JennyBeez

I've been really into A&W sugar free rootbeer drink crystals, but I really have to water it down so the sweetner isn't too overpowering. I also like pretty much any strawberry flavoured NSA drink crystals mixed with a few fresh basil leaves, or frozen blackberries / raspberries tossed right into the water with a spring of fresh rosemary. For on the go, I love to stop at a local convenience store for Flow's alkaline water in Cucumber + Mint, or Strawberry + Rose.

Happy 6wk anniversary!! It doesn't help in the bathing suit / swimming costume part of things (cause those often have to fit more snuggly to prevent flashing other swimmers), but for clothing I've found some fantastic clips to help when you're mid-size, or don't want to spend too much while you're still losing so quickly. Cardigan clips with rubber / silicone teeth (so they don't harm the fabric). I used to only see the fancy ones for the front of cardigans, but there's a bunch of elasticized fabric ones online that are much more comfortable on the back of a loose shirt to make it a bit more form fitting. I've still had to buy a few items here and there (which is honestly part of the 'hurrah' for losing weight anyway), but it's helped me fit into some tops better without having to sew them.

Oh, saaaame. I'm in a stall right now, and my inner voice was trying to convince me not to weigh in this morning until after a bowel movement, but also to do it before eating breakfast (as if the cereal and almond milk were somehow going to raise my weight by noticeable pounds?) I do try to do it at roughly the same time on weigh-in days (I'm trying to stick to twice a week but during a stall I should probably go once a week lol), but that's more for my neuro-spicy brain. Sometimes the things my ED brain tells me are kind of ridiculous.

Ohhh I hear you. Even at my lowest and highest weight, heat has always drained me. All I want is ice water and to munch cold grapes and for everything else to recede. My boss is the sweetest older Korean man. I speak a little Korean, he speaks a bit more English -- so we have language barriers but over the years we've found ways to understand each other pretty well. But the week I came back to work, I ended up having to take a sick day near the end of the week. I had eaten something that caused my first bout of dumping syndrome and it caused my healing body a fair amount of muscle / tissue / inner pain for the next couple days. When I came back I made the mistake of telling him that I'd eaten something that didn't agree with m, whether because it was to dry or I ate too much too fast. Well he heard "ate too much" and now everytime I'm not feeling my best / looking high-energied -- or he catches me having a shake for lunch because I'm feeling nauseated at the idea of food -- he starts questioning me if I've been eating too much. In his case I know he means it from a place of caring and concern, but it roughs up the ragged edges of my old eating-disorders in my psyche. I immediately feel judged for being overweight to begin with, and like I'm being watched/judged now, etc. And I know they're my issues, but I could certainly do with not being reminded of them so often.

It's the ones we love -- and the ones we want to be able to rely on and trust -- that have the greatest capability to hurt us. Even if they don't see it or think of it as 'minor friction' in the relationship. I love my mother. She's been one of my greatest supports throughout my life in many, many ways. That said, when I was a tall 13 year old wearing baggy size 12 pants and large shirts -- I was there 100% because of my mom. I'd try on a summer dress with those elastic/ruched busts and she'd comment how tight it was. Looking back at old photos, I know I was not as slender as many of my peers but I was already 5'11" and fully endowed in butt and bosom -- and it was the 90's so my fashion options were much more limited. ((also looking back, a lot of my body issues stemmed from her being an incest survivor and having a deep seated fear / distrust of all men -- she was consistently telling me about the gross old men who were 'checking me out' as I walked by. On one side, yeah, warn your children of dangers. On the other side, don't make your child feel constantly watched and judged by older men just because you have some issues, lol.))

