Search the Community

Wow! That's awesome. I'd take even half that loss and be happy. But would sure be nice to lose quite a bit so my low back can calm down. Severe osteoarthritis there. About 240 lbs now. 277 was my highest many years back. Lost 100 through diet and exercise and slowly came back. (Had lost 100 lbs 8 years before that and gained it back too.) Then end of 2021 was 265. So did it again. Ate less, moved more and lost 64.5 lbs about 2 years ago and got to 200. (Had lost around 60+ twice before that and gained it back over some years too). Felt sooo much better even there at 200 but slowly back now to 240! Blah! Surgery most likely early Nov for sleeve. Said bypass will cause ulcers since only ibuprofen helps my back. Can I ask you about exercise you did? Also that you do now? And did you have any skin removal? May need that around my middle later on. Heard someone with our insurance got that covered also. Praying for that but will save up for it if I have to. Thanks for any advice and info! You look great and I know you must FEEL better. That's what I want. I never sought surgery to look better but hopefully will. I just feel terrible and need some relief and want the weight to stay gone. Using this tool to help me remain smaller.

I would definitely try the recipe above. I was an iced coffee junkie, and I learned to make mine with a caramel protein shake, and I have used the skinny syrups and they are quite tasty as well. I’m sure the pumpkin will be delicious and then you can have it every day with no guilt plus get your protein in early in the day. That’s what I have what I call my proffee which is my caramel shake that has 30 g of protein and a little coffee over ice every morning. That’s my breakfast even after I had the sleeve and gained all my weight back. That was the only thing that stuck and I still did it before my revision and now again after. If you don’t wanna go through all that they also make one called Café latte that’s premier protein makes it and it’s like a latte but it’s 30 g of protein and it has caffeine in it.

I love that he updates his practice with current research and never makes weight regain a moral failure.

I went seven days and actually gained a pound but then I lost two and I thought well at least I ended up going down one but two days later I dropped two more right away which brought it back almost to my average just a little less I think our bodies just get really panicked that we are trying to kill them and they start doing that fighter flight thing they fight for their lives Lol

One thing that helped motivate me to get started with at least 15 minutes a day was the physicians assistant said at one of my support group meetings before my surgery that just exercising 90 minutes a week which you can spread out over six days at 15 minutes each (which is 25 when you include your warm-up and cool down if it’s more than walking) But just that decreases your risk of “all-cause mortality” by 15%. The PA and surgeon agreed that no surgery, no pill, nothing else they can prescribe you is going to have such a phenomenal impact So exercise is pretty darn beneficial. I mean, I know for myself I was scared of a 2% risk of complications from the surgery that may or may not even actually kill me, but they’re giving me a 15% decrease of chances of mortality, that’s pretty huge just to dedicate less than a half hour of your day to walking around a little bit. And a brisk walk is all it takes for me to achieve the heart rate they’re speaking about because it doesn’t have to be full on high intensity, just raising it a bit. I’m not sure if it will be as profound for you but I heard that before my surgery and six weeks later it’s still ringing around in my mind as I’m exercising. I’m thinking wow you know weight loss aside, this is really a good thing that I’m doing for my health. After I got started, though I wanted to do more and more, but my goal is to do my 15 minutes, no matter what and that is my only expectation for myself at this point.

Snap, almost ! I have had my ovaries and a huge cyst removed this week. For some reason they left them 28 years ago when I had my hysterectomy. I now have a new belly scar and have lost my belly button. I have gotten to my own target weight at last. I wonder if its the missing belly button, the cyst or the deplorable hospital food that accounts for the big weight drop. Hope you are feeling more like yourself today, I am, even though I am walking around hugging my tummy like I am about to loose my insides.

I was going through my album, and while trying to lose weight I had favourited a few of my pictures for inspiration to get back to what I was. I was in the best shape after having my first child, see below photos from (2016/2017). My highest weight at 90 kgs/198 lbs (a few days before my VSG in December 2023) My post-op journey has all been about restriction and not being able to eat enough. It took me time to slowly build my stamina and muscle tone back. I have definition in my abs and my legs and arms are toned. I am 13 kilos/29 lbs lighter than my “before” fit (but it doesn't much show because muscles ha!), I am at an all time low in terms of weight but I feel absolutely fantastic. Hopefully can build kore muscle once I stabilize. My “fit” after:

