lsereno

Oh I still remember the first time I went and they pulled my face up. I was horrified! My lips stretched out and so did my eyelids. My extra skin is not so bad to get in my way, so I'm leaving it alone. Baggy butt, saggy chin and all. lynda

So sorry to hear of your Mom's diagnosis. I'm thinking of you.

Hi all, I'm hungry too. I put on eight lbs over the summer and it's not gone yet. I wanted to lose it before halloween, but just haven't buckled down and done what needs to be done. It concerns me because now my pants are tight and I have no wiggle room for Christmas holidays. My husband thinks I look better, but I don't so I'm working towards getting back to goal. It's my Christmas present to myself. Was supposed to be my birthday present too. At least I've stopped gaining. Go away yummy lemon drop martini. Get out extra crackers between meals. Ugh. l

Yep, it's finally in the house, but still in sealed bags. I hear it "Lyyyynnnnddddaaa eeeaaaat meeeeee" but I will not fall off the wagon. I'm still 5 lbs 9 ounces over goal and I'm allowing myself ONE day of candy, popcorn, cocktails, and chili. Tomorrow. My size six jeans thank me. Thank you BP for being here for me, through thick and thin, and here's hoping there's never thick again in my future. I have already enjoyed a carmel apple cider (sugar free cider mix with a splash of SF caramel syrup), apple slices with PB2, and a graham cracker after dinner. Yes, that's enough. But I might have a pumpkin Cream (Soy milk with a splash of SF Pumpkin Pie syrup) before bed. Vets, I salute you as we march through another holiday season. This year, as last year, my Christmas present to myself will be to arrive at New Years at goal. Lynda

Hi all, I'm celebrating my fourth fall since WLS surgery in May 2011. Here's my fav fall foods that keep me at goal: pumpkin Pie Greek Yogurt: I mix one large Fage Yogurt from costco with 1/2 can pumpkin (not the pie filling), about 1 1/2 cups Splenda, 1 Tablespoon vanilla and a few shakes of cinnamon. I eat it in the morning for Breakfast. For a nightime snack, I crush one graham cracker sheet (just put it in a baggie and roll a can over it) and pour it over the top. Pumpkin Latte: I make a cup of decaf espresso or use a packet of Starbucks Via Instant Decaf French Roast, add a cup of soy milk and a big splash of Torani's sugar free Pumpkin Pie Syrup. Pumpkin Cream: I heat a cup of Soy Milk and add a big splash of Torani's Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie Syrup. Soup: I love Soups in fall. I doctor up my canned soups, added frozen veggies and extra Protein. I freeze two and three ounce portions of meats left over from dinners. Put the Soup in a bowl, toss in frozen veggies and meat and heat till it's all hot. Easy-peasy. I found frozen black Beans at my walmart. I throw in some of those sometimes. Sausage: What is it about fall that makes me what sausage? Who knows. But I do like turkey sausage. I eat Turkey Little Smokies or Jimmy Dean's Frozen Turkey Sausage Patties. I especially like the Jimmy Dean sausage with Mrs. Butterworths Sugar Free Syrup and a Thomas' Whole Wheat English Muffin. It reminds me of McDonald's Sausage McGriddle, but clocks in at just over 200 calories. Sugar Free Hot Apple Cider: I love this stuff! I add a splash of Torani's Caramel Syrup to make a hot carmel apple drink. Apples and Persimmons: My go-to fall fruits. Roasted Veggies: I love Brussel Sprouts, onions, sweet potatoes and winter squash roasted tll the outsides start to crisp. I use a Misto sprayer to hit them with a little oil before cooking. If I'm making a lot at once, I put them in a bowl and roll them around with a tablespoon of oil. What re-imagined treats do you enjoy in the fall? Lynda

Can you reframe eating better ad a present to yourself? For Christmas, I am giving myself the gift of losing x. Get the crap out of the house. Stock up on healthy treats. Write a plan of what to eat the following day before you go to sleep. When you lay down to go to sleep, think over that plan and tell yourself you will choose to be healthy by eating on plan tomorrow. You can't hate yourself thin. Listen to your self talk and tell yourself what you would tell your dearest friend if they were in the same boat. Lynda

We get somewhere between 400 and 600 trick or treaters. I love halloween. I make an easy to eat dinner that stays warm and everyone eats as they drop in. Probably chili. I make a version with a ton of meat and tomatoes, so it's filling and on plan for me. We sit on the porch, sipping cocktails, eating popcorn and candy. It's one night. I don't eat candy before the first trick or treater arrives and I send whatever is left home with my kids. They have tons of cousins and friends so no worries that someone has too much. I drink a fairly low calorie cocktail, such as my version of the lemondrop, with lemon juice, splenda, and vodka. I also sip on sugar free hot apple cider. So my plan is to limit the time I am exposed, eat a big dinner first, and have popcorn, which I also love and has way less calories. I eat more candy than I should, but with these strategies, its a fun holiday and the one time doesn't bump my weight up. Lynda

