Jodibee

Made a really yummy soup for dinner yesterday in the crockpot. I put in a pound of ground chicken ( you could use ground turkey too) 2 cans of white beans liquid and all, a chopped finely yellow squash, half a pack of taco seasoning and half a pack of hidden valley ranch fiesta ranch mix ( if you can't find the fiesta one you could use the regular ranch) and about 3/4 of a can of water. Cooked it all day on low. It was soooo good and protein packed, lots of fiber too. If you haven't tried the ground chicken yet, give it a try. It is way easier on the pouch than ground turkey or beef or chicken breast, my favorite protein source. It makes really good moist meatballs and meatloaf too.

Went to my doctors appointment today. I am 2 1/2 months out and down 50 lbs. woot woot! I don't weigh at home cause the scale stresses me out so it was a really cool surprise today.

Today was my birthday... First one ever without cake. I have always had such a sweet tooth it was strange that I didn't even miss it. I'm so thankful for this surgery, for the weight loss and for improving health. Thankful that this surgery will help me have lots more happy birthdays.

I've been doing Zumba class too. Also Zumba core which is really similar but most of the moves focus on your core area. Both tons of fun.

Heather (htoup), We had surgery the same day and it looks like we are pretty on track with each other. My starting weight was 314, just a few from yours and I've lost 39 according to my dr. Apt last week. Neat to see someone so similar. Best of luck. Dori- hope all is going better with ur son. Also I notice a lot of you are saying that you've been feeling down lately or just not feeling like yourself. When I had my apt with my primary care doctor last week (she actually had rny herself 10 years ago so she is a great support) anyway she said that at three months after rny depression tends to hit for awhile for lots of patients. So just wanted to let everyone know as we are approaching the 3 month mark to watch for that. Hope everyone has a great summer day today, best of luck.

Went to two exercise classes today... Zumba core and tabata boot camp. Loved the Zumba core ... The boot camp , not so much.

Awwww, everyone's dogs are so cute! I had a collie named Chloe that was such a big part of my heart. She passed a couple months ago and it's still really hard for me. She had a long, happy spoiled life though. Dogs are the best I like them way more than people most of the time.

My name is Jodi, I'm 35...for another couple weeks. Will be 36 on July 3rd. I'm a teacher, I teach high school art...as of today though I'm on summer vacation. Woot woot! I had my surgery on April 23rd at 314 lbs. I haven't had any sickness or issues with food, but I have stuck to the plan 100%. Hopefully this keeps up, knock on wood. I was down 39 lbs my last doctors apt. Last week. I don't weigh myself at home because the scale stresses me out. Been feeling pretty great lately, getting some energy back. My summer goal is to really step up the exercise. It's been great to read everyone's posts and see how others on this journey are doing. Great getting to know you all.

Haven't commented in a while but I do check in everyday to read how everyone is doing. Went to the dr the other day, I am 7 weeks out and down 39 lbs. I have been feeling really good, starting to get some energy back. Was just wondering what everyone has been doing for exercise. I have been just walking but tonight I signed up for the summer at an exercise place that has Zumba, piyo, piloxing, boot camp and hip hop exercise classes. Hoping it will be fun. I don't work summers so I'm trying to take this time to get into a good workout regemine so it's a habit when school starts back in September. Wishing you all well.

I read about those protein shots on another forum. They said that they aren't the right kind of protein, so we don't really absorb it that well.

Feel better Krystal

Went to an appointment with my pcp today. I have purposely not been weighing in at home because I don't want to know when I hit a stall or have an off day... The scale causes too much stress. So I was really excited when I had to weigh in at the doctor today and I was down 24 pounds since surgery... Which was 24 days ago. Yay me! Hope things start to look up for everyone that posted today about having a rough day and hard times. We can do this. Also to answer the post about rapid weight loss and gallbladder issues. You are correct it can cause gallstones in some people. My doctor prescribed me a medicine that I take twice a day to prevent them just as a precaution. He said I am on them for the first 6 months after surgery because that it when the most rapid weight loss takes place. Enjoy your weekend everyone. Let there be sunshine!

