Jeffie Beck

great points, guys! I think having a clear line and knowing the difference between things you are giving up forever and the things you can have at maintenance is a smart idea. I feel bad that I think some people can't wait to "reward" themselves with foods that aren't good for them. The only foods I look forward to are foods that are good for me but can't seem to tolerate yet (like salmon, shrimp, spinach). My doc said to keep trying every couple weeks, as we are still healing for the next 6 months and our tolerances will continue to change/improve. I gave up caffeine, soda, pasta, potatoes forever and I'm happy with that. My weight loss is its own reward.

hahahhaah oh my gosh i am crying laughing at this wonderful story!!! I am so happy for you and this (not so small) victory!!! Having bloomers fall down is not a small thing, since they tend to be the tightest thing we wear, so if even those aren't fitting, GO GIRL!!!!!! Congrats, and thanks for the laugh! I truly needed it!!

Been there too! Was told on this site that I had an eating disorder for legitimate hunger. As if the therapist at my surgeon's office couldn't possibly know better than them (my surgeon would never sleeve a person with an untreated eating disorder). Too many people on this board assume we all get to this point for the same reasons , but obesity is a disease with a multitude of causes. Period. Don't let them bully you honey.

I understand your frustration, don't feel bad. Let me ask you, what is your water intake? protein intake? activity/exercise level? General food intake daily? I ask bc perhaps we can all help find things to tweak to improve/increase your weight loss. Also, how much weight do you need to lose to reach your goal?

great great job!!! you are an inspiration!!

Hey Emilysmom, If you don't mind, I'd like to share my story with you. I was originally scheduled to be sleeved on May 6th. i was all psyched and ready, starving from the pre-op diet (pissed off bc i only lost 3lbs during the pre-op diet lol) and in a good place mentally about my life long decision. I was admitted, changed into my gown, had my hospital tags/wristbands on, even the hair bonnet thing they put on you just before you get to the OR. Well, while waiting on the gurney, my morning blood sugars came in (i am a type 1 diabetic), and my sugar was 59, apparently my endocrinologist didn't adjust my insulin enough to account for the fact that I'd have nothing in my system starting midnight day of surgery. Bc you can't have anything in your tummy, and the only way to safely bring ur sugar up is to drink glucose, they had to reschedule me. I WAS CRUSHED!! I was literally a few minutes from being wheeled into the OR when i was hit with this news. I cried rigth there, and my surgeon felt awful. He moved mountains to get me rescheduled for the following Tues, and like you, I had lost much of my mojo, thinking "is this a sign? is God trying to tell me this isnt' for me?" Well, I managed to put those fears aside (I truly feel that's fear I was hearing in my head) and on May 14, I was sleeved successfully. I never got my mojo back in terms of how excited I was to have the surgery...but I did it anyway. And you know what, the very next week, when I noticed I had lost 11lbs, THEN it hit me. I made the best decision of my life! I never had a c-section so I can't compare the pain, but I can say that the gas pain in my shoulder was worse than the pain in my incisions. I took a pain killer for a day or two after just for that, bc gas-x didnt work (it's not gas pain in your intestines, its the air they put into your abdominal cavity so the laproscope is free to move around in there; they can't always get all the air out before closing you up and this air or gas pain causes discomfort, especially as it travels around). Walking helps dissipate it greatly, actually. I hope my story helps you a bit! I really really want you to have the strength and patience to call back, get rescheduled, and try again!!! Please keep us posted, feel free to message me if you have other questions, and best of luck to you, my dear!!!

I love that!! It's funny bc normally I think there is a belief that healthier food is more expensive (and honestly, where I live in NYC, that is often true), BUT us sleevers have the advantage of buying significantly less due to the fact that we eat so little at a time. Since we're buying fresh, we can't buy too too much because it will spoil (whatever you cannot freeze, I suppose, if you do). I just came to the same conclusion a few days ago realizing I spent about $40 less on healthy food than junk, partly because I can buy much less (even though I am shopping to feed my husband and daughter, my portion is smaller and that is adding up). Thanks for posting, it is a great feeling!

Hey, Princesstia, thanks so much for sharing! I am placing my order now. Going to incorporate it into my daily routine as well as get back on protein shakes. My tastes changed so much since surgery I can barely stomach any of them. I bought a few more to try and i intend to add the collagen to them going forward! Thanks again and keep it up, you look amazing!

