playlikeworldchamps

So glad I can eat falafels without dumping cause it's not fun. I have sleeve yet still dump if I eat sugary foods. So cake, ice cream, even honey nut Cheerios with milk get me nauseous and heart palpitating. I feel yucky for about an hour. Thank goodness doesn't happen with sangria - probably because sugar+fat causes it not either by itself. I am glad for it though because I used to be a binge eater of sugary carbs etc and now not only restriction but dumping keeps me in check. Usually it can stop me from eating it in the first place. Once I took a video of myself after I are mint chocolate ice cream as a reminder of how yucky I felt. That video prevents me from eating more than a teaspoon of ice cream.

Sounds like Dawn phenomenon or Somogyi effect. The first is when the body starts putting out sugar to get you ready for the day. The second is when you don't have much to eat the night before which during pre op could be the case. Read about here: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/diabetes_mellitus/hic_what_causes_high_blood_sugar_levels_in_the_morning.aspx

Lifestyle change is a big part of success with the sleeve and sounds like you have that part started. But the sleeve also gives you restriction and hormonal and bile acid changes that physically assist with weight loss and maintenance. That is why I went for it. If lifestyle changes alone were enough I would never have kept gaining my weight back from every loss. The body purposely increases ghrelin when you lose significant weight and so you can't help but feel hungry and it's hard to battle true hunger. With sleeve (and to a certain extent bypass) surgery ghrelin is reduced and will not spike after weight loss as it does without surgery. It's another tool in The drawer to keep it off.

I may be on this thread already but I am kenmj11 and now working on transitioning to maintenance. You can look at my 2013 dairies though for ideas on food early on. I track every bite good and bad. It is not always pretty but it's accountability.

I am 5'10" and was in the 16s in 215-230 Size 14 from 195-215 Size 12 185 but I also fit in some size 10 pants now as well depending on brand. I am a L on top though I have a few medium shirts. I started at 22W when 290-315 lbs Sizes lasted longer when higher numbers. I could wear big sizes for 30 lbs. now they are that 10-15 pound range and size changes And definitely 20-30 years ago size 10 and 12 were a lot smaller. I was 165-175 and wore a 14 in the 1980s when I was in my 20s. Vanity sizing now I guess.

I agree. Save that for maintenance. When my losses slowed to 1-2 or nothing per month I made sure to focus on reducing sugar grams to less than 25g a day and eliminate grazing. It always worked to get the loses started again to 3-4 a month even now when I am 16 months and starting Maintenance.

South Brunswick NJ. Had sleeve March 2013 at new Univ Medical Center Princeton @ Plainsboro Hospital.

I could barely sip a teaspoon the first 3 weeks. I hated that aspect. to prevent dehydration I found I was able to drink flavored things like diluted snapple diet tea, diluted Gatorade etc. later I read it's because Water such a high surface tension so mixing it with something or drinking room temp or warm lowers the tension and it won't stack up in the sleeve. I burped constantly the first month. now 16 months out I can gulp water or just about any drink. it gradually gets better as swelling goes down and by 3-4 months drinking fills you but won't hurt like the first weeks. so hang it there. it gets better and is so worth it. l can hardly remember the rough times.

Unfortunate losing slow doesn't avoid baggy skin when you're older but it may help when you're younger and skin still has elasticity! So it's worth a shot!

Right now focus on following your doctors orders and know that you are doing this for a lifetime of health and things that are worthwhile take time. You will get to enjoy food again but in a different way and it will take time. It will take time to adjust that social life will not focus on food anymore but on conversation, music, etc. you will get to eat out at restaurants and have sushi and other foods you enjoyed. But it will take time. You need to focus on your health now and all the benefits you will see in future. Your life will be so much more than the next binge or food event. A world of activity, and fun, awaits. I just had a delicious rainbow row this weekend and was able to have a little sushi by 3-4 months. Now I am 16 months and chose sushi for dinner 2 weeks ago as well. It's just the whole meal now not the appetizer. But still wonderful!

That's my strategy too! I am working on maintenance now but if I happen to lose 10 pounds while working it out I don't need to advertise that. I lose so slow at this point people,e who see me every day won't notice.

I am in the more calorie camp. When you eat too little your body will get very efficient to hold onto it's stores. I am a believer in getting to 1200 healthy calories by 3-4 months. Exercise in the beginning should be moderate. I also know In my experience if I keep the sugar grams to less than 25g a day and weight will come off! I eat 75-90g protein a day.

I am a daily weigher but I made a deal with myself that if I weigh everyday I am not allowed to freak out on upward fluctuations. I was sleeved 16 months ago. Good luck You are in for a fun downward ride on the scale. Those numbers look better going down than they did going up!

I find if I avoid sugar I am not as hungry. So while I do not restrict good carbs I do restrict added sugars. I also avoid eating anything sweet in beginning of day because that will start sugar monster. I think when you exercise you need to eat most of those cals back to avoid stalling. I have been on 1300 cals a day since 3 months out and I would eat back at least half my exercise cals on top of that. I am now entering maintenance at 1400 a day so far and am adding in some fruit and 2-3 pieces bread a week. I still eat back at least half my exercise cals though so most day eat around 1700 cals. I may add more cals if I keep losing. I am 16 months out. My rules I focus on especially if struggling: Avoid added sugars - keep under 25g per day No grazing. Space eating 3 hours apart.

Thanks everyone. I know during my pre op and reseaching phase it helped to see others transformations so I hope this shows others they can do it too. It doesn't have to happen in the first year either. I had to kick things up a notch after first nine months. So don't give up!

