SteveT74

LOL... thanks. I'll do that.

Honestly, get a different nut. This is lousy advice since it relies on eating processed crap bars loaded with chemicals 4 times a day as meal substitutes. While you may lose some weight in the short term, her recommendation will cause you to have insulin spikes which screw up your metabolism and cause you to gain weight in the long term. You need to get on a lifestyle plan you can live with long term and you are already getting the exercise up. I like the keto lifestyle personally, but it's not for everyone. Nevertheless, every major diet/lifestyle plan and common sense suggests you should be cutting out all processed foods, sugar foods and anything that even remote sounds like it was developed in laboratory in favor of a clean, whole foods type diet. Protein drinks and protein bars are ok if you can only eat 500 calories a day and had to hit your protein goals. It's not ok 2.5 years post op when you can get most of your nutritional needs from the food you eat. Anyway, I think you know what you need to do and you're now doing it!!

Sounds about right. It really depends on where you're starting from. My doctor gave me clearance early, but I know in my support group there are people that are older (in their late 60's and early 70's), have a history of heart disease, orthopedic issues etc. and have higher BMI's to start (above 50), and they aren't going to be ready to actually work out on their own until they get down to a stable weight and they are going to need to work with a physical therapist before they can actually "hit the gym". The last thing any of us needs to do is to suffer an injury that immobilizes us when we need to be able to move.

I would say I have had pretty smooth sailing so far--no issue with pain, drinking or eating. I am happy with my weight loss 8 weeks post-op. I had a 35 BMI on the day of surgery, so my total numbers aren't huge sounding (34.5 pounds) since my day of surgery, but it's a huge percentage of what I what I need to lose and I am only 29 pounds away from my goal. However, I battle with constipation daily!!! No matter how much water I drink--it's there!!! I had issues with hemorrhoids before surgery and this daily constipation has made that issue a lot worse!!! I am going to talk to my doctor about it when I see him on Wednesday for my 2 month post-op.

Fair enough, but chocolate covered strawberries are a waste of a perfectly good strawberry.

Kay, I think we are all different--so the answer changes a lot based on where you are starting from. If you're are 30 years old, had a BMI below 40 on the day of surgery and are otherwise healthy, you'll be ready to hit the gym for light to moderate cardio 2-3 weeks after surgery. I am 45 and I had a BMI of 35 on the day of surgery. I as at the gym a week after surgery, walking on the treadmill and hitting the elliptical machine every day (It's too cold where I live to walk outside--so this was my substitute). Two to three weeks post-op I started taking spin classes, but not pushing myself to the max. I just worked on getting myself back into the groove. At my one month post-op consult, my surgeon gave me the all clear to weight train and do any other physical activity. The next day, I started weight training and hitting the cardio with high intensity. I am now almost 8 weeks post-op and I am working out around 2-2.5 hours a day, six days a week. Typically, I am doing 45-1 hour of cardio (spin classes 4x a week and more moderate intensity cardio the other three days), 45 minutes of weight training 6 days a week (also varying in intensity and type) and another 10 minutes for abs which I do 5 times a week. FYI, if you're eager to hit the gym after surgery, just understand that you may lose weight a little slower than you would if you just dieted alone. On the other hand, you will significantly improve your body composition by hitting the gym because you'll help maintain your muscle tissue so more of the weight that you lose will come from fat. I knew this before I started working out, but I want to have a good physique not just be thin and soft.

I would think he would get you some roses instead this year. You'll be able to have regular strawberries in a few weeks, so you have that to look forward to.

Hiding your surgery from your trainer because you're afraid of how they my judge you is a really bad decision. Your trainer needs to know about your physical condition---and what surgeries, injuries, physical issues you have had that may effect his or her decisions about how best to approach your training. If the trainer makes a stupid comment or acts less than 100% professional, get a different trainer. We can't hide our surgery from everyone for fear of judgment--if they don't like it, f--k them. I don't work with a personal trainer, but the trainers in my gym know about my surgery and they have been very supportive of my decision. I have had one tell me not to take her abs class yet because it was too soon after surgery and she suggested how long I should wait (which ended being around the same amount of time as my doctor suggested I would be ready). If they have been in the profession for a while, they have probably worked with bariatric patients in the past--but you won't know that until you talk to them.

