Holly5.3

You look fabulous! Keep up the good work and post updated pix-very inspirational to us newbies!

I hear ya, I'mworthit! So sick of drinking my meals! Can't wait for puree-I can start Thursday, 11/1. When can my fellow 10/11ers start puree, if you haven't already? If you have, any tips or suggestions on what tastes best? I was so excited for cream if wheat on full liquid stage, even tho I never liked it-well, still don't like it! What a disappointment! Greek yogurt, without fruit-can't do it any more! Protein shakes a milky soup-I'm so done!

I can't wait for puree! 4 days to go! Meatball with ricotta sounds delish! Retried beans with a little LF cheddar-awesome!

I would love to be a solid 10 and a women's Medium. I'm 5'5". Start- Aug. '12-278 size 22-24; 2 weeks post op today- Oct. 28-240 size 20. When I last wore a size 10, I weighed 135-145. My lowest weight as an adult having had 2 children was 178, size 13. My surgeon said I'll weigh 150, but my goal is 138 (1/2 of start weight if 278!) I can't wait to buy clothes in department stores once again!

Yeah, it does and I have it on 3-highest setting. I think I breath in and out mostly from my mouth since my sinuses are always stuffed so I'm making it worse! I really hate the full face mask, I feel like a jellyfish is suctioned on me!

I've read through my nut. documents and I can't find anything about why whey protein is the preferred protein for Bariatric surgery. Now there's "pea protein" (Dr. Oz show). Does different protein react differently (like fats) or can they be interchanged as long as grams are met? (After 3 weeks Pre-op and now 2 post, the taste of whey is starting to get to me!)

Me too! Used recipe sent to me from manufacturer (Unjury brand) and threw away two batches-totally unedible! I'll leave my Jello unadulterated by this protein madness, thank you very much!

And I love unflavored with raspberry lemonade-it's saving my protein-water needing life!!

I loved this protein Pre-op, but it tastes different to me now! When I can have fruit again I'll enjoy the vanilla-excellent with frozen berries or peaches and I loved the chocolate with decaf instant coffee added. Now they taste tinny! Switched to Premier premade shakes for now. More protein for less drink so I can manage at least one a day (30 grams protein).

Everything tastes different to me since my surgery (10/11). I bought a flavor of Crystal Lite that I never had before, so I didn't know what to expect- they have a ton of new flavors. Using a shake cup (has a metal mixing ball-mine is from GNC), mix scoop of unflavored unjury Protein with one cup ice Water and a couple of ice cubes. Then I pour this mixture which is a little foamy into a large water bottle filled 1/2 way with ice. Add more water to fill bottle. 32 oz. water/21 grams protein- This drink gets me from Breakfast to lunch just fine. My nut. wants me to have 3 meals a day and only water/liquids in between, so this works for me. (I'm trying Marguerita flavor Crystal Lite today!) Good luck!

LOL! Love that, too! Hysterical! I'm a little over 2 weeks post-op and my stomach, as little as it is, is louder than ever! I wake up to it growling like I'm starving to death, which I'm not! I quickly take my antacid pill and start sucking down a Premier shake-very impatient tummy!! Is this forever or just while on such low calories (still on full liquids until Nov. 1)? I hope once I'm eating real food again instead of shakes, broth/soup and jello/pudding/yogurt, my hungry-hungry (baby!) hippo tummy will simmer down!! 

I bet you have lost more in inches than what shows on the scale! Do you get enough Water in? That's always my go-to solution if I don't feel like I'm losing what I should based on calories and activity. Sometimes it's that easy! If you are getting your water, Protein etc, are you tracking calories? I know that while I'm still healing (6-8 weeks from op.), and before the Holidays start, I'm keeping my calories to a minimum-600. I'm achieving, for me and for my level if activity, maximum weight loss. I'm not back to work yet and I still get tired after going out for like 2 hours (max.) and need to rest in the afternoon, so I'll have to increase cals. when I return to work this week (I'm shooting for Nov. 1st!). But I'll be more active to compensate. Have a great day! Drink, drink, drink!

