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Ahh okay I gotcha. Well under the circumstances girlie I wouldn't feel too bad about it. If they didn't put you on a strict "eat x y z" and then gave you something that has a side effect of weight gain then what do they expect! Good luck with everything and don't worry about the hijacking as long as there are no snakes on plane we're alright

I HATE THE WAY I'M WIRED. I HATE THE WAY I'M WIRED. I HATE THE WAY I'M WIRED. Sometimes I just want to bang my head against the wall and end what's going on in my head. I hate the voices. The fear of change. The self destruction. The weight gain. I want it all to end. I create my own problems. I hate that I have to relive this over and over again. I have no control over all of this. I hate that I put Paul through this all of the time. He doesn't deserve to be around this. I don't know what he sees in me. I'm such a horrible person to be around. These are the things the voices tell me. I feel so depressed. I've gained 3 more pounds. I try and try to control the binging, but I get such anxiety over it. So what's the solution? Medication. I've tried that, it doesn't help. There seems to be no solution. I want to end all of the suffering. But I can't. I just want to crawl under a rock and disappear...:think

Wednesday evening I wound up in the Chiro's office with a compacted C4 vertebrae and pinched nerve in my neck and have NO idea how the hell I managed all that. Guess it was the sumo wrestling and bungee jumping from the week before? :biggrin1: NOT. Anyway, fast forward to Friday, I've been through 4 Chiro visits and been flat on my back for the past day and a half... I feel better and finally returned to work this morning, but dang it's been a rough week. On top of that, yesterday I started new diabetes meds. I've been taken off Avandaryl, which apparently has contributed to some of my weight gain in the past few months. I'm now on a new medication called Byetta, which you have to inject, but the good news is there are very few lows or crashes with this medication, and in the clinical trials, most people lost weight! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: It would be nice if this were finally the answer to me losing weight and I wound up not having to have the surgery. Who knows. At least I know I still have the option.

If You Want to Lose Weight, Keep an Eye on Your Social Network One of the first things you learn about weight loss surgery is that you need a support system. The more friends and family you have around, the more likely you are to lose weight. At least, that’s what you’re told. It’s mostly true but it’s not completely right. The truth is that your friends and family don’t always help you lose weight. If you have anyone sabotaging your efforts, you already know that. But your friends and family may be dragging you down without trying to. You may not even realize it’s happening. Once you do, though, you can resist the bad influence. Effect of Friends and Family on Weight Take a look at your friends and family. Are they overweight? If they are, they may be getting in the way of your own weight loss. Part of it may be genetic. If one sibling gains weight, the other is 40 percent more likely to also gain weight, according to research described in the December 2011 edition of the Harvard Men’s Health Watch. You might point to genes to explain why you can predict people’s weight gain based on their siblings’ weight gain. That may be partly true, but consider this. Spouses are 37 percent more likely to become obese if their spouse does. Okay, live together, eat together, gain or lose weight together. That makes sense, right? But do you know whose weight is most closely related to yours? It’s not the weight of your siblings or spouse. It’s your friends’ weights! If you have a close friend who becomes obese, your risk of becoming obese increases by a scary 57 percent! And, if your friends want to lose weight, you’re more likely to want to lose weight. How Your Friends Affect Your Weight You don’t live with your friends, and you don’t share their genes. So why should their weight affect yours? Part of it is just from trying to be a good friend. Your friend’s job is to cheer you up and accept you for who you are. That’s great in most cases because we all need someone on our side. Unfortunately, it works against you when you tell your friend that you just ate a half a pizza because you had a bad day at work, your friend may just tell you that you deserved that pizza. Worse, she might invite you out so that the two of you can split another pizza. Also, your perception of what is normal and acceptable might shift towards what your friends do and think. If they are overweight or obese, you may not see yourself as unhealthily overweight even if you are. If they share a few boxes of doughnuts every Sunday, you might not see any problem with those extra hundreds of calories. But continuing to do what they do can get in the way of hitting your weight loss goals. Make New Friends… When you’re getting started on your weight loss journey, think about making a few new friends who are going to support your new commitment to health. Other weight loss surgery patients: they’re going through exactly the same things that you are. Exercise buddies: find them at the gym, in the park, or through craiglist.com or meetup.com. Don’t be shy about asking if you can join them for a workout or two. If they say no, ask someone else. You might end up making a few new friends that you can hang out at other times during the day. …And Keep the Old You don’t have to ditch your old friends and stay away from your siblings and parents if they’re overweight. Ideally, you can be open with them. Explain how hard you are working to get healthy, and let them know how they can help. If you’re lucky, they’ll be willing to change some of their behaviors to support your goals and get healthier themselves. Meet to go shopping or take a walk in the park instead of to eat at a restaurant. Order an egg white omelet instead of pancakes with butter, syrup, and sausage when you go out for breakfast. Meet your friends to do crafts or pack lunches for a homeless shelter instead of baking and eating cookies. If your old friends and your family are unwilling to change, you don’t need to avoid them. Even being aware of how friends and family can affect you can protect you from following their leadwhile you’re hanging out with them. Be on the lookout for unhealthy behaviors, and make your own healthy decisions. Skip the table’s appetizers and enjoy your glass of ice water. Order what you know is right, like chicken breast or fish and vegetables, while everyone else is ordering pasta or steak, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Savor coffee while everyone else is digging into dessert. Lean on them for sympathy when you’re struggling, but don’t use them as eating buddies anymore. Eventually, they may see how happy and successful you are, and they may be ready to ask you for help losing weight. Your friends and family are there to support you, but sometimes their love for you isn’t good for your weight loss journey. Ask them to help you out by setting a good example, and keep yourself from following their lead if you know they’re eating badly.

