Recidivist

I love the Quest Protein Chips that are sold at GNC! It's such an easy way to get a good dose of protein in a mid-afternoon snack. My favorites are "Loaded Taco" and cheddar cheese. However, steer clear of barbecue.

I was having terrible constipation at about nine weeks as well, and I occasionally went 5 or 6 days without a BM. I could still eat, but I found that I had little appetite and couldn't eat as much when I was so backed up. This may be TMI, but I used an enema each time it had been three days or longer, and that always did the trick for me.

This is why I told only a handful of people about my surgery--two family members and a very small number of friends (and made them promise to keep in to themselves). Many people who are unfamiliar with WLS think it's the "easy way out," but all of us know that is definitely not the case. Nonetheless, when I told my sister and one of my closest friends that I was planning to have surgery, they became really hostile, saying it was too drastic, too dangerous, and just plain stupid. Their reactions caused me to distance myself from both of them. Both are quite overweight, and I think they felt threatened by the fact that I was doing something about my weight. I don't need that kind of negative energy when I'm making positive changes in my life!

This man thanks you. 🙂 And it is nice to have other men here to share experiences, because we do lose weight differently than women. Does anyone happen to know what percentage of weight loss surgeries are men?

Very interesting! I asked my surgeon about getting a Medic Alert bracelet (for all the reasons that have been mentioned here), and she laughed and told me that was a ridiculous idea. I'm glad to hear from others who have done it, and I think I will now do it as well. Thanks!

I am a "recovering attorney" and completely agree with your characterization of attorneys. That's why I left the law after practicing for eight years! 🙂

I had a really bad recovery after hoping (like we all do) that things would go smoothly. My pouch leaked and had to be repaired, which resulted in an extended stay in the hospital. In the first couple of months I was passing out and having seizures, and the doctors could not figure out why. I'm telling you this because I have done extremely well since then. I reached my goal weight in 7 months, I feel fantastic, and those initial problems are a distant memory now. I hope your recovery is smooth--but in case it's not, the members of this forum have collectively experienced every possible setback and can help you through the the tough times--and reassure you that everything will be fine in the long run.

I think cleaning out a litter box is a chore regardless of your weight! 🙂

Good for you! It's good that you have acknowledged your problem and which foods were causing it. It's also great that you have taken a positive step by throwing away the bad foods and re-committing to maintaining a healthy weight. We all slip up now and then, and the real test is what we do about it.

I've read through this entire thread, which was incredibly informative. Thank you all! A few observations: - I am floored when I read that some people are maintaining on 2000-ish calories. I am still full after eating a weight-loss meal, and I can't imagine more than doubling my calories. The key seems to be healthy carbs, according to many of you. (Carbs scare me, however!) - When I saw my surgeon just before starting maintenance, she didn't tell me my ideal weight. I would like to gain 5-10 pounds and am relying on the bounce-back to take care of that. - I did not count calories, protein or anything else for the last several months and don't intend to during maintenance, unless I can't find my sweet spot through trial and error. However, I seem to be an outlier in that regard. - I don't really care what my BMI is. Everyone's body is so different that it seems difficult to generalize everyone at a certain height and weight as having a particular BMI. I know how I want to look and feel without obsessing about my BMI. Again, I seem to be an outlier. - I have one question: What about rice during maintenance? I haven't seen anyone talk about it. Is rice a no-no? Again, I'm really happy to have found this thread. The weight loss phase was so regimented, but maintenance seems like sort of a free-for-all!

My partner, my sister and a very small group of close friends (swearing them to secrecy). I also told my immediate supervisor at work, because I had to justify three weeks of sick leave. She has agreed to keep it to herself. I am now at goal weight and I get asked every day how I did it. I say that it was a medically-supervised diet, which is actually true. 🙂

For me it's all about being healthy, having energy, and being able to participate in activities (like walking moderate distances!) that were not possible before. Looking great is a pleasant side effect! 🙂

What an incredible transformation! Congratulations!

