Djmohr

@@teedsg I maintain if i stick to 1300 to 1400 calories per day.

Prior to bypass i always had diarrhea. Since having bypass surgery I have consitpation every day. My doctor put me on Linzess and that helps but i still have trouble. I drink my goal in Water and it definately helps because on days where i dont, i really struggle.

@@shedo82773 The same happens to me with Lobster and Crab and has for about 10 years now. I saw an allergist who told me it is definately an allergy and that I should steer clear of those food items. I currently eat shrimp all the time and she also told me not to stop because if i did it was likely that would become an allergy like lobster and crab. I have not had scallops in years and I am afraid to try it. Even 1 bite of lobster and crab makes me deathly ill like i have food poisoning. I used to love these and there have been times post surgery where i think maybe I should just give it a try again but the fear of how ill i got the last few times i tried them, keep me from even trying. I asked my surgeon about maybe trying them now that I dont get reflux anymore and he said absolutely not. If the allergy develops badly enough it can cause breathing issues and after not having those things for more than 10 years, i dont know if it has gotten worse. eggs, make me sick but not like crab and lobster.

What are your stats? The reason I ask is your body might simple be adjusting to a comfortable weight. In addition to that, there is typically 10 to 15% regain that is typical.

@@summerset And you are right, i would not want to try eating crap and seeing if i can maintain. First, eating crap makes me feel like crap. Second, I have had a week or two of eating some of the foods that caused my problem in the first place. Right after plastics in July, i became ravenously hungry. I am sure it was because I was healing. The reality is, you can eat around these surgeries two different ways. 1.) you can graze eating small meals or snack throughout the day - You will gain weight 2.) you can eat the wrong foods increasing your calories because those foods cause spikes in your blood sugar, and create cravings therefore causing you to eat more There may be other ways, but i have experienced both and guess what? I gain weight......I gain if i eat crap and I gain if i graze. i am guessing I am not the only one.

@@summerset I track everything I eat in myfitnesspal and have for the last 3.5 years. I know exactly what I put in my body 90% of the time and understand the macro nutrients as well. For the first 2 years, I weighed and measured everything and lost 100% of my excess weight. I have been maintaining under or at goal since March of this year. Prior to that I was on diet after diet trying to lose weight. Even during my 9 months prior to surgery when monitored by a nutritionist, I lost a whole whopping 5lbs then entire time and I stuck to the plan. Which, I was told was normal for people with metabolic disease and at my age. I am not sure what your age is but it really matters. I am 53 and I used to be able to lose weight very easily. There comes a point in time when your age, the fact that you might be going through menopause and your metabolic disease effects everything and you can no longer lose weight without help. What you eat is very important to losing the weight and ultimately keeping it off. I am not saying that you can never have those foods again, all I am saying is they cannot be the norm because if it is, you will likely have regain issues. Many of the folks on this site who have gained some or all of their weight back can tell you that it isn't about the amount at this stage, it is about what you put in your tummy. If you consistently go back to foods that are not high in Protein and good carbs, you will likely gain. There has honestly not been a time in the last 30 years that I wasn't on a "diet". I was always always on some type of plan to lose weight and or maintain my loss since i was in my 20's.

Also if you ate a lot of salt it is likely Water retention. Just go back to a high Protein, low carb diet and things will actually improved. Plus if you do have some hormonal things going on, that will effect it as well. No way did you gain 3lbs from eating thanksgiving day.

Never used a binder for WLS post op. Alot of folks used them post plastics to aid with swelling and pain.

Congratulations on your fantastic results! I totally get it regarding the jiggly tummy. I never thought it would bother me but it makes clothing difficult and for me, it pulls on my back. Unfortunately I have not heard of any insurance covering a lower body lift. I have heard of them covering a panni removal but that likely will not correct the problem with tummy muscles. Most women who have had children need muscle repair and you had twins so it is very likely. I am having my full abdominalplasty, Breast lift with augmentation for all the reasons you listed an more. I wish you the best of luck and hope you are able to get what you want! Many plastic surgeons have a care credit program in which you can finance with zero percent interest. If you cannot get it covered, maybe that might allow you to get it done sooner.

Has it stopped? How far out from surgery are you? I will also ask are you at goal with drinking fluids? The reason I ask is this in itself will make you feel like absolute crap and it is a vicious circle. If you dont drink you get dizzy, nauseous, headache, weak and overall crappy feeling. Start sipping......

Stick to your plan, stalls are a normal part of the process and will happen consistently through the weight loss phase. If it frustrates you, stay off the scale and stick to your plan. The body must have time to adjust itself.

