DLCoggin

As some of you may have read in one of my other posts, my weight stabilized at 155 lbs 13 months post-op and that became my "official" maintenance weight goal. I say "official" because my "working" goal is really a window between 153 and 156 lbs. I'm a little more sensitive (OK paranoid - Lol) about going over my goal than falling below it. Fluctuations in your weight are a normal part of life and a fun part as well. Special occasions, dinners for two, family get-togethers with the world's cutest grandson, holidays - all usually result in an increased calorie count. So I jump on the scales this morning and was a little surprised to see that I was 151.2 lbs. Not that long ago, an unexpected weight loss was the stuff that really put the zippity in my do-da! But when your goal is to maintain your weight, I believe that it's important to take action for losses, as well as gains. So now that the stage is set, some of you may have noticed that I am a big proponent of food logs. So it occurred to me this morning that I have an opportunity to share with you guys a real-life example of how I use my log. There are a number of good apps but My Fitness Pal seems to be the most popular on this forum and is the one that I have used for about the last six months. I intentionally altered the MFP settings until it gave me a daily calorie goal of 1620 calories. So this morning I'm at 151.2. I want to be at a minimum of 153. So I want to gain (how weird is that?) somewhere between 1.8 and 3.8 lbs - putting my weight back in my window between 153 and 155. So my plan for today is to try to hit a calorie count somewhere in the 1700-1800 range. Not an earth shattering change, just a minor adjustment. I'm not actually changing my settings in MFP. It would be more trouble than it's worth since I'm confident the increased calorie goal will be needed for only a day or two. Will he make it?? Can it be that simple?? Place your bets! I'll keep you posted with daily updates on my progress!!

Everyone is a little different but I can tell you I was genuinely surprised by how little pain I had. I laugh about the fact that I literally had more pre-op stress than I did post-op. I was up and walking two hours after surgery. Not walking fast mind you, but walking! I would definitely take the Kindle as long as there aren't any hospital rules against it. Daytime TV is not much to brag about and anything that occupies your mind while your recovering is a good thing. They have this surgery down pretty pat - I think you're going to be pleasantly surprised!!

Tomorrow's the big day Lisa and it's very likely that you won't have any appetite for at least a couple of weeks and possibly longer. You're gonna love the new you!!

Thank you so much - you are too kind. As you can see from my previous post above, we are examining some possibilities for reaching out to folks who might benefit from all of our collective experience. Bariatric surgery is a very broad, very exciting subject. None of us has all of the answers and the ones that we do have are changing almost daily. Each of us makes our contribution and I'm thankful to have the opportunity to participate. You guys have a great day!

First, thank you very much for your kind words. Secondly, a book (or possibly an e-book) are on the horizon. We are working on a blog which I hope to have up and running by the end of the year. The blog will focus on all things gastric bypass and vertical sleeve - questions, challenges, news, current research, etc. We're also evaluating videos, social media (so out of my comfort zone), and live webinars (much more in my comfort zone). It will not be a forum - it would be difficult to improve on what we have right here. But if Alex approves it, I might be able to post a notification here when it's up and running. Thank you again!

Kristy, I don't use the exercise capability in MFP. I walked two and a half to three miles a day for over a year post-op (and used the exercise function in another app). But then I started a new business and I'm lucky to get out once or twice a week at the moment. I miss it terribly and so does my black lab! You probably already know this but calorie counts per gram for fats/protein/carbs are 9/4/4 respectively. I personally don't do the calculations often. I do use the pie chart and relative percentages that MFP does - and does automatically! I have mine set to a goal of 40%/30%/30% for carbs/fats/proteins and I check that daily to make sure I'm in the ballpark. I know that some very good sites often quote the American Heart Association and other reputable sources which have recommended calorie percentages - for example not more than 7% of your daily calories should be saturated fats, 0 for trans fats, etc. It's interesting that you asked this question today because just this morning I did do the calorie calculation on saturated fats for my numbers from last week - just a hair over 9%. I think it's good to be aware of those goals and to check periodically. But honestly, I suspect that doing it every day would definitely be a bi*ch with the potential of being self defeating. I don't know how much experience you have with Excel but one option would be a spreadsheet with cells where you could input grams of carbs, fats and Proteins (from MFP) and another cell with a formula that would calculate the number of calories for each. You could then add a cell for inputting your total daily calories (again from MFP) with a formula in an adjoining cell that would then calculate percentages based on your total calorie intake for the day. You could have all three percentages in the time it would take you to input the numbers. Sounds complicated when you try to write it all out but if you or a friend have some Excel experience, setting the spreadsheet up would take about five minutes. You're gonna love the new you!! LOL

