butterfly23

@@Leesa926 great work and realization. I am 5 months out and was also worried about missing food, and have a few times but overall I do not - and I do not miss the over 100lbs I have lost thus far, or the constantly thinking about food. I have taken the time to honor all food did for me (coping, celebrating, protecting etc) and am consciously changing the relationship after all these years - now I eat to live instead of living to eat. Best of luck to you, you are on the path!!

@@Trinn, thank you so much for your reply and sharing your experience. I will take your advice, I see the surgeon soon. I am sorry you had to go through all that! Best of luck with your recovery and your school year and thanks again for your input. I needed to hear that!

@@heynowkc congratulations on your hard work and success! That is great that you threw a party to Celebrate - you deserve it. Thanks for being an inspiration to me and others - I know that last 135 will be off before you know it and you'll be at goal. Best of luck!

I live up more than 40 stairs and was able to climb them less than two days after surgery with no problem. Of course I took my time but it wasn't a big deal nor were subsequent ups and downs. I found recovery a lot harder than I expected, honestly. Lots of sleep and more pain than I expected however it's quickly in the past and I'm so happy with my sleeve I barely remember the hard times (but my hubby reminds me!) Everyone is different, so it's hard to know. I just focused on the liquids, protein and giving myself time to heal. Best of luck to you!

My doctor said the same as @aelovelady. I find using a straw really helps me get my fluids in and I am not having any problems with the air/bloating etc. I am 4.5 months and started using a straw around 6 weeks.

@@TXMissy I know how frustrating it is! I am also about 4.5 months out although I started much heavier than you. I also just came off a 10 day stall, and then had the best one week loss ever (even better than right after surgery). I agree with @@James Marusek about putting the scale away and focusing on the inches like you already noted. As you said, your body is adjusting and I bet you will see a nice drop on the other side of this stall. I have found this is a great opportunity to focus on NSVs and other benefits of our process, but I know this doesn't make looking at the same number day after day any easier. Good luck.

Thank you for sharing part of your process and feelings during this huge transition for you and your wife. I am really struck by what you wrote above and only hope I can have the same wisdom and courage you exhibit when faced with such pain. I imagine your roads will continue to be windy and up and down, yet I hope you both continue to have these moments of clarity and connectedness along the way. The intimacy you both seem to share because of your openness and honesty will hopefully take you far. Thank you again for sharing, I hope it has been healing for you. I am inspired by you (and especially appreciate your candid yet tactful feedback to others on their response posts) and wish the best for you and your wife as you explore this new level of your relationship.

Congratulations @@nprcowboy on your success and I am glad to hear you are not discouraged as it sounds like you are doing great.nI agree with @@cjnorris about one day at a time, something I try and live by. I know that moderate or slow loss can be frustrating although I've seen many others on this site with slower loss than yours, but I also see many folks with amazingly quick losses and it is so hard for me to not compare myself. Forgive me if you already read this, but I posted this last month and have to keep looking at it myself as I am in a bit of a stall... thought I'd share in case any resonate or are helpful. Best of luck! I am tired of focusing on how much I have not lost. I’ve been eating 80-100 g of Protein, drinking at least 70 ounces Water, staying under 1000 calories and am active. I started at very high weight and expected to lose more than 45 lbs my first 3 months, but I am tired of focusing on what I have not lost instead of what I have gained. I am so grateful for my sleeve and my chance to live a healthier life. This is my ode to losing weight more slowly than expected and the benefits: More time to develop healthy eating habits before maintenance Skin has more time to catch up (more time to lotion!) Shifting focus to NSVs like sitting in booths and chairs with arms Less chance of gallstones Opportunity to practice loving kindness towards myself and being grateful for any positive change Chance to manage expectations – if it wasn’t for WLS, I’d be thrilled with my loss, so why not be thrilled now? Practice focusing on my own wins and not comparing self to others Not having to explain to others since loss isn’t dramatic (yet) Chance to trust the process and not focus on the end (self-care, water/protein/low-carb/active) Redefine success as how I feel, not numbers on scale Understanding this is not a diet, this is my lifestyle now, so what is the rush? Have you had a benefit to a stall or slower than expected losing?

@@kcmom24 You are definitely not alone! I experienced similar moods as you describe and it has gotten much better (I am 4 months post-op). I agree with @@Sajijoma abut the hormonal releases and my doc said to expect mood swings and heightened emotional responses - and that is even without battling our own demons such as why we have the head hunger and how we have used food to cope. For me, since I used food to cope with feelings and now I cannot, I am having more emotions - yet I view it as a chance to breathe, be with them and not push them down. Please be kind to yourself, I have found this to be the most helpful tool thus far (besides my sleeve, eating changes such as high Protein low carb, Water and exercise). Trying to have compassion for myself, for however I am feeling and whatever comes up has been hard, but very rewarding and made my emotions less intense and more balanced overall. Good luck, I think you are doing great just by acknowledging and feeling all your emotions - at least for me, it is a critical part of successful WLS and getting to my goals.

Interesting topic and not surprising that many of us are in the helping profession. I know that has contributed to some of my struggles with my weight. I am an Executive Director of a nonprofit and a social worker.

@@Daisee68 congratulations! What a huge NSV for you with your great labs! I can really relate, my A1C was 6.0 prior to surgery and at my most recent appt last week, it was 4.7 (I am 4 months post-op). While losing weight was been amazing, it is labs results like this that totally motivate me. Congrats again and I know you will keep watching that number go down.

@@kealot I hope you are doing something wonderful for yourself today - 160 punds in a year is an amazing acomplishment (and all the of changes you made to make this happen). You are an inspiration as I had surgery at the exact same wieght as you, so thanks for sharing!!