@@summerset I respectfully disagree. For me, it was what I ate, not how much of it. I literally weighed 315lbs at my heaviest and I did not overeat. I was told by 3 doctors that I was malnourished and that it is very very common in morbidly obese patients. In fact, my family and friends never understood how I could possibly be so heavy given what I ate. My diet was heavy in Pasta, rice, crackers, sweets, etc.......I ate very little Protein. Also, I am currently in Maintenance and I can honestly tell you it is all about what you eat now too. If i stick to a few ounces of protein, fresh veggies and fruits I maintain. If my diet falters (and, I cannot eat much), I begin to gain again. If i go back to protein, veggies, fruits I lose or maintain. There are a ton of posts on this site about going back to old eating behaviors...it will impact your ability to lose and maintain after the honeymoon.

LOL! I have to say, the minute you started to describe what you were going to do, I was already laughing! I used to LOVE poached eggs. They were my favorite and I used to cook them almost everyday for Breakfast (Post WLS I can no longer eat eggs at all without getting sick). The small saucepan, with a tiny amount of vinegar is the way to go. You really don't need any fancy egg cups if you use vinegar as it keeps the whites nicely contained in the saucepan. I also break the egg into a small dish and then slowly add the egg into the Water and they turn out perfect every single time. Best of luck to you on your new egg method! I am green with envy that you can eat them because they are a great source of Protein. Eggs are one of the things I am sad about not being able to eat and trust me, I keep on trying. I am over two years post op and they make me double over in pain for some reason.

Best advice is to remove one thing at a time. Start with things like: 1.) Stop drinking carbonated beverages, even if they are diet. You will need to stay away from carbonation. 2.) Stop drinking caffeine, this also helps with hunger control 3.) Try to remove all processed foods from your diet: chips, crackers, junk.....even things like boxed macaroni and cheese. it will be important to get in the habit of cooking your food from scratch so you know what is in it. There is so much crap in processed foods and the carbs from them actually make you crave these types of foods. Thats why you can take down a box of cheese its in one sitting. It adds NO nutritional value so you need to make them go away if you are eating them. 4.) Remove Pasta, rice, bread, pastries, cereals, all sweets from your diet. These are foods that also spike your glucose levels and create cravings. 5.) Try to change to more whole foods that will keep you fuller longer: chicken, Fish, Beef, Pork, Cottage cheese, greek yogurt, Beans, fresh veggies, some fresh fruits. 6.) change your beverage of choice to Water - you will learn to drink alot of water through this process. For me, this was easy but for others this is difficult. I start drinking water from the moment i get up in the morning and drink at least 48 to 64 oz per day. 7.) Start walking and add a little more eveyday 8.) Try to remove drinking while eating. Wait for at least 30 minutes after you are done eating before drinking water again. This is one of the hardest things to do post surgery but it is really critical because it will flush your foods down and allow you to eat more. 9.) Practice chewing your food like crazy. This will be important and it is harder than most think to do. Still 2 years post surgery i find myself not chewing and I get food stuck. When that happens post surgery, it hurts and it basically ends your meal. 10.) Slow down when you eat. Again sounds easy but it is not. This allows your brain time to know that your full and you wont overeat. 11.) Remove distractions while eating. we mindlessly eat when not paying attention. Again, not an easy one to break but you can do it. Some of these are much easier than others but honestly if you can work on one or two at a time, it will set you up for success post surgery. Best of luck to you!

@@LipstickLady Any instant pot is great, I ended up buying the small one and it is plenty big enough for my family. I wanted to let you know there are a ton of utube videos and recipes that help to get you familiar with it but honestly it is very easy to use. Also, check out pinterest for instant pot recipes there are so many out there. @@doxaholic Once you have an instant pot, you no longer need a crock or slow cooker as the pot does both slow cooking and pressure cooking. I have yet to use the slow cooker option because I can cook a pot roast or brisket or stew to fork tender in about 30 minutes once it comes up to full pressure. Then, the pot releases the pressure and it keeps your food warm for hours if you need it to. I honestly never need it to because it is literally so fast that i can start dinner at 6pm and have dinner ready 30 to 40 minutes later. You just dump your ingredients into the pot and it does all the work for you. Lastly i would just say, the depth of flavor you get from pressure cooking is definitely better than my slow cooker. It has to do with cooking with pressure. Because it has a saute mode, you can brown your meat or saute your veggies if you like right in the pot. I would vote this my absolute BEST kitchen tool. Last week, I moved my slow cooker, rice maker and crock pot to storage and my instant pot now has a permanent place on my counter top.

@@bayougirlmrsc You look absolutely fantastic! Your scar healed very well, I hope I am as lucky as you with my TT scars and of course my breast lift scars.

I do think it is pretty common. The sad part is, most people will be able to eat the foods they love again in the future. You might just find you no longer love them and that is ok because they did not help your situation anyway. For example, Ice cream and Spagetti were my two favorite things. I thought it would never be able to live without them. On the night before i started my liquid diet we went to Buca's for dinner and i got my fill of spagetti. I never craved it again after that. I have in fact tried it again and i literally could care less if i ever eat it again. Now that was a food that was my favorite ever since i was a little girl. I would always look for it on a menu and of course coming from an Italian family we had it once or twice weekly. Now....i really could care less. Ice Cream. It was my vice. I loved it and I still do but everytime i eat it i end up rolled up in a ball with my gut in horrible pain. I believe it is the fact that it is so cold and has lactose. Mostly the cold thing......I cannot eat it at all and since it has made me feel like crap so many times, it is best just to stay the heck away from it. I have found fresh fruits to be so much more fulfilling for me and you get the nutritional benefit from it. You will get past it...if you think that food is just there for energy and no longer the thing i live for. Best of luck to you!

