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Thanks for those. I don't have kindle unlimited as I don't use my kindle enough to warrant it. I have a kindle and the kindle app on my phone and my ipad but I only use it when travelling as I love having a physical book to read. When I am in the US in a couple of weeks I might look in the bookstores there as there may be more choice and I can take a peak first before possibly purchasing. I did get this one earlier today when looking. Haven't downloaded it yet though as left my ipad at work.

I've been on a stall for 4 months now !!! It sure is disappointing to have that happen. It's like doing all that work and not one acknowledgement from the scale ! I put the scale away and focused on other things - like being able to walk without gasping for air I also measured myself - and even though I'm not losing weight , I lost 15" ! So there's that ! I also talked to my doc about it , and she told me to go back on my presurgery liquid diet for a week or two. She also suggested changing up my proteins to see if that helps. I'm still experimenting with her advice . Don't let the stall get you down ! Good luck with everything

I just got my labs and EKG today. I’m really hoping that’s okay because the lady put four of the little sticky things under one of my boobs. They have always put them on both sides so that was weird. The dr looked though and didn’t say it was bad or anything. I actually just had one like a month ago but they said they wanted the labs to be within a month of the surgery so I said let’s just do it again just in case. I don’t want anything to push my surgery date. Im trying to get back into the habit of taking my vitamins too. It’s really hard to remember them. I take the procare health multi and bariatric advantage calcium chews but i did try the bariatric pal ones and they aren’t bad. I just want to ask the NP about them before I make that switch. I bought the bariatric advantage chewable multi for the first month. That’s awesome to hear about the smoking. I quit a while ago and it’s definitely an accomplishment. I remember it being kinda freeing that it was one less thing I always had to keep track of and worry about. And now I don’t now how I ever was a smoker. I smell it and it takes my breath. It’s so weird. I meet with the NP tomorrow to verify but I think my liver shrink diet is supposed to be a week long. If so, that means next week I will do a low carb diet to prepare. That’s not required but I just don’t want to go from eating like I do now to the LSD. If I’m correct, I will be starting that process this Tuesday. I am trying to tie up all my loose ends by next week. I don’t want to have anything extra to do the week I am on the liver shrink diet. I figure I will take that time to get my house in order. Every surgery I ever had I sit here and look around at what I could be doing if I wasn’t physically restricted so I hope to get it all done this time.

Yeeessss... I am 4 weeks post op and have been at a stall for almost 2 weeks. In fact, just to be insulting, I gained 3 lbs. 😐 I know it is the 3 week stall, but man it is discouraging and it makes you scared that the weight loss won't start again. I'm trying hard to ignore the scale for a few weeks, stick to my plan, and trust my body to do its thing when it is ready. It has had a LOT of stress to deal with. Major surgery takes a ton of body resources to heal from. So I'm focusing on protein, hydration, and getting some walking in. I can't really do anything else. It'll break when it breaks. I only let myself get on the scale once a week to keep from fixating. It is hard, but worth it for my mental health. LOL

Never too late to give away or donate from your freezer. Then you’ll have plenty of room to freeze single portions of anything you cook. In a short time you’ll have a variety of meals you can simply defrost & heat. I usually only cook twice a week from scratch, freeze several portions then I ‘shop’ dinner from my freezer. Tonight I’m having pork schnitzel from the batch I cooked last week. Once defrosted it will reheat in 30/40 seconds & I only have to prep vegetables. I use zip lock bags for my single serves: any meat cuts (steak, lamb cutlets, etc.) plus soups, meat balls, bolognese, anything really. I even cook a mini roast, slice it up & freeze individual portions in the bags with gravy. Easy to write on the bag what it is & add a date so you remember when you cooked & froze it.

I had it removed 3 years post TDS. I ate the same but found my stool was not the same and things felt a bit off. That took about 6 weeks to get back to normal.

I lost 79 pounds in 4 months. That averages out to roughly 20 pounds per month, or 5 pounds per week. I was 388 on surgery day. You're doing great. Don't compare yourself to others. Rome wasn't built in a day, so just stick to the diet, move your body, and you'll get there.

