Lisa :)

Here is the typical answer you will get: "That I didn't do it sooner"!!!

You could also use Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix....greek yogurt is very much like sour cream so any dip mix that you would add to sour cream will work in greek yogurt as well. Years ago...when I was in my teens and 20's, I would use taco seasoning in sour cream and dip tortilla chips in it!! I loved it!!

No...I'm on a MacBook Pro and have never seen anything like that!!! LOL!! That's crazy!!!

It could be that you need more carbs...and you could have low blood sugar. Protein lowers blood sugar and carbs raise blood sugar. Long term, our bodies need the proper balance of the two (along with fat) in order for blood sugar to be stable. Also, not all carbs are created equal....I'm not talking about eating bread, crackers, chips, Pasta, rice, etc. Once I started really working out (at about 6 weeks post op) I needed the carbs!!!

Gastric bypass

Having a good quality unit will make ALL the difference. And by good, I mean, it's a variable voltage unit. By being able to change the voltage on the unit, you can adjust the throat hit and the higher quality juices just have a better flavor. She uses a Provari set up ( provape.com ) with a tobacco flavored juice called Tribeca made by Halo. If you live in, or near, a major city you should check to see if there are any vape stores so that you can go in and try it. We are in the Los Angeles area so there are many!!! Good Luck!!

First let me say, I'm not a smoker...but my partner, who had gastric bypass a year ago, was for 30 years (and she LOVED smoking). Obviously, I can't give you my perspective as understanding what you're going through, but I sure can tell you what it was like living through it with her!! We both had our surgeries through the same bariatric practice (diff surgeons) and they absolutely will NOT do surgery on anyone that smokes. And they actually have you do a nicotine test before scheduling surgery. She bought a fairly cheap e-cigarette about 2 months before surgery with the hope that she would be able to wean herself down to a zero nicotine level. Well, she managed, but she absolutely HATED it. She hated the taste of it and she craved the nicotine like crazy....it was almost unbearable to be around her! Well, she got through surgery and about 2 weeks post op, she started smoking the e-cigs with the nictotine again....even though she didn't like them and all she really wanted was to smoke real cigarettes!! Then about 2 months later, we walked into a "vape" store because she ran out of the prefilled cartomizers she was using and they were still in the mail. Well, that day changed everything!!! She ended up buying a vape set up and they helped her find a nicotine flavored "juice" that she really liked. It wasn't cheap...but it all ends up costing about 1/2 of what she spent on cigarettes and she absolutely LOVES to vape....she can't even imagine going back to cigarettes. I think the reason she likes it is because she hasn't had to give up the physical aspect of smoking....and now, she can "smoke", or rather vape, anywhere!! Of course, she is still getting nicotine but she no longer gets any of the other harmful things that come from cigarettes!! And most importantly, I feel so much better knowing that she isn't going to get an ulcer from smoking (which is a major risk for RNY patients).

I think I'm the cheapest date on the planet. I can take 3 drinks of a beer and feel like I need to hand my keys over!!! Needless to say, I don't drink AT ALL!!!! LOL!!

I'd classify it as WONDERFUL!!!!....like a party in your mouth!!!

Syntrax Nectar Cappucino, if you like the taste of iced coffee. I shake it up in a Blender Bottle and pour over ice. Also, if you're not used to protein powders, none of them will really taste good initially. You need to find one you can tolerate and stick with it!!

Depends on when you had surgery. I was easily eating 1200 calories at 6 months and last summer while training for 3 triathlons, I was eating 1700-2100 calories a day....without any problem!!! Now, if I was told to eat those calories in meat and vegatables I would be dying!!! But if I supplement with Protein bars and shakes, it's easy. You also need more carbs when you are woking out hard. Carbs are stored as glycogen in your muscle and glycogen is what's used to fuel your muscles. If you work out hard or for a long time and you don't get enough carbs, you can start to feel sluggish. I don't subscribe to the whole low carb thing. Our bodies were developed to run efficiently on a proper balance of carbs/protein/fat. Eating more calories doesn't make you gain weight if your body is using these nutrients efficiently.

