mistysj

I left my diabetes in the hospital and reduced my estrogen by 50%.

The coffee guidelines vary WIDELY by surgeon and nutritionist / dietitian. I was able to have coffee the day after surgery, in the hospital. But you didn't pay us to give you nutritional advice -- use your nutritionist or doctor for this type of question. Also if you search "coffee" you will find a million similar threads with similar answers.

Dean I noticed that you use a ticker each for your weight and BMI, but my weight one has my BMI? Not sure why it is different. I lost 1.9 kilos! I am so happy. I feel like I will do even better now that I have a new plan. I did email Di the dietitian (lol) because in practice, I am finding it VERY hard to tailor my meals to her numbers. If I understand it right, she wants me to have at least 8 grams of Protein a meal, no more than 5 grams of fat, and no more than 9 grams of carbs. THAT IS HARD. Today I have been concentrating on lower fat but it has meant that I have higher carbs. I also figured out that if I follow her plan to the T I will only get 684 calories a day, because protein and carbs each have 4 calories a gram and fat has 9 calories a gram. So I wrote her a really nerdy email. I should paste it here so you guys can laugh at me for being so OCD.

How long since you had a healthy BMI, Deano? You must look and feel fantastic!

Well I guess the book club didn't work. I finished the book and it has some food things and some things that didn't connect with me. I most liked the idea of taking our Ideas and beliefs "to inquiry" and asking if we know they are true or if the opposite could be true. I am not sure if her hard line on abstinence is the only way to go. I did think her idea that hunger is healthy in small doses is also a good one.

Hi all! On the advice of someone in another thread (I can't remember who, sorry) I have begun reading this book: http://www.amazon.com/Skinny-Thinking-Revolutionary-Permanently-Relationship/dp/1600377491 It deals with the psychological side of eating, especially for those of us who feel like we think about food a lot and overeat compulsively. It's not gimmicky so far, though I'm not that far into it yet. It occurred to me that it might be helpful to have a small group of folks reading it together and talking about it. Is anyone interested? It's available as paperback, for Kindle (my preference) or on iBooks. It may be available as an audiobook too but I'm not sure that would be the best format to get the most out of it. If anyone is interested, just let me know. I think it would be cool to read a chapter one week, and try to apply it the next week, then read another chapter, apply that one, etc.

I bet some dietitians would do a telephone consult. But you can also follow one of the many published guidelines out there. I made a list of all of the ones I could find from well respected hospitals and research facilities. http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/85182-list-of-vsg-post-op-diets-from-surgeons/ Yes I saw a new dietitian today, but I hope I won't need to see her often once I get into the groove. If I hit a big stall or when I want to go into maintenance. But I do think there is a lot of info out there for people who don't have ready access to a dietitian. The only feedback I have on what you posted you eat is that it seems like pretty low calories and low Protein too especially since you hardly get any protein before noon. But then again it is working for you. I know we are supposed to have protein to preserve our muscle mass which helps our metabolism. How many calories and protein do you get in a day? I saw you added me on MFP but I think you have your food diary private.

You go to Friends and then Add Friends. It will ask you for their email address but you can put the username instead.

