Tag Archives: Post Op Info

The 100 Workout #WLS #VSG

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92 Days until my 1 Year Surgiversary!

Like a lot of other bloggers, I have a mild obsession with Pinterest.  I love the whole idea of the site, and I love being able to gather so many great ideas in an organized manner.  I’ve gathered what is probably 100′s of ideas at this point.  Some of them I’ve been great about following through on, and others I haven’t.  I am currently in a phase of trying a “pin” everyday or every day or two.  It adds some fun to your life to try new things!

On Monday I had a telecommuting day, and I was perusing the Fitness category and came across the 100 Workout:

I’m not entirely sure of the origin, but the “pin” links you to Lauren Conrad’s website.  Since Monday was a rainy blah day, I didn’t want to have to head up to the gym, so I figured I’d give this a try.  It was a lot tougher than I originally thought it would be, but it was a fun challenge.  It took me 24 minutes and 32 seconds and according to my HRM I burn 238 calories.  Not too shabby for less than 25 minutes of work.  I will definitely work on getting my time down.  It was also great to know that I could hop on the treadmill and run 10 minutes without issue.  It’s been quite some time since I’ve run, though I’ve been killing other workouts and the elliptical.

What’s your favorite quick workout?

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare

Nine Month “Surgiversary” #WLS #VSG

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93 Days until my 1 Year Surgiversary!

Nine months seems like it should be a big milestone, I guess really every three months feels big.  It is a quarter of a year after all.  If you’ve read any of the more recent posts, you know that the last month or two have been WEAK when it comes to weight loss, tracking truthfully, and letting the bad things slip in.  The last couple of months I’ve been rocking the work outs though, so I haven’t gained weight, yay!

I can eat basically anything I want now, with the exception of trying to go gluten free due to a recent allergist appointment.  It’s both a blessing and a curse that my sleeve will let me put almost anything in it.  I can handle social situations like a champ, I no longer feel like the freak eater in the bunch.  It’s only noticeable to the people who know that I had surgery that I eat any differently.  I just eat way smaller portions than most people.

Physically I feel absolutely amazing most days, my new normal is just tiny portions.  I can eat more at a time now that I could in the beginning obviously.  I can normally eat 3-4 oz of dense proteins such as chicken or steak, and 4-5 oz of things like fish (less dense proteins.)  I absolutely can not eat protein and then drink or I throw up, that lesson has been learned a couple of times now.  Soups REALLY fill me up, so I’ve been having those for lunch recently.

If you’d like to catch up on other months in my journey they are below.

One Month Surgiversary Post

Two Month Surgiversary Post

Three Month Surgiversary Post

Four Month Surgiversary Post

Five Month Surgiversary Post

Seven Month Surgiversary Post

Below are photos from surgery day and then photos from 9 months post op. (FYI If you want to see all progress photo’s here’s a link.)  There’s not much difference between the 7 Month and 9 Month photos, but the difference between the pre-op photos and 9 months is huge.  I’m still not sure what my extra skin status will be.  There are certain ways that if I bend I can see in the mirror droopy skin, I’m not sure how or when or if even if that will stretch back.  We shall see!

Photo’s from 8/22 (Day of Surgery)

Photo’s from 5/22 (Nine Months Post-Op)

 

Measurements

I forgot to take pictures before I started the pre-op diet, but I did take my measurements the day that I started the two week pre-op diet.  The numbers below include changes since 8/8, the day I started the pre-op diet.

I only take measurements from one side of my body, some choose to take measurements from both and wind up with much higher numbers.  I suppose I’m lazy about measuring!

  • Waist: -12 3/8″ (-1/2″ this month)
  • Hips: -10 5/8″ (-3/8″ this month)
  • Right Thigh: -6 3/8″ (-3/8″ this month)
  • Right Calf: -3 3/8″ (-1/2″ this month)
  • Left Bicep: -3 1/8″ (-0″ this month)
  • Neck: -2 3/4″ (-1/8″ this month)
  • Chest Under (ribcage/bra band area): 9 1/2″ (-1/4″ this month)
  • Chest Over (cup size): -9 11/16″ (-1/2″ this month)
  • Total Lost: -57 13/16″
  • Pre Op Weight Loss -12.8lbs
  • Month 1 Weight Loss -20.8lbs
  • Month 2 Weight Loss -16.6 lbs
  • Month 3 Weight Loss -12.4 lbs
  • Month 4 Weight Loss -10.2 lbs
  • Month 5 Weight Loss -10.0 lbs
  • Months 6-7 Weight Loss -17.8 lbs
  • Months 8-9 Weight Loss -6 lbs
  • Total Weight Loss -106.6 lbs (-93.8 lbs Post Op)
It’s pretty obvious that the weight loss has slowed down.  Part of that is thanks to some stalls, part of that is thanks to jelly beans, and part of that is thanks to things just slowing down because I’m getting a bit smaller.  While I’d love to continue having double digit months, I am content that the scale and measurements both keep moving down, even if its just a little bit at a time.