And BTW...your stats are very similar to mine. I'm almost 5'9" and I started at 339, had surgery at 312 and I was at about the 50 pound mark at 6 months...which I was THRILLED with!! I've lost about 90 since surgery and I'm almost 17 months out. I haven't lost ANYTHING since the one year mark and it's not because my sleeve doesn't work....it's because I relaxed and I'm not working it!!! Am I frustrated?...Yes!!! But I am still absolutely, 100% happy with my decision to have the sleeve....even if I NEVER lose another pound I am happier with my life becasue I feel like the 115 pounds I've lost (and have kept off BTW) has enabled me to be the person I always knew I was on the inside!! I have 45 pounds more to lose and it doesn't matter if it takes me another 2 years to get it off....it's coming off!! So be patient with yourself. LIVE in the process of this amazing journey!! It's a much better way to live than to feel frustrated about a number on a scale....which doesn't really tell you anything!!!!

"Only" 50 lbs down?....You are doing amazing!!! Don't compare your results to ANYONE else!! You've lost 81 pounds!! Think about that for a minute....81 pounds!!! And the great thing is that you are going to keep it off!!! Celebrate your accomplishment...don't diminish it!!! Keep rockin' your sleeve and you will get there!! And remember, you didn't put it all on in 6 months. You WILL have stalls and plateaus and then you'll have periods where you are losing again. SLOW AND STEADY wins the race!!!!

Oops, sorry....eat till full with 5 minutes, not 15.

I have not had any difference in the amount of food I can eat since about the one year mark.....although, how full I get is dependent on the type of food I eat. I had posted, a while back, about the cottage cheese test. It is taken from a pouch test for gastric bypass patients, but it works for us too. Measure out cottage cheese in a measuring cup and put in a bowl (if you don't like cottage cheese, you can use egg salad that is very finely chopped with NO veggies added). I measured 1.5 cups knowing I couldn't eat any more than that. Eat until you feel comfortably full (not overly full) and make sure to eat it within 15 minutes. Then measure the remaining amount and subtract that from what you started with. This will tell you the capacity of your sleeve!!....and I GUARANTEE, it will not be 6-7 cups, which is what a "normal" stomach can hold!! BTW, I just did this test for the second time since December and I'm still at about 1 cup..

Obesity can cause over pronation because the additional weight causes the arch to fall flat. As erp stated, a good orthotic can help; but you also need to make sure you are wearing a shoe that offers a lot of stability and has good arch support (if you're not going to wear an orthotic). Even if you're not a runner, you can go to a specialty running store and have them help you find a good, stability shoe.

You guys give me hope!!! I now have the book and DVD and I'm really looking forward to this!! Today, during my run, all I did was to work on my posture and leaning forward and, OH MY GOD, what a difference it made!!! For the first time EVER I felt like my legs were working for me and not against me!!! I am super stoked about this!!!!

I'm in a VERY similar situation as you. I'm almost 17 months out and have not lost anything since my one year mark in November (actually I fluctuate 3-4 pounds from day to day). I had even posted about it in the vets forum last week http://www.verticals...teau-from-hell/ . I know, for me, getting back on track is about tracking everything I put in my mouth...EVERYTHING!! I, too, have a tendency to graze becasue being full is an uncomfortable feeling for me....I have a really hard time with meat and so most of my Protein is coming from either bars or drinks....which don't satiate me for very long. So, I tracked my food for 3 days without changing the way I had been eating....and it was EYE OPENING!!! I'm now back to tracking my food everyday and it truly has made all the difference for me....I'm already down 3 pounds in just the past few days. The other HUGE factor, for me, is exercise. I stopped losing weight shortly after I had completed my last triathlon of the summer (and my training stopped). I have continued to walk and exercise at least 4-5 days a week, but it's just not the same as when I was training in 3 different sports 6 times a week and sometimes twice a day. I think it's key to find a form of exercise that you truly enjoy doing!! So, I won't pat you on the head!!! I think we all need a kick in the A$$ every once in a while!! So, figure out what it is that YOU need to do to get yourself back on track and let's do this!!!