Your PCP may or may not have much experience with weight loss surgery. What about your endocrinologist? I doubt very much that they would not check your blood sugar before sending you home without your insulin and other meds, as @RickM said. But talk to your surgery center about what your PCP said and your concerns, but don't cancel your surgery. Even if you can't immediately go off your meds, there are lots of other health benefits to surgery and you might in time be able to go off the meds. The goal in life isn't to have the fewest pills; it's to live the best life, with or without pills. I take about 18 pills a day, none of which I will be able to stop after surgery because they are for a condition that is not caused by my weight. (The meds cause weight gain, but that's another issue.) I am still having surgery, because it affects my quality of life to be so heavy, and is going to lead to other health problems down the road.

I am sitting here waiting on the insurance company to approve the surgery so I can start my new life! I am so excited about this procedure. I have had weight issues since I was abused by a family member when I was approx. 10 years old. I guess I decided to hide behind the weight and it would protect me. :thumbdown: But it started coming on when I was in the 5th grade. Up until then I was thin. In fact, my mom told me that when I was a baby they had to take me to the doctor because I would not eat... WELL not having that problem now!:eek: Anyway, I was active in Jr. High and High school, being a cheerleader all through those years. I was still larger than all the other girls, but had/have a great personality and pretty enough face, that I didn't let my weight become an issue in my life until I was married and having babies. Not being able to blame the pregnancies on my weight gains. Only gained 12 lbs. with first pregnancy and 20 with the second! It really started when ex husband started having affairs that the weight came on and it came on fast, I am one of those ladies that keeps everything inside until she decides to explode! Well it took me 18 years to finally explode and when I did, I lost 120 lbs of my own and his 180 lbs as we divorced. Then I did the rebound thing... I KNOW I KNOW,, stupid and he turned out to be an alcoholic and all the weight I had lost came back on as I saw my life going south again.... Then we divorced and I lost some of the weight after that. No my thyroid is pretty much shot, I am on medication but the doctor told me that with my thyroid issues I would have a lot harder time loosing weight and that is when I decided to try the route of the lap band. I have done alot of research and think this will work for me as it will help me to keep it off. My support system isn't very good with family, my mom is always telling me about these shows she watches on tv about the lapband and all the bad stuff that happens. :mad:(Yes, I told her to stop watching so much tv.!) So I am looking for a different support system and that is where I came across this site. I am hoping to connect with a few people on here to help keep my spirits up and my head up at the same time. Anyone out there interested in supporting one another in this adventure I am game!:bored::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I am sitting here waiting on the insurance company to approve the surgery so I can start my new life! I am so excited about this procedure. I have had weight issues since I was abused by a family member when I was approx. 10 years old. I guess I decided to hide behind the weight and it would protect me. :rolleyes2: But it started coming on when I was in the 5th grade. Up until then I was thin. In fact, my mom told me that when I was a baby they had to take me to the doctor because I would not eat... WELL not having that problem now!:eek: Anyway, I was active in Jr. High and High school, being a cheerleader all through those years. I was still larger than all the other girls, but had/have a great personality and pretty enough face, that I didn't let my weight become an issue in my life until I was married and having babies. Not being able to blame the pregnancies on my weight gains. Only gained 12 lbs. with first pregnancy and 20 with the second! It really started when ex husband started having affairs that the weight came on and it came on fast, I am one of those ladies that keeps everything inside until she decides to explode! Well it took me 18 years to finally explode and when I did, I lost 120 lbs of my own and his 180 lbs as we divorced. Then I did the rebound thing... I KNOW I KNOW,, stupid and he turned out to be an alcoholic and all the weight I had lost came back on as I saw my life going south again.... Then we divorced and I lost some of the weight after that. No my thyroid is pretty much shot, I am on medication but the doctor told me that with my thyroid issues I would have a lot harder time loosing weight and that is when I decided to try the route of the lap band. I have done alot of research and think this will work for me as it will help me to keep it off. My support system isn't very good with family, my mom is always telling me about these shows she watches on tv about the lapband and all the bad stuff that happens. :mad:(Yes, I told her to stop watching so much tv.!) So I am looking for a different support system and that is where I came across this site. I am hoping to connect with a few people on here to help keep my spirits up and my head up at the same time. Anyone out there interested in supporting one another in this adventure I am game!:blushing::thumbup::biggrin::thumbup::thumbup::tt2:

I am also an insulin resistant diabetic and I have heard from docs that you have to take in a lower amount of calories as well. I agree that you don't feel well when you are starving yourself like that, however, for me, exercise has made all of the difference. Even something as simple as an exercise bike, with no resistance and done for only 20 minutes a day, I notice that my blood sugars drop like crazy after about two weeks of the exercise regime. I can eat between 1000-1200 cals a day and lose weight, not quickly, but at the average 1-2 lbs a week. I am so convinced that exercise is the key to battling our insulin resistance. As a nurse I know that you understand how diabetes works and the whole insulin resistance issue. By exercising, you are creating more receptors on the cells accepting the insulin, thereby, lowering the blood sugar. Insulin and the oral meds also cause weight gain, so it stands to reason the more of that stuff we need to take, the harder it would be to lose as well. The band has helped me enormously with this. I have been able to lower my caloric intake and still take in enough nutrition as to not make myself sick. Only you will know if the band is the way for you to go, but it can't hurt, it will only help you with all of this. I hope this information is helpful to you. Keep us posted on your decision and PM me if you have any other questions you like to talk about. Cindy

Beka, As someone else said, healthy and standard weight loss with the band is 1-2 lbs per week. It seems slow, but it adds up. The worst part of banding is that first few weeks when your post op, trying to understand what you've done and what you're supposed to be doing. It's this learning period when you have to pay attention to your body and learn to read it's signals. When are you really hungry versus when do you think you're hungry, etc, etc. You want the weight to fall off, it doesn't always. This is commonly referred to as "Bandster Hell." Remember that once you begin solid foods, your body will often stop losing weight and in fact, gain a few pounds because it literally holds onto the bulk of the solids in your intestines. It's not a true weight gain, it's the way our digestive system works. When you're on liquids or even very soft foods, there's not enough bulk in that food and it literally goes right through you. Be patient with yourself and your body and don't miss your appointments. Follow your doctor's orders, he understands this process better than you do at this point and is there to help guide your journey. If you REALLY feel like you're not on track, log your intake and make a note of your output. Make sure you're getting enough Protein and calories. Inadequate caloric intake will actually sabotage your weight loss by slowing your metabolism even more. Good Luck,

Hi I am 27 months out.I had made goal fairly quickly in the first year.And had passed it.Then I was hospitalized in my 13th month and was on a liquid diet and constant ivs.I had some weight gain from that and during that year I was on a week of Prednisone.I have been on trials of meds for certain things.My total weight gain was 20 pounds.My surgeon gives a 10 pound grace.I am 10 pounds over.Any help or suggestions would be appreciated thank you

Paxil is a brutal wean, Apple, I don't envy you. It's also one of the worst ones out there for weight gain. Plus side: I'm guessing you're gonna see a bump in weight loss after you're off:) I gained 25 pounds in a year on Paxil in the late 90's. Felt great, but ate like a crazed hippy at a rainbow gathering. LOL:) Had crazy dreams when I went off, but a lot of folks have worse discontinuation symptoms. You are very smart to wean.

