Did you have to set weightloss goals after the sleeve or did you just let your sleeve do it's job???????

I haveet mini goals for myself. However I have been reather leanient with my goal setting. I also understand that I just night not reach each goal in the timeframe that I have given myself, but I will one day reach them.

I think this is a great attitude to have SassyMummy. My surgeon set a goal weight for me of 80kg which I think is very realistic and my own dream weight would be somewhere around 65-70kg. But like you I'm not setting any specific amounts that I want to lose each week. I will try and eat better and be healthier and let the sleeve do it's job. What I end up losing overall I lose. Anything will be better than where I am at now.

I'm not setting goals apart from the general "lose weight," one.



I do plan on going to the gym and eating relatively well after I've gotten into real foods again... but I will most certainly not be aiming to lose X amount each week. I will lose what I lose.



I've spent my teenage years and my adult life focused on weight... I kind of want to just NOT CARE for a while. I mean, obviously I will care, but I want to just do good and let the sleeve assist me in weight loss. I don't want to think "damn, I wanted to lose 2kg this week but only lost 600g..." and then go cry. I'd rather just go, "Awesome... another loss!" and then do whatever I feel like doing.



I also don't even have an actual "goal weight," either as I'm just not sure what's realistic for me and my body. BMI says I could be from 49-64kg to be healthy... but 49kg and I think I'd probably be knocking on death's door. I am (actually) big boned... my bones are even quite large for that of a man, despite the fact I'm short. Add to that my body shape, which tends to be rather hourglass naturally, and so that requires me to have a bit of flesh on me... I suspect my backside and bust will always be a bit fleshier than average, regardless of what I do. But then, some doctors have suggested that even aiming for 64kg is unrealistic for my body... so really, I ahve no idea. I'm just going to wait and see... get fitter, get healthier and see what feels like a good weight when I get there.

im setting goals, as soon as im told i can SAFELY exercise, im starting on the C25K program & im going to start preparing for a mini marathon, next yr i want to do the mini marathon :)

Thank-you middlewoman. I am seeing the dietician after I have the sleeve. She will come and see me before I leave hospital. I hope she gives me the rules then. I have a basic outline from my surgeon.

This is a great question and I also have to agree with the other comments.

My only aim was to be somewhere within the healthy BMI range. My surgeon, dietitian and myself never discussed a final goal or timeframe. Even at my followup appointments with the surgeon, we have never mentioned it. Once I reached a certain weight, my dietitian and I came up with a rough goal (middle of the healthy range). This is a very flexible and achievable goal, based on how I feel as I get closer to it.

The most important thing I have NOT done, is to set a timeframe for my goals. In the past, if I tried to lose weight for a certain date, I always panicked and gave up, as I felt I couldn't possibly get there. With the sleeve, it is a whole new ball game. I have no idea how quickly or slowly the weight will disappear. However, I do know that I most definitely can get there, so there is no rush or pressure to do so.

This approach has worked really well for me, as I get the reward and motivation of achieving the goal, with none of the pressure of time. I am doing one mini-challenge at the moment in the other thread. This is the first time I have set myself a time limit, but it will actually be of no consequence to me, whether I reach my goal on July 6 or not - just so long as I get there eventually - and I will :-).

And you will, too! Just follow the 'rules' and take your time. Enjoy the process.

MiddleWoman

I would also agree completly with what Leici siad. I have been sleeved for 6 months and have to admit I am having to be quite vigilant with what I eat as it would be very easy to eat crap food & run the risk of putting some weight back on.
The one area I am finding the hardest to deal with is at times I am able to eat larger meals than I thought I would. I can almost eat twice as much of some foods now than what I ate 3 months ago (BTW other sleevers has anyone else found this). But what the sleeve has done has given me the right tool & mind set to eat right. I rarely eat anything other than healthy food now. As I said to someone recently I didnt go through all of this to go back to old habits now.
Just take it easy early on , follow your doctors instructions to the letter for the first 6-8 weeks & you will be amazed at how well you feel after.
Good Luck
Laurie

sassysmum wrote:

Dear Rizzo .....