Protein supplements are a personal preference and what works for one might not work for the other. The best advice anyone can give you is try different ways to get that protein in. Leverage greek yogurt, cottage cheese and fairlife milk instead of the protein shakes. You may have to eat more often in the beginning because your restriction might hold you up but that is what you have to do. Getting protein is not easy by any means but it is required to keep you healthy. You may have to deal with some yuck factor. I ended up getting used to Premier Protein chocolate. It is the only one i can tolerate and even now, i have one almost every morning to kick start my protein goal for the day. Best of luck to you!

I have only thrown up twice and for me both times were caused by over eating. I am now two + years post op and recently had a few moderate episodes of dumping syndrome. I am so thankful that i never had a full blown episode. I did something stupid. I was hungry late at night and had a simple bowl of product 19 chocolaty delight Cereal with lactose free mile. First, the cold milk make my stomach hurt, within 10 minutes i got sweaty and the worst part of all of it was my heart started to pound like crazy and did not stop for about a good hour. Think i learned my lesson? NOOOOOO because there was still a whole box of cereal left, I forgot about that reaction and thought i could have a bowl for dinner given i had met my Protein goal for the day. Same darn thing happened only worse because i ate a fuller portion of it. That is when it hit me that i was having an episode of dumping. The next day, I threw the box of cereal in the garbage. Wont be doing that again anytime soon. I just never thought i would get it given i am over two years post op and had never experienced it but it definately was dumping syndrome.

Those twinges that you are likely feeling are the nerves growing back together. I had them consistently in my arms for the first 2.5 months and now, i get them every once in a while. I had my brachioplasty in July.

Love my instant pot! I make everything and anything in it and you can literally throw away your slow cooker. Some of my favorites: Mexican chicken Taco meat Beef Stew Beef barley Soup Stuffed peppers Meatballs Corned beef Brisket Pulled pork Loaded baked potato soup Shrimp corn chowder My family was here for thanksgiving and on Friday they wanted some of my famous loaded baked potato soup so i had to oblige but this time i used my instant pot. It took me longer to chop all the veggies and brown off the bacon than it did to make the soup in the instant pot. And because i browned the bacon in there, that smoky flavor went through the whole soup it was delicious. Most meals take less than 15 minutes once the pot comes up to full pressure which takes about 10. You just have to remember to add some liquid which helps with the steam. I will never make stuffed pepper in the oven again. I use 85% ground beef, a sautéed onion which i do on sauté in the pot ahead of time, a handful of minute rice (i have used brown rice), an egg, salt and pepper and about 1/4 cup of bread crumbs. I mix all that up in a bowl and stuff my peppers. I set them on the bottom of the instant pot, pour over a can of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of chicken stock. I set it manually for 15 minutes and then do an instant release. The peppers are cooked perfectly and that green pepper flavor makes its way through the meat. It is absolutely simple and delicious. When i make chicken taco meat, i sauté an onion with the sauté setting, then i rub 2 or 3 chicken breasts with taco seasoning. I make my own from cumin, chili power, garlic & onion salt and a small amount of salt and pepper. I chop a poblano pepper into a small dice and one clove of garlic. Throw it all in the pot with a small can of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup chicken stock. I set it on manual for 15 minutes, do an instant release. Then i shred the chicken and put it back in the pot. Honestly, i could eat that chicken with a fork right out of the pot. Sometime i make it into enchiladas or a chicken taco salad. But truthfully you could eat it just the way it is. I also leverage the heck out of pinterest for instant pot ideas. You can make rice and bake potatoes for your family in minutes but my favorite dishes are usually meats. I want to try a recipe for Barbacoa mexican beef. For what ever reason i like spicy foods right now. I hope you have a blast with it! I love mine......incidentally you may want to buy a couple of back up seals. Keep one for making Desserts and the other for savory foods. No matter what you do to clean them, they always smell like whatever you last cooked. I think i use my pot 2 to 3 times or more per week and i dont cook everyday.

Happy Thanksgiving Alex!

That is weird. I am guessing you ate something that did not agree with you given you have not even had surgery yet. Hope you feel better soon.

@@_Kate_ Following this post....my TT and Breast lift with augmentation is scheduled 10 days after yours. Having had brachioplasty in July and alot of pain with it, I am very nervous about this surgery but also looking forward to the end result.

I am thankful for my family, friends and my ever improving health. I feel blessed that our doctors and nurses are able to give us a second chance to live our lives longer and healthier. I am also thankful for the wonderful support i have had through sites like this as well as my family and friends.