BLERDgirl

I wasn't pre-diabetic but I had a pretty high BMI

Did your doctor or nutritionist give a recommended guideline? I was full liquids for first 2 weeks but still encouraged to get to as close to 60gms protein & 48ounces of water as possible. I did it with protein drinks & soups. It got pretty boring & yes I was a little hungry on occasion, but then it was puréed then soft & now it's whatever I can tolerate but still 60gms protein & 48 - 64 ounces of water.

You've got to find some common ground. It's one thing to have this surgery, but to listen to someone talk about the minutia of WLS continually? That would drive *me* crazy! That's why I post here so I don't have to overload my family & friends with it. My advice, find a common ground, something you BOTH like to do. even better try something new as a couple. Also once a week or once a month, have date night. Again date night should be something you both like. Lastly don't make fun of his computer games. I'm not a gamer, but I am a Nerd (Black girl nerd = BLERDgirl). We take out stuff seriously. It's not silly to us in the least.

Coconut oil is EVERYTHING make sure you get organic virgin cold pressed. I use it for my skin, teeth, hair and cook with it. Sometimes I'll toss a bit into a smoothie.

Someone posted this on Fb group: Homemade Ding Dongs. Original recipe is from The Diva Dish and I adapted it to be safe for our allergens. These are seriously amazing. My 12 yr old took a bite and said, it tastes like one you get in a bakery! :0) The recipe is long and can look like it takes forever at first but honestly it doesn't. It really didn't take long at all and it is super simple. Very messy though..and don't make these while on a diet because ummm..those scraps of cake left from cutting out and leftover whipped cream look sooooo mighty yummy Homemade Ding Dongs Adapted from The Diva Dish Blog Cake: 2 cups cake flour to make gluten free sub 2 cups all purpose gluten free flour (I use one consisting of brown & sweet rice flour + tapioca and arrowroot) + 1 tsp xanthan gum or guar gum 1/3 cup cocoa powder 1 1/2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp baking powder (or 1 tsp baking soda + 1 tsp cream of tartar for corn free 4 Tbsp arrowroot or potato starch (can use cornstarch if it is safe) 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 1 container coconut milk yogurt (I used Raspberry, it doesn't have to be but it sounded kinda decadent 1 1/2 cups coconut milk 3/4 cup maple syrup 3 tsp vanilla 1/2 cup honey (you can use 1/2 cup sugar if you want instead) Filling: 1 can of coconut milk, must be full fat. Place it in the fridge overnight or in the freezer for an hour 1/2 cup powdered sugar (blend sugar with arrowroot flour 1 cup of sugar & 2tbsp arrowroot for corn free) 1 tsp vanilla powder or extract Coating 1 bag enjoy life chocolate chips 1/4 cup coconut oil Directions Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients together, whisk until mixed. Then mix wet ingredients together until combined. Slowly add dry to wet just until combined. Spray 9x13 inch cake pan with coconut cooking spray or line with parchment. Bake 25-30 minutes until center is set. Cool & turn upside to release onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment For filling. Scoop out the solid cream from the can only into a glass bowl. Whisk coconut milk with an electric hand or stand mixer. Mix in sugar & vanilla. Keep whisking until it gets thickened and fluffy like whipped cream. Return to fridge until you are ready to use it. It will get liquidy if you let it stay at room temp. For coating: Place chips & coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 second intervals, stirring inbetween until it is melted and smooth. To Assemble: Use a small round cookie cutter to cut the cake into circles. Make sure it is cool. For best result place them in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes so they are cool to the touch. Use a small paring knife and cut out a circle in the middle of the cakes. Then I used my finger to press around the inside of the hole to make it bigger inside for more cream mixture. Fill each of the holes with the cream mixture. Flatten out the top that you cut out and place back over. Then carefully dip the cake into the chocolate. I found it worked best to sit it in there and spoon it over the top and sides. Place back in the fridge to cool. Store in the fridge!

Am I the only fat chick who thinks she's cute? I do and even though I know I needed to do this surgery for my health and quality of life, I have never not thought I was cute or attractive to men, or worthy of love and attention. NEVER. When I dress up and walk into a room I feel confident because I know I look good. Ladies, LOVE YOURSELF! No matter what your size now or in the future, LOVE YOURSELF. You are all worth it, I swear.

It depends on your medical team's recommendations. The rule of thumb is protein, then veg, then carbs but many are allowed mashed potatoes once they get to the soft food stage.

So far none for me. I've read that if you get in your protein you lessen the chances of having hair loss because your body isn't leeching protein from your hair to feed itself. I don't know if that's true or not, but I also take 5,000 of biotin a day along with my regular vitamins.

