Search the Community

It's not impossible! I did it. Training can be whatever you you want. One does not have to be hurling heavy weights. High rep low weights would be great to maintain muscle tone. You still need a recovery time though. I would not waste the surgery's fastest period of weight loss until hunger returns... It might not return for a year or more....One can make up Protein easily by adding Protein Powder to meals. Carbs are more difficult Will need to squeeze in an extra meal. Or do a ketogenic diet. Eating lean Protein meats and cheese is generally low carb and sets one up for a ketogenic diet. I put myself on a ketogenic diet without even trying. Lean meats and cheese for Snacks. When I wanted vegetables, it was sweet peas because good Fiber, carbs and Protein. My Protein bars I would eat would have a good carb content, low sugar and low fat. Be creative.To be clear, I am saying going to the gym even every day, is ok. And by that, I mean once a day, and giving entire muscle groups enough rest days between training. If she is going 2-3 times a day, I don't know what to say, may it's cardio, maybe it's treadmilling, one can do brisk walks more than once and and everyday. She really did not elaborate. I know I can go to the gym, do my "leg day" and later on run a 5 or 10 k, because I am not running hard, just jogging along. Running is something that can be done almost everyday, if one spreads out at least one rest day in the week.Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using BariatricPal mobile app

All minor,but that said, we all have a thing or 2 that does bother you! I thought they might laugh at me being so old, I missed my cats because my son basically "roomed in" with me, but my biggest? That my surgeon would change his mind at the last minute and WOULD NOT perform my surgery. And to me that was a date 10 times worse than death. And no, I never feared dying on the table, which at 72 I easily could have. I knew my surgeon would not let THAT happen, it would ruin his Perfect Record as well as screw up my life as well as my son's. And he also believed implictedly in Dr Needleman, so much that he is considering Bariatric Surgery for himself!

Thank you everyone for the well wishes. I am finally back to being able to sit comfortably in front of a computer screen. I had my procedure done at Maine Medical Center, the staff were excellent and I couldn't be happier with my choice in providers. The big day however was still full of unexpected surprises. I was told to arrive at 10:30 for a noon surgery. I arrived at 10:20 and was in the pre-op room at about 11am. Unfortunately there were some hold ups we were not privvy to and I didn't actually go into surgery until about 3pm. I was out by 7 pm, but instead of the 5 holes I was told there would be they made 6. I was brought to my room at around 10pm. That first night was brutal. I barely slept. I hurt everywhere. They did a great job administering nausea medication and sent me home with a bunch to use as needed. I had quite a bit of gas pains. It wasn't like scream in pain painful more like really uncomfortable nagging that grew old quickly. I walked a lot pretty quickly after waking up. Honestly it was harder to swallow the pills with my throat all inflamed and only being able to sip water. I was home on Tuesday by 7pm. It felt good to be home and while I was't at my water goals yet I was close. Wednesday saw me try my beloved protein shake, the same one I have been drinking for breakfast and lunch for nearly a year now. I was worried I wouldn't like the taste, but it was like an old friend waiting for me. I have spent most of the time since then working a larger sips, more water, and gaining on getting to two full servings of protein shake to meet doctors orders. The pain is less frequent now, it seems to come and go based on how much I try and push the envelope. So far it seems like the worst of it has passed and I am eager to get back to moving around again.

I think something is different with my body than it should be. Im able to drink half a premier protein drink in 10 seconds litterally. I didnt mean too one day. we were running out the door to get to swim lessons and i forgot to have any protein so grabed it out of the fridge and downed a bunch. I got in the car and thought whoops i didnt think i was supposed to be able to do that. Anyways im only 2weeks post op. Idk why or maybe im looking it wrrong maybe people choice to drink slow cuz it makes them feel full im not sure.

