Jb1176

I have the exact same scale and use it religiously three times a day. I am terrible at eyeballing a portion especially because some Proteins are more dense than others and what looks like 4 ounces of one food is not the same size as 4 ounces of another food.

Sleeved April 13. Now three months out and down 52 lbs. everything going fairly smoothly.

All diet guidelines are different. I can't have dairy products until the six month mark. For me that means no yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, and most cheeses except low fat cheese sticks and then only one a day. I really miss yogurt with a little organic honey and cottage cheese. I am three months out from surgery.

Congratulations!

My kitchen food scale. I use it three times a day. Store bought bottled water. They help me quickly keep track of my water consumption.

Best wishes for a smooth recovery.

I am almost three months out from surgery and have only lost 52 lbs including the 18 lbs lost in pre-op phase. I've been in a stall for a week but I continue to walk 4 miles a day seven days a week. I feel like I am losing inches but the scale doesn't lie. Breakfast is 2 scrambled eggs and 1/2C fruit. lunch is 4oz of lean Protein. dinner is 4oz lean protein and 1/2C cooked vegetables. The hardest part is getting in 64 oz of Water and I have to force myself to reach that amount each day. My plan doesn't allow yogurt until six months out. I do drink two mugs of caffeinated coffee in the morning which I'm not supposed to be doing. One cup of caffeinated coffee is allowed at six months. I do have a container of sugar free Jello in the evening and during the day I have one or two low fat cheese sticks. Hopefully soon the weight loss will resume. I'm getting a bit discouraged with my progress. The surgeon predicted I'd lose 17 more lbs but I'd like another 30 lbs more than that. At this rate it will be a year before I can reach my goal. One good point is that I've been taken off blood pressure medication, have had my statin Rx dose reduced by half and had my CPAP pressure settings lowered.

Thanks. I do walk 21 miles a week and you are correct that moving helps. I kind of think the medications I am on contribute to the problem because I've had this problem years before the surgery. I have the feeling that the statin I take is the culprit.

Good point about water. I do get a minimum of 64 oz in each day and often times several oz more than that. However that amount of water doesn't seem to make any difference in the actions of the colon. What I do notice is now I have to get up in the night twice to urinate. Sleep is impacted.

I have a terrible time finding the right balance between no fiber supplements and too many. I had a bad reaction to Benifiber so switched to gummy fiber chews. The clinic directions are 12-1/2 grams of fiber in supplement form per day. Two gummy chews equal 4 grams of fiber. If I don't take any supplement I am constipated. If I take five gummy fiber supplements I get horrible gas and explosive diarrhea. Perhaps the answer is to take supplements every other day. I am two-1/2 months out from surgery and am able to have 1/2 C Vegetables and 1/2 C fruit each day. Even with that and no fiber supplement I have constipation problems.

My own surgeon didn't think I could reach my goal of 100 lb loss and said I'd probably only lose about 2/3 rds of that amount. After 2-1/2 months out from surgery I'm at my halfway mark having lost 51 lbs. I still think I can lose the rest over the next year. Don't let people discourage you. Read the success stories and follow the plan. We can make our goals and provide encouragement for each other.

Congratulations on your accomplishment! I reached 50 lbs mark this week as well (2-1/2 months out from surgery) but I still have another 50 lbs to go. It is good to read success stories for they help me keep the faith and help me stay with the program.

Wow! Your progress gives me hope that I will eventually reach my goal. Two and a half months out from surgery and have lost 51 pounds (including 18 lbs pre-op prep period) but have another 50 lbs left to go. I get support reading progress from other men in their weight loss journey. There aren't too many posts from men on this site. Congratulations on your progress!

No follow up with PCP but saw surgeon one week after surgery, one month mark, three months, six months, and one year. Thereafter once a year. I see my PCP every six months for other health issues and prescription refills. Same with cardiologist. Once a year with pulminologist.

Mulepick, Guess I was thinking about the cottage cheese you mentioned.

