Vizslamom

I could have gone back in a week with no problem.

The more I learn about nutrition, the more complicated it all seems. My biggest fear is wrecking my metabolism. So I eat 1200 calories a day, and sometimes more. Losing at a 5# per month rate - just fine for me. I’m also eating healthier than I have my whole 57 years of life. And I’ve come to peace with cake and really enjoy a piece at celebrations. I still have to stay from that demon chocolate.

7 months out. 70 lbs down. Barely any pain after surgery. I can eat anything - just not a lot of it. So happy with the results so far. 60 pounds to go.

7 months out. Losing around a pound a week eating 1200 calories a day. I would be miserable with less. I have focused on adding fruits and veggies. Easily get 60-90 grams of protein a day. I exercise between 30 and 60 minutes a day. 57 years old and chugging along.

I like popcorn in my silicon popper made with just a touch of oil. Works well for my evening munchie.

If I ate the way I eat now I could have lost weight without the sleeve too . . . But suffered from flat out hunger. Some background. I’m 57. At my highest weight, I have been in the 320# range several times. I started medical weight loss in my 30’s. Got down to 250 with Ally. Regained and ended up with band. I easily dropped to the 220’s and stayed there effortlessly for years. Then slip, esophageal dilation, etc and band was removed. Back up to the 300’s. I attempted more medical weightloss. Several types of Rx and dietician visits. My basic problem has always been hunger. Ravenous. Then I had to eat a lot to be satisfied. Ok - there’s a chocolate and cheese issue too. My hunger is much more manageable since the surgery. I take a reasonable serving now and pay much more attention to recognize when I’ve had enough. I have tweaked meals to help me stay full. I tried scrambled eggs with chicken breakfast sausage and some cheese. Delish but I was starving at 3 hours. I added some bread and it bought me 60-90 minutes before I became hungry. I started doing Noom this January which is helping me with my relationship with food. It has gotten me out of that “I’m a failure” mode if I don’t eat perfectly. My eating focus has strongly shifted from “don’t eat this” to “what healthy food can I eat that tastes great “. I choose to drink my wine, go out to dinner, entertain, celebrate birthdays, etc knowing full well this will slow my weight loss. But I’m not going to wait to enjoy living. Also, I spent some time researching metabolism and weightloss. The research that showed the biggest loser contestants wrecked their metabolisms and have regained the weight scared me. I love exercise. But I have not gone full throttle on exercise. (And 50 hour work weeks don’t help.). I’m not doing punishing 60 minute interval treadmill workouts this time around. 30 minute enjoyable DVDs (Jessica Smith are my favorites) and a dog walk are just fine. I’m also not focused on a weight or size goal (though onederland sounds great). If my body is able to live the life I want to live, all is good. Best wishes on your journey!

For motivation try the web version of model my diet (free). Let’s you plug in before and after weights. Since many of us have body size distortion issues, something like this comes in handy.

Started at 313. Down 65. People are just now starting to comment. Not sure when they started to notice.

Oh Elizatek - First of all, I’m thrilled with my results with the sleeve. Down 65 pounds from August surgery. One if the things I looked forward to most was the magical feeling of not feeling hungry and getting full after just a few bites of food. But I have neither. My typical eating day: Breakfast; slice of bread spread with wedge of laughing cow cheese, slice of prosciutto and 2 sunny side up eggs. I eat 3/4 and my dog eats 1/4 Lunch: a big veggie salad with yogurt salad dressing (I work on this for 2 hours) and a chicken sausage. Snack: cup of berries Dinner: 4-6 oz protein and a cup of spiralized veggies. Snack: 2 cups popcorn cooked in minimal oil I eat 1200-1400 calories daily. I think I may give up bariatric vitamins and switch to gummies. I actually eat much healthier now. I love my mocha calcium chews - they are my candy! I’m also focusing on a healthy long term relationship with food. I eat cake happily - but maybe 1x per month. I love going out to eat. But I always order things I will like as leftovers since I get 2-3 meals out of 1 order. Bariatric surgery will not transport you to Nirvana. You will have to work to be successful. Can’t remember who said it, but bariatric surgery does not make weightloss easy - it makes it possible.

I had the same constipation problem as not my name. Suffered for a week after surgery. TMI time - I could feel the plug through my vaginal wall. Laxatives only caused me to pass new stool around it. I had to clear up the problem as my husband was having brain surgery and I would shift from my surgery recovery to his. I had no pain from the surgery, but had Rx for gabapentine (blocks nerve pain) and a muscle relaxer. The combination of the two got me to pass the plug. I still have occasional problems with constipation and even after 6 months I take a stool softener daily. Second is you don’t know what you’re restriction will be like. While my meal size is substantially smaller than before the sleeve - I eat way more than many people on the board. And I can eat anything except over cooked dried out meat. I joined Noom after the new year to help me eat healthier. This has helped tremendously, A nutritionist visit every three months was not enough to help me eat properly.

