FinallyFit50s

@ I had my first consultation a couple weeks before my 50th birthday. My insurance required a six month program. It was and still is one of the best things I've done for myself. I LOVE being fit and healthier in my fifties! Happy early birthday!!!!!! Congratulations on starting this journey. There is a wealth of wisdom and help on this site.

I totally understand about the foreigner problem. My last serious attempt at online dating had me with a bunch of English as a second language engineers. It was fun to begin with, but as you stated, communication is very important to me. Try try try again... On my attempt to try AGAIN...I received a message from a guy I knew about 8 years ago. He dated my good friend. It was a serious relationship. I felt like, gimme a break...I'm 50+ pounds lighter from then, but WTHey??!!! My face looks the same! Back to the drawing board.

Three hours

http://caloriecounter.io/calculators/daily-calories-calculator.html?gclid=CjwKEAiAx--2BRDO6q2T84_a52YSJABWAbfrJ3LLR3nvINyiJ38LqKL9Txw07cK5a4O1RMNav7oSihoC7YXw_wcB Hope,this works...

Thank you! I have some pics and I am going to prey that out. I will have another appt with the surgeon in May. My weight has to be stable for eight months.

I need advice! I went to see the plastic surgeon on Wednesday for consult on TT, thigh lift and breast lift. At my consult we discussed everything, brachioplasty, 360 lift, etc., spending almost an hour with pictures, and questions answered. Getting a breast lift would have to be done later and I'm not too concerned with my arms at this time. I have Hidradenitis Suppurativa, sweat gland abscesses on my upper thighs, groin and under my arms. Had them so long that I just deal with them unless they get too infected and I need to go on antibiotics. I also had twins by c-section with a vertical scar, so my stomach looks like a front-butt. I was surprised to hear back from the surgeon on Friday with some news on insurance. He had submitted paperwork for another patient with similar condition to the same insurance company. The good: Due to the severity of my hidradenitus, my insurance should cover plastics to removie the areas affected. They will also cover a panniculectomy. The not-as-good: Being covered by insurance, I cannot get a full thigh lift, nor can I get a TT with abdominal placating. By using insurance, I cannot do these add-ons and would need to do additional surgeries. Both surgeries would take care of the major problem, and not the full aesthetic. I'm thankful for having insurance that covered my wls and now will cover some plastics. My question, has anyone else gone this route with a panniculectomy? How pleased were you with the result?

@therealmeishere No, my insurance won't let the surgeon perform any surgery that is related.

I like the Quest cheese protein chips. I eating a bag of the sour cream and onion flavor. Not bad. Only need half the by to satisfy my crunch need. S for the price, they are cheaper on Amazon, as are most Quest products.

@@Dee951 I think @@reallyrosy has a point. Is your goal weight one that your surgeon gave you, or you yourself? On another topic, one woman took a year and a half to reach her goal. She had a bunch of stalls but kept at it. I know that I get caught up reading the ticker tapes with folks that lose all their weight...sometimes a 100+ pounds in under a year. My goal weight is 148, my surgeon thought 150. I have been 161 since last November and held fairly stable. My surgeon now believes I am at my correct weight. For now, I will just work on staying at this weight. But I really would "like" to get under 148. The main thing is that I feel fabulous! I'm able to go up and down the stairs without stopping and all of my comorbiditities have corrects themselves. One day at a time.

I also bring ziplock bags of varying sizes. The snack size are perfect for packing Protein powder and nuts. The quart size are great for left overs to munch on cold, and the gallon size are great for things that get messy and you don't want them ruining your stuff. @@Athenyx I'll be taking a couple of days for myself. I like driving around and being alone. It gives me time to think and explore at my own pace. If I feel like hitting a flea market or staying all day in a museum, I can in peace.

@@OutsideMatchInside So true with the vulgarities! @@CowgirlJane I get THE biggest kick out of your adventures! What sites are you using? I'm on POF, and was thinking of trying Our Time...see if that helps me get away from the 50+ set that want 35yo or have babies themselves...meanwhile... My gf had gastric bypass yesterday in upstate NY, I'm going this weekend to keep her company. While I'm there I'm going to work on my POF guys. I have responded to a few, but haven't really been making an effort. Think it's time. The dating exploits I've read in here make me want to go out and experience the fun

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/southwest_quinoa_cakes.html The link did not work...hope this is it????

@@Athenyx I flew from NY to Beijing via San Francisco 8 weeks after my sleeve surgery with my mom and sister who only knew I had my hernia repaired. I wore compression hose, and tried to get up at least every couple of hours. I also did some leg excercises in my seat. Per my surgeon, I also took a coated aspirin tablet. As for food, I packed Protein shakes, Protein Bars, nuts and GenPro-unflavored protein powder that I could add to any drink. One tablespoon has 30 grams of protein. Although I suggest unless it is a thicker type of food/drink, to only use a teaspoon at a time. I also bring an empty Water bottle, I have a Brita one with a filter, you can get water from the drinking fountains, soda machines or some airports have the filtered water bottle fillers. My last trip I was able to fill it a few times as the flight attendants came by with water, so I was good between flights. Good luck with your trip. I'm going to AZ next month for a few weeks to visit friends and do some exploring. I love to just drive and find new places...

