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If you had an abdominal binder, how long did you wear it after surgery? Thanks.

I remember once when Oprah had lost a lot of weight...she heard that people were saying things like "Well, she's rich, it's easy to lose weight when someone cooks all of your food and does everything for you." She was talking about it on her show and basically said...she was the one who had to make healthful dietary choices every day and refuse her beloved Ruffles potato chips. Her wealth didn't do that for her. And she is the one who had to get her butt on the track and walk every day. She couldn't pay someone to do that for her. I think it is so similar when people say that VSG is "the easy way out." We are the ones who have make sure that every morsel we put in our mouths is good fuel for our bodies and resist head hunger. The surgery doesn't do that for us. We're the ones who make special holiday meals for our families and then don't partake in most of it. The surgery doesn't do that for us. We're the ones who go to the gym even when the weather isn't good or we feel like going to bed early instead. The surgery doesn't do that for us. We're the ones who keep drinking (and drinking and drinking) Water when part of us would rather hang out with our old friend Diet Coke or Frozen Margarita. The surgery doesn't do that for us. And you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way. Yes, the surgery is a tool, but I still feel that we own and deserve every hard-earned victory we see on the scale and every NSV. If others don't understand that, it's okay. I know that I haven't taken the easy way out, but I also know that what I'm doing is an investment in something very important--me. And that's something that money definitely can't buy.

my surgeon never restricted caffeine--I got regular black tea (tea bag for hot tea) in the hospital. I didn't drink coffee until after the first few weeks just to give my stomach time to heal, but the surgeon never restricted it. I drink 2-3 cups of coffee a day and sometimes caffeinated tea. No issues.

you shouldn't eat nuts or seeds until at least 4 months out. This is different than a pre-op diet if you "cheat"--it can seriously cause serious and lasting medical issues. Please stick to the liquid diet your doctor or RD gave you. For the first 3 weeks all I had were clear liquids, protein shakes, hot tea, etc. It was really difficult but my stomach was healing and I knew that wasn't the time to test boundaries. No solid food for 6 weeks.

yes, I have BCBS PA and it required medically supervised. Every plan is different though--might be worth a try. The 6 months went really fast and I was glad that I had them. My dietitian was great and I felt really ready when I had surgery.

love it! you look adorable

I like to put pumpkin puree in Greek yogurt with a little SF Torani caramel or some Splenda--really good and lots of protein.

you didn't follow it with a shot of tequila and some lime?

Wishing you all the best!

I would try to follow your doctor's diet as closely as possible, but if you are getting in 3 Protein shakes a day, that is pretty good. How many grams of protein do they each have? Could you try to have one of the shakes when you first wake up? Also, have you tried to have the protein in different ways, like mixing a chocolate protein shake with leftover coffee, a little almond milk, and pouring it over ice? Sometimes they are easier to drink if they are thinned out. It sounds like you are doing well...keep up the great work.

congrats!

My surgeon allows diet soda in moderation 3 months post-op. It's tough to have time to drink a diet soda if you are getting in all of your protein and water, but I indulge in one maybe once or twice a month--either diet ginger ale or diet coke. I haven't had any issues. I drink one small can usually.

Wishing you all the best!

I try to get a drink as soon as I sit down and by the time everyone orders and the food comes 15-20 minutes later, I can eat.

I was allowed to try iceberg lettuce starting at 4 weeks and other veggies as tolerated starting at 6 weeks. I did fine with everything except raw broccoli and cauliflower--I was probably at about 8 or 10 weeks before those agreed with me.

Do you have underactive or overactive thyroid? I am hypothyroid (underactive) and take thyroid replacement, but I thought the only treatment for overactive thyroid was surgical and then you have to take thyroid replacement? (I may be wrong about that, bc I am on the other side of things). I do know that underactive thyroid means it can take longer to lose weight. Do you have a good endocrinologist specializing in thyroid issues (rather than diabetes, which a lot of them specialize in)? I would start there if you don't have one already. So sorry to hear--I know how frustrating it must be--but it sounds like there must definitely be a medical explanation and I really, really hope someone can get to the bottom of it for you. Wishing you all the best.

Wow, that's so cool! You all look great. Did you have the surgery close to around the same time as each other?

Wow, that's so cool! You all look great. Did you have the surgery close to around the same time as each other?

Congratulations, PotterGirl! Very inspirational...so happy for you!

Congratulations, PotterGirl! Very inspirational...so happy for you!

What do you mean by that? eating 3 meals/day and no snacks? 20 lbs in 6 weeks is a good loss! Glad you had a good experience. I didn't find Dr. Ben Meir to have a big ego at all--very down to earth and confident but with humility. Funny how everyone has different perceptions but I think it's important to find a surgeon who meshes best with your personal preferences and glad you did.

Try MyFitnessPal--it's really easy bc you can put your favorite foods in and it's easy to pull them when you track. I tracked for several months but my diet got really repetitive so now I know the nutritional values and sort of keep track of it in my head, though my days tend to be so similar that it isn't really necessary. I think consistency is key. As for water, I can pretty much chug it (I had surgery in Feb) now. I would say I could do that within 4-6 weeks. A lot of people don't feel a lot of restriction until you get on solids and if you space out your food and water, you should be plenty hydrated. Good luck!

If you have a 401K, you should be able to get a loan. You might also qualify for a "hardship" withdrawal (just be sure to put money aside for taxes). Good luck!!!

I can't tolerate fresh ground pepper anymore--used to love it. Weird.

you must post a photo when you are done! very kind of you to do this. glad there isn't any temptation! sensory overload maybe. like when you work in a restaurant and don't want to eat the food.