4ALongerLife

Ok this is a recipe I found on MFP and I was jonesing for some cake. So why not try it? The carbs ended up being higher than I wanted, but the calories were lower than I expected. Yours will vary depending on what products you use! Chocolate molten "lava" cake/individual sized - takes about 1 min Mix 1 TBSP of each: cocoa powder (I used Swiss Miss hot chocolate no sugar added mix, about 1/2 of the pkg) flour sugar (I used Stevia in the Raw) Add a pinch of salt (very very little) and 2 TBSP of NF milk. Stir, stir, stir. Spray a ramekin (or a microwave safe small dish) with non-stick spray. Pour the batter into it. Take a piece of sugar free hershey's chocolate (I buy them from the candy section at WalMart), split it in half and push it down in the middle. It said to cover it with the batter, but my bowls were too big, still came out fine! Microwave for 30-45 seconds depending on your microwave's settings. Enjoy! MFP nutritional value for the products that I decided to use/had showed this nutritional value to be: 86 calories/1.8 g fat/1.1 mg cholesterol/169.8 mg sodium/16.6 g carbs/3.1g protein/7.2 g sugar 1.1 g fiber. To me, whenever I'm jonesing for cake or chocolate, THIS was worth it. My son and his friend loved it too Hope you will as well! Wishing you success on your WLS journeys! xxx

IDK on band either but I'm a sleever. I am unsure why dr's still do it, but guess because ppl still want it. It's the recidivism rate that I wish more dr's would speak to with banders and what the erosion/having a band on your stomach can do. I don't mean that to sound judgmental. It takes a lot of courage to have any procedure IMHO, but I do wish dr's that do a band with someone educate them on the worst of the worst (same with sleeve or bypass). Get allll the facts before you decide on the avenue.

Just a challenge to consider - but it wasn't easy for any of us. We all had our moments and our various struggles to learn something from. But the thing is ... this is a journey. You are learning some very important skills that once you hit whatever magic number you are shooting for, you will need the skills you picked up along the way to keep at where ever you have driven yourself to get. Learn that as you go so that history doesn't trip you up to repeat itself. Best thing I can advise, don't compare. Everyone's different. Stalls happen. Keep doing logically what you know are "the basics" to success. Make sure you log, get your Protein in and do it first, make sure you get your Vitamins, at least 64 oz Water a day, plan ahead on meals (because that can easily trip you up if you don't), get at least 7 hours of sleep (so your body will lose and you don't fall into boredom/stress grazing). If eating too much, make sure you get water as thirst masks as hunger (or so we assume). Get in a local support group. Work on cognitive distortions (like all or nothing thinking and shoulding all over yourself). It's a work in progress and unfortunately they operated on our tummies, not our brains..... Hang in there. There is no rush, there is never a finish line. Ugh not uplifting but in the end, you are building strength to be successful long term. Don't lose sight of that. And focus on the items above to get you there. Best of luck!

I rarely log into bariatric pal anymore; however, there are active support groups in the Plano area - a few in fact. There are also a couple of active (and secret) facebook pages for discussion/meet ups/luncheons, etc that several of us in the area do. The reason the pages are secret is that not everyone is "out" about surgery on their main pages. I think most of the folks that I know in these communities/fb pages generally go to the one time a month "big" group meeting at Baylor Plano (we meet the second wednesday of each month at 6 pm in the garden level of plano's main hospital and the group is led by a clinical psychologist with vendors/various bariatric person's who come to speak to us). That is a great way to begin to "get connected" in the DFW area and to get introduced into the fb pages. If you want more info on the baylor plano meeting, go here: https://www.baylorhealth.com/PHYSICIANSLOCATIONS/PLANO/SPECIALTIESSERVICES/WEIGHTMANAGEMENTSURGERY/Pages/SupportGroup.aspx or google baylor plano bariatric support. Additionally, there is a support group at Baylor Grapevine for those in the metroplex that are closer to the Tarrant County side. Those meetings are second tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm on Ball Street and are led by a dietician who is also certified as a counselor. I don't know that it is posted online anywhere. I found out about that meeting from a friend in the active fb pages. (But you could call Baylor Grapevine and ask for the bariatric coordinator or nutritionist dept for more information.) Both personnel that lead these two groups have been trained and also worked at the Cooper Institute. Point - they are both very qualified individuals with years of experience. I have attended both groups and find them to be well worth your time IMO. The groups are free and are educationally focused - meaning there is structure to the group, with a specific topic, but they also encourage mingling to meet others. These meetings are conducted in a structured manner and focus on skills to learn for longevity of success (i.e. 12-18 months when your hunger returns after sleeve, what other tools will you use to fight obesity/the reasons that got us there in the first place/how we look at food/coping mechanisms/barriers to success/etc). I am very active in these groups as the way that I look at it is, it took me 30+ years or so to establish these thoughts / behaviors / maladaptive ways to cope, it's going to take me longer to undo them so I continue to go. Repetition in my mind is key! Should you want something not so "clinical" or structured, there are also two patient led support groups that I can tell you about (one is in Dallas, one is in the Plano/Addison area). There is also another group that has spun off of the Plano group that meets in various locations for luncheons, etc. We also have other pages if you are a runner, want to start walking, doing activities but you want partners to begin with. All of this has spun out of the patient led groups and this message is an fyi that there are other options in the area should you be interested. My name is Stephanie Coutee and should you need any further information, connection, etc to local support groups, please find me on facebook where I am generally much more active than I am on bariatric pal (around a very busy work schedule lately tho, fyi). I am also very active (daily) on myfitnesspal under the same name as I have here, 4ALongerLife. <Information all given due to my infrequency of activity on this site.> Social support is the #2 tool that predicts weight loss success long term. I do highly encourage you seeking out - and making time for something like this, even if it's not in your comfort zone. I still have my thoughts of limitation, where at my heaviest I didn't want to meet others. That's hard to change, but I challenge you with this thought: change occurs outside of our comfort zones. You aren't alone should you dread going outside of your comfort zone, but I can say, when I have pushed myself - it's generally been with a good pay out. I hope to meet you soon! (Seek me out please!) Wishing you all best of luck! Thanks, Stephanie

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Titanium by David Guetta/Sia (warrior mode activated!)