So I had my 3 month post-op follow up yesterday (at 14 weeks out). It went... about as well as my cynical little heart expected? Maybe better? LOL My follow up was virtual, so I didn't have to go in to the hospital which is a plus. The dietician I saw today is mmmm... fifth I've spoken to in my program. I honestly would feel a little better if I could have the same dietician every time but I understand that can be hard to schedule. Plus it's still not the worst -- to be honest, I've only actively liked one of the dieticians and yesterday's I passively was ok with -- so at least it's better than the weirder three I've seen in between. Review of my meds, of my health conditions as per usual. Somehow there's always something being left off from last time -- or several last times. Like, yeah, still have diabetes. My numbers are obviously a lot better now in my latest bloodwork, but considering it was one of the comorbidities that got me approved for this program/surgery it would be swell if I didn't have to surprise my care team 4/5 times by informing them of my past diagnosis. Review of my eating habits. Fingers-rapped (gently) over a few things -- not getting enough fruits / veg with skin, not getting enough fibre in each my meals and snacks because it's mostly just in one or two meals. I mean, if my fibre intake is within the 25-35 per day range that they suggested, does it really frickin' matter if it's split up between 3 meals and two snacks? (Also, the fibre range wasn't brought up until yesterday -- it hasn't been mentioned to me at all by any of my care team, or in the pre-op and post-op guidelines and manuals they've distributed to date. The only actual numbers I've gotten from my care team has been about protein, everything else has just been "keep it low fat" and "keep it low carb" and "stay away from sugars" etc in mildly vague terms. I figured out my own daily goals and limits for everything else by taking the average of what I could find online / in books / through the forum) I asked specifically if my bloodwork reqs could be combined with the bloodwork my PCP wants since both of them want it every 3 months for mostly the same things, and I'd rather not take time off work for multiple blood tests -- or sacrifice my blood twice in a one-month period due to timing -- particularly because of the low iron. And considering they both get copies of each other's test results anyway (thanks Ontario Health Care!). But no, no, we can't do that. They can't put his name down in the 'send a copy to this physician' area right in the form. Because apparently even though my PCP is the one to referred me to my endocrinologist, she's the one who referred me to the program. So they send the results to her, and she's on a network with my PCP which is how he gets my results as well. But they can't directly ADD him. ((Can my PCP just ask for the tests that he wants to check but they don't? Nope, cause in order for it to be approved by insurance they look to make sure there are corresponding requisites. Can I have my PCP just add them to his requisition? No, because as the surgery providers they need the requisition under their name for Ontario insurance purposes, and there are certain tests that my PCP can't request 'without reason' and that reason seems to be that everyone wants to bill the government insurance plan for every test they can, and my iron will 'replenish' so it's fine. Nevermind that I've had anemia on and off for most of my life and know from personal experience that the more often I'm tested, the more slowly my iron is replenished.)) ((He was just a dietician. I shouldn't have bothered asking him. But the fact that he had an answer ready makes me feel like they get asked this a lot)) Other than that, it was ok. I've lost half the weight towards my goal weight. He reminded me to expect things to start slowing down. I nodded along even though I started a stall literally the day I hit my halfway score and even though my logic knew to expect and accept all this, my gut reaction was of course 'what have I done to eff this up???'. He was kind of crossing all his t's and dotting all his i's in terms of chiding me on dietary choices -- ie, every meal and snack being 50% protein, 25% non starchy veg, 25% complex carb. Suggested that I eat all these things that their own program handouts say not to start until between month 4 and 6, like nuts and seeds. I was ever so grateful for the internal consistencies. ((This happened with the last dietician at my 1 month -- which happened at my week 3. She was asking me why I hadn't been choosing to eat this or that, and I had to remind her that their handout and biweekly seminars both said not to until week 5-9)) All in all... I feel 'meh' about my follow up, but good about myself and good about my loss so far. And great about the salt & vinegar roasted edamame beans I just had as a snack even though it was lacking a vegetable and isn't 'high enough in fibre per serving'. In other news, I'm only day 7 into my second stall and have been fluctuation between calm acceptance and riotous panic that I'm messing up somehow even after nitpicking my diet and exercise with a fine tooth comb. My ADHD is saying I'm only working in one extreme or the other today/this week.