Your story inspires me, thank you for sharing. Your metaphor is so poignant, and letting go is so integral to the WLS process. Best of luck on this next leg of your journey without Brandon

I have been doing Aqua Zumba a few times a week for the past year (except for right after surgery) and it has been fantastic. Like many of you, I was concerned about normal Zumba, which I plan on switching to soon, but doing it in the pool has been great exercise, helped me understand the basics of Zumba and has been easier on my joints since I am still pretty big. I go to the YMCA, I highly encourage you to check it out, so fun and easy.

@@JamieLogical yes you did mention artificial sweetners which I appreciated. In fact, I love your posts because you are always fair and balanced (dare I say logical?) and you acknowledge that everyone has their own preferences and yet you also have really valuable experience and advice. I did not mean to imply otherwise, I just wanted to share my own experience. Thanks for all of the posts you have made that have helped me and many others here.

@@Nikki Monroe its a great question. I feel differently than those who have already posted, which is one of the things I love about this site. I do not like artificial stuff in general, so I stay away from the Dannon and Yoplait "greek" yogurts because they are not really greek yogurt and are full of thickeners and other artificals. I choose to have a few more carbs with my yogurt and sometimes have chobani, although I prefer fage because I do not want cornstarch, I want yogurt. All "greek" yogurts are not the same. True greek yogurt is extensively strained to get the whey out which then leads to thicker, more condensed yogurt with more Protein.... Yoplait (and others) are not true greek yogurt as they use additives and fillers to thicken the yogurt, so if you are concerned about getting true additive-free yogurt, check the label for things like guar gum and pectin, carrageenan, sodium citrate, potassium sorbate, corn starch. I know this doesn't matter to everyone, but it did to me when I learned so thought I would share. I personally eat Fage, which as no fillers, additives etc added. http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/10/04/6-myths-about-greek-yogurt/

@@Nikki Monroe@@Nickkibear24 - Best of luck to both of you with your upcoming surgeries! I am a little over 3 months out and remember all too well that I overbought in preparation. I second @@10nsStar's suggestion on not gettting too much beforehand as taste can change and I've read that from many on this site. Mine sure did and I wasted some product. I am also a vegetarian so I won't be listing meats. That being said, for Clear liquids I had several different things to flavor Water (flavor drops, crystal light, flavored herbal teas, lemons etc) and since I like them cold, more ice trays. Also for clear stage you can have broths, which can feel really healing on the tummy (and if you are motivated can add unflavored Protein powder - I used unjury which I think is only online). Of course there is sugar free popscicles, Jello etc. I also drank G2 which is diet gatorade Full liquids - all of the above and: soups - strain if need be Protein shakes (I like premade better like premeir but also made some nectar ones when I wanted fruit - fuzzy navel is good) milk (high protein ones like fairlife) Puree/soft foods - you can puree most anything but I didn't and stuck to soft foods: yougurt - esp greek scrambled eggs ricotta cheese bake (from world according to eggface - a good resource) cottage cheese Beans sugar free pudding oatmeal - I added Protein Powder There are some good recipes on the internet - I mentioned the World According to Eggface, which is a great one. Congratulations and good luck!

Are you taking a PPI? I am 3.5 months out and for the first few months I thought I was hungry ALL the time but now it has mostly gone away. My doc told me it takes awhile for the body to adjust so there is too much acid in the beginning which mimics hunger. You may be truly hungry, but thought I'd share as I was convinced I was hungry all the time until I started a PPI (and now I am off it and no longer hungrier than normal).

I found I had a lot of extra acid the first three months or so, it felt a lot like hunger even with a PPI. It is much better now and I am 3.5 months out.

You go Proudgrammy! You are always so kind to others here, it's great you did something for yourself.

My surgeon did not drug test me either - and I have not read that it is considered a best practice prior to surgery.

I hadn't heard of the icelandic yogurt, thanks for sharing. Be aware that all "greek" yogurts are not the same. True greek yogurt is extensively strained to get the whey out which then leads to thicker, more condensed yogurt with more Protein.... Yoplait (and others) are not true greek yogurt as they use additives and fillers to thicken the yogurt, so if you are concerned about getting true additive-free yogurt, check the label for things like guar gum and pectin, carrageenan, sodium citrate, potassium sorbate, corn starch. I know this doesn't matter to everyone, but it did to me when I learned so thought I would share. I personally eat Fage, which as no fillers, additives etc added. http://www.npr.org/s...-purists-fuming

Thanks everyone for your comments. @@rp1980 - I was sleeved 4/15/15, how about you? Congrats on your success thus far! As you say, as long as we get there, does it really matter how long it takes? I saw a good quote today "Those who succeed are the ones who look in the mirror and see no change, but continue anyway, knowing they will get there in time." @@borg/assimilated - I am hoping we are slow and steady losers (for example, I didn't have the dreaded 3 week stall everyone talks about) so perhaps in the end, slow and steady wins? Congrats fellow April sleevers @@ZoeyBear and @@Mandyctr on your success!

I take Bariatric Advantage: Advanced Multi EA Chewable and calcium chews and that is it. My NUT said this new BA vitamin (has to be exact one I listed, they have lots and this one only has one flavor) replaces all the extra B and D vitamins I was taking

@@rp1980 @leag78 congrats on your loss and hard work thus far! As a fellow April sleever, I cannot believe it has been three months since our surgery. I still have at least a couple months until I get out of the 300s but you and others on this site are inspiration. As my post indicated, I am trying not to focus on the scale but it is hard not to so I have posted my list where I can see it to remind me of the benefits of losing slower than expected.