jess9395

Looks great to me!

Ditto what's been said. No way could I get all my Protein from food until maybe 1.5 years post op and honestly still can't most days at 2.5 year out and I've been at goal for a year and a half! I also used 5-6 small meals a day rather than three squares again because my capacity wasn't large enough to fit everything in. Still do that to this day. High protein Snacks like Greek yogurt, shrimp, tuna, Jerky and yeah Quest Protein Bars.

I started as soon as I was cleared for exercise, maybe 250? I'm 5'6". Couch to 5k. Now 2.5 years later I've run two marathons and countless other races. I often win my age group!

Is it the jiggly bits or is it the instructor reminding you to lock in your core that is the source of embarrassment? Have you mentioned to your instructor that his/her reminders are not welcome as you cannot control excess skin? You need to be careful you don't wind up with rashes and irritations from compression garments - they are not designed for folks like us. They are designed for people who are all muscle. Engaging your core is a safety thing... Prevents back strain. Has nothing to do with body type or jiggly bits. And I used compression garments all the way through... No rashes or irritations anywhere along the way. Actually helped prevent chafing.

Dang California prices! Vita Rain was $10.69 and No BOGO on the pollock burgers

Put me in the don't chew chew chew camp. I eat on the speedier side as well. I agree that it seems to fill me up faster... I also tend to eat most of my meals outside dinner alone so I just like to be done and move on with my day. Works for me

My new favorite there are frozen marinated chicken skewers I throw on the BBQ. Also their solid white albacore tuna. For the price of that chunk light stuff at the grocery store. Got some new ideas from this thread and headed there today to get stuff for DD's graduation party, gonna pick up a few of these ideas--the single portion ahi, the pollack burgers and that Vita Rain!

Like others have said, most athletic wear lines have compression shorts/capris/pants whichever floats your boat. My favorites are Under Armour, Skirt Sports and yeah I'm a Lululemon addict these days. SOOOO pricey but I'm at goal and have some I have worn for more than a year and I wear them for 5-10 workouts per week between running and yoga so the quality makes them worth the investment since I will be at this size permanently (see what I did there? Putting it out there for the world so it will come to be!) Budget friendly brands like Old Navy and Danskin (from Walmart) are decent as well if you are dropping sizes quickly, but don't offer as much compression. A good middle ground is Champion from Target. More compression and longer lasting than old navy/Walmart but a bit pricer too (maybe $20ish as opposed to $10ish). Just look for garments that say "compression" or "compression fit". Even places like Ross and Marahalls/TJ Maxx have activewear departments.

How often my teen daughter would steal my new clothes. She's leaving for college in the fall and I am starting to get protective lest the all wind up in her dorm room!

@sanju I know everyone's plans are different so I am asking... Is 65-70g of Protein enough on your plan for your size/muscle mass/activity level? I ask because I am a 135lb woman who runs and does yoga, not even serious lifting--and my protein requirements are at least 80 and preferably 90-100g per day. Whatever your plan says about carbs, make sure you get in enough protein FIRST so you don't lose muscle mass! Good luck!

Ditto on the cold/ice Water. Easiest for me is to drain the pot, put it in the sink, dump a bunch of ice on top and then fill with cold water from the faucet so it becomes an ice bath from the ice on top of the eggs. Easy peel and no green ring. I also second the not using too fresh eggs. We have chickens and if I use the eggs that are less than a week old they always stick. After a week doesn't seem to make a difference.

Embrace scar therapy strips. They are specially designed to reduce the tension on the incisions so scars don't form. These ones success are borne out by clinical research vs the ones that are just anecdotally supported. HUGE difference between by scars treated with embrace and those not treated (because they are in an area that shouldn't show, like under my Breast creases)

Typically not because the weight loss will reduce them anyhow. They will be deflated by the time you are done. Usually Breast reduction for back issues requires a certain weight to be removed and you won't qualify for that anymore.

Just a question to clarify. Why did you stop at half? Were you full at that point? Or at least satisfied? If yes, then I would say everything seems to be the way it should be in terms of restriction and how much you can eat. I think we can all eat if we eat, take a break then eat again. That's what we call grazing. So, the thing to think about is whether or not to start back up again after a break. If that's what your plan is then everything seems just fine. Nothing to worry about except to make a note to yourself that you can eat more than your plan allow by spacing it out and taking breaks. Biggest thing I have learned is not to eat until FULL. I eat until I am no longer hungry. That has made a dramatic difference.

