jensjoy28

ME TOO!!! I didn't realize how strong that element was of my personality until I started in therapy a year or so ago! For the OP, definitely great that you decided to share this struggle amongst a group of people who have "been there, done that". While the healthy snack option works well for many people, I have found that snacking of any kind is a slippery slope for me, and so I work to follow my plan (which is eating 3x a day). And then, when the urge to snack hits me (stressed, bored, lonely can all be triggers for me), it is easier for me to "know" that I am not actually hungry, but am instead battling a case of head hunger. Part of the journey for many people, and acknowledging the issue is a huge positive...definitely puts you squarely on the path to success. Good luck!

KatinFl...I hear you, and understand where you are coming from...and, you are right that there is a difference between "secret" and "private". However, one of the things I stumble on when presented with that viewpoint is that this medical procedure results in dramatic outward changes to our appearance, and so, to me, it is unreasonable to think that WLS can easily stay in the same category as other medical procedures. Added to that, I have heard countless stories of people who experienced a private matter (miscarriage, infertility, addiction, divorce, bankruptcy, to name a few) who were amazed at the sense of relief that came from sharing their story and the "weight that was lifted from their shoulders" of not feeling the need to keep that part of their story private. Not trying to say that you feel shame where you don't, but just that there can be catharsis in unexpected places.

You are right...Personally, I have been a big believer in telling people. I made the decision that I refused to have shame about this. I believe the "secrets" that we keep take a significant toll on our mind, body and spirit and keep us stuck in behavior and thought patterns that suck the life out of us (and probably had something to do with why we ended up needing WLS in the first place.) I also see a great deal of energy being expended on "weird looks" that we get when dining out...personally, I think many of us are projecting. Even before surgery, I didn't think twice about what the waiter or other dining companions thought on the occasions when I asked for my food to be prepared a certain way or I decided to share an entree instead of getting my own or if I wasn't hungry for whatever reason and so just had an appetizer...It is hard for me to believe that I am the only one who had those occasions before WLS, but for some reason, post-WLS, many people fret about these same scenarios.

I applaud inquisitiveness and am not someone who blindly follows a doctor's orders just because they are the doctor...however, I think you should ask your surgeon for his reasons and allow him to respond directly to your questions...and if you aren't willing to do that, then I'd ask yourself why.

Ask for permission instead of forgiveness. My surgeon also is 100% leak free and his post-op plan called for 3 weeks of liquids (which he said used to be 4 weeks) and I talked to him about allowing me to move to purée after two weeks...but the key is that I didn't take it upon myself to decide that because it was ok for others that it would be okay for me...I talked to him and had his blessing. And, if your theory of "this is how it works for others so it must work that way for me" was ironclad, then most of us wouldn't have needed to have surgery on the first place because "the rest of society eats X, Y and Z and doesn't struggle with morbid obesity, so why would I?"

I was sleeved May 8 @ 310 pounds...as of this morning I am down 53 pounds to 257...had my 3 mo (a bit early) appointment today and I am exactly where I am supposed to be on my surgeon's chart...next goal is at 6 mo., and if I keep pace, I'll be 220 (90 lbs lost). Feeling good, have little to no hunger, portion size is typically between 3-4 oz that I do 3 meals a day and my activity level over past few weeks has been 3-4 days a week for 50 min sessions (group boot camp classes). Going to try barre method classes starting next month as I have heard it is EXCELLENT for toning.

I concur about some couple's therapy...so many times we are in a dynamic that we don't even know/realize all of the ins and outs of...his jealousy is something he needs to work through...I guarantee (said in the voice of Foghorn Leghorn) that issue has been an underlying element of more situations (both his actions and your responses) than you realize

I say no time like the present to start adjusting your mindset for social situations...choose something else to drink that is non-caloric...will prove to yourself that you can do it, and post-op you will have to get comfortable with how you navigate both eating and drinking in social situations...if it is helpful, imagine yourself pregnant...you wouldn't feel "pressured" to drink alcohol with everyone else because you would know that isn't a healthy choice...or if you were on medication that couldn't beiges with alcohol...you wouldn't take a drink then, right?

