FluffyChix

LOL. You KNOW the answer to this is "NO!" Right? It's ONE only ONE 4th of July, girl...seriously. Have it next year. Remember your "Why". As in, "Why, did I have surgery." And embrace that "why." Love on it hard. Memorize it. Focus on it. Keep it near to you. You can DO this!!

Congrats!!! That's fantastic!!!

YUM!!!! Love it!!

Ah, my favorite subject all the way through this journey!!!

I think our ADA and government along with the food industry wants to keep us helpless. Not only about diabetes, but about the progressive worsening fate of obesity. Our WLS is a tool, but it takes our action to use that tool correctly and with the proper foods. Right? Whatever that "proper" meal plan is for you long term. Here's the Lie:

Ha! Fair warning! They H-A-T-E it lol!!! Unless booze is involved for them—which is major buzzkill for us!

Know your "WHY". Why are you doing IF? This is a fantastic presentation from Low Carb Down Under. (not trying to bias anyone in favor of LCHF and not carbphobic).

More Edward V.

Yay you!!! Congrats to you!!!! Keep going until YOU are comfortable in YOU!!!

You got this girl. It's just a finite period of time. It will pass quickly. LOL, keep chanting that with your decaff!! (((hugs)))

Gosh girl!!! Doesn't it bite? And I don't even give him "lovely parting gifts for playing." LOL! I just wonder how we are so successful effing our minds up? LOL!!! Give Mr. Sue a hug from Mr. F. LOL. ((hugs)) Hugs to you dear friend! I wish I could wave a magic wand. I kinda think we need love goggles for ourselves and maybe that would be the remedy? But dunno. *le sigh*

Thanks!

Body dysmorphia. It's real. ((hugs)) One of the things that helped me and Mr. F. hates is my "Am I bigger or smaller than her?" game. He HATES it. But it is helping me see myself at my real size. I pick someone out who I think is WAY smaller than me and who is someone I perceive to have a perfect size/shape. Then I ask him, "Bigger or smaller." And he has to answer honestly. Then I spend a couple minutes scoping her out to try to memorize that look and I try to "feel" that shape. Does that make any sense? I'm ALWAYS surprised when he says, "Smaller." Always.

My doc also counts protein drinks as part of our fluid goal. But if you are about to go to sleep, I would maybe do an ounce or two of protein drink (to help keep you satiated during sleep), then get some water down. Then begin the next morning with an active plan on how you get your protein in and your water!!! Hydration is king. You gotta stay hydrated! It won't kill ya if you don't make your protein goal for the day...

((hugs)) Glad you are working towards a solution. The time will pass quickly hon. Come vent as much as you want to us!! Can you do decaff green tea? ((hugs)) So glad it's gonna get fixed!

Take advantage of this time. ^^^This is the best advice!!! It is supposed to be hard to eat. It is supposed to be "no" interest in food. I swear it all comes back in the end. Then you have to fight it. So spend the time learning how to build brand new healthy relationships and eating habits. Spend the time reading, walking, taking up a creative outlet that keeps your mind, and senses engaged and activated. You do need to get your minimum protein each day. You do. You have to figure out a way to do it. That's part of the process. For me, it was easy to get my 50-70g of protein per day. I did protein lattes, protein ice teas, protein broths/soups, yogurt with protein in it, cottage cheese with protein in it. And I love tuna salads and chicken salads so it was easy for me... Embrace the food aversion period. Get the minimum and be done.

You are going through one of the hardest times in my opinion. The head cravings are crazy! Things that helped me: 1. Closed my eyes and plugged my ears/muted TV during commercials so I didn't have to see the food comms. 2. Stopped all cooking shows/food magazines/limited FB or IG time so I wasn't getting the food cues shoved at me. 3. Got busy! I was a walking animal! Any time I craved, I would make myself drink water until full. FULL. Then I had to take a 5-15 minute walk depending on my ability at that time. 4. Started doing creative things - puzzles, coloring, paint by numbers, crochet/knit/needlework. 5. Play solitaire and word games on mobile 6. Got out of the house and got sunshine/deep breathed 7. Immersed myself here and got support both here and in RL support groups. 8. Immersed myself in learning about doing head work to change behaviors and relationships with food, doing research on WLS, nutrition, longevity, intermittent fasting. Watch a LOT of YouTube on these subjects. 9. Kept food as minimal and low reward/clean as possible. Spent as LITTLE time as possible interacting with food. (ie grilling chicken and fish for multiple meals/days then just adding veggies to the meal so literally it took 5-10 minutes to pull a meal together for us--clean, whole foods). 10.Broke up with thinking in terms of "treating" myself with food cuz I "deserve" it. Cuz honestly? Treating myself with food is actually self-harming behavior. It doesn't contribute to my long term weight loss plan/success or maintenance plan. It's an abusive activity. **I promise you, if you do NOT feed the cravings, the cravings go away and get less and less over time. For most of us, sugar, sweet tastes, and high glycemic carbs are the foods that light up our lizard brains (pleasure centers).

Me2!! Maybe we'll have a bunch of peeps chime in with their go-tos?

Congrats on your journey! My favorite for protein was using Premier Protein rtd in Chocolate and especially Bananas and Cream as my coffee creamers (decaff). I'd make iced coffee especially using 1/2 PP + 1/2 coffee over ice. And that way I was really able to get them down without it tasting chokingly sweet. I also cut the strength of the Premier clears with water and also with decaff iced tea. Both were allowed on my plan. I also added in unflavored protein into soups and made quite a few creamed soups. Oh and I also used the Bananas and Cream and Peaches and Cream to flavor Greek yogurt and make "yogurt soup". You can also make frozen PP into ice cream and pudding using sugar free jello pudding with the PP as the milk replacement or with 1/2 PP + 1/2 Fairlife Milk. I honestly just tried to keep things pretty simple, so never really did the whole elaborate puree stuff or ice creams or puddings. Mostly protein lattes, frappacinos, and yogurt soup. Oh and powdered peanut butter (PB2) is great to cut the sweetness of the protein powder and ups the protein content of yogurt!

Gosh, don't doubt yourself! You are amazing and so successful!!!! And I'm wowed by how you are getting your protein in and your fluids!! WTG girl. At 4 months, that's a HUGE accomplishment!!! AND you're losing! The equation the doc and RD use to estimate % loss of EBW is from the insurance companies archaic terms: "Ideal Body Weight" = 100lbs for the first 5 feet, then 5lbs for every inch over 5 feet. So at 5'7" your "ideal weight" is 135lbs. So to calculate your EBW: Wt on Day of Surgery and subtract the Ideal Weight = EBW. Then you calculate your spec'd % of loss to see what your doctor had to estimate on your chart for your hypothetical goal weight based on your averages.

Oh, snap! Great math!!! 12lbs a month is awesome!!

Here is super info about restore your immune system through a 3 day fast! https://dailyhealthpost.com/fasting-regenerate-immune-system/?fbclid=IwAR1HlPY1-_foaza47SphcUCHqxKuPiFAPbOeW0FR3P2q7Cf9mm02am7ysZA

Well girl, you know my stance...I think at 4 months out, you might be premature doing heavy TRE and/or IF. But, you're doing you. And so glad it helps you structure your day and that you are able to get your protein in. I think at this point you might be a little low on protein? But again, I'm just a shmo on the internet. I know the last 35lbs have been the hardest and slowest for me to lose. Some months I lose nothing, some months I lose 2-4lbs. LOL. But it slowly continues if you keep eating healthy and following the basics. ((hugs)) Congrats on all your success!!!! Woooot!!!