Cervidae

@@Babbs yep, that'll do it! ;P And though I love bananas I will admit they are a poor substitute for... erm, Snickers? lol

When I left school mid-semester two years ago, I weighed 450 pounds. I finally came back to school 3 weeks ago, and a few days ago I ran into one of my professors who hasn't seen me since I left. I'm nearly 250 pounds lighter than when she saw me last. She greeted me with a huge smile and a ton of excitement, but never said anything about my weight loss. She just sort of gave me this proud, happy look. She didn't want to say anything but was obviously so, so happy for me and happy to see me back. It was a really nice and uplifting moment of non-verbal communication. She managed to express how happy she was for me without making me feel uncomfortable. I really appreciated it!

@@Babbs - "Complex carbs are utterly different than simple carbs. That being said, bananas have a fair amount of carbs and sugar, and so should be consumed in moderation (ideally). Why did this discussion, like so many others, turn into a cesspool of bitchy, cranky people being mean to each other?! :/ I love this place and I love you guys but do you ever wonder if it's the newbies driving you away or you guys driving yourselves away? I get that we're all cranky from lack of chocolate (and Snickers?) but man! Lighten up! :)" that's a little more confronting than I'm normally comfortable with, so I deleted it. But since you asked...

The stall is indeed normal and necessary. Also keep in mind: if you're following your plan and eating a calorie deficit every day, no way is that fat you've gained. Much more likely that it is 2 pounds of water weight. Sometimes I gain like 5 pounds of water weight at various stages before, during, and after my period. Then is goes away and the stall breaks. Hang in there, try not to obsess about it, and focus on taking care of yourself. It will break.

*edited* sigh, never mind.

There is also a huge difference between simple and complex carbs.

INFP here! Have been since the first time I took this test over a decade ago. I even paused to really consider these questions because I have changed a lot as a person in the last couple years. Still an INFP. I would also say it is incredibly accurate. INFP (Introverted Intuitive Feeling Perceiving)As an INFP, your primary mode of living is focused internally, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit into your personal value system. Your secondary mode is external, where you take things in primarily via your intuition. INFPs, more than other Intuitive Feeling types, are focused on making the world a better place for people. Their primary goal is to find out their meaning in life. What is their purpose? How can they best serve humanity in their lives? They are idealists and perfectionists, who drive themselves hard in their Quest for achieving the goals they have identified for themselves INFPs are highly intuitive about people. They rely heavily on their intuitions to guide them, and use their discoveries to constantly search for value in life. They are on a continuous mission to find the truth and meaning underlying things. Every encounter and every piece of knowledge gained gets sifted through the INFP's value system, and is evaluated to see if it has any potential to help the INFP define or refine their own path in life. Generally thoughtful and considerate, INFPs are good listeners and put people at ease. Although they may be reserved in expressing emotion, they have a very deep well of caring and are genuinely interested in understanding people. This sincerity is sensed by others, making the INFP a valued friend and confidante. An INFP can be quite warm with people he or she knows well. INFP Strengths Idealistic – The INFP's friends and loved ones will come to admire and depend on them for their optimism. Their unshaken belief that all people are inherently good and perhaps simply misunderstood, lends itself to an incredibly resilient attitude in the face of hardship. Seek and Value Harmony – People with the INFP personality type have no interest in having power over others, and don't much care for domineering attitudes at all. They prefer a more democratic approach, and work hard to ensure that every voice and perspective is heard. Open-Minded and Flexible – A live-and-let-live attitude comes naturally to INFPs, and they dislike being constrained by rules. INFPs give the benefit of the doubt too, and so long as their principles and ideas are not being challenged, they'll support other's right to do what they think is right. Very Creative – INFPs combine their intuitive nature with their open-mindedness to allow them to see things from unconventional perspectives. Being able to connect many far-flung dots into a single theme, it's no wonder that many INFPs are celebrated poets and authors. Passionate and Energetic – When something captures the INFP's imagination and speaks to their beliefs, they go all in, dedicating their time, energy, thoughts and emotions to the project. Their shyness keeps them from the podium, but they are the first to lend a helping hand where it's needed. Dedicated and Hard-Working – While others focusing on the challenges of the moment may give up when the going gets tough, INFPs (especially assertive ones) have the benefit of their far-reaching vision to help them through. Knowing that what they are doing is meaningful gives people with this personality type a sense of purpose and even courage when it comes to accomplishing something they believe in. INFP Weaknesses Too Idealistic – INFPs often take their idealism too far, setting themselves up for disappointment as, again and again, evil things happen in the world. This is true on a personal level too, as INFPs may not just idealize their partners, but idolize them, forgetting that no one is perfect. Too Altruistic – INFPs sometimes see themselves as selfish, but only because they want to give so much more than they are able to. This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, as they try to push themselves to commit to a chosen cause or person, forgetting to take care of the needs of others in their lives, especially themselves. Impractical – When something captures the INFP's imagination, they can neglect practical matters like day-to-day maintenance and simple pleasures. Sometimes people with the INFP personality type will take this asceticism so far as to neglect eating and drinking as they pursue their passion or cause. Dislike Dealing With Data – INFPs are often so focused on the big picture that they forget the forest is made of individual trees. INFPs are in tune with emotions and morality, and when the facts and data contradict their ideals, it can be a real challenge for them. Take Things Personally – INFPs often take challenges and criticisms personally, rather than as inspiration to reassess their positions. Avoiding conflict as much as possible, INFPs will put a great deal of time and energy into trying to align their principles and the criticisms into a middle ground that satisfies everybody. Difficult to Get to Know – INFPs are private, reserved and self-conscious. This makes them notoriously difficult to really get to know. Famous INFP'sJ.R.R. Tolkien Johnny Depp J.K. Rowling John Lennon Virginia Woolf Bjork William Blake Vincent van Gogh Career ChoicesWriters Counselors / Social Workers Teachers / Professors Psychologists Psychiatrists Musicians Clergy / Religious Workers INFP In Summary ... Idealistic, loyal to their values and to people who are important to them. Want an external life that is congruent with their values. Curious, quick to see possibilities, can be catalysts for implementing ideas. Seek to understand people and to help them fulfill their potential. Adaptable, flexible, and accepting unless a value is threatened.

