Thomas CPA

I couldn't drink much water for 4 months, I am now into drinking water again. Now that it is easier to eat, it is easier to drink.

Healthy diet is approximately 100 grams of carb per day, protein should be at least 50 to 70 grams per day.

I started back at gym in week 3. First week back I barely could get 15 minutes on treadmill without tiring out and I sweated profusely. I use a trainer. At week 5 I was back up to 30 minutes on treadmill and 1/2 to 1 hour on weights, still sweating a lot. Talked with dietician and physician assistant. Increased caloric intake and stablized weight loss to a pound a week. This helped stamina and strength improvement. At month 4 I am 45 pounds down and 10 to go. I hit gym 3 days per week with 1/2 hour treadmill and 1 hour weights. I am not tired or sweating. Becoming stronger every day. Advice - slow weight loss, raise calories.

2 oz every 15 minutes is for those with bypass surgery because that is their total intake. Goal is at least 32 but 64 oz preferred per day. If you can drink a cup, 8 oz, at a time you will get your daily intake in easily.

Okay, I am in my 11th week and down 40 pounds with 15 to go to get at my revised goal of 180. I am at point of slowing down and still making goal somewhere between week 20 and 24. So, to moderate loss to a comfortable level, like to snack on Peanut Butter and a few saltines or an occasional ice cream cone. I know from reading this board I am not alone. So what is your cheat food?

My preop diet was one day - quit eating so there was no food in stomach and day of surgery to bush teeth and not swallow Water so stomach was empty. The reason for the diet is some people need to lose fatty liver to make surgery easier. For those still thinking of getting the surgery, change you eating habits two months before - quit fatty foods then your preop diet won't be that bad. The lack of energy is in part due to lack of carbs that give energy. Unless the doctor will let you back on them expect to get real week until about four weeks post surgery when you add things back to your diet like toast and mashed potatoes. You can try walking and light exercise to help increase stamina and energy.

I started on salads at four weeks as advised by the dietician. My first salad was simple, lettuce, tomato, mushrooms, and some dressing. By month two I had added added cucumber, radishes, carrot shavings, and all the rest of the stuff. I don't use croutons but since they are toasted they should be fine.

Two alternatives exist - get a hair piece of quality, depending on the size the price will vary. Of course if you live in a large metropolitan area you should find a good place through internet searching. I have one lined up in Los Angeles just in case. The second is shave it off, some women like bald men.

Get a trainer or workout buddy. Lot easier when someone is working with you, keeps your mind on task and not as boring. I use a trainer and can work out easily on my own when I don't have session with her.

Been working out for a couple of years. You should have upwards of 100 grams of carbs. Eat your normal foods, extra carbs before working out to boost energy and Proteins after working out to promote muscle growth.. I use a personal trainer who has other gastric surgery clients. She is certified and is helpful with both diet. and exercise. I found the first couple of weeks returning to the gym was rough - lot of sweating and loss of strength due to rapid muscle loss. Now I don't sweat but a little even though I don't drink as much Water as I should. Strength back to normal and now increasing ability. Start of slow, first two weeks were rough, could barely last 10 minutes on treadmill before stopping. Now back to 30 minute treadmill and 60 minute workout.

Into the fourth month and combination of things. Eating slow the roughest as I sometimes on the go so much I don't have time to sit and revert to gulp and run. Now gulp run and pray for quick digestion. Have an occasional sip with meals to wash down or breakfast not much you can do when you eat Cereal or oatmeal you need liquid called milk. Now at point of wanting the occasional piece of candy or a cookie. I just watch how much and my weight. As long as I fluctuate within range I am okay with being human.

I am four months also. Perhaps a little morning exercise to get you going. I don't have a problem wanting to eat first thing in morning. I pace my Vitamins so I don't fill myself on Water first. If you feel ill that is one thing else you just need to eat, you have to get your three meals in. I mix it up, one day a poached egg and toast, another Cereal and cottage cheese, another a vegetable/cheese/ham omelet. You just need to do it for your proper health.

