LzL

I agree... losing the 5 lbs should not me the issue. The main reason for the pre-op diet is to shrink your liver to prepare you for the surgery. Hang in there. Sure hope it goes well for you.

I know exactly how frustrating these stalls are. Especially because this was my first stall so soon after surgery. 2 weeks post-op I stalled, BIG TIME. It lasted for 5 1/2 weeks before it finally broke. So far it's working and I hope I keep losing. It was suggested to me I was in starvation mode. What I did was changed up my pattern and added 100-200 calories to my diet by eating an extra snack. (I know, tough to do when your new stomach is so small). But essentially I was trying to fool my body into believing it was no longer starving. I also started doing 1 vegie/fruit blast each day. Since surgery, I haven't had the room to eat the vegies and fruits after eating the protien foods, so by doing a blast it seems to take care of a few things. I can now get my vegies/fruits in (plus the fiber) and I add a small handful of nuts to include the protein. It also counts as a liquid. And it's really easy on the digestion and helps things along, which is an extra plus. I started this 8 days ago. My stall broke 4 days ago and I've lost an additional 3 lbs since my stall. It works for me...

You have to remember that for the average sleever, you can expect to loose around 75% of the weigh you need to lose. For you, at 5'8" and with the weight you have already lost, you have passed that 75% right now. And according to the BMI charts... You are no longer obeses and you are only 3 points away from being consider overweight. A huge milestone for your 1 year anniversary. You should be very proud of yourself for getting this far.

68 lbs... Amazing. If you do the math... 68 lbs in 1 yr equals out to 5.66 lbs lost per month... which equals out to 1.41 lbs per week. The average weight loss when dieting is 1-2 lbs per week. And if you have sustained that for a whole year... you are way ahead of the curve. Awsome Job... CONGRATULATIONS!

I can sooooo relate with your weight stall issue. I've been going through the same thing myself. My WLS was in early July. I lost 25 lbs in the 3 months prior to surgery and only 5 lbs during the pre-op diet stage. 2 weeks after surgery I lost an additional 15 lbs. Then HALT! NADA! ZILCH! NOTHING! for 5 weeks... OH MY GOD! What happened... Why did I stop losing! I figured this was some kind of joke someone was playing on me or something. I also know that I'm consuming way fewer calories than the recommended daily allowance. So why was I not losing? What I came to the conclusion was that there was more going on that needed to be addresses. So like the detective I am, I did some research. I found that the reason for the stall is what they call "starvation mode". It's when your body is in diet mode for a long period of time and your body has adjusted to the new levels of nutrition you are consuming. It's like your body is hanging on to every ounce because it thinks you need to keep it. I also found that because I am consuming so much protein, I also am not getting in the fruits and vegies as much as I like to. So here's what I did: I started adding a vegie/fruit smoothie every day to my diet. These smoothies can be incorporated with nuts to give you extra protein as well. Because they are a smoothie, the whole vegies and fruits will go through your stomach very easy without upsetting because it is all liquid. It not only helped "move things along", but it gave me a lot more balance. I also increased my calories by 100-200 calories a day. (I know... not easy after your stomach has been shrunk to the size of your fist). But if you add an extra snack in... it helps. Instead of 3 meals/snacks... I increased to 4 meals/snacks... Less time in between meals, so my body does not recognize that I'm 'starving' for food. Another thing I've done is started logging my food and liquid intake on a calorie/nutrition website that calculates your nutrition values. I use My Fitness Pal. The calculator logs calories, protein, fats and carbs. That way you can tell each day if you are getting the recommended nutrition you need to stay healthy and still loose. If you get too few calories for too many days in a row, the calcualtor will let you know you can be in danger of 'starvation mode' which will possibly inhibit your weight loss. I've started losing again (3 lbs) so now I'm no longer trying to through my scale through the bathroom window. Sooo, if I go through a stall again, (and I know it will happen), I know that all I have to do is change up my diet and kick start it with fluctuating my daily calorie intake and change one or tow of my diet choices by either eating a bit more, or more often or drinking more fluids, or eating more vegies or something that will change the routine. Anyway... hope this helps.

I went through the same crying spells you are having now. Your hormones are wacked out of alignment and everyting is emotional. The pre-op diet phase probably didn't help much either because probably you went into surgery feeling like you could have eaten off your arm. I promise you... it will get better. When your new stomach heals enough to eat more solid foods, you'll feel much more like yourself. Just remember the reason you had the surgery. Stay positive, and if you can, we're here for you...

I used to think it was easier for me as a single person to eat quickly prepared foods. But since my surgery, I found that to be exactly the oposite. I rarely eat out at a fast food place anymore. I prepare meals and snacks with whole foods so much more often (at least 80% of the time). It's more of an awareness to keep sugar and fat out of my daily routine that keeps me eating 'clean' foods.

I want to wish you the very best with your upcoming surgery. Happy thoughts!

