glitter eyes

I brought a nice smoked Gouda today that was tasty. Also got a blueberry cheddar cheese- the verdict is out on that one. It does have a blueberry flavor which is nice, but I haven't decided if I like it yet or not.

What an awesome post!! It is a victory when we can find pleasure and beauty in things other than food. Enjoy your beautiful flowers. I love hyacinths- they smell so sweet.

@ Gail Ann. Here are some things that I have eaten from fast food or on the go stuff: Grilled chicken nuggets from chick fil a Wendy's chili Any sub sandwich- I just eat the insides, the meat and veggies Any hamburger/cheeseburger- I just eat the meat and leave the bun uneaten. I have even gotten desperate and ate a McDonalds cheeseburger without the bun Chinese food- I get shrimp and mixed veggies-no rice Taco Bell- re fried beans, the stuff from the inside of tacos or burritos no shell Also, to keep in the car or a travel bag... Beef or turkey jerky, protein bars, nuts. Really the possibilities are out there, just get creative and focus on protein. You can do it. There are a lot of us out there that didn't get a lot of guidance from our nutritionist and we are doing fine. Just try and educate yourself. I find that this website is a wealth of information and ideas. Just try and make protein your focus. I do better with a few small meals. You want to get your protein in to be successful and healthy. Good luck!

I would check with your surgical group to see what their recommendations are. In my opinion one month post op is a little early for whiskey. Better safe than sorry.

@@Gail Ann some of my go to meals are: Grilled fish Baked chicken Hamburger/turkey burger Deli meat rolled up with cheese Grilled steak Meatballs with sauce Turkey jerky Eggs Protein bars Protein shakes I have a local BBQ place and sometimes if I am in a hurry I will pick up some smoked pork or turkey. They sell it by weight so I can just get the meat with no sides. I can add it to a small salad when I get home or just eat it by itself. When I cook my fish or chicken I will grill/broil enough for the next day to keep things easy. Right now I am trying new and different cheeses. I usually eat three- four meals a day in order to get all my protein in for the day.

@@Gail Ann. I am almost two years post op. I have eaten a bagel with cream cheese and done fine. I don't make it a regular habit because of the carbs. I don't feel like I have stretched my stomach. I have very good restriction if I eat dense protein rich foods. I can eat larger amounts of carb laden foods so I tend to avoid them. I am in the maintenance phase so I do occasionally eat things that aren't as healthy. What helps me is I track all my food so I can make sure I stay on track with my calories/protein/carb intake. I think if your weight loss is doing good and you account for the bagel in your daily calorie/carb amounts and you feel you are doing good and are happy with your progress then the occasional bagel is fine.

When I go on one day hikes I usually take turkey jerky, some nuts, protein bars, and/or the foil pouches of tuna, and lots of water.

I am from Jacksonville. I had my surgery June 2014 at Baptist Medical Center. Congrats on your upcoming surgery!

Hang in there. April is right around the corner. Waiting for surgery is hard and you are right- obesity is a prison. There is light at the end of the tunnel. This time next year things will be so different you can't even imagine!! Use this time to be kind to yourself. Change is on its way!!

For me it was measuring cups, food scale, small plates and bowls, toddler spoons/forks. My Fitness Pal app for tracking my food, and this website!!

I think lemon water really helps kidney stones. Years ago I suffered with recurrent kidney stones. They are so painful. I had read about the cleansing power of fresh lemon added to water and I got in the habit of squeezing the juice of a whole lemon into my bottle of water every morning. Haven't had a kidney stone yet. Could be coincidence, but i say whatever works to keep those painful suckers at bay is worth a try.

Glad you are ok!! Totally get the NSV aspect of the situation. It is a good feeling to be "normal size" and not have to worry about the small things. Take care your yourself!!

Have you added any flavor drops to your plain water and or switched to an already flavored water like propel or vitamin water. If I drink too much plain water I will stay slightly nauseous all day and I am 21 months post op. As long as your blood sugar isn't dropping too low it is probably not from low carbs. If I were you I would try measuring your food and taking tiny tiny bites while chewing slowly. When I was newly post op I weighed and measured everything. I also ate with a toddler spoon to keep my bites small until it became a habit. That might help with the nausea. How far post op are you?

I am almost two years out and here was my day: Breakfast: Premier Protein shake Lunch: 3 oz of roasted pork 1/4 cup chopped lettuce, 1 oz of feta cheese, 1/2 oz shredded cheddar, 1 tablespoon of blue cheese dressing Dinner: ate the same thing I did for lunch (it was good) Snack: 6 strawberries Fluids: 60 oz of propel Water 2 cups of green tea

Hope you feel better soon. Kidney stones are no joke. I would rather give birth than have a kidney stone. They are so painful.

I am at my goal weight and really need some new bras. I am sure it would help to get professionally measured. But since my boobies hang down so horrible and the skin situation is a sad affair I don't have the nerve to subject some poor retail worker to the horror of them. Guess it's gonna be trial and error for me [emoji22]

I was supposed to do a week of liquids. High protein shakes, sugar free jello, broth, and sugar free popsicles. I was so worried that my liver would not shrink enough that I did two weeks instead.

I too was a huge raw juice fan before surgery. I have a juicer and used it almost everyday. I always saved my pulp and either added it back to soups or whole grain muffins so I still got a lot of the fiber. Post op I find that the raw juice takes up a lot of space in my tummy when I could be filling up on protein. Also, even though I mostly juice veggies when I juice I found that for me it made me hungrier. I occasionally will juice if I have some leftover veggies or fruits, but it isn't part of my regular diet. I stay fuller longer with real food and as I am in the maintenance phase I get hungry now so real food does better for me. Everyone is different, just try and maximize your weight loss during the early months when it's easy.

My usual breakfast is two eggs. Sometimes if I am in a time crunch I just grab a premier protein drink.

I wasn't able to adhere to this rule before surgery either. After surgery it wasn't hard. First of all the transition to regular food is slow. During the puréed/soft stage it's easy not to drink while you are eating your tiny little meals because the food is super moist and we are supposed to chew until it's mush so it doesn't get dry or stuck. By the time you get to regular foods it's almost a habit. Plus we still have to still take tiny tiny bites and chew a lot.

Good job!!!

@VSGAnn2014. We can also start one for rum. Yum rum... Coconut rum, pineapple rum, the list can go on... @@LipstickLady I will have to make my way to Whole Foods so I can get some of those little pieces of cheese!! Good idea.

Yummy ideas everyone- can't wait to try some of these.

Good for you!! That is super rude for him to expect you to entertain that soon after surgery. I agree with one of the above posters- maybe you can call them and ask if they can come another time. Best of luck to you, you deserve happiness

@sawyerx6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Take any type of shredded cheese and make use about 1 tablespoon to form little piles a few inches apart. Bake until golden brown. Most recipes I have seen say bake for three or four minutes, but mine usually take closer to 8. Just keep an eye on them. Take out and let cool. They will be kinda round in shape and crispy like a cracker. I have even added some seasoning to my cheese to kinda give it a different flavor.