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I highly recommend looking at the videos on the Pound of Cure channel on You Tube, which go into detail about how to eat to lower your body's metabolic setpoint. Foods that are ultra-processed and high carb push your body's setpoint, the weight it wants to maintain, higher, where nutrient dense foods like leafy green vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds, make your body want to maintain a lower weight. As I have been preparing for surgery, I found the Pound of Cure book on Amazon and implemented many of the basic changes it recommends, such as cutting out processed foods, breads, sugar, and artificial sweeteners, and eating more vegetables, fruits, and beans. I lost 15 pounds in around 3 months without counting calories or ever feeling hungry. And I can also say that in the past several weeks, as the holiday treats have infiltrated my house, I have not been as good about eating that way, and to no one's surprise, my weight has shifted upward. I will be returning to better nutrition as soon as the last of the ham, sweet potatoes, and pie from Christmas dinner is out of the house! I recommend starting with these videos that I've linked below (and then, if you're like me, binge watching the rest of Dr. Weiner's channel). I find his advice to be a common sense approach to nutrition that you should be able to implement long-term without a lot of pain. Hope this helps!

Hey K, just resigned up to write you this post! I used to frequent this site when I was gearing up for Bariatric surgery years ago. And now I have just completed my first round of plastics where I was told I have little to no body fat. Was a great feeling! (2 more to come In the next year) But i also felt it was coming off so soooo slowly in the first month or so and really struggled with the fact I still felt hunger and I lost 97% of my excess weight In the first year. Most of that in the first 6months. I was huge.. when I started 399lbs and lost 6st pre surgery and 10st post surgery.. And have kept it off.. keep going! you will do this!! eyes on the prize.. before you know it you will be a year out those first few months feel like a slog as you just want it gone. My biggest recommendations are cut as many carbs as you can. I ate little to zero sugar, crisps and chocolate in my first year. I focused on carbs from vegetables only, very little pasta, rice etc maybe a spoonful max.. I focused on cauliflower rice, broccoli, air fried courgettes etc mainly protein.. look up the boos ridiculous brownie’s!! Protein based baked goods!! But They got me through for my sweet tooth it’s about finding compromises.. I froze sugar free jelly (orange) with sugar free angel delight (choc) on top into mini ice cube trays and would have a couple of these after dinner. and I did a lot of exercise, minimum 1hr 20mins a day walking.. 8-10k steps and on the weekend I did more and added a 40-1hr swim.. for me it gave less time to focus on food and build better habits you have got this hun keep going.. xx

For the past 6 months I've been dealing with severe back pain. Both upper and lower back pain. It seems to shift around depending on the month. Tylenol barely helps. I took prednisone one time and that did help but I don't think that's a long-term solution. It's already wearing off. I've tried physical therapy twice in the past year. I've had x-rays and MRIs the doctors don't see anything. I did visit with a specialist at New England Baptist spine center i Boston and he said he's had several other cases of people who had the same surgery, had lost 60 lb, knew their protein intake and were having severe back pain. He didn't have an immediate answer, but did order another MRI. I'm curious if anyone else on this forum has dealt with this. It seems counterintuitive to lose 100 lb and have back pain get worse. I do have a history of back pain. I've been a physical therapy many times. But I never expected it to get worse as I lost weight. If you have this problem and had any success dealing with it (or not) please let me know. Thank you, Jonathan

Welcome to your first stall. They usually occur around week three but can start before or after that. They usually last 1-3 weeks. (There are lots of usually, often, averages, common, etc. after surgery.) While this time when the scale doesn’t move, is frustrating & can be depressing, it is an important part of your weight loss. It’s when your body takes stock of the changes that are occurring (weight loss, dietary changes, etc.) & reassess its needs in regards to metabolic rate, digestive hormones, and so on. The stress of your surgery can also impact this first stall. (Yes I said first as you’ll likely experience more of them.) The stall will break when your body is ready to move forward again. You can’t force a stall to stop. Best advice used stick to your plan & don’t stress your body more by making changes to your diet & activity other than those your plan wants. Take some body measurements. While the scale doesn’t move, you may notice changes in a tape measure or in your clothing.