It sounds to me like you know exactly what to do and exactly where you're going wrong, but you haven't gotten up the will power yet to put words to action. FluffyChix gave a very good pep talk though!!! I think when you're ready to get back on the healthy eating train, you just have to do it--then and there. It can't an "I'll start tomorrow or next monday" sort of thing. Get the crap food that is sabotaging you out of the house so it won't tempt you. As for the kids, why do they need to have a sugary desert with every dinner? That can't good for them either. Why not substitute strawberries, blueberries etc. instead. None of us needs to be eating processed foods and sugar. Ultimately, it comes down to the choices you are making. It sounds like you have been doing really well, but just have been backsliding a little--and are afraid that a little could become a lot. If you feel that way, now is the time to put the brakes on this behavior and start treating your body the way you did in the months after your surgery.

We all failed losing weight with the traditional methods or we wouldn't have 80% of our stomachs removed. After failing enough times to consider this surgery, we all have that little voice in the back of our heads wondering if we are going to fail again---and if we do, what does that say about us??? While we all have that voice to one degree or another, it really isn't a rational fear. The surgery works--not by itself though. You will have to diet and exercise after the surgery per your surgeon's instructions. If you commit to following those instructions to the letter, you will succeed and lose that excess weight. It's not a question of if, only a question of when. Some people may be slow losers, but they are still LOSERS (in the best sense of that word!). I am now 7 weeks out from surgery and I have already lost 66% of my excess body weight (some of that was from the pre-surgery and pre-op diet, but I lost it all because of the program I am on). I have lost 34 pounds since surgery (54 pounds overall). I have another 30 pounds to go to get to my goal, but I am already a success in my view. I am finally off all of my T2DM medications and I feel great!!! I had a 48.5" inch natural waist to 40" natural waist ( the equates to going from pants that were a size 44 pants to a loose 36" (not quite ready for 34" pants, but I can actually put them on and get them buttoned!!!). I haven't been this thin in over 15 years and I am easily 17 pounds lower than my lowest weight on my strictest pre-WLS diet. I attribute half of this loss to the surgery and the other half to my diet and exercise. I am 100% committed to making this work for the long term and you have to believe you will feel this way too. Losing weight is never easy, nor is having this surgery. However, the challenges of surgery and weight loss are nothing compared to the challenges of being obese and, in my case, suffering from virtually of the co-morbidities that came with it. This is the first time in my life I am actually looking forward to seeing my cardiologist in March and not having him discuss my need to lose weight (at least not in that "oh, not that again!" sort of way. In short, you're going to be just fine!!!

I am married, so I don't have any experience with dating after WLS. However, it is obvious that dating gets easier after WLS in the sense that you will have more dates. While you may look more attractive shedding some of those excess pounds, the fact that you feel better about yourself will make you more appealing to prospective suitors. The change in self-esteem and confidence is a big factor in improving your love life post-surgery (there are actually studies that have been done on this). That same boost in self-esteem an confidence can actually have the opposite effect for married WLS patients, who develop more confidence and are no longer willing to put up with their spouse's BS (which usually pre-existed the surgery). So, you should expect finding dates to be easier after surgery---maybe not the first few months when you need to focus on recovery and getting into the swing of your new lifestyle, but certain a few months down the line.

Of the bariatric surgeons that have active YouTube channels, Dr. V was/is my least favorite. He's no Dr. Matthew Weiner, that's for sure! A good deal of his advice seemed to be intentionally contrarian to the established advice offered by the vast majority of the surgical community. It seemed as if he was intentionally trying to differentiate himself as a surgeon and personality by being controversial. Nevertheless, at least it seemed like actual advice from a bariatric surgeon that just had a very different view for his practice. This new stuff with him acting promoting the sale HGH as if he was some snake oil sales rep is beyond the pale though. HGH is seriously dangerous stuff and should only be used for people that actually have deficient HGH levels. For people with normal HGH levels, the most recent studies show minimal benefits (some modest improvement in body composition. However, HGH is known to be jet fuel for cancer cells . I can't imagine any reputable doctor actively pushing HGH as some kind of miracle drug for weight loss in people that are not HGH deficient (relative to other people of their age and gender) until there is a crap ton more research. Next, he'll be recommending anabolic steroids to address weight regain.

