Magic Mojo

Hey guys. Check out FoodCoach.me. Step Wagner on YouTube, and she has a blog. I found her on Pinterest. She gave me this tip for post op WLS: no bite should be bigger than a black bean. WOW! that is tiny! I use baby food spoons, small dishes and put down the spoon/dish between bites. Also, I looked up Pyloric Sphincter and Gastric Bypass. Turns out that this valve closes up and causes that backed up feeling that hurts (and makes you feel like throwing up if it is bad enough) To prevent that eat very wet food. I read "Soup". Eat seriously slow and small bites. Do not drink anything with your meal. The valve will let the liquid through but not the solids. Also stay calm and relax, that helps your valve relax. I have often made food for my family, high grades the meat and some of the veggie (70% protein/30% veggie) and blended it lightly. No pain, not really yummy either. But I am no longer eating for entertainment or pleasure. Food is nutrition now, not my substance of abuse. Also I am only allowed 2 oz of food per meal, 3x per day and 2 Snacks (string cheese, V8, etc.) This is hard and can be painful and sometimes a bummer. But once your energy starts kicking in again you will feel much better. It helps if you learn to feed yourself without pain and struggle.

Make no plans to be away from a toilet! Do not cough or fart. Just sayin...

I am wishing all of you headed in to surgery the best of luck. Milk this thing. Love your nursers and aides. They are there to help you. It will all go much more happily if you connect with them, talk with them and get to know them the best you can. Tell them how much you appreciate them. They are the midwives of your rebirth. Be VERY grateful. Time goes by slowly during your recovery. Not all will be pleasant, but it will pass, and the good stuff will show up day by day. The pain is only temporary and manageable. Write a love letter to yourself before you go, so you can read it when you come home. Be brave and confident and cheerful. This is going to be great! I am already too small for my clothes. It hasn't been even 2 weeks yet. OMG!

Hoping to her from you. I would love to have a walking buddy. Or someone to hang out with once in a while who has gone through this. I live in the Sugar House area. I am aware that meeting strangers in person is edgy. We can meet at a library or something first time. Let me know. Meanwhile there is a good book about weight loss surgery written by a woman from OGDEN. Well written memoir and clever, and very honest. You will learn a lot and give you plenty to think about before your surgery. I read it in a few days as an e book. It's called Stranger Here by Jen Larsen. Marti

My surgery was on April 8, 2015. It would be great to have someone nearby to share successes and challenges. I'm 62, married, liberal, smart and witty. Let me know if interested

Ok. So Nov_kisses, what's your story? I had my surgery Apr 8th, so am almost 2 weeks in. I get tired easy. Am finding out what food works and what does not. I don't get to drink Protein drinks. Our doctor wants us to eat real food, and only 2 oz at a time. My little pouch, the size of a walnut can not handle mor of that at a time. It is odd, but I am doing it. I was working for a company that I didn't like (accountant) and so I quit, made the appointment for the surgery and here I am. Once I feel like I have the details of this new life down (the food, the Snacks, the regular exercise) I will think about going back to work. For now I am just focusing on the new me. Nice for me. Am grateful to my husband. And curious to see what comes next.

62 Year old woman at 39 BMI. It's now or never. Have worked, wished, planned and tried to be thin all my life. I decided to give this to myself now. I wish I had done this when I was 15 years younger, but I thought I could do it the old way. I just continued to gain. So after everything, I finally am giving this to myself. I feel blessed by great friends, family, a wonderful husband and a great church community. I am pretty darn healthy and my therapist and I decided now's the time, I am ready. I would really like to get to know one of you better and share all the ups and downs. About myself: 5' 5"; 233; 62 years old; Married; 2 kids (27 and 23); I'm an Alto in our Unitarian Universalist Choir; I've always been a Democrat; I was a Dead Head; Graduated from UC Davis as a botanist in 1978; I grew up in Southern California; I was born on Halloween in Brazil; I will be at goal weight (=150) this time next year. OMG!!!

