BLERDgirl

Stop and face the music. Your doctor's visit are designed to help you. At some point you need to help yourself. Go see the doctor. If possible speak with the nutritionist and p;an how to get back on track. If necessary clean the house out of any temptations.

@@Kindle - So sorry to hear about your friend. You have my condolences.

I'm around 700 - 850 calories a day, but lately I've occasionally gone up as much as 900. I'm 7 mths out. I've lost 80ls, but I still have a long way to go so I try to stay in the 800 range. I'm working out 5 - 6 days a week so that may have to do with the increased appetite, but I'm keeping my eye on it. Forgot to say CONGRATULATIONS! @@VSGAnn2014 !

I didn't have to do clears. I was on full liquids from day 1. My phases were 2 wks full liquids, 2 wks purees, 2 wks soft food then everything as tolerated.

I eat everything. I seem to have a cast Iron belly that tolerates everything I've tried. I eat salads, but they always include Protein. You don't have to put meat on a salad for protein. I'm vegetarian so I typically add egg, cheese and Beans to my salads. I make my own dressings so I sometimes emulsify a bit of unflavored Protein powder into the them for an extra protein punch. I can go out to eat and get an appetizer for my main. I still log on MFP daily. I work out 5 - 6 days a week and make sure to have protein pre and post workout.

Prepare small, nutritious Snacks and keep them with you at all times. I just dug out my insulated lunch pack for the car. As the weather gets nicer, I am often on the go more. This makes sure I have nutritious snacks with me. I also agree with @@MissMac I find a need a Protein snack both pre and post workout, but especially post workout. I am almost always ravenous and if I don't have something I will eat just about anything. If you feel the need to graze, perhap switching to 5 small meals a day over 3 big ones will help.

Agreed. Make sure you are taking your Vitamins. Do the best you can to get in all your Water and Protein until you are at or above the minimum requirements. It's normal to tire easily post -op . As you body heals and you get in your fluids and nutrients, you should improve.

I am one of those who HATES this show. I don't find it heartwarming in the slightest. I call it "fat porn". The few glimpses I saw of it I found the way they speak and the manner in which they treat these people to be completely dehumanizing. Then there's the articles like this one in the NY POST in which a former contestant spoke about the unhealthy things the show has them do in order to lose weight. The other troubling thing is that there is no option for a more natural diet plan. The show has sponsors so they are always promoting some diet food of sorts. Then there's the sampling in this so called study. This show has been on for what, 10 years? The best they could do was 26 people? I call BS on that.

I agree with @@samuelsmom . I'm also pretty sure they have to inform you if a procedure is covered or not. If the rep you speak with doesn't know, ask for a supervisor. It literally should say whether or not they cover vertical gastrectomy. If you have any copays for elective surgeries they should also have that info. I knew going in that my copay for surgery was $400. @@alindsey - I worked in social services so I know how systems work. It makes me mad and I dig in and fight.

I had a pretty easy time of it. I felt pretty much back to normal about a week in.

@@bellabill _ I was making protein shakes before WLS surgery and I continue to supplement my protein. My shakes are more like liquid meals since I start with protein powder, then add yogurt, fruit, veg. I need it when I am on the go and I also use them to get nutrition pre workout. I can't hold down solid food taken before a workout, but I can keep down a shake, On non gym days I less likely to make a shake and it helps me meet my protein goals and keep my calories low so my nutritionist is okay with it. I still gt more than 50% of my protein from regular food.

Nobody can beat you up harder than you are beating yourself up. ICU is scary times. You're allowed a bit of leeway here.

That makes me so mad with these insurance companies. They know that if they give people enough of a run around that many of them will do just as you have. It's not fair when you are paying for this insurance.

Maybe you could try sending a DM to @@nprcowboy , He had a really rough time for the first few months and was put on tube feedings. Perhaps he can offer some advice. Personally I would be contacting the insurance company about changing surgeons for follow up. Make sure the doctors following her for the kidney stone out in for a consult. Either the bariatric surgeon or one of his residents should have checked in with her by now.

