1 month post op-Vertical Sleeve(bariatric surgery)

I had my bariatric surgery, Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, on March 17, 2014.  Its been 4 weeks and I am down 30 lbs since surgery, and down 39 lbs from when I first stepped foot in the surgeon's office in January.  Weight was coming off pretty quick after surgery but has slowed down since.  Sometimes I don't lose for days.  Some days I don't weigh because whether I weigh or not, I am still doing things as I should per my plan and I don't want the frustration of not losing.

I drink two protein shakes a day.  Usually I have a ready made Pure Protein or Premier Protein at work, and later in the day I have one that I make out of powder and a scoop of PB2 which I have found is quite pleasant. I eat three meals a day, but not within 30 minutes of drinking.  I am still having a hard time wrapping my head around 2 ounces being a meal.  I have been eating moist scrambled eggs, string cheese, chicken salad, egg salad with a drop of olive juice(yum), cottage cheese, yogurt, deli ham and turkey, and fish.  For drinks I have been drinking one vitamin water zero or sobe life water, and then refilling the bottle with water when it's gone.  Between that and my protein shakes I am hitting both my protein needs and water needs each day.  I am tracking my calories using my "Lose it" app that I love.  I usually range between 500-600 calories a day for now.  I will be moving onto stage 3 foods soon so I can enjoy different foods.

Mentally, stepping on the scale each day is fine some days.  I remind myself its a doton my graph.  Right after surgery weight was falling off.  Sometimes, as typical with bariatric surgery it slows or stalls but eventually starts back up.  I know in the big picture I am losing so I am not complaining about that but it is hard to stall with eating so differently!  I also use the weight trend app on my phone that shows on a graph how my weight is headed downward.  I like that a lot.

Something that's odd for me is that even though I am down 38 lbs(30 since surgery) I really struggle to see it and feel it yet.  I feel like with that much weight I should.  I went into surgery at 244 lbs and I am 214 now.  I keep reminding myself that I was much heavier at my start weight than I have ever been.  With medifast i didn't even start until I was 206.  So 214, although its down from 252, is still high for me.  I am still wearing the same clothes.  This is how I tended to gain so easily in the past.  Maybe they were snug before and comfortable now, but still...the same clothes!  No one has really commented on a difference in me either, other than a few people said my face is thinner.  So I anxiously await that moment when I SEE it and FEEL my weight loss. 

Tantrums...  I am not 3 so luckily I have kept them inside :)   There have been a few times when I really wanted to have what others are having.  For the most part, in this stage of the game, I am eating very differently from my family and others I am around.  Sometimes I am fine with it, other times not so much.  We ordered pizza for my daughters Bday party this weekend.  It looked and smelled sooooo good.  I should also mention that I am one of these people who did NOT lose my cravings or appetite after surgery like many do, even with my Prilosec(this helps calm stomach acid which mimics hunger).  I cant decide yet if that's a good or bad thing.  Another thing I have realized is that even though my stomach may get "full" after two ounces(totally different feeling-my new full feeling is more a fullness in my esophagus) my head is not yet satisfied with what I have eaten.  It does usually catch up after a while though.  I take about 20 minutes to eat my 2oz and that's a struggle for me slow it down!  But its been only a month and I am working on it.  Its a learning curve.

All in all, I am very glad that I had the procedure.  I realize it sounds like a lot of negativity in my post, but I am just expressing the things that I personally struggle with.  Soon, I will start feeling and seeing the benefits of my weight loss and having lost before I know that will change my tune dramatically.  So stay tuned!

Anyone who would like to chime in with a comment, something that has helped you or someone you know, or your experience, I greatly welcome it! I have not been blogging much so anyone who is looking to catch up on my experience with bariatric surgery it can be done in a total of 3-4 posts :)

I hope everyone out there is doing well!

Jennifer