I am seven weeks out and I am eating between 1000 and 1200 calories a day. I also still feel hunger, so I do measure out my food and track everything I eat carefully. I don't really focus on the calories, but more on hitting my macros (which for me is very low carb, less than 20net carbs a day). I do exercise a LOT so that may also have something to do with my hunger and caloric intake. The weight is coming off--a little slower now--so, I am not going to overthink it.

I doubt the 4.5 pound weight gain had anything to do with adding puree/soft foods into your diet. Women's weight naturally fluctuates more then men's over the course of the month. If you're retaining water, you can be burning fat tissue, but it isn't going to show up on the scale. Daily weight fluctuations can be really frustrating, but you can't look at it as how much you gain or lose in any given day. You have to track trends over time--how you did in a week, month, two months etc. I know my rate of weight loss is leveling out and the days of of seeing 2 pounds loses overnight may be a thing of the past. That's ok!! If I losing an average of one to two pounds a week (average---not that you actually lose two pounds every week), I'll reach my goal weight sometime in 4 to 8 months from now . That is awesome and is more than I could have hoped for and expect from having this surgery. Even if it takes another year, I'll still be thrilled since I never imagined I could ever lose this much weight and feel this good again--plus I am off my T2DM meds which is just awesome.

Congrats and keep up the good work!!!! Ehhh. I threw up a couple of times this week. It doesn't happen often. but it does happen. Onederland still eludes me as well. I have stuck between 200.4 and 200.8 for the past three days! It's going to happen sooner or later---just hope it happens before my B-day on Monday!

A week is not a change in "trend". It's a week where you just haven't lost a as much as other weeks. Losses come in bits and spurts. I will lose nothing for a week and then 5 pounds in 2 days, not much for another few days, then 2 pounds overnight. That's just how it goes. No biggie. Btw, after sending that email about how disciplined I have been, I snacked quite a bit last night!!! It happens. I followed my plan and the foods I ate were consistent with my dietary goals. My hunger was probably in my head because I overate, felt like crap and threw up 20 minutes later. Even with exceeding my calorie limits, I lost a pound. Nevertheless, I can be religious in observance of my diet and not lose an ounce or even gain a pound over a five day period. You just have to stick to your program and trust that it will all work itself out in the end. If you actually find yourself in a real stall, no weight loss or inches lost for a month or more, then you need to talk to your doctor. Onederland is coming for both of us and it will feel REALLY GOOD when we get there. Maybe we'll get there tomorrow? Maybe not for another week? It's going to happen in time.

I did a 16 hour fast one day, but I won't be doing it again for a while. I just don't think it's a good idea this soon after surgery, but there are some elements that part of intermittent fasting (used on non-fasting days) that can be applied to help us (since I have issues with snacking as well). What I have been doing is eating a light breakfast after I get back from the gym (around 7:30-8am), then having a satisfying lunch (around 1:30-2pm) and filling dinner (after 7pm). Each meal is spaced by at least five hours (no snacking between meals). These "rules" have helped me cut down on snacking. Nevertheless, there are times when I do still feel hunger at night. When I feel those pangs, I try to drink a lot of water. If that doesn't make it the hunger pangs go away after 20 minutes, I'll have a snack. I have been enjoying these Cello Parmesan Crisps. They are crunch chips made purely out of parmesan cheese (pure protein, with not much fat and 0 carbs). They taste great, are filling and help don't hurt my macros. I even crush them with a rolling pin and use them as as substitute for bread crumbs in recipes. I have also been eating baked asparagus and brussel sprouts a lot--which are really tasty with a little extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and parmesan cheese. I always have left overs to snack on. Almonds are also good snack food, but you can't go too crazy. I limit myself to 8 almonds and count them out and close the jar. As for breakfast, I haven't been doing smoothies. I have never big on "drinking" my meals if I could avoid it. I have been making myself omelettes, one large egg and 5 tablespoons of egg whites, with fresh baby spinach and 1 ounce of goat cheese. Very yummy, rich, filled with protein and good fats, satisfying and only 215 calories.

