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Although I had my surgery in February - I hosted my husband's three day family reunion not long after my surgery. I cooked, baked cakes, bought bakery goods, etc - and served food throughout the three days. I had decided before the surgery what I could eat and when, and just set my mind to it - with little or no problems. I sat at the table with the family - ate my meals - and talked up a storm with folks I hadn't seen in a year. Everyone knew I had gone through the surgery, and eveyone was supportive. Looking back on the reunion - it was a lot of fun and I have great memories of it - and I don't remember any feelings of deprivation. Once, years ago, I was on the modi-fast diet. For nine months, I mixed powdered Protein mix into smoothies (no calories added except the protein powder) and ate nothing but smoothies and broth. I went through Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations with the family. My sister and law and I cooked the whole shebang for both celebrations. She was suffering from really bad inflammatory bowel syndrome at the time - and all she was eating was mashed potatoes. She had her potatoes, and I had my smoothie and my broth. We had a great time during those holidays. It really came home to both of us that the celebration of the holiday with the family is about so much more than just eating a great meal. It is about family and friends, and sharing accomplishments, and catching up on what people are doing. Both holidays have much deeper meaning than just a gift exhange and a calorie festival. The important thing is making up your mind before hand, and making a plan. Then - you just do it. It got to the point that it really didn't bother me. Good luck with your surgery. If you do go through the holidays on the pre-op diet or just after surgery - my thoughts and prayers will be with you.

I used Spiegel for my surgery in December and it took me 8 months to get insurance approval. I was required to complete a 6 month weight loss program with my MD before I could even be submitted for approval. Do you know what your insurance guidelines for approval were? I have never heard of getting an approval that fast. And most insurance companies have 30 days. Hope that helps!!! Good luck to you. It has been an awesome journey. :biggrin2:

Hi Ronnie. Welcome. I was just like you 2 1/2 years ago. Scared to death of the surgery and how my life would change without having food to look forward to. Thing is....I only looked forward to the food because I couldn't do anything else. My hips were so bad that each step was torture. I was so heavy that I couldn't fit anywhere and spent so much of my time on the sidelines. Fast forward to today and I've lost 150 lbs. My hips were replaced and I can walk with virtually no pain. I can go up and down stairs again and with living in NYC, walking is vital. I went to London a few weeks ago and walked all over the city and even biked in the parks. I've got my life back again...better than it's been in years. I'm even in a relationship again..and I never expected that for sure. Like I said Ronnie...I've been where you are so take what I say and know that you will get your quality of life back and see your surgery as a second chance. Good luck and keep us posted.

OMG this is so awful I have to log everything that goes into my mouth for 1 whole week. This is day one. I am starving to death but can't bring myself to eat the rest of my McSkillet Burrito because I know that the dietitian is going to be looking at the log and saying to herself "yep I know what this one's problem is" I think I'll eat the whole thing and skip lunch then it won't look so bad right? I mean after I have the surgery there won't be anymore fast food for me so why not live it up. I know that's the attitude that got me here or at least part of the problem not all of it. So long for now I have a date with the rest of my burrito.

Hi everyone, Has anyone experienced any nausea post-op? I'll be 4 weeks out on Friday, been on soft foods since 11/22. Since Sunday I've experienced intermittent nausea during the day. Also more burping than usual. Not sure if it's because I restarted my BC pills Sunday, I stopped my omeprazole around the same time, a combo of the two, or something else entirely. It's more annoying than anything but sometimes if I drink Water it'll spark the nausea.

I went to the church to the walking track tonight and my daughter wanted to go, so I said whatever. When we got there she said she had to use the restroom and I went ahead and started walking. I was on Lap 4(16 laps is a mile) and she walked with me but kept telling me to slow down I was walking to fast. She finally gave up on lap 12 and started playing on her iPhone while I finished my three mile walk. That made me feel very good!!! I am 40, current weight 214.4, I have lost 46 lbs to date. I can not Believe that my 13 yo could not hang with me, kinda makes me laugh!!

You'll be fine.....you just had surgery under full anesthesia...now you have to let your self heal and get back to normal...you'll be climbing the walls in no time.... For 2 days after my surgery, I became one with my Lazy_boy recliner, a warm comforter, in front of my flat screen TV.... The Mrs. made sure I had plenty of liquids.... I did not skimp on the pain killers either..... Day 3 I had to get out of the house or I would go crazy....but i did tire fast.... One full week and I was back to work, and going to the gym.... This too shall pass.....

