I got my date as August 21.

CW 295

What all are you doing to prepare? I'm worried about starting pre-op diet too early and potentially running out of willpower in advance. I'm also looking for therapy for disordered eating to begin ASAP and continue through the process. I'm also working on not drinking during meals and thinking about how to start increasing my water uptake. I'm also contemplating how I can prepare meals with veg and protein for easy access.

2 hours ago, Chatterboxdea said:

I will add Protein Powder to my Greek yogurt some times or will make a protein smoothie myself to drink as a snack, but I got burned out on the premade Protein Drinks during my liquid phase and pretty much have not been able to stomach one since.

I do love protein Water though and that helps. I think I’m averaging 60-80 grams a day, but I feel like the goal they gave me is unattainable right now.

I should be moving to soft food soon and then I think it will help with I can include tuna and chicken.

I have not mastered the adding of protein powder to other foods. I tried to mix Isopure in my soup last week and it got weird. Luckily I've been hitting my protein goals with food but I do supplement one Fairlife a day just to give m that extra 30g.

When you get to soft food, chicken salad is a game changer. I was eating it at least once a day. Now that I'm on regular foods, I love those snack packs that are like adult lunchables. My starting goal was 64oz of protein and between the waters and Fairlife I was able to hit it pretty consistently.

I haven't checked in in a while. I got super busy with haunt season starting and getting into the groove of working weekends. So far, everything has been going well. I haven't had any dumping, overeating, etc. I'm on regular diet now with a daily goal of 64oz of protein but I blow through that and usually hit over 100. I am still supplementing with a Fairlife either for breakfast or a snack before going to the gym.

Last night was my first time eating out out (I've done Sunday breakfast but it's always an egg). We went to BJs and it's crazy how hyperaware you become of portions. In the past, we would get an app, entree, and dessert. My kids are having "sympathy pains" and have started eating smaller portions so we only got entrees. In the past, I would have gotten a burger or sandwich with fries and eaten the whole thing. I ended up getting a chicken breast dish and brought enough home to have lunch for the next two days.

The weight loss has been up and down since I weigh daily right now. I won't say I've stalled because if I just looked at my Monday entries, it shows a consistent loss. This week is the first week that people have noticed and I can see a difference when I look in the mirror.

I donated almost half my closet of size 18/20 items that were just too big. I'm in a size 16, almost a 14 and I went from a 2XL shirt to a large.

5 hours ago, Chatterboxdea said:

I will add Protein Powder to my Greek yogurt some times or will make a protein smoothie myself to drink as a snack, but I got burned out on the premade Protein Drinks during my liquid phase and pretty much have not been able to stomach one since.

I do love protein Water though and that helps. I think I’m averaging 60-80 grams a day, but I feel like the goal they gave me is unattainable right now.

I should be moving to soft food soon and then I think it will help with I can include tuna and chicken.

I got really sick of the Protein shakes too actually after my sleep surgery, one thing that helps if you like coffee is to use coffee to cut the sweetness, either hot or cold. I like it cold and I mix one caramel protein shake in a tall Tervis cup and fill the rest of the way with cold coffee and it’s pretty good. I actually learned about this after my sleeve, and even though all of my other habits went out the window that was something I was still doing before my revision because it actually tasted so good.

55 minutes ago, ShoppGirl said:

I got really sick of the Protein Shakes too actually after my sleep surgery, one thing that helps if you like coffee is to use coffee to cut the sweetness, either hot or cold. I like it cold and I mix one caramel Protein Shake in a tall Tervis cup and fill the rest of the way with cold coffee and it’s pretty good. I actually learned about this after my sleeve, and even though all of my other habits went out the window that was something I was still doing before my revision because it actually tasted so good.

The dr still hasn’t told me I can have caffeine yet. I did have my first decaf latte with skim milk and sugar free vanilla, the other day. It might have been the safest coffee I have ever had! ?