First, I want to say that I am happy with my weight loss so far (23 pounds in 7 weeks), although it is slowing significantly to less than 1 kg (2 lb) per week the last three weeks. Next, I want to say that I understand that there seem to be as many diet plans after the sleeve as there are dietitians. I actually have an appointment with a different dietitian who was recommended to me by a friend who has also had VSG, as a "second opinion" on what my primary dietitian (who works with my surgeon) has told me. When I spoke with this other dietitian on the phone she agreed with me that the diet my current dietitian has me on might not be the best choice for me. My current dietitian also uses basically the same diet for people with the band and sleeve, just reducing the calories a bit for the sleeve versus the band. The liquid stage was fairly standard. In the puree stage I was told that half of every puree should be lean Protein, a quarter should be non-starchy veg, and a quarter should be grain-based starch (rather than potato or other starchy veg), because the grain-based starches give us B1 and other important Vitamins. OK. This worked fine, even though it seemed a lot more specific than most people have for the puree phase. Then, he didn't really have a soft food stage, but just moved me straight to full foods, giving me some advice about things that I may have trouble tolerating at first. It turns out I haven't had trouble tolerating anything. The thing I am having trouble with is the composition of the full food diet. His advice is a lot different from almost everything I see here. Here is the guideline he told me: 1. I am to have a balanced meal, not particularly high in protein or particularly low in carb or fat. This is to make sure that I'm getting all the nutrients I need. 2. I should be eating around 1000 calories a day. He reckons I am burning around 1800 calories a day and this will promote a 2-4 kg (4-8 lb) loss per month. 3. I should not count calories. Instead I should be using an exchange diet as follows: a. 3-4 servings a day of grain-based carbs. A serve is one slice of bread, 1/2 cup rice, 1 cup Pasta (1/2 cup if it's dense or small), or 2-4 whole grain crackers depending the size. b. Max 1 serving starchy vegetables a day. A serving is 1 medium potato or 1/2 cup mashed potato c. 4 servings other vegetables a day. A serving is 1/2 cup cooked veggies or 1 cup of salad d. 1-3 servings fruit a day. A serving is 5-6 strawberries, 1 medium apple, 1 medium orange, 2 small mandarines, 2 plums, etc. e. 4 servings dairy a day. A serving is 1/2 cup milk or yogurt, or 1 slice of cheese (like the Kraft slices) f. A palm-sized 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick amount of protein, spread over 2-3 meals, per day. g. One teaspoon of fat or oil per day, or 1/8 avocado h. A max of 2 alcoholic drinks per week, and a max of 2 Desserts or other "treats" per week I am nervous that this diet has too many calories and too little protein. I am also nervous about the idea of not logging my food (he is strongly against logging and counting calories, because he doesn't think it is a natural behavior for live). I am also nervous that it is so different from what most people seem to be doing. Is anyone else here on a similar "exchange" type diet, instead of having a set number of calories or protein per day? Is anyone else on a diet that is radically different from the high-protein low-carb low-fat diet that most people seem to use?

You are doing awesome! I'm taking Elevit with iodine. It is a prenatal Vitamin but highly recommended for Sleevers. It is behind the counter at the chemist.

Thanks Bec! I saw the new dietitian today and I am so pleased. Here is what she said. I need 50 grams of Protein for now and over time will be able to hold more. It should be spread equally through the day. Around 50 grams of carbs is good for now. Spread evenly too. Try to only have 5 grams of fat in a meal to help with my dumping. If that doesn't work she wants me to take a probiotic and try a few other things. She changed me from caltrate to citracal. She liked my Multivitamin. She stressed that I need to spread my Water through the day and get enough so my digestive system can work right. I need more if I am dumping and maybe an electrolyte drink. I will try all this and I see her in a month!

Wow! 2 kg sounds so achievable! Can you believe it? How do your kids feel about their mum's new look?

I had a great time meeting Kelli for lunch today. We split a fabulous grilled salmon fillet. Could have split it in thirds as we had a big chunk left over! I hope more people can make it next time. I also met with my new dietitian today and really like her! She shared my concerns about my previous plan. She would like me to get 50 grams each of Protein and carbs for now, evenly spread through the day. And limit myself to around 5 grams of fat per meal to see if that helps with my gastro issues. She also wants me to take a probiotic for a month and she changed my Calcium from caltrate to citracal. She was happy I am taking elevit with iodine. Oh and she is happy for me to have around 800 calories a day rather than the 1000 the other dietitian wanted. And I have to do better with my Water. She explained that the digestive muscles need to be wet to work right and they will pull liquid from elsewhere if you don't give them enough. She said I have to spread my water throughout the day and if I still have gastro I should consider taking a diluted electrolyte drink. I will see her in a month and I am excited to implement this plan! Although the fat will be really hard. Can't have cheese with any other fat at all for instance. And no cheese on eggs. Also if I keep my fat that low and my carbs that low, I really have to have 80 grams of protein for it to work out. I need to email her about that I think.

My new dietitian thinks I am eating too much fat and dumping. She asked me to try to stick to 5 grams of fat or less per meal. She gave me a few other suggestions but said to try that first. I will let you know how it goes. And yes it is still going on 8 weeks out.

