JamieLogical

@@Bufflehead Is 100% right. If you can get in more fluids than the minimum, then that's awesome! And if you aren't on a PPI, as your surgeon about one tomorrow.

You are far from a failure. You are still down 55 pounds. You have come here for help, so you know you need to turn things around. Definitely seek counseling or support. You know the physical things you need to do to get back on track. It seems that the challenge is more of a mental one here.

I don't feel my restriction when I eat them because they are only 2-3 ounces and my restriction kicks in around 3 oz. But they definitely make me feel full and satisfied, like I don't need to eat again for a few hours. I have one for breakfast around 9:30 and then don't eat again until lunch, which is usually 12:30 or so. For me bars are WAY better than shakes, because shakes really do go right through my sleeve and don't make me feel full or satisfied at all.

@@erp I agree. I'm 19 months post-op and can still only do 3 - 4 oz. of dense protien at a time. I can do 5-6 ounces of loose or liquidy protien, like chili or pulled pork. Just last night, my husband made seafood sausage for dinner (salmon and shrimp) in a pork casing. He measured out 80 grams for me, because that's what I asked for and it was almost too much. 80 grams is just under 3 oz. As for the objection to protien bars and shakes, some people are strict about clean eating. More power to them. I personally live a busy life and don't always have time to make everything from scratch the way clean eating requires. I have to come up with solutions that allow me to live my full life and still get all my Protein in. For me that means relying on protein bars. Is it ideal? Probably not. Is it better than not meeting my protein goals? I think so!

That's certainly not true. I eat a Protein bar for breakfast every morning and it keeps me full and satisfied until lunch time. Slider foods I can eat and then eat again a half hour later. Plus, I consider 20+ grams of protein for 200-is calories a nutritional bargain. Yes, the are highly processed and have undesirable chemicals in them, but I don't think you can knock the amount of protein per calories or how filling they are. Obviously some brands ar ebetter than others.

I broke an office chair somewhere around my highest weight of 270.

I do almost all of my running on the treadmill.

Why do you doubt you will ever run? Jamielogical...its not a goal of mine. I would be happy with being able to walk fast and longer distances. I guess I never thought about running because I couldn't ever do it without feeling like I was going to die or pass out. I walked 3 miles today at a pretty decent clip and I wasn't exhausted or winded. That was cool. Maybe I will run someday You might surprise yourself. I never in a million years thought I would be a runner. Even when I was a little kid, I dreaded when they would try to have us run a mile once a year in gym class. I could never run a mile straight. And I wasn't even THAT big as a child.

Google the recipe for Shelly's Baked Ricotta... once you are on soft foods it will change your life!

Let me know how uou like the birthday cake. I haven't tried that one yet. Cinnamon Twist is my favorite of the 4-5 flavors I've tried.

@@treblecutie23 I've been working on figuring this out through trial and error on my long run days. My current routine is to eat ad piece of whole grain toast with two whole tablespoons of peanut butter on it about 30-40 minutes before my run. I drink G2 throughout the run instead of plain water to get in extra calories and electrolytes. And I started eating a GU Energy Gel packet after every 3rd mile. Took me a while to find flavors of those I could stand and the texture is still gross, but they metabolize so quickly, I almost immediately feel the boost from them. I tried a few other things to eat while running, but found them hard to eat while moving, too dry, and I was bumping up against eating and drinking at the same time. With the gels, I can drink immediately after without issue, because they don't fill my sleeve. Then I just try to eat more thoughout the day after my long runs to replenish some more of the calories. There's really no avoiding a calorie deficit overall on long run days, though.

I am very thankful that my husband didn't give up on me. We've been married almost 20 years, and I have been obese for all of it. Every time I tried to do better he was patient with me and encouraging. Willing to spend money on whatever equipment I wanted to try (treadmill - pilates machine - we even have a puppy dog because I thought it would encourage me to walk and be more active) and watched me eating myself to death a lot of the time when the weight was going back on. He was supportive then, and supportive now. I think all of us have to take a moment and remember we were the obese spouse, and how would we want to be treated? My situation was exactly the same as yours except for the 20 years. My husband and I were only together 7 or 8 years before my surgery. I am grateful every day that he continued to love and support me through all the ups and downs with my weight over the years. He loved me at my heaviest and now he's loving me at my thinnest and everything in between. But had he left, I wouldn't have held it against him or blamed him. Certainly if my weight was causing him the distress the OP is expeiencing, I actually would have felt bad asking him to stay. His happiness is just as important as my own. I would not have wanted or expected him to suffer and be miserable.

If I remember correctly, some of the Quest Bar flavors don't have sugar alcohols. The ones that do use erythritol.

I think that's why the strength training and cross training are so helpful. All the strength training exercises I do were meant to help make running safer and easier. It's so cool your hospital did that!

You really don't have a log of choice. Your sleeve will let you know that any more than that is a BAD idea. I still get a little self concious about it eating out, but I usually just ask for a box at the beginning and transfer the food I know I can't eat to it at the start of the meal.

Nope. They just taste like a candy bar to me.

food scale for SURE. I was instructed to eat 2 oz. at a time once I was onto purees and soft foods. No way would I have been eating the right amount without the scale. I also loved these little containers for storing pre-measured food in: http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B004QZBEFK

I thought Dr. Kelly operated out of Hospital Angeles? Or is that only if you pay extra?

where can I find these? GNC carries them. They are in a black wrapper.

He made a promise too, though. If he's not holding up his end, then she shouldn't have to hold up hers. That being said, I would definitely consider separation or divorce as a last resort. For now, getting counseling and trying to fix what's broken is the best course of action.

First of all, welcome to BariatricPal and welcome to the losers' bench! You are right that you have made a great decision for yourself and your future. I think most of us have those nagging voices in the first few days saying "what have I done?" and "will I ever feel normal again?" But hang in there. It does get better every single day in the beginning. You will not regret this decision in the long run and while you may never feel the same "normal" you did pre-op, you will find your new "normal". Are there any local bariatric support groups you can join? I haven't felt the need for any since I got SO MUCH support through this web site and the people I have met here. But having some real life interaction with fellow bariatric patients might also prove beneficial to you if you have access.

Welcome to the "Dreaded Week 3 Stall". 99% of WLS patients experience it. Stick to your food plan. Get your protein and water in. Take your vitamins. Move around as much as possible. The scale will start moving again in a week or two. Just hang in there.

I switched from Quest Bars to Combat Crunch after Quest switched over to soluble corn fiber. They just did NOT agree with me anymore after that. So Combat Crunch is my go-to now. My favorite is the Cinnamon Twist flavor, but I also like the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup.

Why do you doubt you will ever run?

It varies widely. If you are going to have surgery in the US, it might be as little as $10,000 or as much as $30,000. If you need a hernia repair, some doctors can get your insurance to pay for part of the cost. If you are willing to travel within the US to Las Vegas or Texas, you might be able to find it a little cheaper. If you go to Mexico, like I did and many other do, the price is between $3500 and $7000 depending on the surgeon.