FluffyChix

I hear you. I think this may be partially due to the interruption of routine. But I also think it's about progression and maturation of your surgery. And depression. The crap foods/no exercise/no light stuff all breeds depression and inactivity. I'm a few months ahead of you and I went through this phase. The difference is that I was expecting it coming. It's like the other shoe that I've been waiting to drop. You know? So I was on guard for its arrival. And had a cunning plan in place. When I feel the "doldrums" coming on and I feel disgust with things I've let slip back into routine from the old dead ways, I immediately know to "SWITCH GEARS" and change the game up on myself. This does something huge for me...it gets rid of boredom and complacency immediately, cuz it's a new game, with different rules. And then I deep dive into researching the newest changes. For me it's mostly about doing the headwork. It truly helps. And it helps to be involved with a real life face-to-face group (online) who have the same mentality. For you it might be taking baby steps to dump your triggers (ahem...movie popcorn ) and start to clean up the diet. And it might also be adding new workout routines you are allowed to do--even if it's walking in short sprints. You can fast walk after this surgery can't you? And then getting back to doing what you love, running, when released to do it. It's a scary realization that you can have regain, especially when you've enjoyed so much latitude with your maintenance diet composition. I'm only one bad meal/bad day away from regain. So it's a real see saw and can be a mind f**k. But it also keeps me on my toes. LOL. And it's not a big shocker to me. Cuz well...been dealing with it forevs. But it's much easier mentally and emotionally taking off 2lbs than it is taking off twenty. I'd rather eat miserly for 2-4days rather than 4-8 weeks or longer!

Huge congrats @RussT!!! What an amazing and inspiring transformation. You rock!

That's about right. I remember getting hungrier at the 3-4 month mark. I made sure to do very lean, very dense, dry protein. 2-3oz per meal. First. Then I changed veggies to be cooked al dente from fresh. 1-2oz. Also very dry and dense. I did not add oils/butters etc. Dry. Eat this second. Then I added 1oz avocado (for the good fats) and 1oz grape tomatoes (at that time it was more like 1/2oz and 1/2 oz). Eat this last. It's a slider. From there if you are having hunger, then I'd add veggies as between meal mini meals if you need with a healthy fat (like raw veg + lower fat cottage cheese or yogurt + Ranch Dressing Mix).

Happy Surgiversary girlie!! You look amazing Linda! Er I mean @Sheribear68!!

What a great workaround! I'm betting you were craving "sugar" from the wine + relaxation from the drug. It may have come from your afternoon hummus. It makes me snacky afterward! But I so heart it!

Oh I pee like a racehorse! hehehehe

Can you ween off of it by cutting it with fresh brewed iced tea? Or freshed brewed with lemon in it? I drink it all day during a fast, but I drink hot in winter and iced in summer. I use decaf and unsweetened. I especially like a combo of decaf green tea and decaf Earl Grey. Yummeh!!!

Because I read it contextually in line with the previous posts where it painted a picture of many of our struggles with figuring out maintenance and the lengths we sometimes have to go to in order to track. And it just hit me about as squarely rude as this old advice from doctors..."If you want to lose your fat, lady, just eat less and exercise more." Those who've never eaten intuitively or have other back issues, may not be very skilled at this. As you say, we are ALL individual. And what works for one will not for another. What I find interesting is that I applaud those who CAN eat intuitively and are able to either a) lose weight or b) maintain. I think they are fabulous for having it figured out for them! I support their choices and lifestyle. But often, I do not feel the support from this group of people. I don't think many of us trackers do. Instead, I feel varying levels of comtempt, disdain, or shaming from them for our propensity to track, weigh, and measure. (By the way, that's my instruction from my surgeon for my forever diet...so I'm just complying with doctor's orders. )

I have a different viewpoint than most. This first 12-18months are the biggest chance you have to lose all your weight. You are only 4 weeks out from surgery. Your real estate in that new tool is TINY. Why WOULD you eat bread right now? I'd fill first with protein, then if you have any room left, have a bite or two of veg. I would maximize the heck out this time frame. But others have a different view on this. I was told at 4 weeks, that combining protein with bread could be very binding and hard on my new tummy. Also I was told to limit cheese cuz of having poopin regularity issues...

