smith08817

You have done a great job and look amazing. My surgery was 4/26/16 and I have lost about 80 lbs. I still want to lose another 30+ lbs but it is much harder now. The focus has to be protein first but like others on this site I find I eat more carbs than I really should. Even still I am much, much healthier than I was before the surgery, I look better and feel so much better. The whole trick is to not let the pound creep back up!

I have had acid reflux for years and years. I took Prilosec for quite a while and then got a prescription for protonix. After the sleeve surgery the GERD is better - possibly because of diet and eating far less than before - but I still take protonix every day. There are so many benefits from having the surgery that make it worthwhile even if you still have GERD afterwards. For example, I am no longer diabetic, my blood pressure is normal for the first time in years, my cholesterol is good, and my asthma is much improved. I still have arthritis in my knees and hips but even that is less painful than it used to be. Try to look at the big picture and how your life will change for the better with the surgery.

My surgeon's office gave me a card similar to yours. I have not used it because I can usually order something from a menu and either take home half (or more!) or just get a small portion. I have also ordered from the children's menu but usually there are only fried foods or high carb foods for kids. I usually tell the server to not even bring the potato/rice/starch so I have meat with a vegetable. A lot of times they will give you extra veg since you aren't getting the starch. If you are pleasant about ordering, restaurants want to make you happy.

I notice you don't say anything about drinking water. Next time you want to reach for a snack, take a drink of water instead. If you don't like plain water, add some Crystal Light. I like the Crystal Light Pure that has Truvia (stevia). It's not overly sweet and there are good flavors available. Sometimes I will mix a scoop of Genepro protein powder in a bottle of water with the Crystal Light. It's a good way to get in 30 grams of protein, 16+ oz of water and avoid eating something you really don't need. My nutritionist and doctor both stress drinking at least 64 oz of liquid every day (water, tea, milk, soup, etc.).

It sounds like you are packing a lot of calories into a shake. Try using Crystal Light for flavor, unflavored protein powder like Genepro which has far fewer calories than flavored whey protein, and water. My doctor says 90 grams of protein a day and stay under 50 grams of carbs. The total calories ends up between 600-800 depending on what my other sources of protein are plus vegetables or small amount of fruit. Portion size is key - no more than 3 oz of meat and then add in a very small salad or some veg. I would eat the yogurt alone for breakfast and have a protein shake mid-morning. This forum is a good place to look for ideas from people who have been through what you are experiencing. Good luck!

Fantastic! It's hard work and you made your goal. This is very encouraging for the rest of us who are mid-journey. Thanks for sharing!

Probiotic daily with a colace tablet is what my doctor suggested. It works well and can be taken long term. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

My doctor's office has a very good nutrition staff who gave lots of training. I was told to get in 90 grams Protein, less than 50 grams fat, less than 50 grams carbs per day and to stay under 800 calories. Always eat protein first in a meal and then add vegetables if you have room. Drink at least 64 oz of liquid a day. This helps to keep you full and also help prevent eating junk. Instead of grabbing an unhealthy snack, drink some water or Crystal Light. Eat only until you are beginning to feel full. I find if I eat too much I get VERY uncomfortable very fast. I am six months post op and have lost just over 70 lbs. On this blog you will see lots of differing advice. Try what seems to make sense to you and will help you lose the weight. You had the surgery to make your life better and only you can make the changes needed to be successful!

Try adding lots of ice. I never used to like really cold water but now that is what I drink. There are lots of sugar free mixes and drops to add to water so try some of those too. It's important to get in 64 oz of liquids every day. That includes your protein shakes, herbal tea, soups, etc. Be creative!

What others have said about no Pasta is true. It fills you up with little nutrition and lots of carbs/calories. Instead try using one of the vegetable spiralizers and make "zoodles". I make zucchini noodles to eat with a meaty pasta sauce and find it to be tasty and filling. Add a little parmesan and you don't even miss the pasta. On this weight loss journey you learn to think about food in a different way. I like the notion of good foods vx bad foods. You have to decide for yourself if it's worth eating "bad" food - does it make you sick or uncomfortable? does it raise your calorie count for the day to pre-weight loss levels? We know some people gain back the weight they have lost and reverting to your old eating habits is how that happens. It's up to you but as for me, I like my slimmer self and want to keep losing weight.

