Arabesque

Thank you. A very interesting article. My heart breaks for children who are dealing with obesity related health & emotional issues we didn’t have to until we were adults & had them had some knowledge & strategies to manage aspects of these issues ourselves. The toll of obesity on one’s physical, psychological & emotional health & well being is almost immeasurable. It is known that high & ultra processed foods increase production of our hunger hormones & reduces the production of satiety hormone. But companies won’t stop producing these foods & the convenience & lower prices make them very attractive to families. The comment ‘trying to limit meals to one plate’ is also endemic of the excessive portion sizes people accept as being appropriate & ‘normal’. If children aren’t introduced to healthier & better food choices & cooking methods, like vegetables, home cooked meals, etc., they will never develop a taste or appreciation for them. I am horrified by children & adults who don’t know what some fruits & vegetables are let alone know how to cook or eat them. Same with other foods. Education about better & more nutritional eating is fighting a losing battle against multinational companies, convenience, price, advertising, etc. It is more & more becoming a wide spread generational problem. Many strong opinions on whether children should or shouldn’t have surgery or be placed on medication. The decision to go down either of these routes or not is truely one of life (or quality of) & death. Nor is it easy. The child & family must be well educated about their options, the impacts & the lifestyle changes necessary for success so they can make the most informed decision to best benefit the child whatever route they decide to follow. Well that’s my opinion (& rant for today).

I ate cucumber from about 6-8 weeks I think but it was ages for other vegetables. Though I tend to steam my vegetables & rarely eat them raw (except for salad vegetables like cucumber, tomato, celery, etc.). Raw vegetables are more coarse & can cause issues like the foamies & can be harder to digest which may be why we’re encouraged to wait a few months before eating them & when we’re more fully healed. Is it the vegetables you crave or the crunch? if it’s more the crunch try cucumber just remove the seeds. The higher water content helps makes them easier to swallow & digest. And they’re good for your digestion. (Used to wrap smoked salmon around wedges with a little cream cheese for lunch - was yum until my tummy decided it didn’t like smoked salmon again. 😁)

You’ll likely discover other things, both weird & wonderful, that make you wonder what’s going on. We’re listening to our bodies in a different way. We’re not just putting everything down to our weight. And we’re experiencing things we haven’t before or had forgotten about. I remember I was having a lot of upper back pain. I jokingly said to a masseuse oh it’s probably because my boobs are so much smaller now & I need better fitting bras. Light bulb moment - oh of course it was. My body was used to carrying those heavier weights on my chest. Was fitted for some new smaller & better supporting bras & the back pain practically disappeared.

Congratulations. This is amazing. Thank you for sharing your story so far. Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your journey in the future.

Oowww @KathyLev. Hope it’s healing or has healed well. I wonder if it’s just your body reacclimatising too. We have to learn about our new centre of balance & awareness of our smaller body in the space around us. I mean everything is smaller even our hands & fingers. I used to kick my toes on the skirting board under my kitchen cabinets. Took me a while before I realised I used to use my protruding tummy as my sub conscious ‘stop walking you’ve reached the bench’ signal. With my much smaller tummy my toes was reaching the skirting board before my tummy did. Lol!

Check with your team as to whether 1/4-1/3 cup is appropriate for you. Some do encourage people to eat more than that. Slowing down can be difficult at first until you establish a sort of eating routine. Little things like putting my cutlery down between bites, sitting back from the table, if with people not taking a bite while someone’s sneaking all helped slow down my eating (& the mindless shovelling of food in my mouth). I also used a teaspoon and then buffet forks (sporks) & dipped them in my food versus scooping spoonfuls.

It takes a lot of calories to maintain that heavier weight & for the body to function at that weight (just moving with that weight alone requires a lot of energy) & so the calorie deficit has a greater impact. It requires your body to burn more fat to get the energy it needs to function so there is a greater weight loss. There is a percentage formula to help give you an idea of what weight loss you may expect (may not will) but I can’t recall what it is. Though I think they say you may expect to lose about 30% of your weight at three months. Say it says you’ll lose 10% of the weight you’re to lose in your first month. It you weigh 600lbs & are to lose 400lbs you might to lose 40lbs in the first month. Have a lower starting weight & are to lose 200lbs you might lose 20lbs. Well, that’s my understanding. 😁

