MegInNOLA

There will be a lot of options for you. Most ships have a buffet with fruit and cottage cheese available, plus there will usually be a Soup option, seafood (lighter on sleeves than chicken or beef, IMHO), eggs, slices of cheese and lunch meat, yogurt, etc. Most cruises also provide in-room meals if you request, and you can order off of a menu and be very specific. I cruised in August and had an excellent and easy time finding appropriate meals. You'll have a blast!!

I would suggest being sure you're eating smaller amounts, smaller bites chewed very thoroughly, and eating slower. Also, if you're not on an acid-reducer, try that--Prilosec worked wonders for me and stopped my having to throw up every time I ate. And yeah, just one bite too many can trigger vomiting, so it's kind of a good idea to undereat your sleeve--don't try to eat until you're full; eat until you're not feeling hunger. It's different, and it makes a difference. Use your sleeve!

I think you may find that "toning up" through exercise may lower your weight a bit anyway. I would add to the "don't stress about it" viewpoint. I'm in your boat, as well, although not quite to goal. I'm in my original "goal size" and am planning to use 2012 as a year to get toned and a bit more fit, and I fully expect that I might drop another clothes size if not more pounds. It should be fun to see where this goes! :-) Cheers!!

^This. Absolutely. While getting advice and researching what works for others is a really smart thing to do, in the end, it boils down to what works for you and what will work for you long term. I have never counted my carbs (or my Protein, for that matter, or calories)--I try to eat protein first, but I definitely eat carbs at every mini-meal. I know a lot of people on this board have some fantastic successes with the low-carb approach, but that wasn't going to work for me--so I found the way that did work for me (and is still working).

I was given coffee in the hospital at post-op, so I've enjoyed it daily with no ill effects. Definitely follow your physician's/dietician's recommendations, though!

I'm at almost 9 months out. I can eat right around 1/2 c. of food by volume, unless it's dense Protein, like shrimp--I can eat 3 boiled shrimp now (moderately large) and a couple bites of salad. Most of the time, though, I eat just shy of 1/2 c. of food at a time--or a few small slices of cheese (probably an ounce and a half max), 10-15 almonds, 1/2 a packet of oatmeal. Smaller meals for me, because my sleeve is pretty restrictive. Even "slider" foods are much more restricted than before--I can eat popcorn and tortilla chips, but only around 2 c. of popcorn and only 6 or 7 chips. I don't eat popcorn often. I do eat chips almost daily, but I use them as a meal with a high-protein dip (smashed up Beans, cheese, whatever) in place of bread, which I can't tolerate. I also don't like the way Pasta or bread feels in my sleeve. It seems to "grow" and gets uncomfortable pretty quickly.

Congratulations to you! Looking great!!

I didn't really see a difference until I had dropped around 60 pounds--I mean, my clothes got a bit looser, but visually, it took a lot longer. It will happen, don't worry---you have a long ways to go in your exciting journey! Celebrate every pound GONE!

You'll lose it. I have. I was severely hypothyroid prior to surgery--my doc adjusted my meds, and I still take Synthroid daily, but yeah, I've lost 100+ pounds. :-) Yay Sleevie!

I eat 5 to 6 "mini-meals" over the course of a day. I have a very restrictive sleeve, and it hasn't really loosened up very much in the last almost 9 months.... so I eat between 1/4 and 1/2 c. of food at a time (I can eat more Soup or liquid-y type foods, probably around a cup). So the best strategy for me has evolved to the mini-meals. For instance, I'll have 1/2 of my iced mocha and 10-15 almonds in the morning. Then for "lunch," I'll have a few small slices of cheese and the rest of my mocha. Later, I'll have some Beans (I always have them cooked and ready in the fridge), or I'll make a little broccoli slaw, which I make fresh in teensy portions each time because I like it crunchy. Other options would be a couple of shrimp with cocktail sauce, some grapefruit sections, some yogurt, some soup/chili--really, whatever sounds good and is convenient at the time. I find this plan is working beautifully for me, and I like the feeling of snacking without the bad consequences. This might not work for other people, if snacking is a trigger or if you're not careful with the foods you select. I do eat carbs happily daily, which again might not be for everyone. I will say that I'm a strong believer in finding the best way to work your sleeve for the long term, and that it's a really individual thing. What works for me might not work for anyone else, etc., and definitely what works for other people wouldn't work for me, since my sleeve has me on an almost vegetarian (and thus more carby) diet; I can tolerate dairy and shrimp/scallops but otherwise get Protein from beans, veggies, and nuts. Anyway, that's how I do it. Smaller portions more frequently. Variety.

Congratulations! It IS strange, isn't it? I automatically look at the larger sizes of clothing until I remember--it's a strange but great feeling to put those things on (thinking all the time "these aren't going to fit") and then having them zip or slide right up. I never get tired of that feeling!!

