NMJG

I get it too. Fiber helps regulate me, so I always try to make sure I get in 10-15 grams a day.

Tell us about yourself. Are you male or female? How old are you? Personally, I don't lose weight at 1200 and would certainly plateau or maybe even gain at 1500 calories. But if you are a 23 year old male, that may not be a problem for you at all. What sort of exercise are you getting? Do you get in a minimum of 64 oz of Water daily? I am not a nutritionist, but just from what I have seen for many people here I would make the following changes. This is just my opinion. I do think that a diet with 50% carbs is not very good for weight loss or even long term maintenance, but I'm a low carber. I also think higher fats from good fat sources (nuts, vegetables, oils) are very healthy and helpful for weight loss. Keep your Protein where it is or even increase it to 80-90 grams Drop the fat to 30-40 grams Drop the carbs to 40-60 grams (net grams) Drop the sugars to 15-25 grams Get a minimum of 10-15 grams of Fiber in every day (I'm a fiber fan) Go back to 1200 calories max since that worked for you until you changed it Let us know what happens. Good luck.

I have been reading about a number of relatively new skin tightening treatments. Many of them use Radio Frequency (RF) and/or light treatments. Some product names are: Viora Thermage Ulthera Some of the before and after pix are pretty interesting: http://www.thermage.com/consumer/what-to-expect/therm Was wondering if anyone here had tried these procedures and what the results were.

I like Chike, too. I usually mix it with half milk and half Water. Sometimes I'll add a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to make Mocha flavor. Buffle, those recipes look pretty tasty....

Speaking of self-medicating, you can get Cuban rum in Mexico, which is divine. Can't get it here in the states and it's much better than Bacardi and reasonably priced. Not that I drink with the sleeve, oh no, I never do that.......

Annie has it right. You only need a prescription for controlled substances. I stock up on Retin A and antibiotics when I'm there. Oddball US drugs are not cheaper there, though. I checked out Latisse (the eyelash stuff that is $120 for a 30 day supply here), but it wasn't any cheaper there I think vet meds are much cheaper there, however.

Ask Cowgirljane, she has good info on compression garments.

Hi Coops, Well, here is what I would try if you are interested, and remember, it's never too late and I believe you can do it. Let us know how you do. Good luck! Kickstart yourself with 2 or 3 days of just liquid Protein shakes. I found this sort of "reactivates" my sleeve and gets my head back on. It's hard to do after eating somewhat normally, but it does get the restriction fired up again (at least for me). Start writing everything down again - MFP or other Measure your food. I have started eyeballing things, not a great habit to get into... Get that Water in! 64 oz minimum, you know the drill. The same old routine: firm protein first, then vegs, then carbs. Plan out your exercise regime. Maybe split your time between cardio and strength training. Cardio will burn fat, strength training will build muscle, which will raise your metabolic rate over time.

It's very common for your tastes to change, especially in the first few months. It's always a shocker to eat something you think you like and discover you now think it is gross LOL. It keeps changing, too. I was never a tuna fish fan, then during my soft foods I ate it all the time and loved it. Now, I'm like "meh" and never seek it out. During my first months I didn't like candy or sweets anymore, either. Unfortunately, that trait didn't stay

Many statistics show the divorce rate after WLS to be around 75%. You can google it. After all, the regular divorce rate is 50%, then add to it the issues that extreme change brings to light and many marriages cannot stand up to the strain. Iviv, it sounds like you have some pretty significant issues with your marriage right now. If I were you, I would start counseling sooner rather than later if you want to stay married. Good luck to you and your husband.

Interesting topic. I was just thinking about this today. My goal weight (that I picked and it happened to coincide with my doctor's goal weight) is 125. That's 24 lbs. away. Right now I am at a 25 BMI and look/feel pretty good. I keep asking myself if I really need to lose that final 20 odd lbs. My "bad" side says no, My "good" side says I need to make that goal. My cynical side says I will probably lose it regardless because I don't eat that much anymore so I'll probably keep losing unless I radically change my eating habits (currently 800-1000 calories a day and mostly healthy foods). Even if I go way off base for the day I never eat more than 1200 calories, and I don't feel like I'm on a "diet" - it's just the way I eat now (protein first, then vegs, then carbs and lots of water). I really don't know what I think anymore. ;p

Good for you! You will be amazed how quickly you will start feeling better. My arthritis in hips, knees, back etc. is so much better. I can exercise. Blood pressure has dropped and cholesterol is good. Not to mention no more blood sugar worries. So as a 50, you may lose slower (I did) than the younger folks. Don't worry about it if it happens.