When I was in my teens I wasn't fat but thought I was!! I weighed 125 to 135#'s but I wasn't like the other girls I wasn't tiny and petite. So even when I was thin I always felt out of control. My mom never had veggies, or potatoes. We lived on meat and gravy on bread. I never developed good eating habits. Then I met my hubby and got married when I was barely 17 and he moved me away from my mom, I couldn't wait to feel normal. I got prego but still, my weight gain wasn't bad. I started eating whatever I wanted, you see my hubby and I had one giant thing in common FOOD!!! He weighed 350#'s when e were married. Years passed I gained weight, pound on top of pound!! Had my 2nd child at 23 but I became a Diabetic on pills then shots. Losing weight wasn't a problem but I never learned how to keep it off. At one time I weighed 285#'s. My diabetes just kept on getting worse until I could not control it at all. We both have a little more in common now, food isn't our main focus!! We have 8 grandkids that fill our hearts to the brim with love!! We are closer now than ever. So I have a lot to be happy with. I had my WLS and I have been in maintenance for 3 and 1/2 years, hubby has lost 200#'s total. Life is AWESOME!!!

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 21 and prescribed Spironolactone. I thought it was a miracle pill for a long time because my skin was flawless, with invisible pores, no blemishes, and a lovely glow. I lost weight at first, too. Over time I began to experience detrimental effects from it, with weight gain being a major issue. It's a bit contradictory because it can make you lose weight at first, but over time can actually make you gain weight. I noticed a sharp increase in weight gain when I bumped up to 200mg. At first I thought it was due to age because I was hitting my late 20s, but it was so rapid. I began doing searches of it online and found that many other women had experienced weight gain and other unpleasant effects. I also read some alarming reviews of it (along with many happy ones) on MakeupAlley. If you go the site you can do a search of Spiro reviews with lowest ratings first. There are a few from women who've taken it long-term and have very negative reviews. I'm not advocating against taking it because it definitely helped me out at first with my complexion. I just am writing this as a word of warning and to encourage that anyone taking it be mindful about weight gain.

Ok people here is my story, I was banded on 10-16-08 since then I have lost 50lbs, but.........after my first fill( 3cc) I noticed a actual reduction in my restriction after a few days, and even though I have tried to start walking on my treadmill 15-20min / 4x week I have managed to gain 8lbs back :cursing:, I talked to my surgeon and he said he wasn't worried about it because I haven't gotten to my "sweet spot" and I had lost the weight too fast to begin with and he could get it back off but he was happy I gained some weight becasue he was thinking there might be a problem with my digestive tract becasue of loosing so much so fast. My Question is this, has anyone ever lost restriction with a fill? It doesn't make sence to me? I have been sneezing and coughing a tremendous amount with the weather here lately, one day 70 degrees next day 12 degrees, I have thought maybe I had a slip or erosoin?but wouldnt that cause other problems? (besides weight gain) but I am probably just being over thoughtfull on the whole matter and should wait until my next fill to see if the restriction comes back.........RIGHT? I still have lost 42lbs in less than three months. :bigear:Thanks for listening:bigear:

My journey... My weight loss... My weight gain... My progress.... My thoughts... My feelings... My prayers... My beliefs... My faith... Noticing a trend here? My and by my I mean Me. This is the best thing I've ever done for myself. My journey is not yours, nor is yours mine. I wouldn't want it any other way. I'm here to encourage and uplift by my blogs, thoughts and comments. Spread love and encourage nothing else. I see/hear some comments and receive some that just leaving me with a blank look on my face and going *blink...blink*, your issues are not mine, feel free to share and comment but be careful to not try to PUSH/DUMP/UNLOAD your issues or feelings on me or anyone else, I wonder when some of you will stop trying to find yourself in others and find yourself within. That's when this REALLY works, when anything YOU really wants to do works. Whether it's weightloss, business, or something else. You have to find it within YOURSELF to do it, just as I have to find it within MYSELF to do it. We should all want those around us to be our very best, and we should encourage them and love on them until they reach it. Just my two cents.