So today I am finally at 3 months post op. Here is what that means for me: I can stop taking lansoprazole...YESSSSSSS! I absolutely hate the taste of that thing and if I never have to take it again, it'll be too soon. I can start taking tablets again, meaning I can try my Forceval prescription vitamins. I have heard that these can make people feel quite nauseous, so I will wait an hour after eating in the evening to take it, rather than in the morning as I usually do. I am due for bloods to be taken via my GP, though I imagine I'll struggle to get an appointment! I just wanted to reflect on my journey so far, and where I am at now. It is weird how quickly this becomes your new normal. In the beginning with the gas pain, the extreme fatigue etc, I did wonder how I'd adjust, but here I am! I was shocked at how fast the weight dropped initially, and I know I will keep losing (hopefully) for a little while longer. I think we all go through this weird mindset of being overweight for such a while, and our bodies not responding as we had hoped to fad diets, or us punishing ourselves for 'not trying hard enough', that I truly wondered if the surgery would even work. And it has worked, and it will continue to do so! I am in the dreaded - but very expected - 3 month stall. My weight isn't really moving much, but I know that I just need to keep on with my normal eating and routine and it'll break eventually (thanks to reading all of the posts regarding this phenomenon 🤣) I can still get dizzy when I am exercising, and my strength at the gym has really decreased which I am a bit miffed about, but I'll get there! TMI incoming: but pooping is still an annoyance...the severe constipation I had in the early post-op weeks still results in some little tears when I pass a bowel movement, so I am dealing with my new normal 😂 Positives: I passed my driving test and I am picking up my car on Saturday! I really do attribute passing to losing weight, and how it has made me feel more confident and capable. I can walk around for hours and not have pain in my hips and lower back. Pre-surgery this was absolutely excruciating, even the 5-6 minute walk home from work I had to stop 2-3 times due to the pain and being out of breath. No such worries now! I can see the weight loss in my face, which makes me happy. I can fit into a pair of denim shorts that previously couldn't even make their way up my lower thigh! My current weight is amazing to me, even though I am not at my goal YET, I haven't been this weight since 2017. In general, I just feel happier in myself, and I can't wait for the future! If you have read all of this, thank you! ❤️

I've never heard of phases taking that long to get through, so unless you have a very unusual case with special circumstances, I think there's been a misunderstanding. A week or two of liquids, which I assume included protein shakes, is normal. After that, some programs put you on purees and some will say soft protein food that you chew thoroughly, usually once you're doing well with this, after a week or two, but certainly by week 6 or so, you will be told to slowly introduce veg, fruit, and finally starch and grain. I had gastric bypass on Feb 21. I had one week of liquids, which included yogurt, cream soups, and thin cream of wheat. At week 2, I was allowed to have cottage cheese, tuna salad, refried beans, ground turkey, and flaky white fish. At week 3, I was allowed to start including cooked vegetables and fruits and told to slowly start incorporating other foods, but to wait until 3 months for pork and beef. I had a setback with some vomiting, so I had to go back to liquids for weeks 4 and 5, but I had my 6 week appointment today and was told I was clear to resume a normal diet (minus beef and pork) and just needed to be cautious and keep track of/eliminate anything that caused upset. I found this video very helpful, although I will point out this program's way of reintroducing foods is not quite the same as mine, (or most others).

Puree can be tough. For some it’s a textural issue for others like me it’s a taste thing (everything tastes disgusting). You can puree a lot of things just add enough stock, milk, water, mayo, gravy, etc. to keep it the right dollopy texture/consistency. A friend told me she survived on pureed chicken with gravy. I mashed eggs with Mayo, was allowed thin instant oats, thin scrambled eggs, yoghurt, soups, etc. I tried pureeing tinned fish but blah! During soft foods I ate a lot of minced meat based dishes. Just made sure there was enough sauce/gravy to keep the meal wet. Also soft white fish, omelettes & made a couple of casseroles/stews & meat & vegetable soups. Yep, stalls can be frustrating & demoralising but remember an important step in your weight loss (when your body takes stock of your new needs & adjusts digestive hormones, metabolic rate, etc.). 17.5lbs in about 4 weeks is still pretty darn great. Even with the stall that’s an average of more than 4lbs a week. Can’t be upset with that.

