Bobby46

Hi, I'm about 3 1/2 mths out and I have never worried about carbs or fat. We eat so little I believe if we stick to Proteins first, veggies second then fruit there is very little room for anything else. If you eat the right kinds of foods you shouldn't be over indulging in fat and carbs anyway.....at least I cant, no room. I get about 60-70 grams of Protein and about 750 - 900 calories a day. I have gone over my diet with my nutritionist and I am spot on nutritionally if I stick with lean meats....chicken, fish, tuna, turkey and lean ground beef and sometimes steak. I eat a variety of veggies and a piece of fruit a day. I honestly just don't have room for too many carbs to worry about over doing it. I eat oatmeal on occasion for Breakfast and a bite or two of brown rice or whole grain Pasta every evening with my dinner. I try to snack on left over veggies from the night before or sliced apple or a small banana. I don't snack on crackers, pretzels or chips....frankly, I'm afraid I wont stop eating them, I heard they go down and through you quite easily. I lose about 2-3lbs a week and I am thrilled with that! I did weight watchers off an on for years. I was very successful a couple times but always put he weight back on. I think I am just sick of "counting" anything. If I just stay mindful of what I have room for and go for protein first then I don't get that "counting" torture. I really cant wait for this whole process to just become a daily "non-thinking" "non-counting" habit or way of life!

I'm 12 weeks out. I have never waited 10 mins between bites. I measure out my food. 1/2 cup. I can finish it in 20 mins eating slowly and chewing well. If the food is dense then there is some left. Measuring, using small plates or bowls, small utensils, small bites, no liquids before or after for about 30 mins, Protein first, then veggies and a bite or 2 of whole grains. My doc said you cant "stretch" the stomach but over time your stomach fully heals and will relax. He assured me that the only way to gain weight after this surgery is grazing all day, eating sweets and chips while grazing and not eating lean protein and veggies at each of your meals. The weight comes back from bad choices not from over eating....the surgery takes the over eating possibility away....that's the main point of it. Good Luck! It will be fine...you will figure out what works for you

Mine was $39,700 and I have to meet my ded of $5200, Insurance will pick up the rest. Thank God for payment plans. OSU Medical Center, Columbus, OH 1 night stay.

Hi all! My goal for Thanksgiving was 205...As of yesterday I am at 204!!! Whoot Whoot!!

I just read an article that said if you have acid reflux issues then avoid coffee and caffeine products. If you don't then its ok to enjoy coffee in moderation. The article also said that coffee and caffeine are just 2 of many things that can upset the stomachs or cause reflux issues in bariatric patients, whether its the sleeve or bypass. The main problem being that coffee...caffeinated or decaffeinated...increases acid production. But....these studies have not been able to say definitively that coffee is "good" or "bad". That's why bariatric surgeons are so different when it comes to this subject.

I went back to coffee at 4 weeks out. I told my nut and doc on my 1 mth follow-up that I had a cup that day and was afraid I messed up. They both said that I can have it whenever I wanted it with not problem, it wont hurt me, just don't add sugar. I add creamer...reg creamer and that was okayed... to it and the nut said it was just fine because I get 1 gram of Protein per tbsp. I usually have 1 or 2 cups in the morning and about 2 or 3 times a week I have a cup in the evenings. No harm done. Its my only vice now! I know there are a million opinions on this subject....just sharing my experience. The 4 weeks I went without coffee was the hardest thing to do thru this whole adventure! I could have only given it up if the doctor yelled at me! lol

That is a weird thing to hear from a doctor. My doctor talked to me about the calorie stage with the sleeve....500-600 the 1st mth....600-700 the 2nd mth....700-900 he 3rd mth. He encouraged me to aim a little higher each mth with the goal of getting to 1200 at 6 mths. I'm about 3 mths out now and if I hit 950 in one day its a rare thing....I average 750-850. And.....I am losing about 3.5lbs a week on average.

I had a 3 week stall too at about week 5....it sucks but it will turn around again. Don't eat less calories trying to break the stall! I did weight watchers years ago and when I hit a stall they told me to eat 100 to 200 calories more for a couple days then get back on track......do that at least every 5 days until it breaks. Your body thinks its starving..its adjusting to everything. If you eat a few more calories every now and again it will get back on the losing track knowing you will feed it again soon enough. It worked every time on weight watchers. But, with the sleeve its really hard to eat even 100 calories more in a day with as little room as we have now and the need to meet all of our Protein and water! If you can do it...it works.

I walked by a bldg with glass windows all across the front and looked right at someone and for a split second thought ...she looks familiar....I looked away just as quickly, and then I came to a dead stop because I realized it was me! Then I laughed out loud for a minute!

I had surgery at 7am on Monday and was released at 3pm on Tuesday....but Tuesday morning they started the process of sending me home. I had very little pain, was walking and doing things on my own without the nurses helping....the whole experience was fantastic! I am a single mother of a 12 yr old boy....he helped with lifting things like laundry and he vaccumed for me a couple times a week. I slept, drank, walked, slept, drank, walked. All good! I could have gone back to work in a week but I relaxed for 4 before going back. Good Luck!!

