BigSue

I'm under 200 pounds! It's hard to believe I started at 341 pounds with a BMI over 60, and I've lost all the way through the 200s. From super morbid obesity, all the way through morbid obesity. I have a long way to go before I get out of the obesity range, but I have come so far from where I started. I tried on a pair of size 14 pants yesterday and they fit (they were actually a little baggy). Most people wouldn't consider that a great accomplishment, but 6 months ago, I was wearing size 26. Some plus-size brands didn't even go big enough for me at my highest weight, but I might be too small to buy plus-sized clothing soon! I feel like I came back from the dead, because that was probably where I was heading a year ago. My weight has held me back so much in life and I have missed out on so many things. I wish I had done this sooner, but I never want to forget how it felt to be 341 pounds. Not many people know what it's like to face the world as a super morbidly obese person, and even fewer know what it's like to turn around from being seemingly hopelessly overweight. I used to see people who lost 100+ pounds and think it was impossible, but now I'm in the club. I hope everyone else who was reborn in July 2020 is doing well and happy with your results!

Hmm, that’s weird. Maybe try to do it on the mobile app.

On the mobile app, you can update your stats by clicking “Profile” on the bottom right and then selecting “Patient Information.” On the web site, click on your username on the top right of the screen, then click “My Surgery” under settings. Then click “Progress” on the left sidebar.

I think the fluid and protein goals given by most surgeons are unrealistic for the first couple of weeks post-op. Based on what I’ve seen on this forum, very few people are able to get 60 grams of protein and 64 ounces of water per day in the first week. Now, it is very important to get fluids because dehydration can land you back in the hospital. They pump you full of IV fluids during and after surgery, so you have a head start, but you’ll need to focus on getting fluids now. Always be sipping! Protein is important, too, but fluids are the top priority. My surgeon told me that 64 ounces per day is ideal, but 40-50 ounces should be enough to avoid dehydration. Have you tried warm liquids? I found that warm liquids (soup, tea, and my favorite, protein hot cocoa) went down more easily than cold.

You're doing great! You've actually lost MORE than average for the first month after surgery, especially considering that you started with a BMI on the low end. Stalls in the first month are extremely common -- we call it the "three week stall" because it usually happens around 3 weeks post-op. There are a lot of superstitions around how to end a stall, but the reality is that a stall is just your body catching up to the changes, and all you can do is be patient and stick with your program. Don't worry; it happens to almost all of us. I know you probably waited a long time to get this surgery and you're ready to be skinny, but it takes time. Congrats on your success so far!

Yeah, it's on sale on Amazon, too. I'm hoping someone in my family takes advantage of the good price and buys it for me for Christmas! We all just buy stuff from one another's wish lists, so I have to put some things on my list for people to buy me. If not, I figure it will probably go on sale again around New Year's. I've already spent waaaaaaaay too much money on Black Friday shopping.

*High five* Congrats! Same here -- The last time I was this size, I was in high school.

@ms.sss Gotta ask: what's the deal with the 2.63 grams of Greek yogurt every day?

The problem with vegetables is that they take up space in your pouch that you need for protein. Before surgery, that's the advantage of vegetables -- they fill you up for few calories -- but after surgery (at least in the beginning), by the time you eat 1-2 ounces of meat, you can only fit a few bites of veggies.

Hate to break it to you, but stuff like this doesn’t work. If it did, we’d all be using it instead of getting WLS. It’s a “get thin quick” scam by people who want to profit from our desperation to lose weight.

Well, I'm not talking about eating Doritos and Oreos in moderation. I'm talking about eating a healthier version of chips and cookies. I'd happily eat an apple, except that it doesn't have the protein I need. Right now, I'm struggling to get as much protein in as I'm supposed to, so I look to protein-fortified foods to fill in the gaps. As I said, I eat "real" food for most meals, but it's hard to get 60 grams of protein from meat and dairy alone. I think I'm doing pretty well so far -- I haven't gone off plan once in 4.5 months since surgery (unless you count the 1 net carb tortillas, which are iffy) -- but I have a feeling it will get more difficult as time goes by and I want to be prepared.

I'm happy with my weight loss so far, but I don't really eat these foods, other than the aforementioned use of a small quantity of protein chips in meals. I'm really looking more to the future, because I've always been able to be "good" for a short period of time before falling off the wagon. Right now, I think the fear of getting sick is keeping me in line. I still don't know if I get dumping syndrome because I haven't eaten anything that would be likely to cause it. But I know that eventually, I'll be tested, and I'm trying to figure out if these healthy versions of junk food will help me to avoid the bad ones or just lead to more temptation. The BariatricPal store really seems to push this stuff. I feel like I'm constantly seeing ads for bariatric-friendly snack and dessert foods.

I feel for you -- it's got to be tough to have to cook all that great food and not be able to indulge the way you used to. I live alone, so I have it easier than most in terms of not having to be around food I can't eat. Thanks to COVID, I haven't been to any parties or holiday get-togethers since my surgery. Don't be too hard on yourself over two days of over-indulging. Today's a new day, and those extra pounds will come back off in no time.

