katesuccess

I wish they would too Countrygrl1978! That's rough, and we all want our main people to support us in this. Mine got much better when I made one of them attend the pre-op class, and then things overall went better from there. I'd encourage you to get them there for that if possible. A good way for your medical-background mum to ask her questions too. I like the thread topic you used too -- "I told my parents" -- because it doesn't sound like you're up for changing your mind or letting them rule your choices about your body. ITheir opinions are THEIR stuff they have to deal with, YOU having the surgery and informing them was a kindness, and you're doing this for you. Good for you! Hang in there. I'm a mom of adult young women, and I think we sometimes begin be fearing the worst for them before we can come around to seeing potential for their best selves. I also find that supporting them in big things is crucial, and it's part of respecting them as adults. Know that this mother is supportive of you anyway, okay?

Just a reminder if you have a Fitbit One, you can go online and log your activity so it shows up anyway. Tell it how many minutes or miles you spent bicycling and what the intensity was and it will add it and even if it doesn't count it while you're doing it.

I go backpacking too and am having the same trouble finding clothes because I don't want to invest a lot in them as I am losing weight. I bought two wicking shirts (cheaper, bigger!) in the men's department at a Fred Meyer store, kind of like Target, and then I cut the neckline out and cut a notch in each hip at hem so that it fits me better, I also put two or 3 inches off the length. Nice that the synthetic fabric does not shred too. Short or pants for hiking are the worst, but I am using stretch capris under my big T-shirts. For rain gear I found a cheaper plastic one, (sports/hunting supply) then I cut the sleeves shorter and the length. None of this stuff will look great, but a year from now I will have lost enough weight that it'll be worth buying better long term ones online or in sporting-goods stores. Maybe try and any kind of Army surplus place or bigger drugstores. They sometimes the sports team T-shirt in that wicking fabric really cheap, and lg men's plastic raincoats in those little plastic envelopes you can cut down. Good luck, and have a great time hiking!

So sorry you're going through this! i agree with posters above. Hard to feel like it's solo when you have others around who SHOULD be supportive and encouraging too. I might ask your mom if she wanted to support you in your goals. If the answer is yes, point out that you've already had the surgery, and want to make the best use of it you can--and here's what will help. Point out that she is not "just like" her other family of origin members, and neither are you. You need support in (say) three simple ways. Then lay it out, and just keep reminder her, using the same words and phrases each time, and if she still bombs, you may have to say, "This is not something we can discuss. Period." and change the subject. Informing her may help her learn, but sometimes we mother's seem stuck like a broken record anyway. You can't change someone else's behavior, but you CAN change your response to it.

That $74 was if you buy a package of 5 at my gym - and he was okay but not stellar. However, my daughter just recently got certified as a PT and we did a trial workout yesterday to see how it went with her training her old mother. It was great! She's actually better than one would think being fairly recent - and I was so pleased to work with her. I'm sore, but that's part of what I expect. She's agreed to train with me once a week now. Yay! I guess when you pay the tuition you get a break. When I told her my thighs were killing me from the prior trainer session at my gym, she wisely helped me stretch them out, roller them and then do a modified squat with a TRX system that helped immensely. Afterwards I told her in the future shoe could push me a bit harder, once she knew my limits, and how much I enjoyed working with her and respected her for being willing to try it out with me. Fun to be my daughter's student!

Well I went ahead and did a morning walk with jogging intervals, and it went well. Then two sessions with a personal trainer left me (and my thighs) in great pain - so taking a day to recover (ouch!). I did download the C25K you all mentioned, and am starting it tomorrow. Yay!

You guys inspire me and give me hope! I tried adding slow jogging to my walk today for the first time, alternating in interval of two blocks jogging one block walking. I am six weeks out from surgery and 250 pounds, and tonight I can feel it in my knees and thighs--but I really want to be able to run the whole 5K distance. A few years ago I did a walking 5K and even though I have been doing a lot of walking I came in dead last. I was okay with it, somebody has to be left, but I really want to be able to accomplish first jogging in entire mile, and then the whole 5K. how often do you guys run, every day or just 3 to 4 times a week? is it better to alternate or getting the groove of doing every day? Inquiring immature minds need to know!

I love working with a personal trainer, but darn they're expensive! I had free appt with one today, and then we looked at what it would cost for me to work out with him regularly and about died--$74/session if I buy 5 sessions all at a time! Yikes.

