alwaysvegas

What took some time for my head to get used to was the feeling of being physically full on just a few ounces. At first, I felt some disappointment that I could eat so little, but then I truly began to enjoy the small portions of food much more than I ever enjoyed larger portions. It's impossible to explain the feeling, but getting full on one rib is just as rewarding mentally as getting full on a rack of ribs. Eating slower, chewing, and enjoying the taste is a huge part of the enjoyment. My head hunger sometimes tells me more, more, more...but when I close my eyes and feel that my sleeve is full...it's a great feeling! And without the guilt! So far I've had no problems with any food I've tried. I avoid junk food for the most part, including most carbs. But I've had a piece of fried chicken, a slice of cake, some chips, and so on. I needed to learn moderation before surgery and that hasn't changed, but the sleeve sure helps with portion control. However, it's also relatively easy to eat a meal (4-5oz) every 45 minutes or so. So if I chose to eat every 45 minutes, I could. I knew that going into surgery also. And there are people who fall back into their head hunger and eat the slider foods as often as possible. Weight comes back on. It was about making choices before the sleeve and it's still about making choices after the sleeve. I considered a food funeral, but decided it was silly and self-defeating because I'd be ruining a healthy lifestyle I'd already started. I also knew I'd likely have all foods at my disposal post-op and I'd learn to enjoy them in moderation. No funeral required. But to each their own.

Constipation happens alot. You're likely getting alot of Protein, some fat, and very little Fiber. Benefiber (or any brand powder fiber) if you want the clear type fiber (you can add it to anything) or psyllium husk fiber (sugar free) if you don't mind it.

Congratulations! A sleeved life is a wonderful life!!! Welcome to the Losers' Bench!

Congratulations on the recovery! My recovery went very well also. Just be sure to still take it easy and allow your body time to recover. Just as a heads up...many of us experience a stall at three weeks. It's completely normal and weight loss will start again. Best of luck and welcome to the Losers' Bench!

Carbs are like crack to me, so I limit them as much as possible. I try to keep my net carbs under 10 per meal, but will also add some low glycemic carbs in moderation (fresh--no canned--black Beans and lentils, for example). No rice, no bread, no Pasta, no potato, no sugar. I don't specifically count calories every day, but I do weigh my food to keep it under my sleeve size. On the days when I track calories, I've been between 800-1100.

Most people said it didn't hurt when they took it out. I thought it hurt for about three to four seconds then it felt normal again. I did clench my teeth and utter some sort of blasphemy. But all over and done and totally worth it. Drain tube

Asleep for tube in. Awake for tube out. Two weeks off work. Lots of sleep, but my recovery was very fast. Not everyone experiences that though.

I followed it 100%. I figured if I cheated for two weeks before surgery, then what precedent am I setting for long term success?

I added the graph as an attachment. Hope that works now! Thank you and best of luck on your journey! Keep us posted!

Thank you! Does it still count if I'm a boy?

Thanks! The weight loss didn't feel nearly as fast pre-op as it did post-op, but I averaged about 10lbs per month and it does add up quickly! That's roughly 2 lbs per week, which doesn't seem like much. Good luck on your goal and do share when you get there!

I actually enjoy cleaning the house now. Until I lost the weight, more than a few minutes doing anything hurt my back or got me winded. Now I love the energy I have to clean. I'm sure the fun will wear off, so no asking me to clean your houses.

Remember that fat is stored energy. So keep telling yourself that. There is no way you are going to starve. That surprisingly helped me alot. You are burning off hundreds if not thousands of calories in excess food you've eaten over the years. Burn it baby! The pre-op helps fantastically not only with de-fattening your liver, but will also decrease your want for sugary and fatty foods. It's also a great jump start to weight loss and a great way to lower your caloric expectations. Just about every day someone says, "If I could do it without the sleeve I wouldn't need to surgery," especially when they're on the pre-op. They're not performing surgery between your ears. That's where you have to do the work. You're fighting head hunger. Keep fighting it. We've all had plenty of fat stores to use for energy. And remember...eating is a choice. It's a habit we developed and breaking the habit is tough. It's shocking how little food we need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. You'll still be able to eat fast food, Cookies, cakes, fried foods...all the bad stuff after surgery. The surgery won't change that. The choice to eat or not eat those foods is still your choice post-op. To anyone who is not in the pre-op yet, start making lifestyle changes NOW...before your pre-op: reduce your caloric intake, add exercise, stop drinking sodas, lower your carbs. Making any or all of these lifestyle changes will make your pre-op that much easier because you're already made lifestyle changes for your post-op life. Hang in there and best of luck!

@@Nikkidoodlebug So sorry you are experiencing complications. You're in my thoughts! Here's to a quick recovery the second time around!