I was tired and weak for the first 4 weeks after surgery. It's from the surgery and not consuming the loads of calories I was used to consuming, according to the doctor. Your body is conserving energy to heal itself, so when you move around its telling you to cut it out, take a nap, relax. It will heal. About week 5 I could eat more and move without needing a nap afterward. It just takes time.

Soontobeskinny, You are a few weeks behind me, I was sleeved on 8/11/14. I usually only eat about 1/3 to 1/2 cup at a meal. It will take a few more weeks for you to eat that much at a sitting. It took the full 12 weeks for me to get to that point. I would suggest that you keep eating what you can and supplement with Protein Shakes if you have too....and don't forget your vitamins. Give yourself some time, you will get there and you will figure out a food plan that works for you You're doing great! No worries!

Hi, Typical meals. Breakfast: coffee with a tablespoon of creamer and 1 egg with a handful of spinach and a laughing cow cheese wedge. Or, oatmeal with a tablespoon of pumpkin seeds or trailmix. Or 1 egg with 1 turkey sausage link. Snack: cheese stick. Or, greek yogurt or cottage cheese Lunch: Imitation crab, tuna or canned chicken with a little low fat mayo, chopped onioin, a few grapes quartered and a tablespoon of chopped pecans....eaten with about 5 special K cracker chips. Or, refried Beans with shredded cheese and taco seasoning. Or veggie burger patty with a laughing cow cheese wedge. Or chili with beans. Serving size about 1/3 - 1/2 cup. Snack: a small banana or apple....sometimes with a little Peanut Butter Dinner: Grilled chicken, fish or beef and veggies.....very little veggies, usually because I get the Protein in first. Or, Italian meatballs in marinara sauce, meatloaf, taco meat with a sprinkle of cheese and avocado, or chili. Snack: Protein shake if I need to up my protein. Or, a low sugar, low calorie fudgecicle. I end up with 750-900 calories and 55 - 75 grams of protein.

Alright, It was 1 bad decision. Just keep it at 1. I'm sure if you ate that type of food at each meal ....and everyday....then you would have a problem to face. I really doubt you stretched your sleeve....but if that is possible, I am sure that you aren't anywhere near where you were before surgery. No worries. Just keep in mind that the surgery is a tool for you to use for the rest of your life. It wont stop you from bad choices it only stops you from eating large portions. Hang in there.

I also stalled at a week out for about a week. But I was on a liquid diet 4 weeks pre-op. I think I was just due for a stall. Then at about 3 1/2 weeks out I stalled for 3 weeks. I can tell you that unless you are eating sugar and carbs instead of Protein then you will get past the stalls and the pounds will fall off! Even with 4 weeks of stalling during the past 3 mths I have lost a total of 48lbs so far. Stalls are frustrating, I know, but it will pass. Hang in there!

It will come off. Give yourself some time. Try not to get on the scale everyday. Keep in mind you just had major surgery and your body will try to protect itself from more trauma by holding on to fluids. The weight will come off as long as you follow the guidelines your doctor and nutritionist provided for you. I have fought my weight for nearly 38 yrs and this is the first time that I have relaxed and let it happen. I do what they say and I don't deviate or jump the gun with the food stages they advised of. You will only be able to eat about 600 - 800 calories for a long while...how can you not lose weight on such low calories? No worries : ) Just takes some time to adjust. Oh....and don't be surprised if you hit a stall before long. Some people are lucky and only stall for a week about 3 weeks out. I stalled for 3 weeks....only losing 3lbs in that 3 weeks! Very frustrating! But 11 weeks out and I'm down 48lbs! So it works!! Hang in there!

I get....I can tell your losing, so how much have you lost so far? How much do you weigh? How much more do you have to lose? The same person asks me these questions at least twice a week, if not more! Good grief! And I respond with...I only discuss my weight with my doctor because he's the only person that needs to know. Then I smile at her really big until she gets uncomfortable and walks away. (she's the one that gets on everyone's nerves in the office) Just about everyone else in the office has gotten the hint or knows me well enough that they don't ask. I get comments like....you look great....or love your hair....or something nice that says they are noticing without them saying ..hey, you're not as fat as you used to be!

Hello. Sleeved 8/11. Still going strong. Down 46lbs. Hoping for another 11lbs by Thanksgiving then I will be under 200lbs! yay! Cant wait. I've had a really easy time. Started zumba a couple weeks ago, 2xs a week...and going to try the treadmill this week to. I want it to be a habit by Thanksgiving. Wish me luck!

I had to wait 6 weeks. My 12 yr old got pretty good at it!