Welcome!!

I reach my protein goals on a fast day. I think you should still target your protein and reach it on fasting days...even if that's the lower end of it. My RD is totally ok with me having some days in the 50s on protein. She said, as long as that's not every day. So it fluctuates with the ADF. If I end up doing a 20:4, then it will always include breaking the fast with a protein drink, then having a meal or two in that 4 hour window.

Ok, so why make the assumption that we're not trusting ourselves, because we plan and watch our food intake? I have 100% enjoyment and satisfaction from my daily diet. 100%. I also eat deeply nutritious food. I have a sense of comfort and peace around my eating and my lifestyle.

@Sheribear68 aren't you in the 130s now? Why not update your profile?

^^^^ Me2

What a cute figure!!!

Yes, it will be on the site--if I can ever figure out how to configure it. LOL! I'm working on it. So you can use any size waffle maker. You just center the chaffle in the middle of your machine. You can get them used at GoodWill or Thrift Stores for about $10. You can order this from Amazon for $9.99 https://amzn.to/2GVCDU7 The batter/dough is very thick and sticky. They need to be pressed out and thinned to crisp up. So I don't think they would work as pancakes. But here is a recipe for my silver dollar pancakes that works well. Here's the biscuit mix recipe that you make ahead and store: https://fluffychixcook.com/mile-high-keto-biscuit-mix-low-carb/ Then here's the pancake recipe: https://fluffychixcook.com/mile-high-silver-dollar-pancakes-low-carb-gluten-free-options/ And here's another one: https://fluffychixcook.com/psylli-pumpkin-spice-pancakes-low-carb-induction-inspired-gluten-free/

It tastes like real bread, not cheese nor egg. I am trying to get the recipe up this week, but having technical issues right now. I promise to post it soon. OK?!!!

No wiggle room at all. Very fussy.

Ok, more chaffle experiments. This is my best yet! I call it my Lo Lo Chaffle! 42cals; 4g protein; 2g fat; 2g carbs; 2g fiber; 0g net carbs; 0g sugar. I had it with PB & Blueberries and a hard boiled egg. So tasty. Still full and I ate around 11:30pm. Oh and it actually tastes like bread! No eggi-ness at all!! Zero. Zilch. Nada.

Well, I'm an outlier and my maintenance calories are only around 1100/day. So the days I do IF or ADF are purposeful low cal days. That way on my Feast Days, I can have 1400-1600 cals and still maintain my weight week in and week out. So I don't worry about getting things "IN" other than making sure I have sufficient protein. Cals hit the low that I want. Cuz I'm fasting. Since it's ADF and not an every day thing, I don't worry about hitting some mythical caloric threshold. The test for me is whether my weight drops during the week, or stays within a pound or two of itself. Right now I'm on the way back down from 134lbs. I'm 133.2lbs today and tomorrow will expect to be 132ish again.

are those your maintenance calories? with fasting, you don't worry about calorie deficits on fast days. You make up for them by having feast days. With fasting, your insulin is super low so fat stores can be accessed. So there is very little "deficit" to be had unless you have no or very low fat stores...as long as your insulin is low enough that your body can access them. And typically that's harder for people who each carbs, than for those who are already following a low carb or keto style diet.

OMG! Music to my ears!!! Also, lots of discussion about this but one of my groups Dr. Mindy Pelz on FB says that autophagy starts as early as 16 hours or so...and that it can clean up bad proteins such as your knees, arthritis etc! So happy to hear your report. And even better, that switching up the game and making it new has done the same thing for you that it has done to a lot of us!! You have your mojo back!!! WWWOOOOHOOOO!!

Honestly? If I were in your present mind-set? I would ask myself very honestly and carefully, if I get this surgery, what will change? Because the "supposed" truth from the docs is that revisions do not have "quick weight loss" and if you ate your way back up to your pre-surg weight, what will stop you doing it again when life gets sucky? Also by your admission you don't want to make the lifestyle changes that lifelong weight management takes--even after WLS. Plus drinking your cals along with eating poorly, I just don't think magic bean surgery has been invented yet. I would start preparing by starting counseling with a bariatric specialist.

(whispers into hand...I can eat the 2 eggs + 2 strips of bacon...walks away)