Re: Re: Just Starting the Program at...

[Guest guest]

As far as I know that after meeting DR Stiles it is still a few weeks before you will meet with the surgeon. After you have attended Orientation (that is when your 10 percent starts) then it is mandatory that you go to the once a month pre-op case management meetings. You have your choice of the second or third Saturday of each month to attend. At each of those meetings you will be weighed and that will be recorded so that they can keep track of your weight loss. Once you are close to goal you can ask to be put on the cancellation list and there is a chance that you can get a call for an early surgery date.

When I went to orientation I was told I had to lose 35 pounds unfortunately I didn't have the pre op meal plan in my folder so I was totally clueless as to how to lose the weight quickly. The first month I had relatively little weight loss. Once I got a copy of the meal plan and began to follow it closely and exercised regularly, I had talked to Nadia about needing more support and I was told that I could go any one of the Saturday meetings that included Orientation again which was good to go to again because it refreshes you mind and I went to several pre-op case Management meetings during a month. I had even managed to get into a pre-op meeting that is only for pre-ops that were having their surgery within the next couple of weeks. I had gotten close to goal by the third week of December. I was put on the cancellation list and at the end of December I got a call from Nadia asking me how close I was to goal. I only needed to lose a couple of more pounds to get there. All of a sudden I had of instead a date on March 21, 2003, I had a date of January 13, 2003, which was a year ago today. What a great journey it has been. Once you put you mind into the proper setting the weight loss and everything will fall into place. I am not saying in the beginning it wasn't hard and that is because I have years of old bad habits that I still have to deal with on a daily bases. As with everything it is one day at a time. Support groups really do play a great part in the journey toward success. Since you say you can't make it to the Tuesday meetings try to find one that you can work into your schedule. I go to the ones in SSF and then there a couple down here close to where I live in Sunnyvale that I go to. Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

Ramona

1/13/2003

357/212/?

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

It is a challenge in the beginning to give up the sweets and snacking but it can be done. It is just setting your mind to it. I still have my demons that give me challenges. I have Minutemaid Light lemonade and that seems to help. I think mostly because there is only 10 calories in the whole can. It is also non-carbonated. For some reason that seems to take away the urge most of the time. Maybe because it makes me feel so normal. Cutting down on the carbs also does help. Also eliminating the caffeine. When those urges start to hit try to do something to distract them. Drink some water or if you can go for a small walk. Another thing is learning to tell the difference between whether you are really hungry. A lot of times we just eat as a reflex. Many times we are not really hungry but thirsty. So first try drinking some water and wait a bit. Then if it is still there then you really might be hungry. Usually though if you are eating the right amount of food and concentrating on your protein first That should carry you over to your next meal. As you know protein takes longer to digest so it keeps you full a lot longer than lets say soup.

Eat more veggies. Also Have you bought a scale yet? That is also so important because you need to weigh and measure everything. The reason for that is we lose sight as to what a real portion is. When you eyeball a measurement you can really be doing yourself a disservice because you may be either eating too little or too much. Well, I hope this helps. By the way where do you live? I am in Sunnyvale.

If you have any more questions ask away.

Ramona

1/13/2003

357/212/175????

[Guest guest]

I'll butt in here. Those who know me will not be surprised at all to hear that!

Anyway, I also used the 1200 calorie diet, but with one major change. I dumped

most of the carbs, focussing on just the protein. That meant I didn't have the

bread, etc., and very little of the fruit. When I did that, my daily average was

closer to 800-900 calories.

DO NOT DO THIS IF YOU ARE DIABETIC! Or at least get the approval of the

nutritionist first!

What I have discovered for myself is that I am a carb addict. If I start with

the carbs, it is much harder to stop. It's like expecting an alcoholic to stop

with one drink. When I say carbs, I mean what is frequently referred to as

" white " carbs, namely sugar, pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, flour. I do

occasionally have fruit, but not very much. I do eat veggies.

Hope that helps!

sxyitaliangrl2002 wrote:

> Thanks alot sweetgemlady for responding to my email...Sence

> orientation on January 3, 2004 I started eatting the 1200 calorie Pre

> Op Meal Plan and working out 4-5 days a week, 35 mins. each time. I

> am really trying to lose this weight. I have 10lbs to lose by

> 2/15/04, and then plus another 15lbs by April 2004, if I can do that

> then Dr. Stiles said I will have surgery in April...I am hoping to

> lose the weight before April and hopefully get in on a cancellation.

> I have been going to SSF for the past two weekends for orientation,

> Dr. Stiles, Beth Trumbo, Pre-op class, Case Mgtmnt Pre-op class and I

> will be attending the class that Beth Trumbo has here at Kaiser Santa

> Clara on the 1st Wednesday's of each month. I feel I am getting alot

> of support and education and feel really good about having the

> surgery. The one thing that is really hard for me though is, trying

> to stop snacking between meals and eatting sweets...I am trying, but

> its hard!! Any thoughts on what I can do??

>

> Thanks for your support,

>

--

Eleanor Oster

eleanor@... (personal address)

www.smallboxes.com/gastricbypass.htm

Berkeley, CA

Open RNY (100 cm bypassed) 07/15/2003

Kaiser Richmond (CA)

P. Fisher, M.D.

05/09/2003 319 Orientation

07/15/2003 ~290 Surgery

01/09/2004 210 Current

Goal 150