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Found another product that is really awesome. It’s called a running belt by HAWEEL, but I got it for walking. It’s like a Fanny pack but it’s flat and has three pockets. The middle one holds you phone and the one on the left zips opens at the top and the bottom and has a mesh pocket sewn into it that drops out so you can put a bottled water in there. It has an adjustable band so it I’ll work for many sizes (although I only have maybe 4 or 5 inches to spare with it loose enough to not bug my incisions and my waist is currently 45” so I’m thinking it goes up to 50” but will go down to our goal weights). It has another pocket for like a key and some cash and it’s water resistant plus it has a reflective strip across the front for if you get stuck out when it’s dark (doesn’t go across the back though so if you plan to be out in the dark I would get a sash or vest or whatever that’s reflective). Anyways it’s only $16!! There are others on AMAZON that only fit a certain size, won’t fit a water, don’t have the reflective strip and they are like $40 which we would need a new one every couple of months. I am so thrilled with this thing. Ooh and it also has a spot where your headphones can come out if you use corded ones. This is exactly what I needed to walk all around the neighborhood. The mesh bag also has a little strap to better secure the water so it doesn’t shake if you wanted to use it to jog or run. Just thought I’d pass it along. https://a.co/d/74c2Yps

for most, it doesn't have to be this way...i am 6 yrs out and i still go out yo eat and go to dinner parties and have coffee and dessert. if anything, i probably go even more than pre-wls cuz i live to get dressed up and go out and socialize more now. and yes, its almost always centred by food and eating and drinking. i think the further out u get it gets a little less angsty cuz u have learned to trust yourself around food and know your limits in autopilot. i order whatever i feel for and generally just have a taste of it and the rest is generally eaten by my meal companions or becomes a take out box. or compost if it wasn't very good. i particularly like to go out with lots of people cuz then i get to taste all their stuff too. and yeah, we will rate the food in order of preference, critique them and discuss what could be better or left out, take pics for our IG, etc lol. i gave a bucket list of restaurants i am going trough locally and abroad. in fact i am on vacay right now and we came with a list of restaurants and bars and cafes and snack joints to try and have gone through almost all of them plus a few extra we thought would be interesting. i'd estimate we've visited (and ate at!) 40+ restaurants and bars in the last 9 days. and this doesn't even include the multiple food stalls we sampled at the 3 food festivals/night markets we went to. and for those that may be wondering, no, i did not regain all my weight back (i've stayed below goal weight since achieving it at 7 months post op, im 6 yrs out next month). aside: also may be worth noting that my travel companions are all normal sized and never had weight problems in thier lives (except maybe one of our group who is diabetic). i guess what im trying to say is that food and food-centred social situations and vacations can still be enjoyed (im probably an extreme proof of this) and we dont need to miss out and feel deprived if we dont want to. you can eat that burger (just maybe not the whole thing and definitely not 3 of them). and the beauty of eating less is you can have a taste of your friend's fries, a peice of your partner's steak, a sushi off ur kid's plate, a forkful of pie from the stranger at the other table...lol anyway, thats just my very looooooong speech on foodie-ism and food enjoyment years on the other side.