While I have always been an avid exerciser (think everything from running, cycling, weight lifting, marital arts, HIIT, hiking ...etc.) I have always taken up a supplementary form of exercise that is fun and that I looked forward to. A few years ago I played tennis twice a week, then hiking, then taekwondo (reached the blue belt then had a very bad ankle injury that cause a lot of my weight gain), now I do Pilates twice a week in addition to my gym routine and these two sessions are the highlight of my week. Once you find something you enjoy be it tennis, padel, hiking, cycling, swimming or even walking it will be easier to build on that routine and do the things you don't so much enjoy (like weight lifting for example). It is also always good if you have a group you can exercise with (or play certain sports with) or a gym buddy. I also made sure to build a gym studio in my new house and that has been wonderous, I wake up early and workout and don't need to worry about the commute or how to shower and do my hair before work, so a set of dumbbells and a bench at your home can do wonders (if you have that option). I was always asked by friends and family why I am so adamant and a freak about my exercise regimen and if I get bored or sick of it, and my answer is I do it more for my mental wellbeing than for my physical appearance. Nothing comes close to that post workout feeling, it is literal therapy to me. I love to challenge myself and I love to work hard and feel like I've earned it, and I feel sluggish and not great on days I don't workout. Once you commit to a sort of movement daily, it will become a healthy addiction and the feeling that that brings is euphoric, if I say so myself. Just make sure you start easy and build on that.

Liquid diets or liver shrinking diets before surgery are very common. Different surgeons will want patients to follow specific diets (like all liquid) prior to their surgery usually for about two weeks though can be for longer or shorter. The aim is for you to lose a little more weight before surgery, thus making it safer, and to shrink your liver so the operating field is more visible and your tummy and digestive system easier to access. Different patients will fe given different plans to follow based on their weight, current health status, surgery, etc. Some are given weight loss goals to reach like you, others not. For example, I was put in Keto and not given a specific weight loss goal just had to lose some. I lost 4.5kg (9.9lbs) in just over two weeks. Just follow the diet plan you’ve been given & you’ll be fine.All the best.

Whatever app you're using to log should specify if it's raw or cooked weight.

When you guys log your food into the tracking apps when do you weigh or measure food. For instance meat weighs the most out of freezer and the least after it’s cooked. I assume I’m not supposed to input the frozen weight but do I use the thawed weight or the cooked weight. Also with like rice, do I enter the dry measurement or the cooked one which is twice as much. Further for like veggies would I measure in cups before or after it’s cooked?? Just trying to be the most accurate I can but these seem to make pretty big differences.

New Week New Win! I say continued weight loss of about 2.5 pounds a week is a win being 5 months out it's still steady and that's good. I have until April which is my surgiversary to make it to goal weight I think I shall be there way ahead of time 👊🏅🏅

*raises hand* warning: this may get long.... now, for me, replace 'whiskey' and 'cognac' with Vodka Sodas or Red Wine or Espresso Martinis. i looked it up and according to North American AND European "standards" i would be considered an alcoholic in North America, as well as partaking in "harmful and hazardous" drinking if I were in Europe, based on my average daily alcohol consumption. I started drinking regularly during Covid, and basically never stopped. I too, consider myself a high-functioning alcoholic...i don't get black out drunk, i dont drink and drive, operate heavy machinery while under the influence, make bad decisions that would harm or embarass myself or others, etc. etc. since surgery i get affected much quicker, and on a lot less than pre-surgery. i'm pretty tipsy just after a single drink...legitimately drunk after 2. BUT.....i sober up really quickly too. the alcoholic buzz lasts me maybe 30-45 mins tops. then it's like i didn't drink a drop....which probably contributes to why i drink the amounts that i do. i am a boredom and social drinker (i.e,. i don't need it to sleep...i am a lifelong insomniac and need very little sleep all my life anyway *shrug*). so if i am busy doing stuff during waking hours that doesn't involve food, friends and sitting around, then i wont drink. i also have a chip on my shoulder, so often when somebody (i.e., Mr. or the Kid) challenges me that i couldn't stop drinking, I totally would just to prove him wrong. I've probably gone cold turkey 9-10 times for about a month each time in the past 5 years just to be right. Mind you, i never actually STOPPED for good, so maybe HE's right, ha. As for my current state of health, I am probably in the best shape in my adult life. I have maintained below goal weight since reaching it at 7 months post op. I am 5'2", 52 yr old woman, and this morning weighed 115.8 lbs. My body fat percentage hovers between 18-20% All my labs since surgery have been satisfactory, the last one being last fall. I don't take any medication any more (i used to take blood pressure and cholesterol and adhd meds). but I do have to take pesky PPIs i continue to need to keep my reflux under control. I have endless amounts of energy, bad moods and bitchiness are a rarity now, i am patient, calm, less stressed since losing the weight. I exercise (yoga, pilates, running, rock climbing) 20+ hours a week. I also dabble with swimming, hiking, volleyball, and dance for funsies. I consume over 2300+ calories a day so i'm definitely not starving myself (mind you, 400-500 cals are from alcohol...) soooo....sometimes i feel like i SHOULD worry about the amount of alcohol i drink, but really, if i'm honest, i don't, really. but if/when i do i feel like its becoming a problem, I can re-evaluate then (though this probably sounds like the alcoholic's battle-cry, no? ha!) p.s. may be worth noting here (not sure why) that i am also an ex-smoker at the moment. i smoked for 20 years, then quit cold-turkey for 10 yrs, then took it up again for 4 years, then quit cold turkey again last summer (am currently 14 months smoke free this time around, yay, me!). p.p.s. DISCLAIMER: i am in no way advocating nor opposing my M.O. to drinking to anyone who reads this. I am merely describing my own experiences. take or leave from it what you will ❤️ ...and scene. lol.