I was sleeved April 29th, and although I lost some weight on a pre-op diet, since surgery (and after losing all that hospital Fluid weight!) I've now lost 27 lbs. Sure wish it were more, but I'm so thrilled to see it coming off for the LAST time, I'm okay with it being this rate.

Not all docs and hospitals do that though - mine did not. They said shower with soap and no special scrubs, no lotion, no oils or moisturizers, and no added perfume. In the pre-op room they did the antiseptic cleanse stuff. If they didn't give you anything, don't sweat it. DO remember you can't wear both fingernail and toenail polish - my OR RN said one or the other was fine though. I went with pale blue cute toes, since I knew I could reach my fingers after surgery - but wasn't so sure I could get to my toes! Hah. Turns out, I could. Shocked the heck outta me!

When I got dressed for work and had to stop, take off my pants, and hem them quick by hand because they're too long since I have less fat holding them up! Had to cut 1.5 inches off my workout pants too!

My head hunger drives me to want foods that may or may not be good for me -- usually not. I tend to find my eyes drawn to, and my mouth watering for desserts, simple carbs, big steak, truffle fries, or other rich stuff. When I've got real or gut hunger, I can physically feel it in my gut. My tummy growls or rumbles, feels empty - but this is NOT a bad thing. We don't need to be full all the time. That's a serious myth. A bit of empty time is good, rare as it was for me to be empty pre-sleeve! Standing in front of the frig of healthy food and nothing appeals to you? Chances are it's head hunger or boredom, not gut hunger. I just ate what I KNOW fills my sleeve, and i'm 'full.' That doesn't mean my head doesn't still think finishing the meal off with a cookie or chocolate doesn't sound good - it's just not on my plan, and i'm not gut-hungry for it, just head hungry because I know it tastes good. Sadly though it too often leads to my wanting more! Journal writing as suggested above is a great way to get a fix on this too!

I adore mine, and use it daily. Be sure to set a few alerts to remind you to get up from inactivity and move too - those are wonderful. I bought one for my hubby after having mine a couple months, and he loves his too. Enjoy!!

That's awful! Tell him he's got to help and step up or you're going to stay with someone (Fam or friend) who will! Seriously, how lousy of him! If he says 'men don't do that' or 'you're better at it' tell him about mine: My hubby took a day off when I got home, helped with anything I asked for and asked what I needed when I didn't. He took care of putting clean sheets on our bed before I got home, watered flowers I got, fielded calls, kept family informed, kept our place clean - and slept on the couch for 3 weeks to be sure I was resting easily my first few days back to work. Not one whine about doing all his own meals, laundry and shopping, and took great care of the dog (in a condo that's a lot of work). He walked with me whenever I invited him and never nagged. Just kept supporting me in so many ways. I'm six weeks out now and tonight he told me he was proud of me for following all the directions from the doc and nut, and for doing so well. I got to tell him how very much it meant to hear that and especially to have had his phenomenal support. Real men ask how they can help...and jump in!

Hope this doesn't tick anyone off--please know its just how i feel and what I'm discovering. I sometimes feel hungry an hour or so after a meal too, but that seems like a normal part of life. Who ever expects they won't get hungry after a bit? Generally if I ate my 2-3 ounces protein and a bit of fruit or veggie -- and get hungry an hour later...I wait another 90 minutes or so knowing its part of losing weight, and enjoy knowing its time to eat my next meal by then. Hunger isn't bad, in fact before my sleeve I seldom even GOT hungry I ate so much. Now it's a welcome sign I'm not always full.

You look fabulous! Glowing and healthy too- such great progress. Congratulations!

Just FYI McButterpants, since I hated that too and wanted to see where my protein was from my phone, I wrote the company and suggested they adjust. They said you can opt to track it as a special thing (I haven't tried that yet) OR you can just use your iPhone's browser to log onto the full site for fitbit. It's a tiny bit slower, but I leave it on as one of my pages and just use it to check my nutrient levels. It's still faster to enter and adjust on the Fitbit app. Good luck - just know it CAN be done!

I love my Fitbit One! I have used it daily since I got it in early February, and months later I got one for my husband. We both use them faithfully, and have them loaded onto our iPhones, iPads, and desktops. The Fitbit one tell few calories burned, that's taken, miles walked, flights of stairs climbed, and an indication of how hard you are working at any given time during the day. It tonight when I am home from work I check to see where I am, and often will go walk the dog just to make my goal, but you can customize entirely. I also have it set to vibrate at certain times during the day to remind me to get up from my desk and walk around, which I find a great help. The charges from my computer, and mine has been holding a charge for 10 days or so at a time. The rubber clip I hook onto the inside of my bra, my husband puts his on his T-shirt, and it is so tight and sturdy we never lose it or even come close. You pray to ask if I can help with any questions and I hope you go for it!

