Reputation from moonchild1968

moonchild1968 reacted to CowgirlJane in Help me please! I continue to gain weight! December 29, 2014

Ok, so this is just my personal experience. I am 3 years out in 10 days and what I have noticed is that "compliance" is easier sometimes and harder other times. What I will say is that I have quite recently noticed a much higher drive to eat, and seems to me like the maintenance challenge is not getting easier over time. I think in reading other "vets" sharing, I am not unique in this. The experience at 2-3years post op is a bit different than someone in their first year or so of surgery.
Anyway, you know what needs to happen, but the question is the best way to "reset". First, deep breath. Anxiety over gaining/shame - all those feelings CREATE emotional desire to stress eat. If you can start working on a calmer "get er done" point of view, it will take some of the anxiety out of it and become much more action oriented.
I think you need to know yourself a little. Some people are cold turkey and others need to make small gradual changes and work hard to get one change to stick at a time. I am probably a blend of both, but when I am uber stressed (come on you lost your husband!) I can't deal with cold turkey.
So, I would probably tackle 3 things first - perhaps spreading the changes out by a few days or a week or whatever feels like you can manage. One, start reducing coffee big time. I would go to 50-50 Decaf to start with, and then place quantity and time box rules (like, no coffee after 10 am or something like that). have "abused" coffee during maintenance as it gives me a pick up energy feeling and helps combat appetite. That can boomerang on you though, cause tummy troubles AND if you are adding a bunch of sweet junk, can also introduce a bunch of calories and craving inducing carbs. replace it with plain Water or herbal teas.
Second, just stop buying trigger foods - sounds like fudgecycles are yours. for me, it is Protein bars and bread. The bread is really hard because my sons live here now and like sandwiches. Trouble is it calls my name. anyway, if you can make the decision just once - at the grocery store - to simply not buy trigger foods - it is so much easier to resist. Once they are in the house... oh boy!
Third, I would start meal planning/tracking on my fitness pal. When I read your descriptions, it is hard to see that you are eating enough to be seriously gaining (although who knows, right?). My fitness pal or some other tracking tool kinda makes you face reality. I would go back to the basics of planning nutritions meals and Snacks. For me, 4 per day, Protein first with veggies is the winning combination. If I can eat that way, my cravings and hunger reduce DRASTICALLY.
Not sure if you have started drinking a bit of wine or other alchohol or having crackers/snacky type foods, but to the extent you can eliminate them - it will really help reduce the feeling of cravings.
So, I am suggesting that you don't need to severely restrict your food, which can be very stressful. I am suggesting that you put some structure around your eating - planned meals and Snacks, plan how much Water you get, plan to limit your coffee. Plan a snack substitutue for the fudgecycles.
Example, how about 1/2 cup of greek yogurt with frozen fruit. Plenty of carbs, some protein, but a healthier way to get it. Even if if is higher calorie than the fudgecycles, you are unlikely to want 3 servings.... and will be more satiated with one.
So a healthy eating plan might be something like:
Breakfast:
Veggie and turkeY (low cal/low carb) sausage and egg beater omelette
Lunch:
salad greens and salad veggies with tuna or chicken breast. Use a bit of olive oil and yummy white balsamic vinegar dressing
Dinner:
Lean meat
Side of veggies like brussel sprouts, green Beans, etc
small salad if still hungry
Snack:
Greek yogurt with a bit of frozen fruit
anyway, these are just some ideas.
I know this is hard, but I am also sure your beloved husband would want the best for you, including your good health. Worry more about health than strictly the number on the scale and good things will follow.
Once your eating is feeling more solid, then start considering activity and exercise as that can really make you feel better.
Good luck and hang in there!

moonchild1968 reacted to Recycled in Help me please! I continue to gain weight! December 29, 2014

I really don't know what can be said here to offset what you are going thru and how tough it must be to deal with such a loss. So sorry for your loss.
But aside from the grieving, you have stated all your pitfalls and potential weight gain issues. You know what is putting the weight back on. So I got nothing. You have to stop doing what you know you need to stop doing. Start with scrapping the coffee. Replace it with some Protein drink to fill you up. Or drink the coffee bitter with not creamer.
Possibly with your loss you have developed too much solitude and sedentary idleness. Get out and get exercise.
At least if any grieving thoughts keep creeping back in, you'll be burning calories and building up endorphin's.
You're situation is textbook sliding back into old habits, (with the obvious additional depression triggers) Get a grip and get your life back in control. You can. It will get better. Life does go on.

