leanintoit

I would like to share with all you marvelous May sleevers some encouraging information from my nut. She painted a great picture for me by saying, "Weight loss with the sleeve is like going down a flight of stairs. You land on a step and stay there for a period of time (a few days or a couple of weeks) with no weight loss and then you move down to the next stair (2-3 lbs lost in a week), then you stay on that step for a few days before moving down to the next step." This image is a perfect description of my journey of weight loss so far. And it appears to capture a lot of others' experience, as well. She also gave me the following nutritional goals saying that it is difficult to get more protein in when only eating 1/2 - 2/3 cup of food (normal for my stage at 10 weeks out). She prefers that the majority of protein come from food, at this point, with protein shakes filling in gaps throughout the week. Calories: <1000 Fat: 30 max Carbohydrates: 30-50 (excluding vegetables) Protein: 40-50 (eventually 70-80) Sodium, Na: no recommendation Fiber, total dietary: 25-35 (eventually)

Wow! What a blessing! Congratulations on such incredible success, Tammy123!

Oh girl! 50 lbs? That is incredible! We were close on our start weight and surgery date but I have only lost 39 lbs. Sorry to say "only". I should say, "I have lost an amazing 39 lbs in 9 weeks!" So glad to hear of your success!!!

Wow! That is encouraging! You've gone down a size! Celebrate!!! I hate that you don't have more support from your surgeon's office. I am about six hours away from my surgeon, so I don't get to see them often, but lots of phone calls. Good job on getting a fitbit! I have one too and love it! I track all my food and water in sparkpeople.com and upload it to fitbit. I think that you will see more weight loss once you take more steps. Walking is fantastic! I truly enjoy the water aerobics offered at our YMCA. Do you have an opportunity to look into that? The thing I love is that my arthritis doesn't bother me, I get a great resistance and cardio workout with NO SWEAT! Best wishes for your continued success!

Hello fellow May sleevers! I am on the slow but steady train having lost 37.2 lbs since pre-op diet. Had surgery on 5/2/13. Praising God for this wonderful tool He allowed me to have. It is not an easy road, but one I am glad He showed me!

Djstola: I am sorry that you are experiencing the same frustration that we are. But I must say that I am encouraged by your post because it shows that, indeed, we are not alone! I am so excited that we have connected! I am going to friend request you!

tigerbelle - your story sounds just like mine. I hit 5 weeks out this last Thursday. I lost 18 lbs pre-op and only 6.6 since the surgery. Now, let me say, that is a 24.6 lb loss in 7 weeks. I am so grateful! I do get discouraged thinking that I am the only sleever who isn't losing. I get between 40-70 grams of protein every single day, but I do not always get 64 oz of water in addition to protein shakes (there is some disagreement about whether or not you can count protein shakes toward your water intake). I am exercising more than I did before surgery with walking, riding a recumbent bike and, starting tomorrow, water aerobics. Not sure why you and I are stalled for so long. Because everyone else on the forums seems to be losing like crazy, I felt the same as you: "It's unheard of" to be losing so little. But now we have found one another! I am trying really hard not be discouraged and not to regret the surgery. Perhaps we can encourage each other along the way privately. I will send you a friend request. Best wishes for lots of losing!

That is wonderful! I was sleeved 5/2/13 and have lost 27 lbs. so far. I hope that you are encouraged by how well things are going for you in the weight loss department! Hopefully everything else is going well too!

Fitbit is a measuring device that I wear everyday (attached to my bra so it is not visible) that tracks my steps, the number of flights of stairs, calories burned and my sleep efficiency. It has a gentle alarm that wakes you up at the time you set but in increments so that it does not disturb your deepest sleep cycles. It syncs with sparkpeople.com where I track my daily food, water and exercise. It was only $99 and I really love it! There is a flower icon that grows as you get moving. It is one of the motivators to keep me moving and I enjoy seeing my progress every day. It is very accurate when capturing sleep modes of: awake, restless, sleeping. Always interesting to see that report in the mornings.

