Kris

I just went through the same process earlier this week. I ended up donating nearly 60 lbs of food to the local ffod bank (yes you could say I overshop for food!), and would agree with the advice to get rid of anything tempting and only keep food you can eat after surgery. You will feel good to give away most of what you listed as the food bank folks are always so happy to receive donations.

Hi all, this is probably a weird question but I'm interested to know if anyone has deliberately slowed down their weight loss after being sleeved (about halfway to goal weight)? This probably seems loony but it seems like it would actually be better in the long run to eat more calories and lose weight slower so your skin can shrink as you go. So for example instead of eating 600 calories a day after the first 3 months you go up to 1000 a day. You would still lose weight but probably only half as fast as you otherwise would. I also think that could help with hair loss ... The body is not as stressed. I definely want to get to my goal weight but if it took 6 months longer but fewer side effects it seems like a decent tradeoff. Just wondering if anyone else has taken this approach and if so how it worked for you.

Ok I just turned 43 in November too (19th) but trust me, I look old enough to be your mother! I am hoping that losing a lot of weight will help me look younger but I doubt I will look as young as you! Maybe in a few months I'll be ready for some before & after pics.

Thanks everyone. I lost a lot of weight in my 20s (about 75 lbs) and had no skin issues, but now I'm in my 40's and am sure my skin will not be as resilient this go round. I am expecting to have batwings and loose skin on my tummy but of course I'd rather deal with that than staying my current size. I was thinking about this today and decided I will go with whatever momentum my bod dictates after surgery, and not consciously try to slow down my weight loss until I get to goal. My surgery is only 10 days away and I feel like I did when I was a kid waiting for Christmas. I can't wait to be one of the sleeved ones!

You look like you are in your 20's! By your pics I was thinking you were mid to late 20s. I'm not saying this to be nice, it's really true! Congrats on your progress so far, you are doing great!

Sorry about that! Actually I like protein bars WAY better than protein drinks. I am dreading my first few weeks post vsg because I am an eater, not a drinker! I know it is a short phase though and will pass quickly. I Hope my results are comparable to yours!

Those are my fave too! Actually I think the premier protein have 30g protein, 280 calories. Very filling and tasty. Honestly I keep thinking I must be cheating when I eat them because they are so good. Double chocolate are yummy too!

Hi, I am being sleeved soon (1/7/11) and am looking for a local WLS support group. I live in Auburn, between Seattle and Tacoma. I don't want to go north of Seattle or too far south of Tacoma if possible. Thanks for any info you can provide!

I only told my boss I was having surgery and would be off about 10 days. He didn't press for details, which was a relief. He is a beanpole and very strict with his own diet and exercise, and I really don't think he would understand why anyone would have WLS. I am also going to Mexico and didn't tell him that either. He'll find out everything when I get back to work as it's required to have a dr note for any sick leave over 3 days. He can freak out then but at least the surgery will already be over by then. I have only told a handful of people in the office that I am having WLS but I know word will spread eventually.

Hi, I almost chose dr. Alvarez for my VSG. Susan, his patient coordinator, is fantastic. I ended up choosing Dr. Aceves instead because I live on the west coast and the travel from my home is longer and more expensive to get to TX than CA. I also think Dr. Aceves is a great choice, but I would have been very comfortable with Dr. Alvarez as my surgeon. Obesityhelp.com has a lot of his patients if you want more info. Good luck with your decision!

Hooray for you!!!! I am being sleeved on January 7th and was thinking yesterday, holy cow that is only 3 weeks away! Here's hoping the time flies by for us until we get our new sleeves!

Hello fellow sleevers & sleevers-to-be! Based on recommendations here at VSG Talk and a few other online sites, I ordered powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury Chcolate Splendor Protein powder and received it in the mail this week. I put off having it until today. I only had one other chcolate flavored Protein Drink before -- Muscle Milk chocolate (already premixed in the bottle) and it was horrible -- so I was a little apprehensive about trying the Unjury. I put soy milk, a little crushed ice, and the unjury in my Magic Bullet (bought for the occasion of being sleeved, since I will be on liquids for quite a while), and gave it a whirl. Well, the verdict is, I like the Unjury! It does taste like chocolate milk and is really drinkable. No slimy feeling in my mouth, either, like I've had with other protein beverages. So, thanks for the recommendations! Protein Powder is quite pricey so I am glad I will be happy with this product and use it all.

That is amazing!!