Rhonda2006 you look great! But I know what you mean about still seeing your self and thinking of yourself as the way you were. Are you still wearing the same type of clothes and colors? Sometimes we are so accustomed to being self-conscious about being bed we forget that we adopted that wardrobe as part of hiding ourselves or being less noticeable. Get to a store with a good friend who has a fun sense of style and who loves you enough to be gentle--even thrift stores or Goodwell will have some things that will be fun to try on and text out a new look for some more energizing or flattering colors. I am amazed at how much difference I feel when I wear something with a lighter color tone or some life in it, rather than my usual navy blue, black, and gray wardrobe. I actually find myself thinking of myself differently and feeling myself (and the energy) in more positive realistic ways. It isn't so much the new clothes or the new lipstick that makes this so, but the experience of looking at your cell with a more positive praising eye, or with the help of someone else's vision of how you now look. On a more internal level, it's always good if we ask ourselves if that old body image is somehow serving another purpose for us. Doesn't help me to stay an introvert, when some of that extrovert energy will mean I have more notice or more is expected of me socially, for example. Or if I see myself as more attractive, and others do too, will it mean unwanted attention, or attention I have not wanted to deal with. Perhaps now is a good time to talk with someone about what purpose the old body served. It's part of what I am doing myself right now, and some of it is wonderfully refreshing and some of it is actually pretty hard to sort through, but all of it to a good end. Congratulations on all of your hard work, your amazing weight-loss, and sorting through where you are right now. And did you manage all of this while being the mother of two small children? Wow! You rock!

My nutritionist said by the time I finished soft food change I should be getting away from shakes as much and as soon as possible, but I cannot get enough Protein with out having half or ⅔ of a shake every day. She gave us the goal of 60 to 70 g of protein a day, and that sounds lower than what I hear most of the people online are shooting for, and I wonder if that is why my weight loss is a bit slower than many of you. As of this week I am transitioning to regular food entirely, and now still finding I have to add that shake--plus regular food fills me up even faster than food! I wonder if the drive for many nutritionists and doctors to get us off at the same is because all the material say you can eat "normal" food afterwards. I am so hesitant to increase calories to get that much protein from regular food when my shakes or a Quest bar (they ARE fabulous!) get me there within my calorie limit.

I am a month and week out, and I can see a change now--not huge, but clear. Also I forced myself to take a front and side picture with the camera on a timer the day I started my preop diet (two weeks before surgery) and then I took a picture the same way from the same vantage point one month after surgery wearing same pants and similar shirt. When you start at close to 290 lbs, a 30 lb weight loss seems almost unnoticeable--but those pictures absolutely show a visible difference. I really urge you to consider doing that--it helped a lot for me as those 30 pounds did not seem visible to anyone else, and I was getting a little blue about it not even showing. The other thing everyone kept saying to do was to take measurements, which I have but they don't inspire me quite as much for some reason. Hang in there, all of a sudden you and others will see it and it will delight you!

Nice! Congratulation!!

I do turkey meatballs, smoked salmon, chicken satay, crabcakes (weighed and reshaped for my 20 size) and moist lunch meats with things in them, as LipstickLady said. Banana slices dipped in PB2 powder is a nice change from time to time, or a well warmed (canned in water) peach half with cinnamon on it and a Tablespoon of vanilla yogurt. Just a few of my own favorites anyway.

I agree with all of the above, and I had a three/four week stall too. What may help (since you say you're only mostly drinking your proteins) is to be sure you're eating what the doc's and nut's plan call for. Food helps your body move to the next stage of processing I think, and even if not hungry, try to follow that plan if pureed foods are called for. Good luck - we've all been there, really!

I agree - good for you for recognizing it. Do some mulling over of the learnings here too. I'm about 6 weeks out and just now released to transition to normal foods, and I can already hear myself hearing you about the new foods to try! Tells me to only buy one or two new things at a time, so i'm less tempted to try them all in short order. I'm also a big one for getting physically out of where I can eat. Take a walk, get in the car, or call someone from a phone with a cord that does NOT reach the food (if indeed those still exist anywhere but my parents' home!). Write in your journal too, and unpack this a bit. You have good insight to see things already, dig some more and check to see if it really is just old habits, convenience of proximity, or if there's any other issues or things looming up just now. And really - congratulations on your weight loss!! That's fantastic!