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i love gathering data and making observations!!! thanks for allowing me to let my freak fly! soooo: i clocked in at 2293 calories as of 9:30pm-ish yesterday. and whaddayaknow, this is actually an amount that i normally eat these days! HOWEVER, a couple things to note: 1) i took an almost 3 hour nap after i digested the offending breakfast. so my "eating window" was quite reduced....and my calorie burning hours were also reduced) 2) when i woke up, i went to town on a charcuterie board The Kid made and we all know cheese and cured meats and fig jam and crackers and nuts and dried fruit have a ton of calories. especially with the amount i ate, ha! sooo...i dunno if yesterday was a typical example of me eating in the morning and the ensuing result. a little anticlimactic...whomp whomp.

I have experimented with making my own low carbohydrate breads using primarily eggs and almond flour. Here is a go-to recipe for making a little at a time; I scale it up if I am meal prepping. 1 egg 1 Tablespoon olive oil 3 Tablespoons Almond Flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and pour into a microwave-safe bowl or ramekin. Microwave for 90 seconds. Flip out and slice in half. It's not exactly bread, but paired with a veggie sausage patty, it's a very filling grab-n-go breakfast. For convenience, I have purchased Healthy Life Keto Bread at supermarkets. It has 35 calories per slice, 9g of carbohydrates, 8g of fiber, and 5g of protein. My serving size is usually one piece toasted, with avocado, tomato, and nutritional yeast on top.

Hi everyone. I'm really really new here. Just signed up some couple of minutes ago. I have undergone bypass surgery in 2021. It's going to be full 3 years pretty soon. I am also struggling with the weight-loss regain/comeback. It's almost as if it has been a 2-year-miraculous-weight-loss-bonus time frame where you lose weight almost automatically... Yes, in the last 12 months-or-so I have been neglecting systematic and disciplined exercise/physical activity. My dieting hasn't been particularly strict either... I'm just pretty much saddened for having regained almost 20 kilos again (around 40 pounds, i'd say? sorry, metric-system folk over here) and once more facing the REALLY REALLY hard struggle of losing weight once again, just as if I've never had the surgery. LUNAXINIAN, just like you, I'd really like to read/receive folks' advice if this same weight re-gain happened to any of you as well, and what did you do, how did you overcome it, and most of all, how did you manage to start losing weight once again?

I HIGHLY recommend trying Mirilax. It's always been a heaven sent for me! It takes time, up to 3 days for some people but it works without cramping and diarrhea. I do a cap and 1/2 in about 8-10oz of liquid every day until i go, ususally about 2 days...hot cocoa was my go-to for liquid. I hope this helps!

I'm a bit envious of your ability to purge your pantry! I share a home with my fella and my Mom, who I'm taking care of, so I just have to soldier through and think of what negative consequences would come from me eating the wrong thing. It has been interesting this week seeing them 'figure out meals' without my participation. I still cooked twice for them, the first time I made a big platter of stuffed peppers which wasn't TOO difficult to smell on day one but man, as the week went on smelling it be reheated was rough. The second time I cooked them salmon, broccoli, and rice. I DID break down and eat like two tiny bites of the salmon. I think my body will be forgiving of that tiny lapse - it was after all lean protein. I almost wish I'd done two weeks of this diet to make extra sure I was ready enough for the surgeon but I AM following the diet as I was told to. Granted, the last several months I didn't *exactly* eat the greatest but I did stay on track with my allotted calories for the day, which they had set at 1600. I admit that I did eat more fried food than I was 'supposed to'. It's been hard, honestly, losing my ability to turn to food for comfort, not turning to cigarettes for anxiety / comfort, bouncing around emotionally while I adjusted to taking the Chantix, and also - hadn't mentioned this previously, but I WAS drinking far more alcohol than I should have been up until about 4 months ago. That's another reason I took the extra month's delay when I shifted surgery types gracefully. You seem to REALLY have your stuff in order! Oh - the nail polish - Honestly, the nurse in my closing seminar seemed to be very 'no-polish' strict but when I went to my pre-surgery check-in at the hospital I asked about it and they glanced at my short nails and said they were fine. I was nervous about that, because I keep mine maintained due to my anxiety issues - I used to have trouble not scratching at wounds, biting my nails, etc - but they said as long as my nails were short enough to get the finger monitor on and I didn't have any gems or super dark colors it would be fine. I just went and got my nails done on Thursday and chose super light, neutral colors so you really have to look closely to notice that they have a little shimmer to them and had them done very short. I appreciate that they worry about risk of infection; I've always been super neurotic about looking under my nails for dirt, scrubbing them, etc so I think they will be fine. If I say that often enough everything WILL be fine, right? Lol -- I can't wait to get past Monday!

