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I meant to post this on the 15th but I had trouble logging into the site that day (and several days after that) and I didn't think about it again until today. I blame my Kyrgyz dial up internet! In any case, I was one year on 15 July. In that year I've lost 92 pounds. I've gone from a very snug 18 or 20 pant into a very comfortable size 8 or M. Women's sizing is insane, so sometimes I'm a 6 and sometimes I'm a 10, but regardless of the number on my pants I'm very happy with the way I look in my clothes now, and I have a large wardrobe of things I love to wear. Almost as exciting as losing the pounds is losing the diabetes. I had only been diagnosed 2 years before my surgery (I started as gestational diabetes) so I went into this fully expecting my blood sugars to be normal afterward and I wasn't disappointed. I'm still high-normal on my A1C, but that was six months ago...I haven't been tested since then. I hope to have a full lab panel done once we're settled here in our new home. I haven't taken a pill since the day before surgery (though I did require insulin several times 48 hours post op) and I've gotten so used to being normal that I don't even test my sugars any more. I'm no role model, so newbies looking for advice should look to some of the more active posters here that stick to a program and actually exercise. I lived out suitcases in my in-law's house for the last nine months due to a PCS from hell, so my eating and exercise habits have been erratic. I've pretty much been living as if I'm in maintenance for the last six months. Don't get me wrong - I don't live on a junk food, carb crazy diet. But I eat more like a "normal" person. I'll have several days where I stick to Protein first and drink lots of Water, but then I'll also have days where I eat pretty much whatever I want (but in small portions). I have maintained a slow but steady loss the entire time I've been sleeved and I weigh every day. I'm always watching for my weight to bounce up, but it never does more than that one or two pounds of fluctuation I see daily. I'm between 149-151 and I expect to stay there for several weeks. My pattern has always been a sudden drop (lately around three to five pounds) followed by three weeks or so at the same weight. I can't tie my losses to my diet - and I don't consider myself "done" yet. I'm sure that over the next six months or so I'll continue to see a slow but steady loss. Plastic surgery is in my future. I probably have more loose skin than most people that have lost less than 100 pounds since surgery. I had twins in 2007 and weighed 280ish after they were born. My skin has pretty much melted and I look a mess underneath my clothes. Thank heavens for the various brands of shapewear I've purchased. I wear them under everything. I plan to have plastics when we're back in the states in 2013, so my hope is that I'll get some exercise into my routine and see a little bounce back from my skin. I don't expect much, though. It's really bad. Underneath all that excess skin (with the occasional stubborn fat deposit) is a genuinely thin woman. I'll be honest - I think my goal weight might be a little low. I went based on the BMI chart and chose the most I could weigh at my height and be "normal" on the chart. But underneath all this skin I am bones and I don't really know where the additional 15 pounds will come from - unless it's my upper arms and thighs. They don't seem to be as small as the rest of me yet! I'm worried that if I lose 15 more pounds and then have plastics, I'll look like a bony scarecrow. My husband is happier that I'm happier but he's not so happy with my thinner body. He likes heavier women and was far happier with my body about 20 pounds ago. I'm sure he'll adjust in time, but it is a real obstacle for some couples. His opinion is that I should scrap the goal weight and focus on getting in shape for plastics and take whatever number I wind up with after plastics as my final weight. However, this is the man that thought I was sexy and attractive 37 weeks pregnant with twins, so I understand that he's trying to make sure I don't wind up with a figure he finds totally unattractive. I'm glad we had a solid marriage before surgery, or this might have caused some real issues for us. My only "I wish I'd known that" issue with surgery is the lactose intolerance. I had no idea I would be so crippled by this - and now that I'm overseas I don't exactly have a local store with almond, coconut and soy milk around the corner. I can eat small portions of hard cheese but yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, ice cream, sour cream, cream cheese, most protein powders, etc. are all completely out for me. It's very limiting but I'm surviving. Luckily I'm living in the land of grilled meat, grilled vegetables and flatbread so it's less of an issue here. And as a note for those military spouses - consider that your VSG might make you EFMP for an overseas tour. I did not disclose mine to the doctor that cleared us to live overseas, and due to the typical shoddy Tricare record-keeping nobody realized I'd had it done. But I was specifically asked if I had a band or bypass, and I was able to honestly answer no to that. Tricare finds the oddest reasons to consider families EFMP - speech therapy, diabetes, allergies, etc., so I'd be sure to ask the necessary questions about this if it could affect you. My husband's job has kept us overseas 5 years out of the last 7, so for us it could turn out to be a real issue, especially with the remote assignments we take. I'm just putting that out there, though it's not likely to affect but a small percentage of the military posters here. Best of luck to everyone. I don't post much anymore because like so many I'm just out here living my life now. But I wanted to give an update because I loved reading the one year stories when I was researching. They gave me something to hope for and I feel that if I can lose more than 90 pounds in a year of not really taking this sleeve as seriously as I should have, than barring medical complications, you should be able to meet or exceed that goal with no problem. Pictures attached. The first two are from one month prior to surgery and the last one is from a week ago. Please excuse my messy hair and worn out expression - I'm jet lagged and our transformer blew so I'm without the luxury of a blow dryer or straightening iron! ~Cheri

