texaschick

Anybody else out there not have restriction after 6 months or so? I never lost weight at the speed others did and my weight loss slowed to a trickle after 3 months and stopped completely at 4 months. Granted, I have not been doing the Protein only "thing", but I really don't feel any restriction. I can't eat as much as I did presurgery, but I can definitely eat a lot more than I thought I would be able to. I am now trying to get back on track and doing 2-3 shakes a day and one low carb meal. I was hoping that I would not have to go back to "dieting" again, but it appears that is where I am at now. On the brighter side, I lost 7 lbs pre-surgery and another 50 or so since surgery and have been able to keep them off for the past 4-5 months without any problem.

thanks all for your responses. I am pretty sure my surgeon used a 32f. He also fixed a hernia while in there. I am wondering if I have a hernia again and my tummy has 'spread out' in my abdomen making me feel less restriction. I am a little late for my 6 month appt ( I know, naughty, naughty), but when I go in I will talk to him about this. I am going back to the "low-carb" way and see what that does for me. I kind of fell off the wagon after my 3 month appt when my uric acid levels were up. I was really hoping to eat "normal" just not as much, but my volume is way too high.

I can easily eat 6 oz Protein and a salad and probably some carbs on top of that. Since surgery I have always been able to eat more than most. I recovered very quickly and never had any of the issues that many report. Right now I am trying to detox myself from the carbs and go back to a low carb approach. I just think my sleeve "stretched" even though they say it can't.

I hope you get some answers Jillian, and if you do, keep us posted. I would be very interested in what they say. I am 3 1/2 months out and can eat way more than most, but still way less than I did pre-op. Had an entire bagel today for breakfast with no feeling of discomfort (I was full, but not over full). I am still losing, but at a slow pace, and I have found myself slipping back into old habits. I have learned to identify those behaviors and trigger food and I am doing my best to keep them out of my life.

I went to a consult with Dr Patel and really liked him. I ended up going with a different surgeon only because his office staff didn't really follow through on a few things.

I was also self pay in San Antonio and went with Dr JJ Gonzalez at Texas Center for Medical and Surgical Weight Loss. I am three months out and feel great!

Today is my 3 month surgiversary and I am down 48 pounds (including 7.5 lost pre-op). This is not exactly where I wanted to be at this point, but I will take it. I know most of the issues are mine, and not my sleeves. I catch myself grazing on some days and eating things that I shouldn't. I think the reason for that is that I feel so good. I don't have the restriction most seem to have (I need to talk to my doc about that at my appt. next week!) I can eat a lot more than what most people post; whole small wendy's chili, entire order of pintos and cheese from taco bell, 8 piece nuggets from chick-fil-a (I know - not the best choice), and I just had an entire jimmy dean light Breakfast bowl for breakfast. I am working on the grazing by eating 4 times a day, and that is it. 150-250 calories each meal with a minimum of 15g of Protein. I am watching my carbs, but not obsessive about it. I don't do refined carbs (occasionally I will have a couple of whole grain crackers with my tuna or chicken salad or a carb balance tortilla). I have started to add back in more fruit and veggies. A big issue is I have not been exercising regularly yet. I did a trial membership at a local gym, but don't think it is for me. I have bad knees, and plantar facisitis in my foot, so every time a start a progam, within a week I am in pain. Since my doc said no NSAIDs, I tough it out with ice and tylenol (I am also going to check with him on this next week). My darling hubby just ordered me a Cybex Arc Trainer, which I have had luck with before not hurting my knees. So next week, my home office will become my home gym! I can't wait! Truthfully, some days I wonder why I did this, but, then I realize even on my worst eating days, it is no where near what I used to do. I also have learned a few things - I CANNOT have certain trigger foods in the house. I am just not strong enough at this point to steer clear of them - any kind of chip has got to go, as well as salty crackers (other than the whole grain saw-dusty kind). So, if there is anyone else out there struggling with this, know that you are not alone. Sometimes I feel like an outcast because I am not "working my sleeve" like everyone else. I am just now realizing that this is MY journey and it will take me where I steer it! Hugs to all!

All, thanks for the support. I am just having my own little pity party. I guess I just thought I would feel more restriction. I feel so good, it is almost too good. I read about all these people that can only choke down a couple of tablespoons of food, and I can eat a lot more than that and I don't get a "full" feeling. I stop when my tummy gurgles, but that is long after a couple of tablespoons!

Another San Antonio sleever here......I travel 2-3 weeks a month on business (monday-thursday) but I have been trying out Anytime Fitness on Overlook Pkwy, and the one on Stone Oak Pkwy lately to see how that will work for me. Have you had your sleeve yet? If not, who is doing it?

Thanks thinoneday, I needed that little pep talk too. I still have hunger at almost 3 months out. I read here about all of these people who can only eat a few tablespoons of food at one time - not me! I can eat a good size portion (no where near what I used to eat, but still more than most). I just need to set up a routine that keeps food out of the picture and focus on other things!

Woo Hoo! You are doing fabulous!

This is what I make to get my chicken wing "fix". I am sure there are other recipes out there like this (it is so simple), but I just threw it together for lunch: 3 oz rotisserie chicken breast (no skin) 3/4 T low fat mayo Franks wing sauce finely minced celery 1/2 T finely crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese Shred chicken and sprinkle on the wing sauce (take it easy on your tummy until you know how she will handle the hot stuff). Mix in mayo and celery and gently fold in blue cheese. Chill for 1 hour for flavors to blend.