Sure... blame the weight loss. Good luck, Tek

Yes, that's what happened, my hands were cold and they just came off and I was like "Ummm...well then." 😂 Yes, I might do that with the stones, good suggestion! The ring set is relatively new, I had been holding out on buying a new set for when I lost weight (you know how that goes) but after the whole cancer thing I decided to stop holding off on things I really want. So we bought the rings. Then a year later I decided to do bariatric surgery. LOL Go figure... But I adore the stone, it is a lovely aquamarine solitaire and the rings were custom made. So I'll be thinking on what to do with it all... If your rings are loose by themselves you may be able to use the ring snuggies that wrap around the band to make them fit better on your hand until you resize them. They worked great for me until the size difference became too big!

Hi all. I am six weeks post-op from VSG and met with my doctor's team today. I have lost 22 pounds since surgery, which the team is very happy with. There was no concern about my progress at all and they said due to my weight on surgery date being 231, that I should put my expectations at 170 for my final maintenance goal. I was asked the usual questions and asked if I am hungry between meals and I said yes. I am finding myself hungry about 2.5 hours after (some) meals. When I said I was getting hungry, I was told it was gastritis, not hunger. I said "do they feel the same?" because it sure feels like hunger to me. It's my stomach making noises, and feeling hungry in my actual stomach. It's not head-hunger because I KNOW what that is. I do understand that eating can get rid of gastritis discomfort just like it can obviously make you feel like you are no longer hungry. I do acknowledge that it's possible this is gastritis, but wondering if it really is. (?) Per my doctor's orders: My current meals are 1 oz protein and 2 tbsp veg or fruit for 3 meals per day. Absolutely No Snacks are allowed. Today I was told I can move down to just one protein shake per day. Up until today, the only "snacks" that I was permitted were protein shakes. I am trying to follow the rules here, but got home and I feel so confused and even though I asked questions in the office, I have all kinds of things swirling in my head. I want to be successful, but feeling a little lost here. I know everyone's program is a little different, but wondering about the following: 1. How the heck do we know this is gastritis and NOT hunger? And, if it was hunger, do we just ignore it? (They have increased my PPI medications for now to see if it solves the "gastritis". ) If it's hunger and the increase in acid reducing medications doesn't help, am I just living with being hungry all the time? (YES I am seriously asking this because I honestly don't know what the expectation is). Unfortunately I am not one of the lucky ones who lost their feelings of hunger. I have not had any heartburn at all. 2. I don't know if any of this matters, but I swim laps pretty intensely 5 days per week for 1-1.5 hours. I suspect that part of the reason I am feeling hungry is due to the swimming. I could be wrong, but curious if anyone else thinks it has something to do with it. Prior to surgery, I was always hungrier on days that I swim. 3. My protein goal is 80 grams per day. With one single shake @ 33 grams of protein and a total of 3 oz of protein during the day with 6 tbsp of veggies, how am I supposed to meet this protein goal? My calculations tell me it's not possible. I'm still early as I just transitioned today to "regular diet" from soft diet. So, I am still trying to figure things out and how everything will work moving forward. Your kind replies are appreciated.

Hi! I was wondering if anyone who is 5+ years since surgery is still experiencing any issues? I find that when I eat certain foods, much like when I was about a year or so out, that I have a feeling of being too full and can’t keep the food down. It isnt all the time. And it isnt really if I eat too much or too fast. I still eat pretty small meals at any given time and typically just eat 6 or so very small meals. An example would be if I eat pasta, maybe 1/3 to 1/2 a cup may feel unbearable and too full and can’t keep the pasta down. It could be something random like a handful of jelly belly jelly beans. I would say it happens maybe 1 a week? Just curious if anyone else has this issue. I have done well at keeping the weight off since the surgery and have hovered around 130-140 for the past 2 years. I am fairly active 50’s, 5’5 female. Thanks!!