Thanks for the advice! It is crazy cause foods like Soup, cottage cheese, eggs, canned chicken, anything with yellow cheese all make me sick. I can eat Cereal, yogurt, Protein shakes, applesauce, canned fruit, mashed potatoes, crab meat, shrimp and white rice with no problem. It gets to the point when I eat certain foods or try a new food that the pain is so intense I have to make myself get sick to feel any relief. I think I'm going to lean back on Phase 2 and still have the foods that I know work in phase 3 until I see my doctor August 11th. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using the BariatricPal App

Yes, I forgot about the yogurt! I will find a grocery store before I get to the hotel...

I never puréed anything for my husband and I. We continued shakes, mashed up soft scrambled or boiled eggs, soft refried beans, and chili which had no large clumps of anything. Add in yogurts, small curd cottage cheese, and mashed avocado, and I am very good at making bisques and quiche with no crust. Small bites, chewed very well.

I feel very good considering I just had surgery 2 days ago. I've been able to eat jello, yogurt and plenty of fluids. Going to have creamy soup tonight. I have 6 incision sites and they look great. Dr Garth Davis said my surgery was Video perfect. I am so glad I don't have any drains. They removed a lap-band. It feels great to finally cross the hurdle of having the surgery done. The waiting and liquid diet had me very nervous. Sent from my SM-J700T1 using BariatricPal mobile app

I just got back from a week long cruise in April. It was awesome! I ate what I wanted but because I am banded, I ate less. I had frozen yogurt every day and as many times a day as I wanted. You get so much exercise while onboard that I would not worry. You walk everywhere. I had Mongolian stirfry for lunch everyday and formal dining fantastic menus for supper. I did not skimp. I did not worry. Just remember that you will be eating less. I lost four pounds during the nine days I was gone and I ate the most fantastic food onboard and in every port.

Hi- If you want something unflavored, you can get the Beneprotein from Walgreens. You usually have to order it online as most stores don't carry it yet. It is whey Protein and unflavored. I add it to shakes, Soups, pudding, yogurt, etc. Stacey

I started milky protein shakes and yogurt by day 6. Just take it slow and stop if you are feeling ill. I personally had a heck of a time with the clear stage. Once I started drinking regular protein shakes, the food dreaming waned a bit. Good luck!!

I don't track anything except protein. I just add up my protein mentally through the day (egg 7, greek yogurt 20, chicken 10 etc). And then I eat whatever else-usually healthy but sometimes not-never very much. I cannot handle much without feeling quite sick. I have no nutritionalist visits because I traveled for surgery. I'm pretty much on my own, with my surgeon's instruction book and this forum. I literally have no idea how many Kcal I have in a day because I despise food tracking (altho I know it works to lose weight). Right now I'm actually trying to eat more to prevent anymore weight loss! If I start to regain I'll have to track more to get back on track.

Nope just 3 shakes a day , broth or eggdrop soup, sf jello , 1 sugar free pudding , and 1 low carb yogurt a day oh and sf popsicles but i do not eat ice at all..... i asked the doctor at the pre op for veggies cause i seen others post it but i was told No ...

