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Journaling & tracking food/weight etc
FifiLux replied to PieceOwt's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
I started to do that just in a standard pocket notebook (so I had it with me no matter what size handbag I was using), a day a page, and did little motivation or positive comments a couple of days a week. Each time I had a decent weight loss week (I try to weigh only once a week or I go mad with overthinking the fluctuations) I would note it and then highlight it in a neon colour. After three months I switched from the notebook to online tracking with myfitnesspal as I just found it easier to track portion sizes, calories, carbs etc. as it took a lot of the work away from doing it myself. I then moved to a manifestion & positivity journal instead to keep it separate from my food tracking as I didn't want the two things to be linked as for me I find it easier to disassociate food journaling from feelings going forward. I found a journal that also had positivity exercises in them do to each week, some were not relevant to my situation at all but I considered if 'food' for thought. -
Wisdom from a 10-year VSG Veteran
Spinoza replied to JamieLogical's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Excellent thread - thank you @JamieLogical! I got sleeved almost 3 years ago. I hit my goal weight well within my first year. I lost another 10lbs very slowly in my second year to reach a BMI of 20. I was absolutely thrilled - I had lost just over half my body weight and was well beyond wildest dreams territory after a lifetime of obesity. But I started to regain this year. Initially I thought it was just the classic '3rd year regain' of the 10 - 20 lbs that so many people seem to experience. I asked lots of questions here and was reassured by the answers. I hadn't really drifted *that* much off the path (I thought). However, I continued to regain with no let up and was getting really worried. I eventually reached 16lbs over my lowest weight a month or so ago. Finally, I decided to go back to absolute basics and see whether that might reverse the regain. Carbs had crept in a bit (NOT A LOT, honestly) so I started every meal with protein, ate veg next, and stopped all bread, rice, pasta, potatoes etc. Just as I would have 2-3 years ago. Guess what? I have lost 9lbs of that regain in just over a month. My current diet is pretty much strict keto and not hard at all. I totally agree that the tool is there, we just have to use it and not eat around it. I'm so happy that I caught myself before I regained much more, but I can also totally see how I might have undone much more hard work. I wish you all the very very best with your new loss. I suspect you'll greet every milestone with just as much joy as you did originally. -
Wellbeing Checkpoint! ✅
ShoppGirl replied to Bypass2Freedom's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Well not to scare you but I felt something in my breast about 2.5 months post op and when I got the call I was 3 months post and it was breast cancer. I think I honestly may not have found it if it hadn’t been for the weight loss though so at least now I have a fighting chance. 🤷♀️. I truly do hope yours is absolutely nothing but i just wanted to mention that it’s always best to get anything like that checked (as you are). I had my mammograms annually and even had my breasts checked at my Pap smear only ten days prior to feeling it myself and the Dr had missed it so I really had to go with my gut to get it checked out anyways. It was hard to believe that she wouldn’t have felt it and I figured that they were going to just laugh at me because it was supposed to be there but it wasn’t. I would probably be stage 4 instead of 3 if I had waited until my next mammogram instead of trusting my gut. Definitely don’t worry about it until you have a real reason to, but also for anyone else reading this don’t ignore it because it does happen. Just get it checked out and enjoy your life. All we can do. Maybe when you go ask the radiologist to do a self exam with you and tell you what things you feel are so you know what’s normal and what’s not. I would only trust the radiologist that has the imaging in front of them though because my gyno when I went to tell her I felt something said that she was 99% certain it was just fibrous tissue but would send me for mammogram anyways. I actually almost cancelled the appointment because she made me feel like it was a waste of time and money. Thankfully I didn’t. I finally got into the Christmas spirit when we took my five younger cousins out for a night of Christmas Lights and Hot Cocoa. That’s usually the end to our big annual Christmas crafts day with the kids but with chemo I can’t do a whole day and night of five kids right now energy wise so we just did the lights part. I usually don’t get into the spirit until I’m around the kids. My Christmas treat is the Ghirardelli peppermint chocolates. They are individually wrapped so you can easily have just one and they have it in dark chocolate. It’s definitely off plan and a splurge but you can freeze them to make it less tempting to not waste. -
