lsereno

How slowly are you eating? I chewed 30 times, and waited one minute between each very small bite. I think that gave my tummy time to send the signal, but I still had issues at first. I didn't try Rtiz crackers. I could eat one or two saltines and about an ounce of soft meat at one sitting. So a typical day at three weeks was: 6 a.m. 1 cup Water 8 a.m. 1 cup decaf 9 a.m. 1/2 cup greek yogurt with splenda 11:00 a.m. Protein drink noon: 1 cup water 1:45 p.m. 2 oz. turkey meatloaf 2:45 I cup crystal light lemonaide 4:30 p.m. Light cheese stick 5:30 p.m. 1 cup water 6:30 p.m. 2 oz. turkey meatloaf 7:30 p.m. 2 oz turkey meatloaf 10 p.m. 1 cup water Lynda Lynda

Hi Merry, I see you've made your decision, but I just wanted to weigh in :-) I do weigh every morning when I first get up, but I only track the weight I am each Friday. I use the daily weight to hold myself accountable, and it helps me understand little ups and downs go with the territory. I may weigh a little more on one day, but during the losing phase, I lost every week. Now that I am at goal, I still weigh every day. It helps me make better choices throughout the day. Best wishes on your journey! Lynda

I freeze a lot of stuff. I buy a rotisserie chicken and freeze portions in baggies. I can then thaw and use in salads, Soups, stir-frys or sandwiches. I also freeze lunchmeat, cheese, bread, bagels, rolls, soups, chilis, etc. I freeze stuff in baggies, first I squish the baggie to make a thin package and then I stack the baggies like books in freezer once the food is hard. They thaw super fast. Before I could eat more, one of my favorite veggies was frozen mixed veggies, because it's so easy to take out just 1/8 cup or whatever portion size I could manage. For restaurant food, I eat what I can if it doesn't freeze well, such as salads and just toss the rest. I also eat junky stuff out and don't bring the leftovers home. French fries, Desserts, etc. Restricting these foods to restaurants and leaving the leftovers behind is one way I manage to have treats without overindulging. When buying raw meats, fish and poultry, I freeze in portion sizes for my family's meals. For me and hubby, that's usually 12 oz. of ground beef or skin-on fish. Four ounces cooks to about 3 oz, which is what I eat at dinner and lunch. Hubby eats 8 oz, which cooks to about 6 oz. For chicken, I package 4 thighs. I eat one, hubby eats two or sometimes three. If we wind up with one left over, someone eats it for lunch the next day. Lynda

ah, the elephant in the room. Some people do regain all the weight. Some people regain some of the weight. Some people never get to their original goal weight. But, WLS surgery is the most successful option for keeping the weight off. And even if you only lose some or you only gain some, you are still better off than staying at your current weight. If you want to succeed, adopting the most successful habits will help you: 1. Track what you eat. This is the number one habit of people who successfully keep weight off. Write it before you bite it. 2. Eat solid Protein first. It will limit how much other stuff you can fit in. 3. Exercise. This is the number two habit of people who keep the weight off. You have to find something you like to do, or you won't do it. I walk in the mornings, four days per week, for about and hour and half each time. 5. Don't keep the stuff in the house if possible. Give the rest of the candy bars to someone else. If hubby has to have candy, have a drawer for him and put it in there. 6. Get something you like that you can have instead of the junk. I've been drinking the sugar-free apple cider mix. It's 15 calories per cup and tastes like fall. It's what you do most days, not what you do on a single day that will make the difference. Best wishes on your journey, Lynda

Vent away! That's what we're here for. I suggest getting your replies in order and just stick with them. Here's what I used: For people I don't care about: "My doctor and I decided that this was the best option for me." If they continue on after that, I move away from them if possible or if I can't move away I tell them "Thanks for your concern. I can see you care about me, but It's very personal to me and I really don't want to talk about it anymore." For people I do care about, I try to take time to address their concerns. For example, my Mom was terrified for my health. I told her a lot about the surgery and took her with me to my surgeon appt. so she could ask questions. She was still worried, but very supportive. Lynda

I got bad diarrhea so my week one was Water, sleepy time tea, and unjury chicken Protein. After I got my tummy settled, I added Fage 0 Greek Yogurt with a little Splenda. During week 2, I added chicken broth, cream of mushroom Soup, decaf coffee, butternut squash soup, applesauce, light lemonade mixed with water, soymilk, and vanilla whey protein. Lynda

I can eat hard cheeses and greek yogurt. Now, more than a year and a half out I can have small amounts of other milk products. At first, they really tore me up. Lynda

Pulled pork on double fiber wheat muffin with sauteed brussel sprouts on the side. I made the pulled pork myself and it's pretty lowfat.

