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1- Fruit. I'm out 16 months from surgery and started to incorporate fruits back into my diet. My mistake was doing it via smoothies. This lead to a six pound gain in a week and a half. I stopped the smoothies and lost the weight. Eat the fruit whole, smoothies incorporate a large amount of fruit that I wouldn't have eaten if I ate them whole. 2- Coffee- I started coffee at six months. Be careful as coffee is a diuretic and will cause you urinate thus losing the liquids you need to be healthier. 3- Life after WLS- It's a good life but not utopia. You'll revel at the rapid weight loss and then you'll realize that you will need to work to keep it off. It does not stay off all by itself you will need to have a plan of action in order to keep the weight off. A simple act like drinking fruit smoothies gave a weight gain so , you see it's a thing that you will need to keep an eye on. If you're healthy now just think how healthy you'll be after the weight is lost. Good luck and I wish you and everyone on these boards the best.

The LA Times had an interesting article on weighing this morning. Thought I'd share it here for those who don't get the Times and see what you guys thought. Dieters, step on your scales <LI style="LIST-STYLE-POSITION: inside; LIST-STYLE-TYPE: square">Those who weigh themselves regularly have a better chance of losing extra pounds, a recent study finds. But not all experts agree. By Rosie Mestel, Times Staff Writer Losing weight is hard — and you might say hardly studied. Only recently have scientists clinically shown that the widely used Atkins diet actually works, and they've yet to definitively weigh in on another diet-related question: Does regularly stepping on the scales help a dieter lose weight? Sure it does, say many weight loss experts. Weighing yourself is a clear way to monitor progress or catch (and nip in the bud) a slow, steady uptick in lardage. Not so fast, say others. The glacially slow nature of weight loss, plus those spiky daily fluctuations in body weight, might actually make dieters more apt to throw in the towel. ADVERTISEMENT Now, just in time for the waist-expanding holiday season, a new study has come down on the side of daily weigh-ins. Published in the December issue of the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, it reports that dieters who weighed themselves regularly shed more pounds over a 24-month period than people who didn't regularly weigh themselves. Those who weighed themselves daily lost the most. To the authors, the implications are clear: Dieters should be encouraged to weigh themselves — and often. "We talk to people about monitoring calories daily, about monitoring their exercise daily…. if we're asking them to do those … on a daily basis, then why not add this other recommendation?" says Jennifer A. Linde, lead author of that study and an assistant professor at the school of public health at the University of Minnesota. Yet there's a chicken-egg caveat here that some critics point to and that even those who believe in the findings acknowledge. Sure, successful dieters may weigh themselves more. But the studies don't tell you what caused what — just that the two things correlate. It's fun to step on the scales when you're succeeding. When the numbers are nudging upward or stubbornly refusing to change … less so. "They're assuming that weighing yourself frequently leads you to lose weight. I think losing weight makes you weigh yourself more frequently, because — 'I'm losing weight, yes, yes, I'm down another pound,' " says Janet Polivy, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Toronto, who is not a fan of the bathroom scales. That confusion is why, to this day, you'll sometimes get roomfuls of PhDs and MDs sitting around discussing an issue you'd think 21st century science might have put to bed by now. A curious study from the 1960s points to the potential effect of frequent weighing. Eight overweight women in a small private college were enrolled in a weight loss plan, part of which consisted of coming in to be weighed four times a day. By study's end the women had lost an average of 40pounds each. The study was small; it lacked important controls. But it was intriguing. "People in that group lost more weight than any study since then in nearly 40 years," says Dr. Joseph A. Risser, director of clinical research for Lindora Medical Group, which runs the Lean for Life weight loss program. The scales couldn't possibly have registered real loss from one weigh-in to the next — but maybe, Risser muses, something else was going on, such as a reminder of the mission the dieter was on. His own studies of more than 600 clients show that those who were weighed five times weekly lost more weight (24 pounds) than those weighed twice weekly (19 pounds). The new study by Linde and colleagues tapped statistics from two populations. One was a group of 1,800 obese or overweight adults enrolled in a weight loss trial. Participants were asked at the study's start and at intervals thereafter how often they weighed themselves. After one year, monthly, weekly and daily weighers all lost weight on average, but those who weighed themselves daily lost the most — about 8 pounds. (Those who never weighed themselves gained weight.) The other data came from 1,226 adults in a weight gain prevention trial. At 12 months, those who weighed themselves daily had lost about 2 to 3 pounds. Those who weighed themselves less often, or not at all, actually gained weight.In both studies, significant differences were also seen at two years. People who weighed themselves also did other healthy things such as exercise more, but the self-weighing effect was statistically significant on its own, Linde says. James O. Hill, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado, says the findings fit with a registry of adults who have lost at least 30 pounds and (even more impressive) maintained that weight loss for a year or longer. A key thing those succeeders report, Hill says, is regular self-weighing — at least weekly, and often daily. (They also have an emergency plan of action for when the reading creeps above a crucial number of pounds.) Focusing on the long term Psychologist Patrick M. O'Neil, director of the weight management center at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, says he's a strong proponent of daily weigh-ins, based on Hill's data and his own clinical experience — but that the practice should be paired with a weight chart that focuses on trends, not short-term, zigzag fluctuations. "It's sort of like tracking stock prices," he says. "You know they're going to vary day to day." Regular weighing is one thing. But every single day? After all, hormonal changes, Fluid intake, sweating, medications and salt intake cause day-to-day, hour-to-hour differences in body weight of up to several pounds. At Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers, dieters weigh in each week with their personal consultants or at meetings. "We encourage them to take a break from daily weigh-ins because weight fluctuates," says Jenny Craig spokeswoman Gail Manginelli. "It can be demoralizing." Meanwhile, there are some specialists who think either daily or weekly scale-hopping may have downsides. Psychologists and psychiatrists who treat patients with eating disorders note that encouraging people to weigh themselves might exacerbate such pathologies. Other scale-doubters, such as psychologist Michelle Dionne of Ryerson University in Toronto, believe self-weighing can also be counterproductive in psychologically healthy folks who just want to shed some poundage. Among the studies she points to: ones in which students were brought into an experimental clinic and weighed — but on fixed scales that actually recorded their weights as heavier or lighter than they truly were. Students led to think they were 5 pounds heavier than they had thought scored significantly lower on psychological scales measuring mood, selfesteem and body satisfaction. In one of the studies, students were also provided with a tasty snack right after the weigh-in — and the ones who'd been bamboozled into thinking they were heavier than they were ate significantly more of that snack. "I would suggest there are some people who are going to receive really helpful feedback and reinforcement from self-weighing," Dionne says. "But there's another group of people, whom we call for lack of a better word 'vulnerable,' who … may feel worse about themselves, dislike their body to a greater degree and start engaging in behaviors that may lead to weight gain." Experts debate how students given false information in a lab relate to real-life dieters using scales to monitor their progress. But even proponents of weighing advocate restraint. "I don't think anyone in a responsible professional position has argued for weighing oneself more than once a day," says O'Neil. "We do not want to encourage people to turn this into a fetish." If you do weigh in With that caveat in mind, here are some tips from various specialists about the best way to weigh yourself if you choose to. • To minimize variation, always weigh at the same time of day, such as in the morning just after having used the bathroom. • If you are weighing yourself daily, understand that your weight will vary day to day. It's the trend that's important. You may find it useful to make a graph of your weight. • Put the scale on a flat, uncarpeted surface so the readings don't wobble. • Use a scale that is consistent, giving the same weight when you step on, then off, then on again. That's more important than the type of scale you buy. Use the same scale each time. • Don't get fixated on the scale. Monitor your body change in other ways, such as the fit of your clothes, a tape measure or how you physically feel. • To the best of your ability, try to gauge how the weighing makes you feel, and if it is reinforcing — or undermining — your efforts.

