M2G

Hey Alex! Thank you for asking me to be in your newsletter Member Spotlight! What a nice honor. One thing I wanted to clarify is that my surgeon was not new to bariatric surgery, just sleeves. When I was sleeved he had done thousands of RNYs and Bands, but only 14 sleeves prior to mine. There was a large trust factor in there (me = trusting him) before moving forward. I also wanted to ask if I missing the LINK to the Sleever Poll? Maybe I just don't see the link? And one last thing, I always wish you guys would throw in photos on the member spotlight. So I will put some photos up. These are on here already floating around but here they are again. Thanks! (click on them to see them larger)

Ahh, the G in NannieG was for Georgia! You are beautiful and thank you for posting your pics. I did get a chuckle out of the "sexy" TP rolls in the background, lol. Gotta love trying to get a good "selfie" in the bathroom mirror!!

Nevermind, NtvTxn, just saw on the other thread that you do not exercise. I think probably the thing that saves you from gaining is your diligence to what you eat and tracking your food.

I'm so with ya, (k, maybe not cute little cuddly kittens, lol) but I hear ya! I'm 41 years old and in the last 20 years I've been exercising CONSISTENTLY for 12 out of those 20 years. But working out alone does NOT EQUAL weight loss for me. But it does clear the cobwebs, I've made lifelong friends, and it makes me feel so good. I can't imagine my life without some sort of exercise. For those of you who have never tried it, I highly suggest it. Going to the gym a few times a year isn't going to count either. Make some goals, even if it's just walking (it's FREE, it's easy and you can do it almost anywhere) and make yourself a priority. Okay, stepping off my soapbox now...

Well done! You are rocking those boots and don't even look like the same PERSON!

Like Coops (she and I have discussed this ad nauseum for literally years now!) I never reached goal. I'm not sure if I just got complacent after about 18 months of losing weight, I sort of fell off the wagon and regained a little bit. I'm still fighting the regain, and once that is gone I still have -20lbs to goal. I've always been an exerciser (yes for a good 7 years BEFORE surgery) so that was not new to me. I stepped up my game once the weight started to go, and I try to diligently do a mix of intense cardio and weights, although I'm starting to wonder if I need to add more weights to my weekly routine. I think I'm addicted to the cardio high... So there is the camp of heavy lifters vs. the cardio camp and I try to do both weekly but probably do more cardio than lifting. At any rate on the low end of the calories burned scale I probably burn 300cals (that would be for 20-30 mins on the treadmill the difference being between walking or running) to upwards of 700+ calories on an an intense 1 hour cardio class (like spin.) And not to confuse this thread with others, but since you brought it up (your statement about NOT wanting to have to restrict to 700-900 cals is what I'm referring to) ...I'm literally TORN between trying to restrict my calories (I seem to only lose when I am >800cals/daily) and trying to "reset my metabolism" (assumingly shot to he(( over my post-op eating of >1000 or less a day for 1.5 years!) There is an ongoing debate about what is better, to EAT more (upper end of 1850-2000 cals/day) or do less (i.e. >800 or the 5:2 plan where you eat normally 5 days a week and fast on about 500 calories the other 2 days a week.) Even just typing this out makes my head spin. Part of me says that I did NOT go and CUT 85% of my stomach out so that I could EAT 2000cals/day, and the other part of me says how ridiculous it is that I have to eat such low calories to maintain (I can maintain on anything from 900-1400cals/day and really only lose when I hit below >800.) So obviously I'm not the person you want to talk to. I don't know if that makes me a good vet or a bad vet, but I will be 3 years post-op this Oct and STILL have not figured out exactly what works for me (well I do know that >800 works but I'm unwilling to do that 99% of the time.) So if and when you figure out what works for you I would love for you to share. As for Lynda and NtvTxn I'm so glad that you have figured out what works for you. If you don't mind can you guys share your daily caloric intake NtvTxn do you exercise?

