Stevehud

i personally avoid carbs like the plague, now that i am in maintenance mode, its easy to forgive more carbs, or so they say. after having this anti carb attitude for this year , its very hard to suddenly allow them back in. my carbs come from limited sources. i dont eat much if any fruit. that sugar has a nasty habit of showing up in my bottom line etc. nasically my carbs come from some types of rice now and then, brown rice or a little basmati, Beans do work for me no more than once per week. carrots and green beans once per week each. but things like onion, jalapenos, bell pepper, those happen almost daily. and my skinny girl flatout foldits.

sorry maam but as my father was want to say, Nobody sh*ts roses.

For me, I miss the ease of eating. Being able to grab anything at any time for a meal. and Bread, Yeah real good old basic white bread or rolls. I was a bread hound. The sandwich is the perfect food, was a motto of mine. I don't miss the staring, the insecurity, the judgement in the eyes and attitudes of people around me. Isn't it interesting that at my job, since i've lost all this weight, ive received two promotions, i know head up my team, I'm looking at a huge raise, i've been given large amounts of responsibility etc. While I don't think its intentional, the attitudes of those around us, reflect in our attitudes toward ourselves.

what you eat makes a big difference, its one of the reaons i went and am, pretty much sugar free all around, sugars and fats cause these wet bowel movements, its that Sticky wet, stuff, that is related to dumping, thats why i tell people to look at your Protein shakes etc, ensure and others still have high sugar content. Heres an easy guide to put in your head, for every 4 grams of sugar you see in a product, that is equal to 1 teaspoon full of sugar. Avoid sugars and maximize your honeymoon period. When the honeymoon is over....its over in a big way. give yourself the biggest jumpstart and chance to succeed. Good luck, You can do it!

i suppose if you cant lose that 30 pounds, but that result is not something I would have any surgical procedure for. Seems a lot like a band in that it is temporary and offers a way out. I know in mu mind if i had to change my lifestyle for 6 months only, it would be easy to do, then go right back to eating whatever i want. seems problematic to me. and most obese people have a hell of a lot more to lose than 5 to 30 pounds.

i actually saw the piece of my removed stomach. , not something for the faint of heart.

I agree sweet potatoes arent bad, i just have hard time going back to vegetables, thats just my own personal issue with letting go of weight loss and getting into maintaining. Honestly i dont like the way i look at this 170 weight, i liked it a bit more at 180, but theres no way in hell im gonna intentionally gain weight lol. if over the course of maintaining my weight bobbles up a bt toward that level then ill be ok with it, i think. also i saw a plastic surgeon the other day just for the sake of it, and he stipulated the amount of loose skin i have would amount to about 10+ pounds of weight. so id really not like to be UBER skinny. at my age it kind of looks..well thats just my feelings. but anyway, i say whatever works for you go fo r it!.

simple jealousy, some people cannot deal with the spotlight not being on them. You go on being the best you, you can be!

im like you sir, i went really strict, no sugars, no fruit, less than 20 carbs a day etc, i recently hit goal, and i still avoid starches like the plague. sweet potatoes are no real difference from potatoes, a little better but not much. i do have a few tablespoons of brown rice or basmati now and then with my Proteins, and i confess i have three french fries sometimes with my turkey burger patty. pretty much for me, my only carbs come from flatout brand foldits the skinny girl version, and the little carbs that come from sugar free maple syrup, as i use it on my Protein mugcake in the morning. I am starting to get better at vegetables, but having avoided ALL sugars for so long its hard to give in to even vegetable natural sugars. So i feel your pain.

The can you stretch the sleeve question has been done to death. Basically , yes and no. Over time the sleeve will be larger than it is at the outset of post op. that's the truth and you also will learn to eat more and eat slower etc. so your overall food intake can be larger, BUT it will never be normal or anywhere close to it., and the fundus ( the stretchy part of the stomach) is removed in sleeve surgery, so technically the answer is NO you cannot stretch it past a certain point. That being said, GET OFF THE DIET SODAS, there are a few people here who drink diet soda and they do so on maintenance. Hit your goal first then figure out what works for you. until then Water , flavor it with squeezy flavors, or sugar-free powders or whatever but get off the diet soda. carbonation is not good for you period. Going back to the habits that got you to this point, is horrible for you. Dont give in. You can do this, but you have to make the effort. or else you will fail amd failing at this means you get to be fat AND can't eat much, Lets not go down that slope.

the sleeve wont solve emotional eating issues, no surgery will. You need to confront the reasons behind your eating issues , until you can do that, the surgery will fail. Surgery does absolutely nothing for head hunger. Thats all on you.