Late posting today as I’ve been to the gym this morning and thoroughly enjoyed myself 🥳 Hubby is off work this week so he came with me. We like going together as we both wander off to do our own things but touch base occasionally. Unfortunately there were couple of teens who enjoyed pointing and laughing but it didn’t stop me and it just made them look like a pair of dickheads, especially when others glared at them. I don’t know if they expected me to pass out within a couple of minutes of beginning my workout but I did over an hour so sucks to be you, kids…I did have a chat with a member of staff as to when the quieter times are (without teens as there were quite a few and they have no absolutely no gym manners) and he said before 3pm when the schools go back. Thankfully that’s this week so we will be back Wednesday afternoon to have another go 🙂 Of course it will be interesting to see what state I will be in tomorrow but I didn’t hammer it, just familiarised myself with everything again. I did have a protein shake when I got back home plus a hot bath with some Epsom salts in the hope of counteracting the worst of the aches and pains. Looking forward to trying some free weights to get some hardcore toning going on! Couldn’t today as the free weights area was busy. Went out for lunch yesterday and kept it relatively healthy. Gains from the past week or so have pretty much gone, which is good. I’d thrown on a pair of leggings and a t-shirt earlier in the week and hubby commented on the fact that the weight was coming off my legs and backside. I think his exact words were “you’re losing weight off your legs and arse love”. Such a way with words, what can I say?? Clothing does continue to improve fit-wise, so I'm happy with that. Granddaughters first day of school on Weds and her 5th birthday on Thursday so there will be cake this coming weekend when we’re there for her party. I can’t believe she’s almost 5 - time really does fly! Surgeons appointment coming up on Friday - eek! I think I’m as prepared as I will ever be for it. I’ve got over the initial shock re the speed of it and I’m now just looking forward to it. My mini food processor thingy has been delivered and I’ve downloaded a couple of additional Bariatric recipe books for my Kindle (all freebies, thankfully) I’m trying not to think too deeply about the puréed phase as none of it sounds appealing but I know it’s something that has to be gone through! 6 weeks isn’t too long in the grand scheme of things. Have a super week everyone 😉 Onwards and Downwards!

My best advice is to be prepared to put yourself first for around a month. It didn’t take that long for the pain to get better but it does take a little while to get your stamina back and get into a groove with all the vitamins, protein and water and then each of the stages are a little adjustment. Take your time and allow your body the rest that it needs and prioritize yourself and your recovery for the time you need. The good news is that you should also see a pretty big drop on the scale as in your measurements. Which leads to my second suggestion which is to take photos and measurements as well as recording your weight beginning preop. They will help keep you motivated later down The road when the scale stalls. The third thing I would suggest is to check out an App that allows you to record your progress. The Baritastic App lets you record everything from food and water to vitamins, exercise, measurements, weight, and even your bowel movements which will become something that you think about more than ever post surgery haha 😆 and it is fairly easy to figure out. I wish I had started before my preop or my surgery. Also, make sure that you have whatever stool softeners, laxatives or soluble fiber your team suggests on hand and begin whatever preventative measures they set for you immediately post op. When you are in the hospital don’t hesitate to tell them if you are in pain. And Walk ALOT. Especially if you are in pain. It doesn’t matter how fast you go, it’s just the movement. I promise you that passing gas is your biggest goal in terms of relieving pain and the walking helps with that.

I bought clothes a few weeks ago for going away this coming weekend for a work trip and then my holiday in a couple of weeks. Tried on the various trousers yesterday to sort out my packing lists and they are all too big on the waist and wide on leg. Nothing that I can do about it now but thankfully they all have drawstring waists though and I guess if the weather is going to be warm it will be ok to have flowy trousers, just not the chic look I was aiming for on the work trip, holidays I don't mind about as that is casual and no-one will know me in the US.

Oh Dear- I hate it when the assigned health care provider is not up to the task -or even just a poor fit- my favorite example from my own life is when I was discharged a week after the birth from my daughter a d the doctor discharging said the following - you need to get this vaccination.. what is it- I do not know but it is standard at discharge ( it was for whooping cough and I had had my booster les than a year prior-) And then he said - oh and since you had a regular (ie vaginal birth) with no stitches you do not require any follow up- no dude I had an emergency c-section under total sedation after failed progression and now have a smiley face of staples i told him to leave and find me a doctor who could read a chart but since it seems you are nicer than I am, I would ask your surgeon- who you get along with quite well- to refer you to a registered dietitian (not just a ‘nutritionist’- as there is a difference where I am from)- preferably one with extensive bariatric experience you have a lot of knowledge but we all have blind spots - a good dietitian can be your nutrition partner in this journey. Good luck!