Hello everyone I has VSG on March 26, 2019 and as of June 10, 2019 I had to going for a emergency gallbladder removal has anyone had this issue after their sleeve? Now haveing major pain that is not subsided

March 26 2019 VSG this pic on right was taken last week down 50lbs

I did 15 min sprints 3 days a week. Sprint 10 sec walk 45 seconds then I slowly worked my way up to 20 second sprints. Same with stairs 3x a week. Started walking up and down the stairs for 10 min then worked my way up to 15 min then 30 min then 45 min over time. By the time I worked my way up to 15 min i was able to run up and down the stairs 10 min straight. Eventually I was doing 45 min of non-stop stair running. Great workout and burns some major calories while building muscle.

Aug 10 here,,,, Good luck all!!!!!

I had surgery one week ago (6/6/19). Im not losing a lot of weight. I’m consuming about 400 calories a day. I’m wondering if this is enough! Is it possible my body has gone into some sort of starvation mode and is storing fat? How many calories should I be consuming?

Why are u having issues with protein shakes? maybe it’s the kind, I had to try like 4 kinds, I couldn’t use ones with the fake sugar in it. I attached the one I use. how much longer till surgery cause I’m worried if you having issues now, you’ll be even worse after with Naseau. I had and still have at times Naseau issues post op. post op about 3 weeks in, i wails have issues if needed to eat, I would be Nauseous. I learned I needed to eat. The worst was the morning. Going 10 hours or so with no food, waking up, a normal person would have food digesting but with sleeve, we have nothing in there but gastric juices. So I woke up and have a few crackers, mornings still stink, but better as time went on, get a hold of this before you have the surgery good luck

When I was about 2 weeks post op and for a few weeks after it took me 3 to 4 hours to drink one shake. I'm 10 weeks post op and it still takes me almost 2 hours.

I start every day with that I call my ‘forever breakfast’ - 1 scoop of any vanilla protein powder (I hunt for brands that are not too sweet), 1/2 c water, 1 tsp coffee powder, and 7 ice cubes - in the NutriBullet and voila - coffee slushie, velvety smooth! Takes me 10 minutes to drink it.

my weight loss journey is not complete, but I have had my balloon removed (my 6 months was up). I had no major complications or problems with it. The most negative part of the experience was the cramping/nausea during the first 7-10 days after insertion. I am still losing, although more slowly than when I had the balloon, which is more because I've not been sticking to my clean eating plan as much (just a long string of life events getting in the way), but I'm confident that once I return to my "new normal" eating plan, my rate of weight loss will increase.

I’m 11 months post surgery and down 107 lbs. I lost the last 15 after having total knee replacement and trying to gain 10 back. I’d like to maintain around 135 lbs

Check in 6/12/2019 - I am back on the high end of my maintaining bounce range. I'm here to get my weight back down - VSG June 2014 /2017, High weight 254, - Goal for this month is to lose 4 pounds this challenge. 6/10 weight is 139 6/11 weight 137 6/12 weight 136 6/13 weight 138

I loved my MGB, I had no issues for 11 months and lost 95% of my excess weight. I started having left sided abdo pain, had blood work and ultrasounds that were fine. I began having severe pain with nausea and vomiting 10 times a day for 3 weeks and ended up in hospital. Despite scope and CT I didn't get a diagnosis until 4 months and 4 re admissions to the hospital later. The area I live has very few bariatric surgery resources. I am now thankfully getting a revision to Roux n Y which should eliminate the problem, I was trialed on medication to help with the bile reflux and it ultimately failed. My surgery is in 10 days I am so relieved. I am still glad I did surgery despite my complications. You just never expect to be the low percentage of people with this complication. Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

Hey guys, Just popping in the forum to say I am going to be sleeved 06/26/19! I am beyond excited and so ready for this magnificent lifestyle change/journey. I am on day 1 of my 2 week pre-op cleanse and it is hard but I am so determined. For anyone who is unsure if they are ready for the surgery I say make sure you know this is what you want. I was supposed to be sleeved in November but I realized I just wasn't ready for this commitment and post-poned my surgery. I also thought at one point that I just wasn't going to go through with it at all. After months of research and self reflection I am proud to say I am ready to be sleeved. This is such an exciting journey and good luck to all of my June sleevers! ❤️

