bikrchk

Well, when I started this journey I was 235 and in an 18. I've not really kept track on the way down, but today, I'm at 149 and wear a 4 or a 6 which is much smaller than what I ever expected. I'm 5'6" tall. I still have a few pounds to go. At this rate, I'll end up in a 2!

Quest is good, but go easy until you know how they affect you. They are super high in FIBER as well as protein!

Dropped 12 bags of of donations at Goodwill this weekend and decided to stop by Nordstrom Rack to replace some of what was culled. Ended up walking out of there with a couple of size FOUR's. That word looks so weird when I spell it out. One was a pair of 100 dollar designer jeans in a junior cut I picked up on clearance for $22. Not in my wildest dreams would I have thought I'd ever wear a 4.

Avocados or bananas added to shakes can help add high quality calories. Once you can do crunchy, power crunch bars taste good and have 200 calories\15g Protein a pop. I also make the protein ice cream from theworldaccordingtoeggface, (with 2% milk) which can be a decent boost without being complete crap. I also ate a lot of cheese sticks\baby bells early on as Snacks. High protein, nutrient dense, portable and small enough not to make me feel stuffed.

I actually lived with pre-op GERD (silent reflux) mis-diagnosed as asthma for 10 years prior to surgery. Mine presents as chronic coughing rather than heartburn and is worse at night. They started me on Omeprazole right after my EGD and it made a big difference. For the first month post-op, it was worse. Bad enough that I had to raise the head of my bed with a couple of 6" lifts and double my Omeprazole to twice per day. However, once my stomach healed and the weight began to come off things got MUCH better. I was able to flatten my bed again and now, at 9 months out, only have a single night time does of Omeprazole. I'm hoping to be off of it all together in time.

I've gone from an 11 to a 10-10 1/2 and lost some width in the process. Most boots and shoes that tie have been okay with the addition of insoles and or thick socks, but flats, sandals, slip ons... I've had to dump some of them as I was literally walking right out of them. Good news for me is, 10 is where most of the cute shoes stop, so I have a lot more choices now!

"Say it loud! Say it proud! OK – I respect anyone’s decision about privacy and what they wish to share or not share about their lives, especially in this age of social media. But I really hope you can honestly, even proudly, talk openly about your decision to have weight loss surgery. I believe many of us keep it secret because we fear it’s not going to work but I think committing to it out loud strengthens our resolve to succeed more than does a mysterious “gallbladder surgery” which wondrously resulted in a loss of 150 lbs. a year later. Besides, keeping it secret is a disservice to others like us who are often desperate to know “how is she doing it and why can’t I?!?…" I can't agree more on this point! I'm honest with others when they ask what I'm doing to look and feel so great. I eat small portions, exercise 5 x per week and I can maintain this lifestyle now because I gave myself the gift of this amazing tool! I don't take it personally if they're not on my side in this but do my best to educate anyway. You never know who needs to see the example you are! This just strengthens my motivation to continue to be a living success story!

Yes. Ketosis plus you are rapidly losing fat stores which tend to hang on to toxins\hormones. Many people find their sweat smells worse for the first several months as well as they release all that crap from their systems. Good news is... It will pass.

Take heart. At least for me, pre-op was the WORST part! Depending on a million others for their recommendations, insurance approval, etc., all while extremely stressed out and trying to change your lifestyle. Made me feel very... out of control. So what can you do? Establish healthy routines. Exercise. Log your intake and burn in an app like MFP. Find a face to face support group in your city. Know that this "hardest part" is temporary and it won't be long until you are on the other side, fighting (at least in the beginning) to get enough Water and nutrition in to recover from surgery. Keep your eye on your goal and you'll be on the other side before you know it! The changes I made pre-op: Established a walking schedule Gave up caffeine and diet soda (this was huge for me) Added 1 Protein supplement per day to my diet in the beginning The month prior to surgery 2 protein supplements per day for Breakfast and lunch, healthy Snacks when I needed them, plus a high protein dinner to shrink my liver pre-op I could not master the not drinking with meals ahead of surgery but found that post op, it just makes me uncomfortable so the transition was easy.

Right there with you on this topic! I'm 5'6" and initially set a goal of 135 pounds. Right smack in the middle of the healthy BMI range for my height. At my 6 month post-op appointment I was still technically overweight, but my surgeon was telling me it's okay to stop losing weight. His reasoning was that the health conditions (hi bp, hi cholesterol, asthma, pre-diabetes, etc) that caused me to seek WLS were gone and I was off all the meds to treat them. When I asked him though, he told me it was perfectly safe to adjust down as long as I hung within the healthy BMI range. What he meant was, don't obsess if no more weight comes off. Medically, I'd reached "success". Now in month 9, I'm no longer overweight at 149 pounds. I work out 5 days per week, hard. I have muscle, under the loose skin :-/ I had always though of myself as large framed, (size 11 shoes, big hands, wide shoulders, etc). But today I can wear a size 4, at 149 pounds! "Big Boned", for me was a crock! I've adjusted my top goal weight up to 145, but will still try to make it to my stretch of 135 if my body cooperates. I won't obsess to get there, but the loss of an even 100 would be cool even if I end up maintaining 10 pounds higher. I still can't picture life as a size 2. At all. Trying to have faith that I'll land where I'm supposed to be.

You come to the realization that you were never "big boned".

