LisaLouBop

Can't wait to hear about number four!!

Can't wait to hear about number four!!

It is still early for you. Cravings can be in your head or you may need to be on a PPI such as omeprazole. PPI's help prevent acid in your tummy. Acid sometimes feels like hunger. As your doctor to prescribe one for you. Then make sure you are getting in all your Protein and drinking your Water. Be patient. The weight loss will happen. Do not diet, talk to your doctor or nutritionist.

Can't wait to hear about number four!!

Can't wait to hear about number four!!

I've been drinking them since before my surgery. I'm 4 months out now and I still have one from time to time. They have to be very cold, over ice is best, anything less is not so good

I've been drinking them since before my surgery. I'm 4 months out now and I still have one from time to time. They have to be very cold, over ice is best, anything less is not so good

@@Aube, below is a "typical" day's menu:
As for carbs, mostly I get them from my shakes, Greek yogurt, and the very limited veggies I'm able to fit in after my Protein. Other doctors and nutritionists give you carb targets, but my doctor just says to limit them as much as possible. If you're not logging your food yet, I'd suggest using http://www.myfitnesspal.com/. It helps you keep track of your Protein and fluids, but also can help you figure out if anything is going off track and affecting your weight loss.
Okay, here's an example of my day:
I keep a 2-quart jug and a 24-oz Tervis tumbler (with a handle) both at home and at work. I count my morning Protein shake as a meal, not a Fluid. (Premier Protein - 30 grams of protein) 30-60 minutes later, I have a cup of coffee. (Count it as a Fluid if you like.) After that, I drink a 24-oz. tumbler of Decaf, sugar-free iced tea, like Crystal Light throughout the morning. (Lots of frequent sips) Then I walk for 40+ minutes. Then it's lunchtime - tuna salad or chicken salad, or leftover protein from dinner. (16-22 grams of protein) and maybe a bite of veggies if there's room. About 45 minutes after lunch, I'll fill another 24-oz tumbler of iced tea and sip that throughout the afternoon, finishing by 30 minutes before my afternoon snack.< /li> At around 4:00 or 4:30, my afternoon snack is usually a Greek yogurt (12 grams of protein) or some leftovers. (This is also a good time to get in some veggies or a V-8 if you're getting enough protein at other times.) Maybe a cup of hot tea in the later afternoon. (Count it as a fluid you like.) Then dinner – again, getting 20-25 grams of protein from lean steak, fish, chicken, or pork, and maybe a bite or two of veggies. Finally, another 24-oz cup of iced tea or Water 30-45 minutes after dinner that I sip throughout the evening. If I'm hungry later, sugar-free Jello, pudding, or popsicles are good. And if I'm short on protein or still hungry, another yogurt or Protein Shake. (I'm not worried about the calories because this menu only provides 700-900 per day.) All my Snacks are protein-based (nuts, Jerky, cheese, yogurt) So that's 70+ grams of protein and 72+ ounces of fluid, with some exercise as well. If you have a regular enough schedule, you can follow it every day. If not, maybe a modified version will work. The big trick is in pre-planning your meals and your fluids, especially if you're going to be away from home or work. In those cases, I always make sure there will be something I can eat, or I bring along a Protein shake or some kind of meat to carry me through. I've also gotten pretty good at restaurant eating. I avoid the bread and salad, order chicken, steak, lamb, fish, or pork, trade in the starch for a second veggie, skip the dessert.... and end up taking half of the meat, and almost all of the veggies home. I know we need to learn to eat "normally", but I'm not there yet – especially when it comes to carbs. When I get to goal weight, I'll work on finding my new low-carb "normal". Hope that helps! Rog

That article is just another another opinion, trying to simplify a complex issue. And debating opinions is a waste of time. You eat your GENEPRO, I'll eat my whey, and Julie will eat her hemp. Discussion over.

Yes well I think it has been a sort of injustice to some newbies who did not have the folks that were there for me. I rarely look at the vets forum. I guess I think that the newbies need more help then the oldsters....look at me eh.....only 3 years on here and feel like an oldster..lol
I agree with a lot of what you said. I'm glad your still here @@MichiganChic . I owe a lot to some of these people on here for my success so far. It is hard to walk away when others gave so much of themselves to me.....

