gowalking

It's hard to measure protein by the cup. Try it by the ounce. Myself, I eat 3 oz. protein, no more than 1/2 cup veggies and 1/4 cup carbs. You can check with your surgeon or NUT to determine how much you should eat. Good luck!

Oh Di...what a great picture. You look absolutely amazing!!

Thank you everyone. Your support means the world to me.

I found this site just days before being banded. I was terrified about the surgery I was shortly undergoing and the changes I knew I needed to deal with afterwards. The posts from vets and the responses they provided to other newbies by me helped me more than I can ever express. And to top it off, I've made some wonderful friends here. So thank you Alex for this forum site and for your oversight as well to keep it safe for us to be able to talk about things we don't even discuss with friends and/or family.

Oh Sweetie.,..I know. I go back and forth...sometimes the compliments and attention are really great and sometimes it's frustrating...and sometimes Its even sad in a way because so many people truly don't know who you are. I struggle with who I am as well. I like what I see but I don't recognize what I see either. I hold up the slacks or shirt I'm about to put on and I can't believe I fit in these little clothes. And yet I do. My head has not caught up to my body and I know it. Hang in there as I'm trying to do. Don't worry about changing how you feel about the attention. I suspect we just have to go with it until it's no longer something anyone thinks about.

Business as usual where I was banded. Had to pay my copay to the hospital when I was admitted. If I'm not mistaken, I had to give them around $800 or so. I see you are from Jersey so you are likely familiar with NYU. So, if a hospital as big as NYU Langone will ask for money up front, don't be surprised if you have to do the same. So...yes, make sure you have your credit card just in case.... and if you don't need it, just give it to whomever comes with you to the hospital.

Hi Georgia. I was in therapy many years ago for quite some time...seven years actually. This woman knew everything about me and I was very comfortable talking to her about anything. That means alot....being able to trust the person you tell the most intimate things to. So, having said that, do you think that you can discuss with your current therapist, your concerns about weight related issues? She might still be more than capable of helping you with this. After all, you don't know how your anger and boundary issues impact her as you are not in her head the way she is in yours. I think it might be presumptuous of you to think just because she is overweight, she cannot help you with the whys and hows of your weight issues.

Oh, I don't just like this, I loooove this!!

She's like your drinking buddy. If you were both alcoholics, you would having to likely avoid her if you decided to stop drinking. Same thing here except it's food and not booze. You can try to reassure her that you want to remain her friend but you need her to be supportive. If she can't do that, you may have to let her go in order for you to move forward. Good luck...this part won't be easy.

Oh that's good to hear.

I was banded. Not sure if that was your procedure as well. All I know is that I couldn't eat solid foods for several weeks post op. I had to go through liquid, mushy, and soft food stages before eating 'normal' foods. Check with your doctor but I'd think you are several weeks if not months before popcorn is back in your diet.

Glad the prognosis is good Terry. Will you undergo radiation or is that not needed with the prostate removed?

I have 4 toddlers so I don't get to go to the movies often but my husband and I used to make popcorn at home on the stove and watch movies on the weekends. I'm just wondering when I might get to do that again. IMO, you can eat popcorn again when you are satisfied with a handful or two. Honestly....that was/is my barometer for slider foods. If I can have just a smidge, then I know I can eat it. If a smidge leads to multiple smidges, then I'm not ready for it.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Anne Marie....any time you feel like doing what you know you shouldn't, remember how you are feeling right now. Honey, this is not always an easy journey, but the rewards can be great. Keep your eye on the prize.

There isn't a dish that tastes as good or a restaurant I miss as much as the satisfaction of the before/after picture below feels.

Honestly my advice is to call your surgeon's office on Monday and schedule an appointment. It's the only way to know for sure if there's anything serious going on.

The definition of addiction is noted below. I see no difference between addiction to drugs or alcohol and addiction to food. I see people all the time just stop when they have had enough to eat. Stopping was always a struggle for me. Even now, I can stop but I think about eating more so I'm still a foodaholic, simply in recovery. How is that different from any other addiction. It's not. Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors. Addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death.

I don't know that narcissism is quite the right term to use because it implies that it's an obsession and I don't think most of us are obsessed..I think it's more an awareness that we are improving in the looks department as we lose the weight regardless of the reason why. That in turn makes us want to further improve by making ourselves now more attractive and that's why we are now wearing makeup again, getting haircuts, buying prettier clothing, etc..

Nah....they say mid 70's. I'm not swimming outdoors till it's alot hotter. The alcohol though....hmmmm...I think that might work just fine... See ya tomorrow!

Lisa....I read your post waiting to get PT. I cracked up in the waiting room and everyone stared at the crazy lady reading her phone and cackling away....thanks alot.... Now they all think I'm nuts.... Are we having mud slides tomorrow??

I've been going to Water exercise classes for about six months now. Well, I made a friend there. She's a very nice lady and we get along nicely. So, last night we walked out together and we had been discussing some discomfort I have in the hip area. Most of you know that I've gone through major surgery to replace the hip joints and while I am doing unbelievably better, I still have some residual issues that cause me pain. Anyway, like I said, we were walking and Barbara says to me that she also has aches and pains and it worries her because she sees someone like me who is thin and still has issues and she is bigger than me so it worries her. I hesitated...thinking what do I tell her? I really didn't want to give her the 'I was morbidly obese' story. Not because I'm embarrased, but because I'm done with the fat me. I buried her even though she still lives in my head (and I'm working on getting her out of there as well). I finally decided to tell her that I lost weight to better my chances of success when I had the hips replaced. I didn't go into details..and didn't tell her I'm half my size. But I'd like to know how the rest of you handle situations where you have lost a significant amount of weight and you have met people who didn't know you before. I'm not talking about romantic relationships....that's for another thread. I'm just talking about people who you've gotten to know post weight loss. People see me now and just assume this is the way I've always looked. I like that....it tells me that I've moved on and am leaving the fat me behind. But what do I do when my size does come up in conversation as it did last night? Anybody else out there who went through something similar and have some advice on how to handle this?

Follow weight watchers basically same as enjoythetime does. It worked great for both of us.

Swear to God....this city gal has alot of luck at Kohl's and JC Penney of all places...

That shirt you are wearing says it all....absofreakinglutelyamazing!! Our stories are very similar...I guess I really do have to be more understanding when people don't recognize me. You have truly undergone a transformation and I have to presume it's the same for me. Mazel Tov and Congratulations my friend. You are inspiring.

I agree with Ziggy. That was pure D jealousy. She wants you to get heavy again. That wasn't insensitity...she knew what she was saying. Can you tell I'm in therapy....LOL!!