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As for me, weightloss-wise I'm doing great. Passed surgeon's and personal goals and hit my lowest weight of 138 (100 pounds down) about 9 months out. I have maintained at 140-142 for the last 15 months. Fighting cravings, bad habits, poor choices, etc is a daily battle. I don't win every battle but so far I'm winning the war. I've seen 145 a couple times but am able to get back down and even fortify my discipline by not only going back to basics, but even doing the good ol' liquid preop diet for a few days when I need to. I had my gallbladder removed in November 2015. Suffered from 4 agonizingly painful attacks before finally doing it. Had 15 stones in there but haven't had any issues since. Had endovenous ablation and varicose vein removal in both legs in December 2015. I have smooth, bulgy vein-free legs and non-swollen ankles for the first time in 25 years! As for my droopy boobs and saggy butt, well, I'm just gonna live with those. I've managed my success with mostly just eating healthy. 60-80g Protein and 64-100oz fluids every day plus veggies, fruit, whole grains and daily Vitamin supplements. I don't log or measure my food. I don't count carbs or calories. My maintenance eating has become intuitive and I know what and how much I can eat to stay where I am. I eat plenty of crap on vacation, over holidays, at parties, etc. but just like my normal skinny friends it's not a daily thing and those exceptions are balanced with regular healthy choices. My blood work is great. It's been almost 10 months and I'm still struggling with my friend's suicide, but I guess everyone has shit in their life. I only wish dealing with my grief was as easy as WLS has been. My, how priorities change.... Thanks for the revival of this thread. I hope to hear from the old 12/13 gang!

Can you drink more than that at a time without feeling sick? If you can, go for it. If not, maybe try sucking on ice chips so you have liquid in your mouth all the time.

I lost 22 pounds on my 2 week preop diet. Took 3 months postop to lose another 17 pounds. Rate of Loss kept dropping to eventually 1-2 pounds/month by 9 months out.

I simply don't allow the bad treats in my house. I don't buy anything that's not a healthy food choice. I will indulge if a client bakes us something at work, but it doesn't go home with me. I will eat crap on vacation, but knowing I will be back to basics as soon as I return home. I may grab a couple fries off of a friend's plate but never order them myself. I may take a couple bites of dessert at a party but that's it. I actually "excercise" my willpower by purposely wandering the bakery section and candy aisles at the store. I read labels, I drool at the prospect of stuffing a chocolate eclair in my mouth. And then I don't. I walk out if the store with my Protein, veggies and sense of accomplishment. Like someone else said its a lot easier to say no once at the store than having to say it a hundred times at home. Sometimes even the "good" treats can get out of hand, so again, I will get them out of my house. Peanut Butter, nuts, chocolate mint power crunch bars and Chobani flips were all Snacks I used to eat but started to eat in excess so I no longer buy them. Moderation is the key for me.

I did not want a lifetime of malnutrition. I have 3 close friends that had bypass (8 and 10 years ago) and although they all lost a significant amount of weight they all struggle with nutritional-related illnesses. Dehydration, because it hurts to drink; anemia from low Iron, fatigue from low B12 and "unknown" causes; osteopenia from low Calcium, blood clotting disorder from low Vitamin K;, heart arrhythmias from unbalanced electrolytes. One has GERD that actually got worse after bypass and one is constantly battling ulcers. Another friend has been fighting her lapband complications for over 8 years. For me, the sleeve was the only thing I considered based on first hand experience with the other two options. At just over two years out I have never had a minute of regret.

What she said. I liked all the ones mentioned above. Besides the unjury website and Amazon, you can get samples of dozens of Protein powders at Nashua Nutrition. I kept a score chart so I could keep track of which ones I liked. (Bariatric fusion and Bariatric Advantage came in with two thumbs down)

I never talked to my nut once after surgery. I never attended a support group. I tell my PCP when my bloodwork needs to be done and what tests to run, based on the info packet my surgeon gave me. I take my supplements and adjust them according to the lab results. I meet my protein and fluid goals every day. I make healthy food choices. I lost over 100% of my excess weight and have maintained for over 1 1/2 years. It really isn't rocket science.

I don't own a scale, so I weigh when I think of it...usually 2-3 times/month. I make it a point to step on the scale at work after a particularly carby weekend or vacation or holiday so I know if I have to be "good" that week. My lowest weight was 138, but I typically hover around 140-142. If I see 143 I buckle down with basics....protein and veggies. I saw 145 twice and immediately put myself on a few days of liquid "preop diet". That knocks the extra lb's off pretty quick. I've even started making "preemptive strikes" before holidays or vacation when I know I will be eating off plan. I eat super clean and try and get down to the bottom of my bounce range before I head out. Makes any gains much easier to deal with afterwards. I've found the scale to be much more helpful in maintenance than while losing.