Healthy_Life2 is giving some really solid advice and feedback. I appreciate her comments. I am only 2 months out so can't comment on weight regain. I can say that I have made a complete 180 in my lifestyle choices. I am extremely diligent in following my post-op dietary plan. I track daily caloric intake using the MyFitnessPal App and then go over my macros in the evening to make sure I am on target. I wouldn't even call it a diet--because that's such a temporary thing. I am looking at this as a new lifestyle. I have deviated from the standard plan provided by my doctor (I did discuss it with him and my nutritionist) and I am following a very low carb keto style plan (although too high in protein intake to be a true keto diet). This type of lifestyle provides me with very clear guidelines of what I can and cannot eat--which makes choosing foods easy, I do track calories too and set a limit to how many calories I can consume in a day, but this isn't hard since I am usually very satisfied sticking to my plan. Even if my ability to eat more increases, I feel like I can make good choices that may increase the volume of food that I eat without causing me to over-consume. When they say the sleeve is only a tool, they do mean it. Losing weight post-op is still a lot of work and requires a lot of discipline. The big difference is you are no longer fighting against your high set point, so instead of heating a plateau and suffering terrible hunger and cravings, you don't have that set point fight against you. The volume restriction is also helpful, but as Healthy_Life2 said, you can eat more frequently and undermine this process. I also now get up early in the morning to hit the gym before work and I love that "me" time. Even though this new and still "exciting" for me, it's a lifestyle that I can be happy with for the long term. I do not miss sleeping in late or eating carb heavy foods. I hope I still feel this way 2 or 5 or 10 years from now, but I am definitely happy right now. I can say that you need to be mentally prepared to make major lifestyle changes after you have the surgery (before as well!!). You need to have a healthy lifestyle plan in place and be 100% committed to following it through after surgery. I think the people that commit to following a healthy lifestyle plan will be successful long term. The people that only follow the post-op plan "most of the time" and "only cheat a little" are probably not following the plan very much at all and are cheating a lot!! I have gone to a few support group meetings and there are so many people that show up that can't understand why the weight isn't coming off them, while their friends lost so much. After talking more, it turns out that, as a result of surgery, they cut down their portions of crappy processed fast foods and other junk foods, but they continue to eat the same crap they ate before surgery (just less of it). That's not how you get down to a 25 BMI!!! You have to use this opportunity not only to cut down on your portions, but change your food and lifestyle choices. The people that make these changes and stick to it don't seem to have issues with regain (other than the normal 5-10 pound fluctuations that should be expected).

We are almost 2 months post-op and we both started with relatively low BMI's in the 34-35 range. I think it's normal for things to slow down a little when you start getting into month 3 post-op. You're still going to lose a nice chunk of weight at this point each month, but maybe not 20 pounds a month. Even if you lost 5 pounds a month on average for the rest of the year, you'd end the year at 150. Some months you may lose closer to 10 pounds, other months you may lose closer to 2 or nothing at all (it pretty normal). Still, this isn't a sprint to your weight loss goal. All the pre-op education says it's a 12 month to 18 month loss period. So, that's what we both can expect. I am not sure what your goal/target weight is, but at 5'9" and 150--that's pretty freakin' good and would beat your goal weight (which I think you're going to do). As for eating more, I told you a while ago that was I was eating well above 600 calories. Once your sleeve heals up, you should be able to eat more than 600 calories. That's not a sustainable amount of sustenance, especially if you're exercising. I wouldn't worry too much about the calories. Instead, focus on eating high quality whole foods (regardless of what type of diet your following). Nothing that's processed! Keep logging your food/caloric intake in MyFitnessPal or equivalent app so you can track your macros. Calories and caloric deficits do matter somewhat, but other factors such as insulin spikes and inflammation play a bigger part in causing obesity. I am doing well with sticking to a very low carb (less than 20net carbs a day) diet,, but that may not be for you or others. Even if you cut your net carbs to less than 100 a day (or 50 if possible), that's going to make a big difference. You probably won't get the benefits of ketosis, but it would be low enough carb intake that your body will start using glyconeogenesis to convert protein into glycogen (which is inefficient and burns 20% more calories than breaking carbs to glycogen).

