FluffyChix

..nm

I work for myself in a sedentary computer job. If I don't work, then Mama doesn't put food on the table and can't buy her Walden Farms dressings! I started working 3 days after surgery. The end. I was helping prepare dinner for the fam and folding clothes the day I came home from hospital (1 day after surgery).

Live today. You do you. There is NO cookie cutter solution to weight loss even post surgery. You must find a style/type of eating that you can do long term the rest of your life. It needs to be extensible, meaning that you have to be able to do the short term weight loss mode and then convert it down the road to maintenance level macros. Take care of your food and exercise every day and the future will take care of itself. If what you're doing today isn't working? Reprogram and move forward. The end. Tomorrow ALWAYS takes care of itself one way or another. I'm almost 5 months out and I average between 600-750 per day. I get 65-75g of protein daily (90% of that is from food); eat around 25g net carbs; and healthy fat like avocados, seeds, olive oil fills the balance of the calories. I eat ALMOST a pound a day of leafy and low glycemic veggies and have 1 serving of berries daily. I eat extremely healthy and nutrient dense mostly whole foods without being fanatical about it. I'm a mid-hedonist meaning that I do employ the help of some small amounts of super low/no cal, super low carb/no sugar, super low/no fat prepared dressings, sauces, marinades, and gravies (no it's not ice cubes). I tried raising my calories to 800-850/day in order to "be like everyone else" on here who spout about 1000-1200 cals per day. And I personally can't do it. My monthly weight loss was cut in half from about 14lbs/mnth to 7lbs/mnth. I don't know about you, but I did NOT just rearrange my innards only to be satisfied with losing 6-7lbs per month! Plus, why do I need to artificially "supplement" my diet with extra calories or fat I don't need -- I have plenty of fat stores on my ass -- or "empty junk calories" from treats that I don't crave anymore? If I'm hungry I eat. But I'm rarely if ever hungry. If I don't eat by the clock, I would accidentally skip meals. I eat schedule "meals" - rarely is a meal over 200cals--RARELY: B-protein coffee (about 3oz of Premier Protein mixed with 3oz of Silk Cashew Milk which has calcium, vit D for 25 cals/cup) spread across 3 cups of decaff brewed coffee Second Brekky-protein forward meal with some kind of leafy greens Lunch-protein forward meal with some kind of leafy greens and raw veggie or cooked "green soup" Dinner-protein forward meal with some kind of cooked veg + avo/tomato salad BS-If necessary, anything I need to complete my food plan for the day. Or just a sf popsicle. Good luck finding your way! You will do it!!!

((hugs and so sorry you're dealing with this)) If the cardiologist doesn't order these tests, please make sure to request them--forcefully if nec: 1. Echo with whatever contrast or full voodoo they do so well. (There is a "lesser one" and a full one. You want the full one.) 2. Perhaps an MRI if the echo is inconclusive. 3. You want a holter monitor test where you wear the holter over the weekend. The weekend! Not just overnight on a weekday. Then you want to precipitate attacks by doing whatever you are doing when it happens. If nec, go straight to the ER if you feel bad, while your symptoms are peaking. Don't wait to not go. So get ready first. Do your whatever, bring on an episode, and go to the ER. Then insist on cardiac labs being done--maybe even ask about blood gases? Hang in there and keep pushing to get attention about this.

I'm so sorry to hear this. ((hugs)) And at last! Some explanations and a bit of sleep and maybe the stress will start to reside too! Again, huge hugs and bless your heart. Please ask your PCP for the referral to the GI doc asap and don't dic with your surgeon. If for no other reason, than this is something that your internist (PCP) handles coordination of since it involves your total health. Of course, keep the surgeon in the loop, but it's ridic he won't give you an official dx. You need that and deserve it. And he forked up and SHOULD have done the GI series prior to surg. He's probably terrified this will come back to haunt him. You can relay to the GI doc that he doesn't want you to have another EGD right away. But there IS other meds: (things like a GI cocktail, anti-spasmodics and WAY better antacids than OTC drugs in addition to omeprazol. Things that will help soothe the inflammation in the esophagus. And there may even be a specialized diet (on top of the puree or soft diet) that will help that will mean you avoid certain foods that are high acid, or whatevs. There are special exercise that might help and it is entirely possible that core strengthening might provide a little added help. I second the request for a speech therapy eval. Hope you feel more relief and get better answers soon!