My suggestion would be to eat slowly. Put some food in your mouth, set your utensil down, and chew the crap out of it. Allot yourself 20 mins to complete your meal. Like Minaleigh mentioned items like pizza, our stomach handles the digestion of different textures differently. So, eat slowly. In doing so, it will allow the food to actually enter your stomach AND it will help you understand your own personal FULL feeling. My full feeling is a small burp. That tells me that I am either almost full or eating too fast and not allowing my food to digest.

Don't stress yourself out about it. I can eat like that too. I can eat 2 whole hard boiled eggs at one time! lol I still lose weight, not slow or fast but moderately, and I am not even working out yet. I walk, but nothing other than that. (I get the go ahead for exercise this thursday). As long as you are following plan and doing what your suppose to do you will lose weight! Your gonna drive yourself crazy over-thinking everything lol

I am 3 months out and the 2 times that I threw up, looking at it after, I feel that I did eat too fast. Take your time eating, chew well and enjoy the food that you are eating (I only eat a couple of bites), when I do that the food goes in just fine. You know your body better than anyone, just listen to it. Good luck in your journey:) Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Omg! I was sleeved on the same day as you and I just lost 30lbs. I want to loose around 45lbs more but I see I don't loose so fast anymore. To be honest, I don't train much but I take care of my food. To eat good quality and protein but still. I'm starting to get worried. :/

Nikki, Congratulations on your sugery!! I agree with the other poster, 17 pounds is a bit of a stretch to expect, but sometimes 10 lbs is also. You can work your butt off (like me) and maybe not lose as fast as everyone else. ( I avg 5 lbs a month with heavy excercise and pretty good eating habits). Everyone is different. It is great to have a goal and work as hard as you can to get to that goal, but if you don't quite make it, you should still be very proud of what you have accomplished. Your friends should love you for who you are, not what size bathing suit you wear. I definitely dont want to discourage you, but I want you to understand, we dont always make our goals....Good luck on your goals!! I'll be rooting for you to make it!!:thumbup: Melissa

I am so amazed at how varied the different pre-op diets are... Mine was so structured: low card slim fast for bfast and lunch. Lean Cuisine/Healthy Choice for dinner. No Snacks unless you are ready to binge, then you can have an 80 calorie cup of yogurt. The target is between 600-800 calories per day.

I am one week out, feeling great and I have taken on a healthy "I just dont' even care" attitude. For now, I am on a clear liquid fast and I just don't even care that I can't partake in the beautiful food I am feeding my dh and 3 kids. I just don't even care how long it takes to lose this weight, because I know that every day I make good healthy choices, I will be lighter tomorrow. If it takes me 4 years, I will still be here, God willing. I don't care that I only have one pair of pants that fit because I know that each and every day I will be getting closer to fitting allllllllllll those sizes in my closet. Looking forward to each and every day.

My sleeve is hungry! I can't wait to get off these liquids. That's my only issue! This was the best decision I've made. I tell you You're sleeve will let you know when you drink to fast or had too much! *pain*

Those low carb Slim Fast shakes do it to me EVERYTIME!!! It is strange, because it didn't happen prior to the surgery... I am 3 months out..Oh and good luck!

Hello everyone, I have been meaning to blog, but I have been so busy lately. But a few weeks ago I had my first PB!! It was after 230am (shouldn't have been eating that late!) and I was eat a corn dog, I think I may have been eating too fast. And I felt something that was maybe a little stuck. And then it happened and I was sooooooooo scared!!! OMG!!! But afterward I decided not to finish my food and I went to bed. I don't ever want that to happen again! Be blessed!

Hello everyone, I have been meaning to blog, but I have been so busy lately. But a few weeks ago I had my first PB!! It was after 230am (shouldn't have been eating that late!) and I was eat a corn dog, I think I may have been eating too fast. And I felt something that was maybe a little stuck. And then it happened and I was sooooooooo scared!!! OMG!!! But afterward I decided not to finish my food and I went to bed. I don't ever want that to happen again! Be blessed!