I make a decaf cold brew and add the Caffe Latte Premier Protein shake (I know I know no caffeine, but I have tolerated it well and its the only caffeine I have all day). I found recipes for some for "shakes", 1 cookies and cream premier with 3 tbls of sugar free fat free cheesecake jello powder mix for an Oreo cheesecake mix. Caramel premier with decaf cold brew and there is a zero everything caramel sauce my Jordan Mims Skinny Syrup that you can top onto your shakes with a drizzle. PB Chocolate Premier shake with 1tbls of pb2 and ice. You can also make protein pudding with 1 package of the sugar free fat free jello mix and one shake. Anywho! I drink a profee every single day because I love them and my first bite of food was eggs and it was HEAVY. just go slow and find foods you enjoy! Okay I'm done with my tangent LOL

it's been over nine years for me, but I think they did test for certain vitamins because I remember I was deficient in vitamin (as are MANY people), so they had me on prescription vitamin D for a couple of weeks to bring my levels back up to normal.

Girl, you can totally laugh! I just really needed to know lol I’ve been having a bad stomach week and I was like nothing I have been doing has changed…except 😂 But thank you for being honest and a woman in solidarity! Haha

Well, I have low energy sometimes. I'm at 225 right now. My goal is 170-180. I guess it could be some "head hunger", but I also have spells that seem to me to be hypoglycemia. Also, my stomach growls and I feel sickish. Idk. If it is "head hunger", do you have any tips for getting through it? My psych suggested sipping a warm drink when hunger hits. I'm not a warm drink fan, but have tried herbal tea a few times. I just feel like my weight is coming off so slowly now. Like a pound every 2 weeks. At this rate, I will never reach my goal. I do exercise at least 3 or 4 days a week. I try my darnedest to stay under 1200. But, there are lots of days where I go over and the guilt murders me.

My package had a 2 year lifespan. I could see them every month if I needed to and I did in the beginning. That lasted about 9 months because I had some problems. The last year was 2 x quarterly and a last check in at 2 years for my pat on the back. I enjoyed my visits because I did well at weight loss, unlike weight watchers etc where I would just stall for months on end. All the while enduring the ritual non humiliation/ seething jealousy that these groups use to motivate

I agree with Nickelchip. Programs vary, but that sounds like a misunderstanding. Most people are on solid foods at about a month out (after doing a week or two of liquids, then purees, then maybe soft foods). You're two weeks out - most people at that point are on purees or soft foods - and they start introducing solid foods about a month out, give or take... or like she said, maybe you have some unique medical circumstances (?)

Just adding my voice to the general advice to eat 3-4oz of protein per meal (chicken breast seems best for you?) Then a couple of oz of green veg. Berries for snacks if you really need those. Ditch everything else from that plate? I totally agree there's nothing awful on it but if you are fighting a new set weight (WLS can do a number on that) you might need to redraw the lines of battle. Strictly protein and green veg till you're losing consistently?