Im from London. Semi skimmed milk with 2 tablespoon skimmed milk powder. I use Hartley 10 cal jelly pot. I've been doing normal because I lost weight fast and because il lost weight in last 3 weeks in liver reduction diet when it's just soup and yogurt.

I was thinking the same thing as @catwoman7: the rising levels could be a result of your weight loss so far. It’s very common to have rising liver function levels while you’re losing. Also worried me a bit because I had a glass of Prosecco at lunch on Sunday and then had a liver function test Monday in preparation of a surgery I’m having next week. Hope the glass didn’t throw my results out at all. Considering I was asked lots of questions at the pathologists, they didn’t ask when was my last alcoholic drink and how much and often I drink. Hmmmm.

That's 15 pounds per month, or 3.75 pounds per week. You're more than on track. And I'm glad to hear you're doing well. I know the feeling about being anemic. I've been fighting that since 8th grade. Thanks for updating!!!

Congratulations on having the surgery and your loss. I agree with the other comments above. Don't see this is a restrictive diet as that will possibly become unsustainable thinking and lead to bringing back bad habits and what might be a cheat day becomes cheat days/weeks/months. I believe it is about finding balance and enjoyment in what you are doing, enjoy the food you are eating but obviously in smaller portions and try to make the healthier choice between fried and grilled foods etc. I also plan my grocery shopping based on what I want to cook and eat for a week and don't buy off list, that way when at home I don't have anything 'bold' to eat and I am not going to go to the shop just for a bag of popcorn (boy do I miss popcorn). I am not one who enjoys exercise and tried gyms, yoga, running, zumba before over the years but I have found over the last few months that once I start a pilates class, aqua aerobics or go for a walk that I am more relaxed so I think finding an activity you like and trying to keep to some sort of routine will help as well, for me that is paying in advance for classes, so I can't opt out

I had the sleeve and work at a desk job, I took 3 weeks off and loved every single min! my hubby took the first week off and took the kids to school for me that week. I was so tired from barely eating and recovery. I "could've" gone back after 1 week but I enjoyed the time off, as I was paid for it anyways.

Your body is healing & the tiredness & lethargy as a result is very common. If your body wants you to rest or nap, do rest or nap. It takes about 8 weeks to fully heal from the surgery but you will notice slow improvements in regards to how tired you are as the weeks pass. You may find there are times in the future while you are losing you experience drops in energy. This too is pretty common & again be a bit easy on yourself & your energy levels will rise again when your body is ready. I often wish I could still justify an afternoon nana nap. LOL!

Congrats on your loss so far. Don't worry it seems to be very common to stall a few weeks to a month after the op. I had a sleeve so not sure if there are different 'rules' but I was told it is just 30 minutes each side of eating that you are not to drink fluids but either way I agree with you, I feel that there is not enough time in the day that I am awake to drink the amount of water they say. It took me a long time to get to the protein goals, somedays I only got 20 to 30g so for me a 'trick' I have done for upping my protein is to include a scoop of collagen into my coffee twice a day as each scoop is 10g protein, the collagen is supposed to help my hair, nails, skin etc plus I am getting in some fluids. A bonus for me is that I don't mind cold coffee so if it takes me a while to drink my cup it is ok and it immediately means I have got 20g of protein in before even including food. I also have a lot of soups that I incorporate protein into be it with protein powder, lentils, chickpeas etc. as I find they don't leave me feeling so full as I blend them down a lot. I love soup and would have had it often before my op as well so the only difference now is trying to put the protein into it and not having bread with it

totally normal. Also, your weight loss so far is totally normal. I think a lot of people have unrealistic expectations because of shows like "My 600 lb Life" - but you need to remember that those people start out MUCH heavier than the average WLS patient. Most of us seem to lose somewhere in the 15-25 lb range the first month. Of course, you'll always find people who lose more or less than that, but most of us seem to fall somewhere in that range. So you're fine. And also, yes, most of us also experience our first stall sometime during the first month or so of surgery. So again, normal.