I can relate. I'm still having problems dealing with excercise. The femroal nerve pain I've been experiencing is preventing me from extending my LEFT leg while I'm walking, so I limp... badly. And the shooting pain with each step makes it so hard to walk for more than a few minutes at a time. I have to say, however, this pain is nothing compared to the multiple pains from the last 4 years in my spine, hips and RIGHT leg (which are improving since post-op 2 months ago). I'm hoping what I'm going through now is just a phase and won't last for too terribly long. I know movement is important, but excercise is still a big challenge for me. I'm really looking forward to get away from handicapped parking and walking in the grocery store on my own instead of riding in a stupid scooter cart. Maybe I should try a new bed... can't hurt. I've tried everything else.

This problem will also depend on how far you are out from your surgery. If it's in the early stages post-op, I would definitely be concerned. Best to call your doctor's office just in case.

My fears were overwhelming before my surgery, But then I thought about the regret of staying at my current weight (or even worse, continually gaining). If you are anything like me, the weight issues were much more than just some extra baggage. It was also affecting my overall health. Since my surgery, the weight loss has been a gift. It's only been 2 months and many of my medical issues are now reversing themselves (already). And it's only going to get better. Everyone has a different story. Mine is that I had to choose between being physically unable to live a normal life and eventually be wheelchair bound, or get my life back in control and do something about it. This was the best decision I could have made. Keeping good thoughts for you... good luck.

Cereal is one of my favorite quick foods that I now have to re-think when I fix a bowl. I used to have a full bowl, but after surgery, it took an act of God to get down even 1/4 the amount. I'm now 7 weeks out and can eat some of the lighter types of cereal like Rice Chex. I stick to whole grain cereal. I measure out 1/2 a cup and use skim milk. I try not to get into trying to eat it all, just eating until my tummy says "OK... that's enough". It's no longer how much I eat, but rather that I'm glad I can eat this stuff again. Try oatmeal or cream of wheat... a bit watered down at first. You'll gradually eat more solidly at the weeks/months go on. Hang in there.

Slim Fast Ultima has to different types. Read the ingredients. One of them has 9 OR 10gm of Protein, the other has 20gm. The second is low in low in sugar, 2gm, but it also has 9 gm of fat. For me, I tried the powder protein mixes, and unless you can mix them with other things that tastes good, like lots of fruits, yogurts, etc... the powders are horibble. BUT, you will find the powders also have low sugar AND low fat. Since you are in your pre-op phase, you need to go by what the doctor recommends. The purpose of the pre-op diet is to go for as low sugar and fat as you can. The purpose is to shrink your liver for the surgery. READ THE INGREDIENTS...

Pills are many times too large, even several weeks post-op. So if you don't have gummies or liquid, what I've done is mill them in my coffee grinder. I take a multiple, calicum and a B-complex. I also take prescription meds and I just grind them all and add it to a tablespoon SF applesauce. Goes down smooth and you don't have to worry about them not being absorbed into your system.

Great question.! I'm wondering the same thing. I'm 6 wks out and I've been on a stall for almost 3 weeks. Though my doctor doesn't seem to be worried, and says the same thing. That I'm not eating that much and can increase if I wanted. Never thought I'd hear someone say to eat more before. I wonder if I may be stretching my stomach or something. But since I write down all my meals, I can't see how that would happen because I eat comparably only 3-4 oz of food at each meal. It's not fun to watch the scale stand still let alone gain when you know you are eating next to nothing. If anyone has and answer, please let us know... thanks

I had thoughts just like you. I could give myself a million reasons not to finally go through with WLS. Not sure if I could handle it. Not sure if it could handle me... But it wasn't until I started having physical limitations that kept me from walking in a grocery store without crying from horrific back pain after only a 5 minute walk from the parking lot into the store. I got to the point where I was using a handi-capped plaquard in order to get close to the front door of the store, so I could ride around in one of those stupid go-cart to go grocery shopping. On top of all of that, I had an extreme thyroid condition, hypertension and pre-diabetes, (none of which was getting any better either). I had lots of swelling in my legs daily that created permanent red marks circling my shins. I think it was either the beginnings of lymphedema or some kind of ulceration that was happening. I went to a Chiropractor, an Orthopedic specialist and a Pain Management specialist with 3 years of medical care. The chronic pain I was experiencing was getting worse, not better. I finally had to do something. I knew in my heart that if I lost weight, some of these issues would get better. So I finally made the commitment and I'm very happy to say that after all the hard work I went through these last three years, it pales in comparison of what has happened in only the last month since my post-op. It took several months of planning, and along the way, I slowed down my eating habits before my pre-op and managed to lose 18 lbs before my pre-op. I lost 5 lbs during pre-op and an additional 20 lbs. post-op. What more important is that some of the horrific and painful physical issues have gotten better. My diabetes issue is gone, my hypertension is just about gone and will be med free soon. My thyroid, well, that will always be an issue, but it is better under control and less dosage on the meds. My back pain? WOW!... I haven't had to take a muscle relaxer or pain meds since the surgery. The swelling in my legs is gone. It's much easier to walk around. And even though I still park close to the store, I can now walk through the store with no problem. I still feel the stress, but it's not enough to stop me from walking. If I had any doubts before the surgery, I must have been out of my mind, because the results have been more successful than 3 years of physical therapy without the surgery. So... for me? This was a no brainer. Wheelchair bound, or freedom of walking. WLS was the best thing I could have ever done for myself and for my health. Hope this is a help to you.

