SleeveDreamer

Congrats and keep rockin' that sleeve! LUV it!

I read a post on here before and I can't find it now. But it was telling about making little pizzas on pepperoni. I had them for lunch today and they were really good. You take sandwich size sliced pepperoni (I had trouble finding this size, but finally found it at a grocery deli counter), jar of pizza suace, shredded mozzerella, and whatever else you want on pizza. I put three slices on a paper towel in the microwave for 15 seconds. Then I spread pizza sauce sprinkled cheese, and sprayed baking sheet with canola spray, and broiled until cheese melted. I put chopped green olives on top since that's what i usually have on pizza. These were so good and filling and you're right tasted just like pizza. I also tried one the other day with pizza sauce, small turkey pepperoni, and cheese on Wasa crispbread craker and stuck under broiler wil cheese melts and that was really good too. Better than having all the carbs!

Try getting sandwiches low carb (without the bread wrapped in lettuce instead). I am finding alot of restaurants will do this if you just ask. You don't want to fill up on bread and buns, and you need to concentrate on protein first. Also if only 8 weeks out, I would recommend that if you must have bread, you should have it toasted, because bread has the tendency to swell and expand and your stomach is so small, cannot handle alot of that. i was not allowed any bread until 12 weeks which is the time your stomach should be completely healed. However, I find I don't even want it anymore. Had an In n Out protein burger yesterday (no bun, wrapped in lettuce) and it tasted just as good to me as the one my husband had with all the carbs and calories form the bun. This is one of the eating habit changes I have made. LUV my sleeve.

I think maybe you are eating too many carbs and calories. Try no carbs for a couple of days and mainly protein. if you eat too many carbs, you will be hungrier and crave them. Make sure you are drinking enough water. I drink water (flavored with Mio) constantly all day when I am not eating. I think you will see a difference. Also try this if you have a treadmill: 1 minute at 2 mph, 5 minutes at 3 mph, 1 minute at 4 mph. Repeat this 4 more times for a total of 35 minutes per day.This is interval training and will build up your metabolism and endurance and will burn fat quickly. My doctor recommended it for me. Good luck!

I was told not to drink any juice because of acid and sugar content, but if I wanted a little bit, dilute it with water. I personally can't see using my calaries and carbs on juice, so I never drink any juice anymore.

My doctor says if you are on track, you should see about a 6-10 lb. weight loss per month. This is when you are still losing and have not yet reached your goal. Hhe said it may not sound like alot, but then he always says "When is the last time you lost almost 50 lbs. on your own?" Something to think about when you feel like you aren's losing fast enough!

I have heard nothing but horror stories about the band. I heard they may outlaw them here in California because of so many that have slipped and embedded in stomach tissue. (I am not saying that there are not any that aren't successful). I personally would not want something left insdie me like that. With the sleeve, part of your stomach us cut off, so nothing foreign is in your body. If you follow your doctros' instructions you should be fine. I never had one complication from my surgery, or no nausea or pain. I am so much more healthier since befing sleeved, and my cholesterol and triglycerides have gone down so much. You will be so much healthier, I doubt that being sleeved would hinder your ability to conceive. I don't know how overweight you are, but you will be doing yourself and your health a favor with the sleeve and you would not have to worry about comolications with the band.

I will be 6 months out next week, and I too can eat anything I want. I definitely make wise choices now. However, I do not want or crave things that I ate alot of before. I really don't want bread or pasta anymore. I don't want to fill up on bread. ie, today I had an In n' Out protein cheeseburger, which is their cheeseburger without the bun wrapped in lettuce. That is really the first fast food burger I have had since my surgery and it tasted really good. I usually try to have a Starbucks tall skinny vanilla latte, (I stay regular when I drink these!) For breakfast I usually have a scrambled egg with some shredded cheese in it (although I cannot eat the entire egg), a turkey susage link, and then a couple oz. of the red grapefruit sections from the jar. For lunch I have either a Starkist sandwich ready albacore tuna (3.5 oz.) on two wasa crispbread crackers with cheese on top broiled, or turkey deli meat with muenster cheese slice and a bread and butter stacker pickle slice rolled up. Sometimes I have three turkey meatballs with marinara suace on top. For dinner I eat about 4 oz. of lean steak, chicken, or pork. i eat that first and usually can't eat my vegetable. For snacks I have a light cheese stick or Babybel light cheese round or a rice cake with a little low sodium peanut butter on it. I have never eaten anything my sleeve didn't like. However, for some reason, I do crave carbs more than anything. Probably because I try to keep them very low until I get to my go which i am only 11 pounds away from! LUV my sleeve!

