2ndSpring

hormones???? I don't ever get involved in these types of arguments but I can't let blatant misogyny go unchecked. Gender bias is ugly and should be left back in the 1950s where it belongs. Resorting to dirty tactics like that demeans no one but you.

I drink seltzer or the occasional beer - but very slowly. Seltzer is very bubbly and hurts if I drink too much at once. I was told pre-surgery that I should never drink carbonation for the rest of my life because it would stretch my stomach. I've also read a lot of people sharing that advice on here. There is no evidence that this is true - it is just one of those WLS urban myths.

me too. its definitely the combo of WF and PB together. Back when I was pescetarian and relying mostly on bread and pasta pre-surgery I was always backed up.

@jess9395 and @Apple1 I give you both a lot of credit for jumping into the fray on this topic. (LOL I wasn't touching it with a 10 foot pole!! ) I appreciate your willingness to share your insights and engage in a thoughtful and respectful exchange of opinions and ideas. I'm always impressed with both of your posts. Thanks

Hi Kaddy, The first week is scary, right? I remember feeling exactly the same way. "Is this normal?". I feel like hell...how come other people are up and running marathons the week after? Everything you are feeling is normal. The surgeons may be able to breeze through these operations with ease, but to your body, this was major. Inside, your stomach will be sore and swollen for many weeks. Your whole body may be weak and tired for many weeks too as you recover. The blues are totally normal too. Your body has been through a major trauma and it is reacting both physically and mentally. Normally you would soothe it with food, but you can't and that is a big adjustment. Carb intake is really low right now and your hormone levels can also be reacting. It will all level out. The first week or two, hydration is your number one priority. As you are able, switch over to focusing on your protein. I remember thinking I could eat more than others and was scared that I would not be successful. Now, I'm really happy that my sleeve wasn't so small. The sleeve relaxes a little over time, but not that much. In the first few months I was able to eat 4 ounces. Now I can eat 6 ounces. Its my new normal and something I can live with for the long haul. Best of luck! I'm glad you reached out.

thanks for posting this @heycrystal2052 maybe its bad, maybe its not. It is a cheap additive that the processed food industry and fast food industry love - and damn, they are more creative than big tobacco in finding ways to kill us. There is only 1 study out there and while it was showed some negative results, it was on rats. Great start, but not the final word. There is no conclusive evidence either way, just educated guesses. So I agree with you, why take a chance?

perfectly said!!! Before WLS. I was always hungry, always craving, never full, never satisfied. Now I can choose an eating plan and happily stick to it.

He recommends not worrying about it at all and it will take care of itself. But he also says that if you want to figure it out, you can multiply your lean body mass in kg (what you would weigh without any body fat) times 0.66 to 0.8, depending on your needs. Mine worked out to approx 40g. He mentions that body builders, the elderly and the bedridden need more. I see on your profile that you are pre-op? He doesn't mention post WLS needs. I think your needs would be higher in the first 2 or 3 months after surgery as you heal, so follow your doctors plan - and this can be for when you settle in to a new routine for the long haul.

@Newme17thanks for the recommendation!!! I bought the book and am nearly finished. It has totally changed my perspective. As I mentioned earlier, I've been a pescatarian most of my adult life so I'm already a big believer in plant power for good health. I have to admit though, that I had really been sucked into the WLS mantra of high protein if you want to lose. I was eating a lot of eggs and cheese (which is not very heart healthy), ordering a protein in restaurants when I really wanted salad and eating protein bars or shakes on days when my protein grams were too low. Dr. Davis actually reviewed and debunked some of the studies that I had based my decisions on. Even limiting my research to published studies, there is no way that a layperson can know who is in Big Agro's pocket or who had faulty statistical models. I'm so glad to have read a book that goes through each study the way he did. This week has been so liberating - not worrying about protein content and putting starches back on the menu. I had oatmeal for the first time since before surgery! Ugh, but now I feel really bad about giving out advice on this site that was misguided.

that's good news Laney. I can make it. want to say 2:00?

