Mkmb2006

I've not yet had surgery, but I've been to a couple of community meetings, and the people seem great! Anyone else had/having surgery here?

Our surgeries were around the same time. I'm down 102, but have easily lost half my hair. My doc and nut say its normal, at it's peak now and should subside by 9 months out. I hope so...I'll have nothing left! They did tell me to increase my protein to 70g per day and make sure I take my vitamins (I do!). So I guess only time will tell...

Ah, so there's a benefit! Just take a day at a time, lots of fluids, avoid those foods that cause migraines and could make it worse (Google "migraine trigger foods" if you need). I find that exercise helps too - fresh air and all that. After three days, the headaches lightened up, and after a week I was fine. Good luck!

Definitely check with your surgeon before adding carbs. Occasionally I'll have a 1/4 cup of brown rice (maybe once a month), and maybe once a month I'll have one slice of whole-grain toast. Maybe every other month I have half of a sweet potato. So, I really don't have carbs except naturally occurring carbs in things like beans, quinoa, almonds or walnuts, or peanut butter, etc. Try to stay away from frozen meals - remember we're all trying to change our lives and be healthier, and that's a lot of processed food. However, I do admit, I keep an emergency frozen meal in the fridge (e.g., I'm in a hotel for two weeks), but it's either an Atkins meal or the one variety of Lean Cuisine that doesn't include pasta, rice or potatoes.

I was a salad freak, and can barely tolerate 1/2 cup now. Surprisingly, chicken gives me a lot of trouble, but beef burgers and steak are fine. Ground turkey is fabulous, and I get along well with veggie products (e.g., Morningstar grillers, chik'n patties and nuggets - huge amounts of protein). I have to really steam fibrous vegetables, such as broccoli and asparagus, until they're soft. I still don't eat carbs (maybe one slice of whole-grain toast a month), and I haven't tried sugar (1) because I'm afraid I'll want it and (2) because I'm afraid of what it will do to me and (3) because I'm afraid I'll want it even after what it might do to me. I do miss soup....liquid and substance is hard to consume. All in all, it's a re-learning experience...surgery was Dec 19, and I'm down about 95 pounds.

Jennifer... Good for you!! Drink lots of water to help flush your system. Caffeine withdrawal is real, but after a couple of days, I promise you'll feel better!

Coffee was definitely the hardest for me!! I was a Starbucks junkie!! I went cold turkey the day after my first consult. My surgery was in December, and I've only in the last couple of weeks started back on decaf. Picture this: "Can I have an iced grande decaf, nonfat, sugar-free vanilla latte please?" Oy vey. So, yah, cold turkey...i did have wicked headaches for a week, but that soon stopped. I found that I drank more water when I dropped the coffee, and even now I still have to watch decaf since (1) it still has some caffeine and (2) I still drink less water when I have coffee (or, as I like to call it "$5 colored water in a trendy cup."

Yeah, I'm five months out too and having some trouble. I've increased my fluids and varying my food helps (I get lazy and eat the same foods often). My doc recommends Senecot lax tablet since they're the most natural, and they usually help overnight.

Don't be too hard on yourself. You're human, and sometimes "want" pushes us too far. Remember, we have a lifetime of bad habits to overcome. Just try to remember this experience the next time you're faced with the challenge. In the meantime, forgive yourself.

I have easily lost half my hair. I'm four months out. I could just cry. I take all the biotin and everything else.

Morningstar Farms is a line of vegetarian products in the freezer section. Their "griller" is a vegetarian burger, and they make veg sausage patties, "chick'n" patties and other stuff. Seems like they sit well with me, sometimes better than actual meat, and are really high in protein.

Hey, also try the Morningstar farms stuff! I had an "original griller" today - 15g Protein and perfect size! I even put a piece of cheese on it (I'm eating too much cheese), and a little mustard. I also had a vegetarian crispy chicken patty the other day, and that was yummy too - 22 grams for two! I'm not doing well with regular chicken, but the veggie chicken did quite well. Just a thought... Oh, and I tried salmon yesterday. Let's just say that did not go well. 'Nuff said.

I find that any carbs stall my weight loss, and my doc and nut basically say protein first, and then if there's room for vegetables, great...but carbs should be the last on the list. And they both always remind me to make sure meats are moist... Salsa, broth or anything else low-fat to moisten. Maybe try some of that?

