Hi, I live in the SF Bay area and I am getting sleeved on 5/29/15 and wanted to reach out to my local VSG'ers to say hello! How is your journey going? You look great!

You look fabulous!! congrats and thanks for sharing ur transformation

You look amazing! Congratulations and thank you for the inspiration!!!

Thanks for your kind response, I would love to have you as an shoulder to lean on, questions to answer. I have one to start off with lol, You wrote about mixing up turkey and mayo, real mayo what was that all about? How soon before surgery did you cut out all the yummy stuff?

Wow you have lost almost 100 lbs in 6months? How did you do it? How much are you exercising? So awesome! I hoped to be sleeved in June. Worried I will not lose it all I need to lose 150lbs to reach goal. Your an inspiration!

I bought some Athenos fat free Greek yogurt - plain .... love it. I eat it by itself! I eat it on turkey, eggs, anything. I love sour cream and love plain yogurt! I use to live overseas and grew up eating foreign dishes - lots of Indian food so I am use to eating plain yogurt on my food. Love it - would love to hear all the things you are cooking! I planned to make spinach tonight but it didn't get done. I plan to add some unflavored protein powder to it and see what I can come up with. I plan to do more cooking this weekend since I have more energy and a lot more options.

Its so good to hear from you! Please keep in touch, I am excited for both of us!!

I am so happy to hear you are feeling better!! You know, one thing about this place is posting your weight is OK... no one is judged for being large. I didn't post mine until I was ready to actually start doing something about it and wanted to see that number go down so badly so I am reminded every time I post something to push for that next pound smaller :-) I am thrilled by the results so far and know in time it won't be as easy but for now I am enjoying the free fall :-)

I agree with the whole foods thing. I lose weight easiest when I am eating the most natural state the food came in but I also lose weight very well as a vegan. I am planning to rock my body with some serious changes every time it wants to stall and think it knows what is about to happen. I plan to purchase hormone free meats when I do eat them after my cheap turkey runs out but I knew I needed something easy for those weeks at work where I am just not able to keep up. I commute over and hour each way to work daily. In my field, I work when the work needs me in addition to the 8-5 Monday through Friday. I never have any real notice of projects coming up and they all start in crisis mode by the time I am called to assist so its best to have a backup plan. I am going to do some crockpot meats when I am cleared for meats but for what ever reason the only thing I am cleared for meat wise now is fish and fat free deli meat. Go figure.

So 400 calories and you are to do two protein shakes? If you haven't tried them I use Muscle Milk Light Chocolate and its 8.25 oz, 100 calories, 4 carbs (total - fiber = what you count), 15 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of fat. You should not encourage your family to try these... they are sinfully good :-) Let them think you are suffering and keep this one for mid-afternoon if you are in need of a 3PM chocolate fix. I also enjoy EAS Advantedge Carb Control strawberry creme which is 11 oz, 110 calories, 1 carb, 17 grams of protein, 3 grams of fat. They also come in chocolate and fudge but higher in carbs if I remember correctly and not as tasty as muscle milk light. With that you are halfway through your calories and protein for the day. You should drink some chicken broth if you get hungry - even head hunger. It helps so much you will be surprised and its only 10 calories a cup in most cases. It counts in your liquids for the day so all is not lost. For the other calories with the focus on protein I would try to do an egg, tuna, baked fish, or try some chicken or turkey through the food processor.

Keep in touch and let me know how you are doing! I am excited and afraid too... :-) Because your calorie count is so low I would recommend putting a sheet together with serving sizes, calories/fat/carbs of different things you can eat so you can plan your 400 calories out for each day. You will do great!!! I have no doubts of that :-)

Rae

If I take my tums and antacid correctly I could care less about eating even the stuff I know I like. Its going to be so much easier on soft solids which I am officially cleared for tomorrow but doing so well I tried some last night by eating the inside of a deviled egg. I went to the store yesterday and found some 99% fat free deli turkey meat that is like 50 calories for 2 ounces so I put that in the food processor with some mayo (real, not low cal so zero carbs) and it created a smoother paste of turkey meat. I took my two TBSP this morning into my trusty condiment cup and used this garlic herb mayo stuff that comes in a squeeze bottle and just drizzled a bit on top. Mixed smooth and my eyes rolled into the back of my head it was so good. I happened to find it at Kmart of all places and it was near the sell by date so they were selling it for $1 a package (9oz) and it comes in those reusable containers. I bought four yesterday and figured my son would eat some and I could freeze a couple. I went back and bought more today and took them out of the containers yet left them in the interior sealed pouch, put several in freezer bags and will pull out when I need. There are 4.5 servings of 2oz for 50 calories, 9 grams of protein in each package. I can grind it up and add it to anything to boost my protein and it a cheap way to do so. I blush but I bought 38 packages :-) so not only was it 22 cents a meal but it came with 38 storage containers LOL.... yikes...