Definitely a big Disneyland fan! I'm almost two years out but I went several times when I was still in the rapid weight loss stage. I agree with Jeepchick, Disney is definitely accommodating. But if you're less than a year out, there are not a lot of options offered that are really compatible with a low fat, low carb, low sugar, high Protein diet. So I just took it with me. Protein Bars, my special homemade tuna salad (tuna, low fat mayo, little sweet pickle - love it), turkey Jerky, any kind of nuts, little cup of cottage cheese with pineapple, yogurt - throw a little ice in a small soft-sided cooler and you can get any or all of the above in there with no problem. You could probably get a small bottle of Water in there too but water is heavy and you can get water all over the place in Disneyland. Options to water would be Crystal Light, Snapple, decaf coffee or tea. But you'd have to carry them (not certain whether you can get decaf coffee at Disneyland or not so I wouldn't count on it). I never had a problem with dehydration and I'm certainly not the poster guy for getting as much water as I should. Ditto for getting tired or running out of gas. I don't think I would recommend a long day at Disneyland prior to about six weeks out but after that, go for it! I can't think of a more healing environment than "The Happiest Place on Earth"!! And as you lose more weight, it just keeps getting better and better!! You're gonna love the new you!!

Music, I wish I could give you a definitive answer but I can't. In fact I don't think anyone, including your surgeon, can answer that question directly. But I can tell you how to determine your number. I'd start by configuring MFP with your height, current weight, goal weight and activity level. You can configure your weight loss goal to anything you think is appropriate but I'd recommend that you initially configure it to lose half a pound a week, even if you're currently at your goal weight. My reasoning is that configuring for that modest loss will result in MFP slightly lowering your daily calorie goal. In other words you have a little calorie "buffer" to work with. Now maintain your log for a week and see what happens. If you lose weight and you're trying to maintain, you can increase the calorie goal in MFP by changing your weight loss goal to "Maintain weight". Now maintain your log for another week and see what happens. If your weight holds, that's "your" number. If you lose weight again, change MFP to "Gain 0.5 lbs per week". Keep in mind that all you're doing is manipulating the calorie goal in MFP to get the result you want. It doesn't matter that you've set it for "gain" when your goal is to "maintain". MFP applies a one size fits all formula to come up with a calorie number. In reality, there is no one size fits all formula. It's a trial and error process. But it won't take long for you to determine exactly what calorie count works best for you. Whatever you do, don't forget that the calorie number must, must, must be treated as an AVERAGE. You are not going to hit that number every single day and who would want to? Boring, not realistic and not sustainable. Allow yourself to ENJOY those special occasions when your calorie intake will be well above your goal. Just make a modest adjustment in your calorie goal for a day or two and you're back on track with your average. Last but not least, I would LOVE it if you would share your experience with us as you dial in your number. You could add it to this thread or send me a message if you prefer. Have a great day!!