February surgery buddies 🥰
NickelChip replied to Jessica Marie's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
Things have been going well! After some very slow weight loss in late April thru May, June is really looking up. With my 4-month mark just a few days away, I'm down about 61 lbs from my highest weight, which includes 35lbs since my actual surgery. I'm looking forward to hitting the "overweight not obese" milestone soon, just 5lbs to go! And 35lbs to go until I reach my weight goal! My hair thinning is just starting. My hairdresser styled it a bit shorter when I went yesterday and she'll suggest a new style if it becomes needed. But it's not too bad yet. Thankfully, I don't have any issues hitting protein and water targets. I usually have a protein shake in the morning to start the day and I put around a cup of Fairlife skim milk in my 32oz morning decaf tea, so that's 36g protein before I even have food, which I do a few hours after I get up. I can eat around 15-20g protein when it's solid food. I like Greek yogurt with berries and nuts for breakfast and often do a salad with chicken strips for lunch. Dinner is all sorts of things. The protein shake I use is Syntrax Nectar Natural in orange flavor, which vaguely reminds me of orange TANG. It feels sort of like having a glass of orange juice, enough to not be too weird in the morning before I'm fully awake. The rest of the flavors are just disgusting, although I am okay mixing a scoop of vanilla with some frozen pineapple and a splash of water or milk in a blender to make a frozen treat on a hot day. I do have about 1x a week issues with vomiting, triggered by different foods each time but usually either due to eating too fast or something being too dry. It's hard because a single bite can trigger it so it's very unforgiving. I've started carrying a small hospital-style vomit bags (found on Amazon) in my car and purse so that I won't be caught in an uncomfortable situation in public.. So far, I haven't needed them, but it makes me feel better to have it with me. I'm going on vacation next week and planning to bring along some protein bars and easy snacks like roasted edamame and beef jerky (which I found in 50-calorie packs at Dollar Tree). Once I'm home, I'm hoping to do some meal prep and try some new recipes because food is getting boring and kind of a chore. I don't really experience any hunger, so remembering to eat and making myself eat regularly is a nuisance. -
They may still consider you for the sleeve even with GERD. It’s gets super complicated and I don’t understand how he knew exactly what was causing what but I have MILD GERD post sleeve and I take only 20mg Omeprazole which controls it. The surgeon said if I wanted to revise to bypass I was good to go but if I wanted to revise to SADI that he had to do some tests first. He did a Endoscopy which found a hiatal hernia but because of my sleeved stomach he wasn’t able to turn the camera to get a good angle to determine the exact size of it. He then ordered an upper GI (I think that’s what he called it, but some call it a barium swallow test) and also a gastric emptying study). Then when he had all the results he said that the hernia is very small and he wouldn’t even repair it. Anyways, i will still have to be on PPI’S but he thinks they should control the GERD after the SADI. Many people choose the bypass so they don’t have to take the PPI’s again or if it’s so bad that PPI’s don’t always work but being able to take the occasional NSAID and the better weight loss statistics made me choose the SADI over the bypass anyways. That being said, just be aware going in that there is a percentage of people who need a revision post sleeve because they have inadequate weight loss or regain by like 3 years out. Your surgeon should go over all that with you. I have seen a few people on here say their insurance does not cover revision surgery so that’s something to consider when you make your decision. I hope I didn’t add to your confusion but it is a big decision and the more info you have the better to know what to ask at that appointment with the surgeon. My surgeon did not make me decide at the first visit either. I got to ask the NP questions every month at my weigh in and then decide which surgery I wanted (for my sleeve, the process for the revision was a little different).
