Melesg

You go girl! That's a really big loss so early, really proud of you. I had tons of soup and I also found a high protein normal milk which was nice when I was over the taste of the protein shakes. It does feel a little bit Groundhog Day but it will pass before you know it.You have hit your stride with energy much earlier then I did - you are really doing great. Keep up the updates x

Awesome news hope4!!! Sounds like you are doing amazing!!! Well done, 7lbs is a big drop and you will see more lbs quickly disappear in the coming weeks. Sounds like you are already mentally in the zone too, not fighting the process and finding strategies to keep yourself in check. Cannot wait to hear your continued progress. Mel x

Hi again, Next update for me 😀. Ive lost 1.4kg (3.3 lbs) this week which was a nice surprise. Have been a bit under the weather so have not been to the gym as much. I have been logging my food and working on healthy snacks and smaller meals. Also swapped breakfast for a protein shake. Excited to be 4.6 kg away from my initial goal weight. Thinking I may want to lose another 4 kg after that still but I will wait and see once I get there. Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the esg journey. I would love to see your progress updates for anyone willing to share ☺️. Mel x

Thats awesome hope4momof4! very excited to hear that you are done and dusted and recovering well. Can you believe it's done? Hugely proud of you of your determination to find the right procedure for you. Take your time recovering, the fatigue hits you sometimes when you don't expect it. I remember going from I feel great to, wow I'm exhausted often in the first two weeks. Hope the fluids are going down easily. looking forward to hearing about your progress mel x

Nearly time my friend! Dont worry if your pre op hasn't been perfect, it won't change a thing. Just that clear liquid phase is essential to stick to. The excitement will take over by then and I found it easy to stick to the clear fluids.. if the nerves kick in during the days, hours and minutes before your procedure just close your eyes, slow your breathing and think of the first things you want to do when you are skinny mini. Think about how nice it with feel to be fit and healthy, enjoying the sunshine and really living life to the max. worry won't change anything for the better so just know you are in great hands with a precious guardian angle seeing you through this. you got this, ten times over. Absolutely got it. Imagine where you weight will be in a months time - now that's exciting, lots of love to you and I will be thinking of you and eagerly awaiting your updates xoxo

Welcome Patricia!

It's totally normal to worry about your kids at this time. Remember that this is giving them back a fit and healthy mama. And nothing terrible has happened to date with esg. It's safe, routine for doctors who have experience with it and you are in a health facility that deal with unwell patients often. I was nervous before I got to the clinic and then saw how professional and fantastic the staff were and I couldn't stop smiling before I went it. They also give you some sedation before the general anaesthetic. I was out of it half way through my introductory conversation with the anaesthetist. We laughed afterwards that I must be a cheap drunk as I have no tolerance for drugs lol. My procedure was honestly a breeze - just the nausea afterwards that made it unpleasant. But that passes. Mel x

So excited for you hope4momof4, it's so close now. My advice would be to take EVERYTHING for nausea control, emend included if it is offered. Long term, no ppi (such as somac) for me, just had them for 2 weeks post op. Vitamins include a multivitamin, vit d and calcium and biotin to help minimise hair loss which is common after weight loss. quick update on me. I haven't lost anything on the scales for a few weeks but can see lots of toning and slimming from the gym. My goal is to lose another 6kg and then decide how much more I want to lose after that. I may be happy or decide I want to lose some more. So I am about 30lb down and feel that my current eating and exercise allows me to maintain my weight. I am trying to cut down on snacking but find that exercise gives me an appetite increase so I need to be careful. Still feeling great and enjoying a much healthier lifestyle. Mel x

Such a wonderful perspective from a very sad time. So positive to hear you are celebrating your mum by committing to your own health. I hope you are continuing to feel our love and support ❤️ How is the pre procedure food plan going? I'm guessing that you are getting close to lots of shakes and nor too much else? Mel x

Well done Tex, you have lost a lot of weight quickly. You have been very dedicated to your plan and it shows. Keep up the great work. Mel.