That soup sounds yummy! I make this veggie soup and add Protein and starch when I eat it. I like barley or black Beans for the starch. For meat, I use whatever's left over from dinner. This recipe is a slightly modified version of one from Leanne Elly: http://savingdinner.com/. 2 large cans diced tomatoes -- undrained 1 large onion -- chopped 4 cloves garlic -- pressed 2 tablespoons olive oil -- divided 2 large carrots -- chopped 2 small celery stalks -- chopped 1 medium turnip -- chopped 2 cups green beans -- cut in 1" pieces 6 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth) 1/2 teaspoon thyme salt and pepper to taste 2 small russet potatoes -- peeled and chopped In a large soup pot, heat the one tablespoon of the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook till nearly translucent, now add the garlic. Don't let the garlic brown and saute another couple of minutes. Add the rest of the chopped veggies, sauteing for just a minute or two; the extra tablespoon of olive oil is if you need it for the rest of the veggies. Remeber--you're not cooking them-- just sauteing them for the wonderful flavor this quick step will infuse in your soup. Add the thyme and salt and pepper while sauteing. Now add the tomatoes and broth and cook on low until it tastes good. I usually simmer about 1.5 hours. Customize the soup when you serve it. Pull out your serving size and add: Quick Fix #1: Tex Mex Veggie Soup. Add some diced chicken, canned black beans (drained and rinsed), corn, roasted red peppers (I buy them frozen and just chop them a little smaller) and a little bit of cumin and chili powder. Quick Fix #2: Barley and Beef Veggie Soup. Add some left over beef, barley and chopped kale. Cook till heated through and the kale is tender. Quick Fix #3: Autumn Veggie Soup. Add some lowfat sausage, diced cooked butternut squash (I found this on the freezer isle in Walmart), and a sprinkling of nutmeg. Top with a little Parmesan.

Love the costume!

Haha. Somethings can't be low-calorized. I remember the year my Mom tried that with her coconut cream pie. Disaster! But you could try this: lowfat cream of chicken soup, add a few ounces of chicken breast, some frozen peas, and mix up a tiny bit of bisquick to make dumplings. My mom uses canned biscuts and cuts them in quarters. But as little as we eat, that leaves a lot of biscuits by the wayside. Lynda

I drink one cup of caffeinated coffee and 1 cup of decaf daily. In the fall and winter months, I often have another cup of decaf in the afternoon. When travelling, I often have two cups of caffeinated coffee a day. I gave up caffeinated coffee one month pre-op and waited three months post-op till I was approved for caffeinated coffee. Pete's makes a great French Roast Decaf. Also like Starbucks Via Instant Decaf Italian Roast. Lynda

Happy Birthday Daisy!

I'd ask this in a few other subforums if you don't get an answer here. I'd try the pre-op forum and the general forum. I wasn't diagnosed till post op. I think the fat hid the swelling even though my joints had been killing me for some time. Lynda

Yeah, not to hijack Cowgirls rant, but on Halloween, I eat a big dinner, pop a giant bowl of popcorn, drink sugar free hot apple cider and that slows down the candy consumption. This year, I'm adding snug jeans. Feeling them press against my tummy slows me down. Lynda

Well I am crazy jealous of those that can have yummy foods around and just leave them. You know, the person with the candy dish on their desk, the people who keep Cookies and cake at home. Ugh. I have to wait to buy my halloween candy till a few days before Halloween to keep myself under control. And I send anything left over home with the kids at the end of the night. Sigh. Lynda

I'm in San Jose. Had my VSG at Kaiser Fremont in May 2011. Been at goal since March 2012. Lynda

I have to watch what I eat too. I'm currently 8 lbs up from goal weight and working to lose it before the holidays get here in earnest. I put it on over the summer eating too much crap. I can eat some crap and stay at goal, just not as much I've been working in each day. Lynda

*susan* You can search for her under members tab and leave her a private message. lynda

Another sleeve to bypass is Susan, one of the admins here. I will try to find her user name so you can contact her. Lynda

Well he probably does, to see what's working so well for you! Congrats! Lynda

Try eating more earlier in the day. And drinking enough Water. In the meantime, I agree with focusing on a Protein snack. Greek yogurt is a good one. If possible, make some rules you don't allow yourself to break. For example, I can resist hubby's treats if I NEVER EAT THE FIRST BITE. Once I do eat that bite, it's all downhill. So I just keep telling myself it's completely off limits. It works most of the time. Try to cut down on bad (white) carbs, sugars, and oils. These foods feed microbes in our gut that then become more active and want more: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/08/your-gut-bacteria-want-you-to-eat-a-cupcake/378702/ Lynda

Sip slower. Use a shot glass and take tiny sips. Aim for one shot every 15 minutes. Take the entire 15 minutes to drink it taking tiny sips. Experiment eith what you can drink. I liked chicken broth, SleepyTime tea, watered down diet Lipton green tea, and water with a tiny splash of diet lemonaide.

I used a schedule. Break it down by hour. How much do you need to drink per hour? I aimed for 1/2 cup of fluids for each hour I was awake. That's eight cups in 16 hours. At first, I had to break it into 1 ounce every 15 minutes. Later, it looked like this: 1 cup decaf coffee before 8 am 1 cup soy milk mixed with Protein powder by 10 am 1 cup sleepy time tea with Splenda by noon 1 cup soy milk mixed with Protein Powder by 2 pm 1 cup diet Lipton green tea with citrus, mixed 50% with Water by 4 pm 1 cup water with a little light lemon aide mixed in by 6 pm 1 cup soy milk mixed with protein powder by 8 pm 1 cup sleepy time tea with Splenda by 10 pm Lynda

I went through Kaiser Fremont California in May 2011. I hope Kaiser VA is just as good. We got a great binder of info (I called it my Bible), and had lots of hoops to jump through. But jumping through those hoops helped ensure I had an uneventful, successful surgery and recovery. And I was prepared for post-op changes. I followed all directions in my plan, including changing my eating habits pre-op, learning to take tiny sips all day, practicing eating small bites with a timer (I used a clock with a second hand), giving up coffee, exercising, finding and attending an in-person support group, etc. I really think that those steps were central to my success. It's still a difficult journey, but I felt safe and cared for with Kaiser at my back. Best wishes on your journey! Lynda

Congrats! I'm over three years out, and I love the sleeved life. I've been at goal for more than two years and I'm about to wear out some jeans, instead of growing out of them! Looking forward to your two years plus success story. I'm saving you a spot on the goalies bench. There's room for lots of us cuz we are so much smaller :-) Lynda