Happy New Year!!!! Really getting back to everything this week! Went to the gym and upgraded my membership so I can go to the new location by my house, shopped for good healthy food, and made a plan with my nutritionist and bariatric doctor. I am going to make progress this year!:drinker: I ordered a month's supply of Medifast products to use for snacks and small meals for convenience. My doctor said he didn't want me eating only the Medifast program but he liked the products as a helper to get the 6 meals a day in.

Lisa, it is convenient, I do not follow the plan itself, I just use the products, I love the eggs and I haven't used much else yet still waiting on the order. I got the eggs and mango softserve from my nutritionist to try the mango was okay I can't wait to try the cappuccino, I love coffee. I will let you know how the rest are once I get them. I am very limited in what I can use since I am allergic to wheat and soy they have only like 10 products that do not contain one of those. They use soy protein in most of their entrees. I got the cappuccino, mango and coffee soft serves, cran/orange drink, eggs (original) and that is pretty much it. I have gone back to eating 6 times a day and these make it easy to have a quick meal in class(I am a teacher). I can shake up a protein shake or one of the soft serves(smoothies) and drink it right in class. I also use 2% string cheese and Champion Nutrition Chocolate Whey Protein Protein Stack shakes I get on Amazon. Before Christmas I had lost 8lbs in the 2 weeks I was sticking to it with the 6 small meals and snacks. It really got my metabolism going I was constantly hungry though at the 800-1000 cals so my doctor moved me to 1200-1400 especially when working out.

The eggs make a good crepe and you can fill it with chicken and veggies or wrap in seaweed to make a mock sushi without rice of course. I want to try it with riced cauliflower, haven't done that yet. Once I get everything in and get going again I will post again to let you know how it's going.

Struggling to get in all my protein and vitamins. I know the importance of both, but yet am having a hard time. I never thought this would be the case being 10 years post op RNY. I had weight regain due to steroids and poor eating choices. Trying to get back on track. I think once the school semester starts again on the 14th, I can get into a new routine. Just trying to get one together for between now and then. I've been through so much the past 10 years and I deserve to get back to a healthy weight and will get back to a healthy weight!!!!!!
Stephanie E

HEY ALL,

i'VE BEEN NAUGHTY TODAY. THE PERFECT BAD EXAMPLE. MY MEALS WERE TWO 1 CUP VEGGIE MEALS AND JUNK FOOD ALL THE WAY. I HAVE TO HAUL *kitten* TO MAKE MY CALORIE AVERAGE FOR THE WEEK BUT NO BINGE EATING WAS INVOLVED.

DAMN THIS CAST IRON BOTTOMLESS POUCH OF MINE. AT TIMES I WISH I DUMPED EASILY. THANKFULLY I COULD STICK TO MY MAINTENANCE CALORIE AVERAGE NO PROBLEM. EXCEPT NOW MY MAINTENANCE CALORIES HAVE BEEN SLASHED TO COMPENSATE FOR MY SCREWED UP METABOLISM & MEDICATIONS.

THINGS ARE NOW THAT MUCH HARDER. BUT, IF IT WILL KEEP THE WEIGHT GAIN AWAY I WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN. AS I GET FURTHER POST OP IT DOES NOTGET ANY EASIER. FORTUNATELY, I NEVER EXPECTED TO GET USED TO THIS. ACCEPTING THAT IT IS WHAT IT IS HAS TO BE ENOUGH.

I JUST WANT TO KEEP THE CALORIES DOWN; EXERCISE UP; AND NO BINGE EATING. INCLUDING LOW CAL BINGEING. BIG SIGH.

Had my first "dumping" experience, wow...not fun. I guess the pork roast was a bad idea. At least I know where the line is now.

I'm sorry to hear that. I have never dumped, but I did have two incidents where I didn't chew quite thoroughly enough, felt really horrible for a bit, and threw it up. One of the two was a porkchop. It shouldn't have taken twice, but I finally learned.

Nope, I did not throw up, I ate something that was too fatty (pork roast).

My local grocery store had protein powder on sale and buy two get one free, so I stocked up. I made sure they weren't close to their expiration date too! Made that mistake once. I chose chocolate, strawberry, and chocolate peanut butter. Now I need to research some good recipes with those flavors. So I have no excuses not to get my protein in daily!