Hey, do you mind sharing more about this collagen? Is it a powder form? What brand and where do you get it? I'm curious bc I was just cleared for exercise yesterday (6wks post op) and am hoping it will help break the stall I'm in (been at 187 for 2 weeks). If collagen will help as I enter this new phase I def want to look into it! You look AMAZING so you're a living testiment that it's worth a shot :-)

Sooo, I've been cleared to exercise (I'm entering my 6th week post op). I found and joined a local gym, very small, but with all the basic machines. Here's my problem, I haven't worked out (at a gym or otherwise) in over three years!! When I say I'm out of shape, I mean, dreadfully lol. A flight of stairs leaves me winded and a walk around the block makes me tired. BUT i am determined. I have only lost 20lbs since surgery and I'm sure my super slow metabolism is a factor. Can anyone give me pointers on where is a good place to start today? Not sure what to do or for how long. I obviously want to challenge myself, but not to the point where I push so hard I injure myself of something. I was thinking to do 10 mins of full body stretching (using the Sworkit app for pointers), 20 mins on the elliptical, and 15 mins on the bike. What do you all think? Too much, not enough? Would love pointers from those who began their fitness journey after surgery as well! Thanks in advance everyone

So i went to the gym yesterday for the first time. I started by stretching for about 5 minutes, mostly my legs, arms, and back. I then went to the treadmill to limber up. I was able to do 22 minutes...I did the first 18 comfortably and then lightly jogged for about a 1/5 minutes (maybe less). The rest of the timie was a cool down walk. It was a challenge, but it got my adrenaline going. I also got on the elliptical and did 5 minutes on the lowest setting. I burned a little over 130 cals on the treadmill (see pic below), not sure what I burned on the elliptical but I am so happy I was able to even do that little bit. Today, I'm at work with no soreness whatsoever and feeling pumped to go back tomorrow. But I'll keep you all posted. Thanks so much for the awesome feedback (definitely gotta get my hands on those hand weights @aries!!). Not sure when I'll start to include strength training like weights to tone my arms (I know that's when the soreness will really start) so any suggestions there are welcomed!!! Thanks guys!!

Didnt get to read everyone's comments but I really wanted to chime in! I LOVE the taste of food. Always thought I wasnt an emotional eater. I don't eat when I'm sad, angry etc. Then the therapist who I see who works at my surgeon's office reminded me: happy is also an emotion! You enjoy the taste of food, it makes you literally happy when you can eat and enjoy it and sad (i.e. we cry and get emotional) when we cannot. It is a form of emotional eating that directly correlates to the disease of obesity. So no worries, it's normal for our abnormality. I have type 1 diabetes, meaning that since I was a kid, my body stopped making insulin. Unlike type 2, it didnt happen bc I was overweight. I was healthy, extremely active (9 years of ballet/jazz-tap), and well adjusted. It just hits us (halle barry and mary tyler moore also type 1, and are thin as a rail and quite healthy). I take insulin, and have put weight on increasingly ever since I started at 13. And also since then, I found it harder and harder to be satisfied with food. I'm 5 weeks post op today. And still struggle mentally with the size of my plates. But TRUST ME, if your sleeve will not let you comfortably eat more than you should. The gurgling and tightness you feel, like a big ol' ball of food is sitting in your chest trying to work its way down, is actually a blessing! My body is telling me "you've had enough, i need to spend some time working on this." I admit, I'm not thrilled yet about the smaller plates bc of what I want visually. BUT i am thrilled that i can eat so little and say, well, I'm done. I wish you so much luck as you start your journey, my dear. Feel free to add me as a friend and stay in touch if you continue to feel apprehensions. We're all here for ya!!

Ok, so in the spirit of sharing, girl i hear you! I had terrible constipation after surgery, still do and I'm in my 6th week post op. At 7 days, my doc recommended Miralax to get things moving without the harness of a pill laxative. I know it takes about a day or two before Miralax really gets you to "move" and i should have been keeping track. Day 2, I thought i was gonna fart (a rarity since surgery) and i said to hubby, "omg i have the worst fart coming!" (that's honestly how it felt! More like gas than anything solid). Well, lo and behold it was not gas. I said "oh crap. Honey i just shat on myself!" In the bed, mind you. Thankfully i had the presence of mind to clench my butt cheeks with relentless fervor before enough came out to get on the bed! Hubby literally had to carry me out the bed (one false move and it would have been smear city) and helped me to the bathroom. I felt awful, to which my hubby replied "this is our divorce insurance. you can never leave me now hahaha." We shared a tremendous laugh and I felt fine afterward. I texted my step-mom, with whom I have been chronicling my journey because her sister is considering a sleeve herself. I told her "Aunt Annette may think she has to fart after surgery. IT WILL NOT ALWAYS BE A FART!! HEAD FOR THE BATHROOM EVERY TIME!!!" She nearly wet herself laughing. Glad I could be stern warning if not a sterling example

I am literally tearing up with joy for you!!! I could feel your emotion in the way you wrote that post and am so happy for you!! That is a huge victory and just the first of MANY along your journey!! Congratulations honey xoxox

This post is JUST what I needed to read today!! I'm in a similar situation. I was sleeved May 14, and so far, have only lost 14lbs since the morning of surgery (20lbs from my highest weight). I am incredibly frustrated to have lost so little. I decided to join a local boutique gym, which I'll be visiting today for the first time. Hopefully this will give my butt (aka metabolism) the kick it needs. It's hard not to get down when you see yourself sacrificing and not getting the pay off. But, by the same token, I remember the mammoth plates of food I would eat before and not see the immediate weight gain either. So I am re-learning patience. I wish you much luck on your journey Mystigal, and am confident you will be a great success!!

