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My surgeon asked what my goal weight was & I suggested 60kg & a BMI of about 23 which was the lowest weight I’d reach whenever I tried to lose in the past. I was always told I was a medium to large frame so the higher end of the BMI range seemed reasonable. He thought it was achievable too. Hit my goal at 6 months & then lost another about 12kg trying to find the balance in the first year of maintenance. I generally sit at 49kg now (+/-500g) though I sat at 48.5 (+/-500g) for a couple of months once I stabilised. The lowest weight I’ve reached was 47.9kg last month but that was an anomaly. Yes, I did look thin at first & family would comment I looked drawn but everything seems to have resettled & I look fine now. Funny thing is I actually have a smallish frame so I can carry my lower weight & BMI. I maintain at about 1200 calories but I’m not very active. Some days I feel hungry others I don’t. My hunger started coming back at about 18 months or so. My restriction is still active. Generally I eat to routine to allow for times I’m not hungry & also allow for days I am so I ensure I still eat about 1200 calories. I’m a big believer in finding the right balance for you. You have to be able to maintain your weight & be happy living your life. You may be able to maintain at a lower weight but are the costs (more restricted diet, increased activity) worth how it may restrict your life. For you, the answer may be yes but for someone else it may be no. Both answers are correct. A healthy, happy life should be more important than a number on the scale or the size label in your clothes. Of course those numbers can be incredibly empowering but the reality is they’re not as important as health & happiness. But that’s my opinion.

A protein shake can do the trick before or after weight loss surgery, or any other time you need a boost of protein beyond what you can get from your foods. How do you find one that has the amount of protein you need, tastes great, and is low enough in carbohydrates to be good for any weight loss diet? Stop looking, because BariatricPal Clean Whey Protein is a match! BariatricPal Clean Whey Protein delivers 25 grams of high-quality whey protein in each scoop. It is made with real Dutch-process cocoa or classic vanilla and it tastes rich and creamy, but it has only 1 gram of sugar. The total carb count is 1 carbohydrate, meaning this shake can be part of your low-carb or keto diet. BariatricPal Clean Whey Protein Highlights: 110 calories 25 grams of protein from Grass-Fed Whey 1 gram of carbohydrates 500 million CFU Bacillus Coagulans Patented Aminogen® protein-digesting enzyme 10% of the daily value for calcium Suitable for gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, gastric band, and BPD-DS patients Suitable for pre-op and post-op liquid, pureed (mushy), semi-solid, and solid foods diets Gluten-Free Lactose-Free Non-GMO Each tub of BariatricPal Clean Whey Protein contains 15 servings. BariatricPal Clean Whey Protein has other advantages. It contains patented Aminogen®, an enzymatic blend to support the digestion of protein. Plus, the shake has 500 million CFU of Bacillus coagulans, a probiotic which can promote a healthier gut environment. BariatricPal Clean Whey Protein can be used anytime. Start the day off with a low-sugar burst of protein for breakfast, or have a quick shake for a snack or small meal later. Just mix a scoop with water or your favorite beverage, such as milk for extra protein, or almond milk for creaminess. With BariatricPal Clean Whey Protein, you can get the protein you need to tide you over, without taking in excessive carbs. What exactly is Aminogen® and how is it beneficial? Aminogen® is a special patented protein-digesting enzyme blend that can help you get the most out of your whey protein while eliminating any bloating or constipation. The addition of Aminogen® to whey protein, such as is done in BariatricPal Clean Whey Protein, is scientifically proven to improve digestion and retention of protein within the body. Another benefit of Aminogen® is that it reduces some of the gas, bloating, cramping, and constipation that can occur when some people eat a higher protein diet and include whey protein products. As some people know, this protein “gassiness” is not a pleasant side effect, so Aminogen® is a sought-after addition. Overall, Aminogen® is a valuable component to whey protein products, like BariatricPal Clean Whey Protein. It can help you digest and absorb more amino acids, which will then assist you in building and repairing your precious hard-earned lean body muscle. Available online at The BariatricPal Store https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/bariatricpal-clean-whey-protein

I occasionally have what I call a “hungry day.” I eat all day on those days. Typically they happen a day or two after a big exercise day, but they very well may be related to hormonal shifts. I have had a partial hysterectomy (no uterus, kept ovaries), so I have no idea where I am at in my “cycle” at any time. As long as this is just happening infrequently to you, and you don’t get sick/have pain from overeating, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Sometimes our bodies just need extra. I still lost all my excess weight. I would be concerned unless it becomes a regular/frequent occurrence. 💕

Thanks for sharing your story with us! I hope your healing goes smoothly

Congratulations! It gets better every week!

