lollyfidy1965

It is very common for people to experience a stall around 2-3 weeks post-op. Do everything you can to stay busy, make good food choices, measure yourself (neck, waist, hips, etc), and keep focused on the prize!! Big picture is the key here....you WILL get past this, and every other stall you will encounter! As I said...I refuse to call them anything other than "adjustment periods"...because that is exactly what they are....time your body needs to adjust to the rapid weight loss you're going through. In fact, I lose more inches during those "down" weeks...so be sure to take body measurements periodically, to give you something other than pounds to look at for signs of success!! Stay strong....stay focused....and stay motivated!!! Laura

This is a dangerous topic, and often leads to people feeling discouraged, or like they're "failing", because they're not losing as much as quickly as others. We each function as individuals...especially in terms of weight loss...because we each take our own approach to the path we're on. My highest weight (in April, 2012) was 354 My surgery date was June 19th, and I weighed 302.4 Today, 4 months and 3 weeks later, I weigh 229 I average between 600 and 700 calories a day, and burn an average of 1300 calories/day, 6 days a week. I have "adjustment periods" (I refuse to call them "stalls") about every 12-14 days, that last 10-14 days...and they drive me crazy. All I can do is keep doing what I know works for me, and keep things in perspective. All the best Laura

A conversion to RYGB is definitely possible...in fact, the "sleeve" procedure was originally done as a first step towards a more "severe" form of weight loss surgery, for those patients who needed to lose weight before having the second procedure. If you're truly convinced the sleeve isn't working for you, make an appointment to speak with your surgeon. Talk with him about your concerns, go over your approach with him, and your nutritionist (including exercise and diet), and see if RYGB is a better solution for you. There may be simple adjustments you can make, to your diet and exercise, that would net you better results, and would be worth trying, before going for the more involved procedure. I wish you the best, Laura

Here's the recipe I used. The thinner you're able to roll/press it out, the crispier it'll be when baked. Enjoy!! The key ingredient to making this crust low carb is flax seed meal. What you will need: 1 1/2 cup of flax seed meal 2 tsp of baking powder 1 tsp of oregano 1 tsp of salt 1/2 tsp of Stevia or natural sweetener 3 eggs 3 tbs of olive oil 1/2 cup of Water Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. Add wet ingredients and mix well. Let the dough sit for about 5 minutes to thicken up. Spread dough on a large round pan. If you don't have this you can line a cookie sheet with greased parchment paper (this is what I did). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Check it at the 15 minute mark and take out if it looks done. Add toppings and place back into the oven to melt the cheese.

When you're able, if you really (REALLY) want to eat some pizza, I found a recipe on Pinterest for a pizza crust made from flax seed meal...the carbs are cancelled out by the Fiber content (1 for 1), and there's as much Protein in it as carbs...and it tastes YUMMY!! Put a little sauce on, and a little cheese, and whatever else you want, and eat a piece....cuz that's probably all you'll be able to eat LOL. It really is quite good, very healthy, and a GREAT option for those of us wanting the pizza experience, without the carbs and fat associated with the "real thing". Enjoy! Laura

Jennabelle...what's your username on MFP? I'd love to add you to my circle of friends!

Yay YOU!!! Keep up the good work!!

I'm so glad to be a help! Feel free to reach out any time! Laura

I've lost 70 pounds in the 4.5 months since my surgery, so I thought I'd share a few things about my approach. I typically eat between 550 and 650 calories/day, getting between 80-90 grams of protein/day, and limiting carbs (of any kind) to less than 30 grams/day. I'm able to eat about 1/2 cup of "solid" food at a meal, but no more (and sometimes not that much). I have 8 oz of Muscle Milk Light around 7am, before I go to the gym, then another 8 oz after I get done at the gym (between 9:30 and 10am). I have lunch around 12:30...usually 1/4 cup tuna salad (with fat-free miracle whip and sugar-free pickle relish), and 1/4 cup fat-free cottage cheese (or a low-fat string cheese). I have a "snack" around 3pm...usually a low-fat string cheese. For dinner I typically have 1-2 oz of lean Protein, and a couple bites of non-starchy vegetable, or 1/4 cup fat-free cottage cheese, depending on my mood. In the evening I usually have a Quest "chocolate brownie" Protein Bar, to ensure I get enough protein for the day. I average 80-100 oz of liquid (water, coffee, tea, Muscle Milk, etc) every day. As for they gym, I typically go 6 days a week, for 2 hours...I walk in the pool (think "power walk") for 90 minutes, then do 30 minutes of abdominal Water aerobics, in the deep end. This equates to roughly 1300 calories burned. Granted, I probably don't "need" to do as much as I do at the gym, and I "could" eat more calories, if I wanted....but....I want to get rid of the weight I have to lose, and I want to do it as quickly as possible. As it stands, I have about 58 pounds left to lose to reach my goal....with my current loss at 122 pounds, total. Its working for me....that's all I know. I wish you continued success!! Laura

WooHOO!! You're so close to the other side....to the "loser's bench"!! Its an amazing journey you've got ahead of you!! I wish you great success! Laura

I use the Celebrate "cherry tart" calcium PLUS 500 (with Vit. D), and really quite like them. They must not be quite the same as the Multivitamin. LOL I use the Celebrate sublingual Vit B12 (also cherry flavored), and like it. I buy a chewable Iron from Vitamin Shoppe (can't remember the brand off the top of my head)....its a berry flavor, pretty tarty, but not too bad.