Such a funny post, and totally true! I still take a size 18 into the change room in case the 14 doesn't fit. I have been asked if I have done something to my face as I look younger - um no, but 14 kg less of me probably gives me a spring in my step. Mel

I'm so very sorry for your loss. Please take care and know that we are all thinking of you at this devastating time xo

It's been very quiet here - I will break the ice by saying that I gained over over the Christmas week but have lost that plus another .5kg. I have been following a keto diet since Jan 1st to get into ketosis ASAP to start getting some weight off again. I am now in ketosis thankfully and while it's water weight that has been lost, knowing I am running on fat now is a great feeling. I loved the ketosis zone during pre and post esg - I think it has made the biggest difference in my weight loss. It's to thank for the quick weight loss at the start. I will add a piece of fruit a day down the track but will try stay on very low carb for as long as possible. The dietician has worded me up in the past regarding how fibre cancels out carbs and has a more moderate approach to carbs. I am looking forward to checking in with her again next week. Ok - now it's time for your accountability update. Remember, we are all friends here and will offer nothing but support if you have gained over the past few weeks. Mel

Hi smith.99, I can very much relate to how you are feeling. I am also guilty of having some thoughts that make me wonder if i should have had a vsg over esg as I feel the esg requires you to still fully participate in your weightloss journey and make very good choices rather than being physically unable to over eat. I too feel I can eat more than I expected, I thought that the weight would really fall off by itself over time and that it was just a matter of months until I would be at my goal weight. But heading into month 4 post esg, I am needing to set the goals and work towards them myself, with support but ultimately bne my own catalyst to achieve my goals. So this is what I tell myself - I'm not going to fail at this. I'm just not. Yes I can also graze most days pretty freely and can eat bigger portions than the mini plates and bowls I was sure was my new forever meal size. I can still eat every bit of glorious junk food I ever have and look to food as my solution to every emotion I have. But from what I see, so can people who have had bypasses and surgical sleeves if they really want to. Slider foods slide on down and meals can be whatever we want them to be. This tool that we have has to be just a part of our solution. We have to stick with this until proper nutrition is our new habit and be totally honest with what we are eating. I saw the first 10kg drop off really fast and thought OMG, this is a piece of cake! But then I had stalls and slight gains and some losses. I know I am eating about half of what I used to but that I can unrail my day by just having a big serve of nuts or too many healthy snacks. So I have to be brutally honest with myself about how I may be sabotaging quicker "success". i think that what I have been eating is more a "maintenance" diet. But I think it's a really doable maintainence diet for the rest of my life. As I am not ready to maintain my current weight, I need to get cracking on more exercise and less food. I need to recommit to getting back into ketosis to start burning up these fat stores. i absolutely feel so much better for having lost half my weightloss goal. I am eating cleaner, exercising heaps more and participating more in my life. I really think that right now, this is a mental challenge for me and I sense right now it is for you too. I am really too hard on myself at this point and have been forgetting to see my successes rather than my overnight quick fix I secretly hoped for. The gorgeous hope4momof4 is right, you may be looking at your success over this difficult holiday period in a way that is not helpful and is not recognising the success of NOT gaining over Christmas. When is the last time you could say that? You can tell me to bugger off but perhaps use the new year to plan your way forward and recommit to portion sizes etc. You must feel much better with your initial weightloss and since you have been in a stall, another good loss may not be far away. Yes It is a lot of money this procedure, so do everything you can right now to make positive changes. You can do this, you really can. Find that determination that you had when you decided to get this done and go from there. And remember, a meal or day that hasn't been diet perfect is no issue, its what you do the next day that counts. We are all behind you, good luck 😊. Mel

Thank you Tex, bubbles and hope4momof4. Bubbles - so very sorry for your loss at this difficult time. My thoughts are with you. Christmas Day is done and dusted in Australia and it was not a dieting disaster. I certainly ate some treat foods but in small amounts. To round off the day I even, wait for it... went for a bike ride in the evening with my daughter. My head told me to lay down on the sofa but my heart told me to strap on the helmet and go for a half hour bike ride. I've never been on a bike with my kids (not for 30 years probably) and whilst it was wobbly and I looked like a complete dork, I rode none the less. At the end of our ride, I got a squishy hug from my baby who declared it "the best day ever". mel x

Your going to love the otherside!! When I think about my motivation to have the esg it really was all about health. Being healthy so that I could really LIVE this incredible life I have with my family. I have probably lost site of that during the first few months post esg as I really was judging my progress by weightloss alone. But I'm changing that thinking now as it really isn't the measure that's most important. I told my kids that when we go on vacation in march that we are going to a waterpark and I am going on all the rides too. They thought it was the best thing ever and keep talking about who is going to come on each slide with me. My son said he has never seen me swim, or wear shorts in summertime lol 😂. That's about the change!! It's about time I jump into photos with my kiddos and be fit and active in their lives. And it's awesome to have the energy to know I mean it this time 😊

