MegInNOLA

Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, I guess--full disclosure: I put all sorts of greens in my smoothies, AND I put white Beans in there, too. Baby kale is my current favorite--it just tastes nutty to me, and I love a couple of almonds or pecans in my smoothie anyway. And adding white beans makes your smoothie creamy and adds Fiber and Protein, too. Use canned white beans (low sodium) and RINSE THEM THOROUGHLY--I open a can, rinse, and sort of pat them dry before putting in a plastic container in the fridge--I use a couple of tablespoons per smoothie. Again, you honestly won't be able to taste them (if you use the low sodium with no meat added, obviously!! LOL). So, since I've had to make do with "real food" from the beginning (my sleeve did NOT like protein powder--still doesn't, and I couldn't tolerate eggs until recently), my smoothies have always been a little odd, but they are high in protein, high in fiber, and low in added sugar. They are not low-carb, having dairy, nuts, fruit, and sometimes beans, but I have never eaten low-carb. Give it a try--worst thing that happens is you don't like it, and you can wash it down the drain. Best thing, smoothies that use ingredients that YOU control--I use organic produce. I think the white beans go beautifully in a smoothie that has chocolate, Peanut Butter (or peanut butter powder, PB2), or coffee flavors.

Huge sweet tooth before, not so much now (and can't tolerate them). Make your own protein shakes so you control the sweet--add extra milk or plain yogurt to cut the overly-sweet taste. Or add something non-sweet--and don't gross out, because you really won't taste it--like spinach. It will give you some great nutrition and cut a bit of the sweet. I make a killer breakfast smoothy with Greek yogurt, almond milk (both unsweetened), spinach, a couple of pecans, and a couple of frozen cherries. Fits perfectly in my magic bullet and is SO GOOD and I don't have to mess with protein powder, which my sleeve emphatically rejects. Can't taste the spinach--turns a not-too-pretty color, but it's delicious and not too sweet!

I had a meeting in a federal building recently that required me to go through an identify verification process--the guard took my driver's license, checked it and me out, and said, "Ma'am, do you have any other identification?" I was surprised but said yes, I had my passport (I carry it all the time since we travel so much). He took that, looked at it and me, and said, completely straight-faced, "Ma'am, you're going to want to get a new picture; looks like you've had your hair cut since this picture was taken." Then he grinned and asked me how I had lost so much weight. It's pretty fab, but yeah, you might think about a new pic at some point in the near future. :-)

Sleeve4me, get OUT---I thought you were mid-20's!!! Seriously, girl, I am flabbergasted that you are in your 40's! I, too, showed your pic to my husband, who guessed 30 (but he was trying to make me feel better, I think, which means he thinks you look younger than that, LOL). You do look amazing, and like everyone else here, I have appreciated your comments, your supportive and upbeat attitude, and all the positivity you bring to the board. Keep ROCKING!!

Y'all look wonderful! I can't really ad to the already excellent suggestions here except to say that I firmly believe you can do it--I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that you can and will get there. My husband is also a sleever. I think having a partner who is in it with you can be a tremendous asset. You don't have to explain to him/her why you're eating what you're eating, why you don't/can't eat pizza any more, etc. On the flip side, you may not have the same nutritional requirements. My husband can eat a LOT more than me and not gain an ounce--in fact, he can LOSE WEIGHT on a lot fewer calories than would make me GAIN WEIGHT! ARGH! Even though we've both been sleeved, we eat very differently, and this is what I thought I'd share with you--I have to eat appropriately for my sleeve and for my goals, and my husband eats for his. He doesn't worry about it, honestly--when I say that, I mean he really doesn't think about it any more. We don't keep food in the house that isn't good for sleevers, but he really just doesn't think about it. He doesn't get all that hungry, and when he does, he eats what he wants and that's that. On the other hand, being female and hormonal and subject to serious weight fluctuations, I do think about what I eat--I focus on getting in as many raw or lightly cooked vegetables as I can, along with lean protein (for me, that's fat-free dairy and other veggie protein sources plus a little shellfish--that's what my sleeve allows!). I do eat fruit, probably 2 to 3 servings a day, but see if switching your focus off of fruit and onto veggies helps. And MIND THE SALT! I have the same thyroid issues as you--you definitely can see your doc regarding those; levothyroxine is cheap and it definitely helps the metabolism--my doctor once told me that my thyroid was so low-functioning that I could eat NOTHING and still not lose any weight, for an extended period of time!!! That was depressing, but it was also a sure-fire way to be sure I took that pill every day! Bottom line: HANG IN THERE. Y'all are looking and (I bet!) feeling amazing. You just have more to do, and you're in the process of doing it. Don't get hung up on could have/should have. You ARE DOING IT. It just takes longer for some folks--but it's not a race, right? This is for life. And FOR LIFE!!! BEST WISHES!!