I'm killing it, body fat down below 10 percent, I'm working out at least 4 times a week, am lean and strong. But I've found solace in whiskey. I drink it neat, no mixers. I don't drink during the day, but need to quiet my mind. Good quality whiskey does that, after 35 + years of total sobriety. I'm in Texas, so pot is largely illegal- and the illicit vapes make me paranoid. Crazy thing is I don't wake up with a hang over- I take Pharma sleep meds but am careful about the combo. I did talk to one guy who lost a crazy amount of weight through surgery and told me that heavy alcohol consumption is not uncommon. I was not fixated on food before surgery, but gained a lot during Covid sitting on my ass without serious exercise. I'm now working hard at the gym with a good trainer, and the results have been impressive. But the alcohol is an issue. I don't drive or go out when I drink, I'm home. I'm a high functioning boozer, but still. I hate being dependent on any substance, but I need to turn down the noise in my head. There are some legal CBD outlets in Texas which I can explore. I know the volume of whiskey I'm consuming is not necessary good for long life, but it definitely chills me out. Would love input from others who have had the same experience. Physically I'm in amazing shape, and generally, my mental attitude is quite positive. TIA!

If you can do it, it probably will save you a lot of mental stress. It’s hard even though your brain knows that it’s not possible that you’re gaining but yet it’s still somehow messes with you. Well it does me at least.

That's progress! Exactly there's no way we are gaining weight! Especially this early on.. gaining a pound here and there is bound to happen.. i really want to avoid daily and even weekly weigh in so that I can avoid seeing those random gains.

So glad to hear your checkup went well and everyone’s plans a little different depending on their surgery their age, their activity levels, their medical conditions so you’re probably gonna get a lot of answers. My team doesn’t give a calorie goal either but once I showed her my Fitness app which logs my level of activity as well as my food blog she told me I needed to increase my carbohydrates and protein, which has been really scary and hard to do especially because I went three days without losing and then actually gained a pound after I increased it but I’m trusting the nurse practitioner that she knows what she’s doing and hoping it will work out. I haven’t had my three week stall yet so maybe that’s what’s going on. I mean, I’m eating probably a third of what I did before surgery and I’m exercising 10 times more so there’s just no way that I would be gaining. Oh, I should add that. I weighed myself this morning and. I lost that pound plus another one so I really lost 1 pound in the three days well in four days I guess. I do remember from my sleeve, but it does slow down quite a bit at a certain point. I just don’t remember when and how much. I am also trying to focus on the fact that I feel healthier and have more energy and I’m in a better mood than I have been in years.

How did your visit with the Dietician go? I just hid my scales as well and plan to weigh each Sunday. Up & down on my emotions trying to stay positive and realize this is a journey and I will have moments of not losing weight. Just keeping my eys on my goal for a healthier and more active lifestyle😊

Thank you for your encouragement! I am at a plateau in my weight loss journey. Somewhat discouraging. I am exercising, measuring, and getting my protein in. Worried I am not getting enough hydration (noticed some dry skin on my legs). Wishing you continued success throughout your journey!

