Updates...Progress Reports...

Hi everyone. We are all doing a great job? Keep up the great work. 1. Pre-Op 248/ Current 176/Goal 140 2. My daily food intake B. low sugar oatmeal, or small bagel with cream cheese L. frozen lean quisine dinner D. chicken, fish, or hamburg with vegetables S. low fat cheezit, beef jerkey, or cottage cheese with pineapple, then some fruit. also 20oz of skim milk a day. and then aquafina flavor splash grape water all day and night. Except 1/2 hour before and after I eat. Also my vitamins. 3. I haven't had any complications. The only issues that I have had is in my office we have a lot of drug rep lunches and it is sometimes hard. 4. My family and friends are very happy for me. 5. Some days are better than others. I take each day at a time. 6. The advice that I would give is to drink, drink, and concentrate on getting your protein in because it does help with the weight loss. Also excercise. I go to Curves 5 days a week and I know that it has helped me with toning and losing inches. Also don't get upset when you have a stall. It does eventually go away. Miriam

Hi, everybody. It's looks like everyone is doing quite well! Here are my answers. 1. Pre-op/Current/Goal 259/174/130 2. What is your daily food intake like? b - Nectar protein s - slice of cheese w/ some kind of fruit l - I eat out a lot. I usually get a salad, grilled chicken, chicken salad, or sometimes I have a fajita taco. s - dried pineapple, this really helps my sweet tooth, or a protein bar d - a small portion of whatever I cook for my family. We grill chicken and steak a lot. s - more pineapple or sf ice cream bar 3. Any complications, problems or issues? I've been really fatigued lately, but my labs are fine. Not sure what the problem is. 4. How have your family and friends adjusted to the "New You"? My family and friends have been awesome! They are super encouraging and genuinely happy for me. I couldn't ask for better friends and family. 5. Do you think the further out you are getting that this journey is getting easier or harder? Why? I think it's getting easier. It doesn't bother me as much when people eat sweets in front of me. It used to put me in an awful mood. I think things are looking up because I can eat a variety of things and I'm over the sugar cravings. Also, food is less important as my body shrinks! : ) 6. Any advice you would like to offer.... EXERCISE! and don't get discouraged when the weight loss slows down (I'm speaking to myself right now!). That one is really hard. Mine has slowed way down with the increase of exercise, but I'm losing inches like crazy. I do wish that darn scale would move, too, though.

1. Pre-op wt was 287, current wt is 177.5 and my goal wt is 140. 2. Daily food intake is: Protein shake with 1/4 cup of strawberries for breakfast. 2 oz of cheese and 1oz of low fat ham for lunch. Dinner is 3 oz of either steak, shrimp, scallops, pork or chicken with small salad or 1/4 cup of veggies. For snack I will have a protein bar or 1/4 cup of low fat cottage cheese. Try to drink water/fluids in between meals and after dinner. 3.The only problem I have had is nausea. If I eat too fast or too much, I will get nauseous, dizzy with abdominal pain and will have to lay down until it passes. 4. My kids have been very supportive during my weightloss. My parents were against me having WLS and are slowly realizing that it has been the best choice for me. As I have lost weight, my health has greatly improved. My sister, who I thought was supportive, has actually surprised me with her behavior. She is overweight herself and with the more weight I have lost, she has become more distant. I think this has to do with her own issues regarding her own weight, addiction to food and emotional eating. 5. I think in some ways it is both easier and harder the further out of surgery I am. It is easier because I can eat a bigger variety of foods without getting sick. I feel better and have more energy. It is getting harder because my appetite is coming back and I feel I can eat more. That is terrifying to me. It is harder for me because I have to make a conscious decision everytime I feel hungry, not to revert back to my old eating habits and bad food choices. 6. I would advise anyone who is considering WLS to do their homework and research the different types of surgeries, recovery, diet after surgery and long term outcomes. This is a tool for weightloss and that isn't the "easy way out". I still have to work at loosing weight and changing my lifestyle. This is not the "lazy" way out either. I also think exercise is a big part of this journey as well.

Just had to drop and say that everyone is doing great! JaNae

This is a subject near and dear to my heart these days. I am having problems with hunger. I had surgery on 12/16 and up until about a month ago I was OK with hunger. But things have changed -- and I think I'm eating too much (on most days). For instance, today I had a protein drink with milk, I have had about 3 oz. of cheese, an ounce of tuna salad, and a protein bar. I don't feel well at all. I feel like I'm dumping but without the throwing up. I am really afraid that I am starting to eat too much. Thanks for listening.

I know each doctor has his/her own food plan, but I wanted to pass on what I was told by my doc. He said no more shakes and eat more meat instead. He said the shakes don't hold off hunger and I will take in extra calories if I don't learn how to eat enough meat proteins. Since I stopped the shakes and started eating more beef, chicken and fish I am very satisfied and rarely hungry. And, the weight loss actually picked up..it's still slow, but I do better without the protein drinks. Sunny

Thanks for response. My surgeon suggested that I cut back on the protein drinks as well. However, I am afraid of not getting in enough protein without them. I had/have ulcer problems since my surgery and eating has been a chore a lot of times -- and drinking was easier. I am, however, trying to eat more protein. But, can we get in enough protein by eating chicken, etc., in a day, without protein drinks?

I seem to be able to get in enough to stay healthy. I probably get in about 30 gms of protein a day, but all my blood work shows plenty of protein in my body. Everything is perfect. Dr also said that as you lose weight you need less protein....less tissues to nurture. Try it. see how you feel and how healthy you are. Sunny

1. Pre-op/Current/Goal 225.5/160/135 ish 2. What is your daily food intake like? Start my day with a glass of Isopure and some home made muffins (little ones). Recipe below. Don't snack in the am - concentrate on drinking. Lunch - usually a taco salad or a couple tacos or a glass of milk with some veges and cheese. Snack - usually 1/2 apple and a cheese stick Dinner - depends on my mood - if I cook I'll have something like a green bean casarole made with ground meat or chicken and rice. Sometimes I do an egg and 1/2 piece of toast or some deviled eggs. Sometimes before bed I'll have another glass of Isopure, depending on how much protein I got that day. Muffins: 1 1/4 c. applesauce 1 c. whole wheat flour 1 cup ground flax 2 T brown sugar splenda 1 t. cinnamon 1 cup milk (I mix it with 2 scoops of protein powder) 2 eggs 1/4 c. canola oil 1 t baking powder 1 cup raisins 2 scoops protein powder Mix all together and then bake at 375 for 20 min. Makes 48 mini muffins. 3. Any complications, problems or issues? Had 3 strictures early on. Biggest issue right now is gastrointestinal - lots of diahrea. Trying to up my fiber. 4. How have your family and friends adjusted to the "New You"? They are amazed at how much I've lost and how good I look. My husband especially! 5. Do you think the further out you are getting that this journey is getting easier or harder? Why? Harder. The closer I get to goal the slower it goes. Sometimes I loose patience or find myself grazing. I think it is part of my old habits trying to come back. I just can't eat nearly as much! 6. Any advice you would like to offer.... Support is the most important thing. Go to support groups and make friends that have the same issues you do.