6 months out from sleeve. Down 64 pounds. Quite happy with that for a post menopausal woman. My meal size is approximately half of pre surgery meal size. I still get hungry. I use the sleeve for portion control. I started using Noom to help me mange relationship with food.

Holy schmoly you look great! You are rocking the sleeve.

My doctor let me decide though he suggested bypass. I chose the sleeve. First reason - dumping and alcohol. We entertain a lot with wine pairing dinners. Not willing to give that up. Second was purely anecdotal. Having lost a lot with band then regaining after it failed, I am completely averse to rebound weight gain. I saw too many examples of rebound weight gain in bypass patients as people’s intestines learned to absorb nutrients (and calories) again.

I haven’t had shakes since the week after surgery. I eat only real food, try to stay away from processed food. But, 6 months out from sleeve-I can eat anything I want. Just portion controlled

57 years old. I was a revision so doc was concerned about scar tissue. But, I felt fine the evening of surgery. Could have gone home, but wasn't allowed to. My friend came to visit me in the hospital in morning and the doc said I could go home so we walked to the parking lot and she drove me home. Hub had no time to make it to the hospital. Other than constipation (affects a lot of us), absolutely no complications. No hair loss and I'm 6 months out. 60 pounds down. So happy I decided to do this. Viz

Hi Julie - Welcome. I was banded in 2002 and was quite successful until I wasn't and slip, dilated esophagus, blah, blah, blah. Had it removed in 2017 and was totally on the fence about anther surgery. After I had regained all my weight, threw in the towel. Was sleeved in August 2018. Much easier to work with than the band. Down 60 pounds. I understand the hesitancy - but so glad I did it. Viz

I started Noom two weeks ago. Very happy with it. The focus is on behavior modification and breaking through the things that sabotage us. Highly recommend it if you are struggling with motivation or keeping focused on eating healthier.

Doing great fellow August sleevers. 59 pounds for me. Started Noom a couple of weeks ago and love the added focus. Didn’t lose a lot in December, but I didn’t gain my normal 5 pounds.

I struggled with hunger horribly once my lap band was removed. Tried all sorts of medical interventions because my husband was not on board with surgery. After 9 months and a 30 pound weight gain enough was enough. 5 months out from sleeve, 55 pounds down now. Still love to eat, but am so relieved I am satisfied with a smallish portion.

My doc prescribed all sorts of post op meds for pain etc, but I only needed Tylenol. But (or maybe butt), I had a horrible constipation problem with a golf ball sized chunk stuck. After 3 days of all sorts of laxatives and no relief and needing to clear problem immediately (husband was having brain surgery), I took gabapentine for nerve pain relief and my muscle relaxer. I was finally able to pass the plug. My advice - fill your Rx- you never know what you will need.

I’m all about eggs. I love 2 scrambled eggs with 2 slice chopped prosciutto and 1/2 oz cheese of choice. Or 2 sunnyside eggs over leftover roasted spaghetti squash with garlic and Parmesan.

If you just had knee surgery, would you go out for a run with your friends? You just had surgery and need to be safe during you’re recovery. I’m 4 months out with the sleeve. I love food. My husband is a gourmet home chef. We entertain a lot. Throwing a great dinner party is one of my great joys in life. Did we do this right after surgery? Not at all. Now, I can and do eat everything - but in a very portion controlled manner. I focus on protein first. Then 2 bites of the other things. I eat 1 bite of my husband’s dessert. Dinner parties are even more enjoyable because I don’t have to regret overeating the next day. You’ll do great.

Got my band 15 years ago. Lost 100 lbs. then slip. No fill for 6 mos. then removal 18 months ago. Regained all the weight. Sleeved on 8/22. Down 50 lbs. and I’m post-menopausal. Love the sleeve!

8/22 sleeve. Down 50 pounds from the start of liquid diet on 8/15. No hair loss problems. But crazy vertigo! Never heard about it as a side effect. Exercise poor due to vertigo. I focus on protein and stay completely away from sweets except for fresh fruit. I can eat anything, just not much. Usually 1200 calories a day.

Similar issues here. Former lap bander now with sleeve. I’m 3 mos out and can certainly eat more than I expected. I’m horrible about measuring or weighing my food. So I bought some darling bowls that hold a cup of food and use those. I can have a bowl full of food and be happy.