BigTink2LilTink

Sorry for flooding this thread as of late, but it feels good to look at myself and actually see all the hard ass focused work paying off. I'm in my new birthday sweat suit for the gym. And its fitting very nicely too. Its a 1/2XL. And its loose fitting. A very very long way from the 5/6XL I was wearing 24 months ago.

You look outstanding.

I'm about 14 months out and I have no issues with basic meat Protein. Beef, chicken, lamb, fish, seem to all be okay. Pork has been okay as well, but I notice that if feels more dense in my body that beef or chicken does. So I don't eat ungrounded pork as much (pork chop/steak, roast/loin). Dairy is still somewhat a hit or miss thing for me. Some days I can have it and be totally fine, other days I have something like cheese or milk, and my gut is bubbling for a while afterwards. My main go to Proteins have been for the most part chicken and grounded beef. I was never really a seafood person so things like salmon, tuna, crab I tend to eat the least of. I have to really be in the mood for fish in order to eat it.

Me and another WLS friend are doing this starting today. http://5daypouchtest.com/plan/faq.html#9 I hope that it will help me get past my now 3 week stall. So far today I have only had Protein shakes and tomorrow will be the same. Wed I will be back on soft solids again and by Thrus/Frid regular food again. I hope that this will help so I can finally get to that 250 and under club for us giant guys.

And my newly acquired Deadpool shirt along with my long sleeved compression undershirt. Saw the movie yesterday and was totally rocking the fan gear. Best part about this, got both the t-shirt and compression shirt out of Walmart. Didn't even spend $20 for both shirt. Hell me and my wallet are totally digging this low cost for clothing thing. Both shirts are 1xl by the way if anyone was wondering. Still shrinking, yet looking way more taller than usual.

Yeah I was restricted from doing any serious workout for the first 6 to 8 weeks post surgery. So lifting anything over 5lb was strictly prohibited. You may want to discuss this with the surgeon and your union reps to find you another job to do while you recover from surgery. I would honestly take no less than two weeks off post surgery, just to make sure you have adjusted to the surgery and you don't experience any post surgery issues. A lot of the issue most people have experienced have happened within those first few weeks post surgery.

Took this today. I'm sitting between 261-258lbs give or take. I'm also in a XLT shirt. I haven't been able to wear one of these shirt sizes since I was like 12/13 years old. I just turned 36 on Tuesday, so it feels wonderful to reverse the weight trend after 17/18 years of trying and failing. Going to actually go buy my first time ever American Eagle complete outfit. Now I finally get why women love to go clothes shopping.

Thanks for posting this. I need to probably do this soon. Just kinda of a way to reset myself and make sure my habits are in better check. Especially with the carbs.

From heaviest weight, to surgery day, to two days ago. That is my progress. Only roughly 30lbs left to go till I reach my personal goal of 225lbs.

Congrats, you look great.

I had used a straw about 5/6 months out. Once I was cleared to eat red meat and pork again. It wasn't terrible experience but I haven't really found the need to use a straw. Most things I drink now either come in a cup or bottle. And when I go out to eat I usually just get Water instead of soda/juice. Someone else asked about soda. I again waited closer to 9 months out before I tried really drinking a soda. The carbonation does make me belchly/gassy even when I sip it. I usually do soda out of a can now vs a bottle, as I will sometimes let the can get a bit flat to let out a lot of the carbonation. I went from drinking maybe easily 3 to 400oz of diet soda a day to now if I get 24oz in within a 3 month period that would considered a lot.

My friend keep it up and you will get there.

Well lets see, I am taller than you, started out at a higher weight and I am almost 14 months post surgery and down quite a bit. If you follow the plan your surgeon and dietitian setup for you then you'll lose the weight. Not quite sure how fast and rapid it will be, but it will come off. Only words of caution I would add is that rapid weight loss for long period of time can cause other issues. You want to avoid those issues for they can be life altering. 1. Follow the plan and try not to over do it. 2. Try to remain focused even during the times you stall and loose nothing during a 1, 2, 3, or even 4 week process. Stalls are not forever, even though they seem like it. 3. Make sure you are taking your Vitamins. 4. Understand that this process still takes times. Surgery or not, losing weight takes time and effort. The amount of effort you put into this, the better your results will be, but you can't skip out on the time it takes. The patients will indeed pay off.