Mulepick, I am 9 weeks out and finally broke my second stall. It just happened and I didn't change any routine. You might stop the dairy and increase your walking to vary your routine. I'd suggest weighing your protein to no more than 4 oz a meal and limit the fruit and vegetables to 1/2C each once a day but not at the same meal. Are you getting in at least 64 oz of water a day? I can't have dairy until the six month mark.

Yup! So far have had two stalls. First was at week 3 and second was at week 9. Each time the stall lasted about a week. However as I approach the three month marker the weight is coming off much more slowly. Instead of 3-4 lbs a week it is now about 1-2 lbs a week. I still walk 21 miles a week and adhere to my prescribed diet very faithfully as well as getting all my water in. I am within one pound of my personal half way mark and only 19 lbs away from the surgeon's expected weight loss. It is just going much slower now.

Walcott, Thanks for the suggestions. I almost think I'm not getting enough calories in. My daily intake is between 600-850 calories and I weigh every protein meal and measure my vegetables and fruits - each 1/2 C once a day.

cjnorris, Saw you were from Wyoming. I grew up in Laramie and graduated from Univ. of Wyo.

8 weeks out and I feel much better as each week passes. I have "energy" days and other days it is hard to get my three miles in without feeling like I might have to crawl the last half mile. I have no idea why the energy level doesn't stay consistent. I suspect it may be due to regularity and intestinal issues because I can't seem to find the right amount of fiber to keep the systems balanced.

8 weeks out. My full liquid stage was only days 1-3 post op. I was instructed beginning day four to have two shake meal replacements and one puréed protein meal. I was told to weigh that purée meal on a kitchen scale working up to 4oz over a 10 day period. It took me two weeks to be able to reach that quantity and I was getting in only about 30-40 oz of water each day at that point.

Funny, I didn't need Gas-X strip until week 8 post op. I thought that was weird but perhaps was because I was adding vegetables and fruit. Everything gets better so be strong in your commitment to work the plan. The pain will subside and one day you will notice that your new stomach has lost its swelling and you will find it easier to meet the daily regimen. I found walking helped a lot to relieve the gas pains

My suggestion is to go back to the basics that you used in the first few weeks after surgery. Changing our eating habits and controlling our cravings for foods off the approval list is a learned behavior. Using adipex isn't changing one's behavior. Reset your mind and body without drugs. Exercise 30 minutes every day. Limit your caloric intake during the reset period to 550-850 calories a day. Start with two Protein Meal Replacement shakes a day and one meal of 3-4 ounces of protein from something that had a mother. Eliminate dairy during reset Eliminate extra carbs. Don't cheat. No alcohol. Reduce cheese consumption. Drink 64+ ounces of Water a day. Eat at the same time each day and schedule meals about 4-5 hours apart. Consume at least 60 grams of protein a day. Use a kitchen scale and weigh all protein after cooking. Eliminate fruit during reset. Avoid caffeine.

Bcbs Illinois is my supplemental with Medicare primary. I had to do the pulminologist, psychologist, cardiologist thing. Pulminologist staff administered a pulmonary function test, the cardiologist administered a stress test, and the psychologist required two written exams and a consultation. It took a month to get those three clearances. The pulminologist and the psychologist were a n the same building so I spent a whole day completing both their exams. Medicare doesn't require the 3 month diet plan. I had a four hour clinic session with a nutritionist and Bariatric coordinator. Within six weeks I was scheduled for surgery and then had to start a two week liquid protein diet - two liquid protein meal replacements and one 4oz protein meal of a protein from something that had a mother. 64 ounces of water a day and pre op chewable vitamins three times a day. I don't think you need to start your liquid diet six months before surgery. You'll be sick of the shakes way before your surgery date. Start your shakes when the surgeon tells you to.

I have opposite problem. 8 weeks out from surgery and haven't had a solid BM in all that time. I am taking 15-25 grams of fiber in gummy form each day to try and solidify things. I have terrible intestinal gas and I Must know know where the bathroom is. Currently eating 4 oz of protein three times a day, 1/2C vegetables once a day, and I/2C fruit once a day. I walk three miles seven days a week. I see the surgeon for a three month checkup July 8. Hope he has some answers for me. Can't live the rest of my life like this. Any suggestions would be welcomed!