FluffyChix

So glad you bring this up! Because this gentleman Ben Bikman, PhD, who is an expert in the field of energy movement (biochemistry) explains it so DANG well! The study linking protein consumption to insulinogenic activity was done in GLUCOSE burners--not in the framework of low carb/ketogenic dieting. He explains it VERY well in the YouTube of why in a low carb diet the protein is no longer associated with a silent insulin spike. It's at about the 31minute mark in the interview. It has to do with the insulin/glucagon ratio. It has a 20% increase in a high carb fed state. When you feed that same insulin/glucagon ratio to subjects in a low carb state, the insulin remained in a steady line and did not spike (32:38) in the interview. Don't believe me. I'm just a schmoe who's been studying this for 18 years. LOL! Believe this dude and I can hook you up with COUNTLESS professionals (MDs, PhDs, RDs, biochemists etc) who have access to true LABORATORY knowledge...lol

Also, while incredibly difficult...it IS possible to lose weight while taking prednisone. But it is a drug that carries a blessing and a curse. Sorry you've had this experience. It isn't too late. But it will be slow going and hard and will take re-dedication to change in MANY areas!!! And I second the idea to get a therapist and a nutritionist to help you while finding a medical team to support your efforts.

Outstanding!!!! And sobering...1593 cals AF! ROFLMAO!!! 🤩

I don't know how to send friend requests on MFP, but know how to accept them. And I used to track it all...food, water, vits, poops...but I was feeling a little obsessive. hehehehe!!

In the spirit of "fair and balanced" representation: A few studies and a YouTube of an energy scientist that beautifully explain insulin and disease! https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13668-018-0235-0?fbclid=IwAR1rRxNQx04PB9JES0sGzzbSbe4YrJo3PB7sbQYOQqIlPrS0MyRTwtVU-n4 A very small study that demonstrates the need for further studies: Dr. Eugene Fine MD https://www.nutritionjrnl.com/article/S0899-9007(12)00186-4/fulltext And I could go on...but why beat the dead horse... Benjamin Bikman Interviewed on BioHack

I can absolutely attest to this! You can cram pack a buttload of veggies (leafy and low glycemic) into 40g of total carbs per day...even in 20g of total carbs. I am now averaging loosely between 20-55g of total carbs on any given day that net out and average to anywhere from about 15g-35g of net carbs give or take. And I'm am squarely and fairly in ketosis. Now granted, I've been keto adapted for years!!! And I'm now exercising every day... But, for most of us in the first stages of WLS, we are ketogenic by virtue of our very low calorie diet (VLC) even in the absence of being low carb. Keto happens through deprivation of calories or by suppressing carbs (completely independent of fat or proteins!). Boiler Plate Disclaimer: BTW! NOT that I am pushing my woe or trying to recruit! Just offering anecdotal commentary!!! I fully support your individual woe regardless of what it is...as long as it's something you can sustain for a lifetime! And even if it isn't, as long as you can do it to get you to the finish, then have an excellent exit strategy to a lifelong plan, yeeehaw!!! CUDOS!!! I'll be your cheerleader and your huckleberry!

mine is littlegibbs62 just fyi, but you guys will have to identify yourselves from here for me to accept your friend request. cuz that's how i roll...

Ok, I accepted your friend request!

what's your nic on MFP?

Ok. I'm LittleGibbs62

Where 3 or more are gathered we have a Challenge!!! Start the Water Challenge Thread!!!! Go girl! Go!!!

I just use a square piece of parchment that fits in my micro turntable. And I know how hot my micro is. So I put them both on 30 seconds to start. Then do 10-15 second intervals til they "look right". Sometimes you just have to take them out of the micro and let them cool to know how crisp they will be until you learn your cheeses and how they act when you nuke them. I cut the provolone on 1 1/2s at the deli. You can also try that with the mozzarella from the deli (as slices). The advantage of shredded is that you don't use as much cheese per shell because they are "lacy" in nature.

The mozza shells are "tougher" but less crispy. The provolone slices were actually pretty outstanding all-around good. The cheddar are great, but you have to blot the hell out of them and they are very crispy and much more fragile. You could try having a combo of the shredded mozza and cheddar. I just got to where tostada shells worked better than taco shapes. More sturdy and less of a PIA.