I think you call your doctor...that signals to me that something isn't quite right

Yes, I have heard that about artificial sweeteners...they say our bodies don't know how to process....going back to how our ancestors lived and ate, no such things existed, and so our bodies are "tricked" by these modern things...thousands of years of evolutionary history has not kept up w very recent modern times Here is article I found on topic. http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/2-ways-artificial-sweeteners-impede-weight-loss.html

When I was on medically supervised diet a few years ago, they said that, generally speaking, women need 11 calories per pound to maintain their weight, and men were 14 (I think...as a woman, I was really only paying attention to what impacted me). So, they said if you wanted to weigh 150 pounds, that meant that a woman would need to net 1650 calories a day...and the reverse was true...if you wanted to know what you were currently taking in, you would multiply your weight by the noted calories. So, that is a long way of saying that pre-surgery I was taking in over 3,200 calories a day, and 9.5 weeks post-op, I am taking in about 800 a day (before deducting calories from exercise) Was going to add notes about the "3,500 calorie equals a pound" component of weight loss/gain and instead came across these two articles. Interesting! http://www.drsharma.ca/obesity-myth-1-the-3500-calorie-rule.html http://www.drsharma.ca/how-many-extra-calories-do-you-need-to-become-obese.html

I know that the further out from surgery we get, the slower/harder it is to lose weight...just wondering from those countless "success stories" out there when you noticed a marked change...6 mos? 12 mos? Another way to state it is "I've lost xx pounds in xx months. XX of which was lost in the first xx months. :-)

To the OP, I get how unnerving that would be. One other thing to keep in mind is that our bodies revert to the "feast or famine" mentality that our ancestors dealt with...so, the wonky schedule you had that caused you to lose weight likely had the effect of making your body think you were in the famine phase...and when you started adding in some "supplemental" calories, your body quite efficiently decided to sock some of that away to sustain you for the next "famine"...that is why the traditional deprivation dieting can ultimately work against people. Doesn't seem fair, but thousands of years of human evolution hasn't caught up with modern day thinking :-) And, as one of the other posters noted, extra calories are extra calories...100 extra calories a day works out to 10 pounds a year...yikes!

I felt the same way with the first 40 pounds I lost...I measure once a month as well, so I knew the scale was going down and I was losing inches, but I just didn't see it. Pre-surgery 40 pounds would have been 2 sizes! I don't have a good explanation for why we lose it but we don't see it immediately... I concur with others that said that we "forget" how the clothes were fitting before...I've lost 50 pounds so far and am fitting into smaller sizes, but still not "swimming" in any of my previous clothes...that said,, others who I feel can give objective viewpoints saw it before I did. Keep it up, even though it is hard to trust, it will become noticeable.

I like this. I know it is different for each person, but I am hoping this is what I will be able to say when looking back. I'm nearing the 3-mo mark and am pleased so far, but still such a long way to go!

Yay! I've lost 50 pounds since my May 8 surgery...based on where I started, my surgeon had a 57-pound loss goal for me by 12 weeks post-op...I've got two more weeks, but pretty certain I won't *quite* make that, but I'll be close!! SW 310 CW 260 5'7"

Thanks! You're doing great...10% reduction from surgery weight is dandy

I agree with what others have said, and I just wanted to add two things: many people experience hormonal fluctuations tied with rapid weight loss...and, sometimes the emotions you are feeling are because you are no longer "anesthetizing" with food...counseling for you (at a minimum) and hopefully couples counseling as well would be great! Good luck :-)

Laura is right about the early, early post-op...I was on liquids for 3 weeks and then soft food for another week, so I didn't start the 4oz. portion guideline until 4 weeks out...and often only got in 3 oz those first days

My tip is to measure your food...I often use a 5 oz. ramekin...if it fits in there, I know I'm good to go. I also use a food scale for the times it isn't easy to cram food into the ramekin My surgeon says that you want to stop eating before you are full...if you are waiting for that sign to stop eating, you are bound to overeat.

Yes, I think age will definitely be on your side of the loose skin battle. My doc says that *most* people who have less than 100 to lose can do so w/o much loose skin... As for exercising, I say lean more towards toning exercises with some cardio...you can find all kinds if great exercises that use your own body weight as resistance...no fancy machinery necessary :-)

Only way we can answer is if you provide some detail about what your specific does post-op plan allow at this stage

I liked that there isn't malabsorption, that our digestive tract stays "natural", and that it is "easy" to live with (not something that either bypass or band can say). IMO, the incremental improvement of weight loss that bypass affords over sleeve does not compensate for the additional risks and complications.

Any drink you order from Starbucks "skinny" will use NF milk and sugar-free syrup...they have about 1/2 dozen diff. syrups throughout the year and sometimes seasonal versions.