As you get further out, you might find you do a little better with dry food. But I totally had to laugh about it the rules being like being Catholic. So true! As a born and bred Catholic, that's probably why the rules and following them feel a little non-negotiable to me! I try to follow them best I can, and I feel so guilty when I don't. I guess if breaking the rules equals sinning, then the subsequent weight gain from breaking rules equals the purgatory/hell from sinning, lol! Don't know about you, but morbid obesity felt like hell on earth, to me. I really hated it.

It is common to have some limited weight gain after gastric bypass surgery. They call it a 20 pound bounce. The important thing is not let go beyond it. According to my nutritionist, meals should consist of equal parts of protein, fats and carbs after the first couple years post-op. Snacks should be limited to primarily whole food options: nuts, natural nut butters, fruits, veggies, boiled eggs, string cheese, yogurt with berries and almonds, tuna pouches. Avoid processed packaged foods as much as possible. So I guess my advise is to document what you eat in a food journal and figure out what is the cause. I had RNY gastric bypass whereas you had the sleeve. I am 5 years post-op and this is the approach that I use. http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery2.pdf

I wanted to tell everyone that i had my surgery on June 29.. i had some weight gain. 4 lbs between week 2 and 3... it totally defies the laws of physics! am just a little discouraged about that but i know it cant last. I think im doing what im suppose to and never go over 1200 calories a day. but so far i feel like a new person already and a ton more enerygy then i had in 20 years. i hope this keeps going like this.

I really don't buy this whole "the body knows what it wants to weigh" meme. I'm a scientist and have an affection for the concept of cause / effect. As in ... you do X, Y is more likely to happen; you don't do X, Y is less likely to happen. That doesn't mean I presume that I know all the factors involved in weight loss and their relative strengths. In the last 20 months, I've learned much about nutrition, behavior change, emotional factors that influence eating behaviors, etc. So I expect there's a lot more for me to learn. Nor do I assume that everyone's metabolism or set points are exactly the same or governed by exactly the same calories / macronutrients / Water / exercise / etc. So I certainly think there are many individual differences in terms of how our bodies perform. But I don't think there's some magical point your body reaches where it simply won't lose any more weight, no matter what you do. Losing weight, gaining muscle mass, building endurance and other ways we're trying to change our bodies takes time. Losing one pound a month may seem like the end of the weight loss journey to some. But that's about the rate at which I lost the last 15 pounds of my fat ass. And now I'm looking at the possibility of gaining at least 5 pounds of muscle this summer. Doing that will be a real challenge for me, but I think it'll make me significantly healthier. Boy, this journey just goes on and on and on and ....