My goal is to stick with my 1200 calorie diet tomorrow. 60 grams of Protein and 64 oz. of fluids. I'm at the high end of my bounce range and want to be back at goal. Lynda

A D cup in 44 is not the same size as a D cup in a 36. At least that's what they told me at the bra fitting department. lynda

I like: Greek yogurt, milk, and ranch mix (same as previous post) Light mayonnaise mixed with lemon juice (great with a mild lettuce or spinach and tomatoes) Newman's Own Lite Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing (I like it in a salad with mandarin oranges and chicken) Ken's Steak House Light Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette (Good with a salad with apples or pears and dried cranberries) Honey mustard, thinned with Water or orange juice (Good on spinach) Lynda

I buy foods that remind me of the holidays, but are a better fit with my current diet. For example, I've been eating Pumpkin yougurt almost every morning. To make it, I mix plain canned pumpkin, plain greek yogurt, Splenda, vanilla, and cinnamon with a little water. Tastes so good and keeps me out of hubby's pumpkin pie most days. I also like pumpkin stirred in my vanilla protein drink. And Celestial Seasoning's Gingerbread Spice Tea with a little Splenda. Another treat is the sugar free apple cider drink mix. I don't buy foods that might make me go off track. I used to keep several filled candy jars throughout the Christmas season. Now I buy See's candy a couple of times over the holiday season. I eat a few pieces and that's the extent of my holiday candy. I also avoid having baked goods in the house. I do keep peppermint candies because I won't overeat them and the peppermint flavor is so Christmasy. When we go to a party, I bring something I know I can eat that is a good choice for me. If people try to get me to eat more, I simply say I'm full. When we go out to eat, I eat a splurge food that is low in calories, like lobster or dungeness crab. If the meal is at my house, I send fatty leftovers home with everyone so there isn't so much of it left at my house. I exercise first thing in the morning (actually do this all year, not just holidays!) so it's done before I can cook up an excuse about why I can't do it.

low fat lunch meat. The Gallo Light Salami has 7 grams of Protein and 70 calories per ounce. Most 98% fat free ham and turkey has 5 grams and 25 calories per ounce. low fat string cheese. 8 grams per serving. fat free milk or soy milk. I drink 8th Continent Soy Milk Original. 8 grams per cup and 80 calories. chicken breast meat has 7 grams per cooked ounce. Fage Greek Yogurt 0 has 23 grams per cup. I also like shrimp,crab, scallops, any fish, pork, low fat ground beef. So you could 60 grams per day like this: Wake up: Cup of soy milk: 8 grams Breakfast: 1/2 cup greek yogurt with some fruit and splenda: 12 grams Lunch: 2 oz Gallo Light Salami and small v-8 juice: 14 grams Afternoon snack: light string cheese: 8 grams Dinner: 2 oz. chicken breast with a little bbq sauce and 1/4 cup frozen vegtable medley: 14 grams Before bed: 1 cup soymilk: 8 grams Total for day: 64 grams Lynda

My face is more wrinkly, but then I expect that at 56. I'm considering fillers, botox, laser treatment, or a little lift. Or I may just learn to live with it. Wrinkled or not, I look way younger at an appropriate weight for my height. I do drink lots of Water and I use a moisturizing cream. Lynda

Getting there - what a great idea for leftovers! Haha, you can learn stuff even after a couple of years on this forum :-) I will be taking my little cooler in the car with the ice pack when we go to coast for dinner. Lynda

bakawaka, Check out the forums on obesity help too. There are a lot of gastric bypass patients there. And the beloved eggface blog is written by someone who has the bypass. At my face-to-face support group, we've got people with both types of surgery and most everyone is doing well. As far as dumping goes, although some VSGers can't tolerate sugar, I haven't run into that issue. I haven't really pigged out on sugar, but I can eat several Cookies, a piece of cake, several pieces of candy, etc all without it bothering me in the least. I didn't even try anything sugary till I was probably 4 months out though. Best wishes on your journey, Lynda

