FluffyChix

We all have such different plans. My RD wanted me closer to 1000-1200cals. But my doc has had no probs with me being in the range of 600-850 during the losing phase.

I had the RNY and take 1500mg of Calcium Citrate daily.

Wow. Sorry you are struggling. Don't know who told you 3-500cals. That might have been true at 3-4 weeks? But I think the biggest majority of us have cals during the losing mode of 600-850cals/day--very loose average. Maintenance for me is around 1000cals. Even at 900cals my loss if painfully slow negligible. But, we are all different and have different TEE (Total Energy Expenditure). It could be so many things: hormones, medications, genetics, nutritional components, calories, sleep, stress, physical activity/exercise, age, alcohol/caloric drink consumption. You've lost 17 pound in about 12 weeks. That's about 1.4lbs/week which is a little on the low side. The average weekly weight loss is 2-4lbs in the early losing phases. Are you maximizing everything YOU can contribute to this journey? (ie everything within your control) What does your doctor say about your progress/situation?

Just saw this in @allwet's update and it needs to be shared here. Why? Cuz, come on...don't we all know? Top 5 Things to Decrease Hunger During IF: 1. More Sleep - ghrelin (hunger hormone) goes up with lack of sleep--makes you want to eat more! Leptin (appetite suppression hormone) goes down. Helps hormonally control appetite=easier IF (7-8hrs of sleep). 2. Eating More Fiber - fiber passes through tum undigested and takes longer to move through it. (beans, avocado, veggies). Feeling full will make it harder to eat/snack=easier IF. Especially eat high fiber in last meal of day! 3. Proteins and fats - eating more proteins/fats help you feel more satiety for a longer time = harder to eat/binge during IF. Highly processed carbs make you hungrier and make you binge. 4. Exercising - helps increase negative energy balance, muscle growth, building cardio health. But also helps hormone increase Peptide YY (PYY) and Glucolike Peptide 1 (GLP-1) and they suppress appetite. Gimme a P! Gimme a Y! Gimme another Y! With a side of G-L-P-1!!! What's that spell? Weight loss and appetite suppression! Yay! And also exercise caused ghrelin (hunger hormone) to decrease! 5. Drinking water (drinking sparkling water--shhhh--there-there...) - 1.5lts of water a day suppressed appetite. But we know that is a bare minimum. Sparkling water adds the fizzle and sends electrical signals that believes cals might be coming in...so tum is fooled and is full. (It's been such a long time...*sniff* *sob*)

bahahahaha! IKR? And I still can't spell match-a! Gah!

Hahaha! Well maybe not crazy, but maybe Voodoo is involved? I know I can blame you thank you for personally bringing me to the dark side of lovin': kale matcha green tea any kind of tea (except tee tee) chia hemp hearts matcha yogurt with lemon twist stevia and blueberries and chia and hemp heart - oh my!

Totes agree!!! And I totally get that a fully mature tool or even a tool that is well healed, should have fruit put through it and that someone really can eat 1 1/2 to 2 cups of cut up fruit without an issue. And it would go down pretty fast I'd think--cuz of all the water content. I think if you can tolerate the carbs and or sugar (fast acting sugar) without spiking your insulin or bgs or making you crave or hungry in 30 minutes? More power to you!! I honestly think Dr. Weiner's approach is pretty healthy!

This isn't about fruit. @GreenTealael This is about being sleeved 2.5 weeks ago and eating ahead of his doctor's plan. And it's about eating about 1-1/2 - 2cups of food (any food) at 2.5 weeks, just starting into week 3. That is what concerns me. It also concerns me about the hedonism (binge response) of saying, "Screw my surgeon's prescription...I'm gonna eat what I want and right now, I WANT to eat 2cups of fruit." It's also about eating this kind of volume of any food in 10 minutes--AS IF IT WERE NOTHING--especially at 2.5-3weeks.

Agreed! And or if I feel like I'm dry, I might sip during. But for the most part I don't go completely drink free during the meal (I sip as others have said, at times) and then may not make a full 30-45 minutes after.

And you are very FINE! We have the piccys to prove it. You look gorgeous!!!! And I bet Boo tells you all the time that you look F-I-N-E FINE!

Back on the drinking while eating topic. I just saw a number of Dr. Matthew Weiner's most current YTs and he maintains that it's an archaic rule that isn't aligned with the newer surgeries. He says that drinking while eating won't wash your food through any quicker. It already moves out of your tool VERY quickly regardless--in any surgery (VSG, RNY, DS). He said only those people who feel sick when they add liquid to their mealtime should avoid it. But taking small sips while eating won't stretch out your tool. I know he's not the Wizard, so he could be wrong. Just a different perspective.