I know that I am a little late to this discussion and early to the VSG experience, but thought that if you are still struggling, this might help you. There are two books that have helped me SO much. These are both about how to change attitude and behavior when basically addicted to food/carbs, etc. The first is "Love to Eat, Hate to Eat" by Elyse Fitzpatrick. Very inexpensive in paperback. It is my favorite and I return to it often. It is filled with biblical truth that speaks into my heart and mind and my actions aren't far behind. The other is secular in nature, but also helpful, "The Beck Diet Solution" by Judith Beck. I am only four weeks post op but certainly already find myself having to fight against cravings and the desire to be able to eat the foods and amounts that I used to. That would sabotage all that I have worked for! One last thing: I have found that protein shakes help fight against craving sweets. Especially true when I bought a higher quality whey protein powder mix (Syntrax Matrix). I also bought MHP Power Pack Pudding. (found it at The Vitamin Shoppe.) One can has 30 grams of protein. I can only eat 1/3 of a can so lasts longer therefore costs less per serving. I am going to look into the protein hot chocolate myself! So grateful for this community! Best wishes to all of you!

It has been great reading your thoughts and experiences on alcohol! Thank you for sharing on this touchy topic and staying civil. My surgeon's practice puts alcohol in the "never or very limited" category. Pre-op I might have a glass or two of red wine per month or I might go months without any. Red wine has many benefits to our health and I am not at risk for addiction or overuse. I am four and a half weeks out and I had a glass of red wine last night at a benefit. (I was happily hydrated prior to and drank water along with it.) It took me 2.5 hours to drink it but I was grateful to enjoy it. At that rate, I felt no effects of the alcohol. My philosophy is that I am gladly giving up many, many things in pursuit of better health. An occasional glass of red wine is beneficial to my heart and my sanity. I am not trying to push my philosophy on anyone else. We all know what is best for ourselves and, beginning with this surgery, we are on each our way to improved lifestyles. I wish every one of you the best and am beyond grateful for this community!

I have been so grateful for threads like this one. Thank you all for being willing to share about our most private issues. I am four weeks out and suffering with constipation in spite of drinking my water. I am going to try adding 2 T of Benefiber to my morning protein shake. I am still unable to eat more than 1/4 cup at a time, so hard to get any veggies in. I do take Juice Plus vitamins (recommended by my surgeon and nut) which is the "next best thing" to eating vegetables but not helping me with the constipation. Best wishes to ALL!

So happy to have found and joined this group! I am four weeks post op and have been quite discouraged. I am 51 and find that my weight loss has been so much slower than most everyone else in forums I have been following. I lost 18 lbs pre-op and have only lost 6.2 lbs since my surgery four weeks ago yesterday. I started at 264 and just had my weekly weigh in (self imposed) and am now at 239.8. It must have to do with age! I would love to get to know some of you and how you are doing. I know that VGS surgery is a blessing and I am grateful. My discouragement can't overshadow that! I hope that everyone in this group has a great weekend and continued good health! Karen

We are so close in weight and surgery date! Would love to connect privately if you would! Are you on facebook or im willing to share personal email addy if you are...it might be good for us to have a "buddy" who is so close on this journey...

Sleeved May 2. I lost 18 lbs preop and only 6 since surgery three weeks later. Though, I haven't weighed in a week (I weigh tomorrow). I sure hope I see more lbs off when I weigh in tomorrow. I've had a few moments of panic thinking to myself, "I will be the only sleever who doesn't lose weight." I know that is ridiculous!

I am four weeks out. At three weeks out I was weighing daily and often disappointed. So I forced myself to only weigh once a week. I will weigh tomorrow for the first time in a week. Hope I see some good news! I have been disappointed in how little I've lost during these four weeks so far, but talked to my nut today and she said that is "normal". Hope you are able to let daily weighing in go. It is too frustrating. I prefer to see other progress through sparkpeople.com and my fitbit. I am diligent in logging food, water and exercise into sparkpeople and wear my fitbit faithfully. This helps me not need the daily scale.