Hello Everyone I am hoping to get a July maybe an August date, I have completed 5 out of the 6 Dietian visits. I have everything else done except my clearance letter and I don't see why my Primary won't clear me. I have already went to see her, as a precaution she wants me to see a Cardiologist just to be safe. But I am excited to start this new chapter of my life. I have tried to lose weight on my own but I will lose a small amount of weight but gain it back. Like the Yo-yo affect. But since I have started on the process WLS which was in January, at first I lost 10 pounds gain three back and I have not been able to lose anymore. I walk everyday for 30-40 minutes depending on if I go swimming which I try to go every other day and I do 30 laps (with mini breaks). I have maintain the same weight since April. But I have been losing inches. I have changed my eating tremendously so that I can be prepared for after the surgery, but I am also not all the way there yet. I am a work in progress. My biggest areas for me were sugars and sodas, which I have stopped drinking ALL carbonated drinks and I have cut way. way, and way back on my sweets. Which I am very proud of myself. But I have rambled enough lol but I am looking forward to meeting new friends in here and getting to the next chapter of my life. Thank you for reading my message

Hello, Congratulations! I just got my date! July 15, 2019!! Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

I’m also at 900-1000 most days, almost 10 months out. Will be increasing calories soon though because I’m TWO pounds from my goal!!! 😀

Ms.sss, I'm nowhere near maintenance (2.5 weeks post-op) but love reading where everyone is at in their journey & so scanned this thread & now I've been thinking about it ALL DAY. I think you said it takes you an hour to eat a meal? And you're struggling to get above 800 calories? At 2.5 weeks it takes me 10 min to eat a meal and I could easily eat 1,000 calories. (I don't, because I'm trying to keep the calories as low as possible as long as possible). I guess I'm both fascinated that it takes you that long to eat & terrified of my own future if it's already this easy for me to eat this close to my surgery date. And I'm really curious what exactly you eat that takes an hour? Is it something dense? A half sandwhich? I I'm still in soft foods which are all so easy for me. Yogurt, eggs, veggies, ground meats, cheese. I can eat 4oz without issue. And I'm getting 65oz of water a day. I'm actually at 60oz of water & 600 calories today & it's only 6pm. I hope these questions don't sound rude because it's not my intention at all. I just can't get this off my mind. I scour these threads & see people saying they're 8 months out & can't get down a 1/4 cup of food & I'm like... maybe my surgeon only removed half my stomach because I am already more fine than I'd like to be. If that makes any sense at all.

I think you may need to go way higher than 800-1000 cals to stop your losses. As far as losing more weight after a week of eating higher cals, I know I see a pretty significant lag between cals/exercise and the scale. It's usually 3-4 days until I see the effect of either low cal and/or high activity days, and high cal off the rails days. Yes, the physical changes from 140 ish to 125/130 were dramatic for me. It was good for my clothed self, but hugely negative for my naked self. I lost two cup sizes. I'm still resentful of that! I can't speak to the body fat scale (mine has error-ed out since I bought it). I would probably take it with a grain of salt though, knowing how inaccurate they are. I would focus on how you look and feel. As you said, that 19% doesn't fit with what google tells you it should be. I would weigh being right in the middle of your healthy weight BMI a lot more heavily than that scale reading.

