OutsideMatchInside

@@kimini Leading by example is your best option. If your Dad sees you doing the right thing he might join in, but I feel like talking to him might make him dig his heels in more, you know him and we don't so that might not be the case. Your brother *sigh* is that WLS patient that gives WLS a bad name. One of the reasons I was so against WLS for a long time. I had never met a WLS patient that actually ate healthy, they always ate crap, and still lost weight or were sick all the time, so what was the point.

@@Browneyedgirl41 I took the Vitamins that came for free with my B-12 nose spray (see if you can get that from your Dr and Insurance) Then I switched to just the vitamins I took pre-op and added a sublingual B-12 from Sam's Club. My labs are fine. I can't stand chewables, they are disgusting. I don't like sweets, I hate cherry. Taking chewables was a certain type of hell. If I had it to do all over again, I would have never taken the chewables, I have no issues swallowing pills and I took all my other meds until I didn't need them anymore, and I could have just kept taking the vitamins I took pre-op.

Insurance companies are getting hip to this tactic and a lot of them are going out of their way to make sure it doesn't happen, some even view it as fraud. More than a few people have posted about it lately. And people self pay all the time on here. In Mexico and the US. A few of the most vocal long time members that post here were all self pay, I can name 3 off the top of my head that are vets and self paid. There are more long term successful people that self pay than people that had insurance, and that just speaks to motivation. @@hudjess Honestly for what you spend out of pocket on co-pays and co-insurance, you can just self pay in Mexico for about the same amount, and when you add in that you don't have to waste a lot of time, on visits, you really come out ahead.

It is pointless. It is like trying to make a junkie go clean before they want to. I understand it is your Dad and you have to try, but it is a waste of time. Nothing is going to change his mind except him.

@@Hadenough2 I eat sausage, but I just started within the past 2 or 3 months. I had to find a way to increase my calories and I needed the fat and variety in my diet. I lost most of my weight so far just eating fish and seafood but I added pork in because it is economical and adds variety. I dont really watch my fat intake other than to keep it high enough, and I keep my carbs low. I eat more of a keto diet, which isn't that common among WLS patients. So you have to choose for yourself.

If you don't have broth, get some or make some. Just sweet Protein shakes will drive you nuts. If you have to eat something just lean meat won't kill you. Carbs are not going to help with shrinking your liver. The last day obviously you have to do exactly as told. More protein is going to satisfy your cravings and stop you from being so hungry, 50 grams really is not enough.

Your positive attitude is really an inspiration.

The writing is terrible (like they purposely wrote it as obtuse as possible to try and keep you on the site long enough to click on advertising) but the information once you can pick it out, is sound. I focused on being healthy, eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle over losing weight the whole time. It has made it easier to feel like this is a way of life and not a diet or a temporary thing. I have made peace with the fact I will have to track my food for the rest of my life, and I am cool with it. I post here to stay connected to my WLS and to try and help other people. IRL I try to avoid talking about weight loss and exercise because most people aren't really into the hard work, and I can't hide rolling my eyes in real life.

BCBSIL doesn't have a 6 month wait. Switch Drs, I wouldn't trust them. They are just trying to suck money out of insurance. Having you run back and forth for 6 months before surgery is more money for them.

@@rolosmom7 Your stomach empties as soon as things enter it, the opening at the bottom of your stomach opens. You can see this on a live swallow test. Dense Protein takes longer to move through your stomach but things that are not dense and are sliders, move right on through. If you push them through with liquids, you can eat as much as you want. Long term a sleeve or bypass won't save you from over eating, only you can do that.

@@fancypants11578 The amount of time you can't have things is really short. People focus on that, but really that is just the first 6 months. I had a filet on Sunday, and lobster, took me a while, and I didn't have any sides but it was delicious. I didn't drink alcohol before surgery and I still don't no desire.

@@proudgrammy I am glad things are working out for you! You deserve it! Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Benefiber made things worse for me instead of better. It was basically impossible to drink enough Water to make it work. (which seems like it has to be a gallon) I still have the bottle I purchased after surgery sitting on the shelf. I should toss it. I used Colace.

What did your Dr say? My Dr told me the first 6 weeks were not about weight loss but about healing.

@@mlgok I seem to hit weight loss walls at the weights I have always been at walls. Like I was over 300 for a long time, and when I dieted before surgery I could never get below 300, so when I got around 300, I stalled there for a while, then my body had to give up and keep losing. The next 50 pounds came off easily. Then I stalled again. Now I am stuck at my college weight, just flip flopping a couple pounds every day. My calories and macros are fine. It is going to take a little while and I will start losing pounds again. I have been losing inches all along. Looking at the numbers is impossible to gain weight on the calories and macros I am eating, I am going to have to lose, I am still eating at a deficit and not at starvation levels. You might be at a weight your body wants to defend but if you keep doing the same thing it will have to stop defending and you will start losing. Stalls are part of the process.

I'm surprised at how many people are released to go home but can't keep anything down. I had to be able to drink a Protein shake and "eat" Jello, to be released. What kind of hospital is releasing people home who can't eat so they can starve? That seems grossly irresponsible. You still need protein to fuel your healing, not matter how much fat you are covered in.

@@JamieLogical You run, and I seriously doubt you do it all in the gym. People keep pushing the gym like that is the only way to work out. I exercise but I do not go to the gym. I have lost a ton of fat and retained my muscle mass without going to the gym and I have the scientific proof to back it up, I'm not just talking out my ass. I haven't ruined my metabolism, and it is still working normally, again I have the proof the back it up. I walk and ride my bike and I never set foot in the gym. Exercising outdoors in a real environment is more challenging than mimicking actual activity by going to the gym. I am pro-exercise, it just doesn't have to be in the gym.

@@Nancy Rainey When you are not losing on the scale, take your measurements. Everyone stalls along the way in weight loss.

Toast and potatoes are going to make your liver larger and you won't see a loss from that. If you were going to try carb cycling there are far better choices. Your diet isn't low carb enough to begin with that you would need to carb cycle. People that need to carb cycle (and that is still even debatable) are doing 20 and under in carbs, which high Protein. Your carbs to protein are almost equal. @@johnny207 You don't have to go to the gym to lose weight, study after study has proven it. Exercise is great for health, but it isn't necessary for weight loss and the stress and anxiety the gym creates for some people is counter productive for weight loss.

I started with a BMI of 61 and my BMI is 36 now, I still have 30-50 lbs I want to lose, but my life in 14 months is completely different than it was. If I never lost another pound, I would still be happy.

I don't like sweets either. broth and unflavored Protein powder.

@@Caribear For few calories and more Protein you could have these for desert, eatmeguiltfree.com

@ I use a 100% pure peanut powder because PB2 has added sugar, and I don't eat things with added sugar. You can find pure peanut powder on Amazon and in quality grocery stores and health food stores. http://www.vitacost.com/crazy-richards-pure-pb-powdered-peanut-butter-5-64-oz I buy that brand at my local grocery store.

Do you have to go to UIC? If I still lived in Chicago, I would go to Northwestern.

You could be temperature sensitive. Try warm broth, if that works. Try warm broth with unflavored Protein powder added. Just heat the broth first, make sure it isn't too hot and whisk the unflavored protein in slowly.