Hey March buddies, Just checking on y’all. Hope everyone’s journey has been going smoothly. I will admit that I have been struggling to get both the recommended amount of protein AND water down each day. It feels like I have to choose one or the other, because there doesn’t seem to be adequate time to fit both. I’ve been prioritizing the protein, but I have my checkup with my surgeon in a couple weeks and hopefully they’ll have some tips. I’ve been lucky, I haven’t experienced dumping at all yet. I’m not a huge sweets person, but even when I’ve had dessert, I was okay. My stomach did not approve of fresh corn the last time I tried it, but that’s been the only thing to give me an issue. Popcorn at a movie was fine. My hair has thinned dramatically, and I’m praying it comes back. I already have alopecia and was prepared for this to happen—I’ve been wearing wigs all summer, but I miss my hair and I’m trying not to worry, but it’s hard. I’m down 65 pounds, but I’ve been in a stall for the last 3-4 weeks. I’m going to try to get up earlier to get more water in and I’m starting to weight train in the gym, which is something I’ve wanted to do for a while but just felt super self-conscious. Just gonna pull up my big girl panties and get to it. Hang in there, friends. Even with the challenges, I wouldn’t go back to what was before. I’m excited for a season change and for the weather to be cooler so that I can walk outside a little more. Sending good vibes to all of you!

Tested positive for COVID on Saturday morning. I suppose it explains why I’ve been feeling like I was coming down with something all week plus why my joints felt so painful. I just put that down to being back at the gym 🤷‍♀️ It will also account for why my liver function test was off too. It always amazes me how the LFT can show something amiss before I’m even aware of it. So, the weekend was a complete bust - no anniversary dinner, feeling like I’ve been run over and just general yak. Dealing with an out of hours NHS service has tried my patience to the nth degree this weekend. Due to having a suppressed immune system, I’m supposed to be given antiviral medication if I contract COVID. Huh, it’s Monday and I still don’t have it. Many phone calls all asking the same set of questions (and giving the self same answers) being discharged from the OOH Dr via text, twice, for no apparent reason, waiting for calls that never happened, receiving other phone calls at almost midnight on Saturday, blah blah blah. Thankfully I was able to get through to my GP surgery at 8am this morning (a complete fluke) and explain the situation. They will find out what needs to be done and get back to me. Honestly, sometimes the NHS is brilliant and other times it’s just dire. Health eating? LOL…do you know when you read about the effects of an illness and it says ‘loss of appetite’? Ha, Ha, Ha, I’m the complete opposite, every single time 🙄 I’m not fretting about it right now as I’m more concerned over getting the COVID stuff sorted out. Hey, at least I didn’t have any alcohol on Sunday so that won’t interfere with my levels for when I do manage to get my bloods done again. Obviously I can’t have them done until I test negative. I’ll test again on Wednesday and see how things are. My anniversary dress did actually fit, so that’s a positive! I wouldn’t have been able to wear it on Sunday though as it’s so cold and rainy here now. Hubby has rebooked dinner for 2 weeks time. I don’t think it will be warm enough to wear the dress though but It’s not the end of the world On the plus side, I will have it altered professionally once the weight comes off post-WLS as I really do like the dress and would like to keep it. Missing my gym time, obviously , but it was nice to go back. Muscle memory definitely kicked in which helped enormously. It also gave my mental health a boost so it was win/win for me. I don’t know if my case was discussed in the MDT meeting last Friday or not. They will let me know at some point I’m sure. I will focus on getting any gains off once I start to feel a bit better. My hairdresser put some layers in my hair in order to give it a bit of body and movement. It’s just a shame that i haven’t actually bothered stying it as yet! I’ve just been washing it and leaving it to dry naturally. It looks OK anyway 🤷‍♀️ That’s me for now. Have a great week everyone 😍 Onwards and Downwards!

Not so much because we need something that gives drastic results, that's permanent and can't be undone, and will be a tool that will help and almost force us to stick to the diet and make good choices. If it's something that can be easily undone, then when it gets hard and we feel like it sucks, we can go in a moment of frustration and have it undone. Not to mention, the weight loss isn't as much, which is something most of us need. At my surgery weight, I was 388. My goal weight was 190. So my excess weight was 198 pounds. With this surgery, I only would have lost 40-50 pounds. That wouldn't have made any sense at all. There are a few articles I saw that had people lose 35% of their excess weight, but that's the exception and not the rule. But even then, I would have only lost 65 pounds. Still would not have been enough. Wouldn't have even gotten me out of the 300's. My heaviest weight was 421 and my surgery day weight was 388. With the sleeve, I lost 113 pounds but had complications and needed a revision. Once I had the revision, I lost another 100 pounds. No way could I have done any of that with this particular surgery, and I'm guessing that's why most of us don't look at it. We need something more drastic. Losing 40-65ish pounds wouldn't cut it.