LOL, not in Texas, they don't bahahahahaaha, but we're catchin' up.

Make your own stuff or buy low carb products. Google low carb tortillas. Oy! Cheese Taco Shells Cauliflower Tortillas Psylli Wraps Mission Low Carb Tortillas Street Taco Size Corn Tortillas I'm not Latina, but I may as well be--I love Mexican food that much! Breakfast: egg and beans, egg and beans breakfast taco, eggs and salsa, did I mention breakfast tacos? Lunch: salad, meat wraps, or make a wrap with a low carb tortilla, or street taco filled with either beans, cheese, fish, shrimp, cilantro, salsa (you'll want to start out with mild salsa), slow cooked moist meats of all kinds flavored with adobo or chiles or your favoritivo Dominican marinade. Dinner: make your favorite dinner using these low carb products listed above. Ditch the rice in favor of cauliflower rice. Don't bread or deep fry rellenos, simply stuff the peppers or chiles with your favorite slow cooked shredded meats and well-cooked veg without breading, then bake with your sauce and a little queso fresco. Cut your thickeners in half with each recipe--they will be a little runnier, but still taste great. Here's one of my FEAST books. This one is Cinco de Mayo recipes. I'm from Texas and we are huge Tex-Mex fans. And we are slowly coming round toward other regional Latin cuisine and fusion. These recipes feature a low carb approach to some of the Latin specialties we grew up loving. I even make a low carb version of refried beans and Mexican rice in here.

Congrats girlie!!! So happy for you. You are so beautiful!!!!

I'm sorry, did I miss the part where this guy is acting like a ******?

I'm not here very much, but saw this and felt compelled to respond. You are going through one of the most difficult times of your life. You're seriously being re-born into a new person and there is deep doo-doo sh*t afoot. These are cataclismic things we experience post surgery, not just physical and they involve the mind, spirit as well as the body. Quite frankly, I would say, if anyone is having difficulties, then they need to get to a therapist pdq and talk it out and work through it ON THEIR OWN. Cuz mostly? This is an "I, me, my" problem, and not as much a partner problem. You ASKED to have the surgery (that's a royal "you" btw). Now it's your responsibility to deal and not blame an innocent person. (Of course, sometimes the partners are not so innocent.) If I had advice to give to people it would be: Don't make ANY serious life changes regarding situation for at least 12-18 months following surgery. That means, if you're not dating now, don't start until you work through your crap and know better about what you want from life. That means, if you were in a stable relationship BEFORE surgery, and now it's janked, don't make any relationship decisions until you know how things shake out and how you feel after your hormones, moods, etc have calmed the fuc* down. And lastly, if you have a fella that's good as gold and loyal and true, you should give the therapist and yourself a serious talking to, cuz these dudes do NOT grow on trees. Quite a crap ton of them are totes assh*ts. And you should work so hard remembering why you loved him in the first place and look ONLY on the positives until you have found your "sea legs." Ok, so that's my advice. Get counseling, love yourself, work on yourself, and remember why you love your guy.

Hi y'all. I thought it would be fun to post a real or theoretical day of eating that allows you to get your protein in at the individual level you're at presently. So like, if you're eating 1/4c per meal and have a protein requirement of 60g of protein for the day--what are you eating. Likewise, if you have a 1/2c per meal allowance and an 80g of protein requirement--what do you eat. Maybe if we do enough of these posts they will be great references for people as they work their way up from the initial 1oz=1/8c per meal, all the way up to 1c=8oz per meal! I know it will sure help me. I'll start by giving a hypothetical example for me when I'm 6 weeks out--on a "good day". You can put everything you're eating, but really I'm just thinking to put the protein component only and if you have room to also eat some veggie and then higher glycemic carb, God bless you! (Oh the big goal is to get as much of your food from whole food sources rather than protein powders/bars/shakes etc.) Ok, let's play! Goal: 1/4c Food per meal/snack; 74g Protein/day B: 1 jumbo egg + 1 tsp unsalted KG butter (8g P) MS: 1/4c HEB 0%Fat Greek Yogurt + 1oz froz blueberries + 6g slivered almonds + 10g protein powder (15g P) L: 2oz stewed chicken thighs + 1tbsp salsa (14g P) AS: 1/8c homemade sf fluffernutter (peanut butter/marshmallow dip) + 5g protein powder + 1oz GS apple (10g P) D: 1/8c homemade 2Alarm chili + 1 tbsp pintos + 1 tbsp grated cheddar + 1 tbsp salsa + 1 tsp sour cream (17g P) BS: 1/4c 2% Daisy cottage cheese + 6g Vitacost peanut butter powder (10g P) Daily Totals: 670cals; 74g Protein; 30g Fat; 29g Carb; 11g Fiber; 18g Net Carbs; 10g naturally occurring sugars