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare

 

WIAW-What I Ate Wednesday Post #VSG #WLS

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98 Days until my 1 Year Surgiversary!

 

6AM Protein Shake (w/ AM Vitamins)

Remembered it was Wednesday and I needed to snap pictures of my food AFTER drinking my protein shake, oops!

10AM Breakfast-Egg, Egg White, 1/4 cheese, 2 Tbsp Salsa

Lunch 12:30PM-3 oz Deli Turkey, 2 Slices Sharp Cheddar, 1/2 Tbsp Mayo, 2 Pickle Slices

Took about 30 minutes to eat this.

Afternoon Snack-1/2 Cup Raspberries with Stevia, 2 oz Fresh Mozzarella

Dinner 7:30PM-10 Crackers, 15 Carrots and Snap Peas, 1 Glass Champagne, 1 glass Red Wine

No dinner pictures, it was girls night!

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare

Hunger? #WLS #VSG

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This was supposed to publish yesterday, but I got my dates mixed up, opps!

99 Days to Go!

A lot of post ops have either no hunger at all, or their hunger is dramatically reduced post op.  I’m not talking about head hunger here, I’m talking about true, stomach growling, feed me before I pass out hunger.  The past 3-4 weeks, I’ve been feeling more and more hunger.  Yesterday I found myself doing a lot of reading on what is causing the hunger (mainly because I was ready to eat the arm off of the next person to pop their head in my cube.)  Is it acid?  It seems like a lot of post VSG’ers find that the real cause of their increased hunger is acid related, so they either add a PPI (like Prilosec) or they increase their dosage.

If I’m 100% honest with both you and myself, my tracking has also been a bit of a joke the past 3-4 weeks.  I track 85-90% of what I eat, but that other 10-15% has been things like jelly beans, cookies, extra crackers, extra hummus, etc.  Bad for me foods, typically, but sometimes just larger quantities of the good for you foods than what I am actually tracking.  In the shift to focus on getting through the last 100 days of my first year post op in a very healthy way, I am being 100% honest in my tracking.  I think that what I will find is that my hunger isn’t actually coming back, and that perhaps its not acid, but its been the random grazing that I’ve been allowing myself to do.  I’ve slowly let some unhealthy carbs, primarily sugar, back into my diet.

The good news is that I’m not gaining weight, but the weight loss is at a serious halt.  That isn’t what I went through all of this for.   I am using this 100 days to refocus, to go back to basics if you will.  Tracking, exercising, doing the good work to get the scale moving again.  I’m going to give it a week or two to see if the hunger pangs that I’ve started to feel start going away with a refocus on perfect tracking (weighing/measuring/logging.)  If that doesn’t help, I’m going to talk to my surgeons office about upping my dose of my PPI.  Of course I’ll keep you updated!

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare

WIAW-What I Ate Wednesday Post #VSG #WLS

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Bella has started to post the foods that she eats on Wednesdays as part of Peas and Crayons WIAW postings.  I love the idea, so thought I’d play along!

I know that pre-op I was always wondering what people post op were eating on a daily basis, and what a great way to show people.  I am about 8 1/2 months post op, so here is what I ate on Wednesday.

6AM Protein Shake (w/ AM Vitamins)

10AM Breakfast (Egg, Egg White, 1/4 cheese, 1 Tbsp Salsa)

Lunch 12:30PM (1/4 cup wheat pasta, 2 oz ground turkey breast, 1/3 cup marinara, 1 tbsp parm)

Afternoon Snack-Grazed for about an hour on this.  (7 baby carrots, 10 snap peas, 1/2 cup raspberries, 2 Tbsp Bacon Ranch Dip)

Dinner 7:30PM (9 grilled shrimp from inside the tacos at Chilis)

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare

Thai Turkey Wraps #WLS #VSG #Recipe

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I actually made these a few weeks ago, but I absolutely loved them.  They made great left overs for lunches also.  Super yummy, super big fan of them.

Thai Turkey Wraps

I was big time craving thai food, and yeah these aren’t technically thai food, but it’s what lead to the inspiration of me making these.  Since I am also working towards incorporating more veggies into my post sleeve diet, these scored even more points.