I am at the same stage. I add 50-100 cals a day for a couple weeks and see if weight stabilizes. If I lose I add 50 or 100 more for a couple more weeks. It is important to give it enough time to see if a true gain or loss shows up. I have not changed my exercise regimens because that is for health and conditioning for me not weight maintenance. The calories I add have been in the form of allowing some fresh fruit, a banana befor spin class for example. I have also allowed myself some turkey hill light ice cream not the sugar free though cause it causes "issues". I still don't feel well if I eat high sugar/fat combo (sort of dumping syndrome) so that limits me and keeps me in check. I look at a piece of cake and think do I want to feel yucky after eating that? I also add healthy Beans in chili etc. this adds carbs to my diet but they are good ones. I even have had 2 or 3 slices of wheat bread a week. It is nice to have a little bread again. I also created a "trail mix" with almonds and dark chocolate m&ms in it. Yummy, and a treat. I measure to make sure I don't gorge! It is very filling though. What I don't do is have a lot of carbs or fruit in the morning. It usually triggers carb monster so I save carbs to the end of the day. So far I am still losing at 1400 cals a day. If I still am in a couple weeks I will go up to 1450-1500. I am tall at 5-10 so that helps.

Pain affects everyone differently. Hope yours eases up soon! Keep taking the meds even before it gets bad.

Once you are off only liquids and start getting solids again this is pretty common. Don't worry it start going back down again.

60% is the average and where surgeons consider it a success. Where you consider it a success is up to you. If you give it an average effort you will get average results. If you give it above average effort you will get above average results. For example I would assume average effort is getting 60g Protein, mild exercise 3 times a week, and tracking most of the time. Above average effort would be 60-90g protein, limiting carbs and sugar, and moderate and strength training 3-5 times a week and tracking all the time. You also have to be prepared to change things up once in a while. Try a different exercise, eliminate trigger foods, listen to why you eat and address underlying issues. You also need to CHOOSE to do this with every food and exercise decision every day to the point that it becomes quite routine. You also need to pick yourself up and start over after stumbling. Yes you will stumble so have a strategy to get back on the wagon. I am down 130 lbs. Never did I think I would get here. I can still lose more IF I WANT but it may not be in my best interest because even though 184 lbs at 5-10 tall I may lose muscle instead and at age 48 going below 21% body fat may not be good. I started out at 315. I was 295 at surgery. For 9 months I tracked every bite, ate 1300 calories with at least 75 protein and my exercise was about 3 walks a week. The first 3 months was 500-800 cals. I lost about 85 pounds down to 210 in that 9 months. I remember in the 230s I wondered wow can I actually get to the 190s. Was it possible. Weight loss was getting slow. After I got to the 210s I decided to push to get to 199. 6 months ago I started using my gym membership and signed up for personal training 2x week for 6 months. This was very expensive but I was determined. It seemed like forever but I finally got to 199 in about 2 months. Then I left my comfort zone again and joined a spin class. I started to do spin 2x week also. So now I have 6 days a week exercise including the 2 walking days. Since going to the gym 6 months ago I surpassed my overall goal of 187 and I can keep losing if I still want to on 1400 cals a day. So to answer your question, there is no limit to weight loss. My surgeon considered me a success story at 235 lbs. But no way was I stopping there.

I weigh every day and track everything I eat. every bite. I don't obsess over it. I just try to make the best choices when I eat. nothing is off limits though. I am 15 months out. if all I need to do to keep this off is weigh and track every day and make good choices 90 percent of the time and I can keep the weight off it's a small price to pay. it's not obsession it's just maintenance for me and part of my healthy habits like brushing teeth.

Every bite or sip you may a choice. Will that choice be to be healthy or will hat choice be to stay as you were. Don't let outside influences choose for you. You are in control. It is your choice. Make the right one.

The number one key to my success so far is tracking every morsel. Get a myfitnesspal account and start now. Yes I hated tracking that one third of an entemanns chocolate crumb donut last night but I did. I swore to be accountable and it has made all the difference. I also never feel guilty about the unhealthily choices 5% of the time because I track it. It makes life so much nicer. Yes in the first few months you will be by the book but getting in the tracking mode will help you later on and that's when you will need it most. After losing weight is not the problem it is keeping it off.

I was good down to size 16 and 14 but I had to start buying at 12. People at work telling me I need all new stuff since I'm wearing way too baggy. Yes it can get expensive but it is also expensive going up a size every year. Not to mention specialty stores for sizes 16 and up are way more expensive than stuff I can get at bargain prices - even name brands at SAMs club, costco, and sales at the mall. If are just starting out buy cheap for a while or swap with others in a support group cause you will fly they sizes. Safe the money for the goal weight timeframe.

You all have so much fun in store. Shopping for clothes is like being a kid in a candy store! When I walk into a "normal" store I still think someone will tell me I am in the wrong place. It's like walking into the wrong rest room!

Fage is my favorite too! I add my own fruit like blackberries. I am 15 months out and at goal so can be a little more generous with adding stuff. if I am at work I combine a Fage non fat with an 80 calorie Dannon Greek peach or strawberry banana. Tons of Protein and very low sugar Or if home I will use Fage and some vanilla Dannon 80 cal Greek and a ripe banana and couple drops of vanilla extract plus ice for a banana cream smoothie! Yum Or.... Just Fage plus any fruit around the house you get the idea. Great to make a smoothie when fruit is getting a little too ripe.