Luvin_Life125

Congratulations!

Congrats! Celebrate that milestone! Don't ever feel you have to wait until goal to celebrate your achievement. Celebrate every step of the way and acknowledge your hard work!

Great article! I love the concept of choosing the best choice available at the time you need it! Another option is when you are preparing a meal make a few extra portions and freezing them for a rainy day. If you do this every few meals, you steadily build up a collection of ready to go meals. I keep a basket from the dollar store in my freezer and use that for all of my small plastic containers of frozen leftovers. Medical tape works really well to label my containers and it doesn't leave a sticky residue. Just another option for a quick and easy meal on the run.

Amazing! Keep up the great work!

That is what prompted me to buy a smaller size! Lol, I was wearing a cute dress while walking through a busy store only to find my underwear steadily falling further down my legs. I tried desperately to keep them above the hem of my skirt while I slowly edged toward the bathroom. I had to look really odd, but not as odd as I would have looked with my underwear around my ankles. Why that kind of stuff doesn't happen while I am home alone instead of in a crowd, I will never know.

I love the rock my run app too! I find tons of varieties and lots of artists to choose from. You can also choose music based on the # of beats to help you pace your workout.

Please don't worry . The people working in the o.r. And recovery have seen it all and won't even blink an eye about your period. Just let the person who gets you settled in the pre op area and does all of the pre op stuff know and they will take it from there. It is a normal course of life and it has never stopped them before. Now for the cravings, you just have to dig in and be ready for battle. sugar free Popsicles helped me a lot and frozen Protein shakes to replace my ice cream helped. It won't take the cravings away, but you can try. Good luck with the cravings!

You might want to try the different flavors of extracts if you don't like the Torani flavors. I started using extracts preop to pal or my Protein shakes and they work great to add flavor without adding the artificial sweeteners. The only thing with extracts is the flavors are extremely concentrated and a little goes a long way. Mix it in a little at a time to get the flavor you like. I typically use 1/4 tsp for a 12-16 oz Protein shake. I was able to find many different flavors of extracts in the baking aisle of the grocery store. Check different stores for a wide variety of flavors.

Most insurance companies still have time period of nutrition counseling before surgery will be approved. It was frustrating when I was eager to have surgery done and just wanted to be losing weight quickly. However, I am so glad I had to go through the waiting period. It gave me time to start building healthy habits before surgery and break some bad ones. It is going to feel like the 6 months are taking forever to pass and a waste of time. Take this work seriously and work the process. It will only help you be more successful after surgery. Hang in there and get through it. You will be on the loser's bench before you know it.

I hope the 3rd time is the charm. You had such a poor experience with the first 2 that the 3rd one can't be any worse. I applaud you for taking the time to find the right surgeon and office for your needs . The right people can make the whole experience better!

Thanks for sharing! I am losing slower than I thought I would, but have been lifting weights aggressively and have been for 2 months. My weight loss has slowed considerably since the weight training started. I am glad to hear from someone who does the same and is further out than me. It reaffirms I am on a good path.

You are in a very hard period of recovery and your emotions completely normal! Not only are you making big changes, you lost your emotional crutch ( food), and as you burn fat estrogen is being released in mass quantities. It is a triple whammy. You have to find your way of coping now. It can be walking, meditating, indoor exercise bike, dancing, journaling, etc. Are you currently on an antidepressant? If so, talk to the provider who prescribes it for you to see if you may need an adjustment to the dosage until you get to a better place. If you don't take one, it might be worth talking to your doc and see if one might be appropriate right now. Is there a counselor or psychiatrist available to talk to with your bariatric program? That might be another resource to consider. You are doing great and are in one of the hardest phases post op. Please feel free to talk to us here also. We have all been there and understand how you feel. I hope you feel better soon!

Lol, staying at home has been the hardest thing I have ever done! I was disabled 3 years ago and I am still fighting to get my physical abilities back so I can return to work. Being at home has been harder than going to work. I miss working and the mental challenge it provided along with the fulfillment and adult interaction. I love my children and I am grateful for the time I have been able to spend with them. However , I miss my professional abilities and time to be challenged. I give homemakers all of the credit in the world! It took me a long time to find my rhythm and get things under control somewhat (as much as you can with kids ). Being a homemaker is the most mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting job I have ever had and I love it. You hit the nail on the head!

I had an weird NSV today, but I finally had to buy smaller underwear! I know that sounds weird, but underwear are one of those things you can keep through many sizes and not worry about. It also tells me I was wearing the wrong size underwear for a long time and stretched them as I gained weight. Lol may not seem like a big deal, but it was to me.

Congratulations on recognizing the problem and working hard to correct it! You have taken the hardest step by owning it. You will get back on track. Welcome back!

I am 4 months post op and down 48 pounds and my bariatric team said I am above average for % of excess weight lost at this point of recovery. I have lost 40% of my excess body weight.