Hi everyone, It has been awhile since I have posted. We have been very busy around my house. I will be 6 weeks post-op on Tuesday. I can officially transition over to regular texture foods as of then. My dietician did tell me to not attempt over 1/2cup per meal. She said that is my max goal for a couple more months. Daily goals: 60-80g protein, 48+ ounces of fluids, 500-700 calories, eat 3-6 times per day. Obviously do not eat 1/2 cup 6 times per day though. Lol I am excited about being able to go to the gym and start an exercise regimen. I also do not need protein shakes anymore as long as I am meeting my protein goals. So happy about that. I have found a new product, Nurri, it is an ultra-filtered milk (shelf stable) with 30g protein and only 150 calories. It is honestly better than Fairlife and comes in a can. I have been drinking that for my breakfast and while I take all my meds. I slowly take my meds over the 30 minutes or so I drink it. @draikaina8503 hope you are feeling better. @Justarwaxx the foamies are the worst. I’m glad it has only happened to me once. @ShoppGirl the target heart rate formula is interesting. I can walk across the room and my heart rate would be higher than that. Those goals don’t really work for me but if it’s great if they help you. @Voca my date was also 8/6. Hope you are doing well. I can’t remember who asked about weight going up and down. That has not happened to me since my surgery, but in previous dieting for sure it happened. I have had a couple of days where my weight did not change. I am more of a slow loser so I weigh every day to keep myself honest and to see if something I did the day before might contribute to loss or even a stall. It works for me but might not be good for everyone. I have tried chili from Wendy’s and McAllister’s Deli and they were okay. I do not really count those as “eating out” since they were chili and I could have had almost the same from a can. Last night I went to dinner with some friends for the first time since surgery. I had not told any of them about my surgery and then they were all worried about what I could eat. I had already looked at the menu before going so I knew what my options were. Really not super WLS friendly. It’s a wood fired pizza restaurant. I ordered the best protein option pizza and had only the toppings from 2 pieces. They were small pieces and the entire pizza fit on a single plate. My choices worked because today I am down 1.3 pounds. It made me happy that I knew I made the right choice. I was also not bothered by them eating other foods and seeing them finish their entire meals. They were all super supportive and asked if we needed to go somewhere else. I recently went through my closet and started pulling clothes that are too big and adding in fall clothes. I had previously done a big purge of clothes that did not fit and I did not want to keep so my clothing options are a bit limited right now. My cousin had the gastric sleeve about 18 months ago and she gave me all of her clothes so that has been a huge help. It was like getting new clothes for free. Haha My NSV is putting something on that did not fit a month ago and now is loose. That is a great feeling. Looking at the scale and saying I have lost 25 pounds since 8/6 and that does not seem like a lot to me but knowing how a certain shirt or pants fit before and now they are loose or even too big to wear. That helps keep it real for me and helps to keep me motivated. Hope everyone has a great week and keep focused on those small goals and successes.

the two they usually measure for are ALT and AST. But not all clinics test for those, so not everyone knows their values (actually, my bariatric clinic doesn't test for them, either - I'd gone to my primary care provider for some reason or another (it's been eight or nine years, so I don't remember why) and she did some panel that included liver values. She freaked about it, but my bariatric clinic knew what was going on - and again, they were back down to normal once I was about a year out).. They go up because rapid weight loss is really hard on the liver.

I'm fairly certain its the other way around. The only thing you actually lose in hot weather is water weight causing dehydration. So make sure you drink more water with perhaps a bit of sodium added to your food! "You won't burn more calories in the heat, but that may be a different story in cold weather. According to the National Institutes of Health, the body works very hard to maintain its internal body temperature in both hot and cold environments. Yet, when it's cold, heat loss occurs and the internal body temperature drops, the hypothalamus (a small region in the brain) increases the body’s metabolism to generate heat. In addition, the muscles involuntarily contract to cause shivering and generate heat. Shivering also burns calories. However, a drop in body temperature or shivering only occurs in extreme and potentially life-threatening circumstances. Living in a cold climate does not necessarily translate to calorie burn." https://www.today.com/health/diet-fitness/burn-calories-heat-rcna157769