lsereno

Buy yourself a present. Do something fun for yourself that wasn't possible or as easy 31 lbs. ago. For me, I couldn't just give food up, I had to find something to replace it. I read more now because I snacked after dinner while watching TV. I use lotion and lip gloss before sitting at my computer instead of grabbing a snack. I cut up fruit and leave it in the fridge for midafternoon and late night snack attacks. And I recognize that I miss food, just like I still occasionally miss cigarettes, more than 20 years later. I tell myself it's going to be like smoking. I will miss it less and less as the years go by and it will get easier and easier. Best wishes on your journey, Lynda

I recommend adding some milk or soy milk and sticking with the higher Protein meats. Here's a menu I used early out that provides 62 grams of protein: 6 a.m.: Latte with 1 cup milk or soy milk: 8 grams (I bought myself a stovetop espresso maker so I could have lattes at home.) Breakfast: 2 oz. Ham lunch meat rolled around 1 low-fat string cheese: 18 grams Lunch: 1/4 cup Tuna mixed with light mayo: 10 grams Dinner: 2 oz. chicken breast with BBQ sauce: 18 grams After dinner Snack: 1 cup milk or soy milk with sugarfree caramel syrup: 8 grams

I'm over a year out and I can enjoy the same spicy food I liked pre-op. And I do mean spicy! I love Sriracha, sweet chili sauce, jalapenos, and Valentina hot sauce. I can also now eat tangy foods, but I still cut my lemonade with Water. And when drinking margaritas, I order them short to cut down on the sour extras. It takes a while. My operation was in May 2011 and last summer I couldn't eat stone fruit (one of my favs!) because it was just too acidic for me. Fortunately I also love watermelon and it was the first fruit I could tolerate post-op. If you like sour or spicy foods, just go slow and try a little here and there. Before you know it, you'll be able to add them back in. Lynda

I exercised before surgery. I worked with a trainer 3x per week for 30 min. per session, concentrating on strength training, and I walked 2-3 times per week for 45 minutes. Following surgery, I started walking again right away but it was a few weeks before I could walk the full 45 minutes 3x per week. At six weeks, I was cleared for all exercise and I returned to strength training in addition to walking. After I dropped to merely overweight, I gave up the trainer and switched to a group weight training exercise class 3x per week. I did not stall once during the losing phase, although some weeks I only lost a few ounces. I have been maintaining since March without an issue. I'm able to eat more junk food because of the exercise, and that's great for me. I am glad to be able eat healthy foods and feel full and still have extra calories for the occasional margarita or sweet or salty snack. I do have saggy skin, but I lost more than 100 lbs and I'm 56 years old. I can see the muscle under the skin, and that does look better! Lynda

I'm with Quelyn01! I love it in a smoothie. Early out here's my recipe: 1/2 cup Fage 0 Greek Yogurt (I buy at costco or Walmart) 1/8 cup Water 1/8 cup orange juice 2 small strawberries Splenda to taste Blend and enjoy! I also like it with ranch dressing mix, but not till I was further out. Another fav way of mine is to thin the yogurt with some water, add splenda, then mix in fresh berries that have been mashed with Splenda. Yum! If I don't thin the yogurt, it is too thick for my taste. Lynda Lynda

Congrats! I'm so glad you made surgeon's goal. I know how hard you've worked to make that happen. You look beautiful and so healthy! Lynda

For me, weight loss slowed as I got closer to goal. I haven't had a problem maintaining my goal weight. I do snack, but when I hit the top of my bounce range (139) I slack off on Snacks till I'm closer to my goal weight. I picked a goal weight that I would be comfortable with a 10 lb. range - up to 5 lbs over and up to 5 lbs. less. Lynda

I was tired until 4 months out. I ate right, exercised, drank my Water, and got enough sleep. Everyone is different. Even after 4 months, I still tired more easily. By around 6-8 months, I was finally back to full strength. And now, at goal weight I have a lot more energy. Amazing how dropping over 100 lbs can lighten the load on my body :-) My advice is give yourself a break and time to heal. Make it as easy on yourself as you can. Lynda

Check the 200+ to lose forum: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/forum/39-200-pounds/ You are not alone! I had a little over 100 lbs to lose. It's been the best thing I've ever done for my health. Lynda

Two months out my tummy was still touchy, but I enjoyed watermelon and cant-elope, vanilla soy Protein drink with decaf coffee (tastes like a sweetened latte), blended vanilla soy protein with soy milk and a couple of strawberries and ice cubes. lipton diet green tea with citrus, and sleepytime tea with splenda, I was very lactose intolerant early out, so pudding was out, but I know many people enjoy it for a little something sweet. Lynda

I eat it, but it is a slider. I was probably at least three months out before I reintroduced it. I have it for a snack or at the movies, just not all the time. Also, I pop my own at home so I can control how much fat and salt are in it. Lynda

Shrimp and crab cocktail were my go to restaurant foods at first. Get the cocktail sauce on the side. If you can have beef jerkey it is a great snack. I also traveled with unjury chicken Protein the first few months to make sure I was getting enough protein each day. Another fav of mine for travelling was Gold Standard whey Protein in French vanilla mixed with Starbucks Decaf Italian instant coffee. You'll need a shaker for that one. The chicken Unjury mixes up fine with just a spoon in the cup and some warm Water. Lynda