Maybe check with your care team regarding your liquids too? I'm wondering if you're flushing the protein shakes out too quickly if you're drinking that much water. I know all programs are different, but for the first week my team told me to aim for at least 32oz clear fluid (including water but also any sugar free clear liquids like broth, jello or gatorade), and at least one shake per day, slowly increasing it as I felt able. By the end of the second week they were 'hoping' for around 48oz clear liquids and two shakes per day, but they were happy I was averaging 1.5. Are you drinking your fluids slowly? Part of they reason they ask is because we're dealing with a smaller stomach all of a sudden, and getting us to train ourselves to eat slower and more mindfully, etc blah blah -- but part of it is also to slowly re-train our bodies / nerves / etc to recognize what our 'new full' feels like, the sensations as our stomach fills up, etc. I have to admit I had a lot of trouble with that -- still do -- because I still have barely gotten those sensations back. (I have the opposite problem -- I can't feel when I'm hungry or when I'm full yet, so I have to rely solely on portion sizes at the moment) I guess the third thing to maybe bring up with your care team: how is your body digesting the protein shakes? Some people are suddenly lactose intolerant, or suddenly can't process certain sweeteners the same way, etc. If you find that it's moving through you really quickly (urine or loose stool), it may be that your body is just dumping it out. It might be worthwhile to try a different protein powder/shake brand, or one with a different protein base. I know whey is supposed to be one of the best, but whey is a dairy product and maybe you'd have better luck with collagen, pea protein, etc. Good luck! I hope it gets easier for you soon!

TW: mental health issues, suicide, infertility I've gotten those comments already (only 3 months in, and nowhere near my goal weight), and in the past during other diet-based weight loss. I used to try to convince myself that these people mean well, that they're trying to show they care, or trying to give backhanded compliments. 2024 me? Nah. They're being petty, they're being bullies, they're jealous, they feel like your success highlights any issues they fault with their own body, etc. The only time I successfully lost weight 'on my own' through diet and exercise, I ended up gaining it all back and more -- and while I logically know it was my own choices that led to it, there was also my 'best friend' telling me that I looked like I was dying, that I looked like a cancer patient, etc, and then inviting me over and peer pressuring me into the most unhealthy foods. I was young and I had always been easily intimated / manipulated by her; I had always had **** self esteem and found my own value only through what others said they valued of me, etc. I know I was in a bad mental place to begin with. But it was absolutely brutal. But nobody, nobody, should be saying these kinds of things to another. Whether you're close to each other or barely know each other. Whether they're 'teasing' or not. It would be absolutely awesome if the world / society could normalize not making un-asked for comments about other people's looks. How about we apply 'consent' when it comes to these sorts of conversations? FFS. I'm sure I'm not the only one whom has had comments made while they were overweight. People, strangers, asking if you're pregnant, if you're female presenting. ((Afterwards, I always wished I could go back in time and cause a scene -- cause no, asshat, I'm actually unable to have children and it ruined several relationships and led to depression and suicidal ideation. But thanks for giving me that extra scoop of pasta sauce since it looks like I'm "eating for two.")) So many people have body issues, weight related or otherwise. Body dysmorphia. Mental health issues. Triggers. And what right does any person have to comment on someone else's appearance? If someone wants to go to the grocery store in their pjs, what's it to you? If someone got a new hair cut and you really don't like it, stfu. If someone lost over half their body weight, why do you feel entitled to question them about it or tell them you liked them better with a little more meat on their bones? (Not... you. You know. Societal 'You'.) There's a big difference between saying "Wow, you're looking good today" or "Is that a new shirt? It looks great on you" and letting the compliment receiver decide if they want to open the conversation up from there, and saying things like "Oh god, you're losing so much you're gonna disappear" or "ugh, you're losing so much weight, enough already." ... anyway. I'll end my venting-vomit with: I'm trying so hard these days to have the confidence in setting my own boundaries and actually enforcing them. I'm starting to figure out lines I can say when people cross them. I'm trying not to let my inner rage at a world full of entitled bullies make me someone who bullies back, but yeah, maybe next time someone seems fit to complain about my looks I'll find something they probably don't want to talk about either. If I'm fair game, so are they. Eat some karma. 😈