Absolutely everything the Leici said ...... read, mark and inwardly digest .. it is pure wisdom.
hugs
sassysmum
Jan

Ditto............

I am reading this thinking........yes, yes and yes!

Thank-you for all your advice.

Dear Rizzo .....

Absolutely everything the Leici said ...... read, mark and inwardly digest .. it is pure wisdom.
hugs
sassysmum
Jan

Hi Rizzo,

I have let the sleeve do it's job but you do have to help it. I am going to say a few things I believe. Hope you don't get offended...Be careful of the way you think. The sleeve is not something that is a quick fix that absolves you from any eating or weight responsibility. Nor does it by itself solve problems or the way you feel about yourself.

It helps you physically limit your intake. You have to be very vigilant about the food balance you eat after to stay healthy and maintain it. Some people defeat the sleeve by just continuing to eat all the wrong foods and sabotaging themselves. Some find themselves battling the same old 'head games' sleeve or not.


I choose to change my life by the sleeve, careful food choices and exercise and I set realistic weight goals. I'm now crusing in the normal weight range with less stomach hang and tuck shop lady arms than I could have had ( I'm sure through gym exercise) and not yet 1 year post.

My life has been transformed -yes! I love the changes-but I am still the same person and still have the same ups and downs, but now I am healthier and probably will live better (and maybe longer)as a result.

As people say it's a tool and tools are only as good as the people who use them.
OK sermon over!

I hope your experience is wonderful and I am just being the voice of 'mature' caution!

Yep i forgot to mention that every meal i eat is protein..in fact my mum and dad and brother are sick of me saying has that got protein in it...lol...but i meant that occasionally i will have a treat etc and not feel guilty about it...
Nerida

Hi Rizzo (awesome name - is it from Grease?),

I do follow the high protein part of the diet. I try to make sure that what ever I eat has more protein than anything else. I do try to go low carb, but sometimes I dont worry about this (I used to be the biggest carb junkie) If you read my diary, you will find my biggest fall from grace happens with carbs (pasta and chocolate in particular!!!)
I do exercise but it is not regimented. I occasionally play beach volleyball with my sister, ride a bike, I dance when I go to a club and treat that like a work out!! LOL

You will find your sleeve groove in time. There is a wealth of knowledge on this site, if your have any questions, all you have to do is ask. Good luck on your journey!!!

rizzo can i just add -that some people have gained weighed after a period of time aswell.


ive chosen to be more relaxed with letting the weight come off without over exerting myself i and ive chosen this over madly exercise and sticking to a super strict diet for quicker weight loss.

And to be honest i wish the sleeve could fix my brain aswell but sadly it doesnt,my food demons are and always be with me,i just have the sleeve to help me stay in control.

i just added this thought in as you have not been sleeved yet.The sleeve is a tool not a magic solution!

remember to follow your docs orders,especially initially in the first few months when your tummy is recovering.

goodluck with it all,its the best desicion ive ever made

shelly

Thanks Nerida. I am being sleeved in thirteen days. I have tried not to think about it to much as it makes the days longer. I feel like I am six years old and waiting for xmas day. I am getting impatient and restless. I also don't feel like seeing people I know. I feel like everybody has noticed how much weight I have gained. I just want to lay low until op is done. I am feeling paranoid about my weight atm. I do have the consolation of knowing this problem will improve in thirteen days. Thank god! I guess I will see how my body reacts to the sleeve. I am so excited.albeit a little nervous.

