teacupnosaucer

I have a glass of high protein skim milk in place of one of my glasses of water. Bumps me up a hundred calories.

At 5 weeks I was feeling like my old self again... but I had pretty much a picture perfect recovery. Give yourself time, you'll get there!

I felt pretty much the same as you three weeks out. By 4 weeks I was MUCH better and at 5 weeks I was pretty much completely myself again, so just keep that in mind. You're very likely almost through the weeds. I'm a side sleeper and had a hard time with that too. I found sleeping with a pillow between my legs and hugged to my belly allowed me to sleep on my side more comfortably. You could also get one of those crazy pregnancy body pillows to snuggle with as well. I'd say you're right on your suspicions about low energy. You just had surgery AND you're really not eating a whole lot to nourish you and give you energy. You will feel better in time, so just keep on keeping on.

This experience is night and day with mine. I met with my clinic's psychologist twice. One time she had be do a couple of mental health questionairres (screening me for depression, anxiety, and adhd), talked to me about my lifestyle and changes I was making and how prepared I felt for surgery, then gave me suggestions to work on and saw me three months later to see if I had progressed and was compliant with her suggestions. I was, so she signed me off for surgery. Now I have a standing offer to call her if I ever need post surgical emotional support for anything.

It's hard to give you advice with no understanding of your background and what your goals are. Do you have a BMI over 40? Have you yo-yo dieted all your life and are only getting heavier? Or do you struggle and struggle and do everything right but never lose anything? Do you have weight-related comorbidities or family history of the same? Have you made lots of healthy lifestyle changes already and want your body's weight "set point" to reflect that and to prevent regain? Then surgery may be a good option for you. Stick around and read up. Are you hoping for surgery to make you feel better about your appearance and have better self-esteem? Fix your marriage? "Force" you not to cheat on your diet? Make you lose weight without watching what you eat or maintaining an exercise routine? (AKA have Fast Effortless Weight Loss?) Are you looking to lose thirty pounds in a month? Do you have uncontrolled binge eating disorder that you think this surgery will cure? Are you only slightly overweight but just hoping to lose 20 lbs off your belly and thighs, or to fit into a size 4 instead of a size 8? Then I'd do more research and re-evaluate your expectations and understanding of the procedure and what it can or can't do for you before proceeding.

I use the smaller salad plate from my dish set vs. the full sized dinner plate and that seems to work just fine. For snacks/lunches I use a Japanese bento set since they are quite small in the first place. I am currently working on getting into the habit of weighing and measuring my food as well. I use a small inexpensive kitchen scale.

Yep I've eaten watermelon without issues. Someone with an RNY might have trouble with the sugar content though, so that's worth considering. Fit it into your diet plan (aka don't be filling up on it on days you're way below your protein goals etc), measure your portion, and enjoy. I should add: IF you have your nutritionist's okay. If you're only cleared for full liquids, or you're only cleared for a certain amount of sugar in a day and watermelon doesn't fit into that... well then, totally different story!

I've heard of PLENTY of post-sleevers drinking post op. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm sure I will because like you I do enjoy a drink socially. Looking forward to my first cider this summer! Caveats: 1. Wait awhile post surgery. I really doubt booze is good for post-op healing. Surgeons typically have guidelines on that one, which vary, so just follow their advice at the very least LOL. 2. Drink at home your first time because your tolerance may be completely different and lbr, if you're gonna get sloppy drunk off of one wine cooler it's probably best to do it at home. 3. Most post ops have a policy of never driving after drinking, not even after one. Not worth the risk. 4. Go slow and stick to lower alcohol options until you feel out your new alcohol tolerance. 5. Alcohol is liquid calories. You can sabotage your weight loss just as well with beer as with milkshakes... so keep that in mind. 6. Watch out for signs of alcoholism. It's a common transfer addiction among post bariatric surgery patients. 7. Continue to enjoy responsibly!

I tried new foods, sure, but I definitely didn't FORCE myself to eat anything! Sorry but you couldn't PAY me to start eating mushrooms now post surgery, even if you told me they had 100 grams of protein a serving But sure, try new things and re-try things you didn't necessary like before. Why not? And be sure to try them prepared different ways. I grew up with nasty boiled slimy brussel sprouts... but hey, you roast those mothers in the oven and they taste heavenly!

You can also scroll all the way down whatever page you're on on the forum and on the right side under the magazine articles there is the "TOGETHER WE HAVE LOST" counter with a handy spot to update your current weight if that's all you want to do.

and if it's HUNGER vs "cravings", aka you just need more calories and nutrition, by all means let yourself eat! have an extra meal or healthy snack like @OutsideMatchInsidesaid. There's nothing wrong with eating your 2oz of chicken, finding yourself hungry, so having 2oz of tuna a couple hours later. you just have to understand the difference between period cravings like I have (only junk food will satisfy them, they're for particular unhealthy items) vs. just needing some extra nutrition that day. it is okay to nourish yourself!

