BrodieGL25

13 months post op. This saved my life. Everyone asks me if I would do it again. And I would !! It's hard. It's not a magic pill. You have to be ready for a life change. Not just something that will shrink your stomach so you can't eat as much. It's only a tool. As long as you go into it like that, I believe you will be successful. I am 170 lbs down in 13 months and it is life changing.

175 lbs down.

Thanks so much !!

Thank you so much !

I have not had any surgery and I don’t think I will. I did this for my health and while I don’t necessarily like the extra skin, I am not planning on being a bikini model. Lol. So I figured that it is part of me and reminds me of where I have been. It’s not real bad on me so I can deal with it for now. But if it ever gets in my way or hurts me then I will consider. Right now , It’s all in places I can hide

Thank you !!! You can do it !! Just remember all the reason you went through it every day ! I have reminders in little places for me of why I will never go back and why I work hard every day. The work every day is short compared to the gain in a he future. Keep loving yourself and know you are worth it !!!

Thank you !!

Yes I am lifting weights and doing resistance training. I also walk on the treadmill with a weighted vest so as I continues to lose , I was still carrying more weight during my workouts.

You can do it !!!!

I do have extra skin. I have it on the inside of my upper legs , on my lower stomach and back and of course on my arms. But I am doing a lot of working out right now. A lot of tonight exercises and weight resistance training. It is working with toning the sling for the most part everywhere but the legs. Luckily I can hide it all with what I wear.

Yes. Lifting weight. And resistance bands for toning.

Yes , I am lifting light weights and resistance training just to tone. I also walk on the treadmill 4 times a week with a weighted vest on at an incline to tone my legs.

Hi there. I have really gotten used to portion control for sure !!! I stick to protein first and don’t drink anything within 45 minutes before or after eating ... NEVER. I eat my protein first then try to take a couple of bites of the other stuff. I have learned that I have to stop eating and give myself about 5-10 minutes to determine if I am full or not. For some reason , my brain doesn’t register it with the food in front of me and while I’m eating. .. weird. So I rely on myself to stop and wait and decide if I can’t take a few more bites. Sometimes , I will get up and walk around or walk outside or to the bathroom or something like that so I don’t just sit there on front of the plate of food. Why ??? Because it’s STILL a struggle. That’s what I want people to know ..... it’s not magic. Your hunger for food doesn’t go away. Your desire to taste good food doesn’t go away. It’s still there. You just have to learn to deal with it. I wake up every day and day “ ok, we got this “ ..... truly is a change of life and how you have to view food. It’s fuel not comfort. Now don’t get me wrong ... I don’t want to scare anyone and make anyone think that I haven’t indulged. I absolutely do have a couple of bites of ice cream once a week. Or I eat a cookie once a week. Or I take a couple of bites of desert every now and then when I’m out dining. But it’s a treat and it’s only usually a bite or two at the most just to satisfy me and help me not feel deprived.

I had 2 hernia repairs before my sleeve surgery. The surgery went fine and he even repaired it a 3rd time ! No additional pain and I was taking Tylenol the next day.

Picture on the left was a couple of hours before surgery. Pic on the right is the day of my 13 week check up. 75 pounds down. Come on everyone !!! We can do this. We have a community supporting and cheering us on [emoji4].

I stick to my diet no matter what. I never tried to introduce any food too early. I stuck to all phases like glue. 3 months out I am still measure everything I eat , I have not taken one bite of bread, crackers etc. I stay on a low carb diet ( less than 20 grams a day). I switched sugar for equal [emoji4]. And I have only drank water since the day of my surgery. Nothing else except for my half cup of coffee in the morning. Your brain will change from wanting food for taste and pleasure to eating for nutrition and moving on !! This is not easy but you can do it !! Remember YOU ARE WORTH IT. I have to tell myself that every day to stay on track ! Wishing you all the best !!!Oh .... and I never taste anything that is a danger zone for me. Hahahah. I have a spouse who is always saying " just one bite so you can taste it ". But I know that will be like an alcoholic taking a drink. My cravings would get out of control and I would succumb to them. Everyone is different. Find what works for you and rock this thing [emoji6].

Thank you so much !

Congratulations ! And thank you. You got this

Way to go !!

I think the best thing to do is consult your doctor and nutritionist. I was severely diabetic and there were times that my sugar did drop because I was not put back on my trulicity and metformin right after surgery. In addition, you are eating much lower than what our bodies are used to. I was told to absolutely not touch the Gatorade because of the sugar and high caloric intake. It was a big No NO with my docs. But, if you feel like you are having sugar problems and need help, you definitely need to call the doc. I also got blood test very often to ensure that everything was on track and nothing needed to be added or taken away.

It was actually over a week for me. It was a terrible feeling but I made it through. I am 13 weeks post op now and I actually take stool softeners every single day.I cant go without them. I wouldn't dare miss a day !

I am about 11 weeks post op and still eating soft foods and salads mainly. I have tried the lean ground beef, turkey sausage, steak and I throw it up. I am not in any discomfort or pain but it just doesn't sit well with me. I can taste it ( one bite) and I am ok. But, more than 1 bite and it is coming up. So, I am still steering clear of it for the most part. I asked my doctor about it and they were not concerned at all especially since there is no pain or discomfort. Your stomach is being retrained to accept food and SMALL amounts of it. Some things will not sit well with you like others will. At least that is what I was told so I am going with it I stick to softer foods and my brain has totally reset itself. I no longer look at food like " I don't like this or I don't want this"... I just look at food and understand that I have to fuel my body and that's all. Its not always that easy but it gets easier every day for me. I think every person is different. You know what your body can tolerate and what it can't. As long as you are not in pain or discomfort and you are getting the nutrients you need, all is good.. Good luck.

I am 3 weeks post OP...and believe me.. I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.... I laid in bed every night for the first few days wishing I could go back to before. I was wishing that I never did it. I thought that I had made the biggest mistake and was actually very mad at myself and kept telling my spouse how stupid I was :).... The reason I tell you this is so that you understand the level of regret that is NORMAL. I know its so hard to understand that you will get through the regret and end up being so thankful that you did it! But give yourself a few weeks and you will be comforting someone else on here and telling them how you got through the regret and are now thankful that you made it. Just remember , if we could have done this on our own,.... we would have. We needed help. Just remember why you did it. Find yourself something to do in those moments of regret.. Crossword puzzle, play games on on ipad, watch your favorite movies, call a friend and just talk... anything to keep your mind occupied.