cnb

Bariatric Choice has whey Protein barbeque chips, pizza chips, ranch crunch, and sea salt with vinegar. I was pleasantly surprised with the BBQ and pizza ones I bought online at BariatricChoice.com.
I ate all the ones I bought over a period of three months, so when I get to my phase four routine, I will buy some more. They are packed in serving size packets, with 10 grams of Protein in each pack. They were worth the asking price $12.95 for 7 packets.

This will be the first year in many,many,many that my New Years resolution will not be "I promise to lose weight" I love my sleeve!!!

This will be the first year in many,many,many that my New Years resolution will not be "I promise to lose weight" I love my sleeve!!!

You are so right..kinda cool eh!

cnb
can totally relate - yes it is a great feeling
pretty safe to say that most - all of us here had that common new years resolution that this WILL be the year i lose the weight
you've done great with your weight loss/accomplishments/goal!!!!!
175 lbs down, gone, gone, gone
down the toilet - FLUSH
how terrific are you
maintaining goal these past few months - and for the rest of your life
i am looking into the future - and i see many/most of us losing lots and lots of weight
approaching goal et al
but mainly and wonderfully, people feeling so much healthier and happier
keep up the good work
kathy
congrats

This is probably going to seem sooooooooo trivial to everyone else, but I had a great NSV last night.

John and I have never been cuddly when we sleep. #1 I would get so hot that I couldn't stand having him right up on me #2 He's a tummy sleeper with his elbows spread out over the bed, I sleep on my side with a body pillow.

Anyways, last night, he pulls me in super close to his chest, my back is touching his chest, and he wraps his arms around me, like completely around me (that's never happened before), and he nuzzled his head next to my neck and was asleep in a matter of minutes. I laid there just smiling like a goofy kid at a candy store, and I could feel his heart beating on my back. I laid there and actually felt his heart rate slow down as he began to drift off into a deep sleep. It felt so amazing to be that close, and not be hot and feel gross about myself. He had one arm under my head, wrap it up over me and the other arm wrapped around me the other side. I don't think I've ever realized how many "little" things we didn't do because of my weight.

He then started snoring (which he never did before), and I had to move a little because he was right next to my ear. But for the first time in 3.5 years, I literally fell asleep in my love's arms.

I was able to buckle the seatbelt without an extender yesterday on my flight to San Diego! Have lost 17 lbs on pre surg diet!
By this evening I will have crossed the line into sleevedom!

The most awesome and emotional NSV Shout Out. Tonight I was able to fit my grandmother's wedding ring on my finger for the first time since she gave it to me just before she passed away. That was over 4 years ago. It was unable to be up-sized, so it just sat in my safe deposit box. I figured some day I would give it to my daughter. I was at the box today for something totally unrelated and figured, why not try it? It slid right on! I cried for joy! It's beautiful. I don't think I'll ever take it off. Of course, it's on my right hand, not to be confused with an actual wedding ring. :-)

Hi all. I am now down roughly 60 pounds and seven weeks out from when I started my liquid pre-diet. Am also having some awesome NSV moments. Some are:

No longer wearing 3x shirts. They are packed and ready to be taken to Goodwill. My size 48 (expandable) pants? Gone too. Can button my pants at my belly button. No more "slant pants." I wore a much smaller belt...and it was a new one! Went three days this past week without needing a mid day nap. Three days now without any slimes or throwing up. Joined a local health club to work out. Snoring is all but gone. No more BP meds at all (125/65 is normal now). And BMs much more normal and less stressful. Bought myself an I-touch. That was my 50 pound loss gift to myself. Any suggestions for the 100 plateau? That's a short list, but ones that come to mind.

Please, share yours!

Let's look at the fact that this journey is not just about the weight loss, but about all the wonderful things that continue to happen along the ride!

This will be the first year in many,many,many that my New Years resolution will not be "I promise to lose weight" I love my sleeve!!!

This will be the first year in many,many,many that my New Years resolution will not be "I promise to lose weight" I love my sleeve!!!

xamry
luckily you caught yourself on that step
i don't think you slipped enough to regret WLS
you made the wise decision to have the surgery, don't second guess yourself now
get back to work - show your strength and determination i know you have!!!
great comments from the above "wiseWOMEN" (appropriate with the holidays )
i agree with all - can't add anything different so i won't
"little" hijack to say.............
trying to say this right.......
above posts shows that things can be said nicely, with tough love, but gently spoken, without harsh "reference"
some of you know what i mean (hope its ok that i brought this up
pizza is a common joke on the board - cuz some/many of us want to eat it
and months done the line you can have that slice, buttttttttttttt
for now i'm slapping your hand
good luck
kathy

Oh boy! Now if definitely feel guilty!!! But you're all correct. I have followed my Dr's orders and restrictions religiously and screwed up last night. I should have eaten off of my list before the pizza arrived so I wasn't hungry.
You'll be happy to know I did follow that rule this morning when my father announced he was coming over with donuts for the kids. I prepared my egg and spinach beforehand and didn't even think twice about the dozen donuts sitting on the table.
Thank you for the tough love. It's not always easy to hear but it is definitely helpful. I just love this outlet, you all are wonderful and supportive!