You are not taking the easy way out. Heck no! People who haven't struggled with their weight for years might think you're taking the easy way out, but they don't know the struggles you've had from being overweight. The hard times you've had trying to find clothes that look good, and the drastic diets you've tried that seem to work for two weeks and then fail badly, leading to even more weight gain. I could go on and on. You are NOT taking the easy way out. You are doing what is best for you in your situation, because you've tried so many other routes to a healthy lifestyle and unfortunately, they've just not worked for you. Don't worry, your friends won't hate you when you lose weight. They'll be super jealous, and one day they'll be asking to borrow your clothes!

Deb, Well that is one thing I have done. I've gone to the same Doc for the past 15 yrs for everything. He has lots of documentation of weight gain, weight loss, energy levels,joint pain, he knows my weight struggles, which is good he is also very easy to talk to. I don't feel I will have any trouble getting his support. Heidi

The steroids will have contributed to your weight gain, nasty things, I detest them. To drop some weight eat Vegetables and salads with low fat meats and fish. Try and contain any fats used in cooking and use fat free sauces/ mayonnaise etc. Try not to eat carbs other than the ones in fruit and veg. So no breads, pasta, rice, potatoes. Dont drink anything other than sugar free drinks, tea and coffee without sugar or use a saccharine. Low fat dairy is fine. No snacks other than sugar free popsicle's Its basically what you will eat after surgery. Good luck

For me I think the sleeve is hard work, but in a different way than dieting before the sleeve was hard work. Before the sleeve, dieting was mostly about resisting temptation, and damn, that was HARD. Keeping my mind off food while eating "only" 1200-1500 calories a day was hard. Now, post-sleeve, temptation isn't a problem for me (yet, I assume it's coming down the road some time). Choosing to eat small portions of food is not hard, it's easy. But in the past I didn't have to be completely OCD about tracking everything I ate in terms of calories, fat grams, protein grams, carbs, etc. I wasn't rigid about getting my vitamins every day; in fact, I rarely took vitamins. I didn't weigh or measure all my food - I hardly ever did. If I wanted a "cheat" meal or day or snack, I took it. That's all gone. Now I'm following someone else's extremely rigid rules with no room for variance. This is all hard, not in the sense that I want to be doing it another way, but in the sense that it takes a lot of work and vigilance. OP, don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. I love my sleeve and think it's the best decision I've ever made for myself, for my physical and emotional health. I have been exactly where you are with the yo-yo dieting and weight gain. I also struggled with admitting that I needed medical intervention and couldn't do it "on my own." Good luck in your progress - I believe you'll surprise those around you and even yourself with your ability to succeed with help from modern medicine. And there's nothing wrong with taking advantage of medical advances even if there may be some people who don't understand that.

