suejersey

You have to learn what those feelings mean. AT the beginning I thought the same that those feelings were hunger, but for me the burp is a signal that I am full. I better not take more than one or two more bits because I am done. And it does take time for the mind to catch up to the body, so maybe that is those 15 minutes. It definitely took time for me to figure out what my full felt like and it feels different than full felt before. I would say, though, burping is a sign of full.

you are definitely on your way!!! Go You!!! Try the Syntrax protein powders. They have about 15 different types and they are only like 100 calories, 23 grams of protein, very little sugar/carbs. I really like them. The chocolate is great and the mint cookie is yummy. I am now using the Matrix 5.0 (a bit cheaper, longer lasting in the system) but started with the Syntrax Nectars. I like both of them. I tried, no lie, probably 20 different brands (I bought about 30 single serving packets before surgery and after surgery went through them one by one and I always come back to syntrax. Muscle Milk premade chocolate is okay. And Syntha-6 strawberry tastes like strawberry milk to me, but it is higher in calories than I really aim for. Oh, if you like coffee Chike iced coffee protein is pretty good too. HTH! Give a few more a try, it really helps you get the protein in. ISOPURE is DISGUSTING....yuck, gross, never again! So I totally get you on that, but I do find that Syntrax is more like a "shake" or "latte" depending if I use milk or put in my coffee.

So very, very true!

First....take a deep breath..................LOL Okay, let's continue. It's gonna be okay. Really, it is. I am 47, have 2 teenagers a husband, my own business that I work full time and my food life IS easier! Really! 1. Vitamins, pills. Get a pill box, put your pills in it for each day of the week and you have your pills set for one week or two (depending on the pill box). I take: multi, Vitamin D, B12, Boitin and Paxil (OCD) daily. I don't worry what time I take them. My blood work has all come back fine since surgery. I don't take calcium every day because of the constipation. Only every 3 days or so, as per my doctor. 2. Constipation. Yeah, it sucks! That is probably the biggest change for me. I use Miralax in my diet snapple a couple to three days per week. It doesn't cause dependency and it definitely helps. You can't taste it and it doesn't change the consistency of your Water, either. It totally dissolves. I am going to try Colace pills as a substitute when I get tired of the Miralax. 3. Portion sizes. Read my post right above yours. I never feel deprived. NEVER! 4. If you don't love protein I can understand it begin frustrating having to get 60 - 80 grams but if you love protein with a Protein shake or bar and then real food protein you will hit those numbers no problem. At nine months I am at about 900 calories a day and I get 80 to 100 grams of protein a day. Every day I add Protein powder to my morning coffee and as a snack probably 4 out of 7 days I have a Quest Protein Bar. Then with my other Proteins I hit my numbers easily. chicken, cheese, lunch meat, edamame are my go to proteins. 5. And finally, remember you are just at the beginning. you CAN'T eat many calories right now, it will be hard to get the protein. Up until about 7 months I was 600 calories a day and I shot for, and mostly got 60 grams of protein. I didn't start getting the 80 grams until I got to the higher calorie amount. 6. Oops, now finally. Eating is so much easier for me now because I don't have to think about it so much. I make dinner for my family (which is healthier for them) and I eat what I should. I get the protein first and then some veggie. I usually sick the carb but last night my daughter made dinner in a skillet and it was all combined with rice so I had half a cup. No problem. Done. Full. I don't have to make a separate meal for me and them, I just eat around what is best for me. During the day, as long as I have the stuff I need in the house it is easy for me. I actually seek out protein now because I know it fuels my body. I don't care (as much) about the junkie stuff - although I still enjoy a little ice cream or a piece of cake at a party, et cetera. And the Quest bars are seriously like a dessert.......down the road check them out. I think you are frustrated because you see how things are right now and think that is going to be forever. It really isn't. It will progress. Try not to be discouraged. Try to take one day at a time! You're going to be okay!!!!! <3

You are still so early in the process, what you are able to eat is not satisfying, soft, pureed, et cetera....once you can eat "normal" food again I think your feelings will change. I think. I eat food that tastes good but I get full sooner. When you are full you are satisfied. No one wants to eat to the point of throwing up, so you are just getting to the satisfied point earlier. I think that is the big difference. Give it time and hopefully your feelings will evolve.