I have just let the sleeve do it's job...and boy has it done it's job....because of the distance from my surgeons dietician i have had 2 phone consults with her...
From reading and reading on here i know that some people like myself have had no problems with letting the sleeve do it's job but there are also many others who have had to work at it with diet and excersise to keep on track...i think it depends on how your own body reacts and works with the sleeve.. some find it easy some harder...

myself i have lost 65kgs since the day of my operation and i follow no strict diet at all.. i went in (after observing both my mum and dad post sleeve) with the thinking that i was going to eat like a skinny person who can eat anything...(albiet only small doses) and i do and this has worked brilliantly for me... i have no regimented exercise program as i absolutely abhore excersise....lol... but you will find as you lose weight and gain that ever important energy that you will move around more and more......the kids love the walks we take to the park etc now and they were real surprised the other week when bored of walking i told them to jog for a bit...eldest (16) says "i didn't know you could jog mum" lol neither could i ...but lot's of things do wobble when i do..hehehee.

Anyway best advise i can give is to listen to your body and you will learn quickly what works for you....good luck with everything....

Nerida

rizzo wrote:

Thanks for adding your experiences. I have two wks from tomorrow before op. Should I go to dietcian???? Dr has given me some guidelines and post op instructions. Will that be enough

I thought it was part of the actual process that you also see a dietician? I know mine was. I had to see her pre op and she went through the Optifast program etc with me and then came to see me in hospital and then I have seen her regularly since. Its very helpful seeing her, she reminds me all the time and gives me idea's of things I should add to my diet to get the most benefit.

I had to see the dietician before my op could go ahead. I would make an appt to see one as the guidelines and menus they give you are really helpful. They tell you what to eat on the liquid diet and what to eat on each stage after that. It''s really helpful to have a sheet that tells you what you should be eating by the time you are 3 months psot op.

Hope this helps

Sunnie x

I'm 2 weeks past my operation. In a way I want to just let the sleeve do its job, but i also want to help it a little bit by exercising. I started a little 20 min walk around the block and I felt so good afterwards I'll continue it during my lunch hour (but just keep it to 20 mins)!!!!!!! And I guess because I start back at work tomorrow, then if busy i'll forget the walk and just let the sleeve do its job!!!!

I am 49, and I have let the sleeve do its work. I am going really well, and I am now only 10KG from my goal after only being sleeved for 3 months.

So far, it has been easy for me.

rizzo wrote:

Thanks for adding your experiences. I have two wks from tomorrow before op. Should I go to dietcian???? Dr has given me some guidelines and post op instructions. Will that be enough

A dietician is part of my surgeon's team, and I seen her pre and post op,
She visited me in hospital when I had my surgery, and I still see her if necessary.

Hi,

I think it depends on your age and dieting history.

For me, there was no magic fix, I have had to work at every kilo, although I am 45 and I know if I was 10 years younger, the weight would have come off a lot easier.

The difference is, it's more of a decision to eat right and exercise, rather than a mental,'beat myself up and starve myself to lose weight'

You do not get nearly as hungry, but you still have to turn down cakes, chocolates etc etc if you want to lose weight (well I do!) I don't seem to have that awful obsession where food talks to me.

For example, we were in a meeting today and one of the girls had the biscuits out (Kingston, shortbread cream -Arnotts cream assorted!) I looked and thought I'd like one or 2 and then said, no I'll have my apple. It's not always that easy but it's so much easier than before. I couldn't never have achieved this weight loss without the sleeve.

Good luck!

Janelou

Thanks for adding your experiences. I have two wks from tomorrow before op. Should I go to dietcian???? Dr has given me some guidelines and post op instructions. Will that be enough

for the first time in my life i decided to let it happen without putting any pressure on myself and including not doing any exercise besides the odd walk with hubby or the dog ,(i dont enjoy it or want to do it and thats how ive always been no matter what ive tried so i am not forcing myself) and have enjoyed what ever i like foodwise and lost weight!!!
Initially i weighed myself every fortnight now its monthly.
i couldnt be happier and am glad ive just let it happen,but thats just me!
shelly

I just let it happen.

Followed the guidelines set by my dietician to the letter.