but don't understand (the week when I was at 1000/day, I lost 2.5 lbs?? 1000 calories is still your weight loss calories. 2.5 loss is because your body needs more calories. See article below. https://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20140529/fast-weight-loss-may-mean-muscle-loss What are your fat percentages? I consume enough calories to build muscle mass. my body fat percentage is in the 19-24 zone. I'm athletic in the fit/lean zone. do you put any importance on this statistic to yourselves, personally?  I put importance on my goal of healthy. I don’t pay attention to my body fat percentage. Many of us lose muscle with rapid weight loss. There is a difference between a low body fat percentage with burnt muscle and with muscle mass. My personal experience after goal, I continued to exercise and not consume enough calories. The result was I burnt muscle and dropped to the 120’s. (not a healthy look for me) Here is the maintance meal plan off of the bariatric pal website: https://store.bariatricpal.com/pages/meal-plans-for-one-week-for-a-weight-loss-maintenance-diet Meal Plans for One Week for a Weight Loss Maintenance Diet Congratulations on getting to goal weight! Now your goal is to stay at this weight and prevent weight regain. This meal plan can help you do that. Sample Daily Pattern: 3 meals, 3 snacks Sample Meal Plan for Week 1, Sample Day 1 Breakfast Cheesy Garden Scramble with 2 large eggs, 1 ounce cheddar cheese, chives, 1 cup diced tomatoes, and ¼ cup avocado slices (350 calories, 22 grams protein) Morning Snack 1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt with 1 cup raw vegetables (your choice, such as broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, celery, snow peas, etc.) (130 calories, 14 grams protein) Lunch BariatricPal Protein Soup – Broccoli and Cheddar with an extra 1 cup cooked chopped broccoli and 1 ounce shredded cheese;BariatricPal Lite Bites (360 calories, 33 grams protein) 1 ounce cheddar cheese (190 calories, 22 grams protein) Afternoon Snack 1 large apple plus 1 ounce walnuts (300 calories, 5 grams protein) Dinner Stuffed eggplant with 1 medium eggplant, 4 ounces ground turkey (or beef or soy crumbles), 1/3 cup whole wheat bread crumbs, Italian seasoning; 1 ounce mozzarella cheese melted on top; ½ cup tomato sauce (520 calories, 35 grams protein) Evening Snack Kay’s Naturals Protein Cookie Bites – Mocha Espresso (120 calories, 12 grams protein) Totals: 1780 calories, 121 grams protein Sample Meal Plan for Week 1, Sample Day 2 Breakfast BariatricPal Hot Protein Breakfast – Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal made with skim milk; 2 tablespoons peanut (or almond) butter (380 calories, 30 grams protein) Morning Snack Quest Nutrition Protein Bar – Cookies and Cream (180 calories, 21 grams protein) Lunch “Naked Burrito Bowl” with ½ cup nonfat refried beans, 3 ounces shredded chicken breast with taco seasoning, 1 cup shredded lettuce, ½ cup diced tomatoes, 2 tablespoons salsa, ¼ cup guacamole (360 calories, 33 grams protein) Afternoon Snack 1 medium pear plus 1 ounce blue cheese (200 calories, 7 grams protein) Dinner 4 ounces broiled salmon with rosemary and lemon; ½ cup brown rice; 1 cup roasted bell pepper strips with 2 teaspoons olive oil (450 calories, 29 grams protein) Evening Snack BariatricPal Protein Desserts – Creamy Cheesecake (120 calories, 12 grams protein) Totals: 1690 calories, 132 grams protein Sample Meal Plan for Week 1, Sample Day 3 Breakfast Protein shake with 1 cup kale, ½ large banana, 1 container low-sugar nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons peanut butter or PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter, 1 cup skim milk (370 calories, 33 grams protein) Morning Snack 2 hard-boiled eggs (160 calories, 12 grams protein) Lunch Wrap on a low-carb, high-fiber tortilla spread with 2 tablespoons hummus; filling includes 3 ounces grilled chicken, 1 cup raw veggies (such as lettuce, sliced mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, etc.), 1 ounce shredded or sliced provolone cheese, 2 tablespoons sliced black olives (400 calories, 39 grams protein) Afternoon Snack 1 cup Greek yogurt with 1 cup blueberries and BariatricPal Cinnamon Crunch Protein Cereal (290 calories, 23 grams protein) Dinner BariatricPal Beef and Bean Enchilada; ¼ cup guacamole; 1 ounce cheddar or jack cheese; 2 cups lettuce and chopped vegetables (such as tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumbers); 2 tablespoons fat-free dressing (460 calories, 21 grams protein) Evening Snack Hot Cocoa with Marshmallows (80 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1760 calories, 143 calories Sample Meal Plan for Week 1, Sample Day 4 Breakfast Omelet made with 2 large eggs, 1 cup sliced mushrooms, fresh basil, and 1 ounce Swiss cheese (310 calories, 20 grams protein) Morning Snack ½ cup cottage cheese; 2 tablespoons sunflower seed kernels (170 calories, 16 grams protein) Lunch BariatricPal Beef Stroganoff; 1 cup grapes (360 calories, 21 grams protein) Afternoon Snack Turkey roll-ups with 3 ounces