Brand New

Hi everyone! I'm new to the site and new to the forums. These posts are amazing and incredibly helpful. I recently decided to have the vertical sleeve procedure. I am on a 6 month plan, so I'm looking at around November for my surgery date. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions for those of us who have just made the decision? Anything is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Welcome aboard!

I am hoping to have my surgery by June. I have my last meeting this Tuesday to meet all of my pre-requisites. Now I'm just waiting for my meeting on 5/26/16 with my surgeon to hopefully get my surgery date. Hopefully your surgeon will give you a food plan to follow for the next 6 months. I wish you the best of luck. This forum the best place to be to get valuable advice.

Welcome!  I am pretty new to the site as well and the information has all been very, very helpful. 

Welcome ! The best advice I can offer is to take the time now to learn and practice new habits. The more you do now, the easier surgery, recovery, and getting on with a healthy life will be.

1.  Eliminate simple sugar and carbs from your diet. Detox now, and stay clean.

2.  Focus on eating protein first at every meal, followed by vegetables, fruit and then complex carbs.

3.  Practice cutting your food into smaller bites and enjoy mindfully eating each piece.

4.  Make sure your water intake is at least 64. ounces per day. Practice not drinking a half hour before, during, or after a meal.

5. Increase your activity level. Find something you enjoy, and do it.

6.  Begin measuring/weighing and logging your food. Many of us find My Fitness Pal works well.

7.  Identify and begin to address any disordered eating issues not. Surgery does not make them go away. Get a head start.

     Be involved in this community and learn as much as you can. The sleeve is a powerful tool, but you MUST have your head in the game to be successful. It is a work in progress. Take one change/new habit at a time, in the order that makes sense to you.

     Your dreams for a healthy life are within your reach. Make it happen !!!

Welcome to the forum.  I hope you find it as supportive and informative as I have. 

My best advice is to make use of your time before surgery to practice the behaviors you'll need after surgery.  Things like not drinking liquids with meals, eating small bites and eating slowly (I wish I had practiced this more, as eating too fast is painful after surgery), eating dense protein first, and fill up on healthy green veggies.  Stop grazing, etc.  All of these will help you prepare for your surgery.

I also highly recommend trying a low carb diet and see if it helps you reduce food cravings.  A lot of us are very sensitive to carbs, and low carb is key to success.

Lose as much weight as you can before surgery - this will help you maximize the sleeve and it makes the surgery safer. 

Remember that the surgery is a treatment for obesity, but it isn't a cure.  You have to follow the rules.  Plus it never over - you'll have to be diligent even in maintenance.  But the good news is that is really works.  It makes the weight loss possible - not easy, but possible.

best of luck on your weight loss journey. 

Carol

Welcome!!  I would take this time to read all you can on this forum and learn from the veterans here.  They are full knowledge and very helpful!!

Read everything you can on the forums. There are TONS of posts with "I'm new, what should I know?" that will be really helpful.

I've also found that "Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies" is an incredibly helpful book, I'd suggest picking up a copy and keeping it for reference.