alwaysvegas

I didn't take it that she was talking about all people...just a light-hearted jab at herself.

I want a t-shirt that say "Surgery does not cure lazy!" That's fantastically true! Good for you for recognizing where you can improve your weight loss and not go blaming the ol' sleeve that every surgeon/nutritionist/veteran on the planet has said "...is just a tool." Personal responsibility is the key. (And a few laps around the gym.) Bravo to you @@FLLyssa!

I buy lowfat and sometimes full fat. All fat free foods are abominations...like fat free cheese that does not melt. It's wrong and blasphemous!!!! I cast you OUT...evil fat free cheese that stays in worm-like rubber strands despite impossibly hot temperatures. BEGONE! It's all about moderation and balance. Overall, I ate more lowfat as I was losing and now that I'm moving into maintenance, I'm adding back in more fats like chicken thighs vs. chicken breasts. Studies that either exist (or I thought exist but do not because I'm too lazy to look them up) show that people on a moderate fat diet do better in the long-run than non-fat diets.

On my ticker-tocker below.

How many calories are you shooting for?

When I'm showering I can look down and smile because I can once again see my... ...feet. I am delighted that I sweat MUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCH less than I used to. The immortal Al Bundy once said, "Do you know what fat does? Fast sweats." He was right too.

Congratulations! And it's certainly not the easy way out. You'll still have to decide what goes into your body post-op. That won't change. Make as many positive lifestyle changes as you can along the way to surgery! It will make post-op living that much easier and the weight loss that much more successful! Best of luck!

I recently changed companies and went to a buffet lunch with several new co-workers. I immediately grabbed a salad plate to keep my portions small. I didn't even really think about it. I just grabbed a little bit o' this 'n that at the buffet...proteins and a few veggies. At my previous company, all my co-workers knew. When I sat down, it suddenly dawned on me how little food I got compared to everyone else and they didn't know about my surgery. One co-worker asked, "Saving room for dessert, eh? You're a light eater." I actually told them that I'd had the surgery and they were so interested in hearing about the surgery and my journey. And what's really cool is everyone said they couldn't believe that I was ever large. One co-worker said, "But you're so thin! You look like you've always been skinny!" Talk about words I'd never thought I'd hear! I whipped out my driver's license, which is just about the only pic of me at 305lbs. And I got the ooohs and aaaaahs. So I have to admit...telling co-workers and others can have it's advantages and pique interest. It also portrays a positive and safe image for weight loss surgery. Especially those people who want to talk about "the friend who got WLS but gained it all back." It's everyone's individual choice, of course, as countless threads on here have discussed. If you do want to keep it a secret, an easy out is to get most of your food to go and say that you prefer to eat sevearl smaller meals, which is totally true. You just don't have to say why.

It was heaven in a chicken puree! It tasted wonderful! I had been on liquids for a month and even the puree felt very solid. And the flavor was divine! And three bites later I was all full. Yay sleevie!

Nope, don't beat yourself up. Slips happen...just move forward. You know what you should eat, so it's a brand new day! I'm 8 months out and I eat 4-6 meals a day. Each meal is 4-5 oz and contains 3 oz Protein with 1-2 oz veggies. My meals are generally 200-250 calories. I try to keep carbs under 10g per meal. I don't eat bread, Pasta, rice, or potatoes. I limit processed foods as much as possible. I don't eat organic because I'm a tightwad, but I do buy fresh meats/veggies as much as possible. I weigh all my food when I'm preparing my meals to keep me from over-indulging. I eat pretty fast still, so I need to keep my portions below my sleeve capacity. Best of luck to ya!

Great posts @@Stephanie Stroup McIntosh and @@Miss Mac! And I totally hear ya both! So much of my eating is habitual and based on how I grew up. For me, food was/is a reward system. Now that I'm so much more aware of how few calories I need to maintain a healthy weight, it's rather disturbing to think how much food I used to slam down my gullet. I think I've successfully changed my habits. I don't really think of food in terms of rewards...it's for health. Hopefully I can maintain this way of thinking. I've done the yo-yo of course, so there's that fear that all of us have, but feeling really confident that the surgery is helping me for the long haul. And right now that long haul! Best of luck to everyone!

I had many stalls, but thankfully all stalls end, the longest being about a month. @@JamieLogical is asking all the good questions...if your caloric intake is too low with extensive exercise, then it may actually stall weight loss. The benchmark I've read is "one month" meaning if your stall is over a month, then you need to seriously look at calories, carbs, and exercise and see if any of those is outta wack. Don't get discouraged. Always see how far you come and congratulate yourself for that! It isn't all about that magical goal, but a life-long commitment to better health!

That's what I want to start doing again AV but when is a good time to start? Like I said, Wed I will be 4 weeks post op... Ooops, I forgot to answer. My surgeon allowed full cardio one week post-op and weightlifting one month post-op. You should always follow your surgeon's directives, of course. Keep in mind that you are still recovering and your caloric intake is likely low, so definitely do not overdo it at the gym. Start off slow with reasonable workout lengths and build up over the upcoming months. It's very important to stay hydrated when working out because it's likely harder for you to take in liquids also. Best of luck to you!

Yes, it's possible to keep it a secret, but I like to share a good thing and possibly save the life of a friend, a co-worker, or maybe a stranger or two. Best of luck to everyone!

Thank you for sharing your story! Losing weight opens up so many opportunities to extend life and enjoy life. You have a wonderful attitude about Thomas. It is indeed more about health than vanity. Wanting somebody healthy is definitely caring. Best of luck to you both!

Almost everything you eat during your recovery is "as tolerated," so take it easy, don't worry, it will get better. If your frankensleeve grumbles at a certain food, try it again in a month. If you have serious concerns about any pain, please consult your surgeon ASAP. Best of luck!

You hang in there! You will have the surgery, but we want you as healthy and as safe as possible for the surgery. Positive vibes your way!

Strength training to help minimize loose skin. Work major (largest) muscle groups. Don't waste time on teensy muscles. Cardio for overall endurance.

I've slowed quite a bit, but I'm still a fast eater, but I rarely slime now. Most important tidbits: Know which foods fill you up quickly. For me it's ground turkey and fish Cut your food up into smaller pieces Use small utensils Add more liquid/sauce Weigh your food/know your max

You're on the 'other side' and recovering...every day will get better! Probably faster than you think!

I have a big pile in my closet as well. My head still hasn't caught up (or down?) with my actual size and I think I'm much bigger than I am. It's actually an exhilarating feeling and a very strange thing to try and accept mentally. Yes, I can fit into 32 pants and medium (and even some small) shirts. There is that niggling in my head that I should keep some of the larger clothes "just in case." No...just no! These mental battles in my head are rather disturbing when I type them out.

Congratulations on your surgery! Please be very careful with your recovery. Even though the recovery can be fairly quick, it's still a major surgery and you may have to put a few things in life aside for the sake of your health. Best of luck on your surgery and sleeved life!

Hello from Dallas! Congratulations on your choice to sleeve! Best of luck on your journey!

Love your avatar pic! I know how you feel. These are the phases I followed: http://www.360bariatrics.com/360-process/bariatric-diets/ My vegetables are low-carb like broccoli, green Beans, onions, and so on. In all likelihood you won't be able to get enough vegetables in to do much damage no matter which vegetables you choose. But I prefer low carb simply to avoid triggering cravings. I mix my vegetables with my Protein, but weigh everything as I'm preparing my meals...usually 3 oz protein plus 1-2 oz of veggies. Best of luck to you!