Yes the infamous lifestyle change. Your eating habits should be second nature. It just means our new normal is making healthier food decisions.

Sometimes even when you follow things to a T there is that small percentage of people who have complications. It doesn't happen often, but I've seen a few people on this board who it happened to. It's just upsetting that they downplayed your concerns by saying this is normal. It's not uncommon, but no way is it normal.

I don't do lashes daily because the strip lashes hit my glasses, I'm too lazy to wear my contacts everyday and individuals take too much time. What I do is only apply mascara to my upper lashes only and tight line my eyes on the bottom. A quick dusting of set powder and I have no problems with runny or racoon eyes.

Depends on your definition of useless filler. Most dark, leafy greens provide Vitamin A, K and Protein as well as providing nice Fiber, which helps you poo. The exception to that is iceburg. However, a salad doesn't have to contain lettuce. It can be any assortment of raw veg you like. As for dressings, I never buy bottled or premade dressings. Too many chemicals in most of them. I make my own. It's pretty much any acid + a fat then add seasonings to taste. Than means I can use a bit of avocado, olive oil, greek yogurt, a cooked egg yolk combined with say a good balsamic vinegar, lemon/lime/orange juice, apple cider vinegar or my favorite, pickle juice and emulsify my own concoction. Mt favorite summer salad is fresh spinach, black Beans, hard boiled egg with a few orange slices and an orange vinaigrette. Sometimes I even crumble a few walnut pieces over it for added crunch.

I definitely have to exercise more portion control, but it depends on the food. Soup I can eat a little under a full cup, probably 3/4 of a cup is more my comfort level. I can still only eat 1 egg, but I can drink a lot of liquids. However I have also increased my workouts to 5 -6 days a week, so I actually get hungry now. Not ravenous, because I plan Proteins around my workouts, but I do need to eat after a workout.

You can buy one of those toilet hat specimen collectors. It has measuring markers on the inside so you can record her input and put. I would ask them about chemo pt level nausea meds. and possibly admitting her to do a full work up. While complications are not unheard of they are by no means "normal".

I still have quite a ways to go, but so far the opposite is happening. My stretch marks are fading away. I thought even once you were thinner they would stay, but mine are almost invisible now.

A. - I had no idea you were a guy. B - HOLY SMOKES! You were nice looking before, but that second picture is a yowsa! Congrats on your success!

I agree. I refuse to spend lots of money on mascaras. Especially when they have to be tossed every 2 -3 months. @MichiganChic - I wasn't responding to you in particular. I quoted your post to discuss that one point. Of course you opinion is as valid as anyone else who posts on these boards. My point is for someone just starting out there is no need to feel they must spend money on high end makeup when the formulations of many drug store brands are just as good. Especially established brands like Revlon, E.L.F. and NYX to name just a few. As I mentioned before I have everything from professional lines, to high end retail brands to drug store brands. @@missheidi47 - Personally I think that your foundation is the basis for a good face. If there is one place you should send money it's on the foundation. However many high end retail brands historically didn't offer wide ranges of color. If you were on either ends of the color spectrum, very pale or very dark, they couldn't accommodate. That has changed with the emergence of lines like MAC, Coverfx, IMAN, etc.... but prior to say, 10 - 15 years ago pickings were slim. However since your foundation is what covers most of your face, you want to make sure you get a quality foundation that your skin likes. Sometimes that does mean spending a little more.

Agreed. I've learned to leave those last 1 or 2 bites.

SW and NUT emphasized not weighing every day, but when I was successful on Weight Watchers in the past, I weighed every morning as well. I have weighed every morning since I started pre-op diet. I'm not quite 2 weeks post op, but I'm planning to continue. I know that sometimes the scale will not reflect my hard work, and I'm okay with that. But I think I need the daily feedback to keep me in line. I don't think either way is incorrect. You really just have to find what works for you. I just happen to do better as a monthly weigher. Food logging is much more helpful for me. I look at not just calories, but the macros. If I manage that correctly I know before I step on the scale whether I will show a loss. All the scale give me is a number. I want to focus on maintaining balanced eating habits.