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If you're having weight loss surgery then you have to get used to a high protein diet. After surgery, eating high protein will ensure you burn fat rather than muscle. As your calories are limited, you have to squeeze in as much protein as possible. The good news is that a high protein diet isn't so bad once you get used to it. Protein tends to fill you up. It's not like say, bread or potato chips where you could eat endless amounts. There's only so much beef or chicken you can eat before you feel full. Once you stop having so many carbs, the cravings will mostly go away. In the meantime, you can enjoy healthy fats (you can eat delicious things like cheese, avocado, peanut butter, etc). There are also lots of alternatives to the bad carbs. Zucchini noodles and cauliflower rice etc. I eat "cheeseburgers" which are just cheese and meat between lettuce leaves. The pre-op diet sucks, but you can handle anything for two weeks! The first month or two after the surgery is rough too. Once you're back on real food, you will feel so much better.

Try a heating pad!

For those of you that have undergone surgery and/or are still thinking about it, what are the top things that would come to mind (whether legitimate or not) that caused you to hold off on making the final and ultimate commitment to proceed? For me in prior years it has been the following (and please note that I'm not saying these are logical or rationale concerns and many are excuses...there is no right/wrong answer here). Assume that there are NO insurance/financial concerns. Also, some of the concerns/thoughts listed are still true for me today (namely #8, #5, etc.) 1) Oh Dear God, they slice away chunks of my stomach (bypass & sleeve) and it is not reversible (in case of the sleeve) 2) Surely instead of going 'under the knife' and the risks it will involve, I can commit to FINALLY losing the weight on my own once and for all 3) I'll never get to enjoy/eat 'XYZ' again OR I can only eat 2 TBSP's of 'XYZ' if I do this (rationale side says why wouldn't 2 TBSP's be enjoyable and also that food is 'fuel' not 'sport') 4) I'll never be able to have a drink again (FYI - I RARELY drink so this was kinda silly for me, but it was a thought) 5) What if something goes terribly wrong (often tied up with the thought 'what if I die') 6) The process takes so long, there is 'too much' I have to do...see multiple doctors, lose weight before, yada, yada, yada 7) What will I do with all of the loose skin (this one makes me snort out loud...don't ask me why I thought having 'loose skin' as opposed to 'fat filled skin' was an issue) 8) The side effects/issues related - dumping, malabsorption (sp?), etc. 9) My family/friends/coworkers thinks it's crazy risk...or crazy idea...or that I'm just too 'lazy' to actually "work at it" (and part of me used to be mad at myself for having to consider 'resorting to such drastic measures') 10) Regarding sleeve - keep reading we don't have history on the gastric sleeve like we do on gastric bypass, what IF something really bad shows up over time that we don't know now?

Pre-op diet was harder for me than the surgery and recovery. Take it a day at a time, folks. After surgery, there's still a couple of weeks before you're back on real food....but it's better somehow...cause you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Wish I could say something inspiring and perky here....but I remember it as just plain miserable. On the plus side....surgery was a lot easier than I expected. Wishing you all luck.

My surgery coordinator called me a few minutes ago and the had a cancellation so they moved me to NEXT MONDAY!!! 01/08/18!!!! I don’t have my vitamins and today I was supposed to start my low carbs today and liquid was next Thursday...now what????? Instagram: itsgretchen

Promise?

Thanks - I was sleeved on 12/18, so we're kinda surgery buddies I guess. You're absolutely right - maybe three of those filets would have been enough, even with the band... As for baby food turkey - how is it? I did pureed beans and mashed up avocado for pureed - stayed away from meats. Also, what's it like being the sausage king of Chicago?

Looks like you've got it covered. My thing I can't live without is my digital food scale. It really helps me be accountable on portions. And MyFitnessPal app. That's super easy.

A package of plastic spoons came in handy. I use my nutri ninja all the time as well. I also bought a lot of smaller plastic containers that have been useful.

I had a bypass 12/27/17 due to severe GERD and a hiatal hernia - not WLS (although that is a very happy consequence). If you have any reflux issues, a sleeve is not a viable option - it makes the heartburn and reflux worse. So far, so great. I haven’t had any problems with any liquids so far (on the full liquid phase) and have my first follow up with the dr today. I haven’t weighed myself since the surgery so am looking forward to what the “official scale” says.