Happy Camper

Ditto....well not sure about the BM :-)

Shel, Just want to share - you are so fresh from your surgery, really please put your concentration on healing, walking, getting your fluids then protein in as prescribed by your doctor. Trust me the weight will come off especially during the first 3-9 months. Always good to "challenge" yourself but heal first. Over the past 3 years I have been on the board (did not register for a long while), there are people who jump way out there right away and there are those with complications. I want you and anyone else who is recently sleeved to have success in this incredible journey. Take care of you!

Of course you can call me Kim! Short answer. The almond milk is fine, just count the calories. Long answer, some people seem to not lose weight on the 5:2, and I would suggest to them to try eating no calories for that 18 hour window. Now that being said, I have half a protein drink in that window and no problem losing, and one of the two people who wrote the book had breakfast every morning, so I think the answer is Do it and count it!Thank you. We will see how it goes, I was mainly thinking about the "sweetener" and if that would impact the loss while on the 5:2. I totally get, make good decisions, and probably would be better if i did not use anything but just curious if you or anyone else had specific encounters with weight loss stall or slow down because of the use of Stevia. I only like Splenda or Stevia (natural) and likely use too much (new addiction is coffee with sugar free creamer of some sort and Stevia....geez need some head work for sure).

Hey Kim (ok if I call you Kim, I think we are still friends :-) or does the forum still do that? Anyway, if I remember you drink coffee. On the 5:2 is it a problem to use Stevia and almond milk in my coffee? Today is day 2 of 500 cals so, I don't want to blow it but, I do really, really like my cup or three of coffee in the morning. Thanks

Hi Bea and group, Today is starting...210. Goal is 197 Best to everyone! Thank you!

I set a reminder on my calendar :-) Good luck

Hi Bea, Even as a "VET" I need some motivation, after a gain. Thank you for starting this and monitoring, if you will. I am at the beginning stages of living the 5:2 and am excited to ask if you will please add me. Take care

Happy New Year fellow sleevers :-) here is to a positive and healthy 2014, with continued weight loss..... Feed Your Eye, Georgia, Laura V and others using 5:2, a few weeks ago I thought I could do it, and nope the old "hell with it, I want it" plagued me. I ended up finally having a hard time even looking at myself in the mirror, my belly fat returned, my arms and face are bigger. I am on new medication for seizures plus I am in full blown menopause so my hormones are whacked but, but, but, I did it. I started 5:2 and eating healthy with smaller portions again. Guess what, maybe it is Water weight but darn I got on the scale and wozers down 4 lbs. No matter what....it motivated me, so anyone thinking of doing it - JUST DO IT!!! For yourself. I am a little over 2 years out and had lost 115 lbs, am back up over 200 so my weight loss is now only 95 lbs I had been so proud to be in onederland I am ashamed, was ashamed. Now back on MFP keeping myself accountable. I have gained back in approximately 7 months 20 lbs, I am done. Thank you all for continued support, listening and sometimes just simply sharing your journey. Take care.

Thank you all for the support and wonderful thoughts. Best to you all in your journey.

Hi all, Merry Christmas, I hope it is okay and does not offend anyone. I thought I would update this post. I saw a neurologist and after tests etc, bottom line is they found a slight abnormality in my left temporal lobe. We are watching it and I am now taking meds but other than some weight gain and NO desire to exercise it seems to be fine, but I was fine up to the day I had the seizure too. So all in, does not seem to have anything to do with my sleeve! Good news. Take care

Swizzly and Jane, Thank you for the well wishes. Just so strange for me, I will be finding a neurologist today and hopefully get appt next week. Today marks my 2nd year surgiversary and,in my wildest dreams never thought I would have to be finding out why due to another medical condition. I will keep you all informed, sharing is important to me. It was through Tiffikins and a few others real life experiences that I gained the confidence to have my sleeve surgery. I still so believe in it. Have a great weekend.

Friends, Today I was down because yup got on the scale first time in about 6 weeks, and sad to report I gained 20 lbs. WTH???? I stopped my vigilance in logging my food, I stopped daily exercise and I started eating Cookies and moved from frozen yogurt to ice cream...really? Maybe this is my reality check. I knew my pants were getting tight but, more was my Muffin Top was showing up again, I made the excuse it was menopause, my life has been upside down since June too much detail, but lots of stuff and I found myself back to what comforted me, food. I do know for a FACT my restriction is not nearly what it had been, I am afraid my stomach stretched. Some say it can, some say no but something changed. 4 oz simply does not do it for me anymore. I thought I cold follow your lead VETS and jump in on the 5:2 but I was not disciplined enough. Maybe now? Maybe for once I can meet a goal, get rid of this 20 I gained and lose the 15 more to get to my goal. So sad I was 15 lbs away, and now I am at 35 and over 200. So folks just know it can happen, it did happen. My challenge now is just learning how to get back down. Thanks for listening and this board has always been supportive with some great people here.