IKR?!!!!

Remember! This tool is what YOU make of it as what @allwet said!! I'm not settlin' for "goal" until I've whipped that ass into exhaustion and it falls over in the desert brayin' and breathin' heavy! LOL. Proverbially of course! *snort*

🤣 It's the dyin' laughing one with the head tilted! Can you see it here? But I think it's the one with the German accent. ha!

Maybe cuz it's a European emoji? hahahaaha I said "peein"!

Good Lort!!! Like in the movie Airplane, "Looks like I picked the wrong day to give up eating..." hehe. That looks gorgeous!!!! What's the stuff with pepper and the stuff under the bacons? Oh wait! It's a poached eggie (YUM), avo/toms (my personal tag team duo for success), and bacons? Breakfast of "champeens!!!"

Dang! Sorry OP for jacking your thread!!!!! @GreenTealaelvery well-said! TY!!!!! Loved the children need parents part!!

Thanks for filling out a little more info about your journey! So your revision from band to MGB was also laparoscopic and more recent and would also provide you with the advantages of the latest techniques and surgical advances in WLS! Good for you! And you make a great point about being able to fake anything on the internet. I remember the "Kimmer" scandal and class action lawsuit. She set herself up as a guru, charged money for a VLC diet and forum membership and said she was this total fox. She turned out to be well over 300lbs, and was a regular consumer of candies/chocolates like Snickers etc and an alcoholic.

Also GERD can make you feel the "feeling of hunger." Are you taking your PPI(s)? And you've just had a ton of nerves jacked with during surgery--so your tum may not be fully communicating with your brain. Here's Dr. Alvarez talking about hunger immediately post VSG. Apparently, it's pretty normal and will go away. Follow your plan!!! Don't cheat!

I understand that. i'm just wondering why you won't post any stats. I can understand the piccy for sure!! ((hugs)) Have you regained or did you not reach your goal? I'd be fu*kin' proud of my stats personally. Few vets here go back to 2001 surgery date. I'm sure that was a somewhat archaic procedure you had and that modern surgeries 17 years later are much more elegant in nature. It would be very illuminating to see your history. Without those things, honestly it does call your credibility into account as far as I'm concerned. I plan on being pretty transparent with my stats and I plan on sticking around. I need the support. Plus I'd like to pay it forward and provide as much help as I can to future WLSers. I want them to see my struggles and successes.

And a piccy wouldn't hurt either!

Just out of curiousity, you are so far out. As a vet, you would offer great inspiration if you filled out your stats and/or a ticker to show what your journey was like: how much you weighed at your highest, your surgery day weight, your main goal weight, if you reached goal/lowest weight experienced, and current weight now. I'd love to see your stats. It would also lend you much great veracity IMHO.

Here's my daily journal that I started when I began the 2 week pre-op liquid diet and continued until I was well into my post-op routine. This is the day I had surgery, but there are other pages preceding that page. I think the preceding pages are where I discussed the upcoming post-op diet but I can't remember now. I was pretty exacting about following my RD plan and discuss it at length in the journal. You can read to see what volume I was eating. I also have a cast iron pouch and have been able to eat larger amounts since surgery. But just because you "can" doesn't mean you should. Things I learned: The nerves have been jacked with down there and will take a while to recover, so your tum isn't fully communicating with the brain yet--especially about satiety. Google good RNY post op diets! At 7 weeks, you should probably be eating 1/4-1/2 cup of food BY VOLUME. It's cool to weight your food too. I did both. But I made sure that the amount fit into the volumetric quantity specified by my RD. You can also Google different center's plans and see what's included on them. It really helps to get a feel for how much everyone is eating. There is also a Post-Op Food/Nutrition Area with posts that you should read like "What I eat in a day" and that sort of thing. Hope this helps! Here are a few examples I found helpful: Bariatric_Nutrition_Manual.pdf GBP Diet Manual12611_Tufts.pdf Healthy Eating after Bariatric Surgery 2011_LondBarGrp.pdf http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/rny/nutritional-guidelines-after-roux-en-y-gastric-bypass-surgery.html