playlikeworldchamps

My ID is kenmj11 I am 5 months out.

3/4/13 Started preop 307 3/13/13 Surgery Weight 296 8/2/13 about 5 months since preop 240 Down 67 since preop

also highly recommend myfitnesspal. tracking is key. I allow myself anything as long as I track it. that way if I don't lose I will see what I may be doing wrong. this way I can make sure to get at least 65g protein and keep sugar as low as possible. in first few weeks you may only get 30g -40g protein. it will take time to work up to it. I recommend premier shakes at that time. I don't do shakes anymore.

solid meats were difficult and still are. in the beginning I would eat chili which was high in Protein with ground meat and Beans. I couldn't finish a small size (like a Wendy's version in the beginning) but eventually can do mediums. I did lots if lentil and black bean type Soups the first few months. Greek yogurt was great for calories and protein. Now I use the sugar free Greek yogurt to save calories cause I hit 1200 so easy! and don't worry about 400 calorie days in the first few weeks. the first couple months won't make you lose too fast or get gaunt. take advantage of no hunger and low cals the first couple months. your body will use your fat stores as it is supposed to. As I said I am tall and feel best if I get 1200 a day. I don't want to lose any faster. i dont want to do rigorous exercise (yet). i walk and take stairs instead of escalators when commuting and make little choices to be more active as part of my every day activity. everyone has to work the sleeve in a way that's best for them. for me, I wanted to be a close to "normal" whatever that is - and not be on a diet but just eat like this for life. Everyone is different. there is a honeymoon period and a lot of people want to go all out effort for that first 6 or so months. That's just not me. I needed to make my plan fit with my life and be doable for me. you will find what works best for you.

I was able to get to 1200 a day by 10 weeks out. and I try to stay around there. just 3 meals and about 3 snacks a day. it's pretty easy to get to 1200 it took a while to eat solid protein but I can do 3-4 oz now. ground meats and chilis and such are easier. I only do walking for exercise. nothing rigorous yet. I am 5-10 tall so that helps. so far I average 2 lbs a week and am happy with that. when I stall or slow down I will up the exercise program. I can't imagine losing too much! I have lost 70 and a normal BMI is 70 away. that's 9 more months. I would be happy with 50 more. I can't fathom having an issue with not being able to stop the loss. it takes concentration and mindful choices to keep it coming off!

walking is a perfect start. better to start with something doable and not set expectations too high too soon. try to walk a little more/longer each day. that will give you a sense of accomplishment and also set achievable goals that you will feel success and want to do more. try Leslie sansones walk away the pounds videos if you can't leave the house. they are a great start. you do 1 then 2 then 3 miles and can use arm weights too. when that's get too easy you can move on to even harder workouts!

This is my latest before/during. Down about 65 lbs in almost 5 months. Sleeved March 13. I am now a 34.6 BMI. started at over 44. I am "simply" Obese now! 33 lbs till overweight.

you are definitely not alone. I am at 5 months and when things start to slow I get worried it is happening to me. I don't know if it will help but I have decided that on every three month surgeryversary to go on a 1-week preop type liquid diet. it helped me at 3 months to get things going again and I plan to do it again at 6 months. I usually have 1200 cals a day and going to 800 for a weeks seems to kick things up. I also have not gone too crazy exercising yet (just walking) because I feel like saving things in my back pocket for further slowing issues to step things up! I think the 5:2 or a week of liquid diet then back to normal may get your metabolism going. I also recommend tracking everything on myfitnesspal if you don't already. sometimes you may think you are tracking okay but it helps to keep me honest and I know for sure what the protein and especially sugar grams are. keep sugar under 25g and you WILL lose! I am kenmj11 on MFP if you want to friend me. I have a long way to go too! good luck and be proud!

you look great and should be extremely proud! hope I am there in 2 more months!

body smaller = smile bigger

my scale couldn't weigh me anymore. was it broken? I tried to tell myself that. then I realized I was too big for it. very depressing. it only could go to 308. I would lose 4 or so and it would miraculously work again and then I'd gain it back and it would "break". someone mentioned lapband to me. I got up the courage to research WLS and my insurance. then I got up the courage to tell my husband and convinced him over his objections. after losing nearly 70 lbs since my max (60 since preop) he is a believer. oh and I bought a new scale. it goes up higher - not that I'll ever need that anymore! I'll make sure of it!

