A question for the long timers:

I would just say as far as advice to trust your surgeon and follow your plan! We all think we know best and we know our body, but the truth is we didnt get mobidly obese using our own judgement.. it wasnt working! So get your post op instructions and follow your eating guideline to a T.  At about 7 months out it got hard because I could eat anything and I had less restriction. Take the most advantage of the first 6 months by really staying strict on the plan. When you stop loosing, work out harder! I hate working out and will never enjoy it but I make it a daily chore just like folding clothes or cleaning the bathroom.. dont wanna do it but I get my butt there and I make the most of my time and IT PAYS OFF!!  Drinking 64+ oz of water will be part of your life forever.. i can drink pretty much like I did before surgery now so getting it in def. gets easier. I still dont drink before after or during meals. Last word of advice, DONT get depressed and fall into a bad eating pattern because of a stall. Even if it is a 2 week-er  it will PASS it always does! Have faith and keep eating right and exercising & the weight will come off.  Good luck on your journey!

Excellent advice on the Stalls, usually my downfall!  Thanks for your time...I will be watching!

I'll reiterate:  Track your food!  Journal EVERYTHING, even if you are on all liquids and you just know you only had 500 calories for the day.  Just resolve to do that every single day no matter what.

Check and Discount Double Checked!  Thanks for the clarification ;)  and the time!

Great question.....!

Great answers from some great sleevers !!!

I'll add:

- Commitment and Compliance

- Develop proper habits during WL for long term success......

- NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF MAKING GOAL....... way way to many people fizzle out and run out of commitment way to early in the process.......

- Always under eat your sleeve capacity by eating fixed/measured amounts of food that is less than your capacity. Eating till full is how we got fat.

frisco

 

Under eating capacity!  Fantastic idea...learning to survive on the less than full feeling, definately a skill I need to learn.  Any suggestions?  

 

Thanks for taking the time for all of us starting the hike.  I will be following...

I very much appreciate your asking this question and very much appreciate all of the answers given!

Nothing much to offer since I'm still fairly new to all of this but I just wanted to say....GREAT POST!

Thank you for posting! -Larry

1. Log and weigh your food. Do it for at least a year because the amount you can eat at the beginning is far less than the amount you can eat at a year post-op. Many people come on here complaining that their capacity has grown and that may well be, but their food choices may also have changed. That's why you need to do both.

2. Keep a picture journal. This helps during those times that the scale doesn't move.

3. Track your inches lost on a monthly basis. Again, this can help to not get as discouraged when the scale doesn't move.

4. Pick your transfer addiction. Don't let it pick you. Seriously, you need to go out and search for something healthy to replace your old addiction. Running, walking, karate, swimming, Zumba. Whatever. Don't be complacent about this. Otherwise the transfer addiction will choose you and it won't be pretty.

5. Figure out what triggers you to eat. It's usually emotions. But, it can be other things too. Stress, loneliness, etc. Meet these issues dead on. Don't ignore them. If you can't figure it out on your own be willing to go to counseling.

Remember that the Sleeve is only a tool. They don't do surgery on our brains.

Great post and great answers. Thanks!!!