I agree that everyone's journey is different! Before my weight gain, I did have a pretty fast metabolism, as far as what I am doing now is just prioritizing protein and trying to stay away from carbs.

One of the reasons why individuals gain weight back after they reach their bottom weight and enter the maintenance stage after surgery is because of grazing. Grazing promotes expanding your pouch and that then leads to weight gain. It is very easy to graze when you are watching television.

I just posted on another thread, then found this one. Here's what my other post said, "I was banded on July 19, lost 15 lbs from surgery to 2 1/2 week post op. I've gained back 5 lbs! I have my first fill on August 20. I'm feeling like a failure at having gained 5 lbs. Did anyone else experience this? I eat, I don't feel full EVER...could I have already stretched my pouch? I'm just really scared and ashamed that maybe I've done something wrong." After reading what y'all have posted here, I do feel a little bit better. I still am a bit concerned that I've stretched my pouch or something--or is that normal post-op paranoia? I have no restriction, have never had a PB, eat pretty much anything I want, and honestly haven't started my exercise yet. I do get all of my Water in and most of my 70 grams of Protein. I guess I just need to knuckle down and get serious. Maybe do my Protein drinks for a few days. I'm embarrassed to think I'll go in for my first fill showing a weight GAIN! Aargh! Any ideas?

I was sleeved on may 2015 with a low bmi of 31. Im male 6"1 and was 230 pounds. I went down to as low as 177.. i had maintained a very balanced weight approach of 180-182 throughout time but since october of this past year the weight has slowly gone back up and im going insane because i dont know what is happening. I have gained 12 pounds now and have gotten alot of testing done to see if there are any abnormalities with the sleeve pouch itself and all has come back normal. The only minor thing that was found was a slight dilation but it is minimal so i dont think that it has to do with the weight gain. I drink plenty of Water daily, consume Protein ranging from 100-125 grams daily along with exercise as well. Not taking any medication that could trigger weight gain. My surgeon is lost in words and doesnt know why or what is triggering this weight gain. Dont know if any sleevers out there have similar experiences but i would appreciate all the feedback from everyone. This is truly stressful and i just want to go back to how things were not to long ago. I am aware that im almost 2 yrs out but is not to the point where i should be having issues or complications with the sleeve soo soon. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