So sorry to hear everyone is having headache problems! Tylenol does absolutely nothing for me and I suffer from arthritis as well as sinus headaches. My doctor told me that if you have a gastric sleeve, it's okay to use Aleve occasionally. I try to use essential oils and they work well but I still sometimes need the Aleve. For a headache try using peppermint oil. Do not get it too close to your eyes. Try mixing a drop or two with a carrier oil and rub it on the back of your neck or on your forehead. For allergies mix an equal amount of lemon, peppermint, and lavender oil together with a carrier oil. Rub it on the bottoms of your feet every morning and evening. (The soles absorb essential oils very quickly.) Hope this helps.

I am also at four months and have lost just over 60 pounds. I hit a little plateau for a couple of weeks but have started losing again. I have a problem with exercise because my knees are very bad. So it's off to the YMCA pool for some water aerobics. It is much easier than walking or lifting weights and a whole lot more fun. There are foam "barbells" that you use to get some arm action. You do stretches and leg motions that really help you move more easily. Give it a try!

Try putting sugar free Torani syrups in your protein shake. I found some Almond Roca which is heavenly in a chocolate protein shake. I also put small amounts of fruit in vanilla shakes - stick with berries. No bananas as they are way too many carbs. I also bought some high protein soups from my surgeon's office. Ask you nutritionist if they have some or you can order from this website also. They are tasty and filling. I got real tired of having only sweet stuff when I was in the liquid stage so that's when I found the soups. You can do it!

I use my Ninja every day to make a protein shake to take to work with me. I often make one for my granddaughter to have for breakfast too. My vegetti gets used at least once a week to make zoodles to eat with spaghetti sauce and parmesan. I use my food scale when I need to get an exact amount. 1-1/2 oz of meat can be tricky to eye-ball. I also use small plates and bowls which helps me control the amount of food I take to eat. Most of the time I still can't finish what's on the small plate. At first I used baby spoons but that quickly became annoying. I do use a salad fork instead of a dinner form. All these little things help trick the mind into being satisfied with eating less.

When you have gastric sleeve surgery your whole outlook on food changes. My surgery was April 26th so I am only two months into this but once you get past healing from the surgery, it's not hard. I am a foodie, love to cook, love to shop for groceries, and watch cooking shows non-stop. Now I can still cook and do all the other things, I just can't eat very much. The focus has to be on Protein, protein, protein. I have just started eating vegetables and can't eat very much of them. My nutritionist said to eat your protein first, 1-1/2 oz for now, then if you still have room you can eat vegetables. No carbohydrates, no sugar. It's really not difficult when you follow the instructions. I get full very fast and I am learning to eat very slowly to avoid indigestion. As to being hungry, no I don't really get hungry. I have to be sure to get 90 grams of protein every day and I keep a food diary to keep track of what I am eating. It's hard to eat 90 grams of protein - you have to drink Protein shakes to be able to make the goal. So far I am doing very well and have lost close to 50 lbs. It's not that you won't ever be able to eat the foods you like. Instead you won't be able to eat them until you lose the weight and then you will only eat a taste of those foods. If you want to keep the weight off, you will avoid carbs and sweets. Drinking the protein shakes helps with craving something sweet - or chocolate. It is indeed a complete life change but it's a change for the better. I no longer have diabetes, no more high blood pressure, no more swelling in my legs and feet, and my knees don't hurt nearly as much as they did before. It's pretty nice to be able to buy some new clothes because nothing fits as the weight comes off. Keep coming back to this forum for support. There are lots of good people here who have been through what you are going through. You can do this!

I am only four weeks post surgery and have lost 43 lbs so far. It's tough to get in 90-100 grams of Protein and 48-64 oz of liquid. I feel like I am drinking constantly. The best way to get enough protein is to drink Protein shakes with 25-30 grams of protein each. You can make them with milk or almond milk and add a few frozen strawberries or other frozen fruit. They mix up quickly in a blender and are very tasty. Some recipes say to add a packet of Splenda but I don't think you need to do this. The shakes are sweet enough as they are. I use Pure Protein powder from Walmart. It tastes good (not chalky) and mixes well in the blender.