WAY COOL! I thought our company had great benefits... This really beats anything I've ever seen. I'm hoping to find a good support group near me, but so far, I only found things for surgery and what leads up to it. Not much available post-op. Don't get me wrong, this on-line group is great, but I think it would be wonderful to have inner action with live folks too. A sleeve buddy... I really like that idea.

Update... My stall broke yesterday... My scale went down one pound. YEAH! Hopefully this will continue beyond the one pound. I saw my doc for my 1 month post-op and told him what happened. He said this is totally normal. Of course it's really not very reassuring when your goal is to drop the pounds. But he said this will happen from time to time, and even if you are not losing 'weight', you are probably losing 'inches'. As long as you are on track with your progress, the weight WILL come off. Anyway, he said Water, water, water... and the subliminal jab at the forever in the back of your mind... 'EXCERCISE'. This is not so easy as it seems. Especially if you have physical challenges to begin with. My physical efforts have been reallllllly slow at getting up the enthusiasm. My spine specialist is waiting until my second month post-op to put me in a PT regemine. I'm sure at that time things will pick up. Til then, walking in the water is my form of excercise.

WOW! I am sooo relieved to know that I'm not the only one who has stalled. I thought someone was playing a little dirty joke on me after all the work with the pre-op/post op. I'm 4 wks out and I'm doing all the right things, but I've stalled since 2 weeks ago. Energy is still a problem too, but that's actually getting a bit better. I just could not understand why I wasn't losing if I know I'm eating next to nothing every day. Hopefully, we will all start losing again and then we can all do the happy dance.

I can so appreciate where you started from. I was also the "fat chick" all my life. My new surgi-birthday is July 6th, very close to yours. How is it going for you so far? Me? it's going OK. I have my good days, and then sometimes not so good, but for the most part, I've lost more weight since I started this journey than I every have my entire life. So those not-so-good days... will pass. I lost a bit of weight before surgery and have lost an additional 15lbs. since my surgery. Yahhh! Best regards... LzL

I also had my surgery with Dr. Verboonen. He also performs surgery in Cancun. I flew there because there was no way on God's green earth that I would have been able to afford to do it in the US. This was my only hope to get this surgery. Otherwise, I'd be stuck in my heavy body forever. My decision was a good one. The experience was excellent and I am now 6 wks post-op and home doing just fine. I know your surgery will go well. LzL

Last week I was out with a friend who lovvvvves his chicken wings... Well, I'm still supposed to be on soft foods, but I couldn't resist. I took one chicken wing and de-boned it and removed the fat and chewed very, very, very thoroughly. (not easy to do by the way). It took about 1/2 an hour, but I managed to eat the whole wing and was satisfied. Go figure! Me, eating only 1 wing... That's one for the books.

Menallty prepared is what I've been for months prior to my surgery. I have been dillegent with what my pre-op, post-op and now soft food diets. It's been almost 5 weeks post-op and I've only lost 15 lbs. I haven't lost anything for almost 10 days... I hear of so many who lose 30 lbs or more their first month and are elated with this new found energy. I'm still wondering when all this wonderful energy is supposed to kick in. I still can't seem to get up enough steam to exercise regularly. Especially after working all day. I get home and fall asleep before 6:00 pm. Most of the time I try to stay positive and I'm very glad I've lost some weight, but it's a daily struggle. Being regular is my biggest challenge. It seem like even with as little as I'm eating, that everything goes in and absolutely nothing comes out... I'm not sure if that is a big deal or not, because I don't know if this is normal, but it seems to me that you can't just keep taking in food and lose weight without letting some of it go. I hope this is only beginner's bad luck syndrome and things will pick up with the progress.

Swimming is also great for those who have spine issues. I have oestoarthritis in 2 vertebrae and one facet joint that is litterally frozen and does not flex much at all. I use water weights in the deep end and do water jogging in place of normal laps. Basically that is running in place while I hold the waterweights down with my hand. I'm almost always vertical and try real hard not to hyper extend my spines. So regular lap swimming is out. I can acutally do more damage if I'm not careful. For those of you who have severe back pain, be sure your doctor or therapist knows what you are doing in the water. Water can really be your friend when you have physical limitations.

July 7th is my surgery date. At this point, the pre-op diet has left me exhausted. But it's worth the effort in the end.