I'm making up for all the years my mother refused to buy me Flintstones chewables when I was a kid! I LOVE them....twice a day!!

If you're wanting to snack on non-starchy veggies, I'd say go ahead and snack on them! In fact, my pre-surgical diet (the two weeks before my surgery) consisted of 3 meal replacements (protein shakes, protein bars, etc), and one small meal (4 oz of lean protein, 1/4 starch, and veggies)...but I could eat all the non-starchy veggies I wanted throughout the day. Check with your nutritionist....I'd bet you will get the ok to veggie-munch away to your heart's content!!

I highly recommend reading "The End of Overeating"....if you want to understand WHY you're struggling to not eat "bad" foods, this book will spell it out clearly for you. Change is hard...but you, and your health, are SO worth it!! Laura

I love Flintstones Complete chewables (make sure you get the "complete" version).....I'm making up for all the years my mom wouldn't buy them for me, as a child!!

Get a gummy bear and put it in a glass of water for a few hours....and you'll understand why many surgeons say avoid anything "gummy"! They swell significantly, and can cause a blockage.

Kimba...you ARE mourning foods!! That is very much a part of the process of changing your relationship with food. You (we!) have to completely retool how we think about food, and how we experience it when we eat. In addition, you're going through a REAL period of withdrawal...just like you would if you quit drinking or doing drugs. If you would like to know more about that, I highly recommend "The End of Overeating"....that book played a huge role in my being able to change my relationship with food!!!

Regarding your lunch tomorrow, I would strongly suggest you take lunch with you, so you're not tempted to eat things that aren't going to be healthy choices for you. I don't mean to be rude, or harsh, but....if you're not going to listen to your nutritionist about eating Beans (and/or chili), why are you worrying about trying bread? My advice would be to follow your nutritionist's instructions...to the letter...if you're truly worried about foods making you sick. If she/he hasn't said anything specific about bread, then don't try it until you've gotten clarification from your nutritionist. Asking a question like that on this site will get you a million answers, at least half of which will tell you its perfectly fine for you to eat whatever, whenever, because it didn't bother the person posting. The only opinion you should be concerned with is that of your nutritionist....because they're the only person you're paying to have an interest in your well-being. I wish you great success! Laura

I sent you a request...lollyfidy1965.

I order them through the Vitamin Shoppe website...they're like $27 for a box of 12, and come in a wide variety of flavors. (All the flavors I've tried I liked...apple, strawberry shortcake, vanilla almond, cinnamon bun, but the chocolate brownie ones are my favorite!) The numbers vary a little bit, from flavor to flavor, but not by much. The chocolate ones have 24 grams of carbs in a whole bar, but 19 of that is Fiber (so only 5 grams of "active" carbs). I hope my most recent order shows up today...I only have 1 Quest bar left, and am totally out of Muscle Milk (horrors!!)!!

As a rule, I don't eat more than a nibble of anything made of simple carbs (breads, Pasta, rice, potato, etc). In fact, the only time I've had bread, in the 4 months since my surgery, has been on Friday evenings, when we say the blessing over the challah, at our Shabbat dinner....and its literally a nibble. I recently found (at BJ's....a "warehouse club" like Sam's) some Flaxseed, Oat bran, and whole wheat pitas. They have almost as much Protein (6g) as carbs (8g), and almost as much Fiber (6g) as carbs...and at only 30 calories for half, they make a GREAT substitute for bread (and taste amazingly yummy, with a little fat-free Miracle Whip, some honey mustard, and 2 oz of oven roasted deli turkey stuffed inside!!). If you can find something like that, it'll be a much better choice than bread of any kind. As for the other starches...I have no interest in eating them. Rice, pastas, and potatoes are a large part of why I ended up needing surgery. They have no place in my post-surgical life. Laura

I'm also working with an 800 calorie-per-day goal, and pay no attention to the number of calories I burn through exercise. I eat primarily lean protein, to ensure I get enough protein, particularly on days when I do circuit training. I also have 16 oz of Muscle Milk Light every morning (8 oz before the gym, and 8 oz after)...that's my "breakfast", and I look forward to it every day. In the evening I usually have a Quest "chocolate brownie" protein bar...very yummy, and packed with 20 grams of protein. You're welcome to look through my diary (Chad), to see how I'm getting to my calorie total each day.

I was allowed to eat "thin" oatmeal when I moved to full liquids. It was recommended to add plain Protein powder to it, in order to make it a source of high-protein. I have chosen to not eat it, because I am very conscious of the amount of carbs I eat every day....and oatmeal is very high in carbs, compared to other food options. If you're program information doesn't mention oatmeal specifically, I would highly recommend you check with your surgeon or nutritionist before having some. All the best! Laura

I will often order an appetizer of shrimp cocktail, when we go out, and have that for my meal. Its usually 4 decent sized shrimp, and is always plenty to fill me up! AND....shrimp has next to no calories! YAY!

My best advice to you is to do everything your doctor, surgeon, and/or nutritionist recommend you do. If you do that, you should do just fine! I wish you the best, Laura