I was reading and I got this

SergeantSausage

Zedeff wrote: »

SergeantSausage wrote: »

happyfeetrebel1 wrote: »

I had a vertical gastrectomy on 3/5/2012. It's not easy or a 'way out' as people here think. Honestly, it's as much work as not doing it at all. You CAN gain weight back if you're not careful.

You don't concentrate on your caloric intake much, it's more getting a LOT of protein. (I try to be around 80 grams per day, minimum. And yes, you do eat low carb afterward. I eat very very minimal carbs now.

More importantly, you have to follow up on your care. Blood tests, checkups and supplements for life. You'll have to have psychiatric evaluations, full physicals/ultrasounds/ekg/stress tests prior. I had to do a mental health survey. Counseling for most is required. It's not a walk in the park.

Dieticians are required, both before and after. You'll have to lose weight before the surgery. You'll have to do a liquid diet as well. You'll have to log EVERY.DAMN.BITE you take.

You'll have to MOVE. You have to commit to an exercise program/regimen and stick to it.

Many people here will tell you not to do it, that it's the 'easy way out' or 'it's too risky'. My surgery has less than a 5% chance of complications, and less than 1% death. It's fairly routine when done at a 'center of excellence'

However, like I said, it's not easy, it's a tool. Use it correctly and you will be awesome. Go back to old habits, (eating badly, sitting on the sofa), and you will gain weight back.

I couldn't have done this without it, but I do have open eyes concerning it for others.

Good luck on your journey!

Then its unnecessary, right?

I mean, if it's actually the "as much work", then you can do it without additional risk that comes with unnecessary surgery.

HINT: It ain't the same, no matter what you think.

Bull *kitten*. I guess you don't believe in CICO then? Because weight loss is defined by calorie restriction, not the size of one's stomach. Or did you forget that from up high on your horse?

Losing a pound with bariatric surgery requires the same 3500 kcal deficit as it does without.

SO ...as I was saying, if it's the same thing, then you don't need the surgery, right?

Right?

'Cause its all the same, with or without ...


HINT: It's still not.

grandmothercharlie

Yes, talk to your Dr. about the pain.

And you don't have to over do (or do at all) to see the benefits. When I started, I could only walk 10 minutes at a slow pace. It did get easier as I lost weight and as I got in better shape. Now I can walk fast and forever. Or, just put on music and dance! I even do that at lunchtime sometimes in my office! The main thing is try to get a little movement in.

MFP profile goals is a good place to start to figure out calories. Set it for a 2-pound a week loss and sedentary for activity level. Later you may want to get a tracker as you get more active.

As far as the surgery goes, I know people who have been successful and didn't have complications from surgery, but they worked hard, too. The gastric sleeve seems to be the newest and best method with least complications, better nutrient absorption, and least hunger. There are bariatric groups here on MFP. If you want advice on surgery, talk to them. Only you and your doctor's should make the final decision. Also, check with your local hospital. They usually have informational seminars on gastric surgery.

Also read the forum success stories of people here who have done it on their own. They have inspired me.

Whatever you do, know it isn't a breeze and you will get discouraged at some points along the way. My favorite MFP quote (wish I knew to whom to give credit) is: "Being fat is hard. Losing weight is hard. Choose your hard!"

tuckerrj

My brother had lap band. He's had to have two more surgeries to repair the damage. By the way, he's gained back what little weight he lost, plus more. Numerous people in my office lost tons of weight on LCHF, only to gain it back once they couldn't live a life with little carbohydrates. In the mean time, many of us here have lost and maintained those losses with little or no complications on a reduced calorie, CICO type eating plan.

Zedeff

SergeantSausage wrote: »

Zedeff wrote: »

SergeantSausage wrote: »

happyfeetrebel1 wrote: »

I had a vertical gastrectomy on 3/5/2012. It's not easy or a 'way out' as people here think. Honestly, it's as much work as not doing it at all. You CAN gain weight back if you're not careful.

You don't concentrate on your caloric intake much, it's more getting a LOT of protein. (I try to be around 80 grams per day, minimum. And yes, you do eat low carb afterward. I eat very very minimal carbs now.

More importantly, you have to follow up on your care. Blood tests, checkups and supplements for life. You'll have to have psychiatric evaluations, full physicals/ultrasounds/ekg/stress tests prior. I had to do a mental health survey. Counseling for most is required. It's not a walk in the park.

Dieticians are required, both before and after. You'll have to lose weight before the surgery. You'll have to do a liquid diet as well. You'll have to log EVERY.DAMN.BITE you take.