Here are some products I've discovered recently that I really like: Aldi has Keto buns. Awesome ones. I'm not a keto person, but I love these cause of the dietary (oat) fiber they pump them up with to make them keto. For 60 little calories....you get 8g of Protien, and a whopping 19g of Dietary fiber!!!! They've got 21g of carbs, but with the fiber, net carbs of only 2g. They're a small size, so not overwhelming for the small stomach crowd. Throw 2 ounces of Aldi Chicken Breast on there with some lettuce and tomato, and you've got an excellent little sandwich with 18g of Protien and 19g of Dietary Fiber....for only 135 calories! Diet Orange Julius smoothy. This hits the spot when I'm having a desert craving. Here's the recipe...roughly...adjust to taste. Three one inch pieces frozen banana, two large frozen strawberries, half cup of orange juice, splash of vanilla, half a cup 30 calorie almond milk (or skim cow milk), sweetener of choice (I use splenda and monkfruit). Blend this in your smoothie maker, sit on the porch and enjoy this drink that'll make you think of the mall in the late 80's / early90's. Good stuff! Monkfruit, but not the commercial brands, they suck. Go on Amazon and get real concentrated monkfruit drops with no added ingredients. (I like Monk Drops). For some people, Monkfruit has an aftertaste, for some it tastes incredibly close to real sugar with no aftertaste. I'm one of the lucky ones. I never had luck with Stevia because Stevia has a horrific aftertaste for me, but Monkfruit tastes terrific. If you're one of the people that gets an aftertaste from Monkfruit I apologize in advance. But I could drink the stuff straight and find it delicious. Maple Grove Farms Sugar Free Maple Syrup. I hate most sugar free maple syrups. This one has Excellent taste. 20 calories in HALF A CUP. If you like protien oatmeal pancakes...you need this. I also pour this on my steal cut oats. Homemade fried chicken! I have never made fried chicken in my life. Recently attended a healthy cooking class where we made keto fried chicken! Again, I'm not a huge keto fan, but this chicken was so good, I'd make it anyway. To start with, only the coating is fried...the chicken itself is boiled. We boiled the chicken until it was completely cooked in salty seasoned water...think bay leaves, sage, salt and pepper, thyme. Then we cooled the chicken and put cashews through the blender to make cashew flour. Wet your chicken with milk/egg wash and roll it in cashew flour with spices and about two tablespoons of flour fry mix mixed in. Coat it a couple times if you want. Then, flash fry it in 350 degree oil. You could probably do this in the air fryer, too? (I have not tried this) I actually submerged mine in oil....only for about a minute to make it nice golden brown. Yep, you've got some fat content and calories from the oil....but it's NOT greasy. The outside is crispy crunchy and the inside is moist and flavorful. A large chicken leg prepared this way only has about 150 calories, lots of protien, and hits the spot for summer picnics. Chickpea pasta salad. Love this. Everyone has a favorite pasta salad recipe. Mine goes sorta like this... Chickpea pasta, cherry tomatos, kalamata olives, reduced fat salami, English cukes, red onion, tiny diced swiss, diced bananna pepper....Dressing is Good Seasoning Italian dressing packet with balsamic vinegar, splenda, water, extra light olive oil. My beloved Chocolate Fudge Yasso frozen yogurt bars. 80 calories of "you'll never want icecream again". 6g of protien, too. I'll admit it. When I hit that incredibly horrible day when I want to eat a half gallon of ice cream.....I've been known to get a box of fudge Yassos and eat them all. But here's the difference. A four pack of Yassos is 320 calories and 24g of protien. Even feeling like I'm drowning my sorrows in ice cream....it's not a completely horrible nutritional choice. A little high in sugar, but not world ending. It is my emotional tantrum junkfood of choice. And while I try NOT to do this kinda maniac disordered eating anymore....it's nice to have a plan for when my brain slips once in a blue moon. (and it's a hell of a lot better than eating a half gallon of blue moon for instance) LOL A shot of Mio in iced tea can be superb! Crockpot sweet carrots with spenda instead of honey. They taste terrific. Black beans with salt and pepper, corn on the cob, and a plate of tomato slices with fresh basil, olive oil and a slice of fresh mozerella. And watermelon, of course:) OH! And another favorite....this one is slightly naughty. Strawberries mashed with splenda, chunks of mango, and a splash of ameretto liqueur. Eat this like strawberry shortcake, only use oat protien pancakes instead of shortcake. Happy Summer, Folks! If you've found some especially good diet-ey foods or products, be sure to mention them to the rest of us!

Sister, what's wrong with being high maintenance? You want what you want and that's okay. Besides, as good as you look, how can you embarass your husband? You're strong and beautiful. Own it!

I have been in a 26 day stall and my weight was driving me CRAZY as I was convinced I'd hit maintenance, but I felt slightly better after talking to my doctor on Wednesday when she told me my physical therapy was likely part of the reason my weight was fluctuating and not going under 201 but instead bouncing around from 201-204. I was incredibly frustrated and it just seemed like I'd never see under 200 pounds... BUT, this morning I weighed myself and saw 199.6 on my scale and... I cried! I'm so happy! It's super early here, not even 5am yet, so I'm trying to stop myself from waking everyone up to share my good news lol. Took me almost 13 months to get here, but I got here!

It’s the best isn’t it. Did you keep looking at the size tag cause you just couldn’t believe it? I put on my ballet costume from when I was 12 & it ft. So freaky. Blew my mind cause I wasn’t an overweight child. Congratulations. You’re looking fabulous. And I think it’s time we reclaimed our bat wings. 😁

My mind tells me that I want to "try" eating some fries. But my body tells me not to do it. LOL