lsereno

Hey! I'm a Fremont Kaiser girl too. Coming up on my two year surgiversary on May 17. I've been at goal for a year and a few months. My surgeon was Dr. Hahn. I had to lose 25 lbs. pre-op. I followed the diet they gave us with the occasional cheat. Lynda

I didn't gain weight until I was in my 30s. In my teens I weighed 118 and in my 20s I weighed under 130. I weighed 145 when I was full term with my son. I'm 5'6". I think it has made it easier to adjust to being thin because its not completely alien to me. And the habits I had when I stayed naturally thin have come back to some degree. I do have to struggle still. I would LOVE to overeat, but I am NOT GOING THERE. This surgery was my "hail mary" for getting to a healthy weight after years of diet and exercise. Lynda

I love my weight watchers one, but it doesn't go up to 440. Good Housekeeping has some good reviews. Several ones go up to 440: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-reviews/health-products/bathroom-scale-reviews/best-bathroom-scales Lynda

I have and I've seen it happen to others. Just goes to show it's best to NOT make assumptions. It's one of the reasons I wanted everyone to know I had WLS. I didn't want them assuming I was losing weight so fast because I was sick. Lynda

Congrats Laura-Ven!

The unjury Whey Protein is good choice if you are super lactose intolerant. It was the only Protein powder i could tolerate the first couple of weeks post-op. The chicken flavor can be mixed with Water. Lynda

Buffet is not my first choice, but if others choose it, I'm in. I stick with my favorite Proteins, and a little of my other favorite foods. For instance, last month we went to Reno and ate at a Breakfast buffet. I had smoked salmon, shrimp, pineapple and watermelon, and an individual fruit tart. I drank a cup of coffee when we got there before I ate. I really don't mind leaving food on my plate. Take a peek at thin people who eat at restaurants next time you're out. They always have food left on their plates. Lynda

Hi Jane, Glad you are back on track! I have a bounce range of 5 lbs. either side of my goal. I purposely set my goal so that would work for me. Maintenance is scary. It's one of the reasons I'm here almost every day. I know myself. Left to my own devices, without tracking and accountability, I would be at my top weight again in a few years, and I don't want that. I'm thinking of you. Buy yourself a little present - you deserve it! Lynda

I found the best selection of suits at Macy's. It was very humbling to try on swimsuits. I may be at a normal BMI, but finding a flattering swimsuit was quite the challenge! Lynda

Welcome back! I love having a place for us "oldies" to hang out and discuss what's important to us now. Lynda

I agree with Dooter. I'm two years out next week. Three shrimp sounds about right. I often ordered an appetizer shrimp or crab cocktail when dining out early on. And hubby was always happy to finish what I couldn't. Lynda

I had my surgery two years ago on the 17th! I still remember how nervous I was pre-op. Hope all goes well for you! Lynda

I thought this article had a lot of good points about succeeding long-term: http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/bariatric-weight-loss-surgery-doesnt-solve-psychological-issues/2118565 Lynda

Sleeved May 16, 2011. Maintaining at goal (135 lbs. , 5'6" for 14 months) Breakfast: 1 cup Fage 0 Greek Yogurt with 2 T. Whipped Cream cheese and splenda, topped with 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, thawed and mixed with Splenda to make them syrupy. Snack mid-morning: 1 slice whole wheat bread, 2 oz. low fat ham Lunch: Southwest salad (1/2 cup loosely packed mixed greens, 1/3 cup black Beans, 1/4 cup corn, 2 oz. chicken mixed with 2 T. BBQ sauce, 1/4 small avocado, 1/2 oz. low fat shredded cheddar cheese, 6 cherry tomatoes, 1/8 cup celery, topped with 2 T. lowfat ranch dressing Afternoon snack: 1 oz. pretzels, 1/2 apple Dinner: 1/2 cup brown rice, 3 oz. shrimp, 1/4-1/2 cup mixed veggies After dinner snack: Hot chocolate

I eat veggies with lunch and dinner and occasionally for a snack. Here's a couple of typical veggie options for me. I'm further out than you, so you might not be able to eat as much. Soup: I like the Progresso Tomato Basil Soup. I pick a soup with lots of veggies. I also like Anderson Split Pea Soup and Butternut Squash soup. Have it with a ham and cheese rollup (ham lunchmeat rolled around a lite string cheese) or 1/2 sandwich or for veggie Soups like minestrone and southwest veggie, add a couple ounces of chicken or meatballs. Salad: I buy a small bag of spinach or baby greens and add a little other stuff. I use about 1/2 cup of lettuce and a 1/3 cup other veggies or fruit. Sometimes I add Protein to the salad, or I have it on the side. For example, 2 oz chicken chopped and tossed with a little sugar free orange jelly, over 1/2 cup spinach with a few snow pea pods (pull the strings off first), a few mandarin orange segments and a couple tablespoons sliced almonds with Newmans Lite Sesame Ginger Dressing. Cooked veggies: I like zuchinni (slice a few rounds with a mandoline slicer and cook along side whatever protein you're making). I like frozen because I can just shake out enough for my meal. My favs are frozen whole green Beans, frozen roasted peppers and onions from Trader Joes,and frozen peas. Snacks: I love sugar snap peas, baby carrots, and cucumbers for a crunchy snack. I eat them plain or with a dip made from ranch dressing mix stirred into greek yogurt. Lynda

I gave mine away. I used to take them to my face-to-face support group meetings and let people take them from the back of my car. Also gave some to local charities. I kept one pair of my largest pants. I can fit into one leg of those. Expect pics next week in honor of my two year surgiversary. Lynda

OK here's one more that is specific to VSG: http://www.soard.org/article/S1550-7289(11)00579-X/abstract?elsca1=etoc&elsca2=email&elsca3=1550-7289_201211_8_6&elsca4=elsevier Lynda

Hi Fiddleman, I don't order food till I'm finished with my drinks. That way, it doesn't arrive too early. Lynda

I don't think you are going to find them on this group, because most people are here because they want to keep the weight off and succeed after surgery. There is a steep drop-off rate on this board as time goes by post-op. I would guess there are less than 15 people who are more than two years out. Here are some articles that support the fact that weight gain is possible: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Fitness/story?id=4444057&page=1#.UYgaNbXbN8E http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1856611/

Oh and I don't feel abnormal now when I eat. I have a lot of naturally thin friends and we all eat about the same amount. Lynda

I did well with Colace Stool Softener. It's not a problem now and hasn't been for a long time. Lynda

I love fruit and I added it very early. At first, I could only eat fairly non-acidic fruit, such as melon, applesauce, and banannas. I can eat any fruit now, but I generally peel apples, where I didn't before. The skin just doesn't taste as good as it used to. Everyone winds up with a different capacity. I'm very grateful my tummy is not so small that I couldn't eat a whole banana. Although I usually eat 1/2 at a time, because 1/2 banana is considered 1 fruit on my plan. I just whack it in half with the peel on. When I eat the other half, I just take a thin slice off the end that was exposed. I did have the slimes a few times early out. Lynda

For me, it is a tool. Yes, it's major surgery, but if I don't work it, I will gain weight. At two years post-op, it's pretty easy to eat enough to gain every ounce back. Lynda

OK you guys! I haven't seen this on here in while, but you may already know it. A frozen bananna makes a great ice cream like snack if you cut in rounds before freezing and the run it through a blender or food processor. I use one of those tiny food processors that holds about a cup. It looks rough at first, but just keep pulsing it and scraping it down and it will magically turn creamy and yummy. As for waffles, I eat the Nutrigrain or Vans Whole Grain with sugar free Mrs. Butterworths syrup and 1/2 banana cut in rounds. Jump Planks. That sounds too much like burpies. I'm still traumatized from doing them in 8th grade PE. Lynda

My plan allowed soft cooked veggies after week 2. I was able to eat a bite or two of cooked veggies really early. Since it's just hubby and me and he doesn't eat veggies, I bought frozen and just shook out a few to cook with lunch and dinner. If I cooked something in the non-stick fry pan, I tossed them in there. Otherwise, I heated them in the microwave. I used the frozen whole green Beans and frozen mixed veggies. Another veggie I ate early out was zucchini. I use a mandolin slicer and just shaved off a few rounds and cooked them in the non-stick pan. I also liked Anderson Split Pea Soup. Lynda