This can all get more intense around the holidays. You need even more discipline and planning when there are holiday treats everywhere you turn. People may notice your weight loss even more because you may see them only once a year. And the ones who share their negative opinions of weight loss surgery may be your relatives. It’s easy to lose sight of the big picture and get down on yourself during this season. But you’ll get through it, and come out on the other side ready to keep losing weight and following a healthy lifestyle. Staying positive helps. Here are some of the barriers you might come across, and how you can try to overcome them and stay positive. Comments from Other People Regarding Your Weight or Weight Loss Surgery You probably get some comments all year. People may notice your weight loss, or want to talk about your weight loss surgery once they find out about it. But during the holidays, this can get nearly unbearable. The people noticing your weight loss may be friends or family who are in town only once a year, and haven’t seen you since last year. They can be shocked at, proud of, or jealous of your weight loss, and any of these reactions can be uncomfortable if you’re not the type to enjoy attention. The other set of comments you might get include comments on your weight loss surgery. Almost every bariatric surgery patient has heard some unfair things about bariatric surgery, such as people saying that it’s “cheating.” What makes them worse now is when they come from family members. These comments can get you down. You may start to feel self-conscious about your body. You may feel defensive about your decisions. The negative feelings can wear you down. What to do about it. You have a few different options here. First, try talking to the people who are making the comments. For example, tell them: “Thank you for complimenting me on my weight loss. I appreciate it, but it makes me feel self-conscious. Do you mind not mentioning it, especially in front of other people?” “Thank you for your concern over my weight, but I think I’m doing okay. I’m working closely with my doctor and surgeon, and they both agree that I still have a few pounds to lose.” “I wish weight loss surgery were a magic solution, but it’s actually not. Would you like to hear about how it works and what I have to do to lose weight? Until you tell them directly, people may honestly not realize that it bothers you to hear comments about your weight. They may not know that weight loss surgery isn’t magic, and that you really do work hard every single day to lose weight and stay healthy. Talking won’t solve every problem. The next step is to prepare for the comments. If you know they’re coming, you can put up your guard mentally so they don’t get a reaction out of you or make you feel bad or defensive. You can also recruit a few allies, such as close friends, your spouse, or your parents. Ask them to stick with you at parties and gatherings so they can change the subject if your weight loss or weight loss surgery come up. Feeling Guilty. You go to a party. You eat a bit of this and a little of that, and then find yourself in the bathroom with dumping syndrome. Or you sneak in a treat here and a taste there, and at your weekly weigh-in, you find that you’ve gained weight. Bad eating and weight gain happen all the time during the holidays, and they can make you feel guilty. The problem is that guilt isn’t usually very productive. It’s more likely to drag you into a vicious cycle of overeating, feeling guilty, and overeating. What to do about it. First, forgive yourself. You can’t work with yourself if you’re mad at yourself. Admit you did something you’re not proud of, then accept your apology to yourself. It’s time to move on. Next, focus on the future. You can’t change the past, but you can shape the future. Recognize that you feel guilty, figure out why you have been making poor choices, and think of what you can do to do better next time. Log every bite, good or bad. Something as simple as keeping an honest record of what you eat is enough to stop you from taking that extra bite. Predict problems, and avoid them. If you know you can’t pass up fudge, don’t walk by the candy shop with free samples in the mall. Plan ahead. Take a salad, some chicken skewers, or a basket of mandarin oranges to your next holiday party so you can be sure there will be healthy food to eat. Feeling Deprived. The holidays are filled with delicious food. There’s candy at work, Christmas cookies from your neighbors, egg nog and finger foods at parties, and feasts with family. The problem is, you can’t have any of it. At least, you can’t eat the way you could before weight loss surgery. You’re limited to a few bites of certain treats. It’s easy to feel deprived. Your feelings can be even worse if you feel sorry for yourself for “needing” to work out, especially if you’re getting up early or staying up late to squeeze in a workout. The solution. This one’s not easy, but you can make it a lot better by changing your attitude. First, know that you’re not alone. Everyone feels that way. Don’t believe it? Go up to the most fit-looking person you know and ask. They will tell you that they are tempted by the holiday food, and they work very hard not to overeat. They’ll also tell you that they have to work to make exercise a priority during this busy season. Next, try to think about what you’ve gained by changing your lifestyle, and not about what you’ve lost. Sure, you can’t eat frosted cinnamon rolls anymore because they’ll give you an obstruction or dumping syndrome, but you can keep up with your friends at the mall. Or, you can’t drink spiked eggnog at Christmas parties, but you can fit into a flattering dress or suit to wear to the party. The holidays are about celebrating, being grateful, and appreciating friends and family, but you’re not alone if you find yourself getting down during the season. Weight loss surgery changes your life, and some of the changes can be magnified during this time. You can fight this by staying positive and planning ahead – just like you do to succeed the rest of the year.

I take Effexor and I haven't noticed any weight gain from it. Prozac made me a space cadet...I went one whole day wearing my wedding ring on the wrong hand and didn't realize it until night time.

I had the weight gain problem with Prozac as well and really ballooned on abilify. Three different docs told me that the only antidepressant that doesn't cause weight gain (and in some people is known to cause weight loss) is Wellbutrin. It is not an SSRI. I am now taking Wellbutrin and actually lost weight on it until one brilliant doc added abilify. Then I ballooned again. I am now on Wellbutrin and a small dose of lexapro. I have not seen any additional weight gain.

I don't think without the comorbidities you have a good chance. I am at 36-37 with high cholesteral and dr told me it was going to be tough to get approved and enjoy eating for now. Every additional 5 lbs is a point - checked it out in case I needed a little help. I called insurance and they told me that I met the criteria 35+ with one or more comorbidities, but until you go through all the pre-op stuff, I can't get pre-certed. So I have to do it all first before finding out if I really will be approved. This is all out of pocket expenses. I am hopeful but I do not know. Before you go in to see a surgeon, call insurance and explain what you think you currently have and could you be a canidate. If you get weighed at the surgeons, that is the weight they go by so you won't be able to gain at that point because it looks like you can't follow the nutrionist's program. It is crazy to me that there is a procedure out there that can prevent medical ailments and excessive weight gain, but you have to be "unhealthy" first. I think the best candidates are the people who are border line and have tried getting those extra 50+ lbs off before getting unhealthy. If you have the comorbidities it can cause complications. I wish you luck and hope I am wrong - just going by what I was told

To add on to this, as a collective nation, we have been "Low Fat-ed" death. Over two decades of people pushing low fat diets. Low fat foods which were stuffed with sugar and carbs to compensate for the loss of flavor. I also do not bother counting fat content at all. I eat a high Protein diet, and try to keep the carbs down. Fat falls somewhere in the middle and you'll find will moderate itself if you are keeping high protein/low carb. I'm not saying it's cool to eat a bucket of lard, but the way our brains have been conditioned to see fat in foods as bad is mind boggling to me. Fat in food does not equate to weight gain.