I'm thankful that due to my sleeve journey I discovered I have severe sleep apnea! Restless leg syndrome, tired all day (over-caffeinated to compensate!), weight gain, etc. all the symptoms were there! My study was a horror-show! I selected a sleep clinic right in my small town (weird, never knew what the red door on main street went to...now I know!) Only one staff member there all night (scary!). There was another patient who arrived when I did so I waited from 10:30 pm until 11:30 for him to hook me up (meanwhile I had to be at work at 7 am -times a tickin'!) The TV was broken, whaa! Finally fell asleep only to need to use the restroom 50 times! I was told to use the TV remote to "bang on the side table" if I needed help! Hello-are you kidding me?!? No intercom. Just bang and yell in the middle of the night! I was so creeped out by the place, by the tech. Everything! I felt like I was in the next installlment of Saw-so scared! Results were horrendous! Guess what? They need me to do another study! Nooooooooo!!! This almost caused me to cancel my sleeve! I refused to go to that so-called center again so I had to change pulmonilogists-reschedule a consultation then had my 2nd study done at the sleep center in the hospital where my Bariatric surgeon's office is too. Where I should have gone in the first place, but tried to cut corners! PS-I hate using my CPAP machine! I go to bed with it on, but get claustrophobic and rip it off my face during the night! I have no idea how long I use it, but I know for sure it's not the 4 hour minimum! It dries out my sinuses and mouth soooo bad! I can only hope my weight loss reverses it sooner than later!

Hi! I am also starting week 3 post-op. Yaaaaa! Puree stage starts Thursday! That's if I can get it down! Yesterday was the first time I could get 8 oz. of Greek yogurt down. Protein problem-I've posted my successful "tool" on many threads because, for me, it's saving the day...use unflavored protein (I order mine from "Unjury" on line.) mixed with any flavor of Crystal Lite. 1 scoop has 21 grams if protein. I fill a Rubbermade water bottle (32 oz. Bottle)1/2 way with ice. Add Crystal lite mixed with protein (mixed well in a shaker cup with cold water). Fill bottle to top with water drink away! 2 of these a day gives me 41 grams of protein plus 64 oz. of water. Water req. met and 1/2 of protein req. met and that's only my between meal "snack"! Hope this helps! By the way, I've lost 15.5 since surgery, 23 on pre-op, total 38.5 lbs.!!! 

Re: the pulling and/or burning pain-be sure you don't lift when youre not supposed to and don't return to work to soon! 2 things I did which set me back a good week on my healing. My DOS 10/11/12, went back to work (full duty only-no restrictions. Union job.) on Mon. 10/22/12 only to GI home at end on the day in tears the burning pain got so bad! Saw my Dr. on Tues. he said I was fine, the muscles are healing from laproscopic equipment (like stab wounds, actually!) but I should not go back to work until this Mon. 10/29/12. Hurricane supposed to hit on Monday. Halloween on Wednesday. I think I'll go back on Thursday! I'm one of two full time secretaries in an Elementary school main office. We are understaffed and overworked as it is! (725 students, 2-1/2 secretaries: unbelievable stress and hecticness! Will I ever really be ready to go back to that?? My job is part of the reason for me getting so big in the first place-always needed a "treat" or reward to get me through the morning, than another to get me through the afternoon!) Anyway...take my advice-stay home as long as you possibly can. You'll feel better in the long run!

I just started entering my meals into MyFitnessPal -I was losing track of protein-very scatter-brained since surgery last week, and I can't find anything from my nut. regarding daily caloric limit. I'm sure it's less than 1,000-more like 700-800, I'm guessing. Anyone have info. on calories?

