DropWt4Life

Hey buddy! I see we have the same surgery date! I am sorry that you are experiencing this. I am here to reassure you that WE ARE ALL ADDICTS, and WILL ALWAYS BE ADDICTS. We didn't get to where we were by eating the right foods in the right quantities. I have experienced the same thoughts that you are experiencing now. I have had stalls at 3 weeks and 6 weeks. As far as these feelings and cravings, I've been there as well. You know what it is? When we are constantly losing weight, we tend to want to do anything and everything for that to continue. Once we see that we are working hard, but that scale is not moving (or moving in the wrong direction), we tend to think about all of the sacrifices we are making...Sacrifices with food. It can even get to the point of us feeling sorry for ourselves. Once those thoughts appear, it is easy to sabotage ourselves with food. I don't know how many times in my adult life that I have struggled with this. Food always won unfortunately. You are fine though. You have lost 62 pounds in 2 1/2 months. That is truly AWESOME! The important thing to remember is that your journey is never ending. It is not a race or even a marathon. There is no finish line. Once you reach goal (AND YOU WILL REACH GOAL - SAY IT WITH ME!), you are going to have to maintain. You are still going to have to eat well. You may have to continue to exercise. That is okay. This is your new life. The struggle is truly real, but it will be worth it in the end. This is truly life changing event, and you've been given a 2nd chance at obtaining true health and happiness. I wish you the best of luck, and DON'T GIVE IN!

If I'm honest, I have never been one to just not get hungry, or one that "forgets to eat". The ghrelin levels in my stomach are still in full effect. I normally eat every 2-3 hours to stave off hunger pangs, but if I don't, I definitely get them. I have long days, so I start off with coffee at 5am. I don't go to bed until 10pm each night, and eat 6X in between. If I don't, I will probably overindulge on something in the Pantry of Horrors. It is a reality that most of us will still have hunger every few hours for the foreseeable future. We just have to accept it, and plan ahead so that we don't snack on crap. As other posters claimed, there is just no way that I would be able to make it through a day of eating less than 1,000 calories without this surgery. I sat and had 1/2 of a garden salad for dinner at Whataburger last night while I watched patron after patron, skinny and fat alike, shred through 2,000 calories or more in one sitting. I wasn't sad...I didn't feel as though I was missing out on anything...I felt gratitude and pride. My not so little one kept asking me why I was smiling. I finally told her that I was happy that a double meat, double cheese with extra large fries and a giant sweet tea was no longer on my radar. Be sure to stock up on and/or prepare healthy ready to eat snacks so that you aren't caught without something to eat.

Congratulations! You look great!

I am sorry to read this. I hope that you get relief from all of the issues that you have been dealing with. I wonder if being on a low carb diet has aided in the issues you've experienced. Lack of fiber in a diet can wreak havoc on the digestive system, and gall stones can form with a high protein/high fat diet. I don't know what you've been eating over the past four or five years, so it is hard to tell if this might have caused your issues. My cousin had diverticulitis issues after GB surgery until she stopped eating low carb, and started eating way more fiber. My wife's friend also had digestive problems after lap-band surgery until she started eating more fiber. She started eating more whole grains, vegetables and fruits, stopped drinking shakes, and lowered the amount of meat that she was eating. Her overall weight loss slowed down, but she was still able to get to a normal bmi that way. Anyway, I wish you the best of luck, and hope that you've been able to put these issues behind you.

Well, damn...You look awesome! You look like the before picture's daughter. Congratulations! I can't believe you actually lost that amount of weight in a year. That is such an achievement. Keep up the hard work!

That is so awesome! Congratulations! You have come a long way. I would love to do that as well. I wouldn't go any higher than base camp though. Too scary for me!

I also had surgery with Dr. Illan on August 7th. No complications. Great surgeon. I wish you the best of luck in your journey!

