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I think it's partially the ingredients. The amount of added sugar has skyrocketed. Also portion sizes have become so large, and what we get in restaurants influences how much we serve ourselves at home. I found this great article that shows the USDA illustrated guidelines starting from the early 1900s. In 1956, people were told 2 servings milk, 2 servings meat/egg/beans, 4 servings of veg and fruit, and 4 servings of bread/cereal. I can picture those amounts in my head and it feels reasonable. By 1992, we were being told a minimum of 6 bread and 5 veg/fruit, with upper limits provided that would make it "okay" to have 11 bread, 9 veg/fruit, 3 milk, and 3 meat/bean. If you assume 3 meals per day and take the upper limits, just imagine having 3-4 bread/grains, plus 3 veg/fruits, plus 1 meat, and 1 milk for every meal, every single day! And the government experts are telling you that's a great idea!

So I'm only a month out from my surgery but just the 27 lbs I've lost is already making a huge difference in my clothes! YAY! I literally have clothes in my closets from size 16-22/24 and 0x-3xl so when I tried on a few things that I had that were previously tight, I was excited to find they now fit loosely the way I like them. So then I just started pulling out all the 3x bc most of them no longer fit and some of the 2x were too big as well. I have a LOT of clothes (and shoes and purses) and while I'm a bargain shopper, I have a lot of things with tags literally still on them that are now too big for me. I went online and ordered 3 of those clean out bags from ThredUP and already filled one up with some really nice new and nearly new items, I also have a lot of stuff that can go in them but I am curious what experiences everyone else has with them and/or any other resale/online thrift places? Do you bother with trying to get them altered? I've got a lot of sale items that I paid less that it would cost to get them altered. I have never really had much luck on FB Marketplace with clothes, has anyone>? Is there a trick to it? What say you experienced newly skinny chicks>?

Not knowing my size when I go shopping Picking things way too big for my current body Thinking I'm going to stay the same size long enough to buy something on the pricier side without regretting it I'm still actively losing at only 3 months out and my body has already changed drastically, while some of the changes excite me some are making me even more self-conscious than when I was at my heaviest. Body dysmorphia is real.

I have a protein malabsorption issue too (mine began after my gall was removed). I was prescribed Creons. They’re pancreatic enzymes which help with absorption. Maybe ask her doctor about those. Does she have a dietician? (Way more qualified than a nutritionalist.) They could help review your mum’s diet & make suggestions on what she could be adding or pick up if she is missing something. They may be able to offer suggestions on the vitamins she is taking too (quality, quantity, other brand suggestions, etc.) Does she track all her food? If not maybe do it for a few weeks so she has it for the dietician to review. Tracking may be a lifetime behaviour so she can keep on top of the nutrients she is consuming & ensure she’s not accidentally missing something. Many continue to track in the long term to keep themselves honest & help them maintain. Wishing your mother all the best & hope you get some advice & guidance on a definitive path forward.

I can really only share what the experience has been like for me, and the positives that have come into my life. I was in a very similar spot as you, both mentally and physically. The doubts and fear doubled, trebled, quadrupled to an infinity even as I was being rolled into the OR for surgery. I am now six months and two weeks post-op. I can pop off for a 2 mile run if I feel like it. A 10 mile hike. A long yoga session. I am signed up for getting an open-water SCUBA certification. My cholesterol is normal for the first time in my adult life. My mental health has improved. I've also enjoying seeing my physical transformation. Attaining a high level of fitness remains a strong motivation for me. But eating small portions, managing supplements, timing my water intake, and tracking food? It has gotten easier and easier. I truly wish you well on your journey, no matter which path you decide to take.

Congrats! That is great progress! Look how much you're able to do now that you weren't even a couple months ago, its amazing! Glad your health is improving so quickly! Yeah, I'm dreading my upcoming stall. I it's "when" and not "if" it happens for everybody. Just have to remember its just your body coming to terms with the drastically different caloric intake, and it will freak out periodically along the way. As long as we stick to the plan, we're still burning fat, even though our body is offsetting the scale number with fluid retention while it panics. It took years for us to put the weight on, so anything shorter than that makes our body interpret it as a threat. Once it realizes you're maintaining your health while burning the fat, it will gradually release it. Weight loss won't be linear, it will look more like stair steps with the occasionally brief increase (again, "Fake weight" since its fluid retention) before it steps down again.

