MichiganChic

I exercised religiously the first year. Then I got a new job and couldn't find the time. Then I had a couple of plastic surgeries and couldn't/didn't due to slow healing and complications. I'm hoping that's about over and I'm ready to get active again...though I'm not sure what I'll do. I really have a love/hate relationship with exercise. I love it when I do it because I feel like I'm really accomplishing something, but sometimes I just can't force myself to take or make the time because I'm so busy. It is something I have to consciously force myself to do. You can lose weight without, but exercise absolutely contributes to improved health and wellbeing.

I tend to be a grazer. I am successful, but it is because I work hard at not grazing. When/if I do graze I track the calories. I can say with certainty - for ME - that I could graze my way right back to 300 pounds. Especially at over 2 years post op, I could easily eat enough calories, even eating healthy. The idea is to eat enough to get full, and then stop. Eating small amounts never allows you to get full, so if you are not careful, you could just keep eating. It was a habit I had to break. The sleeve does not offer any protection, in that regard. My surgeon told me it is not the best surgery for grazers, but I wanted to go this route anyway. I'm not sorry I did, but it does require constant diligence on my part and a continuous struggle.

It was a scrambled egg. I could only handle a few bites of it, and it felt like a rock in my stomach. Even now when I think about, I can still feel that egg.

These are good too

I think it is way to soon to know. Honestly, I looked so thick after my lower body lift it scared me to death. It's been 7 months, and I still have swelling in my lower back. Most of that swelling is gone, so it looks WAY better. I'm sure the other thing to remember that even if it's not perfect, sometimes minor tweaking will get you to where you want to be. Try not to stress - it will be OK, one way or another!

normal.

LOL @@MoMo12onTheGo about the commercial. True! However, while the use of gastric sleeve for primary weight loss is on the newer side as far as research goes, it is not a new procedure at all. They've been cutting peoples stomachs out for years for a variety of reasons and using all kinds of stuff to secure them, so I'm less worried about that. I wonder about things like what missing hormones (that we don't know are missing) might do . Or things like hypoglycemia or hypotension. We know that those are potential late complications. Anyway, I don't worry about it anymore. It's too late anyway! I do worry about regain, though! There are more and more studies coming out, and recidivism of obesity is common, though the stats vary depending on the study. However, I do have some control over that. WLS isn't magic, so I do what I can to not add to that particular statistic.

I found, especially in the early days that my level of restriction would be stronger some days than others. I notice it less now, but even at 2 and a half years out, it still happens sometimes. I wouldn't worry unless you have problems with things getting stuck or vomiting, or intolerance to food.

That's the opposite side of the coin. It's got to be really rough to have such a severe restriction at this point that keeps you at 500 calories. Would be great if we could meet up in the middle, wouldn't it? Regarding the hair - I also lost a lot of hair, and that was one of the reasons I increased my calories from 700-800 to around 1100. I lost hair for at least 8-10 months or longer, and it didn't start growing back until I was about 14-15 months. It took about 6 months to come back, so in other words, a super slow process. I don't think it's all back, yet, but looks decent. It was thin to begin with, but at least you can't see my scalp all over any more. It is a hard road!!!

I think I lost about a half inch. I find it hard to believe, but I wonder if it had to do with all the fat forcing joints and vertebrae further apart, and extra padding on bottom of feet? There's also the theory of thinner hair. Or maybe people don't know how to measure either before or after, or both. IDK.

I'm a hippie. I lost 140 pounds in about 14 months. I also lost 20 inches, yes, almost 2 feet, off my hips! My body did redistribute some, too. And, now, after plastics, I'm perfectly proportioned for the first time in my life.

I was advised to eat slow, and MEASURE food, rather than weigh it. We are supposed to eat 2 tablespoons to 1/2 cup max for the first 6-12 months. Eat slow and watch signs of being full.

I take two multivitamins daily, and Vitamin D 10,000 mg twice weekly. In the beginning I also had B12 daily, Calcium 500 mg three times daily, and Iron 2-3 times a day. The doc too me off all of that because all of those levels were too high. Vitamins are necessary but absolutely not a one size fits all. Some of them are fat soluble and can be toxic or harmful if you get too much of them. They have to be adjusted based on lab work.