I’m just starting out but I have read that it helps to do a pouch reset. Having hormone, metabolic and other medical issues I can relate. Try to pinpoint what medication might be affecting your weight and why. For example I needed beta blockers and the generic caused more side effects that included slowing my metabolism. Once I got on the name brand and also adjusted my calories it helped. If you can pinpoint the medication ask the doctor about switching to something with less side effects of weight gain. Also see an endocrinologist to have hormones checked and anything that could be throwing off your weight there. You might try some natural hormone supplements ie. Wild yam, black cohosh, (my head isn’t working to think of them all) 15 years a lot can change and it takes time to re-evaluate and adjust. 2-Week Pouch Reset Diet The 2-Week Pouch Reset Diet can help you if your weight loss stalls after getting gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, lap-band, or another type of weight loss surgery. There may be a time after weight loss surgery when you wonder whether your pouch has stretched, or when you get off track with your eating. The 2-Week Pouch Reset Diet mimics your original post-op diet, but it moves through the stages more quickly. You start with clear liquids, move to full liquids, then progress to pureed foods, semi-soft foods, and solid foods. The 2-Week Pouch Reset Diet can help you: Break the pattern of off-track eating. Remember what it feels like when you feel restriction from your pouch. Practice stopping eating before you feel overly full. Diet Guidelines: When you get to the solid foods diet, this is the time when you will feel that your pouch is working again. Eat slowly and mindfully, and focus on the feeling you have when you stop eating just before you are full. You can continue on the solid foods plan (repeat Days 10-14) for as long as your doctor agrees. Drink plenty of water and other calorie-free or low-calorie liquids to stay hydrated. Only use under the supervision of your doctor. Day 1: Clear Liquids Breakfast ½ cup apple juice, ½ cup decaf green tea Snack 1 1 sugar-free ice pop, ½ cup sugar-free gelatin Lunch Tomato Basil Sipping Broth, ½ cup sugar-free gelatin Snack 2 ½ cup decaf coffee, Lemon Iced Tea Fiber Drink Dinner Delight Pho Sipping Broth, ½ cup sugar free gelatin Dessert 1 ice pop Day 2: Full Liquids Breakfast Strawberry Meal Replacement Shake (240 calories, 35 grams protein) Snack 1 Decaf Protein Cappuccino (90 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch Broccoli and Cheese Protein Soup (100 calories, 15 grams protein) Snack 2 Vanilla Meal Replacement Shake (240 calories, 35 grams protein) Dinner Meal Replacement Chicken Protein Soup (160 calories, 27 grams protein) Dessert Banana Protein Shake (80 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 910 calories, 142 grams protein Day 3: Full Liquids Breakfast Chocolate Meal Replacement Shake (240 calories, 35 grams protein) Snack 1 Vanilla Cappuccino Hot Protein Drink (90 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch Cream of Tomato Meal Replacement Soup (160 calories, 15 grams protein) Snack 2 Strawberry Meal Replacement Shake (240 calories, 35 grams protein) Dinner Corn Chowder Protein Soup (110 calories, 15 grams protein) Dessert Cheesecake Protein Pudding or Shake (90 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 930 calories, 130 grams protein Day 4: Pureed Foods (Mushies) Breakfast Peaches and Cream Protein Oatmeal, ¾ cup pureed canned or frozen peaches (150 calories, 16 grams protein) Snack 1 1 container plain non-fat Greek yogurt, ½ pureed banana (150 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch Pureed tuna salad with 3 ounces tuna, ½ cup cooked or canned green beans, ¼ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons black olives, pepper (180 calories, 25 grams protein) Snack 2 Vanilla Meal Replacement (240 calories, 35 grams protein) Dinner 4 ounces pureed canned chicken breast, ½ cup pureed cooked carrots (130 calories, 19 grams protein) Dessert Protein Cheesecake Pudding with ½ cup strawberries, pureed (120 calories, 16 grams protein) Totals: 970 calories, 126 grams protein Day 5: Pureed Foods (Mushies) Breakfast Shake with Peanut Butter Protein Powder, ½ banana, 1 5-oz. cup vanilla Greek yogurt (200 calories, 20 grams protein) Snack 1 Pureed egg salad with 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, pepper (180 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch ½ cup non-fat pureed cottage cheese, ½ cup unsweetened applesauce (140 calories, 14 grams protein) Snack 2 ¼ cup hummus with 1 scoop, (220 calories, 32 grams protein) Dinner Chicken with Pasta Protein Soup, pureed with ½ cup cooked frozen cauliflower and ½ cup cooked brown rice (220 calories, 18 grams protein) Dessert Mocha Cream Protein Pudding (100 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1060 calories, 114 grams protein Day 6: Pureed Foods (Mushies) Breakfast Vegetable Protein Omelet, 1 ounce cheddar cheese, melted, ½ mashed banana (260 calories, 23 grams protein) Snack 1 Pureed Protein Chili with Beans, 1 cheese stick (string cheese) (180 calories, 22 grams protein) Lunch Cream of Mushroom Protein Soup, ½ cup mashed potatoes with 1 teaspoon olive oil (200 calories, 16 grams protein) Snack 2 Maple Brown Sugar Protein Oatmeal, ½ cup low-fat ricotta cheese (250 calories, 28 grams protein) Dinner Chicken with Pasta Protein Soup, 3 ounces pureed cooked ground turkey meatballs blended with ½ cup tomato sauce, ½ cup cooked pureed fresh or frozen winter squash with 1 teaspoon olive oil (220 calories, 23 grams protein) Dessert Strawberry Banana Protein Gelatin (70 