Protein

Ok, let's talk protein shall we?

Protein is very important for success with weight loss after weight loss surgery. I had been having a hard time with getting enough protein in if any at all some days. I noticed my weight loss slowed right down. The protein shakes I had I kind of got tired of and it was all I could do to choke them down some days. I also had a hard time keeping other protein in the house, eggs, cheese, etc because my kids were eating it all on me!

So, I ordered a new kind of shake that is very good from fortius. I got chocolate banana explosion and decadent chocolate peanut butter. The banana one is very good but the peanut butter one I think I made wrong. It turned out as thick as melted marshmallows lol. I will try that one again tomorrow, I had a taste and I am done with protein shakes for today lol.

I had gotten into the bad habit of eating sunflower seeds lately too. I wanted something to munch on that didn't have sugar and that I could get down since I still can't seem to eat much. With the sunflower seeds I could eat a ton! That is when I stopped concentrating on protein and stopped losing weight. I stopped the sunflower seeds and in one day lost 6 lbs! Well, that should tell me something eh? lol

Protein is important after weight loss surgery to help you heal. It helps to prevent hair loss which can occur a couple months after surgery. I am two months out and so far no hair loss. Protein helps to prevent losing muscle while also losing fat. Your body will use the protein to burn the fat while carbs will be held onto by the body and you won't lose weight.

Protein bars are good for protein also but a bit heavy after surgery. I try to get a lot of my protein from drinking 1% milk, eating low fat cheese and any meat I can get my hands on. I also try to eat eggs but I have a hard time finishing one whole egg still lol.

I've lost 56 lbs now in 8 weeks. I want to try and lose 10-20 more in the next month so I have to concentrate a lot on getting that protein in for sure!

8 Weeks Gone!

Well it's been 8 weeks now since my surgery and I've lost 50 lbs but the weight loss seems to have slowed right down. I'm not too worried but it is discouraging all the same. I know my body has to adjust and to lose 50 lbs in two months is amazing! I feel so good and am looking a lot better.

The eating is getting a bit better too. Tonight I was able to eat a whole taco! That is so awesome! Usually I take two to three bites of something and am so full but tonight I ate a whole taco, slowly but with no problem!

I also tried on some old clothes that either I had outgrown or were too tight and they fit! Some fit good while others are loose lol. It's so amazing to try on clothes and have them be loose instead of too tight! I still don't want to post any pics until I feel it is really noticeable. Hopefully soon.

Anyways, I've lost 50 lbs now and have about 119 lbs to go until I reach my goal. It seems a lot but I know I can do it and I will!

Encouragement

Lately I have been discouraged about not being able to eat more than a couple of bites still. I had gotten to the point where I was back to just fluids, soup, shakes because it didn't seem worth it to make anything to eat if I was going to just take two bites of it.

Well today I am so, so close to reaching the first big goal I set for myself. Originally I had about 160 lbs to lose so I decided my goals would be in 50 lbs increments. I got on the scale today and have lost 49.4 lbs which is so close to that 50 lb mark but I let out a little squeal of delight lol. I started off at 308 lbs and am now 259 lbs (amazing to be in the 250's now!). Also, my bf keeps calling me "flat ass" now lol, I tell him it's just cuz all my clothes are hanging on me but he keeps teasing me. I am afraid to try on smaller clothes yet, don't know why. I think I am afraid that if I try on smaller clothes and they don't fit I will be depressed. It does look funny though to see my size 4X clothes on me. I look like a little kid playing dress up in her mom's clothes!

I feel so much healthier but one of the best benefits of my surgery is that my kids are now eating healthier because there is no more junk food in the house! My 16 year old has taken up walking for exercise and my 12 year old who had gained weight is now losing it, my 18 year old son has really thinned out and well my 7 year old takes after her dad and is a skinny minnie! My kids were never fat but they had gained weight in the last year and I didn't want to see them go down the same road I did. I was skinny as a kid, always active and into sports. Once I had kids though my eating habits got really bad and fast food was just too easy when I was busy and on the go. To see my kids already into bad habits scared me but now they are learning to be healthy again. When they were younger I always made sure they had veggies (they were rare kids who loved veggies lol) and fruit. Now we have all those healthy things in the house again and instead of reaching for junk they have fruit or some other healthy snack.

My bf keeps complimenting me left and right which I love lol. He tells me how small I am now (I am still 60 lbs heavier than when we met!) and how he can get his arms around me so much easier. He loved me at my heaviest and when I told him I wanted the surgery he said he didn't want me to, because of the risks, but he wanted me to feel better and be healthier so he was behind me all the way.