I'm 6'2" and started in a tight 26/28 preop. Currently wear 10/12/14 depending on the brand and item of clothing (top bigger than bottom, thank goodness). Went from 3X/4X to L. Shoes, started 12W, currently 11.5M or N, depending on the shoe. I still wear mostly 12's because finding 11.5 is so flipping hard!!

You're fine. It's yogurt. Believe me when I tell you, you'll start to feel restriction when you move to mushies!! You're just a fast healer--celebrate that. :-) Yogurt's consistency makes it a full liquid in my nutritionist's plan (anything you can slurp with a straw), so I don't think you've done anything wrong. Hang in there; you'll feel that restriction soon enough!

I definitely do get "dumping," if you define that as an unpleasant physical reaction after eating particular foods--usually sweet ones, or sweet with fat (the WORST). It's a queasy, nauseous, hot/cold, shaky, really unsettled feeling that is SO very unpleasant, and may be followed by episodes of getting rid of whatever's in your system from either end, if you get my drift. It may not technically be called "dumping," but it's the same physical process--sugar overload, even if it doesn't seem like all that much sugar--and the associated physical response to that. It is NOT PLEASANT, but happily it does not last forever. It can be a very strong deterrent to eating things that your body doesn't want you to have!

I can say it did change me, but for the better. I think spouses sometimes worry that if we change, we won't want them any more. This is where absolute honest communication is so important. If your husband is actually saying things to you like that, I bet he's got some worries that you might want to discuss. As for you, confidence is not a bad thing AT ALL. Confidence will give you possibly even BETTER, healthier relationships, more fun, and lots more room in your life for things other than regret and feeling bad about yourself. I lost a lot more than the weight. I gained ME back. I definitely had defined myself as "the fat one," but it honestly took about NO time for me to get over that. I'm just me, me version 2.0 (my husband is also a sleever, and we actually do joke about being Rob and Meg 2.0, like a computer upgrade!). If your relationships are already solid, getting your physical self in shape will only enhance (wink!) the good; if your relationship is shaky, the confidence you gain from feeling better about yourself will translate into wanting better for yourself in those relationships, too--and the courage to fix it or leave it, depending on what's best. Communication is KEY!!! Best wishes. You won't have any trouble finding a "new identity," I promise. Getting past the fat suit is SO GREAT!!

You really do look amazing!!! Congrats on all your success!

Yes, you can definitely have the sleeve and be healthy as a vegan. It will require some planning and attention to detail--I'm moving that way right now. I've eaten vegan at several points in my life, once for a 2-year stretch (broken by an up-close encounter with bacon). After being sleeved and dropping the weight, I now realize that my goal wasn't/isn't just to be thin; it's to be healthy, and I'm starting an exercise program and looking for the most optimum nutrition way of eating that I can find. For me, since my sleeve is uber-picky and still really small, veganism is going to be a challenge simply from a volume perspective--and I suspect this is the case for a lot of us. Protein is in almost every food in some form--you can read a lot about plant-based diets and protein just from a simple Google search, so I won't bore you with that here. But the big issue is immediately post-op. You're going to want to find some quality Protein drinks that use soy-based protein (not hard to find, happily!) and avoid dairy and/or egg protein. After that immediate post-op period, you're probably still going to need to supplement with Protein shakes just because you won't be able to eat enough legumes/beans/nuts/tofu to cover your protein requirements as your sleeve heals. That being said, some of the best sources of vegetable protein can be soft/mushies (think Beans, tofu, nut butters). At this point in my sleeve career (I'm 13-1/2 months out), I eat small, frequent meals--the challenge for me is going to be switching out of dairy into exclusively plant-based protein, as I have been relying pretty heavily on dairy as a protein source (my sleeve doesn't tolerate a lot of animal-flesh Proteins, except for shellfish and occasional lunch meat ham or turkey--and those sometimes don't work). I'm going to have to learn to be more proactive in eating beans/legumes at almost every meal in some format--happily, white beans can be hidden in smoothies at Breakfast (sounds gross, can't really taste it, thank goodness)..... stuff like that. I'm going to have to plan my meals instead of just going with the flow; I'm not thrilled about that, but the trade-off is worth it. Anyhow, keep us posted!

Where are you in the process? I eat Mexican food all the time, almost daily, in fact. I don't eat a lot of it, but I definitely do eat it--it's one of my husband's and my favorite meals. I usually eat a few corn chips with cheese dip and salsa and a couple spoons of beans. My husband can tolerate meat, so he eats a couple of tacos. No big deal--and my sleeve LOVES it, which is a good thing.

Oh, congratulations on joining the losers' bench!! And yes, that nastiness will pass soon enough, and you'll never look back. Congrats on your loss so far, too. I think you're doing awesome. Try keeping a glass of iced water (maybe with some Mio or other flavoring in there that you love?) at hand--it will remind you to sip often. Hang in there--it really does get better/easier with time. This time next year, you'll be styling in a new bathing suit, wondering which cute outfit to wear, and enjoying your trim figure!!