Agreed, I was feeling pretty normal after a week at home.

@@Get.Waisted - get you a few sets of those disposable glad food storage boxes and put your food in those. Clearly label them and tell them these are for your food program and not to eat them. You shouldn't have to hide food. Make them aware that if they eat those they are sabotaging your health. Sure those are strong words, but do you want this surgery to have been in vain?

I do food prep every week. There's not much to do now since I'm only 9 weeks in, but I still boil eggs every Sunday . They are my post gym breakfast/recovery food since I take a Water aerobics class at 9am. Plan your food, include some healthy snacks that keep you within your food goals and get the chips and Cookies out the house. My rule is I keep nothing in the house I can't eat reasonably. If it's a food I would binge on, I buy only enough for the moment. The other day I bought a small bag of hershey kiss, ate one gave the rest to my sister.

FYI - I hate beets. I think they taste like dirt. I use an equally strong flavor to mask the taste. Either way, get that protein in before you workout. It should help.

Try a little Cereal, oatmeal, grits, cream of wheat. Add some Protein to it; an egg, or premade Protein shake. Blend it or use a nutra bullet or similar if you have it. The more substantial food should stay down better.

When you go too low, the body panic and holds onto calories.

My first soft egg was like manna from heaven! BEST. EGG. EVER!

How can you do that? You can't eat very much in one sitting so you eat til full, wait then drink water. 3 hours later you are hungry! I don't even know if I could get in enough protein in 3 meals. I just made a note on my diary today because even though the recommended cal is 800, I worked extra hard at the gym today and I'm hungry. Today's total will be over 1,000. It simply has to be because otherwise I'd be crazy hungry.

My doctor recommended 3 small meals and 2 snacks. I think some people get thrown by the word snack . Actually it was just 5 small meals ~ 3 hours apart.

It depends on what your stages are, everyone's are a little different. I was on full liquids when I was discharged so a cream of chicken soup made with pureed chicken would have been find. For that matter if you buy powdered milk you can add that to pretty much any soup. Just run everything thru a blender or nutra bullet so it's liquefied. They recommend you take off at least 4 weeks postop. That will get you through the most intense days. This depends of course, on your surgeon's recommended eating schedule. My schedule wasn't as intense as the one @mrsbailey921 posted. I was on full liquids for the first 2 weeks but my doctor had a schedule of 3 small "meals" and 2 "snacks" and drinking Water with a 30 minute window before and after eating. Hard to call it eating when it was all liquids, but it was only 2 weeks and it was manageable.

I am a vegetarian and have food allergies. Not all my friends are vegetarians. I almost always check menus before I go. it's just part of what I need to do in order not to get sick. I'm pretty good at it so I have a handful of restaurants I frequent that I know are safe, and I'm pretty good at talking to wait staff to make sure I get something safe to eat. For the most part it doesn't really complicate my life.

I need to do laundry today so I put on an old pair of sweats to wear to the gym. These things are darn near falling off me. Going to wash my new gym wear now.

60% is great! In fact I have my tickler set at about that rate. Now if I lose more than that I will be over the moon. This was the tool I needed desperately. I had already started my WL journey. I was eating clean and using a food diary. I have severe allergies and a few other chronic health issues that kept setting me back. I'd do well lose 35-50 lbsm get sick and regain. This happened over and over. I needed something to get over the hump and the doctors said there was a chance that the limited diet might put my chronic urticaria in remission. So far, so good. I was sleeved on 9/18 and except for one minor incident of facial swelling I haven't had a hives outbreak. I also remember things I did at 60% of my current weight. I traveled, I skied, I biked, etc.... I want to do those things again.

I've lost weight without exercise, but I lose better when I exercise. As I get older I also realize I retain better range of motion and flexibility when I exercise, so I make it a point to get some type of activity in.

@@nurse ison - I would just send him a quick note that you will be having the procedure, even if it's the day before you leave. Then have the surgical center forward a copy of their report to him just in case. I've been with my GP for 20 years. I trust her with completely. She truly centralizes my healthcare. I have every specialist I see forward a copy of my records to her. I couldn't have a doctor I couldn't rely on.

@@Bufflehead - I did mine in a nutra bullet. Also soups. I made every bean, creamy veg soup I could think of. Easy grabs were - hummus, ricotta cheese that I dress up like lasagna but without the noodles. I drank a lot of kefir and made my own yogurt smoothies as well. Greek yogurt+protein powder+nut butter is a Protein powerhouse.

Yes I need a pre workout Protein drink or I am wiped.