blizair09

I either have red wine or whiskey and water (depending on whether I want to have the carbs in the wine or not). On those days I do have drinks, I have to maximize protein and minimize calories through protein shakes. Basically, I have to reserve calories for the alcohol, and since I'd rather be able to eat real food rather than drink, it has become just an every-once-in-a-while thing for me now. (No beer for me, though, since I won't do any carbonation...) Good luck!

I followed a low carb way of eating for six months prior to my surgery (insurance-required diet program), so when I got to my post-op food stages, I refused to eat more than 20 carbs in a day (as I had been doing). This meant that I stayed on liquids for an extra week (3 weeks total post-op of liquids) because I wouldn't eat the second stage of food that added ripe banana, oatmeal, cream of wheat, and stuff like that. Getting into ketosis is such a heinous experience that I didn't want to have to go through that again. At almost 8 months post-op, I still don't eat more than 20 carbs per day. (It's been over 14 months total, now.) This approach isn't for everyone, but it has served me well.

Are you weighing all of your food and tracking everything down to the calorie/carb gram/protein gram/etc? I ask that because it's easy to underestimate food intake when you don't weigh and track. If you're eating 700-900 calories per day, I don't see why you would stall for that long. You didn't mention your carb intake. Depending on how many carbs you eat per day, that might be part of your problem. At this stage of the game, it is mostly about consumption, not exercise. Typically, weight loss stops if there is an issue with consumption, not because you are not exercising enough.

How many calories are you taking in per day? Carbs? Protein? Water? Are you journaling everything that you eat and drink? What are you doing for exercise?

Great job. Keep up the awesome work!

I would definitely be honest with your surgeon about what you have eaten, but you'll likely be able to have the surgery. The bigger issue is that you are going to have to make good decisions regarding food and drink post-op if you want to have long-term success. The sleeve is only as effective as the good decisions you make. I agree that the pre- and post-op liquid diets are among the worst parts of this journey, but they have a purpose, and post-op it is literally a life and death situation. Good luck!

I went to Asia at 3 months post-op and Europe at 4.5 months post-op and I had no issues on either trip. I pretty much ate lean protein and green vegetables everywhere I went (which is what I eat day-to-day even at home and even now). The only thing that I couldn't find in Asia or Europe that I normally eat is cottage cheese. Everything else was similar. Good luck!

Yay! Congratulations!

If you follow your plan religiously, eat and drink what you are supposed to eat and drink, get some exercise, and be vigilant every day, you won't fail. The reason so many people fail is that they never change their relationship with food, embrace this fictitious "I can eat anything, just in smaller quantities" mantra, and expect the sleeve to be some magic wand that will just make them thin with little to no real work.

I would agree with @MowryRocks. I always think that it is nice that people actually care about me and my journey. I do understand the entire "being the center of attention" issue, though. But, when you lose 200 pounds (in my case), I suppose that is just part of the experience. Anyone that knows me (and has known me) is going to want to talk about the weight loss. The only place I would be completely inconspicuous is in a room full of strangers (which is nice sometimes...).

My spa (tanning, massage, hydrotherapy, etc.) is about a mile from my house. I walked to and from the spa each afternoon, giving me a 2 mile walk. I did that every day starting in week 2 post-op. I still do that now, but I try to exercise a little bit more outside of that as well.

Nothing about your weight is likely to be accurate for about a month. Your body is dealing with the trauma of the surgery and trying to heal itself. My advice is to stay off of the scale for a while if it is going to upset you. Focus on meeting your protein and water goals and walk as much as you can. Weight will come off erratically and in its own time. This is a long-term journey, not a sprint. Good luck!

For the first time in 19 years (June 1998), I weighed in at less than 200 pounds this morning! This is a big deal for anyone losing weight, but it is an especially big deal for me as I started at almost 400 pounds (397 to be exact). I now have only 19 pounds to go until my goal of 180 pounds. I am overcome with emotion today, but I am so pleased and proud of my success that simply could not have happened without changing my relationship with food. And I can't help but think about the 99 pounds I lost during my six month pre-op diet program while I was jumping through the insurance company's hoops. Without having done that work, I would be celebrating getting under 300 pounds today, not getting under 200 pounds. That time does make a difference! At 7.5 months post-op, I've lost 198 pounds; I am wearing 33/34 pants and shorts, medium shirts, and my new suit size is a 40 regular. My labs are perfect, and my skin is in remarkable shape considering that I have lost half of myself. Life is amazing! Onward and upward! I'm almost there. Happy weekend, everyone.

If you click on my profile, I have a before picture made 3 days before I began my six month pre-op diet program. My current profile picture was taken last Friday. (The "after" picture in my profile was about 28 pounds ago. I have no idea how to change it and I given up trying to figure out how to...)

Love this! Christopher Cross' son Justin and I were roommates in college.

I understand how you feel. At this point, I don't have much to lose, so it is much slower. I expected it to be that way, but when you get so close to goal, you want to get there. I am hoping to get to goal by the end of the summer. I think that is realistic. Keep up the great work! You'll be there before you know it.

Good for you! I have been completely transparent with anyone and everyone about my entire journey, surgery and all. It has served me well...

I have BCBS Anthem of Louisiana. It took 2 weeks from the paperwork being submitted for the approval to come through.

That's awesome. Congratulations and keep up the good work!

It happens to almost everyone. Google "three week stall."

I eat 1 egg scrambled with 1/2 piece of cheese and 2 oz of grilled chicken every morning. I wasn't able to have eggs on my plan until week 3 post-op and chicken until week 7 post-op, but once you are allowed those things, it offers a good dose of protein and is quite filling first thing in the morning.

I have had a small amount of salad a handful of times post-op, but, for me, it takes up too much valuable stomach space for little to no protein (unless I add chicken to it). It tastes fine to me, and has never caused me any problems; it just isn't the best choice for me to maximize protein.

One of my colleagues had to tie my shoes for me after we went through security at the Norfolk, VA airport. Also, seeing almost 400 pounds on the scale. (These happened at about the same time.)

Thanks! The cottage cheese with sf strawberry preserves is my favorite food of the day!! :-)