As long as it's going down... I got used to it going the other way for so long. For January, I lost around 3.8 pounds per week on average, but it mostly came off in quick spurts over the course of 2 or 3 days followed by one week gaps (mini-stalls) in between. I just want to get to Onederland by 2/11 (my birthday). Sort of a birthday present to myself. That should be doable--it's only two pounds.

Hey Lolo, just checking in to see how things are going? Did you have a good trip? I am still plugging away with my sleeve version of Keto and working out like a crazy man. I am getting close to wonderland, so now I expect a long stall. No way I can just drop straight under 200....

I too have been struggling with constipation since surgery. Miralax doesn't help me much, nor do suppositories or even enemas. Dulcolax combined with a softener works a little too well and I am in pain for most of the following morning. I have tried upping my intake of fiber from spinach, kale, brussel sprouts, asparagus etc. Drinking a 8-12oz of coffee also helps a little. I am going to look into this smooth move for the weekends. This is the first i am hearing about it!

Hey Lola, how's it going? Sometimes we forget we have a sleeve and go back to past habits (maybe not food choice, but eating too fast!). Been there, done that!!!! Sometimes you can get away with it, sometimes you can't. It's really hard to keep up with the diet when you travel. It will get easier though. Keep the faith!! Btw, I think my stall actually did break today. I actually went up to 209.2 yesterday (from the 208.4 I was stuck out) and then this morning I woke up to find myself at 205.8. Go figure. I'll take it!!! I hope I can get to onederland in time for my 45th birthday on 2/11. No biggie if I don't, but it would be nice!!

Another vote here for it looks fine. If it's infected, you'd have yellow or white looking puss oozing, or if clear or cloudy fluid leaks from the wound to the point that it saturates any dressing you put on it, that would be a big sign of an infection. I see none of that in your picture. You can expect your wound to be red for at least six months after surgery--probably longer. You can start applying mederma or some other scar gel on the wound in a month, which will help with the redness and reduce the appearance of scaring.

Hey, great thread. I am working out 6 days a week as well, although I am not trying to get into beast mode. I don't really care how much weight I can lift, since I am not going to the gym to move iron from one place to another. I just target the highest weight I can handle for each exercise while maintaining the best possible form I can and do it for 8-12 reps. You gain as much muscle mass going higher rep (8-12 reps) and lower weight as you would going high weight and lower rep (1-6 reps). However, keeping the weight slightly lower and increasing the reps has been proven to reduce risk of injury--and that's the last thing any of us needs. Squats and lunges are awesome compound exercises we should all try our best to incorporate, but be careful going to heavy on those (at least if you're over 40). When I was in my twenties, I could squat 365 (with ok form) and I was no worse for the wear, but if I tried to get up to that now (at age 44), it would kill my knees (tendons and ligaments) even if my muscles could handle it. Have you tried a crossfit program?? Do a three sets then sprint on the treadmill for 6 minutes, then do your next group of sets, sprint again or use the rowing machine etc. You keep your weight a little lower and you try for max reps (maybe some take downs). Keep the rest period between sets to no more than 30-40 seconds. I just tried it this week with a guy I know from my gym that competes in fitness competitions. He has less than 12% body fat even when he's not prepping for a competition and he never goes very heavy on weight volume. It's been eye opening for me to see his workouts because I always went lower reps, higher weight when I was younger and that's not the look I want at this point in my life.