ShelterDog64

@@ppressey24 Your gallbladder is on your right side, tucked under the lower portion of your ribcage below the sternum

@ Are you doing a low-fat diet? I've been doing pretty much full-fat everything and I'm happy with my weight loss. I'd love for some vets to weigh in on this, I'm wondering how this will go in the future if I use regular cheese, etc in maintenance?

Don't forget you can mix some unflavored Protein powder into your soup. It really helps you get your grams in and lets you rely less on sweet protein shakes!

I definitely think if you *know* it's a problem food, to skip it. But there are people who didn't live for ice cream (I am NOT one of them, thankyouverymuch! I'd cut you for Ben and Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk) who could eat something like Halo Top and do fine. It's really not much different than a yogurt, which I can eat without going overboard. I dunno, I guess in my newbie brain, I hope to be able to eat most normal things in moderation and have a bite or 2 of the 'better' version of an old favorite, like a little high-Protein Pasta or low-carb tortillas instead of my old flour friends. I may be wrong, of course!

@@Dairymary Very well said. I do things/eat things that aren't on plan for me, but I'd never advise anyone else to do same or give them the 'permission' so many seem to be looking for when they come here with a chicken bone hanging out of their mouth on day 5. I continue to be blown away by the number of people who have seemingly had little to no education as to what this surgery entails both physically and emotionally. If you're eating fried chicken on day 5, you have no bloody idea what just happened to your body.

I love quinoa! I like the red and/or black kind, and I toast it a little before preparing it. I also cut the Water down so that it doesn't get mushy. It's a complete Protein with all nine amino acids present, so it's a pretty good dietary choice, despite the carbs. It's great stuffed into the baby sweet peppers that you can get at the grocery, as well as mixed with vegetables and chicken for a nice salad.

@@jennycm Some surgeons do that so they can be absolutely sure your stomach is cleared of solids.

You're not overweight, you have an eating disorder. You're 5'4", 125lbs with a BMI of 21. You're not overweight in any way, shape or form, and it's insulting that you keep pretending to be. Can you stop this charade, please?

I'd say it's more on the normal side to be 5 days post-op with no bowel movement. Walking after eating was what made it happen for me in the first month or so. I'd 'eat' my dinner (eat, drink...whatever) then go out and walk a mile or so. Magic

You can wear a tank top under your other clothing in case the incisions weep a little and to protect them from rubbing on your clothing.

@@Butterflywarrior I hope your surgery goes well...be sure to check back in, okay? It's a whole new world post-op

I second the heated mattress pad...it's even better than an electric blanket. We have one for each of our beds but I can't find them since our move to this area. It's been getting into the 40s here and raining, I've been freezing all day and all night. I used to sleep in a tank and panties year round, now I'm in a thermal top, flannel bottoms and rag wool socks. Sexy, right? Oh, and the dog on my feet, too. And still cold. If I don't find that heated pad in a week or so, I'm buying a new one. We only have radiator heat and the one in our bedroom is not cutting it without my blubber layer keeping me warm

@@angriggs86 You probably should contact your surgeon...which surgery did you have? Are you taking a proton pump inhibitor like Protonix to keep your stomach acid down? Excess acid can cause all of the symptoms you're having. You need to be able to keep water and liquid protein down before you should consider advancing to soft foods, so seeing your doctor or at least calling seems necessary. Good luck and I hope you're feeling better soon!

@@gustavio When I'm feeling self-conscious on the treadmill, I try to remember how much better my butt looks now than it did in early June...and that they're lucky to be seeing my new, smaller butt And ps, why do gyms set up the treadmills that way??

In my program, yes. ALL fluids count toward my intake, even coffee. I get about 30 oz of Fluid from coffee and a Protein Shake each day. However, if I only drink 35 oz of water and get the other 30 oz from these other sources, I still feel thirsty. I'm now drinking at least 60 oz water on top of the other 30 and I feel better when I do.