You know its been a year for me and I have yet to actually sit in a normal tub and just take a bath. I use to hate not being able to submerge in the water without it either A., overflowing out of the tub onto the floor, or B. when I got to big to even fit in a tub. I may try it one day just to see how it feel now almost 336lbs lighter than I was 17/18 months ago.

I was told anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks. Giving time for incisions to heal properly. I also had the surgical glue on my wounds instead of staples to reduce scaring. So for the few weeks I had to take showers and put tape and plastic over the wounds to not get them wet.

I use MFP along with S Health on my Galaxy phone. I have a Samsung Gear Fit that I use to track cardo/heart rate/etc.

Like someone else said here about 10 days after being released from the hospital and back home.

I second what Inner Surfer Girl suggested. Also of the things you can eat, like the cottage cheese and yogurt, have you tried mixing in a little of the unflavored Protein powders into those things? I know for me early on I was struggling with getting protein in and the flavored powder mixes were just too sweet tasting to me. I went with ISO pure unflavored and was mixing it into my tomato/crème of chicken Soups. It didn't alter the flavoring that much and I was able to gain a few more grams of protein in a day. As for seeking out a nutritionist, if your surgeon's office doesn't have one on staff, what about your primary care doctor's office?

Everything she said. You are going through Ketosis right now. I don't know if you were diabetic before the surgery, but I was and it was horrible for me. Even now, 13 months out every now and then my mouth is dry and I have the horrible tasting breath. Altoids helps with the breath smell. I still check my sugars just to make sure I am not over doing it.

Today I weighted in at 261lbs. So from my surgery weight of 463 to now in about 13 months I have lost 202lbs. Overall from my highest ever recorded weight (597lbs) to now I have lost close to 336lbs in about 18/19 months. It feel good knowing I've lost more weight than what I actually weight currently. Now to focus more to reach my goal weight. That is what I am after.

Totally agree with you on the underwear and soup options. I think for 3 months I was living on cream of chicken soup and crackers exclusively.

If I had went back I probably would have slowly started to phase in the liquids more in better preparation for the full liquid phase. So maybe a month before the two week clear liquid diet phase, I would have started substituting one or two meals with Clear Liquids such as broth and Water only. That way my body would have had more time to adjust to the shock of not fully eating 3 to 5 times a day anymore for as long as I had when that way. I think my body would have been better prepared for it. Post op there is a lot I know I would have done differently knowing what I know now versus back then. Post op I would have done the following: 1. Following doctor/nutrition's meal plans strictly and tried not to go beyond them. 2. Started taking additional vitamins such Thiamine(B1), and prebiotic soon after surgery when swallowing pills were allowed, instead of just focusing on Calcium, Iron, and multi-Vitamins alone. 3. Started earlier with my calorie tracking instead of waiting till 6 months out when I could eat basically all meat Protein again. 4. Started swimming sooner than when I did. Waited almost 10 months post op before I got in a pool again. Should have started like 3/4 months post op. 5. Been more patient with myself. Understanding that this process was going to take time, and to not try and rush it. I guess this goes hand and hand with #1 (not following the meal plan strictly).

I say go for it. I would start out slow since its been a really long time since you've had them. Treat it like you would any new food your trying again post surgery, slow and with moderation to make sure your stomach can handle it.

I am taking everything you are taking accept the d+k, and d3. I found small enough Calcium pills that I no longer take the nasty wafers, but I still keep them on stand by if need be. I am going to get some more B1 today after work since my Vitamin store has some in stock. Is that all? I take a multivitamin, b12, b1, c, Iron, d+k, d3, and calcium daily.

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Vitamin-B.aspx http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/c/vitamin-b-1/N-88a?search1=vitamin+b-1 I take my B1 in the evening times.