Lyngolean

I switched to drinking Fairlife skim milk after my dietitian recommended it. I love milk and think it tastes just like regular milk, plus it's almost double the amount of protein and fewer carbs. I hope you love it, gully90!

That is FANTASTIC! Congratulations!!!! I hadn't thought to give myself a reward. Having lost the weight is something I've worked on so hard and for so long is a huge reward in and of itself. I feel so much better.

Thank you so much! How do people make the cute little graphic that shows your progress? I remember SparkPeople.com had those.

I needed my 650mg Tylenol every 4 hours around the clock for the first 3-4 days. After that, I started sleeping longer - maybe 6 hours or so and wouldn't wake up from pain. I used my abdominal binder, an ice pack, an anti-cramping medication called hycosamine (prescription) and lots of walking to help with pain. I had zero gas pain for which I am eternally grateful. I thought recovery was very similar to recovery from giving birth where every day is appreciably improved. I had a fair amount of fatigue and took 2 naps a day for the first week, then reduced to one daily nap, then just a rest in the afternoon. My first 3 weeks back to work, I did NOthing after work other than my exercise, food prep and personal hygiene. NO extra energy. All best wishes to you!

For me, it helped to wear my abdominal binder (elastic thingie with velcro), and of course take my Tylenol as directed. Also a cold pack on my abdomen provided relief. I also was prescribed hycosamine, an anti-cramping agent which helped me when pain cropped up before my next dose of Tylenol was due. Good luck! You're almost to the part where pain decreases. Keep walking too...

Your body needs time to adjust and reconfigure, is what I assume with stalls. As long as you are following directions, things will get moving again. It seems to me that when the scale isn't moving is when my body seems to do some shrinking. Doesn't make any sense, but there you have it. Stay the course!

I am doing mostly good. I had a hard time last week feeling very tired and unmotivated, but happily that has passed. If I can figure out how to share a photo, I will. To meet my protein goal of 65g daily, I switched from protein shakes to Fairlife milk. 13g per 8oz serving. I have 20 oz daily (I love milk) along with 1/4c protein for lunch and dinner, and 1/2 of a Triple Zero Greek yogurt for breakfast. I figure 1/4 c of protein is 2 oz, so that gets me just over 65g daily. I didn't like protein water either. I don't remember how to update my stats, but I'm down a total of 61 pounds now, which is half my excess weight. I feel like an odd duck in that I have a weird body perception. It's distorted. Whenever I see a photo of myself, it is always surprising to me how large I actually am. Even now. Oy vey. Photo in shorts was taken today. Royal blue dress photo taken 5/2015.

How are you doing Sparkles and Storm?

I think that is normal. My joke was that first I was an infant with 2 naps per day. Then I was a toddler with one afternoon nap per day. Then I was a preschooler with just an afternoon rest. My first 3 weeks back to work I was so tired ( and that was after a 3 week leave) that I did NOTHING outside of go to work, eat, exercise, and personal hygiene on work days. After that, my energy has returned to normal. Except for last week I was tired for about 4 days. Most of the time I'm fine now. Please give yourself time to heal. It doesn't help being on a clear liquid diet either. When your intake expands that helps with energy too.

I'm just over 2 months out from my VSG, down 58.5 pounds, and am finding myself struggling in 2 areas: Eating Out and Losing Motivation. I've eaten out three times now, and each time I've eaten too much, to the point of feeling uncomfortably full. Are people asking for a to go box right away when they order? I find I keep picking at the food, and of course I've barely made a dent in the huge portions restaurants serve. What are your tips for avoiding overeating in a restaurant? My second problem is that since last Sunday, I have hit kind of a wall with motivation. I've had some significant family stressors crop up that has coincided with an ear infection/pain/loss of hearing in one ear for which I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow, and also a mental funk in that I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around my new size and the idea of losing more weight. I recently swapped out all my old clothes for clothes 3 sizes smaller. I'm almost halfway to a healthy BMI, but truth be told, I'd be happy with an additional 30 pounds of weight loss (not necessarily another 60 pounds which is almost too much to even imagine). Hopefully this ambivalence and lack of motivation is temporary. I don't have the absolute clear minded focus I had in the early days post-op. I didn't deviate from the recommended eating plan, I was exercising with the frequency recommended by my bariatric clinic; all was going great, and I FELT great. I'm trying to take things moment by moment, day by day, and letting myself have a little down time, focusing on the family stressors and paid work, doing the best I can with following the eating plan, and letting go of exercise for this week, or at least until I can muster the energy to resume. I also have a sense of urgency though in that there is a window during which weight loss happens, and after that window closes, weight loss becomes much more difficult once again. I don't want to waste my window of opportunity. I want my motivation back! Has anyone else experienced this or something similar? Any perspective/advice/words of wisdom to share?

