Supersweetums

You of course have to do what you feel is right for you. From my understanding, a bypass is a little harder to live with than the sleeve because of the absorption problems. And there are so many things that play into weight, it is not just about willpower, so don't beat yourself up about that. But, like Laura said, you can sabotage the bypass as well. Best of luck in your decision and I pray that everything works out for you.

It took me 18 months to reach my goal weight, and I know others as well that are still losing, even 3 years post op (one I met through the same place I had my surgery and she has lost 266lbs and is 3 years out and still slowly losing little by little). So don't get discouraged! There is no expiry date on the sleeve and it will still work with you if you let it even 3+ years out. Ask any of us vets and you will see that the restriction is still there!

Oh, I am so jealous. I really like bison, but it is hard to come by around here and really expensive!

Interesting, yeah, um...interesting!! My first meal was Greek yogurt too, with strawberries and Kellogg's bran buds, 180 calories! I love me some Greek yogurt!

I'm a Sheila too! I come from a family that has weight issues and my weight struggles actually started in Kindergarten and only progressed from there. In grade 5, I was on the Slim Fast diet for a while (I looked back and think of why my mother thought that would be OK, but she was desperate to help me and also struggles with weight). And I just kept on gaining and gaining all through middle school. Then in grade 10 I decided to do something about it, started exercising everyday and watching what I ate. I started at I think around 225lbs or 230lbs, it took over 2 years and I got down to just above 150lbs. I felt great! But it didn't last long. In the fall of 1997 I had a serious accident which left me unable to exercise. Also moving away from home made a difference, having no money and buying the cheapest foods possible (think Mac&Cheese and instant noodles). I gained back some weight and was back up to around 170lbs, then lost down to around 160lbs. Then, I met my husband at age 20, and that is when it got really bad! He was thin and could eat whatever he wanted. My weight just ballooned until I was my heaviest on my wedding day at 265lbs. Shortly after my wedding, I really started working at it again. I wanted to have children and knew that being so heavy was not healthy. For over 2 years I worked my butt off, losing just over 70 lbs and getting down to around 190lbs. Then I got pregnant and ended up 30 lbs heavier. And that is where I sat, at around 225lbs. Even after having another baby, my weight just stayed there and I gave up. I was exhausted from always having to work so hard for every pound lost and resided in the fact that I would be fat forever. I had looked into the band, but was a little unsure. I had thought about RNY, but it made me nervous, plus I was not big enough for it to be covered. Plus, I live in Canada, and the wait list to get it done even if I qualified was 10 years. Then, by chance, I was searching around on the internet and found a local company that was facilitating sleeve surgeries in Mexico. I talked to my husband about it, did some research, and knew it was what I wanted. We had to use our line of credit, but I got my surgery done on November 29th, 2010 and have never once regretted it. It took me 18 months, but I got to my goal and even dropped a few pounds below, and I maintained it easily for almost a year. Then a few months ago, I switched medications (I struggle with depression and was trying a different med). In 3 weeks I gained over 7lbs. I stopped taking the medication because the weight gain was worse for my mental health then not being on any medication at all. The weight gain stopped immediately, but it never came back off. Then I started reading all the posts on the Gonna Get to Goal thread and when Georgia started posting about 5:2, I knew it was something that I thought I might be able to do! And here I am! Another long post, but I find it therapeutic to lay it all out sometimes!!

You are not suppose to fast for 2 days in a row on the 5:2 plan. It should be 2 non-consecutive days in a week, so I would really try to eat more at supper. And you can fast 3 days a week, non-consecutive as well, but the weight loss results are almost identical fasting 2 days or fasting 3 days.

That is a little disturbing!! But, it made me laugh, especially since you went through so much work to make it!!

There were a lot of concerns of people newly out of surgery or less than year out trying this method instead of following their surgeons guidelines as well. You can join the group, but they have put some rules in place. You need to be a year out from surgery and have committed to trying the 5:2 method to see if you like it. You can request to join and one of the moderators has to approve you.

Good luck! My first day was on a whim and I made it through, but it was rough to be honest. Now I plan for my days (and pretty much eat the same thing all the time) and they go really well!

I will be honest, I detest logging my food and I never have logged my food, not even at the beginning. I made many, many dietary changes and still have kept the majority of my good habits. If it absolutely comes down to it, I might do it here and there to see where I am at, but for now, I am going to leave it. I know I just need to be making better choices!

Because I don't eat breakfast on a fast day, I actually go 15-16 hours for my first "rest" period. Then I eat lunch at around 12 or 1, then supper around 6 and then sometimes a snack around 8. Then I try to go another 12 hours between the snack and when I have my breakfast the next morning, but sometimes it is a little less. But I did read the most optimal time that sees the best result is the 36 hour fast window with the 2 12 hour fasts in between there. So I think it is fine if you are eating over a 12 hour period, as long as you are getting a 12 hour rest before and after. But I have to admit, I have not read the book and I am going by what I have read on here and on all the 5:2 forums.

