scarlet333

Easy - just start adding healthy calories each day until you are no longer loosing. Start with an extra 100 calories a day for a week. If this doesn't do it do 200 calories a day for a week etc. Try to make your calories healthy, like a handful of nuts, a piece of fruit, even Peanut Butter (1 tablespoon is 90 calories). Congratulations and enjoy!

If you are tracking your food pay attention to the breakdown between Protein and carbs. Try increasing protein and decreasing carbs. When my loss slowed down a bit my surgeon said make sure you are chewing your calories. I hadn't realized that alot of my calories were coming from things like yogurt, cottage cheese, laughing cow cheese. These are not foods you are chewing and can be less filling. Instead eat/chew at each meal like dense proteing, chicken, beef, pork fish etc. Also get back to tracking your food religously if you have strayed from this. Good luck to you.

I have posted before that I had this surgery and only told my husband (not even my teenage sons). This was my initial inclination and I am so glad I made this decision. In the past when I dieted and would talk to everyone about it I always felt like people were watching what I ate and even making comments (like the food police). When I eventually failed I felt even worse because everyone knew about my weight watchers diet or jenny craig or nutri system etc... With this I quietly lost weight and most people didn't even notice until about 50 pounds down. Now when people notice I thank them for the compliment and noticing and talk about the fact that I started running and can't believe that I am able to do it. That usually takes them off the track until we are talking about exercise and I am comfortable with that. Best decision for me but everyone is different.

Good luck. Know you will do great.

The only real help i needed was driving since i was not aloud to drive for the first 10 days or so. No vomiting and very little pain. Best of luck.

Yes, for the first 4 weeks or so loved cream of chicken and pea Soup. These were on my NUTs list of foods, were filling easy to eat and had some Protein. unjury makes a Protein powder that is chicken soup flavored that is mixed with hot Water that is tasty and full of protein.

Was finally able to get back outside today and did 30 minute run. Will try to add a minute next week.

Very well said B-52 and thank you for your service to our country.

I am having the exact same problem and had surgery same time as you. I find my calories sneaking to the 1100 calorie level and if it wasn't for my intense workouts I might be gaining. I am definitly slacking on Water and the quality of my meals. Too many carbs. I am going to apply myself to eating more dense Protein at mealtime and keep snacking too protein too. Good luck to both of us.

It pains me to say a .4 gain to 145 pounds. This is not a shock to me since I ate 8 mini powdered donuts yesterday! Calories have been sneaking up. Donuts are out of the house and will do better this week. Good luck everyone and don't eat too much on superbowl sunday.

Sothernsoul, I am so sorry! I had to re-read this before it could sink in. I have read many of your posts and we were both sleeved at around the same time. I always found you to be interesting and informative. So reading this was like I know you. I so admire you words of wisdom and that you are able to put them together at a time like this. Man, life can suck sometimes. I wish for you the comfort of loved ones and can see that you are a very strong person and will eventually pull through this. The people you have touched with your posts are here for you too (like me) please feel free to vent to us at anytime. Take care of yourself.

Just my 2 cents but Jenny Craig is definitely not a protein based way to eat and protein is supposed to be the foundation for weight loss surgery patients. Jenny Craig focuses on frozen vegetables in most of its meals with a little carb and a little protein (cheaper for them to make their food that way). I think we should be eating mostly protein with a little vegetable and very little carb.

Congratulations. I don't know how you are posting. I was in and out of sleep the whole time and had absolutely nothing with me (phone) to post with even if I could. This is the start of a great journey best of luck.

Sometimes if I have a higher calorie day and feel like having something in the the evening I have a low sugar hot cocoa made with Water. It is about 25 calories and satisfies that sweet craving. Also sipping something hot takes awhile and can curb your appetite.

That is amazing. Congratulations. Can you share what you typically eat in a day?

Congratulations! I too have read many of your posts and admire your determination and hard work. It is paying off and gift of life to you and to your child. Keep up the great work.

I think it is more lung power than legs that causes me to tire after 30 minutes. I am not sure what my pace is but it is taking me 30 minutes to run 2.8 miles. I plan on increasing a minute every few times until I get to the full 3.2 miles (5k). I would like to work up to maybe 3.5 miles but I don't think I want to run much further than that as I am afraid of the toll it will eventually take on my joints. I enjoy running because of the pride I feel in being able to do something that I have admired so much in others. The ability to run for miles has always been so impressive to me plus I think it is the most efficient way to burn calories and loose weight for the time spent (most bang for the buck for 30-40 minutes of cardio). I don't aspire to run a 10K or half marathon although I have the upmost admiration for you and others that can. As far as it being mental I totally agree. I think I can run further than the 30 minutes and will. I think I am one of those disciplined people that if I hear in my ear 1 more minute, or keep going I will keep doing it until I am told to stop. I don't have pace or speed numbers because the app I used allows you to play music (which I definitely need) but I couldn't use another app at the same time to log distance. I only know distance because I did it with my car too.

My surgeon is so strict on calories. At 10 months out and exercising 5/6 days per week he thinks I should be consuming only 800 calories per day and to not deduct any calories burned through exercise. I think he is nuts. I am running, lifting weights or doing and hour on the elliptical. It is almost impossible to stay at 800 calories. I am more in the 1100 calorie range but burn 250-600 calories per day with exercise. I am happy with my weight loss. In 10 months since surgery I only have 9 more pounds to loose to be a "normal" BMI. The effect this has had is I probably already would be normal BMI but I'll take it.

Also wanted the lap band at first. Never even heard of the sleeve. But one of the technicians giving me an EKG had the band and showed me her "port". It may just be me and I am squeamish but it kind of wierded me out to feel it and kind of see it. The thought of living with that for the rest of my life was daunting. i also didn't like the idea of having to go for fills to get it to "your sweet spot" not to tight or too loose. What if I couldn't get it right and had to keep going. Inconvenient and expensive. Some say the sleeve is too permanent. Well to me if I was to be sucessfull with the band then that meant it was permanent too. You are not supposed to have a follow-up surgery if it worked right (permanent). Its only when there are complications that it comes out and who wants that?

I am like you - I only told my husband (not even my kids who are young teens). I also did not know anyone who had wls that is why and how I found this site and would come here almost everyday and soak up everyones advice and experiences. This site is invaluable. I have now lost 90% of my excess weight at just 10 months out. It was easily one of the best decisions I ever made and just wish I had thought of it years and years ago. The years spent living with being obese -just depressing. Believe me it does get easier and you will return to feeling normal or better than before. You will be able to eat just about anything. Just take full advantage of this time to drop the most weight possible. Seeing the pounds disappear are the greatest motivation to keep going. Best of luck to you.

Honestly, my stomach was so swollen the first month or so after surgery, I looked pregnant. Looking in the mirror is a hard way to detect weight loss because many of us suffer from body dismorphia where we don't see ourselves as others see us. It wasn't until I lost 50 pounds before I and others actually even noticed a weight loss. You need to just take it easy and focus on healing and following your doctors plan. The results will follow. Best of luck to you.

It was comments on my "pregnancy" and "when my baby was due" from 2 different well intentioned people. Of course I hadn't been pregnant in more than 10 years! So sad and lowering.

Its been 6 days since my last run due to the fact that there is a ton of snow and ice outside. This doesn't mean i've stopped working out. I've been doing strength training and the elliptical for cardio but I can't believe I'm saying this I kind of miss the running thing. Do you think I will loose some ability to run because of the break? It doesn't look like the snow will be melting anytime soon and I guess I will have to break down and run on the treadmill. Do you think it is as effective as running outside? I guess its better than nothing.

Thanks for sharing. Very inspirational.

I want to be able to run for miles (accomplished - I can run 3 miles most days without breaking too much of a sweat) I want to buy and wear a 2 piece bathing suit (instead of the mu mus I used to wear) I want to pose and send a Christmas card family picture (usually only the skinny minni's would send these out) I want my kids to be proud of me (accomplished) I want to horseback ride without being ashamed of how hard it was for me to climb up I want to get up easily and jump on the trampoline in my backyard without embarassment I know there are others. I'll keep thinking.