Stephanie E

I have no problem with fat only with sugar, even complex carbs do me in. I cannot take too many carbs at once or I have a hypoglycemic episode or in the least I go straight to sleep! But thank goodness fat has never really bothered me since I eat a relatively high fat low carb diet with moderate protein. (Primal Blueprint mostly)

The New Year is now here so it's time for me to start my waiting process for my surgery. I met with the nutritionist this week and gained from my last month's visit, so now I have an additional 5 pounds to lose. I'm off to a good start. My husband has had a really tough time since his surgery last October, so I have been doing a lot of stress eating. I've just got to plan around it.

Laura this is the time of year I am SO glad I am allergic to wheat I hope the GSA never develops a gluten free GS cookie :laugh:

Debby- good luck! :flowerforyou:

Clo- I hear you and say ditto!:flowerforyou:

Hi, I want to be part of this group because I would like to have the sleeve bariatric surgery. My highest weight was 439lbs. I'm now at 345lbs. I'm 5'4.75", gotta add that.75"! I would like to weigh about 120lbs-130lbs. I'm not really sure what I should weigh, it's been many years since my weight was near that. Thanks for being here!:flowerforyou:

I was denied three times by my insurance company in the last year and had finally decided to "do it on my own." Weight loss was happening, but was a bit slow, and I still tended to give in to the fast food urge when my sons wanted it for lunch or dinner. This was mostly to please them. Out of the blue, one day in July 2012, my surgeon's office called and said--"resubmit the appeal and send in the fair hearing papers." I did and was surprised that I was approved in a matter of days.
Yes, many people have struggles with food issues and have problems after surgery. But most of us do not. I am three months out and have no real issues. I follow my meal plan, keep my appointments, and I put my food issues behind me a long time ago. I don't go hungry and I make sure I do my best each day to get in all my supplements, protein, and water. Some days I am under, but I remember that tomorrow is a new day. If I eat something I shouldn't, my body tells me so, and I don't do it again.
In the three months since I had gastric bypass I have gone from morbidly obese to overweight on the BMI calculator. I can walk for miles, breathe better, have no heartburn or digestive issues that I had before. I can tie my own shoes, polish my toenails, bend over to pick things up off the floor. I can vacuum, move furniture around, and feel like a million bucks. And it's only been three months!
I have not vomited once since my surgery--a couple times food swallowed wouldn't go down early on, but no vomiting. I have never had dumping syndrome, unless you count the couple of times my heart beat rapidly during the first month after. All in all, this has been one of the best decisions I ever made. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Will I ever gain weight back? I hope not, but if I do, it's my fault--and I don't think that it will ever be to the extent that it was before.
Yes, your portions for life will be smaller for the rest of your life. You will be healthy because you have to focus on healthy, clean eating. Stay away from junk, processed foods, etc. Eat your meat, veggies, and fruits. Don't drink high calorie beverages. If you can do this, you will succeed.
Good luck with everything!

Can anyone suggest some websites to find good recipes for protein shakes? I just bought strawberry, chocolate, and chocolate peanut butter flavors. I am determined to get my protein in daily. I have no excuses now! Thanks!!

Stephanie E

Stephanie, I have 2 smoothie recipe booklets in electronic form I have gotten from different things. If you message me your email I will send them to you. The protein powder that they call for is VERY expensive so I use my own brand of course, but some of the recipes are really good.

Compudad- I agree, even with the minor things like occasional dumping and vitamin deficiency and any other minor issues I have had to deal with I would have surgery again in a heartbeat and I am not even to goal yet after 11 yrs. I could not even imagine what my life would be like if I still carried that 220 extra pounds around or most likely more by now and with 11 more years of age. I am grateful I was able to have the surgery and I never regret it!

Hello Amy and Compudad:

After I read both your posts, I find them to be encouraging as well. I have to be realistic and know that for me food is an addiction and it will be a struggle to change my life for the better. I guess it is just like a person on drugs or alcohol, they have to go one day at a time to keep clean and sober. I will have that same goal to stay clean and sober with food! My counselor tole me weight loss is mostly in the head/mind. It's the mind set that is the most important part, becasue that is what drives you to do your best with your food choices and exercise. It's the mind set that will keep you in maintenance and not in regaining weight. I'm glad to have this forum to write how I'm feeling. I never thought I'd try to have weight loss surgery because I love food so much, but I can't control myself enough to keep weight off once I lose it. My mindset has to change to decide to value myself, my health, and my life, more than I value food.

Thanks for your posts!

Peace,
Carlygirl412