blizair09

I'll echo what @orionburn said. The real question you have to ask yourself is "am I ready to change my relationship with food?". If the answer is yes, then I would go for it. I joined this site many months ago as I was progressing through my six month pre-op diet program. Every day, I read posts from people who have done nothing to change their relationship with food, and the posts make me sad because I know that these folks will likely never be successful long-term. For me, I have no regrets. This was the best decision I have ever made regarding my health and well being.

I took off work for 6 weeks after my surgery, and I took a nap every single afternoon during that time!

I took 6 weeks off after my surgery. I could not physically have gone back until after 2 weeks. The fatigue was a real issue for about 8 weeks post-op, and I struggled with it for 2 weeks after I went back to work. Meeting your protein and water goals is quite literally a full-time job in those first weeks, in addition to moving through the food stages. There is no way I could have worked and have been as successful as I was in those first weeks after the surgery. You'll get as many different answers as replies to this thread. The bottom line is that you should stay home as long as your personal, professional, and financial situations will allow. Good luck!

I wish you the very best as you move forward with your journey!!

Good job! You are devoting yourself 100% to your journey, and that is awesome to hear. Keep up your great work.

If you eat within defined parameters (calories, carbs, protein) and meet your water goals, you should not gain weight. In fact, you should continue to lose weight. The surgery is not a magic pill. Now is the time for the tough mental work. Eat what you should, and don't eat what you shouldn't. That's all you have to do. Good luck!

I weighed 298 on the day of surgery. At the end of the first month, I weighed 276 (a 22 pound loss), and at the end of the second month, I weighed 261 pounds (a 15 pound loss). Keep in mind that on surgery day, I was near 300 pounds, and that I had already lost 100 pounds during my six-month pre-op diet program leading up to surgery day. I get your curiosity, but these kinds of questions are so loaded. I've seen people jump to ridiculous conclusions on these boards over the past many months because of something they read when they don't take the context into consideration. Good luck!

Congratulations! Hard work and perseverance pays off!

The day has finally come. After starting my journey March 21, 2016 with my six month, insurance-required, pre-op diet program, my BMI based on this morning's weight of 220 is 29.8. So, I am no longer obese by any measure. As much as I think the BMI scale is flawed and ridiculous, it means a great deal to me to be below this threshold. (And speaking of which, why does BP round BMI now? I liked it better when it was exact.) It is amazing to think that I have lost 177 pounds, and that I just have 40 more to go to reach my final goal of 180 pounds (and my surgery was just in late September). For all of you that are just starting out, this can happen for you, too. It takes hard work, dedication, and grit, but it can happen. And it all begins with changing your relationship with food! So, today, I stop for a moment, I reflect, and I Celebrate the accomplishment. And now, I move forward as an "overweight" man to get this last 40 pounds off and finally see a "normal" BMI (flawed scale or not). Best wishes to everyone!

I really enjoyed my psych evaluation. We talked for an hour about my past efforts to lose weight, why I believed surgery was a good option for me, and my dedication to life post-op. Afterward, I had to take a battery that took me a little over an hour. It was a good experience. The psychologist is just looking to see that you understand the ramifications of surgery and that you are a good prospect for adhering to the required life post-op. Honesty is the best policy with this event.

What does your plan say? I was still on liquids at 2 weeks post-op, but all plans are different.

I am very serious.

Hi Rohit, I can tell you that the surgery is the best thing that I have ever done for myself. I wish I had done it years ago. I weighed 397 when I started my six month pre-op diet program on March 21, 2016. This morning, I weighed 219. My quality of life has drastically improved in every way -- health, professional, personal, and everything else. I am more active, my confidence has grown (though I was never too self-conscious for a big guy), and I just feel better overall. Good for you for taking this step at your age. It shows a lot of maturity on your part. Best wishes as you proceed. You won't regret your decision! Blair

Back during my liquid phase, I mixed the unflavored Isopure into the broth and then put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. It usually dissolved just fine, and by doing it that way, the protein didn't get all clumpy. (I did that when I mixed it with cream soup, too. I would cook a can of soup, and then let it cool down in the refrigerator before I did anything with it.)

Search "three week stall." This stall happens to almost everyone. Stay off of the scale for a while. Concentrate on meeting your protein and water goals. The weight will come off in time. Good luck!

Drink a protein shake to appease your sweet tooth. I'd say that the largest part of this journey is the mental battle. Don't let yourself gain all your weight back. You'll be so upset that you put your body through all of that trauma for nothing if you do. I'd suggest working with a nutritionist and a psychologist to help you get back on track. And cut out the carbs or cut them way down. That will probably help you with your sweet cravings. Good luck!

They told you to drink Ensure Clear? Really? That stuff is loaded with carbs and sugar and has little protein, relatively speaking. Have you tried the Premier Protein shakes? I have never found them to be gritty at all. Another idea is to mix unflavored protein powder into yogurt, broth, or strained cream soup. The broth and cream soup were go-to's for me during the liquid phase.

Wal-Mart sells Sam's Choice Bone Broth. I use it cook green beans post-op, but it is much better than anything else I found when I was going through the liquid stages. Also, I used some powdered broth enhancers (they are located with the bouillon cubes at the grocery store). That made the broth much better.

I understand. I was the same way. There was no calming me down in the 2 weeks or so leading up to surgery. Just do the best to relax as much as you can. Before you know it, you'll be on the other side.

I am only walking. Once I get to my goal, then I am going to implement strength training to add on muscle. I am really lucky that even with a 180 pound and counting loss, I have very little loose skin (some under my arms, some on my inner thighs, and some on my belly -- but nothing really bad). Emotionally, I just can't deal with the effect that kind of routine would have on the scale right now (even though, academically, I know I would still be losing fat). To each his or her own though...

It isn't nearly as bad as you are likely making it out to be in your mind. I did the same thing, and I was blown away at how much easier it was than I thought it was going to be.

Actually, I consider the six month diet requirement to be the best thing that ever happened to me. I decided to make the most of that time, and I started making changes right away. During that time, I redefined my relationship with food, got a handle on my mental demons, and lost half of my excess weight (99 pounds -- from 397 to 298 on the day of surgery). This hard work set me up for my post-op success, and made everything about the surgery and life afterward much easier. The sleeve is just a tool, and it is only as good as the hard work that accompanies it. The point of the six months is to start that hard work. Most people don't change anything and let the time go by, but if it is done right, it can be life changing. Good luck!

They all have too many carbs for me.

My favorite protein shake is the Premier Protein Chocolate. I haven't really had to rely on shakes much for several months now, but on days I have to travel for work, they really come in handy. I'd suggest eating small meals several times a day to meet your protein goals. Even at 5+ months post-op, I still eat 7 times per day, about 2 hours apart. I usually get about 100-120 grams of protein per day, so you should be able to get to 60 without too much problem using that strategy. (BTW, the premier protein is 30 grams in 1 container, so that would get you halfway there on its own...)

I took off work for 6 weeks after my surgery. Pain wise, I felt better after about 2 weeks, but the fatigue was a real issue. I even struggled with the fatigue for the first 2 weeks after I went back to work. The time off allowed me to heal, but most importantly, devote myself full time to taking in protein and water and working through the post-op food stages. That really is a full-time job in those first few weeks post-op.