I just got my date today for surgery. 3/14

Gonna attempt what @Hiddenroses has taught me about tagging and see if I can make it work lol. @AndreaJD Hey, I write the fanfics too when I have time. Mostly Star Wars and LotR fanfic, but I have been thinking about a fanfic involving Bucky and Sam for a while. (Not a ship fic, just a fun writing experience.) People make fanfic out to be a terrible thing, but honestly it's what got most of us started in writing. As for your question about the surgery not working, I can't speak from that experience YET. (soon, so soon) But I think it is health to remember that everyone is different and everyone will have a different experience. @ShoppGirl Thank you for the recipe! I'm going to see what I have available at the grocery store for dairy alternatives. I would prefer not to kill myself immediately after surgery lol! I do agree with AndreaJD that it does sound amazing though, so hopefully I can find something that works for me. I struggled yesterday and did not meet my protein goals on the clear liquid diet. But I survived it and now I'm on to day 2. I have a better plan in mind for meeting my goals today, so hopefully it works out for me. I have to work 2 of my 3 jobs today, and one of them is a grocery store. Pray for me, y'all! lol

Stalls are perfectly normal & are an important part of your weight loss as the others have said. The first one usually begins around week 3but can be before or after this time like yours. They generally last 1-3 weeks & again they can last longer or even only for fewer days. The numbers are based on averages & so just give you an idea what might happen when. Yes they are frustrating but it’s best to let them ride out. The stall will break when your body is ready to move forward again. Don’t stress it out by making more changes other than those required by your plan so stick to it. Reduce how often you’re on the scales & try taking body measurements. Many notice that while the scale doesn’t move, their clothing fits differently. Also, if you would like more precise information about portion sizes, macros, etc, ask for them from your dietician. It’s about feeling comfortable & confident about what you’re doing, For example did they say when you should be up to a cup of food? I was told 6 months for a cup but that was what I was told for me.

I can answer a couple of your questions. Yes, you will likely need to get your dentures re-fitted. I’m a nurse and have patients who have had large weight losses and they have needed to have this done. Protein shakes will depend highly on your taste. What tastes good to you now may change post op. I wouldn’t buy a large quantity of anything, Rather, just a single serving to try out post op. I personally really like the premier and fair life protein shakes, but others hate them. I took three weeks off work, but could have gone back after two. I really only needed someone there with me for the first couple days then would have been fine on my own. The sooner you get back to gentle activity, even just day to day care of yourself, the quicker you’ll recover.

Congratulations on your date. Cutting the caffeine is hard. That’s what I’m struggling with right now. My problem is figuring out exactly how much I was drinking because I was getting it from various sources and just drinking it freely. Yesterday I woke up with a massive headache at like 2am. I guess I tried to cut it too much. This morning I was fine though so I think I have a better idea. I only allowed myself 4 weeks because it didn’t even take that last time with the sleeve but forgot about the headaches because last time I could take Alieve but this time I really can’t rely on that. I really hope I didn’t cut this too close.

an NSV in the same vein: vacation packing is soooooo much more satisfying. our smaller clothes take up way less room so we can either: (a) bring more clothes, yay! no need to pick and choose, just bring it all!! OR (b) bring smaller luggage, yay again! i have been on many vacations now (several of them for 2 weeks or longer) where i only needed a carry on for my stuff. Win!

So by 8 months post op with the sleeve, I started having complications. But before that, I was able to eat a cup to a cup and a half of food, depending on what it was. Now a year out from my revision to bypass, I have 2 cups of protein cereal, or 1 small piece of steak and 1/4 cup of cheesy peas. Or I can have a can of soup. I can have 2 chicken drum sticks and 1/4 cup of veggies. It's not so much HOW MUCH you eat as it is WHAT you eat. I'm careful with what I eat, I still log and track everything, and I avoid sugar (or go with no sugar added if it's unavoidable) and rarely use salt (but use Himalayan salt if I REALLY need it). It's about how often you eat and what you're eating. I don't graze. I eat 3 meals and 2 snacks. I don't drink alcohol (empty calories and carbs), I don't drink soda (again, empty calories and carbs and frankly, don't like the taste anymore), and I made sure to find alternatives to things I use to eat a lot that are healthier but still yummy. I don't feel like I'm deprived because it all tastes good.