So sorry for your crappy day. I, too, am a Valentines Day "droppee". Mine was my very first boyfriend, who I dated all through high school, lost my virginity to and was planning to marry. I was a freshman in college, he was two years older and had joined the Army after graduation. He didnt officially dump me that day. In fact, even sent a gushy card and roses, but It was Valentine's Day that I found out from his younger brother that he was actually engaged to someone else! He had been cheating on me for 6 months, which was pretty easy since we lived so far apart at that point. At least I got to send his ring back to him after smashing it flat as a pancake. You certainly didn't do anything wrong. I know it hurts now, but try and brush it off as an insignificant moment cause in the big picture, it is nothing more than that.

So in honor of this post, I wrote down everything I ate in the last two days. Many of theses are repeat items that I had both days..... eggs, bacon, chicken, shredded pork, turkey sausage, shrimp, cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, power crunch bar, Quest bar, natures valley Protein bar, quest chips, Greek yogurt, unflavored whey protein, peanuts, asparagus, spinach, onion, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, baked Beans, red bell pepper, yellow squash, Kashi go lean Cereal, All Bran cereal, ground flax seed, blueberries, orange, coconut milk, 1/2 and 1/2, decaf coffee, decaf tea, plain Water, protein hot chocolate, Bai5, water with sweet leaf flavor drops, dark chocolate candy filled with brandy liquor. Portions ranged from a couple tablespoons to maybe 1/3 cup (except the liquids) and eaten over 14-15 "meals". My weekday variety is much lower. Probably more like 10-12 different things over 5-6 meals. I guess the OP's therapist would have a field day with me!

Oooo that was a good one. Love the Carpenters!

There are a lot of things out of our control, but succeeding after WLS is 100% in your control. Let that fact empower you to do what it takes. If you THINK you might fail then you might. If you KNOW you will succeed, then you will!

I totally missed that one, too. Bummer. I thought the OP was talking about the classy hushxpuppyx in the stretched sleeve thread. There's an ongoing "Marijuana and Life after Bariatric Surgery" thread that hasn't gotten volatile, so I guess the deleted thread was all about a particular participant rather than the subject.

Sautéed with salt, pepper, bacon and onions.

You Can't Hurry Love by the Supremes. I know I definitely fall in the "tough love" category when it comes to posting, but I treat my friends and family exactly the same way face to face. The only time I waste my time trying to be PC is with clients (well, most of the time). As for the belligerent negative nellies, vulgar posters, and defensive responders, they actually make me feel good about myself. Warped, I know. But as much as I may think I'm a miserable bitch, at least I'm not as miserable as them and I have the communication skills to express myself without using profanity. Although, I gotta admit some days there haven't been enough curse words invented to express how I REALLY feel

Don't know that there's anything to look up since I made it up..... I did a lot of experimenting with protein powders early on. I basically just stir the cake batter protein powder in the cottage cheese and maybe add a splash of milk if it's too thick. Sorry, I don't measure stuff so I can't give you an exact recipe. I've sprinkled crumbled graham crackers on top for a super yummy treat, but that may be too many carbs for someone that tracks.

OH yeah, and I forgot protein shakes frozen into popscicles. SO many options there.....Orange dreamsicle, red velvet caramel, chocolate banana, hazelnut, mocha, peanut butter cup, strawberry, cherry lemonade, and peach mango are just a few of my favorites.

crunchy - Quest chips, Simply Protein Chips, Healthwise Protein Chips, Claussen pickles, raw veggies dipped in ranch or poppyseed dressing, Kashi Go Lean Cereal Savory - jerky, nuts, cream cheese and olives rolled in prosciutto or thin sliced ham, summer sausage, hard boiled egg, shredded chicken or pork with cheese melted in, shrimp cocktail, tuna melt on a tomato slice, string cheese, Sweet - apples and Peanut Butter, protein hot chocolate with various Torani syrups added, cottage cheese with Muscle Milk cake batter Protein powder (tastes like cheesecake), plain Greek yogurt flavored to taste with peaches, mangos, berries, protein powder or Torani syrup, Natures Valley Protein Bar, Quest bar (and there's all sorts of dessert recipes on their website)