@@salmon77 As someone who has dealt with this issue and broke the cycle with my own daughter, I'll put in my two cents worth. SELF-CARE. By that I mean that you will need to do what is right for you. Be it by having some distance from your mother, seeking therapy (professional or girlfriends) or having a discussion with her. You need to decide what is right for you, and that is to also be willing to know that whatever you do decide to do, you feel comfortable with. For me, there was and is no use in trying to discuss things that have hurt me with my mother. I have explained things until I was blue in the face to no avail. Actually at one point, she made me feel like it was my imagination!!!! What I have done is to learn to love my mother AS SHE IS. That means that when she brought up my weight or body, I would change the subject EVERY time. I will not debate, argue, agree or anything. I will simply discuss something else as if my mother had never mentioned anything. My mother does not "know" about my surgery, I feel she suspects it, but I won't discuss it. It took me years to realize that the mother I wanted, yearned and dreamed of was NEVER GOING TO BE. I'm 51 and my mom is 71, while my weight was always in the forefront, as a teenager, and into adulthood, it isn't any longer. I realize now that I'm blessed to still have my mom. My mom is proud of me for so many of my other accomplishments. As for my body...it's mine, and not up for discussion. I pray you find a peace for yourself and in your dealings with your mother.

I am sooooo following this thread!!!! First off, thanks for all the great advice. I'm 51 and have been planning on a TT since I had my third child at age 22, and she was born 15 months after having twins. I'm meeting with the plastic surgeon this Wednesday. I've been watching videos, looking at magazines and researching all this for almost three decades. I originally only wanted the TT, but now that I too have the deflated fun-bags, we shall see what the surgeon has to say. I already love my body shape, have realistic goals and am so excited to start this next process. Good luck!!!!!

Twinings has a Girl Scout cookie tea...just saying...(I'm hibernating....told daughter if she brings them here...!!!)

@jaimielogical You look fabulous!!! @@Rvamom I'm one year post op and this was the best thing I ever did. I researched wls for YEARS. I believed that I wasn't "fat" enough, or that if I tried ONE more time, I could do it myself. I did Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, liquid diets, low carb, high protein and a bunch of fad diets. I found myself losing weight at first then putting not only the original weight, but 5-10 pounds more each time. When I decided to go through the process, I had emailed a gf about my decision to go through with it. She said she couldn't imagine going through it, you guessed it. After seein how well I've done (and spending vacations with me witnessing my eating), she's having surgery on Thursday. I resent her the original email last week, how a year makes a difference! Good luck with however you decide. Research...get informed. Have questions ready.

I used Chia seeds to fortify my protein shakes, helps keep me full longer. Also, you can make a wonderful chia seed pudding that is filling and tasty. As for quinoa, Costco has a great quinoa and brown rice mix that is helahth, tasty and quick to make. Microwave the packet and it's done. Regular quinoa, I make in the rice cooker and use it as a cereal with applesauce. Apple pieces, or craisins. Delicious, filling and keeps you sated until lunch or for an afternoon snack.

Didn't even realize until I looked at the pic again, the brand is Explore Asian...

I too love sausage! I've had no problems with Pasta, bread, potatoes or rice. Before surgery, my NUT had me get black bean pasta from costco. It does NOT taste like pasta, but for some reason, I really enjoy the chewy texture. It has half a days worth of Fiber and lots of Protein. I top it with zucchini, chicken and yellow squash with a bit of butter and chicken stock. It's filling and gives me plenty of "chewing". Also from Costco, chicken, Apple and red pepper sausage. VERY GOOD! It has a lot of flavor and just enough zing!

After reading this, I was trying to figure out exactly what I eat in a day. I've been maintaining my weight for 4 months now and my surgeon feels that I'm where I should be for my frame and height. I don't count calories but try to keep my protein intake in mind when I eat. Im doing the March exercise challenge, so I'll be keeping a better count starting tomorrow. It'll be interesting to find out EXACTLY what I've been doing....

@ My best friend is the same height as youand having gastric bypass 3/3 in Buffalo, NY. I can't wait for her to join me on the "losing bench". I'm going to spend some time with her next weekend. I remember how much support I received from this online community and a friend I met it group. Good luck...counting down the days, I bet!!!

@@LisaGB Congratulations!!! Sounds like your life has really turned around in so many directions. Living in NY is great for the walking. Enjoy your new life and body!!!!

@@CowgirlJane (thanks for the compliment) and @@OutsideMatchInside -the laying down pic isn't one I use for online. My jerk guy story: I dated a guy for a few months. He will would call me all times of day and night, was great conversationalist. We'd get together for Breakfast or lunch mostly as my kids were still around. Had THE most romantic date of walking in the park one afternoon. I had this gut feeling that something just wasn't quite "right". I broke things off. A friend did some digging for me and compiled a dossier....this azz wipe's wife was a DOCTOR! She was in residency, so she work d all kinds of weird hours. And I used to go to his job and everything! What's makes this worse, my gf was dating this guy who KNEW all along that my azz wipe was married, and knew that if I knew I would not have dated him. Damn bro code...Worse, the azz wipe had started talking to another woman as things were winding down, and she Not only KNEW he was married, but also knew that I DIDN'T know! How screwed up is that? I worked with guys most of my adult life, I could get a read fairly quickly...this one was just too bizarre.