Hello! I just got my surgery last week on the 13th. At my last appointment at the weightloss centre I was 252 pounds. That was about 2 and a half weeks before surgery. But, at my pre op appointment, a week and a half before surgery, I was down to 247. On the 18th, 5 days after my surgery they weighed me at 240 I believe. This morning, my scale said 229. My doctors office is going by my last weight with them, but I'm going with my last preop weight. Either way it's almost 20 pounds in one week and two days! It's crazy! I don't see the 20 pounds gone yet, but that's okay! I am missing crunchy foods though! But the sugar free pudding, chili and mashed potatoes have been rather good to eat over that clear liquid diet!

I bought a few new pieces for work once I hit onderland, but for the most part I am still shopping from my closet. I am lucky my job allows us to wear jeans these days as I had many in various sizes that I couldn't bring myself to get rid of when I was obese. High school kids can be brutal so I don't wear anything that's too ill-fitting. If I lose any more weight I'll need to buy new clothes sooner rather than later. I'm looking forward to it.

I love your explanation @NickelChip! I've read it before in another group but you made it so easy to understand!! That is exactly what is happening during our stalls, especially the early ones. The body is just trying to protect us and make sure we'll survive. I believe during this time it also assesses things like set points, what the metabolism is doing, etc... Our bodies are hard workers even when the scale is sitting there staying the same. I too wish doctors would take the time to explain this to their patients, it is a major source of anxiety throughout the weight loss phase! OP, I'd highly suggest getting yourself a tape measure. Measurements are a fantastic way to track weight changes in our bodies and often when the scale doesn't move we lose inches, because we are actually still losing fat, we are just losing in stealth thanks to that water weight. A similar process happens when we start exercising, often the scale stalls or we even gain! But below the surface we are still changing our body's composition, fat is still being burned. Apps like Baritastic will track your measurements and show you over time how they are trending down, it is pretty cool. I only allow myself one weigh in a week. If I feel anxiety about the scale I don't even do that. It isn't worth the mental anguish... For the VAST majority of people, if you follow your plan, eat regularly, drink your water, and get some movement in, your body will continue that fat burning for a long time. There are always outliers, of course, and my heart goes out to them. But the odds are we won't be outliers... I remind myself of this every day, I'm 3 weeks out! You've lost the same amount that I have in less time, that's pretty cool!

Hi there! I just signed up on this forum and have a surgery date of January 30 for gastric bypass. My sister had it done about a year and a half ago and has had great success so I decided I was ready to make some big changes in my life. im currently trying to keep my required 10-lb weight loss on the books. I officially achieved it in October and I meet with my doc each month. In November I had lost an additional half pound but ended up in the ER after my appt because I was so dehydrated from fasting to make my weight goal. So embarrassing ugh. Now, thanks to the holidays my next appt is January 2, but I’m up eight lbs and they will cancel my surgery if they see that. I have 18 days to lose that weight again and I’m scared I won’t make it. I’m mad at myself for being lax after my last weigh-in. I know that part of losing weight pre-op is to start making changes gradually but I’m struggling. I guess that’s normal for many of us. I’m really excited about getting the surgery but also a little depressed because it will force me (and is now forcing me) to completely change my relationship with food. That’s scary. But I see how happy and energetic and positive my sister is and I want that in my life too. Anyway, I didn’t mean to get depressing lol but I’m trying to be honest about my feelings which are all coming at me at the same time! Its crazy.

Updating now that I'm 6 months out. 1. Basics: GENDER, AGE, HEIGHT Female, 50, 5 feet 0 inches 2. Total Weight lost in the 6 months BEFORE surgery (if any) 6.4 kilos or 14 pounds 3. Weight on DAY OF SURGERY. 148.6 kilos or 327 pounds 4. Weight at 1 MONTH POST surgery 137.6 kilos or 302 pounds 5. Weight at 3 MONTHs POST surgery 127.8 kilograms or 281 pounds 6. Weight at 6 MONTHs POST surgery 117 kilograms or 257.4 pounds 7. Weight at 12 MONTHs POST surgery

