"Sleevie" does. That's my sleeve/tummy. It's weird, I just had a great workout (swimming) and I was soooo hungry. Nothing at home appealed to me so I picked up some tuna and some hard boiled eggs from the gym cafe to bring home with me. I dished out maybe 2-3oz of tuna on my plate and a flatbread cracker. Also 1 hard boiled egg. I was able to eat only about 1/3 the tuna and the egg. Interesting, as the amount I put on my plate would typically be what I would eat.
So apparently my tummy has shrunk a little. I wasn't able to eat that much yesterday either... apparently the stuck pork issue on Sunday and not eating hardly anything that day has shrunk my capacity a little... I'll take it!!!!! I could really use that help. I listen to Sleevie and I never eat more that what Sleevie says to eat (unless it's on accident)... so hopefully my capacity will stay smaller for a bit!
Showing posts with label sleeve. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sleeve. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Current Struggles at Nearly 10 Months Post Op
Alright guys it's time to have a talk all about the weight loss surgery. For those who come after me, and for all those interested, I need to reiterate that this is NOT easy.
Once your stomach capacity creeps back up, things get so much harder. I try to live a balanced eating life, get lots of protein, etc... but to also not have a diet mentality and say NO, NEVER to certain foods. I let myself have treats. I do think that is okay. However, they are too often these days and that is something I need to work on.
I wanted this type of surgery so that I CAN still eat sweets and fats and to be able to feel like I can eat pretty "normally". However, this means I have to make all the changes on my own that I would make if I had never had surgery. In the beginning I was VERY good at this and very strict. I think that is made obvious by the fact I reached about 93 lbs lost at 5 1/2 months post op which, for my type of surgery, is a LOT.
However here I am 4 1/2 months later and only 9 more pounds lost (102 lbs lost now). While it is fantastic I have continued losing, and maintaining, I have got to make some changes. I continue to get smaller (which means I burn less calories) and I continue to be able to eat more (6-8oz per meal, 5-6 meals a day now). I think my stomach capacity is pretty much leveled off now, and I can work with it, I just need to make the correct choices a LOT more often then I have been. I still want to lost another 30-50lbs and if I my current choices pretty much keep me maintaining NOW, at 208 lbs, then I'm sure it will be impossible to be 180 lbs or 160 lbs without changing what I am doing.
I am NOT one of the lucky people who is never hungry after surgery. I feel hunger many many times a day. True hunger. I need to start feeding this hunger with the things that will help it stay satisfied
Of course, as I mentioned before, fitness is a problem with my pain level and I haven't been able to do the things I wanted to do. However, I am definitely slacking and there ARE things I can do, I have just been bored of them and been stubborn about not wanting to do them, so I haven't been doing as much. That's the brutal truth there is I have been bullheaded about it. Because I can't do what I want to do, I have done hardly anything. It is time to make a list of the things I know I CAN do and get exercise 4-5 days a week for 30-60 mins each. PERIOD.
I don't really want to go into a detailed action plan here, but I am going to be getting refocused on making healthful food choices a good 90% of the time, far less treats than what I've been allowing myself, focus on more solid dense protein (yes I'm tired of chicken and turkey but I need to get over that and keep chugging). I am also going to focus on MORE exercise and MORE fun active things.
Hubby and I are planning to try the pouch test this week. A lot of post ops do it. I need to look up the specifics but I think the general idea is that for 5 days you repeat the stages of eating from immediately post op. Liquids, then soft/mushy, then soft solids. And ALL meals being 90%-100% protein. This is supposed to help accomplish two things - bring stomach capacity back down some (tighten in up) and also get a lot of sugars and junk out of your system and help you refocus on protein rich foods and eating properly.
I will try to report in more often over the next couple of weeks to let you all know how this stuff is going and if I am able to get my mindset back into a good place.
My friend Aslynn is doing so incredible and dear, so you know I am so happy for you, but I have to admit I am jealous because you are looking so good and so small (size 12 jeans!!). She and I have lost the same amount, but she started out smaller than me so she is of course smaller than me now too, and I'm jealous - but in a good way. In a motivating way. I looked at some new pics of her last night and it reminded me that I want that. I want size 12. I want to finish my journey, and THEN embark on the great task of learning to maintain it. I have gotten so comfortable with the progress I've made so far and that "I'm pretty happy right here"... but I do want more. I want at LEAST to weigh 180 lbs, even if I don't ever get to 160 lbs (I'm not sure where I want to settle). I have in my mind size 12. We shall see.
Anyway, I needed the reminder. The reminder that I'm not finished and I have more work to do. And that I have let my lifestyle slip. I'm lucky I haven't been gaining but if I continue on this path, I will.