If my math is right, you're already at 12% total weight loss. My program gives a range of 22-30% total loss in the first year or two (for gastric bypass/RNY; for sleeve it was lower) You're well, well, well on your way at only 2.5 months in. Be proud of yourself. And honestly? Even when the weight loss slows down and you feel like you're fighting for the next pound to come off? Be proud of yourself then, too. Cause it's your choice every morning when you wake up to continue making the healthiest choices for your own body and health. And you're doing it. There are gonna be stalls, and the first few months weight seems to come off a lot easier -- so it will likely get slower. But you'll get there -- we'll get there. We're all on similar journeys here, but each one is going to be different. ...And as other have said, while comparison can be good when you're looking to find support for stuff we're all going through, when it comes to exact numbers (inches, pounds, etc) it's not really healthy to compare. Everyone's starting from a completely different place, with different programs, different comorbidities, different ancillary health issues, etc.

I'm in Canada, so the brands we can get might be a little different. For SF syrups, Matteo's is my go-to for the most part. I really liked the Skinny Mixes and Jordan's syrups in the past (pre-OP) but haven't tried them since my surgery. I find all of them to be cloyingly sweet if you're not careful with the amount you use -- so really, add half a teaspoon at a time, test it out and see if you need more until you know what your 'sweet spot' is. I made tuna, salmon & chicken salad too, but my recipes were very lack-luster. I did a can of tuna or a can of chicken, drained (but not squeezing out the liquid using the lid otherwise it'd get too dry too fast, lol); I usually started with 2 tbsp of light mayo or greek yogurt, mixed until it was coated and then adding another tbsp at a time until it was saturated to the point of being sloppy (I was having a ton of texture / moisture issues at the time). Salt & pepper to taste. With the fish, I often added a couple shakes of dried dill and a touch of garlic powder, and some peas (raw or cooked). With the chicken, I liked adding curry powder and tiny pieces of cooked carrot. Honestly, any veg you like that you can stomach at this point would probably be a nice addition to change things up from meal to meal. I can still only eat half a can of tuna/etc at a time, so I tend to leave it plain and dress it up with seasoning or veg right before eating. I also found that for me personally, the light mayo worked better at moisturizing the salads. The greek yogurt was more protein (and overall healthier than the mayos I could get my hands on), but the yogurt absorbed differently into the flaked protein. Especially if I was making it ahead of time. Probably the oils in the mayo.

I have a lot of problems with the sweeteners in most shakes and powders. Sometimes just adding a few squirts of lemon (if you can handle the acidity) into a clear protein water helps -- or literally water it down until it's more palatable. I found mixing premier protein shakes with fairlife milk and/or coffee was a big help. (I don't like peach, but I like the sweetener in Isoflex's Peach/Mango Chiller -- and I can mask the flavour with lemon juice.)

I had some similar phases -- I'm in one right now, I just have no appetite and I've yet to feel hunger post-op so it's been a struggle. Part of it is mindset. Try to remind yourself that you're eating for nutrition now, and to recalibrate your body into accepting food again. You don't have to eat any full meal -- even if you just get a few bites down and then follow up with a shake half an hour later to make sure you're getting your protein in. I'm 3 months in and there are days where breakfast is a soft protein bar, lunch is a protein shake (and dinner is one of the thousands of frozen cups of pureed sweet potato with bone broth powder that I made back in week 3, LOL) . Or whatever I manage to convince myself to eat for the sake of it. Dp whatever you have to do to get through. Keep in mind, your body is still healing. You may be free of pain, but your innards can take 6-8 months to heal, move back into place, etc. Your hormones and body chemicals are all over the place right now. Cut yourself lots of slack. Survive this until it gets better for you.