Oregon, I also fast Monday and Thursdays, I like the extra day in between and the one less day for the longer stretch. I always try to stick to basically the same thing for my meals on fast days. No Breakfast 12:00pm-1:00pm - lunch which is plain greek yogurt flavored with stevia, strawberries and all bran or bran buds plus a half a cup of milk to take my Vitamins, usually works out to 240-250 calories with the milk (if I don't take my vitamins with milk, I feel like I am going to throw up) 5-6pm - supper which is always chicken, either a boneless, skinless chicken breast or a skinless chicken thigh. Then I also just have a whole bunch of low carb veggies like Beans, salad, broccoli. Usually my suppers come in really low, around 150 calories and never more than 200 calories. 8-9pm - if I have calories left, I will have a snack. Sometimes a little bit of fruit, sometimes more yogurt, depending on home many calories I have left

Today is my fast day today and I am kinda looking forward to it. I ate really bad yesterday. We had "family movie night" with the kids at home and got a whole bunch of treats. I just feel bloated this morning and my weight is, of course, up again. But I will admit, I am having a hard time adjusting. I can handle myself no problem on fast days, but on none fast days I have almost given myself permission not eat as healthy as I should be. I have still been losing weight, but I know I have to get my head in the game for this to be really successful. We are leaving on holidays on Sunday, so I am a little nervous, but I do not want to have to worry about food and just enjoy the trip! Have a great day everyone!

Wow, sorry but it looks like a small animal or something! I never lost that much hair, even after surgery, but I do not have a lot of hair to begin with. Might be worth checking into. Have you ever had your thyroid thoroughly checked (not just the single TSH test)? I know that if you are hypothyroid you can have significant hair loss.

I am not sure either?? I thought I had read somewhere that the RNY is reversible because they actually do not take anything physically out, unlike the sleeve. Perhaps you would have to have a reversal and then a sleeve, but I have not idea! You are right about a sleeve to the bypass, it is called a Duodenal (sp?) Switch. The sleeve used to be the first part, but they were seeing so much success with it that they began it as its own surgery, at least that is my understanding!

Most of us are all still following this thread too, so like Georgia said, keep posting. It got moved mostly over concerns of people early out trying it as most of us are 2+ years out from surgery. After 6 months out, weight loss typically slows dramatically for a lot of people, so don't be discouraged! I lost my first 55lbs in the first 6 months and it took me a year to lose the next 25lbs with stalls that were a few months long!

It is hard! My daughter is almost 4 a little on the heavier side. I always try to encourage her to make healthy choices, but I never say anything else about weight, size, etc. I worry a lot that she has inherited my genes as well and will struggle, and that is the last thing I want to see for her. And I also never say anything about myself in front of her. I grew up watching my mom criticize herself constantly (and she watched her mother). She always told me how beautiful and smart I was, but that is not what stuck. The only thing they ever see sometimes is me weighing myself, but that is it. Laura, I can't imagine how much harder it will get when they are older. I know I would worry too, you see so many stories about athletic young people starting college, and letting the sports go but keeping the eating habits. But you can't force anyone to make better choices, even though we all wish we could!

I agree with FYE, get the dressing on the side and then just try your best to estimate. The salad part itself won't likely have that many calories because it is all veggies. Try not to get too upset about it and just flow with it. I still am not counting calories on my regular days, just on my fast days.

Laura, you look frickin' fantastic!

I always wondering why parents thought things like that were ok! I know sometimes they think they are doing what is right, in reality, they are doing more harm then good. But I always say, when you know better, you do better! I am trying not to pass along bad habits and insecurities to my children. I rarely weight them and try very hard not to make comments about their weight ( my son is quite thin, but I have become much more aware of saying he is too skinny or anything in those regards). We also talk about making healthy choices, food that is good for our bodies, and how it is OK to have treats once in a while but not all the time. I really want them to have a healthy approach to food. I grew up poor, and I was always told to eat all the meat because that was the most expensive! I never make my children finish their plates or force them to eat anything. In the back of my head, I am hoping I am doing the right thing! I do not want to see my children have to go through the things I went through being overweight ( I have struggled with weight since Kindergarten, and was teased almost my entire life). I did have to pay myself on the back though one day when I had to take my daughter to the hospital...the doc asked what her favorite food was and she said broccoli! Yes, where is my best mom trophy!! He he! Today is normal day for me! It is eh so far, but oh well.

I know thyroid issues can result in low blood pressure and adrenal issues, which can result in low blood sugar. I have low blood pressure to begin with, and ofter if I stand up to fast, I get very dizzy. I have only fallen once as a result, but still scarey! I also had started taking a thyroid supplement because I am borderline but having a hard time getting treatment. I think it had some effect on my adrenals and made my blood sugar drop and I was dizzy and shaky. Needless to say, I quit taking it! I am glad you have an appointment to get it all checked out!

Have you had an endoscopy?? I know of one other person that had this problem, and her sleeve was made to tight at the entrance and everything was getting stuck and then coming back up. They actually used the scope to stretch it slightly, enough that food would pass comfortably through again.

That is extraordinary!! You are a true testament to never giving up! I had to figure it out, and you lost 60% of your weight!! That is astonishing and an amazing accomplishment as it is crazy if someone even loses half their body weight! Make sure you come and join us on the Vet board as I am sure you have some amazing insight!!

I did well with my fast yesterday. My weight dropped slightly, but still up from the lowest, but I just checked my calendar and I am exactly 14 days into my cycle, which always makes a difference. I am not expecting any big loss for the next few weeks I am happy that I decided to jump on the 5:2 wagon, even if it doesn't result in any weight loss, I have gotten to talk with some pretty amazing people! Good luck to all you Tuesday faster, Laura and Georgia I know for sure!

They base it on a 2000 calories a day diet for a woman, which seems like a lot to me. I know it is possible to eat that much depending on what you are eating. They don't really specify a calorie amount though...I think Laura posted somewhere about it. They say if you are losing, keep doing what you are doing. If not, you might want to evaluate what you are eating on feast days. I am just trying to eat like I was before when I was maintaining, so far so good.