I say this with much love and concern - what were you thinking? I am guessing pizza is not on your NUT's list of approved food. Right now, my concern is for your (new, delicate) sleeve. Please follow your NUT and/or doc's direction with regard to diet.
OK - motherly moment over.
Addressing your question about "treats". I think, in time, there could be room for treats, but that's down the line - way down the line. And maybe the definition of "treat" is different post-op than it was pre-op. For me a treat was a bowl of ice cream or a trip to Dairy Queen. While I'm hesitant to say I'll never have those again, I know that they aren't an option in my near future. I need to CHOOSE different treats - a treat 5 weeks post op is some cottage cheese with some sugar free Syrup or Greek yogurt.
Last night you chose to have pizza over the other things you had in your pantry - you could have chosen a Protein shake or something else. This surgery didn't change your want or desire to have food - it changed your ability to have a lot of food. This journey is going to be a lot about choices.

At the beginning of my body change the sleeve and attending concerns enveloped the majority of my attention. The struggle to get it going, establishing guide lines, noting progress, mourning slow downs, and in the end, rejoicing exceedingly about my new body.
Now, coming up on my second year, my attention is being diverted by life itself. I am maintaining near my low weight and activity is at athletic level as I promised myself at the beginning. I had an empty feeling period when I asked myself the question, "Now what?"
This new body is just a part of who I am. It is no longer a hindrance, it now best serves me by not drawing attention to itself. It has become a vehicle to take my mind and soul to destinations and tasks. I have energy to express my heart and my body no longer blocks my reaching out.
I no longer have my body to use as an excuse for inactivity and introversion. I no longer hide behind shame. Now is the time to explore the other parts of myself and my relationship with those around me and the world in general. I have made a friend of myself and in so doing have deemed what love I have to offer as worthy to be shared. I have discovered that giving love is the quickest path to getting it.
I have a default eating, drinking, and exercise policy. I may step out for a bit but return to default quickly. I don't kick my butt for it, I am my friend now. If I don't have fun being me I won't be any fun to be around.
My grown daughter called me contagious the other day. It was one of the best things my ears have ever heard.

Yes, the dance of trying to live the balanced life. This is one of the reasons I think it is so important to be as compliant as possible early on. We must develop new habits and new reactions to the curves life throws at us. We need to keep repeating these behaviors until they become the natural way we react.
I don't have to think about grabbing a Protein shake when I go to work out, it just happens naturally. My freezer is ALWAYS stocked with good, healthy, home-made Soups which again, I naturally grab on my way out to work. When stuck in a situation where I need to order food at a restaurant, choosing the option which has the best nutritional impact is easy now and I do not mourn not getting the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy with a roll and ...
If it is still a struggle, then continue to fake it until you make it. Old habits die hard and my demons will always be there waiting for any sign of weakness. But, with the help of the sleeve, and some time under my belt developing these new habits, it is easier to make better decisions naturally.
Stress is one of my big red flags and I am smack in the middle of a very stressful time myself. I know that it will get better and no amount of (fill in the blank) will make it be any better. As a matter of fact, it will make it worse as now I would get to add the guilt of being bad onto my plate.

For those of you that don't know me, My name is Laura and I have a food addiction.
My addiction it is being managed through the sleeve and hard work, at the moment...
I have/had a food addiction yes, but I also have an addictive obsessive personality..
For the last year plus my life has been about the sleeve. It is my focus from the moment I wake until the moment I sleep.. My "social time" is spent here with others that live the same life now as me. They "get it", well most of them anyway.... There is commonality here and that is huge to me. After all, my food is taken away how else will "I fill the hole"?
Along with my time here, I spend time working on the mechanics of my sleeve life. I plan my liquids, I take great care to get them in. Time meals to come 1/2 hour after finishing a round of liquids. Try and start my liquids up an hour, if I can, after my meals. My meals are thought out to the extent that they are Protein and veg. These are the "rules" I live by.
In the beginning I have referred to the Water schedule as a full time job. And in a way after all this time my eating drinking schedule is still like a full time job. Or at the least a very choreographed dance I do....
If my day includes activities out of the "norm" it can disrupt my dance....
This past weekend life, and I should say one the more challenging parts of it "got in the way" of my sleeved life. It made me realize the road to hell truly can be paved with the best intentions.. My real life and my sleeved life collided with a force strong enough to knock my sleeved life off its axis a bit. I simply could not spend my time dealing with the all important dance of food and liquids and the support of friends..
Did I eat this past four days? Yes. Did I eat enough? To much? Protein? Trigger foods? Timed just right? I honestly don't know and didn't much care.
Did I drink my fluids?
No, that I can guarantee not. Unless you count take away coffees and chi tea.
In fact several days I'd notice that it was afternoon already and not a drop of water had past my lips.
All or nothing... The life of an addict.
But this does not work, it is not realistic if you want to succeed in the sleeved life and life combined. You need balance. I'm not good at balance I realized that this weekend. I am a one trick pony, a one hit wonder.. I will spend my next year trying to find balance.

I have to weigh daily. It may bounce around due to hormones or whatever but I have to do it. If I don't, I'll stop doing it altogether and that leads to regains! It's unfortunate that I still allow the scale to upset my day sometimes, though. Some days it doesn't bother me and other days I get completely frustrated. But better that than denial and a potential regain!
~Cheri