TRAVELRN

First CONGRATULATIONS for taking the first step towards a healthier you! I would follow the surgeons advice. That being having a lot of hernia surgeries equals quite a bit of scar tissue and having the bypass is more involved. You may only need the sleeve. Take a breath and take it one thing at a time. I used to think I can diet and let me tell you I did them all. You name it I spent money on it and then some. This for me was the best thing I have ever done for myself. I am a year post op, I eat like I have always wanted to eat to lose weight. That being said its not a fix all. You can't have the surgery and go back to eating the way you have. Its a journey and one that requires you to be honest and open with YOURSELF. From now till your surgery I suggest keeping a food diary. Just write down what you eat, the time of day, the feelings you were having (anger, anxiety, depression...etc) and don't think too much about what you write in it but be honest and open. Only you will see it. You will see your habits, your patterns and what led you to be 400 lbs. PCOS is one thing but not the sole reason and I think that you know this. Be honest. You won't regret it. You will be happier for it. Be kind to yourself. ❤️

Slow your eating down and do not drink with meals. 30 min before or after meals no fluids. Take a bite, put the spoon or fork down and chew that stuff up till its practically liquified. If you are dehydrated due to vomiting or dumping syndrome you need to get that straightened out so just do liquids. Protein drinks, etc. Reset.

I would recommend doing a food diary for a month. This will really pinpoint what you may be missing. Water, water, water is almost as crucial as protein. There might be something that you are overlooking.

EXCELLENT advice. I too am a year out and it does help to put your all into the first year of really measuring and watching your food choices really well..

I definitely "geeked out" and did a lot of journaling, this is ultimately how I learned my eating cues and what was happening when I would grab something. It really helped.

oosp realized this is an old post. hope things went well for you

This a real thing and something I am sure everyone has been through. My relationship with food was something I never really understood until after my surgery. It helped me to be more aware of my eating cues and what caused me to stuff myself silly. It took me the better part of the year since my surgery to learn better coping mechanisms. When I get anxious I exercise or go for a walk or listen to music. find what works for you. Don't beat yourself up or miss out on life. Hold your head up and know its only temporary and you will be doing something for yourself and only yourself that will benefit you health wise down the road. If you need help ask for it. In the beginning I spoke to my doctor and had to go on anti anxiety medication until I worked through it. Its the best thing I have ever done for me. Not for anyone else but me!! ❤️

Try not to focus on future eating. Take it a day at a time, follow your meal plan and get your fluids in. Getting your protein and water in will be your focus for a while. Stick to your plan.

this is EXTREMELY NORMAL. you will have plateaus all through your journey. Follow your meal plan don't skip meals, get your protein AND water.

yes it was horrible and made me never do it again. I vomitted as well and then had dumping. Remember its wait before AND after eating.

Call your surgeon's office. You may need to be seen.

its Onderful to be in this land again after so long haha. Congratulations. Its the best thing I have done for myself. I feel amazing!!

As I am sure many will or have told you this is not a sprint its a marathon. Its a life long change in habits. Continue to follow your plan. you will have a lot of plateaus but have spurts of losing in groups. The best thing I can say is be patient, learn what your eating cues are and make changes for the long haul instead of the immediate gratification we all sometimes expect and look for. You don't gain 100 lbs in one sitting and you dont lose it in one either. Speedy recovery and keep a diary. This helped me figure when I ate (stress, anxiety etc.). I wish you well.

Also remember this isnt a quick fix. Its up to you to follow your meal plan and take ownership. Don't be too hard on yourself if you stumble just get right back up and start over.

Hi I am a year and a few months out and currently 60. Best thing I have done for myself. Just think water, protein and vitamins. ALWAYS take your vitamins.

Keep doing what you are doing. It's not uncommon to have frequently plateaus and then drop 5-10 pounds. also if you are lifting weights you will gain muscle mass as well and may not show a loss but that is fine. I had my surgery Nov 2021 and I am still losing and go up and down 3-5 lbs depending on the month. :) I have surpassed my goal weight and don't focus so much on the scale. I may weigh once a month if that. Just be mindful of your water and protein and the rest will follow.