So im at a christmas party , at my best friends home. His wife who has supported me and I are talking about clothes shopping. I like talking about thrift shopping and my latest finds ( got a pair of dress pants, gorgeous ones, from goodwill the other day, 4.99, they were from Barney's of New York and had the tags still on them for 250 bucks retail....( yay me!) Anyway, she tells me she has a few pairs of american eagle jeans that her son ( then 16) outgrew last year, and would I like them? SO of course i said sure! I never looked at the size i had already mentioned i was wearing 32 waist 30 inseam jeans that day. SO i assumed they were my size. My friend even laughed and said, man can you imagine wearing jeans my 16 year old son wore? Now i only recently even tried getting into 32/30 jeans. End of november i was wearing 36/30 jeans, then 34/30 jeans a few weeks ago. So the move to the 32's has been very recent. SO anyway, I get home later that evening and i look at the jeans. The tag reads 29/30 . Of course i laugh and hold them up, they look like something ELmo would fit into. Straight cut by the way. As a joke i throw a leg into them, and then the other..... Yes you guessed it, THEY FIT! No not wonderfully. I wouldn't tuck in a dress shirt in em. But damn! i could wear em. Holy %$#k! Are you shitting me? People, just for reference, it was 1 year ago I was wearing 56's Now 1 year and 1 week later post surgery and Im able to fit into a 29 waist? Yea i don't think I stopped smiling for several hours. Heck i'm smiling now just thinking about it. My in laws came over today for our christmas, and they gave me a very nice gift card to nordstroms ( which i have never shopped at ) and said to " buy something you wouldn't normally buy for yourself , to celebrate" ( my birthday was 3 days ago.) So im going to do a little shopping! ( with Nordstroms prices, it wont be much, but? it'll be fun!) If it seems like i'm bragging, I apologize, i'm sure there's a little brag in there, but I wanted to say to those who are fighting the good fight and struggling....You can do this! I anxiously wait for your GOAL post! Keep all those NSV's coming. They all add up and mean a lot. You can get there. Don't give up!

lol i bought some great timberland boots from nordstrom rack online, but i bought, some underwear for 12 bucks a pair (????) a spanx t shirt for 58 bucks. a pair of northface gloves, a pair of ralph lauren gloves, ( both half price) some facial dry skin moisturizer by jack black. for like 18 bucks, ( stuff is awesome though, ) and some hand cream as well. and two pairs of ralph lauren socks, purple and range! lol at like 8 bucks a pair on sale... Very happy, i had picked up a pair od diesel jeans but even marked down they were 180 bucks...sorry even with a gift card im not buying 180 dollar jeans.

Great job man.

i told everyone and i even post in my blog online, and on anywhere i can, and i try to help anyone who asks. We suffer too much in silence, without spreading the word and the truth, we cant change opinions. I beleive until we change the attitudes surrounding surgery, then more people have to hide and not get it, and they suffer and die needlessly. But that's ME and MY opinion. I respect everyone else's. Without the support of family and my coworkers and friends, This journey would have been a lot harder and take a lot more time.

it all depends on what stage you are in post surgery. I am in maintenance now and i drink about 3 cups of coffee per day , one in the morning over about 2 hours ( yes it gets cold, lol, one in the afternoon and a decaf at night, all with non dairy sugar free creamer. ( i love the coffee mate italian sweet creme sugar free) But for the first 9 months i had zero coffee. Once i proved i could stay hydrated etc, and passed all my labs, my nut had no problems with my coffee drinking. I just have to space the coffee out, and i recommend half caff , or decaf as caffeine also affects us a bit stronger and repeated cups can be jarring.

luckily i got my insurance to pay 80%, and i'm still paying monthly for the other 6k , but i'm worth it. hell i paid more than that the year before in medical bills from all my health issues that i no longer have. so its all good. But seriously, when you say everyone on go fund me isn't looking for a handout? actually, they are, that's what it is, it isn't a game show, its a handout that's the exact and total definition of it . Whether its needed or charitable or whatever, it is actually and totally someone begging for money , justifying it doesn't make it any different. While i wish you great success in your journey, you have to see it for what it is. Go Fund me is the exact same as standing on a street corner with a bucket in front of you begging people for money. It is the exact same thing, its just easier to do because you don't have to physically be there to do the begging.

for me usually its a Protein mug cake, but since i just hit goal i have somewhat switched to turkey sausage patty , microwave just over a minute and a flatout foldit hungry girl wrap a piece of cheese and if i have time an egg , sandwich. Sometimes i drizzle half a teaspoon of sugar free maple syrup on the sausage for that real Breakfast feeling.

yep this is correct , my wife and I gifted each other this morning, its a much better present to unwrap. :-) especially with all this weight loss, the um, gift i give is a lot bigger of a gift now...... Merry christmas!

yep most assuredly, went through the battery of tests only to eventually show it was sympathetic gas pains. food moves gas out into nerve areas that reflect pain in that area. weird I know. Not saying its the same for you, but thats what mine was.

So today , this morning to be exact my scale read 170 pounds. Exactly 1 year and 2 days post surgery. Whew! now the hard part. My new motto has to be: MAINTAIN NOT GAIN!

if anyone gives you a recommendation, immediately DO NOT listen. No one can decide for you. i started at 362 and 1 year and 2 days later hit 170, Now i am not saying you will do that, im just saying that either surgery can be the one for you. Or no surgery might be your option. It is totally up to you, no matter what you MUST overcome the reason you have food issues. That is paramount. Many people with the sleeve or bypass, are successful and also many fail. For me, i couldn't take my innards rerouted, But that's ME, and I cannot take your journey for you. Nor can anyone else. This has to be totally about you. If you cannot get past the food issues and cannot understand that no one else but you matters in this, then dont have the surgery. Failing is one thing, failing after having either surgery, is a hell i wouldn't wish on anyone.

It doesnt matter how much time it takes, it only matters that everyone is trying. This isnt easy and maintenance is going to be... a new challenge.

hmm, my celebration consists of, well nothing special. although my nutritionist said i can have a donut, once a year on my birthday, so ill have a donut this upcoming wednesday when i turn 45. But other than that, my reward is i bought two pairs of levi's , size 32 waist, and damn it, I look good in them! lol

from a male perspective, hes taking cialis daily? and testosterone shots? and doesnt touch you and isnt interested in sex with you? yeah. Umm . really? if you cant out two and two together, denial aint just a river in egypt.