  • 1 Pound 99% Lean Ground Turkey Breast
  • 1 Medium Onion, diced
  • 1 Medium Red Bell Pepper, diced
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbsp Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp Hoison Sauce
  • 1” Chunk of Ginger Diced
  • Chinese 5 Spice, a dash or two, to personal taste
  • 1 Head Bib/Boston Lettuce (washed and separated)

Saute the onions over medium head for 5-7 minutes in the olive oil, until translucent.

Add in the Ground Turkey and crumble and cook until completely cooked.

Add in the diced peppers

Add in the remaining ingredients (minus the lettuce!)  Cook until desired consistency.

Makes 6-8 WLS Patient sized portions.  Makes 3-4 normal people portions.  The below information is based on 6 WLS Patient portions.

  • Calories: 158
  • Fat: 4
  • Fiber: 2
  • Protein: 24
  • Carbs: 8

Now for the fun part, toppings.  These aren’t included in the nutritional information, so make sure to track those.

  • Spicy Peanut Sauces
  • Sliced Scallions
  • Crushed Peanuts
  • Sliced Peppers
  • Sriracha Sauce (spicy!!)

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare

Does Having WLS Mean Never Dieting Again? #WLS #VSG

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Pre-op, I knew that my life post-op would require keeping up primarily with protein.  I assumed that calories would always stay in check thanks to eating protein first and of course my smaller sleeved tummy.  I figured I’d never buy another book about dieting or weight loss since I had a built in program to follow.  I figured that my Dr. Oz watching days were over (side rant…have you ever watched Dr. Oz and wondered how the eff people could actually follow ALL of the different supplements he recommends, you’d need to first win the lottery and the second survive entirely on supplements.)  I figured I’d never see the allure of re-joining Weight Watchers ever again. Boy was I wrong.

Calorie, carb, fat, protein counting.  All part of my daily life post op.  It’s still all an experiment to find out the exact balance that works for me.  Workout minute counting, also a daily post op activity.  Do I still buy diet books, absolutely.  The most recent one thanks to Dr. Oz…again.  This one was about whether you should follow a Hunter or a Farmer diet plan.  The show was really intriguing, and thanks to instant download to the Kindle, I had it and was ready to read by the time Dr. Oz has gotten to the first commercial break.  While the book was interesting, and I learned that I am a Farmer (require more meals and higher carbs), not a Hunter (fewer meals, higher protein), it’s not likely a diet plan that would work for a post op patient.

I am probably more cognizant now than ever about actually tracking my food.  I do miss a thing or two here or there, but overall, I am focused almost daily on sticking to my plan and working out.  More so than ever actually.  It’s easy to fall off the weight loss wagon, even post op, BUT, it’s also a lot easier to get back on said wagon, at least for me, at least for right now.

My Weight Watchers membership auto renewed…THREE  times now since surgery.  It auto charges me for 3 months at a time.  Sure I can go in and cancel it, but I can’t for the life of me do it.  There have been weeks, more than I’d like to admit, that I track on both My Fitness Pal AND on WeightWatchers.com.  I love those weight watchers points.  They are so engrained in my head.  Shockingly now that I am in a lower points range, the points actually workout pretty well for me, as long as I am sticking to my actual calorie goals and plan.  Sort of shocking really; probably because I can no longer eat 3 bananas a day.  (That joke only makes sense if you’ve followed Weight Watchers and know that fruits are 0 points, and the average banana is 110 calories.)

I now have a fabulous tool to help me keep my portions in check, but I still have to do all of the work.  I still have to make decisions.  I have to choose to put smart foods in my body, I have to choose to workout daily, I have to choose to get my bum off of the sofa and do something besides watch TV.  I still enjoy researching the crap out of diets and healthy living options.  I should probably read less because so much of the information out there contradicts itself, but alas, I am my Mom at heart, which means I enjoy the researching process of making the decisions.

Do I still have to diet?  YES.

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare

Doctors Goal Weight; My Goal Weight; Reality #WLS #VSG

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I think I forgot to mention in a previous post that my doctors goal weight for me.  If I did mention it, this is a bit redundant, but still worth discussing.  There’s a lot of focus on a specific goal weight, whether it be based on the BMI standards, a doctor’s goal of what he sees the average person do, or own personal preference.   Some people go based on getting into a certain size or hitting certain dreamed of body measurements.