IDK what diet to tell you to follow. Closer out from surgery is very different IMO than whenever you are further out. And for me, it depends on what my goals are now. I wanted to decrease body fat and build muscle..and I've watched my caloric intake via myfitnesspal very closely for the past 2.5 years. I now follow a 40 Protein / 40 carb / 20 fat diet and try not to exceed my RMR calories a day. Anything above the RMR calories is converted into fat - it's simply too many calories in, not enough burned. That's different close out from surgery. I would say overall, focus on (lean) protein and Water. The focus should be to make this a healthy lifestyle, not just a diet (where we think of the term diet as a fix to our weight issues that is). So fish (& shrimp), bison, turkey, chicken, eggs, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, then the rest added in small amounts. And refined/processed foods in moderation. Moderation might mean 2 or 3 times a week, depends how you are moving towards your goals. There are way too many plans to try to follow to accomplish this. I say experiment (this site is huge on the 5:2/IF, but also IIFYM, high fat/low carb, etc.). Figure out which one is best for you. It's not one best for all. Good luck!

I would advise you to start tracking everything you eat. There are many tracking apps out there but I use myfitnesspal.com. Next, clean out your house of anything unhealthy. It's called managing your environment. Third - you mentioned fruit/veggies, but what about Protein? The rule of protein first still applies this far out. Is your knee better now? As for the pouch test, IDK about doing that personally. It's a liquid diet if I'm not mistaken. This far out, for me, I don't want just liquids. But google "pouch test" and there's alot of info out there via dr. google. Best of luck to you!

How far out are you? Have you had any water? Many times, when I feel like I am 'starving' ... it's really thirst. Just a suggestion!

Here's the woman to listen to! I haven't been around much lately (ok in a while) but dang Cheri ... YOU LOOK FABULOUS! God bless you and the family! xx

LOVE this answer personally!

First, where are you in the metroplex? I would tell you the best way to find out who's best... get out to the support groups and ask. Ask what are the important questions that ppl would suggest if you interview the dr.s... then go interview the dr.s Interview the bariatric nurses at the hospitals - if you can. There are so many great dr's in DFW. You will find several options. So also ask about the hospitals where you get it done. I'd say get out on virtual sites but that can be just as scary, as can be in asking anyone... but don't be too frightened. You are going to hear great stories and not so great ones with anyone. I believe you will be led to the right person - and you will meet tons of ppl in the interim of this process and learn loads too. How exciting and nerve racking right? C'mon... you can do it! Best wishes... xx

Duh I forgot protein drinks. How'd I forget that? Our "staple"! (I do pure protein or premier but that's a personal preference.) I'm going to have to look up those EAS carb control drinks. (How many ozs are they?) Any flavor that you would suggest?

I weigh daily but I fluctuate anywhere between 3 lbs. to 7 lbs. A DAY. So what's that tell you? Well... first, you can't sweat it too much. But what's too much and what's not enough? Hmm. Here's what I do... choose a time that works for you on when to weigh (once a week, "officially" is your weigh in day) and use that as your basis on the number that 'counts'. My group dr. has a "flag" system for those of us in maintenance. He says, set your goal weight. If you go up 3 lbs for a week, then it's an orange flag. You monitor your weight and your actions/yourself for another week (i.e. back to basics - tracking, protein, water, working out, etc). If the number either increases or stays the same for another week, you move the flag to red status. That's when you call the big dogs in - who can you rely on to motivate you to get your head back in the game? I have a list of people that I go to. My closest advisors / support system / people that I respect their advices and that respect my ideas/thoughts and where I am who truly don't judge and problem solve where they can to help. Thankfully, I haven't gotten to red status ..... yet.... but I'm only 20 months out (goal reached at 6 months). I still have 'issues' with body dysmorphia so the mirror and how my clothes fit doesn't help (and I have size 2-8 in my closet, depending on the cut!). I know when I've had a bad week or two, I generally tighten up what I'm doing - back to the general guidelines that I know that work: tracking my food, protein, water, mindful eating and working out. Hope that might help you (or someone else here!). Best of luck! xx

Ha! Sarah... I had to be on a liquid diet for FOUR months (leak/long story). You'd be surprised what you can do whenever you have to. Hang in there!

I remember feeling that way! I don't however remember when I felt that way... but.. your body is still making as many hormones as your larger self. So if you have suddenly lost a lot of weight, the body hasn't caught up to not make as much estrogen. At least that is what I was told. It WILL pass. Hang in there! Best of luck on your journey(s)!

Sorry my answer may read like a run on sentence, for some reason my enter button doesn't work here but: egg whites, shrimp (I buy them frozen from Wal Mart in bags and divvy out 12 a day for my PM snack), cottage cheese, greek yogurt, bacon (I prefer turkey bacon), beef jerky, pork rinds and almonds. Hope that helps you some what!!!