Thanks for the encouragement hope4momof4. If it helps, my dr was happy if I had 1 coffee a day from early on. I am a massive coffee addict but really didn't feel like I could stomach it for over a week after my esg. I also couldn't drink more than about 150mls at a time so it was a little cup. My advice was to ensure I had 1.5litres of water a day and that my coffee was to be in addition to that to ensure I was hydrated. I double checked with the dietician about having occasional carbonated drinks and was given the ok. In small volumes, stretching doesn't seem to be a concern. I used to love Diet Coke but now have maybe 200mls every few weeks as a treat rather than food. I.e at the movies. They sell the mini cans and I get very excited to sit back and enjoy my mini Diet Coke. I also have had a mini can of mineral water When I was feeling quite head hungry twice as this again feels like a no calorie treat. I completely understand if others have been advised to avoid them all together as I know it can be a slippery slope but just giving my experience 😊 Also just need to share - I can run for 10 minutes without stopping now plus do another 40 minutes of cardio and weights. Honestly feeling so energised from the running - my house has never been cleaner! Mel x

Hi everyone, One last update before Christmas. I am down 13.6kg (30lbs) since my procedure about 14 weeks ago. I was nearly 17 kg heavier this time last year and will be nice seeing in a new year lighter than the previous one. I think I am finding my esg groove. My portion sizes were getting relaxed as was some grazing so I have gone back to tracking what I eat and weighing some foods again. I have been at the gym most days since I joined even when I had good excuses not to go. I am enjoying the feeling of sore muscles and breaking a sweat. I really don't typically love exercise but I am realising that it's essential for building muscle and keeping my metabolism up. I did pay dearly this week after drinking a large volume of water very quickly. I felt awful and it didn't go away for a day. My dr said I wouldn't be restricted with fluids which is normally true, unless your an idiot like me and skull a giant glass of fluids. Oh man, it hurt. Definately won't be doing that again. Part of me wishes I had achieved a bigger weight loss at this stage but I have to be happy with slow but consistent losses. I guess we all want to wake up skinny but I do see my behaviour changing a lot during this journey. I really want to achieve a 20kg loss by the time I see my dr for my 6month review. I am still seeing more progress in my clothing sizes than on the scales. Just bought a size 12 dress for Christmas Day which feels great. Merry Christmas to the wonderful esg community. Here's to a healthy and happy holiday and keeping the weight gain contained!! Mel x

Tex - you are doing amazing. The amount of protein you are taking in is incredible and your self discipline at such a challenging time of the year is beyond fantastic. I think you may be the most perfect esg patient - your esg team must be so happy with your progress. You are clearly very determined - to stay on shakes and such a low carb/strict plan is admirable. You are really inspiring the whole esg community, including me. I hope you know how powerful your updates are to so many people. Merry Christmas and keep up the great work, Mel x

Haha - My husband is definitely fit and healthy but it doesn't bother me. Thank god my kids got his build and metabolism and not mine!!

Absolutely, more than happy to answer any questions. 1. Yes I do feel hungry but it's still mostly head hunger. I think it will take me a long time before this changes. This is one of the biggest points the dietician and I discuss - strategies to ensure I am tuning into real hunger verses head hunger. 2. I don't have strict rules apart from fruit veg and protein. General advice is to minimise unhealthy snacking but nothing is off limits at all. 3. I try stuck to under 1200 cal per day. I wasn't set a strict calorie amount after my esg. 4. Yep - still like the sound of bad foods but I find it easier to not have them. If I really want something I can usually wait a day or two and decide if I want it. I typically would then share it and make sure the rest of my day is healthy. If I really want chocolate I would now eat a small bar rather than a whole block. The old me would have gone on an eating bonanza, eating from dusk till dawn and still wanting more. 5. Definitely an emotional eater. I have to say I felt a little lost at the start and sad that I couldn't eat the way I did. I now feel much stronger in general when it comes to emotional eating. The esg definitely slows you down but you have to still stay strong. As there is no immediate barrier to how much you eat, you need to eat slower and enjoy the food now - not just inhale it [emoji5]. I was an inhaler unfortunately but those days are gone. 6. Yes! I could eat less now to really shed the pounds but I really think this is sustainable for me. The weeks where my weight has stayed the same I think have taught me what my maintained diet may look like. Adding a bit of bread here and a snack there pushes me into sustaining my weight rather than losing. But I honestly think it's sustainable. I no longer feel controlled by food the way I was before esg. 7. I think it's mostly still quite positive. I do find it hard at times to "see" my weight loss. Even though I am now buying size 14 clothes, I still take an 18 into the change rooms just in case. It can be frustrating not having the big numbers come off like at the start but I just think that that I was so lucky to lose 1/3 of my weight in the first weeks. It was a real kickstart. There is certainly a mental edge to weight loss and I think most overweight people are pretty hard on themselves. We see every flaw in ourselves when I'm not sure the rest of the world sees us that way. We all need to peel away the layers that our obesity has covered and it can leave you feeling a bit exposed perhaps. Overall, I would say I am eating about half what I was pre esg. My calories now come from mostly nutritious foods and I am more active. I don't think maintenance will be easy but I am told that rewriting your eating behaviour and sticking to it is the best way to make this work forever. I don't see myself getting super slim but rather healthy. Not so much bikini ready, more like one piece tummy control swimsuit ready [emoji3]x