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My primary doctor has me MAD!! Think it's time for a new one...
catwoman7 replied to SleeveToBypass2023's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
BMI isn't always the best way to judge for people who've lost massive amounts of weight because even though we've lost muscle and bone mass in addition to fat, we still have more muscle and bone than "normies" who weigh about the same but were never obese. (we needed a lot of infrastructure to hold up all that weight!). The PA at my bariatric clinic said we often look 10+ lbs lighter than the scale would suggest, because of that extra muscle & bone (well, there's the extra skin, too - but skin doesn't weigh very much. I think I "lost" about 4 lbs after my skin surgery - but there's that, too, if you haven't had it removed). Your PCP evidently hasn't worked with a lot of massive weight loss patients.... -
February 2024 Surgery Buddies?
Noelle74 replied to NickelChip's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I’ve managed to move the scale about 3lbs this week. Not much but since it wasn’t moving at all I’ll take it. I am down several Jean sizes though and the other day I put a shirt on that looked ridiculous it was so big. My hair has started shedding pretty bad so I’m really watching my protein intake and not missing any vitamins. Hoping it slows down soon before it becomes noticeable. It’s usually pretty thick so I have a little to spare. I think maybe I’ve managed to get rid of a chin or two also lol. Here’s a current picture I don’t have many from right before surgery but the one where I look like I might pop is at my granddaughters birthday present last July courtesy of my daughter 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ -
Does your pre-op diet weight loss "count"?
SomeBigGuy replied to NickelChip's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
I am counting from my highest ever weight on my tracker on this site (352), but my surgery team and primary care doctor count from my pre-op start weight (321). There's a 2 year and 30lb gap for me, but I'm counting that for me since it was work to break old habits during that period, which helped me set the pace to be more successful post surgery. As far as sticking to a plan, as others have mentioned, they do use average numbers. Everyone will fluctuate a little above or below at each stage. Also the weight loss progression will look more like stairs/steps rather than a straight line. You can expect a period of weight loss, followed by multiple plateaus. That's just your body freaking out over an unusual weight loss event, and recalibrating things to make sure you're not starving to death. Since it can't know you're doing it intentionally, it will retain fat and fluids as it panics, then release them once it realizes you are safe. Just stay the course, and don't get caught up on seeing a steady loss, otherwise you'll end up worrying over nothing (like I tend to do haha). -
Having doubts.. lost a lot pre surgery.
NickelChip replied to Jordan.RNY's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
If you've lost weight and gained it back multiple times, you might want to ask yourself if there was something truly, miraculously different THIS time that is going to stop you from repeating that pattern. Because if you have not had a completely life changing experience that has totally altered your approach to weight loss and nutrition forever, there's no reason to think the weight loss this time is going to prove any more permanent than it was before. But only you know the answer to that. Change is scary, and surgery is a big change. The chances of a serious complication are very tiny, but the chances for things that annoy you after surgery are close to 100%. I still find that I get an upset stomach about once a week for reasons unknown, and it can be a real nuisance. And I still have to take protein shake supplements sometimes and I hate how they taste. On the other hand, the power of the metabolic changes for losing weight and improving comorbidities is unmatched. All I can say personally is that I worked with my hospital nutrition and medical program for 7 long years only to never reach anywhere close to my goal and eventually gain every single pound back. I have now reached a weight after only 4 months post-op that I haven't seen in 25 years, no matter how many times I tried. And the surgery gives me a much better chance of keeping it off. So I'm glad I did it. Whatever you decide, just make sure you are being realistic with yourself about the possible risks and rewards of either choice. -
It sounds like a lot of people have that 10-15-20 lb rebound after they stop losing, so that sounds kind of natural. Don't sneer at your 70lb loss though -- that's the average / median weight of a 10 year old girl. You have lost the equivalent of an entire child's body weight. I definitely second the therapist / group counselling route. I personally think therapy is good for everyone, anywhere, anytime -- but for things like ED it can be a game changer. Also? This forum. Come here often. Make it a point to log in at least two times a week, even if it's just to say hi, or grumble about your new protein powder tasting like saccharine-dipped-shite, etc. Honestly, reading other people's trials & tribulations reaching out and interacting on the regular with other people who are on similar journeys can be such a great support.
