hrhlaurie

Oh, how soon can I have these? Thanks for sharing the recipe.

I like the ham salad idea and I'll look for some low fat/cal flavored mayos or yogurts. I can start eating pureed and mush this weekend so I'll do some shopping for some of these.

Wow, congrats! You are doing great!

Same here, energy really lagging today, also 6 days out. Warm here too and I took a 3 hour nap today.

I'm still so tired and still taking naps, anyone else? Take a shower, rest, take a walk, rest, go to the store, nap... I accidentally mixed smoothie Protein powder with my Protein shake instead of whey protein powder. Bleh! I ended up with chocolate glop so I'll need to pay attention from now on. I feel like I am healing but today I had to cough and wowser, it hurt. I'm sure I'm not alone in doing whatever I can to stiffle sneezes cause they hurt too. Some pain I cause myself when I start to gulp Water and it backs up right behund my sternum. Just more adventures with a sleeve. Funny thing about weight loss, and I see it all over these forums but didn't think I would be guilty, using the word "only" when describing weight lost. I caught myself saying I only lost 2 pounds today. Really? No, hurray, 2 more pounds down should be my reaction. I need to not take this for granted because I've worked for this and need to keep working it to be successful. I never thought I'd get on a scale, lose weight, and not appreciate the achievement. From now on, every pound lost gets a farewell happy dance. Good-bye for good!

This is great info, thanks. I will keep bagels, breads, pizza crust and soft tortillas on the banned list for several months and revisit 6 months out. I saw a recipe for avacado where you mush some up with a little olive oil, splash of balsamic, some salt, pepper and a little dried basil. I thought once I could have mushy foods I might try half a Tbsp. or so. I think I'll want savory by then. I'm trying to start a list of good mushy, non-sweet foods and refried beans might be good too. What else makes a nice mush?

Good for you, same here. I was going to jump ahead to yogurt but decided to just increase servings of protein shake. Down 2 more pounds today, drinking liquids and walking. I'm going to find different protein drinks and mix it up by adding protein powder. Last night I added strawberry powder to chocolate shake and it was tasty.

I added a couple of pounds after surgery too and felt so bloated from the iv fluid and surgery. 6 days out and the excess fluid is starting to come off but slowly. Keep walking and drinking to flush everything through you. The weight will come off, just follow the diet your doc gave you.

I want hungry until last night and it surprised me. I don't mind the hunger as much right now during liquids and just send more protein shake down the hatch. As long as I lose weight every day, I can get through the hunger pains. Can someone in a stall tell me some coping strategies for when you aren't dropping pounds but you're hungry?

Thanks, good info. That gurgling does kind of sounds the way a drink does when poured through a funnel. I hate it when I forget to take a small drink and it backs up a bit.

Agreed, I'm 6 days out and ice or icy drinks made me sick initially. Warm fluids were much easier to get in, or at least room temperature. I'm still avoiding really cold fluids and liquids going down much easier now. Experiment with different flavors and types of liquid just to keep hydrated. That won't all make you sick.

It sounds like you are doing everything right. I'm so sorry for the stall and completely sympathize with you. Are you seeing a Nut who can help sort this out for you? I thought I saw where stalls were normal and our body is trying to help us stay alive. Has anyone Kickstarted their weight loss by taking in more calories for a day or two and then dialed back again?

Weird, I think I have hunger pangs tonight, even after all of my Protein today. Kind of funny that my new little tummy thinks it's ready to tackle food. I'm just sipping Water until bedtime but maybe I'll try a little high-protein yogurt tomorrow and see how it handles it. I didn't expect this development and thought my stomach was still in full-on healing mode, but I'm a veteran of the diet wars and a hungry stomach doesn't scare me. Take a number, tiny tummy, a bigger stomach than yours has growled at me for years so you can just dial yourself back and follow the nutritionist's program. Stay tuned...

I started looking into this last November and had my first of six required medically supervised weight loss visits, which I hated at first but really allowed me to educate myself on the surgery and be more mentally prepared. My surgery was 5 days ago, May 29, and it feels like it took forever but I'm here now.

