blizair09

I would stay off of the scale for at least a month. Your body is desperately trying to heal, and nothing about the weight you are seeing is likely accurate right now. Just keep to your plan, honor your food stages, and the weight will come off in its own time. Hang in there.

Wishing you the best for tomorrow!

Does your plan let you do the strained creamed soup? Having that (with unflavored protein powder stirred in) was a lifesaver for me during the last 2 of those 3 weeks. Because of the carbs, I would only let myself have it once per day (maybe twice, I can't remember), but it made a huge difference.

This is a good point. Having gone from 400 pounds to 195 pounds myself (and my partner having gone from 315 pounds to 210 pounds), we don't fit in as well in the bear community anymore, it appears. We are tending to go to the more mainstream gay establishments now. I'm not sure what to think about that. I like the vibe at the bear bars; I always have, but now, people strike up a conversation with us much more at other places. Socially, everything is still in a state of major adjustment...

I remember that feeling. I had to do liquids for 3 weeks post-op because I won't eat any of the carb-laden foods (e.g., ripe banana, cream of wheat, etc.) that they would let me have after 2 weeks. By the end of that time, I was so over it. But, I tried to look at it as a character building experience. Hang in there!

It has served me well!

At 8 months post-op, this is what I eat each day: Meal #1: 1 scrambled egg with 2 oz chicken breast Meal #2: 4 oz cottage cheese with 1 T sugar-free strawberry preserves Meal #3: 3 oz chicken breast, 1 string cheese, and 10 ParmCrisps Meal #4: 3 oz salmon with 1 oz green beans, and 5 ParmCrisps Meal #5: 2 oz hamburger steak (93% lean) with 1 oz green beans, and 5 ParmCrisps Meal #6: 3 oz chicken breast with 1 oz green beans, and 5 ParmCrisps Meal #7: 3 oz chicken breast, 1 string cheese, and 10 ParmCrisps Meal #8: 4 oz cottage cheese with 1 T sugar-free strawberry preserves I never get "full." I haven't let myself get there ever since the surgery, really. I have always focused on a set amount of food and gradually increased it over time. I could easily eat more at every meal; I just don't. (As an example, I could probably eat double the cottage cheese I eat, but I just won't do it.) I'm up to 1500 calories now and I'll probably stay there for half the summer and then move to 1600. I'm gradually trying to inch my calories up as I am only 15 pounds away from maintenance. But I do that by adding an extra meal, not adding volume to existing meals. Good luck!

Congratulations! Keep up the great work. I remember getting below 300 pounds right before my surgery. (I weighed 298 on surgery day, and I weighed 397 at the start of my six month pre-op diet program.) I was so excited about it. The only thing more awesome than that was when I got below 200 pounds a few weeks ago! As much as I like my practice's NUT, I discounted her advice a long time ago. If I had followed their advice, I wouldn't have lost anything pre-op, and she would have had me hopped up on carbs during the food stages. They have never known what to do with me because I am such an outlier in their practice, so they mostly just leave me alone. Anyhow, have a great day, and keep going!

There is really only one answer to your question, and it's probably not what you want to hear. You HAVE to find the drive and perseverance within yourself to eat and drink what you need to eat and drink and nothing else. The sleeve is not a magic wand, and if you don't make good decisions regarding food and drink from now on, you will not be successful long-term. (And in these early days, your stomach is healing. It will be healing for MONTHS. You could seriously kill yourself if you don't follow your plan.) The mental battle of this journey is the real challenge. I suggest that you always keep your goals in mind and make sure that your actions support these goals. You made this decision to take control of your health. Now, devote yourself to the lifestyle that is necessary to see it through. Good luck!

I lost 99 pounds during my six month pre-op diet program. When I met with my PCP to get medical clearance for the surgery, she and I talked about some doubts based upon my huge pre-op weight loss success. She advised that the surgery was still the best course of action to ensure my long-term success. And she was right. I've lost another 100+ pounds since the surgery last September and am only 16 pounds from my goal. I never would have gotten here on my own. I would have lost down to about 250 pounds, my bad habits would have come back and taken over, and a couple of years from now, I'd weigh 400 pounds again. Give yourself a chance to be successful. Food is not worth all of the agony that morbid obesity brings.

