maintenanceman

I can more or less tolerate anything now, but there are a surprising number of things I don't want anymore. I lived on fast food pre-op. Now, I have zero interest in burgers, fries, and such. I might have the occasional pastry item, but it is very easy for me to go to a bakery and not get anything or see a plate of cookies and not grab one. Unheard of pre-op! On the flip side, I never was really keen on ice cream pre-op. Now, I love it. It's one of the few sweets that goes down easily.

Don't be jealous. My food funeral was super disappointing. The stuff we're saying goodbye to is mostly garbage. Once you're in maintenance, you'll be able to eat most anything you want in moderation... but you likely won't be as interested as you think you might be.

One of the best things about WLS is that it releases you from the hold food has over you. I know it's hard to imagine now, but food becomes so much less important. It's weird. You find yourself eating less than most everyone around you... and not really wanting more. At times, other people seem positively gluttonous. I'm 16 months post-op. I get hungry, but it's a controlled hunger that's based primarily on what my body needs, not social cues. I just don't have a taste for garbage food anymore, and I don't equate eating with having a good time. It's very liberating. How you feel pre-op isn't a good indicator of how you will feel post-op. Trust the process. Soon you will be on the loser's bench and sharing your stories with others.

No.

If you're only 4.5 months post-op, you still have a LOT of weight loss left in you. You will likely continue to lose until at least 9 months post-op. It will slow down, but you are likely nowhere close to being done.

I disagree with the idea that goal weights aren't important. If having a goal weight motivates you, go for it. I had three goal weights. My first was to get to "overweight" BMI. My second was to get to "healthy" BMI. My final was to get to Ideal Body Weight. I ultimately achieved all three and got down to 146.5. Now, in maintenance, my goal is to stay under 150. So far so good. Having an ambitious goal weight really pushed me during the final months when the weight loss slowed and it would have been easy to back off.

Four years ago vs. today

This made me smile. You look great. I have loved following your journey. Congratulations!

The first few weeks (months) post-op are not at all indicative of what life with WLS is like. At this point, 16 mo post-op, I can eat and tolerate pretty much anything I want. The thing is, my tastes have changed so dramatically. I don't crave garbage food anymore. For breakfast, I used to eat chicken biscuits, fries, muffins, and other junk. This morning, I had a bowl of greek yogurt with banana, berries, and granola, and it was the most delicious thing ever. I could force feed myself the garbage breakfast, but I wouldn't enjoy it. Over time, you figure out your new anatomy and reshape your eating to accommodate it. Even now, almost a year and a half post-op, I'm still testing things out, seeing what works and what doesn't. That's the whole point of the surgery... to force you to make better choices.

The people I know who got the lapband failed spectacularly. They all regained their weight and added more.

Do you get the munchies after you vape? That would be one risk. Overall, I would avoid it. Your body has undergone significant trauma. Give it time to heal.

I know what the problem is. With my restriction, I still have trouble eating full meals of "real" food. So, I have lapsed into grazing throughout the day, eating "pieces" of food that are quick and easy to digest. I lived on fast food pre-op, and this feels like slipping back into a "grab and go" fast food sort of pattern (without the fast food). What I eat is generally healthy (too many sliders, though), but because I'm grazing, portion control is more difficult. I need to get back to eating full meals and taking time to allow my baby stomach to process.

You will. And you'll feel GREAT. There truly is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

I wonder if you're eating enough? Do you know what your daily calorie intake is? If you're ravenously hungry, your body is trying to tell you something.

Could you please just give it a rest? You've hijacked what was a fun and positive thread. Let folks celebrate their successes. If the tone offends you, move on.

I got a plastics consult today, and the doctor showed me how much loose skin I have. It really hit me hard. I knew I had loose skin, but I didn't realize how much. I thought there was maybe some residual fat, but he showed me how it's all loose skin. The problem is, plastic surgery is expensive (especially here in Southern California). I could do it, but it would be a financial burden, for sure. Or, I would have to travel for surgery to a cheaper part of the country (or Mexico), which worries me. This journey has been so positive for me, and I hate that this insecurity has entered the picture. Any insight or words of wisdom?

Thank you! I just checked out her reviews. They are excellent. I'm going to schedule a consultation.

This is really lovely. Thank you for the kind and loving response. I agree wholeheartedly. Reminds me of a lyric from Sondheim's Into the Woods: "Wishes come true, not free."

Any idea of approx pricing for reasonable surgeon in Greater LA for post-WLS male full extended TT and buttocks lift? Suggested surgeons?

I worry about travel given the possibility for pain and complications. How did you handle that? How long did you stay in a hotel before flying back? What support did you have?

Thanks. I got a quote from Dr. Moein in Century City… also $25k ish. Arghhh. SoCal is so expensive.

I call them "non-problem problems." 😀

My biggest "good problem" is that I've become a clothes horse. I shop all the time, and I've spent so much money on clothes. I have a lot more confidence, so I spend too much time (and money) socializing. And I take an absurd amount of selfies.

I've always been a picky eater, and I think it has helped me because I'm not tempted by lots of different kinds of food. I generally stick to the same foods most days... greek yogurt, cheese, grilled chicken, ham, fruit, protein shakes/bars, salads.

How much is the Ozempic? How long do you have to take it? Ultimately, Ozempic might wind up being as expensive as WLS... and has a less solid base of evidence and track record. And many people say that when you stop Ozempic, you regain the weight. Definitely do your research... and don't give up on WLS.