I just have to say that having others support you in your weight loss goes a very long way towards helping you be successful. The more I feel supported the better I am doing. It is still hard some days and I want to give in to some temptation but I've done pretty good. I got a kick in the ass the other day when I tried a sip of Sprite lol, man ,my tummy burned for 5 minutes just from one sip, won't do that again! Other than little slips like that I just try to get in protein and fluids lol.

So, I think it's been about 7 weeks since surgery and to have gotten to my first big goal is just so encouraging! My surgeon wants me to lose a total of 80 lbs by my next appointment in November, which worries me lol. I don't know if I can attain that but maybe if I up my activity, I must admit I lack seriously in that. I have a little over a month to lose 30 more pounds by my next appointment lol.

Anyways, I'm so glad to have a lot of support and to hear compliments keeps me going. I wouldn't be so successful without the support I have!

6 Weeks Post Op

So, it's been 6 weeks already since my weight loss surgery. It doesn't seem like that long but sometimes it seems like forever. The times it seems like forever is when I am trying to eat something, take two bites and am full. I want to hurry up and get to the point where I can eat normal or somewhat normal again.

I have lost 45 lbs so far and love the way I am looking and feeling! I've had a few small "wow" moments so far. The other day I went through a turnstile without getting stuck or having to turn sideways and go up on my toes to try and make it through! I actually went straight through it and had room to spare! I have room in the bathtub too when taking a bath lol. I used to almost wedge myself in. My clothes are all really getting loose on me also. Soon I will have to go shopping methinks ;)

Everyone is noticing my weight loss but not everyone seems to be happy for me. I've actually had a few others who have had the same surgery tell me they are jealous of how well I am doing and I make them feel like failures.....talk about taking the wind out of my sails! I've also had others who I've known a long time stop talking to me. Jealousy is an ugly thing and I don't know why people can't just be happy for me. I didn't do this to myself just to look better than others. I did it to be healthy and to feel more confident, to boost my self esteem. More than anything though I missed being active!

Before surgery I would be huffing and puffing at the slightest movement, taking a few steps exhausted me! Now I feel so full of energy. I took 3 of my kids shopping at the mall the other day and walked and walked without getting tired or out of breath! It was amazing lol.

One concern I had resolved itself in this past week. I had been badly constipated since surgery. I know this is TMI but if you are having this problem or are considering the surgery you might need to hear this lol. I tried everything to relieve myself. I ate tons of fruit, took milk of magnesia several times (grossest stuff ever!) and walked to try and get things moving. Finally I went to the store and got some dulcolax which my surgeon recommended. You have to be careful after surgery which meds you ingest as some can now be very harmful. Anyways, I took 3 little dulcolax pills like the instructions said at 7pm. The box said to give it 12 hours to work so I figured I'd go by 7am before I had to get the kids off to school. Well....my body has no timetable it goes by lol. I did not go by morning, in fact..my body waited until 1 hour before I had to go to work at 4pm! It figures lol. I actually lost 2 lbs by the time I was done lol. Of course I had to go to work feeling very weak with my butt burning like it was on fire! Try to avoid getting constipated if at all possible! Walk, drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated and don't let it go for long. I let it go way too long, almost 5 weeks! If you don't go for a week, you need to do something about it!!

I am still learning how to eat all over again. Some foods are just too heavy for me yet and I end up throwing them up. I really hate puking and try to avoid it at all costs but the pain is so bad I have no choice! I really hate taking my time eating also because my food gets too cold. I love my food piping hot! I chew and chew until my food is pulp but by then it tastes gross and the whole time I am chewing I have to really force myself not to swallow early, it's like swallowing is now involuntary lol. It sure is a learning process and I can't wait to be past this stage.

The problems I've had are so minor but frustrating all the same. Do I regret the surgery? No, I am healthy and love how I look and feel and know that in a few months I will be even better but at time I do wish I could order some fast food and chow down lol. Old habits die hard but they will die because this is a new me and I need to learn to be healthy again for me as well as my kids. I also want to be a good role model for them, it would kill me if in the future I was sitting in a waiting room while one of them had the same surgery as I've had. I wouldn't wish this on anyone and wish I had never let myself get to this point. I am so glad however that I had this option! I had run out of options and would not have lived a whole lot longer if not for this surgery, it saved my life!

Things I've Learned

Well I am going into week 4 post op and I am still learning about my "pouch". I have discovered that I need to eat very slowly because if I eat too fast I become full before I know it. I've had a bite in my mouth being chewed up when I get that full feeling and decide to swallow it anyways, big mistake! Twice now I've had to run up to the bathroom where I lose whatever I ate. The puking is not as bad as the pain that occurs before I puke! I feel like someone hit me with a baseball bat where my diaghram is and I can't get a breathe in. The more I try to relieve it the more it hurts until I throw up. Once I throw up the pain is gone instantly.

