Indieflickers

Thanks!!

First one was two summers ago and I was at 377. The second one was in January at 187. I'm down another 19 but don't have any more recent full body pics.

@@jess9395 well that's encouraging to hear! I'm far more anxious about this surgery than I was about the bypass. I'm worried about pain but also the lack of mobility and being able to do basic everyday things since I live alone.

@@CowgirlJane I only eat that much because of how active I am. I may actually dial it back while I'm recovering since I'll be essentially sedentary. I'll have to look into something with some stretch though I do still have a pair of jeans that are about a size too big so maybe I'll try those.

@@CowgirlJane how many grams of protein did you do? I already average about 180g a day so I'm not sure I need to up it much. Also, how long before you were able to wear jeans? I'm headed to NYC three weeks after surgery for job orientation and I can't really get away with wear sweats!

@@SusanB55 I also have thick hair so even though a bunch fell out, it was only noticeable to me. I took biotin but I seemed to grow hair everywhere but my head! I practically had to pluck my eyebrows twice a day! I also took (and still currently take) beef gelatin which is supposed to be good for hair, skin, and nails.

@@CowgirlJane how do you know if you're getting that "extra burn"? I was advised not to weigh myself for awhile after surgery because of the swelling.

@TheRealMeIsHere! @@CowgirlJane thanks for the advice! @@Elode that's really good to know. The surgeon didn't say anything about that. Just that I should stay in a more upright position. And I have to keep my arms outstretched and propped up Jesus at the last supper style.

@@Elode I read your post - very informative! I was just wondering, why did you get the wedge pillow for your legs?

Thanks @@Elode!

I had a plastic surgery last week, just to get the ball rolling. My insurance takes so long to do anything that I figured, even though I'm still 19 pounds from goal, why not? To my surprise, the surgeon said he'd be willing to operate as soon as the end of May! Did anyone else have plastics done before hitting goal? Did you lose weight after plastics, and if so, how did that affect your skin? If I went ahead with the surgery at the end of May, I'd be having a tummy tuck and brachioplasty.

@@JamieLogical ah, that makes sense.

@@JamieLogical for some reason this surgeon doesn't require the 8 - 12 month rule. What is the reason for that time frame? I had heard that from a variety of people which is why I was surprised when this surgeon said he could do it so soon. He's a well known surgeon who works consistently with my bariatric surgeon so I don't get the impression that he's just hoping for the money.

@@dohickey01 if the hunger isn't any different with a 300 calorie difference than it probably is head hunger.

I second what @@4MRB4PHOTO said. I work 12 - 18 hour days so I completely understand not having time to make healthy meals which is why I prep everything on the weekend. I have every lunch, dinner, and snack made for the week so I never have to worry about it. Having everything made and ready also means I can't use the excuse of not having something on hand to eat crap lying around at work. Plus, because I made everything, I know exactly what's in it. I've developed a bit of a Tupperware collection!

I haven't seen my surgeon since I went under either. He was an excellent surgeon but not at all helpful past that.

Congrats lady!!

@@OutsideMatchInside looks great!!

Has anyone had real success baking with stevia, Xylitol or Erythritol? I enjoy foods that are made with these ingredients but whenever I try to bake with them they come out terrible. I've found all these wonderful looking recipes for protein baked goods but I'm never able to make them turn out well. I can't use Truvia, Splenda or aspartame because that stuff gives me headaches and triples my sugar cravings. Any advice?

Variety is a good idea. If you're pretty active you could try adding a bit more calories in the form of dense protein? Soups have never been particularly filling for me, but maybe it's different for you? 1200 - 1500 calories seem like a wide range. Do you find you're hungrier on 1200 days?

That's a decent range depending on how active you are. I'm really active so I feel like I'm always hungry which is why I've slowly been increasing my calories every week. How often do you eat?

You also may be hungry because you need to eat more. Do you measure your food? How many calories are you getting?

I've noticed that when I drink water too fast I get really foggy. Does anyone else experience this? I'm actually wondering if perhaps I drink too much water. I've been averaging a little over a gallon of water a day and how found that I actually feel kind of puffy in the morning, despite not eating anything high in sodium.

@@woo woo yes I think I'm going to try that.

@@OutsideMatchInside thanks!!