I had the diet you have for two weeks, then the third week was shakes only. I don't recall how high my one meal's calories were, but I recall my surgeon saying that the general idea was to cut you down to 1,200 calories or a bit below, by the end of your daily total. So if you are around 800-1200 with your daily total you are probably fine. If your surgeon didn't give you a specific calorie count they probably don't care. I didn't weigh my food I just eyeballed the portions because I've been measuring my portions for years.

Hey @jparadigm, I wanted to say I am sorry to hear that you are struggling. I do think however that these feelings are entirely normal, and from reading others who have posted in these forums, a lot of people do go through this. Dealing with our relationship with food is one of the hardest things to do, but as you know, is a key part of working with the tool of surgery. I think your idea of maybe seeking some help from a therapist/counsellor would be a good idea. I am pre-surgery, but I have therapy every week and my main focus at the moment is around my relationship to food. I would say however, try not to beat yourself up too much, as this can do the opposite and not motivate you at all. You're still healing, and that takes a toll on you mentally and physically. This is all new for you. Maybe start a journal and when you are feeling those cravings, write down what it is you want, and how you are feeling in that moment - try and pinpoint exactly what feeling is driving those cravings, sit with it, be interested in it. Hopefully that may start to give you that time to acknowledge how you are feeling before any incidents of deviating from your current food plan. Then think maybe about something else you can do that will give you that hit of dopamine! Either way, speaking to someone about how you are feeling and seeking to address your relationship with food will be key, and you have already taken that first step in admitting how you feel here and seeking help. Be kind to yourself x

It was a mix of everything for me - holiday last year where I could barely move due to ridiculous pains in my knees that wouldn’t stop. I thought it was a Rheumatoid Arthritis flare initially but nope, just Osteoarthritis because I’m fat. I was so miserable. The holiday was ruined and hubby was really worried. Had physio and steroid injections when we got back home but nothing worked. I was 55 but felt 85. It felt like I had nothing to look forward to, life seemed very small as I didn’t leave the house. Pain is constant, nothing touches it, sleep is continually disturbed and I just felt unhappy generally. I wasn’t depressed but it was a very fine line I was walking, and I knew it wouldn’t take much to tip me over into depression. I’ve always been able to see the positives in pretty much any situation but I couldn’t this time. Hubby has his own mobility problems due to nerve damage in his lower back from an op that went wrong, and all that kept going through my head was how were we going to manage with everything? I was the one who had kept everything ticking over but I couldn’t do it anymore. I hated my body, never let hubby see me naked, couldn’t play with my granddaughter, clothes were chosen just because they fit not because I actually liked them etc etc. I spoke to a female GP about HRT as I had just started it but had to change how I took it because of my weight. I was having a major panic because HRT was the only thing stopping me from acting like a crazed homicidal manic! My GP was fantastic, I actually felt listened to for the first time. It was then that I asked about what I could so about my weight as I’d had enough and nothing was working. Every time I dieted, I put it all back plus more. I’d had Orlistat that didn’t work and had looked at the jabs but couldn’t afford £250 a month. My GP didn’t hesitate and talked me through my options, saying she would support me. She referred me that week and, after a bit of hoop-jumping, I’m now on the WLS pathway. I already feel better about things and I’m excited for the future 😊

I have to do two weeks liquid with one meal a day , then one week just liquids up to date before surgery. I’m sooo unprepared though. I feel so out of my element right now. The fear of messing up is starting to set in for sure

I'm supposed to have my surgery on Dec 27th at Mt Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA, with pre-op tests scheduled for next week. Today, I get an automated message from my hospital to check MyChart. I did, and it showed my pre-test appointment as canceled. My surgery date is also gone from my upcoming visits. No explanation. Meanwhile, my insurance approval appears to have gone through. I called the weight management center's office and the receptionist mumbled something about surgeries being canceled and someone would call to explain. No one has called all day. I emailed, too, but nothing. Now the office is closed for the day and I'm so worked up over this, I won't get a wink of sleep. It wouldn't be such a big deal if it had to be delayed, except I am currently on an insurance plan through the healthcare marketplace as I am self-employed and my husband has been unemployed for a bit. But he starts a new job in January and I have no idea what the health insurance situation is going to be in terms of coverage. I am so stressed right now I could cry.