I allow myself treats - I know that I am not going to eat so much that I will put the weight back on. My weight hovers within a five pound range and not get into the "ahh" I gained a pound thing some on the site get upset about. Trust me, I have major emotional issues so I do get tempted a lot. Just try to get something to take your mind off of it - like a crossword, exercising, something

Assuming you have no equipment and household supplies you can: Work Abs - regular crunches, side crunches, you can also do bicycles, alternating elbows to opposite knees, knees to elbows, elbows to knees - each variation works different parts of abs. Work upper arms with push ups, biceps with weights - even if you don't have any weights you have bottles of detergent and stuff around the house. Personally, I would suggest getting some basic things - bosu, weights, resistance strap - if you don't want to go out then order online and have shipped to you. Aerobic - jump rope, run in place, if you have open space do suicides like they do in basketball. If you steps use them to go up and down - just need one step up and down at an aerobic pace. Core - do planks also you can do squats and thrusts You can find many exercises online.

They will not buzz the airport. I have flown at least 4 times post op, no problems at security. If you had a body xray that actually showed the much detail then it will show a very small stomach and the TSA are trained to recognize those things.

Started back at gym at week 3. First two to three weeks were rough, lose a lot of muscle quick with rapid weight loss. I sweated a lot and stamina was low. Talked the PA and dietician, increased calories for additional calories burned, it helped get stamina back and sweating stopped. Around week 8, 5 weeks after returning to gym, my strength was back to pre surgery. Workout still basically, 1/2 hour treadmill running followed by 1 hour of resistance training, cardio workout, ab workout, mixture of all of the previous all depending upon what my personal trainer plans for me.

It is always with us. I get concerned if I gain 2 pounds and I am only starting 4 month post op but I know I will fluctuate up and down in a 5 pound range. I allow myself one day a month to treat myself without worrying about sugars or carbs. So I may put on a pound but it comes off again. We are all human, relax and enjoy the new you.

Women get ads for shape wear while men don't. Try Under Armour clothes. They have snug fit to hold the lose skin in place and support the body. Look for outlets as the t shirts alone are $28 each if you get direct. Been using for a week now and it makes a difference.

pretty much stopped at month 3. Use once in a while for inbetween meals per dietician but says to eat three real meals a day

attached is a sample menu provided by Kaiser dietician. I am starting month 4. I was eating most of these foods at three weeks.

When I started back at gym about 3 weeks post op until about 6 weeks post op I sweated something fierce. After that I had normal workouts and sweating reduced significantly. I think it may just be a phase like losing hair it comes in certain time frames then goes away.

I buy 3 pair of pants and a couple of shirts every two months or so to get things that fit. In September Men's Wearhouse had a 2 for 1 special. One suit got altered the other still has tags and will get altered in about another 10 pounds. Preplan your purchases. Save money - go to thrift store - salvation army pick up some cheap stuff until your weight becomes stable or if you are not embarrased - out of the closet (gay thrift store) - reason I say this is my gay clients dress really well and they donate their clothing 2 to 3 times a year so it tends to be high quality low wear and tear clothes.

This is part of your new life. Watch what you eat. Though I can say the lower end has not been smelly. For the upper and lower end - If I know I have an important meeting coming up, I don't eat for at least 2 hours prior to avoid burping in front of people.

July 2010 I weighed 305, by surgery August 2011 I dropped 70 pounds but in part I had two stomach ailments that caused about 40 of though lost pounds. I was down this road before got to 250 then back up to 305 then down to 235 for surgery. It is your call but I don't think I could have gotten rid of the last 50 pounds without it. I am now starting month 4 and 10 pounds from goal. I eat normally, had a normal piece of lasagna and salad for dinner. Had a normal omelette and glass of milk for Breakfast. Only pain I had was while in hospital for which they gave me good drugs. After getting home the only inconvenience was sleeping in a chair for ten 10 until I could stretch out on a bed without staples (to close the incisions not internal) pulling on my skin. It is easy to think - I can do it, only you can know if you can "continue" to do it for the rest of your life without the surgery. The surgery is not a cure just a device, you will always have to watch how much food you put in but it helps. I don't regret the decision I made.

There are many videos of the surgery online. They basically take a staple gun with two lines of stapes that cut and staple the stomach as they go. Afterwards they apply a coating to seal the outside section. For at least 4 weeks you are to avoid things with seeds so as to not get them caught internally in the staple lines. I believe over time the internal incision from the staples adhere just like any exterior cut would heal and form a scar. However, I don't know of any studies where they took a deceased person who had the surgery to open it up and find out but I would think it mends since you can eventually have strawberries, blackberries and other things with small seeds.