Healthy_life2

@@JMJames92 Welcome to BariatriPal. 49 pounds down. Amazing!

@@Womanvsmirror Your name says it all. Its a struggle to fight what we see in the mirror. the weight loss is a rapid change in our appearance. You may see yourself in the mirror incorrectly for quite a while. It will take time for your mind to catch up.

@okcbaby Is hunger a normal? I think so. For me it never disappeared. I had to learn to manage it. Nothing happens over night. It is all the work that we put in as bariatric patients. It's HARD work of undoing all the bad habits that got us to the point of having surgery in the first place. Your hard work WILL pay off. It will be trial and error at first. A few things to try: Satisfy hunger and cravings with healthy choices: Salty: Jerky, Quest Protein chips, chicken fajitas (with out the tortilla) Sweet: sugar free pudding with Protein Powder, Protein Bar, pizza - Pizza topping stuffed mushroom or a cauliflower pizza crust. Give yourself time to understand what head hunger and the sensation of full feels like to you. 6 small meals a day Keep busy with work, hobby or exercise Add more veggies for Fiber to keep satisfied. counselling may help Best of luck to you, Jenn

The post I've seen from others here have inspired me. I never thought that working out would ever take me to the fitness level I'm at in my old age. Now I'm reading everything I can about weight lifting. I've been strength training for a year. I'm now curious of where this can take me. How long have you been strength training? What has given you the best results for muscle gain? What body fat percentage should you have for your height and weight. (healthy zone)

I will gladly take the skinny people problems My husband has named my faux fur body pillow my" boyfriend". I place it between my boney knees at night. It takes the pressure off my lower back and keeps me warm. Tell me restaurant's use hard wood chairs to make you eat quickly and leave. Hard chairs are not my friend. I hope doing squats at the gym will give me some butt padding soon. In the meantime I will sit on my husbands jacket. I tried to use body weight to pull some tall weeds from by back property. It used to be easier to lean backwards and the weeds pop right out of the ground.

Here is an web site on bariatrics and reactive hypoglycemia (reoccurring low blood sugar) http://pamtremble.blogspot.com/2010/10/reactive-hypoglycemia-after-bariatric.html. Since I have lost the majority of my weight. My blood sugars have been hitting mind numbing lows in the 50's. I found some resources that have information on diet to manage blood sugar levels. Examples of meals and snacks that work well for stabilizing blood sugar include: lowfat cheese and whole grain crackers slice of whole grain toast with peanut butter sandwich made with whole grain bread fat free plain Greek yogurt with a small piece of fruit or 1/2 cup berries large salad with abundant veggies and a source of protein (chicken, tuna, beans, egg) Keeping a food and lifestyle diary may help you determine which foods and other factors lead up to a blood sugar crash. First and foremost, you want to follow a diet designed to regulate your blood sugar level. This generally includes eating small, frequent meals spaced evenly throughout the day, such as every 2-3 hours. Meals should consist of moderate portions of high-fiber whole grains (such as 100% whole grain cereal or bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, sweet potato), some lean protein (such as turkey, ham, fish, egg, beans, lowfat yogurt or cheese), and healthy fat (such as nuts, nut butters, olive oil, avocado). Sugars, especially in the form of beverages (juice, soda, etc.) and sweets (candy, jelly, table sugar, syrup, honey, cookies, cakes), should be avoided as much as possible, as they stimulate the pancreas the most because the sugar rushes into your bloodstream rapidly. Starchy carbohydrates digest down into sugar as well, so it is important to eat these in moderate amounts Starchy carbohydrates digest down into sugar as well, so it is important to eat these in moderate amounts (such as 1/2-1 cup), and choose whole grains over refined flours. White pasta, rices, breads, and cereals are more or less guaranteed to make you feel lousy after eating them as they are digested quickly and raise insulin levels. Fruits also need to be consumed in small amounts, as they contain the natural sugar, fructose, and are best consumed with a source of protein, such as cottage cheese or nuts. Even though fruits are an excellent source of fiber, the sugar content is enough to cause your pancreas to over-react if eaten on an empty stomach. The goal is essentially to not eat carbohydrate foods without including a source of protein or fat at the same time. Proteins and fat help stabilize blood sugars by making the carbohydrate digest more slowly, as proteins and fats take longer to digest and do not convert into significant amounts of sugar. Strenuous exercise burns sugar out of your muscles and bloodstream quickly, so you may be more prone to low blood sugar during extended periods of activity as well. Eating a snack contain a small amount of carbohydrate and protein (such as yogurt or trail mix) within 1 hour of strenuous activity may be enough to keep you going strong. Developing a habit of eating small, frequent meals and taking healthy foods with you for work, school, and when on-the-go, is your best weapon against suffering the symptoms of low blood sugar. If you find incorporating the above suggestions is still not improving your symptoms, you may need to sit down with a dietitian to develop a personalized meal plan to meet your schedule, food preferences, and overall lifestyle needs. Contact your dietician for more information. There is no point in living day-in and day-out with symptoms of hypoglycemia when there is a common sense way to tackle the issue and regain your quality of life!