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1180 calories, 117 grams protein Day 7: Semi-Soft Foods Breakfast Buttermilk Protein Pancakes, ½ cup blueberries (240 calories, 21 grams protein) Snack 1 Protein Hot Cocoa (80 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch Beef with Pasta Protein Soup, with ½ cup cooked or canned beans and ½ cup cooked vegetables (240 calories, 24 grams protein) Snack 2 ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1 cup cantaloupe (160 calories, 14 grams protein) Dinner 1 veggie burger, 1 cup cooked green beans, 1 medium cooked sweet potato (250 calories, 14 grams protein) Dessert Soft-Baked Protein Brownie, ½ cup vanilla yogurt (180 calories, 20 grams protein) Totals: 1150 calories, 108 grams protein Day 8: Semi-Soft Foods Breakfast Southwestern Protein Omelet, with 1 ounce cheddar cheese, ½ cup cooked spinach, ¼ cup salsa (270 calories, 22 grams protein) Snack 1 Hazelnut Cocoa Cream Protein Pudding (100 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch Spaghetti and Meatballs Protein Entree, 1 cup cooked frozen broccoli florets (260 calories, 18 grams protein) Snack 2 Berry Delicious Protein Smoothie (100 calories, 15 grams protein) Dinner 3 ounces broiled salmon with teriyaki sauce, ½ cup cooked brown rice, 1 cup cooked cauliflower florets (350 calories, 23 grams protein) Dessert Double Chocolate Cake (120 calories, 12 grams protein) Totals: 1200 calories, 105 grams protein Day 9: Semi-Soft Foods Breakfast Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes, 2 tablespoons peanut butter (300 calories, 22 grams protein) Snack 1 (70 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch Creamy Chicken Pasta Protein Entrée, ½ cup cooked zucchini (240 calories, 16 grams protein) Snack 2 1 cup cut watermelon, 1 ounce feta cheese (120 calories, 4 grams protein) Dinner 1 cooked bell pepper stuffed with 3 ounces ground turkey, ½ cup stewed tomatoes, 1/3 cup cooked quinoa or barley, and Italian seasoning (280 calories, 27 grams protein) Dessert Creamy Cheesecake Protein Dessert (120 calories, 12 grams protein) Totals: 1090 calories, 96 grams protein Day 10: Solid Foods Breakfast Berries ‘n Chocolate Crunch Protein Cereal with 1 container Greek yogurt (230 calories, 25 grams protein) Snack 1 Chunky Crisp Peanut Butter Protein Bar (160 calories, 12 grams protein) Lunch Tuna salad on lettuce leaves, made with 3 ounces tuna, diced celery and onion, ¼ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons black olives, pepper (180 calories, 25 grams protein) Snack 2 Caprese salad with 1 ounce mozzarella balls, 1 large tomato, sliced, 2 teaspoons olive oil, basil leaves, black pepper (210 calories, 8 grams protein) Dinner 3 ounces Mexican seasoned shredded chicken mixed with ½ cup pinto beans and 1 cup cooked bell pepper strips, topped with ¼ cup avocado (350 calories, 30 grams protein) Dessert Tropical Banana Protein Pudding (100 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1230 calories, 105 grams protein Day 11: Solid Foods Breakfast Breakfast sandwich with 1 whole-grain English muffin, 1 slice fat-free cheese, 1 cooked egg (230 calories, 17 grams protein) Snack 1 Fruit salad with 1 cup cut fresh fruit and 1 ounce sliced almonds (240 calories, 8 grams protein) Lunch Five Bean Casserole Protein Entree (240 calories, 11 grams protein) Snack 2 1 large whole-grain high-fiber wrap spread with 2 ounces fat-free cream cheese plus shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes (170 calories, 18 grams protein) Dinner Protein Pasta with 3 ounces lean ground turkey, Tomato Parmesan Flavor Pack , and 1 cup cooked broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot mix (300 calories, 41 grams protein) Dessert Chocolate Chip Protein Cookie (150 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1330 calories, 110 grams protein Day 12: Solid Foods Breakfast Crispy Lemon Meringue Bar (160 calories, 14 grams protein) Snack 1 Pineapple Orange Fruit Drink (70 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch Roll-ups with 2 ounces all-natural sliced turkey breast, 1 ounce swiss or cheddar slices, and ¼ cup avocado slices (260 calories, 24 grams protein) Snack 2 1 cup baby carrots, 1 tablespoon peanut butter (140 calories, 8 grams protein) Dinner High-fiber wrap with 3 ounces tilapia or other white fish, grilled eggplant, and Honey Dijon dressing (250 calories, 30 grams protein) Dessert Chocolate Protein Cereal, 1 apple (210 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1090 calories, 106 grams protein Day 13: Solid Foods Breakfast Strawberry Meal Replacement Shake (250 calories, 35 grams protein) Snack 1 Caramel Brownie Protein Bar (180 calories, 14 grams protein) Lunch Greek chicken salad with romaine lettuce, cucumber slices, grape tomatoes, 3 ounces cooked chicken breast, 1 ounce feta cheese, 2 tablespoons vinaigrette (250 calories, 26 grams protein) Snack 2 1 cup bell pepper strips Meat Snack (120 calories, 15 grams protein) Dinner Pasta Fagioli (210 calories, 14 grams protein) Dessert Mint Hot Chocolate, 1 apple (80 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1090 calories, 119 grams protein Day 14: Solid Foods Breakfast Golden Protein Pancakes ½ banana, ½ ounce pecans (240 calories, 17 grams protein) Snack 1 2 hard-boiled eggs (140 calories, 12 grams protein) Lunch Salad with spinach leaves, 1 cup sliced strawberries, 1 ounce shaved parmesan, 2 tablespoons light dressing (230 calories, 10 grams protein) Snack 2 Protein Chips (130 calories, 10 grams protein) Dinner Protein Chili with 1 ounce cheddar cheese, 1 cup cooked carro (280 calories, 24 grams protein) Dessert 1 small pear, 1 ounce blue cheese (170 calories, 7 grams protein) Totals: 1190 calories, 80 grams protein