I strongly recommend seeing a therapist at least once pre-op. I recommend it to anyone considering this surgery. Therapists are trained to hear us say what we cannot hear ourselves say and help us understand what that means for us. The more work we do pre-op, the hbetter. I am happy that you have opened your eyes to the gifts you have in your life and that you are working towards making the most of them by improving your health. It also provides a good example to your children and others in your life who look to you for guidance about how to live their lives. I was in the same boat as you - happy long term marriage, loving family, and my health was keeping me from enjoying it as much as I could. I was terrified I would have to look at those I loved and tell them I was dying because I couldn't take the weight off.

Congrats on goal weight and your one year surgiversary! You look fabulous! Keep us posted on life at goal. I love reading about how others manage life at goal. It gives me hope that I can maintain my weight loss. Lynda

I had clear bandages over my incisions and was told to leave it till it fell off. I too had pains that went away with time. Just watch that they are getting better, not worse! Greek yogurt and apple sauce are good choices. All programs are different, but I was allowed both, along with low fat cottage cheese, milk, pudding, and pureed Soups after my first post-op appt. about 5 days out from surgery. Best wishes on a speedy recovery from your surgery and Sandy! Lynda

I agree with the consignment shop suggestion. I bought stuff at Target, Walmart, and discounters such as TJ Maxx and Ross- just a little at a time. One dress, a pair of jeans, and a few t-shirts. For too big stuff, you can sometimes belt a too big shirt. And wear a long jacket over too big pants to hide the waist and saggy butt. The long jacket can also hide a too snug shirt or pants. Use the old button loop trick (rubber band through button loop) to add an inch or so to the waist of too small pants. Another option is having stuff altered. But unless you find that cheap, a new item at a cheap store may be a better bet for you. Lynda

I set my goal weight 15 lbs. higher than the weight I was happy at in my 20s. When I was younger, I was always at the low end of the healthy BMI range. At that age, I was happy with that weight, but in my 50s, I felt it would make me look gaunt and be too hard to maintain. Also, I have extra skin that I didn't have in my 20s, so I'm sure a few lbs. are taken up with that. And I felt that weight would be good if I lost or gained 5 lbs. So far, I've only dropped below goal weight a couple of times. I have to watch it now to stay in my goal range. I am 5'6" Lynda

I ate it about three months out. I have to limit it now because I can eat a lot of it. Lynda

I use thin sliced sauteed zucchini in place of Pasta. I use this mandolin slicer set on 3: http://www.amazon.com/Kyocera-CSN-202-RD-Adjustable-Mandoline-Slicer/dp/B000HZBXOA Lynda

You've lost 34 lbs. in two months, so not every week has been .5-1 lb. Our bodies do have slow weeks, but if you are eating right (agree with making sure the calories are lean protein!) and drinking enough water, the weight will come off. Look at your total instead of the last week or two. Try on some smaller clothes and look at yourself in a mirror from the back. I found that helped me see the weight loss. When looking at myself or looking at my front in a mirror, I still don't see my true size. And my clothes still look too small to fit me, but they are not tight. Lynda

Three week is notorious stall date. I think your body says "Whoa, nellie! I'm losing fast here and I'm gonna take a minute to readjust!" If you are tracking and know you are getting the right amount of calories and you are drinking the right amount of Water, you'll be rewarded soon with a drop of that two pounds and then some. Also, if it's that time of month, lots of people bloat up a little and then drop it in the next couple of weeks. It takes a calorie deficit of 3500 calories to lose a pound, and the same is true for gaining a pound. So unless you ate an extra 7,000 calories last week, it's water weight. I was fortunate to not gain at the third week, but I lost only a couple of ounces, compared to the pounds I lost in the previous and following weeks. Best wishes on your journey. Life is grand on the goalies bench - looking forward to seeing you on it soon! Lynda