Catracks

Great post! I lost pretty quickly in the beginning. I'm now eating 750 calories a day, getting all my Protein in, could do better on my fluids and exercising daily. There's quite a calorie deficit, but my body seems to lose a few pounds and stall, lose a few pounds and stall. I like to get things done and while not losing fast doesn't sadden me, it does tick me off now and again because I don't know how I could be living healthier. Then I remember that I can throw on my hiking boots and walk up mountains. Yesterday my husband FINALLY fixed my bike (I could have done it myself, but he promised ) and we jumped on and took off for a ride before dinner. I felt like a kid again! So you all are right. I wouldn't trade this sleeve off for nothin'.

I have a bit a problem with ground beef (but not enough to quit it), but none with steak and popcorn or nuts. I eat a lot of all of these. I started putting coffee into my Protein shakes early on. I held off on the nuts and popcorn until 3 months. The red meat I ate as soon as I could have solids. The only thing I cannot tolerate is dry red wine. You just have to test tolerances for things. The first time I ate half a small wafer thin pork chop, it came right back up. A few weeks later I tried just a couple bites. No problem!

"Judgmental" seems to be the new buzz word for saying something someone does not want to hear. One shouldn't feel all warm and fuzzy about something they shouldn't have done. That's what keeps you from doing it again. I'll take that risk. I take those with my daughter and have been her whole life. Like the time she got a speeding ticket and was upset. I certainly didn't pat her hand and make her feel good about it. What is it with having to feel good about everything?

Good plan!

I will not go back to the unhealthy food period. I have pretty much changed my eating habits. I don't do white flour, sugar, overly processed or packaged/canned foods, white Pasta or rice, fast food, breaded deep fried food, chips, full fat dressings or sour cream or any other full fat dairy except for cheese in very small amounts. I will occasionally have potato - not fried. I have found substitutes for everything. I make my own Protein, sugar free ice cream and other Desserts, I use non-fat Greek yogurt instead of mayo, dressing or sour cream (you can add blue cheese and herbs and spices to it). I weigh and measure everything. I log everything I eat. It suits me fine. I do have a tiny, tiny bit of 70-80% dark chocolate every night or every other night. I heard it's good for you and I can't/won't eat more than a tiny square.

Thank you Army wife. We appreciate you folks too! You make it possible for service members to do what they do. You make a lot of sacrifice - but you already know that.

I didn't forget a thing. The danger here is that even those with questionable will-power can get through phase one without eating something someone a year out would balk at. All you need to do is read the blogs of the people that have been successful at this. One woman won't ever eat rice, Pasta, crackers or any Cookies, candy or pastries again. Not because one bite would kill her, but because she is a food addict. This IS support. The message was: Don't do it again and Get the extra help you need.

Good response. Judgmental? Think of what her surgeon would say. I would be FURIOUS! There is some serious head-hunger, food issues going on. I wasn't hungry for a month. I had to almost force my husband to bring a pizza home. In fact I went out and got it and brought it home for them because they didn't want to eat in front of me. Food around you is going to happen. We can no longer use the excuse that it's not fair that everyone else can eat like that and we can't.

Cake and ice cream in it's previous form is not even on my plate at six months out. I do however have recipes for Protein cake and protein ice cream - both sugar free BTW. I think a lot of us get frustrated after we have been tracking every molecule that goes into our mouths, chewing food to mush, gathering healthy food and recipes, going through this huge process and then hearing something like this. It's a face-palm moment. I was on CLEAR liquid for two weeks pre and post-op. Then 2 weeks of full. Then 2 weeks puree. Seriously, there are some who say junk food is fine in moderation for a sleeved person much later on, but we are the formerly obese. Most junk food slides and if we keep the bad habits we will eat around our sleeves and be fat forever. I'm hiking up Mt. Whitney next year and going into the Grand Canyon backpacking. I WILL NOT BE GIVING MY LIFE UP. I AM NOT GOING BACK. I'm not over-reacting. The OP needs a wake up call. I am praying she gets it. We HAVE to change.

I wish I would have gotten my surgery years before my surgery! Sorry. Don't mean to be a smart ass, but it's honestly the truth. I had a two week full liquid diet. I think I was on Clear liquids a couple of days prior to surgery. I didn't stress it. I was very ready for this and I think it helped with recovery time. I also read EVERYTHING I could get my hands and eyes on. I went to The World According to Eggface and got a bunch of her recipes and put them in a 3 ring binder. I also made lists of what to buy at the grocery and what to bring to the hospital. I also made a surgery 3 ring binder with my hospital instructions, surgeon's instructions (diet, supplements, care of sutures, etc.), lists, labs ... I also put in an itinerary of things I wanted to do on my three week "vacation." Seriously. Horse back riding was number 10. Trips where you do a fair amount of walking were on there like zoos, flea markets, antique stores, livestock auctions, etc. I also bought work out clothes and moved all my Tae Bo tapes and all my weights to my TV cabinet. Now, I heal very quickly. Some others do not. I have had open abdominal surgery and arthroscopic surgery so I kind of knew how my body would react. I bought all my Protein powders, flavorings, mini muffin pan, pint electric ice cream maker, Vitamins, 1.5 cup food processor, digital kitchen scale, small single serving containers, baby fork and spoon ... I also made a LOT of Soup and crock pot meat and froze them in 1 cup containers. I still have some left. I eat the soup I made from time to time. I made high protein Soups. I just like to plan things to the nth degree. I had no medication other than the one dose of morphine I gave myself after they told me to in recovery. YUCK! I didn't take another dose. I don't like being out of it. If you're out of it you can't walk the gas off like you should. Again, I have a high pain tolerance and this was NOTHING compared to my C-section or fibroid tumor removal. When I got up after I got out of recovery (3 hours later) I would walk a lap around the floor and then stop and my room and crunch ice chips and repeat until I fell asleep that evening. Then I got up and repeated the whole process again until I was out of there. I Hate hospitals. They're full of sick people.

