Catracks

Aside from the skin, I am happy with the way I look and happy with the way I feel. The compliments I get sometimes floor me. I keep having this thought or nightmare that I am going to wake up 100 pounds heavier. I suppose then we would fully appreciate the difference. I would probably wear 1-2 sizes smaller if I didn't have the paunch. Things are too big in the waist and butt, but not really noticeable except to me.

There is a honeymoon period where weight is easier to lose, but the window DOES NOT CLOSE. I am 20 pounds from goal and it is VERY slow, but I can still lose. I still have a great amount of restriction. I imagine 3/4 cup - a little more with soft foods and less with dense protein. I currently get between 750-800 calories, but I am only 5'1". What happens is that the more you have to lose, the faster it will drop if you stay with good eating. What happens is that after almost a year, we tend to get sloppy with food choices. Little treats creep back in and that's alright as long as you are aware and nip it in the bud if it's affecting weight loss. Exercise is great to keep you fit and build the muscle, but I do not base my calories on an excise deficit. In fact, I only exercise for fun (hiking, biking, paddling) and it really does not affect my weight loss. How and what I eat does. If I take an all day hike I use common sense and up the carbs - I up everything including water to stay on my feet. If I don't, my body will tell me. Listen to it. Please do not think you need to hurry up and lose it all. Six months? No way! Just work that sleeve. Eat your protein and fill the sides with vegetable, lower glycemic fruits and healthy carbs. You will get there.

I had no trouble drinking and just swallowed mouthfuls pretty constantly. I would imagine measuring each sip and each ounce would be a pain and lead me to obsessing about it. Just drink and look to the final goal for the day.

Good will for me. Right now depending on the brand I am either a size 10 or 12 - although most 12s are loose. Wearing loose pants with my extra lower belly skin does not look so good, so I have to make sure things fit. I really do have to complain about dress designers that make dress based a A or B cups. A 10 fits in the waist, but I need a 14 for my size C bust.

Remember Butterthebean's experiment with potato chips? He put them in a food processor and learned that you could eat quite a lot of potato chips before feeling the restriction. I remember that Lays were the worst. They turned into a soggy grease ball.

I have to disagree on a few points. 1. This is a forum. You can find support here, but you can also find discussion and disagreement. Thank God for that. I've learn a lot and even learned a bit from the OP of this thread. 2. Purely cosmetic bariatric surgery for people of normal weight that want a tool to help them starve themselves? I do understand using the sleeve and a revised surgery, but not for people not in proven need of it. I still believe this is last resort territory. We all signed on with the possibility of living with complications and a forever altered gut and in the case of malabsorptive procedures - a life of daily supplements and a very special diet. How many people in for the 90 pound supermodel body are going to eat right and make a commitment or will they continue on with poor eating, alcohol and amphetamine use that goes with the culture. Sorry, but obese people have to make a commitment to fix their head and get healthy. Sure, people can do whatever they want as long as I don't have to pay for it. I'll be in the insurance pool with someone who want to get healthier, but I'm simply not paying for someone's self-esteem. Just as in cosmetic procedures, there is potential for abuse. I mean, why not just take out the stomach altogether and live on IV fluids? Yes, people do this at least short term for now. Excuse me, but this is SICK! http://articles.nyda...des-nasogastric and finally 3. The sleeve does not teach you to eat healthier. That is the commitment I was talking about. It is a tool for restriction only and with the right (or wrong) mindset you can easily eat around it or develop other addictions to replace food. I've talked with so many that replaced dumping alcohol down their gullets instead of food and have ended up right back in the super obese category. A lot of the above is IMO of course.

Cat....I"m curious...do you think you still "need the surgery" to get to 130 or could you go back to a full stomach and get there, plus maintain it for life? Probably not, which is why I said later that it makes sense for someone who has been obese and knows that they will go straight back there. I still personally think this is a solution of last resorts. For someone who is just slightly overweight for the first time should try other, less invasive measures first. I know me and I've been yo-yoing for over 25 years. Maybe if I had nipped it in the bud in 1985, I could have avoided this surgery. I don't know. And as to the weights...don't they baffle you? My goal is 110 (4' 12"). I'm close to your weight now and think I look quite large still. At 130, you will probably be quite hot given I know you're quite fit where as I'm just a couple weeks off surgery and struggling to get enough energy to take a mile walk I've seen people at my same height shooting for 160-90 lbs. Which are right? I think it lies with your personal comfort zone. It is relative, because the difference between 246 and 152 is mind boggling. The fun is seeing the jaws drop on people I haven't seen for a year. 120 is probably where I should be, but I figure I've got 5-10 pounds of hanging skin. Like I said, it's personal, but I would try to get within those healthy BMIs. 160 is a lot of strain for a 5 foot frame unless you are a very muscley 160. 190? I would poke them to keep going and they'd feel even better. I hope you don't take that offensively...I'm trying to point out that it's kind of all relative I thought your post was a great example of someone with just a few pounds to lose who is rocking the sleeve to do so Not bothered in the least. I like frank, honest discussions. We all have our thoughts on this and talking it out helps us gain other perspectives.

sticks, You are probably going to get a warning on that post. You replied to an opinion. You returned with some anger there. I'd remove it before the moderator does.

RE: Surgery for models It's better than anorexia. Better hope than there isn't anorexia or bulimia isn't mixed up in those people's heads along with the surgery. That could be a bit unhealthy. I'm with you Doxie. I'm putting the rose colored glasses on and thinking this surgery is to help people with a debilitating problem and not to help keep someone super skinny to sell weird clothing and perfume. I guess it's up to them in the end.

