McButterpants

You're doing great! If I had to do it all over again, I'd chuck the scale. It's bad for your soul. Your body is going to lose weight at it's own pace, not necessarily when your brain thinks it should. Taking your measurements, take pictures and watch your clothes get looser and looser. I can also tell you - I had a goal weight in mind. I can tell you that I'm a smaller size at a higher weight than when I was younger - I attribute that to fat loss. So, what I'm saying is don't get hung up on the numbers the scale is telling you. For your exercise, if your doctor OK's it, start weight training. I"m not talking bulking up - low weight/high reps, push-ups, sit ups, planks, squats, etc. You can use your body weight as resistance if you don't want to go to the gym and use their machines. Your muscles will burn more calories. It will also be good for your mental well being. Stop weighing every day - weigh once a week or so. If you need to eventually go back to weighing every day. But right now, your body is still trying to figure out what you just did to it. Best of luck to you!

I think everyone struggles - wanting food post-op is normal. The issue is SHOULD you...the answer is "You should follow your doctor's/surgeon's plan" Just because you didn't get sick doesn't mean it's right. Just because it felt great the first time, doesn't mean you should have done it the 2nd time. You're still healing - that's why doctorsvprescribe a post-op plan that slowly incorporates foods. You went thru a lot to have this surgery - honor that. Be strong, don't give in. Get back on your meal plan.

Take your measurements! I saw the truth in the measurements before I saw the scale move. If I had to do it all over again, I couldn't weigh - it's bad for your soul! Also, take lots of pictures to document - it's fun to go back and look at pics of the "old" you!

Wow, congrats on your success! You're doing great and have a great attitude. Keep up the good work.

Carbs are not evil...bad carbs are evil! Before a workout, I will eat 1/2 a Protein bar and a couple of bites of banana or maybe some cheese and turkey. Something light to fuel my body. After the workout, I will eat the other half of my Protein Bar or drink a shake.

P3 packs are a good on the go choice. Sometimes I carry a little cooler and will keep some cheese and turkey pepperoni slices. I almost always have a Protein bar tucked away, just in case. I've been packing beef Jerky lately and I enjoy that as a snack. The other foods you list are great choices as well!

Unlimited walking immediately after surgery (not on a treadmill). At 6 weeks I was cleared for all exercise including light weight training.

I have had the One and now have a Flex. I liked the One because it is more discreet than the Flex. You can hook it to your bra or pants or put it in your pocket. With the Flex, everyone knows you're wearing it if that matters. I don't care of anyone knows I wear it - I actually forget I am. The One also calculated the elevation change like the number of stairs you climb - the Flex doesn't do that. The One has a read out on the device, the Flex doesn't. What do I like about the Flex - it seems more accurate. I like the silent alarms - I wake up every morning to a vibration on my wrist as opposed to an alarm clock. I wake up and my husband can continue to sleep without interruption. I like the way the Flex synchs with my phone - I just open the app and I have instant feedback. Neither one is 100% accurate - I use mine as a baseline. I wore it a few days to get an idea of how many steps I take, then tried to increase each week. In the end, I love the Flex and would buy another one. Now, if there was a way that the Flex could do my exercise for me, that would be awesome!!!!!

Hi there! I have found that once I had the surgery, food no longer has the same attraction as it did 8 months ago. I use it truly as a form of fuel for my body. I don't allow it to comfort me any longer. I don't allow it to entertain me. You will feel different after your surgery - I did. Around the 1 month mark, I really thought eating was a chore. It became bothersome. "OMG, I don't have 20 minutes to sit down and slowly eat a scrambled egg!" I enjoy food now, just not as much of it and I enjoy different kinds of foods - but it's in an appropriate way now, not the dysfunctional way I used food a year ago. I no longer want to sit down to a huge bowl of Pasta and copious amounts of bread. (Ugh, thinking about that made my tummy a little queazy!). Now I get excited when my husband grills an awesome steak with some grilled veggies. Or if I eat out and we have Mexican food - the insides of a taco with some great salsa are a favorite. Maybe a couple of chips, but I want to save room for the main event. Your worry is valid, but that's going to be the old you. The new you will learn to have a healthy relationship with food. Best of luck to you!