As things have started to dramatically slowdown in the weight loss department, I’ve been giving these various goals a lot of thought.  The goal that I set for myself pre-op was to get down to 150-155.  This would put me in a healthy weight range per the BMI standards, and give me a 10-15 pound space for fluctuation.  Right now I’m about a pound or so away from no longer being obese, and hitting just the overweight category (woot!).  I am by no means thin, but I am certainly getting more and more comfortable with my body and where it is at.  I’m not entirely sure how realistic it is for me to shoot for 150-155.  I am going to have extra skin.  I have a lot of muscle mass.  My body fat percentage is only about 8% higher than where I want it to be.  I also have gargantuan calves and a large body frame.

My doctor’s goal was for me to get below 200 and to have healthy labs.  Done and done.  BMI says I should lose about other 40 or so pounds.  I can get down to 164 and technically be at a “healthy” body weight per the BMI.  That gives me absolutely no wiggle room though.  Body fat percentage to get in a healthy weight range, well that’s just a math equation that being a Poli Sci major won’t let me figure out.  (Lose 8-10% more body fat, but also maintain or increase muscle mass…carry the one…with a factor of .432827….NO IDEA.)

So what is my goal weight?  I have no idea.  I’m fairly certain that at 5’8, I could be pretty darn comfortable at about 165-175.  I’m not really going to change up what I’m doing, so my guess is, that my body will eventually hit a point where I just stop losing and it will figure out where it’s comfortable on its own.

I am shopping in “normal” stores without fail.  I typically can buy in the 12-14 size range, and the tops are a large or extra-large, depending on the top.  I’ve been lucky enough (?D?W@?@?) to not have lost my chest, so that and my arms and their evil extra skin sometimes keep me in larger tops.  My goal was to get out of Lane Bryant and the plus sized section, and I have accomplished that.  Would I love to get into a 10, or even a single digit size?  Sure, but I’m not entirely sure how likely that is.

I am officially changing my first goal weight to 175.  Once I hit that number, I will re-evaluate my goal.  I’m in a whole new territory being in onederland.  I have absolutely no idea where the end of the weight loss portion of my journey will end.

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare

 

One Day…100+ Grams of Protein from Only Food #WLS #VSG #PROTEIN

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Back during my pre-op nutrition classes the nutritionists had discussed that our ultimate goal is to one day be off of all protein supplements.  While they aren’t bad to take, ideally we would get our nutrition from actual food.  My nutritionist was completely fine with me still be on one shake a day at this point, but I was wondering if it were even possible for me to hit my normal 100+ grams of protein in a day without the use of a shake.  So I did a little experiment, and apparently it is possible.  But how you ask?

I wouldn’t say that it was easy, but it was possible, especially considering that this was one of my telecommuting days, so I was at home and had greater access to a kitchen.  I think for days that I’m busy or working, I still need a shake.

Questions I’ve Received #WLS #VSG #Workingout

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I’ve received several emails in the past couple of weeks and a few comments asking specific questions about weight loss surgery, vertical sleeve gastrectomy, and my workout routine, so I figured I’d do a little Question/Answer post :)

