terry1118

I don't stress over anything except Protein. Yes, I only eat protein rich foods and I eat till I hit my protein goals. I don't count carbs - eating foods higher in protein are naturally low carb - and I don't count calories. I do try to stay away from high fat foods but don't count fats. The only food I try to fit in that doesn't have protein are green vegetables. I also track my fluids. I'm 9 months out, I've lost consistently with no stalls until Christmas. I was stalled from Christmas until last week when I stated losing again. I think it was from lower activity due to severe cold and snowy weather. All my labs have been perfect to date.

My surgery was 5/30/13. I've lost 107lbs. I'm 5' tall and weigh 126. I'm in 8-10 pants and small or medium tops. I'd like to lose 10 more pounds and that'll probably happen when the weather breaks and I can walk and work in my gardens again. Life is good! :-)

I'm looking forward to getting back to my walking and yard work when this weather breaks. I have a 1 1/2 acre yard with lots of gardens that I've neglected when overweight. It'll take a couple years to get them back in order. And I want to put in a patio. I like to cut the grass w/a push mower - that takes 2 1/2 hours every four days or so. That'll help a lot. My job in a bank is not physical and with the short days, cold, ice, and snow my evenings have been a bit too relaxed. I live in the country - there are no gyms within convenient distance.

I went 6-7 weeks with no weight loss whatsoever (from Christmas to mid-February). About a week ago I suddenly dropped about 4 pounds and today I'm down 2 more for a total of 106 lost. Friday will be my 9 month anniversary - I thought I had hit my 'set-point'. I think it was my body adjusting to this low weight combined with lower activity associated with cold, snowy weather and a touch of hibernation mode. I'd like to lose 10 more pounds and maintain there. If it doesn't happen it wouldn't break my heart - I'm happy enough where I am. I weigh 126 and wear a size 8-10 pants and a small/med top. :-)

Simply Sprouted Way Better Snacks - Simply beyond Black Bean Tortilla chips (made with sprouted black Beans, flax, and quinoa) Gluten free. Ingredients: stone ground corn, high oleic sunflower and/or safflower oil, organic sprouted black beans, organic sprouted flax seed, organic sprouted quinoa, pure sea salt. Nutrition facts: serving size 1oz (about 11chips), calories 130, fat 6g, sodium 80g, carbohydrate 15g, Fiber 3g, Protein 2g. I paid 2.79 for 5.5 oz bag. Not exactly low fat but not many chips are. Very tasty though! :-)

I don't know. I only count Protein. :-)

Mine said the same. I tolerate pretzels now but don't eat bread at all. I don't even eat saltines any more. I eat hummus with with a spoon. I like to chop jalapeños and mix them in. I love spicy! Sometimes I use Beanitos but they have rice flour in them and they make my insides gurgle. I can't eat rice or anything w/rice flour. I found some tortilla chips I tolerate well made from black Beans and quinoa. I can't eat more than 6-8 chips. Very tasty though...

Mine said no fruit while healing - fibers can get caught in staples and chunks not chewed well will cause problems. After you're fully healed fruits are a great source of nutrition and dietary fiber. Some fruits (like bananas) are high in sugar with less fiber and may cause dumping in some people. Having some sort of protein w/your fruit can help prevent that. Berries of all types are a great source of fiber. Fruit juice is not recommended by my team - juice has all the sugar with none of the fiber benefits. Drinking a glass of orange juice is way more sugar than a single orange. Some people dilute juice w/water which gives you the flavor if you're craving it. :-)

Just a small tip - after your shower blow dry the area to get it really dry (use the cool setting - heat might aggravate it). When you're home continue to do this off and on throughout the day to keep it dry. Keeping the area as dry as possible is key. Maybe this will speed the healing.

My wedding ring has been loose for quite some time but I've been putting off fixing it. Today we were filling the firewood racks on our porch. My pants were falling down and I couldn't pull them up with my heavy work gloves on. I pulled my left glove off, heard a loud TING! as my ring hit the porch railing and I knew it was gone. I didn't see it go, I just heard the sound, so I'm not even sure where to look. I crawled around in the snow for about an hour but couldn't find it. Maybe it'll turn up in the Spring. It's even worse if it went under the porch through the cracks between the floorboards. There's only 6-12 inches between the joists and the ground so I can't fit under there to look for it. I'm so bummed! I haven't been without my ring in 32 years. It's just a simple gold band but it's not what it IS, it's what it MEANS. :-(

I'm 9 months out. I haven't had any problems with feeling tired or exhaustion. My hair started falling out at 4 months post-op. I was losing hair like crazy. My hair is straight and baby-fine. I ended up going with a short chin-length hairstyle to make my thinning hair less obvious. I've noticed in the last two weeks that suddenly I don't seem to be losing any more hair. Yay!! Now it should begin filling back in but that takes a very long time to be noticeable. Maybe by summer or fall my hair will have visibly improved. :-)