I occasionally have a sip but mostly I don't because it makes me uncomfortably full once i've eaten my alloted Protein, veggies, and startch. I've heard it causes your tummy to empty too fast, but for me the issue is that I simply don't have room with meals. I can and do drink right up to the time I eat, but after I eat, I wait at least 1/2 hr. before drinking. Lynda

I really like the WW program. Other than hypnosis, it was the only successful attempt I made at losing weight pre-op. I think WW really helped me learn easy ways to track my food, which has been key to my success post-op. I also learned a lot of healthy eating habits (1/2 apple with cheese stick instead of bag of chips at snack time!), and some good tricks for dealing with emotional eating, head hunger, and snarky family and friends during the losing phase and beyond. I loved the WW meetings and also enjoyed WW online. But I could not get my hunger under control enough to get to a healthy weight with WW. I generally weigh my food because I find it easier than measuring. So hard to know what a cup of watermelon is, but very easy to figure out 140 grams of watermelon. At first, I wrote all foods down, but now that I'm at goal and several months into the rest of my life, I track in my head, just minding Protein and a general idea of calories in. Lynda

Tea and herbal infusions. Broth. Hot water with lemon and a little splenda. Hot water with sugar free caramel syrup. All these warm drinks helped me through the winter. Get yourself a lovely lotion and lip balm. When you feel like eating but you aren't truly hungry, rub the lotion on your hands and forearms and use the lip balm. Practice closing your eyes and a few deep breaths. Take time for yourself to walk if noone will walk with you. If you do give in to emotional eating, try for the healthiest, most low fat you can find. My go-tos include fruit, pretzels, and popcorn that I make myself so I can control the fat. I'm sorry you are having a tough time of it. I'll be thinking of you. Lynda

How tall are you? I see you goal weight is 130. Are you exercising? I walk several miles 4 days per week and do 2 strength training classes per week. Are you eating at least 65 grams of Protein per day? I find I eat less if I make sure I'm getting enough firm, low-calorie protein, such as chicken, fish, and lean meats. Are you eating whole grains instead of white bread, etc.? I only eat 100% whole grain bread unless I am at a restaurant with really good bread. I stick with oatmeal or unsweetened cereals, I don't eat much rice or Pasta. I also tracked my food - protein and calories till I got to goal. I used a white board on the fridge door to keep track. Lynda

I scheduled my Water throughout the day. At first I drank one ounce every 15 minutes while I was awake. After my tummy settled a bit, my schedule was more: 1 cup soy milk with my coffee 1/2 cup with my pills before Breakfast 2 cups before lunch 2 cups in the afternoon by 4 p.m. 1 cup tea after dinner or third cup of water before dinner if eating late 1/2 cup with my pills before bed 1 cup while reading in bed

I believe lettuces are hard to digest. Salads are generally all raw veggies too. Maybe you are still on cooked veggies? I drink right before I eat but wait at least 30 minutes after. I find if I try to drink before then I get uncomfortably full. For alcohol, I waited the 6 months my program recommended and was cleared by my Dr. I felt more comfortable following the program. Maybe ask your doctor about a few ounces of wine? Lynda

Two things to consider: If it's getting worse and smelly, be sure to call your doctor. Sometimes you can pick up a bad bug and they want to know ASAP. There is a simple test to see if is something like that. If it's more than 2-3 times per day, you might be lactose intolerant. It's fairly common post-op. I could not tolerate dairy products, including many whey Protein powders right after surgery. I switched to unjury Protein powder mixed with Water, water, and tea until it settled down. Lynda

1 cup of Fage 0 yogurt has 23 grams of Protein. I like it made into a shake. I blend the yogurt, 3 tablespoons of Splenda, a couple of strawberries, a splash of orange juice, and about 1/4 cup Water. Also, the Anderson Split Pea Soup has 9 grams of protein per cup. Personally, I liked the unjury chicken and the GNC Whey in vanilla, so I'm not much help there. Lynda

I started having a few drinks a week after I was cleared by my Dr. at 6 months. I started with drinks with less acid and no shots, but I am back now and drink about the same as I did before . Not quite the same taste for salty, acidy margaritas that I had before, but I've had one or two. Lynda

I was lactose intolerant post op and found I was more successful eating: Anderson Split Pea Soup (other brands did not sit as well, I think because they have potatoes) unjury chicken Protein Room temperature Water Fage 0 greek yogurt, thinned with water and sweetened with Splenda. I did not like the sugar free popsicles and Jello I bought and couldn't have the sugar free pudding because of the lactose intolerance. Lynda

I'm a year out and can eat a hot dog, but I have to be in right frame of mind. Greasy food still can bother me so sometimes I prefer something with a little less fat and more Protein, such as turkey kielbasa, turkey smokey links, or a chicken sausage I tried the other day. The lowfat hotdogs I looked at didn't have enough protein, but I just noticed Hebrew National has one with 6 grams of protein per frank. That works for me if they are not too big. I like to get close to 20 grams of protein per meal. Lynda

I just learned how to make ice cream from only bananas. It's a great way to use overripe bananas. Peel and slice bananas into 1 inch chunks. Freeze at least a couple of hours. Toss into a food chopper and process until they turn to a soft serve consistency. You may have to stop and scrape down the sides a couple of times. Here's a great link with pics: http://www.thekitchn.com/stepbystep-instructions-for-on-97170 Of course, I'm a year out now and have more room for foods besides just Protein. Lynda

Congrats! Looks like you are thin this day, not thin one day :-) Lynda