livvsmum

Thanks :-) I would say that two things impacted my success this far. The first would be disciplined eating. I stick to my numbers....75 G Protein, no more than 30-40g carbs & 100 oz Water. Pretty simple. Second though, and equally important, is the hard emotional work I've done to beat emotional eating & compulsive overrating behaviors. Doing the physical work alone without working on the mind wouldn't have been enough for me.

I'm 5'7" & 139 pounds. Currently a size 4 which is pretty much where I want to be. I have a few more pounds to lose, but I don't suspect that will change my clothes size.

For me, having that extra support via weekly therapy & doing the hard emotional work has been fundamental to keeping the weight off. If you're willing to do the work, you'll do great!

Thank you!! And thanks for reading! It's been quite a journey & yes I think I experienced all of the things you are feeling. I promise it gets easier!

I'm actually in the process of writing a blog post right now showing a day in the life of my "diet" 1 year post op. I have it updated with pics through afternoon snack with nutrition facts included (amt of Protein, carbs, etc.). Just need to add dinner tonight. lol. Link is in my signature if you want to take a peek.

I have been seeing an eating disorder therapist since about 7 months post op and in my very first session with her she recommended that I read "When food is Love". The first time I read it there was so much to take in because I felt like there was something meaningful that applied to me that I had never considered before on every single page. So I went back and read it a second time (I'm in the process of it right now) but this time with a journal in hand so I could reflect as I go. It really was pivotal in me getting things in perspective with eating and binge eating specifically. I purchased her other book, but haven't yet read it.

I agree on the protein hot chocolate. It is one of my favorites. I order the bariwise brand so I'm not sure how that compares nutrition-wise to the diet hot chocolate with added protein, but either way it is a great option, especially moving into the colder months.

I would say that right around 7 months was when I started feeling a little more hungry and found that I was able to eat a little more and could tolerate just about anything (much to my dismay...lol) I agree with what the others have said. First drink Water. Probably 1/2 the time when I think I'm hungry I'm really thirsty. Then check your head. Probably another 1/4 of the time I am really not PHYSICALLY hungry, it's more a head hunger. Finally, if you need a snack make sure it's Protein. I DEFINITELY feel way hungrier when I eat high-carb Snacks or foods like pretzels or crackers or something. Even the next day..... carbs breed cravings for more carbs.

I focus more on my other numbers and the calories tend to fall into line. I try to get at least 80g of Protein, 30-40g carbs, and 100oz Water. Once I've done that the rest usually follows suit.

It sounds like you know pretty much what changes you need to make, it's more in your head at the moment. Sometimes my greatest struggle is getting out of my own head and doing what I need to do. As far as eating, get back to the basics. 80g of Protein, no more than 30-40g carbs, and 100 oz of Water does it for me every time. But another suggestion is to maybe talk to a therapist who specializes in weight loss surgery patients or eating disorders. I have been working with one since about 7 months post op. I go every single week, and I can tell you that it has been a life-saver. I can say with certainty that I wouldn't be as successful wtih the weight loss as I've been without doing the hard emotional/head work with my therapist as well as the clean eating. You've taken the first step in reaching out... now get a plan in place and you've got this! The beautiful part is that our tool (the sleeve) never goes away!

Weight today is 139.8. I was definitely at a stand-still the past 2 weeks, but all of the sudden the scale started moving again! Feeling hopeful about the 135 Halloween goal. Just need to stay on track! On a side note, this is the first time I've been in the 130s since before I had my first daughter, 16 years ago!

I have chosen not to tell the majority of people about my surgery. I get lots of inquiries about how I did it. My general response is that I upped my Protein, cut out carbs, and started running. All of these things are very true. And honestly, while the surgery is a tool to help us lose the weight quickly, without the hard work and careful attention to eating right and exercise, it won't last. So really, I don't feel like I am being deceptive in any way. An additional thought is that if people really want to know, they will find out, as I have a public blog out there about the surgery. And really if someone lost 140 pounds in a year, I'm pretty sure I would put 2 and 2 together on my own....lol....

the best kept secret is Protein hot chocolate. One of my all-time favorites.