I agree, there is a lot to be learned about obesity and weight loss with us. Because you don't have malabsorption with the sleeve, you really do a get clear picture of what it truly takes to lose weight. I find it fascinating (not in a good way) how the known, accepted, scientific math does not hold up - at least for me. It doesn't even matter if I ate too much Protein - I'd still gain. Carbs definitely make it worse, but I need a steady deficit (about 800-900 calories/day) to lose, and only a slight increase to gain. It sure explains why I was so fat.
It's true - I was obese because I ate more calories than I burned. And while I'll never say I didn't eat much or ate so healthy, I couldn't lose weight on a 1400 calorie diet. At 325 pounds, that's absurd. The sleeve helped me eat under 900 calories a day, which is why I finally could lose. The amount we can eat and lose or maintain is unique to each of us. It was a real eye opener for me.

A lot of people post that 'others' have told them they're taking the easy way out, and that always touches a raw nerve in this Forum! Since you're the one that's feeling that way, you probably won't get scorched by the responses. But so you'll be as well-informed as possible about this decision you're about to make, I'm going to let you in on what this deal is REALLY about.
A message from someone who had gastric sleeve surgery, lost about 120 pounds, and is now living below goal weight.....

Is this the easy way out? Well, yes and no.

Yes, because the smaller stomach helps me control my appetite and the amount of food I can take in. Initially (but not forever), calories are greatly restricted because of the lesser volume consumed, but good choices still have to be made every single time I put something in my mouth.

And...

No, it's not easy, because since making this decision I have:
Taken nutritional counseling classes Attended monthly bariatric support group meetings Been evaluated by a psychologist Been evaluated by a cardiologist Been evaluated by a pulmonologist Had an upper GI evaluation Had a complete physical by my primary care physician Gone through a two-week pre-operative liquid diet Gone through and recovered from a major surgical procedure that removed 80% of my stomach Gone through a two-week post operative liquid diet Gone through a two-week soft food diet Eaten zero starches (bread, Pasta, rice, potatoes, pizza, etc.) Eaten zero sugary Desserts (cake, pie, pudding, ice cream, candy, etc.) Eaten very few fruits Had zero fruit juices Had zero sodas Had zero alcoholic beverages Eaten 80–100 grams of Protein every single day Not had anything to drink for 30-45 minutes before eating Not had anything to drink with meals Not had anything to drink for 30-45 minutes after eating But still managed to drink 64–120 ounces of fluids every single day Always eaten Protein first Always eaten non-starchy vegetables second (and there's never room for anything else) Exercised 5-6 times a week Logged everything I ate or drank for several months, and again whenever my weight loss slowed And through it all, I've watched my friends and family eat and drink whatever they want at restaurants, birthdays, dinner parties, sporting events, New Year's, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and so on.... Now, does that sound "the easy way"? Not by a long shot! (Just compare the 'yes' and 'no' sections above.) But it is a tool that makes the likelihood of long-term success much better than it would be without it. And, of course, now I'm starting maintenance, where I have to learn how to eat, exercise, and live in such a way as to not regain the weight I've lost – for the rest of my life! The easy way? Yeah, right!

I signed up for the VIP because of the "fewer ads", as my web browser was constantly shutting down. To my surprise, it hasn't happened since. Just sayin'

@@JustWatchMe
Incredible post. Beautifully written.
Thank you

@@JustWatchMe
Incredible post. Beautifully written.
Thank you

@@JustWatchMe
Incredible post. Beautifully written.
Thank you

I would have liked to have had it done 10 years ago as I was struggling to lose weight and tried it all from exercise to weight watchers to diet pills. But, timing is everything and there is a reason why now and not then.

not sure I would have taken the wls route years ago but I was not obese until my 50's. after menopause and I quit smoking I gained 50 lbs fast never could get it off and just kept gaining until I got to 200 lbs .. Since I developed diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholsterol I made the decision and I am extremely happy I took the leap.