You'll have to MOVE. You have to commit to an exercise program/regimen and stick to it.

Many people here will tell you not to do it, that it's the 'easy way out' or 'it's too risky'. My surgery has less than a 5% chance of complications, and less than 1% death. It's fairly routine when done at a 'center of excellence'

However, like I said, it's not easy, it's a tool. Use it correctly and you will be awesome. Go back to old habits, (eating badly, sitting on the sofa), and you will gain weight back.

I couldn't have done this without it, but I do have open eyes concerning it for others.

Good luck on your journey!

Then its unnecessary, right?

I mean, if it's actually the "as much work", then you can do it without additional risk that comes with unnecessary surgery.

HINT: It ain't the same, no matter what you think.

Bull *kitten*. I guess you don't believe in CICO then? Because weight loss is defined by calorie restriction, not the size of one's stomach. Or did you forget that from up high on your horse?

Losing a pound with bariatric surgery requires the same 3500 kcal deficit as it does without.

SO ...as I was saying, if it's the same thing, then you don't need the surgery, right?

Right?

'Cause its all the same, with or without ...


HINT: It's still not.

I'm not sure of your grasp of language. You just said that IF surgery works the same as dieting then one doesn't need surgery. Then you undermined yourself and said it's NOT the same.

Isn't the logical conclusion in this scenario that, since it's not the same, that some people DO need surgery? That's the argument that you just made. In that case, we agree.

KristenMarie1181

I think I have been eating bad foods. I like look at the calorie intake before I buy the item (getting boring but I gotta do it). Maybe I should take a picture of what i eat each day or in the week. I need help. I don't like greens. Someone just told me that she eats a lot of greens. I can't eat vegetables without ranch dressing. It is very disgusting. I hate the bland taste of carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and all the others. Yuck. Lol i know I should probably start eating that but is there any other way to make that type of food enjoyable? Or can I eat something else that is good for me? I am a very very picky eater and I have very little money for groceries. (no income at the moment been looking for work for quite a while)..

MonsoonStorm

well there's a problem before you even begin to think about surgery...

If you have bypass and then try to live off things smothered in ranch dressing, you will be in for a very bad time... If you are a picky eater to begin with then you will have serious issues when you have to eat certain things and avoid other things completely.

my Sister had bypass and her first year was absolute hell. Constantly throwing up, couldn't eat. Even had problems staying hydrated. The diet post surgery is *strict* because if it isn't then you end up with all sorts of deficiencies. Rich foods invariably ended up with her having dumping syndrome (locked in the bathroom, dizzy, unable to move, sweating profusely). She would come out with us for a meal and end up paying 10 pounds for something she could only take a bite out of.

So I suggest having a good long hard think. Which is more acceptable? Restricting your intake yourself whilst allowing yourself leeway to have a slice of cake on your birthday, or watching all of your friends eat your cake whilst licking a bit of the icing and wishing you could have a simple glass of wine to celebrate without ending up absolutely hammered and ill.

If you don't have kids and want them you *really* need to consider the pregnancy angle too. If you can't keep enough nutrients in your body for yourself, then you haven't much hope for two of you. My sister did get pregnant after her surgery, it was rough. Her baby was born underweight but thankfully otherwise healthy, although there were times during pregnancy when there were some serious worries. That's soemthing no mother-to-be wants to deal with - especially if you are prone to blaming yourself for things (if only I hadn't done x then my baby would be healthy, if only I could have tried harder etc).

Start teaching yourself to like healthy food more. Food is an acquired taste. I used to hate olives, oysters, liver and blue cheese. I love them now. Things change, you can change, but you need to change your way of thinking first.

KristenMarie1181

Yeah I been eating lots of processed foods. I just don't know what to buy at the grocery store.. I need a list and help to eat them I guess..

PeachyPlum

Can you open your diary or tell us what you DO like to eat?
That would give us a starting point for suggesting other foods.

Hearts_2015

BeautifulEyes81 wrote: »

Thank you all for the inspiration and the words about the surgery. I didn't know I would have to do all that. I will try my hardest once again and hopefully succeed and not back out. But when I work out I have pain. Pain everywhere especially my hips. I hate pain. I am a big baby when it comes to pain..

I was wondering can someone help me with the calorie intake, protein, carbs, sugar? I am not sure if my MFP is right or not..