That was me pre-op and at my heaviest weight which was 320. I was on anti-depression meds years ago for a short time but found they made me worse. So don't be quick to get on any unless you find you can't shake the blues. And even then, the right type and dosage is very important. For me... I was so sick and tired of being sick and tired, it didn't matter how shitty I felt after WLS because I knew better days were ahead. I powered through the nausea. And yes, I had a few down days too. Recouping from major surgery. Hormones shifting. I can't relate to the reflux because I had RNY and hernia repair so that resolved my issues with it. At 10 months out, I feel like a million bucks. I'm hoping the same for you. Congrats on losing the 35 pounds and GL going forward.

Mine was the 16th and recently started losing weight but before the scale started moving I started seeing my clothes fitting a little looser. I definitely don’t have the same appetite but still getting used to how to tell when I’m satisfied before feeling sick but it does get better each day. I have finally had the energy to start going to the gym again!

Welcome to the forum. As a tip, I would not put a time frame on your weight loss. It's an easy way to turn a success into a failure. I checked my history and I did not quite make 240 pounds in the first 12 months, though I ultimately lost 500+ eventually. Good luck, Tek

This is amazing news! How does it feel now compared to immediately post op? Do you feel like you are healing faster at your current weight? Speedy recovery

I'm 5 yrs out from byoass/11 yrs out from sleeve and at goal. I've been adminning a small WLS board since I inherited it in 2015 - we have a close group of mostly ladies (a couple of gents) and most of our people are fairly far out from surgery but we do have a few newbies. We do 2 Weightloss Challenges a yr and they're pretty fun, We have 3 prizes and they're decent prizes. 6 wks long, % of lbs lost, weekly weigh ins, rules - the whole sha-bang. Lots of support. The last challenge, I was going thru some stuff and I let life get in the way and while it went off without a hitch, as my co-admins are amazing, it wasn't the same as usual. I promised everybody the summer challenge would be GREAT! I started working on it (yes, I have help from my co admins) and I have daily education, Fun Food Facts, I do something where I ask everyone to say something supportive to someone they don't know well, and I try to do small weekly challenges. It hard doing everything online. I do a hydration challenge, a moving challenge (try to park a little further, put in a few more steps in ur day), no fast food for 7 days , no snacking for 7 days, do (however many) crunches (however many) wall push ups, etc. You get the idea. The challenges are getting stale. Thinking about doing a "take ur pic in an outfit on day 1 and on last day and see how it looks" challenge. If you were in an online challenge, what would you appreciate doing? What would be fun? What kind of information would u like to see or know? What kind of support would you like to see or get? If you'd like to get involved, you r more than welcome to join us! It starts July 24 and goes 6 week. I will be posting info on it on the website in the coming weeks but u can certainly do a search on challenges and bring up a TON of them! We're on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/groups/SupportWLS (or look for Recipe For A New Life). We'd love to have you, however you DO need to be 6 weeks out from surgery (for fairness, as you lose a TON of weight early on, not quite fair). But you can certainly come over and support the challengers!

@SomeBigGuy sorry to hear you got Covid. My two girls got it before Christmas. I still have never had it. you seem to be doing really well with the weight loss. Thanks for your kind words. We will see what the surgeon says at my next appt 2nd Jan. he is deciding of going down the bypass stage. But will have a definite answer as he has me booked in on the 11thJan.

I'm going to say this as gently as I can: stop feeling guilty. You are not on a diet. You are living a new post surgery life. A life that sometimes has room for half a tuna sandwich. And even some chips. They didn't make you sick, so that's great news. You got lots of good protein. You enjoyed them. You've lost 43 pounds. Stalls happen. Weight fluctuates. Follow the guidelines as best you can and embrace a life where you can make sensible choices (like half a tuna sandwich, I mean, it wasn't a triple cheeseburger and extra large fries) and not have to feel scared about it. I would bet the head hunger and the guilt are all connected somewhere deep in your psyche. (They usually are for me, anyway). Maybe spend some time reflecting on why you are craving what you are, and why at that exact moment, and what might make you feel the urge to self-sabotage by making choices you believe you will regret. Those would be good questions to get to the bottom of. But when you do make a choice you don't like, just chalk it up to experience and try to do better with the next choice. It'll be okay! Remember, this is a life journey, not a crash diet.