It takes months for the stomach to heal, and since it is inside the body and can't be seen, that makes the situation your wife is in even more dangerous. This isn't about weight loss; this is about life or death. Seriously, why would she do this to herself? Please do whatever you can do to make her stop.

Another tough love versus you're-being-a-condescending-a*****e thread. Nice!

I wouldn't say that I have been depressed, but all of the change that has happened in my life in the last 14 months can be a little overwhelming at times (even if all of the change is overwhelmingly positive.) I have lost over half of my body weight, and with that comes a lot of change emotionally and socially. I am still navigating some of it, but all-in-all, everything is going well. As I get closer to goal (only 16 pounds to go), I do wonder how it will feel when my journey changes from weight loss to maintenance emotionally.

I would be more concerned about what the "cheating" means to your commitment to doing what you need to do. And post-op, following the doctor's orders regarding food and drink is more than just about losing weight -- it is about life and death.

This is the quote of the day. It should be stitched on a pillow somewhere!

How many people have been successful post-op (loss and maintenance) in the pro-carb camp? I don't intend this question to start up something or to criticize anyone's belief; I'm just curious. Over the time I have been on this forum (since last summer), there have been some pro-carb people here and there, but I can't ever remember anyone talking about long-term success with that strategy. There very well may be some folks who have had success with this approach, but I don't remember them. So -- if you are pro-carb and have had long-term and sustained success, speak up. I'd like to hear some anecdotal evidence to support that approach.

Honestly, I would stay off of the scale for the entire first month. Nothing is going to be accurate because your body is desperately trying to heal. Just stick to your plan, walk, and meet your protein and water goals each day and eventually, the weight will come off.

As I said -- to each his/her own. I liked her article. Maybe one less person will be a cheetos lady (or gentleman).

While everyone deserves some compassion, a lot of people on this site (and not only on this site) need a stiff dose of reality to save their life. I am so grateful to my parents and my brother for getting all up in my face during Thanksgiving 2015. I weighed 400 pounds and I HAD TO MAKE A CHANGE. And you know what, today I weigh under 200 pounds. My labs are perfect. I am almost at my goal at 8 months out. So, yes, I am a huge advocate of telling it like it is. To each his or her own...

Preach!

@Johnny1313 Did I read correctly that you gained 100 pounds in 7 months? Or had you been putting this weight on for a while? If you put this weight on all in 7 months, then I suggest that you work with a psychologist before you think about moving forward with additional surgery. Embracing the lifestyle changes that you have to make is necessary for long-term success. Without that, you'll likely just end right back in the same position later on. Good luck!

I eat the same thing every day -- 8 small meals about 2 hours or so apart. I drink 32 oz of water between Meals 1 and 2 and between Meals 2 and 3, 16 oz of water between Meals 3 and 4, 16 oz of PowerAde Zero between Meals 4 and 5, and Meals 6 and 7. Meal #1: 1 scrambled egg with 2 oz of chicken breast Meal #2: 4 oz cottage cheese with 1 T sugar-free strawberry preserves Meal #3: 3 oz of chicken breast with 1 string cheese Meal #4: 3 oz of salmon with 1 oz of green beans Meal #5: 3 oz of hamburger steak (90% lean) with 1 oz of green beans Meal #6: 3 oz of chicken breast with 1 oz of green beans Meal #7: 3 oz of chicken breast with 1 string cheese Meal #8: 4 oz cottage cheese with 1 T sugar-free strawberry preserves This puts me at about 1400 calories per day, 20 grams of carbs, and 140 or so grams of protein. I am eating and drinking all day; it takes 12-14 hours to get it all in.

I would be lost without my food scale. I have one at home and one that I take with me when I have to travel for work.