Butterthebean

Yep, definitely sumo squats.

The only real pain I had was the gas pain in my shoulder. But tired...oh my. I needed a nap after taking a shower. Just drying off was like running a marathon. By day 3 or 4 I could see it getting better. By day 8 I started to feel human again. But then the head hunger started and I was wishing for the gas pain back....so there's that to look forward too.

I have yet to step foot in a gym but I exercise every single day. Running, hiking, cycling....I have some weights at home, I do what I can where I can. But the gym atmosphere is just not for me. Yep....and 2 dogs to go with them. All of them are rescues. Believe me, it was not my plan...it just sort of happened, one by one. Now it's like a petting zoo every time I walk in the door. I can't set food or a drink down for a second because some animal will have their lips on it instantly.

I was chainsawing wood by 3 weeks and that was with the hernia repair...I think you'll have no trouble murdering Bambi.

I never thought about it that way...but I'm going to go with it. Sounds reasonable. Yes...just marking time till my TT in November....hurry up Thanksgiving.

Not much comes close to Quest bars in terms of nutrition. The rest are basically Protein infused candy bars. The Quest bars will never taste like a Snickers bar....but warmed up in the microwave they can be quite good. I eat them sparingly...only out of convenience sake. Not the best way to get in one's protein, but not horrible either. I've heard of plenty of folks who say Protein Bars set off their carb cravings. I can see that happening to me. You never hear anyone saying grilled chicken set off their carb cravings.

Don't you know that hijacking a ridiculous thread is a veteran's #1 job? Why else would we be here? Seriously, there needs to be a little levity around this place. It can't be all doom and gloom.

If anyone wants to go to Hawaii to have their surgery....I'll go with you and I'll even go for free. Happily.

Yes...no point in avoiding taking trips or vacations. It's good practice for the rest of your life. It's challenging being away from your own kitchen and your daily routine, but it's something we all have to learn to do sooner or later. Just know you may not be able to make super healthy choices, but make the healthiest choices available, and then go back to your routine once you get home.

Fiddle...I'm in the camp that calories in vs. calories out is only half the story. It DOES matter what types of foods you eat, and I'm not just talking about sweets. There isn't much difference between a twinkie and mashed potatoes once you eat them. The insulin response is still the same. And in some people it's vastly different than others. If you're insulin resistant, eating high GI foods will increase the insulin response which among other things, prohibits fat burning and encourages fat storage. So 100 calories of potato has a totally different effect than 100 calories of turkey on weight and body composition. And the more insulin resistant you are, the more profound the difference. Additionally, I have a healthy skepticism about TDEE calculators. Most of them do not consider the fact that a person may have lost 100 pounds or more which does have a profound affect on metabolism. Unless you are a heavy exerciser...especially resistance training, it can change the caloric requirements drastically. Then there is the whole theory of setpoints. Whether you believe in those or not...not sure I do....but the body may indeed be looking for a point of homeostasis and fight to get there. And that point may be a few pounds above where you want it to be. And let's face it, everyone here has a body that likes to hold onto weight...otherwise we wouldn't be here right? Alright...end of thread hijack.

Troublemaker.

I'm a big guy too and I never could sumo DL until very recently. I'm really starting to like it although not as strong doing it yet. I always have trouble retracting my shoulder blades properly on regular DL but the sumo is a bit easier to keep them back for me.

By 3 months you shouldn't be having too many issues. Yes, definitely stick with foods you know you can handle, but that may be easier said than done....being in a totally different environment. I've heard lots of people say after VSG that nothing is quite so disruptive as taking a vacation and being away from your daily "routine." In that first year that routine gets to be very comforting. Regardless, you should be okay. Just be mindful of what you eat. Make small plates and keep in mind that people care much less about what you're eating than you do, they may be too busy eating their own food to care. Have fun and good luck. As far as the down low??? Can't help you there. I found telling everyone very liberating. But as Arts137 stated, whether you tell or not, people are going to notice the weight loss and it will be THE topic of conversation. Be prepared for the "how did you do it?" questions. Tell them you went paleo and watch their eyes glaze over.

I think you have to pay extra for the dumping option. I went cheap and now regret not getting the upgrade. Damn M&Ms make everything better.

Lots of people have this. For me, it went away as soon as I was able to eat real food again. It's the toughest part. Hang in there, it will be over before you know it...and you'll be on your way to a healthier life.

You could always go with the G.I. Jane look and you won't have to worry about it. Worked for me. I mean face it....if you're dropping 100 plus pounds do you think anyone is going to really care that much if you shaved your head?

Uh....no. What do they say?

In that case I say.....it's been asked a million times, and we all continue to be puzzled. It's likely because there is no set standard in the medical community. The surgery is still rather new and rare comparatively. Each surgeon does what he can to help his patients, but they are also concerned with their "success rate" and will shape their recovery plan to improve that rate as much as possible. That means designing a recovery schedule that will reduce the chance of incident with the patient, while at the same time not being so stringent that the patients won't follow it.

I have a question, and this is not a criticism but just something to think about. You say you are struggling because there isn't enough variety. Why is variety important? Do you mean nutritional variety? Or are you craving more variety because you miss food? Many people here do go through a mourning process....mourning the food that we previously used to comfort us and blunt our painful emotions....usually without knowing it. It's perfectly natural and normal, and it's something that you must identify and deal with. It's okay to mourn food, it's okay to love food....but the food never loved us back

Not to question your motives, but if you are doing this out of the goodness of your heart (which it appears you are), then why do you give a crap what Alex says or does? If you believe in what you're doing, keep doing it.

I've been doing my deadlifts with a trap bar lately, and I must admit I friggin love it. My traps and rear delts get worked like crazy, but it's also hell on my grip. Can't use the alternating grip method. http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most.../the_trap_bar_deadlift

Safe? Yes....sure. But you may or may not have as much energy. Do what you can. As long as you're still properly hydrated, the worst case scenario is you just won't have the fuel to workout as long. And remember, since you're not eating solid food, it will take much more water than before to properly hydrate you.

Fiddle...I don't know anything about Raynauds syndrome, but the hook grip is what Maharet111 described. You put your thumb UNDER your fingers. For many people it's a much stronger grip than a traditional grip. Also, do you use an alternating grip? One hand facing forward, one had facing backward? I do this as well because it also increases your grip strength, meaning your hands and forearms will not have to work as hard, allowing you to deadlift more weight.

Strength training is all about continually increasing resistance. In other words, you have to keep upping the workload on your muscles. Check out the book "Starting Strength." The author is a bit of a blowhard, but his principles on increasing strength are so simple yet incredibly effective. His workout plan is extremely simple, yet it will make you so much stronger. A trainer is nice but not necessary. Most trainers are all about improved fitness or giving you those six pack abs anyway...not about increasing strength.

At 6 months out you ought to be able to take most over the counter pain meds. I know some docs say don't take NSAIDs, but other docs have no problem with it and I've heard of many sleevers who have taken it occasionally with no ill effects.