JerseyGirl i totally agree!!!! as OP said (me too earlier) if parents "misfed" him before - let him eat whatever, fast foods too but such a quantity for a kiddo i can't imagaine to weigh so much curious if his parents are overweight?? its true - a 2 year old can't drive to kentucky fried chicken, taco bell et al parents are responsible unless there really is some sort of medical prob that allows him to keep gaining weight if the parents step up to the "plate" ............. teach him all the rules, Water, portions etc. he has a chance at his young age, if this lifestyle is instilled in him, that will be his new life (eating healthy and correct portions) hope his recovery was ok i don't know about this, some of us have problems with WLS - hope he didn't have vomitting issues et al kathy

We all know exactly what weight gain is; the scale goes up in numbers, our clothes start to get tight, it takes more effort to get out of a chair, the seat belt is tighter and we just don’t feel as well. We all know what weight loss is; the scale shows us a lower number, our clothes hang funny and fall off of us, people start complimenting us about the way we look, we feel better, and we need less medicine. But weight maintenance is something that we all have failed to understand. We have gone up and down in our weight our entire lives, struggling to keep the weight off, gaining weight over and over again. Gaining it has always been easy, I just look at brownies and I would gain two pounds. I never understood my neighbor who was always a perfect size 8 and ate everything in sight. We all know people like that. What has always been missing, is weight maintenance – it was something that I had never achieved. It was elusive to me. I was a constant yo yo. I would lose the weight and thought I could maintain my weight loss but those old habits would sneak back in and sabotage me one more time. The frustration grew every time that I would go down and then back up again and many times with a bonus extra pounds. Each time getting more and more frustrated. When you buy a new car you shop around to get the best deal and then you pick the one that best suits you and your lifestyle. When you pick it up, it comes with a manual, a set instructions and guidelines. You need to put gas into the gas tank to make the car move and every 3, 0000 mile change the oil. Then every once in a while you need to take it in to the dealer who opens it up and looks inside. They make some adjustments and then they give you a bill. You pay the bill and then you are on your way. You need to wash and wax your car so it always looks good. Well, if you think about this is the same as having Bariatric Surgery. The new car is the same as your new pouch. You decide what kind of surgery that is best for you and your lifestyle. You shop around for the best surgeon. You are given a set of instructions from your surgeon, just like you received with your car. You need to feed yourself protein and water to keep you going. Every few months you need to see the surgeon, to check under your hood to take sure your blood levels are good to keep you going in the best condition. You doctor will give you some suggestions to keep you running well and keep you on the right road to weight loss. You exercise and continually add more fuel. But then one day you stop checking the oil and washing the car. A rattle appears out of nowhere and you get used to the new noise coming from the right front of the car. A door ding shows up and you do not even notice the second or third one. You forget to check under the hood. For the bariatric patient this is the time that they start to stray from their doctors program, they start to gain a little weight, we go back to some of our old habits without even thinking about it. This is where we all start to get into trouble. We think we do not need support group anymore, after all we have lost a lot of weight and we think that we are doing just fine. Then all of a sudden we have a wreck, we got on the scale and it is up by 20 or 25 pounds. It is time to call the Auto club tow truck. We need to get towed back to the right road. The Maintenance Road. We all have heard the new Weight Watchers ad campaign, that diets do not work, every one of us know that diets do not work. We have tried them all and look where we ended up; heavier and more frustrated. The only thing that will have lasting effects on us is when we are ready to make lifestyle changes. These changes will make us not only lose the weight but to keep it off for life. To lose weight and keep it off, the best approach is to focus on lifestyle changes and develop an eating plan that's enjoyable, yet healthy and low in calories. This approach will result in weight loss that you can live with - that is, that you can maintain over a long period of time. We need to attend support groups and get a constant stream of positive motivation to keep us on the Maintenance Road. It is easy to get lost and to end up in a dead end; your support group can direct you back at anytime. We are here to help you achieve the goals that are important to you. We each need to learn to make it a Lifestyle that you can live with and enjoy day in and day out to continue to maintain your weight loss. Successful Make it a Lifestyle weight-maintenance strategies Now that you have lost the weight, you can't stop your hard work. Weight maintenance requires daily exercise, healthy eating, a long-term commitment and constant attention. The following habits are essential for you to develop to achieve long term weight maintenance: Healthy snacks and meals - Focus on low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Keep saturated fat low and limit sweets and alcohol. Remember that no one food offers all the nutrients you need. Choose a variety of foods throughout the day. Remember to eat two bites of dense protein to one bite of anything else. Exercise program - One of the most important things you can do for weight maintenance is to continue a aggressive exercise program. Studies suggest that it only takes 30 to 60 minutes of moderately intense physical activity daily to maintain weight loss. Moderately intense physical activities include swimming, fast walking, biking, and hiking. Know and avoid your food traps - Know which situations can trigger you’re out-of-control eating. The best way to identify these food traps and emotional eating is to keep a food journal. For as long as you find it helpful, write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling and how hungry you are. This will help you understand and stay in control of your eating behaviors. Regularly monitor your weight - People who weigh themselves at least once a week are more successful in keeping off the pounds. Monitoring your weight can tell you whether your efforts are working and can help you become aware of small weight gains before they become larger. Be consistent - Sticking to your new lifestyle plan during the week, on the weekends, and amidst vacation and holidays increases your chances of long-term maintenance. Attend Support Group - Getting support is critical, whether through a friend, family member, trained professional or support group, can ultimately mean the difference between your success and failure.

