lsereno

I try to eat dinner later in the evening. Also, save a few calories and eat something filling. A glass of skim milk, a cup of fat free greek yogurt, low fat string cheese are all good after dinner snack options. I also have something hot to drink such as sugarfree hot cider, Sleepytime Tea, or decaf coffee. Make sure you are eating whole grains, lots of veggies, lean Protein, low or non-fat dairy, and a little fruit. These foods will stay with you longer and help keep you feeling full. Lynda

I like the Special K Multigrain crackers: http://www.specialk.com/crackers/multi-grain/ I also like Rye Krisp Sesame http://www.rykrisp.com/flavors/sesame/ and the Dr, Kracker pumpkin Seed Crackers http://drkracker.com/our-products/crispbreads/pumpkin-seed-cheddar/ Lynda

I didn't do well with starchy foods early out so I didn't try a bite of pancakes or waffles till I was about a year out. I now occasionally enjoy the whole grain frozen waffles. I'm two years out. I like to have two with 1/2 bananna and Mrs. Butterworth's sugar free syrup. I don't eat them often. They do not keep me full as long as 100% whole grain. But nice for a treat. I've had a few bites of pancake too, but haven't tried eating a whole one. Lynda

My program specifically mentioned that lots of people had issues with starches. I love really good bread and I did eat a bite of crust if we were out at a restaurant with great bread. My program recommended saltine crackers or very-well toasted bread. I didn't eat much bread, rice, Pasta, or potatoes till I was at least six months out. After about a year out, I could eat it without issues (not much though). Lynda

I like oatmeal. We were allowed whole grains in the losing phase in my program, but I didn't eat oatmeal till after I was at goal because it didn't sit well for the first year. I like it now. I use Quaker Old Fashioned and cook it in the microwave. I use 1/4 cup oatmeal, about 2/3 cup Water, and I often add berries or a little fruit before cooking. Couple chopped strawberries or a small chopped apricot are a couple of favs. I sweeten with Splenda and add a dash of salt. I do like mine with a little soymilk too, but it's good without since that is not on your program. Lyna

I've lost about 120. I've been at goal for 14 months. I do have to be careful. I weigh myself every morning. Lynda

OK, people. I know we are all used to having me be the fattest one in the group, but times have changed and you HAVE TO GET OVER IT!!! For those of you who now outweigh me, Yes, I do weigh less than you now. And I'm taller than you so my BMI is lower, but we won't talk about that. Please pull your face back into a look that approaches normalcy. I promise I will never bring up my weight or yours. I did this for my health, not so I could lord it over those who are still struggling with weight. I realize you have spent years patting yourself on the back because you are not as big as me, but those days are past. Pull up your big person panties and move on. And for many others, yes, my goal weight is less than what you currently weigh. No, I will not be anorexic at a healthy BMI of 22. Please don't compulsively ask how much I now weigh each time you see me and then calculate how much I have to lose before I weigh less than you. Please see the notes above for how I prefer you to handle this brave new world. Best wishes, Lynda

I ate sashimi about a month out. I didn't eat rice until about 6 months out, and then I didn't eat much. It did not sit well at first. Now I enjoy sushi, but I often leave part of the rice uneaten. Lynda

I drank Lipton Diet Green Tea with Citrus pretty soon after surgery. It sat well. I also drank Sleepy Time Chamomile tea. I counted it as a Fluid, since there is less caffeine than decaf coffee, but every program is different. Lynda

Lucky you are not a girl! With salty foods and the right time of the month, a girl can go up several pounds in a day. Lynda

One thing to expect is feeling pretty miserable post-op. Some lucky people never feel the emotional pain, but plenty do. A lot of hormones are swirling around, pain meds add a little to the mix, and it's just plain tough the first few weeks. You will get better. You will enjoy food again. Hunker down and baby yourself. You deserve it! Buy a new nightie, or lotion, or perfume. Order that over-priced whatever you've been denying yourself. Dream up something fun to do when you are feeling better. Something only a skinnier person can do easily, because you will be that person! Lynda