I'm down to the wire--and the days are taking LONGER and LONGER to go by. I am at strict liquids for these last two days. I've lost almost seven pounds on this preop diet in the past five days doing strict Adkins. My goal is to be at 205 the day of surgery. I have 1.4 pounds to go--but think that should be attainable doing all liquids. My clothes don't feel so "poured into" feeling--and so I'm glad I didn't splurge and buy some last week when they were all straining to keep up with my last supper weight gains! I'm regretting not exercising as I had vowed to do--haven't so much as walked..but am planning on doing that the day of surgery! Wednesday, June 17th, 2009.... is the first day of the rest of my life. With the force of all my past failures, the suction of the hopes of a new unburdened life, and the grace of God...I will make it thru this transition and finally, for the first time in what seems like a lifetime away, will look in the mirror and see someone "in control" of my self---confident, vibrant, alive. I go to visit my family and friends over Christmas vacation and I am SOO excited about that! I will look at pictures taken of myself from this time and not die an inward death--or try to hide behind someone. I've learned alot this past week of pre-op dieting...I have really felt a slipping of the grip that food has had on me. I really WILL do this this time!

Hello everyone, here's where my story begins.... 1994 is when my weight started becoming a problem for me. I already had both of my children, one in 1990 and the other in 1991. I was about 189lbs after I had my second son and things were pretty much stable at that weight for me. I wanted to lose weight but it didn't become a serious problem until about three years later. I put on about 30lbs from 1991-1994, and it just continued to increase from there. Of course I decided to begin taking weight lost pills (phentramine/and the other phen). I both pills for about two months and quickly lost 50lbs. I thought the battle was over at that point until I gained the weight back about 6 months later (as I stopped taking the pills). I tried some of my own remedies like exercise and all types of diets. I walked and did lots of activities with my children but the weight just wouldn't go anywhere. Looking back at my weight lost journey there were a total of 11 years that I have been trying to lose weight with all types of attempts. I've taken so many diet pills and shakes that I can't even count. My husband and I attended a seminar for day one surgery in Chicago Illinois in March of 2008. In April of 2008 @ 232lbs, I decided to start working on a supervised diet plan with my doctor, I told her that I wanted to attempt a lap band procedure and she let me know that most insurance companies require that you have at least a 6 month history of a medically supervised diet. In addition to that my doctor had just started seeing a patient of hers that had the procedure done, she called her and let me speak to her to see how she felt about the surgery. I decided to go with the same doctor (Dr. Klem out of Central Dupage Hospital, in Winfield IL.) that she has since here experience was so positive. So the 6 month program began. That included Phentramine, water pill and a 1200 calorie diet plan. I lost about 10-15lbs over the 6 month time frame, which wasn't very sugnificant to me. Once I stopped taking the pills I was right back at square one.... back to 230. In September of 08' I began seeing Dr. Klem, he has been performing this type of surgery for the last 17 years, he gave me all of the pro's and con's of the procedure and told me I was a candidate for either surgery, the bypass or the lap band. My husband and I decided that the lapband was the best choice for me since I didn't have any pre-morbid conditions. The process began the next week after being catagorized as morbidly obese. By the way when I started seeing Dr. Klem I was up to 242lbs, this was barely enough to be considered for insurance (why I'm not sure...). By the time my scheduled appointment for nutritionist came I was a all time high of 247.6lbs. That was a depressing time for me, I cried when I left the office and spoke with my husband about the weight gain that I was experiencing. We decided the I should try Weight Watchers to try and work on the problem immididately, as I had developed high blood pressure by this time and my doctor decided to put me on blood preasure medicine. I began Weight Watchers which I started doing very well with and dropped about 15lbs. Unfortunately I put the procedure off because I thought maybe this would be the fix that I was truly looking for. That did not last for more than a couple of months because of the high amount of sodium that was in so many of the meals. By now it's December and I'm right back in the same visocus circle that I've been in and now my weight has really gotten out of hand. by January I was a whopping 252lbs and had a very low self esteme. I didn't want to go to any social settings and couldn't fit any of my clothes. I was up to a size 18/20...I'd never wore this size clothes even when I was 9mo pregnant with either of my children. Life seemed very glomy for me. In January I decided to get back to business with Dr. Klems office and get the show on the road. As most of you know this can be a very long process because of all of the steps you have to take to be qualified for surgery. By March of this year I was finally finished with all of the steps that I needed (so I thought). My Information was submitted to my insurance company and I thought it was complete but of course my insurance company Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois denied my case. They claimed that I didn't have enough previous documented diet attempts for at least 5 years. When I submitted 7 years straight of failed diet attempts with one diet (Dr. Greenspon) doctor. My case was taken on by the Attorney that handles lap band denied cases, which took almost two months to get resolved. Finally got approved (this was a very stressful time needless to say).:tongue_smilie:As I was waiting for the approval I decided to try another dietary option, Weight Watchers (This was so costly, but my husband wanted to make sure I tried absolutly everything.....) by June of 09, I was finally approved... Now to set the date...July was full for my doctor so I opted to take August 12th. I'm now scheduled....:thumbup:... Kept doing Weight Watchers for a minute until I ran out of thier food and I'm now at 239.5. My liquid diet starts July 29th, which does consist of some food. I am to have a protein shake for breakfast, a morning snack (which will be a fat free yogart without fruit), Protein shake for lunch, mid lunch snack (which will be sugar free jello), and then a dinner (I've opted to use a Smart One's meal which is approved by my nutrutionist as long as it has meat in it.) and I can have up to two sugar free popcicles or fudgecicles. This doesn't seem like a liquid diet but the doctor knows best and it's ment to be 1000 calories. My nutritionist said it was good that I've been on the Weight Watchers diet because it's comparable to what I will be doing except it's 200 calories less. I will continue to post after my procedure but I can say that I'm happy that it's all most time for me to get this part over with....It's been a long time coming.:confused: Start Weight: 252lbs Pre Op Weight: 239lbs Pre Surgery Weight: ??? Goal Weight: 145