7 minutes ago, Chatterboxdea said:

The dr still hasn’t told me I can have caffeine yet. I did have my first Decaf latte with skim milk and sugar free vanilla, the other day. It might have been the safest coffee I have ever had! ?

Yea. I actually do decaf even though my surgeon is okay with regular from day one post surgery. I don’t like it black though and knew I would be going through withdrawals without it so I just cut it all out and got used to the decaf so I figured why add a stimulant that I don’t need at this point.

6 hours ago, Pepper_No_Salt said:

I haven't checked in in a while. I got super busy with haunt season starting and getting into the groove of working weekends. So far, everything has been going well. I haven't had any dumping, overeating, etc. I'm on regular diet now with a daily goal of 64oz of Protein but I blow through that and usually hit over 100. I am still supplementing with a Fairlife either for Breakfast or a snack before going to the gym.

Last night was my first time eating out out (I've done Sunday breakfast but it's always an egg). We went to BJs and it's crazy how hyperaware you become of portions. In the past, we would get an app, entree, and dessert. My kids are having "sympathy pains" and have started eating smaller portions so we only got Entrees. In the past, I would have gotten a burger or sandwich with fries and eaten the whole thing. I ended up getting a chicken breast dish and brought enough home to have lunch for the next two days.

The weight loss has been up and down since I weigh daily right now. I won't say I've stalled because if I just looked at my Monday entries, it shows a consistent loss. This week is the first week that people have noticed and I can see a difference when I look in the mirror.

I donated almost half my closet of size 18/20 items that were just too big. I'm in a size 16, almost a 14 and I went from a 2XL shirt to a large.

How far out from surgery are you?!?!? Cause I’m (not so) patiently waiting for this moment!

9 hours ago, Chatterboxdea said:

How far out from surgery are you?!?!? Cause I’m (not so) patiently waiting for this moment!

You know what I noticed. Since my wardrobe was all stretchy I was actually wearing things quite a bit too tight. I really needed the next size up so now that I have lost over 40 pounds and can see a huge difference in my body, I am still in the same size, they just fit properly. Now that’s not numbered sizes, I may have dropped there but I really haven’t worn like jeans or dresses in a while so I don’t know. But anyways, maybe if it is taking longer than expected that is the case with you too. ??‍♀️

7 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

You know what I noticed. Since my wardrobe was all stretchy I was actually wearing things quite a bit too tight. I really needed the next size up so now that I have lost over 40 pounds and can see a huge difference in my body, I am still in the same size, they just fit properly. Now that’s not numbered sizes, I may have dropped there but I really haven’t worn like jeans or dresses in a while so I don’t know. But anyways, maybe if it is taking longer than expected that is the case with you too. ??‍♀️

I definitely know I lose weight in my upper body before my lower because I’m all hips and thighs; I have been since I was a tween. So when I have lost before, it took me 40lbs to drop a pant size. I just want it to happen already!

Edited September 27, 20241 yr by Chatterboxdea

My husband and I are going to see a show tonight and it’s my first time going out since the surgery. I’m fine sticking with water for a drink, but I think we will probably do at least a little food. They have a limited menu but they do have a charcuterie board.

Im a month out and have my dietitian appt on Tuesday where they should give me the okay to start soft food… but I actually already started with a few like eggs and tuna.

Do you think I will be safe picking at the board some? Is there something I should stay away from?

7 hours ago, Chatterboxdea said:

My husband and I are going to see a show tonight and it’s my first time going out since the surgery. I’m fine sticking with Water for a drink, but I think we will probably do at least a little food. They have a limited menu but they do have a charcuterie board.

Im a month out and have my dietitian appt on Tuesday where they should give me the okay to start soft food… but I actually already started with a few like eggs and tuna.

Do you think I will be safe picking at the board some? Is there something I should stay away from?

I honestly wouldn’t recommend advancing faster than your team says to and just because you were okay the first time doesn’t mean you will be the next. You can seriously hurt yourself. I’m guessing you already went out though unless your a differnt time zone. Soft cheese was on my purée phase though. Hope everything went okay and you enjoyed your show.

