Bob2013

I am 18 months out and have been at my target for about 8 months with over 115lbs lost since surgery and 150 since my highest weight. With that said, Yes, stalls are real but the body will catch up. I had a couple weeks here and there where I lost nothing and even a time where I gained a few pounds. But after a week poof, 5+ lbs disappear. And in the end I got to my goal. Just be honest with yourself, and make sure the stall wasnt your own doing. If it was, get back on track and move on.

I had slight tenderness many weeks out.

Im pretty sure we all have been through it.. Take some deep breaths and think about the new healthier you that is coming.

Morning star black bean burgers are pretty good. Refried Beans with salsa and maybe a bit of cheese. eggs in so many different ways. Grilled chicken, tuna, turkey with a small amount of veggie. Beef Jerky as a lunch meal isnt bad. The crackers? Thats a demon your going to have to work through. But there are alot of foods out there to replace the canned chicken and tuna.

Sashimi was one of my first solid foods post op. I dont do much for rolls because of the rice. But nutrition wise sashimi is as good as it gets for Protein.

You just need to watch the ingredients. Ive seen smoothies which contain all kinds of sugars, calories and other unhealthy ingredients. And I have seen others which are high Protein, low sugar and generally healthy. Not all smoothies are created the same.

For the most part they all go hand in hand. If you are getting enough Protein and keeping watch of your calories, the carbs and fat usually stay in acceptable levels. Most foods that are high in simple carbs will be high in calories. and with fats its something that can be kept track of with common sense. for example, fat in eggs is generally good fat, while fat in bacon is bad. and you mentioned not losing weight if you eat too many carbs. Many people dont realize it but our post op diet is basically a variation of adkins diet. What helps us lose the weight is our bodies going into ketosis. When you deprive your body of simple carbs it goes into fat eating mode. It takes a few days of low carb intake to achieve ketosis but one good shot of carbs will take you out of it and a few days to get back into it. I think many of our stalls (not all)can be attributed to this.

The first months after surgery its probably not a good idea. As others said, empty carbs. But down the line there is nothing wrong with it as long as you dont get the butter, cheese or whatever else flavors due to the calories and fat. My wife buys a couple different brands that have 35 calories per cup. I will fill a snack sized ziplock which is maybe over a half a cup. The big thing with something like this is to portion it. Dont sit down with a big bag of you regret it later when your bloated and sick because you ate too much. Some others have mentioned nuts. Yes they are great and healthy, BUT(there is always the but) Nuts are very very high in calories for very little amounts. If raw they are not as bad, but dry roasted and the calories skyrocket. Again, its about portioning. Dont sit down with that whole can of nuts. Grab your scale weigh out an oz or so and put the can away before eating. While I have eaten nuts when I needed an on the go meal from a convenience store, I am mostly saving them for when I hit maintenance and need to bring my calorie count up.

You said "Also I am able to eat anything including rice and bread.".. I hope you are not eating rice and bread. These items and any other high carb items have no place in the weight loss phase. A nibble here or there isnt bad, but only if it is a nibble.

Its a hard question to answer. Some people have minimal pain, others its more. Drinking is difficult and a bit uncomfortable. As far as being able to tell the stomach is gone, No, you cant tell at first, there is no empty feeling. You really wont notice any difference for days until you start eating something other than Clear liquids. And as far as the immediate pain goes after you wake up. Most of it will come from the incisions and bloating from the gas they fill your abdomen with. If you follow the doctors instructions and get active as soon as you are able (usually within a few hours of waking) there shouldn't be any severe pain. Walk, walk walk!!! The more you move around, the faster the extra air from the surgery will work its way out of your body. With me, it was just being very sore. Like I severely over did it with sit ups the day before.

For some time after surgery your stomach is swollen. The upper part of your new stomach is very narrow due to the swelling so when you eat it has to squeeze through it and pushes the air down to the pouch so you need to burp to get the air out to allow food in. In time the swelling will go down and the burping will be less. although I dont think it will ever go away completely. I try and get air out after each bite. That way it doesnt all come out at once as a loud belch.

If you go around telling everyone "it will be ok" or "everyone does it different" your not helping anyone. They will take it as their bad choices are just fine. And for many of us who have dealt with weight problems, one bad choice may be the start of a avalanche of bad choices. I am sure most people here can relate to this on previous weight loss attempts. Im not saying its ok to be an a-hole to anyone, but not telling someone when they make a bad choice is a hell of alot worse. Most people come here looking for guidance, and sometimes the guidance hurts. If you just condone everything, your not helping anyone.