Many of us will agree that recent advancements in technology are a double-edged sword: on the one hand, they’ve made our lives so much easier, making tasks that are already simple even more convenient; on the other, these added conveniences have made it so the amount of physical exercise we do is dramatically lessened, making it that much easier to put on a few extra pounds. But with global obesity rates continuing to climb higher, developers of smartphones and smart technology have finally begun developing features that not just help, but encourage weight loss in their users – and users haven’t been ones to be left behind. Kantar Media’s MARS OTC/DTC 2014 study showed that 34% of smartphone owners look for health-related information online using their phones, and 32% of smartphone owners have also used a health- or fitness-related app. More than just using apps, however, there are other ways use smart technology for fitness. The Hype of Google Glass for Fitness Last January, PCMag’s Jill Duffy talked about “The Internet of Fitness Things” – one of the biggest trends seen in fitness technology today. She wrote about how today’s fitness devices now need to be tightly integrated with an interface that lets users monitor their fitness and workout levels. This is where Google Glass comes in. When fitness devices are integrated with Google Glass, workouts become more interactive and streamlined – not to mention tailor-fit for the user’s fitness goals. This is seen in Race Yourself, a Glass app that tracks your time, distance, and calories while running. Unlike other fitness apps, however, this Google Glass-integrated app comes with different games such as Zombie Chase and Giant Boulder, for high-intensity workouts. Google’s partnership with Technogym also means that Google Glass can now control treadmills through voice prompts. The device can even scan barcodes on treadmills to determine the kind of workouts and settings that are optimal for the machine. Smartphones with Built-In Health Tracking Apps Jill Duffy also mentioned that another apparent trend in fitness devices was seen in how developers seemed to be closing in on one detail of fitness: heart health. This is apparent not just in the number of heart rate monitoring devices out in the market now, but also in how even smartphone developers have begun integrating health and heart-tracking apps into their latest models. • Samsung Galaxy S5 The revamped features of the S Health app include a Heart Rate Sensor, which is tasked to check the status of your heart at any time of the day. Samsung’s Exercise Mate was also enhanced with the addition of a Hiking option, allowing users to track their progress while walking, cycling, and running. Android and Me has also reported that Samsung’s update of the app allows the Heart Rate Sensor to monitor stress levels. • HTC One M8 Pocket-Lint reported that HTC had partnered with FitBit to provide the One M8 with fitness tracking software, and the results were rather impressive. With BlinkFeed, you can track information such as fitness goals, achievements, and calories burned. There’s even a Smart Alarm that can wake you up at the most optimal time. O2 reports that the HTC One has also been equipped with HTC Boomsound, which the Smart Alarm makes use of quite extensively. Video Games Making People More Active Most people will agree that video games may have been a factor in their weight gain, as playing these games meant sitting in front a TV or computer for hours at a time, munching on junk food. Today’s video games, however, can be a far cry from games of old. Ace Fitness cites a study by Primack in 2012 that showed that active video games can be used to increase a person’s energy levels. Players interact with images on their screen using body movements, playing games like tennis, gold, boxing, and football. Developers like Nintendo have been hard at work creating games that not only set the benchmark for interactive games, but also meet the industry guidelines for cardiorespiratory fitness – meaning playing their games is a sure-fire way to get some aerobic exercise in. Healthcare from the Perspective of Medical Professionals While there are tons of services to track your health on your own, there are also significant developments intended to enhance how medical professionals provide care services. Ellen Lee of Forbes reported that this year, the revenues of venture capitalists in healthcare IT have tripled to $955, from the $343 million invested three years ago. Here are ways Lee believes medical professionals will leverage technology: • “Watson” Lee said IBM is developing “Watson,” a supercomputer tasked to assist physicians in recommending treatments and making accurate diagnoses. It also tracks patient history, analyze treatment methods, and assists medical research. • Doximity Social media is also a product of technology, allowing doctors to connect together to provide better care to patients. The importance of Doximity, a social networking site exclusive to physicians, is that the platform allows physicians in the US to collaborate online. With these significant improvements, the notion that technology induces more harm to our health is put to rest. As it improves in a heartbeat, we transition to an era where securing our health becomes a walk in the park.

