CowgirlJane

Shrinking mom - I agree very strongly and I feel sometimes like that message isn't heard. Honeymoon period is real. What I slightly disagree about is that it goes back to being as hard as it always was. I am 3 years post sleeve maintaining for the last 2. I worked harder (and failed ) to maintain under 300# than I do to maintain a fit and normal sized body. It is effort but it is nothing like my hopeless struggle presleeve

It's really hard at first, and it gets so much better. View food as necessary for health like your meds. Over time, you will feel so much more normal with food, enjoying it again so take advantage of this time to change your relationship with food.

There is a thread called bread and biscuits. Someone 6 weeks out has been cleared to have bread and wants to have biscuits but is worried about pain. I really do understand her but I want to scream...DON'T DO IT! That honeymoon period..cherish and nurse it! Maybe I

There are flood watches but I drove through a few valleys and over 3 rivers today -running high and fast but no flooding observed here.

It is much easier to navigate on the computer Web version. The mobile app is tough and I don't think you can see signature or profile photos. When i was new that gave me a lot of inspiration. Can you sign in on a browser? Much less frustrating.

I was banded in 2001. I never did super great but lost 70# in a year then I started uncontrollably reflux. Eventually all fill had to come out and I regained plus more. By 2011 it had slipped too. I was one of those people who never found the sweet spot, for me the band either didn't work or it tortured me or sometimes both.

How can I help? I don't have enough information to know what to say. I believe you though....this just isn't working! I am successful sleever (maintaining 150# +loss ) after epic fail with diets and even 10 years with lapband.

Oh..and I shall never give up cheese. As I move further into maintenance I migrate toward small quantities of STRONG cheese. I notice I do that more and more..bring on flavor, fat - but in modest quantity. I went out tonight and amazingly only "tasted" the most delicious nachos ever made. It makes me feel like a normal human that I didn't need to wolf them.

He's 6'2" beautiful brown eyes. ..full head of well groomed hair. Amazing kisser. And you are all talking food? HA

I agree with previous post. I LOVE carby food but I recognize that it must be kept in check. I am pleased for everyone that finds success without concerns for carbs but that isn't my reality. I lost the first hundred or so without worrying about carbs but for me to get to normal size...well... I needed to limit carbs. I am completely fine with people disagreeing - I am simply sharing my reality.

Michigan chic - that is new around here, I bought my first pack of those stuffed chicken patties and i agree they are a "Protein bargain"! The skewers are near the deli... in those mysterious aisles where they keep moving stuff around. Last time I was there, the chicken skewers were near the healthy sausages. I hope they keep carrying those - what a great quick meal! i put a little asian inspired dip on the plate and eat them that way. Very filling 150 calories (plus the dip!) It was a pain to upload the photos, but yes, it is easier to "spot" stuff if you have seen the package before! If you like salmon, don't discount the patties. They don't have a bunch of filler crap and taste really good. They are one of my lunch staples.

Great suggestions - i absolutely must try that shrimp since i love seafood! I too buy my coffee at costco. I am a salmon snob however and simply do not, on principle, buy Atlantic or farm raised.

I hate these shows. I think Ann's post about how fake, circus like and demeaning they are sums up my views well. I used to think i hated them because I was obese and felt uncomfortable with it. I haven't been obese for awhile and my feelings haven't changed. I actually see these shows as cruel. I see no redeeming value at the shows that portray people as damaged train wrecks (really - a hugely obese lady splits her pants out in public, is completely immodest about changing in a parking lot as she just so happened to have spare pants with her... say what?). Shows like Biggest Loser are less about "train wrecks" and more about the physical torture, injuring inducing extreme exercise etc. I think it is absolutely awful and send the wrong message and I can't stand watching people suffer like that when I know it is so unnecessary. I have a friend who has never been fat but LOVES Biggest Loser. She says it is because it is about the fantasy of "turning your life around" and very inspiring. Maybe that is it's one redeeming value, but the cost to the contestants seems way too great. If I believed even 10% of the contestants acheived lasting health benefits I might change my tune - but when you consider most are elimintated before making it to a normal weight and the ones that do make most likely regain as they lost their weight in a very artificial environment. Anyway, I vote with my viewing time and it isn't on reality TV (except sometimes project runway!) and it certainly isn't a show that demeans or tortures obese people.

