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I'm trying to work my way up to 10,000 steps on the fitbit. Dang knees are just not cooperating this weekend......still working at it. Between your walking and the pool you are really setting yourself up nicely. Great job. Your boyfriend is really going to scratch his head when he sees you at future buffet restaurants.....you'll walk around a lot and look at the variety and return to the table with some wide ranging samples....just not much of any of it. It's going to be funny.

Cool. You've checked that hurdle off the list. January will be here before you know it.

Sounds like you are off to a really good start. Great advice from BLERDgirl and InnerSurferGirl. I'd listen to everything they have to say now and in the future as you move along through the stages. They are clearly successful and making awesome progress. Every bit of advice I've received from them has been spot on and helpful. Not much I can add other than a couple "don't do's" : Don't worry with "last meals" of your favorite foods. You'll see posts where folks get all wrapped up with having pizza, cake and whatever for the last time before surgery. All this does is lead to one garbage meal after another....days and weeks of continued poor eating. You are having sleeve surgery. You have to say goodbye to nothing. You can still eat the favorite treat foods later once you reach your goal weight. Stay the course with your low carb, high Protein plan and go ahead and start losing now. You'll thank yourself later. Losing weight is the goal....no matter if it's before or after surgery.....it's all about the losing. Don't let yourself get stress out about this thing. Keep with your plan you've established.....add/delete/modify as needed when your NUT gives you further guidance. Keep on working at it every day.....let it be natural and have fun adding flavors to your eats.......Mrs Dash has a dozen flavors now, hot sauces, Italian herbs and other non calorie flavors. Have fun and enjoy the variety. Don't get burned out on Protein shakes right now. Do find some that you like....at least 2-3 different ones and then put 'em up until your pre-op & immediate post-op diets come into play. You'll have some you enjoy that you can transition to. You are going to do great !!!!!

That needs to be remedied. I saw your before/after pics. You have sculpted a body that's screaming for the beach life. Inspiring results. Inspiring hard work and motivation.

So your husband knows you are 3 weeks out from VSG surgery.....throwing up once a day.......and takes you to a brewery and gets you a beer to "sit there" with ???????? Oh yeah.....you should flip the script on him and pull some type of ghost pepper chili stunt and sneak it into his food. Once he recovers from the heat/pain/gastric torment.......tell him that was thanks for dragging you through the same.

I like that idea !!!!!! Cool car. Don't think I'd stand a chance in one at my height but a convertible sporty car is an interest.

That is a very liberal pre-op diet compared to mine, which was only Protein shakes and broth. I'd have loved to have been permitted chicken and eggs.

Thanks, man. I had a great doctor's visit with my primary doc yesterday. It's easy to be upbeat after such a visit. He's a very positive person and helps get his patients enthused about getting healthy. His nurse is super....really personable and a real sweetheart. She's always fun to talk to. Months ago, she introduced me to an office staff member......a sleeved office staff member. A very helpful conversation followed. It was cool when I checked out yesterday and scheduled my next appointment......my sleeved buddy was the one who assisted me. Another great conversation about sleeved life. My doc was really happy with the weight loss over the last 6 months. He shook his head and grinned when we both agreed that it has occurred while doing zero exercise and minimal walking for work. Low activity weight loss.......not at all how I want to approach it. Back and knees are getting better every week, though.....and the treadmills and elliptical machines await. Ordered some new superbadass running shoes and have been loading my iPod with pumping tunes. The groundwork is laid for the gym sessions.......very soon. Then, I'm thinking this plane will get off the ground and go places.....

Great post. Hugely insightful and informative. Thanks & best wishes to you and you future.

It's just a couple weeks. You should be able to endure anything for 2 weeks. Just think of the downtrodden folks who would love to have nutritious liquid Protein to sustain them vs going hungry like they generally do. Stop working yourself up over a non-event. Not trying to be a jerk......but don't churn over this. It's simply a part of the process.....a fairly routine, boring part.....by the time you get tired of it.....it'll be over.

I always mix my Protein powder with ice and Water. shake it up in a Blender Bottle and have at it. Absolutely zero need for any other ingredients to mix it with. Milk is not needed and juice certainly is counterproductive.

I'm in luck.......they now make a pair in my size. I've heard nothing but tremendous accolades of comfort from larger runners from this brand: https://www.hokaoneone.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-HOKA-US-Site/default/Home-Show I'm getting a pair asap. Should have by next weekends trekking.

Awesome !!!!!!!!!! You are going to do great.

Oh yeah.....The BEAST is the one I like, too. Good for where I'm limping along right now. I want to try the current model. If they made them in my size, though......and could knock off the crazy bright colors.....I'd be all over a pair of Hoka One Ones. They are supportive and shock absorbing machines. Sadly.....they don't come in 14W.

I'm unsure about with the bypass. I had a sleeve done 4 weeks ago and my understanding is this is how it is going to be. I encounterd my first episode of aggravation about that tonight at work. I was at my desk and having my second "meal" of the day.....a bag of flavored tuna.....Tai Chili flavor. The first couple forkfulls were sweet tasting....not bad at all. The next two went down and all the sudden.......heat was there. Spicy heat. The kind that would have been nice to have something to drink with it. I'd purposely not refilled my Water bottle so there'd be no temptation...but I had no idea that stuff would be so hot. I've had zero spicy food in so long that it just didn't occur to me. Lessons learned. Freaking love the flavored tuna packs, though. I think I can live off them much easier than protien shakes.

