4ALongerLife

Do you have an egg timer? Use that to "ping" you to remind you to drink. I hate Water, but I'm loving fruit20 in peach and propel in berry. I put them in the freezer, using my egg timer to not leave them in there too long to be frozen. The egg timer helps me with that 30 mins before and after you eat not to drink rule. I do suggest using the medicine cups. I did that for the longest time and it helped reinforce to me the "sip sip sip" mentality. I carried one of those suckers around with me and didn't care who thought what. Try the cytosport whey isolate RTD Protein drinks. They are delish! Premier Protein drinks are great too. I loved vanilla (strawberry was too sweet). Oh and crystal light in cherry pomegrante rocks. Most of the other flavors, I'm like... meh. But cherry pom is good. I mix a big ol thermo lined cup that I got from the hospital (it's 28 oz) and do at least two to three a day. It took me a while to build up to this, but you can do it. Just remember, water helps you lose weight as well as keeps you hydrated. Good luck!

Well alcoholism is a disease that is usually genetic. Wasn't Carnie Wilson's dad Brian Wilson? Doesn't he have a history of excessive drinking? Or was it just drug use? I can't remember.... From what I remember though on Carnie, they had a 'new' show coming out on Lifetime or something like that and she was having another surgery because after her divorce, she fell apart. IDK what surgery she was having, but ... yeah we can all transfer our addiciton to something else regardless if 85% of our stomach is gone. Our drug of choice may not be alcohol... could be sex, shopping, online gaming... but the addict predisposition, I believe, rests in all of us. For so long, our drug of choice was food. But just like 2bsmallagain states, she's transferred her addiction over to something constructive - cooking healthy for her family. Kudos to those of us that can do that, kudos to those of us that are trying to work on it and kudos to those who at least recognize the problems we might still have whether that be food or something else.

I agree - Mexico is the cheapest option. There are a bunch of ppl on this site that have had excellent results from surgeon's in Mexico. Good luck!

hey sleeve runt...i suggest the cytosport drinks that i posted on previously. they are a clear liquid.... and have protein. otherwise, it's chicken broth or such. you can also take protein powder and add it to sf jello.

The Isopure to me tastes like watered down Protein bullets, which I found that I could not tolerate. The cytosport RTD's do NOT have that taste. I loved the tangerine and the tropical (but not the watermelon, again it reminded me of a protein bullet and BLEYAK is all I can sum that up as!) - but I am slowly taking them out of my diet currently as I'm getting protein from protein sources, as my diet's progressed. If you are unsure, I highly suggest Vitamin Shoppe where you can buy ONE and try it. If you don't like it, keep your receipt and they will give you your money back with the container returned. You can find the whey isolate/cytosport rtd drinks in their refrigerated section. If you don't have a Vitamin Shoppe, sorry IDK what to suggest unfortunately Good luck!

YAY JenniJune! CONGRATS!

Sorry to admit, but love to read that someone else panics like I do. I appreciate all of the encouragement that you received from your post (and take those comments to heart as well). Hang in there, do what you are supposed to - we got this!

I've made that hungry girl buffalo chicken recipe. It's good (but I'm a weenie, I don't do spicy... so careful on the frank's red hot cayenne pepper sauce, which can be found at walgreen's of all places). I love "bites" but they encourage me to eat more than I think I would otherwise, so I hafta watch it. Thanks for sharing your recipes!

OMG congrats girl! That's amazing! (and I hope your back issue go away with the weight)

I had that issue for a few weeks, until I moved fully up to solids and incorporated fiber back in. Now I'm "right as rain" and back to 1-2 times a day. For the short amount of time that I did have issues, I would use Mirolax (if you don't go poop at least the 3rd day, take a scoop of mirolax). I do pee a lot less. A LOT less.

Congrats girlie!

My paperwork says after 6 months, so that's what I am doing.

STEP AWAY FROM THE BROWNIES! Sweetie, it's very soon and you don't have much to lose. You have to be patient! In the meantime, I have three questions for you: Are you food journaling? Are you getting your Water in? Are you exercising?

Pookey I cannot get over how thin your face is in your latest picture. IDK you that well, but I see a difference b/w the pix! I would say get you some tight spandex shorts maybe and bunch the lap up? Whenever I was pregnant, I got some sort of "belt" that you wrap around the bottom of the belly to help support the extra weight. If nothing else, you need something like that maybe, but that tightens and holds. Do you know a seamstress? Maybe someone that can make something for you like that? I've never tried spanx, so IDK about them. Ugh, what an issue.

I have to say, I think this is one of my most enjoyed threads. I really appreciate hearing what everyone thinks and feels around food and the impacts that it's made in our lives, even in the subtlities described by cleo in the post before last. I tihnk it's going to take a few of these threads and conversations for me to really "hit home" to what my food issues are because I AM going to break them and I AM going to be successful. Thanks for the contributions.