I think the hardest part for me, like @RonHall908 said, is having foods be fine one day and nearly lethal the next. I had scrambled eggs several times, no problem. So I ordered scrambled eggs while out one day last week and ended up searching high and low for a discreet place to vomit. I made a batch of tuna salad and split it into two servings. One serving was fine. The next day, nope. I could accept it so much easier if I just knew okay, this item is off the list for good. But having to build up the courage to try again in another week or two after an unpleasant experience is daunting.

I thought kicking soda would be a lot harder. Because I had 4-5+ per day plus 2-3 energy drinks for several years. I know how it can be very tough to kick. You're not the only one with several vices. There's no easy way to kick all at the sametime. Very few people could ever do that. Getting rid of them won't happen in a day. I wish you the best in trying to do so. One battle at a time.

I started losing my hair 3 weeks out and it hasn't slowed a bit. I've lost about 50% of my hair and have some noticeable bald spots now. I want to dye my hair dark - will the hair dye affect anything? I figure it's totally unrelated since the hair loss is hormonal and my hair isn't actually DAMAGED and shouldn't break. My hair looks thin and stringy. I am kind of thinking about shaving it totally off even though I would look ridiculous. I don't know what to do. Every day there are clumps in my shower drain I have to remove. Yes, I've tried all the supplements and special shampoos and blahblahblah. I've come to accept it's just going to happen and EVENTUALLY it will stop and everything will regrow... but it's been almost 6 months of this! Prior to surgery, I'd been trying to grow my hair out from a staggered forward bob and it's taken almost two years, so I'd rather not cut it... but when the new hair grows in, will it looks all patchy and uneven in length? Maybe this belongs in rants and raves. lol. Any thoughts on the hair dye?

Protein water is really nice, or drinkable yogurts, Fairlife milk mixed with some decaf coffee, or something like sugar free pudding mix in a favorite flavor made with Fairlife milk. Blended cottage cheese if it's allowed (when you put it in the blender, you get rid of the chunks and it turns the consistency of a thick sour cream, so it might be okay). Oh, PB2 peanut butter powder mixed into plain yogurt is also good. The only protein shake I can stand these days is Syntrax Nectar Natural in orange flavor. It reminds me of Tang, sort of, and it looks like orange juice, so I can pretend I'm having an orange juice instead of a shake. All the rest of them are going to be going in the trash soon because after surgery I lost my taste for them completely. But basically, focus your energy on hydration. You're only a week out. If you are low on protein and barely eat anything, it'll sort itself out in the coming weeks. Try your best, but don't worry if you come up short. Your body can handle a few weeks of not getting much nutrition. If you have to choose, choose to hit your fluid goal first and don't force yourself to eat foods if you aren't feeling it. And stop with the broth. Sounds like you don't like it, and it's not required for healing. After buying a ton of really expensive bone broth, I disliked it on its own and never had it at all during the liquid phase. Now I use it to make bean soup.

VSG 3/5 for me! Nervous but so excited 🤍

I completely understand your frustration, in the last 8 weeks I've lost and regained the same two pounds. I'm 9 months in..so very close to your timeframe. I read in my bariatric clinic handbook to contact the clinic if weight loss stops longer than 4-5 weeks. I have an appointment next week at which time I will be asking for answers. Like you, I am always at a calorie deficit, I watch every single calorie, fat, sugar and carb gram sticking to my 800 calories a day, 80 protein grams, 50 net carbs a day. My labs are "perfect"... So yeah I do understand, I'm sorry you're going through this, especially for longer than I have. What did your doctor recommend/say? As far as being cold, there are numerous posts here on the forum with other WLS patients discussing being cold all the time - do a search to find them. In fact, as I type this I have a heating pad on my back and an electric blanket on in front - its 56°F here too cold!!! Before surgery I would have been fine, I kept my heat on during the winter at 55° and was comfortable where as everyone else was chilly. So, its completely normal. I was wearing a long sleeve shirt in 76° sunshine the other day and was still chilly. So rest assured your being cold is completely normal! Let us know what your doctor said and keep us updated!