Thanks all for the advice on breads! I tried a cracker and gouda cheese at the weekend and that went down ok so assume melba toast would be ok. I tried a wrap last week and it was not pleasant at all, and couldnt keep it down.

That is great and you will have a fabulous time in Greece. In another few weeks the clothes you bought will probably be too big 😁

So some of you may remember me saying previously that I am going on holiday in September, and now it is about 2ish weeks away! My first time in a hot country, and I was leaving clothes shopping until last minute. I have now bought some bits and pieces, and my sizing varies immensely 🤔😂 I've definitely gone down a size or two - I was previously wearing a UK 22 (I probably should have been wearing a 24 but I was refusing to accept that) - and most of the clothes I bought over the weekend were a UK 18 - one dress I fit in was even a UK 16!! (still a little tight around the boobs but that is fine 🤣) It was actually really nice to try on clothes for a change...now lets hope I can cope with the hot weather!

Hey everyone, it’s me again. I woke up early this morning feeling pretty good and refreshed. I think I’m still proud of myself for doing my walk last night. I told my husband that I was proud and I know that it’s not really that big of a deal but it feels huge to me and he reminded me that after my sleeve I never exercised so it is a big deal. When he would mention it I would just tell him what my surgeon said that it’s really a pretty small part of weight loss. I left out the part where he said that it is still important for physical and mental health though. So I guess the fact that I am less that a month out this time and trying a different approach already is a pretty good thing. I went to do my grocery pickup this morning and got my supplies for my first week of soft foods which I get to start tomorrow 🎉 I ordered a lot more that I need for sure. The guy just kept adding bags to the trunk and my fridge has never been so full. I got out my book that my Dr gave me and it doesn’t mention a portion size for soft foods. The handout the hospital gave me says 1/2 to 3/4 cup though so I guess I will stick to 1/2 cup to start and make sure that’s okay. I just took a little nap since I woke up early and plan to walk again tonight. I have been scouring the Internet for a solution to my shorts riding up. The best thing I can find is to put a boning in the seam so I think I may order some and give that a try. I guess I have to drag out my sewing machine and relearn how to thread it and all that so I’m not sure how long I will procrastinate before I do it. I did order a pair of inexpensive yoga shorts to wear in the mean time and good news is when I measured my waist and hips to get the right size I realized that I have lost two inches in both. My only concern I have now is that one incision that’s dented in still. Everyone says that they think It will be fine but i just don’t know I think it’s going to stay like that honestly and worry that when I lost and it’s extra skin it’s going to look even worse. I guess no one but my husband will ever see it but I really wish it would just flatten out I hope everyone else is having a wonderful holiday weekend and feeling better and better each day. I know that I am.

You are actually further out than me. I am only 3.5 weeks out now but I found a really good vitamin for SADI/DS. My surgeon was quite impressed with it. It’s Pro Care Health SADI/DS Multi with 60mg iron. I also take Calcium Citrate. I had sleeve previously and I love the Bariatric Advantage Calcium Chews. I am still needing Chewable so I am on another one that tastes pretty gross for now. Anyways, their fruit flavors taste like Starbursts and the caramel is like a chewy Worthers Original. There is a post in the DS area that i started titled “SADI is so Lonely” that I started when I couldn’t find anyone else who had the surgery. There are a few people there who have had the SADI.

I drank it all the time before surgery. My clinic's instructions were to give up carbonated beverages forever, but I tried Diet Coke when I was about two or three years out. I about died - it tasted like a bunch of chemicals! (which it pretty much is). I ended up dumping it - it just wasn't good anymore - it was pretty bad, to be honest. I wasn't used to it any more - it'd been too long since I'd had it. I do drink flavored sparking water now (didn't start that until after the Diet Coke fiasco - so again, 2-3 years after surgery). Some brands are too carbonated for me (which really irritates my stomach), so I have to wait a while for those to flatten out a bit before I can drink them. Other brands I can drink right away since they're not as carbonated. btw - I don't think carbonation really causes your stomach to stretch out, but it really irritates some people's stomachs (which is why most surgeons will tell you to avoid it for the first few weeks or months after surgery. After that, some surgeons say it's fine as long as it doesn't irritate your stomach, and other surgeons tell you to give it up permanently)