Cheri, Thanks for asking the question. You have offered such great thought provoking topics over and over, i like looking for your topics. I think I am considered a vet, but anyway going...I have not hit my goal. I lost a lot quickly in the beginning, now at 20 months I am still 30 lbs from a realistic goal. I was so excited during my losing period, then I started having menopause issues, got hormone replacement...gained 10 lbs, stopped hormones....got dehydrated, low potassium ended up in hospital. Then, got new hormones...did not use the patch just am dealing with leg cramps, and hot flashes, night sweats...and GAINING. I am up 13 lbs from my lowest, and I need it to come off but, I am hungry. I have found I can eat much larger quantities and have now begun making excuses. I thought if I picked up using MFP I would do better, nope just stopped getting on the site and here as well. VST changed to me, and I really did not feel I needed to check the site every 20 minutes like I did in the beginning. Bean, Coops, Skinny, Granny, MG2, Oregon, Jane, Eye....and others......at some point we have all exchanged a note. I thank you for hanging in there and continuing to share your successes, tips and challenges. I hope through Cheri's, once again, so well thought out message we can reach out and give a hand to help each other again! I know I need to purge the crap from the house, stop saying "I will do this after...weekend, graduation, traveling for work, on and on". But, I do need to figure out how not to be hungry. I do not drink with meals, never have. I drink my water daily, mainly with Crystal Light Raspberry Tea. And generally eat my protein first. I had my first sip of a beer yesterday, it was flippin 100 degrees and looked good. Nope don't like the way I felt, I will stick with wine on occasion I feel like having a glass. So here is to researching the 5:2, Diva's bootcamp, pouch test whatever...just finding a way to reach goal. I really, really need to get there and i hope you all are successful! Thanks all for sharing, Cheri losing 9 lbs, well I am thinking 5:2 just may be the way.

Before I had my surgery, my last push to try to get my weight under control was to purchase a Life Fitness Elliptical machine and I promised my hubby, I would use it...this time. The $1400 treadmill that sat in the corner, was eventually donated with oh about 3 miles on it. At the time we purchased the elliptical, I was able to work it for 2 minutes. That was it, I gave up. Fast forward to surgery...came home, started with just walking around my house, literally on day 3. Got on the Elliptical, NEVER looked back. Never have allowed myself to give up, this is my health and I must continue. So 4 days a week on average for about 15 months now, I plugged along. I am NOT a fitness person, I do it for my health. Today, I worked out at a level 10, and hit 63 minutes straight. I can hardly believe it! If you need a pick me us, please know I did it, you can too!

I am on MFP but, do not know how to connect with others? Sorry I am so challenged in this way, this is my only social media type interaction, here on VST. I have logged generally for 15 months....getting off track, I stepped back into logging. Do I just type in your screen name? My hubby set up the account for me when he bought my iPad for my b-day, the day I was released from surgery Nov. 2011. My name is sandyd2011 on it.

I was wondering if anyone else has had an increase in salt craving since WLS or since losing weight? I never added salt before and now I really crave it. I find myself wanting nuts and seeds, almost daily. Ug, I need to break this new...um habit? I take potassium daily, been trying to research the minerals to see if it is a physical response or not. Just curious if anyone else as well. By the way, I have 23 lbs to get to goal, I have done the reset, cut carbs, increased exercise off and on, and tried to reduce calories but eating 800 a day is tough, as I get hungry but darn I want to reach goal! I have gone up and down 3-5 lbs for over 6 months. Anyone else? Please share so I can review your experience and perhaps help myself to move forward. Thank you.

Wow, that is concerning. I hope you have shared with Alex or the moderators. This site has been a secure location for support and education. Creative food, expressing concerns and meeting people who support and share in accomplishments. I am sad, you received the PM's

Hi all, I shared this long ago but what I did to help myself....especially in the beginning to LEARN to slow down and take smaller bites was to purchase an egg timer and I paced myself to it....I did not finish before the ticker. The best help, was disposable CHOP STICKS. I became very good using them, carried them if I was eating out and it worked because the input was much smaller than forks (yup tried baby fork too)! Smiles