Best advice is stick to your plan. (Have to admit I’m surprised by the peanut butter. I know some use peanut butter powder to add as a flavour to their shakes but not actual eat peanut butter until maintenance but then plans are different.) You said candy is a trigger for you. This is a head hunger not a real hunger. Have you spoken to your therapist about this? They’ll help you identify why you crave candy, what situations, what emotions, habits, etc. trigger it & will help you work out strategies to manage your craving. This is part of the head work we do to change our relationship with food & our eating. Remember the surgery changes your body not your head. Sure, once your weight stabilises, you’ll work out how much & how often you can have some of your old favourite things, if you even still want them. I didn’t really crave sweet things as such but certainly enjoyed eating something sweet every night after dinner. Now I rarely eat sweet foods - a couple of times a year & don’t miss it. I have about 5g of added sugar a day. I do very little artificial sweeteners (in yoghurt & protein bar but they don’t taste sweet at all) or sugar substitutes either as I’m pretty sensitive & foods can easily taste excessively sweet. Who would have thought food can be too sweet! If I want sweet now I have some fruit. The sugar alcohols can cause bloating & diarrhoea in many which is why your plan likely says to avoid it. All the best.

At what point post op do you mean? Your calorie intake increases as you progress with your weight loss. I was a low calorie consumer and therefore my stats are very different from others but I am different from others too. I was never given calorie goals just portion sizes & wasn’t told to count calories - I did it randomly for my own interest & still do it like this. Was barely eating 300 calories in soft food & I think I was barely at 900 calories by 6 months. I stabilised at about 17 months (about a kilo less than I am now) consuming around 1300. I eat about 1500/1600 to maintain my weight now. Everyone has different caloric needs. (Metabolic rate, activity levels, age, weight, height, etc. all contribute to what calories you need.) Please check with your dietician as to their recommendations for what caloric goals you need while losing & then maintaining.

It’s pretty common for your menstrual cycle to be a bit screwed up with your weight loss (longer, shorter, more or less frequent, heavier or lighter). Like the others have said it’s the estrogen stored in your fat being released into your blood stream as you lose weight. I was in menopause too & all my menopausal symptoms disappeared yay! - they came back though when I got close to my goal unfortunately. You can’t stop the hair loss. Your hair naturally sheds & after surgery your rate of loss temporarily accelerates (it’s quite common after bigger surgeries, pregnancy, stressful periods). It often starts around month 4+/- & lasts about 3+/- months. Some people say take biotin or other supplements & use special hair treatments but their hair loss all seems to last the same 3 months or so. How much you lose is individual. Your new hair is growing as it always dies at the same time & at its usual rate. I too cut my long hair to just above my shoulder. Shorter hair is bouncier & looks mor full than long hair. It also takes less time for your new growth to catch up in length to your shorter length than your long length so your hair will look & feel as thick as it always did more quickly. Only way to slow your loss is to eat more calories. If you get to this point work with your dietician to ensure you’re following a way of eating that is healthy, still nutrient dense & is sustainable. Remember too, the surgery changes your body weight set point. We don’t always end at a weight we wanted or expected but is the weight your body is happiest at & is easiest to maintain.

Listen to your body. If you feel tired, rest/nap. If your tummy says nope don’t like that don’t eat or drink it for a week or so & then try it again (your tummy can behave like a petulant tantrum throwing 2 year old for a little while). Don’t push yourself to do more physically than you are able. You may experience random muscle twinges & discomfort at odd times for a couple of weeks - part of your healing. We all heal differently. We all lose at different rates. We all experiences stalls at times while we lose ( they’re a vital part of your weight loss & do break when your body is ready). We all lose some of our hair (it doesn’t last & it grows back.) Don’t compare yourself with others & beat yourself up if you’re not doing the same. Use other people’s experiences as examples of what you might experience & might achieve not should be doing or experiencing. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t hit your protein & fluid goals right from surgery or everyday. As long as you’re making an effort, are pretty close & eventually you have more days you do than you don’t you’ll be okay. Follow your plan as closely as you can. If you’re struggling with aspects contact your team for alternatives or strategies to help. All the best.

It’s ketosis. It’s renown for the accompanying unpleasant body odours: breath, skin, sweat, genital secretions, urine & caused by our high protein low carb diet. We want to be in ketosis (fat burning) & we all experience the side effects in some form. Good thing is the odour doesn’t last forever. I used to carry a small toiletries bag with toothbrush & paste, mouth wash, deodorant & body wipes for a refresh during the day. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketosis-safety-and-side-effects#The-low-carb/keto-flu

Remember too you’re only eating very small portions at this stage. If you keep to your portion size recommendations you likely won’t feel your restriction unless something is sitting more heavily in your tummy, you’re drinking while you eat or eating to quickly. (I was advised 1/4 - 1/3 cup from purées gradually increasing to about a cup by 6 months but check with your team for what they suggest for you & your needs.) Many of us find our signals are different now too & it can take time to work out what they are for you. The goal should not be to eat until you feel full. It takes 20+ minutes for that message to get through to our brains. (One of the reasons we’re told to eat slowly.) So by the time you feel full you likely have eaten way past full. Try to work out your ‘I’ve had enough’ signals. I ask myself do I need another bite or just want it. If I just want it I stop. Oh & it would take a concentrated effort of eating large quantities of food over a long period of time to stretch your tummy.