Hmmm, I wouldn't have thought Lane Bryant, but I think I am going to have to check them out! I also have heard about Soma and was going to try them out. Thanks everybody for your suggestions. I was never one to spend good money on bras but now I am willing because I want those ladies to look as good as they possibly can with what I've got to work with LOL!

Wonderful results! You look beautiful! And I am SURE you feel so healthy and happy!

I have not been into clothes for almost 20 years - buying as few things as possible through the years and actually a lot of my clothes were hand-me-downs from my MOM! My Mom, I tell you! Stretchy pants and flowery shirts. Yuck, ugh, gross. Well losing weight I have become obsessed with fashion. Clothes, shoes, accessories. I am trying to cut back on my spending because it has been a bit crazy for I would say about 3 months now. I just use the excuse that me and my two teenage girls can share the stuff I buy. Or the other excuse is, "but I haven't really bought any clothes in like 20 years." It's fun!

I definitely feel the same way. I enjoy the taste but it has become more of an essential part of life instead of one of my main focuses. Kind of sad and kind of great.

I remember at the beginning feeling like I wish things were moving faster, that my clothes were looser, that I looked different. At 50 pounds I still wasn't even getting many comments and I could still fit in some of the clothes I had. But after the 50 pound mark it just seemed like things really picked up. Those 50 pounds took probably 4 months and now I have lost another 50 in 5 months, but those are the 50 that people really noticed. So don't be discouraged,go about your life, eat right, exercise and you will begin to see the difference and before you know it you will be nine months out and super happy with your progress! And I love that I can go out to eat and get 2, 3, 4 meals out of one meal! (I am a couponer so I love a good deal LOL!)

Totally agree with the don't drink and eat together!! I also agree that you will be able to eat more, depending on what it is. I am 9 months out and I have 5 or 6 small meals a day. A snack is probably 1 or 2 ounces a meal is probably 3 or 4 ounces. For dinner I can eat about 3 ounces of chicken and probably 3 or 4 bites of veggie, as an example. I can eat a Quest Protein bar as a snack or lunch. I can eat 2 ounces of lunch meat with some lettuce as bread for lunch. So you will be able to eat more. But sometimes when it tastes so good and you just want to have more you just will not be able to. It will be too uncomfortable to continue and it makes it very easy not to over indulge. I try very hard to listen to my body and stop before over indulging even if "but it tastes so good."

I am 9 months out and still need the help of miralax or colace weekly Constipation is definitely an issue for a lot of WLS patients. food ideas.....cold cuts, cheese sticks, eggs, Greek yogurt, sugar free pudding, avocado, ricotta cheese, hummus, edamame, spinach (make egg/spinach/cheese cups), portobello mushroom (portobello mushroom pizza or cordon bleu) (use the mushroom in place of the crust for the pizza and chicken for the cordon bleu) Perdue Shortcuts are AWESOME! They are already cooked chicken pieces and are great for a snack/lunch. I put them in a Fiber One Wrap or a low carb wrap 1/2 cup chicken, 1 ounce cheese and salsa and makes a great quesadilla. Now you are only 1 month out so you won't be able to eat all that, you could get two or three meals out of that, but so yummy!

I would agree it took about 4 to 5 weeks till I was 100 percent full energy. I could function fine within the first week (about 3 days after surgery I was back to work part time - work from home so that makes a BIG difference) but I was still taking a nap in the afternoon for about 2 weeks. And I could only walk around the block once for about the first month. So it definitely takes time to feel back to your full strength. Baby yourself a bit, it's okay to take a nap if you need it or cut back on activities for a little while.

Interesting comment by a surgeon....http://www.carolinasurgical.com/life-after-bariatric-surgery/i-am-afraid-of-my-pouch-stretching-after-bariatric-surgery/

My experience was when I was still at 600 calories I was making it through a 60 minute class (Body Jam or Zumba - cardio type class). I had been working out at the gym for a few weeks but this particular class was up a notch the instructor told me a 600 calorie diet would make it hard to get through, plus you don't want to so deplete your calories and then slow your metabolism even more. At six weeks out and no exercising for three years, I personally would start out a bit easier. I am 9 months out now. I joined the gym three months ago and am now getting about 900 calories a day. (At six months I was at 600 calories still). I feel good at my calories as I still have about 25 pounds I want to lose, but definitely am trying to up my calories a bit more and work harder at the gym. I now can do a HIIT class, two 45 minute cardio dance classes in a row as well as a boot camp type class. In three months I went from walking the treadmill for 30 minutes, weight training for the over 60 crowd (I am 47) to doing the classes I just listed above. So yes, you should push your body, but it doesn't have to be the first time you go to the gym. Figure out where you are and work up to things. And this is JUST my opinion and my experience. Hope it is helpful! Good luck, and you will enjoy seeing the results of your hard work!