Your thighs no longer rub together when you walk!

http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ She has a million recipes for all stages. Ricotta bake is yummy. Like lasagna without the noodles. I whizzed mine with a little spinach and cheese and top with Pasta sauce.

Take a small pillow to splint your stomach. Get a Biotin supplement added to your Vitamin regime. Some say it helps. I'm 9 months out and haven't noticed much hair loss. Don't know whether its the Biotin or the 75+g of Protein per day or if I'm just one of the lucky ones. I can say my nails are in GREAT shape for the first time ever so I think its at least helped them!

AMEN to this!

I haven't had a lot of negative feedback, but I think what it boils down to is ignorance and jealousy. Your best revenge is to be a fabulous success so be a compliant patient, do what you're supposed to do and BE FABULOUS!

Check this out http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ Great ideas for all stages of WLS.

I didn't tell a ton of folks before I had it done. Close friends, family and a my work team. All were supportive, though many had questions as they were concerned for my safety. I handled it this way; if I cared about their opinion, I would work to educate them. If not, screw them if they're not on board with my plan to get healthy that I've been built with my PCP and surgeon for the last year. Fast forward... I'm 9 months post op and I tell everyone who asks what my "secret" is. You never know who'd struggling and needs to hear your experience either for themselves or for a loved one. I've helped many folks toward a journey that may just save their life and had no negative comments so far. Or maybe I just don't remember since if they're not on my side in this, I DON'T CARE! :-) The best revenge is being fabulous. Mission Accomplished.

I needed less. I was the first patient in on a Monday morning, released from the hospital a day early the next day and was back at work the middle of the next week, (several days early). I never experienced extreme fatigue. A little tired for the first week, but then it was pretty much business as usual. I was very lucky. Not everyone has that experience, and it's hard to predict who will have a hard time and who won't. My advice is plan for the worst and hope for the best. If your workplace will work with you to come back early if you feel great, plan for at least 2 weeks off, be a complaint patient as far as hydration, vitamins and walking goes, and hope to be able to get back early to preserve what's left of your PTO.

If you choose the lower Protein choices you've listed, you won't be able to do very much of them in the first place and you'll need to do more protein supplements to hit your targets and maintain health. You have to work all of it into your daily totals and maintain a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. I'm not saying you can't shouldn't have those things. I'm one of those folks that subscribes to the "I'm not on a diet" philosophy. I eat what I like in small amounts, protein first. I eat a bit of chocolate almost every day, but I've also gotten very creative in my food choices. unjury makes a protein'd cheese sauce that's good on macaroni or on eggs. If I want mac and cheese, I use that. I put a scoop of chocolate Protein powder in my coffee every morning for a 20g boost that tastes like Starbucks. I'm a much more creative cook now. Check out http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ for recipes. I work out hard 5 days per week in part, so that I can have flexibility in my diet. Burning an extra 600 calories gives me enough wiggle room to eat what I like as well as having cardiovascular benefits. For me, this journey has been about finding a balance I can live with and I've ever so grateful for that opportunity.

No one has ever said that to me. If they ever did, while my head would be screaming GFYS, my mouth would be repeating, "This is a decision my doctor and I made together. Surgery is a tool to help me improve my health, so I CAN be active again." Which I very much AM now that the weight is off. Exercise was not a part of my life before because it was too painful, but about the time I'd lost 30-or 40 pounds, I turned a corner and was able to establish a healthy exercise habit. I do not hide the truth that I've had surgery. You never know who needs to see the example that you have become. The person you are talking to or someone they love may need the information to save their life. And if they're not on my side in this, I really don't value their opinion anyway.

Crossing my legs Painting my own toenails Walking a couple of flights of stairs at work, (I never take the elevator anymore!) Shopping in the Jr's section occasionally Being able to buy something off the rack without trying it on Tucking in shirts Bought my first bathing suit in 20 years last week!

There are unflavored Protein powders and I've tried one, unjury, but found it modified the taste and texture of food in ways I didn't like. I much prefer to add a scoop of chocolate protein to my coffee in the morning, (makes it taste like a mocha latte), and if necessary do a Quest bar or Syntrax nectar Protein Iced Tea drink, (mixes with water) in the afternoon to hit my 75g including the high protein food I'm getting. I did the traditional chocolate or vanilla with frozen fruit shakes mixed with milk pre-op, but found them too heavy post-op. Be prepared for your tastes to change. Try them all if you can, but don't buy too much of one product you like pre-op or you may waste your money.

I was the first patient in on a Monday morning and was released the next morning a day ahead of schedule. There was a HUGE difference between 5 pm the day of and 5 am the next morning, at least for me. I was still a groggy mess from the anesthesia until around 8 pm that first day. So much so that my mother left the hospital in tears about 5 pm, (moms can go a little crazy). She was absolutely shocked when I met her coming out of the elevator, (doing my laps) when she showed up early the next day and told her I was sprung! Literally a night and day transformation overnight for me. I'm not sure same day release something you can plan for or count on as everyone is so different in their response to anesthesia\surgery. I didn't have a drain at all.

I also take Omeprazole and just knocked it back to once per day as the reflux is managed and I was concerned with the side effects of too much medication long term. I'm only 9 months out but my labs have been perfect so far. Just a thought, but if you're taking an additional Iron supplement, you're not taking it with a Multivitamin or with Calcium are you? My team told me that can affect how much iron we absorb. I was directed to take my iron supplement mid-day with no other supplements.