I am 2 1/2 months out, and I have eaten pizza several times already. I dont eat the back crust, get a really thin crust pizza and cut it into tiny bites. I absolutely love the World according to Eggface's pizza. Carb balance tortilla (small size), sugar free pizza sauce, light motzarella, and turkey pepperoni = Yum!! I also do one with light alfredo sauce sliced grilled chicken, light motzarella, and 1 piece of microwave bacon crumbled, kind of like a chicken carbonara pizza.

Oh my gosh Katt, I could have written that. I am 2 1/2 months out from surgery and I have only lost 38.5 pounds since surgery (7.5 pre-op for a total of 46). I really feel like I don't have a lot of restriction. I can eat a lot more than I thought I would be able to at this point. Now, I have not been an angel, and I know that is part of it, but I have never done well with deprivation. I have a few glasses of wine, a couple of oreos, and have noshed on tortilla chips a few times. I have since removed those items from my house since I can see them turning into "issues". Just started exercising so maybe that will help. Unfortunately I have a bad knee that is already acting up, so I might need to find something else to do. I know this isn't a miracle, but I had hoped for better results. Thanks for the rant, now back to my Protein :001_tongue:

Your plan sounds about like what my doc had me eating at those stages. Again, it is not how much you are eating, but what. It doesn't appear like you are getting in enough Protein. I, like you, didn't get full (and still don't at 2 months), but stopped at a certain volume. Keep your volume small and stop. I am hoping at some point my "full" signal turns back on. I can eat A LOT at 2 months out. A lot more than what most people post on this board. I had a 32 bougie, so it is not stomach size that is the issue. I guess I just healed really fast. Make good choices and keep your portions small and the weight will keep falling off.

Gosh, I wish I didn't have any hunger. I am two months out and I definitely get hungry. That being said, I try to make the right choices; a piece of lowfat cheese wrapped in deli ham, I "nuke" turkey pepperoni when I want a salty crunchy, etc. But, I have broken into the chips a couple of times and the old "muncher" in me came I out. I have found the best compromise for me is to buy Snacks for my kids that I am not that fond of or that I won't binge on, goldfish crackers, etc. I let them have one sweet and one salty snack in the house (unless I am having a gang over), popcorn (because I actually have to cook it, so it gives me that time to decide if I really want it). I also bake most of their sweet snacks, again so it is not there for the immediate eating. I make a batch of cookie dough and then freeze it in little balls. Then when they want Cookies, I pop them in the oven. Like Tiffy, I sneak flax, wheat germ, etc into most of my baked goods. Another option for their sweet snack is fruit dipped in chocolate; microwave a few choc chips and slice some bananas, strawberries, etc. I buy "healthlier" versions of tortilla chips and make them nachos; spread a little fat free refried Beans on each chip and top with reduced fat cheese and a little taco meat (I will admit to having those a couple of times too :thumbup:. Like Tiff said, they operated on your tummy not your head. The head you gotta fix yourself.

Just keep up that "slow" loss, and you will be at goal in no time. I am two months out and down 36 pounds since surgery, 44 pounds total. Totally happy with that. I am not a fanatic about what I eat, I track most of the time, I eat out, travel for business, etc. Basically I am just living life, and lovin' it!

Pictures! Pictures! Congrats!

I am right there with ya. Two months out and I can eat a whole Wendy's small chili in about 10 minutes. I never have felt super restriction. I just focus on only eating a certain amount of food (volume, not weight) and primarily protein.

Don't worry, on mushies, things kinda slide on through. I could eat a lot early out too. My doc said that I just healed very fast. Many people still have swelling and irritation at 10 days. I never had problems drinking (didn't have to sip, sip, sip except for the first few days), Mushies went down exceptionally well too. The best thing you can do is measure your food. At 1 month my doc said no more than a compact disc size amount at one time. I still don't really get that "full" feeling. I eat my measured amount and stop. Then, about 1/2 hour later I realize I am "full".

Hang in there guys (and gals)! I am two months out and a "slow" loser, but the scale eventually moves. I stalled at about 2 1/2 weeks out through about 4-5 weeks out. The weight trickled off. Then, bam, a few pounds at once, stall, another few pounds. YOu will figure out your losing patterns soon enough. I can eat a lot more than most, so I have to careful to measure (not weigh) my food. Also, I added in a few "good" carbs (high fiber) to help with the "poo" issues. That, and coffee, keep me regular.

Welcome! You will find a lot of good info here. It is also a great sounding board to bounce things off of. There is a common regret that you will hear when you ask people that have had their tiny tummies for a while - I wish I had done it sooner. I had my surgery on June 8th and turned 50 on June 11th. I try not to look back on all of the years that I was fat, I am only looking forward to all of the new and wonderful things I am going to do!

Yeah, that happens to me. I think that I am at my limit when that happens. I have never vomited, foamed, slimed etc. I felt queasy once or twice (I think that was due to sugar). I can eat ( a lot more than I thought I would be able to) without difficulty. I really have to make sure I watch volume. My doc said no more than a compact disc at a meal. I try to stick to that.