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I am looking for information on the before and after getting the sleeve done
A brighten the day posted a topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hey everyone, I am new here and I am getting the gastric sleeve done. I am on my journey to become a healthier me after I had a doctor tell me to my face that I am too fat to have my hernia surgery to repair it from when they took out my gallbladder. So here is a list of questions some might be able to help me with. Yes, I know I can ask the doctor but unless they have lived thru it, they can only speculate on what could happen. 1. I have dentures will the rapid weight loss effect how they sit in my mouth? 2. What are some of the best protein shakes out there in order to ensure I get the protein I need? 3. How long were you down after surgery? How long until you started driving again? 4. Did you have a person helping you with after care and if so, how long? 5. I am disabled due to a nerve disorder; Is there anyone here who has a disability that has gotten the sleeve and how was your recovery? I am sure there will be more, but these are the main ones floating in my head right now. Thank you in advance for taking the time to not only read this but answering any question that you can. Also, all advise is accepted. -
What you should know about WLS they don't tell you
Aunt Fin replied to BlondePatriotInCDA's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
The pain I felt was my tailbone hurting so bad when I was sitting down. My surgeon's practical nurse said that everyone gets this after surgery, but my primary care physician ordered a CT and found Multilevel spondylosis, which is a degenerative disease that impacts your spine. I'm more than one year out now and the pain has subsided, which may be because of the weight loss. -
Schizophrenia and the sleeve operation
Neostarwcc replied to Neostarwcc's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Yeah I've been on almost every antipsychotic under the sun. It took doctors a long time to find one that worked for all of my symptoms since I'm both schizophrenic and Bipolar. Vraylar had the worst side effects out of all the ones doctors have tried over the years. I was actually going to give up hope because I had been on so many different meds. So I'm under as much control as possible now. It's enough to keep me out of the hospital anyway. Good luck with your weight loss journey too I hope you reach your weight loss goals. I know for women it's extra hard to lose weight. -
I’m 5 years out & maintained since my weight first stabilised. I’m also one who finds some carbs sit more heavily in my tummy & are too filling. Specifically simple carbs like the rice, pasta & bread were advised to avoid while we’re losing. It’s not a big loss even though I used to love eating them before surgery. But I don’t consider myself to be low carb. Lots of carbs in fruit & vegetables. I eat a good two serves of whole or multi grains a day sometimes a little more if I say throw barley or lentils in what I may be cooking too. I usually say I’m lowish carbs, lowish fats. I also think the quality of these food types are an important consideration too like the whole/multi grain, less processed complex carbs vs white, more processed, simple carbs. Same with fats like good fats vs bad fats. One of the big learnings I had was that you have to work out a way of eating that works for you. That is it allows you to maintain your weight, complements your lifestyle so you don’t feel like you’re missing out or making sacrifices and is sustainable. It may be high fat or low fat, high carb or low carb, paleo, keto, vegan, vegetarian, carnivore or a mix of eating styles. Just what works.
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Having an issue that's very bothersome...
ms.sss replied to SleeveToBypass2023's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
i used to get that in the early days/months of wls. it got better as time went on. my doc called it orthostatic hypertension and is apparently a common condition during rapid weight loss and even just after a surgery (wls or not). but my blood pressure readings were always on the low side...not normal like yours. are u eating less than normal? i do recall u just had a recent surgery...did it start after that? p.s. at the time my doc said to add more salt to my diet...which was fine by me cuz i love salt 🤷🏻♀️ -
Mid-week Checkpoint
sleevedinthe817 replied to Bypass2Freedom's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Technically not mid-week at this point, but I decided checking in here is a good place to start after a hiatus from the site for a while. I had my sleeve surgery last summer and the weight loss has slowed down significantly, but I am now within 5lbs of my first 100lb goal! Went from a size 24/26 to a 16/18. I was recently diagnosed with premature ovarian failure (peri / menopause before the age of 40, typically genetic) after YEARS of trying to get a diagnosis from clueless OBGYNs and I think the drop in hormones is contributing to the slow crawl. I’m battling through it while doing all I can naturally to stop the negative effects that come with perimenopause and menopause (I haven’t decided on HRT yet). Once summer break is over, I have an appointment with a terrific functional medicine doc who did extensive blood work to see where my problems are at the moment. I’ll also be joining a gym and shifting my focus from aerobics to strength training. Hopefully it’ll help me lose some more stubborn weight while also maintaining bone density and sculpting my new shape a bit. -
How to pick the right plastic surgeon!