Perfect example today of my use of protein bars. Went grocery shopping on an empty stomach. My 13 year old wanted a soda and candy bar. He doesn't often, but he's 5'11" 140lbs and athletic so once in a while, fine! Me? I had a peanut butter power crunch bar and ate about 2/3 of it and was happy as a clam!

The ones they give at finish lines are very high in carbs because those macros are good for recovery. Things like Cliff Builder Bars, Kind bars, Lara Bars, bonk breakers and such (in my experience). So two totally different things. The ones most people are talking about are much higher Protein and lower carb-- Quest, Combat Crunch, Think Thin, Power Crunch, Oh Yeah. They typically have like 20-22g protein and 5g or less of "net" carbs if that's what you count... If you don't it's still only 1-2g sugar tops and around 10g Fiber.

Depends on when you can get your Protein needs met by food. Are you tracking your grams of protein? Do you know your minimum amount? Are you meeting it? I truly couldn't meet my protein needs without shakes till well after a year out and still use a shake or bar or Protein powder mug cake most days to get it all in and I am at goal and 2.5 years out. But my capacity is very small, smaller than typical I believe.

That was my worst too! Couldn't wait to get out of the hospital and the uncomfortable bed! Try a heating pad!!!

You've gotten great advice here!!! I ditto the acid=hunger suggestion. That was my experience both early sleeve days and while I was pregnant. Also eat measured portions early out and even when those nerves heal and you realize you do have a "stop I'm full" don't eat till full, eat to your planned amount or until not hungry anymore. Eat slowly because sometimes you will take a bit too many and will seriously regret it! Give your body time for the signal to reach you. And that hiccup may well be your signal! Mine is the very first noise coming from my stomach... Sort of a growl. Speaking of which.... My stomach "growls" non stop even at 2.5 years out sometimes. But I've learned that those growls are not hunger but the noises my new stomach makes when digesting!

The mind takes a long time to catch up for sure. I'm 2.5 years out have lost 136 pounds from 271 to 135 and maintained around there for 1.5 years. I never went through the OMG I'm losing too much/getting too skinny mindset. It took forever to believe that yes I do wear a size small (I remember spending way more than I should have on a top in Nordstroms because I fit into a Jr department XL and I thought I'd never get small enough to not be able to wear it!) But it comes, with time. BUT speaking as someone with a 13 year old athletic boy and a 17 year old dancer girl... I will always look a bit dumpy in pictures next to them! Heck I'm 135 and 5'6" and run marathons, but I'm also 46!!! My kids are supposed to look better than me and if I want to look as good as they do I'm looney tunes! Take a picture of yourself next to someone your own age and gender next time, preferable not an athlete LOL

Okay for the sitting part, I had to relearn how to sit. My physical therapist helped me with this. When we are fat with all the padding we learn to sit in a way that accommodates that. Once we get skinny if we continue to sit that way we hit all the wrong bones and it hurts. Basically if you push your butt back to the back of the chair and sit forward onto the backs of your thighs (on the "sitz bones" as my yoga teacher calls them) and reclaim the natural curvature of the lumbar spine the weight doesn't go on the bones anymore. Kinda hard to explain, she had to help me by adjusting my body, but I drew a picture to kind of explain. Hope it helps someone!

So jealous!!! I've been collecting bikinis since I got to goal and added some since plastics and STILL haven't been anywhere exiting to wear them! I always enjoy reading your blog, thanks for sharing!

Because everyone's tastes are different. I love the taste of most of them... There are 4-5 I don't care for but the rest, YUM!

Fair enough, we are all different and need to find what works for us! For example, I can have an Oh Yeah bar in my cabinet for months and I won't go near it.

Nice you've come to that realization that they aren't satisfying to you. Maybe try doing meal prep? Cooking your proteins once or twice a week and having them ready to go so you don't have to cook? Keeping protein bars to emergencies? Maybe even keeping them out of the house?