Ginger Snaps

You didn't post what surgery you had or how long it's been. I had bypass 12 weeks ago and never feel hungry at all. I also don't get up at night and eat. I do keep a bottle of Water by the bed because I frequently wake up with a very dry mouth.

There is an entire forum dedicated to stalls -- you can probably find a lot of support there. But, know that the weight loss comes in spits and spurts. At about 4 weeks out I stayed the same weight for a week and then started losing again. 2 weeks ago I lost 5 pounds in one week and then stayed the same all last week. It happens... just keep doing what you're suppoesd to do and the weight will start coming off again.

My insurance requires a BMI of 35 with comorbidities or a BMI of 40 without. I had a BMI of 36, weighing 210 at 5'4" and had sleep apnea and pretty severe reflux and I qualified. It all depends on your insurance and your health history. Find a surgeon and set up a consultation with them and they'll be able to find out if your insurance will cover surgery.

Wow! Way to go!

I'm doing the Zombies Run 5k app (little different than just Zombies Run app) and I'm in the middle of week 4. I'm registered for my first 5k September 27th and my goal is to run most of it. I have another one scheduled for November 1 and the goal there is to run the entire thing. I'm thinking about signing up for one of the Turkey Trots on Thanksgiving... it's not like I'm gonna be pigging out on that day anyway! It sounds like you've made great progress whether you met your goal or not. I'd give you an A for effort... which is really the only part you have control over... how much effort you put into it. You're CERTAINLY not a failure! Way to go!

So apparently my butt and belly have decided I'm serious this time... 2 weeks ago, size 14 jeans, last week, size 12, today, size 10.... I haven't worn a size 10 since college (3 kids and 20+ years ago)! Have I mentioned how happy and confident this surgery has made me???

I didn't track my first 2-3 weeks after surgery except to count Protein grams. Once I got to soft foods, I started using My Fitness Pal to track and I track everything now. It's especially important to keep up with that protein. I always eat protein first and usually don't have too much room for anything else, so I don't watch calories particularly. My protein is usually around 60, carbs 60 or less and I don't really even look at fat grams. I'm lucky I guess that I don't really have head hunger. I was an emotional eater before but to be honest, I feel so happy after surgery I haven't needed to medicate with food. I've gotten pretty addicted to exercising, so that probably helps, too. You may be surprised that you just don't desire all those foods you medicated with before. I still think about chocolate every now and then but it just doesn't even sound good. If I get the late night munchies (not really hungry, just feeling like I need to eat something), I eat a piece of fruit or drink a Protein shake or something. I'm still always within my calorie/protein goals. Best wishes -- you're just starting the journey but if you're like me, by the time you're at 6-7 weeks, you're gonna feel like a million bucks!

You didn't say what surgery (I'm not sure if that makes a difference though). I had bypass and I remember telling my doctor I felt like I didn't have limit when drinking. He told me I still needed to stop after a few sips (this was in the first two weeks after surgery). Now, I can put away an 11 oz bottle of Water in about an hour (especially if it's while I'm exercising). I think the other poster is right -- if you're out of surgery more than a couple of weeks, you should probably be safe just listening to how your body feels. I also put down the bottle or glass in between drinks, just like eating. I don't just hold it in my hand and drink away non-stop.

Ditto on all the above... but what kind of surgery did you have? If you've just started reintroducing foods is that when the vomiting started or have you not kept anything down since surgery? Definitely see your doc... not normal at all!

Even though some of it is Greek to me (Tabatta?) I understand squat and deadlift and superset and I am impressed! Nice job passing up excuses and just doing it!

@Kissifur -- one of my goals is to be able to grab some of those expensive name-brand hoodies I buy my sons and throw them on to walk the dog, etc... I can look like a cool mom in Abercrombie and Hollister and all those places... Actually I can probably fit into my 15 yo's now... I'll have to go home and try some on!

I had some before and they are definitely getting worse with weight loss. I talked with my trainer Sunday about it and she agreed there are basically no exercises that will help because it's not flabby muscle, it's loose skin. I'm doing lots of upper body and upper arm work -- triceps, biceps, shoulders, so I know I'll be stronger there but it's not gonna change the loose skin. HOWEVER, I wear sleeveless tops all the time now and could care less if stuff wiggles. With the big confident smile I have on my face and a skinnier waist, I don't think people are staring at the arms!

