Use Your First Six Months Wisely

[iggychic 1,405]

I didn't knock anyone' date=' but thanks for the advice anyway....[/quote']

I'm sorry if that wasn't your intent. It felt that way to me perhaps because I am unable to exercise as much as I'd like to be doing now.

[twoolley 141]

For those reading this post and freaking out because you haven't "lost all the excess weight in 6 months" like the OP suggests I would like to comment that my surgeon's weight loss window is 2 years. He does not promote a crash weight loss method that this person is suggesting.

He and my NUT both feel it's an unhealthy approach to your new lifestyle. Trading one extreme not another is not a healthy lifestyle. If you are feeling depressed about your weight loss due to this post PLEASE consult your doctor or nutritionist. Becoming anorexic instead of obese is just as damaging for your organs & bone density.

Many people in this situation display addictive personalities, that is why we're addicted to food. One visit to the forum on here will show you people are prone to transferring their addiction to alcohol, drugs, sex, shopping, etc.

Again I say if this post is causing you anxiety or concern PLEASE contact your support group!!! Everyone is different! I am 6' 7" and the original poster, while apparently trying to be helpful, has an opinion that could damage or sabotage people's efforts because 250 calories a day with workout could cause serious problems for people like me.

[Catracks 865]

There is a honeymoon period where weight is easier to lose, but the window DOES NOT CLOSE. I am 20 pounds from goal and it is VERY slow, but I can still lose. I still have a great amount of restriction. I imagine 3/4 cup - a little more with soft foods and less with dense Protein. I currently get between 750-800 calories, but I am only 5'1".

What happens is that the more you have to lose, the faster it will drop if you stay with good eating. What happens is that after almost a year, we tend to get sloppy with food choices. Little treats creep back in and that's alright as long as you are aware and nip it in the bud if it's affecting weight loss.

Exercise is great to keep you fit and build the muscle, but I do not base my calories on an excise deficit. In fact, I only exercise for fun (hiking, biking, paddling) and it really does not affect my weight loss. How and what I eat does.

If I take an all day hike I use common sense and up the carbs - I up everything including Water to stay on my feet. If I don't, my body will tell me. Listen to it.

Please do not think you need to hurry up and lose it all. Six months? No way! Just work that sleeve. Eat your protein and fill the sides with vegetable, lower glycemic fruits and healthy carbs. You will get there.

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

surgeon and nutritionist don't always agree or match either. They are on the same team. She does share what my surgeon would say - offers a greater solution than a single answer. doesn't subscribe to the protien first for believes a balanced plate of food is best. - best to stick to what you believe but always stay open minded enough to change it when needed.

hi chad

what a dilema you have - dr. & NUT not always agreeing with the other. If you have to choose - i would listen to the NUT - she is the nutrition expert. Protein not necessary for first - never heard that, strange.

"stick to what you believe" thats gotta be hard/not sure if i agree, but i understand - i would talk and listen more to NUT - you have your great thoughts, a lot conceived from this forum - IMO NUT is the way to go over surgeon

quick analogy - i had PT for my knee after replacement - therapist told me to do one thing, dr said something else. i decided i wouldn't have my PT do my knee surgery, and i would NOT have surgeon do my physical therapy, figure it out

good luck - you're doing great

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

honeymoon period is real - do yourself a favor by losing as much as you can - process doesn't end for me when I get to goal - trying hard to make this forever...

jane

i loved your post - honeymoon period, it does stop/slow down at certain point, whether 6 months or a year. it eventually does stop.

"process doesn't end for me when i get to goal" - that's the part that people should understand, this isn't something that once you reach a certain weight, or goal - you must still continue to work to sustain your new great weight

trying hard to make this new lifestyle/health/weight last forever - "honeymoon" has ended ...but. not your life

after 21 years - my "honeymoon" might have stalled/slow downed a bit

but i will continue to enjoy my "honeymoon" life with my DH, still working to "maintain" but live with my continued happiness for ever

[makemyownluck 785]

quick analogy - i had PT for my knee after replacement - therapist told me to do one thing, dr said something else. i decided i wouldn't have my PT do my knee surgery, and i would have surgeon do my physical therapy, figure it out

Great analogy, proudgrammy!

And I agree. Especially since your NUT and MD are communicating with each other - your MD is deferring to the NUTs opinion on her area of expertise (which would be nutrition). I would say your MD probably should have advised you to discuss the topic with your NUT instead of giving you a misguided answer... can I guess that your MD is a MAN? lol - am I right??

Good luck getting it straightened out, though. If this particular conflict of info is really bothering you, I'd bring it up when you talk to your NUT so they can maybe elaborate on the answer your MD gave or just clearly advise that you should be doing something other than what the MD said.

[chad2rad 491]

For some reason the name Jillian Michaels comes to mind *Blah*

Sometimes Biggest Looser depresses me not inspired me.

[doxieville 799]

Sometimes Biggest Looser depresses me not inspired me.

I agree. I watched 10 minutes of the show and never watched it again. It was so disrespectful.

[sandygo 30]

My experience doesn't sound much like yours at all. I never did 500 calories -- got up to 1000+ as soon as I could' date=' and ate at least 1000 cals per day from like six weeks post-op. After a few months it was 1200-1500, and now it's 1500-2000. I've lost just fine, and worked out not at all the first nine months, then started going to the gym three times a week. But multiple-hour workouts are not really necessary IMO. I'm almost two years out now and still losing slowly here and there, not with some huge extra effort or anything. I think the honeymoon period is a 'thing' but after the honeymoon you're still married as it were. [/quote']

Thank you for posting this. I fear failure and when I read about having dead lines time frames or limitations I automatically feel like I'm going to fail. I've only lost 25 pounds my surgery was on nov 13. So I'm a very slow loser. Anyway thanks for keeping others motivated

[Catracks 865]

Just saying, Its been a year and a month since my surgery and I'm still losing. It's very slow because I am close to goal. I don't believe in any time frame.