As we've previously discussed I think you are AT goal! You look GREAT!!

Yes! I did this before starting with anything because I wanted ALL of my medical records just in case. I called my ins., saw my surgeon's NUT, went to my surgeon's seminar, AND saw my surgeon ALL before visiting my PCP (I had to wait 6 months anyway to be approved so I had time on my side) but when I did finally talk to my PCP, I was pleasantly surprised that he was supportive. I had previously asked about bypass and he had sort of steered me away from it (giving me thumbs up to try South Beach, and Meridia, and eventually a card for a place that sold medifast-like supplements) so I was thinking he might not be on board. When I did see him I had taken ALL of my medical records and made a chart of my weights over the last 10 years (he's been my dr. at least that long!) I wrote down every single diet I had ever tried (with lots being recommended by him) and the results of those diets, how much I lost, how much I regained and how much I spent. What I realized during the whole process is that he just didn't want to be the one to suggest surgery. Faced with the overwhelming report that diets had indeed NOT worked for me, he was 100% on board. Good luck, time to take charge and get the paperwork you need and deserve to have!

But they are not private. Nothing on here is "private" that is my point. Sure men are asked not to post in the powder, and vice versa, but it's really not private in any way. Just because you "post" it in the powder room doesn't mean that mean can't read it.

Oh my GOSH this is SOOOOOOOOOOO true! I would be nice to have things a little bit more condensed. I hate OH *because* it has really no sub forums once you get to a specific board. But I feel like VST has so so so many sub forums. As to what the OP said about the idea that we "can't" post in the Men's/Powder if we are not the correct gender does seem a bit silly. If that were true, then shouldn't Religious NOT be allowed to post in the Agnostics forum, or if you are straight should you not be allowed in the gay room? What about if you are in your 20's and heading over to the 40's board? That all seems a bit silly don't you think? http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/80058-not-posting-in-the-mens-roompowder-room/page__hl__%2Bnot+%2Bposting+%2Bthe+%2Bpowder+%2Broom I believe that was the original thread asking about "closing" the men's/powder room. But it's not "closed" in the sense that only if you are a man or a woman can you read, you have just restricted opposite genders from posting, not reading (correct?) Basically my thought is this: yeah, you can restrict people from posting in certain forums, but this is, after all, a public forum. Anything you put on here can be seen by anyone at all.

Haha! That was what I was thinking. If I had EVER looked like ANY of those "befores" with smooth skin and fat evenly distributed around my body (not lumpy and bulging) then maybe I would have decided to be a BBW forever and forget about surgery!

Congratulations Kristie! You look amazing and that is such an incredible loss in one year! Are you still healing from plastics?

Love this picture! You and your little dog are both too cute!

Happy Birthday June Ladies!

I really love this FYE. I feel like I'm really struggling as well. What to eat, how many calories to eat, what kind of workout to do, it's overwhelming. It was so much easier when I had that big ole binder from my surgeon that said EAT XXX for XXX weeks, then switch to XXX at XXX weeks and so and so forth. I feel like once you hit one year post-op the guidelines are a bit sketchy. At first I thought I was doing awesome just exercising. I was going to Curves 3-5x a week, and filling in on non-curves days with treadmill walking (fast) and running. Then I elevated my game to include 1 hour intense classes at a "real" gym with "real" fitness instructors. I've done hour long cardio sessions and other classes that focus on strength training and weight lifting. So now I feel like I need to go get a degree in fitness and health JUST to figure out what the he(( I'm supposed to eat and how to exercise for the REST OF MY LIFE. And I know we all know this but it bears repeating...what works for ONE does NOT work for ALL. So you throw that aspect into the mix and I just feel like I'm adrift on a open sea of confusion. Sigh. Anyway this is all to tell you I love what you wrote.