Hello Everyone, I had surgery on 11/22 and I've had nothing but problems. Long story short, the surgeon put my sleeve too tight which they saw with the GI test the morning after surgery. I lost about 17 pounds between 11/22 and 11/30. Now I am up almost 3 pounds since 11/30. I'm getting down with the pain and the headache that I've dealt with because of the complication. Now that I am drastically better and the complications have lowered, I just can't get on track. I went from eating basically nothing between 11/22-11/30 to "cheating" and eating real food right now. I am still supposed to be on a liquid diet but I'm eating eating solids. I've eaten a pancake, Soup, a cookie, and I'm getting so frustrated! I know that it's my own fault but I just don't know what to eat! Protein shakes taste disgusting to me and I have hunger pains! What can I do? Help . I do not want to fail at this and cannot fail!

Not at first. Right after surgery, I had to force myself to eat. I can still remember my Dr G telling me over and over again "you must eat!" (Smile) Later on, yes, I made sure to only feed my body with healthy foods to avoid weight gain. Also, with my tiny tummy and the compression garment on, it was hard to hold much food anyway. I knew it was more important for me to heal first before exercising. 9 months after my plastic surgery, on March 1, 2014, I ran my first 15K marathon. You see, exercise will always be available, but after plastic surgery, give your body time to heal. Trust me, time will pass, and you will be back to exercising in no time. Sweet Pee

Preferences § 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 - = Backspace Tab q w e r t y u i o p [ ] Return capslock a s d f g h j k l ; ' \ shift ` z x c v b n m , . / shift English Deutsch Español Français Italiano Português Русский alt alt Preferences Hi, I'm 2 years post op and have 2 issues. First my doctor has me taking 1 Prilosec daily. I recently read that taking Prilosec regularly over the age of 50 yrs, causes "bone mass loss"... makes you more susceptible to fractures.... And on top of that another side effect is weight gain! I was never told that. And I initially lost approx. 25 lbs. but now have gained most of it back. I feel like I never should have had this surgery. I had one fill of my band approx. 10 months ago. A few months later I went back and was told that I didn't need another fill as they were afraid I wouldn't be able to eat without vomiting. I guess my biggest concern now is the Prilosec. Is there any alternative? Do other doctors regularly order this? What should I do? Thanks, Sue Preferences § 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 - = Backspace Tab q w e r t y u i o p [ ] Return capslock a s d f g h j k l ; ' \ shift ` z x c v b n m , . / shift English Deutsch Español Français Italiano Português Русский alt alt Preferences

I had my band for nearly 10 years and in the beginning it worked but about the 4th year things began to change. Not only did I have to have some of the saline removed but I still continuing to throw up. So in between the throwing up and weight gain I was miserable. But I still kept trying to lose the weight. It has been a struggle but the best decision I could have ever made for myself was having the revision to the sleeve. I too had a lot of scar tissue from the band but my surgery was a success. The progress is slowly moving towards the positive and I am so happy. For those considering a revision to the sleeve don't be scared. This is the best option and I wish you nothing but success.