turkey breast spread with 3 tablespoons cream cheese mixed with ½ cup diced apple (290 calories, 18 grams protein) Dinner Veggie burger patty; 1 whole grain hamburger bun; 2 tablespoons hummus (spread on bun); 1 medium sweet potato baked into fries (baked with 2 teaspoons olive oil) (440 calories, 20 grams protein) Evening Snack BariatricPal Protein Oatmeal Cookie with Vanilla Drizzle (170 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1740 calories, 110 grams protein Sample Meal Plan for Week 1, Sample Day 5 Breakfast BariatricPal 35g Protein Shake Meal Replacement – Strawberry (240 calories, 35 grams protein) Morning Snack 1 container vanilla Greek yogurt with Kay’s Naturals Protein Cereal – Honey Almond and ½ banana (290 calories, 26 grams protein) Lunch ¼ acorn squash baked with 2 teaspoons olive oil; ½ cup cooked quinoa mixed with ½ ounce chopped pistachios and 1 ounce parmesan cheese (390 calories, 16 grams protein) Afternoon Snack 1 cup carrots; 2 tablespoons peanut butter (240 calories, 8 grams protein) Dinner 4 ounces lean ground turkey topped with 1 ounce cheddar cheese; 1 cup cooked spinach; 1 medium apple (370 calories, 28 grams protein) Evening Snack BariatricPal Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Bar (160 calories, 12 grams protein) Totals: 1690 calories, 115 grams protein Sample Meal Plan for Week 1, Sample Day 6 Breackfast BariatricPal Hot Protein Breakfast – Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal made with skim milk; 2 tablespoons chopped pecans (280 calories, 23 grams protein) Morning Snack 1 cheese stick (string cheese); ½ cup shelled edamame (green soybeans) (270 calories, 24 grams protein) Lunch BariatricPal Vegetable Lasagna; 1 ounce melted mozzarella; 1 cup cooked cauliflower or broccoli (340 calories, 20 grams protein) Afternoon Snack 1 ounce almonds; (290 calories, 18 grams protein) Dinner 1 cup chili made with garbanzo, pinto, and black beans, diced celery and onions, stewed tomatoes, and chili seasoning; ½ cup cooked barley; 1 cup roasted beet root (350 calories, 15 grams protein) Evening Snack Chocolate Chip with Chocolate Drizzle Cookie (170 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1700 calories, 115 grams protein Sample Meal Plan for Week 1, Sample Day 7 Breakfast 1 container nonfat Greek yogurt; BariatricPal Protein Cereal – Cinnamon Vanilla; ½ cup honeydew melon (260 calories, 28 grams protein) Morning Snack 5 cup tuna with 1 serving Moon Cheese (160 calories, 25 grams protein) Lunch BariatricPal Protein Soup – Cream of Vegetable cooked with ½ cup pinto, kidney, or garbanzo beans and ½ cup mixed vegetables; Kay’s Natural Protein Chips – Crispy Parmesan (330 calories, 36 grams protein) Afternoon Snack 1 banana; 2 tablespoons peanut butter (300 calories, 8 grams protein) Dinner Dinner scramble with 1 cup tofu, 1 cup veggies, 1 ounce cashew pieces, and 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce stir-fried in 2 teaspoons sesame oil (420 calories, 17 grams protein) Evening Snack Chocolate Protein Wafers (200 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1670 calories, 129 grams protein Sample Meal Plan for Week 2, Sample Day 1 Breakfast 1 packet BariatricPal Oatmealwith 2 tablespoons pecans and ½ cup diced apple plus cinnamon. Or other Healthy Breakfast Morning Snack Lunch BariatricPal Chocolate, Strawberry , or Vanilla Meal Replacementor other Healthy Lunch Afternoon Snack 1 bag Protein Chipsor Protein Pretzelswith two tablespoons hummus Dinner Cheese Steak Macaroni1 cup steamed green beans with 2 tablespoons sliced almonds or other Healthy Dinner Evening Snack Sample Meal Plan for Week 2, Sample Day 2 Breakfast Vegetable Omelettopped with 1 ounce shredded cheese, served and with 2 ounce turkey (or vegetarian) breakfast sausage links or other Healthy Breakfast Morning Snack Pancakes with Carbquik Baking Mixand 2 tablespoons of PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter Lunch Salad with fresh spinach leaves, 3 ounces grilled skinless chicken breast, 1 cup sliced strawberries, 2 tablespoons chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons light raspberry vinaigrette dressing or other Healthy Lunch Afternoon Snack or another flavor of Quest Protein Bar Dinner 4 ounces of broiled salmon, 1 cup baked sweet potato fries made with olive oil, and 1 cup of steamed broccoli or other Healthy Dinner Evening Snack Creamy CheeseCake This is a very low calorie diet. Use only under the supervision of your doctor. This diet gives you about 1200-1400 calories per day. You may need more calories, especially if you are a man, if you are a taller person, or if you are especially active.If you need more calories, you can add in extra snacks. Go for protein and nutrition! Here are some suggestions for healthy snacks. Each has 150 to 250 calories, and at least 10 grams of protein. 1 ounce Turkey Jerky plus ½ apple 1 BariatricPal 10 g Protein Bar 1 cup edamame (green soybeans) plus 1 ounce low-fat cheese 1 cup celery sticks plus 2 tablespoons peanut butter 1 package BariatricPal Protein Pretzels plus 2 tablespoons hummus

