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I had surgery 2 days before Thanksgiving - talk about torture, LOL! I brought my Protein Shake to the table with me and drank while they ate. Luckily my family knew I couldn't prepare the food. I would say with a 7 year old and a 9 year old they are old enough to prepare dinner. I would sit down with them at the beginning of the week and have them suggest dinner options for each night that they can prepare. They each get 3 days for the week and the 7th day you can order them pizza or something else that they like. Make sure the meals they suggest are simple with just twoor three ingredients. There are TONS of websites for children cooking and what is age appropriate for each age. You might want to check with your local grocery store and see if they have kids cooking classes that they can attend as well. It will teach them good nutrition choices and how to appropriately use a stove. Also, utilize your resources. Tell your friends, co-workers and family that you're going to have surgery and you're concerned about getting your kids fed. Guaranteed they will chip in and make a casserole for each night. You might even have more food than you need. You know if it was one of them you'd jump at the chance of helping them out. Why not ask them for help when you need it? Good luck and congratulations on your surgery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ditto - Protein shakes. You have to drink them. Make sure the protein content is more than 50% of the carb content and lower calories. No more than about 200 per shake. You can get Protein powder at GNC, Walgreens, grocery store, wherever. My NUT recommends unjury protein shakes as well because they meet all of the requirements of a Protein Shake.

Hi, my name is Ellen, and I'm addicted to weighing myself. (Crowd roars, HI ELLEN!) I'm an addict too. I've given people advice but haven't taken it myself. So, I'm going to right now. Promise you'll do it with me. Put your scale in your trunk. We will only weigh every Tuesday morning. Will you promise me? I'll promise you and I'll stick to it!

I didn't have this issue, but I do have Aetna. If you call them, you can go on line and they show you their guidelines for approving bariatric surgery. The fact is, your surgeon should be providing them with all of the information they need to make the right decision. If you just had a brief period of time where you lost weight and it was due to a medical illness, I can't see that disqualifying you. If you did it through diet and exercise they might think, "Well, she can obviously lose the weight and be successful without surgery." That wasn't the case with you. Call them and talk to a counselor. See if there's any information they can give you. They won't tell you "Yes" over the phone, but they can reassure you of what you need to be approved. I've had 2 lap bands and the sleeve approved through Aetna. No issues to my knowledge. Good luck! Hang in there!

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love the before and after pic - what a difference! I go on a cruise in January and I'm super excited. Glad to know you can still stay on track even when cruising. Congratulations! You both look amazing!!!!

Maybe sugar in the raw would work for you?

My NUT said no gummies. But, I would say gummy vitamins are better than no vitamins. Definitely chewables are better. I was having issues with a liquid sublingual B12 - got really nauceous. Found out on this forum that there are sublingual dissolvables. They are SO MUCH better. My multivitamin is nature made (smaller than a lot of others but still on the bigger side). It has higher doses of iron and calcium so I don't have to take separate doses of those. Although I am told that caltrate chewables are really good for the calcium. Non-sweetened Almond Milk also has a TON of calcium in it - almost your entire day's worth. It's only 30 calories a serving and I typically use it in a smoothie. Also, take your vitamins with food. It helps. Taking them on an empty stomach is gross gross gross! LOL! Good luck. As your stomach heals, it will get easier to take pills, I promise!

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I just got a bunch. They did end being $20/box. When you originally clicked on it the site said $28/box. But then when you go to check out it adds another 30% discount. 3 boxes for $63 with tax!!!!

I LOVE SWEETS! Still do even after the sleeve. I did the exact same thing you did with the band - ate around it with Cookies, ice cream, etc. The first time I ate a cookie after the sleeve, I was on the toilet for a good half hour afterwards. NOT worth it! (sorry to be graphic). So in order to get around my cravings, because they are still there, I do certain things to help. If it's that TOM, I get sugar free chocolate pudding and fat free whipped cream. They also have Sugar Free Chocolate pudding pops that are only 90 calories each. Both help me get through the craving. One thing I learned from my nutritionist is that if you are a sugar addict, which I am, once you start in the morning you can't stop. I also learned on My 600 lb life that a sugar addiction is harder to kick than a cocaine addiction. Not surprised! Anyway, if you use Sweet N Low, Equal, or any other kind of aspartame sweetener, your brain CANNOT distinguish between that and regular sugar. So, even if you eat low fat yogurt with berries and it has aspartame in it, it's just as bad as eating sugar straight out of the bowl. It will give your brain the same sugar reaction as regular sugar. I can tell you that if you do not have sugar first thing (no oatmeal, because it spikes your blood sugar and is too creamy - no sweet n low in your coffee, only splenda or truvia, etc.), you will NOT crave sweets during the day. If you don't start, you won't crave. I promise. Try it for one day. Plan your menu the day before - so like eggs for Breakfast, black coffee, a chef's salad with no dressing (or add salsa, that's yummy!), fish for dinner. Water or plain iced tea to drink. Guaranteed you won't even think about sweets.