Exactly, Bethany claims she was verbally abused as a chubby child by her mother. She was more than thin during her adult life, from what I've read about her. I just suggested the book because I like to learn about others prospectives. I respect Bethany because she was always about having good food that is also healthy. Her Skinnygirl Marguerita was one of many of her attempts to bring something everyone wants, but in a healthier version. For me, I feel more encouraged knowing that the so-called "naturally thin" girls really do work at! Why should heavy girls have all the fun in life!?! My sister has always been fit and trim. If I thought she ate whatever she wanted and never exercised to look like she does, I'ld be lying to myself. She's always exercised and watches her calorie intake. She enjoys Holidays and celebrations, etc. But she's back to business the next day! We are so alike, yet so different! My doctor said I will weigh less than her-promises, promises! (That would be awesome though!)

Where do you log in water intake in MyFitnessPal? I can't find icon, pull-down, etc. I'm doing great thanks to logging all my food (drinks, I should say as I'm still on stage 2 liquids!) in MFP. My calories are close to 600 and protein close to 80. I must say (and I wish I could get paid, because I've said it before) that Unjury brand UNFLAVORED whey protein has saved my life! Zero flavor-21 grams protein per scoop. Between meals I make a batch in my GNC shaker cup (1 scoop protein and Crystal lite-any flavor, they have a lot now! Water.) I fill a Rubbermaid 24 oz. Water bottle 1/2 way with ice, add my protein/CL mix and fill til top with water. One of these between breakfast and lunch and one in the afternoon gibes me 42 grams, breakfast shake is about 30 (Premier ready to drink from Costco). This enables me to get plenty if protein in before dinner so I can have what I want without worrying that I still need a lot to make my daily quota of 60-80. Whatever my lunch and dinner is, I had 72 grams so I'm right in the middle. My calories are staying low too, which I like -fir now anyways, once the Holidays start, I doubt I'll be staying that low!

Sleeve surgery on 10/11/12- released on Friday (a day early). The 50 minute car ride home from hospital was torture! By the time I got in my house I was hysterically crying-so much pain! I'm wondering how people travel home from another country no less right after this surgery! I also had hiatal hernia repaired -maybe that accounts for some extra pain/gass but seriously, if I had to go to an airport, train or whatever to get home, I wouldn't have made it! Also, complications post-op... who do you see? I can't imagine another Bariatric surgeon wanting to take over 'after' the fact when there could be surgery related complications! Very intrigued!

Full liquids-I'm confused. Are they different from dr. to Dr. as well? My nut. guidelines specify canned, creamed soups only, thinned with 50% skim plus milk then put through a strainer. I would love to blenderize home-made soups-so much healthier and tastier! I go on phase 3 puree on 10/31 and look forward to having pureed soups with beans-delish!

Yaaaa! That's fantastic! Keep up the good work! What are your stats?

Awe...I know about the non-stop burping, believe me (and there are many posts made by me along the way attesting to it!) I ate an entire box of GasX the first week alone. I had to eat one before drinking my meals or I'ld get even more gas! Finally, I think movement most of all, helps dislodge it and get it out (and don't stiphle it-let it out! Gross, I know-but it's got to come out! My two teen daughters were disgusted-couldn't help it!) I find soup and broth still make me gassy so I have a GasX before eating-it really helps. You're a good partnerhope this helps!

You can do it! Reaching for stars or pounds lost-sane difference! Good luck, sweetie!

I was too open and honest! I was so excited about getting the surgery that I blabbed to a lot of people Pre-op! Now I'm kind of regretting it-like all eyes will be watching and waiting for every pound to drop off. Maybe I'm just a little paranoid having had to take another week off after returning to work only one day! I went in last Monday, everyone was glad to see me, said I looked great. Went home-burning pain back with a vengeance, say my dr. Tues. -home resting remainder of week-I guess I'm embarrassed! Anyway, people in my community gossip about everything and anything anyway! When I'm scootin' around in my tiny little body next year, riding with my hubby on his Harley, I'll give them somethin' to talk about!