I downloaded the app and I'm going to start this. I'm going to join a gym and do it there for two reasons: 1. I can't wuss out when it gets hot in the summer (it's winter now here in Australia) 2. I have ligament damage in my right ankle and its very prone to sprains. I've never had one on the treadmill but have a few a year outside just from walking around. I need surgery but want to wait until I'm smaller so crutches get easier. 3. There is a gym right across from my office so there is literally no excuse. I have actually done this workout several times in my past. The first was in 2001 when it was just an article in Runners World and I was in the midst of losing 35 kg (70 pounds) on Weight Watchers. That was on the treadmill. Then I did it again outside with my husband. Running outside was harder. Then I did it again when I was fat again and it didn't go well. But I think it will be good for me to do it again as long as I pair it with strength training. I love how it feels to be a runner. I ran track and field in high school (800 meters, 1600 meters, and 3200 meters) and it was a big source of pride. Not sure if I will start it this week as I have a business trip coming up that will have me in India for three weeks. I don't relish the thought of running in Indian traffic but I think there is a gym I will have access to. But if I join the gym tomorrow I will e paying for 3 weeks I won't be using. Hmm. I'm slowly skimming through this thread but thought I would post and say hello. Sorry for the rambling!

This one is great and everyone should read it before AND after surgery. http://www.amazon.com/The-Emotional-First-Aid-Kit/dp/0976852659

It's the Internet. Some people put way too much weight into what happens on the Internet. The best thing you can do for your mental health is to get out in the real world. Go for walks, go to the movies, visit a museum or art gallery. Broaden your perspectives. And please continue your therapy. Most of us need it. I hope you find some in-real life friends and are able to work through your self-esteem issues. I think most of us who are obese have been emotionally abused for most of our lives and the scars take a lot of work to heal. As for me, I have realized that certain parts of this site wear me down instead of giving me support, and I've started avoiding them.

Retro, I'm in Briabane (south side) and used Dr. Adib, the same as Shell. He was great and I had no complications. As others have said, the first step is to get a referral from your GP. Well that's not true, the first step is to do a lot of research. I recommend reading a few books, which you can find as ebooks or paperback on Amazon.com. 1. The Sleeved Life - this is one woman's description of her journey. 2. The Big Book of the Gastric Sleeve - this is by the same man who runs this forum itself and it is absolutely full of great info. You can read it cover to cover or you can use it as a reference. 3. Your Complete Guide to Nutrition for Weight Loss Surgery - this is by Sally Johnston who is an Australian doctor. She has tons of info and tons of recipes using ingredients to be found in Australian supermarkets. She talks about kilos, grams, and degrees Celsius. I really think everyone should do a ton of reading and research on their own before going to their GP. Your GP is very likely to suggest the lap band as it is still extremely popular in Australia. It's easier to talk to your GP about the sleeve if you are prepared beforehand. And you will be able to gauge your emotional level of readiness based on how you react to what you read. As for me, I just got back from brunch with the girls, at coffee Club. I ordered an espresso to come before the meal and only had time to finish half before the food came. Luckily it was only about 1/4 cup total so I wasn't full of liquid. I ordered a cheese and salmon omelet and on,y ate about 1/3, and half a slice of toast. I was and still am very full. I felt a bit bad sending back so much food but I explained to the waitress that it was great, I just couldn't eat much at the moment. For lunch and dinner yesterday my husband made me stir fry on his new outdoor propane wok ring. Sooo good. I will have more for dinner tonight. He is making mine with tofu since I love it and he dislikes it. I have about 2/3 a cup cooked, and a tbsp or so of rice. I do find that it's hard to eat more than about 8 grams of Protein from a stir fry though. What about this rain?

Sounds like you have a great plan. We will support you 100% and I certainly hope you succeed!

A couple weeks it will be bad. I'm still gassier than usual 7 weeks out but it's manageable. My doctor said if the gas goes across your hips from right to left and then travels down your left side, it is probably (temporary) lactose intolerance because that's the large intestine turns into the colon.

Brendan, something else to consider. Do you know ANYONE who has lost as much as you want to, with diet and exercise, and kept it off for more than a few months? I know ONE and she will be doing Weight Watchers and running marathons for the rest of her life to keep it off. She even became a personal trainer so she can exercise enough and still work. She is so unique that she was written up as a WW success story and used on their advertising in America. I'm not trying to be discouraging. But statistics show you won't be able to lose and keep the weight off on your own. I hope you can. If so, you will have accomplished something that is nearly impossible. In comparison, over 80% of people with the sleeve lose 60% of excess weight and keep it off for more than 5 years.