Oh my gosh!! The foamies! One of my friends thought I was crazy when k said I was foaming then started vomiting. My starting weight was 210lbs and my b/p was out of control. As of now I’m still on b/p meds but when I went in last week it was lower than it had been in over a year. I had the pre-op diet and dropped down 10lbs. When I came out of surgery I was puffy and weighed 203 again. Right now I am at 189lbs which has been the lowest number I’ve seen in years. I was told to get 64oz of water and 90 grams of protein a day yes 90! I’m struggling with it. The water intake I’ve done well except one day and nausea hit me soooooo fast. The protein has been hard for me. Sweets nauseate me and it seems most protein shakes and stuff are sweet. It is so nice to have someone experiencing the same things so I don’t feel so alone. I would love to hear where you’re finding the easiest protein sources? I think at most I hit 60-70 grams and that’s not every day. It’s a work in progress and definitely hit and miss.

I also can't speak to co-morbidities other than some arthritis in my hips and knees. That's definitely better now but it wasn't my main motivation to have my surgery. I wanted not to become diabetic or develop any other weight-related disease. There's a definite risk of developing reflux after a gastric sleeve whereas that risk isn't there with bypass so you need to take that into consideration. We all react to surgery in different ways and it can be impossible to predict accurately in advance so do discuss bypass with your surgeon too. They'll have up to date stats about the likely relative effects on your diabetes for sure. The sleeve has been everything I wanted and more. My only regret, as we often say here, is not having it done 20 years earlier. I hope your surgeon can help you decide whether it's best for you.

I read this article in the New York Times this week and thought it brought up a lot of interesting issues. With the alarming growth of obesity in young people, including children, there are a lot of questions about when should a patient become a candidate for WLS. With my upcoming surgery, I've had a few conversations with my teen/tween daughters about nutrition/healthy eating, as well as some of the possible genetic components of weight gain. Both of my girls are active and not currently at risk, but I know that my younger daughter is physically a lot like I was at her age, and I would do anything for her not to ever have to deal with weight gain the way I have as she gets older. I hope I can teach them both good habits now that they can carry with them. But what happens when a kid is already so large at age 16 that their quality of life is impacted? What's the responsible/ethical thing to do with regards to a surgery that can't be reversed? This is a very interesting read. In case you didn't read it, here's a link (it should bypass the paywall for non-subscribers until the end of November): https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/31/magazine/teen-bariatric-surgery.html?unlocked_article_code=1.7Ew.M7l-.QaJi8BjntPW_&smid=url-share

I wouldn't hesitate to look into a revision. You had such great success with your first WLS. I've read the weight will come off slower second time around, but it beats developing later in life co-morbidities. Many are going for the Ozempic shot nowadays in lieu of surgery, but recent studies show a lot of downsides to using it. I had a few people ask me why I didn't go that route with those shots available. It's the wave of the future they say. Maybe one day improvements will be made. I heard the other day they are working on a pill form. I hope for future generations they can perfect it and make it safe and available to all those who need it. Believe me.. I did my research before getting my RNY. But for now, no regrets. Good luck in your decision making.

I was trying to find uplifting support weightoss post op 8 years or longer I am 8 years post op Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, I am trying to re lose between 8-9 pounds.Me and my Husband had Identity theft done online September of 2023. I had got a bit careless. With my Weight. I want to lose this weight Before it turns into 50 or a 100 pounds of Regain.i lost a 166 pounds.i did good to stay thin for 8 years. I had vsg done May 21,2015 at UF Shanda Gainesville, Florida. I took have not kept up my post op weightoss Support. I realize I still need the Support.Its been a long time Since I was here I had written about this in my weight loss Journals..I hope I can maybe make some Supportive Friends here..Ty Jo Ann age 65 North Florida.. 🙂