hamptons11937

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Hi, everyone. It's inspiring to read so many success stories. Yet, I have to admit, in three years I'm back to the weight I was when I had the gastric sleeve. The procedure was successful. What I think sabotaged me is my lupus and other autoimmune issues for which I need to take high doses of steroids. Also, my illness makes me exhausted easily and makes getting up and around very difficult, not to mention the daily pain associated with any activity. I'm determined and motivated to get back on track with my eating. My goal for my illness is to taper down on the steroids if possible. I need all the help I can get. Thank you for reading my post. 

I've decided tomorrow is as good a time as any to begin a fast. Since Thanksgiving I've been off my "wellness plan" and I feel terrible.   I've been doing some reading on this site as well as books on juice fasting and smoothie fasting. I can't say I completely know the difference between a juice fast and a smoothie fast. I make everything in my vita-mix, so everything comes out looking like a smoothie.   I've read about drinking salt water to help in the cleansing phase. Then I think I'll stick with my greens with some fruit concoctions. I'm hoping to learn more as I go. I'd like to do this for 30 days. I was also thinking that I can be better prepared for a mostly raw diet if I have more time to investigate recipes while I'm fasting.   I'm positive I will feel great while doing this. I've looked at the pros and cons to help give me ideas about how to approach doing this for the first time.   If anyone has any suggestions or encouraging stories you'd like to share, please do. The more information I have, the better I will do on my fast. I then hope to leave a short account of how I'm doing each day and upload photos if there's any outwardly difference.   Thank you, Kim

I held Thanksgiving dinner at my house and had virtually all control over the menu.  I still couldn't help but use real butter and cream in several of the dishes.  I try to eat a 50-75% raw, organic, gluten-free, vegan diet.  Well, I blew it over this holiday and boy do I feel it.  I ate ham and turkey, stuffing, and vegetables in cream and butter.  I've been eating a little of the left overs each day and I'm afraid to get on the scale.  I can feel the water retention.  I feel full, sluggish and bloated.  I've hardly had many fresh fruits or vegetables these last few days.  When I went to have my green vegetable drink yesterday it tasted horrible.  It's amazing hoe taste buds can change so quickly.  Now, instead of craving my green drinks, I'm craving rich foods like fettuccine alfredo.  Ugh.

I use raw protein powder in my various drinks to get my protein in.  So, when I'm not using my Vita-Mix, I'm not using my protein powder.  So, I end up having these bad carbs and fat.  And once I get a taste of these things, I want more.  The cravings soon come back.  With me it's almost like smoking.  When I quit for two years and I had a puff, the first tasted terrible.  But by the end of that day I was buying a pack.  Thankfully I quit, but that's how addictive these rich foods are to me.  Now I've put myself in that horrible position of having intense cravings but forcing myself to make the right choices.  It's so difficult.  It's so much better to stay away from "bad" foods in the first place than to have to go through this withdrawal of sorts. 

I just did a 6-week wellness challenge and did really well.  Then Thanksgiving came along and totally threw me back into my old way of eating.  This, by-the-way, is my first Thanksgiving since my surgery.  I think I need to do another wellness challenge, something to keep me motivated and on track.  Sometimes doing well just because I should for my well-being isn't enough.  I find I often need outside motivation.  That's one reason why I'm so grateful for this site.  It's helped me a lot.  I just hope I can get back on track before the scale creeps up.

 I got my Vita-Mix and it's awesome!  I've been blending fresh fruits and vegetables in the mornings and adding protein powder.  I've lost a few more pounds.  Since my surgery in April, I've lost on the average of ten pounds a month.  I was at a standstill for  while and lost the majority of the weight at the beginning.  Then recently, having stayed away from gluten and dairy, I broke the stall and have lost about 15 or so pounds most recently.