It really takes 6-8 weeks, time for nerves to heal, be on full solids etc before you begin to feel restriction. Well, that was my story anyway! Eat by the clock and measuring spoon in the meantime!

My newest find. These are way too big to eat with anything like a bun so it is knife and fork time! i like the salmon patties better taste wise, but it is good to try something new! All these products are my "fast food"

These are delish. They don't carry the 100 calorie Italian chicken sausage they used to....

Two of these skewers is very filling even 3 years post op.

Salmon filets...marinade is quite good.

Great post! I find myself "distancing" myself a bit from some people too. I put alot of energy into helping my love ones deal with my massive change. Most of them are "over it" and it is a non issue. I have a few siblings who just can't let it go and are obsessed with my size/weight. They see me as too thin due to their own distorted view and I am frankly tired of apologizing for being in single digit clothing! I am absolutely not too thin weighing in the 150s. I find my obsession with exercise has eased off.. over time. I am still very active, but don't seem to feel the "need" for exercise like i used.

I was missing "toast" in the early months so I had two subtitutes. the first was these little bits of cheese "fried" in a non stick pan. sounds wacky, but they made like fake little crackers and tasted so good without the swelling up that bread can do. I think that was an eggface recipe, but i don't recall! I also used crackers. I feel that bread takes up way too much room in a newly sleeved tummy so it surprises me they are encouraging adding it in so soon but of course I am not an expert (I only know about me!). It is my personal opinion, that foods that make you vomit should be avoided until later. I do not think it is desirable to vomit regularly and for most of it is behaviorally avoidable. It is true that I currently watch carbs and I limit (not avoid, just limit) bread even 3 years out from surgery but that isn't even my point. It has to do with maximizing the nutritional value of what you can eat without overfilling your sleeve in the early weeks.

What food do you plan to never eat again? i don't have anything on a permanent removal list.... however... my daily habits are way different. I used to eat ice cream probably nearly daily for dessert. i might have a small amount a few times a year now. If i eat more than a small portion, ice cream tends to give me cramps - I have become somewhat lactose intolerant (but cheese, yogurt etc are no problem) I used to eat pizza, fast food sometimes - like maybe twice a week? Now, I rarely have a slice of pizza- only good ones! I really don't eat fast food, not because i can't but because i only want to eat good food these days and I plan better. Who actually WANTS to eat the Dairy Queen $5 lunch or the Taco Bell big box of crappy food? i have no idea why i didn't value myself higher - now I go to a wonderful restaurant and during their happy hour, i get a delish shrimp skewer for $5! It is very normal to be fearful, but most of the dietary restrictions you read about on this forum simply go away over time. I am 3 years post op and many of my aquaintances don't even know i had surgery. I am a small eater but so are all the other middle aged skinny chicks. Good luck and much success to you!!!

Congratulations! I agree with you - people say things like "I got sleeved so i don't have to diet". Well, true, diet implies a temporary thing - but what we need to do is change fundamentally what our "normal is". It isn't a diet, it is a lifestyle, a way of eating that is very very different than our past and frankly different than the majority of the people out there! So, no matter what you call it - if you don't watch what you eat this glorious life at goal will be temporary!

I was a band to sleeve revision so I suspect that my "sensations" are not quite the same... so take my remarks with a grain of salt... but my thought is that if you feel it in your esphogus you have had 1-2 too many bites. I strongly advocate eating by measuring spoon/cup early on, but as you start to eat more intuitively, strive for "no longer hungry" but prior to feeling that overly restricted feeling. One of the ways to "cheat" the sleeve is to get used to that feeling of food backed up in your esophogus. As your sleeve matures over time your capacity will grow. If your capacity grows and you are also habitually eating to "overflow" I think that could create problems in maintenance. Again - I am sensitive to this as a revisionista because that is one of the reasons band to sleeve revisions overall dont do as well. i became very familiar wiht "full esophogus" when i had the band and it is a very bad habit.

I was advised that nerves are "injured" and may take as long as 6 weeks to recover.... so in early weeks eat by the measuring spoon/cup and clock!

Denise - how are you doing? Infection free still? I hope you are able to keep infection at bay. I am doing pretty good - super busy at work - enjoying working out again (although frustrated at elbow, knee and other disasters)..haha