I had my intake appt Dec. 5th and had surgery April 12. I am 52, a new empty nester with my husband, am a nurse and a mother of 3, and decided it was time to take this step for my health. I had lost weight many times previously with Weight Watchers and Overeaters Anonymous. One time I added up all my weight loss. It was 492 pounds! I could have hugged my surgeon when he pointed out what a sign of determination that was. I feel I have been addressing my obesity in layers. That is kind of fitting because I became obese in layers also. Not all at once. Through Weight Watchers and OA, I learned a lot about cooking, nutrition, and addiction and recovery. In 2010, I began therapy to address emotional eating. In 2016 I had a sleep study and had wonderful relief from fatigue with a CPAP. My newfound energy level from having adequate sleep allowed me to establish a regular exercise pattern. I feel my surgery prep was fine tuning and education that has helped me hit the ground running post op. Tuesday will be my 2 month mark post op. I am down 52.5 pounds, 3 sizes, and feel head and shoulders better than I have in years. I could do physically active things at my higher weight but it really took a toll. Now I can do physically active things throughout the day without feeling wiped out. No more pain in my hips, low back, and knees. My systollic blood pressure dropped from the mid 120's to the mid teens. Can't wait to see my A1c at the 6 month mark. That had been at the upper end of normal. If cholesterol comes down or HDL goes up, that will be the frosting on the cake... Ideally I would like to get to a BMI just under 25, so that would be 150 pounds for me. However,I I have photos from when I was 165-170 pounds, and that would be a win in my book as well. For activity, I enjoy walking, biking, and swimming. I can't say yet that I "enjoy" weight training, but I do it once or twice a week. I went to a yoga class for the first time in a few years today. My husband and I hope to hit the golf course soon one of these days. And I look forward to trying paddle boarding this summer. If anyone has experience with paddle boarding, I would love any and all advice! I am glad to have discovered this forum and look forward to getting to know you all!

Wishing you smooth sailing from here on out! So glad the bleeding was caught early and addressed.

I'm 2 months post op as of today, down 55.5 pounds. I am SO happy I did this. I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER! It has been a life changing experience, all for the better. You asked about downsides early on: The day after surgery, it was an effort to stay hydrated. I was very glad to graduate to full liquids after clear liquids the first week. Then I was very glad to graduate to pureed foods after being on full liquids due to more variety. Now I eat normal food, but very small portions. It's amazing to lose weight fast without feeling hungry! I REALLY wanted to be a healthy weight and considered the restrictions on what I could eat well worth it. I am almost half way to goal and feel like a new woman.

And I can only imagine how good you feel! Bravo!

I hope that works for you to get it moving again. How often do you have follow up with your clinic? I'm a.little miffed that my program calls for.monthly check-in, but due to not having enough dietitians, it will be every other month. I'm going to call soon to.get scheduled for the 4 month or I will be going a 2 month span again. It seems the dietitian always has some valuable tips and pointers.

How are you doing, Texas Mommy? I'm new to the forum and had VGS on 4/12/18, 4 days before you (in Minnesota). This is my first time posting, so I don't know if my statistics will just post on the side automatically or not. If not, I'll come back and fill you in on those details. I'm down 52.5 pounds and feeling fabulous. I love how much easier it is to do everything and how much more energy I have. I was cleared at one month to return to all exercise, so that's been nice. Today I went to yoga for the first time in maybe 3 years. It is a whole lot easier with so much less bulk! I've been buying new clothes, but trying to get as much as possible at thrift stores due to my assumption that I'll need a different set in not too long. I am amazed you were able to return to work so quickly! I was home 3 weeks, and even then, I was very tired afterwards the first 3 weeks. I just noticed about a week or so ago that my energy doesn't hit a wall around 9:30pm any more which is nice. I am probably overly focused on knowing where I'll end up in terms of weight loss, and trying to be okay with where I land as long as I've followed the eating plan and exercise recommendations. It's all fabulous compared to where I started, that's for sure.