moonchild1968 reacted to Katcloudshepherd in Plastic Surgery - Face - sagging skin December 29, 2014

Camella,
I've had extensive fillers, Botox and am undergoing Venus freeze on my arms. They are less expensive than plastic surgery and plastic surgery only lasts so many years. That is why so many celebrities that start using plastic surgery look so freakish over a period of time. They have one surgery, it only lasts so long, then they have another and another and then their face is all out of proportion.
They have come a long way with non-surgical means to improve the appearance of the face and the rest of the body. I would add the caveat that sometimes plastic surgery is the only alternative for the legs, arms and abdomen.
Good luck,
Blessings,
Kathleen

moonchild1968 reacted to MichiganChic in Plastic Surgery - Face - sagging skin December 29, 2014

I'm 52, and I also lost enough in my face to look like what I call a "weight loss victim". I also had a ton of sagging skin on my behind. I just had a lower body lift, and that did wonders for my behind! I had my arms done, too, also great outcome.
But for my face, I'm afraid to do too much to it, so I had some fillers injected (juviderm, I think). Anyway, that did wonders for me. She injected in the creases along side my nose and mouth, and also a little botox on my forehead lifted my eyelids. I think I'm going to get a little Voluma in the cheek area, which will lift your face a little. Also, the skin on my face and neck did tighten some, over time. I just don't want to look stretched and un-natural, so I'm a little afraid to have a face lift, though eventually, I might. I'm going to try a laser treatment on my neck since they can't put fillers there, and it's pretty bad. I don't mind looking my age or aging, but I really don't want to look older than I am!

moonchild1968 reacted to MisforMimi in 22 months post out with pics December 29, 2014

P.S. Those boots! Love.

moonchild1968 reacted to ebonisekim in 22 months post out with pics December 29, 2014

Started at 299 now 159 ..5'8

moonchild1968 reacted to CowgirlJane in 3 year surgi-versary - updated info from NUT December 29, 2014

I am 3 years out and maintaining a major weight loss (I went from 308, got as low as 140 and am hanging out in the mid 150s right now).
Anyway, I have been having more trouble with hunger, cravings etc and I think it has alot to do with my boys living at home again so I have food in the house that calls my name (bread, potatoes, sometimes junk food) again. Also, I am steady dating someone and for reasons i cannot grasp, that seems to be fattening - well, I am not going out dancing and stuff as much as I used to. Final issue is that I am suffering some physical issues that have interferred with my working out so i thought it would be good to get a tune up with a good NUT.
I think we talked through a couple of areas of improvement - you guessed it going back to basics! I have gotten out of the habit of focusing on hydration for example. They are now saying 64-100 oz of Fluid consumed at least 30 minutes post meal.
She said i eat more quantity than she thinks a typical sleever should be able to eat. I don't measure, but I eat from a small side plate so i am not sure about that, but it is true i can eat a good sized salad etc.
Anyway, the thing I learned that i thought was very interesting is she had a model of the sleeve tummy which is shaped like a banana. the "stretch" receptors are at the bottom and the top of the sleeve. So, I always eat Protein first, but I don't always LITERALLY eat protein first. Example, a salad with salmon on it - i have the salmon chopped up into the salad. She has suggested that I eat at least half the salmon first, before any lettuce because that "dense protein" will hit that receptor much firmer and I will feel more satiated. So, LITERALLY eat protein first and then eat the veggies, greens etc. I think I used to do that quite carefully, but i eat a lot of mixed foods now (salad with meat in it, egg dish with veggies and low fat turkey sausage mixed in it etc). I will try this.
She also really recommends the mini meals every 3 hours - so 5 mini meals. She said that if you get overly hungry, you can often eat and then maybe 1-2 hours later you are hungry again (and repeat) - referred to it as the boomerang effect. I am not sure about this one, during the weight loss phase I ate 4 mini meals. I have done 5:2 and found that the fasting can reduce appetite (as well as other health benefits of fasting). I am skeptical on this one.
Since I am struggling a bit through the holidays, and no way am I successful at 5:2 right now, I am going to try following her advice.
So, 3 years out as of Dec 11 - and so very pleased with my results and life with a sleeve!

moonchild1968 reacted to Shoota in Any APRIL SLEEVERS? Let me know your progress ! November 14, 2013

Sleeved April 29, 279 lbs on the day of surgery. As of this morning, 179 lbs. That's a hundred lbs loss in less than 6 1/2 months! Going to Celebrate with a Protein Shake and an hour on the elliptical...