How is everyone doing over the weekends when schedules are more flexible and chaotic? I was pretty proud of myself today, my hubby asked me late last night if I wanted to go car shopping today and I didn’t really have anything to pack in terms of food but figured we may get stuck there if he found one he liked and we decided to get it so I threw a couple of shakes in the cooler for lunch and dinner. Luckily we didn’t get stuck, although we may next weekend because he has narrowed it down to one car now, but I was proud of myself because in the past when I didn’t think ahead for stuff like that I would end up starving and eating out of the vending machine and/or fast food when we finally got out of there. I think I will always keep shakes on hand for situations like that (just toss one into the cooler when I go shopping with a friend or whatever). Or protein bars but I’m not sure if they make me feel as full as a shake does.

Edited September 28, 20241 yr by ShoppGirl

4 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

How is everyone doing over the weekends when schedules are more flexible and chaotic? I was pretty proud of myself today, my hubby asked me late last night if I wanted to go car shopping today and I didn’t really have anything to pack in terms of food but figured we may get stuck there if he found one he liked and we decided to get it so I threw a couple of shakes in the cooler for lunch and dinner. Luckily we didn’t get stuck, although we may next weekend because he has narrowed it down to one car now, but I was proud of myself because in the past when I didn’t think ahead for stuff like that I would end up starving and eating out of the vending machine and/or fast food when we finally got out of there. I think I will always keep shakes on hand for situations like that (just toss one into the cooler when I go shopping with a friend or whatever). Or Protein Bars but I’m not sure if they make me feel as full as a shake does.

That’s awesome! You handled the situation really well by planning ahead, and it’s great that you were able to avoid falling into old habits. Having shakes ready in a cooler sounds like a perfect strategy for unpredictable days like car shopping. I totally get what you mean about protein bars not being as filling—shakes tend to keep me more satisfied too. I might start keeping a couple of shakes on hand for those last-minute plans as well. It’s definitely all about being prepared after WLS! Good luck with the car shopping next weekend, and hope it goes smoothly!

My weekend went really well too! We spent one day at my mother-in-law’s and the second day at my mom’s, so I got to enjoy home-cooked meals. I focused on moderation and protein, with dishes like chicken soup, vegetables, a bit of rice, and fruit for dessert. The food was healthy and clean, and I’m proud of sticking to my goal of avoiding sugar—even in small amounts.

However, I had a bit of a freak-out moment when I managed to eat two chicken thighs in one sitting. I immediately thought I had overeaten and almost broke down. I realized I really need to work on my mindset, as it made me want to starve myself as a form of punishment. But in reality, I didn’t eat much at all! My husband was right there, reminding me that I was being unreasonable for thinking I overate. I think it’s time I speak to a professional about this lingering guilt because it’s something I need to overcome.

8 hours ago, Justarwaxx said:

That’s awesome! You handled the situation really well by planning ahead, and it’s great that you were able to avoid falling into old habits. Having shakes ready in a cooler sounds like a perfect strategy for unpredictable days like car shopping. I totally get what you mean about Protein Bars not being as filling—shakes tend to keep me more satisfied too. I might start keeping a couple of shakes on hand for those last-minute plans as well. It’s definitely all about being prepared after WLS! Good luck with the car shopping next weekend, and hope it goes smoothly!

My weekend went really well too! We spent one day at my mother-in-law’s and the second day at my mom’s, so I got to enjoy home-cooked meals. I focused on moderation and Protein, with dishes like chicken Soup, vegetables, a bit of rice, and fruit for dessert. The food was healthy and clean, and I’m proud of sticking to my goal of avoiding sugar—even in small amounts.

