mparkersmith

I've broken a lot of rules- snacking, eating too fast, using a straw... I could go on & on! But at the end of the day, you have to forgive yourself and crack on. Oh, and I haven't exercised in like 3 weeks! Eek. I'm going to the gym in the morning. I swear. Really, I can't wait.

Wow! Congrats! A size 10 is a BIG deal!

I took 4 weeks off, and honestly, I needed every second. I had a very easy recovery, no problems whatsoever, but fatigue was tough. Everyone's different, though, so you may be perfectly fine with a week off. Best of luck with your recovery!

I experienced this big time after surgery. I used to keep the thermostat pretty low; my husband used to refer to our bedroom as "the meat locker." His big joke was that we could hang a side of beef in there. Har, har. But I digress. The shivers were pretty bad for awhile, but after a few weeks, it mostly went away. I do keep the thermostat higher on average than pre-surgery, though!

I doubt myself all the time. I'm 3 months out, and I still hesitate to buy smaller sizes, because what if I don't lose anymore? I think it's fairly normal, and I'm working on it. It is definitely a process! But when I start with negative thoughts, it always helps to bring out my fat jeans and try them on. Then I realize how far I've come, and that I! CAN! DO! THIS!

My wedding rings are pretty loose! My fingers have definitely shrunk.

I told everyone! And I don't regret it at all. I got much needed support from everyone around me, and was even surprised by the incredibly positive feedback from a few people who I had anticipated would react negatively. Any time I am asked about my weight loss, either at work or by friends I haven't seen in awhile, I always tell them about my surgery. Keeping a secret this big just wasn't an option for me; I am a really bad liar and I can't keep my stories straight! Just takes too much energy to cover it up. I'm proud of the steps I took to get healthier, and I find in general that people are understanding and sometimes curious about the gory details. So I say tell everyone you know!

My Fitness Pal app. Daily goals are 700 calories, 70g Protein, 64oz of water. I don't necessarily track fat, but I do try to limit the carbs below 50g. I love that MFP let's you see a cool graph that shows your carbs, fat, and protein percentages. Really helpful!

Never tried freezing my shake, but I do blend it with ice every morning. Here's my formula: 6 oz. water, 12 oz. ice, and 2 scoops of protein powder, pulse blender until nice and smooth with no big chunks. I usually use a mix of one scoop chocolate protein powder and one scoop espresso or mocha protein powder. Every now and then I'll throw in half a banana. Mmmmm, deelish!

It gets sooo much better. Hang in there!

My nutritionist told me not to worry about calories that soon after surgery, and to just focus on getting enough liquids, purees, and Protein shakes. That said, at that time I was hovering around 350-500 calories. I'm 3 months out now, and today I saw my surgeon and nutritionist, who both told me I was getting too few calories (500-700). They told me to drink an extra Protein shake to try and get calories up (with the added bonus of more protein, of course!). Amazing, being told to eat more calories!!! But I will say, the week I went on vacation, I was eating about 700-850 calories, and I was sooo scared I would come home and step on the scale to a gain... I lost 5 pounds that week. Go figure!

Congratulations!!! You are doing great! I just reached Onederland today, so I am celebrating right there with ya!

Hmmm, this sounds familiar. Gonna get my levels checked next week!

Fabulous! Inspirational!

This week, I'm a little over 2 months out from surgery. After light workouts for the last few weeks, tonight I went to a one hour Zumba class and it felt GREAT! I'm down 50 lbs, my hip pain is gone, my knee pain is gone, and working out feels like such a privelage. I remember wondering if, at 38 years old, I would ever be pain free again. Well, it is happening, and I was so grateful tonight while I was dancing that I almost cried right there in the gym! I am truly thankful that I am getting my life back, and this surgery is the best thing I've ever done for myself. Working out again ROCKS!!! What a difference a couple of months makes!

I'm two months out, and this was pretty much what I experienced as well the first week or so. Things are still raw and your system is adjusting to major surgery, so be patient with your body. I would definitely check with your surgeon about the Immodium, though. Best of luck!

Wow! Just wow!

Congrats! You look maaaahvelous!

A few weeks ago right after surgery, I wondered what a meal would look like when the time came. Well, here are some photos of my last 2 dinners for curious pre-oppers! My husband made me: Teeny chicken Taco 1.5 oz of moist dark meat chicken Small circle cut out of a whole wheat tortilla (about 1/4 of whole) Thin slices of avocado (maybe an 1/8th of a small one) A few cubes of Roma tomato A little splash of green salsa Sausage w/ Peppers and Onions 1.3 oz organic chicken apple sausage .5 oz sautéed onions .5 oz sautéed peppers Pretty nice eating real food! Put it on a small saucer, pair it with a small salad fork, and ta-da! dinner is served! What's everyone else having for dinner?

Yazzy, actually, 22 lbs of that was pre-op, so 24 lbs. down in the 6 weeks since surgery. Which is pretty great! But 46 lbs. in 6 weeks would've been spectacular!!! Haha

JessicaAnn, this was the first time I tried tortilla, but no problems. The only other bread items I've tried were a couple of water crackers, and 2 Triscuits. No problems with any of these, but I am trying to limit this kind of stuff to 2-3 times a week.

I was pretty terrified as soon as I got my surgery date scheduled. I tried not to think too much about the actual surgery (my first ever), and just focused on following the pre-op plan. Then, 2 days before surgery, I think my brain caught up to reality. I was going to do this, and there was no turning back, period. Somehow, that realization soothed me. My husband and 2 friends were with me the morning I checked into the hospital and kept me cheerful and distracted. They were there as soon as they wheeled me out of recovery and into my room, and the rest is history. 6 weeks out now, no complications, hardly any pain, eating real food (muuuch smaller amounts, of course!). Good luck on your journey!

Thanks for sharing! Discount and free shipping applied. Protein chips, who knew!?

What a great list! I hope some of your accomplishments make it to my list soon!

*big smile* Thanks, I needed that!!!