I have my consult on Friday, and also have done a ton of research. But I'd love inputs from others who have had it as well- what's your best advice, tips, and tricks for post op life?!

Your healing journey is unique, you’re going to be hungry, you’re going to mourn food, you’re going to realize you have to stick to the plan (no cheat days early on)…and you’re going to meet your goal in your own time.

Trust the process. It’s so easy for those of us who have done the yo yo diets to worry that this won’t work for us but if we follow the plan it will. And you will lose weight at your own pace. Try not to compare your weight loss (or recovery for that matter) to others as it is very individualized. You got this!!

27 minutes ago, Sarahgirl10 said:

I have my consult on Friday, and also have done a ton of research. But I'd love inputs from others who have had it as well- what's your best advice, tips, and tricks for post op life?!

Never ever compare yourself (or journey) to others

Don’t forget the people that value you at any weight

Being happy in other areas of your life is just as important as weight loss

15 hours ago, Sarahgirl10 said:

I have my consult on Friday, and also have done a ton of research. But I'd love inputs from others who have had it as well- what's your best advice, tips, and tricks for post op life?!

It’s going to be hard. Very hard in fact. Make sure you absolutely want to do it. You will most likely have regrets shortly after surgery. You can’t know everything beforehand. You can only prepare so much. Having said that, if you really want to make a lifestyle change and can handle the mental battle, it will absolutely be worth it. I agree with the others, your journey will be unique. I’m only 10 weeks post op and it took me until about 2 weeks ago to stop regretting it. I just focused on day to day. I’m still never hungry, I have no desire to eat, I don’t get all my protein in each day but I’ve learned how to create a routine. As mentioned, everybody is unique. I think it’s important for people considering this to know that it’s not easy. It might be the hardest thing you’ll ever do. At least mentally. But as they say, the things most worth achieving are also the most difficult. Good luck should you choose this surgery.

I am only 6 months post-op. I don't have the wisdom of the long-term veterans who post here. My advice is to make sure you are ready for permanent changes. Some days that is easier than others. Surgery helps your body, but it doesn't change your thinking patterns.

Not everything will go as planned. You can stick 100% to your post op plan and there will still be stalls, frustrations, foods that do or don’t work, and a lot of learning about your body and what it does and doesn’t like. Also, depending on your surgeon, many will have a cookie cutter plan and feedback that will NOT be applicable to all. But overall despite the frustrations and setbacks, it is 100% worth it in my opinion.

Don't buy EVERYTHING just because it worked for someone else. I spent a TON of money on stuff I thought I would need and have never even opened and now I'm throwing things away because they have gone bad.

Try not to measure your success against others...the more you have to lose, the faster you will lose it...and some people are just slow losers. Have faith that if you stick to your program you will get there!

Programs are different...very different. When in doubt, ask your doctor. As an example, I love my morning coffee...my line is "I need coffee to MAKE coffee" but my program said no coffee for the first year. I whined at asked my doctor and he said one or two cups a day won't hurt, they were just trying to stop people from drinking coffee all day long. So now I have my two cups in the morning and I'm happy as can be! (I use Fairlife Protein Shakes instead of creamer).

Take before pictures!! I didn't and regret it now!

Just focus on one day at a time. Remember that everyone is different and loses at a different pace. The advice on here is excellent, but you can not compare yourself to others. Always check with your docs office if your unsure about anything. Protein is always comes first with your food/meals. If you follow the plan you will succeed.

Do what your team tells you to do. Listen to you new stomach.

Be committed to changing your lifestyle and pushing yourself ? good luck!

Don’t waste time post op trying to figure out how to start eating the foods that got you overweight in the first place again. There’s a big difference between what you “can” physically eat and what will get you to your goals. The surgery won’t make good choices for you, unfortunately.

You’ll stall at or around 3 weeks. Almost everybody does. No, you don’t need to change anything up. It’s normal, it happens, and it’s temporary. Just get off the scale for a week or two and it will go away.

Yes, take pre photos and measurements! I knew I needed to and guess what I didn’t do. Now I have like one pic of me at my heaviest and no idea of measurements. Would have been nice to have.

Gosh, all of the above advice is amazing and I agree with it! I will add:

-Make a decision on who you will tell about the surgery. It’s your private health information and you are under no obligation to tell anyone, unless you want to.

-Have a plan for how to react to people who comment on weight loss. The first time someone said I looked wonderful (while giving me a once over), it took me by surprise. (And comments are another discussion…everyone feels differently being noticed.)

-Prepare for eating differently around others (colleagues, family/friends). Will you bring your own food if there is a lunch provided at work? Will you change what you cook for family holidays?

-Get your household on board with reducing treats in the house. If they won’t, ask them to keep treats in places that you don’t see easily. (as someone else wrote, you may mourn some of the foods that you should no longer eat… Sometimes it’s best not to be reminded of them)

-If you do the Family cooking, start preparing recipes that are healthy for the sleeve (for example, High protein and no added sugar). At least with my family, if they want something else, they have to cook it themselves. ?

The first time I could drive after surgery I was driving past restaurants and feeling sad about the great meals that I used to eat. Today, getting close to 3 months out I’m camping. I’m feeling grateful for how much easier it is to walk on the beach and swim in the lake. I’ve stopped my obsessing about how much I’ve eaten and when, where my next meal is coming from. I still drink Protein Shakes because I don’t get enough Protein otherwise. I feel grateful for the change.