SoCalBoiler

This sounds like a good intake level for 4 weeks out. Additional keys are to keep pushing Water - you can't drink too much throughout the day but you can definitely drink too little. You should consider tracking your intake using an app like LoseIt! or My Fitness Pal - they're great at helping to ensure you're getting enough Protein - and it sheds a lot of light on your calories, fat, and carbs, all of which play a part in your journey as well.

I was sleeved on 7/6 and have plateaued for the past 12 days. I'm eating right (incl 60-70 g protein/day) and riding a bike and/or walking at least 30-45 minutes/day (avg 150 - 400 cals burned) but haven't went beyond the 21 lbs I lost those first 2+ weeks post surgery. I'm not worried though since my BMR is 2200 cals/day and I'm only consuming about 50-60% of that a day - my body is just continuing to adjust and adapt to the new intake. The one area I'm going to take steps to improve is my salt/sodium intake - since I'm now eating beef, chicken, chunky Soups, etc again, I need to more closely watch the sodium. Other than that, I'm just sticking to the plan, continuing to exercise (probably start adding some aerobic - but no ab or core work yet!), and let my metabolism do the rest. Whatever you do, do NOT deprive yourself of calories and put your body into starvation mode - keep reminding yourself you have to eat to lose ... but eat *right*. We all plateau - use it as an opportunity to prep and plan for your next weight loss period. Good luck!

I'm four days post-op today and felt up to riding a stationary recumbent bike in our gym for a few miles - felt fine afterward - lots of gurgling of the bowels but in a good way. When I got back home, I took a few sips of room-temp Propel to re-hydrate - tasted great and went down fine. I decided (rather foolishly in hindsight) to have a few sips of a Protein shake (a COLD protein shake) to get some protein in my system. Within a few seconds after drinking it, it felt like someone was trying to rip my breastbone out of my chest! The pain dropped me to my hands and knees. My girlfriend (who's an ER nurse) immediately recognized this as an esophageal spasm and encouraged me to breathe - taking in a few warm, deep breathes as well as making myself belch (I don't know if belching actually helped or not but it did feel good), the pain subsides after a several seconds. Today's Lesson Learned: be very cautious of drinking fluids which differ greatly in temperature from that of your body! If you're body temp is elevated (e.g. from working out, being out in the sun), avoid drinking cold, refrigerated drinks! Similarly, if your body temp is low, be careful of drinking hot or warm liquids as investigation shows that Hot drinks in a cold body can have the same effect.

I buttoned my shorts today (day #3 post-op) without having to pull both sides tight and sucking in my gut! First NSV of many to come.

Just had my VSG yesterday. I was very pleasantly surprised at how little pain I experienced, especially considering I also had a hiatal hernia. I had no incision pain but a fair amount of gas pain, the intensity of which fluctuated throughout the day and night. Walking helped a LOT as did a couple dosages of Dilaudid and Zofran throughout the night. You may or may not feel up to walking when they tell you to start doing so but be sure to do it - the gas buildup will thank you.

Mine took 80 minutes total, including repairing a hiatal hernia.

Was it submitted as a prescribed medical treatment e.g. BMI > 40, diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension, etc)? or as a weight-loss procedure? If you're not sure, ask your surgeon's office staff to ensure you're being recommended for surgery as a medical treatment/procedure (assuming you're eligible based on health risks and factors). If necessary, ask your surgeon to write and submit an appeal letter to the insurance with additional supporting information (related health issues, your willingness to undergo nutritional counseling, etc). You definitely have appeal options - don't take this first 'no' as a final answer. Good luck!

Having to buy new clothes - often Being proud of how I look in photos Surprising my family (out of state) when I see them in October Being able to get in and out of my car without contorting myself Being comfortable without a shirt on at the beach Taking the stairs at work without getting winded Getting rid of my CPAP machine Discontinuing high blood pressure meds

definitely recommend Premier Protein - good stuff - affordable and tastes good. As for Clear Liquids, I love Propel. Tastes great, several flavors to choose from (I like orange and lemon best myself), and doesn't go through me like plain Water or soft drinks. Amen to never trusting a fart, too! I learned that one in my late 40's! lol

July 6th - 27 hours and 10 min from now, but who's counting, right?

BCBS-TX is my provider as well. The approval process took six months because of their requirement of receiving psychological and nutritional counseling - the former was only a couple meetings but the latter had to be once-a-month for six months. It was frustrating because I did all my research and due diligence so once I had my appointment with my surgeon, I was mentally prepared to have it done within a week or two but had to wait six months. Having said that, the counseling sessions were valuable and I learned a LOT about eating, what to expect, how to prepare, etc - I just wish I'd known about the process taking six months for insurance approval when I started down this road. BTW, my surgery is tomorrow.

My surgery is tomorrow, just over 24 hours away. I can relate to the second-guessing, fears, etc but I'm going to practice what I've preached to my kids their entire lives: finish what you start! Yes, I'm a little nervous but the more I read testimonials of others, research the procedure, etc the more I anxious and excited I became; the excitement and anticipation far outweigh the fear and trepidation. Keep your eye on the prize and think about what lies ahead - or more specifically, think about what lies 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12 months, and the rest of your life ahead rather than just 2 weeks ahead. You've got this!