LipstickLady

It always amuses me when someone asks a question on a PUBLIC message board and then gets bossy and rude about and to the people who took the time to answer. It always amuses me when someone asks a question on a PUBLIC message board and doesn't get their question answered. When answers are given, they are to often to benefit the community at large, not just the person who asked. If you take the time to look at the picture I posted, you'll see bougie sizes have minute differences and WHY it makes so little difference to many of us. My bougie size (yes, I know it, you can search my responses if you a REALLY care) had little to do with my success. My success is based on my hard work and diligence in following my diet and exercise plan.

It always amuses me when someone asks a question on a PUBLIC message board and then gets bossy and rude about and to the people who took the time to answer.

Just tell them your stomach doesn't feel "right" and stick with a beverage. People notice far less than you imagine.

Bougie size makes little difference. See attached.

I fixed it.

I don't LOOK for high fat, but I do eat REAL cheese, REAL sour cream, REAL salad dressings, 85/15 hamburger instead of the 94/6 I used to eat, etc. Tastes better and keeps me full longer.

I, too, have a (very slight) stricture and my food choices were extremely limited for a long time. I still have "feeding" days and "non-feeding" days -- days where I can eat and days where more than a few nibbles makes me hurl. I don't typically eat meals, I graze all day, but it works for me as I can rarely eat more than 1/3 cup or so at a time. I focus on high Protein, high fat and low carb. You do sound like you eat a lot of carby foods. My foods include soft scrambled and deviled eggs, cheese, guacamole and hummus, cheese, beef jerky and almonds, cheese, seafood or chicken salad, shrimp, cheese, crab cakes, refried Beans and taco meat with cheese, edamame, olives and mushrooms off the olive bar at our market, the filling of pot pies, salmon, cheese, tilapia, rare steak. cheese... I can eat anything as long as it's softer, juicy or has a gravy or sauce. I don't eat a lot, my restriction is really tight, so I do eat a little here and there all day. I've been maintaining for a year and a half easily. I rarely eat bread, bagels, cereal, rice, Pasta or potatoes as they all make me gag and vomit about 20-30 minutes after I eat. I can eat a bite or three, but that's my limit. I can eat crackers, popcorn, chips and the like, but I limit those foods because I know they are not healthy choices. Cereal and milk doesn't sit well, and I used to love cereal. Boo hisss! When I eat out, I hit the appetizer menu because I can always find protein friendly choices and a smaller portion size. I still end up taking food home. You can do this!!

I've lost 112 pounds. Exactly two bags of that food. Weird. It feel freaking awesome.

Tag me and I will remove them. I just killed off two.

I've done very well on a "keto" diet as well. I don't push myself into ketosis as I did my first year post op, but I don't need to. I am maintaining easily and eat whatever I want, whenever I want. I eat high Protein, high fat, no carbs 90% of the time. I do have an cookie or handful of M&Ms a few times a week, but I can because I am so active and occasional junk food does not "trigger" me. I don't worry about calories at all but my restriction is VERY good at 2.5 years post op and my portions are rarely larger than 1/3 cup. My typical day includes food like hot dogs (the good kind), sliced lunch meat, cheese, nuts, bacon, cheese, shrimp, seafood salad, cheese, chicken salad, deviled eggs, cheese, olives, Beans, edamame, hummus, avocado, pepperoni/salami slices rolled around cheese... High flavor, high spice, high fat. Low carbs. YUM. (Did I mention cheese?)

Add a splash of milk and a pat of butter to your wisked eggs and then scramble them really soft, almost runny. When they are cooked too "well". they hit my 2.5 year out tummy like a brick and I usally horf them back up. If they are really wet, I can not only eat them, but they are extremely satisfying and filling. The added butter is the trick along with the soft cook.

You rock!! Thank you.

@@Alex Brecher We want the Vet Forum back, please.

I'm curious how much research you did before surgery excluding the discussion you had with your surgeon.

This sounds like a problem from the surgeon/hospital side. If your insurance paid the 16k, they did their part, your doctor is the one billing you triple the going rate for out of pocket surgery.

Tell your doctor's office why it MUST be this year. If they cannot accommodate you, find a surgeon who will. You've done all the insurance requirements, that won't have to be redone just because you switch surgeons.

You don't need a husband or a family to be successful at this surgery. You do need the self esteem to take good care of yourself and if that means getting out of a bad situation and a husband who allows his family to treat you in such a manner then go. You deserve better mentally and physically.

I agree with @@VSGAnn2014 My "naturally thin" friends are actually "naturally watchful" people. Most order an appetizer or a soup/salad when we go out and always leave food behind. Those who "eat all day" generally only take a bite or three here and there and it's NOT chips/brownies/cookies. When they do take a piece of cake, it's an eensy slice despite all the "You can have more! You are so skinny!!" from the other women. Yes, they have "fat days" -- generally because they've reached the top of the bounce range THEY allow themselves. A few of them have even joined WWs with only 10 pounds to lose because they are smart. They are staying on top of the game BEFORE their weight is a real issue. I now do what they do, something I wasn't able to do before my sleeve. I wish I would have figured this out 20 years and 110+ pounds ago.

I was never discriminated against or mocked as a fat person.

If she told you " it's really simple ... you say no and walk away ... easy peasy." how would YOU feel? What's good for the goose...

Ugh. If I eat ice cream, I dump and it isn't pretty. (I thought sleevers weren't supposed to dump but we are talking full on sweats, poop Soup and vomiting within moments after the third bite.) I don't call you weak at all, you know yourself and your limitations and we all have our battles to fight. We are ***all*** only experts on ourselves, IMO, and we can only do what's best for us despite the 1000's of millions of different "expert" opinions. Cake? Sorry. :burp:

For me, I have to disagree. I relearned habits over the time I did my NUT's plan, my pre-op and then my weight loss phase. I CAN have one cookie or one tiny serving of chips and be fine. My restriction is great (despite the carbonation I drink daily), my daily nutrition is fabulous, and I have not only been maintaining for well over a year, but I am at my lowest weight since surgery. I needed to have surgery to get myself to this point and I am so thankful I made the decision to do so. I now CAN have my cake and eat it, too. Literally.

My response is simply "A LOT" with a smile. My weight does not need to be a running theme with my friends and acquaintances and the more I shut it down, the less it seems to be talked about. Period.

To add the OP's excellent initial post, it seems that most people don't understand what a stall REALLY is. A stall is not the loss of "only 2 pounds" this week nor is it no weight loss for the last 36 hours. A true stall is no movement in weight up or down for at least three weeks. If you tracked your weight on the way up like I'd assume MANY of us did, you had periods of time where you gained daily, weeks where you went up and down daily and some days where you stayed the same no matter what you ate. You weren't stalled then and you aren't stalled now. Embrace your success, current and future!