Debbieduck4

Please just keep doin you and don't let the detractors deter you... Like others have said here, everyone has a different opinion and most of the time that's a wonderful thing because it makes for a lively, more fully developed discussion on a topic. I know it has helped me immensely to gain insight from differing points of view during this past year here on Bariatric Pal. Occasionally, someone will disagree and that's okay too... as long as they're respectful. If not, chock it up to what it is... a jerk on the internet that has no place in your head... and keep moving. Thanks for sharing clean eating and a healthy way to do this journey! I for one, enjoy that type of information and appreciate it! Most of the time I try to eat this way... sometimes I eat a little less healthy, and yes, there are days I'm in a hurry with no pre-planned lunch and a fast food chicken taco or salad is my lunch. Live and let live.

I also wanted to say that for constipation the hands down best thing I used was "Smooth Move Tea" You can buy it in the grocery store. If you drink a half cup before bed each night it will help. It also counts as liquid so that's a bonus. I tried a bunch of other stuff before someone here on Bariatricpal recommended this, and nothing worked.. this is the best.

Hang in there... It will get better. Each week gets a little easier until all of this post-op stuff starts to become a distant memory. I promise! Be sure to eat slowly and don't over eat to prevent the stomach spasms. Best of luck.

The dress is pretty and I love your hair... You look stunning!

Yay! Congrats and best of luck on your journey... I know how exciting this is for you

Adult Protective Services won't help unless someone meets the criteria for a "vulnerable adult" meaning they are elderly, living in a facility, mentally incapacitated, or physically disabled AND they consent to assistance OR they have a guardian or the court appoints someone to act on their behalf. In this case, this person is physically restricted but may be making decisions with what the court considers a sound mind, and they may not be asking for assistance. Therefore, he gets to choose to have his father bring him food until he is no longer with us. Sad, sad, sad. What he needs is counseling in my opinion.

I think I'm a rectangle. I have always carried more weight in my middle so thought I was an apple, but I literally have no hips and sadly no booty. haha!

Use the ole' "stomach issues" line... works like a charm every time. No one on this planet wants to talk in depth to anyone about "stomach issues." As for your eating, I don't know what your pre-op diet consists of but mine was protein shakes and one low-cal meal... Make your low-cal meal at the wedding. Best of luck today and on your surgery!

I've been Vegetarian for 6 years now and eat eggs and cheese too. On very rare occasions I will have a little seafood, but it is maybe once or twice a year. There are so many fabulous vegetarian recipes out there and great replacement foods that you will really enjoy! I love love love spicy black bean burgers, Bocca chicken patties, and Morning Star Breakfast sausage. For Protein, I try to get in 60-90 grams each day. I start my day with a scoop of GENEPRO protein powder in my coffee which is 30 so that's a big head start... then here's other vegetarian protein sources: Protein powders/shakes Soy products Mozzarella Cheese Cottage Cheese Eggs Greek Yogurt Milk, Soy Milk, Almond Milk Nuts Beans Lentils Edamame Oats Barley Artichokes Asparagus Broccoli Peas Brussel Sprouts Kale Corn ..and smaller amounts in bell peppers, carrots, green beans, cauliflower, mushrooms, and sweet potatoes. Thank you for considering the lives of our animal friends... not food. ***Also When I first start eating veggie I literally just didn't know what to make, so I thought it might help to know what a typical day looks like... so here's what I ate today: Coffee w/Genepro Breakfast: Hardboiled egg, Morningstar sausage patty (pre-cooked and ate in the car on the way to work) Lunch: Leftover vegetarian chili Snack: Cottage cheese and carrot sticks Snack: Almonds Dinner: I'm making Black bean tostada...(Just like regular ones, except I use black beans cooked with taco seasoning as the base) I also have a sugar free vanilla pudding in the fridge for later

If you've fallen in love with him, don't give up on the relationship so quickly. Losing a job is very difficult and often people's identities (especially men) are really wrapped up in their employment. Sounds like he is going through a pretty tough time right now and needs you. You don't say in your post why your relationship won't survive... is he pushing you away? Does he need to relocate for another position? Are you unwilling to be with an unemployed person? It does sound like you really care though and have found someone who accepts you, makes you happy, and that you love. That's hard to come by...I might not throw in the towel just yet... especially over a job.

Because you're not superman? I mean, if you'd tried to do anything else literally for 20 years and could not, would you be beating yourself up over it like this? I doubt it. Chances are you would say something like "Well, I gave it my best shot. I tried my hardest. I tried for 20 long years and I tried lots of different ways, but obviously this is something I cannot do on my own. I need the professionals." I encourage you to extend grace to yourself and realize that you are only human... an imperfect, yet beautiful being who can't do everything simply because you wish you could. Please be gentle with yourself and your decision to have surgery. It's simply a weight loss tool that you will be utilizing. Nothing more. Best of luck on your journey, it is going to be fantastic! Don't let your shame and doubts get in the way. 20 years is long enough.