Pain lessened greatly as I lost weight...if you feel it's a sign of something serious someone mentioned going to the Dr. Being grossly overweight can cause many pains, sitting, standing, walking, you name it you probably are going to feel pain. Read up on how much added weight/pressure we put on our knees by how many extra lbs. we are overweight by. It's pretty scary... losing weight is what's most important, you can start now and decide on WLS later if you really want to mess with that.

KristenMarie1181

Opened. And yes I ate something bad last night. We all have those days but never again i got sick from it.. (fastfood)

KristenMarie1181

WLS? what you mean

LiftAllThePizzas

happyfeetrebel1 wrote: »

I had a vertical gastrectomy on 3/5/2012. It's not easy or a 'way out' as people here think. Honestly, it's as much work as not doing it at all. You CAN gain weight back if you're not careful.

You don't concentrate on your caloric intake much, it's more getting a LOT of protein. (I try to be around 80 grams per day, minimum. And yes, you do eat low carb afterward. I eat very very minimal carbs now.

More importantly, you have to follow up on your care. Blood tests, checkups and supplements for life. You'll have to have psychiatric evaluations, full physicals/ultrasounds/ekg/stress tests prior. I had to do a mental health survey. Counseling for most is required. It's not a walk in the park.

Dieticians are required, both before and after. You'll have to lose weight before the surgery. You'll have to do a liquid diet as well. You'll have to log EVERY.DAMN.BITE you take.

You'll have to MOVE. You have to commit to an exercise program/regimen and stick to it.

Many people here will tell you not to do it, that it's the 'easy way out' or 'it's too risky'. My surgery has less than a 5% chance of complications, and less than 1% death. It's fairly routine when done at a 'center of excellence'

However, like I said, it's not easy, it's a tool. Use it correctly and you will be awesome. Go back to old habits, (eating badly, sitting on the sofa), and you will gain weight back.

I couldn't have done this without it, but I do have open eyes concerning it for others.

Good luck on your journey!

The reason people will tell you not to do it is because if you log everything you eat and move more, you will be successful, and if you don't do those things, you will not. The surgery is not part of the equation. So it's not that it's "an easy way out" but that it's a waste of time and money, plus you're stuck with it forever.

Hearts_2015

DaneanP wrote: »

BeautifulEyes81 wrote: »

But when I work out I have pain. Pain everywhere especially my hips.

Please talk to your doctor about this. Don't let him/her brush you off because you are overweight. You could have an underlying problem that needs to be addressed before you begin exercising. Perhaps a physical therapist can help as well. But start with the doctor.

And I agree with the above poster. You don't have to do any exercise at all. Or you could check out some youtube videos on seated exercises you can do (I did them when I broke my foot) to help get your heart rate up a little and tone you upper body some. Without stress on your hips.

Keep us posted on your progress.

When a person is very very overweight it's important to continue some sort of movement to continue the blood flow to the heart. Even if you simply lift up your arms if you can, a couple more times than the time before. What sounds like simple movements to some can be overwhelmingly painful and nearly impossible for the very overweight.

If all you can do is stand up and sit down, that's a good start to incorporate exercise just keep adding a bit more each time.

All the Best

GWehsling

BeautifulEyes81 wrote: »

Yeah I been eating lots of processed foods. I just don't know what to buy at the grocery store.. I need a list and help to eat them I guess..

Nobody can do this journey for you. Nobody can make you eat right, do your groceries, cook your food or eat right for you, here.

If it hurts when you move, then start moving at a slower pace and gradually build up. If you find the taste of food to be a problem, start by cutting back on the dressing (which is changing your expectations of food taste) and start by eating actual food.

MFP is he right place to count your calories but nobody says you have to start today at full speed. I would suggest you use this site to create a menu and start working towards that, in time, you'll notice that you start to hit your goals a few more days a week than most and over time, you'll be hitting it every day. The general consensus and anecdotal evidence here is that you will have to be moving and counting calories before you will be considered for surgery, so what are you waiting for?

Just start and start now and good luck!

KristenMarie1181

Ty GW! but getting suggestions on what to eat isn't a bad thing to ask for. Not telling people to buy my groceries..

PeachyPlum

BeautifulEyes81 wrote: »

Opened. And yes I ate something bad last night. We all have those days but never again i got sick from it.. (fastfood)

We all have those days. Nobody is here to judge you

PeachyPlum

Hey, the cDonald's wasn't that bad, that's about the calorie count of my average lunch and I get fewer calories than you.
It looks to me like snacks are really your biggest struggle right now, nearly half your calorie intake on some days.

Merkavar

Sounds like surgery is expensive painful and not guaranteed and involves all the things of normal weightloss.