Prayers are with you for speedy healing and recovery.

I didn't see the Kirkland jerky there, but I bought a pack of the individual packets of Pacific Gold steak jerky there, and it is very good and I think each little individual bag is under 2 oz. Perfect for the car if you are out runnung around!

With the restriction on the carbs, you might be storing gas. get some chewable GasX.

That's awesome. Keep it up! Try this on the treadmill recommended by my doctor: 1 minute at 2 mph, 5 minutes at 3 mph, and 1 minute at 4 miles an hour. Repeat four more times for a total of 35 minutes each day. Great interval and endurance buidling and you will definitely lose.

You are definitely off to a great start and on the right track. Good luck to you in the next few weeks in your transition period. Keep that positive attitude and you will do well. Keep us posted!

They are jealous. BTW, this was your firend? LOL! (She will be more jealous awhen she sees you after the surgery). Tell her you could die tomorrow getting hit by a car too. Tell her you are doing this to be healthy and live a normal life and she should be happy for you.

Don't worry your time will come. your stomch is still healing. I am almost 6 months out and I still try to have at least 4 oz. meat or cheese at ameal, and then some green veggies, but I am usually full after the protein first course!

Bread will expand and fill you up fast, and you need to fill up on protein first. So if you have a craving try the Oroweat mini sandwich thins like Lissa mentioned. I make myself a sandwich on one, and then usually end up removing the top piece and just eating the bottom one,, if that! I find I don't have that much of a liking for any bread anymore and prefer meat and cheese or tune on Wasa crispbread crackers.

Once you have this surgery, you will not need anything else to help you lose weight. 85% of your stomach is cut off, so you will definitely lose weight, and you no longer will have to diet or curb your appetite. Your stomach is so small, you will get full on just small amounts.

Why would ou need something like Sensa after you have been sleeved?

I too found chicken too dry after my surgery (I ate b/s breasts only). Now I buy the b/s thighs only. Much more tasty and moist. I do buy the cooked cut up chicken breast pieces from costco though for use in salads, and they seem OK now. I am almost 6 months out. Try the thighs, I think you will like them. I never ate dark meat before surgery. Funny how your taste buds change!

I too was a diet pepsi fanatic before surgery. My surgery was 12/11 and I stopped drinking it cold turkey in about September. I used to have migraines every night. I drank caffeine free so it was not caffeine, it was all the junk that is supposedly in diet drinks. I have not had one headache since my surgery, so apparently my body is finally rid of all the junk that was in the diet soda. The doctor said it would take a couple months before the side effects of the diet soda would cease. Never felt better. LUV my sleeve.

If you like tuna, try the pouches of StarKist Sandwich Ready albacore tuna. Only 3.5 oz. and already mixed with mayo and very tiny diced celery. Very tasty and convenient. You can eat it right out of the pouch and does not have to be refirgerated until opened. Great if you work and need to take a lunch someplace. I also make tuna melts with this by putting half of it on a wasa lite rye cracker, 1/2 slice of muenster cheese and put under the broiler for a quick hot lunch! YUM!

Don't know what stage you're in, but try Lundbergs Sea Salt Rice Chips in place of tortilla chips. Taste great and mush less carbs and gluten-free too. I still eat mexican food every so ofte, but don't have a taste for the rice anymore since VSG, which is good cuz cuts down on the carbs.

If you buy the cooked chicken breast strips from Costco and cut them smaller, they are great in chgicken salad. better for you than buying canned chicken meat too.

Tina you look awesome. Love your new pic. You're right that it doesn't always show on the scales, but shows in other ways that are just as inportant!

Actually you might also want to purchase a Blender Bottle from www.blenderbottle.com They also sell them at some Vitamin stores. Great to have, blend well (will blender ball) and no leaks.