Hey NannieG, the only thing that works for me as far as exercise goes is I gotta do it, whatever it is, first thing. I walk 3-4 days per week for at least an hour, leaving my house before 7 a.m As far as late night Snacks, the more I have the more I want of junk food. If I manage to snack on greek yogurt cheesecake pudding (greek yogurt, whipped cream cheese, splenda, frozen blueberries, and a crumbled graham cracker) or have soy milk and Cereal, that fills me up enough I stop it. It is going to be a life time struggle for me too. I'm hoping that, just like when I quit smoking, it gets easier as the years go by. When I'm really working it, I weigh and measure all foods and track calories and Protein on a white board on my fridge door. I also track fluids because if I'm drinking as much as I should, I have less room for junk. Lynda

Probably just a timing thing. Lynda

Yeah! They didn't schedule any of my other appts till after orientation. At the end of orientation, we were all scheduled a 3 hr. appt. to meet with a surgeon, nutritionist, and case manager if we wanted the surgery. After that, we could schedule the pscyh appt. Lynda

I'm two years out. I've felt a pretty normal full for so long I can't remember when it changed. Not that painful, I'm gonna puke feeling I got too easily at first, but just an feeling of being full. One that I had to eat a lot to get to pre-op. I think my poor stomach was stretched to the size of a basketball. Lynda

I used a clock with a second hand. Chew for 30 seconds, swallow, wait 30 seconds and then take another bite. Lynda

I'd wait till after you go to Orientation. I went through Kaiser Fremont too. Dr. Hahn. Yeah! At Orientation they will give you the binder that you can see online at: http://mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/ncal/facilities/region/gsaa/area_master/departments/Bariatrics/binder.jsp Lynda

For me, it means low fat or fat free dairy, fruits and starchy veggies (in moderation), non-starchy vegetables, and whole grains. If I eat more processed grains, such as white bread or rice or egg Pasta, it just doesn't keep me full like the whole grain versions do. Lynda

Oh my word! My stomach was so noisy for months! It was really embarrassing at first.. It rumbled like a dump truck all the time and I did have a lot of gas too. Eventually it settled down and the only reminder I have now is I burp more frequently than I used to. Lynda

Go Laura!! I think you are going to be amazed with a great drop soon. Lynda

I would call your Dr. or Nutritionist if your program has one and discuss. Your capacity is slightly higher than mine, but if you felt full after the 6", it's probably in the ballpark. I'm two years out. At 6 months, I still didn't do bread to well, so I mostly avoided it. Everyone heals differently. Last week I ate a 6" Sweet Onion Teriaki on whole wheat with spinach, red onions, and cucumbers. I ate the whole thing except like two bites of bread. At one year out, I ate the same sandwich, but only 1/2 the bread. Like others, I ate a lot more pre-op. I was known to finish a 12', along with chips, a drink, and a big dessert within an hour or so. Lynda

I agree with Cejiogu. I had more pain than many. It was well controlled with the Loritab, which I took for about 8 days. But the first few days home were really rough. I spent all day getting fluids and drinking protein drinks. I had raging diarrhea (turns out I was lactose intolerant post-op). I slept propped up with enough pillows to make my bed like a hospital bed. Try and get your surgery on a Friday if you can and then have hubby take off the next week. That will give you more than a week with help at home. Also, I didn't drive the first two weeks. So have shopping done ahead of time. Lynda

I can't just deprive myself. I had to come up with something else. So find those lower calorie snacks that will satisfy the urge, or find another non-food treat that pleases you. Buy something online. Put on some great perfume and admire your smaller rear in mirror. Make an appt for a massage, pedicure, or something fun. Do something that requires the use of your hands. Maybe a video game? Burn a scented candle. Put on some great smelling lotion. Lynda

