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I vary… I usually weigh myself in the morning. I only record my weight on Tuesdays (my surgery was on a Tuesday). Occasionally I will jump on to get an idea of how much I fluctuate throughout the day, but that’s not an all the time thing. Like if I’m feeling bloated I might hope on or something like that.

One of the best ways would be to think back and remember if there was a point as an adult that you felt healthy and happy with your weight? If so, that's where I'd start. If not, better to err on the high side. You can always adjust down if you get to your goal and are still not where you want to be. For example, right now, you're lean mass is ~144 pounds. That means any BMI based calculations would be too low. Yes, you'll lose some lean mass as your weight goes down, but not enough that you'd be at a healthy weight in that 104 to 140 range. My gut tells me maybe 175-180 would be a good target for you at this point. Depending on how much lean mass you lose, that would put you in the 25 - 30% range for body fat, a healthy amount for a woman.

I recently discovered these forums and I am super excited to explore and learn and hopefully help others, too. I have been overweight my entire life. Even when I was in elementary school. My dad gave me nicknames to try to get me to stop wanting to eat. Fat in the can, the Crisco Kid. He was funny and I love him dearly, but he had no idea of the forces behind my eating problems. And an old-school way of tough-love (never physical, but jokes, which can be bad too). Anyway, In '92 I enlisted in the Army Infantry. Yes, I lost enough weight to get in, and Boot Camp took care of the rest. Then slowly gained weight back while I was in, despite all of the running and pushups and "pleasant nature hikes." Weight became a problem and I was called out all the time. But I always passed my physical fitness tests, and always did my job and stayed out of trouble, so I was mostly left alone. Fast forward to today. Heaviest weight after the Army was 315 pounds (I am 6'2"), and now I am 275 pounds. Constantly up and down up and down. Discovered Engine 2 and stayed on it for 6 months, was down to my 250s, then simply could not stay on that diet, and pushed back up to my current 275. Finally went to Ohio State University's (OSU's) Bariatric program and in-processed trying to use BCBS. BCBS requires the last 5 years of weight history. I am apparently supposed to be under a medically supervised diet for 6 months. See a Dietician (end of this month) and a Psychiatrist (end of this month), and find my own Therapist and start having sessions. So no surgery until next year some time. HOWEVER, I changing jobs in a few weeks, and will now have Cigna Health Insurance. My OSU coordinator looked up Cigna and said they did *not* have a 6 month supervised diet, so if things go well I should be able to have surgery before the end of the year. SUPER excited! Going with bypass, not sleeve, because I became diabetic this past year (only taking Metformin to control), and have routine bad heartburn. It is a better fit. Anyway, that is me, and hopefully a new me is around the corner. I cannot wait for a fresh start in life, albeit a difficult start. Thanks for listening

I agree with you that it is a personal decision between the patient and physician. That said, I was 226 pounds at my highest and had gastric bypass (covered by insurance). It reduced my Gerd and has been fabulous for me. Duodenal switch I’ve seen recommended for morbidly obese. Sleeve or bypass can be for either. I’ve heard of cases of larger individuals getting the sleeve because they were high risk and it was less time on the operating table. Also, I had no complications after bypass. One night in the hospital, and then at the playground with my son the following day. I’m 1.5 years out, lost all my excess weight and have been maintaining my goal weight .I couldn’t be happier with my choice for bypass or my results.

I tend to weight myself every morning after I pee and have been up for about 15-20 minutes.