  1. Do I feel hunger at 7-8 months out?  I deal more with head hunger than anything else.  What I’ve learned is that no matter how much reading up or research you do on any weight loss surgery, “it” (the surgery, the process, the experience) is a completely individual experience.  Some people still have real hunger issues post op.  I’m lucky in that I dont often physically feel hungry.  If I keep myself busy and active enough, I am able to keep the head hunger at bay.  If I give myself a lazy day to lay around, or if I’m bored at work, the head hunger monster strikes and I have to deal with the same feelings that I had pre-op regarding food.  The surgery isnt magical, it’s a tool.  On a busy Saturday I can easily eat breakfast and then only realize that I should eat 10+ hours later because I have a headache or I get a little dizzy.
  2. Sweets?  This is a continuation of #1. They dont do surgery on your brain, just your stomach.  Be prepared for that.  Be prepared for dealing with head hunger.  Jellybeans and peeps still screamed my name on Easter, just like they did before.  Cake at office birthday parties still exists, just like it did before.  With the sleeve you dont have the same issue with “dumping” that you do with gastric bypass, so you can still eat the sweet things (this is an individual thing, some people can and some people can’t,) be prepared for that.  For me sweets are hit or miss, sometimes they make me feel dreadful, sometimes I have no problems with them.  I do try to avoid them for weight loss and health reasons though.  If I have too much sugar, I just feel so blasted awful, I get really tired and just feel bad.  Its not an upset stomach thing, just a blah feeling.
  3. Is there anything I can’t eat or that my sleeve doesn’t like?  Before I had surgery, it was a bit of a running joke that I had a stomach made of yarn.  There was no telling what was going to give me an upset stomach.  Since surgery, I have a sleeve made of steel.  There isnt a single thing that I’ve tried so far that the sleeve hasnt liked.  I can eat steak, chicken, seafood, pork, any dense protein.  I can eat literally anything.  Carbonation hasnt been friendly to me, but I was never really a soda drinker, so that is OK.  I do my best to always eat protein first, and usually there isnt a ton of room for things like rice or pasta.  I can probably count on my fingers how many times I’ve had rice or pasta since surgery.  When I have had them, its a couple of tablespoons, or just a few pieces of pasta.  I’ve added salads back to my diet, I’ve added fruit back, I let myself have a treat now and then of something like frozen yogurt.  What I cant do is eat more than a certain amount.  I still pay attention to my “soft stop” of a burp.  The second I have the quiet little burp, my fork goes down and I am DONE.  In addition, pre-surgery, I think everyone goes through a “oh shit I better eat 15 servings of sushi (insert food of choice here) because I will NEVER get to eat it again.”  While it does feel that way, it just isnt.  You just cant eat 15 servings anymore :)
  4. Hair Loss?  Did I have some hair loss?  Yes.  No one but me noticed, so it obviously wasnt a ton, but that doesnt mean I didnt feel like it was a ton.  It’s hard to watch your hair fall out in the shower, feeling like your pulling hundreds out at a time.  The reality is, it was probably 3-4 times more than normal, and it looks like more than it actually is.  I had one spot, where I part my hair that I personally really noticed.  Not once did even my husband notice it, even when I pointed to it and said “RIGHT HERE, THERE’S NO HAIR!”  It lasted about three months, and now I have thicker hair than I did before.  I have always had a lot of hair, just not super thick hair.  How to prevent hair loss?  Dont believe everything you read.  There is no controlling it.  Even when you get in all of your protein, which I did, you can still have hair loss.  It’s due to the anesthesia, the dramatic weight loss, and the super low calorie levels.  The good news is, is that it stops.  The other good news, you are going to notice it way more than anyone else will.  PS-Buy a hair catcher thingy for the shower drain, you’ll be happy you did.  PPS-Dont spend a ton of money on expensive shampoos that claim to make your hair regrow, they do NOT work.
  5. Still losing weight?  Yes.  No where near as fast as I once was.  I now have to fight for every pound just like I did pre-op.  Don’t get me wrong, my sleeve still does its job, I just also have to put in more effort to do my part of the process now more than I did initially.  I do a lot of working out, and am still losing inches, the scale can just be an evil bastard sometimes.
  6. Still taking vitamins and using protein shakes?  Yes, more about that in a post coming up in the next few days.
  7. Do I have extra skin?  Yes.  Not as bad as some, worse than others.  This is one of those things that is very much about how long you were over weight, genetics, etc.  There’s nothing you can do to control this.  I created the body that stretched out my skin, now I have to live with it.  A lot of people stop posting pictures once the skin gets bad.  I have no plans to change how I take my progress photos.  My arms are the worst.  I cant imagine what they are going to look like in another 40 pounds.  The rest you can really only tell if I’m leaning forward (stomach, chest, etc.)  That and I thing I have a Sharpe ass.  It doesnt look bad yet, but oh my friends, it will.
  8. Do I have to work out?  YES.  I have come to love working out, absolutely love it.  I am in the gym 5-6 days a week for 60-120 minutes at a time.  I do a really good mix of cardio, stretching, and weights.  The weight loss has dramatically slowed down, and the working out keeps me sane.  This is my normal schedule:
  • Mondays: 45 minutes or so on a cardio machine, usually the elliptical followed by a 30 minute Metabolic Effect class (bootcamp on crack.)
  • Tuesdays: 60 minutes or so on a cardio machine, and if I’m really feeling it, followed by a 60 minutes of Cardio Kickboxing.
  • Wednesdays: 45 minutes or so on a cardio machine, followed by a 60 minute Body Pump class
  • Thursdays: 45 minutes or so on a cardio machine, followed by a 60 minute Yoga class (this is my zen ohmmmmmmmmmm day.)
  • Fridays: 60 minutes of cardio
  • Saturdays: 60 minute step class followed by a 60 minute Body Pump class.
  • Sundays: OFF, and by OFF I mean yard work.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email or comment, I’m more than happy to answer any questions that are out there.  I know that pre-op I slept, ate, and drank anything I could find about life post op.

Tata for now,

Scale Warfare