6 weeks out doing great, newbie tips

I just got up this morning to find 41lbs lost both pre&post combined. I never would have thought in 8 weeks I would be down this much.  My husband has been awesome and done each phase with me.  He's lost 27lbs no cutting needed.

A few things I've learned or experienced worth note:

Drink as much as you can, if that means taping a cup to your hand do it, those first couple weeks were hard on me.  I'd do well with 40-60oz but 2 days of 30-40 and I wound up very tired, headaches, and a nice case of constipation!  Please newbies I know it's hard but do your very best.

Put on your tight cloths and then in a month if you can't see the weight gone go put on those clothes! I can't see the 40lbs but when I put on two diffe non stretchy jackets I could tell then. Nice motivator.

Weigh everything.  It's easy to use an app tracker to know how many calories but also what those calories are made of.  For me I decided I had an issue with sugary foods so I have opted for a low carb diet.  I am not craving sweets and I was overjoyed to find that a slice of watermelon or a strawberry is now very sweet to me.  Have a plan for your postop diet, don't just wing it.  Do some soul searching and decide where your demons lay, then try to plan a diet that avoids those foods.

If your a lady, gaining water weight was demoralizing.  Just know it can happen, stick to your plan and when it's over the loss continues.

So the good things: I'm off my BP med, though I've kept my water pill as I tend to store water like a camel, I'm off my ambien and enjoying going to sleep normally.  I can sleep in a lot more positions with less belly fat.  Clothes are now fitting looser and I feel like I'm loosing weight. I've joined a postop work out group and enjoy it.  I've been to a large support group meeting and for me it wasn't about what the speaker said but just seeing all the people of all sizes (skinny too) that was there.

My incisions are all healed up except for two small spots.  I can drink almost normally.  No more tiny sips.  I can eat about 3oz of solid protein (mostly fish, or ground meats), 4oz total of something softer like ricotta bake or stir fry with veggies.  I normally have my vitamins and coffe with soy milk for breakfast, I have a snack such as a cheese stick, smoked salmon, or jerky. For lunch 2-3oz Lunch meat with hummus, a light snack such as dried edamame, then dinner is 2.5-3 meat with an ounce of a veggie.  I do look for a snack of jerky to top off my protein to 60-70 grams later in the evening.  Total calories range from 700-800 calories.  I must remind myself to drink but 60-70oz is normal now.  

I feel like I'm in a good spot and my food choices are within my personal limits which doesn't include any of my trigger foods.  I'm greatful that cake, cookies, and candy have not haunted me.    This is the top reason I've not chosen to drink shakes.  For me they taste too much like things that got me into trouble in the past.  I do have unflavored powder in case I need some extra protein.

A big thanks to everyone here who's been helpful and supportive.  Can't wait to see where I am in 3 months.  I'm focusing on water intake and protein choices.

Thank you for the newbie tips I'm 2 weeks out today and I'm finding reading posts from newbies ahead of me are helping me a lot. 

Your welcome.  Same for me.  Made me feel better if I was having a hard time that in X amount of time it'd be done, or the next phase.

Congrats on your journey.

I am considering the VSG. I do have a question about the unflavored protein powder. I too have found that sweets are my taboo. Do you know if you can  mix a scoop of protein powder in with cottage cheese or yogurt or even applesauce, so you can hit that protein intake number easier?

Thanks!

Mercy