OK guys, part two of my dirty little secret (my apologies for the delay). So for the reasons discussed above, earlier in the year I decided to stop food logging. I must say it was an educational experience and actually one that I'm glad I had. The first few weeks were great. Let's face it, logging is repetitive, is another item on an already sizeable to do list and is frustrating at times. So I was enjoying the break. Trouble started rearing its ugly head when I noticed that every time I weighed it was a surprise. I weigh on average about once a week. Sometimes less and occasionally more often. Invariably I play a little mental game - I try to guess in my mind what my weight will be. "I'm thinking this was a pretty good week calorie wise so my weight should be about XXX" or "Tough week with dinner at macaroni Grill Friday night and family BBQ on Sunday so I'm probably going to be up a couple of pounds." You get the idea. Perhaps some of you even do the same thing. When I am logging my food I'm usually pretty accurate with my "guesstimated" weight. Seldom off more than a pound. When I stopped logging, I noticed (eventually) that the weight I was anticipating seldom matched the verdict delivered by the scales. In other words following what I "thought" was a pretty good week, I would have gained a pound or two. Or vice versa. There were times when what "seemed" like a pretty high calorie week resulted in losing a pound or two. And that pattern was pretty consistent over what eventually turned into a couple of months. I firmly believe, and often say, that managing your weight is "about control, not denial". After well over a year of exercising control, I suddenly felt a loss of control. It was unnerving to say the least. In fact it was down right scary. Mind you I had not gained (or lost) any significant amount of weight. But my "thoughts" and "feelings" about what my weight should be doing were clearly not matching what my weight was doing. Not good, not good, not good. I spent the better part of three months getting progressively more tense and irritable (just ask my wife). In hindsight I was scared. What if I start gaining weight? It's not uncommon for folks to gain 20 pounds after the first year. Some gain a LOT more than that. What if all of this was for nothing? What if, what if, what if. Now I'm pretty dense sometimes. It took me almost three months to realize that the question I needed to be asking was not what if, but what changed. LOGGING. So I started logging again. I no longer was dependent on thoughts or feelings, I "knew" what my calorie intake was for any given day. Or week. And presto, my guesstimates of my weight were suddenly right back on track. I was confident. I was in control. And I was back to my usual charming self - Lol! To log or not to log? I think it comes down to the age old "cost vs. benefit". On the cost side logging is tedious, sometimes frustrating, and probably takes about 10 minutes a day. For my money, that's a small price to pay for control, confidence and maybe most important of all - peace of mind. You guys have a great day and remember - you're gonna love the new you!!

I intentionally never set a goal weight and interestingly, neither my surgeon nor any of her staff ever suggested one. I decided some time prior to my surgery that I was going to follow the protocol as closely as I possibly could and let my body tell me when it was at the weight it wanted to be at. Thirteen months and 130 lbs later my weight stabilized at 155 lbs and that's where it's been ever since (153.6 this morning). I can't offer any clinical support for it but I believe that when you allow your body to tell you where it wants to be, it's much easier to maintain that weight going forward.

Constant pain is always time to call your doctor and it would be a good time to discuss your concerns about the weight loss as well. Feel better!!

Good morning! Day two numbers are in and here's the breakdown. Calorie count yesterday was 1702. Carbs 168g, Fat 56g, and Protein was 69g. That's a Carb/Fat/Protein ratio of 46%/35%/19%. Although I hit the calorie goal I wanted, yesterday was something of a train wreck as far as the ratios go. I seldom eat sandwiches since my pouch is not too crazy about bread. But I was on the run just about all day yesterday and wound up with half of a turkey and cheese sub with mustard only for lunch. And then to add insult to injury, had half of a pastrami sub with mustard and dill pickle for dinner. Hardly the diet I strive for but sometimes life gets in the way. The good news is that my weight this morning was 153.2 so I'm back in my "working" window with a gain of 2.1 pounds over two days. Now in the interest of full disclosure, this is not my first rodeo. Over the past eight months or so, I have done essentially the same thing on several occasions. I knew what to expect and was confident of the outcome. And of course there have been occasions where my weight creeped above my 156 lb upper limit and I essentially did the reverse of what I've done here - decreased my calorie goal by 100-200 calories for a couple of days to bring my weight back down. So as the result of trial and error, I have a very good idea of how my body will respond to specific changes in the calories I eat. For those who will hopefully be motivated to use a food log, please do not compare your results to mine (or anyone else's). Everyone is different and there are countless variables. The basic principles of having a "working window" for your weight and then making adjustments in your calories, up or down, apply to everyone. But the only way to know specifically what will work best for you is through a little experimenting. Once you get dialed in to your numbers, it is really quite amazing how quickly and predictably your weight will respond to minor adjustments. As Kristy would say, "You're gonna love the new you!!"

LOL! I'm speechless!!