When I began this journey at the beginning of 2018 I was 426 pounds. Can't tell you measurements because all my clothes were in X's and not inches. But for reference, I was in a 5x shirt from Casual Male. I only wore sweatpants and those were also a 5x. People only saw me in clothes and the comment I often heard was that I carried my weight well. Being 6'1" I had the advantage of being tall and heavy vs short and heavy. It was all an illusion. Medically I was prediabetic, on CPAP, could only sleep on my back, had knee pain and sweated like a frog fresh out of the pond in any weather over 72 degrees. 7 months post surgery and I am down 139 pounds. My A1C is 4, off the CPAP, I can sleep on my side, I can walk all day and not have knee pain...unfortunatley I still sweat a lot. My physical appearance has changed in visible ways. Prior to surgery, I use to measure my weight loss and gain by how close I was to my steering wheel. If I was rubbing it then it was a bad week, if I could fit my hand between my belly and the wheel it was a good week (I avoided scales, I knew I was fat and honestly just wanted to get by in life). I look down at my steering wheel now and I see the marks where my belt scratched up the leather. Now there are a good 10 inches between me and the steering wheel. I can get in a car accident and not worry that the airbag is going to kill me. I can see the weight loss in my face: I also see the weight loss around my body. My shoulders are boney, my arms have lots of skin, my butt sags, the skin just hangs everywhere. I'm down to a 2x and my waist is in a 50 pant which needs a belt. I hold these clothes out in front of me as I'm about to put them on and I say to myself, "There is no way this will fit me" or "Boy this is gonna look tight" and the clothes fits perfect. Not tight and hides my sag well. Overall I don't want to sound like I'm not delighted, but I'm realizing just how large I was...and honestly still am. I wish I were brave enough to take a photo so I could show you what I mean, but I can't believe after all this weight coming off I'm still so big. I sit and there is a huge belly still in my lap. My thighs are huge. Maybe as I continue to lose weight these two areas will decrease dramatically, but it seems like there must be 150 lbs there alone. I never thought for a moment that after my surgery I was going to have a thin, fit beach body. I hoped though that it would be less fat looking when dressed and in public. I almost feel like I want to tell people "Yeah, but just half a year ago I was..."