Yep, my period throws me for a loop every month, even post-surgery. 1. Knowing it's coming helps a lot because I can say "this is just your period" and reason myself out of it sometimes. Not all the time, but sometimes LOL. 2. Plan to satisfy cravings in a way that's still friendly to your post op diet. I like that "snacking chocolate" they sell at Costco, dark chocolate with pumpkin seeds. I measure out a portion of that (USING A SCALE AND PUTTING THE BAG AWAY ONCE I MEASURE, that's the important part haha) and eat it very slowly and let it melt in my mouth and really enjoy every bite. At least with the pumpkin seeds in there I'm getting a little bit of nutrition, vs eating a bag of Chips Ahoy LOL. 3. Keep busy. I get those nights where I CANNOT STOP EATING and NOTHING SATISFIES ME and they are the worst. On those nights honestly I try not to give into them at all because once I start I can't stop. I make a mug of tea, then I turn on a videogame so that my mind and hands are both busy. Hard to go down to the pantry repeatedly if I'm playing an online coop game I can't pause. Other people do stuff like knitting or puzzles. Anything that occupies your mind and hands and makes it harder to eat. Or you can just straight up leave the house and go somewhere food isn't accessible. 4. Don't have food in the house that you know you'll abuse. Honestly period cravings are bad, but they've never been bad enough that I've actively left the house to satisfy them. If there's ice cream in the freezer you better believe I'll eat it, but no I will not be driving my bloated self to Dairy Queen for a blizzard, iykwim.

I had to learn new healthier ways of processing my emotions that didn't involve food, basically. Swimming daily helps me with my day-to-day stress level, but then after that there's taking a hot bath with a lush bath bomb when I need to "treat myself" (they're expensive and luxurious, so I get the sense that I'm doing something totally unnecessary for myself), or watching my favourite comfort movies, whether that means distracting myself with a rom com or watching Moulin Rouge because I just need to have a good long cry to feel better. Journalling helps me process things, rather than just ignoring them or trying to soothe them with food and treats. As for the "on the go" bad eating, that comes down to planning. I bring a lunch box with me and have snacks in my car and purse so I'm not caught at three oclock at the mall hungry and with ~no choice~ but to eat a delicious buttered pretzel LOL. Sometimes I hate myself for that haha, but it does help. Good for you for figuring this stuff out pre-surgery. It really really helps to be prepared. Especially having an emotional toolbox of ways to cope without food, because that post surgery period can be really emotional and turning to food to fix it either sabotages your progress or makes you sick and resentful. I second the suggestion above to see a therapist/counsellor if you can afford one. I also took an emotional eating class put on by my primary care network, which taught me all kinds of strategies for managing emotional eating.

I'm glad you said that about mimosas tbh! I'm definitely never going back to pop because I know it's leading down a dark dark path for me LOL, but I was very sad thinking I couldn't have a Magners on a hot summer day!

I second the question about acid reducers. I'm on pantaloc twice daily and if I miss a dose I feel like I am FAMISHED. lying awake at night wanting to eat, which is something I didn't even do when I was fat! if you're already tracking your food (good for you on that one btw!), then maybe now is the time to start paying attention to your protein intake as well. your nut may have told you not to worry about it, but protein is essential for healing and it keeps you full longer too. also, when you say "h20" do you mean plain water, or do you mean "diet iced tea" or "water with crystal light" etc etc? because artificial sweeteners like that are known to cause food cravings in some people. if I have sugar free drinks of any kind I ALWAYS wind up snacking afterwards, often doing that bad thing where I'm going to the pantry over and over never satisfied by what I'm taking out to eat. those three things would be my suggestions to start with. now as to the NUMBERS side of the equation... consider the fact that you are a low BMI already. our weight loss will be slower than people with more to lose. "only" down 22 pounds in two months works out to 2.75 lbs a week on average. that's REALLY not that bad of a weight loss, especially for someone with a BMI of 33. adjust your expectations a little! whenever I'm mad about the scale not moving I remind myself "when's the last time I lost 3 lbs a week for two months straight on Weight Watchers (my pre-surgery diet of choice)" OH YEAH, NEVER. that NEVER EVER HAPPENED. I think the dazzling successes we see with weight loss surgery can make us a little greedy and 'NOW NOW NOW' rather than remembering what things were like before and how much better we're doing now than we ever did then. compare yourself to yourself and leave everyone else's numbers out of it. also, since you're three weeks out, I will remind you that "the 3 week stall" is infamous for a reason. don't let it psyche you out or get you down. plateaus are a natural, healthy part of the process. just keep on chugging, and one day the scale will move.