Here's a dirty little secret of mine. If you tell anyone I said this I'll deny it. I got to the exact same point several months back. My weight was stable. I felt great. Enjoying my new life. And my food log was, at times, a real PITA. Meals at home weren't bad. If it comes out of a package you can just scan the barcode. And if it's a recipe, you know the ingredients that go in so it's pretty simple to input in your log. But if you go out to eat it's a whole different ballgame. Although it is changing, most restaurants a step or two above fast food do not publish calorie counts. So you're left with putting in "generic" descriptions into your app and then trying to choose which one of the results are "close" to what you think you ate. Frustrating. Then there's the issue of logging itself. Every day, day in and day out. Every time you eat something - even a little something. Cup of coffee - logging. Family outing at Disneyland - logging. Eat a dang pretzel - logging. And how about that "Number of Servings" field in MFP. I HATE that field. First you have to read the nutrition label - what does the manufacturer consider a "serving"? But I didn't have that much. So let's see, did I have a 1/4 of a serving? 1/3? 5/8? Or my personal favorite - I have to count the number of nuts I eat so I can log the correct amount?! Pleeeeease!! So I quit logging. Too much trouble. I've done it for well over a year. I know what I eat. I've got a pretty good feel for calorie counts. Hey - I am an expert! I am a professional! Log - I don't need no stinkin log. Goodbye! And good riddance! Sound familiar? Can you relate? Anyone else besides music and I ever felt like this? Jump in and share your thoughts. No, I haven't lost my mind. And yes - I am a food logging fanatic. But I also have a business that is demanding my immediate attention so...sharing the rest of the story will have to wait until tomorrow. See you guys then, same time, same place!

OK guys, here's the update. Calorie count yesterday was 1789. Carbs 109g, Fat 59g, and Protein was 125g. That's a Carb/Fat/Protein ratio of 30%/36%/34%. FYI I have my MFP set for a goal of 40%/30%/30%. Weight this morning 152.8 so I gained 1.6 lbs by increasing my calories about 10% over my normal daily goal. Not far off my 153 lb minimum so the plan for today is to shoot for about 1700 calories and we'll see what happens. Although the stats are "interesting" and the results so far are positive, the whole point of food logs is, in my opinion, what's happening "behind the scenes": Monitoring - like many diseases obesity can be put into remission, but it can't be cured. We've all read stories about folks who have regained part or all of their weight loss after surgery. Sometimes relatively soon after surgery, other times many years later. We have to be vigilant. We have to be mindful of what we're eating. We have to be aware of weight changes, up or down. And we have to do all of those things - for life. Accountability - logging your food keeps what you eat "right in your face" (no pun intended). Logging doesn't mean that you will succeed or fail. But IF you're brutally accurate with logging everything you eat, it does mean that you'll know why you succeed, or fail. Control - Most of us spent many years trying and failing to control our weight. Bariatric surgery changes the game - big time. It creates physiological changes, microbiological changes and appears to even "reset" some genetic markers. Bottom line - it makes what was previously impossible, possible. It gives us control. Food logs are a simple tool that allows us to fine tune that control. With a surprising degree of precision. Confidence - What's that old saying - "Whether you think you can, or whether you think you can't - you're right." I fell a couple pounds below my minimum weight. I very purposefully increased my calorie intake by a very specific amount. My weight responded - immediately - predictably - consistently. Science calls it "establishing cause and effect". I call it friggin amazing! I am in control. That's confidence. You guys have a great day and I'll see you tomorrow with an update!!

You're certainly welcome Ms. Kristy! In my case, I knew the calorie count that I wanted (1600) so I just played a little with MFP until it gave me that number. (Note for folks who may be reading this who are new to MFP and still in the rapid weight loss stage of the journey - configuring MFP is a snap for you. Just put in your current weight, height and how much you want to lose per week and MFP will calculate the calorie goal for you. A simple but critically important first step. I've met "technology challenged" folks who never did that first step. As a result they were getting only a fraction of the benefit that MFP offers.)

Well put SoccerMomma. Hang in there Lisa. For what it's worth, a lot of folks think the pre-op liquid diet may well be the worst part of the whole journey. Just keep reminding yourself that this is quite literally a life changer. There aren't many things you can do, or many thing you can't tolerate, for the kind of gift that you're about to receive. It's beyond your wildest dreams. Looking great is hardly denial - I still can't stop looking in the mirror and I'm almost two years out. And a guy! Lol. You're gonna love the new you!!

Could not agree with you more on the cheese - healthy AND it tastes good!! Our kind of combination! Thank you for the kind words. It's a group effort. You've made some great contributions yourself as have so many others. Hard to imagine a more powerful resource than this forum for those of us on the RNY journey!!