Congratulations, Tiffykins!!! You have a lot on your plate, and I'm sending best wishes for your continued healthy progress through this pregnancy and after. Take care of yourself and enjoy your babies. :-) You worked hard for them--and for your life together. All best!

I love wine and it works just fine. I waited until 6 months out to try a margarita--it was fine, except WOW, alcohol hits so much harder than it did preop! Just be careful. It's going to be really easy to overdo, and your inhibitions may lower a LOT faster than they did before. I used to could drink a margarita and just feel a little more relaxed; now, 1/2 of one, and I'm in full-on "must sleep now" mode--yeah, I'm a party animal--NOT. I'm one of those sleepy drinkers, LOL. So just be aware--your lower body weight makes a big difference in your alcohol tolerance.

Wow! You look great!

Lissa, you look amazing!! Congratulations!

If you mean you lost it, yeah, that's not good; if it just fell off, that's GREAT!! Mine keeps falling off--my husband and I had our rings resized about 3 months ago, and mine needs to be done again. :-) I'm taking it as a happy sign. If you don't know where it is, I hope it resurfaces soon!

Also that your individual progress and tolerances will be different from everyone else's. That's okay. A lot of folks freak out if they can/can't do or eat this or that, or when they hit the 2- to 3- to 4-week stall. Remind them that it's a process, not an instant solution, and that there will be ups, downs, and plateaus, and it's all okay!

Prilosec saved my sanity--for the first 7 weeks post-op, I threw up EVERY DAY. Some nice folks on this board mentioned that I might need a PPI and I started over-the-counter Prilosec. It worked beautifully and helped me get through the next 3-1/2 months. What a relief!!! I stopped taking it at 5 months and have been just fine since.

I think you'll find yourself eating much more mindfully--slower with more appreciation for your food--because you won't be able to fit a lot in there. Meals become more than the food. Food becomes less about emotion and more about fuel--not to say that it doesn't taste good, because of course it does, but since you can only have a little (thanks, Sleevie!), it's almost like the pressure's off. I eat slowly now just to avoid being done with my small amount of food before everyone else has started! LOL

Yes to the above--stuff like flour tortillas does this, too. I can eat a couple of crackers or something with a crispy texture, but bread, tortillas, pasta, rice--nope. And I'm 100% okay with that. :-) Plenty left to eat.

I agree with June13Sleever--if you're truly hungry, eat something. Just be sure it's something healthful for you. One of the goals of this procedure is to get back to a "normal" (aka "healthful") way of eating and break the habits we had before. If you are truly hungry, try eating a couple of bites of turkey lunch meat or a hard-boiled egg or a couple slices of tomato--lettuce was actually fairly hard for me to tolerate at first, so you might consider starting with less fibrous veggies. See if you can tolerate a couple of green Beans or some canteloupe. Whatever you select, just keep it healthy and small. You may want to experiment with spreading your meals out over a period of time. I eat probably 6 times a day, small "mini-meals" with very few frivolous foods (no room, thank you Sleevie!). For instance, a container of yogurt OR 2 TBS peanuts OR 3-4 boiled shrimp OR a couple slices of cheese--you get the drift. Small, frequent portions--I don't do overly sweet, fried, or most flour-based foods because my sleeve still hates them (I get what I think is akin to "dumping syndrome"). See if spreading your meals out a bit helps. Broaden your selections. Listen to your body--and a good signal for me between head and true hunger is, if I think I'm hungry and I've eaten recently, I always say to myself, "I think I'll have ____" and I deliberately select something healthy that's not a trigger food--for me, that's turkey, which is not my favorite, or some veggies. If I still want and will eat my healthy selection, I get it and eat it. That's hunger. If I catch myself saying, "I don't want the turkey, but I think I'd like some ____," that's head hunger, and I can find something else to do. Best wishes to you!

Sounds like your doc is prepping you with a relatively low-carb diet; it's not uncommon. I didn't have any sort of pre-op diet. Just depends on your surgeon's preferences. If you're hungry, eat something from the list! If you can have meat, that protein will fill you up fastest. Hang in there. If you're scheduled for surgery in a few days, it's worth the few days of struggle on the pre-op diet in order to give best results for your procedure. I'll watch for your updates--you're about to join the loser's bench!! :-)

It's backwards in our family. I've lost more than my sleever husband (around 157 total from my highest--he's down around 120 from his highest)--he had his done in April 2010; mine was April 2011. Yeah, so who gets the raves? Him! LOL And he eats it up!! I get my share of "oh my gosh, I didn't recognize you's," but he gets the "Wow, you're looking GREAT's!" I will say it's pretty fantastic to both be smaller and healthier. I totally "get" what you mean with the hugging thing. My husband's arms go all the way around me, as in, he can touch his own shoulders after wrapping his arms around me--it's really strange and really great, but it's very different from pre-op. We talk about this being 'Rob and Meg 2.0," like upgraded models. :-)