I would wait until January as well....I never used insurance, because I was never sick. I would rather my deductible and max out of pocket get satisfied in January, because if I needed to be hospitalized for complications, it would be FREE for the year. If I did it in December, and needed to be hospitalized in January, I would have to pay that max out of pocket again. My max out of pocket is $7,000, so the difference of having the surgery a few weeks later could save me $7,000 if I have to be hospitalized. Now, if I had already met my max out of pocket for the year, you can bet that I would push to have the surgery in December. My family does the whole Thanksgiving thing, but we just go to breakfast and exchange presents on Christmas. The surgery wouldn't mess up anything for me. I would be on puree's only, but I could get something....Maybe some runny grits or oatmeal. The best thing about doing it before Christmas is that I could FINALLY set that New Year's resolution to lose weight and keep it off....AND FINALLY DO IT!

Shoulder bones... Other than my face, this is the most drastic change. You can actually feel my shoulder bones. I have never noticed that in my entire life. It is actually worrisome to me. My entire body is really lean now except the old belly. That still has a way to go, but I hope that I don't lose too much more in the other places. I guess my belly was the last to come, and will be the last to leave. Other than that, I can do an hour on a treadmill at 4mph with a 12 degree incline...No holding. My heart rate stays below 175 the entire time also. I couldn't get above 6 degrees for more than 25 minutes at 3mph before surgery. Not only that, but I would max my heart rate out at 184 within 20 minutes of walking at that pace and elevation. I'm scared, but it is time to start some ab work! Hopefully that will sprout that 2 pack into a 4 pack.

Goal weight: 250 Current Weight: 247 Beat it by 3 pounds. Still losing slowly, but consistently.

I smoked for for about 12 years, and quit 10 years ago using Chantix. I was heavily addicted. I couldn't go more than 2 hours without a smoke. I tried to stop every few months, but could never make it past a day or 2. I would get so irritated by everything, and then go back to smoking. My doctor prescribed me Chantix, and I quit after 4 days of using it. I have never smoked since. I can't stand cigarette smoke now. As a matter of fact, I can't stand smoke from smoke machines, fire, or anything else. My chest gets tight after hovering over a grill for too long. For those of you that are trying Chantix, try using it for the entire 3 months. It is expensive, and most insurance plans don't cover it, but you can half the later doses to save on the cost. I got 2 full doses, and took a full dose for the first month, and a half dose for the next 2 months. I felt as though I didn't need the medication after the first month, but I continued to take it anyway. A co-worker that stopped at the same time as me only purchased the first month's prescription. She started smoking again after a few months. The other thing that is important, is that you should follow the program as well, and not just take the medicine. You need to know what your triggers are, and recognize them every time they are present. It helps to also get online, and do the surveys, etc. If I remember correctly, the program asks you how you feel each day, and gives you little tidbits of information. For example, it might tell you congratulations on your 60th day without a cigarette, and then tell you that your life expectancy has increased by X amount of years or that you have the same life expectancy of someone that hasn't smoked in X amount of years. It is pretty interesting information. Good luck on trying to quit, and please don't smoke shortly after surgery as it will mess with your body's ability to heal and can cause lots of problems. It just isn't worth it.

I prefer premier protein. 30g per shake, and tastes great. You can pick up an 18 pack at Costco for $24.95, and they have it $5.00 off pretty much once every quarter. The protein powder is also great. I also like Syntrax Matrix protein powders. The flavors are really tasty, and mix really well with almond milk or water. They carry 23 grams of Protein per serving. The Bariatric Pal shakes might be tasty, but there is no way that I would pay $15.00 for just 6 shakes...Especially, ones with just 15g of Protein. The Fruit Protein drinks seem to be a good deal, but why are they so much cheaper?

I am almost at 11 weeks as well, and I will admit, my appetite has increased since just after surgery. I was only able to eat 4 ounces of food just six or seven weeks ago, and now I could eat six or seven ounces per sitting now. The more protein I have, though, the less I need to feel content. I say content, because I've never eaten enough to feel full yet. I am afraid of stretching out my stomach if that is even a possibility. I also don't want to make myself sick. Anyway, I am good with about five ounces if I have at least three ounces of protein. If I just eat a salad, another veggie, or a grain like quinoa for a meal, I can put down seven ounces. I am not complaining about that though. Company and department dinner/luncheon season is quickly approaching, and it is nice that I can finish a small garden salad to help avoid the questions as to why I'm not eating...Especially since nobody knows that I've had surgery.

I am curious as well. I had a pretty high tolerance before surgery from drinking scotch straight. I haven't been drunk since probably 15 years ago, because I normally stop after a few drinks. I have a Halloween party coming up next weekend, and the jury is out as to whether or not I will partake. If I do decide to have a drink, I will probably nurse a Michelob Ultra or something. At least it is lower cal/carb. I don't know if it will be worth it at this point. I am leaning towards waiting until New Years Eve.

This is a menu option that I posted in another thread. I was eating this way at 7 weeks out. I made substitutions, but tried to eat 6X daily so that I didn't get hungry. I was told to up my calorie count to 800-1,000 per day since 6 weeks out. Breakfast: 2 egg whites, 1/4 cup of spinach, 1veggie sausage (116 cals, 3g fat, 2g Net Carbs, 16g Protein) AM Snack: 1 Premier Protein Shake (160 cals, 3g fat, 3g Net Carbs, 30g Protein) Lunch: kale salad with cubed turkey (195 cals, 15g fat, 1g Net Carbs, 12g Protein) Early PM Snack: 1 oz. raw almonds (160 cals, 14g fat, 3g Net Carbs, 6g Protein) Dinner: 3 oz. grilled salmon with 1/4 cup chopped broccoli (185 cals, 11g fat, 1g Net Carbs, 19g Protein) PM Snack: 2 celery sticks with 2 triangles of laughing cow cheese (85 cals, 3g fat, 1g Net Carbs, 4g Protein) Macros: 901 calories, 49g fat, 11g Net Carbs, 87g Protein I now eat more carbs then I did then, but still keep them under 70g on most days. I also keep my fat under 60g. I try to hit the 80g mark for protein each day. A few times per week, I drink green protein smoothies. They are around 36 ounces, and that is all I will have until dinner as they are pretty filling. I normally divide it up into 3 drinks and have one every 3 hours or so. I will then have a dinner and PM snack as above. I really do believe that this helps to keep me pretty regular. I play with a lot of different ingredients, but my favorite (right now) is... 1 cup frozen spinach, 1/2 cup frozen kale, 1/2 banana, 1 cup mean green juice, 1 Premier Protein Shake (bananas and cream), 1 scoop Premier Protein Powder (vanilla), 1 Tbsp PB Fit Peanut Butter Powder, 1Tbsp hemp seeds, 1Tbsp chia seeds, 2/3 cup water, ice (625 cals, 16g fat, 39g Net Carbs, 73g Protein) I will use some stevia or splenda if I need to for sweetness, but just a bit. You can find a recipe for mean green juice online or purchase a green juice (raw) in many stores.

I try to hit 80 grams of protein each day, but after that, my diet varies greatly. Some days, I have mostly carbs, and some days, I have more fat. It depends on what I feel like eating that day. I do limit my sugar though, and that is the key for me. My carbs are also mostly exclusively from fruit, nuts and seeds, ancient grains and beans. I don't eat anything that is heavily processed either.

Congratulations! You are doing very well on your journey! You can see a big difference already!

You are doing what you need to do for yourself. If your husband doesn't support you, find others who will support you. Joining this forum is a big step in the right direction as we've all been there (or will be there). Good luck to you!

I had soup or broth if I wanted something. If people asked, I would just tell them that I was dieting as they would definitely notice that I had lost weight after surgery. If I didn't want to eat anything, I would just eat before, and say I wasn't hungry. No big deal.

I used to love Wendy's chili. I used to order a small with a baked potato. It was a cheaper and healthier meal compared to a burger and fries. I would have it now if I wanted it, but only every once in a while. Like a poster above, I would rather make my own. I like using veggie crumbles and 2 kinds of beans in mine. Way leaner and lighter. If I could only get over my habit of making a big pot at once, I would make some. My freezer is already filled with leftovers. I need to work on those before I can make anything else that we can't finish in 1 meal.