I was able to stay in clothing for the first 6 months from breaking out clothing I have outgrown over the years that despite my wifes pleads I refused to throw away. Because I knew I would be back there someday. Unfortunately I have gone past all those old items and am just buying what I need to get by until iI hit my goal. Which is coming up quick.

When I reply to a topic I try and give the OP as much information as I can. I will post positive feedback to problems, and cheer on great status updates. BUT, I feel many topics need to be answered honestly and to the point. Even if it means being harsh and maybe even slightly rude. Some people put stuff out there looking for justification on something they did or are thinking of doing. I feel those type of posts need to be nipped in the butt. Many people like to reply with the whole "everybody does it different". That is a bunch of crap. While we may do things slightly different than each other its more a matter of veering off slightly from the center line. Not veering into oncoming traffic. So when somebody posts something like "I am a week post op and I just love Cookies so much I am going to buy a box of oreos and eat just a few". My response is not going to be pretty.

I also agree on the calories. I would work towards at least 800 a day. A bit more on workout days. Weight loss surgery is not a magic bullet. It still takes time for the weight to come off. The sleeve/band just makes it easier to stay on track. Also if you are working out, muscle is replacing fat. Muscle is more dense than the fat so you may be losing fat but the muscle gain will make the scale move much more slowly. As time goes by and your body gets use to the new cycle, you will probably see more dramatic losses now and then. Try getting a measuring tape and use myfitnesspal to track your measurements. While you may not see the scale move as fast as you would like. The inches will probably take up the slack.

You dont have to strain to wipe your bum. sorry, had to say it.

Probably not. Dumping with sleeve patients is not common.

Its probably not the hernia repair thats hurting. The hernia repair doesnt really cause a whole lot of trauma. Its more like stitching up a loose button hole. The sleeve surgery causes alot of swelling. The opening in upper part of the stomach probably isnt much bigger than your pinky due to the swelling so anything your eating or drinking is going to cause pain when it squeezes through the opening. Very small sips or bites is the only way to minimize the pain. But it will go away quickly.

Its probably not the shakes alone. It is more likely the liquid diet in general. I had the runs my first two weeks. But after starting on more solid foods it passed. Also watch what your using in the shakes, you may be sensitive to milk/lactose.

are you talking about the on-q pain pump? If thats what your talking about it is really easy to remove and there is no pain involved except when removing the tape holding the tubes on your belly. But thats not a big deal. Its like removing a bandaid.

Up to 6 months I was doing up to 800. Now that I am past 6 months I am going up to 1000, with most days still only hitting 800.

Right now everything is swollen. The small path(sleeve) that use to be your stomach isnt much wider than your pinky or a ball point pen due to the swelling. And also if you had a hiatal hernia repair it is also adding to the restriction. Added to this is the fact that when you fill the pouch at the bottom of the sleeve, the air in the stomach has to escape. So if you eat too fast the food going down will be working against the air coming up and cause the sharp pains you may be feeling. As the swelling goes down over the next couple weeks/months the pain will subside and eventually go away. Very small bites or sips. Basically just the tip of the spoon. Some people use a baby spoon to help them minimize their bites. Eat slowly. Up to a couple minutes between bites. Allow the air the food is displacing to escape (burping between bites helps). Unfortunately this may be a bit embarrassing but its helps alot. And to be honest, you should probably try and get use to burping. 7 months out and I still have to let out a few quiet belches now and then when I eat certain foods like soups of chili. I should also add, when drinking, use a glass or cup when possible. It makes the sipping easier.

Thats what my wife calls me now. When we go out, we usually just order 1 meal and split it. Sometimes its even too much for both of us. Before surgery. we both ordered an entree with appetizers and I ate the appetizer, my plate and finished what my wife didn't eat off hers.

My wife is following the same diet as me except she is doing a bit higher calorie count. she has lost 60lbs since my surgery. The pics below are a few months back but show the transformation for the both of us.

My goal is what the BMI charts see as normal weight. when I get closer I will reevaluate it depending on where my body is at. Right now, most of my body is getting to where I want it, but I still have extra weight around my middle and a bit on my chest, so I am still following the 800 to 1000 calorie a day routine. I feel great so there is no need to change anything just yet.