Didn't know they had them. I take B12 shots monthly. I think I'll ask my dr about the iron shots.

Hi Clara, It would be a good idea for you to also post over in the the lap band forum and get their input. I'm sure they can give you lots of pros and cons from a first hand perspective. For me, I decided on the sleeve for these reasons. I am 6 1/2 months out and very happy with it. I am at normal BMI now and feeling great. The long term success rate is very good with the sleeve. Although people talk about it like it is new, it is an old procedure - used to be "part one" of a bypass, then the doctors figured out they didn't have to complete the bypass (part two) and could leave the stomach as a sleeve. Complication rates are relatively low with the sleeve. They are even lower if you use a "Center of Excellence," which I highly recommend. The sleeve does not have malabsorbancy issues. That is when you can't absorb your nutrients properly. You have much less likelihood of dumping syndrome, and chances are you may never experience it with a sleeve. With a sleeve you can eat pretty much anything (just much smaller amounts) once you are 6 months to a year out. You are not restricted as to the type of food. Did not want foreign objects inside me. No adjustments and fills of the band. Some doctors (including my surgeon) don't offer the lap band any longer, even though they did them for many years. My doctor believes the sleeve is a superior alternative to the band because of the difference in success rates and complications. Some thoughts: you can get the band and then if it doesn't work and you are still interested in WLS (and have the money) you can switch to the sleeve. You can also get the sleeve and later go to RnY if you wish. many people have success with the band, it is just personal choice of what you think you will be most successful with. I thought I would be more successful with the sleeve. Most important: do your research

Don't you hate those last few pounds? My understanding is that shaking it up can often yield results, sort of confusing your body and hitting a reset button. Some ideas to try: Try 5:2 for a few weeks and see if the scale budges Try eating a completely different meal plan, for example, if you eat mostly meats, try vegetarian or vegan for two weeks Try 2 weeks of very, very low carbs, like 20g a day max Talk to your trainer about incorporating some HIIT or interval training into your routine The other thing that could be going on is your training. I started strength training in January. I've lost very little poundage in the last two months but have gone from size 14 to 10. I've gained muscle that has offset my fat loss, so I'm not seeing it on the scale. Have you measured.yourself? Best of luck, let us know your progress.

Great post

I have a love hate with mfp too. I log everything. The added calories from exercise and "you aren't eating enough" bits annoy me no end. I think WebbRN78 has a good idea there. As far as filling up any leftover calories, maybe just don't worry about it? If you have your level set appropriately, does it really matter if you eat up to your daily limit? Just asking. Perhaps if you give yourself permission to eat to your limit it won't seem so important and maybe sometimes you won't....I don't know, just thinking aloud...

Long term, I expect to be able to keep excess weight off, something I was never able to do before. I expect this tool to give me the edge in keeping a healthy lifestyle, eating right, and maintaining my weight. I know I have to do my part, too, but in the past it was never good enough and I always failed and regained. I expect WLS to be the difference.

Look at you! What a cutie! Congrats on a great accomplishment. You should be very proud.

I feel for you, that is really sad. I wish I had some good ideas for you. When I'm stressed I try to do something nice for myself, but I'm not sure that's what you need right nowq given you have such a sad situation to deal with. When I fall off the wagon in situations like you describe it usually involved copious amounts of alcohol and sugar, then it is out of my system. Not recommending that - just sharing.

How far out are you and how long have you been overfilling it? That makes a difference. I have found that a couple of days of just Protein shakes tightens up my restriction if that helps.

That's awesome. It's the little things in life....

Fiddle, this is not quitting. This is adjusting your fitness plan to something that better suits your body. Just like ice skaters don't do slalom and curlers don't luge, some sports and fitness activities are better for different people. It is smart to adjust and try new things until you find your niche. No guilt!

Jane, thanks so much for sharing your pix with us. It is so helpful to get such insight. And you are looking mahvelous!

Lies are so hard to keep up with, for me anyway. When they ask why you are out, just say "it's personal." It's no one's business but your own. When they comment on your weight loss, just say thanks. If they ask how you did it, just say "eating less, exercising more." No need to make it a big discussion. Your privacy is important. More important than their curiousity. You don't owe them any explanations. Good Luck.