The day before was a mess. I couldn't stop circling the soup and mashed potatoes mixed together or mashed potatoes mixed with plain yogurt. Mind you, two Tbsp at a time along three times a day is still not much but felt like I was going to fail. It was the stomach acid driving me and when that was gone it was like the switch finally was flipped on. I also bought Tums with calcium for my purse and have one mid-afternoon just to prevent stomach acid from getting me off track. I really am full of energy to the point it brought tears to my mother's eyes I am feeling so much better. Oh, and I am never leave the house without a bottle of something zero calorie to drink. Had to change to a bigger purse but it made a difference on how I felt so its worth it.

I am allowed 600-800 calories but I am most likely heavier than you and my doctor apparently doesn't use the smallest tubing when recreating the tummy. I am so happy with the way he did this because I feared I would trade one problem for another because many cannot eat and no longer can enjoy food at all. I think a lot of them went to Mexico though... haven't figured out the entire pattern. I still enjoy food but found just a couple of bites of soft solid and I am done only without pain, worry, or desire.

Sending this in a few posts… system said its too long

Honestly up until yesterday I was not convinced I actually had the surgery LOL.... I have cuts on my tummy but I feel fantastic and haven't had pain meds since getting out of the hospital. Food wise, I felt like I wanted to eat all the time until I figured out to take the antacid on an empty stomach and giving it some time to start working before adding any protein shakes or soup. My friend's brother is a drug rep for the kind I take and she was able to help me since they use it too. I use baby spoons with soups and yogurt to keep things slower as I am not having any problems eating. At some point I was mad it was too easy to eat because I didn't think I would lose anything like this. Then last night it dawned on me.... although I felt like I eat all the time its because I am drinking my meals and they go down really easy. With the switch on the meds when I reviewed my day yesterday I drank one protein shake (110 calories 1 carb), eaten three tablespoons of soup with a bit of mashed potatoes mixed in to thicken it, drank most of a zero vitamin water, most of a 16 oz bottle of water, some G2, 6 oz of beef broth (10 calories), and a few spoons of sf jello. I honestly had to remind myself to do all but the soup because I wanted it... When I figured out I really didn't have many calories I ate about three Tbsp of mashed potatoes very slowly.... like just lick the spoon type eating and this morning I am down two pounds.

I am so glad to hear your surgery went well. Any problems eating or drinking? How are you feeling???

The surgery went so well I forget I just had surgery. The only complication I had was shallow breathing in recovery and most of the day of surgery so they had my oxygen up to a 4 instead of a 2 for that day but it improved when I started the breathing exercises. That evening I felt so good that I kept walking and walking to a point they chased me back to bed and would not allow me to get back up. They said they have never seen anyone walk so much and worried I was going to cause damage. I guess I was in a great mood, very funny and flirty with the staff. I normally don't use the pain killers - especially morphine - but I went into this one thinking just time travel the first 30 hours and it will be easier when you are done. The only discomfort I had was the drain site as there was pressure on my rib cage.

How are you doing? Any complaints? I am doing as much liquid as I can stand but today I thought I was hungry and kept wanting to eat. I forgot to take my prescription antacid and didn't drink anything all morning (church) so between the two that was my mistake and the stomach acid was high making me want eat something.

I gained 10 pounds in the hospital but it was gone again Friday night.

You are very welcome. I am glad to hear that it went so well. That you are doing grea! I have officially started my count down. My surgery will be here before I know it.

Best wishes to you. I will keep u you in my prayers for an easy recovery. I'm waiting to get a date for surgery. Keep that beautiful smile! To life!!!

Good Luck Today! Wishing you a fast and speedy recovery!