Lila21

Wonder if there are some low cal alternatives... I LOVE cornbread (what a surprise!)

I couldn't agree more!!!! You are beautiful inside and out! You DO indeed have such a sweet-looking family, too!

B- Protein shake L- chicken tortilla soup D- 1/2 chicken sausage + steamed cauliflower the chicken tortilla soup is yummy with a sprinkle of cheese and a sprinkle of avocado!

I think the important thing to remember is that this level of restriction won't last forever, and you need to be super careful to heal your stomach during this time. Maybe if you remind your hubby that eventually you will be able to share pizza with him (probably only a slice!), he'll be willing to give it up temporarily... I know it has helped me a lot to realize that this ultra-restrictive phase is temporary, maybe it'll help the hubby as well :-)

Mini-me, you look SO AMAZING! I totally love the "big pants" picture. I'm even keeping my biggest pair of jeans just so I remember that I fit them.

One more suggestion: some people tolerate warm liquids better than cold liquids. She might want to try hot tea or sugar free hot cocoa. I agree with the other folks, it takes time to get used to the sleeve, but it gets easier over time, and I think she'll be fine. The first couple of weeks are the toughest!! Tell her to hang in there!

Good luck tomorrow!!! Re: pureeing some fresh baby food, I don't see why not! I think it would be much better than the canned baby food I tried during the mushy phase!!!

Great point. Michael Pollan (sp?) a leading food expert says his food advice boils down to this: "Eat food. Mostly plants, not too much." Pretty sane advice :-) Here's a link to one of his articles: http://michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/unhappy-meals/

I say go for it. I think your hair will look a bit thicker with color, too! You can add some highlights to give it dimension... post pics after you are done!

Yes, you are definitely NOT ALONE!!! It even has a name, "the dreaded week 3 stall" Just consider it part of your rite of passage :-). I just through it myself, so I feel you!!!

I am soo, soo sorry you are going through this right now. It sounds like you are taking good care of yourself so far, but please reach out to us if you need some support. Hugs!

Tiffany, you are so dang cute!!!! It's so inspiring to see you looking so adorable and TINY!!! I simply cannot imagine being that tiny, but it inspires me every time I see it!! Thanks for the inspiration!

Hey Mikey, I am making the transition now. So far, in the realm of "solid" foods I've tried fish and sushi, deli meats, and cheese. Those things seem to go down fine. I have yet to try other meats or veggies. I am going to try steamed broccoli and maybe some chicken stew this week.... going very gradually because I hate the idea of getting sick

Doing the major happy dance for you!!! Go Irene, Go Irene, Go Irene!!!!! And can i tell you that you look GORGEOUS!!!!?????

Irene, you look so amazing! Your face looks so gorgeous and young and HEALTHY! Thank you for not only cheering me on, but being such a great inspiration!!!!

Are you taking a PPI? It may be that you are experiencing acid in your stomach that feels like hunger. I know that I am having a bit of that problem, but whenever I think I am hungry I realize that my stomach is a bit acidy, instead. I don't have a remedy, but that's just something that I noticed.

So, I had a good post-op meeting with my doctor, and everything seems to be going really well (which I am very grateful for!), but he set a goal for me to lose 50 lbs in the next 2 months... my jaw kind of hit the floor. I just don't know if that's realistic or not. I am very overweight (268), so I guess you could expect bigger numbers, but I have never in my life lost weight that fast. I am just curious if other people lost that quickly? His advice to me was "exercise as much as possible and keep your calories as low as possible." To me, that sounds like I might just go into starvation mode and stay there.... Any advice?

B: 1 soft-boiled egg L: 1 slice of smoked turkey and a small slice of cheese D: Protein shake not that exciting, sorry :-) FWIW, here's what I am looking forward to trying (from the world according to eggface): Shelly's Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole 4 cups Cauliflower, steamed 4 Tbs. Butter, divided use 1/4 cup Flour 1/2 tsp. Dry Mustard 1 tsp. Salt 1/4 tsp. Pepper 3 cups Milk 3/4 pound Sharp Cheddar Cheese (3 cups) 1/4 cup Bread Crumbs (optional) Steam cauliflower set aside. Melt 3 tablespoons butter, blend in flour & seasonings. Add milk. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in cheese; pour over steamed cauliflower and mix till combined. Top with optional crumbs mixed with remaining 1 tablespoons of butter. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. You can add cooked ground chicken, turkey or beef to this too. Throw your portion in the Black & Decker Mini Chopper food Processor and whiz away.

I am so sad and so sorry that your doctor made you feel hopeless. I think my doctor is great at what he does (surgery), but I think they often need to get a better understanding of how differently individuals lose weight. I think more caring doctors are out there, and I really hope when you feel a little better, you'll seek out a more empathetic doctor!!! You deserve not to feel hopeless!!!

Thanks everyone, for your replies!!! I think I was just feeling a bit daunted, but I am just going to put out my best effort, up my exercise, and take it on as a challenge to try for. If it doesn't happen, I won't beat myself up too much, but I'll definitely try!