Foxbins

Exercise machines are notoriously inaccurate when it comes to estimating caloric expenditure. If you are exercising moderately for an hour a day, you probably are burning between 250-400 calories (smaller people less, larger people more). We all lose because we burn more than we take in, exercise just increases the calorie deficit and increases metabolism. You are doing great and as Becca said, burn off the fat and work your sleeve!

Keep drinking and don't worry about the protein. I took an afternoon nap everyday for two weeks after surgery and a couple during the 3rd week as well. It took about 3 weeks to get all the water and protein in and about 4 until I felt like I had some energy. Take it easy, you had major surgery and your body is adjusting and healing. You will do fine, just give it time.

Losing weight quickly makes you at higher risk for gallbladder issues, so I'd save that one in case you need it later. However, most obese people have a hiatal hernia due to the increased abdominal pressure we have. I'd tell them you're having a laparoscopic hernia repair to address gastric reflux issues. My surgeon said not to lift anything heavier than 10 lbs. for six weeks after surgery. But I carried a 40 lb. bag of dog food without a problem a month out. But do you want to work for a company that provides health care to others but who would be insensitive to your healthcare needs? Just wondering...

"Hey Foxbins, Do you find it hard to keep hydrated when you run? I'm not sleeved yet and that is one of my worries. I'm a big sweater (not as in wool, as in really wet when I workout) and I'm worried I won't be able to drink enough Fluid to keep me hydrated? What do you do? " Like I mentioned, I have a waistband that holds 2 20oz Water bottles, and I get thirsty a lot when I run, so 40 oz is good for me for up to eight miles or so. More than that, I plan an out-and-back route from my house and I drive a couple disposable water bottles to the place I'm going to turn around and drop them off. I run there, pour them in my now-empty plastic bottles on my waist, throw the disposables in the recycle bin, and run back home. Races all have water stops. I have not run in really hot weather since my surgery, it got to be 70 here one or two days last month which is plenty warm for me to run outside. I didn't have any problems. When it gets really hot in the summer I plan on running in the air-conditioned gym. I have never been a good hot-weather runner.

I'm sorry to hear that the band is not giving you the results you had hoped. However, where are you reading that the sleeve "is the worst procedure"? It is true that early surgeons made the stomach too big in some cases, but now, experienced surgeons remove the stretchy part of the stomach AND make the remaining part very narrow. liquids flow without restriction but dense Protein stays and makes you feel full. There is usually some relaxation after a period of months-years but no one who has a sleeve can eat the same volume of food they could before surgery. I encourage you to read more here and on Obesity Help. We have a number of people who are band-to-sleeve revisions who are very happy they had sleeve surgery. And to answer your questions: I don't get hungry any more. I eat on a schedule so that I get my protein and fluids in, and I measure my food. Since I'm not hungry, I'm always content with the amount I have eaten. I have a hard time eating firm fish (salmon, mahi mahi) but I can eat steak, pork, chicken, seafood, eggs, sausage, etc. I am low-carbing to get the weight off fast but I anticpate eating everything in moderation when I am maintaining.

I was self-pay and told her 3 days before my surgery. She was supportive, not too keen on me going to Mexico to have it done, but I didn't meet the weight requirements to have insurance cover it. She has been great with ordering follow-up blood work and referring me to a support group.

I use OTC Prilosec and I don't have any problems with it. It works as well for me as the Nexium did.

One of the reasons laparoscopic surgery is done so often, and for so many different procedures, is because the risk of a hernia is so much smaller because of the incision size. In an "open" procedure, the incision is often 8-10 inches long. Such a long incision does come under stress and the internal edges can separate and allow the bowel to intrude. It's highly unlikely that a laparoscopic incision will herniate. Not impossible, just rare. If you did have one, they are surgically repaired and the weakened area strengthened with sutures or, sometimes, surgical mesh. If nothing is bulging out of your incisions, if they are not red and swollen, and you do not have a fever, you probably don't have one, and if you did it would be tiny. Really, this is not something you need to worry about, but if you need convincing, go to your doctor and ask them to palpate your abdomen. They can feel a hernia.

I have always run--even at 232 lbs I ran...I have been in the "Clydesdale" division ( no, really, that's what they call heavier runners) always, because even at my thinnest (155) I was still heavier than those skinny track runners. Sustaining calories is never a problem--remember what we are NOT supposed to do--drink your calories--on a race day or a long training run (more than 8 miles) I drink Gatorade and slurp something called Goo which is just fancy sugar. For days when I run less I just keep to my normal diet, maybe drink a little more water if it's hot. Remember that you can strap on a water bottle or two at your waist and in a race there will be water and Gatorade stops. My surgeon said I could run after 3 weeks if I felt good and took it easy. I don't run many long races anymore, I'm 56 and it takes me a long time to recover but I feel great after my shorter runs, it's the only regular exercise I get. As for malnourished--those skinny Kenyans who keep winning marathons look like they could use a few hearty meals! Generally, the less you weigh, the faster you go because you're not having to move so much weight. Get skinny and go running! Win a few medals and get your race T-shirts in size SMALL!

I know, the fluid diet gets old really quick. I also was sick of sweet things, especially chocolate (never thought that would happen but it did). I have no advice to give you except that your stomach is healing and you didn't go through surgery to mess it up. You will be able to eat real food soon...and things will be better.