I have issues (digestive) when it comes to artificial sweeteners. I don’t particularly love the taste of most either. I knew going in I would have issues with the artificial sweetener in the pre-op liquid and post liquid stage when options are limited. Most times my sweet tooth is satisfied by fruits - but sometimes I want something more and try to use moderation. I have found built bars (especially the puffs), which do contain erythritol and were recommended by my nutritionist, more than satisfied my sweet tooth (and offer a nice protein boost) when I was eating solids. (That was pre-op… right now I’m a week out from being sleeved). Those were an occasional thing to tide me over on the go and keep me from getting to hungry and over eating. The Fairlife shakes, in moderation didn’t bother me, but when they were my primary source of nutrition - I struggled. I also have a milk allergy so I need to watch how much dairy I consume. I’m ok with a little - but too much and I get stomach cramps and digestive distress. When I called my nutritionist Monday because of the artificial sweetener causing some digestive irritation - she suggested moderation. One of the yogurts she suggested I try had cane sugar & fruit pectin. It was lower in sugar than regular, and had a bump of protein. I had two days to get through until purees, where I could add in real food and transition away from the shakes… so it was getting through. I try to make healthy choices, fresh fruit or no sugar added in general. Occasionally I have some things with artificial sweetener, but keep it limited because past experience has proven it will irritate and inflame my digestive system. I am working towards a balanced approach. My PCP (whose been my Dr for about 44 yrs now) has always told me he’d much rather I have less sugar in moderation than artificial sweetener as a rule. So I am trying to stay within my program guidelines and follow a balanced approach. It takes some creativity, but so far I am making it work. I have more to loose than you do, but I’m pleased with the progress I have made so far. Since I started my weight-loss journey I have lost about 75 pounds so far (50 leading up to my pre-op, 10 in the pre-op liquid phase & 15 since being sleeved last week). I might have had even better progress had I gone strictly sugar free … but I’m striving for maintainable, steady progress - something I can do forever not just a short term “diet”. Moderation seems to be working for me, but I will keep reassessing and working with my team and make adjustments as I go.

eczema ? sometimes during body stress like rapid weight loss the immune system can trigger eczema or atypical dermatitis… i have used oatmeal powdered in a food processor and mixed with shaved ivory soap (reformed into bars with a little water) for relief before when i have gotten patches

had another weight drop this morning… must have been retaining some water because it was 385.4! checked a couple times to make sure it wasn’t a fluke reading. confession time… part of me wishes i had confidence that i could keep this up and loose weight I desire without the surgery. yes, i have already changed my lifestyle and worked super hard to overcome binge eating and emotional eating…even if something happens and i can’t have surgery i will loose some weight and be better off because of the changes to me…… but i know it would be difficult keep up this particular diet long term. I love love love beans and legumes and sushi too much to be this strict all the time… I also know how hard it would be to really reach my goals without a lot of medical help at my weight. fighting biology sucks i want to be under 235 (150 more lbs) but secretly want to be under 200 (185 more lbs… aim for the stars!!)… mostly i just want to be somewhat normal and not always be the fattest person in the room or worried about if i can sit someplace … and stop getting “those” looks that people give ultra fat people… terrified that without surgery it will be ultra easy to become that binging person again… or simply that it will be too hard to fight the biology of my metabolism to really achieve what i want in a reasonable amount of time….each day i am getting older ya know;) so enjoying the accomplishment for now… i had an arbitrary goal to be 378 before surgery and it now seems reasonable since i still have a month… time will tell!

I bought a thermos cup. I was so fed up of my coffee going cold before I had more than a few sips of it. Now its summer I just drink cold coffee. I needed a step to get in my bed the early days after surgery. We had a bed wedge already and I still use it. If I could have afforded it, I would have bought a recliner chair for the first few weeks after surgery. I would have slept in it. I had terrible nausea and GERD Another thing to consider - I had my surgery in very cold weather, end of November. I very quickly found as I lost weight that I was freezing cold all the time. 100lbs + later, I am ready for this winter. I have lots of fluffy blankets for the sofa and fluffy slippers. My husband spent the winter in his underwear, he couldn't stand the house so warm.

