you continue eating less than say, 1200 calories/day.
14. It gets harder to adhere to your plan the further out you get. I am fully healed in every sense of the word and feel like I can eat anything. It’s scary.
15. Don’t be afraid to talk to a professional if you need to. There’s no shame. It’s going to take therapy for most of us to cope with this life change. None of us got fat because we were so happy with our lives- it’s the opposite. You will go through periods of depression. It’s normal, since we can no longer turn to food to cope. We are being forced into feeling all of our emotions rather than being able to “stuff them down”. My therapist has helped me immensely by just being an objective ear.
16. LOG YOUR FOOD.

I also want to say that I admire you all and am amazed at the bravery you have all displayed by deciding to undergo this miraculous and lifesaving surgery. Your lives are worth it! Everyone have a fabulous holiday season and keep on rocking those sleeves!!!!

Edited December 18, 2013 by lilbearzmom

[Sleeve Siren 307]

Happy Anniversary!! Thanks for posting this. I'm two months post-op as of yesterday and I've already experienced everything you've discussed here. It's so helpful to know that others go through this too. Thanks again!

[Madam Reverie 2,958]

Beautifully written. Thank you so much for sharing.

PS - you look a-maz-ing!

[bearman99 228]

Thank you. I appreciate your suggested rules of the road from your perspective.

[Numenow 32]

Wow! U look Marvelous Girlfriend! Thanks for your inspiration and your nuggets of sleeve weight loss information. I am at 28 days post op and am at a weight loss stall....Thanks again for your encouraging pics.....Amazing!

Numenow

[gmanbat 5,889]

Wow! What an inspiration! You look great!

What an example you are of taking care of business. Well executed plan and the results speak for themselves.

Newbies take note, dig this!

[lilbearzmom 584]

Thanks for all of the kind replies!

I should have added my username for MyFitnessPal in case anyone wants to add me- my diary is open at all times.

find me- lilbearzmom

[LeanerLena5426 61]

Thanks so much! Great to hear the success stories and the different perspectives! And, you look fabulous, congratulations!!

[HHHappy 225]

Excellent advice!! You look marvelous!

[VSG AJH 499]

Wise words, and you look amazing! Way to go!!

[Mrs.RRn 2,109]

Outstanding! You look AMAZING!! And great advice!!

[Chelenka 827]

Thank you! You look awesome!

[Water Nazi 61]

I dig it.

You look fantastic!

Thanks for posting. Great inspiration.

This week (I'm still 2 months pre-op) my latest fear to overcome is getting complacent way way way down the road.

I know, I know. Relax already. Or not.

Maybe a local support group will evolve in the future.

[PGee 318]

Thank you for sharing your experience and pictures......they are nothing shy of amazing......you done good!

[Dpb 5]

Thanks for posting. I'm two weeks postop and needed to be able to see success in the future. Your pictures certainly encouraged me.