I thought that getting WLS was going to be hard. Turns out, it was pretty easy. I had great insurance and got approval and had surgery six months after starting my process.
I thought losing the first 100 pounds was going to be hard. Turns out, with my LapBand, it was pretty easy. My body cooperated with my band and when I ate right, the weight came off.
I thought leaving my emotionally abusive husband was going to be hard. Turns out, once I took control of my food and my body and got out of my food coma, leaving him was pretty easy. Logistically tricky, but with reliance on friends and family and a good lawyer, leaving was only temporarily difficult.
I thought the divorce process would be hard. Turns out, it is stressful and emotional, but the actual tasks put in front of me, although tedious and time consuming, are just tasks. I am blessed with a good job and resources that many women don't have. The slowness of it is harder than the tasks in front of me.
I thought walking for exercise was going to be hard. Turns out, it is the one exercise I love and have not grown tired of. I can walk for miles with ease.
I thought asking for help was going to be hard. Turns out, like exercising a muscle, the more I do it, the easier it gets.
I thought being kind to myself was going to be easy. I was wrong.
Oh, was I wrong.
Oh, I've learned it's okay and necessary to treat myself to little things, like a manicure, or a foot massage, or a movie. But then there's the other things.
And I can't help wondering if these other things have a lot to do with why I overeat and stayed obese for so long.
Like saying no to people. I say no. But then I go into "shoulda woulda coulda" and feel guilty about it.
Like reaching for comfort food or wine once in awhile. And then I start the tape in my head that says I'm bad, I'm lazy, I'm never going to get to my goal weight because I don't deserve to.
Like going out with friends and holding my head up high because I feel pretty for the first time in years. And when a musician in a band notices and makes a sweet comment about the "beautiful women in the room tonight" and points directly at me, I find the next opportunity to gather my things and call it an early evening, because to flirt would be bad, and I don't deserve that kind of attention.
Like getting a strong lawyer who is fighting for my financial rights and future, but crying at night because this divorce would go so much faster if I just didn't fight for the college money for my girls or maintenance for myself; because if I wanted out so bad, shouldn't I just cut my losses and end this?
Like not losing any weight for the last six months even though I have fifty left to goal, and telling myself it will never happen because I've never followed through on a goal weight before and what makes me think this time is any different?
Like standing up to my mom's criticisms in person, but in private wondering if she is right about me -- that I'm making a big mistake doing this or that or the other thing, and remembering how judged I felt my whole childhood and adolescence and wondering if she was right about me all along?
This is what is hard. Calling bulls!# on these thoughts and patterns and habits.
My higher self knows it. But it's so DAMN HARD to stop the negative thought cycle, that shi##y committee in my head.
Attitude is everything. I just turned 54 over the weekend and birthdays make me reflective. I have what may prove to be my best year ever ahead of me. God willing, I may see divorce papers signed in 2015. Maybe. I'm 100 pounds lighter than I was a year ago and healthier than I have been in decades. I may be moving into a new home by the end of the year. There is every reason to be hopeful.
So why does my sick brain still gravitate toward self blame and misery? Why, why don't I believe I deserve happiness?
I may never know why.
I'm a practical person. I believe in results. So what I'm planning to do about this is purely practical. It may or may not have any basis in psychology, but it seems reasonable to me.
I plan to abort those thoughts the second I sense them in my head. Literally catch myself and interrupt it with the opposite thought.
I do deserve joy. I do choose healthy food and I will meet my weight loss goal. That person that said I was beautiful was telling the truth. I choose to believe my older daughter who just told me I am strong and a role model. I believe my younger daughter who just told me I've always got her back. I am deserving of financial security and what is rightfully mine. I am deserving of a slim body and to feel pretty. Accepting attention is not shameful. I make good decisions. I take care of my loved ones and I am a good mother. I am smart and strong and pretty and nobody's fool. I am precious in God's eyes and I will live my best life.
This is the hard part. This is the only hard part. The head is always the hardest part to change.

I'm 4 months out and I think I'm FINALLY getting it. What a struggle this has been. No more "one more bite" for me.

Can't wait to hear about number four!!

Can't wait to hear about number four!!

That's amazing, you look awesome... even upside down!!!!!

That's amazing, you look awesome... even upside down!!!!!

That's amazing, you look awesome... even upside down!!!!!