@@Butterflywarrior **Idk what's so harmful in expressing my newbie opinion based in science and prior mentoring when I feel someone is being told something that might lead them down the wrong path? I really don't get it... sure I get your pointto about experience and si on...I respect that...I use it in fact... but I just feel in this particular case, I was giving info that countered the experience of one person bc I didn't feel that her experience makes drinking diet carbonated soda okay?** No one asked if it was ok...the OP KNOWS that it's not generally recommended, but wanted to know if any vets drank it and if so, what their experiences were. Lipstick Lady answered VERY CLEARLY with her experience, reiterated that she wasn't recommending it for ANYONE ELSE and even said that she waited for clearance from her SURGEON. And still, you felt the need to 'educate' her and end it with something like 'but idk, it's your body'. Just don't. Okay?

@@Babbs **Your opinions are welcome, but don't tsk tsk and wag your finger at others who obviously have more experience than you and pretend to know what's best for THEM. Not only is it kind of ironic, it's actually pretty rude and presumptuous.** THIS. Us newbies may have experience with certain things that are very valuable to this community, but don't expect to walk in here and hand unsolicited 'advice' to wildly successful vets and have that met with anything other than a big old 'f*$k you'. This is no different than joining any social group...don't waltz in and act like you've been around for years. Take your time, get to know people, and in general, stay in your lane of experience. I've read a TON of information about what maintenance is going to be like, but I'm not going to give advice about it until I'm IN maintenance. Right now, I'm 4 mos out and halfway to goal. I answer questions that fall within that '4 mos out/halfway to goal' realm of experience, not things titled 'do any of you vets completely ignore this rule'. My reading and experience to date is MEANINGLESS in a discussion of what people do at a year or two or three out. And if I need advice, I'm not going to come to someone who had surgery last week! I talk to people who are right where I am, like Suzzzzz or vets like Babbs, Lipstick Lady, LisaMergs and Dub. Why is this so hard for some people to understand?

@@heath024 I'm 4 months out and I'm thirsty most of the time.

@@suzzzzz Yes, cool temps will help! I was so lucky that we had a mild summer here, and even on the hotter days it still cooled off nicely in the evenings. My husband and I would usually walk around 8:30 or 9:00 every night. Right now, it's rainy, mid 50's day and 40's at night. Brrrr....

I still can't get myself to put canned tuna in my mouth, and it was one of my very favorite foods pre-op! And the exercise...it's hard to be motivated in the fall in the PNW. It's raining daily right now.

@@chycky I had to have reconstructive surgery on my shoulder last month, that's really held me back in my exercise plan. I'm just walking...can't swim, can't do yoga, can't lift weights. My 6 week mark is this coming Tuesday and I'll be released from my immobilizer and hopefully start rehabbing the shoulder pretty aggressively. I'd dearly love to get on skis this winter!

I had felt a pretty generous relaxation in my restriction about a month ago, but that seems to be gone. Very odd to me. I'd gotten to where I could eat more than 1/2 cup at a meal, now I'm back to the 4 or 5 small bites and I'm done. Of course, it varies according to the food...5 bites of chicken sits a lot different than 5 bites of a vegetable. This is a wild ride, isn't it? Who'd have thought I could eat 5 bites of food and be done??

@@chycky Sounds like you're doing great! I laughed at the water/chicken/pee/yogurt/water/chicken thing...sometimes I feel like my entire diet is chicken, cheese, apples, coffee and sugar-free popsicles! Actually, that's what I ate today, along with one asparagus spears and 2 slices of boiled egg And I cleaned my closet out 2 weeks ago and got rid of virtually everything I owned. I took it all to our local thrift shop and donated it, minus some of the 'good' pieces that I gave to a friend who is planning to have WLS I was in a 16/1x when I had surgery and had been for a few years so I didn't have any 'skinny' clothes. I'm now proudly in 12/M and am rebuilding a wardrobe with end-of-season sales, etc. I've bought a couple of things in sizes 10 and 8, which BLOWS my mind, but if I lose another 50 lbs, I'll go down at least one more size, right? I wore a size 8 wedding dress and got pregnant 6 months later and have never gotten smaller than a 12 again. I'm with you in not holding on to anything big...I'm not going to make it comfortable to gain weight again.

@@rebecca wills I think you really have to look at it as a percentage thing...you've lost over 50% of what you want to lose! That's AMAZING!