Awesome!

No worries from my primary care doc or surgeon. My levels are good and I haven't had to change my dosage. I'm 8 months out.

Every doctor is different...Mine was two shakes and one "lean and green" dinner (4-6 ounces of lean meat and a veggie). I had to this for 2 weeks. For me, the first couple of days was hard - really hard. Then I got in a groove and my body just "went with it". Decaf Green tea helped with the hunger - I drank a lot of it (my doc required me to be off caffeine prior to surgery). I can tell you that 8 months later - it's totally worth the sacrifice. Everything I have been thru has been totally worth it.

I'm 8 months post-op and cannot eat a lot of salad. I can have about 1/4 cup and that's it. It's very uncomfortable...I can eat more cooked veggies. Follow your doctor's orders on foods and meal progression - it's important.

I followed the pre-op diet as well - it wasn't easy and it sucked. I suggest following the doctor's orders...always.

You may need to increase your calories if you're lifting. Make sure you're getting your Protein in. Also, your body may be holding on to Water - your muscles need water to recover.

I did - I was scared not to. I made a commitment to be "all in" and that meant following the plan. You could hurt your sleeve if you don't. There are reasons why your doctor give it to you - allow your stomach to heal. You just wen thru major surgery.

Agree with the above - get with your nutritionist. Track every morsel that goes in your mouth BEFORE it goes in. Be honest, if you aren't you're only cheating yourself. Take your results to the nutritionist and review what you're doing. Counseling may be in order. Also...it's hard to not compare yourself to others. I do it, I think a lot of us do it. It will certainly lead to disappointment. It's not productive. This is your journey, no one else's. You are responsible for your behavior, no one else is.

Hi there. Congrats on getting your date! You have a little less than a month...how exciting. Here are my suggestions... 1. Look for a Protein drink you like or can tolerate - don't over purchase, you may not like that same shake post-op. 2. Start experimenting w/ shakes - incorporate one per day now. Experiment w/ different textures (add low glycemic fruits like berries) and flavors (Torani sugar free syrups are a great place to start) 3. Practice mindful eating techniques. Don't eat in front of the TV or reading a book. Focus on eating your food in a calm quiet environment. 4. Practice chewing your food 20-25 times per bite and take 30-60 seconds between bites. Really taste and savor your food. 5. Practice taking smaller bites - I used appetizer spoons and forks. 6. Start walking - be in the best shape you can. This will help you recover quicker and you can begin walking immediately after surgery. You'll feel better. I wouldn't suggest going crazy on the food funerals between now and then. It's not worth it. Have a couple - mine were Italian at my favorite place and pizza. I really don't miss that food now - it doesn't feel good on my tummy. Best of luck to you!

You will get lots of responses to this one - every one has a very personal reason to do what they do...to tell or not to tell. I told 5 people - my husband, my son, parents and best friend. No one else knows. I don't feel compelled to tell anyone. If someone asks me what I'm doing to lose weight my response is, "I got some things straightened out with my doctor and I'm really focused on diet and exercise." That's about it - I haven't felt the need to expand on the answer. The reason I'm not comfortable telling anyone else is I'm a very private person - I don't like a lot of people knowing my business and I have small group of people that are close to me. I live in a small community and once one person, even my brother, is told, many people will know. I'm not embarrassed that I did what I did, I just know there's a stigma attached to what I did.

Yep - that happened to me. It went away after the first week. It was particularly bad those first few days.

I suggest you stick to your doctor's plan - he has prescribed that for a reason. You just had major surgery and you are still healing. Eating food can hurt you and damage your sleeve. It's not worth it. You need to be kind to your body and take care of your new tiny tummy.

I use Bariatric Advantage chewables - I get them at the surgeon's office.