Hell. I'll own it. I am pretty certain I have an eating disorder. But it isn't anorexia. If it was, I'm also very certain I would be below my Barbie DreamGirl Goal by now. But if being obsessive about tracking and counting and eating clean is disorderly...I would much rather have that kind of eating disorder rather than bulimia or anorexia. Cuz dear lord and bless those who suffer from that dragon on their backs. (And btw, not implying anyone in this thread has an ED! I don't see disordered eating in anyone here. Not even kale would get our @GreenTealael there!!!)

Others will be along to advice. In the meantime, let me ask what's wrong with "bassomatic" for pureed fish! hehe

Love this! Thanks for sharing!

Great to know! I was just stirring every 5minutes until plumped. PIA. But totes worth it.

Congrats!!! Happy Birthday hon!!! You look amazing!!!

Wow! What a transformation for her! You must be so proud of her? Make sure she knows she has to have feast days too--unless she's in ketosis. But even then, they say to have feast days. I think the reason we don't have the metabolic decline is due to something in our surgery. But normies have to beware of it? Sounds like a good plan. There's also the other book by Moseley about the Newcastle Diabetes Diet (800 calorie blood sugar cure. I think it's the 8 Week Diabetes Cure maybe? It is based on 8 weeks on an 800 calorie Mediterranean style diet.

OOHHHH! Thanks for clarifying! I totally misunderstood you. ((hugs))

Oh see? Look at you gettin' all sciency with those big terms! LOL.

Congrats to your mom!!! That's fabulous!!! I'm no expert on this stuff, but honestly, ADF with calorie restriction is my favorite and most easy method of fasting. You mean ADF stuff? Or is that what you're asking? Usually VLCD type of IF comes with ADF. So there are a couple ways most people do it: The original one: alternate days of 500 cals (any combination of macros -- but healthy whole food) punctuated with alternating days of a normal diet. Here's the Link to that diet (not an affiliate link) Here's Dr. Varady's Version of it (she did a lot of the research on VLCD ADF style diets). Here's the Link to that diet (not an affiliate link) Here's the Fast Diet (5:2) by Dr. Moseley based on Dr. Varady's research. Here's the Link to that diet (not an affiliate link) So the science is pretty sound on it. It's a very widely researched idea that cyclical calorie restriction with weight loss causes an epigenetic change(s)--switching on longevity and healing genes without impairing metabolism. It turns on the SIRTUAN genes and that lowers inflammation, extends telemeres, and conveys some pretty amazing benefits like reduction in asthma and other inflammatory diseases. The key on their diets is not doing the restriction like that longer than 48 consecutive hours. As opposed to Dr. Fung's group who maintains if you are diseased, you have to do 36-72 hour fasts with one day of refeeding in between, until you get to a point of health and normal weight. He maintains that metabolic slowdown doesn't happen even in the face of calorie deficit because people are in ketosis and are in a fat burning state. So as such, any calorie deficit is made up by your own fat stores. Brad Pilon's Eat-Stop-Eat method is a good plan for some, but it's mainly a TRE (16:8; 18:6, etc) style of eating that may not necessarily include a caloric deficit or a VLCD approach.

Nooooo!!! Really stop for a minute and realize what you are saying!! The surgery is AWESOME! It's doing exactly what it's supposed to be doing--providing negative feedback impetus for changing your relationship/behavior with food. Aversion therapy. Give yourself a hug and thank your tool for making you miserable and giving you a teaching moment!!! Isn't it amazing that only 1 mini quesadilla from TacoHell gave you a horrible ride on the pain train? Congrats! 🍾

Jesus wept. #suchbeautyinsuchasmalltaco

Love this type of recipe. It looks so so so delish!!! TY for sharing!

Love this thread! Thanks for starting it!!! Congrats to all you maintainers and near maintainers!!! Wooot!!! I will be eagerly following to glean wisdom and tips from your experience! WTG everyone! 🍾

Yep. When I started this journey at 287lbs, I was pretty much bed-ridden. Terrible shape. So I started a super low cal, low fat, low carb diet. And started walking in my house for 5 minutes at a time. Some days it was all I could do to make 5 minutes for the day. But slowly, the weight came off and my endurance increased. It is not easy. But it does get better. Losing the weight, having the surgery, getting to normal weight, I exercise for 60 minutes a day about 6 days a week. I still walk. And then I do core exercises at home 2 days a week in addition to that. My pain has gone from a 7-9 down to a very manageable 3-4.