I'm completely with you! I hate exercise too. Plain and simple. My beautiful and smart daughter told me something though that has stuck in my head since surgery... she said "dieting makes you look good with your clothes on, exercise makes you look good with your clothes off." And unfortunately, she is right. It is the exercise that does the toning and firming. What I discovered is that I like yoga, I enjoy walking my dogs, I like dancing around my living room with my grand kids to old Michael Jackson music, and I really like hiking to beautiful places in nature. Those things don't seem so much like exercise to me. Not like mindlessly clicking off minutes on an elliptical trainer or treadmill while staring at a wall. So I can do those without hating them and I find that I've made them part of my life. Also, to tone up, I set my weight bar next to the back door and every time I take the dogs out, I do a few weight moves while they potty. I simply can't tolerate a long weight workout routine. haha! Seems to be working.

Finishing off the challenge just below goal at 149.9 Thanks again Steph!! Happy Labor Day everyone!

151 this week... Thank you Steph

I agree with the others... Your body isn't backsliding, it's trying to send you a really strong message! It needs time to recover and restore. Drink lots of water which is good for recovering muscles and take a day or two off from working out. Then slowly try to ease back in. But when something hurts, stop. Pain is the message... listen to it. And don't worry, you will get where you want to be in soon enough time. I can just hear the motivation in your post!

Back at 152 this week

Sending prayers for you and your surgeon Sleevedbygrace

Oh my goodness I woke up this morning feeling so discouraged and tired that I took the morning off from work to just have some "me" time. I poured a cup of coffee and signed on to Bariatricpal and I found this thread! God is good! I really needed this today. Thank you for starting it. Looking forward to following and getting to know you guys

Very very normal. Many people have a stall around the 3 week mark. For you it's a little later. Try not to worry and keep following your plan. I promise you will soon see the pounds come off again! For me, after the stall, I had such a big loss I actually was kind of freaked out haha!

Oh no I've had my 1st gain since surgery this week! I'm at 155! Probably the popcorn and peanut MM's at the movies this weekend. Gotta get right back on track today!

First off, congrats on your surgery and your decision to make a positive change in your life! I'm glad it went well for you and that you are recovering nicely I remember feeling more restricted than it sounds like you are, but everybody's journey is different so just be sure to follow the guidelines given to you by your surgery center. I do know that in the days before I was allowed pureed foods and then solid foods, I was literally salivating at the mouth for them! haha! The surgery is only one part of the process; the physical part. The other part is the mental part... breaking the old habits, thoughts, and feelings we have about food and eating. Maybe a good place to begin for you would be to try to force yourself to slow way down while drinking your Protein shakes and take the full 20 minutes? You're going to need to retrain yourself to know when you are really physically full so you don't over eat later. It also takes that long for our bodies to feel satiated, so maybe it will help with the hunger? Best of luck to you and keep us posted on your progress!

2 Suggestions: 1. Take monthly pictures of yourself... take a front view and a side view. There are changes and when you have something to compare it to, you will be able to tell. 2. Take someone who's style you like shopping with you. I took my daughter with me. I was used to wearing over-sized looser tops to hide my tummy and had a style that worked well to camouflage my problem areas... She really encouraged me to try on things that showed off my figure. Once I started wearing clothes that accented my body, people really started noticing my weight loss! I got so many compliments

As for my pet peeve... its clothes! I love, love, love to shop and buy new cute things now that I'm smaller... but then they don't fit me 5 minutes later haha! I have donated, thrown away, given away, and got rid of so many clothes in the last 8 months I could have probably clothed a small nation! I have to dress professionally for work, so need things all the time. I do the consignment shops, and outlet stores mostly now. I am kind of looking forward to the day when I get stabilized at a size that I can build a cute wardrobe and know it will be there for awhile.

This has been happening with me and one of my close friends too... but I do feel sad about it. I think the reason is because we had really bonded over our weight, food, and weight loss efforts. What I mean is we used to go out to eat together a lot when we weren't dieting, and when we were, we attended weight watchers together, and often walked after worked together to try to lose weight. She has actually now put on quite a few pounds while I've lost. I'm sure she doesn't feel very good, and I know how terrible that struggle is. I've told her about VSG but her insurance doesn't cover. There's a definite wedge now... it's sad.

Congratulations on your success and hard work this year! You look amazing!!!