AmberFL replied to AmberFL's topic in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
I am in the looking stage, I JUST had my appt with my surgeon and he was like HOLY **** (not really his words) but he said I am above the curve, but told me he wouldn't sign off on the surgery until at least a year. he said any weight that I lose right now is bonus weight loss. That I could really work on maintaining if I wanted but If I lost more it would help with the regain if there is some. He told me to wait the year, plus the plastic surgeon said she would need my WLS surgeon and primary to sign off. So I already got the NO LOL *LE SIGH* -
Anyone else hold off dating until after surgery? I have decided to wait 6 mos. post to start again. I just feel like I need to focus on my weight loss. It is hard because for some reason I keep getting asked out. Where were they before I decided to do this! J/K I am grateful.
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Weight stabilizing so quick?
Lilia_90 replied to newbegining2024's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Wholeheartedly with you on this. I was fit and in shape my whole adolescence, I had both my kids and stayed slim and never tracked anything. I worked out hard, ate well, prioritized protein and had fun on the weekends and that worked for me for over a decade and two pregnancies. My weight ballooned up all of a sudden and kept going up and never stopped, and no matter what I did I was never able to lose weight. I had a very bad ankle injury 2 years ago that caused even more weight gain (33 lbs) on top of what I had already gained and due to the injury my mobility was greatly affected and my weight was spiraling out of control. Even at my highest weight I worked out 5 days a week and ate well and Nothing! So I understand your frustration fully. The only thing that worked was the VSG, the pounds melted off like butter and I regained control. If I were to go back in time, I would track everything I ate to figure out where the issue lay, I would weigh myself multiple times a week and see what the scale is telling me. I would do this before jumping on the surgery wagon. I wish I did that, because no matter how much I worked out and how well I thought I was eating, I was doing something wrong, and the surgery outcome proves it. Now that is my own experience, I am all for living worry-free and being intuitive, however these tools can give us great insight until we are where we need to be. I never weighed myself regularly (went by how my clothes fit), now I do. I never tracked my calories, now I do a few times a week just so I don't go off track again. There are days where I don't track because I know roughly how much I'm eating, and some days I do just for QA. Again, calories from here and there add up, so it's good you're aware of that. Also, there are other tools out there (GLP-1s if you're willing) that can rev up your metabolism and help the weight loss start again. With all that being said, you are doing amazing and it is important you don't lose sight of that ♥️ -
What does a typical day of eating and acitivity look like to you?
learn2cook replied to AmberFL's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
OMG I greatly dislike cooking but this sounds so good I’m going to make this! I do better with weight loss and maintenance with some regular structure too. I do change up cooked veggies for winter and salads for summer. I’m glad I filled up on seafood this Spring because it’s suddenly gotten costly in the US heading into summer. Best of luck with PT, it’s kept me away from knee surgery for 10 years now, good stuff if you keep it up! -
It's easy to forget that "weight" and "fat" are not the same thing. You can burn fat and go up in weight, and it's normal for daily weight to fluctuate by several pounds. You've been really lucky so far that the scale has gone down consistently, but you're getting to the 6-month mark and that's when the surgery's fat burning effect starts to slow (not stop, but slow). In the past, you were burning enough fat quickly so that even if you went up in weight from water or the food in your digestive track, you wouldn't see it on the scale. Now, though, you might only lose a small amount of fat in a week, so you could see the scale become a little more erratic. It's totally normal and you aren't gaining fat. It's also very common to hit a stall around 6 months post op as your body recalibrates. You'll probably see slower weight loss once it breaks, but you'll still see the scale go down for many more months. And if I just base it on my own experience, you will experience this type of thing the closer you get to a number that feels important to you because the universe is like that. The moment I dropped below 200 lbs, which was such a psychological milestone for me, my weight bounced back up and it took another 10 days to get back into the 190s again. My third month post-op, I stalled and only lost a total of 3.8 pounds. The following month was my best month so far for weight loss. So don't read too much into a little wobble on the scale if your habits have been reasonable. If it takes 3500 extra calories to gain one pound, unless you can identify some really bad choices that would have led to a 14,000 calorie surplus this past week, it's not anything you're doing. Just keep following your plan and ignore the scale.