I have the same issues with feeling foggy and light headed after a hard workout. What has really helped me keep it together is the following routine: -Eat 1 Quest bar 45 minutes prior to work out 24 oz ice Water with 1 scoop of Syntrax nectar roadside lemonade that I drink during my workout. Then regular water once I have finished my Protein water. After my workout I eat 2 oz of lunch meat and cheese ( like a homemade P3 snack) and 2 snack crackers (either Ritz or Keebler Club crackers) as I drive home. I will have to find a different snack that will keep in the car once the weather warms up. Or start using an insulated lunch bag. I really had to play with my intake to find what works best for my needs. I don't need the after workout snack on days I don't do strength training. It seems like a lot of food in a short amount of time, but it really isn't. I do an hour of cardio 5-6 days a week and an additional 60-80 minutes of strength training 3-4 days a week. I did have to add a small amount of carbs (2 crackers) after my strength training to keep my blood sugar from tanking while I wait for the protein to be digested. Play around with your intake and journal how you feel with each change and the timing until you find what works for you and your body's needs. I am glad to see you are reaping the positive benefits of exercise! It is addicting once you get past the reluctance of wanting to go to the gym. The physical changes will come fast now that they have started! Congrats! Oh and I must be doing something right. My PT just did my body fat analysis and of the weight I have lost 99.7% has been all fat! I haven't lost any mentionable muscle mass. She was really impressed and said it is VERY rare for WLS patients to not lose any muscle mass in the post op period. I will take it any day!

The first week post op sucks. Hang in there and keep walking. Make sure you take care of yourself and this will be a distant memory soon.

I have a $50 Oster Fusion from WalMart blender that works great! I have had it for over 5 years and use it regularly to make all manner of smoothie. It used to also be my margarita maker. The main thing to look for is where the base and the pitcher meet and turn- those parts need to be metal and not plastic! Having metal teeth and grooves keep it from stripping out when trying to blend hard or thick things.

I asked the surgeon about the drain and catheter before surgery. He said I would wake up with a catheter, but he hardly ever used a drain. I woke up after surgery with both. Turns out, I had tons of scar tissue from previous surgeries that he had to break up to even do my sleeve. My surgery was only supposed to take about an hour and ended up being in the O.R. For almost 4 hours. The catheter came out about 24 hours after surgery. I never felt the catheter not did I feel it being removed. The drain got in my way and was annoying while it was in, but it was not a huge problem. The drain was removed an hour before I was discharged. The removal was not very pleasant. I know most people don't feel them when they come out, but mine stung like no tomorrow. The stinging stopped once the drain was out , but it was definitely a painful minute. Just remember anything your surgeon does is for your benefit and to make your surgery a success while limiting your risk of complications. Good luck!

I just had my 3 month post op check up today along with the body composition analysis. I am down 48 pounds and 47.8 pounds of the weight I have lost is all fat! I have only lost .2 pounds of muscle mass which my surgeon, NUT, & dietician are thrilled with! Apparently most post ops lose significant muscle mass along with their weight loss. So even though I haven't lost as much weight as I wanted to in this time, the weight I have lost is all fat! Yay to my sleeve!

You didn't fail anything! It is great your bariatric medical team is so vested in helping you make the changes necessary to be successful post op. They are working with you so the process is beneficial and so that you have a better chance of long term success. I know when you are waiting for surgery and going through all of the pre surgery requirements time drags forever and it feels like a waste of time. I felt the same way and was very annoyed. It made a huge difference in my ability to succeed so far. I am also contemplating starting to see a psych doc regularly to work through things that interfere with my mental health. I want this to be successful long term and I need to be right mentally and emotionally to help be as successful as I can. Work with your team to ensure your long term success. Hang in there and you will be on the losers bench before you know it!

Working out gets much easier once your food and calorie intake increases. You are taking in so few calories your body isn't adapting well to expending so many more calories than it is taking in. My suggestion is to stick with a lower exertion exercise for the time being. As you increase your food, steadily increase your exercise exertion. It is a delicate balancing act this early post op. Listen to your body and follow its cues to stay healthy. I felt the same way when I was still on liquids and puréed food. Once I was able to start eating solids at regular intervals throughout the day, my exercise became easier to push harder and spend more time working out. Let your body be your guide and it will all come together. This early in the post op period regular walking or light biking most days of the week is a great start and will help your body acclimate to both physical activity and your new dietary changes. Hang in there and keep up the exercise. It is a wonderful habit to form and it pays you back in spades!

Hmm, does all of that info you want to add fit in 3 lines of text? That is the only thing I could think of off hand.

True love most days, but there are definitely days of love/ hate mixed in there too! I actually enjoy exercising and it is my stress reliever. I work out my frustrations by sweating them out and distress too. However, getting ready to go in the morning when it is belo zero plus 30mph winds with wind chill warnings making it --50 to -60 with wind chill, those mornings I hate the gym. My gym time is one of the true alone time I have completely to myself. I don't have anything I need or should do, no chores staring me in the face, nobody calling for Mom, no planning schedules or meals or shopping or homework or etc. gym time is truly about me and only me. I put my headphones on, crank my music, and zone out. It helps keep a bit if my sanity intact which makes me a better wife and mother. Great topic! It is very interesting to see what everyone's individual feelings and motivators are for fitness. It also makes me think differently about my reasoning.