I watch the glycemic index.  Sometimes my fruit drinks may spike my blood sugar a little, but I always try to throw some greens in there like kale, swiss chard, collard greens, parsley and others.  So far it's working.  Giving up meat has been a little tough at times, but, I tried eating pork the other night and it just didn't taste good.  Though I'm sure I'll have the occasional burger or steak.  I've been getting my carbs from beans, vegetables, legumes.  I try to have a vegetable rich lunch and dinner.  If I get lazy, I'll make another green smoothie.

So far I've been pretty satisfied.  What's amazing is I have no desire for sweets like chocolate.  I can tell my taste buds are changing.  I'm experimenting with a lot of vegetables.  I've made a couple of soups that are vegetable based and vegan.  I seem to be getting in enough protein.  My body seems to be much more regular and less sluggish feeling.  I've been struggling a little getting in all my water, but that's easy enough to change.

I've lost 89 pounds since the surgery.  I think this new way of eating is helping kickstart my body into another phase of weight loss.  But, again, I have to be mindful of the carbs.  So far, so good.

That's my update.  Thanks for listening.  :-)

 Hi, everyone.

I've been trying this six week gluten-free, vegan diet and it's been challenging.  At first I didn't use any additional protein in my diet and I didn't lose any weight.  But when I added protein, I lost 11 pounds.  The thing I need to be careful of is not having too many carbs and eating a more plant based diet.  I've been using my juicer to get in all my fruits and vegetables.  I just invested in a vitamix.

I know too much fruit can lead to a spike in blood sugar, so, I've been adding apples and carrots to my green drinks to balance out the flavor.  I mix in a little raw protein and, though I can't say it's great, I get what I need.  I try to do that for breakfast when I'm on the run.  I've also been eating grains that have a high protein content and tofu.

I know I won't be off meat forever.  But, this is an interesting challenge.  It's based on "The Engine 2 Diet".  I'm learning how to cut down on my fat intake and eat healthier foods in general.  I've been more conscientious of eating antibiotic-free, free-range, etc.  I guess it's better to eat that way overall.

I'm trying.  I'm just happy to have gotten back on track.

Thank you for all of your support.  Even though I'm doing things a little unconventionally.

 Hi, everyone.  It's been a while since I've written anything.  I had gone through a phase of eating whatever I wanted and not losing weight.  I retreated as many of us do.  I became withdrawn and didn't want to take part in any of life's activities.

I was talking with a girl friend recently and she was sharing with me this great seminar she'd just went to.  The emphasis was on going vegan.  I became very excited and started researching.  I found that there are vegan protein powders, good carbs that have a high protein content, and that I'll be healthier overall if I included more vegetables in my diet.

Well, I decided to try it.  It's been two days (I just turned 40 on the 15th) and i've lost 4 lbs.  I'm allergic to gluten (basically wheat) and casein (basically dairy).  I discovered I never should have been eating whey protein.  So, now I'm investigating other alternatives.  There's so much to learn that I'd just taken for granted I knew.

I'll be in touch to let you know what works and what doesn't.  I'd love to hear from any other vegans out there.

 I'm pissed off t myself that I was doing so well and then I just started eating whatever I wanted and haven't lost in two months.  I've decided, enough is enough.  I'm going to get back on track.  i need support.  I can do this.  i need to make a change and lose about 60 pounds before I'll feel better.  I have to keep coming onto OH and using the tools and support here.  I'm busy, but not too busy to not put my health first.  I have to remember why I went through all of this in the first place and how good it feels to be down 40 pounds.  Comments welcome.

 I've found it really difficult getting back on track after "testing" which foods agree with me and which don't.  I went through this operation successfully and with no complications.  I'm so grateful.  Then why am I not treating my body properly?  I'm under a lot of stress right now, but that's no excuse.  I need to take hold of the situation and get back to getting my protein in and making it a priority.  I've been getting in about half.  i get so bored with the protein drinks.  I know carbs are my downfall.  I should just stay away from them.  I'm allergic to gluten anyway which is in most carbs, so I'm not doing myself any favors by having fried chicken instead of baked, skinless chicken.  I also like startches like rice and potatoes.  More no, no's.  I'm frustrated.  