And now I see where it came from originally: http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.html

Haha. Here's some old articles I dug up for you. After two and a half years here, I've seen almost everything before :-) Myth of Starvation Mode: http://fattyfightsba...ation-mode.html Here's one of the best stall explanations I've ever seen on here. The original post is in this thread: http://www.verticals...caloriesreally/ This is why you are in a stall. It's normal and expected. Your body will never go into a stall as long as you have body fat to burn: Weight Loss Stall or Plateau A weight loss stall or plateau is an extended period of time during reducing efforts where is there is no weight loss according to the scale and no loss of inches according to the tape measure. This is why it is so important to take your body measurements before surgery, so you'll have a reference as your weight loss progresses post-op. We suggest you take measurements of your chest, waist and hip, neck, upper arm, thigh and calf. Be aware it is very common for your weight loss to "stall" shortly after surgery. Diana explains the reason for this below. The Inevitable Stall By Diana C. A "stall" a few weeks out is inevitable, and here's why. Our bodies use glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, but it is stored in our muscles for quick energy -- one pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs of water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when you are not getting in enough food, your body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. And when you use up 2 lbs of glycogen, you also lose 8 lbs of water that was used to store it -- voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs that most people lose in the first week of a diet. As you stay in caloric deficit, however, your body starts to realize that this is not a short term problem. You start mobilizing fat from your adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But your body also realizes that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy -- like, to outrun a saber tooth tiger. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. And as it puts back the 2 lbs of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though you might still be LOSING energy content to your body, your weight will not go down or you might even GAIN for a while as you retain water to dissolve the glycogen that is being reformed and stored. Breathe, and fuggedaboudit for a few days. What You Can Do About a Stall or Plateau If you are experiencing a post-op weight loss stall or plateau further out there are a few possible causes. First, check that are you really in a stall. If the scale has stopped moving you may be losing inches, so check your measurements. Too Many Carbs? Carbohydrates can start sneaking into your foods without you being aware of how quickly they are adding up. For more information on carbs, see our section onCarbohydrates. If you are struggling with your weight loss you may want to examine your daily carb count. You can try to keep your carbs under 50g a day and see if that makes a difference in your weight loss. Do not eat carbs before bedtime as it triggers insulin and initiates fat storage. There are some great web site resources you can use to keep track of what you are eating. Fit Day Spark People - If you join Spark People also join the DS group. The Daily Plate Calorie King For more tips on keeping a food journal see the Personal Nutrition Guide. Eating Enough? If you are under-eating or go more than 4-5 hours without eating, your body will shift into fasting mode, slow your metabolism and conserve your stored energy (fat). This can contribute to a weight loss stall or plateau. Make sure you are eating small meals or small snacks throughout the day and also ensure you meet your daily protein requirements. Try eating some protein with every meal or snack. For more information on protein requirements see our section on Protein. Drinking Enough? An adequate level of water in your body aids in the effective breakdown of fat. The daily minimum recommendation is 64 fluid oz of water a day. If you are in ketosis you will need to drink even more water to ensure the ketones are flushed out of your system. You may also need more than the minimum amount of water if you are exercising or live in a warmer or dry environment. Exercising? Exercise can increase your metabolism and burn fat. Strength training will build muscles and will boost fat burning. In a stall you can try increasing your volume of exercise or changing up your routine to overcome a weight loss stall or plateau. If you have been doing mainly aerobic activity, try doing a bit of strength training, and if you have been doing mainly strength training, try an aerobic work-out. The High Fat - High Calorie Stall Buster (I've only seen this work when people are super close to goal, and their body fat percentage is way lower, or temporarily and then they gain weight back, just my 2cents) Many DSers swear by the fat/calorie shock as an effective weight loss stall or plateau buster. Having a day of higher fat and calorie eating followed by a returning to consistent low carb eating can sometimes "shock" your body back into weight loss mode.