LOL Oh, you'll know if it's something your sleeve doesn't like, and not from any gurgles. Those gurgles get a whole lot quieter when you begin to add back solid food (even mushies), so don't worry--mine still makes obnoxious noises, but it's not all the time any more. You'll know if your sleeve doesn't like something because you will "feel" it--it kind of hurts, and you'll feel slightly nauseous/queasy, and you may even slime a bit (excess saliva that you can't seem to stop producing). I get that feeling with even small bites of things like roast beef or turkey, also pasta or bread. The noise doesn't indicate a problem food, just liquid or air in your gastric tract; it will work its way out one way or another.

And you may be experiencing any number of issues post-op--water retention (TOM?, salt from broth?), a slow end to the 3-week stall, etc. You may also be a slower loser, due to your lower starting weight. That's okay, too--as the poster above says, you know this is a "forever" tool, so celebrate every pound that comes off--you won't be seeing it again!!

It really does get better. I was petrified that I would somehow stop my weight loss by eating "wrong." Actually, if you don't eat, what happens is your energy level gets crummy, you don't feel like exercising or moving around very much, and THAT sabotages your weight loss. I stopped thinking of food as the enemy and started thinking of it as fuel, and that really helped me both make good decisions about what to eat and to feel better about eating in general. I always think "burn, baby, burn" when I eat--just to let the food know it has a purpose, and I'm using it to help myself feel energized. Also, honestly, you're still pretty early out from surgery. Listen to your body and trust that it will let you know what it needs. Some people progress at slower or faster rates than the "norm." It all comes out okay.

Mine is the very unimaginative "Sleevie," and it's a boy--no girl would do to me the things he did at the beginning, LOL!!

Hey Debi! I feel ya--I'm 6'2" barefoot, but I have to tell you, you're going to feel totally different about EVERYTHING after a while. I used to hate wearing heels because I'm already so tall, but you know what? Now that they don't make me hurt all over (amazing what dropping 100 pounds will do for your feet, ankles, and knees!), I LOVE wearing my heels--I mean, seriously, I can't help being tall, and what's another 4 inches? LOL They're cute shoes!! For me, the big deal was jeans. I have become a total jean baby--and I don't wear them to work, so these are just for me. I love my Eddie Bauers!! I have them in lots of different styles, from "boyfriend" to flare to whatever--and they FIT! I'm so glad that girls are getting taller in general, because most jeans come in tall lengths now. Before I had my surgery, my general physician asked me what my goal was. I told her I wanted to be a size 16 (at the time, I was a tight 26/28). I'm currently in a 14 and may actually get to a 12 by the time I hit goal--it's just astonishing to me that these things actually FIT!!! Enjoy the ride!!

I'm so cold it's not even funny, and I live in south Louisiana where "cold" means it's less than 70 degrees out. Seriously. I have never felt hands colder than mine right now! LOL I'm sitting here on the couch wearing long yoga pants, camisole, long-sleeved T-shirt, fleece hoodie, thick fluffy socks, and ugg-type slippers with fleecy lining, and I'm freezing. But y'all, I'll TAKE IT! If I'm cold every flipping day of my life from now on, I'll just learn how to layer up--it's SO WORTH IT! My husband also saw the commercial for the "hot booties" (the name just makes me snicker) and has threatened to get me a couple of pairs for bed... currently I wear almost as many clothes to bed as I have on now, and that's with an extra thick blanket in addition to our regular bedclothes!! Ah, well, summer's coming. On the flip side, I never sweat any more--it's pretty great not to feel all icky and sweaty.

WOW! Congratulations to you!

Yep, I'm in...

Congratulations! New year, new family. :-)

Me, too! The big thing for me is exercise, which I have not done outside of my fairly physically involved job.

Congratulations to you! I am SOOOO ready to get there with you! :-) Save a seat for me!

Wow, Becca! Congratulations to you--you look amazing, and it sounds like you're feeling fantastic and enjoying life!

Congratulations, Laura! Way to go!! You look amazing.

Agree with Sasicas above--I want some chocolate now, too, thanks... LOL AND about the cravings for different things than pre-op. My aunt has a theory that our bodies will tell us what they need through cravings. It kind of makes sense to me--I do sometimes crave particular foods like grapefruit that sort of let me know I need more Vitamin C, for instance. Chocolate, now, that's just a girl thing, I think. Wasn't there something recently published about a hormonal link to chocolate cravings? I think that's license to indulge in an appropriate way--not OVER-indulge, but for me, no food is off-limits if my sleeve can tolerate it--it's about moderation and being sensible and healthy. Chocolate can fit into that. I put a little Hershey's syrup in my iced coffee every day....two of life's fabulosities in one drink, with Protein and calcium!