I'm now 15 months out from VSG and down 107 lbs. When I started I had so many questions, concerns, worries, and doubt. Now I absolutely love life and the new me.

I thought it might be helpful to come back here and offer the ability to answer questions people have. So ask me absolutely anything and I'll give you an answer. Just hoping to make the pre and post surgery journeys a bit less stressful for others.

This is my before and after pic - Caribbean style. St Lucia at 250lbs and Jamaica at 145lbs.

Edited November 16, 20196 yr by Ylime

year out how many calories a day are you eating and what is the one thing you learned worked for you to break stalls and loose quickly?

Did you lose cravings for specific foods or trigger foods? (For me it's sweets!)

How long p.o until you could have sushi?

Did you exercise the first 6 month? I exercise regularly now but it seems ‘controversial’ to exercise the first 6 months due to, as o understand, the thought that exercise increases appetite. I actually love it as part of my life and think of it as more for health than weight loss.

Did you have significant food cravings after surgery? Or do you?

Any tips for the 2 week pre op liquid diet...this is stressing me out more than actually having someone cut on me ?

Thank you for your time!!

On 11/16/2019 at 11:37 PM, Serengirl said:

year out how many calories a day are you eating and what is the one thing you learned worked for you to break stalls and loose quickly?

I WILL TRY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS I EAT ABOUT 1000 TO 1200 A DAY PLUS OR MINUS , STALLS ARE STALLS ACTUALLY I INCREASED MY FOOD INTAKE TO BREAK A FEW

On 11/17/2019 at 6:32 AM, bandsmom74 said:

Did you lose cravings for specific foods or trigger foods? (For me it's sweets!)

I LOST ALMOST ALL CRAVINGS SOME HAVE CHANGED DONT DO SWEETS VERY WELL ANY MORE

On 11/17/2019 at 6:45 AM, CapyCapybara said:

How long p.o until you could have sushi?

I DONT DO RICE I COULD EAT MEATS ABOUT 3.5 MONTHS OUT

12 minutes ago, VIKING 0424 said:

I DONT DO RICE I COULD EAT meats ABOUT 3.5 MONTHS OUT

? Sushi is always my fav “treat” - sigh- ohhhh well haha

Edited November 20, 20196 yr by CapyCapybara

On 11/17/2019 at 5:02 PM, Beachdaze said:

Did you exercise the first 6 month? I exercise regularly now but it seems ‘controversial’ to exercise the first 6 months due to, as o understand, the thought that exercise increases appetite. I actually love it as part of my life and think of it as more for health than weight loss.

Did you have significant food cravings after surgery? Or do you?

Any tips for the 2 week pre op liquid diet...this is stressing me out more than actually having someone cut on me ?

Thank you for your time!!

I DID I STILL DOO EVERY DAY , NO REAL FOOD CRAVINGS , PRE OP DIET STICK TO IT IT WILL BE WORTH IT I PROMISE

[emoji30] Sushi is always my fav “treat” - sigh- ohhhh well haha

Everyone is different, we can all tolerate different foods at different stages. You just have to slowly incorporate different foods when you are ready and able. Loads of info on this site from lots of long termers and you will see no 2 people had the same journey [emoji4]

On 11/17/2019 at 7:02 PM, Beachdaze said:

Did you exercise the first 6 month? I exercise regularly now but it seems ‘controversial’ to exercise the first 6 months due to, as o understand, the thought that exercise increases appetite. I actually love it as part of my life and think of it as more for health than weight loss.

Did you have significant food cravings after surgery? Or do you?

Any tips for the 2 week pre op liquid diet...this is stressing me out more than actually having someone cut on me ?

Thank you for your time!!

If you're basing that 6 month exercise thing on Dr. Vuong, I would take that with the HUGEST grain of salt. Dudes a quack selling MLM because he can't get a job as a Dr. anymore.

On 11/17/2019 at 12:37 AM, Serengirl said:

year out how many calories a day are you eating and what is the one thing you learned worked for you to break stalls and loose quickly?

Sorry for the delay - work took over!

When I'm tracking hard core I'm around 1,000 calories a day, still targeting around 70g or protein. Now that I'm a year out weight no longer comes off quickly. I haven't hit my goal yet and average about a 4lb loss per month with both losses and gains. Stalls still happen and typically when I haven't been on top of my game. I refocus my eating, up the veggies and protein and switch up my exercise. But most of all, stay patient. Don't sabotage yourself because you're frustrated. The break will happen and there is nothing you can do to force it.

On 11/17/2019 at 7:32 AM, bandsmom74 said:

Did you lose cravings for specific foods or trigger foods? (For me it's sweets!)

My tolerance for sugar significantly went down. I didn't drink soda for a long long time but after surgery I tried a sip of my husband's coke and it was disgusting. lol There are still cravings but they no longer own me. Sweets used to consume my life and I couldn't switch my brain off from thinking about them. But it's different now. And I do believe it's because I rarely get hungry. The year of focusing on protein definitely helped retrain my brain for what I want.

I still have cookies and brownies, but I can control it better.

On 11/17/2019 at 7:45 AM, CapyCapybara said:

How long p.o until you could have sushi?

Well, I hate sushi. lol But I have small amounts of rice around 6 months out and ate tuna and shrimp not longer after I could start having solid foods given their high amounts of protein.

On 11/17/2019 at 6:02 PM, Beachdaze said:

Did you exercise the first 6 month? I exercise regularly now but it seems ‘controversial’ to exercise the first 6 months due to, as o understand, the thought that exercise increases appetite. I actually love it as part of my life and think of it as more for health than weight loss.

Did you have significant food cravings after surgery? Or do you?

Any tips for the 2 week pre op liquid diet...this is stressing me out more than actually having someone cut on me ?

Thank you for your time!!

Yes, I exercised from the moment I got home from the hospital. Short and slow walks around the block and 3 months out I joined the gym and got back into heavy cardio and lifting weights. I don't see why exercise would be controversial. It's the key to health and keeping weight off. I stick to protein shakes after exercise so that keeps me from eating too much and keeps me full until the next meal.

I don't have significant cravings anymore. I have thoughts of food but they no longer control me. The craziest thing that happens now is how much I have to fight my brain. Like when I think of a cheeseburger I remember how I would get a big, juicy burger and dive into it. So I have a cheeseburger for dinner (now small, lean meat, light cheese), and I look at it and realize I can't eat like that anymore. Nor do I want to. The brain is tricky that way.

I was crazy worried about the liquid diet. But it truly wasn't that bad. It helped to stay busy at work and at home. And when the family ate meals, I didn't join them. I sat in the living room while they ate so I couldn't see the food and be tempted. Just stay focused on the end goal. And don't beat yourself up if you slip during the two period. It will all even out in the end.