Just had my surgery three weeks ago with dr. O'malley. I had to do the six months of nutrition appointments, but it wasn't a big deal. I actually learned a lot. My surgery went really smoothly, I had never had any kind of surgery before so I was really worried ahead of time. Way easier than I thought. I am on puréed food diet now. Haven't had any foods that have made me sick yet, haven't had any rough cravings or anything yet... Which was a huge surprise. I wish you all the best with yours. You are in good hands with dr. O'malley and the crew at highland.

100 oz is a lot I don't think the headaches are from dehydration. Maybe blood pressure, or maybe seasonal allergies or stress?

Back to work tomorrow. I've been doing well getting in water, protein, vitamins etc. being at home because that has been my focus. A little worried,that I won't do as well with work added into the mix. How did you all make the transition back to the real world?

I usually add a little milk to my puréed tuna or chicken salad to make in less dry but not use too much mayo. Can't taste the difference.

I had dr. O'malley in rochester too!

I'm not doing great with cold liquids. I can do My puréed food fine but the shakes and cold water gurgles all the way down, and I'm just doing little sips slowly. It takes me two hours to get a cold protein shake down. What has been working for me is warm liquids. I have been mixing my chocolate protein powder in decaf coffee under 140 degrees though or else it clumps. i have been drinking warm decaf green tea instead of water. For a while I was doing the unjury chicken soup protein powder warm but then I realized it is full of sodium, like 750 per cup so I am trying not to do that as often. It's so weird I used to love to guzzle ice cold water but it just doesn't work for me now even sipping at a snails pace.

I think it happens to all of us. My doctor actually told me not to weigh myself at home for the first three months, to just wait for my weigh ins at my appointments. He said there is a lot of fluctuation and there can be stalls that can be discouraging so if you don't weigh it shouldn't affect you ecause you won't know.

Yes I can use fat free mayo or the light kind. The tuna can just be mashed with a fork, but I put the chicken in a food processor.

If your on the mobile app, like on your iPad I don't think you can do the ticker from the app. What you can do though is just connect to the Internet on your iPad and go to the rny talk website instead of using the app. That's what I do, it's less glitchy, you can make a ticker if you want that way too. Hope it helps.

I'm on puréed foods too. I have 3 meals consisting on one of the followings day: Fat free Retried beans, tuna fish or canned chicken, low fat cottage cheese, blended light yogurt, part skim ricotta cheese and puréed chicken or turkey are on my list for protein sources. My serving size is a quarter to a half cup. If I still don't feel satisfied after that I can have a quarter cup mashed potatoes, puréed canned carrots or peas or green beans, cream of wheat, mashed sweet potatoes, or acorn squash. The second half of the list sounds best to me but usually I feel satisfied from the protein so I don't get to the second half of the list. I also have to drink 2 protein shakes a day still and of course water water water. Hope this helps.

I'm a teacher too. I was doing the same thing when I started this journey... Trying to fit the surgery into my schedule so I could take the least amount of time off as possible. My goal was to have it at spring break time so that I could have the vacation time off and then just take an additional week, then back to business. When that didn't work out I almost waited till summer. I do have plenty of sick time saved up, I hardly ever miss school, so the more I thought about it I decided to just do it before school got out and take the extra time. For once I put myself first over work and everything else. I actually decided to take 3 weeks instead of 2 because I know the end of the school year is really hectic for me and I wanted to be fully recovered and comfortable with my new eating schedule before I jumped back into work. I am six days out of surgery, doing great... I just heard the school busses drive past my house about an hour ago and didn't even feel the least bit guilty that I'm resting on the couch drinking my protein shake while they are all headed off to school. So my advice is ... If you have the sick time, take it, put yourself first. Also if you can request a substitute teacher that you are comfortable with, do it. the one I choose is great and has a similar teaching style to me, the kids love her too. So that makes it easy. Also we communicate through email too so I can still know how it's going. Best of luck!

Only a couple more surgery days left for our April group. Everyone has done so well. Best of luck to everyone going in the next two days. You will do great! I am so happy for all of us.

I also only have 4 incisions. All around an inch. Not sure the difference but maybe people with more incisions had other stuff done too like hernia repairs and gallbladder removal, or scar tissue from previous surgeries. I didn't have to have and of that so maybe that is why just four. Just glad we have all made it through and are on the road to recovery.