SleeveGirl-TX

I prefer Fage 0%. I add Walden Farms Carmel Dip to it (thicker than the syrup so it makes a nice texture). I've also added torani syrups, but had to put so much it thinned it out too much. I've also dumped in a splenda when in a pinch and made it work. I use it in place of sour cream (we don't buy sour cream anymore in my house actually)

I use MyFitnessPal on my phone so I can look up stuff before I got into a restaurant when I'm out and about. It's pretty eye opening. Dressing - I keep some of the single serve Walden Farms Italian and Ranch dressings in my purse. They are great in a pinch and zero-everything. I've also just orderd a side of salsa and used that as dressing.

I would puree up tuna or chicken or egg and add in a little greek yogurt, a little lemon and/or pickle juice and that would do. Take it easy. You have plenty of time to introduce foods. Experiment a little and just do your thing. You can do this. I avoided grits and really anything too carby, it didn't feel good in my stomach and was just empty calories. I still do, actually.

Ugh. Pants and I hvae a constant fight. I have an absurbly large pannus so I can wear a size 10 or 12 in the waist, but it's SO tight around my lower hanging stomach that I have to go up a size to a 14. I also have REALLY thin legs, I always have had "chicken legs" compared to the rest of me. So yeah, I try to buy "skinny jeans" so that they fit my legs a little better. The waistline still gaps, although the sweetheart ones at Old Navy seem to fit best because they cinch in a little more. Ah, the problems I have! But yes, those jeans went away a few weeks after that photo because they were 16s The shirt was already too big. LOL. Constantly swapping clothes. It should be fun, but really, it's annoying LOL

Some would say I'm a "slow loser" when you look at my percentages, but I had a LOT to lose and I'm very happy with where I am and where I'm going. Some days it seems painfully slow... others, really fast. I'm all about making lasting changes. If that takes me an extra few months.... so be it.

It all depends on you. How bad do YOU want it? You gotta want it bad and be willing to do the work. You'll stall, you'll crave things, you'll get angry, you'll get frustrated... but it's really all up to you. The SURGERY will help you lose 50%... the other 50% is ALL YOU. I've been really successful. Therapy has been the single best thing I've ever done for myself. I started a month before surgery. Best decision ever.

I'm not a teacher, but my husband is. I waited to have mine done until June (although I made the decision in March) so that he would be here to help me with the adjustment. I'm REALLY glad I did. He cooks and I was pretty miserable for a few weeks after - I had a lot of abdominal pain. Everyone is different though and I know folks that were right back at it. I know that I couldn't have been on my feet, doing all the walking and bending that you folks do that early out though!

Finally finding my way back to this forum. Hiya, Texas folks!

Oh wow... that's amazing... congrats to you. Way to rock it!

Pure Protein is too... protein-y for me. It tastes funky. I really like the Oh Yeah! and the PowerCrunch brands so far. I'm just trying a bunch. I really wanted to like the ThinkThin ones, but they tasted like protein bar too much. LOL. I guess the "wafer" ones are more my style as well.