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It won't cure the arthritic knees and pain but it will help as you will have much less weight to be walking around with so less pressure on them. I have no cartilage in either knee and have been getting steroid injections and also hyaluronic to cushion the joints and they only last a while. Doctors told me I needed both knees replaced at a later date but I had to loose weight first and my knees need to thin down more (as I have bad lymphedema). I can already feel the difference now with the weight loss, I can walk further and faster without much pain. Whereas before I would not be able to sleep at night due to knee pain. I will get another round of injections in September before my holidays just to be on the safe side and will see what the ortho says about my knees (I don't think they have slimmed down enough yet) and I think my knees have a few more years in them.
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Phase 3 Gastric Sleeve
Arabesque replied to Lulu60's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I was a teaspoon dipper or baby bite person too. My bites were just want ever was on the end of the teaspoon I dipped into my food. Don’t be afraid to wait longer between bites: a couple of minutes. Even eating 1/4 cup of food would take me 20 minutes or more. I would avoid the crackers and focus only on eating protein at this stage and any incidental vegetables like what might be in a soup you’ve blended. Generally any carbs should be left to the last thing you eat & only if you are able. So eat your protein first, then if you are able any vegetables then finally carbs you’re allowed at each stage (usually whole or multi grains not the more highly processed, less nutrient dense breads, rice, pasta, crackers). So if you were able to eat the saltines, you would have been able to eat more of the chicken salad & therefore more protein. There were many times I ate protein & nothing else for some meals for months. Congrats on your weight loss so far. -
Need suggestions please!!!
ms.sss replied to SleeveToBypass2023's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
ok, so i did quick math on your macros and u are currently consuming less than 900 cals a day (i used the mid point of all your reported ranges). this calorie level (which doesn't take into account exercise) is weight loss level calories, unless you are like 4'10" tall. so its no wonder you are still losing weight. if you double your fats, you could reach up to 1300 a day, which is closer to maintenance level for some, but i suspect you'll need more based on your height and activity level. aside: i am a shrinking 5'2", and have been maintaining a range of 115-120 lbs for over 5 years at a calorie range of 1800-2300+ a day (it all depends on my activity level). currently, im on a (so far) 10-mnth long, high volume exercise kick so i average about 2100 these days. i weighed 116 this morning. further, as is my m.o., i dont eat alot of volume at once, but i eat often (i.e., im a card-carrying grazer lol)...otherwise i would not be able to reach my maintenance calorie level. -
Anyone Annoyed with the "Stop losing weight"
SleeveToBypass2023 replied to AmberFL's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
YEP!!! I'm getting this literally right now. I have people that I've known for 15, 20, even 25 years that have never seen me below 250 pounds. So to see me at 185 pounds is understandably jarring for them. But once the compliments stopped the critiques started. "You're starting to look sickly, slow down the weight loss" and "you're going to look like you have an ED if you keep losing weight" and "your sagging skin is going to get so much worse if you don't stop losing weight". I mean...seriously????? My body FINALLY found its new set point and is happy where it's at and now the weight is resettling and redistributing itself. There's nothing I can do about it. Your comments are UNhelpful and UNnecessary. Ugh.....