I don't have hatred or negative feelings toward obese people. I know it felt to be judged, and I remember how I felt being the biggest person in every room and everywhere I went. So, I probably shouldn't admit this, and I don't mean to be glib...but I always think I'm the hottest old bag at Krogers, lol! It is not in direct comparison to anyone there, but I am just so happy to be thin and feel so good in my cute clothes that I'm pretty sure everyone thinks it, too haha! I just crack myself up, because just like not everyone judged me for obesity, not everyone (and probably NO ONE) notices me at Krogers. My point is that it is and was my own internal dialogue, much as @@gowalking indicated.

The OP specifically REQUESTED opinions. People gave just that, and backed it up with reasons. Opinions are based on personal bias or belief, and may be right or wrong. Then there is medical best practice. Current medical standards in the United States do not indicate weight loss surgery for people with a BMI of 29. That is why centers of excellence do not do surgery on overweight individuals with BMIs under 35 unless there are comorbidities. Just because you can find a surgeon to operate on you does not mean it's a good idea. In time, perhaps medical best practice will change, but with known current standards, WLS in this individual is likely contraindicated. Having said all that, it's a personal decision. The OP was seeking opinions to help make a good decision, and it didn't take much persuasion for her to rethink it. Personally, my opinion is that @@addygirl is making a good choice by trying to improve health with traditional diet and exercise. I don't know you, but it is the same thing I would tell my daughter.

Wow! Huge transformation is a short time! You look great

Do you have neurocardiogenic syncope? And did you have it pre-op, or do you mean it started since surgery? I do know someone with a sleeve who had NCS pre-op, but just trying to understand what you are dealing with.

It was an immediate change for me, particularly in that sweets didn't taste good. I used to drink a lot of milk before surgery, and that was something I had to give up. Thought I'd really miss it, but I don't. I eat very little bread, rice, pasta, which were all staples of my diet before. I rarely think about those things these days. So, while my diet and habits changed, and that has seemed to stick for the most part, my aversion to sweets did not. I don't eat much that's sweet, but can definitely enjoy a piece of cake if I decide to do that.

We would have fun! Because when all that was done we could go shopping or sit on the back porch and do nothing - my other favorite pastime that I never get to do!

I was down 84 pounds at 6 months, which was roughly 50-55% of excess weight.

It's not too late for swimsuit season for you! Losing weight is hard work, with or without surgery, for sure. There are a million diets out there, so you just have to find one you can actually do. I guess one suggestion is to eat a diet like WLS people need to eat. Protein first, non starchy vegetables, limit carbohydrates. Of course you'd need a little more food, but count the calories and keep them to around 1200. I think many of us have learned that the carbohydrates cause cravings and lead to increased consumption and slow weight loss. Of course, don't forget to increase your activity, and drink your Water. Incidentally, losing just 10% of your body weight greatly reduces your risk for obesity related conditions. Good luck.

@TheRealMeIsHere! I wish you were my neighbor. I'd totally find stuff for you to do at my house I have never, ever, not even once, run out of things to do!

You are smart to really think this through. A BMI of 28 is not a diagnosis that warrants a drastic surgery by current medical standards in the US. The benefits do not outweigh the risks from what you've said. Just because you have a skilled surgeon, you are not guaranteed to have no complications. Also, having WLS does not guarantee you will actually lose weight and keep it off - we still have to do that part for ourselves, so you need to make sure you are ready to commit to a permanent change. Go to the complications thread, read some real life stories, and see if you think the permanent, disabling complications people have had are things you are willing to live with. Only you know your personal risk tolerance, but most certainly, make an informed decision.

Thanks everyone for your answers, they were all very insightful. Even though I don't, I think I could easily eat double what most of you can eat. :/ I wish I had more restriction than I do. I'm thankful that I can tolerate anything, but that is really a double edged sword. I always have to force myself to stop eating before I am full. My allotment of calories and food really is not very satisfying. But being thin is, so I guess this is my life.

Thanks for sharing that. I have never eaten that, but I bet I could. I am just ignoring the fact that I'm pretty sure my sleeve is big because I've been successful enough....but if I let myself think about it too long, I start thinking I want a resleeve, too! My family would kill me. For me, I think of myself as "normal" and that I can eat small portions like a normal person with a whole stomach. It still keeps me from overeating, even if it does allow me to eat more than most sleevers. At this point, it's pretty much all me since I have to eat around 1100 calories to maintain this weight.