This is a big issue that I don't feel gets addressed enough before or after surgery. I really felt this alot and spoke to my doctor about this. I didnt try to hide what I was feeling, they are your feelings. I also started a journal that I write positive affirmations about my weight loss journey. If I feel like I am going down that dysmorphia rabbit hole I reach out and speak to someone about this. It really helps when speaking with someone that has had the surgery and the same challenges and understands the process emotionally that goes with this surgery. Its hard to explain stuff or get true feedback and support from someone that doesnt really understand this process in my opinion. One of my coworkers had the same surgery and when we first met we smiled at each other and said "sister". I know that sounds odd but we bounce stuff off each other whenever we work together. For example she reached out to me because she was having issues with her husband (who is very supportive of her, but just doesnt understand the process emotionally.) talking about her watching her carbs. He felt she was getting "overly obsessive" about it. She is 3 yrs post op and has been struggling with some weight gain. Her husband makes her lunch for work and the stuff he puts in there is just bad! lots of breads, pastas, etc. well you can imagine. she has been making her own and bringing more healthier choices and she has started to drop again. The thing is you can't be afraid of your feelings, and need to address them whether its finding a support group or connecting with someone that you feel comfortable talking to. I talk to my doctor (reg doc) and have come up with some approaches that work for me. For me the anxiety is what gets me and I am proud to say I have a good handle on that now and the dysmorphia is so much more under control if you will. One really important thing that also helped me was to be realistic in my vision of myself. I am not 18 years old and will never have that body again. Accepting my self now at the age I am at now (60) and really feeling comfortable with my body now is extremely important. Society does woman an injustice by attempting to dictate how we are supposed to look. I feel great, better than I have EVER felt and I feel more alive now that before my surgery. I embrace that. I am happy and healthier for my surgery and owe it to myself to love myself and enjoy the rest of my life feeling good. Don't be hard on yourself. I recommend getting a book of positive affirmations and reading one every day. It sounds corny but the more positive you put into things (its hard in this negative world we live) the more positive you will feel. Love and light.

This is a great question!!! I have always been UNrealistic in my weight loss journey before my surgery so this was a concern for me. I looked over my past and tried to remember the weight where I felt good, confident as well as taking into account my age at the time of surgery and my activity level. I have some orthopedic issues that hinder my work outs and general walking. I discussed this with the therapist I spoke to before my surgery and it was agreed that my number for me was very realistic. I made my goal weight just shy of a year post op! I followed and still follow my meal plans, I do add in an "extra" here and there but its always worked into my plan and I avoid excesses. I took the time to learn what my eating triggers are and when I feel like I am going down that rabbit hole I adjust and use other non-food coping strategies. Each journey is very personal and once size does not fit all. This is something I have really became fully aware of during my journey.

which app is this?

So excited for you. I had the same thing with my insurance company, but it worked out in the end. I had the sleeve in Nov 2021 and its the best thing I have done ever!!!

It's very exciting and very nerve wracking but take a breath and try to relax. All your feelings before and after are normal. You have the tools that will get you through it. Follow the guidance your program is recommending, and you will be fine.

Congratulations!!! you really need to be careful this fresh out. There is nothing wrong with following whats on your meal plan etc. That is why they give it to you. I found when I started getting anxious about the enormity of it all that I slowed it down to one day at a time and even for a few days had to go down to one meal at a time. Be mindful of those "mini caving" moments. I suggest meal tracking and keeping a food diary. Writing down what is going on when you feel those moments. It has helped me tremendously to identified what my food cues are and why I ate when I ate.

Plateaus are a normal part of this journey. Protein is definitely your number one priority and should be the bulk of what you are eating, especially 4 months post op. You did not specify the diet stage you are on at 4 months out or how much you are eating. Don't be too hard on yourself. Slow down and take a breath and start keeping a food diary of all you eat, and I bet you figure it out. It's a process and it definitely does not happy overnight.

I went all out like you are thinking and bought all this stuff and didnt use a thing. I didnt get cleared for pills until I was off the soft diet. If you have questions about this please ask your nutritionist/dietician if you have questions. Don't do what I did by spending money on stuff you will not use. I had all these chewable crap that I hated and can't return. Don't be afraid to ask or reach out to your particular group doing your surgery.

I was sleeved in Nov 2021. I welcome the smaller portions and to be honest I don't want to go back to eating the same amount that I had before. I can comfortably eat 3 ounces of anything, and I am satisfied. The thought of eating more really makes me feel ill. I follow ALL the rules from my nutritionist/dietician including tracking my meals and calories, macros etc. I am taking this seriously because I never want to go back to the way I was. I feel so much better physically and emotionally. I am very concerned about stretching out my stomach to the way it was. No way will I let myself do that. It's important to eat and beware in the moment. I also started meditation and that helps my anxiety, which in the past leads me to snack. Starting weight 325 Surgery day weight 315 Current weight 224