So I found this yogurt at target today and it really appealed to me because it was the only yogurt I could find with an acceptable amount of sugar which is a gram because it is sweetened with stevia. My physician said anything above four grams of sugar was not something I should consume. Has anyone else heard anything about it? What kind of yogurt do you eat? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Yes, yogurt more than likely. I called gnc and they do have a powder that you can mix with gatorade or juice. thanks for the info on anywhere!,

I'm able to get my fluid and protein goals with the phenegrine, it's just incredibly unpleasant. My surgeon put me on full fluids when I went home from the hospital originally and it seemed to be going ok but then the hot flashes started yesterday. I've been doing 2 pure protein drinks, around 80oz of water and 4-6 oz of soup spread throughout the day. I probably have 2oz of protein drink or soup every couple of hours then sip water in between. I can't stand the constant sweetness of all the protein drinks but haven't found anything else that has that much protein so I keep defaulting to them. My surgeon said I can have anything that can be pureed to a smooth paste or pourable liquid. I'm scared to try anything past broth, yogurt or protein shakes with all the nausea I'm having though. I think I'll try going back to just water, broth, and tea for a few days. Hopefully it'll help.

I'm not doing a good job at keeping up with my journal, i'm falling behind. Well, lets see, where do I start. Oh yes, two weeks ago I started the BFL challenge. Well, it was miss & go for the first two weeks, but I think I'm finally with it! I exercised 5 times the first and 2nd week, and this week, my goal it to do it 6 times as the BFL program indicates. I've actually started over, this week, (yesterday) so today is day 2 of the 84 day challenge. My menu Bfast - lf yogurt with a handfull of granola 1 small bag of rice cakes - yum (90 calories) snack 1 small back of rice cakes (90 calories) Lunch Fish taco on a whole wheat tortilla, cilantro and pace picanta sauce, 2 strawberries snack 1/2 apple with peanut butter dinner fish taco on a whole wheat tortilla (yes, I love these things) Monday exercise - UBWO - worked everything on the upper body - HARD. 30 min of elliptical Tuesday - 60 min of elliptical

I hate to be the poop of things here but I haven't been able to have ANYTHING for breakfast since I was banded in Aug. of 07. My Dr. says that some people just can't handle anything in the morning because we are so dehydrated from the night. I can't even get down a few sips of tea (let along a carnation instant breakfast, yogurt or cottage cheese). I wait a few hours and then have a protein drink handy to sip on. Usually by noon I can get down a yogurt. Sounds bad but it works. I'm almost at my goal.....and my Dr. says it's not really that uncommon. Good luck.

If I never have anything chocolate or strawberry flavored again it'll be too soon :-/ lol. I'm doing OK, I'm on day 5 of 10 day pre-op liquid diet. I can have fat free cottage cheese, yogurt, & sugar free Popsicles too, and broth. I find myself getting excited about some broth & cottage cheese, lol.

My activities for Wednesday 7/23/08 I started another BFL challenge on Monday, it is 84 days and I'm hoping it will get me back in the grove of exercising. Today was the lower body workout, I went to the gym and gave it my all. My knee just wouldn't let me do some of the stuff, and when I felt pain, I had to stop because I didn't want to damage it further. I was afraid pushing myself/my knee/ would cause a set back, so I held off on some of the stuff I wanted to do Quads - leg presses Hamstrings - lying leg extentions, straight leg dead lifts Calfs - calf raises Abs - ab crunches with 10 lb weights, and inclined sit ups Menu bfast - cottage cheese mixed with yogurt snack - 3 strawberries lunch - whole wheat tortia, 3 oz chicken breast and hot pace picante sauce snack - necterine dinner - 3/4 cup of pinto beans wt - didn't weigh, trying not to focus on the scales for the next couple of weeks and really focus on feeling better and exercise.

See that's the thing everyone has a different experience either we like it or not...i was prepared for a 2 week turn around but that doesn't happen for everyone. Even my surgeon said it's best to take a month and luckily I am in between jobs where I have something part time and not have to worry about being at a job full time. But not everyone can do that...so it varies from person to person and situation to situation. I did have dumping 2 times where I drank my skim milk with my Protein powder and I drank it too fast and second time was that I had my yogurt and I ate it down fast. Luckily I am not lactose intolerant so far but that can also change later on. The other thing I struggle with is eating really slow...living in NYC area, everything is done in a hurry including your meals. Before surgery I would have my meals fast so I can get back to work or I can do other things. At times I even would eat my dinner standing in the kitchen so I can go do other things. So now I have to really take the time to eat my meals....slow and chew a millions times and also now I do sit down. I am not eating more than 500 calories a day but def load up on my Vitamins. Just be prepared for everything.