Hi Everyone, Down .6kg this week. Biggest challenge - Christmas treats everywhere!! Have enjoyed a little here and there but no blow out or binge which I am happy with. Biggest success - joining a gym. I am doing the c25k app program and have my session with the personal trainer this week to start resistance and strength training. I actually feel great during and after the interval running which is a total surprise to me. Thought it might be helpful to document my day on a plate. Keep in mind I am over 3 months post esg; Breakfast - 100g Greek yogurt, oats, walnuts and blueberries. Snack - 1/2 cup white grapes Lunch - rotisserie chicken (80g) and green salad Snack - apple, 15 almonds, 1 square of dark chocolate Dinner - vegetable soup, 1 slice homemade pizza with thin base. I try to drink 1.5 lt of water and drink coffee, lots of coffee during the day. Occasionally a glass of wine or 200ml Diet Coke or mineral water as a treat. I am trying to approach my food intake as "nutrition over no carb". I know that low carb gets results but I want to be healthy and fighting fit. My dietician reassures me that the fibre content in the fruit balances out the sugar and that the nutrients are worth the carbs. I often eat eggs or have a protein shake for breakfast, and meat and veg for dinner but the above plan is today's intake. I am trying to stop eating after dinner for the night as this is a time I have always snacked in the past. I hope to do 3-4 sessions per week at the gym and meet my 10000 steps everyday. I am preparing mentally now for Christmas as there will be so much eating. I will try limit the holiday food fiesta to just Xmas eve and Xmas day and certainly enjoy the food in smaller portions. My strategy is to go to the gym each day (except Xmas day) over the next week to try counteract extra eating. I don't want to feel "on a diet" during the holidays but also don't want to unrail my progress. For me, I was always the kind of dieter who fell off the wagon and then would say to myself - I will just eat what I want then start this new diet next week. It's exactly how I got so overweight. So I'm trying to avoid that way of thinking and just say - yep I really enjoyed my Christmas lunch and the desserts but now it's time to get back to the plan. The old saying, don't make a bad day, a bad week, or a bad month. I wish you all lots of luck over the next week at staying on track with reaching your nutrition and exercise goals. Remember - don't beat yourself up if you find this difficult. You just have to admit that you ate what you ate and have the mindset to ensure you get back to the behaviour that's going to get you healthy. Mel xo

Absolutely BubblesCT. You definitely want whatever procedure you choose to be the right one for you and your goals. I hope you find the answers you need. None of us go into this with a back up plan in case the wls does not work so I think it's very smart to seek these answers before deciding which way to go. Good luck, we are all here for you.

Coming off the carbs and sugar is huge, well done. What changes are you noticing without the phen? My wt loss has slowed and I think it's time to build up some muscle mass to rev up my metabolism. I have been snacking more of late and a chat with the dietician was great to discuss how to move forward. She said that my choices of food was fine and the nutrients are worth the calories but that snacking can really slow weight loss, so the pay off is more activity. I want to start to tone up too so I am a little excited to attend my first session at the gym in many years [emoji51]

That's the best news!! I'm so glad that the consult went so well, you sound very at peace with your decision. You are going into this with your eyes wide open and will do amazingly well. You know exactly what to expect and that preparation will enable you to reach your goals. I'm so proud of you and so, so excited to be joining you on this journey.