After a year I have problems sometimes where the food just will not go down or if it does it is uncomfrotable. Beef burgers seem to be my main issue, no matter how small a bite I take or chew it, I have realised that about 70% of the time they don't agree with me. I have made chicken dishes and one night able to eat without an issue and the following day having another portion it immediately comes back up or if it goes down it does so uncomfortably. Last time with the burger was when I was out for dinner with a work colleague a couple of weeks ago and he got so worried about me as he said I literally went sickly white and looked like I needed to either vomit or pass out. I just took deep breaths for a few minutes and it (and the feeling) eventually passed but I think I will avoid burgers when out of the house for a while anyway.

I have had it a couple of times post-op (ooh it was so delicious and salty) but as pre-op I used to consider popcorn a food group in its own right and should have appeared in the food pyramid I am trying to stay away as much as possible. I used to have bowls of it every weekend and even during the week if I couldn't be bothered cooking dinner I would make a large saucepan of salted popcorn. Like potatoes now, for me it is something that will be an occasional treat but not to become a staple in my cupboard.

Sooo I am over 8.5 months post-op, and want to ask the veterans what their thoughts are on carbonation? I was a big diet soda and coffee drinker pre WLS and I knew I would never cut coffee out and I've had it since the second week post WLS with no issues, but carbonated drinks is a different story. My surgeon has encouraged me to eat anything and everything except for diet soda. He has been adamant that I don' take it up again. Another friend who's had WLS and has lost and maintained her weight loss and eats everything has told me that she occasionally drinks diet soda but only started having it 2 years post op and advised against it at this point for me. My brother who's been sleeved for almost 4 years drinks it and is the definition of slim. I really really like diet soda, and I only want to have a small glass once a weekish, is that so bad? My restriction is fierce so a little loosening up doesn't bother me much. What are your thoughts?

I ate eggs without an issue for four years then suddenly tummy said no. Was annoying because if I went out for breakfast I’d have scrambled eggs and often made an omelet with lots of vegetables for lunch. Worse went to a new restaurant for breakfast and they do a scrambled eggs with crab - drool. Keep saying it’s been more than a year & must try eggs again but haven’t got around to it. I still have odd times too when I eat something easily one day & the next night I’m eating the exact same thing & nope not tonight & then next week it’s fine. So does it happen? Yep it does, even years out. I know there are some (not all) people here who also continue to struggle with certain foods. You’re relatively early out so it’s even more likely to happen - fussy & still sensitive tummy.

I have fiber in the turkey chili (kidney beans) I make and I also take 6 (2 morning, 2 mid and 2 evening) of the Psyllium Husk Fiber Supplement 1450mg, 240 Capsules from Amazon just a bit above recommended daily dosage, but my GP said it can't cause any issues other than maybe gas..but I have noticed anymore than normal with a bypass.. I also eat 3 (again 1 at different times throughout the day) OLLY Probiotic + Prebiotic Gummy, Digestive Support and Gut Health, 500 Million CFUs, Fiber, Adult Chewable Supplement for Men and Women, Peach, 30 Day Supply - 30 Count. I started the psyllium when my GP started me on Ozempic to break my 3 month stall and to stop the annoying food cadence in my head! I'm holding at 1mg dose and have had very little constipation if any. I don't "go" regularly at 7am everyday like I used too, but I do go each day. I just make sure I get my water in and all works as it should. I hope this helps!