You go into the store wearing saggy size 14 jeans, you pull a 12 off the rack to try on and in the dressing room you realize you need a size 10! YES!!!! Last wore a size 10 in my early 20's.

@@SamanthaNoyes I'm not sure the scope of your paper... I've seen a lot of people on the boards who have depression or bipolar disorder and I'm one of them. But it didn't start after surgery, it's something I've lived with for a long time. If you're including stories like that, I'd be willing to share. Just PM me.

Bypass was a no-brainer for me. It's the most proven surgery with the best long-term outcomes. I also had reflux which can be exacerbated by the sleeve, so I went with the bypass. I researched all I could on the different surgeries and to be honest, I have a hard time understanding why the bypass is so scary. The sleeve removes a huge part of your stomach. As in, it's gone forever. The bypass reroutes your intestines but it's not like they are going to get routed the wrong way or something. I'm having great success with the bypass, never feel hunger, satisified with very small portions and able to tolerate almost anything I eat (however, I do stay on plan so I haven't tested the pouch with cupcakes or soda or high carb foods). I feel better than I have in over 20 years and I'm SO happy I made this decision. You have to research and figure out what's right for you, but try not to let fear be the only motivating factor. All the surgeries have risks and benefits and IMHO you should choose the surgery based on your medical conditions and what's going to give you the best chance of success, not what you're least afraid of. Best wishes!

Well, through a mess up at the hospital, I wasn't allowed to get out of bed or walk much and ended up being readmitted after 2 days with pneumonia. So, whether you feel like it or not, walk, walk, walk. Other than that, the recovery after the pneumonia was pretty slow... I felt like I lost a week in time there. But, that smoothed over and life has been on the upward trend (and weight on the downward trend) ever since. Stick to the plan, do what your doctor says and hope for the best! And take Fiber -- constipation is a killer!

@music1618 I think you have great advice. I have a difficult relationship with my 20 yo son. He never opens up and talks about anything unless we're driving in a car together. Then he talks non-stop and we can really communicate. I actually remember reading something about this technique in a parenting book. Something very non-confrontational about talking when you're not staring in each other's eyes and face to face. As a result, any time he actually wants to go anywhere with me, I go even if it's inconvenient. It's our best time sharing.

Just make the decision it will not discourage or derail you. Keep following the plan. Exercise that tush off (literally). This is not a race, it's a lifetime. If you don't give up, a stall won't last forever.

I have TOTALLY fallen in love with my new feelings... feeling my outside matches the fun, bright person I am on the inside. Feeling like my body can handle the athletic things I want to do. Feeling that I can do this and get to a healthy weight and maintain it. Every food habit I had before has changed (in part because it had to and in part because I am DETERMINED not to go back to old habits. The conditioning I had before (picking up bites of candy, grabbing bread for a snack...) has gone out the window and I refuse to let them back in. THIS gives me motivation to keep it up every day. I'm LOVING this!

I wasn't really allowed to walk after surgery in the hospital (screwup and misunderstanding from the nurses) but ended up back in the hospital 2 days after release with pneumonia (caused by not walking and moving around much go figure). But when I was in that weekend, I watched the clock and at least once every hour, I got up and walked 2-3 laps around the floor (2 nurses stations). And I sat up in a chair a lot instead of staying in bed. Once I was home at least 3 times a day I got up and walked about halfway down the street and back, adding a little more distance most days. I don't think you should try to set a distance goal but maybe a time goal and the number of times a day. Then just do what feels ok. I think your body will tell you to stop if you try to do too much. Best wishes on the surgery and GET UP AND WALK (from someone who had complications because I wasn't allowed to).

@sunnkistme That "walk by and grab a bite of sweet" or a piece of candy somebody's candy bowl at work, or just one funnel cake at the beach... those were a lot of my triggers too. I still look at them and think "just one..." but the idea of dumping stops me and the fact that I went through freakin' SURGERY to change my life and I'm NOT going to go back to that kind of crappy eating. If I had the sleeve and no fear of dumping, I think I would have "cheated" now and then and ended up back in the same place.