Thanks ppasjm for sharing your experience, that's exactly what I was looking for. I know there are plenty of people who have been working out (even if not consistently) before surgery and their experiences would be very different than mine. I'm definitely taking your and JohnLatte's lesson to heart. I'm going to plan in small 5 or 10 minute increments at a time. I'm going to push myself but not bc I want to reach a "time" limit, as I get in better shape I'll be able to push like that. The idea is I want to be sure I can return to the gym and go regularly so I'm going to avoid being too fervent my first few days out. Just gonna start to get the hang of things. After I go today I'll be sure to report back and let you guys know how I did! Thanks again.

Hi JohnLatte, thank you so much for your kind response! I appreciate the encouragement. I definitely think you're right. Rather than plan my entire day at the gym, I'm going to plan it in 10 minute increments (5 minutes if 10 even proves too much). I'm going today (worked late yesterday and couldn't make it) so I'll be sure to report back how it went!

Are the cocoa almonds sweet? I've never heard of them and I'm curious.

I had the EXACT same symptoms! My heart burn was so bad, It burned to even drink water. My doc gave me a prescription for the heartburn which immediately helped me get my water, meds, and protein down. I'm in my fifth week post op, and my stomach makes all kinds of noises still (I joke with my husband that I have a lizard living in my chest, which will often reply to him before I get a chance to lol). Not sure this will ever go away, so I just eat super slowly to minimize the sounds as much as possible. Different things pass down the sleeve at different speeds for me. I'm on pureed and solids, which i chew to a pureed consistency. Mash goes down fine, but almost everything else takes its sweet time. It makes me feel full super fast (which is normal for us, so I'm happy with that) and i stay full longer. It is uncomfortable, but I guarantee you get used to it. In fact, I have come to like my gurgling and that full esophagus feeling, it's my body's way of telling me i've had enough for now. Try to embrace that feeling, your sleeve is keeping you from old eating habits. Changing my attitude in this way helped me greatly. Shoulder pain was the worst for me, too! But I think it was gone before week 2 was mid-swings, so don't worry!! You're well on your way, good luch!

I always laugh and think of my 10th grade Global teacher whenever a Texan calls a Mexican a foreigner lol. Talk about irony lol. Ok that's my irrelevant pseudo-erudite post of the day. Good night, and good luck.

Let me just open by saying, yes I effed up BIG TIME !! I have been on mostly liquids since surgery Tues May 14, even though my doctor approved me for soft/mushy foods. So at around 4am EST I had an intense food craving, and i new I wanted meat (I"m guessing my body was craving Protein, but I had already had around 60g of protein via shakes/Pro-Stat). So asked my husband to cook up a hot dog on the stove, which he reluctantly did. We ground it up with a knife (not pureed, mistake #2) and I began to nibble on it. To my astonishment I ate the entire thing, rather quickly!! The first thing I've finished since before surgery, I don't even get through a cup of Water in one sitting. I know I was eating from my head, not stomach. Ever since, I've felt terrible!! First it felt as if the hot dog was just sort of sitting there between my esophagus and stomach. I've had incessant painful gurgling ever since. I tried drinking some water, without waiting the 30 mins, becuase it was my goal to wash it down and out of my system. Not much reliefe at all. I tried laying down, but at around 8:45am the discomfort and pain was unbearable. I wanted to vomit but my body didn't let me. I would get passing feelings of nausea, even down to the over-salivating, but still nothing. I contemplated sticking my finger in my throught (panic makes you think crazy things), but I didn't. I had a sort of pain in my chest, as if someone had been sitting on it. But now that pain has become more of a heartburn like feeling. I tried taking gas-x a few hours ago, then a Pepcide later on, and most recently a Calcium carbonate antacid, just before writing this. I only feel slightly relieved, very slightly. I also have slight stomach cramps (I'm sure this is from the combination of hot dog and all these funky drugs now in my tummy). I feel awful and terribly nervous that i've destroyed my sleeve. I realize this may be a bit irrational, probably post-sleever's guilt, but still. I wil never EVER cheat again. Can someone just share if they've had a similar experience? Am I in real trouble? Will this discomfort pass on its own, or is there something I can take? Any advice (even verbal kicks in the butt) are all welcome, I just want to feel better and stay on the straight and narrow from here on out. Please help. Thanks so much for reading!