Great post and thank you making it a safe place to share ideas. I've been a pescatarian (fish and eggs but no other animal products) for about 25 years, so I am very interested. I have read so many books and studies and have tried to take a little wisdom from each. A high protein diet is great if your only objective is weight management or body building. But I want more than that. I want high energy, weight management, cancer prevention, heart health, organ health, etc. Fruit and vegetables are definitely the answer,. Given that we have so little stomach room to work with, it seems logical that we cannot take in so much protein and still have room for broccoli. What is his stance on grains? I am leery of them, but my evidence is only anecdotal, based on my own experience.

my problem in the first few weeks wasn't the pill, it was the big gulp of water to get the pill down with. I stuck with chewables for the first 2 months and after that was able to break a pill in half. I take garden of life brand now. Also, you can get vitamin D in liquid drops. I have great memories of flintstones vitamins from when I was a kid. When I ordered a big bottle of the bariatric advantage chewable vitamins right before surgery, I assumed they would taste similar to flintstones. ugh, nope.

Yeah, you can add Gas-x to the list of things I bought pre-op that were a waste of money.

To tell or not to tell... this is such a hotly debated topic and there are valid reasons for both. In the end, do whatever makes you most comfortable and makes your life easier. I chose not to tell. I'm very proud of my decision to have WLS but I have low patience for BS. I love a spirited debate and don't mind a difference of opinion, but most people are uninformed about obesity and WLS and carry some serious prejudices. I don't want to hear anyone's uneducated comments, no matter how well intentioned they are - or worse, get watched like a hawk. I don't want that kind of irritation in my life. I told everyone that I was following a doctor supervised liquid diet for a few weeks (like medifast). It helped answer the rapid weight loss questions too.

I'm past that age, but mine was brutal, so I know what you are going through and my heart goes out to you. Motrin was the only thing that worked for me too. Tylenol and aspirin are absolutely useless against cramps. How about the birth control pills that stop your period or the hormonal IUDs?

LOL - If only I had known this information years ago!!!! stop eating french fries - its so simple, why didn't I think of that??? LOL Good luck on Friday, you'll be rocking that smoking hot bod in no time.

Excellent post!! You look so happy and are having so much fun. You are so right... it is the little things that make this journey so worthwhile.

Me too! I just crossed that line into overweight this week. It feels so good, doesn't it? We'll be hitting "healthy" in no time!!! congrats to you.

VegaOne is my go-to protein powder. I like the chai flavor and make it in the blender with frozen fruit. It has 20g protein plus vitamins and fiber. I prefer the VegaOne line and not the Vega Protein & Greens line - i find those a ilttle gritty.

welcome!

For the first few months, the doctor's office is enough. You'll be losing like crazy and the loss rate will go up and down, so don't make yourself crazy. Down the road, weekly weigh-ins are good information. I weigh myself at the gym and also take a peek mid-week, just so I don't get blindsided. I don't own one because I hate clutter and don't want it lying around on the bathroom floor I used to have a really bad relationship with the scale and my sense of accomplishment was tied to what it said. I have worked really hard to detach and use it as an information tool. It took a while and a lot of affirmation statements. I remind myself that the scale is measuring today's mix of bone, fat, water, muscle and organs and can fluctuate with things like the weather, hormones, salt intake, and exercise. You have to approach the scale with either Zen or scientific curiosity. Like..... "Hmm, that's interesting, I expected the number to have gone down. I wonder why it went up. Have I been on track? Hmmm. Yes, I have been eating right and exercising. Although.... I haven't been tracking, maybe I'm eating more than I realize. OK, this week I will track and see if that makes a difference."

I can see how it could be beneficial if you ignore their meal plan advice and just take the parts that you need, like the weekly weigh-in and the group support. WW is all about moderation which is good advice for the average person, but most of us needed WLS because we couldn't handle moderation. I know I can't. Too many foods are triggers and set me off . I also remember people sharing at WW meetings about low calorie or low point finds - but usually, those foods were all chemicals.

that's great, the more the merrier. see you on the 5th

Wow, I was going to say something about weight loss statistics and how averages don't predict individual success.... but I like the answer that @LittleLizzieLilliput gave so much better!! that is a great way to think and I am going to follow your example.....I'll just keep going until it feels right!! Love it.

Thanks for posting. Long term success stories like yours are such a morale boost. Your message really means a lot too - about now worrying about the rate of loss - thanks again.