On another note I also thought I had hit a plateau which is normal while your body tries to adjust. For a few days I was stuck on this one pound I was trying to lose, then overnight I lost 2 lbs lol. I have now lost 40 lbs in just 3 weeks! That is the most I have ever lost in any weight loss attempt. The last time I lost 40 lbs was through Weight Watchers about 15 years ago and it took me about a year to lose it lol.

I am feeling thinner and so much more healthy. I have noticed my carpal tunnel syndrome seems to be gone! I can do things without being out of breathe or tired now too! My scar is healing but right now it's itchy because the skin around it is peeling.

So anyways, I've learned that I have to eat SLOWLY and that plateaus do pass. Oh and one more thing....if you get that full feeling do not drink anything! It will make it a hundred times worse lol. This is hard to do too because I am always thirsty and that full feeling can last hours!

Until next time I post, have a great day!

Pain

Well, I saw Dr Hendrick on tuesday. He said it looked like I am doing really well. I had half my staples taken out, the other half will be next week. The drainage tube was also removed and I feel so freeeeeeee!

Since then I have been getting on the scale and amazed at the numbers already. I started out at I think 306 lbs and the surgery made me swell to 315, now I am 285 lbs! I feel thinner too and have to keep making my binder tighter.

I've had a concern since yesterday though. I started to feel like I had this lump inside me, around my diaphragm. When I ate something I felt too full, for hours. Today it feels like I have this fist trying to push my insides out....I have no clue what it is but it lasted all day. If it does go away it's for like a minute or so, that's it.

I was hoping not to have to call my surgeon but I think I will tomorrow. It's making me not even want to eat at all, or even drink.

Also, I have a slight surface infection where the drain was but I keep getting air to it and alcohol. I will post again once I find out what this other problem is. I'm deathly afraid of it being a hernia and needing more surgery....

6 Days Post-Op

Well here is it Sunday afternoon, 6 days after having had my RNY surgery. I am still on a full clear liquid only diet which doesn't bother me as I am not hungry at all! I am mostly sipping either a water bottle or a glass of 50% water, 50% white grape juice (or apple). Today I tried a couple of sips of a protein shake as I still have not moved my bowels. This might seem like too much info but it's very important to avoid any bowel obstruction. My bowels have never worked regular so this does not surprise me.

My surgeon had told me to take some milk of magnesia if I didn't have a BM by friday. I did that, several times, nothing! MOM is the grossest tasting thing too! I've been gassy which can be anywhere from slightly uncomfortable to really painful. It took me until yesterday to be able to pass gas lol. I know the anesthetic deadens the bowels so it's vital to get them moving asap after surgery but they must be alive if I can pass gas now!

I feel better every single day. The first two were the most challenging as I was sore enough to need help getting up. It wasn't a bad excruciating pain though, just real sore moving certain ways. I will tell you that laughing is not a funny matter! My daughter and I were watching Family Guy on tv and one part made me burst out laughing without thinking. OMG, I thought I ripped my guts wide open! I told my daughter to stop laughing cuz I was in pain but she kept laughing which made me laugh more. Needless to say I had to take some pain meds right after that lol.

When I do feel a bit stiff or sore I get up and walk laps. It really helps to move. I've been trying to sip fluids but can't fit much in, a sip or two and I am full. I know when I am full cuz I tend to hiccup if I had too much or drank too fast lol. It kinda hurts though, like food stuck in the esophogus if you swallow a bite too large to go down right.

I hate wearing this binder around me but am grateful for its support at the same time. I also hate the leg compressors my surgeon wants me to wear for now but I am trying to follow all he wants me to do.

I go see the surgeon on Tuesday morning. I think he will be taking 1/2 my staples out by then. I took some pics of my tummy with the staples, not a pretty picture right now, but I want to document everything. I know it will all get better as time goes on.

Every day I feel better, stronger, more alive. I had gained about 15 lbs from the surgery, most likely the IV fluids and swelling and lost it all now. I do feel thinner though and I think I can see it in my face, neck, arms and legs. I feel it in my waist but with my tummy all swollen still it's hard to tell.

I am not walking a full mile a day like my surgeon told me to. I couldn't even do that before surgery! I have however worked up from where I was. I figured out online that 2000 steps was a mile so I walk laps around my kitchen/living room. I could only get in 400-500 the first two days. Yesterday I got in 1100 and today I can walk faster and more upright. I haven't finished all my laps yet today but have done 700 so far.

I've noticed today I am irritable. I don't know if it's hormones or just having fluids. It could be hormones though. Everyone warned me that the surgery would bring on my period but I thought it was safe as mine was just 2 weeks ago...oh no though, it came on yesterday, ugh! Not a heavy one thank goodness! It's just one more thing to worry about though!

Anyways, I think that is all I have to report for now. I'm going to go do some laps and maybe that will get my bowels moving lol. Ciao!