I told my husband after I started losing weight where I started. My weight has never mattered to him and he's my biggest cheerleader. I finally told him and my daughter where I started with my weight loss because 1) I wanted them to know how far I've come and 2) I want to be held accountable. They DO NOT care how much I used to weigh or how much I weigh now. I could be 50 pounds or 500 pounds and they wouldn't love me any differently. They just want me to be happy and health and able to participate in activities with them. How lucky am I?

Thank you everyone for the suggestions!!! I don't have problems wtih anything except the liquid sublingual B12. So, I think I'll take the suggestion of the sublingual tablet. If that doesn't work, I'll have to ask my surgeon for injections. I can't handle wanting to throw up every time I put that liquid under my tongue! Everything else seems to work and taking the Multivitamin in the morning really works since I take it with Breakfast to avoid any upset stomach from it. I also take a Fiber pill at the same time to avoid "poop" problems, lol!

I didn't know the sublingual B12 came in pill form. I'll definitely have to try it. I didn't have any problems with Vitamins before this sublingual liquid. Thanks for the advice!

I agree with "TheRealMeIsHere". Congratulations on taking the first step! I too was very worried about my starting weight and didn't want anyone to know - especially my family. When I started losing, I was so proud of the weight I had lost I told them where I started and where I am now. I also put it on my signature. For me, it keeps me accountable. Originally, I wouldn't even step on the scale and when I went to the doctor's office I always looked away when they weighed me. I didn't want to own up to how high I had gotten. I finally faced it, once and for all, and haven't looked back except to say I'll never be that weight again. Just a thought, but you might want to tell someone you trust where you're starting (even your dog would be a good ear for you!) and keep that one person (or canine, lol) up to date on where you're going. I think just bridging the gap with one will help you with your feelings of shame and uncover the "mystery" you've created around your weight. One thing you also might want to consider is telling these folks that you'd prefer to keep things private and would like for them to honor that. They will, I promise. Good luck on your journey! I hope you select the surgeon who is best for YOU and not based on where your friends work.

I agree with the Quest bars. I also have Power Crunch bars which are like sugar wafers we used to eat as a kid. I love the Peanut Butter fudge which tastes like a Nutty Bar! I've always been a sugar craver - I love sweets. So these have been good options for me.

I totally laughed out loud at your description! Not laughing AT you, but laughing WITH you because the exact same thing has happened to me. You're just sitting there and WHAMMO!!! I would agree that it was your sleeve and digestive system's ways of telling you "not yet". Thanks for the laugh!

It won't keep happening - but like they say, don't trust a fart. Now that you're still doing liquids, everything coming out will be liquid as well. It won't be like this for long.

My step mom told me I have lost a few chins (backhanded compliment???). But mine has to be tying my shoes without having to turn my foot sideways to do it. I have a turkey neck which I am incredibly proud of - I know it sounds silly but it's an indication to me that the pounds are coming off. Of course, climbing the stairs without dying is a huge accomplishment as well. What a great topic! VERY encouraging!!!!

Have you gone to your surgeon? Have you gone to a nutritionist? Those would be my first courses of action. I wasn't losing like I wanted the first month and immediately went to see the nutritionist. I see you're tracking your calories, getting your Water and Protein but are you exercising? If you're only taking in 600-800 calories a day, and you're not expending energy, your body is going to think you're starving and keep all of that weight. Get moving. Even if it's just across your living room. Don't mean to sound gross, but are you "moving your bowels"? If not, you need to add Fiber supplements to get things moving down there. I'm a slow loser as well - 30 pounds in just over 3 months - so I know where you're coming from. Talk to your doctor!!!

My surgeon told me not until after 3 months out. So, I waited. I had a glass last Friday, finished it, and poured another. Then, I did something I've never done before - I poured it out. I had a few sips but then my mind said, OK, I'm done. I swear to you that has never happened to me before. I was like the other responder who said she used to be able to have a bottle of wine and it wouldn't affect her at all. I wasn't drunk but I could certainly feel it. I was just finished. Didn't want any more. I think the bottom line is that everyone is different. If you want a drink, or a glass of wine, etc., have one. See what it does. Just be careful because, like everyone else has said, it's empty calories.

