Six Months Post-Op Check In
I can’t believe it’s been six months since I had my Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG). It really feels like I just had the procedure. Just time-wise, not pain-wise or healing. I can’t feel a thing in any of my incisions or anything like that. This month, I got a little better with food and I started moving almost every day. I’ve been swimming and doing some strength exercises. I listed the moving I’ve been doing below. I don’t do all of them every day, but I do *something* every day.
Want to hear some non-scale victories (NSVs) for this month? I was able to get on the floor to do some of the ab workouts. Because getting on the floor (and then getting up again) was pretty nearly impossible before surgery. I cleaned out my closet and dresser and was able to get rid of so much stuff! I also found some t-shirts that had gotten shoved to the back of a drawer because they were too tight when I bought them, and they are loose now. I feel like my hair loss is slowing down finally. And I definitely have hair growing back, so that’s making me happy! My bone spurs are feeling a little better. They still hurt, but it’s not as severe and most of the time I can walk pretty normally. I’ve been checking my fasting blood glucose sporadically, and the number is the lowest it’s been in years.
So here are my stats for the last six months…
- Before VSG, I was 300 pounds and my measurements totaled 361.75 inches.
- My 1-month post-op numbers were: 266 pounds and 330 inches.
- My 2-month post-op numbers are: 250 pounds and 316.5 inches.
- My 3-month post-op numbers are: 237 pounds and 304 inches.
- My 4-month post-op numbers are: 230 pounds and 297.5 inches.
- My 5-month post-op numbers are: 228 pounds and 296 inches.
- My 6-month post-op numbers are: 221 and 289.25 inches.
- So, I’m down 79 pounds and 72.5 inches!
This is what a typical day looks like for me nutrition wise:
- 1 or 2 Premier Protein drinks (typically my breakfast and maybe a snack),
- 3-4 small meals,
- 72 oz. of liquid (this includes the protein drinks),
- B-12, calcium, multivitamin, and biotin,
- 60-80 grams of protein
Exercise I do during the week include the ones listed below. I’m not able to do any exercise or strength training that taxes my Achilles tendon too much, so things like walking or burpees are off the table for me. It’s very frustrating and harder than you’d think to find exercises you can do that don’t use your Achilles. So, these are the ones I’m doing:
- Swimming
- Stationary bike
- Arm exercises with 5 lb. weights
- Core exercises (planks, sit ups, etc.)
- Leg exercises in the pool (using pool noodles for resistance)
I’ve been using My Fitness Pal (SherryCarrSmith2016) to track my nutrition. I’m surprisingly honest with myself, which is a new thing. But it’s good to see how many calories and how much fat is in cookies and ice cream. I’m also posting to Instagram on a blog account so that my friends and family aren’t bombarded with food pictures. I’ve been pinning a lot of workout stuff too, if you’re interested. If you’d like to find me in any of those places, I’ll be happy to see you!
As always, I’m not a medical professional, but I’m happy to answer questions from personal experience.
And here is my comparison picture:
