DropWt4Life

Make sure to pack some Gas-X strips, bullion cubes. The Gas-X strips are great for the two days after surgery, and I could have sold those suckers for $20 a strip. Everyone was asking me to share, which I did of course. The bullion cubes are good for your trip home. You can just ask for hot water, and dissolve those suckers in there while at the airport. Other than that, you will need the basics (clothing changes, toothpaste, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.). I was given everything that I needed by my NUT in Mexico. Propel, broths, protein water, coconut water, etc. I didn't have to really take anything. Once I got to the airport on the way home, I started to experience hunger for the first time. I got a cup of hot water from Einstein Bagels (I think it was Einstein Bagels), added 2 bullion cubes, and sipped the broth down. That held me over until I made it home. Congratulations on your surgery!

I was also allowed to have coffee. I was told to stick to decaf for at least the first week or so, which I did. After that, I started drinking half-caf.

Two weeks should be fine. I also have a desk job, and realistically could have returned to work after a week. I was tired for a few days after surgery, but that went away at around day four. At six months out, I can eat anything that I want. I try to eat clean for the most part, but do have "bad for you" foods on occasion. I had a few alcoholic drinks at 4 1/2 months out (New Years Eve). I was fine, and didn't overdo it. I haven't had drinks since, because I just haven't felt like it. I did make myself throw up once a few months ago. I normally weigh and measure my food, and on that particular occasion, I was out to eat with friends. I either overate, or ate too fast (or a combination of the two). Long story short, I ended up vomiting. I was really pissed at myself, because I tried hard to keep this from happening. Since then, I have practiced asking for a to-go box when my food arrives. I then pack away everything except for what looks like a handful. I eat that, and take the rest home. It is all trial and error, and you learn from your mistakes.

Start eating clean again. Avoid processed foods, junk foods and fast foods except for every once in a while (once every 2-3 weeks). If you don't currently exercise, start a routine. You should be getting several hours of physical activity per week. Track your diet, so you know where you are going wrong. If you are eating clean, watching your calorie intake, and getting in a reasonable amount of exercise, you should be able to rev up your metabolism. At 6 months out, I have pretty much stopped losing weight. However, I am still losing inches as I continue to work out. My body fat percentage is right around 15% now, where I was at 40% before surgery. A month and a half ago, when my stall began, I was at 17%, so I definitely have continued to progress. I know exercise, and weight training in particular is not for everyone, but it is awesome for changing the way that your body looks as well as helping to rev up your metabolism. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn 24 hours per day. Good luck to you.

No loss on week 2 was just your body catching up to the drastic changes that you have endured. Keep following your plan. Everyone will lose at a different pace, and everyone experiences stalls from time to time. You are fine.

People will definitely notice, and many will comment and ask questions. Eventually, it dies down, and things get more back to normal. I still get comments from time to time, and every long once in a while, someone will tell me to stop losing weight. I just smile, and go on about my day. On a good note, my health insurance company gave me $700 yesterday for losing the weight, and staying active last year. What a wonderful surprise! It was announced in an insurance renewal meeting, and a few comments were made, but positive ones, which is all good.

Thanks! I do hit the gym about 6-8 times per week. Huge stress reliever!

My wife was fully supportive of me having wls, but this is my mindset on the issue... Life is short. Time is the most valuable asset known to man...or woman. You are not promised anything tomorrow. All you can do is to do the best you can every day. When I die, I would hope that I was able to live my best life...That I made lasting memories with others...That I made a difference in the lives of others. It is a real drop the mic situation. Marriage is not guaranteed to last either. We try to suppress the things that make us happy sometimes to keep our marriages strong as it is all about compromise. I will not compromise my health for a marriage or relationship though. Let me tell a story about my wife's best friend... She was obese, pre-diabetic, in pain, and unhappy for years. Her husband loved her at over 250 pounds, and refused to support her having surgery. She stayed in the marriage for another 9 years. The marriage then ended up dissolving after an affair was discovered. She was destroyed. After the divorce, she had Gastric band surgery, and lost the weight. She is now happy and healthy in a committed relationship with a great, supportive guy. Her takeaway is that she gave up a chance at happiness and good health in her twenties for a guy that ended up not being there in her thirties. If she could change one thing, she would have had the surgery 9 or 10 years earlier. Do you. Don't let a husband keep you from being your best you. He isn't in pain. He isn't going through what you are going through. You can't worry about threats. Live your life. If he leaves, you will find another. Someone who believes in you. Someone who truly has your back. I wish you the best of luck.

Yes, you should qualify with a bmi of 40 or greater.

thanks!

You look great! Keep up the hard work!

My surgery was 6 months ago today. I am sitting at 228 pounds, which is 8 pounds from my goal. I have not eaten low carb. I have incorporated tons of weight lifting into my exercise routine, and have eaten 85% clean over the past 6 months. I am just BARELY under what is considered obese by medical standards even though I have a 34" waist at 6'3" tall. My takeaway from all of this is.....Don't base your progress on anyone else's. I am 98 pounds from my high weight (shown on left). I have lost only 61 pounds since surgery. However, you can see a definite difference in how I carry my weight. I am very happy with my progress. I am not at goal, but am no longer actively trying to get there. I am just focusing on my health. My diet consists of tons of vegetables, protein shakes and lean protein, super grains and fruit 6 days per week with 1 day of indulgence. Whatever I crave, gets eaten that day. I consulted with a bodybuilder friend of mine a few months ago, and he told me that the best way to lean up is to give yourself a day every week or so to calorie and carb load. This helps your body avoid thinking your are in starvation mode. Ever since I adopted that method, I have leaned up and increased my muscle percentage. Anyway, I do track my meals with MyfitnessPal. I do weigh my food to ensure that I don't overeat. I don't deny myself anything. I just wait for whatever I want that week, and prioritize. I am glad that mostly everyone is doing well. Just keep fighting for the life you want to have.

It depends on your plan, but you can probably get away with it if it is strained. However, it has tooonnnsss of sodium, and not the best choice. I was allowed any broth during this time, but I tried to choose lower sodium choices. When you are on Full liquids, and allowed cream soups, you can blend this up, which will just basically make a thicker broth.

Your nutritionist must not have a lot of experience with bariatric patients. Like James stated, you will have a period where you must eat "mush" foods after liquids, of course. Within a month or two, you will be able to start eating things like turkey, chicken, etc. I am 6 months out, and can eat EVERYTHING that I was able to eat pre-op. I eat crunchy vegetables all of the time. It is just important to chew your food well. Don't worry about it. You will be fine. Just take your time introducing new foods. Good luck!

Congratulations! I am glad to hear that things went well. Good luck on your journey!

I will normally celebrate Valentines Day the day/weekend before, because I hate the fixed menus, extra cost, large crowds and long waits. We will go wherever we want, and then either have leftovers on Valentines Day, or I will cook a good meal for us. If this isn't an option for you, then I would just order the 5 course feast, eat bites of each course, and then bag up the rest for home. Honestly, everybody is so into doing their own thing, that nobody will notice. Even if they do, who cares? Do your thing.

Yes, you can do this! Get back to basics. Realize that it is all about balance. A bad meal or snack isn't going to hurt you if you have it every once in a while. The danger comes from partaking in these things often. Exercise is great, but not the most important thing. However, it does allow you to be successful with a higher calorie intake. Good luck to you. I definitely feel your struggle.

Congratulations and good luck on your journey!

I go to the gym, because I lack the equipment at home to get the job done. I do have a stationary bike at home, which gets some use about 2X per week though. As to your question, I would say that do whatever you can keep doing for life. If you generally hate the gym, you probably won't go. If you lack the motivation to workout at home, you probably will find reasons to forgo exercise there as well. Involving your family on hikes, sporting events, etc. is an excellent idea. I play volleyball with my daughter on the weekends. We play for about 1-2 hours at a time, and it is a great workout. I don't feel as though I am getting a workout either, so that is a plus. Whatever you do, remember that if it isn't sustainable, it won't work. Good Luck!

it shouldn't affect anything surgery wise. Your height is already documented, and you are already approved. Don't worry about it. You felt a need to stretch the truth, and that is bad, but I feel that the 40 BMI rule is stupid anyway. I think that a 35 BMI should be allowed without co-morbidities. Good luck to you!

Congratulations, and good luck! Don't worry...there is plenty of room on the loser's bench for you!

Snacking on processed foods and eating fast food is one of the worst things that you can do while you are actively losing at the beginning. I know it is hard, but that handful of Cheetos is going to turn into several handfuls in the future if you don't try to put an end to it now. It takes just 14 Doritos to equal 140 calories. That is nothing. Saltine crackers are also very bad for you. Try to go without for the time being. When you are a little further along, do searches for protein pancakes. I will use those for sandwiches. I also use Flatout wraps on occasion. Anyway, the other posters advice about logging your food is sound. I use MyFitnessPal. It is tedious as first, but gets super easy in the long run as you already have your foods added. Try to purchase healthy snacks for the kids as well so that you will be less inclined to snack on bad things. Success or failure begins in your head. This surgery is going to help with the overeating, but that is it. It isn't going to stop you from eating junk food or other calorie dense foods. I once took a nutrition course that stated that if you list your main munches (snacking on salty and/or sweet treats, eating fast food, drinking soda etc.), each one of these can contribute between 20-30 pounds to your weight. I agree with that, and think that the weight gain due to the first two items can be lots more than the 30 pound limit. It is not too late to turn things around. You've got this, and you know what you must do to be successful. We are here for you. Just know that you deserve better than being overweight or obese. Society at large wants you to fail. Don't let it win! Good luck to you!

I took 2 weeks off, but could have realistically returned to work after 1. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the time to relax, but I was fine after a few days really. Everyone is different though. Some are sick for up to a month. One of my sleeve buddies was up and walking around without an IV, and ready to be discharged the day after surgery. She had already had 2 kids naturally, so the pain and discomfort was nothing to her so she said. Anyway, it would be smart to give yourself the 2 weeks off or at least get pre-approved for more time off just in case you need it. You will be going through a lot both physically and mentally, and you don't know in advance how your body is going to handle surgery. Good luck to you.

I am sorry for the predicament that you are in. Strangely enough, I still consider you one of the lucky ones as this could have been a lot worse. Keep your head up, and you will be home in no time. Good luck in the remainder of your journey.

Congratulations, and good luck on your journey!