I shared with my family and closest friends because I wanted to include them in the process and since I was taking the time to learn more about the surgery, it gave me a chance to explain it to them too. Casual friends I told I was having some stomach surgery and left it at that. One co-worker asked me whether it was WLS and since she's over-weight I told her it was. She shared some of her mom's experience and asked me if she could ask me questions about the surgery and process, etc. If I hadn't been honest with her, I would have lost the opportunity to help her. I figure if someone is going to be negative, they are probably already finding things to talk about me behind my back now so, either way, they'll be negative and criticize. You can't change some people. If someone asks, I tell them I had health concerns and this was the best way to help ensure I lead a long and healthy life. They might say it's the easy way out, so let them. Their words can't hurt you and who cares if something is easy or hard, as long as it works. I guess, in short, supportive people will like you either way and the critical ones are already talking about you. If you say you are having doctor recommended surgery to improve your health, why would someone argue. They might ask if you tried ww, cause their sister's cousin's next door neighbor did well with it or some other weight loss program. I tell them that they do work and help but this is what my doctor recommended and my insurance co. agreed. Basically, I have a smaller stomach, nothing real radical. I don't see anyone having a debate when someone has a hysterectomy... I guess I feel like meeting people head on is easier on me in the long run. I don't ask for people's opinion on how I live, vacation or my health choices and I don't plan to start now. If you had a hernia operation, you can always say that the health problem was a wake up call for you and somehow the hernia repair has made you less hungry. You don't owe them more than that. As always, my two cents! Hey, I'm only 5 days out of surgery so it's pretty real to me every day!

I used my high weight before my pre-op diet on my ticker. It was just 2 months before surgery and it makes sense as a goal to me. I know my post pre-op diet was 20 pounds less my high-weight so I can keep track of it pretty easily. I guess where we mark out starting point depends on what makes sense to the person tracking their own weight loss.

Today I was down a few more pounds, 5 since surgery and 25 total. My arms are starting to look a bit flappy where they were just big before. My inner thighs now have a new, looser look as do my hands and chin area. Daily changes to adapt to but on the road to 100 pounds weight lose I knew I was making trade offs. I had 6 months to decide if I wanted to stay obese or do what it takes to lose weight and be healthy. I am using stretch mark creme now and will start wrapping my legs and arms to tighten them until I can stay working out. Every little bit helps!

I'm so sorry you are having pain and trouble sleeping. I found laying on my side with a pillow supporting my abdomen helped me a lot. I sort of lean forward on the pillow and am comfortable that way. I'm still on liquids but the chocolate shakes weren't going down that easy shoo I switched to atkins strawberry banana protein drink with some vanilla protein powder. I guess every day will be trial and error as I figure out what works and what doesn't. But, I was down 5 pounds this morning from surgery weight and 25 pounds down overall from highest weight in March so I'll keep working this plan since it's moving me in the right direction!

I'm not getting in all of my Protein, even adding Protein powder too my shakes. I am steadily drinking flavored Water whenever I'm not drinking protein so I'm staying hydrated. I need to start tracking my intake of both because I know my doc and nut will ask me for that info when I see both of them in appts next week. Finally had to take a suppository to get things moving below. Feel pretty good otherwise except for abdomen pain.

I was never told just clear liquids either. I'm on any liquids only for a week and then I can start incorporating some mushy foods when I'm ready or as my stomach feels like having them. I drink water and flavored water and my protein shakes for now and this weekend I'll consider adding some pureed foods in tiny little bites.

Thanks, I'd like to have some watermelon this summer and wasn't sure how that fits in. I'm seeing my Nut in a few weeks ago I'll check with her. Down a few more pounds today so something's working right!

I use frankenbelly too when it is gurgling at me and seems to be a bit antagonistic. When she's quiet I call her Sally, since she's all stitched up like the character in Nightmare before Christmas.

You'll do great, just be ready to deal with the pain and discomfort of surgery and know that it will pass before you know it. It's like tiny tummy boot camp, the pain of change to achieve our goals. I knew it would hurt and being in the hospital wouldn't be fun and I'd have gas and all of the other pains and thought I was so prepared until day after surgery when I was nauseous from anesthesia, so weak that walking the hospital hallway was like an Olympic event for me, it hurt to get in and out of bed and I really didn't want broth or the Protein shake. I reminded myself that not only was this a voluntary surgery but I had planned for it since last Nov. That night I kind of turned a corner and I felt much better the next day and I was so glad I persevered. I hope your surgery goes really well and hang in there for the next few days!

I was sleeved on the 29th and my 5 little incisions get itchy which should mean that they are healing. I get sharp pains too and the burning sensation but I think this is all pretty normal recovery for this type of surgery. Otherwise, I feel pretty good except lack of energy. I'm using my Blender Bottle to mix atkins shake with some skim milk and scoop of Protein powder and it makes a pretty tasty, high Protein Shake except it takes me a couple of hours to finish 8 - 10 ounces. Other liquids go down faster and no problems with Vitamins. Tonight my husband was watching a cooking show on TV and it's good that I don't have any hunger pains or any cravings cause I realized how many of these food shows we've always watched! It's weird that I don't miss any foods even when I try to think of some that might tempt me but nothing sounds appealing.

I've had some pains when drinking, right behind my sternum, and it's when I either take too large a gulp of liquid or when I take to many sips in a row and it feels like it's backing up a bit. Taking my time will be my biggest challenge throughout, I'm sure. I looked in the mirror tonight and realized I've lost one of my chins! That's pretty cool. I was at 270 in March and this morning 248 so guess some of my lost weight was living in my face!