lsereno

Hi there, It's such a thin line between losing, maintenance, and gaining. All vets (and at one year that's what you are) struggle at some point. If you're not logging your food and weighing yourself daily, that's my number one trick for managing my weight post-op. After a couple of days of that, I can see where to cut back to lose or stop gaining. Making myself cut back is hard. I help myself out by getting rid of foods that aren't in my plan, especially my favorite junk foods. Give them away or throw them away. Replace them low cal treats you can enjoy guilt free. For me, that includes fat free greek yogurt with splenda and fruit, no-cal drinks such as LIption's Diet Green Tea with Citrus, and raw veggies with dip made with greek yogurt. I also measure my food to get back on track. Both to make sure I'm getting enough Protein and to control carb creep (1 oz. of crackers creeps up to 2, then 3 ounces if I don't). And I give myself no calorie treats for success, like a new lipstick, lotion, book, puzzle, or even a pay per view movie. It's just a little splurge, but it picks me up. Also, I eat less if I track my fluids and make sure I'm getting 64 oz. per day. At this point, to stave off hunger, it pretty much has to be protein. Nothing else hits the spot the same way. Are you getting enough protein? I aim for 2-4 ounces per meal. Another thing that can masquerade as hunger is stomach acid. You might try taking prilosec and see if it makes a difference. Bottom line, most everyone is working it to continue losing or to stay at goal after one year. Hang out here and commiserate with the rest of your people :-) Lynda

Everyone heals differently. Many people still have swelling at 6 weeks that causes more restriction, but some don't. Carbs and fluids go down easily for almost everyone once that initial swelling passes. To understand your restriction, eat a firm Protein, such as chicken or beef. How many ounces can you eat. Also, are you cleared for popcorn? 6 weeks seems early for it because of the hulls. Lynda

I'm a Fremont sleever. LOVE Fremont Kaiser Bariatrics team! I was sleeved in May 2011 by Dr. Hahn. Been at goal about 2.5 years now. Lynda

I don't know if my hiatal hernia (undiscovered till VSG when they fixed it) has returned. I do take prescription omeprazole (not sure of the difference, but I know it's cheaper with my prescription coverage). I take one pill each morning. Lynda

I have more little burps since surgery. I can stifle them by keeping my mouth closed, but they are still there. I'm over three years out. I don't think it's ever going away. At least those truck sized stomach rumbles I had the first few months are long gone. Lynda

I went through Kaiser Fremont and follow their Vitamin guidelines, which you can find here: http://mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/ncal/Images/ADA-07-Vitamins%20Chart%20-%20RYGB%20%26%20Sleeve_tcm28-532135.pdf Very inexpensive. I buy them at costco and Walmart. Lynda

RJ, glad you found it! It sounds perfect for those with allergies. I like a couple of Peanut Butter smeared graham crackers before bed. Lynda

Love the grilled chicken salads at McD's. Eat the chicken off the top, get a low calorie dressing to use as a dip, then eat as much veggies as you have room for. At gas stations, beef jerkey, string cheese, and sugar free drinks are my friends. At the cheap Breakfast buffet, they may have instant oatmeal packets, yogurt, and fruit. Plus nonfat milk if you're not lactose intolerant (I am). I bring along RTD Protein drinks too. Have fun, play some silly car games like license plate counting, sing along to dorky songs, and have a great time. Before you eat crap, think about if you really want it. Sometimes I picture the food in a store, lots of it, then all the stores in my town, my state, US, the world. Then I remember there is plenty of it for later. I can't possibly eat it all and I don't have to eat it now. Weird I know, but it works for me. Lynda

Are you allergic to peanuts? It has the same calories as Peanut Butter and the nutrition is very similar. I like the Kellogs Special K Protein cereal too for breakfast too. Sometimes, I make a yogurt parfait with greek yogurt, berries, and the Special K cereal on top. lynda