@@lizardqueen Best time's of my life have been in my 40's. The weight loss is a bonus

@@FayBee looking gorgeous! The first dress was stunning. I love seeing everyone's fashion finds. I rely on all of you to keep me up on trends. Thanks for the photos

@@gomezk2 Your workout isn't giving you results anymore. Someone who does the same activity all the time is likely to plateau much sooner than someone who varies their workouts. Just as you can get bored by always doing the same exercises, your body can also adapt to these exercises so that they don't offer the same benefits that they once did. A little variety might be just the thing you need to get the scale moving again or bust through that strength plateau. "Variety" means either changing something about your current routine (adding speed, distance, hills, resistance, etc.) or trying a totally different activity. If you like some consistency and don't want to change your workout each time you hit the gym, change your routine at least every 4-8 weeks (this includes incorporating changes to both your cardio and strength training exercises). This will keep your muscles challenged, your body guessing, and the results coming! determine your target training heart rate. change up or intensify your routine, and ensure that you're working in your target heart rate zone. Challenging your body improves your fitness level, weight loss and can also provide a sense of accomplishment as you become stronger and work toward your goals. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/Target-Heart-Rates_UCM_434341_Article.jsp Are you eating veggies for Fiber? It will help to feel the sensation of full.

holy hell! I'm frustrated. I'm above my bounce weight of 130's for maintenance . It's not a good feeling. I'm getting things reigned in before they get out of hand. Some days I need to shut my inner voice off. I'm telling myself It's my new medication, My sports injury, I might as well eat this because I'm already at a higher weight. The scale is not moving. I'm pressing on! I'm tracking food and I have increased my workout for the last 5 days. Keeping up all the things I have been taught by my bariatric brothers, sisters and professionals. Waiting for the scale to move again.

I got on the scale this morning. I dropped to 137. How do you lose five pounds overnight ? Not complaining,

I walked past the desk of a receptionist. I had not seen her in six months. I don't know this woman well enough to BBQ together. But, she felt it was appropriate to stop me in my tracks by wraping both hands around my thigh. She said " your so tiny" Awkward moment was also a nice compliment. Sent from my SM-G920T using the BariatricPal App

My guilty pleasure is going to my favorite coffee shop by myself. It is my time that no one gets to take from me! (1) I get to wear a favorite shopping find, hair and makeup. (2) My chai tea skinny latte is an addiction. (3) I get the chance to people watch and have casual conversations. Sent from my SM-G920T using the BariatricPal App

@@mi75 Thanks so much for sharing your story. I'm sorry for your loss. A regain forum was a great suggestion. Thanks to you and @alexbreacher for making it happen!

@@determined1LD get clarification from your surgeons office.

@@Jamburd1 This is what life is in maintenance phase. Fear can be your friend..lol Acknowledge the mindless eating and correct it. (Remove temptation foods. replace them with healthy options) If I understand you correctly, we are talking an 8 pounds gain right? I give myself a 10 pound bounce range to maintain. When my weight creeps up on the high end of that range I don't feel good about it. I know I have to get the weight back down. Nothing wrong with a healthy fear of gaining to help maintain weight. When you indulge and have a gain. You will have to put more time in at the gym and get back to basics. (eat healthy, log food, hit Protein and Water goals)

@@Kelleylu It's pretty normal to get cold feet and question a surgical procedure. No need to rush your decision. Continue to do your research. I hope you find what is right for you.

@@Wolfgirl78 You look great in your dress. Time to show some leg for your high school reunion. I vote strappy sandals (bottom middle)

At 254 I struggled with health issues, I was not a happy person on the inside. I was a couch potato. I had given up on myself. I spent 8 days in the hospital with Diabetic ketoacidosis. My internal organs systematically shut down. I was resuscitated after my heart stopped. I needed to get my health and my life back in order. I decided to have weight loss surgery. At 135 I'm happy and in great health. I learned to forgive myself for many things to move on. I am honest with who I am and what I want out of life. Its an amazing place to be. Whats new now? Getting out and living life! I'm an adrenaline junkie Checking items off my bucket list. I was asked to take over new job responsibilities at work. I instruct fitness for senior citizens. ( I'm working on my personal trainer certification) I'm competitive in my old age (48years). I've been distance running for a while. I have two years to get in shape for the senior games in Boise. My goal is to be a bad ass old fart.

At 5 months out. I could eat more and felt hungry. I'm 2 years out. I eat 1 and 1/2 cups of salad or veggies with each meal. The Fiber keeps me full and satisfied. Sent from my SM-G920T using the BariatricPal App

My rant for the night. Neighborhood Party tonight..Everyone is there. Except me. (kicking my teddy bear)lol I live in a small private subdivision. The neighborhood gets together for parties often. At the last party, A husband got uncomfortably friendly with me. A hello kiss and moving in too close. He demanded I have a shot with him. I avoided him for the night and chalked it up to alcohol. Now I have been taken off the guest list. Not a word or explanation. I am only speculating it was the situation at the last party...Who knows what other social faux pas I might have made. How did I become the bad guy here??? Damn it, We own our home.

@@Inner Surfer Girl Interesting article. Its a good reminder to keep behaviors in check. Let the medical professionals diagnose any disorder. Many of us had unhealthy behaviors with food and our weight before surgery. (Some meet the criteria for eating disorders) It's not surprising to see some people with eating and exercising disorders after surgery. Its also not surprising to see some patients turn into healthy athletes or trainers. .

@@Mcsleevy Congrats on 50 down! Question: Were you given written bariatic diet instructions for post op? Did the instructions state you add carbs to your diet? Ignore my post if your paperwork said to add carbs in your weight loss phase. Most instructions are a one size fits all. no/low carbs until you lose 75% of weight. No surprise that the PA said " if I ate more Protein and had vegetables and fruits I would lose weight faster" Your surgeon office does have a (script) Its the cookie cutter instruction all patients are given. It has worked well for long term sucess. Its a choice to follow them or not.