I'm 4.5 months out. I eat 3 meals per day and no snacks (except 3 calcium chews per day for a total of 45 calories). My meals are typically 100-200 calories each and I typically eat 500-600 calories per day. If I'm low on protein for the day, I'll drink a protein shake or protein hot cocoa in addition to the meals. My meals are about half a cup each, a little more if there's lettuce because I figure that by the time I chew it up, it loses a lot of volume. Breakfast examples: Half container of triple zero yogurt with half a scoop of protein powder, raspberries/strawberries or PB2, keto granola or nut clusters Scrambled egg with 1/2 ounce cottage cheese, turkey sausage link Protein pancake with strawberries/raspberries and whipped cream Half packet of protein oatmeal with 1/4 scoop of protein powder, walnuts, and shredded carrots 4 ounces cottage cheese with nacho cheese seasoning Lunch: Protein bar if I'm at work; otherwise, same as dinner Typical dinner: Mexican casserole (chicken, cauliflower rice, salsa, black beans, cheese, plain greek yogurt) Salad with chicken and light dressing, topped with crushed Quest protein chips Chicken salad (shredded chicken, plain Greek yogurt, ranch seasoning), lettuce, tomato on half a 1 net carb tortilla with 1/4 ounce cheese White chicken chili Taco bites (shredded chicken, salsa, black beans, lettuce, tomato, plain Greek yogurt on Quest protein chips) Ricotta bake with turkey meat sauce Chicken or pork with sugar-free BBQ sauce, green beans

I had very little pain after surgery. I didn’t need any pain medication, even Tylenol, after I got out of the hospital. I just had some gas pain the first day, and a little internal discomfort when drinking. I didn’t have insomnia, though; I think I slept about the same amount as usual. I think it’s good that your recovery is going so well. The days right after surgery are the hardest, so it should be smooth sailing from here!

I'm buying some new clothes from Black Friday sales, but I'm trying to restrain myself because I still plan to get smaller! I need a new coat because the zipper on my favorite coat is broken (and that one is now too big), but I decided to hold off until next year because if I buy one this year, I hope it will be too big by next year. I put a FitBit Charge 4 on my wish list, so I'm hoping a family member will give it to me for Christmas. If not, I'll probably buy it for myself (these things always go on sale around New Year's). I got a FitBit One a few years ago, and I love it, but the Charge has some features the One doesn't have, so I think it's time for an upgrade.

Congrats, that's great!

Different plans seem to have some differences in what’s considered a liquid or a purée. I’ve heard that some plans consider yogurt a liquid, and some people are even allowed to eat yogurt while still in the hospital. I couldn’t have yogurt until purées (1 week post-op). And I couldn’t have eggs until soft foods, but I didn’t even try them until I was almost 3 months out because I’ve read that a lot of people don’t tolerate them early on. Fortunately, I haven’t had any problems with scrambled eggs. I’ve read that adding cottage cheese to scrambled eggs make them more tender, so I add 1/2 ounce cottage cheese to 1 egg.

Good job resisting temptation! That must have been difficult. I live alone, so I have it easier than most when it comes to not having to be around food I can’t eat, let alone having to cook it for other people. I almost cried the first week I went back to work and my boss brought in takeout from my favorite local restaurant and put a delicious meal I couldn’t eat on my desk (nobody at work knows I had weight loss surgery). You, and all those who cook food for your families when you’re on a liquid diet, are so strong!

I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure OP is dissatisfied with her weight loss and is being told her weight loss is slow because she’s not eating bread, which I think is even more absurd than being told her weight loss success is due mainly to avoiding bread.

Yes, there are different schedules for intermittent fasting, but the general idea for most is to stop eating for a certain period of time every day. I did 16/8, which meant that I fasted for 16 hours per day. The most common way to do this is to stop eating after dinner, then skip breakfast the next day and not eat until lunch (e.g., stop eating at 8 pm and don’t eat again until noon the next day). Some people do 12/12 (which is not much of a challenge if you want to start easy), some do 18/6, and some do one meal a day (OMAD), which means they only eat once per day and fast the rest of the day. There are other, more complicated schedules, like alternate day fasting, but I didn’t do those. I personally think the ones with the same schedule each day are the most beneficial for changing your eating habits.

I lost 70 pounds before surgery just by doing two things: intermittent fasting and tracking everything I ate in MyFitnessPal. Intermittent fasting helped me to cut down on snacking, and tracking my food helped me cut back on my calorie intake by forcing me to think about everything I ate. These are also good habits that have helped me after surgery as well. I started with a calorie goal of 2190 per day (which is what MyFitnessPal calculated for me), and gradually challenged myself to go lower. By the time I had surgery, I was averaging about 1500 calories per day. My surgeon only asked me to lose 20 pounds before surgery, and that was my goal, but I ended up losing 70 pounds just by making these simple changes. I didn't try to drastically change what I was eating, but I naturally started making healthier choices just by trying to lower my calorie intake.

Do you have a recipe for that? I'd love to try it!

I saw the dietitian at my 1-week and 6-week follow-ups. Did not see her at my 3-month (only the surgeon). My next appointment is at 6 months, which is when I get my bloodwork. I'm not sure if I'll see the dietitian at that one. Does your program have a patient manual that discusses post-op diet? Most of what the dietitian told me is already in my patient manual. It sucks that your program has been without a dietitian for so long. Maybe you could find one on your own, but I would make sure it's someone who has experience with bariatric patients because our needs are different from most people's.

Ooh, I bought a frozen chicken crust pizza weeks ago and I’ve been saving it for a special occasion. I decided that it will be my Thanksgiving dinner (well, 1/3 of it), so I’m planning to try it tonight! It will be my first pizza since July 1 (pizza was my last meal before my pre-op diet), so I do hope it’s good!