I weigh every day but only record it officially on Wednesdays. even though sometimes it's higher than a previous day. some people do an average for the week. try to become "addicted" to tracking instead. I know I am doing well if I am eating right stuff and quantity according to myfitnesspal. I use that to judge if I am "doing the right thing" the scale is just a measurement and can't measure behavior only results of behavior. if it goes up but myfitnesspal tracking of everything i eat is good (grams of Protein, carb, sugar) then I know scale will eventually show that. I also know when I've indulged I see it on MFP and will see it on scale at some point if I don't get back on track. same with exercise.

1 night was fine for me. I have a very low pulse and whenever I fell asleep that pulse meter monitor would beep and wake me up and the night nurses would not set the alarm lower than 45 so I was up all night with it beeping. I went home so I could sleep!

actually some people do get real hunger again. about 6-8 weeks post surgery I got real hunger pains back. not quite as strong as before but they are real - my stomach will rumble, I'll feel empty and hungry. just wanted to let any newbie know that real hunger does come back for many people. if you are lucky it will take a year or more! It is less intense perhaps but its there. I also get head hunger too. that is the one to ignore or find a coping mechanism for! Real hunger is of course the right time to eat if you get it!

I am going thru the same thing! I think I am the only one who sees then though! I fix the neck of my shirt or strap and feel something hard there. even a "hollow" spot! I can't wait till they are even more noticeable.

Diet snapple lemon is my beverage of choice since I am no longer allowed fresca because of the carbonation (nor can I tolerate carbonation). I could not drink water right after surgery and diet snapple literally prevented dehydration for me! I dilute it with water and ice so it does not taste too sweet. My doctor does not have prohibitions on caffeine.

Accountability. Even when I make a less than ideal choice I track it. People fool themselves on portion control and calories etc. i realize that this is a lifestyle for me and I will have to track forever. Even the bad stuff. I also like to watch sugar intake. If I can keep it under 40g I am less hungry and lose better. And protein at least 65. Without MFP I wouldn't know. I also love watching what others eat and get ideas and recipes. I can't recommend it enough. I am out 15 weeks tomorrow and down about 46 lbs and have not had a stall (knock on wood). I credit it to tracking and keep sugar grams as low as possible and protein at least 65. My ID is kenmj11 if you want to link to me.

I was back to work on day 5. I have desk job but kept me feet/calves moving under the desk as much as possible. My incisions did not hurt but had that pain in left side for a while that did not feel great while inside healed. that pain went away in 3 weeks but I was able to work though it.

I was sleeved on march 13 and am the same amount down (albeit I started at 295). you look great and love your haircut!

there's a really long before after thread. do a search for "want to see before after pictures" I also loved reviewing these before my sleeve 14 weeks ago. I put my most recent here for you. HW (left photo) was 315, SW was 295 and now 3 months later I was 251 today.

so true. I hope to get to 187 but 214 is the lowest I've been in 20 years and 187 seems a dream. "normal BMI" for me is 173 and I was last there 23 years ago. I can't even imagine. if I can get to 208 I'll be merely "overweight". some people start not much higher. but I am tall so I rationalize it that way ( 5-10) my highest was 315

I can drink water again after 3 months out. but still can't drink it fast or it hurts. water has high surface tension so it can build up like a column in the sleeve. that's why burps help to shake it up and move it along. warmer water has lower tension so it can be easier. adding things to it lowers the tension too. I can drink it now but mostly I drink watered down diet snapple ice tea most of the time. I dilute it and add ice to lower the sweetness.

I am out 3 months yesterday. HW 315 (before pic) SW 295, CW 253. 42 pounds in 3 months. 10 was lost pre-op diet (so 52 in 15 weeks)