Luvin_Life125

I have never seen vitamins available in a patch! That is amazing and I will have to check them out for sure! Thanks so much for sharing.

For milestones or goals met it is personal indulgences for me. Pedicure, massage, new piece of exercise clothing or socks, etc For the everyday occupying my time and something to do to distract myself is usually some form of exercise or household organizing. There is always something around the house in need of some desperate attention with 2 boys and a husband.

I split an order of Szechuan chicken with my hubby. I ate 2 pieces of chicken and one prince of broccoli and he ate the rest. It was a great way to have moist chicken with a great flavor and it wasn't the same old boring chicken. I think Chinese is one of the easier take out places to find something bariatric friendly!

I use my food scale every day and I have had it for a few years. I bought it at Aldi for $10. It is the right time of year to snag one at Aldi in the next couple of weeks. My nut said a food scale is just as important as measuring cups and spoons.

Just ordered a headband from bebolder! Thanks so much. I just tried the Quest Protein bar in chocolate chip cookie dough and it was AMAZINGLY delicious. I will have to order a case of those puppies while rationing myself to once a day. It will be my after gym reward. Lots of Fiber too which is always a struggle for me since surgery.

I haven't thrown up yet and I am almost 2 months post op. The first week after surgery was rough and took a lot to make it through it. The first week after surgery is difficult because everything is so swollen. Little sips of Fluid feel like you are so full you will explode. You just have to sip all the time and you will notice as the days pass you can sip more & more. I think most people will tell you they were afraid the day before or the morning before surgery. It is a huge life changing surgery. If you weren't at least somewhat concerned before surgery then I would worry if you have been prepared enough for surgery. Fear is normal and it is ok! Just remember you decided to have surgery after thoroughly thinking it through and researching it. You made this decision rationally and after a lot of consideration. No body knows what the future holds for any of us, especially after surgery . We all go into it preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. You have to ask yourself if you can accept it if something isn't what you expected after surgery. There is always the unknown and unexpected. Welcome to the boards! I wish you well and hope you make the best decision for you in your current circumstances. Keep asking any questions you have and the wonderful people here will help if they can. Bariatric Pal has a wonderful base of supportive and caring people. We will all be here to help anytime you need it.

Hang in there and know you can do this!! It isn't easy and it takes every bit of self control you can muster. Welcome to the group!

I use it every day and I love it! It really helps keep my vitamins on track!

I have had a fight trying to keep those elastic headbands in my hair to keep my bangs out of my face as I exercise. My frustration finally made me turn to YouTube for an answer. Turns out the answer was simple hairspray. Spray your hair and rough it up a bit before pulling it into a pony tail or bun. I also used 2 bobby pins, one behind each ear, put in what feels backwards. The bobby pins go in pushing them towards your ear and making sure you catch both hair and the headband. And it lasted through a 2 hour workout today without needing to be fixed! Yay! Now if I could just find headphones that stay put, I will be well on my way!

@@esskay77 thanks for the app recommendation. I am giving it a try today! I love music that keeps me motivated and my brain occupied while on the treadmill. I have one other thing I can recommend and that is good supportive shoes with sufficient padding for our larger frames. It is worth investing in good shoes made for exercise because it helps keep us healthier during exercise. My favorites are Brooks and Asics. The only thing to watch out for with Asics is to avoid their cheap versions. I hate to be a shoe snob, but the Asics with a starting retail price of under $75 or so just aren't built with enough cushion and support. You can score a great deal on them though. I always look at Asics marked down and check what their original price was and if it was over the $75 price point they tend to be a better built shoe. For you guys out there, my hubby found a pair of New Balance at Kohls with a great foundation and support. He wears them to the gym daily and they have really reduced the pain he gets in his knees and hips. He is a bigger guy, so he is a bit pickier about shoes. Keep coming with the suggestions everyone!

LOL, @Elode I absolutely love my Enell sports bras too. I understand your excitement. Now if I could find a good headband that stays in place and ear buds that don't fall out, I will have a great start on my workouts!

Wonderful way to inspire people on their journey! Congratulations!