Have a look at Dr Matthew Weiner’s Pound of Cure book & his you tube videos. He’s a bariatric surgeon who supports a low animal protein diet. It may not be anything all that new but may make you more comfortable about how to manage your weight loss post surgery. A good dietician should help you devise a way of eating that is best for you, your health requirements & your eating preferences. The biggest ficus post surgery is your prirein intake (& fluids) but I’ve never heard anyone say they were restricted to getting their protein only from animal sources. Plenty of plant based protein shakes & powders, yoghurts, milk, etc. as you know you can eat to meet the goals you’ll be given. Initially after the surgery you will be on a staged return to eating diet. This is support your healing tummy & not put undue stress on your digestive system. There are some foods we’re not advised to eat during this period. But again a good dietician should be able to advise you of alternatives. Mind you many have refried beans on their list of recommended foods during the staged return to eating stages. While I was on keto for my pre surgery diet, I was not encouraged to follow it long term by my dietician: good for kickstarting a diet but not long term she advised. I had my own doubts about it so I was glad. Many of us use the weight loss stage to devise a way of eating that best suits our needs & preferences & don’t follow any specific ‘diet’. I mean if there was a diet that worked for everyone none of us would have been obese & needed surgery. Personally I’m a low fat, low carb (2 serves of whole/multigrain carbs a day), low sugar & high protein (absorption issue). Many vegetarians successfully have surgery so your eating preferences should not be a deterrent to you either once you find a supportive surgeon & dietician.

I just used my exisiting pots & pans. I did eventually buy an air fryer but in maintenance. I already had a stick blender & an ordinary blender. I did buy a small thermos to keep soup warm on my desk at work & at home. Some swear by those thermal cups too. Makes sure you have a good set of kitchen scales with small weight increments, measuring cups, spoons & jugs. Other useful, but not necessary things: I found using splades/cocktail sporks helpful - small bites & the combination of fork, spoon & knife was useful. Some buy a set of children's cutlery but a teaspoon works equally well. Small containers to refrigerate or freeze single serves or leftovers though I tend to use zip lock bags if freezing. Small bowls & plates are handy too: psychological effect of a full small plate vs an near empty large plate. Children sized or tapas size are best as are the cup sized soufflé dishes. I still use side plates & small bowls.

all surgeons are different. If it becomes an issue you can get prescribed it after surgery. I dont know what surgery you are having but one other medication i was prescribed after surgery was a medication called Ursodiol for 1 year after surgery. It dissolves gall stones which many (not all) get after rapid weight loss. other than that i got hydrocodone in liquid form, The PPI medication for 1 month (they refused to renew it but i didnt need it anymore) Anti nausea medication that was a green liquid, constipation medication (only needed that for a week or so) and that was it.

I would buy as little as possible pre-surgery. Like others have said, recommend clearance or thrift store. I am 1.5 years post surgery. I bought clothes at every size. I found a store that sells Department store (Macys) close outs and sells them for $10. I was there constantly buying things as I lost weight. Became really friendly with the store clerk! My weight has been constant for months now, but I have so much fun trying and buying clothes, I still get things, but only if I love them and they’re a good price. I went from a size 18 to now holding steady for over eight months as a size four. I’m hoping to have plastic surgery to remove my extra skin by the end of the year, so I treated myself to two pairs of post-surgery pants I hope to fit in later. I also bought a dress my husband thinks I’m too old for, just because I can! Save your money now and enjoy the journey!

That sounds like a strong and healthy rate of loss. Supposedly if we eat a soup with lots of sodium that an really impact the water weight we see. I'm thinking of not weighing myself every day because I'll mentally torture myself. I want to focus on how strong do I feel today? Can I sit up better today? What can I do today that was a challenge yesterday? 😊

Hi I am 10 weeks out of ESG. I used and highly recommend Dr McGowan out of Raleigh NC. I met virtually with him and his team plus reviewed all his YouTube videos. My starting weight 336, surgery weight 331, current weight 298. I’m also 6’6 The majority came off the first 7 weeks. It’s been slow since I introduced solid foods. You have to be very conscious, or at least I do, as I can eat anything I did before but less. My pre op diet was clear liquids the day before. From the time I left my hotel to procedure, I was back in 3 hours. I never had any issues with getting liquids.