I'm hoping it's to health improvement related type stuff. I'm 4 weeks out of surgery now. Starting to lose while on real food. Have an appointment with my primary doc tomorrow where I'll get bp meds removed or at least modified. I'm going to request a sleep study so I can take advantage of the newer C-PAP & BiPAP machines.....I'm going to upgrade my mattress in the near future. Last two days have seen me double my step counter readings and I'll begin the gym this weekend. Hoping the only addiction I have from now on is one improving my health and thriving.

I couldn't sleep much at all the night after surgery. I had this weird dream where folks kept coming into my room and taking my blood....checking my vitals.....asking me what my pain level was.......did I care for more ice chips........had I urniated........how many laps had I walked.........etc. I could certainly understand if someone had nightmares in the couple days after surgery. All sorts of meds purging out of your system.

That is outstanding !!!!!!!

You are already kicking ass, man. Look at your progress tracker in you signature line. You JUST had surgery and really just started what the surgeons classify as the weight loss time frame.....your body is still healing and normalizing. You are only 82 pounds from your stated goal.........not even hardly a month out of surgery. You are going to achieve that and more. You are a determined hombre who will tow the line and do your part. You've got mad food prep skills and will never grow bored of making tasty Protein based meals. If I were a gambling man......I'd easily slide all my chips in on a bet on you being extremely sucessful.....you already have been. It's a lock. You'll be living lean in a few months. I'm positive of this.

A little over 3 weeks post-op here. Returning to work tomorrow. Sleeve is fine....hernia is still swollen but feeling much better. 13hr shifts and fast paced.....it's going to be intense. I'm taking 4 shakes to space out during the day and I'll be constantly drinking Water. Will be working these shifts for the next 6 out of 7 days. On an average shift I have plenty of opportunity to get the 10,000 steps my Fitbit is coaching for. I went out yesterday to run some errands. Trying to get things wrapped up before my work schedule resumes. Stopped at Best Buy to pick up a new CD that I wanted (full version not available on iTunes ). Walked around the store some.....went over to get the disc and had to stop a minute and steady myself on the CD rack. I thought I was about to pass out. Regained my composure and walked out of there. Freaking strange feeling. Energy was shot. Sat in the car a few minutes and resumed drinking water. Failed to get the CD I wanted. Mail ordered it later on. Reached back into the cooler and grabbed another Protein shake and sipped it down on my way to the next stop.....grocery store run for the family. It went fine. No issues. I'm very disappointed that I didn't kill it at the gym over these three weeks.....but the energy just hasn't been there and the wounds aren't fully healed. I did go a couple times but simply ran out of gas shortly after starting my treadmill sessions. Seven of the wounds have healed over. Two of them are still scabbed. These two were larger than the others and appear to have double-width incisions compared to the rest. I did go on daily walks and the weight loss has been steady. I've stayed with the liquid diet. I'll see my surgeon again on Monday. This will be our second visit. I'm expecting him to advance me to the next step of the permissible foods list. I imagine this will help with the low energy. *Today.....I know I have to go back out to the mall. I have to get some new clothes for work. Old stuff looks funny having to cinch it up tight with the belt tag end now really extended. *I'll be grabbing some more Blender Bottles while I'm out. They travel easy and work great on the job.....just add ice and water and instant Protein Shake is ready. *I'll be taking a water bottle that I'll carry around and keep refilling. *Evenly spaced protein and water in between is my plan for the long shifts. Any advice or tips on last day off considerations ????

I was the same way. Once I started soft Proteins everything changed. Only one egg or only a portion of pouch of flavored tuna............

My first, second and third choices: *Brooks *Brooks *Brooks They work for me. Go to a runner's store and get fitted for your stride whether it's for walking or running. If they made them in my size, I would love to try a pair of Hoka One One shoes. Make sure to buy the right shoe for your stride. It will make all the difference in the world, I promise. Brooks has a nice analyser on their webpage that may get you pointed in the right direction.

Doesn't bother me. What other folks eat is of no concern to me.

Funny thing just happened...... Woke up unusually early this afternoon with a couple hours to kill before getting ready for night shift. Had some turkey sausage dipped in yellow mustard with a piece of cheddar. Hmmmmnnn, hmmmnnn good & tasty. Made a pot of coffee......just to get a cup. Sat down and flipped on ESPN to watch the talking sports heads bash on Greg Hardy, praise Tom Brady and poke fun of Jerry Jones.....pretty much the theme of the week. A commercial came on...well made, but not a flashy big production type commercial. It was for a mattress factory that made 70 different types of mattresses and had large accounts with an East Coast distribution chain. They went on about that being one aspect of their family business. They explained their retail showroom was open to the public and had all sorts of mattress constructions....old school innerspring, hospital beds, and numerous different types of memory foam constructions. I called and spoke to one of the co-owners. I briefly explained my situation and he said he heard thghat story often and was confident he could take care of me......and the wife with a split king bed with differing firmnesses. Full adjustability, too. He said they can even custom build whatever I wanted. I didn't talk prices but got zeroed in on the factory/store location......IT"S ONLY 20 miles away !!!!!!!!! Going to try shooting over there tomorrow afternoon and sprawl out on a number of mattresses. We didn't talk specific pricing due to the unknown ranges of what I'd be looking at.....but it's most assuredly much cheaper than the Tempurpedic we bought last year. Fingers crossed folks.

AWESOME.......see below......... Sounded interesting. I clicked the link.......low and behold......Dr Stapleton !!!!! She is the one who did my psych eval. Supercool. It was simply a great conversation and she seemed like someone I'd known forever. Her office was really nice. I could have sat on that sofa all day....was the most comfortable I'd been in ages. My back was happy. Her videos at Live Healthy MD were requirements for me to watch and take the tests afterwords. Very insightful and thought provoking videos that emphasize the effort that is going to be required. That is so cool. Small world. Small world indeed. I may have to see if I can get an autographed copy.