In the winter I tend to do all of my exercise indoors. Once the weather is nice enough, my cardio will be done outside every time I can. My strength training is done indoors year round.

I am candace125 if you would like to add me. I was sleeved 11/11/14 and love having other sleeved friends on their! It helps with new meal ideas also when you get stuck in a rut.

I also love Nashua Nutrition for a wide variety of samples! I ordered almost $50 worth of samples pre op to try the first couple of weeks after surgery. It was wonderful to try so many different flavors and brands!

Ok I am 3 days post op from my gastric sleeve and this sucks! That's all I have to say right now and I know it gets better. It is actually getting better everyday but it still sucks.

Good for you for not giving in to the temptation to lick the dough off your finger! I bake a lot at home for my kids and it is difficult to bake when I have no sense of hunger. I did try a taste of homemade fudge as I was making it yesterday and it made me nauseous because it was so sweet. I can't believe I used to eat that before surgery! However, I have found homemade chocolate chip Cookies still taste great! That is dangerous, but I have one and that is plenty and I don't want anymore. I will gladly accept the self control to have one cookie and be satisfied with it.

Mucinex has always been my go to for chest congestion. Sudafed (the real Sudafed that you now have to get from the pharmacist because they keep it locked up) is great for sinus/ nasal congestion. Liquid Nyquil/ Dayquil works for multiple symptoms. Delsym is amazing for a cough. All of these have been approved for me to use by my surgeon's office, but I would double check with your surgeon. If you are miserable I think it is reasonable for you to call and talk to the surgeon on call and see what is ok to take post op. Walgreen's may be open today in your area. I hope you feel better soon!

Good luck tomorrow!! We will see you on the loser's bench soon! Make sure you have everything you will need out on the counter so you don't have to try reaching for stuff. Wash bedding because there is nothing like coming home from the stinky hospital and cuddling up with freshly laundered blankets. I can only tell you what really helped me. 1. No matter how nervous you get tomorrow waiting to go into surgery, don't let your fear win! Remember you made this decision when you were very rational. You researched this decision and went through a lot to prepare for surgery. Last minute nerves are just nerves, not a reason to cancel surgery. 2. Sip constantly. You likely will be unable to meet your Protein goals and/or your liquid goals for the first week or so. You need to not get freaked out about that, just keep trying. Just keep sipping and try to keep yourself hydrated enough to prevent being readmitted. It will take a lot of conscious effort to get in the bare minimum amounts of fluids in each day. 3. Keep walking! It won't be pleasant at first and it will hurt a bit. That is ok, it gets better the more you do it. Walk as much as you can because it really will make you feel better and help you heal faster. 4. Have a great and comfy recliner at home for the first few days. Laying flat isn't the most comfortable position. My recliner saved me and was my nest for a few days. 5. Don't bring too much stuff to the hospital. You really won't use much of anything. I used: my phone, charger, extension cord, heating pad, Vaseline for my lips, toothbrush, toothpaste, and Biotine mouthwash. That is it. Please keep us updated and we will see you on the other side!

I weigh daily, but track my weight once a week. I take body measurements every 2 weeks if I remember. It usually ends up being every 3 weeks or so. I take photos once a month. Well I should say my hubby takes photos of me every month. It is great to see how much my body changes in a short period of time, especially, when I am stuck in a stall for weeks!

LOL, I have never had a butt in all of my life. I can't even ride the exercise bike without hurting my butt bones. I start working with a trainer in 2 weeks and that is my number two area to work on. The first area is to build up muscle in my chest to keep my boobs from sagging any more than they already do. I will let you know if I learn any great butt tips.

Born and raised mostly in the suburbs of Chicago. I am now living in Northwestern Wisconsin until my hubby's next job transfer this summer.

Best Christmas gift EVER! Congratulations!

Hang in there. You are not alone. Buyer's remorse is very, very common early in the post op period. Most of us wonder what we did to ourselves and if it was the best choice. Once you get past the first few weeks after surgery, you will be more sure of your decision. Hang in there and follow your program and you will make it through. Once you are able to start expanding your diet and see the weight going down, it will be a lot easier to see the good side of the surgery. Welcome to the loser's bench!