The sad truth. Is that it is a complete lottery, I'm mixed race and had hair for days, started losing about 3 months out and has only just started to slow, I've had to have it cut as it was dramatically thinner - the shortest it's been since 1986! I had my Protein intake and all the suitable Vitamins and started taking Biotin too and it just happened. Am I traumatised? hell yes, am I going to get over it? hell yes Would I trade 6.5 stone lost for the hair? Honestly, I would say there were moments, if your hair has been your trademark for your entire life, longer than any weight gain, then it's hard but it's growing again and my "thin" hair, as with most non-Caucasian hair, is still thick

Indeed, its one of the reasons I have chosen to undergo surgery, although I could work at it myself, I cant garantee I wont regain at some point, and I am undergoing surgery in 2019 after which I will have to keep my weight down perminantly to avoid problems. So WLS for me is an added support to help me keep my weight as low as possible. My disinterest in cooking is currently greater than my need to satisfy my pallet. In recent years I have avoided cooking and rather look to quicker alternatives. Bread, rice and potatoes also store longer, and I dislike crowds and shopping, so keeping stocked with fresh vegetables is difficult for me. I have become reluctant to push myself out of my comfort zone, when I do it life is better, but It gets the better of me at times. Essentaily I have social disorders that make me more inclined to behaviours what would lead to weight gain. What I call lazyness is probably anxiety and avoidence. my bmi is only 31, took me a while to climb to this weight again but here I am. If it wasnt for my future surgery |I probably wouldnt be going through with WLS.

This is a great thread. The only book that has really helped me is the Beck Diet Solution. I really need to get the work book. I like it because it gives you stuff to do to try to combat snacking and learning to say no to weight gaining foods.

I never felt it was even in the realm of possibility before surgery. But like tonight, I am sitting here, already had dinner PLANNED, feeling like I don't even want to bother with it. I am not hungry, it doesn't sound good (nothing does) but my head knows I need the nutrition. So I will go in the next 15 min or so and get my dinner, and push it down. I wonder if I need to be more creative in what I am eating? (who can complain? This seems to be my biggest issue) well, this and how much I HATE tom, and the weight gain. Sucks being a woman sometimes :-)

I suppose it's a matter of motivation. No, when it came to my pre and postop diet instructions, I did not mess up. (And this involved over a month of full liquids and 2 months before eating something like chicken) My health and proper healing were too important to me. Once you get farther out, bad choices simply result in no weight loss or weight gain, but this early on bad choices can result in very serious consequences. You can do a search for "cheat" to find many others that chose not to follow instructions. But then check out the complications subforum to help motivate yourself not to do it again.