Inner Surfer Girl

I swore I wasn't going to watch the second season of My Big Fat Fabulous Life, but I started watching it any way this week. I truly hope Whitney finds some peace. She comes across as so desperate and in need of attention. Yet, I can recognize so many of her struggles. [Just a note to Whitney in case she is reading this: Seatbelt extenders. Your car dealer can provide them to you. Usually for free.] Between her codependent relationship with her family, her health issues, her eating disordered behavior, her immaturity, and her lack of filter, I find her exhausting. After seeing her home movies, it is a very real possibility she has ADHD in addition to her PCOS and pre-diabetes --- which she mentions constantly. Yet, I think I am still rooting for her to find some peace and answers. This week she saw a nutritionist who suggested she eat more than once a day. I know I was initially opposed to WLS, but part of me really wants one of her doctors to bring it up as an option. She is going to Duke for her medical care. I am surprised her father hasn't already. I am not nearly as emeshed with my family as she is and my family brought it up as an option long before I considered it. So, this is a long post to admit that I am watching the second season but not without being judgemental. Hopefully, I can temper that feeling with more compassion or just stop watching.

All I can suggest is to stay hydrated and keep using body oil, etc.also, put your body oil on over damp skin. One tip I learned from one of my doctors is to make sure your lotions and moisturizers do not come in a pump bottle. Apparently, the additives (alcohol?) they use to make lotion pumpable is in itself drying.

Person who is allergic to essential oil and diffuser here! Just don't be surprised if some people avoid coming I to your space if it bothers them. I had a boss who used this on his office and every time I went in there I wound up with itchy, burning eyes. It is somewhat easier to take in larger spaces, I also have a reaction when people use this in bathrooms.

I use tea tree oil and Vic's (not at the same time) on my toenail fungus. But, I've always been a bit of a hippy.

This is not a contest, nor is it a race. As someone who started at a super high BMI, believe me, there is nothing to be jealous of. Focus on your Protein and Fluid and let go of trying to control the results. The sooner you learn to let go, the happier you will be.

It's counter intuitive but that is probably not a good idea. Stalls are part of the process. Just make sure you are getting in all your protein and fluids.

Only if you are getting in all your protein. The focus early out is getting in all your protein. Incidental carbs will occur.

Wow, you should be able to get more than that in if you used an eye-dropper. Have you talked to your surgeon?

I made a decision very early out not to share numbers. Not even with my family. I only started being brutally honest with myself about the numbers on the scale in the past year or so. No one else, other than my doctors, have a need to know.

Please talk to your NUT. The last thing you need to be eating is rice and Pasta. Since you are on soft foods try: cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, tuna, soft fish, refried Beans, etc. if you must have carbs stick with complex carbs like oatmeal or soft-cooked vegetables. Try soft-scrambled eggs (although some people have trouble with eggs early out). Did your NUT provide you a list of appropriate foods? Why not give your NUT a call?

Protein is critical for both healing and weight loss.

You have got to get in your Protein. Keep trying different Protein drinks, but ultimately, even if you don't love the taste you may just have to drink them anyway. Have you talked to your NUT?

Also, keep in mind that most people who participate on the chat boards are looking for support. There are probably many more people without any issues or problems who do not participate.

By the way, my understanding it's not the malabsorption that causes the vitamin deficiency, it's that we can't always eat enough volume of food to get in both our required macros and ALL our vitamins all the time.

Adding: How easy it is to forget to eat and drink.

What I didn't expect: How hard it would be to drink plain Water. How little pain I actually experienced. And How fast the time went by. I am sure there are more things, but this is what I remember off the top of my head.

I drank all day long at 9 days out.

To add: According to my surgeon, as a society we have a D deficiency crisis in this country. Most people are deficient in D (whether you have surgery or not)? I was required to start taking a D3 supplement the day I started considering surgery. As a woman, I have always had to watch my Iron and have almost always had to take iron. What woman over 50 do you know that hasn't been advised to take calcium supplements? My whole life, every doctor I have ever had, starting with my pediatrician, has recommended a multi-Vitamin. Is the thought of having to take some Vitamins really what is scaring you? I know you are on the fence about this surgery. Why not talk with the psychologist that cleared you or your surgeon, about your fears. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to postpone until you are more sure of your decision.

If you can get most of your Water (64 oz) but not your Protein, why not? If you can consume 64 oz of Fluid then at least 33 oz could be Premier Protein which would give you 90 grams of protein. If you include protein in most of your fluids it should actually be easier to meet your protein goal than your fluid goal. If you aren't meeting your protein goal then by all means eat every 2-3 hours. As others have said, early out you will be eating or sipping something pretty much all day to get everything in.

Yes. All fluids count (non-caffeine, non-alcoholic of course). Even ice and Popsicles count.

I don't know what you have been reading. Can you share your sources? For me, I know that taking the required Vitamin supplements is critical. I also will continue to need to have blood tested regularly to make sure I don't have any deficiencies. The sleeve is different from the bypass in that the intestinal track isn't short-circuited, it's just made smaller. So, malabsorption isn't a major issue. I believe that with a balanced diet and supplements, and proper medical care, I am actually more likely not to be deficient than I was pre-surgery.

See you on the other side! Try to rest, even if you can't sleep. I hope everything goes off without a hitch.

Congratulations! This is so awesome, You go girl!

I am not aware that there is a "usual" length of time.

I don't usually dump (I was sleeved) but I found the Gorton's seasoned baked fish to be very "greasy". I have found post-sleeve that I am more affected by higher fat foods than before. Have you tried plain fish with maybe a spritz of olive oil?