Good for you! Since you are walk/running for a short period of time right now, you should be fine, and as you gain strength and endurance you can do more. Your body will burn fat for energy so keep calories up about 700-800 so you don't get too tired. Try adding some full-fat foods, yogurt or peanut butter, something like that. Have a protein shake an hour before your workout. KEEP HYDRATED. You will do great. Post a picture of your medal in September!

I've done 2 marathons, 1 half-marathon, and too many 10Ks and 5Ks to count. You have six months to train and that's ample time if you start now. Can you run at all? If you can, try running slowly as long as you can, then walk for 2 minutes. Repeat until you have run/walked half an hour. The following week, add five minutes to the total time. Keep adding 10-15% more time to your run/walking each week and try to run more and walk less each week. If you can't run yet, start the Couch to 5K program. It will get you running 3 miles in six weeks (I think it's six weeks...) and then you can add mileage from there. Also, if you pick up an issue of Runner's World, they usually have training plans for all lengths of races. Good Luck! I'm doing Bay to Breakers (12K) in May!

Oh, I eat the fiber-filled stuff as well--I just count all the carbs. I don't really agree with the "net carb" philosophy.

As I understand it, total carbs minus fiber equals net carbs. So things like broccoli--total 6 gms carb per serving, but 2 gm fiber= 4 gm net carbs. However, white rice has 45 gms carb per cup serving, 1 gm fiber, net carbs = 44. I don't bother with the net carb thing, just track all of them.

I had surgery and my BMI was 35.3, also many, many failed diets. The push for me was watching a Bowl game over the holidays and realizing that I weighed more than a LSU linebacker. My friends also say things like, "you're not THAT big." Yes, I am(was), and I did something about it.

I don't eat until I'm full and I don't need to feel satisfied now. It's very strange, before surgery I had to eat until I was stuffed and then I felt full, and sometimes I felt satisfied. Now, I eat because my body needs food to function. I have some food and sometimes I look at the next bite and think, "No, I don't think so." Sometimes it is because I feel full, but oftentimes it's because I just don't want any more of what I'm eating...it is, like Shanny said, because I'm just not interested in food anymore. It also helps that I am one of those who doesn't get hungry anymore. For me that was the biggest blessing of the surgery.

I eat the Fage 2% and put a packet of Spenda in it--makes it tolerable. I thought Chobani was awful, too.

Don't buy lots of protein for the clear liquid stage if you're not going to be on clears for very long. I had enough trouble getting water, tea, broth, and Gatorade in and now I'm stuck with a lot of protein I don't like and won't use. Buy a little, if you drink it fine, if you run out you can always get more.

Sorry he feels bad, but he has to drink. Forget the Protein for now, dehydration is what you want to prevent. Can he suck on ice chips? SF popsicles? Some people don't tolerate cold things well. If that is the case, try hot tea, broth, gatorade.

It does get better. My neck was killing me and the heating pad does help. Don't worry too much about getting protein in now, but keep drinking fluids and walking. You will feel better soon.

If you search for Dr. Aceves on this board you will find loads of people who have had their surgery done by him. He is in Mexicali, Mexico and I thought his price (8750) was reasonable for 1 night hotel, 3 nights hospitalization, surgery and anesthesia, and airport pickup and return.. He did mine in January and I had no complications and just sailed on through the recovery period. He has done thousands of sleeves and I feel great and would go to him again. Wish he did plastics! Don't pick by price, though. Pick by experience doing sleeve surgery and your comfort level leaving the U.S. There are excellent surgeons everywhere, you just need to research.

"No pictures match your search criteria." 5'8", 200 lbs, pear shaped? I didn't think I was that unusual.

You are fine...I and lots of other people here dropped a lot of weight in a short period of time and then...nothing. It's like your body is readjusting to its new reality. Keep to your plan, walk, drink your Water and take your Vitamins and the scale will drop. I lost a half-pound over a two-week period, then a pound over the next week, and now I am losing a half-pound a day. You'll see, it will be fine. Edited to add, you did not gain five lbs. of fat on the number of calories you are able to eat. Hormone fluctuations and sodium intake will reflect on the scale, and sometimes your body holds on to water to break down the fat.

I love mine. Get the wrist unit too, because otherwise you won't know what you have burned until you upload the data to their website. Cost $9.95 a month for six months of monitoring. Tells you calories burned, hours asleep (and just lying there) steps taken, moderate and vigorous exercise done. If I'm short a thousand steps or so to get to my goal for the day, I walk around the block until it hits goal. As long as you are moving (housework, gardening, cooking, etc) it calculates how many calories you burn, and from your weight it calculates how many calories you need to maintain or lose.

Quite frankly, the first 48 hours after surgery are a big blur in my mind. Yes, I had a drain. DId it hurt to take it out? No, but it felt peculiar and I felt better when it was gone. Yes, the nurses kept coming in the room to check on me and take by temp and BP. Did I care? No. I was sleepy and doped up and healing. After I came home, I was fine and all those surgical details have faded pretty much entirely and I have lost more weight in eight weeks than I ever have before. Was surgery worth it to me? You bet.