I see that now and it makes perfect sense. I was just a little surprised.

I am 5'2" and currently 152 pounds. My goal is 130. This post confused the hell out of me. I have lost almost 100 pounds and pretty much think that I am some hot stuff at 152 pounds -- only to find out that someone who is taller than me got this surgery and is starting at 154 pounds! Yes my surgery was to look better and well as fix my poor literally dying self, but I would have a hard time thinking I'm a porker and would need surgery with a BMI under 27. Back to the original question: the closer you get to a healthy body weight, the slower you will lose. at just over 20 pounds to go, I stall for a month and lose 5 pounds, then stall for another month and then lose another 5. Update: I did read the whole thread now. I can see wanting to stop the yo-yo weight business and have the tool to be able to eat like a normal person. It just shocked me because I thought I was getting into the "normal" range. I'm not skinny, but people could not really call me fat either - that is to say, I do not stand out.

It seems like this is one of the rare complications. It seems as if conversion to bypass is the usual treatment. This is where the search function is a must. Another thread hinted that a lot of surgeons are simply more comfortable with gastric bypass and so go into their comfort zone. You may want to find a surgeon that will give you some options. Read this thread: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/54769-twisted-stomach/

Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, beans, eggs, tree nuts, legumes, fish, shellfish, poultry, beef, pork, lamb, venison, etc.

YAY! Me too. Huzzah! I grew up with a mom who was Borderline and OCD. Think I mentioned that? She asked: "How was your childhood?" I said out loud: "Pretty dead normal..." and finished in my head: "... for a nuthouse." Don't give them anymore information than is applicable to the situation.

You need to see your nutritionist. We do have the restriction, but we still have to eat the right things. Can you give us a sample daily menu? Are you logging everything you eat or drink on Myfitnesspal or Fitday.com? How much weight do you have to lose? What is your starting BMI?

I got this response from my mother. I told her that i guess God didn't intend stents in arteries, artificial valves, appendectomies or a host of other medical interventions. I just had a friend die of sleep apnea, so this IS a medical necessity. I'm Catholic. I cannot find where medical procedures come under the heading of SIN. The definition of sin is something that drives you from God. I suppose riding on a roller coaster is not natural either, but I think God would like roller coasters.

That's funny. I thought that was your pants size. I was going to say that I wear a 32 x 30. Well maybe a 30 x 30 by now

A high protein diet can be hard on the kidneys. Check with your doctor. I don't have any symptoms except for a very high ammonia content in my urine. Sorry if TMI, but it's something to be aware of.

Pop some popcorn in a tiny bit of olive oil. It will take care of the crunchy munchy cravings. Do not eat microwave popcorn. Try zucchini or broccoli dipped in a healthy dressing. High Protein, lower carb crackers or carrots dipped in hummus. Some things I can do in moderation, some thing are verboten. I got some healthier cheese puffs from Trader Joes and almost ate half the bag in one sitting. I went and threw the rest out to the chickens.

I had an easy time of it too. I didn't take any pain meds in the hospital (except for when I was groggy in the recovery room and was horseback riding at the end of week 2. I can eat anything, but don't of course.

There is a rebound effect of extra-heavy stomach acid secretion if people stop taking PPIs so I never started them. I don't want to be on ANY pill for the rest of my life. If my stomach feels acidy I usually have something to drink. I would use OTC antacids if it gets too bad.

Yes, when they take the fat out of foods they usually add sugar and simple carbohydrates. I use extra virgin olive oil for most of my sauteing. I also put it on meat and fish as a part of a marinade before barbequing. Yes, I know they say the smoke point is too low, but I just love eggs fried or scrambled in olive oil. I even pop corn in it and it tastes good! I use the coconut oil to saute beef, pork and seafood - depends on the recipe. I also use it for making nut butters. It has a slightly sweet taste to it. I think loving coconut helps. A lot of people do not. Butter. I love butter too. My SF Cookies are made with it. It's liberating not being freaked out by fats.

I suppose it depends on what your BMI is and what your calorie deficit should be. I take in 20 grams of fat on 750 calories. I am definitely not going low fat. Butter and coconut oil are my friends! My protein is set at between 70-90. Now I do see that I have my carbs set at 47 gross a day. I'm usually a few grams over in fat each day, but not over on carbs. Over 50 grams would cause me to stall or actually gain even with the calorie deficit.

I use Torani syrups and Splenda. In one oatmeal raisin cookie I used vanilla Protein powder, Peanut Butter and a bit of vanilla syrup along with the oats and raisins. In a lemon shortbread I use butter, multigrain flour, Splenda, lemon zest and lemon and vanilla syrup. No, I do not subtract the Fiber. My carbs I get are from fruits, vegetable, traces in dairy and few crackers I eat every day and even those are high protein, whole grain, seed things. I have plain white potato or quinoa once in a while and higher protein bread on hiking/kayaking days. It's what works for me. I find I don't really miss Pasta or rice. I tried the Dreamfields last night and it was good, but I could only eat 1/4 cup. It's just too heavy. I might have it once in a great while.

I keep under 40 carbs a day on 750 calories. I agree with BTB on exercising. One of the first times I went hiking I didn't pack extra carbs. When I got down of the mountain 6 hours later I was shaking from cold (in the middle of summer) and my muscles were in severe pain. Not from soreness, but from a complete lack of any blood sugar to speak of. Now I bring good healthy bread and Peanut Butter on hikes. I also make my own sugar free Cookies and bring one or two of them.