When I drop out of touch online, it means I'm not taking good care of myself, I don't want to step on the scale, and I'm kind of hiding out until I can pull myself together.  But, I can't afford to keep the status quo.  So, I'm putting it out there that I've been struggling for about a month now, and have only lost four pounds.  I think I should go back to all liquid protein and no solid foods for a little while to reset my metabolism.  Any thoughts or ideas 

Time to run.  My four year old is having his moving up ceremony in an hour.  Thanks, everybody..  Kim  :-)

 Okay, so this past week I've been trying out different kinds of food to see how they go down.  Besides a hard boiled egg, I've had no problem with anything.  I ate French toast yesterday!  Here's the bad news.  Being nothing is disagreeing with me, I'm falling into bad habits.  I'm eating carbs and carbs kill me.  The scale goes right up.  I've gained four pounds since I've let myself try different foods.  I've been getting in my two protein drinks.  But, it doesn't feel I'm lighter.  I can't eat a lot at once.  But then when I feel less full I'll start grazing on my left overs.  And that's exactly how I feel, like a cow grazing in the grass.

 So, as radical as this may seem, I think I'm going to stick with three protein meal replacement drinks during the day and stay away from food until I have a little more self control.  I have a real problem with food and it seems, at least for now, I have to go back to protein drinks and soup.  If I don't have any other choices, it actually makes it easier on me.  I don't have to think about what I'm going to eat all the time.  And with good protein, I know I'll lose weight.

 I didn't go through all of this to be stagnant or to merely lose a pound here and there.  I'm still very heavy, so the weight should be coming off more quickly than that, save the occasional stall.  The last thing I should be doing just over a month out is gaining weight.  And no, it's not that time of the month.

 I realize, just because my stomach takes in less food, doesn't mean I can eat whatever I want.  I still have to stick to a healthy diet and carbs are a killer for me, and I feel I don't yet have the will power to stay away from them. I thought I did.  But French toast a month and a half out... not the best choice.

 My friend goes to weight watchers, so we encourage each other to make healthy choices.  I guess I thought having a smaller stomach gave me some special power to eat whatever I want.  Wrong.  The surgery is an aide.  The lifestyle I choose to lead is up to me. (Do I hear an Amen!)  I have to be as diligent as my friend on weight watchers.  I need to make sure I get all my protein in.  If I feel carbs are still a big problem for me, I have to stick with better choices like fish or egg whites, etc.

 Just in writing this today I feel more empowered because I know some of you will read this and either relate or give me encouragement.  I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have this website to connect with all of you.  Thank all of you.

 I'll keep you posted.

 PS  I can get up the stairs in my house now without huffing and puffing at the top!

 A month and a week out i finally had the courage to eat a proper meal.  From one of my friends on OH,  I tried a swordfish recipe that came out perfect, plus a small salad.  Like everyone on here said, I ate very little.  I took all the suggestions and ate small bites, chewed, chewed, chewed, then waited.  I was almost full after just a few bites.  I couldn't believe what everyone said was true.  That is I ate slowly, I'd be full after a very small amount.  But, that was definitely the case.

When I read a woman couldn't eat a whole chicken leg, I was in disbelief.  But now I understand it.  But now that I've had some food, I'm still afraid of making the wrong choices and overeating.  I feel it would be better to stick to 2-3 protein drinks/shales a day and not worry about real food.  But I know that won't sustain me.  So, I'm back to being very, perhaps overly, cautious about eating.  I'm still worrying I will be able to binge eat as I have in the path that leads down a road to destruction.  I know it's in my head right now.  But, after so many years of fighting food, it's difficult to take a different approach.

So, that was my experience thus far.  I'll keep you posted.