Ouch, I hope not! Ten years ago, the accepted opinion was the whey protein was superior for supporting weight loss and preventing muscle catabolism. More recent research supports that a combination of both whey and casein is superior. I specifically picked the 2 brands I did (Premier Protein and Fairlife), because they were both milk protein instead of just whey. I don't know if this will work, but I'm going to try and post some links to research that supports this view: https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.94.26.14930 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1743-7075-10-46 https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2021/FO/D0FO01960G https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpendo.00106.2012 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/effects-of-hydrolysed-casein-intact-casein-and-intact-whey-protein-on-energy-expenditure-and-appetite-regulation-a-randomised-controlled-crossover-study/C90335661B4E43ACA05E7C80032D951F

am starting my pre op eating habits early (no surgery date yet - late sept or early oct) and am trying to do less than 50 total carbs a day (keto) but not strict (been 75 carbs - 2 days and under 50 - 5 days this past week) … and it has worked well this last week! down 6 lbs in one week!! I am now down to 389.8 (8/23/2022)from my high weight last year of 452. (426 in April 2022) woo hoo yay me

I honestly wasn’t expecting that because my bmi is barely 40 and I have had to watch it this whole time and not slip under. The one goal he gave me in the beginning was to stop vaping. I did that. Then he asked me to lose the 5 pounds I had gained when I got sick and put on a steroid. I did that too actually lost 6 pounds. I don’t drink regularly so my liver isn’t toast. Guess I am just looking at the thinking I was fairly healthy it wouldn’t be as harsh. 🤣🤣 I GOT FOOLED YALL🤣🤣

I would talk to other surgeons. My surgeon is a major vegetable and fruit fan. As soon as I could fit it in my diet, his goal for me was 7 to 14 servings of vegetable/fruits a day. "No matter what. Just make it happen." It is great for weight loss and health. He isn't specific about the type of protein, just as long as I get 65 to 100g a day.

I lost 11 pounds during my pre-op diet. Gained 7 back after surgery. I knew this was fluids, water and swelling but it still sucked to see the number go up. After I got home from the hospital I've lost weight every single day (except today!) so I'm down a total of 21.4 pounds (9.7 of it post-op). Same here! I am very rarely physically hungry (mentally, that's different!) and when I do eat things they are either: too sweet or just gross. I have to set timers to remind myself to eat otherwise I'd go all day without eating anything. The only things actually taste good to me are (all pureed): egg salad, the ricotta bake, runny sunnyside up eggs and Fairlife shakes. Yogurts and puddings all taste too sweet right now.

I know this might be a stretch but has anyone undergone weight loss surgery who had PPPD also know as Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness pre surgery??

Well, I'm sorta happy so far. Weight loss has slowed to a crawl; but I was tired of dieting, too. Physically, it's hard to eat too much. I generally don't get hungry, so I'm happy. I still lose, but so slowly. It's all such a personal thing! I know all I have to do is cut back a little more and I would lose more quickly. i guess if I started gaining, I would jump back on the strict bandwagon..

It is, and I'm not disregarding my overall weight loss. My post-surgery loss just has me discouraged at this point. 21 days in and I was hoping for more. The 2nd-week early stall was sooooo frustrating. I also compare myself hard by nature. I am also taking a family trip to Disney World at the end of September, just hoping to be closer to that 200lb mark. I am looking forward to having the ok from my doctor to start working out again, walking every day and not being able to really switch up my routine has me a little crazy.

The weight loss feel so slow for me. However, when I step back and think about it, it's a lot faster than I could lose on my own. I'm post op day 15 and I've lost 12 pounds since surgery.

You've lost 41 pounds in all. That is a lot. You're still losing, so you shouldn't feel bad. Our bodies try to hold on to the weight, so the weight will come off in spurts and sometimes there will be stalls as well. The human body is complicated and I know how you feel. I panicked on that one day post surgery when I gained weight, and when I was the same weight the day after as I'd been two days before, I wondered if I had stopped losing weight already, but then it started again. A good night's sleep is essential in weight loss, so you should try not to obsess over the numbers.