Hey ladies, how is it going? I would love to know how you are doing. My legs looked thinner to me already. And my clothes are already loose. It's only been 1.5 weeks. Amazed.

Sorry recovery has kicked my butt. Am feeling much better. It is getting easier everyday. I have been pain free for almost a week. Although once in a while I get funny little cramps/or twangs. I tried to eat an egg today and that was surprisingly very hard on me. Ouch. Could only eat half. Sheesh. Am amazed at how little I do eat. I was told to eat no more than 2oz per meal. I didn't think I would be able to do that, but turn out that 2 oz is plenty. Sometimes too much. I've struggled to get the Water in. It hurts if I drink more than 2oz at one go. But my doctors nurse says if you fail to get enough water, we are likely to experience anxiety, exhaustion and irritableness. So drink up.

Thanks little Mark! I feel great already. Good luck and write to me when you come out. You'll be fine. I will be here for you when you need a buddy. Keep on Keeping on!

I attended a seminar on WLS 12 years ago. It was expensive, I had college aged kids, and no way was my insurance going to cover it. I was just not heavy enough and it was still in its infancy with hardly any success stories yet. So I decided to loose it on my own. Guess what... So am now doing it. Took money out of my 401K and am using this now so that I can have the golden years of my dreams. April 8th, here I come.

Do any of you April Newbies experience enhanced taste buds. My nose was/is super sensitive. Which means when I do have energy I am cleaning cuz I can smell anything and everything! Then I am tired. And my taste buds... I made some split pea Soup, and it was so good! I added 2 T of cottage cheese. OMG, so good. This is not like me. Last night I was at a pub after choir practice, and no beer for me, and no Tiramisu (my usual) but 1 cup of the worlds best ever broccoli cheddar soup. I ate 2 oz and my husband got the rest, and I was full, and so pleased. I get full, and I don't always eat at the right time. And I have not got anywhere near the 64 oz Water mark yet. But I am so happy. Getting to make yummy vegetable based smoothies with Fiber and Protein powder in is great. Am only eating 4 oz of that at a time. But that fills up my little walnut just fine. Love my new little walnut. I thought I would not last the entire 2 hours of choir practice but I did. The music is sublime and challenging and it is going to be so good! I was ready to fold but my husband really wanted to out with our friends afterward, so I said ok. Then we were laughing so hard my gut hut. I fell into bed exhausted and happy and slept like a log. Was a little groggy this morning. Showering and dressing makes me have to lay down. Broke into a sweat while grocery shopping. Was so relieved to get home and lie down. Then it was time to eat again! That helped a bit. Have yet to get my walk in... Going to the movies tonight. Life is GOOD. What are all you guys doing?

Let those emotions work for you not hurt you. Listen to powerful empowering music. Read what speaks to your soul. Get some inspiraton. LOVE YOURSELF for what you are going through, who you were and you you will be. I went to choir practice on my day 7. I thought I was to tired. But I did go. And the music was so beautiful, and all my friends so encouraging and supportive. And it was hard to sing because I kept weeping. We are learning the Rutter Requiem. It is drop dead gorgeous. (no pun intended...) Every staff, every song, the whole thing. Download the Choir of Clare College version. Listen over and over until you get it. Or watch a Disney movie like Hunch Back of Notre Dam. The music, the human suffering, the drama and the resolution at the end will give you something to cry about. Chew some sugar fee gum. Move around. It is spring, go outside and smell the new world, it is your new world. You are renewed. We are so lucky. We are blessed. Find 1 tiny step toward the light, then another. Soon you will be dancing. You are so beautiful whey you love yourself truly. Start. Marti PS. have some greek yogurt. Plain is so good. My taste buds are exceptionally sharp. They wouldn't like the Protein drinks much either. My doctor has forbidden us to use Protein Drinks. So it's been yogurt and cottage cheese. I happen to love the two mixed. I get 2 oz per meal. But they are good. It's all good. You have to fight to be happy.