Wow, 2000 calories? My weight and height of 5'1" would never take that much. I'm still at 750-800.

[Threetimesacharm 1,400]

I am 6 days shy of my 6 month anniversary. I also am .6 pounds away from my goal weight. I have been very successful with my VSG. I find it very hard to increase my food intake as I just can't fit more in. I probably hover around 700-800 max. If I tried for 1000 I would be stuffing myself. Right now I like it this way. I followed my eating plan to a "T" these past months and had very little "cheat foods". This is what has made me successful and I am glad that I could do it in 6 months.

When I read posts of those "cheating" in their first few months, I truly feel sorry for those and will bet that these sleevers will NOT meet their goal weights because they have not used their tool to its' ability. Once you start back into bad eating habits so early on you haven't really learned the healthy ones. Make the most of the first 6 months to lose as much as you can, learn life long good eating habits and transform your life for good.

[LifetimeLoser 208]

We all are fat right. That is why we had or are having the surgery. It has been impossible for us to lose it on our own. Sure if we could all take a year off from life and go on the biggest loser we would be able to, but who really has that luxury. So we get the surgery. Yay for us! I am so glad I got the freaking surgery.

So when you get to one year out and can eat like a semi-normal person you will not be able to lose it on your own - If you can't do it now, you won't be able to do it in a year from now. Eventually you will be able to consume enough calories and stop losing and it will be a struggle to lose the rest...IF YOU EVER DO.

So you have this window of opportunity. For me it was a good year, but for a lot of people it might only be six months and some of the lucky ones will have it forever. BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR "FOOD" LIFE WILL BE LIKE IN SIX MONTHS, A YEAR OR FOREVER, but you do know you have the six months! That is six months to basically allow your body to survive off of all of your stored goodness, fatty cells. You basically could just drink Water and eat very little and be fine. So do that! I really ate 500 calories the first six months, and I didn't eat much on the weekends. I wasn't hungry, and I didn't like food because it made me feel all yucky.

My good fortune lasted me a year and two months, but I am done losing now.

I am really sad when I hear people say that they are struggling to get the weight off after a year. They still have 60 more to lose. That window is closed and the only way they will lose weight is through diet and working out and a lot of it. To get that weight off they might have to work out 3 hours a day and do all the impossible things that were a struggle to do in the first place which is why we had surgery.

Use the first six months wisely...make them count. If you are stalling then eat nothing. I am serious. Drink water and cut your calories in 1/2. Work out for like 4 hours. You don't know how much time you will have. So for the first six months push yourself harder than you ever have. It is just six months and you have this excellent tool to help you.

Workout for four hours? And eat nothing??? That doesn't sound healthy to me. And it doesn't sound like a life style change...which what I'm in for.

[june13sleever 223]

Workout for four hours? And eat nothing??? That doesn't sound healthy to me. And it doesn't sound like a life style change...which what I'm in for.

You have a lot to lose. Good luck! Some people get it, some people don't. The people that don't remind me of the girl on the biggest loser right now. The one with the excuses who never breaks a sweat and thinks they are doing something. When you get to 1.5 years out with 30 left to lose honey the only way you are getting that last 30 off is by working out for 4 hours a day and eating maybe at that point 800 Calories which is going to be impossible because if you could have done that you would have not had the surgery. You go back to normal. I was eating pretty normal and every month I could see that i could eat just a bit more. But for me I ate nothing the first six months whereas people on here are eating way too many calories. I am over this subject. I lost 130 pounds and got down to 160. I am up now from baby weight, but when I pop that baby out I will be working out for 4 hours and eating 800 calories (I HOPE!) to get to 150. 160 was ok, but i could be 150. I hope the sleeve works for me, but if not I am actually going to have to try to work for myself. I ate a whole sandwich today. Like a big one! I have never been able to eat a whole sandwich.

[Catracks 865]

You have a lot to lose. Good luck! Some people get it, some people don't. The people that don't remind me of the girl on the biggest loser right now. The one with the excuses who never breaks a sweat and thinks they are doing something. When you get to 1.5 years out with 30 left to lose honey the only way you are getting that last 30 off is by working out for 4 hours a day and eating maybe at that point 800 Calories which is going to be impossible because if you could have done that you would have not had the surgery. You go back to normal. I was eating pretty normal and every month I could see that i could eat just a bit more. But for me I ate nothing the first six months whereas people on here are eating way too many calories. I am over this subject. I lost 130 pounds and got down to 160. I am up now from baby weight, but when I pop that baby out I will be working out for 4 hours and eating 800 calories (I HOPE!) to get to 150. 160 was ok, but i could be 150. I hope the sleeve works for me, but if not I am actually going to have to try to work for myself. I ate a whole sandwich today. Like a big one! I have never been able to eat a whole sandwich.

I don't agree at all. I have about the same restriction I did at 4 months. I measure, weigh and log everything. I suppose if you went back to grazing and eating the wrong foods then it would become impossible to lose without getting back on track. I don't ever plan to eat like a "normal" person. White rice and flour, fast food and junk food will always be off my menu. I don't miss it at all.

[kathrynb10 11]

This post and the majority of self righteous responses are the exact reason this forum has become a joke. If I wanted catty behavior and snark, I'd go to church.