SassyScienceNerd

All the tops I was trying on looked weird on me and I was feeling discouraged (I hate shopping). I tried on a cute one I really liked on the hanger and thought it was boxy on me and a little slouchy in the waist. I complained to my friend, who took a look at me and said "Well duh, it's way too big." Turns out I am in a size small now and I had no idea. The small fit me perfectly and I am kind of excited to shop now!

Palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. Vomit on my sweater already, mom's spaghetti.... no wait, that's something else. But #ForRealTho I get uncomfortably full to where I feel like it's right at the base of my throat. My heart pounds, I get sweaty and shaky, and I want to move around to get it to digest faster, but I can't without feeling like I'm going to vomit, so I just need to lay back and rest until the overfull feeling passes. I'm very careful, but it happens occasionally when I'm paying attention to something besides what I'm eating.

For me it's the no carbonation rule. I have always loved seltzer and now all the flavored no-sweetener, no-sugar La Croix varieties are my go to treats. I don't understand why there's a no carbonation rule, and I've read in some places it's a huge no-no and in others that it doesn't matter. I will not go back to diet drinks, I never really liked them anyway. But that flavored seltzer is sometimes the only thing that keeps me at a good water intake for the day.

I am a secret sleever, I only told a few friends and my doctors (one of whom is a very good friend of mine). I won't get into all my reasons why, but I just decided to keep it to myself. I always knew that when I started dating, I would have to decide when I was serious enough about someone to tell them. It's been 9 months and a lot of bad dates, but I met someone in October and he is incredible. I knew right away he was a keeper, and I pretty much dreaded the "so I've got this thing to tell you" conversation. I don't know if I just thought he would be scared off by the idea of meals always revolving around my restrictions, or that he would think I was a lazy failed dieter who took the easy way out, or if he'd see me as someone who was sick or something. But I finally told him the reason I only have a side of veggies or a cup of soup or a few bites of my dinner when we go out is that I had most of my stomach removed. And of course, he was relieved. He said he noticed me eating like a bird and worried I might have an eating disorder, because he knew I used to be much heavier a year ago and now I'm not. I explained everything to him and that I really don't have much in the way of things I can't eat except bread and drinking milk which both give me tummy issues, so I avoid bread and I've switched to almond milk in my coffee. But other than that, nothing really is different except the amount of food I can eat. He was very accepting. When we eat out together, he confers with me on his order so we can just split his meal. He gets the veggies instead of fries on the side. He's just been lovely. And the first time I stayed over at his house, I tip-toed downstairs in the morning to find that he had bought some almond milk for me to have in my coffee. I'm so glad I told him and I feel so silly for worrying over what he would think. This was a big step and the first "new" person I've told besides my initial support group of close friends. It was a big deal and I'm very glad it's behind me!

OMG me too!! I would make bread or get bakery bread and it would be moldy in 3 or 4 days if it wasn't eaten, and then I understood why people would have to make bread every day in the old days. Then I'd realize that a loaf of bagged bread from the bread aisle could sit for a good three weeks in my pantry without a fuzz on it-- I don't buy aisle bread anymore. And since I don't eat bread now, the kids think it's a big treat when I buy it, and only the very seedy, grainy stuff from the bakery section. And even with them devouring it daily, it gets fuzzy after a few days and we have to throw the rest in the yard. I wonder how many people who believe they have gluten intolerance actually just have an intolerance to American bread with all the preservatives in it. It's basically an edible sponge.

My kids are both like this. What changed my daughter's life was Pinterest, of all things. I showed her how to basically search for ingredients and find recipes for stuff we already have, and she has had a few hits and misses, but it's a fun project for her to cook food now. And lately she's given me shopping lists for ingredients for recipes she wants to try, she made a delicious black bean soup a few weeks ago in the crock pot. When I started keto, she did that with me and tried a few recipes for that, too. She is 12 and might be a better cook than me pretty soon

Have you had your thyroid function checked?

I'm 8 months out and I'd say the most helpful gadgets are just ramekins and small containers. I bake little portions of casseroles in the ramekins, serve most of my meals in them, it's great for making sure I'm not cooking too much. (I throw away A LOT of wasted food these days). I love little containers for my lunches at work. Keeping my portions tiny helps me not to accidentally overeat which makes me miserable and sick.

Habits aren't really habits when it comes to eating. They are choices. Individual choices that you make every time you decide what goes in your mouth. No one eats a piece of cake by accident or without thinking about it. Cravings are really hard at the holidays but I found that giving myself 20 minutes and having something else made them go away. I was craving shortbread cookies in a big way a few days ago. So I had some hummus on carrots instead and hated it, haha. But it filled me up enough to make me not want to eat. The idea of the nausea was enough of a deterrent at that point.

It helps me to make one small change rather than to look at ALL the things I'm doing wrong and try and fix them all one glorious Monday. It's like a New Year's Resolution- that kind of stuff doesn't stick. I love the suggestion of replacing your DD with a caramel premier protein shake and coffee. So easy! And a lot cheaper for you. Do that for a week or two and don't worry about making other changes yet. Just focus on that one. It's the simplest one, so it will be a good motivator to start making the other changes. Next, set an alarm on your phone for your vitamins. Hard to forget when your phone is screaming at you to remember. For me, it's easiest to take them at night before bed, because I'm pretty much always in my own bed every night at the same time. After that, start walking after dinner. It's so nice to get outside after a meal and spend 10-15 minutes in nature. Even if it's chilly! My neighborhood is super awesome too, so it's my social hour. I run into folks all doing the same thing with their families. Whatever you do, do it a step at a time. These habits didn't all start on the same day, they crept in. So creep them back out. This is a lifetime journey, if you don't want to burn out, don't start in a sprint. That's what works for me, anyway.