That is true my god i did have bags upon bags of IVs. Today is day 5 post op when i stand from sitting i feel the most strain and pain in the largest incision still. Also i was advised to wait until friday which will be 1 week and 1 day to start my vitamins again. So ill let you all know how that goes for me. Im wondering though if the gummies would be alright now for the multivitamin sheesh another question to ask tomorrow. Thank you guys so much for your feedback so far i appreciate all and any! Really makes me feel like i am not alone in this journey.

IMHO, you've made a good decision. Let me share a bit of my story to convince you to put the scale away... period. When I had surgery I was too large by far for a home scale. The only time I was weighed for about a year and a half after surgery was at my surgeon's office at monthly follow-ups. Because of this, I never saw a stall in my weight loss. At my follow-ups my weight loss was never the topic of discussion unless I brought it up. The discussion centered on how I was feeling, how my plan was going, life changes, how was I emotionally, any issues or concerns. I learned valuable lessons in these appointments. Eventually I was able to weigh on a home scale. I practically lived on the scale for a couple weeks until the novelty wore off, then I never used it again. I knew how I was doing by how I felt, my plan compliance, how my clothes felt, my health, happiness and a number of other considerations. These are still my measurements. We don't need a scale to follow our plans. The number on a scale does not tell you how well you are following your plan. In some cases, the number on the scale may tempt you to change your successful plan. It's great not being ruled by a number on a scale and simply paying attention to the important stuff. Good luck, Tek

Give your meds a chance to kick in. Do some therapy. Try eating some soft foods and drinking your protein for now (protein shakes, protein gatorade). What do you mean when you say your body is falling apart? How far out from surgery are you? The symptoms you're describing sound pretty normal the first few weeks out from surgery. They do get better. If you're further out, it may be because you aren't meeting your fluid and protein goals. How close are you to hitting them? What are you eating and how often? We need more information before we can offer any real advice. I will say that there isn't any doctor that will do a surgery to stretch your stomach back out, so that's out. Instead of sabotaging your surgery, let's see if we can come up with some suggestions to help you through this.

so many of my never-been-obese female friends only eat 1/2 an entree (or a bowl of soup - or a salad - or half a sandwich) that I don't even notice (and actually, that's about how much I eat when I go out, too). So I'm a little surprised he noticed that unless you're eating less than most people at 3+ years out. The water thing someone might notice - although I'm not sure I would. I'm not sure what to tell you since I'd been married for many years when I had my surgery. Part of me has put all of that behind me since I had my surgery nine years ago and very few people I know now knew me when I was fat, and I'd rather they not know - but then romantic relationships are different. Boy - I don't know what I'd do in that situation.

Hello....am a week into my gastric bypass surgery and am so tired of these protein shakes. Sometimes I feel like just not drinking any at all. Can I eat peanut butter instead??

I’m scheduled for December 15th just started my 2 week liquid diet yesterday🫠

i totally understand those sentiments. i am so sick of protein shakes. ..i would rather not eat than drink another! I think having full liquids 14 days prior to surgery AND continue after surgery is exhausting. they should change the preop. if I only had 2 weeks after surgery, this would be a breeze at 1 week in. but i was literally done with shakes before surgery! LOL.

I don't think you fully understood what you signed up for. I work out 6 to 7 days a week and do not have any bulk muscle. I had the Sadi DS 10 years ago and I can eat a horse without weight gain but also no bulk muscle. Instead, I have excellent muscle definition and can work out at a level not possible before wls. The DS fortunately keeps the weight off, so you will never bulk up. You signed up for this, and it's a fantastic thing for you to be able to work out, eat what you want, and be healthy, especially given you previously weighed over 400 lbs.

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone has suffered with light headiness? Just a bit floaty can’t explain it! I’m 5 weeks post op!