However, I had a bit of a freak-out moment when I managed to eat two chicken thighs in one sitting. I immediately thought I had overeaten and almost broke down. I realized I really need to work on my mindset, as it made me want to starve myself as a form of punishment. But in reality, I didn’t eat much at all! My husband was right there, reminding me that I was being unreasonable for thinking I overate. I think it’s time I speak to a professional about this lingering guilt because it’s something I need to overcome.

Yea. The mind is pretty powerful and it is possible to swap disordered eating patterns. Going from emotional overeating or binging to under-eating. Talking to someone about your fears and guilt is a great idea. But from a non professional two chicken wings is definitely not a lot and your food choices sound great to me. The one thing you have to realize is you’re not going to eat your 2 ounce or half a cup portions forever. eventually you will land somewhere close to a normal serving size.

Everyone is a bit different, but you will get back to a new normal at some point it just looks like a lot of food after eating so little for a while. Will you get to follow up with anyone at 3 months? I actually asked to meet with my nurse practitioner more often than they require just because of my anxiety. I always have too many questions to email or call and ask, but they normally require it at three months because they do labs to check your vitamins. If so, you could ask them what to expect in terms of portion size. What you should be aiming for over the next how many of months until you see them again.

Do you find that you do not crave your sweets as much after the surgery? Before I had my sleeve, I was actually a salty snacker, and after the sleeve I started craving sweets, which I think may partially have to do with why it wasn’t so successful for me. so far since my Sadie, I do not crave sweets, so I think it reverted back to where I am a salty snacker again. Well, I mean right now my snacks are not something that I actually feel like I need because I’m not hungry but something that’s necessary to reach my protein goal.

I went a step further in my preparedness. I have these little tiny containers that were 2 ounces from my purée phase and I put my calcium and my other vitamins for a whole day in one of them and just left it in the cooler. I always take my drinks with me because I like to save money so I’ll always have that and at least if I get stuck out for some reason, I’ll always have my vitamins with me.

Edited September 29, 20241 yr by ShoppGirl

4 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

Yea. The mind is pretty powerful and it is possible to swap disordered eating patterns. Going from emotional overeating or binging to under-eating. Talking to someone about your fears and guilt is a great idea. But from a non professional two chicken wings is definitely not a lot and your food choices sound great to me. The one thing you have to realize is you’re not going to eat your 2 ounce or half a cup portions forever. eventually you will land somewhere close to a normal serving size.

Everyone is a bit different, but you will get back to a new normal at some point it just looks like a lot of food after eating so little for a while. Will you get to follow up with anyone at 3 months? I actually asked to meet with my nurse practitioner more often than they require just because of my anxiety. I always have too many questions to email or call and ask, but they normally require it at three months because they do labs to check your Vitamins. If so, you could ask them what to expect in terms of portion size. What you should be aiming for over the next how many of months until you see them again.

Do you find that you do not crave your sweets as much after the surgery? Before I had my sleeve, I was actually a salty snacker, and after the sleeve I started craving sweets, which I think may partially have to do with why it wasn’t so successful for me. so far since my Sadie, I do not crave sweets, so I think it reverted back to where I am a salty snacker again. Well, I mean right now my Snacks are not something that I actually feel like I need because I’m not hungry but something that’s necessary to reach my Protein goal.

I totally get what you're saying! I realize that the portions are getting bigger, but I'm just so scared of messing it up. I definitely need to see someone about these thoughts because it's really overwhelming at times.

I actually have an appointment in mid-October with the obesity center and dietitian, and then again in December with the surgical team for my 3-month post-op checkup. I’m excited to talk to them about these fears and what expectations I should have around portion sizes and everything else.

To help stay on track, I've been taking daily pictures of my meals and sending them to my sister for her to review at the end of the day. She even rates them, which has been fun and keeps me mindful! Everyone around me keeps saying that I'm barely eating enough, but to me, it feels like I'm eating a lot. It’s such a mentally exhausting situation!

Also, I was never really into sweets before either. My thing was more about carby foods like rice and pasta, so that's why I’m not struggling with sugar cravings now, which helps a lot.