I've had this one for about a year and I love it. The older ones did not have replaceable batteries so when it died, you had to buy another one. This one runs on four AAA batteries and I just replaced them for the first time two days ago so they seem to be good for about a year. You also had to press on the older ones with your toe, wait a second for it to calibrate and then step on. With the newer model, you just step on and it calibrates automatically. The blue background and big numbers are super easy to read. And it seems to be quite accurate. I've had a couple of surgeon/PCP visits since I've had this scale and it seems to be right on the button with their scales. http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Bathroom-Technology/dp/B001KXZ808/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375304117&sr=8-1&keywords=scales

Another member suggested someone start a thread for folks who are having their surgeries in July so you all could discuss your progress. The member wasn't sure how to start a new thread so...here you go guys! You're gonna love the new you!!

Maintain a food log. Countless advantages. Here are just a few of the really big ones: 1 - Food logs allow you to very accurately define what your "track" is. What daily calorie intake will allow you to lose X amount of pounds a week? With just a little trial and error, your log will tell you. Losing less than your goal? Decrease your calorie goal slightly and your log will show you the result. Losing too fast? Increase your calorie goal slightly and your log will show you the result. You will quickly identify the track that works best for you based on where you are at in your journey. It works exactly the same way whether you're pre-op, rapid weight loss or maintenance. 2 - You "feel" like you're off track? Maintain a log and you'll "know" if you're off track. You'll also know if you're on track and your body is just taking a break. And more importantly, you'll know it quickly. If you gain a pound or two, you can react immediately by decreasing your calorie intake (small adjustments), increasing your activity level (small adjustments), or both. Most food log apps do much more than just log food. They allow you to track calories, nutrients, Vitamins, exercise, and maintain a record of your weight changes. Logging literally allows you to "dial in" the exact combination, customized specifically for you. 3 - Food logs make you accountable - to you. Logging your food increases your awareness of what you are eating a hundred fold. Ridiculous as it sounds, I can't tell you how many times I've been tempted to eat something I shouldn't and decided against it because I didn't want to log it! 4 - Food logs allow you to "manage" your diet. Manage your diet and you manage your weight. Logs allow you to do that more effectively, more easily, and more accurately than any other option. And logs do it in "real time". You don't have to wait a week to make minor adjustments. You can make better, healthier, and more informed choices in your next meal/snack based on where you're at (calories/protein/carbs/fats/whatever) at any point in your day. That's control. Make the commitment. Try it for sixty days. You'll be glad you did and ... You're gonna love the new you!!

And ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Motrin IB) is an NSAID as are Naproxen (Naprosyn and Aleve) and Nabumetone (Relafen). For folks who are pre-op and are currently taking NSAIDS for treatment of other conditions, it would likely be a good idea to discuss options with your bariatric surgeon. Some studies suggest that patients that have the vertical sleeve may have a lower risk of developing ulcers from the use of NSAIDS than gastric bypass patients.

I started it for you guys. You can see it at http://www.rnytalk.com/topic/13024-july-surgeries/ .

My understanding is that NSAIDS are a major source of post-op ulcers - especially at the anastomosis where the intestine is joined to the newly created pouch. My surgeon said no NSAIDS, ever. That said, I'm surprised to hear that at least one doctor is relaxing their recommendation on avoiding NSAIDS entirely. Things sometimes change quickly in medical science and there may be new evidence that suggests they are not as risky as previously thought. Best recommendation is always - follow your doctor's advice.

I have two, sometimes three cups of decaf every single day. I was really worried about having to switch to decaf following my surgery but Keurig decaf K-cups are fabulous and I had no trouble at all. coffee is loaded with anti-oxidants and studies have pointed to a number of other health benefits as well. I'm 21 months post-op, my weight has been stable at 155 for eight months and I have my routine down pretty well at this point. But coffee was my absolute go-to during the entire rapid weight loss portion of my journey and continues to be so to this day. Any time I'm hungry and eating is either not practical or not appropriate, I have a cup of coffee. It's filling, practically calorie free and delicious! For anyone who might be interested, here are links to just a couple of articles from WebMD regarding coffee. Since coffee is so pervasive in our culture, there are many other very good sources for health information about coffee. http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-buzz-on-coffee?page=2 http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/coffee-new-health-food?page=3