I posted this over at OH too but figured someone here might could help too... I'm currently searching for a registered dietician that specializes in bariatrics, if anyone knows someone that will do phone/internet consults, please send them my way. I do have a great lead from my trainer, but throwing that out there... I had an appointment last week with my surgeon. He wasn't thrilled with my weight loss so far (not disappointed, but wanted to see more). I've lost 32 pound since surgery, almost 7 weeks ago. This week, so far (tomorrow is weigh in day), I've lost only 1 pound. The doctor doesn't think plauteaus should happen this early out and I should be losing 4-5 pounds per week. He said to increase calories then drop them back down after two days, add a fruit, stop tracking fat and carbs and only worry about calories and Protein. Here's my little chart so far... 324 (-6) - Week 6 - 08/02/2011 330 (-3) - Week 5 - 07/26/2011 333 (-0) - Week 4 - 07/19/2011 333 (-0) - Week 3 - 07/12/2011 333 (-14) - Week 2 - 07/05/2011 347 (-8) - Week 1 - 06/28/2011 I'm NOT complaining. I do wish it was faster, but he wants me to be down another 30 by around 9/21 and a total of 135 by Christmas. This seems like a monumental task! To answer you next questions... I'm eating about 700-800 calories per day. I get 80-100 protein, 30 fat, 40 carb (although I'm going to remove those from my tracking so I won't fixate on the red numbers LOL). I work out with a trainer doing strength training twice per week. I hit the gym 3-4 times per week for 20-40 minutes of cardio (treadmill or elliptical) and walk with friends once per week for an hour, plus a family stroll now and then. I'm going to cut out cheese (sniff) and see if that helps overall. He said I might go to the gym twice per day, it could help boost my motabalism, so I might try that. I cannot eat raw veggies until month 3 (slowly slowly introducing them, he originally said month 5). All beef products are out until at least then, steak for sure until month 5. Right now, I eat soft foods. A typical menu will look like this: Breakfast - 7oz greek yogurt or leftover chiken from night before, sometimes a Protein Drink lunch - Tuna or chicken - grilled or baked, cauliflower mash or lima Beans dinner - Chicken (tonight hubby made chicken tortilla Soup without chips and corn and thickened it with refried beans) or something, some kind of veggie. Snacks - cheese stick, laughing cow cheese, Just the Cheese snack, sometimes I'll have another dinner late night if I'm low on calories (almost always). I'm meticulous about tracking - almost to a fault. I track EVERYTHING that I put into my mouth. I could see if I were fudging it, but even when I had a 1/4 cup of my kid's homemade ice cream, I put it in there. Best choice? Probably not, but, that was this past weekend. Family freeze off - she won 3rd place... oh, look, shiny... Anyway... My trainer suggested a yogurt smoothie. I don't even know where to begin though. I'm allergic to all fruits except banana and berries. I'm allergic to tree nuts. I'm allergic to soy and all soy products. I'm slightly lactose intolerate. So what do I make it out of? fruit juice is out, milk is out, soy is out, almond milk is out. LOL! I guess I could use lactaid milk, right? Someone give me a recipe with a lot of calories (that's the first time I've asked for that, so screwed up!) LOL Anyway, let me say... before you all go "30 pounds is amazing!". I KNOW it is. Trust me, I'm down 2 underwear sizes, a pants size (and almost a 2nd one). I feel great, I'm off all blood pressure meds, etc etc... I'm just going by what my surgeon says and trying to meet his goals They did have a nutrition counselor (not a nutritionist or whatever) but she left and they are hiring a new one. I did email them for a suggestion of someone I could hire. I've also emailed my weightloss therapist for a recommendation too. Yes, I have a huge team of people behind me, I know! I'm lucky to have a great husband too, he's been fabulous thorugh all of this!

Kelly - I agree, but I'm struggling to get those calories in... short of eating cocoa puffs, I'm not sure what else to eat or when. He says 3 meals per day, but I obviously eat more than that. Like I said in my blog, I'm just going to go with it at this point...

An update to this... I blogged about it on OH actually.. http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/sleevegirl/

http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/

Fluffy - looks like you are pre-op --- you'll find after surgery, it's REALLY hard to get in even 800 calories sometimes. I know that sounds crazy. Trust me, I know! LOL! I was mainly just seeing if anyone could see something I was missing or whatever. I think I'm actually doing just fine, but you know how it is...

I don't like butter on my crab legs either. I think it's sacrilegious to do that to a perfectly good hunk of crab. I can't wait either. I'm on "no shell fish" until like month 4/5 though.

Yup, I can't have raw veg until 5 months, I use it on meats now when I need a protein boost. Like for lunch today because I didn't eat breakfast, just couldn't deal with the idea of food this morning. LOL. I think you can probably use it anywhere you would sour cream

I mix in zero-everything Walden Farms caramel or strawberry spreads. Or I'll mix in some dry hidden valley ranch and spread it on chicken. Or put it over beans.

This is an interesting thread... I've rarely, if ever, felt slighted in public, but I am always smiling at people myself and am a pretty confident woman. Heck, I even flirt now and then if it will get me what I want. So, I haven't really noticed or perhaps I will when I lose some more weight... LOL. We'll see!

Mine was against it. So, after I had the surgery, I found one that was for it and had other patients that had done it. It's my choice who my doctor is. I chose the one that is going to support me. She even knew what the sleeve was

There are folks that have lost that much. Hang around and poke around and you'll find them. I am at 6 weeks. I have lost a total of 51 pounds today, so right at 25% of my total 200 I want to lose. 20 of those were with the pre op diet, but the other 30 are all me. That's 5 pounds per week, on average, since surgery. I had a three week stall even. I absolutely 100% believe it can and will work for me. BUT it's not just surgery. YOU have to change too. I'm visiting with a counselor, I'm working out with a trainer twice per week and I have a gym membership now. Crazy! LOL

Follow your doc's advice. Mine says no raw veg, no beef, no shellfish until 5 months. I am going to verify with him about ground beef though, but I'm told beef is one of the hardest foods to digest so that's probably why. He's really ultra conservative though.

I was told I could get in the pool at 3 weeks, but just to float and walk around. No actual swimming until 6 weeks.

Anyone know what time the meetings usually go until? I am meeting a friend at the gym after so wanted to know what time to tell her... Edit: I found out they last about an hour