It's not uncommon for people to become lactose intolerant after surgery but then for it to go away in a few months, or even as long as six months later. Your sweetener packet may have sugar alcohol which makes my tummy cramp up too. I second the fair life suggestion!

yeah, there's no way you could have gained 5 pounds of fat in a week. Watch your sodium levels, drink as much Water as humanly possible, and breathe. I understand that anxiety and frustration, believe me! I gain 5-10 pounds every freaking month around my period. It's horrible. But I soldier through because I know it's all water retention, and sure enough, I lose all of it again and get back to actual weight loss not long after. Hang in there! You're doing great. Think about how much better you feel and look and how much healthier you are now compared to when you began this process. Even if you were stuck here forever (which I highly doubt) would it really be all that bad? That's how I look at it when I get stressed about the number on the scale. I'll take 203 over 450 any day!

totally making this! sounds delish.

Girl if I could somehow manage to do this crazy thing and live this crazy life, you can too! You're ready for this, and this sounds schmutzy but I believe what you put out into the universe comes back to you. And you're putting out determination and readiness for a whole new awesome life. So be awesome.

I'm a little over a year out and I drink a premier Protein shake every day, sometimes cut with fairlife milk. I have very little appetite and in the morning I simply can't eat anything solid without feeling pretty sick. I'm perfectly healthy and doing just fine, but I know that I would not be getting enough nutrition without my daily shake.

I'm 24, and it's only in the last year or so that I have really begun to realize just how much I want kids. It's totally the worst time... I'm still in school, we're not financially stable, I'm only a year out from surgery, etc. Still, losing a ton of weight and having a somewhat normal cycle for the first time in, well, ever, brings babies to mind and I suddenly look at babies and actually want one. It's an odd feeling because during all my teenage years and early 20s I was pretty positive I would never be able to have kids anyway so I didn't even consider it. Now I can say I'm actually a little baby crazy. Gotta be careful to continue my birth control perfectly. Someday!

@@HorsecollarMinnie sorry! I cried a little while I wrote it. Hope you have a lovely rest of your day. <3

@@KristenLe I honestly think he truly did not understand how what he said was incredibly offensive and douchey. SO many people just think it's normal and okay to make comments like this. Some people even believe it's somehow helpful! It's crazy!

I say I've been working very hard (which is true) and I've made big, healthy changes to my eating and exercise habits (also true). Your life and body is not the business of anyone else unless you want it to be.

What kind of carbs did you try? I needed to do the same thing so I started eating quinoa, beans, and brown rice maybe once or twice a week. The time before that when I tried whole grain bread, I found my carb cravings returning with a vengeance! The quinoa/brown rice/beans have not done that.

Congratulations! I went to my campus bookstore and bought a MEDIUM school hoodie last week. I couldn't believe it. I'm so happy for you!

Protein, hot fluids, Water, SLEEP! You can kick this. sleep is most important, very closely followed by fluids. Good luck to you.

You may want to try thinning the shake out with some milk. I use fair life whole milk, as it has less than half the sugar of regular milk and it's finely filtered. I usually do equal parts milk and shake (almost always chocolate) and that has always sat far better in my stomach. Hope this helps! It will get easier. Sorry you're having such a rough time with it right now. Hang in there.

So happy to hear this! You got there when you were ready and not a minute sooner or later. In general, it only gets better from here.

the sugar free caramel with a chocolate shake was my favorite. I ate this often in my early post-op stages.

@@ellsmayy that does not sound normal. It's almost always a struggle in the beginning but being physically unable to drink even a couple sips without getting sick? Not good. I would strongly suggest you talk to your doctor, and make sure you let him/her know that you are not able to get even Water in without being sick. You may have a stricture or some other complication that can be fixed relatively easily.