Chris R

I was told no gum because if you swallow it, it can cause a blockage. I still chew gum, because I never swallow it. I also use a straw, but I do suck the liquid into my mouth as though from the glass, and then swallow. I actually feel like I swallow more air when I DON'T use a straw!

Definitely a big difference! I'm sure you've noticed it in your clothes, too!

I had my surgery on Feb 12, which was also my 50th birthday. I'm down 43 from my surgery weight, 103 from when I started the program. I am allowed to eat anything I can tolerate, which is pretty much anything. I just have to be careful, certain things tend to fill me up faster than others. I also catch myself eating too fast sometimes. (One of the hazards of being a teacher - we get used to only having 20 minutes to eat lunch!) I'm very pleased with my progress

I was on 2000 mg of metformin and 45 mg of Actos daily. My surgeon took me off all diabetic meds when I left the hospital, and my fasting blood sugars have been a good 20 points lower than when I was on the meds. I'll have my first A1C since my February surgery in a couple of weeks at my regular checkup - I can't wait to see how it is!

We love you laura - you DO have brown eyes, don't you?

You mean there was some doubt about that?

Love it!

Oops! Double post!

I've seen this question posed on here several times, but have never really seen a good answer to it. Today I had my 2-month follow-up with my NUT, and lo and behold, she shared a recent article from "The Bariatric Times" addressing that very question. I'll post the link, but the bottom line was for the first year post-op, keep carbs under 90 grams, and after 1 year under 130 grams. http://bariatrictimes.com/recommended-levels-of-carbohydrate-after-bariatric-surgery/ Enjoy!

I've always said if you aren't comfortable enough with someone to fart in front of them, then you shouldn't consider having a long-term romantic relationship with them.

50 lbs in 3 months is 4 lbs a week! That's about the same rate I've been losing, and I weighed 390 at surgery, and I'm very happy with that. Remember, that works out to a 2000 calorie per day deficit. Don't stress about it!

My knees are shot, so I haven't been exercising at all so far. I hope to be able to as more pressure is removed from my knees as I lose more weight. I've been losing about 4 lbs a week on average. I just got over a 2-week stall - have dropped a pound a day on average this week. My total loss is now 102 lbs, 42 in the not-quite 10 weeks since surgery. I do get hungry for my meals, but it doesn't take much to satisfy that hunger. I eat about 1000 calories a day, shooting for 35% protein, 35% carbs, and 30% fats and try to drink 8-10 cups of water a day.

I haven't been having a problem with constipation since I added a serving of Kashi Go Lean Crunch to my daily diet. 9 g of fiber!

I know how much my husband appreciates the musical horn solo lullaby I serenade him with each night when we go to bed!

It could have something to do with the fact that 1 serving also has 240 calories, compared to 100 calories in the Syntrax Nectars, for example...

To the OP and so many others who've posted here with husbands and wives who love you just as you are: You are all truly blessed! I have always believed that this kind of relationship is what love is all about. You love the person inside, not the shell that holds them. It may be a little off topic, but it made me want to share this story. I've been overweight pretty much my entire life. I was overweight when I met the father of my children, as was he. I outweighed him even when we met, but he was also obese. We dated for 5 years. We dieted (Weight Watchers) together for 6 months before our wedding and lost about 60 lbs apiece - him close to goal, me still about 100 lbs overweight. It didn't take long before we were both back up to our highest weights, and two children later, I was 200 lbs overweight. I should have known things weren't right when he said this - I don't remember when - "If you ever get over 350, it will be over." After 17 years of marriage, I returned from a visit to my parents with our two children (he didn't come because he had to do side work), and he told me the next day (the day after our anniversary) that he wanted a divorce. He said there was no reason other than he didn't love me any more. (I discovered later the real reason that he finally had taken the step - she lived next door.) After that, I gained even more weight, finally reaching 450 lbs. I'm sure that depression over the divorce was a contributing factor. It took over a year after the divorce before I felt ready to date again. I had a few dates from online dating sites, but no matter how much in common we seemed to have in chatting online, or how much fun we seemed to have together on our date, once they met me face to face, I wouldn't hear from them again - it seems my weight was too much for them, even though I identified myself with the website descriptor reserved for "fat" women - "big and beautiful", and had an up-to-date picture of myself posted. Of course, my picture was only from the shoulders up... I finally did meet a wonderful man (also online) for whom my weight was not an issue. We talked on the phone for about a month and a half before we met, and had honest conversations about my size. (He told me after I 'confessed' that he could tell that I was a big woman even from the shoulders-up picture.) Although he is close to "normal" weight, he once weighed over 400 lbs. (He lost the bulk of his weight very quickly due to a parasite and a medical condition.) We met when I weighed my heaviest, and it was magical from the first date. I started looking into WLS about 6 months after we met - not because he wanted me to do it. In fact, he was very worried about me having surgery to lose weight, and constantly reassured me that it didn't matter to him, that I was beautiful just as I am - however, he would support me in whatever decision I made. We have been married just over a month now, and I'm even happier knowing that I will be healthier and live a longer life with a man who loves me for what's inside. We're both looking forward to me being a size at which I will be comfortable enough in a plane to travel to Europe, where I have never visited, though he has many times, and my knees will be healthy enough for me to walk and have him show me everything! Hold onto those who love you, and trust them with your whole heart! Their support will be invaluable to you on your journey!

It's easy to forget to take smaller bites and chew well - old habits die hard! But believe me, if you don't, your body will remind you pretty quickly. You'll get that feeling like the food is sticking right THERE in your chest! Fortunately, that little occasional reminder has been enough to make me to slow down, take smaller bites, and CHEW, and I have never yet had any worse problem than that temporary discomfort.

You look great! It certainly looks like more than 45 lbs lost!

I am only 9 weeks out and am able to get at least 60 g of protein in most days without doing any protein supplements. On the occasional off day, I make a fruit smoothie and add some unflavored Protein powder if I'm having trouble getting enough in. My NUT told me it's better to eat your meals than drink them! Focus on high protein foods first, and you certainly will NOT have yo drink Protein shakes for the rest of your life.

My Nutritionist said the premade ones tend to have more volume for less of a protein punch, not a good thing when your stomach can only hold a little at a time. You can also make regular fruit smoothies and add unflavored protein powder. I do one with 1 c lowfat milk, 1/4 c orange juice, and then add frozen fruit as desired (and sweetener, if you need it) to make it into a milkshake (or frappe, for those of you from New England). I add 2 scoops of Sytrax unflavored protein powder to that - 10 g per scoop, plus the protein in the milk.

I have done it before myself - to a point! In the past, I've lost up to a total of 83 pounds at a stretch, before losing my motivation and gaining it all back, and then some. I've lost as much as 40 pounds in 8 weeks before, dieting on my own, but I could never keep it up for the long haul. I feel that this is the tool that's going to keep me going until I get where I need to be, and then help me stay there permanently!