The Fiber One wraps are actually really good (80 calories - low carb/high fiber) and I just used the Mission Carb Control this past week because I couldn't find the Fiber 80. 120 calories but only 6 carbs, 5 grams of protein. They crisp up really good and even my picky daughter liked them.

These bars are yum and very filling and satisfying. I bought the sample pack and liked all of them, especially the cinnamon roll, strawberry cheesecake and cookie dough. Oh, and the lemon one tastes like a lemon bar cookie. I love, love, love Peanut Butter so ordered a box of the peanut butter supreme and am disappointed. Not that I won't eat them (LOL) but they have a bit of a artificial taste to them. The fruit flavored ones have bits of fruit actually in them. And I second or fourth or which ever I am about the cookie dough. REALLY good. I won't buy the peanut butter supreme again - they also have a higher calorie count than some of the others. But these bars are great and truly can replace a meal if I am on the run or can provide a great "dessert" when I have a sweet tooth and 20 grams of Protein to boot! I purchased on quest's site. I didn't like that I had to pay tax on them as they are considered a candy bar, was the explanation I got when I questioned them. But worth the price!

I would check with your doctor. At 6 months I could eat about 2 ounces of chicken or lunch meat or cheese and maybe two bites of a veggie for a meal. I was satisfied with one cheese stick as a snack or 1/4 cup roasted edamame. To me, and it is just my opinion, I think you should be able to tolerate solids better. I would definitely talk to your doctor. They should be helping you progress on your intake as the months go by.

Interesting article. Thanks for sharing!

For the first week I had to do Clear liquids - so Isopure Protein drink - horrible, gross, yuck! But you shouldn't be too hungry so just force yourself to do it. Once you can go to liquid that isn't clear then you can add in the milkl based Protein drinks. I find them not bad at all. I got a bunch of sample packets of different types to try during that stage so every day I was trying something different. The ones that are already prepared aren't bad if you don't like the powder after trying a few different brands. For me the best has been Syntrax - mixes easily, low calorie/carb, lots of good flavors. the Muscle Milk and Pure Protein already made drinks aren't bad in a punch or a rush.

It can't be stressed enough, don't weigh yourself every day. Once a week is best. Try not to think about the scale or put it out of sight. Now when Wednesday night comes I get excited because I know I weigh on Thursday. You will get a better picture of your loss and you won't get as disappointed if one day you are up or like a yo-yo. Keep it up! Remember it is a marathon not a sprint and you will get there!

I am suejersey on MFP. Sleeved 10/11/12

I love Diet Green Tea Snapple (they have it in those powder packets). I can't stand Water alone anymore for some reason. Also Crystal Light has a pomegrante flavor (pomegrante cherry maybe) that doesn't taste "diet" at all. One thing about the artifical sweeteners I always hated them and was dreading that part of this process but now I am eight months out and when I have something with "real" sugar now it is way too sweet. The sugar substitutes taste normal to me. The other day I had a Dove chocolate ice cream bar and thought I would go into a diabetic shock it was so sweet. LOL So perhaps if you give it a try you may be able to tolerate the sugar substitutes a bit more as you go along.

I like Syntrax the best - seem to be lowest calories/highest protein and lots of yummy favors. I tend to go with chocolate so that I can "spruce it up" with sugar free flavorings. Right now I am using Matrix 5.0 mint cookie for the first time. I use it in my coffee. It is very good, but being such a huge bag I am kind of in the mood for a change.

Today is my weigh day and I am 1 pound from my "aggressive goal" of 180 (hit 181!) 3 pounds till 100. Very very happy with my progress. When I set the goal for first day of summer I was 220 and today 181! Wow!