Miss Mac

Two nights in the hospital - no drain.

Started full liquids and purees on day 3, soft foods day 10, solid foods day 21. It is crazy how all of our instructions are so different.

Mine sounds like a dragon fight. The worst was when I tried to eat cauliflower.

Sounds like Iburtie4 is getting her groove back!

At 4 1/2 weeks out, my surgeon has moved me to the solid food phase. The printed materials that I have say 800-1200 calories. That is an awfully wide range. In the past, I could not lose weight on 1,000 calories no matter what, because of medical issues that made me sedentary. Even though I am allowed to test solid foods, I really am in no hurry. I had some steak the other day and could eat so little of it (because of capacity), it was hardly worth the cooking of it. dinner today will probably be beef stew made with ground round instead of stew meat. It is curious how we all manage this process so differently. At 40 pounds down now, I feel better and can do exercises and strength training. So, with all that and limiting myself to 800 calories, I have broken through a stall and am on the way down again. Losing this weight is a freaking lot of work - even with my new tummy. Others might be able to eat more and still lose, but I know where my limits are, now. I agree that since your surgeon and your NUT seem to be on different planets, you need to speak up and ask for one plan to follow. Wishing you good luck and good health.

I am so glad you are here to take this journey with us. I lost my mother to AAA in 1993. She was 5'2" and weighed 320 pounds. The WLS resources that we have now were not available to her then. You are truly a survivor and can use that gift to encourage others along.

Would ya look at those legs????? Congratulations!

I have been doing walking all along, but did not start strength training until week four post-op, with a limit of five-pound weights.

Everyone's journey is so different, starting with your bariatric team's requirements, but some things stay the same......the Dreaded Week Three Stall, for one. My surgeon said he had never heard of it.....so guess what? It hit me right in the middle of week three. You have already found many nuggets of advice and fair warning here, so visit us often and let us know how you are doing. It won't be long before you can help someone following in your footsteps.

2 ounces prune juice at bedtime...works fine for daily results

Today, I was able to lean towards my feet and trim my own toenails with cutting off my circulation at my belly.

I will go with JeanZ. I may have come across skewed information. Non scale Victory certainly makes sense to me.

Keish_ Lorrain, NSV means Non-Surgical Victory, and they are so exciting when we get them. Even your pants falling down in public because they don't fit anymore, is an NSV!

One way I look at my eating challenges and portion control is scientifically: You cannot control that which you do not measure.

Yes, I am in a stall now, after being sleeved 12/23/2013. Of the 38 pounds I have lost, 16 are post-op....then nothing in spite of my best efforts and compliance with the plan that was given to me. It is sooooooo discouraging, but this forum helps me to keep my chin up. Even though I am doing strength training 3 days a week, and aerobic exercises on opposite days, I guess I will have to step it up some more. I really can't eat any less without risking malnutrition. I couldn't lose weight on 1,000 calories before, so I am coming in at 600 - 800 calories and 70 grams of Protein. All else I could do, I guess, is to skew the balance toward even more protein. Man oh man, no wonder we get so weary waiting for the process to do its thang. Hang in there.

Well, whatever you do, whether it' vinegar or honey, just stand up for yourself. You will find frequently throughout this forum that if you just let the process takes its natural course, you will get weary of waiting. When anxiety builds up, it can manifest internally. Keep us informed as you go through the process.

Get airplane seats near the bathroom.

The forum is glitching when I it the "like" button, so, I say it this way. I agree with Triciac. If you can't get sleeved, it's O K to get angry at your roadblocks, and start taking the bull by the horns. There is nothing easy about weight loss - anyway you look at it. There is no weight loss genie coming to your front door to help you out. The determination and self control that you need, must come from the "inside" you that wants the benefits of better health. I am 5'4" and my body gave up carrying me around when I hit 235 last summer. You surely don't want to have a reduced quality of life and watch while other people around you enjoy physical activity. You are young enough, with or without weight loss surgery that you can prevent becoming old before your 30th birthday. I don't understand why your insurance is fighting against helping you. Mine and many other's insurance benefits automatically kick in with a BMI of 40 or more, with or without co-morbidities. Please keep being your own best advocate in this. Wishing you good health and happiness.

According to Spark People's "What Things Weigh" article, you just lost a bale of hay that you were wearing for a belt. Congratulations!

When my new tummy can tolerate tomatoes, I will go back to stuffing my tuna into a tomato that has been quartered almost to the bottom and opened up a bit. I have also been known to slice a tomato real thick and eat the tuna salad off that.

You are never to old to get frisky. At 38 ponds down, it's better already. In addition to the confidence boost of a changing body, there is noticeable improvement in flexibility. Plus it burns calories and has many benefits concerning health and happiness..........so, yes it gets better!

Are you the one he gladly comes home to at night????? If so, I would not worry so much about it. Besides, it looks like you need to see yourself through his eyes instead of yours. Anxiety can eat away at you and affect your quality of life. There is a lot of happiness out there waiting for someone to grab it up. So, if you can focus on happier days gone by or the amazing next year coming up you will feel better. I am telling you, this process will evolve you into a whole 'nother person you may not recognize. For example, I went out yesterday and got a sassy new hairdo (like Rita Moreno's at the Sag Awards) and...I bought new make-up, too which I have not worn for years. I would not have done it pre-op. If one can feel this good after only 38 pounds, just imagine how much we are all changing as we enjoy our non-surgical victories. Your bariatric team may have a psychologist you can talk to. They can offer insight into what makes you tick and how to break poor eating habits. Wishing you good luck and good health.

What SandeeD said, plus my NUT wanted me to sacrifice the Mayo for plain Greek Yogurt. Yucky....never made it that way again. At home, we just use light mayo or that mayo-olive oil spread. If I am making it for myself and not to share, I will use S/F sweet relish instead of dill. Right now, I am using the store bought tuna salad or chicken salad in 4 ounce can and throw away the crackers that come with it.

My new tummy, at 4 weeks out, raises an objection for anything over 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons. Sometime, like this morning, I was eating scrambled eggs and cheese, and could only eat two bites. Drinking alcoholic beverages is something I won't be doing for a long time. Everything I consume must have food value of some sort.

That little nagging notion in the back of your head is called a red flag, and we girls miss them all the time. Be careful.