My surgeon and Kaiser NP (my ins changed so follow up is with Kaiser) said absolutely not!! I actually had a conversation with the NP when I saw her in January about it because I had sprained my ankle while running. She said she had 2 sleeve patients in the past 6 months that had gotten ulcers after using ibuprofin. One had been taking it for a few months and the other had only been taking sporadically.

Don't be too hard on yourself!!! The great thing is that you're recognizing it!! I'm 17 months out and have been stalled for almost 5 months (and have been fluctuating 3-4 pounds up and down). I had to take a long hard look at myself...it was eye opening to say the least!! I would not consider 6 lbs a a real "gain". Look on the bright side, it's not 10 pounds...or 15...or 20!!! I think there are a lot of us here that are working to get back on track. For me, it's just about tracking....when I start tracking, my nutrition improves. Figure out what you need to get yourself back on track and make that a priority. You're not alone in your struggle, but you're the only one that can figure out why you're struggling!!! And.....never, never, never give up!!!!

In the early stages after surgery, there are foods you can't eat. There is grieving and disappointment. But once you get past, say, the one year mark you settle into a new kind of "normal". I'm almost 17 months out and there is NOTHING that I can't eat...although there are some foods that I don't tolerate well (like chicken, bread, rice, Pasta and raw veggies) which I can only eat a bite or 2 of. There is a definite "honeymoon" period for several months after surgery. I believe the truly "hard work" begins around the 1 year mark....because you CAN eat pretty much anything, you have to be more aware of what you're eating and WHY!!! What's crazy is that I remember mourning food and my relationship with it...then I reveled in it...now, I WISH it was that easy still!! But that's okay, because "The hard is what makes it great"!!!

Congrats and great job!!! I'll be doing 4 sprint tris and one olympic between June and November. I can only dream of running a sub 10 min/mile!!! Way to go and good luck in your next races!!!

I think I'm going to buy the book and DVD!! I've never considered myself a "runner". I think some people are naturally good runners...I'm not one of those people!!! I grew up being extremely athletic...played softball in college and even played tennis competitively for a couple of years in my 20's. Running, though, has never been my thing. I'm super slow (12+ min/mile) and prone to injury when I run a lot. I can't attribute any of this to my weight because even when I was athletic and fit, I had a hard time with it. I started doing tris last year and I, absolutely, am addicted to them! I WANT so badly to love running because my dream is to do an Ironman!!! Mentally, I like running and I love the thought of being a runner. But, physically, my body just doesn't seem to agree with it....and it's probably because I'm doing something (or a lot of things) wrong! LOL!! When I was trianing for my last tri (last summer) I started using the Galloway Method (run/walk) which resulted in my running my fastest 5K (39:26) of my three tris last year!!! But I'm always searching for the key to me becoming a true "runner"!!! Thanks for the info....I'm excited to give it a try!!

Yes, ignorance is total BLISS!!!! It's amazing how I do a complete 180 when I start tracking my food!!! I hate it too...but I love when I go for a long training ride and I burn 1000 calories and then I get to put that in MFP!!! And, yeah, processed foods are the worst!! I've actually been really good about staying away from that...actually, I don't like the taste of processed foods at all!! My downfall are slider foods!!! I still have issues with certain foods and my sleeve doesn't hold a lot....so, I unconsciously start gravitating toward things that go down easily. Today was a good day though!! Right now, it's all about enjoying the journey again!!!

I can understand them having an exclusion for gallbladder "treatment", but what about gallbladder removal? That would seem absurd!! Years ago, I was having severe gallbladder attacks (no ultrasound ever showed that I had gallstones though) and I was told I would need to have it removed. I didn't want to do that so I purchased this product called "Gall Cleanse". I'm not sure if it REALLY did anything, but I never had an attack in the 9 months that I used it. I never did have it removed BTW.