Okay so this thread answered some of my questions. In 8 weeks of eating this way you gained +10lbs. Then after 8 weeks you lost the +10lbs (HOW LONG DID THAT TAKE TO LOSE THE GAIN?) And how much more did you lose PAST the -10? Do you do cardio in addition to lifting weights? What is your workout on a weekly basis (for example do you only lift 3 days a week at that is all or what other exercise are you doing?) Please give us more info and if you want please start a new thread. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is interested in possibly resetting a metabolism.

@Susan, do you mind giving us more details. I don't need to know your weight, but for example, "In 8 weeks I gained ____ and then it took ____ weeks to lose ___, and now I eat this _____many calories per day to maintain what I've gained/lost, etc." (or are you still losing?) Just looking for more details please...

Hahaha. I think that is me also. I'm glad you asked about this because for the first time I'm really trying to have some "focus" in regards to my exercise. I was a Curves workout person for 9 years solid (went every week from 3-5x a week) and now have gotten into a "real" gym, taking real classes 1hr cardio/spin class 2x a week, 1hr cardio (only 20 mins) and the rest muscle/weight lifting (40 mins) 1x a week, and then I fill in the rest of my days with cardio on the treadmill. But I'm wondering what results I could get if I were to cut cardio and increase strength? But I know that cardio is good for eliminating the visceral fat which is the worst kind of fat. I had read something that basically said the BEST exercise is doing BOTH, cardio AND strength, but that if you had to choose only ONE option, then go for cardio. It's all confusing...just like eating and the right amt of calories, etc. Bah. So it's back to toiling and crumbs...

Thanks for the tip about them being on sale! I went and bought a pair of capri length, just black. I think the sale has wiped out some of their stock so there was limited options. I'm wearing them right now and really like them!

I will normally "abstain" from jumping into hot topics and I generally stay away from flames when I see them. However, can we all just agree that NONE of us are EXPERTS in any way shape or form? If there was ONE WAY in this world to diet and exercise wouldn't we all be skinny and beautiful?

Kathy, you are so funny! They are all GONE now, but yeah I held on to them because with every new "diet" that I tried before being sleeved, there was always that HOPE that I could lose weight, but the fear that it would come back. So I kept quite a bit. Now it is all new and it feels GREAT!

http://www.52fastdiet.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=246#faq1 This is a great link with FAQ's to this type of eating (see didn't use the D word there... ) because I hate that word too!

First of all, I would consult a dr. about your heartburn. Lots of VSGers have to use a PPI to reduce stomach acid (I don't so I'm not an expert by any means.) Secondly I do NOT think that going 'above' your protein goals is bad at all. Dense protein will help keep you feeling full longer. Basically you are getting 50g of protein before noon because of your shake/bar for breakfast. (Shake 30g bar 20g roughly) Calorically your shake/bar combo for breakfast is equal to about 360 calories. Do you eat REAL food the rest of the day? Just not at breakfast? If so, I think maybe you are probably ok for now, but I would suggest an either/or option. So for breakfast you can have either a shake OR a bar, but not both. I think a shake or a bar here and there is ok (actually my NUTs rules are NO shakes after 6 weeks post-op and no more than one bar per day, less than that is better.) but I still do have an occasional shake or bar. Finally, I think that 5 hours between meals is probably asking a bit too much. 3-4 is what my surgeon aims for. Since you are only 6 months out I think you are still in that mode of food being more of a chore than a joy. That is ok. Things take time to settle in and once you are further out, food may appeal to you much more than it does now. And glad your husband found a job, that is great news. I would highly suggest seeing a NUT now that you are 6 months. My surgeon now has a mandatory 6 month post-op class (when I was sleeved in 2010 it was just 1 week, 3 week, and 6 week classes that were mandatory.) So I think that would probably be worth the money spent to do a check-in.

See you KNEW there was a reason to keep them. I was such a good yo-yo dieter I had every size from 16-24 in my closet. It came in handy when I was sleeved because I could shop for smaller clothes right in my own home for quite a while. lol