I don't count my calories as my surgeon and nutritionist wanted me to focus on Protein and ensuring I get 60 grams or more per day. I'm feeling a little less hungry now so I think it may have just been a phase or perhaps my cycle coming around again. Thanks for all of the advice!!!

I am about 3 months out from my sleeve surgery and I feel like I'm super hungry this week. I have a Protein bar in the morning, greek yogurt for a snack, a good lunch, another snack, and dinner. But this past week I feel like I keep reaching for food. I'm trying to make smart choices but those damned girl scout Cookies are in the house. I've slipped and had a few but tried to make other choices. What the hell is going on? Why do I constantly feel hungry? Has anyone else gone through this?

I had the lap band for 6 years. I had a slip and it was fixed and when that happened I gained back 50 of the 60 pounds I had lost and never could lose again. I had a revision to a sleeve done in November (2 days before Thanksgiving). For me, it's night and day. I haven't thrown up with the sleeve at all (except right after surgery which is typical). I "chew for 22" and take in my Protein first. So far, I haven't had issues with any foods except for sweets. My sweet tooth got the better of me and I had Cookies one day which caused what I considered to be "dumping" syndrome (to be blunt, I was on the toilet for about an hour afterwards). I haven't made that mistake since. According to my surgeon, the only food/drink I'm not allowed to ingest once the stomach heals is carbonation. Well, if you've had the band you haven't been able to have carbonation either so it's really no loss. If I eat a Breakfast sandwich, I'll typically remove the top portion of the sandwich because the breads fill me up too quick. My best advice? Go slow. Eat slowly. When I say chew for 22, I mean chew every bite at least 22 times. Once you get to solid foods, stay away from mushy stuff. That's where I got into danger with my band. Mushy foods that slid through because the solid protein hurt too much. You don't hurt with the sleeve - at least I don't. If I eat too fast, yes there's pain. So, just like with the band, if you eat slowly and be mindful of what you're doing, you'll do great. I'm down 31 pounds since the surgery. Slower than I wanted but I'm pretty dang happy with it. I'll never be 300 pounds again I'll tell you that for sure. I'm glad I did the sleeve. I wish I could do it on my own without this tool. But, all things considered, it was a good choice for me and I'm happy I made it. Good luck to you!

Find yummy Protein bars. Sometimes they're just as good as candy! I love Power Crunch and Quest. Both have excellent chocolate bars. The Power Crunch taste like the old sugar wafer Cookies we had as kids. Quest makes a chocolate chip cookie dough that is just incredible. If you get a craving, grab a Protein Bar. It may be more calories than what you want at the time, it's a heck of a lot better than eating empty candy calories. I've also found that when I want to get candy or soda, I do something else first (put laundry in the washer, let the dogs outside, run the dishwasher, get my clothes ready for work the next day, etc.). When I'm done with that my mind is in a different place. If I'm still "hungry" I'll grab a small cottage cheese or something. Try to redirect your impulse when it hits you. I told someone earlier today, if you absolutely must have the candy (or soda), just have a bite then throw the rest away. Or just have a sip and throw the rest away. I'd highly recommend staying away from soda and finding another drink you love just as much. The carbonation is so harmful to the sleeve and your body. Maybe I'm giving bad advice, but I know myself well enough to know that the more I deny what I'm craving, the more I crave it. Sometimes just having that one little bite is all I need to work through the craving. Most of the time, though, if I've redirected myself, the craving leaves altogether. Please please please don't sabotage your success. If you're feeling weak, post something on here. Read through everyone's stories. Do something else. You have a support group here and we will do what we can to help you out!

I too worked in an office where there was candy around ALL THE TIME! And, regardless of my feelings, there were so many people who would eat it that it just didn't matter to them. Personally, I brought in Protein bars that I really liked (I just got some Quest Bars - chocolate chip cookie dough). I ate them super slow and by the time I was finished with a bar, I didn't even want the candy. Keep in mind that this will always happen to you. There will always be something that you want right in front of you. You won't be able to stay away from it. Maybe, go ahead and take one of the candies, take a bite and throw the rest away. Just because it's there and you want some doesn't mean you have to eat the entire thing. Now, if you're doing that with 5 of them per day that may be a different issue, lol! But, if you really want one and can't get your mind off of it, wait until much later in the day, take one, take a bite, and throw it away. You'll get your satisfaction without eating the entire thing. Good luck! You can do this!!!

So happy for you!!!