So I got my psych eval back on Thursday. I also found out that I can do 2 of my dietitian appointments in the same month. I've already did 1 and I only have to do 4 total. I did the clearance with my pcp and have pulmonary and cardiology scheduled for this month. I also called my insurance and they said that approval comes one week after the file is submitted. So it looks like I might be able to get my surgery done in March. I'm actually hoping for the end of February but I digress lol

I had the Sleeve 3.5 years ago and I’m pending revision to SADI or bypass (Bypass if he gets in there a can’t do SADI for some reason). From what I have seen on these boards the post op pain level for the sleeve and bypass is pretty similar year still different from person to person. I think the main difference between someone with an easy vs tough recovery depends on whether any air gets trapped in there and causes gas pain. I was really fortunate with the sleeve that I didn’t have any gas pain at all and my recovery was quite easy. I was up a couple hours after being back to my room Bugging then nurses with questions about my urine output 🤣 At one point I even questioned whether they had somehow forgotten to do the surgery. I did feel like I had done about 1000 crunches. And I had to use the bed rails to assist in sitting up for the first day but if I was just lying or standing I felt normal. I even said I didn’t need pain meds right away. They said they suggested they wean me down because I was already on some and may not know it if I’m in pain. I went home the next day on just Tylenol but with a pain script just in case. I did feel fatigued for a while so I took naps daily and I waited the full two weeks before I did much as instructed but I FELT like I could do most things if I had tried. It is an adjustment to remember all the vitamins and figure out what to drink or “eat” and when but I set alarms on my phone and that helped quite a bit. I actually just created alarms for every half hour and then toggled them on as needed to plan my day. You are a step ahead of the game that you are already here and established where you can get support and ask questions if you have any I didn’t find this site until a couple of days before so I was still figuring out how the thing even worked while working through the rest of it. The people here are incredibly helpful to answer questions, cheer you on or just let you vent if you have a bad day. The main thing to keep in mind is your goals and your reasons why you are doing the surgery and that will get you through it. If you ask everyone if they have any regrets about Weight loss Surgery the most common response it that they only wish they had done it sooner. After a few months you should be in your new groove, just losing weight and noticing that you can already do things you haven’t been able to do. If you haven’t already, Check out the “weirdest non scale victories” thread on this site. It sorta turned to just normal non scale victories but it’s pretty inspiring

Hi @texasmade88 Welcome!! Congratulations on the 22lb weight loss!! is that after your surgery? Currently, I have been stalled and I am trying not to get stressed out (although there is a small thought of omg what if I did this surgery and nothing changes for me). I won't be a month out until November 27th so I am just telling myself to chill. How are you feeling about the upcoming holidays with food and stuff? I am actually glad I will not be able to eat Thanksgiving dinner this year, it takes a lot of pressure off of me to hang out with the family.

I was sleeved 10 May, all good here, no issues. I've been lucky enough to lose every week, apart from a 10 day plateau 2 weeks after surgery. I put my success down to tracking daily and hitting my protein goal consistently. I eat really well for the most part too apart from an occasional treat. I eat carbs, I'm learning to accept that carbs aren't the devil. I don't eat bread itself much, but enjoy low carb wraps daily. Also been having a muktigrain muffin every day with peanut butter. It's 20 carbs, not terrible IMHO. I include brown rice, pasta, potato, protein is the focus of course. Of a meal carbs might make up a quarter for example. My carbs average around a hundred a day, give or take. I'm a vegetarian so the bulk of it comes from legumes and vegetables, also fruit which I eat daily.

How exciting! They should provide most of everything so you don't have to pack much Button up shirts/pj tops and loose pj pants were what I used the most. I brought gas x and constipation meds because they only provided what the Dr prescribed. So extra stuff that you might use like allergy meds etc. I would bring. Also make sure you are allowed to take them. My Dr did not allow any arnica of any type even though that's a common supplement, So just double check. I spent the 1st week pretty much in bed and relaxing and then going to Drs appts. I did bring a lanyard to hold my drains and an extra long phone cord to keep my phone charged. Compression socks and faja if your dr doesn't give them out, mine did. Some recovery houses even give you all the toiletries. The hospital I went to sent me home with toothbrush, toothpaste, compression socks, slippers and a thermometer. So You might not even need basic stuff lol. Good luck though! What are you getting done and who are you booking with if I can ask?