I have worn many expensive brands of workout shoes over the years. Most recent, post op, were Nikes for walking. Averaging 14 miles a week. I started to develop a painful corn/bunion on my right foot and it was starting to effect my walks, slowing me down. I didn't relish the thought of having it surgically removed. Until.... I was out thrifting and picked up a new pair of G Defy walking shoes. Never heard of them but were my size so I tried them on and stood up. I remember saying out loud... holy shi*. I googled them and saw they sold for over $160. They immediately went in my cart. I put them on when I got home and went for my daily 2 mile walk. The shoe corrected my supinated gait and there was no longer any pressure or pain with that corn. I couldn't believe it. I thought this is a miracle shoe. I ordered another pair from their website after reading the history of how and why this shoe was created. The corn is shrinking since there is no longer any more pressure from wearing the expensive pair of Nikes. Obviously name brands mean nothing people. When my new pair came in the mail, printed on the box it read, "Here's your miracle." If that isn't some kind of sign I don't know what is. Happy walking. https://www.gravitydefyer.com/about-us

3 months post op sleeve and since last two weeks digestion is off & on for the same food Somedays chicken slides smoothly others it sits heavy in the stomach - this off & on has come around in the last two weeks, earlier was smooth Concerned if this is normal - nurse says to just monitor

Wow! Looking great! No amount of booty workouts would make my saggy past its prime fallen off the tree and sitting in the field for two weeks booty pop tho! Too much skin is too much skin 😕 my peaches have been ran over and are now roadkill pancakes!

Well surgery was a success on the 26th!! I'm 5 days post op today! I just want to say that head hunger is a real thing, how did u guys get past this stage?? I have been on liquids since the 23rd and it's been a struggle for real, I thought after it would be easier because I don't actually feel hungry but physically I don't feel hungry it's just the mental aspect that gets me... I'm ready for these few weeks to fly by so I can begin to eat regularly again.

I totally understand the anxious mind, trust me. That’s awesome your weight loss. A great start to this truly amazing journey. I am a little over three weeks post op. Not sure I if I said that before but I have a friend of a friend that had her surgery like a year ago. I touched base with her today and told her how excited I am that I ordered pants that are a size smaller and they come today and they already Fit!! Also I ordered new walking shoes and my friend and I are planning to walk at the same time everyday and chat on the phone since we live over an hour apart. We are starting tomorrow. The goal is 30 minutes but I am going to just do loops around my block the first time so I’m not far from home if it’s too much. She replied and said that she has been biking several miles and that I will soon need to get myself a bike so I can join her. I was like no way. I’m wondering if I can do a half hour walk between the heat and my knees. She was like I started with 15 minutes walking and worked my way up. She said this surgery is Life Changing. She said she has SO much energy now and she feels amazing. She has lost well over100 pounds and has only 8 more to get to her goal. I Just thought I would share a positive story that you can take and try ti picture what your version of amazing looks like. Then you can use that when the anxiety starts to creep in. Seriously. I’m telling you. One step at a time. You’ve got this. ❤️

Hello everyone. I hope you all are having a more exciting kickoff to your holiday weekend than I am. (Hubby had to work half the night so I’m just here watching TV. I had two things I wanted to post but now I’m only remembering one for some reason. The first was my annoying stitch. Yes. I have this one stitch at the end of an incision that is sticking straight up and every-time my arm brushes across it the incision feels like it’s being pulled. Been driving me nuts for three days since the steri strip came off. Well I finally came up with a solution. Two shirts. It doesn’t poke through the second shirt so when brush past it doesn’t snag it. Not sure how common it is but just in case there it is. Ooh my second thing. Motivation for exercise. My good friend that lives in another city came up with a great idea to motivate us both to exercise. We are going to do it together. But instead of driving an hour each was everyday we are just going to walk at the same time and talk on the phone while we do it. We are starting tomorrow night. Just thought I would share in case that idea works for someone else. i hope everyone has a good night.

Are you just doing the treadmill at the gym? If not you may want to double check with your team. I am not cleared for ten gym till 6 weeks. 8 weeks for anything with weights. I am absolutely thrilled for you that you are feeling so good. I Just don’t want you to hurt yourself because of something you didn’t know.

Oh wow ! That’s a lot of different foods for one week. My advice would be to spread it o out a bit. Congratulations on your purée journey.