So tell me this...

anyone can hand you a list of foods and quantities and say "eat this - you'll lose weight"....  and they would be right...   if you take in fewer calories than you burn, you will lose....

the problem is doing that all day, every day for the rest of your life....   the insanity of dieting is dishing up your little half cup serving of food three times a day and sitting on your hands the rest of the time while your stomach and head are screaming at you - -- "WE ARE NOT DONE HERE!!!  SEND MORE FOOD!!"...   that's why diets don't work....

that was my problem...  i was never full and i was always hungry.....  my sleeve is my portion control, and getting rid of most of the ghrelin took the madness out of it....

without my sleeve, there is no way i would have been able to lose 128 lbs....  EVER....


jeris

 It's both. I lost 60 pounds pre surgery following my surgeons dietary guidelines which were the same as they would be post surgery (except I ate more calories and bigger portions, naturally presurgery). 

There are some hormonal changes that your body goes through with this type of surgery too. The reduction of Ghrelin in your body for the most part will reduce your real hunger, altho you may still have to work on the head hunger and what I call the 'mouth hunger'.

I may be full, but my mouth says "oh just one more bite..it's sooo good."...and then my tummy will tell me "Oh, sure, just one more bite, now you are going to feel like crap".

It is also successful in the lowering of blood sugars, and the insulin response that will occur with elevated blood sugars. That reduced insulin response in itself will help with weight loss too.

And I agree with the above posters....there is absolutely no way I'd ever be able to live on 600-800 calories a day if I hadn't had this surgery. Someone around me would have been killed by now, no doubt!

Best wishes.

  think its both.. for me its the smaller stomach.. I used to eat a lot and constantly snack.. now that my stomach is so small I get full so much faster and the snacking has ceased as well.. I dont get hungry and I dont crave certain foods anymore.. my diet was only drastically restricted for 6 weeks.. the rest I have done on my own.. well really I have done it all on my own.. 

I got the sleeve because, as mentioned, I just got SO hungry, and would always gain my weight back after eating. I did have a huge appetite, I admit it , and most days I was probably eating at least 2500-3000 calories. I'm only 3 weeks out from surgery, but I rarely get hungry even though I only eat maybe a tablespoon or two of real food, a couple of protein shakes, and a bunch of liquid (non caloric) every day. In fact it's nearly 9 pm, and in order to get ENOUGH food in me today, to make 7700cal, I need another 200 cal. But I don't want anything, just not interested. This new tiny stomach is, I believe, the tool that will make me permanantly successful this time. In the past I just ate way too much, even if it was 'healthy' food.

Great Post,

I think it is both.  You could have a small stomach but eat ice cream all day and probably gain weight after the first 2 months. 

If you watch what you eat, like 'normal' people...treat yourself on 'special occassions'.  I think you will lose weight....1) because you are taking better nutritional care of youself and 2) because you just can not eat like you used too. 

I remember, just for breakfast I would have a large hazenut latte, a big bowl of oatmeal with raisons, brown sugar, and a scone.  What is that 1000 cals.  Now, I have coffee with cream and maybe an egg.  what is that 200 tops. 

Big difference.