Lisa, Please consider Protein drinks and Vitamins until you are able to eat more. They will help protect your body. Start small; drink three Protein Drinks a day and take a multi vitiamin with Iron, a D3, and once per week a B1 and a sublingual B12. Please consider Calcium too. Three citricals twice per day is what my program recommends. Keep trying different protein drinks till you find one you like. For me, it was Optimum Nutrition whey Gold Standard in French vanilla. I mixed it with a packet of Starbucks Via decaf french roast. I also liked unjury chicken when I wanted something not sweet. Greek Yogurt with sugar if you don't like artificial sweeteners is another good protein choice. My heart and thoughts are with you during your difficult days. Lynda

Well I picked "healthy substitute" because that is my most frequent choice, but like many other long term sleevers at goal, I use most of the options occasionally: Wait until it passes, even if it’s a few days. I most often choose this option when I'm not at goal. Wait a day, and then give in if the craving is still there. I don't really use this option. Make a healthy substitute. Tips below! Have a bit or two of the real thing. If I can't resist, I use this option when not at goal. Give in. Enjoy your treat. Ah, life at goal! But if I've been craving a lot of crap, I might still choose Make a healthy substitute to head off weight gain. Healthy Substitutes: Sweet: Greek yogurt with a tablespoon of whipped cream cheese, sweetened with splenda, topped with splenda sweetened blueberries and a crushed graham cracker Winter time: Hot Sleepytime tea or Christmas Tea with Splenda Summer time: Lipton Diet Green Tea with Citrus Sweetened Cereal, such as chocolate Krave (measured portion using food scale) Fruit, such as Watermelon in summer, orange slices in winter (measured by container size) Crunchy: Pretzels or cheezit crackers instead of chips or cheetos (measured portion using food scale) Raw veggies with dip made from greek yogurt and ranch dressing mix or greek yogurt and little blue cheese. High Calorie coffee Drinks: Soy Latte with splash of sugar free caramel syrup. In the summer, I blend with ice for a homemade frappo. When ordering at Starbucks, I always get the tall instead of larger size. hot drink I get the soy latte and for frapp, I get the tall carramel frapp light, no whip. Just hungry: Sometimes I'm just hungry between meals. I eat a low calorie Protein, such as: light cheese stick rolled in a slice of low fat lunch meat tuna, blended with greek yogurt and mayonnaise to make a pate texture, then spread on whole wheat toast cut into quarters Deli Sandwich: I use lowfat lunchmeats. Gallo makes a great low fat salami. I like a bland cheese, and surprisingly, Velveta cheese has less calories than most. I make a full sandwich with whole wheat bread, 4 oz. of meat and 2 oz. of cheese, then I cut in half and eat half now and half for a different meal. Right before eating, I add tomatoes and lettuce. Fatty Italian: I love italian grilled veggies. I use a mandolin slicer to shave ribbons of zuchhini, yellow squash, and eggplant. Then I cut yellow and red peppers and toss in some halved cherry tomatoes. I spray all olive oil and roast. Right before it's done, I toss in a few fresh basil leaves. Top with 1/4 oz. shaved Parmesan. If you don't want to oven roast, you can pan roast the veggies too.

I do well with Ferramin 150, http://www.dialyvite.net/ferrimin150.html, when I have to take Iron. Have you tried eating a couple of saltine crackers as a snack? Lynda

Me too. My understanding is new muscle is built when we stress the muscle enough it gets little tears. The body heals these tears and that's the new muscle. Inflammation is part of the healing process. If you get in an exercise groove, you won't see this, but anything really out of the ordinary can bring it on. Lynda

Three years out from VSG and I don't do Protein drinks now unless I'm sick or traveling where it is hard to get enough protein in a day. But I still drink a smoothie made from fruit and greek yogurt. Yum! I'm not anti-protein drink, I just prefer food. I'm not nuts about any of the Protein Drinks, so I was glad to leave them behind. Lynda

