-
Content Count
122 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Blogs
Store
WLS Magazine
Podcasts
Everything posted by AZBlackhawk
-
Counting weight loss from pre-op vs. Post-op
AZBlackhawk replied to Whogoesthere's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
I count my highest weight, when I had the first consult with surgeon and I was trying to lose weight. -
Why do protein drinks taste awful?
AZBlackhawk replied to Véronique's topic in Protein, Vitamins, and Supplements
I really like Inspire protein powder from BariatricEating dot com. They have lots of flavors and they are pretty good. I was using premier protein before surgery, now I don't want to open those!! -
I would ask your surgeon. You could also compare the vitamin content in a Bariatric vitamin to the content of your prenatal. Usually you can find the label with specifics online. I know some surgeons say use good Bariatric vitamins for a year at least then after that switch to centrum or something like that.
-
What's your reason for your obesity
AZBlackhawk replied to Siyaa Ela's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Good post! i remember being 3 years old sneaking the fridge for chocolate cookies. Eating sugar out of the sugar container. Putting probably 1/4 cup of sugar on my cereal as a kid. I would cut cakes in thin lines all the way across to try to be sneaky about taking extra bites. I was a little chubby as a kid, but thinned out in high school then yo-yo'd. I don't think anyone taught me those things...I just always tried to sneak extra, sugary, chocolatey things So- 1. lack of self control 2. Never had good food habits 3. Using food when happy/sad/ any emotion really. 4. Stress and poor sleep 5. My dad was heavier and died when he was 43 (I was 10). My mom died when I was in my 20's, but eating Taco Bell at that time wasn't too bad for my figure. My sister died when she was 37, my 3rd kid was 3 months old at the time and I had just had my ovaries out- so I was a mess. 6. I remember someone saying at my dad's funeral that he would by a pie at 7-11 and eat it in the parking lot... I usually hid my really bad eating habits. So much so, that at one time I would get mcdonalds after work but then eat dinner at home even though I wasn't hungry at all and had just consumed more than I needed! -
What are you doing in the gym for 2.5 hours? Maybe that's too long and it causes hunger or the feeling that you can eat those things? I gave up alcohol about a month before surgery. I had a protien shake for breakfast pre op (and now still post op). I would have a snack in the morning a few hours after breakfast and a snack in the afternoon a few hours after lunch. I also used, still do, My Fitness pal, that may stop you from eating poorly. Seeing the calories and fat in these things.
-
I have added protien powder. Also sugar free preserves or jelly. It's only like 10 cal for 0 sugar in a tbsp. Also, Oikos Triple Zero (black containers) are really good. They are flavored or vanilla but are amazing and not sour at all.
-
This is normal!! I could only have clear liquids for 6 days and then I could introduce protien shakes. I recall day 5 specifically, I woke up, was up for a couple hours, was going to take a shower but laid in bed and took a 4 hour nap! Just exhausted. It'll get better!!
-
Things you wish you had
AZBlackhawk replied to Millerlight's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
There will be others on here who tell you about "things," I will tell you to look up Dr. Duc Vuong, Support Surgeon on Facebook or you tube. These free videos are invaluable. Wish I would have known about him before my surgery or immediately after. He also had the Sleeve Academy (which applies to RNY or any WLS, too). Look him up. Also, start learning about meditation. We need to get our heads right!!! We didn't get obese because we knew how to handle stress or whatever is in our life. Good luck! -
Must-haves post surgery?
AZBlackhawk replied to Seerae3's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Look up Dr. Duc Vuong, support surgeon on YouTube or Facebook. Watch his videos. I recently discovered them and although two months post op only, I wish I would have had those before or immediately after surgery. He is a firm believer in getting your mind right. By journaling and meditating. The more I look into meditation, the more amazing it is and I am starting to do it. I wish I was watching his videos, range from a few minutes to an hour or so, rather than just watching Hulu or Netflix that first week post op. Good luck! -
I could have cooked veggies after a week and I often had broccoli. No problems. I could eat maybe one floret, so it's really not that much roughage. I'd cook them and they be pretty soft. My program went from liquids for a week to the ability to eat soft foods after one week (eggs, tuna, tofu, cooked veg, etc). My team encouraged cooked veg.
-
It took a while to have a bowel movement. You're on clears, so that's why. Once I started soft food after one week, it still took a while to get things moving. When I did poop, it was tiny. I'd go one day several times then not go for a few days. I think now, after two months, I'm going every day or two.
-
Food Post WLS Question?
AZBlackhawk replied to FluffyChix's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
I'm 7 weeks post RNY. Since week 2, my NUT said 3 bites of protien and 1 bite of veg/fruit. My team does not want their patients to totally forego veg/fruit. That being said, I eat about 1/4 c of meals 3 x/day plus some shakes. I usually am able to eat one strawberry or a few blueberries with my protien. Or maybe 2 broccoli florets. This coming week I get to add raw veggies so I'm excited but still don't think I'll eat much in that area. If I don't eat some sort of fruit or veg, I get that ketosis taste and it's awful! So I've also been adding a few strawberries to my shakes. Going for green smoothies this week too! -
It'll come off. No worries!! You're body is probably in shock, like, what the hell just happened?! I was the same way, slow weight loss the first week or so then the scale moved. I was told not to weigh myself so much or at all at home, I have to though. But I don't get discouraged when it doesn't move for a few days.