I think the reason why some programs steer clear of caffeine during recovery is the diuretic / dehydration issue and that most caffeinated drinks are also fairly acidic, which can be an irritant to your recovering stomach and lead to ulcers. Many people struggle to get the necessary amount of fluid in at all, post recovery, and the caffeine could push you a little further into dehydration. My advice re: caffeine would be to play it by ear / discuss with your care team. Not UK, but Canadian. I find most decaf black tea to be pretty gross (with an abnormal bitter aftertaste), but decaf earl grey has been a godsend for me (ironic, because pre-surgery I couldn't stand regular earl grey lol). Brew Tea & M&S have been great. (Also Taylors Yorkshire -- worth the import price here, lol) ((Honestly, I think the only decaf teas I've liked post-op have all been UK brands XD))

I love proffee. I find more protein shakes too sweet, so I tend to mix decaf coffee with part protein shake, part fairlife milk. I've tried unflavoured protein powder into coffee with milk as well and it's not bad but never quite as good, lol. If you like flavoured coffees, sugar free syrups and extracts are great to change things up -- I like bourbon, almond or rum extract in my proffee, but can only handle the sweetness of the sugar free syrups if I'm using unflavoured protein powder in place of a shake, otherwise it's too overpowering. My program had me wean off shakes and into purees (not soft food), so I had a much slower reintegration into 'actual food'. But I remember being absolutely in love my first day of purees (cottage cheese and pureed sweet potato seemed like heaven) -- and progressing to soft foods, I had chicken noodle soup my first day and not having to strain all the delicious things out of it made a world of difference. It's like a light shining down on you from above that there's an end to what you're going through, confirmation that you will be able to eat 'real food' again, all that reassuring stuff. For soft food, definitely recommend ricotta bakes -- but since you're allowed lean ground meats too, you could adapt it into an even more lasagne (sans noodle) experience by making the tomato-sauce a meat sauce. If you're allowed crackers yet (my program allowed melba toast and saltines early on), 'avocado toast' with a bit of cream cheese is a nice texture, or pseudo-eggs benedict: crackers/toast with goats cheese and a poached egg. I loved making chili with ground turkey and random veg, add a bit of refried beans to thicken it up and serve with a dollop of greek yogurt on top in place of sour cream.

At 3 months out, I'm still between 1/2 cup to a cup per meal, depending on what it is. Thinner and wetter dishes are better tolerated for me; if I have a 2oz turkey burger patty, I can eat one or two bites of cooked vegetables -- but if I have that same amount of patty with gravy or ground up in a stew/chili/etc, I can stomach a bit more veg. At 2 months -- and even now at 3 -- the texture of food seems to affect me more than the quantity. Anything too dry (including both white and dark poultry for some reason) induces vomiting and/or dumping syndrome. Egg whites. Even when I think it's moist, often my body argues back and proves me wrong. I've heard from so many people -- on this forum, in my program support group, from my care team -- and it will get easier and better as time goes by, both in terms of portions and foods becoming less irritating, usually around the 1 to 2 year mark. Some people can never go back to a few certain foods, others can eat pretty normally. Bear through it. Cater to your tummy's tantrums when you need to -- move into soft food as slowly as you need to. Make your meal half puree and half soft if it helps (pureed sweet potato or really well mashed cauliflower/potato is a great side dish to help your protein get down).

Yes, this!! Apply it not just to this issue, but any issue in your life lol. People are far more likely to share complaints, bad reviews, bad experiences -- whether it's out of anger or emotion, or because they need comfort. I had... a lot of anxiety pre-op. Not about the surgery itself, but just because I've struggled with anxiety for decades. I always second- (and third- and fourth-) guess my decisions, and this one was a toughie because there's literally no going back. If it helps at all, for myself this was the best decision I ever made for myself, and the one I least regret afterwards. Do whatever you need to do for you.

Also in Canada! My program recommended the same multiV with the same minimum iron. 2 months after surgery, my PCP ran my bloodwork and I was incredibly iron deficient -- worse than I've ever been in the past (lifelong in-and-out of anemia, lol) so I'm on an iron supplement every 2 days (same day as B12 for better absorbtion). My own research showed that some of my non-surgery meds (SSRIs, etc) interfere with iron absorption. I started taking my multi vitamins with a 2 hour window between them and my other meds. It's a bit of an extra hassle (I feel like my life revolves around my meds schedule) but my 3 month program-request bloodwork already shows an improvement.

