GotProlactinoma

What is P3?

I supplement magnesium in a good quantity every night. It’s great for sleep too. i don’t crave chocolate but I know 85-90% dark chocolate in small quantities is a great antioxidant and for someone who doesn’t tolerate coffee or tea, even a little square can “pick me up” if I am tired. And eating it that low in sugar isn’t part of a sugar craving. I am thrilled that I don’t have sugar cravings, which used to run my life. To do it I had to go no sugar, no fake sugar, no fruit, no juice, no bread, when I started eating after surgery and focus on protein and fat and veggies and resistant starches (for the gut bacteria and to be able to poop!) After a couple of months I can make exceptions like one bite of fruit (like if berries are in a salad) here and there. Because now the craving is gone. It’s upsetting to me that some surgeons’ nutritionists suggest or ok protein drinks that are sweet tasting, and jellos, and other things that DO act on the pancreas as well as affect which bacteria make up your personal gut bacteria population. Since the gut bugs create cravings in your brain, by starting anew with surgery, it is the PERFECT TIME to starve the old bugs who live off sugar, let them die out, and grow a new population in the following weeks who will crave good starches, seeds, nuts, resistant starches, fibrous veggies (eventually when you can digest them). I wish every sleever understood how important our gut bugs are to our immune system and our moods and our CRAVINGS. I’m so glad I don’t crave sugar and won’t even feel tempted by Halloween candy etc!

Ok, I am a couple days short of my third month surgiversary, but it's the weekend so I took the measurements today. I started at 205 lbs, in a tight size 18, low obese BMI for years, couldn't lose anything. (The pituitary tumor prolactinoma does NOT help! They are highly correlated with obesity). I lost about 13 lbs on pre op diet and now I am down 22 lbs since surgery. Total weight loss has been 35 pounds. I'm no longer obese, just overweight. Can almost get into a size 14 but the thunder thighs still won't let me. So, my measurement losses today after 3 months: arm: lost 1.75" under boob, smallest "waist": lost 6 inches belly button waist: lost 12" (what???? Had to measure three times to check for errors!! Wow) hips: lost 6.5" thigh: lost 2.5" so happy to see progress like this. Hope it continues.

Thanks! This was truly the best thing I ever did for myself. I can finally exercise without all the fat getting in the way. I have gotten rid of the sweet tooth. And the sleeve provides the best portion control. It's up to me to eat only healthy food and keep working out. I am on my way. These three months were going to go by anyway. And now that obesity is behind me!

I don't focus on calories but my food tracker (I use the free part of Lose It, works great and you can even scan barcodes) does so I see what I eat. I'm only three months out and usually in the 800-900s. I lose ounces pretty much daily. Very slow weight loss but VERY steady. I eat tons of fat apparently. I don't try to but I eat full fat everything and I see my pie chart at the end of each day I'm not stopping eating fat since I am continuously losing at a steady pace. About 35 lbs down since before pre op diet. But I was a low BMI obese person.

I just looked at my Lose It tracking for my macros. I also am not getting quite enough protein even though I am trying. Around 60 grams a day. Carbs around 30-40 g a day. And fats shockingly around 80g a day. For around 1000 cals. and I lose ounces EVERY DAY. I never had a stall yet. I'm at 11 weeks out. Everything I eat is normal fat. No Low or non fat. I eat no sugar, fruits, breads. Focus on proteins. My "treats" are 85% or more dark chocolate and my homemade granola with no sugar but a touch of maple syrup.

I have lost my sweet tooth! These things still SOUND good to me, but now at 10 weeks out, if I put a tiny fingernail sized piece of a sweet thing like a homemade cookie into my mouth, it sindisgustingly sweet and I spit it out. I am so happy about that! So I don't eat sweets. If I crave carbs, I will have 2 oz of my homemade granola with hardly any sugar in it (made with a bit of maple syrup). and if I crave chocolate, I eat 85% or 90% dark chocolate. One square is really satisfying. I love it and I lose weight every day. Maybe 9/10 days the scale goes down a couple oz or more.

Another easy one to track your cals and macros is Lose It app. It saves to your devices and you can scan products or it knows them already. They constantly ask you to upgrade to pay but I was told the free part is good enough and so I never upgrade, and it's keeping great track of everything. It's fast and always with me on the phone.

I'd been thinking for years about doing this. Last spring my blood pressure went through the roof. I didn't want to go on BP meds. I didn't want to be obese any more. I havelittle kids who need me as a single mom. I HAVE to stay healthy. So I did it in July. Best thing I've done for myself ever.

Bring in protein powder you can even mix with water. Bring packets of high protein peanut butter, easy quick protein fix. Then when people stop to eat, eat a plain burger patty or beans and cheese (Mexican). That is what I would do. And if I wanted to eat something "treat" while my kids ate a dessert or sweet, I'd bring some 85% dark chocolate and have a square or two.

Bumping this up: any sleepers in the valley? A meet up would be awesome.

This is how I learned not to drink even after a meal. Water right after eating makes me nauseous. Even if I am really thirsty. I have to wait 20-30 mins.

This is unbelievable! I'm getting an old jeans out of the give away pile. What a great idea. I haven't bought any jeans to fit me yet but this is motivation to get a pair for now even if I don't have them long. and CONGRATS!!

Sorry if this was already posted, I tried it Saturday on the app and I don't see it so maybe I did something wrong. I'm a low BMI obese, now out of obesity after only 10 weeks post surgery. So the WL has been very slow. But it's been steady with no stalls. The before was like a day before surgery and I'd already lost 13 lbs on pre op. The after Is now, about 10 weeks after, after only losing 18 lbs. I've also finished one round of Jillian Michaels beginner workouts on her app (8 weeks). I finally went down a size - maybe 2! I'm on the right track.