At 1 year post-op I don't rely on supplements much at all. Maybe a Protein shake for lunch or Breakfast a couple times a week and if I need a boost, I will add protein hot chocolate in the evening. From time to time when I need a "reset" I'll return to 2 or 3 days of Protein shakes only, but otherwise mine comes mostly from "real food" at this point.

I did salad probably 2 months post op, but it was pretty uncomfortable and still isn't my favorite thing. I do order them a lot with chicken on them because it is a good out-to-eat option, but eat the grilled chicken off of it first and then only have a couple bites of room left for the lettuce.

I do have some excess skin in my belly and under-part of my arms areas. I've lost nearly 140 pounds, so really it could be way worse than it is. But if I had to weigh the benefits from the surgery against the negative of having excess skin, the benefits win every single time. No question about that. You can always work to tone the excess skin, or if it bothers you have it removed. I agree though that if you are active, young, and drink lots of Water, you may have some but it shouldn't be anything terrible. I've added my before/after pic so you can see. I always carried weight in my arms, so I am self-conscious about the extra skin on them, but I actually get a lot of compliments on them strangely enough. If that is your biggest reservation, I think you're in good shape.

I'm 5'7" and here is my progress pic from 1 year post op. Hope that helps.

I've done a lot of core strength training to help with my arms and abs. I'm still looking into surgery because at a certain point for me, after losing nearly 140, no amount of toning is cutting it. Good luck to you! I hope you find something that works for you. Maybe even investing in a session or 2 with a personal trainer may be worth it just to identify some fundamental things you could do on your own.

You're welcome to add me as well. I've been logging since surgery 1 year ago. it keeps me on track! :-) My username is livvsmum (same as here)

I have no idea if we ALL need therapy, but I know I sure did/do. I go every single week to an eating disorder therapist. To be so obese, I definitely had some food issues that went beyond just liking how it tasted. It becomes very easy as you reach your goal to even take it in the other direction and move that compulsion away from over eating and towards over restriction. I would say going to therapy has been ultimately the most important part of this journey for me. I highly recommend it, and specifically working with someone who has a specialty in either WLS patients or eating disorders.

Couldn't agree more!!! I am 1 year post-op and the hardest part has been dealing with my head and my thinking. If I wasn't willing to put in the hard work on that account I would be re-gaining right now for sure. That and running....running gives me something to focus on that is non-scale related. But, yes. Everything you said I agree with!!

So I'm 9 months post op and after running a couple of 5k's have started training for a half-marathon in Sept. and then hope to move on to a marathon on May. In the online running community that I am a part of there is a lot of great information, but currently there is a debate about whether you can mix extremely low-carb diets with long-distance and endurance running. The consensus seems to be that low carb + running do not mix well. I was actually reading up a bit on long distance running nutrition yesterday before this discussion started and it struck me that I may struggle with long-distance nutrition because of the limitations of my diet and the capacity limitations of my sleeved stomach. Most marathon info out there suggests at the very least carb loading the day before and morning of the race. I'm not sure this really would work for a post-op sleever. Also, there is the question then of nutrition during the race..... gel packs, sports drinks, gummy bears, jelly Beans, pretzels, etc. used for restoring energy. It is recommended that you take in 100 calories in these forms every 45-60 minutes after the initial 90 minutes of a run to maintain energy. I'm just not sure how this would work for my stomach....particularly since I don't eat those foods at all anymore. There is some info out there on the paleo diet and athletes, but really not much at all on post-bariatric surgery and long-distance or endurance running. I guess my question is for anyone in the midst of training for a long distance run, or any long distance runners out there. How do you balance our dietary limits as far as low-carb (30-40/day for me) or other sleeve or bypass related issues with the nutritional energy needed to maintain you for a 13 or 26 mile run. Suggestions, thoughts, initial feedback?

Ok... Here are my "official" 1 year progress pics. I've had my daughter take all of them every month & I handed her the camera tonight & said "last one!!!" And we both had a cry :-) anyway.... 136.2 pounds lost & 52.5% of my original body weight.

Checking in this week at 141.6. Time to get serious about this goal of 135!!! Staring a 3 day liquid cleanse today.

That is AWESOME! Good luck! My first 5k is still my most favorite running memory to date. It was so emotional to realize what I could now do. You'll do great, I'm sure!