You are never cured of obesity. I thought my mindset had changed 100%. I felt so on track, so confident, so changed. But lately I've been slipping, and I need to put a stop to that. I am sure that for the rest of my life I will have to be aware of these sorts of things and change my behaviors before I gain weight back. I'm okay with that. I will consider this my first big test. I've seen it, now I must follow through and do what I need to do.
Once your stomach capacity creeps back up, things get so much harder. I try to live a balanced eating life, get lots of protein, etc... but to also not have a diet mentality and say NO, NEVER to certain foods. I let myself have treats. I do think that is okay. However, they are too often these days and that is something I need to work on.
I wanted this type of surgery so that I CAN still eat sweets and fats and to be able to feel like I can eat pretty "normally". However, this means I have to make all the changes on my own that I would make if I had never had surgery. In the beginning I was VERY good at this and very strict. I think that is made obvious by the fact I reached about 93 lbs lost at 5 1/2 months post op which, for my type of surgery, is a LOT.
However here I am 4 1/2 months later and only 9 more pounds lost (102 lbs lost now). While it is fantastic I have continued losing, and maintaining, I have got to make some changes. I continue to get smaller (which means I burn less calories) and I continue to be able to eat more (6-8oz per meal, 5-6 meals a day now). I think my stomach capacity is pretty much leveled off now, and I can work with it, I just need to make the correct choices a LOT more often then I have been. I still want to lost another 30-50lbs and if I my current choices pretty much keep me maintaining NOW, at 208 lbs, then I'm sure it will be impossible to be 180 lbs or 160 lbs without changing what I am doing.
I am NOT one of the lucky people who is never hungry after surgery. I feel hunger many many times a day. True hunger. I need to start feeding this hunger with the things that will help it stay satisfied
Of course, as I mentioned before, fitness is a problem with my pain level and I haven't been able to do the things I wanted to do. However, I am definitely slacking and there ARE things I can do, I have just been bored of them and been stubborn about not wanting to do them, so I haven't been doing as much. That's the brutal truth there is I have been bullheaded about it. Because I can't do what I want to do, I have done hardly anything. It is time to make a list of the things I know I CAN do and get exercise 4-5 days a week for 30-60 mins each. PERIOD.
I don't really want to go into a detailed action plan here, but I am going to be getting refocused on making healthful food choices a good 90% of the time, far less treats than what I've been allowing myself, focus on more solid dense protein (yes I'm tired of chicken and turkey but I need to get over that and keep chugging). I am also going to focus on MORE exercise and MORE fun active things.
Hubby and I are planning to try the pouch test this week. A lot of post ops do it. I need to look up the specifics but I think the general idea is that for 5 days you repeat the stages of eating from immediately post op. Liquids, then soft/mushy, then soft solids. And ALL meals being 90%-100% protein. This is supposed to help accomplish two things - bring stomach capacity back down some (tighten in up) and also get a lot of sugars and junk out of your system and help you refocus on protein rich foods and eating properly.
I will try to report in more often over the next couple of weeks to let you all know how this stuff is going and if I am able to get my mindset back into a good place.
My friend Aslynn is doing so incredible and dear, so you know I am so happy for you, but I have to admit I am jealous because you are looking so good and so small (size 12 jeans!!). She and I have lost the same amount, but she started out smaller than me so she is of course smaller than me now too, and I'm jealous - but in a good way. In a motivating way. I looked at some new pics of her last night and it reminded me that I want that. I want size 12. I want to finish my journey, and THEN embark on the great task of learning to maintain it. I have gotten so comfortable with the progress I've made so far and that "I'm pretty happy right here"... but I do want more. I want at LEAST to weigh 180 lbs, even if I don't ever get to 160 lbs (I'm not sure where I want to settle). I have in my mind size 12. We shall see.
Anyway, I needed the reminder. The reminder that I'm not finished and I have more work to do. And that I have let my lifestyle slip. I'm lucky I haven't been gaining but if I continue on this path, I will.
You are never cured of obesity. I thought my mindset had changed 100%. I felt so on track, so confident, so changed. But lately I've been slipping, and I need to put a stop to that. I am sure that for the rest of my life I will have to be aware of these sorts of things and change my behaviors before I gain weight back. I'm okay with that. I will consider this my first big test. I've seen it, now I must follow through and do what I need to do.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Decisions Made
A new video update for you! Password: healthupdate
Sorry it's kind of LONG!! I don't know what they added up to in the 3 videos last time... this one is 18 minutes. Oops.
Related Info...
Denver Bariatrics (where I plan to have my surgery)
Vertical Sleeve Talk (forums where I've been learning a lot)
A couple of points...
- Unlike gastric banding surgeries, no foreign objects are left in the body during the procedure. With gastric banding, the band may slip, erode or become infected.
- Unlike gastric bypass or duodenal switch, there is no bypass of the small intestines with the gastric sleeve, so all nutrients are absorbed and very little chance exists of malabsorption issues.
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