It may be too general to say what works for me will work for everyone...BUT...here it goes. I prefer moderate fat (low fat, but not non-fat) and low carb (under 5 net carbs per meal were possible). I did Atkins for years and found that it helped reduce my binging dramatically. I discussed with my nutritionist and she was fine with it, though suggested I try adding in lower glycemic index carbs such and freshly-prepared (not canned) green lentils and black Beans. I have started cycling these legumes without triggering cravings, so will continue to use them in moderation. Now that I'm at my goal weight, I may experiment a bit, but am so happy with high-Protein, moderate fat, low carb that I my just stick with it. It's completely satisfying. I just find that most starches are just too calorie-dense and not satisfying as Proteins or non-starchy foods. Once sleeved, there really is very limited room for more than protein plus a few veggies, which is fantastic. Of course, many people here add potatoes, rice, and other starches without problems. I think one of the most important aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is cooking your own food using fresh ingredients and limiting prepackaged/processed foods. Best of luck!

My surgeon said no more than 10 lbs for the first two weeks. I was cleared for full weights after a month. It's always possible to do damage early on, but if you feel okay, then all is likely well! If in doubt, contact your surgeon. Always, always, always take it easy after surgery. Even when the surgery is performed laparascopically, the recovery can be very fast. But don't lose sight that it's still a major surgery and you must let your body recover. We didn't get morbidly obese by being overly-active, so relaxing after surgery should be easy! :) Best of luck on your recovery!

Warmest congratulations!

I have traveled several times after surgery and the food still tastes wonderful, but just smaller portions. If you have someone to share with, it's more economical. The hard part to explain that your head will eventually adjust to the proportions that your sleeve will fit. For example, I ordered an appetizer for my meal and it was 3 italian sausage links and peppers. When it arrived, my immediate reaction was, "This is three meals." Before surgery, that would've simply been an appetizer...with a main course to follow. Eating that third sausage in one sitting would not have been any more enjoyable than eating the first. I love that about the sleeve. Food just doesn't become a priority. Yes, food focus will likely be a huge focus for a few months post-op because you're trying to adjust to the lifestyle and you'll likely still be on a restrictive food selection. But you will very likely feel normal again in your eating habits. For me, 4-5 oz is the new norm. I enjoy the meals and then I'm done. I eat every 2-3 hours and it's wonderful. You can have as much variety as you want, especially if you prepare your own food, which I highly recommend so you know what's going into your food. You will still be able to eat junk food, Desserts, etc. That was your choice before surgery and it will be your choice after surgery. It's all about finding the balance and the sleeve can help with that if you work on the head hunger, which it looks like you are doing. I have so much more energy now that traveling is more about moving around. My most recent trip I walked for over 5 hours almost non-stop three days in a row. A year ago I could barely get around the block. In all likelihood, you've adjusted your vacations to accommodate your limitations due to your size. That won't be a problem in the future. Losing the excess weight will open up a world of physical opportunities that you may have ignored before. Best of luck to you!

I had three stalls; one at three weeks post-op, one at two months, and the last around five months. The first two lasted about a month (eek!) and the last one was a couple weeks. The dreaded three-week post-op stall bothered me a bit after about two weeks because I was all excited about the post-op loss. I had read enough about the stall to know it could happen, but by the fourth week I was getting a little upset. But then the weight loss kicked back in and all was well. As for the other stalls, there can be dietary reasons they happen like too many carbs, too many calories, or too few calories. It's very hard to determine the suspected reason because once your weight loss kicks in again you can't know for sure if it was the change you made or the weight loss just naturally started again. If you're following your surgeon's and nutritionist's plan, then keep following it and the stall should end. The timeframe I've heard thrown around is one month, after which time you should contact your surgeon/nutritionist for a recommendation. Best of luck to you!

Are you making the Proteins with any sort of spices and sauces? Are you combining them with vegetables? Are you using different cooking methods? Most western recipes start with one of those proteins. I can't imagine how you could get bored of them unless you're just eating them plain. I find it more difficult to eat out to find something that's worth eating. When I cook my own food, I always look forward to it...but I generally make just what I want.

Warmest congratulations on your success so far! @@JamieLogical is absolutely right about the infamous 3-week stall. *Scream!* Most of us experienced it. Mine last almost a month, but the weight loss will resume again! So hang in there if you hit that stall.

Great article! I often bake my Proteins and vegetables at one time with limited universal spices (garlic powder, onion powder, pepper), but make separate sauces and use different additional seasonings for different meals. So my Protein and vegetables can be chicken, broccoli, onions, mushrooms. But when I pack my lunch I add alfredo sauce and italian seasonings. And for dinner I use soy sauce, white pepper, ginger, and fish sauce. I still make the decision on the sauces and spices daily, but it takes the planning out of the proteins and veggies! I just change up the proteins and veggies weekly.

I started 4 days after surgery with liquid vitamins.

My surgeon said it depends more on how tight the surgeon pulls the stomach and staples/sutures the sleeve than the bougie size. Don't worry, your sleeve will be restrictive enough. Best of luck on on your journey!

I lost 50 lbs before surgery. I great jumpstart to my post-op life!