amyon2wheels

Woo-hoo!!!!!!! The scale gods smiled on me today!! hee hee!! Down 4 lbs total. But better than that I feel back in control. I am excited about eating right. I have actually been craving healthy foods. Yesterday I had 2 scrambled eggs for Breakfast a Fit Frappe mid morning and you would think I would be tired but no...I had the best 5K run this year breaking a new record for myself. lunch was salmon, dinner I cheated and went to a firm protien and had chicken. I spent some time on this site and have learned more about this 5:2 plan that some of the veteran's follow. I really like the idea and think it fits with my lifestyle. Basically the two liquid days I had ended up about 500 calories or so. I have a big cycling event on Saturday and another 5K on Sunday so I could use the extra calories so i have made an executive decison to transition my 5 day pouch test at this point to the 5:2 plan! I will use the 2,000 calorie guidline but in sticking with the pouch rules...choose firm protien for my bulk of the calories. Monday will be a 500 calorie fasting day for sure each week and I think either Wednesday or Thursday will be my other one. I won't clog up the message board here anymore but thank you so much to all for the encouragement and the wonderful advice I am finding on this site. Keep rocking those sleeves!

I couldn't agree more and its super important for the new patients to see that it really is a life long struggle regardless of surgery. BUT ----with the sleeve you are armed to win it.

Yesterday was harder than the first day. I really feel for the newly sleeved on the all liquid diet. I forgot how hard it is. I had 3 protien shakes and several cups of chicken broth. The scale went down 1 lb this morning however, my rings are super tight and I'm holding lots of Water because of the sodium in that chicken broth. I'm pretty sensitive to salt so I can put on water weight easily. The good - I feel in control!!!! I feel so much better. I woke up this morning feeling energized. I ran and hit a PR (personal record) of a pace 11:47 avg mile for my 3.11 mile run. I am pumped about that. Then I got to work early and ate a scrambed egg at my desk. Ahhhhhhhh....an egg never tasted so wonderful. Today is soft protien so I have a salmon muffin or two for lunch (salmon, egg, cheese baked in muffin tins). Yesterday I never even craved candy or trashy food....I just kept thinking about eggs or chicken, healthy foods. weird. So far I am sold on doing this 5 day test; not to "fix" your pouch - but to fix you brain!!!

first 2 days liquid protien, 3rd day soft protien, 3rd and 4th firm protien.

I decided to do that 5 day pouch test I've heard about over the years. I don't think for a minute that my pouch is "broken" but I've heard from others that this 5 day plan gets you mentally and physically back on track and since I've gained 20 lbs over the past couple of years I figured I needed to try it. I've noticed over the past year I have a bad binge cycle. I eat well for a few days and then go crazy. This probably scares the new sleeve patients and it should....bad habits lurk around the corner and our sleeve is a tool only not a miracle cure. Anyway, I am now an endurance athlete cycling long distances and running half marathons so I eat ALOT. I should choose good things to fuel my body but honestly I haven't been. So, time for change. Google 5 day pouch test if you want to know details but basically it is liquid protien for 2 days, then soft protien for 1 day and then firm protien the last 2 days. A very shortened version of what you do right after surgery but you are doing it in only 5 days. Yesterday was liquid only for me. WOW was it hard!!! I had forgotten what it was like to not eat food. I had a protien mocha frappe in the morning, protien hot chocolate, then a protien shake for lunch, chicken broth in the afternoon and evening and drank half an adkins shake. I felt very tired. I was supposed to ride about 40 miles on the bike and after 18 miles I called it good. Took 2 naps and I never nap. Today I'm at work and have already had a cup of hot mocha protien coffee (Fit Frappe by Big Train) and then took an adkins shake blended it with a little PB2 and some ice. I brought broth with me and more powder for another shake. I am supposed to ride about 27 miles after work but we will see about that. Weight loss so far - ready for this? NONE. That was not even right. No food and no Water weight loss? What the heck? LOL However - I feel so much more in control and so encouraged by doing this. I really am okay that the scale didn't move yet. It will. Stay tuned.

Thanks so much...I will check out that 5/2 plan. Once I finish this 5 days maybe I need to transition into that until the weight is off.

A local magazine did an article on my weight loss journey and I thought maybe it would encourage those of you thinking about a VSG. It is the best decision I ever made! Transformaion_AmyDownsPagelayout.pdf

Yes, I want to join the vetern's forum but I can't until I have 100 posts. Hey this counts as one, right?! LOL

jersey girl - that is exactly how I found cycling. My weight loss had slowed and I wanted something that would be fun. It is fun!!!!

I pretty much can eat anything (darn) with no problems. I get full faster than "normal" people but in an hour I can do the whole thing again. Too much sugar will make me feel icky but it takes a lot of sugar to get me there. Dense foods like chicken breast will fill up my pouch. I try to eat protien centered meals and tend to be very good during the week days and then on weekends it ends up being a free for all. I hope honestly is okay on this board? Anyway, I don't want to end up 355 again so that is why I am here to reign it back in and use my tool to ensure a healthy life continues.

So glad I found this board! Lost 200 and have 20 lb regain that I am focused on getting off. Started the 5 day pouch test today. Day one and two are liquids. Love my sleeve just need to dump the bad habits that crept back into my life.

Can someone tell me which forum I should post my 5 day pouch updates to? I don't have enough posts to be able to use the veteren's forum. Diet and Nutrition maybe? I don't want to clutter up the wrong message board. Thanks! Amy

Thank you all for the warm welcome! I've never done the 5 day pouch test before but had heard from several who said it turned things around for them. First two days are liquids and it has been hard . But I want to be in control again and lose this regain and maybe even 10 more. I'll report each day. Life is good post sleeve - the best thing I ever did. I'm a cyclist now and my entire life had changed. A local magazine just did a before and after story in me and I'll try to figure out how to share that link.

I'm a fellow okie too and new on this board. Had my sleeve at Weightwise in Edmond July 2008. Lost 200 lbs. working off 20 lb regain. The sleeve gave me a life!