Hey BKMama, they have kid care at my gym, I go to 24 hour fitness (my hubby works there part time). They charge $4 a kiddo now each time you go unfortunately but they have care there for specific hours, which to me is great because I have no family beyond my son and kiddo. It's a lower charge if you use autopayments to your bank account for it, but IDK how much less. I go to the gym and ignore everyone else to be rather honest. The only reason that I like going is I'm an "outta the house" girl (aka gypsy at heart I guess lol). When I get bored there, I watch multiple t.v. screens, watch other people's reactions, change locations to keep it interesting.... Plus the gym, I can do machine workouts, personal training AND a myriad of various classes without having to upkeep a machine. All of these choices, I believe, are going to help me "trick" my body into continuing to lose weight (or so I hope!). IDK to me it's worth it, but to each his own. Long as you get some sort of activity in, I think you are rocking it!

Of course I can't get into mfp on my phone right now NOR on the pc (showing their servers are down, that's a first)... but pls feel free and add me. I love having new friends - and old ones too. I've got the same screen name there. Best to you all!

I have never seen these, I'll be on the lookout now! Awesome! I like the crystal light cherry pomegrante because it's very strong with flavor. If anyone knows of a "strong" one of these new flavors, I'd love to know which one you suggest. (I like loads of flavor)

We used to have the treadclimbers in my local 24 hr fitness club, but they got rid of them because they would break down a lot. The ones that they had didn't go past 4.0 mph. Not sure if the one's I've seen on t.v. have that same limit, but check before you buy. You can easily work up to that much quickly and especially if it's at home. I personally love the elliptical. I would want one like at the gym because whenever I get "in my zone", I'm sure I'm pretty hard on the machine (as I go faster in the zone and keep it there a while). We have secondhand sports stores here in the metroplex of Dallas called "Play It Again Sports." Not sure where you are, but check if you have those locally and if you call around, you might luck out and find a good machine for a deal. Also, we have Sear's outlets in the metroplex here. They MIGHT have some machines there (MIGHT). They carry scratch and dent stuff, but a couple hundred off would be some incentive. I wish you only the best of luck and success!

DITTO... thank you so very much and I cannot wait. It's 10 pm and I wanna make these NOW!

hmm... what about adding just a dab of whip cream to a shake a day? i hate to encourage sugar, but you can always revert back to free cool whip if you want it later. i'm sorta back and forth on this suggestion b/c i think it's good for you to detox off of sugar so... i'd personally just leave it as is though in all honesty. you are doing wonderfully i think from the sounds of it. you'll progress to the next level soon and have new challenges and new meals to take on. enjoy the ride!

Just don't get in the habit of drinking with your food. As your tummy heals, if you keep doing that while you eat, it will stretch your tummy out as well as you don't get the nutrients as well as you would w/o drinking with food intake. Listen to your body and go back to the "basic" rules you've heard... sip sip sip, no drinking 30 mins prior to eating/after eating, eat slowly. Still a hard one for me.... but if you don't do it, you will toss your Cookies (promise you, been there/done that). Good luck!

I so have to get back to reading your posts... OMG I cannot believe you posted it, but screw anyone that didn't appreciate the TRUTH and honesty of your blog. Kudos to you!

Girl, I just got my period this week. The first one in quite a while ... I've been thoroughly "checked" and nothing physical is causing it from not coming more regularly. The dr. said it's stress related. Anywho... finally, it's here and OMG.. I'm starving. that's not what we should be feeling like so someone just suggested to me to get generic omeprazole, which I did. I'm going to take it for a week and see if it makes a difference. "They" say it's acid in your tummy causing the hunger because your body is used to processing more food than it's taking in now. Omeprazole is an acid reducer. It was $10 from Walgreens and I figured let's try that.... Otherwise, don't beat yourself up, but change your bad nibbles into other things ok? If it's salty you crave, portion out 1/2 oz to 1 oz of bbq pork rinds or teriyaki beef jerky. If it's sweet you crave, get some kind of "different" fruit that might hold your interest. Find other ways to snack on low cal, high protein, low carb options. At least if you are uncontrolled snacking, it'll be on decent stuff. I just wanna stop my snacking (you can add me on MFP and see what I'm eating if you wanna). Best of luck to you! OHHHH and it's daddy's day weekend .. even if you don't have kids, take that husband out for something nice. He deserves it! (hey mine does too, i just gotta figure out something beyond food to 'celebrate' but we do have a kiddo so a couple's massage is out... maybe that'll work for you guys?)

Follow the dr's orders. They give them for a reason! It's NOT easy but it is worth it.