The food may be out of your stomach, but not your digestive system. Do you really want to pass the food through when you already will be uncomfortable after surgery. I was on clear liquid only a few days prior and then NOTHING, not even water after 7 PM the night before.

I'm going to plug Eggface again. She posts her bypass and sleeve friendly recipes AND THEY ARE GREAT!!! You don't have to dump ice cream altogether when you can turn your well made Protein shake into ice cream. She has recipes for lasagna that use zucchini instead of white Pasta and kinds of other Desserts, snack foods and main dishes. I made pistachio ice cream last night and you would not miss the sugar. It tasted like soft serve pistachio. I even added the nuts in. You can eat smart and well once you learn the tricks.

Dang! I know I read that surgeons must be careful stitching that upper part so that it's not too narrow. You really have been through the ringer. Sorry too about the myasthenia gravis. My FIL has it.

My surgeon thinks there is this 1 year magical mark where you stop losing weight. I have learned from these boards that it's just baloney. You can lose as much as you want.

Mina, I just LOVED your post. Please do keep in mind that steak can be a very healthy Protein. I eat fish, beef, pork, chicken and the occasional lamb. I'd skip the Rice-a Roni though Also, a number of people take to drinking. That will cause you to gain the weight back too.

This is why I reply frankly to the "So I'm post-op, when can I eat french fries, Doritos, cheese Doodles, etc.?" posts. I'm not trying to be judgmental. There are just some folks who do not change their eating habits and I want to help. I would absolutely cry to see people gain their weight back. That to me is worth posting a million "Eat this, not thats." You mention Eggface. I just love her. I think she is partly responsible for any success I have. She taught me that I could eat healthy and still be a total foodie. I won't use cucumbers as crackers like she does, but her Protein ice cream has replaced store bought.

That's something I've pretty much given up altogether, not because I can't eat it, but because I can eat 3 times as much grilled chicken for the calories.I'd be wasted on the crust. My great-grandmothers used to make the best fried chicken on earth and I've been a lover from way back (along with the potatoes and gravy and biscuits and green Beans with bacon). There are certain things I will do in moderation, but I decided that deep fried breaded things are off my list for good -- that and anything made from white flour and highly processed foods. I had an Iron stomach and I seem to have an iron sleeve. It just gurgles a lot. I think chances are you will be just fine with most things. The trick is to chew thoroughly and not to eat to fast. If I am busy and wait to long to eat, then bolt my food, I will be hurting. Instead of eating "meals." what I will do is measure out my food and just eat it slowly throughout the day. I don't like the full feeling so I try not to go there.

The only thing I cannot swallow is red wine. I tried a Chianti Classico and I felt like I was pouring acid into my stomach. I have not had problems with food. Sugar poses no problems, but I rarely eat it outside very special occasions except for the tiny bit (1/2 inch square) of 70 or 80% dark chocolate eat every evening. I haven't had deep fried food though beyond the occasional stolen french fry. The topping off pizza makes me a little queasy because it's so greasy. It had that effect on me before so ...

Sometimes my stomach and/or throat is so loud you can hear it all over the office. It doesn't hurt and there seems to be no stopping it so ... whatever. It doesn't happen all the time. Non issue for me.

The carne asada is healthy. I eat that except limit the tortillas to one (two if they are the tiny street taco kind. Avocados are healthy. I limit my avocado to 1/4 an avocado. Fried green tomatoes not so much. I haven't had one in ages. Yum. My Great-Grandmother used to make those and fried mush and buckwheat cakes ... I cannot ... scratch that. I do not want to give up diet soda. Six months and still have excellent restriction. I have too much sometimes LOL! I have one soda every 3 days or so.

You were not put under general anesthesia. You were given sedatives. Versed is commonly given to children before medical procedures.

Try Max Protein by SEI Nutrition. Seriously, my shakes are great. You also should dress them up a bit and for God's sake, mix them with milk. I use 2%.

They will tell you whether or not you will be under. There is no guess work about it. They gave me Propofol. Just ask them.

OOOOOOOO, look at your ticker NOW!! I eat pizza. I just eat the topping off an tear a tiny pice off of the back crust. I also make my own pizza using whole wheat tortillas as the "crust." I eat burgers and tacos. I only have 1 corn tortilla or two of the tiny carne asada ones or 1/4 of a whole grain bun. It's enough. When I go hiking I have 1/2 slice of Trader Joes Rustic bread with Peanut Butter. I have to have extra carbs for mountain hiking. We just have to be smart with carbs.

Isn't it "Twoterville?" Eh, who cares? Congrats!!