I found the bone broths very salty likely because of the change to my taste buds but something to be aware of. You can buy cheaper cuts of a beef on the bone (beef shank & oxtail are generally pretty reasonable) & then strain the both & freeze the meat for a later stage. A friend made soup using various meats on the bone. Strained her serves out & the family ate the rest. Don’t need a pressure or slow cooker. Just a good pot on a low heat for a couple of hours.

The shakes are more likely to give you constipation because of the high fibre & protein content. But increased peeing is another story & this will continue as meeting your fluid goals post surgery are very important. (I swear I still pee every hour or so.) Getting samples of a variety of brands & flavours are a good idea because it’s common for your taste buds & even your sense of smell to change & become extra sensitive for a while after the surgery. Your favourite flavours may taste disgusting for a few weeks. As long as the pre-made shakes or protein powders contain a similar amount of protein you can buy any brand any where. Use your recommended brand as a guide for acceptable protein & other nutrients in the alternative brand you find to assess their suitability. All the best with your surgery.

You may have been lucky this time but I wouldn’t push it. There are a lot of sutures & staples holding your tummy together & the staged return to eating is in place to protect your wounds & support your healing & recovery. Generally we’re told to avoid pasta - not just during the staged eating phase. It, like rice & bread, are more highly processed, nutrient poor food that will swell & feel heavy in your tummy. It fills your much smaller tummy restricting you from eating the nutrient dense foods you need to be eating like your protein. In a while you may be able to add carbs back into your diet, but then the rule usually is eat your protein first, then any vegetables & finally if you’re able any carbs you are allowed.

First we all fluctuate. It may be a pound or two or it might be more. Tracking your weight will allow you to see your natural fluctuation & help you recognise that versus weight gain. Secondly, a 50 pound weight loss in about 5 months is great. Why do you think you are failing? Does your surgeon, dietician or team say you are failing? The only people who lose more than that in the first months are those who start at much higher weights than you like on My 600lb Life. They may start at losing 50lbs a month but that doesn’t last. Like everyone their rate of lose slows as they lose weight. I echo others suggestion of tracking everything you put in your mouth - solid or liquid - ensuring you weigh & measure everything. Do it for a few weeks, then discuss your food records with your dietician to check you aren’t missing something or confirm you are on the right track. PS - Real fruit is always a better choice than fruit juice. You get more nutrients, better fibre & still get fructose as a natural sugar to help with your diabetes.

Unfortunately, yes your hunger comes back as do all your cravings, old bad habits, etc. it can be difficult at first to discern between real hunger & head hunger. Real hunger feels different. I feel restless as if something is wrong. There is always a logical reason I feel hungry (haven’t eaten, missed a meal, didn’t eat much,). If there isn’t a reason to feel hungry or if I crave a specific food, flavour or texture I know it’s head hunger. Head hunger often passes real hunger doesn’t. If you are still producing too much stomach acid you may have hunger pangs. Hunger pangs & your tummy rumbling usually isn’t a sign of hunger as we were always told - it’s just either too much acid (try taking a ppi or antacid) or your digestive system working properly. Distractions can help. Go for a walk, craft, read, clean out a cupboard or drawer, ring a friend, check this forum, play a game. Even set a time - I’ll have something to eat in half an hour & then chose a nutrient dense low calorie option. Sipping a warm drink can help too. Many find counselling very helpful to understand your relationship with food & what drives you to eat (your cravings, emotions, habits, etc.). They’ll also help you work out ways to manage these when they feel like they’re taking over. You won’t stop the but you’ll better identify why you want to eat & work out ways to take away some of their power.

While I agree that selecting the right tool is important (right for your needs, health & medical considerations, lifestyle etc.) getting your head right is equally as if not a more important part. Not everyone loses their appetite after surgery & if you do it’s temporary. We all say, the surgery changes your body but it doesn’t change your thinking. It doesn’t stop your cravings, emotions, habits. They’ll still be there when your appetite returns. You have to do the head work as well. It is possible to eat around your tool, to make poor food choices & then not lose or regain your weight. Changing your relationship with food, understanding why you eat (habit, emotional support, craving, boredom, etc.) are essential. It’s like getting a gym membership or buying a treadmill, how successful you are depends upon you changing your behaviours & actually using the treadmill or going to the gym. Many people find working with a therapist extremely helpful in understanding & developing strategies to manage what motivates or drives our eating & the food choices we make. Unfortunately, life does tend to throw crap at us at times, & knowing how to manage the emotional turmoils that usually come with it & not fall back on old eating behaviours will help you continue your weight loss & maintain in the future. As @NickelChip said, Dr Weiner & Dr Pitcher have amazing resources but I do encourage you to consider seeking counselling. Your doctor, surgeon & team should be able to recommend someone with experience in disordered eating & bariatric patients. (Many insurances require at least one visit as part of your approval anyway.) All the best.

