JackieOMonroe

My doctor didn't advise me to eat dill pickles, but they've always been a go-to snack for me when I'm trying to lose weight because they're only about 10 calories, they're crunchy, and they're salty. Perfect for me.

One of my best friends is named Todd. This is cracking me up.

DOS: 5'8.5" - 214 lbs - size 14-16 Today: 5'8.5" - 148.5 - size 8 My body shape is evenly proportioned. Hips and bust measurements are the same within a half inch, waist is 8-8.5 inches smaller. I don't have large hips or large boobs.

It may not feel like it now, but the anger and regret will largely pass. I was angry with myself for at least 4 months after being sleeved. I had a really rough recovery too and I seemed like I would never feel normal again. By the 5th or 6th month, I felt more or less like myself and now I feel completely normal. My experience was atypical, so it's likely that you're going to feel better MUCH sooner than I did. There's nothing that you can do to change the decision that you made, so try to look for things to feel positive about. Make note of the good days. I started a personal and private blog just for me on Blogger. If you can get the crappy feelings out of your head and focus them someplace, it makes it easier not to dwell on them.

that is insane! great job!

Maybe I should join you guys on this. I met my goal, but I'm thinking about setting a new goal of 140. I've started doing yoga which I'm really digging. My husband starts his pre-op diet tomorrow and I'm thinking about going back to the very beginning and moving through the eating phases with him once he's had his surgery. :shrug:

I want to share the one pot meal I'm making for tonight! This post is great. Dutch Oven Pot Roast 2 lbs chuck roast 2 onions, halved 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 bag baby carrots 2 cans diced tomato 2 sprigs fresh rosemary 4 sprigs fresh thyme 2 bay leaves 1/2 cup beef stock 1/2 cup red wine 2 tbsp olive oil salt pepper Salt and pepper the meat, then brown it on all sides in the dutch oven with the olive oil. Once browned, add all of the other ingredients to the dutch oven (liquids first). Turn stove down to low and braise for 3-3.5 hours until the meat is falling apart. Baste it with the braising liquid every half hour or so. Salt and pepper to taste. I serve this to my husband over garlic mashed potatoes, but they're not necessary if you'd rather avoid the starch.

I had my surgery in Mexico and the pain meds that I got were non-narcotic. I used them for about a week. If you take it easy and take Tylenol (or some similar pain med) regularly, it will be enough. It's painful and it sucks, but it's not at all unbearable and I'm the biggest crybaby there is when it comes to pain. I am the MAYOR of crybaby town. Congrats on staying ahead of the game. There are a lot of people in my life who are at various stages of sobriety, and I have conversations like this all the time. You're right to be nervous, but I assure you that if you could make it through the early stages of drug withdrawal then you can totally handle this.

Mine is Little Sleevie Wonder. My husband laughs at me when I talk about him. lol

It's just Fluid retention and it's happened to a lot of us. Nothing to be concerned about if you remember to just be logical about it. Unless you decided that purees meant 24 hour milkshakes, there's no way that you are taking in enough calories to gain fat. No panicking!

My go to lunch is a slice of havarti with a slice of deli turkey on top, sweet hot mustard on that, and then rolled into a cigar shape for eating. I also make tuna salad with mustard instead of mayo and have that on crackers. I HATE cucumbers, but I'm going to try to get over it so that I can use them as a cracker substitute. I like veggies dipped in hummus, scrambled egg with any veggie or cheese added and salsa on top, oven baked salmon or tilapia, homemade turkey meatballs, cottage cheese and fruit, cottage cheese with pepper, baked paprika chicken, grilled cheese with any filling combination (havarti, provolone, cheddar, pesto, tomato, apple, etc), soup (the pourable cartons from Henry's/Sprouts or the containers from Fresh & Easy are my favorites), greek salad, homemade mini pizza... I'll keep adding as I think of more.

Is that not dumping? It just happened to me today and I thought it was just dumping syndrome. Now I'm worried. It's happened to me a couple of times since being sleeved and I always seem to be able to trace it back to something extremely sugary.

5 including the incision for my drain.

I can eat pretty much anything without fear of "dumping" except sometimes a lot of sugar will get me. Apple juice and syrup are HUGE no-no's. I have to dilute the apple juice with Water about 50/50 before it's okay and syrup just kills me. Major shakes. It's weird because cupcakes and cake and Cookies and brownies all seem okay. I think it's because I don't eat much of any of those things (usually the amount of 1 cookie or the equivalent), but I can pile on the syrup and chug down the apple juice. I had apple juice and half of a pop tart once within an hour of one another and the next thing I know I couldn't even sit up. lol The only other thing that bothers me is Peanut Butter. It sticks and kind of hurts unless it's spread pretty thin on toast or a cracker. It doesn't make me dump, though. It's for the best because peanut butter is my favorite food on the planet and I have no self-control with it. I can still eat bread and Pasta and all of that. I sort of wish I couldn't because those have always been a huge weakness of mine. I use Splenda to sweeten my cream of wheat and greek yogurt (or sometimes I sweeten it with jam or honey), and I tolerate that just fine.

I told my PCP about my surgery and where I had it after the fact. He took it really well and actually praised my decision. I was shocked. lol

Your family sounds great. It does get better. Hang in there.

Wow!!

Congratulations!

You are adorable. Congratulations! You can really see how far you've come.