I'm the same as you...three months out and still have trouble with chicken. My nut said to try the dark meat (forget the old diet rules). I've also tried the rotisserie chicken from the market, and when it's fresh, that seems to be good. But, grilled chicken...nope. The other thing that worked well and I really liked was vegetarian "chicken" patties. They're slightly breaded and crisp, so they taste like a crispy chicken patty, but that seems to be great and packed with protein. I'm also doing okay with beef, but don't really want to eat a lot of that. Even deli turkey I have to be careful with. But, we all find what works for us, right? My nut says if something doesn't work, give it a couple of weeks and try it again.

Follow my plan...follow my plan...follow my plan...

Consider all the money you save on food you can spend on clothes. Here in MA, we have a Talbot's outlet. This weekend I bought two smaller pairs of work pants for $5.39 each! Lol! Find those bargains, ladies!! Also, my program has a clothes swap, so check into yours...or even start one!

Hey, also try Propel water...lots of flavors and sweet! And it's water!

Yep, I was only allowed to walk the first month, but was cleared for no restrictions after that. Everyone is different, though, so check with your doc. It's really his/her call!

I was cleared for I'll exercise without restrictions after one month. But, yes, wet snow can hurt anyone in the best of shape. Just listen to your body and your oc! And pray to Mother Nature that winter's almost over! SO sick of snow (in New England)!!

I'm the same...getting discouraged but trying to trust the process. Im three months out and down 58...59...58...60...58 pounds! I'm not eating anything I shouldn't, but, on the other hand, I sometimes eat the same things too much because I know I can tolerate them, and I get tired of thinking about food. I'm so frustrated that my weight loss is so slow, and only have list six pounds in the last 8 weeks. My doc says I'm on track, but I DON'T CARE - it's just too slow. I drink at least 64 oz of water each day, and exercise 4-5 times/week and avoid all carbs, but i get 50-70g protein each day even though most days i don't get above 700 calories. But...I do feel pretty good. So...when you think you're doing everything right but the scale doesn't budge, how do you stay motivated (I know, I know, throw out the scale!)?

Yes. Even though I've never had reflux, I'm on reflux meds for 3 months.

I'm nearly two months post-op and having some trouble (1) eating enough and (2) keeping meals down. I'm only a week into hitting more than 500 calories and 50-65 grams of protein; had a chat with Nut who said I need to eat more, gradually getting to 1200 cals by 3-month mark.am totally stalled in weight loss for the past 3-4 weeks. 630 am - 15 oz Water with Vitamins 730 am - either half a Protein drink OR a slice of whole-grain toast with a slice of cheese or 1T Teddies Peanut Butter OR 1/2 a Protein Bar (this is in car on way to work during my one-hour commute) I get my 16oz cup of water as soon as i get to work and drink water between meals at work, aiming for 16 oz before noon and another 16 oz before end of work.(the latter sometimes fails or falls short) 1000 am - Greek yogurt with blueberries OR 1/4 c cottage cheese with peaches or apple OR string cheese with apple 1200 noon - take afternoon pills 100 pm - lunch - 1/4 c salad (lettuce, cuke, tomato) with 1 oz chicken, 1/2-1 hard boiled egg, a little edamame and 1T feta with oil and vinegar. But, yesterday this didn't work for me (read: barfing at work is not fun). 300-400 pm - snack - either cheese and fruit OR 1/2 protein bar or shake OR a slice of whole grain toast with 1 oz meat 5:30-630 - gym (3-4 times/week: 30 mins bike or treadmill, plus 20-30 mins of weight machines) 630-Ish pm - take evening pills with 10 oz water 630 - 730 - dinner, typically 2 oz meat (fish, chick, turkey burger, haven't tried steak yet) and a 1/4 c veg. Tonight will be 1/4-1/2 c homemade beef chili with some cheese and sour cream. The other night I made 2 oz fish with 1/4 of a sweet potato and a 1/4 c green Beans ( ate most of fish, all potato and maybe 3 beans - barfed).. 800 pm - take night pills with 10 oz water 830 - 900 - maybe a snack, but not usually. Depends on what I ate/got down during day. Last night it was 1 oz cheese. Lots of frustration! Bored with food, sick of barfing daily, working out regularly, but totally stalled in weight loss. Was hoping to go to my support meeting tonite, but will probably be cancelled since we're getting a foot of snow. I just want to lie on a beach somewhere and not think about anything!

Ha, on a big food day, I think I hit 300 calories! Then if I add in exercise, I sometimes net in negative calories. I need to make an appt with my nut. I think I'm not doing something right.

I was averaging nearly a pound a day, but I've starting exercising five times a week, so my weight loss has slowed. Since my surgery on 12/19, I've lost 25, totaling 45 since pre-op. I'm getting very impatient at the slow loss!!

My NUT said to try it in soup. The fat from an Alfredo could make you dump. I poached mine with garlic and lemon, and it was soft and yummy.