Hilarious! I wish that I had thought of that! LOL

Jess....Did you ever feel weak at all after a run? Pre-surgery, I found that I was okay after cardio, but would feel like throwing up after a hard weight workout. I would also feel like I had no energy left. This went away after a larger meal. During pre-op, it took 2 premier protein shakes after surgery to make me feel better. I would then have to have some soup an hour or so later. I am doing pretty intense weight workouts now on 900 calories per day, and I am honestly shocked by that. I used to get hungry late at night, and had to add a snack later in the evening to help. So 900 calories by eating 6X daily works for me. I don't know if I could do it on 600 calories though. Since I started lifting weights 4 weeks ago, I haven't been able to eat less than 700 calories without feeling really hungry. After I lose another 25 pounds or so, I am going to start a couch to 5k program. I did one a few years back, and was able to build up to 3.5 miles without stopping. I was 290 pounds at the time, and already had bad knees before I started. Doing this on a treadmill helped as I couldn't run more than 5 minutes on pavement without feeling pain. Anyway, I loved how I felt after a run, but would spend the rest of that day icing my knees. My doctor told me that I should stop until I lost weight or I might end up needing a knee replacement at an early age. I took his advice, and I stopped. I am hoping that it will be easier while carrying 60-70 less pounds on my knees. I guess we shall see. Anyway, I am inspired by your story. You are in a small minority of those that have surpassed their goal weight and kept it off long-term. I am working towards that goal, and hope that I can be successful as well. Oh yeah, how many calories are you eating daily now at almost 4 years post-op?

The top 2 things that I am doing now that I wasn't doing then... I snack on wholesome food. Before, I snacked on crap. I couldn't sit in front of a television at night without some salty snack in front of me. I loved popcorn. I air popped it myself, but added plenty of popcorn salt to make up for the lack of oil or butter. I now snack on raw nuts, healthy fruit, veggies, turkey and even cheese. I like making my own P3s to meld different flavors. These still pack on calories, but who am I fooling, if I ate chips, I would probably consume three or four servings in a sitting (over 500 calories). I am content with 1/2 ounce of raw almonds, 1/4 ounce of cheese, and 1 ounce of deli turkey (175 calories). This also holds me over for a few hours where the chips would satisfy me until I was done eating them. I now work my entire body in the gym. I used to just work upper body, because I already had big thighs, and didn't want to increase their size as I refused to purchase waist size 46 pants. My 44s were already a bit snug in the thigh area. My legs were the first place that shrunk after surgery, and I decided to devote 1 or 2 days per week just on them. After all, the legs and buttocks are the largest muscle groups in the body. You can benefit from a metabolism boost by working those areas. I don't go out to eat much, but when I do, it is easy to just get a salad. I have always been a guy to refuse to go to a steakhouse and pay $9 for a salad. I wanted to get my money's worth, and besides, it was a cheat meal anyway. The only way that I would get a salad would be if it came with the meal. I now just get the salad. If I'm feeling brave, I might get a soup and salad. So...it all boils down to choices. I make better choices. I choose better fuel for my body, and choose to work smarter in the gym. Oh yeah, I don't stress about my weight any longer. Before surgery, I was on the scale everyday. If I worked hard that week, and only lost a pound, I would be pissed to the point of having what I like to call Sabotage Monday. I still worked out, but would eat whatever I wanted that day. I would then wake up on Tuesday feeling full of guilt. Now, I don't care as much about the scale. I physically see a difference in the way I look in the mirror, and the way my clothes fit. That is enough for me. Sabotage Monday is but a distant memory.

I chose sleeve, because I didn't have gerd or acid reflux issues, and didn't want to have to take a lot of vitamins for the rest of my life. With VSG, I have had acid reflux issues (controlled by diet and the miracle of Apple Cider Vinegar) since surgery. My weight loss is slow and steady, and I am happy with the results. I take a b12 sublingual, a d3 capsule, and 2 multivitamins per day. If I already had gerd, I would have had GB instead. I have seen others lose hundreds of pounds after VSG, so I am confident that I could have lost what I needed to with either surgery. I read that GB is reversible, but the part of the intestine that they re-attach is way smaller than in the initial surgery, so there is a greater risk of complications. My cousin had GB and still gained a big portion of her weight back. It all boils down to diet and commitment. If you commit fully to changing your lifestyle, you can have great success with either surgery. If you go back to eating junk food, fast food, and processed food, no surgery is going to help you.

There was no time limit for me either, and I started taking them on day 3. I took chewables for about a week, and then had to switch over to regular vitamins as I just couldn't do it any more. It seems that a week out should be long enough to wait. I would contact my surgeon asap. Maybe there is a misunderstanding.