I'm looking forward yo meeting you in person! Kris

Hi! First, congrats on making 2011 your breakthrough year! I decided the same thing and am really excited and motivated, too! I arranged to have my sleeve as close to the new year as possible (1/7). Although my preop diet doesn't officially begin until 12/30 I went ahead and started Atkins last week. The first day was misery but every day gets better, and I truly have found my carb cravings have nearly disappeared. So, if you're a carboholic like me Atkins is a good, fast start to weight loss. I've lost about 6 lbs and did cheat a couple of times (not horribly but enough to interrupt the weight loss). It also is good practice to get in the mindset of Protein first, veg second, and carbs last, which seems to be the most effective weight loss method for sleevers. Also, if you haven't tried crystal light, give it a whirl to replace sweet tea. I was a diet coke junkie but know I need to give up pop and have been pleasantly surprised to find crystal light a great replacement. I have nearly weaned myself off the diet cokes in less than two weeks. I had one for dinner tonight and couldn't even finish it because it tasted too sweet. So anyway, if you're being sleeved in Feb but start Atkins on 1/1 you could easily lose 15 lbs or more before surgery, and hopefully have an easier transition after surgery. I definitely would like to know what other sleevers recommend!

Hi Priscilla, My husband Greg is coming with me. Are you going alone?

Sorry too to all if I got the thread sidetracked ... MommyTawnie it sounds like your MIL is coming around, so that is good. Just stick to your guns and you will be fine.

This has been a really interesting topic so far! When I created my WL ticker I had to pick a goal so I picked in the mid-high range for my height on a BMI table. I haven't been that weight for a sustained period of time since jr. high school so it is almost certainly too low ... in my 20s the lowest I ever was able to maintain was low-mid 130s. I looked and felt really good at that weight so I would be perfectly ecstatic if I never hit the goal I set but got within that range. I've seen several posters here who have gone way BELOW goal so I figured what the heck, be bold, you never know what will happen with the sleeve! While I was searching for BMI tables online I found a site that had a different slant on BMI -- it apparently was based on surveys of what people my age and height think is the ideal weight for the height, and according to that table my "ideal" weight was over 20 lbs. heavier than my goal (but according to a BMI table it would put me in the 'overweight' category). I will try to find it again if anyone is interested. I think having a goal to work for is important, but there is no law saying you can't change it as circumstances develop, now is there? My goal right now is to get below 100 lbs. to lose by surgery day, and I'm pretty sure I will get there (I only need to lose 1.5 lbs., and even though 'tis the season to overeat, I am doing pretty good on a high Protein diet right now.

Hi ladies, I am just behind you ... my surgery is on January 7th with Dr. Aceves. What day are you leaving? Hopefully our paths will cross at the hospital!

Yep! I find it to be true more often than not. My mom is an extrovert and I am an introvert (as are my siblings) and we have had some terrible quarrels in the past. My mom has said some terribly cruel things to me & my siblings over the years because she verbalized the first thoughts that came into her head without stopping to think how we would take them. Example: When my sister was a teeneager, my mom saw my sister had a hickey on her neck and her reaction was, "Hickey! You SLUT! What else did you let that boy do to you, you shameless hussy?!" You know, an introvert would probably think the same thing, but end up actually saying, "Dear, did you have a fun date last night?" or something to try to start the conversation out on a better foot. Only as adults did we realize my mom just "processing" her thoughts aloud and she didn't realize we could actually hear her (LOL). Admittedly I have cruel thoughts, but most of the time I am able to process everything in my head and give a more measured response ... not to say I'm never cruel -- I can give as good as I get when I'm in the wrong mood. It's not such a great thing for extroverts and introverts to live together unless everyone understands how the thought processing works. It helped me A LOT in dealing with my mom and other extroverts in my life (now I mostly either try to drop bad news and get out of the room/off the phone fast, or tune out the initial verbal vomit until the logic starts coming through).

You go girl!!!!! Your positive attitude will carry you far!!! Best wishes to you and your sleeve buddies!

Hi all, OK, this is a very silly question, but I haven't seen it addressed anywhere and I am really curious. It's about underwear. I know there will be multiple incisions, and I was curious if that means you're not supposed to wear underwear (bras and panties) for at least the first day after surgery. Or is it OK to do so as long as it's not tight? It will help me to know how many pairs of underwear I should pack for my trip. Thanks for answering this -- I feel like a ninny for even asking!

Thanks, that helps!

TexasT had good advice. I went through that with my family, when I decided to have the surgery done in Mexico ... at first they were against it or questioning the decision, and saying things like "why can't you just try REALLY HARD to lose weight on your own instead of having surgery?" (grrrr) but eventually they came around, once they realized my mind was made up. My husband is going to Mexico with me and that seemed to ease everyone's concerns. If your mother in law is an extrovert, she doesn't think before she speaks -- speaking is her way of processing her thoughts and feelings. If you ever have to dump news on an extrovert, try to not be around while they are processing the thoughts -- it can be very upsetting. Easier said than done but good for your mental & emotional health. Good luck on your surgery!