@@LEILE I really and truly hate excercise, too. And guess what? I don't excercise and don't plan on starting. I have a Nordic track and a recumbent bike in my spare room collecting dust. There is an Anytime Fitness and rec center with Water activities just 10 minutes away that I don't belong to. There are Yoga , Zumba and Cross-fit classes I will never take. I work 60+ hours/week at a fairly physical job and come home to yard work and housework. I shovel snow, I stack hay, I water and feed horses. When I'm done I sit on my couch and binge watch my favorite TV series. I used to jog back in college....hated every minute. I never got that "high" people talk about. I used to go to Curves and no, I never felt good after working out. It only felt like a waste of time. i really do hate Excercise. But hey, I am over two years postop and am maintaining 10 pounds below goal. My BP is normal and I feel great. I am fit enough to go on 10-15 mile hikes, ride my horse and paddle my kayak. Tell me again why I need to excercise? Don't feel bad or guilty about hating excercise. You are not alone.

So I'm having a new experience with my VSG results. For the first time ever, I'm actually feeling vain about my looks. Normally I don't particularly care about how I look. Compliments embarrass me, I don't wear the latest fashion, heck, I don't even wear makeup. I throw a hat on instead of brushing my hair a lot of days. I had surgery to get healthier, get out of pain, lower my blood pressure, etc. I never did it to fit into single digit sized jeans. I've always been proud of my accomplishment, but never vain. Until now. I'm going to Florida in a couple weeks. I used to live in St. Pete, like 20 years ago, and still have a lot of friends there. They've all only known me as overweight/obese. They know I had surgery, we've talked on the phone and they have seen pictures of me, but this is our first face to face visit in over 5 years and 100 pounds lighter. And along with my excitement of seeing my friends, i'm feeling what I can best describe as, well, vain. I WANT them to be impressed with the new me. I'm looking forward to the compliments (I hope) they give me. Their praise will be quite self satisfying to me. I am trying on outfits to see which ones make me look good (and skinny), as opposed to throwing "whatever" in a suitcase 15 minutes before heading to the airport. Can't wait to hit the beach and the surf and go kayaking to show off my bod. No offense to people that do care about their looks or feel this way all the time, it's just so out of character for me, I'm not sure what to do with it. So I'm not really looking for advice, just wanted to share this with the only people that might be able to relate. I guess you're never too far out to discover a new "twist" in your WLS journey.

I actually just got Netflix! Unfortunately that means I probably won't leave my couch for the next 2 years. Started binge watching Greys Anatomy and am 1/2 way through season 2. I've got House, Orange is the New Black, The X Files and the entire MASH series next on my list. I may just have to quit my job.....

Try diluting it with water, juice, almond milk or lactaid. You can even change up the flavor with Torani syrups.

Source of Life Gold comes in chewables and liquid. I took the chewables for years, even before VSG. I switched to Vitamin Code for Women capsules as soon as I was OK'd for them since the chewables tasted too sweet to me postop. Whole food based vitamins are the only ones my mom can take without upsetting her stomach...she has IBD, reflux, and fibromyalgia. She's the one that turned me on to the whole food based vitamins instead of the chemically synthesized ones that can cause stomach upset. Not to mention they are loaded with probiotics and digestive enzymes.

What vegan blend are you using? I found Spirutein to be quite tasty. But as with all Protein powders, I have to mix it with twice as much liquid as the instructions said or it is too thick and sweet for my liking. Was the Protein powder 100% whey isolate? That has a lot less lactose than other dairy-based Proteins. Are you allowed Greek yogurt yet? It, too, has less lactose than regular yogurt. How about Lactaid milk? That has 8g protein per cup.

Friday arrived at clinic at 9:30am. Nurse drew blood, cardiologist ran ECG and went over my health questionnaire. Met with dietician to go over postop instructions. Went to room, changed into gown and put on thigh high compression stockings, which I didn't take off until the next day. Got hooked up to IV fluids and was given a pre anesthetic cocktail. Surgery at 3pm. Back in room around 5 but not real lucid till 9pm. Nothing special postop besides walking, sipping water and watching TV. Had no pain or nausea. Saturday discharged at 9am. Walked to Walmart twice that day, watched a movie and napped. Sunday returned to clinic to have my drain checked and bandage changed. Went shopping in the Avenude Revolucion area before returning to hotel for a nap and evening walk to Walmart (the Walmart treks were mostly so my sister could get her Starbucks fix) Monday returned to clinic to have drain removed and barium fluoroscopy performed to check for leaks and visualize sleeve. It was very cool to watch the liquid flow through my esophagus, sleeve and intestines. Took Shuttle to airport and flew home that afternoon. Wore compression stockings on the plane. Bloodwork done at 3, 6, 12 months postop. Have an appointment for my 2 year labs next week.