My first was fine physically, but hormonally / emotionally I was an absolute mess. My second was super late (46 or 47 days instead of my usual 28) and it was actually a bloody disaster. Luckily, it was the shortest period I've had since my early teens (4 days instead of 6-7), but I felt like all my usual symptoms were exacerbated and compressed into a shorter time frame.

If you're making it yourself, it can be super healthy. Most of the recipes I tried were for steel cut overnight oats (which I chose because they have the least negative impact on your blood sugar -- I'm diabetic). I thought they were fantastic. I like the chew of the steel cut oats, and I can enjoy them hot or cold. My dad loved it enough that he makes it too (but with sugars -- honey, maple syrup, etc). My mum absolutely thinks it's disgusting. She's tried my steel cut oats and various types of milled oats, and she's just not into the texture or taste. XD Really, to each their own.

Not revision specific, but even in my (virgin) Sleeve & RNY group there were people in my pre-op program who got 2 days, 5 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, etc. Hopefully all surgeons decide on a case by case basis. If in doubt, maybe reach back out to them again and ask if there's any risk to you doing a longer pre-op diet voluntarily?

Looking great! What an amazing difference so far!

There's no shame in postponing or calling off the surgery if you're feeling uncertain about it. It's a big step to take, and there's no un-doing it. It can change your life for the better, but there's also lots of changes that become necessary that are difficult. Not to mention, any surgery carries risks associated. Maybe take this weekend to think about why you decided to get the surgery to begin with. Everyone's reasons are different, but for the most part I think a lot of us have had the up-down fluctuations, the diets that works and then the weight came back, the diets that never worked to begin with, etc. Is the weight loss your only goal, or do you have other obesity related health conditions that this would improve? Do the benefits to your life outweigh (hehe) the potential drawbacks? Also, question your uncertainty now. Is it because you think you haven't given other weight loss attempts a fair shot, and feel like you now can? Is it because you think the pre-op weight loss will continue at a similar rate, or do you feel like this jumpstart of weight loss has given you a better starting point to continue with other diet/exercise methods to lose the rest? Or is it because the surgery itself / risks / post-op side effects / etc are giving you reason to doubt? Like @SleeveToBypass2023 said, the pre-op diet isn't meant to last long term. It's basically a cleanse / crash diet to reduce complications prior to surgery. I don't know what your specific program had you on during this stage, but I had two weeks of 'medical shakes' that basically amounted to a starvation diet in terms of calories. My pre-op diet program definitely would not have been healthy to continue long term -- and honestly, it reminded me of other diets I tried in the past (looking at you 1990's slim fast) that would help you shed some quick initial pounds but came back ridiculously easily just trying to stay in 'maintenance'. There's no right or wrong answer here. No matter what choice you make, you'll be making in your own best interest.

It sort of makes sense? A nutritionist I saw years back (not program related) told me that she often starts people on higher calorie counts and then as the weight loss slows down, that's when she restricts them further to keep the momentum going. These days, I take it all with a grain (or seven) of salt because everyone reacts differently to foods / calories / etc. Different strokes.

Ooh, I always fall behind on that too. I've heard from so many people how important it is to practice when you're not feeling symptoms so you can kind of mentally pull it up easier when you need it -- muscle memory, but for the brain? -- but it's one of those things that I'll do for like a week and forget one day and not pick it back up. Meanwhile I know it would probably work amazingly since I've done similar things to practice getting out of night terrors (counting fingers, etc). ISTG if I don't set alarms to remind me to do certain things, they never get done.

As someone who also used to use quiet tv as background noise to sleep, I want to suggest a different audio sleep aid. It doesn't work for everyone, but it got me through some tough insomniac stretches in the past. There's lots of apps that you can install on your phone or tablet -- I use "White Noise Generator" for android devices. It's free and lets you mix settings to find a sound that works for you. I have the best luck with a mix of quiet waves and wind underneath louder purple or brown noise (rather than white -- white noise actually keeps me up!). My mother uses it too, but with a mix of rain, wind and a fan under super-loud white noise. You can set a timer so you don't have it playing all night.