Ditto the ditto, and I also wanted to say WOW. 29 lbs in 2 weeks is actually pretty incredible when you think about it. Most non-WLS diets average 1-2 lbs per week at most, after the initial water-retention loss. Think about it -- can you think of any time in your life that you even managed to lose 5-10 lbs per week? 14 or 15 instead is amazing. ^___^ I think it's really important in WLS groups to remember that while we're all here to chime in and give support, share common trials and tribulations -- actual comparisions of weight or inches lost can be a little unhealthy / unrealistic. Everyone starts from a different place -- different surgery day weights, different co-morbidities, different physicalities. Even where we carry our weight can make a big difference in how it comes off. So while it's great to find common ground with others here, please please please never judge your own journey by how others' have gone before you. It's not a contest. The only winner is you, the individual who wakes up every day and makes conscious healthy choices (often difficult -- especially at the beginning) to work towards your goal. ❤️

Heya! I am also in the UK and I had a gastric bypass almost 4 weeks ago, privately with Simon Monkhouse. I'd advise making booking a consultation with Simon (it is free!) and just getting some advice there! https://www.simonmonkhouse.com/ I honestly cannot recommend him enough

You are not a failure, obesity is a complex disease. It often requires many tools to tame. There’s no shame in that. As a person who has had both VSG and RNY, I can tell you first hand that If you are relying on further restrictions to help you *may* not get that. Almost always the pylorus is bypassed so no there will sphincter holding food in your sleeve creating that classic VSG full sensation. However there are a lot of behind the scenes biological changes that *may* happen but you won’t know how you will respond until after surgery. The new class of obesity med may help immediately (if you can afford them). They are spectacular. In the time it will take you to go through referrals, appointments, testing and waiting for a date, you may lose the weight. They work that fast. Of course there are risks, some who cannot tolerate them or are very slow responders but the beauty is you can decide week by week if it’s worth it. If not, nothing permanent has been done. That’s the other issue. These are permanent use meds just like HRT or TRT. Maintenance doses are still being fiddled with by individuals so what permanent use looks like may not be weekly. Do a ton of research and ask your Bari/weight management team (if you still have one) what they think. Good Luck!

I had my surgery a day after you!!! I was also completely out of it for a few days. Haven’t vomited since the first day of the operation though. I weighed myself after a week and had lost 5lbs but I lost 20lb doing the LRD which was pure liquids for 3 weeks before my op!! I had a call from the surgeon today that said to not focus on weight for the first few weeks as it will constantly go up and down and then start to properly shift and stall and shift again when incorporating more textures and calories! I can have puréed food from next Tuesday. how are you incisions healing? I have a really awkward one that feels like a dent but it’s slowly getting there!!! hope your recovery goes well x

I don't have a period anymore, but since I had my hysterectomy and went on hormones, I seem to ALWAYS be hungry!!! It's crazy. I can eat, feel full, and still feel hungry at the same time. It's like my brain isn't getting the message that I'm not hungry anymore or something. When I WAS getting periods, I noticed I craved salty foods a lot. I've never really had a sweet tooth, but salty, greasy, fried foods were my weakness. And period weeks were the WORST for that, for sure.

Yea I am at week two going on week three i misunderstood my diet and was eating soft foods a week early lol but I do find it hard to swallow the most annoying part is not being able to drink water comfortably really anything ive tried hot drinks and for some reason its better for me to take warm drinks. I got sugar free hot cocoa bc its been cold so far so good also caffeine free spearmint tea has been great. I’m down 16 lbs so far im hoping for a good 10/12 lbs moving forward per month but we shall see! I’m going to start my walking routine tomorrow and im excited for that. Happy loosing 🥰

I too have dealt with stalls….and struggled with water and protein intake. the struggle is real! And so odd right? For me it was going from eating everything in sight to sharing a plate with the hubs when we go out to eat. one thing I did because I was so sick of protein shakes and bars…. I even went through a phase when I ate baby food every so often just to switch it up! i started experimenting with unflavored flavored protein….soups, sugar free jello, pancakes/muffins ect tons of recipes on this site. once you start eating regularly and getting out and about, you will feel so much better….trust the process (as they say!) also make sure you are taking the vitamins/meds recommended by your doc good luck 😊