How's everyone today? What's new? This morning I received a gift from my mother. She sent me a Nutri Bullet, because they sent her 2 when she bought 1. Anyone have any experience making these smoothies? The literature does not emphasize Protein. Could I just add Protein Powder to one of the fruit vegie blasts? Seems like it could be a good thing?

So now how are you all? Water is my big challenge still. But //////i am doing well. No more pain meds! Not even Tylenol. It's interesting concocting little 2 oz meals. I feel like when I was a kid I playing with my Easy Bake Oven. Today's big breakthrough was adding vanilla Protein powder to coconut water. I had 4 oz of yummmmy! And was so full! Wow.

Today I made a 4 0z smoothie of bai5 Coconut Water and 1 scoop of vanilla protien powder. So good. FULL! Better every day.

Hey Freelee. Glad you liked the book. I am feeling better every day. Struggling to get anywhere near enough Water in. Love having all this time to myself. Love having good support network. Feeling blessed. If you are trying to get ready for your June date, I can give you lists to help you prepare. Meanwhile here's a tip? flavored water (or just use coconut water, I like bai5 Molokai Coconut) and add your favorite Protein powder. I really like GNC Total Lean vanilla Bean. Put in a blender and yum!

What a beautiful April it is. Perfect for new beginnings, renewals, rebirth! So nice and mild and nurturing. A great time to have a full body make-over that will last the rest of our lives. Go us!

Hi everyone! I made it through the worst. Now I am struggling to get in enough Water. So hard. Body is less achy, and surgery pain is definitely manageable. Dealing with exhaustion is tough. Glad to be alive and glad to be on the downhill side of that pass. Whoo hoo!

My GB surgery was on the 8th so today is day 5. I am kind of amazed at how tired I am. it's 1:25 and only just now managed to eat Breakfast. Showering and getting dressed used up a whole lot of my gumption. Am hoping the yogurt, cottage cheese and Protein powder will give some pep. So far, NOT. But the pain is less, and everything is sweet and peaceful. So it's a good day to recover some more. Looking forward to renewed energy and vitality. Hope this all goes well for you other April babies. Life is new and renewed and we are going to be great!

Everything went really well. I just loved all the people who took such good care of me. They were on me like a wet suit. I felt very loved. Getting home was more of the same with my husband and adult son trying to do everything they could to help me. I did miss the morphine on demand! But I quickly figured out that I wanted a compression band around my tummy until more healing took place. My husband found a back brace that I wore backwards. That helped with the pain a whole lot. By day three I was sleeping better. At day 4 I went for a whole block and am now back brace free. Which is a relief because that thing had a funky plastic smell. Don't get me started on funky smells! OMG! What a relief to go outside! Wysteria! Cherry blossoms. It is all so beautiful. I look forward to feeling better and better. Am actually kind of a bit hungry right now. Amazed!

Wow, you are quite the inspiration. Make that jump for us all!

I am 62 and gad my surgery 4 days ago. Looking forward to feeling better and better. Got any speedy recovery stories. My strategy is to stay positive.

Hi everyone. My operation was on Apr 8th. Time has crawled by while I go through recovery. Am struggling to get enough Water in. I can only sip. Gulping a whole mouthful hurts instantly. Am weak, achey and glad to be alive, home, in a comfortable bed and talking to you guys. I can't wait to get back to my old life. Tell me about yourselves.

I am 4 days out of surgery. It went well, I got home, and wow did I miss the PCA! Also the easy out and back in bed. Everyday I feel better. My husband and I went for a stroll. It was so beautiful outside and I could smell every blossom. Heaven. My nose is supper sensitive and the house smells are hard to take. I ate yogurt today and it was good mixed with some vanilla Protein powder. Each new accomplishment feels satisfying. Go me.