Do you know when to stop eating? To learn the when, you must pay attention to your “stop eating” signals. How do you know when to stop eating? Do you eat until you're full? No, you don't. You should never again try to eat until you feel full, not just because that’s how you became obese enough to qualify for bariatric surgery but because if you’re like me, your stomach (or soul) is an endless void that no amount of food will ever fill. You’re going to have to figure out a new stopping point. As mentioned in Satiated vs Stuffed, satiety is not quite the same as being full. Full means your upper stomach has reached its maximum capacity: that you have overeaten again – an old habit that made you obese enough to qualify for weight loss surgery. Satiety happens on your way to being full. With a properly adjusted band, you will be comfortable if you stop eating when you're satiated, but you’ll experience discomfort if you eat until you're full. This third article in the Satiety 101 series discusses the signals your body gives to tell you you’re satiated, but that’s only half the battle. The other half involves heeding instead of ignoring those signals. That subject could fill a book (which that I might write some day). Today we’ll focus on recognizing your own unique Stop Eating Signals. Because of its anatomical position (near your diaphragm, and pressing on the vagus nerve at the top of your stomach), the band’s presence (but not your band itself – which we must remember is an inert piece of plastic without any magic at all inside) can give you quick feedback about your eating behavior. The feedback is written in a language issued and understood by your brain, with assistance from your endocrine and digestive systems. Even if you were lousy in your high school French class, you will have to learn how to get directions in that language, so you won’t end up on Weight Gain Road instead op Weight Loss Avenue. Those directions come in the form of what I call Soft Stop and Hard Stop signals. To understand those directions, you’ll need to slow down and pay attention while you eat. It takes 15 to 20 minutes for satiety signals to reach your brain and to be broadcast to the rest of you. If you usually eat with a crowd (family, friends, coworkers), you might need to try eating by yourself for a few meals so you won't be distracted. Stop signals can be subtle and they can come from unexpected parts of your body. It's better to heed a gentle reminder than wait for a hammer to hit you on the head. SOFT STOPS are your early warning system, gentle reminders from your body that it's time to stop eating. Because they don't hurt much, they're easy to ignore. They include: · Mild queasiness (an icky, but not about-to-vomit, feeling) · Fullness or pressure in the back of the throat · Pressure in the chest or just below the breastbone · Throat clearing · Some difficulty swallowing · Burping (or the urge to burp) · Taking a deep breath · Mild coughing · A sigh · Hiccups · Watering eyes · Runny nose · Left shoulder pain · A sneeze · More saliva in the mouth than usual · A sudden distaste for the food you were enjoying a moment before As soon as you notice one of these signs, stop eating! I don't care if your stubborn mind is insisting that it's okay to continue (because it thinks you have room for just one more bite, or the food tastes good, or you haven't cleaned your plate, or you deserve the food, or whatever's going on in there). If you go on eating past this point, you won't be changing your eating behavior and you're likely to get into trouble…that is, a hard stop. HARD STOPS are the equivalent of running into a brick wall. They can happen without any apparent warning, but usually you have sped heedlessly past a soft stop before you hit the wall. Hard stops are the painful and sometimes embarrassing reminders that you have eaten too much, too fast, in bites that were too big, without chewing enough. They include: · Chest pain and/or painful pressure or tightness in the chest · Feeling like you have a rock in the back of your throat · A burning sensation in the throat · A “stuck” feeling, as if the food you’ve eaten has nowhere to go · Productive burps (PB's) – regurgitation of food, kind of like the way a baby erps up milk · Sliming (excess saliva and mucus that's so profuse, you have to spit it out) When you experience a hard stop, STOP EATING! It's not at all a good idea to keep eating after you experience a hard stop, even if the discomfort goes away and your plate of food still looks appealing. You may feel fine and may in fact be able to eat some more, but you should not eat more. The hard stop has irritated your upper gastrointestinal system. Continuing to eat will just perpetuate the problem, getting you into a never-ending cycle of eat-hard stop-pain-eat-hard stop-pain. Cycles like that tend to turn into complications like band slips and esophageal and stomach dilation. That’s the reason for my next piece of advice: follow a liquid diet for 24 hours after a hard stop episode, then transition carefully back to pureed then soft then solid food. If you’re like me, you did not have WLS in order to live on liquids for the rest of your life. That’s yet another reason to learn how to prevent hard stops in the first place, so that you can eat and enjoy real food at every meal. Now here’s one last chunk of information before the bell rings and today’s class ends. You may not experience any or all of these stop signals any or all of the time. At breakfast you might get one signal and at lunch, an entirely different one. At dinner, you may notice no stop signal at all. As time goes on and you lose weight and the amount of saline in your band changes, your stop signals may change as well. All that can be frustrating, but it will force you to go on eating slowly and carefully for the rest of your life, and that’s actually a good practice for anyone, banded or not. That plate of food before you is a blessing that some people in this world can only dream of. Those small portions may look puny to you, but would be a feast to someone else. So treat your food, and your body, with the care they deserve. Learning to recognize satiety over and over again is an ongoing process because our bodies are not statues made of marble. We are all marvelous, unique, and complex creatures who change by the minute, every day of our lives. Click here to read about how those changes can affect soft and hard stop signals. http://www.bariatricpal.com/page/articles.html/_/support/post-op-support/restriction-riddles-r93 This is the third and final article in the Satiety 101 series of articles.

I live in South FL. I have a very busy life and would like a "partner" in getting back on track. I have researched revisions to a RNY as I never got to goal. I let my weight dictate my life and am missing out on it all. I am socially dropping out and am having a lot of physical pain. I weigh 208 today and carry it all in my middle, causing a lot of arthritic leg and foot pain. I am ready to attempt to embrace the band and restriction. I will call for a fill this week. I can eat everything now except for maybe a hamburger. My metabolism is a wreck and I have to take Nsaids for the pain. This is weight gain after getting an unfill at weight of 190 because I was just sick of the restriction and thought I would eat fruit! Well, I rarely eat fruit. I am a carb addict! I have a gym buddy who is very supportive but cant really relate to the band. I heard that 60% of banders are getting them removed or revised. Any encouragement is welcomed!

So glad to see I am not the only one who has gained weight. I am post-op sleeve of 2 years and in the last 2 months I have slowly creeped up from 173 to 193 this morning. It is so frustrating because I am not gorging on food and even still I have those certain foods I can't eat due to the sleeve. I feel like a complete failure. I recently had a formal event to attend and went from trying on the size 16 dresses that I should be in to having to by a 2 XL dress .. I was in tears while trying on those dresses. I had a beautiful formal at home that I had hoped to wear but it would not fit at all! I am trying the natural supplements to help with glucose metabolism and carbs etc. Just started them this week. I am still on the same dose of Thyroid medication I was on prior to surgery. Worried to death that I have stretched out my pouch, just consumed by this lack of weight loss and now weight gain when I see other sleevers and bypasses losing 100lbs in the first year or less. . I wanted to do the pouch test but the nutritionist at my surgeons office said that it would not be good for me to do this. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!