So sorry for your loss. I'm thinking of you. Lynda

I think the 1 on 1 appointment is perfect. Go over what the 60% success rate really means. Does it mean on average people lose 60% of their excess weight? Do people at a lower starting weight fare better? Also show him the research on your other options. Weight Watchers, the most successful diet out there has a 97% failure rate at 5 years. http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=1789920 Not sure how overweight you are, but show the articles that link health issues and obestity. Here is a good start: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/risks.html He is right to be scared. It is scary. But so is remaining overweight and dying from an obesity-related illness. Use the fear to work towards the best solution for you, including maximing what you can do pre-op and post-op to make the surgery a success. Lynda

I stick to 64 oz and count everything liquid. Lynda

3 years out. More than two years at goal. Breakfast: Greek yogurt with fruit and a piece of whole wheat toast or two slices of low fat lunchmeat and a slice of whole wheat bread if I'm in a hurry. In the winter, I often have a Soy Latte and oatmeal (1/4 cup raw cooked with 3/4 cup water) Lunch: Really varies, but includes a couple of ounces of firm Protein, a whole grain, and some veggies Afternoon snack: Usually crackers or pretzels and maybe some fruit Dinner: Same as lunch, but three ounces of protein After dinner snack: usually a couple tablespoons of Peanut Butter on two graham crackers. A few times a week, I have cocktails and something sweet, such as candy, Cookies, or ice cream. For Vitamins, it's two multi with Iron, one D, and six citrical daily and a B1 and sublingual B12 once per week. Lynda Lynda

Well I had VSG and I take more Vitamins than you! Morning: 3 citracal, Vitamin D, Multi with mineral Evening: 3 citracal, Multi with mineral Weekly: sublingual B12 and regular B1 lynda

It's out now, so just make the best of that. Prepare your stock answers to questions you don't want to deal with. My stock answers included: My doctor and I thought the surgery was the best option for my health. My doctor is pleased with my progress. I feel great! And, just remember to not share anything with your mom that you don't want everyone to know. It hurts to have to keep things private when you'd like to share, but your mom has demonstrated that she can't keep things private. I'm not saying don't share with mom, just know if you do, whatever you share might be shared with the prayer group. Lynda

CGJ, I'm so sorry. Keep your mantra: self-soothing doesn't have to be self-sabotage. For me, exercise helps when my life sucks. Make time for yourself, even if you have to make an appointment. Love and best wishes to you during these difficult days. Lynda

I think some of the vets have with the 5:2 plan. Check the vet's forum for the 5:2 thread. Lynda

I'm three years out. I can eat A LOT of junk foods like popcorn, crackers, or even one of my favs: watermelon. For solid Protein, most days I top out at three ounces with a little bit of other stuff on the side. Sometimes two ounces is plenty. On rare occasions, I eat four ounces of firm protein. I eat about the same amount as my naturally thin friends (husband and step daughter) and my health/weight conscious friends. Early out, it was a struggle to eat even a few bites, but that is part of the healing process and very temporary. Lynda

Congrats Alex and thank you for building this community instead of just taking care of yourself. This is where I came and found out about the types of surgery available, made a decision about the type of surgery to get, got support pre-op, those first few stressful weeks post-op, through my weight loss journey and finally, during life at goal. From the bottom of my heart, I salute you! For doing well for yourself and creating a home for the cantankerous, bickering, sometimes ungrateful community of fellow weight loss surgery patients. Happy 11th surgiversary and here's to many more years at goal and in good health! Lynda

I love veggies but I really didn't have room for much after eating my Protein. So I bought frozen and just shook out a little and cooked it with whatever protein I had. Most often a stir fry type of dish. Few ounces of chicken, beef, or fish, and some green Beans, onions, peppers, or carrot coins, and then a little sauce, such as soy sauce and a splash of sesame oil or tomato paste and a splash of olive oil. I like to add a little frozen basil if using the tomato sauce. I also liked zucchini and yellow squash. I used a mandolin slicer to shave off a few slices and used it like the frozen veggies. Sometimes I bought the broccoli florets. Some stores have them so you can just buy a couple, instead of getting a whole head, which will go to waste if you don't have a family to cook for. They are nice with soy sauce and sesame oil. Cherry tomatoes are nice too. I cut them in half or quarters and cooked the same as the frozen above. They go great with the zucchini and yellow squash. Lynda