It's only my second week of maintenance, but I'm finding itt very difficult to consume enough calories. I can eat more than I could a few months ago, but I still have significant restriction and get full very quickly. The few times I've tried to push the envelope and eat more I've gotten really nauseous. I know it's trial and error and I'll have to figure out where my sweet spot is, but I'm also concerned about losing more weight. I'd say that I need to be a few pounds heavier, but I'm not too worried for now due to the "bounce back" effect.

I had popcorn for the first time at about 7 months and had no problem at all. The only issue is that if you buy it pre-packaged to make sure that it has no sugar or other ingredients that could make you dump. The popcorn itself shouldn't.

Good for you--I'm so proud of you! I don't think it's coincidence that the two of us reached this point around the same time. I have the feeling we were both extremely disciplined when it came to the program. I'm shocked when I read about people having ice cream and potato chips four months after surgery!

Greetings, all--new Maintainer here! Just a brief intro: I had surgery on March 2, 2019. I set an original goal weight of 150, but when I got closer I decided that 140 was probably better. Now I'm at 136. (I truly can't believe these numbers--I never would have dreamed this a year ago!) I'm still losing a bit of weight, but not at a rapid rate. I'm now trying to figure out what and how much more I need to eat to reach a good balance. Carbs and fats still terrify me, but I may need to increase both to stop losing. The challenge will be eating enough, because I still get full (sometimes to the point of discomfort) when I eat what I've been eating during weight loss. It's all trial and error I suppose. I still think of myself as a fat person and I am sometimes shocked when I see myself in the mirror, but I'm getting used to it. I went back to my old office this week for the first time in two years, and literally nobody recognized me at first. It was only when I started talking that they knew it was me. I guess that's a good thing! Now I'm getting comments from family and friends that I'm too thin, which is absurd. I have a very small frame and weighed ten pounds less than this in high school and college. However, all of my current friends only know me as a fat person and I guess it's a bit shocking to them. I'm going to read through the entire thread this weekend so I'm up to speed. I've already found some great information in the first few page, and I'm really glad this thread was started!

My BMI was around 33-34 before gastric bypass, but I had high blood pressure, sleep apnea and pre-diabetes. These are called "co-morbidities," and insurance will usually cover the procedure if your BMI is between 30 and 35 with at least two co--morbidities. (My insurance--Aetna--did cover it.) If your BMI is about 35 or higher, acceptance by your insurance company is usually automatic. And in case you are wondering, I'm thrilled that I had the surgery seven months ago, even though I had "only" about 100 pounds to lose.

Sorry for posting again, but I found a couple of fat pictures that I wanted to share along with my most recent photo. This was not my heaviest, but it gives you an idea of what I used to look like.

Thanks, Gotta! Currently weigh 138 and have lost 112 overall. This is about what I weighed in high school, which blows my mind.

We all have very similar stories of yo-yo dieting and finally deciding to take the next step. This site has been such an incredible source of information and support. Welcome!

I love Isopure protein drink, although you drink it as is and don't mix it with anything. It's basically already the consistency of water. My favorite is grape frost. You can check it out on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Isopure-Plus-Carb-Protein-Drink/dp/B002RWYOP6/ref=sr_1_9?crid=6X6DUEKC95N5&keywords=isopure+zero+carb&qid=1570267165&s=hpc&sprefix=isop%2Chpc%2C432&sr=1-9

Hi, all. I got access to a scale today and am now down to 138 pounds. As many of you have said, I could never have imagined being this weight six months ago. I was realistically hoping to get to between 170 to 180 and would have been happy with that result. I'm attaching a recent photo from my trip to Stockholm. (Please note that I'm not showing off a cute outfit in this picture.) What you can't see here is the loose skin all over my body--but I certainly prefer that to weighing 100 pounds more!

I'm seven months out, and I actually find water easier than hot/warm liquids. I can drink much more than I could at first, and I've gotten to the point where I'm getting 90+ ounces a day. Even so, I still feel thirsty much of the time.

The support group at my hospital did a clothing exchange every month. It worked fairly well for the women, but there were only a few of us men and the options were pretty limited. I ended up giving most of my old clothes to Goodwill. I'm happy to spend money on new clothes as long as they are smaller, not larger!