Congrats!!! Keep up the good work!

 Thank you everyone for your responses. I guess that I should have left my humor at the door. I think it might have been taken as a distraction. I am not a closet eater, addictive eater or binge eater. I have been a lifelong grazer. Hence the reason why I was determined to get that 6 inch sandwich in. My grandmother kept food out all the time and we were encouraged to eat all the time. She failed to realize that the constant eating was a habit she brought from her farm upbringing. They were in constant motion from sun up to sundown so food was always out for you to catch a quick snack. Unfortunately, she never promoted snacks, it was always a full meal. The funny thing is,she will be 97 in July and is still 160 pounds although she doesn't get around as much as she used to. When I went to college, in my first semester I went from a size 14 to a size 8. I should have stayed away from home permanently!! When the doctor said that my cholesterol was too high 20 years ago, I stopped eating eggs and processed meats to this day. When I went for the pre op consultation and they said that my bp was high. After putting me on medication, I cut out the salt and increased the garlic in my diet. I am a healthcare worker. I have seen the worst of the worst and the sucess stories. People abuse their bodies in various ways and I am VERY conscious of it. I understand addiction...I used to smoke 3 packs of Newport 100's PER DAY. I had to decide if the cigarettes were more valuable than my life. My life is always more valuable. I started this journey way before this surgery. I had no intention on having anymore surgeries. I was going to loose this weight with good old fashioned effort. I came down from 350 lbs to 254. It took me almost 2 years, but I did it. When I got to 254, the weight would not move, I became frustrated and started my journey again with WLS. Yes, I let go before surgery and had a food funeral and gained 20 pounds. I had to loose 5 before they would let me have the surgery I did and here I am. A very regimented, focused woman who does not allow wiggle room. That is what I am guilty of....not allowing wiggle room. A friend made me a cup of coffee yesterday and when she brought it to the table she announced that she put 4 sugars in it just the way I like it. I didn't drink it. She used sugar. I ate the crap that I ate because I felt like I was missing something. If you read closely, you would see that after every food I basically said that it wasn't worth it or I didn't like it. Sometimes when you tell someone you can't have...makes them want it even more. I solved that mystery...I don't want it. I have had to abandon my Hot yoga classes because I just don't have the endurance that I used to so I walked. I don't want to walk anymore. I want to bike and when I don't want to do that, I will find another exercise. It takes a village and I am so glad to be a part of this one !!

 Not offended...your opening line is funny.  You know, although I didn't want the protein shakes, I did look up or ask the nutritional values on the stuff that I did consume. In my head I was still on the plan, just not with the shakes.  There was stuff that I refused because it just wasn't worth it.  Thanks for your support!!

 I am saluting, praying and have on my cheerleader uniform shouting go Donna go!

Hitting what we all call a stall is very normal and usually hits around the 2-3rd week after surgery. Continue to do what your NUT or MD tell you to do but know that your body needs time to catch up to the sudden weight loss. When is the last time that you shed 25 pounds in 2 weeks? Your body is in shock. Give it time and the weight will start coming off again. Trust me...Been there done that. My body has stalled more than once and I am only 2 months out. It is frustrating...It is scary and we have all been there. Keep up the good work and this moment will all be a memory and you will actually laugh about how scared you were.

 I feel your pain. I am 2 months out and yesterday I knew that it was going to be one of those you can't eat we are too busy at work kind of days. So I stopped and got a medium high protein smoothie from smoothie king. That served as breakfast and lunch. Well my friend, I was so glad when I was the last person in the office to leave because the gas was so bad it felt like it was coming out of my ears!!! It's funny tough, everyone says that immediately after surgery you have gas pressure and need to walk. I never had any gas after surgery. It wasn't until I got to the mushy phase that all of a sudden the flatulence, burping and stomach symphonies became a problem. I am constantly sipping on water, shakes or crystal light. Always with something in my hand but the gas is always present.

I'm a lady but I smell like a truck driver!!!

 My 2 month sugery anniversary was 4/15 and the doctor said that the following week, 4/22 is when I could start hitting the gym. I am a hot yoga fanatic and begged to go about 2 weeks ago. BIG MISTAKE!!!! I thought that I was going to pass out. I didn't have pain, just the feeling like I was going to faint. I haven't been back since. I will stick to waking and wait until the 4/22 date that the doctor gave me. Darn surgery has made me feel so good and energetic that I can't keep still.

 I am spoiled. I feel like if I haven't sweat during a workout then I haven't really worked out. So I found the best of all possible worlds. I take hot yoga and it's great. It's a 90 minute class in a room that is heated to about 90-95 degrees. I get my serenity, strength training and sweat on all in one class. This is one workout that makes me crave nothing bu****er for many hours following class.

I am surgically post menopausal also.  It sounds like water retention. I have lower extremity pitting edema....The worst of the worst. The doctor always told me that if I drank alot of water it would help flush the water out of my system. It didn't make sense then but I see the difference of lower sodium and 64 plus oz of water per day. Watch your salt for a day or 2 and take in lots of water...See what happens. Are your ankles swollen? Elevate them when you sleep at night.

 http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ There's the link. This site is great. You can use it on your phone or computer. It has a ton of recipes and foods that you can put into your diary to see how much protein you are eating a day or you can make your own recipies, save them and add them to your diary. It will count your calories, fat and all for you. Take a look at the site. It has been a great tool for me since my issue was how many calories I was truly taking in with home made things. My fitness figures out my homemade recipes for me. While I am out, I can add things to my diary from my phone. Can't get any better than that!!!

 PS- I am off of my cholesterol and BP medication as of this past Friday thanks to my PCP!!!! Only vitamins, calcium and Omeprazole for me

 I am 6 weeks out as of this past Wednesday and the doc cleared me last Tuesday to go back to my hot yoga classes. I was warned that although it is yoga and I have been doing it for years, my body might not be as strong as it was before. Well yes and no to that. The classes are held in a 95 degree room for 90 minutes. I was ok for an hour and then had to walk out and sit in the cooler waiting room. I thought that I was going to pass out. I sat out for 15 minutes and then I was able to return for the last 15. If I go again, it will only be once a wee****il I can build back up to the 4-6 times a week that I was doing before. On the upside.....I have been trying to get into crow pose for over a year now and I think I couldn't partly from my weight and the other from fear. Yesterday, I went right into it with no concern and most of all no pain to my wrists or arms.....wooo hooo!!!! I will be doing a cooler VSG adjusted practice at home :)

 I am 6 weeks out and still have a problem with protein. At first it was the shakes. I was supposed to drink 3 a day and couldn't I could do one comfortably and sometimes two but the third one would usually have me in so much pain. The NUT switched me to isopure juice which was higher in protein and I could comfortably nurse one bottle all day and then try a shake at night. Once I moved into mushies, the problem reared it's ugly head again. So I drink a very high protein drink  for breakfast and lunch, if I get peckish, I might have fruit for a snack and then I have tuna or chicken salad or a piece of fish for dinner. Dinner is supposed to be 3g of protein and I can't get it all in even if I graze in front of the computer. It just starts to feel so uncomfortable that I can't do it. I agree with the above responses....Make sure you get your protein in and your water. I know that my stomach won't take much so my protein drink that is shared for breakfast and lunch contains 62g. That's close enough to my NUT suggestion of 70g for me if I find that I can't eat all 3g at dinner.

All we can do is take our time and learn from this experience...Good luck!!