I wish I knew that I'd have diarrhea forever. (maybe it's not forever, but I had surgery 7 months ago and I still have it). It isn't every day, I haven't been able to figure out what specifically causes it, only that sometimes I eat and in an hour, I can't go more than 500 feet from a toilet. Pills don't work quickly enough, so if it happens, it's a good 2 hours before I can safely leave my house or office. It's not something that would have stopped me from having surgery. But I do wish I had known that this was going to be a problem for me long term. I am exhausted and depressed at the thought of this being my life forever.

Yikes, sorry you had that experience! I definitely didn't wolf my food, and I chewed it pretty well, it's just something about that bread. I had a veggie-dog on a bun a few weeks ago with the same result, though at the time I thought it was the veggie dog.

American bread does a number on my stomach. I had a grilled chicken breast on a bun on my way to a meeting and eating in the car on the way was my only option, unfortunately. So I couldn't go bunless. And it was just awful. I stopped and threw up on the way. I had a bite of my daughter's white toast and it did the same thing. But the really dense grainy breads don't have the same effect. We had avocado and smoked salmon on some dense whole wheat type (German style) bread and it was delicious, filled me for hours, and didn't give me any tummy trouble at all.

I've never had CoW with almond milk, that sounds delicious! I don't tolerate milk as well since the sleeve, but I haven't explored all the ways to replace it in foods I make yet. Tucking this one away for when it's cozy winter and I need a little bowl of comfort! I used to make it, then pour it in little ramekins and then sprinkle sugar on top and broil it until it had a little crust. I bet I can do that with my sugar free baking alternative. I think it's called Swerve. Wonder if that will come out ok? The ramekins are perfect because I measure out everything in my little 4 oz portions.

This! I don't do a lot of sweets anymore, which I loved before. I got a nice dark chocolate bar from a friend last weekend and I had 2 little squares of it. The rest is sitting on my dresser (I have kids, if I want something, it needs to hide from them, haha) and I see it every day. I'm not even tempted. I just know one of these days I'll have a craving and it will be there. It's nice that the sweets thing doesn't appeal to me anymore like it used to. I wasn't expecting that.

Oh yes, me too. I told my doctor that I'm just not giving up my gin and club sodas. He can pry it from my cold skinny dead hands. Wine gives me heartburn but I've prepped beforehand and had some at special occasions.

My lovely co-worker who is like a sweet grandma to all of us here recently stared at me when I walked into the room and said "Your stomach is flat as an ironing board now! You look fantastic!" I've literally never heard that in my LIFE.

There was a whole rack of little 6oz baking ramekins at Kohls on clearance one day so I bought them out. Haha. I use them for cooking things as they make the perfect little 4 oz controlled sizes. I LOVE ricotta bakes. (Eggface recipe) with little cut up pepperoni, spinach, and a teaspoon of pizza sauce (which has way fewer carbs than pasta sauce). I bake 6 of those and use them for lunches and dinners during the week because they reheat quickly. I also make chicken salad with walnuts and dried cranberries, I eat that with a fork or on lettuce wraps. I also really love cucumber tomato salad with red onion and that blush wine vinaigrette in the fancy bottle. I forget what it's called. Sometimes I throw feta cheese in there too. Mostly I snack all day (5 small snack-meals instead of 3), and I know that's considered bad, but for what I do for a living, it works well. I just prepack a lot of steamed veggies, fruits, nuts, cheeses, and deli meats and sort of make little plates with those that take 10 minutes to eat. Oooh, and kalamata olives. Ok, now I'm hungry....

You look fabulous! I so cannot wait to start buying colorful pants. I love the coral. I spent so many years buying dark wash jeans and black pants/leggings to make my heavy bottom half less noticeable... colorful pants will be my NSV one of these days!

I think she was just being attentive and trying to make sure you were satisfied. My first meal, technically, was minestrone broth on my layover when I flew home from surgery. But my first actual meal in a restaurant with friends was quiche, I just didn't eat the crust. And it was like 4 bites. Ha. My friend Jill who is a loudmouth (god love her) demanded to know why I wasn't eating and I told her I just ate a little bit before and wasn't really hungry yet. Took the quiche home and it lasted me the whole week. I save so much money on food now!

1: I wear a legit bikini to the beach now, flabby belly and all, don't even care. 2: I can surf for two hours without getting tired 3: size MEDIUM dresses at Old Navy! 4: My legs aren't swollen with edema from carrying all the weight anymore 5: I don't have to lean all the way to one side when I go to buckle my seatbelt in the car 6: Chub rub isn't even a thing anymore. I wear skirts with wild abandon.

Checking in, how are things going?

33 since surgery, the rest was before that. This pic was before I started keto and my pre-op. I've been a little bit stalled, but I'm not sweating it too hard. I'm taking my surfboard out this weekend which is a big time calorie burner for me. So I don't think I'll be stalled for long. ETA: I was never able to fit in those pub chairs before (on the right). Whenever we would go to that court bar, I had to stand the whole time and just act like I didn't feel like sitting to save myself from being embarrassed. It feels really good to not have hips the size of a Chevy tailgate anymore.

I'm 6 weeks post-op and I haven't had a solid one yet. I poo every 3-4 days and when I do, it's pretty much an emergency. Straight liquid. Please tell me this doesn't last forever....

I'm so glad you found your way to Mexico, that's how I did it too. And I remember thinking the same thing about the fruit juice. I wish I had thought to ask for Gatorade G2 instead. I bet my Day 2 would have gone a lot better. And I agree with OMI above about therapy. Feeling a part of your identity go away is jarring sometimes. I'm the funny fat girl. I don't really know what else to be, I've been really good at it for a long time. Can't wait to watch your transformation!