Sounds like you've got a good handle on your diet. The other piece of maintenance (and long term health in general for EVERYBODY) is some manner of consistent exercise/activity, whether you're "an exercise person" or not, it's something you just have to do for health. One way I think of it (I'm not an exerciser either LOL), is how would it look if I said "I'm not a tooth brushing person" the same way I say I'm not an "exercise person"? Doesn't mean you have to start some gruelling gym routine you hate with a trainer who treats you like crap or a bunch of competitive gym bunnies around making you feel like ****. You're so much smaller and healthier now just from the weight loss, I think you'll be surprised at the fact that exercise isn't nearly as much of a chore as it once was... especially if you get creative about where you get it from. It can be going for a run, or it can be aquafit, or it can be taking a dance class or joining a soccer team or doing kickboxing to get some aggression out. Anything to get you moving and your heart pumping. The right activity and the right friends can help you make it work. Sorry if that's the opposite of what you want to hear LOL, since you kind of pre-empted it at the end of your post, but it's the truth. There comes a point where you can't improve on your diet anymore and it's time to expand beyond it for your healthy changes.

I guess the grass truly is greener, huh? You get the people having major regrets and misery because their recovery has been so hard on them... and then the people for whom recovery is going TOO easy! Don't psyche yourself out! I'm like you, now that I'm on solids I do feel restriction but it's not nearly so uncomfortable, painful, or difficult to deal with as it is for some people. I basically have no limits on what I can eat, only what amount. I have to consciously make good choices. I can't depend on my body to "punish" me. And you know what? I've made peace with that. I'm still losing weight, and I'm keeping up with my good habits, and learning how to CHOOSE to eat well. With this freedom comes responsibility yes, but that's okay. I can handle this! You can too! Just because every mouthful isn't abject suffering doesn't mean the surgery isn't going to work. All of us have to MAKE it work. Yes, even the people for whom restriction is more severe or who have dumping syndrome and food intolerances etc etc. They still have to make it work by doing their part. Severe restriction and dumping syndrome often don't last forever, and people who depend on them alone to lose weight are missing out on the time to learn new habits those of us without that safety net have to learn from the beginning. So take this opportunity to really wrap your head around the fact that this is all on you, but you can rise to the challenge and succeed. Don't be scared, just be realistic.

You made a permanent irreversible change, which likely included a fair bit of pain and struggle to make it through, and for which the rewards aren't always immediate or tangible. How could you not have some regrets? @Ray august above is right on the money. It's human to regret big decisions. Hell, I booked tickets to Disney World this winter and have regrets about that! Make a list of positive changes you have made and experienced, or journal about all the things you are looking forward to. It helps to really put effort into focusing on the good aspects of this decision sometimes.

Part of post-surgery life is adjusting to not living by your sense of hunger and full anymore. There are days I want to eat everything due to excess acid or my period or just plain old head hunger... and there are days I don't want to eat anything at all. I eat measured portions of scheduled snacks on both days. It's a weird sensation, especially after a life of very bad eating habits where I would restrict and binge, and it can feel seriously monotonous, but it's just something that needs to be done. But wait until you're on solid foods before you get worried about this. You're not settling into anything resembling a "normal" or long term eating pattern yet when you're on purees and fluids. Once you start eating dense protein and real food, things will change. There is a BIG difference between eating 2 oz of porkchop and having a cup of yogurt. Just keep tracking, following your plan, making good food choices, and hitting those protein and fluid goals. You will find your stride.

That entirely depends on the clinic you're in, etc etc etc. My experience going through Alberta Health having my surgery publicly funded is completely different from someone doing their procedure in Mexico self-pay or the person doing it in the US on their insurance. For me it was: 1. Get my doctor to refer me 2. Waitlist for six months 3. Take a bunch of diet/exercise educational classes (8 of them in total) 4. Get accepted to clinic. 5. Info session for the clinic. 6. More diet and surgery basics educational classes 7. Meet with my nurse, who did my history and scheduled me to see specialists in the clinic. 8. See a dietician. 9. See a psychologist. 10. See the psychologist again. 11. Meet the surgeon and sign for surgery. 12. Do a more intense surgery education class. (my third time learning about the surgeries) 13. Visit dietician about pre-op diet. 14. Get a scope and GI in preparation of surgery 15. See an internist re: stuff in my medical history 16. See pre-admission clinic at hospital 17. Wait for surgery date. 18. Liquid diet. 19. Surgery

aw thank you! you're making me blush

don't be nervous! the vast majority of healthcare staff will do an excellent job taking good care of you. instead of worrying, just take it in as a chance to be proactive and make a plan now that if there's something unacceptable about your care, you have a right to speak up!

I filed a formal complaint, don't worry. The charge nurse was into see me within an hour of me making my complaint, and gave me her card as well. DEFINITELY important to follow up on stuff like this for the sake of other patients, I agree!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who wants to lose weight but keep my boobs LOL. My mom is big-chested and is always talking about wanting to be an A or B cup but dammit I like my proportions!

I hope you're able to get your protein up! It fills me with a great sense of satisfaction to hit my goals LOL.