Have cheese as a snack. Higher fat and calorie, but still has Protein and Calcium. I love cheddar and there are so many different flavors available. I've had horseradish, smokey bacon, cranberry, buffalo hot, habenero, and am currently eating chipotle cheddar. Brie is delicious - I like it melted and eat it with a spoon. There are so many other cheese options, too. I'd still like to lose 10 more pounds by summer so I don't eat a lot of cheese but I do have one oz every day for my snack. :-)

I had mine fixed last Wednesday. The jeweler did it for free and he polished it. It hasn't shined so bright in years! :-)

Same here. :-)

Love that you got to do that! Jealous that you did it in February (while we were getting more snow). Lol

I had my gallbladder out in December (had RNY on May). My doc found and repaired a hernia when the gallbladder came out. Everything was done laproscopic, no problems. You'll be fine. It seems to be common for overweight people to have hernias (judging by the amount of people who say they've had one). Be sure to follow your doctor's orders post-op so you don't get an incisional hernia, which is also fairly common following any kind of abdominal surgery. :-)

The short cut looks good on you! :-)

That looks delicious! :-)

Hi Nobby! Take that 'hopefully' out of the equation - if you follow your program as closely as possible and do what you doctor (or team) tells you to do you WILL be successful and you'll have much to look forward to! :-) I'm 55 and had my surgery 5/30/13. I'm 5' and weighed 233lbs - my back, knees, and feet hurt, I was on cholesterol meds, my bp was climbing, and I was pre-diabetic. I couldn't do anything without getting winded and had trouble even getting through my non-physical workday in a bank. My children are grown and the last chick moved out in April. My husband is in excellent physical condition but I couldn't do anything with him anymore due to my weight. I just wanted to live my life again and not be a spectator always on the sidelines watching. The only expectation I had from surgery was to get healthy. My team didn't set any goals for me - there was no pressure. I just followed my program as close as I could and the weight melted away. To date I have lost 107lbs. I reached my goal of being healthy, feeling good, and living again. I have dared to set a new goal of reaching the weight I was on my wedding day 33yrs ago (115lbs.). That's 11 more lbs - doable but if it doesn't happen it doesn't matter. The important goal has already been met - I'm happy, I feel good, I'm able to have some fun with my husband, and I don't dread my future now. Anything else is a bonus. Best of luck to you. By summertime you should already be seeing and feeling a big difference! There is much to look forward to. :-)

Me too! I was always afraid something would happen to prevent the surgery - I'd get sick, lose my job and health insurance, that I wouldn't qualify, or they'd find some health problem that would prohibit surgery. I went to the hospital happy and with anticipation, no dread or fear. And I never regretted it for a single second! :-)

You might be ready, or you might not. The point is you don't know for sure. Some people are fine in a week and others need 2, 3, or 4 weeks. My doctor requires two weeks minimum for a job that doesn't require much physical activity and four weeks for a more strenuous physical job. I went out on FMLA just in case. It protects your job while you're out of work (important if you develops complications that delay you going back) and it allowed me to collect Temporary Disability. I felt fine after one week but stayed out two weeks. My concern was not having the stamina to work while I was on full liquids. I wanted to be on solids (pureed) before going back. See your human resources dept about FMLA.

I like Bali bras which I also buy at Kohls. I bought a couple the other day. I went from a 44D to a 36B. I haven't been a B cup since I was 12! Lol

I like the idea of massage - I was always too embarrassed about my weight to ever get a massage. Maybe buy a piece of inspirational jewelry or a charm, get a tattoo, or experiment with a new hairstyle. Try a new activity you've never done or been able to do like spinning, yoga, or kayaking. Go to a play or a concert you've always wanted to see. Take a day or weekend trip to hike and explore your area's natural resources. I'd love to do a zip-line tour. :-) My anniversary is in May. I'm thinking of a tattoo. I'm the only one in my family who doesn't have one. I designed my husband's tattoo based on his viking heritage. I recently found my half brothers I had never met and discovered that I also have some viking blood. I may design one for myself...

The first week can be tough for some people. Surgery pain, gas pain, medication effects, diarrhea, heightened sense of smell, bad or 'off' food tastes, weakness, exhaustion, depression, nausea, head hunger, and 'what have I done?' regrets can all affect you to some degree or another. By the end of the first week most people feel remarkably better, some need another week or more to improve. We are all different and recover at our own pace. Make sure you sip, sip, sip! Initially this is more important than protein. As you heal you'll be able to eat and drink more. Walking, even around your house, will help with gas pain and slowly increase your stamina. Get plenty of rest, too. Hang in there - it's worth it!

The first week can be tough for some people. Surgery pain, gas pain, medication effects, diarrhea, heightened sense of smell, bad or 'off' food tastes, weakness, exhaustion, depression, nausea, head hunger, and 'what have I done?' regrets can all affect you to some degree or another. By the end of the first week most people feel remarkably better, some need another week or more to improve. We are all different and recover at our own pace. Make sure you sip, sip, sip! Initially this is more important than protein. As you heal you'll be able to eat and drink more. Walking, even around your house, will help with gas pain and slowly increase your stamina. Get plenty of rest, too. Hang in there - it's worth it!