Well, didn't make it to the gym over the weekend, but I did get plenty of exercise working the special olympics.....I was so tired - but I had a great time. Back on the plan today Menu Bfast - the inside of a sausage roll - no break Lunch 1 bag of cashews - 1/2 container of yogurt (yes I know, eating on the run) Dinner 2 oz of roast salad - 1 cup Exercise - 10 am - 15 min on Elliptical Evening exercise - upper body workout - 30 min on elliptical Wt - didn't weigh today

I had a GREAT workout last night, my DH & I went to the gym and I worked my upper body out. I worked it so hard, I felt like mush when I left. But it sure felt good to be back in the gym workout out like i used to do! I'm excited to be back in the program! I can't wait for 1 month from now, because I know if I am consistant, the results will start showing. Menu today Bfast 1/2 cup skim milk, grapenuts cereal (about 1/2 cup) Snack yogurt Lunch tomatoe soup (this is the last of my container, thank gawd, getting tired of it, but it is good) snack - handful of nuts Dinner 1/2 cup of beans & ham - yum Exercise 10:00 am - 15 min on elliptical 2:30 pm - 22 min of HIIT - burned 181 calories, and 1.71 distance Gym - my plan is go tonight and work my lower body - the abs are screaming for crunches!

@@bubbles2015 Hi there Bubbles! I am 4 weeks out also. I noticed that you said that it takes you 40 minutes to finish your egg. I can't eat a whole scrambled egg (w/cheese) yet. I can feel full after just over half. My nutritionist told me to stop eating after 20 minutes. I eat about 1/4 cup of food each meal. I can eat a little more yogurt. Anyway, eating over a period of 40 minutes cuts down on your Fluid intake time. Maybe ask your Nut about the 40 minute meals?

It really depends on your surgeon. Mine differentiates full liquids from clear liquids in that you can drink the "milky" protein shakes, keifer, skim milk, 8 oz of 50 percent diluted juice per day, etc. My surgeon does not allow pudding or yogurt at this stage, although some doctors do. We were also allowed pureed and strained soups. Can you get a handout or diet from your surgeon or nutritionist since it varies so much from doctor to doctor?

My surgeon doesn't allow yogurt, pudding, or thinned cream of wheat until the puree stage (not full liquids)...it is so true that all surgeons are different.

Today makes day 4 that I have exercised. Yay. I woke up at 5 am and finally made it the gym. I know that I won't tonight so I did get up this morning. Now I don't have to worry about it because I have my exercise in for the day. I'm so happy I did it. My eating has been GREAT since Monday. So far, no slips, except 1 peanut butter cookie that I ate over a two day period. Wt was up this morning, but I know thats what I usually do when I first get to the gym, so I'm not worried about it. I feel skinnier, I feel better and thats what counts. This morning, did the elliptical for 30 min, 20 min of HIIT. I will also go down at 10 and don another 15 min on elliptical and probably at 3 will walk a mile. Thursday I plan on going to the gym in the am, and also in the pm. I need to do my lower body workout Thursday. Well, off to work I go............... Menu today Bfast Low Carb yogurt with low fat granola Went to wally world to get some deli meat, was very hungry ended up eating a slice of the hickory ham and a slice of the mild chedder cheese as I was waiting for the lady to finish slicing my turkey. Lunch 3 0z of talapia with some grilled squash and mushrooms. Dinner Exercise 5 am - 30 min on eliptical (20 min of HIIT) 10:00 AM - 15 min on eliptical 3:00 pm - 30 min brisk walk in my office spine wt - 170.8 - grrrrrrrrr - I DO NOT want to see the 170's again! I know I have not gained, my clothes feel lose on me, so I'm not going to worry about it!

pudding, yogurt, cottage cheese that's pretty much all i ate