Stalls are common & a necessary part of your weight loss. It’s when your body stops & assess the changes you’ve made & resets things like digestive hormones, metabolism, etc. based on your changes & new needs. Think of it as your body taking a breath to understand the stress you’ve been putting it through. Once it understands what you now need, your weight loss will start again. Stick to your plan, don’t stress your body more. Your stall will break when your body is ready. They usually last between 1-3 weeks but it can be longer. Can be difficult to compare what others are doing or achieving at a certain point in time. I was barely eating 900 calories at 6 months. Barely touched a carb except what was in vegetables & fruit & barely any sugar (still average less than 10g added sugar a day often only 5g). Most are eating way more than that. With your calorie intake you will still lose weight but I agree, your dietician is your best help.

The dizziness is likely orthostatic hypotension or in simple terms drops in blood pressure with postural changes - getting up after sitting or lying down. You can get it reaching up too. It’s pretty common in the first weeks after surgery & I think aggravated by the low calorie intake but for most it’s temporary. (I had a tendency to it before surgery & now I have it everyday.) Keep your fluids up. Add a little more salt to your diet if possible. Get up slowly, in stages & wait before moving. When I do move I generally try to keep near a chair, table,wall, etc. so I can grab it & ground myself if my vision narrows. Even been known to grab a person too - LOL. Depending upon how much weight you’ve lost so far, your upper body pain could be from your body finding it’s new centre of gravity. Your body used to hold itself in a certain way to compensate for the weight you carried. Now it doesn’t have to & your muscles at relearning how to hold yourself when standing, walking, etc. And yes it’s pretty common & can be experienced at different time while you’re losing.

Glad you’re feeling better @ms.sss.

I’d question the fitbit too. You’d have to run for around four hours to burn 3000 calories & lift weights for about 8 hours. https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/how-to-burn-3000-calories-a-day/ Remember, exercise contributes to only about 10% of any weight you want to lose. Many benefits to exercising of course but don’t make it your focus for weight loss. I didn’t ‘exercise’ & I lost all my weight & more but that was because my body’s new set point was a weight lower than my goal. But I am an outlier & beat the average stats of losing about 65% of the weight you are to lose with a sleeve. I agree with @learn2cook’s suggestion to speak with your dietician & your surgeon may help too. All the best.

I was an equal opportunity savoury & sweet eater. I eliminated most sugar in the weeks after surgery when anything with sugar, artificial sweeteners or sugar alternatives tasted extra crazy sweet & was off putting. I haven’t really let it back into my eating. I get my sweet from blueberries every day & the occasional additional serve of fruit. It can be hard to eliminate it & the alternatives completely. It is added to just about everything in firm or another. I know I have about 5g of added sugar (multigrain crackers I eat) a day & some artificial sweetener (yogurt, protein bar & peanut paste) but that’s it. And none of these things taste sweet. I will have dessert at Christmas but that all I have of traditional sweet food. (I did have a small piece of wedding cake earlier this year.) There is some sugar in the rare G&T I have. None of these things make me crave sweet again. I remember during Covid, when the grocery shelves were bare, I could only buy a box of honey instant rolled oats - it was awful, super sweet & I couldn’t eat it. Personally, I’d rather eat something with real sugar than artificial sweetener - that stuff is so bad for you. Good luck.

I started at a lower weight than you & I reached goal at 6 months. I kept losing for another 11months or so (albeit very slowly). I wasn’t trying to lose more & in fact I was eating more & more. The lower weight was where my body wanted to be - my new set point which is the weight my body is happiest at. Your set point is the weight your body will gravitate back to & is easier to maintain. It is reset through the surgery but it may not be reset to a weight we want. We used to have much higher set points which is why many of us used to lose & then regain it back or struggled to lose at all. You mentioned you are eating fewer calories in an attempt to lose more. Remember you will have to continue to eat fewer calories & be more active to maintain a lower weight. This is not always sustainable & can impact you long term (including slowing your metabolism). Have you spoken with your team - surgeon, dietician? They should be able to advise you on how to best get closer to your ultimate goal.