i would say that is great you dont want to lose too much too fast and for me i didint loose anything the first 3 months until the dr found the sweet spot with the fills

I'm new here. I'm 31, 5 ft tall, and over 100 lbs overweight. I feel self-concious, when I registered for my orientation, the employee looked at me and said, "others are going to look at you and think you don't belong here." Um, thanks? I meet all requirement, BMI over 40, recently diagnosed as a diabetic, on metformin and I have auto-immune hashimotos thyroiditis. I'm doing this alone now... My husband was originally supportive, but now he tells me that I'm doing this dradtic thing, over-reacting and its unnecessary. If I wanted to lose weight, I just need to eat less, right? And of course, once I have this done, I can't eat my snack of Cereal. I'm not quite sure while he thinks cereal is important to me, but whatever. I've had my psych shall and passed, and attended the orientation today. I have my consult with the surgeon and appt with the dietician on 3/29. I'm really excited, I hope to get things moving fast. I've lost 4 lbs in the last couple of months, simply by going to a gluten-free diet (because hof the hashimotos). Last week, I started going to the gym twice a week and I bought an elliptical to use at home. I estimate that ill have to lose approx 20 lbs, so hopefully it will be easily attainable. Does anyone have any pointers? I'd like to say I have support... I have two friends whom I can talk to, bit they've never btdt. Will I be allowed to drive home from the hospital? It requires an overnight stay, so I'll be over the anesthesia, bit I don't know if they will let me leave solo. At this point, I just can't count on my husband. This is all over the place, so if you've followed me, thanks.

As far as my mini goals, I just looked at other people on here and how fast they lost after surgery and tried to come up with something reasonable. I assume I'll lose 7 or 8 lbs during 2 week liquid pre-op. That means I would need to lose about 10 lbs in the first month to get to my onederland goal. My next goal is 23 lbs in 3 more months, that may be too aggressive....I am typically a slow loser. But I'm not going to get too hung up on that.....I set the goals for it to be fun, not so I can get down if I don't quite make it that fast. I have hope and that sustains me.

My first month was very similar to yours. Everything I have tried has settled just fine. My tummy still gurgles like crazy when I eat something new tho! I am only uncomfortable if I eat too much or too fast. The only Pasta I have had was in a lean cuisine meal but didn't have any issues. Glad you are doing so well!! Keep it up!!

Your question is a little confusing. Have you had the surgery yet? If so, folllow Normas answer. She is right, no one will notice. Just take the soft foods offered, and drink Water. no alcohol. OR get a juice drink~ 50/50 water and cranberry juice carry that around with you it looks like a drink. I put mine in a wine glass. no one knows or cares. No soda! Find out where the bathroom is right away, so if you do eat too fast, and there is a problem, well, you can make you exit less obtrusive. Remember~~SIP!!! Now, if you have not been sleeved and are asking about the pre op diet, HELL YES we all cheated. No saints in this club. Ya just do the best you can. And, when you are sleeved you get to do so much better! So, go to the party! Have fun, do not tell anyone what you are doing. It is personal and should not be brought up in a party setting. Memorize a couple of jokes before you go. Talk about cooking, sports, books, chairity's, trips planned. That kind of stuff. Enjoy your life! Do not put off one moment for "later" do it all now.