What is the point? If you need to exercise, count calories, eat a specific diet before and after the surgery. Why not do all of that and not get the surgery and loss weight in a normal way?

Spend the 20k or what ever it costs on a holiday.

hsmith0930

happyfeetrebel1 wrote: »

I find it so weird that I belong to so many surgery support groups all over the internet, and in real life; and nobody except 2 of the people I know (and there are a LOT) have experienced so many negative effects (complications) and regain. Yet from reading on here, nobody appears to know anyone who is successful.

Interesting....

I know one woman, personally, who had some really severe, life threatening complications. I don't remember the medical terms or anything, but essentially her intestines were twisting? I remember it being a REALLLY big deal. She had lost a lot of weight at first, but went back to eating poorly. She constantly posted photos of her out drinking, talking about all the junk food she was eating, etc on facebook. She gained a lot of weight back. I think she's back to losing now, but I'm not as in close contact with her anymore.

I know another woman, my next door neighbor, who had the surgery and has been extremely successful. She has lost a ton of weight, has modified her diet well (when I offered to make her cookies or buy her beer or whatever I could after she helped get my car unstuck from my snowy driveway she said "We just don't eat the stuff anymore!") and is a lot more active! She walks with her husband and old beagle several times a day, does yard work, gardens, etc.

In order to lose weight, no matter what, you have to commit to the changes you've decided to make. Whether you use surgery to force you into that to change or if you just make the choice to do it, it is the same amount of dedication. There isn't anything "easy" about learning how to eat for a new stomach. There is nothing easy to modify habits that have taken years to form. It's not easy.

jpkrueger

BeautifulEyes81 wrote: »

I I can't eat vegetables without ranch dressing. It is very disgusting. I hate the bland taste of carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and all the others. Yuck. Lol i know I should probably start eating that but is there any other way to make that type of food enjoyable? Or can I eat something else that is good for me?

You can definitely make the taste of vegetables better! If you are eating mostly processed (meaning: over-salted) foods, healthy whole foods might taste bland to you at first. But they are really not! Have you tried roasting vegetables? Very easy. Here is the way I make them - it sweetens them up a bit and makes them crunchy so you might end up liking them. Try this for a few days - might taste weird at first but if you persist, your taste can change. Takes about 30 seconds to prep these:

Roasted Green Beans (or broccoli, or cauliflower, or asparagus....almost anything)
Preheat oven to 450. Take a cookie sheet, put tin foil on it (you don't have to use foil but it saves time at cleanup). Spray with cooking spray. Dump a bag of frozen vegetables on the sheet and spread them out. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Season with something you like - I use garlic powder. If you normally like salty foods, try Mrs. Dash salt-free seasoning. Of course you could just use a little salt and pepper but I try to stay away from adding salt to things. Put in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes, until lightly brown and crispy. Enjoy!

Please try this and let me know how it comes out. A balanced, healthy meal would be a cup of these roasted vegetables, about 4-6 ounces of protein (such as a grilled or baked chicken breast), and about 1/2 cup of a healthy whole-grain carb such as brown rice, quinoa, etc.

You can do this!!!! If you aren't working, take the time to scour the internet for healthy recipes. Pinterest has a ton.

WickedPineapple

I have some suggestions regarding what you eat. I'm also picky (I don't like the vast majority of fruits, vegetables, most food in general honestly...) and used to eat a lot of fast food.

First, don't make any major changes. Get a food scale, weigh all solids, and log everything you eat for a few days/weeks. This will give you an idea what changes you can make.

Second, when you do get fast food, take a look beforehand at what you normally get and see what changes you can make to slightly decrease the calories. Go for a smaller size (fries/drink). Or even better, leave something out. Eventually I realized I don't really like fries that much. Also, try to go for poultry (if it's an option) rather than red meat. Leave off the dressing or ask for it on the side so you can put on less.

Third, try making the foods you eat at fast food places at home (burgers, sandwiches, pasta, etc.). Typically what you make yourself won't be as calorie laden. Try to choose slightly healthier and/or lower calorie ingredients each time. By this I mean go for a slightly lower fat ground beef or cheese, a multigrain bread rather than white, marinara sauce on pasta rather than alfredo, etc.

Finally, experiment with "healthy food". You actually don't need to eat fruits & veggies to lose weight. But they do help and are good for overall health. Are there any that you do like? If so, incorporate more of those. Maybe aim for one serving a day if you're not getting any right now. Or make a salad with ranch and slowly decrease the amount of ranch you use until you find your bottom limit (the least amount you can have on your salad and not hate it).