My first before and after photos. It's only 2.5 months out, and being low BMI obese, I knew it would go super slow. My fat is very fluffy, I was size 18 and pushing 20, with thunder thighs to make Barney the dinosaur proud. So even though my pounds were low, I was too big for plane seats etc. But being low BMI, the loss is so much slower than many, which is frustrating even though I've had no stalls except the two weeks post surgery. So maybe posting this first progress report will encourage other low BMI obese friends. The first pic is right before surgery. I'd lost 13 lbs already on pre op. The second is today, 2.5 months out and only 19 lbs less. I have done 8 weeks of Jillian Michaels app on beginning level, not doing any high impact.

I love all these ideas! Especially BEING IN PHOTOS with my kids. So they might actually have a photo of me! I've never been in the photos. Sadly, reaching my goal weight will not make me richer. So most of your great ideas are out of reach for me. It will be its own reward to be able to wear normal clothes, hike, and be active generally. Not be embarrassed about my weight. I probably won't even be able to afford a new wardrobe except bit by bit. But yeah, dancing. Going on rides, everything.

I eat full fat, real, organic everything. When I calculate my macros at the end of the day I am surprised to see just how much fat I eat. I get enough protein, just barely the 60, and I'm a bit low on carbs, sticking to a bit of veggies and some starchy fibrous carbs like inulin and flax seed and Chia and pumpkin seeds. But I get a ton of fat. And every day I lose weight. I haven't had a plateau since right after surgery. I'm losing super slowly but it is steady. I do not think that fat makes us fat. I eat no sugar and no fruit (will add fruit back in once I lose the weight).

From last night to tonight, Jews fast on this holiday. Normally, fasting is quite difficult. After dinner until bedtime is usually fairly easy, but the next day, by noon I'm usually ravenous, dizzy, low blood sugar. This year, 9 weeks since being sleeved, I expected it might be really hard because now we need protein almost every 2-3 hours. I was concerned. The last thing I ate was chicken soup at around 6 pm Friday. I spent the day today in services and didn't feel even slightly weak until 5 pm. I did sip some water here and there, never fasted with zero water. But I never felt actual hunger. By 6 pm I was really looking forward to food, and had some sliced turkey and pastrami at 7 pm. 25 hours, the Fast was EASY PEASY for the first 23 hours. What a difference. (I do not advocate fasting for anyone sleeved, but there are various religions where fasting is a thing, and I find it interesting how easy it was.)

I understand that fasting is not to be done anyway if you have medical or other needs. But I wanted to do it and since I was two months out, I felt comfortable trying, and I did drink water.

For me, I could NEVER have lost weight without doing this. It is the part of the journey I needed. I had the perfect diet in terms of types of nutrition and food. I had no control on portions. The prolactinoma (a pituitary brain tumor) secretes a hormone that doesn't allow me to have the sensation of fullness so I could not control the quantities. Now, I can. And even after 20-30 lbs down I was now able to do exercise easier. Exercise gets easier the less pounds you have to move. The sleeve was the "magic" missing piece I needed. Re head hunger: I still feel it at night, and since my calories are low, I fit in that piece of 90% cocoa dark chocolate. It does have natural mood lift, but without the sugar, it isn't harmful and no one got fat on unsweetened chocolate. It is a vegan prebiotic little crunch of nutrition! (I keep it in the freezer so it does actually crunch, lol)

You look amazing and happy! Congrats on your wonderful success. This is a wonderful tool to help with portion control and we have to do the rest. You are living proof. Much success on your marathon!

I never avoid water like some do on Yom Kippur. I wasn't going to my surgeon for religious advice. One day without food, 9 weeks out, was ok. I was listening LOL to a "higher authority." I think he would be glad I was drinking water. But I found it interesting that the sensations of hunger are still gone, and I'm glad, not because I will ever fast except this one day, just because now to me hunger means I need protein. It now comes as a weakness for nourishment, not a lusty craving. there were a zillion homemade and storebought desserts at the party. Normally I'd eye them and "need" to taste them all! Now I look, and ooh and ahh and compliment the maker but I don't even want them in my mouth. I love to bake and I no longer love Tom eat the stuff I bake. It is like a miracle. I'm so happy. people said the pastry cookies I made were out of this world delicious. Late in the night when I was putting the leftovers away, for the first time, I took a fingernail sized bit and put it in my mouth to see if I could taste what they tasted. Nope. It tastes yucky yucky sweet to me. I'm so happy. i eat "dessert" every night if I want some: one square of 90% chocolate. Almost no sugar at all. I do not eat fruit so it is just right in terms of sweetness. It's actually a prebiotic healthy vegan food at that low of sugar.

Wow. I was sleeved a week before you and have only lost like 18 lbs since surgery. You look great! Finally only now my yoga pants are getting too big. I need to be happy with my steady and very slow loss but your pics are makin me jealous! I too am thrilled that I'm getting smaller though. I love my sleeve.

You are one beautiful young thing!! Congrats on this wonderful success! Keep up the great work staying in that shape, and you are an inspiration.

Slow loser here, the first month I lost 8 lbs. The second, I lost 6. Every day the scale goes down some ounces so I feel I am on the right track. Started an exercise program, feeling stronger, clothes are finally getting loose. BMI out of obesity. Total weight loss including pre op 30 lbs.