hi

okay so i know that we need to change our lifestyle even with the sleeve. Im wondering how much easier is it to stick to a good eating plan with the sleeve as compared to before you were sleeved? is the struggle just as hard?

For me, it is INCREDIBLY easy. I'm almost a month out and eating soft foods- eggs, fish, avocado, refried Beans. Compared to the lap band, the sleeve is a walk in the park. Due to the lack of ghrelin, my hunger is almost non-existent. There is a myth out there that sleevers never get hungry, I do get "hungry" but its not a " must chew my arm off right now" hungry like it was with the band, therefore I am able to make better choices about what and when I eat.On that note, I have very little desire to eat, even the meals i prepare for myself, but its a must if you want to stay out of starvation mode and don't want your hair to fall out. Mu "hunger" now feels like an emptiness and if I wait too long and don't eat I tend to get irritable. Don't be fooled though, it does take work- I spend lots of time a week meal planning and taking the extra time before work to pack my lunch. Long story, short- I'm a very happy sleever

For me it's still difficult, but not nearly as much so as pre-sleeve. I know the rules sleevers live by, and I follow them 95% of the time (but I was at 85-90% during the holidays). I plan to continue that way at least until I'm at my goal weight.

The reasons I don't find it as difficult are:

• I'm intent on losing the weight now that I have this fantastic tool.
• I paid $12,500 out of pocket to get here, and I'm DARN sure not going to throw that money away by cheating -- and I would only be cheating myself!
• I've learned that as long as I don't let myself get TOO hungry it's easier to follow the rules.
• I don't crave carbs as much as I used to, and I attribute that to staying away from them. It's circular - if I eat carbs, I want more carbs. If I stay away from them almost totally, I don't have the cravings nearly as bad.
• Although I do get hungry, it's not as intense as it was pre-sleeve and I can satisfy the hunger with just a few bites now.

So for me it's a matter of momentum. When I follow the rules I find I'm less hungry and have fewer cravings, which makes it easier to keep following the rules.

i do get hungry, but it takes a lot less to satisfy me. And if I eat a bite too much, it comes right back up to haunt me. As long as you make good choices, it is a great tool.

Ditto with the others....at 3 weeks out, I have learned the art of planning, measuring, and leaving the last bite. It is getting easier, and I know that I am hungry more from weakness than from a gnawing, angry tummy. If I keep my protein up, it's not so hard to be satisfied.