I'm 10 weeks out and yes, I feel hunger. Hunger is a normal feeling whether we have a tiny stomach or a full size stomach...according to my doctor. He also explained to me that the only thing that is changing is the size of my stomach. Everything else is on me. I have to choose the right foods....avoid the wrong ones....and exercise. Its not a miracle cure for obesity...its just a tool to help us put the fork down. It will definitely help us lose weight, it works as long as we follow the guidelines. He warned the honeymoon period only lasts so long then we have to work harder as we get closer to goal or when we reach goal because maintaining is work too. So, I usually feel hungry when its been about 2 1/2 to 3 hrs since I last ate. I eat a small meal and I'm good to go for another 2 1/2 to 3 hrs. I think I was so used to eating whatever and whenever I wanted to before, that its strange to me to feel hunger before each meal....like I was suppose to be feeling all these years. But sometimes I can drink Water and it staves off the hunger if I cant eat right away. The first 6 weeks were a learning experience. Not much hunger but I learned what and how much to eat. The past 4 weeks have gotten a lot easier but I do feel hunger a little more intensely. I can eat a little more and I can eat pretty much what I want within the guidelines of a good diet. I don't miss anything. If I want a bite of something "bad" I plan for it and I have a bite...not a slice or hunk or a pile. I don't want anymore (and there's not enough room anyway). I just hope that I can stay vigilant and maintain my control. The real hunger can be dealt with a lot more easily than thoughts of food or "head hunger"....for me, anyway.

Hi, I was sleeved on 8/11/14...so about 10 weeks out. Typical day: breatkfast: coffee, oatmeal with a little trailmix in it...nuts, seeds and dried fruit or a scrambled egg with spinach and a laughing cow cheese wedge...cooked in a little canola oil and garlic salt snack: cheese stick or a couple slices of roasted turkey lunch meat lunch: chicken, tuna or imitation crab...with a little egg, onion, pickle relish and lt mayo. eat it on special k crisps. or refried Beans with cheese and taco seasoning or a small salad with lean meat, cheese and egg snack: greek yogurt dinner: lean meat and veggies. sometimes veggie burger or wendys chili. and sometimes I have a few bites of whole grain Pasta or brown rice snack: fudgecicle...40 calories and 5 grams of sugar! or if I need Protein I mix a scoop of unjury chocolate mix in with sugar free pudding

Oh my! 3 months of only Protein would make anyone miserable. My doc had me do liquids for a month and then soft foods for 2 weeks. Now I can eat anything I like. I was sleeved on 8/11/14. Can you have fruit in your yogurt at all? I have eaten Chaboni greek yogurt, 100 calories with fruit since the soft foods were allowed. I also added simply fruit spread to it or would just eat a spoonful of it for a change of taste. Laughing cow cheese is good too....different flavors to choose from. I would add that to my scrambled eggs and any meat I was eating...still do actually. The amount you are eating is normal. I can only eat about 1/2 cup max at this point. I also used to eat sugarfree applesause with smooth peanutbutter....just a little of each on the spoon. I now do a few apple slices with peanutbutter. I also add lt. mayo to canned chicken or tuna and it helps with flavor. Are you seeing a nutritionist? Maybe a call to the doctor and ask if you can add a little pureed fruit to things to help your appetite? Explain your aversion to protein at this point. Good Luck to you!

I wish that I didn't worry so much before. I read so much that I was convinced it was going to be a horrible and difficult process. I had a very smooth ride. I thought I was going to be in a lot of pain and that I wouldn't be able to do anything for several weeks after surgery. Nope...I felt great 4 days out. I spent 1 night in the hospital and didn't take any pain meds after I got home. I could have gone back to work within a week. I worried so much before hand that I wasn't doing something right or that something drastic and horrible would happen after! I read so many of these threads and was convinced I would have regrets and that I would never be the same again. So, my advice....keep in mind that a lot of people have questions and concerns so there are a lot of, kind of scary, posts if you take it all in. People who have it smooth sailing don't post as often...they have no concerns. I wish I would have thought about that or known that. I am exactly the same person emotionally and mentally that I was before surgery....I was convinced I would have a very difficult time dealing with the changes. Yes...I have had moments where I wanted a piece of cake or where I wanted to eat a huge plate of food....but, I whined a bit and then I sucked it up. I only have about 20% of the room I had before but you know what? I still eat well...I love the food I eat....I just eat less. Isn't that the whole point of this surgery? That's why I had it anyway. So...Overall I just wish I relaxed more. Now for a more simple answer..... Don't over buy your Protein shakes. Buy as you need it because you will definitely hate some you loved before and love some you hated before Good news though....9 weeks out and I am eating the things that made my stomach roll when I first tried them. Nothing seems to be a problem for me. Good Luck to you!!! Hope you are also one of the smooth sailors!!

When I was allowed to add Peanut Butter....about 3 weeks out....it tasted different, stronger, but not bad. But, it upset my stomach. Now 9 weeks out I love peanut butter. I don't think things taste off or bad now but I notice the flavor more. I'm eating a lot slower and I think truly tasting things now. Sweet stuff is too sweet. I used to put chocolate creamer in my coffee...now a tiny bit goes a long way. Just give yourself some time....what tastes bad now might taste good 2 weeks from now.

Sleeved 8/11 HW 256 CW 217 Thanksgiving goal 205