-
4ounces by weight or volume ?
AZBlackhawk replied to dreamingsmall's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
It's by volume. -
I want to start having a green smoothie in the morning, but don't want to have too much sugar/carbs. I plan on adding protein powder as well. Anyone with RNY use green smoothies regularly? What do you put in and how much??
-
Green Smoothies & RNY?! Recipes??
AZBlackhawk replied to AZBlackhawk's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
Sound good!! Thanks!! -
New w/ questions about weight loss and excess skin
AZBlackhawk replied to BrownsugarNY's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
Hi! I'm only 2 months post RNY, so I also worry about excess skin. However, I was watching Dr Duc Vuong, the support surgeon on fb (check him out if you haven't. He does VSG, but most of his videos apply to any WLS). Anyways, he said, "you have to get there first!" I thought about that and he's right. Don't let excess skin prevent WLS. He also says working out won't help excess skin, I'm not sure. I'm sure there ar ppl who will say it ha helped. It makes sense that exercising won't help it since loose skin doesn't have muscle in it, so you cannot tone it. I'm about your size but started out bigger. 5'3" with high wt 252. Surgery wt was 227. Two months out and I'm 196! It is a lot of weight. I think my BMI was 40 at surgery, still morbidly obese. I feel so good now. I look at pictures and think, wow, how did I get there. Good luck with everything! -
Not sure if it's normal but I also feel like I have a super sense of smell. I was at the movie theatre and the person next to me was eating m&m's. I didn't see them, but I could smell them like they were in front of my face. I can definitely smell food other people are eating so much more than ever before!! Weird!
-
Call your surgeon! Your body can shut down. If you don't want to spend more time in a hospital, you may want to go now to get it under control! This sounds so dangerous with dark urine. Id go to hospital not urgent care. If you are that dehydrated, you won't be able to drink yourself hydrated at this point.
-
Jealous of others on here
AZBlackhawk replied to Mersh's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I'm not gonna argue, but, I would re-think the sugar free jello and sf pudding. Empty calories, I would think. And then your body thinks it's gonna get filled up on something but it doesn't and that may lead to more hunger. Not everyone with WLS loses hunger. And I believe most get hunger back anyways. Also, your trainer doesn't understand WLS. He sees your size and automatically thinks you need this much calories/macronutrients. So listening to him, might not be the best thing. Dr. Duc Vuong is on Facebook and has free videos that are good. Look him up. He performs sleeves and if you aren't getting support from your clinic, watching his videos may help. -
Not advertising my Surgery, What to tell close people you dont want to share with?
AZBlackhawk replied to 40class1's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
It's funny, I use my kids forks and spoons from when they were toddlers at work. A few people have commented on them. I just say it's so handy to bring to work. No one yet has commented on my small portion sizes (1/4 cup) but if anyone does I will just tell them I'm eating 6 smaller meals per day, or that I had a protein drink not that long ago so I'm not that hungry. My co workers knew I had surgery and only one asked what it was for. When I told her, "oh, you know, just surgery", she felt bad for asking and apologized. Who knows what they think I had surgery for. When coworkers tell me how good I look or ask weight related questions I mention how I've been losing weight since April (initial surgeon consult) so it doesn't seem like I lost all this weight so fast. I just don't want questions or comments about how their aunt had WLS and now she's gained it all back... -
Hi! I had RNY on June 26! 7 weeks out and I am so exited to start salads. I find it hard to eat slow, dime size, chew thoroughly and be able to get in the 1/4 cup for food at a meal in 20 minutes. How do you do it? If I pause after every bite, I can eat about 1 oz in 20 minutes. So, I eat my 1/4 cup (eggs, ground meat, etc) slow but fast!? Small bites, chew well, but after I swallow I take another bite right away. Otherwise I feel good. Lots of energy since have given up caffeine. I want to stay off of that. I do need to exercise more but my job keeps me walking a lot. I'm happy with my weight loss and have lost about 35 pounds since RNY.
-
Protein Drink Suggestion
AZBlackhawk replied to Nhope's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I would be careful drinking it over too long of a period. That is considered grazing, then, and we should NOT graze or snack. Sometimes it does take me a while to drink my coffee with protien, but not too long. Thats a good idea with the cinnamon. -
how did you feel 16 days post op?
AZBlackhawk replied to makemyownluck's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I was fine maybe still a little tired, but nothing major. I started working after 2 weeks and work In a hospital where I walk and stand a lot. No pain at that time. You'll be good and may feel like dancing!! -
Gym or no gym, that is the question
AZBlackhawk replied to AZBlackhawk's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
James - I love your posts! You give great advice and I always walk away with something!! Thanks!