Ok, I'm old, cheap, and broke. No way can I afford to pay to have my hair colored--especially when I would need touch-ups every 4-6 weeks! Eeek! Do any of you color your own hair? If so, which brands of color do you like the best? Which look the most natural? I have a significant amount of grey. I know grey is in, but my grey just looks kinda drab. So the question is, do I emphasize it's pop and bleach it lighter then do that grey toner thing? And really make it pop? Or do I try to cover it? I'm maybe 25-40% grey? Hard for me to be objective and estimate it. (I know I don't want to look like I just poured a bottle of jet black over my head and look like Roy Orbison...) Ok shoot with your best stuff!

Good times!

Thank you! My whole life I've wanted to know how to spell that word! Next up: lying - as in you are lying about that...

It's normal and called carb withdrawal or keto flu. It sucks, but is something that must be endured. I tell people, it's much better to get the pre-surgery act together and go through this hell BEFORE you're also recovering from surgery. It should get better in a week or two. Dr. Westman (low carb diet doc at Duke) says to take 1tsp MOM daily, 1-2 cups of bouillon daily, and make sure you're very hydrated. It's caused from rapid dehydration in the cells and also from switching from burning glucose to fat.

Hey y'all! Anyone here want to be friends on MFP? I'm thinking about doing a challenge or bootcamp group. Here's my nic: littlegibbs62 (I think that's right!) Drop a pm with your nic to me or post it here--depending on how private you want to be!

Yay!!! Congrats girlie!!! Hope you heal quickly! Can't wait to hear your reports!

Ok, so I technically sorta already made my 3month post in the 12 Weeks post-op post. Trouble is there are 4.33 weeks in a month from Jan.1 - Dec.31. LOL. And that can fork with a borderline OCD person's little parsimonious heart! *snort* *double ha* But technically, this is my 3 month surgiversary (Feb 20, 2018 to May 20, 2018) and I look back, shake my head and wonder where the time went?" It can't possibly have flown by so quickly, can it? I also feel like now, the weight loss post surgery, is finally adding up in a significant manner. ATHW 325lbs HW 287.4lbs SD 222.4lbs CW 183.0lbs -39.4lbs lost since surgery day (it averages to approximately 13lbs/month rate of loss going from surg day to the 20th of each month) -104.4lbs lost overall from highest weight (recent) -142lbs lost overall from my all time highest weight -12 inches lost in my waist measurement (48in waist at my HW and 36in waist today) Of course, I complicate matters because on here and in my stats, I actually track my monthly loss from the 1st of the month through the last day of each month. LOL. Good times! So the true surgiversary date is more of a minor celebration of data. Hahahaha! I feel great--except for this stupid antibiotic rash I've got going and the nausea that goes with it. Bactrim SUCKS wind! And I truly don't know that my UTI feels any better. I only have 3 pills left (hallelujah-praise Jesus, Mary and Joseph and all the saints!) and I'm still having bad bladder spasms and feelings of frequency. So I'm afraid he's gonna send me to a specialist. YUCK. Ok, well it's time for me to go get ready to walk the nature reserve with Mr. F! Then home to make green eggs and bacons! ha! A friend gave us some of her yard eggs from her Araucana chickens. They lay the most beautiful eggs! Here's what they look like--like true Easter Eggies!

Thank you sweetie!! How are YOU doing these days???! Come tell us and report all!

There's an awesome book, that I kinda look on as the "bible" of low carb sports physiology that debunks a lot of the myths that circulate about low carb keto diets. Written by two docs who are very well-respected researchers at the fore-front of sports medicine and endurance athletics science. The Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance - by Drs. Stephen Phinney and Jeff Volek It's a pretty mind-blowing book, actually.

LVE this! Ha!

Go girl! Go!!!! Gosh it would be fun if we could do a girls bbb cruise! (3 day-cheap) and all have a whoppin' great time!

Happy Saturday everyone! I have an NSV to report! Thanks to the long-suffering Mr. F, we went thrifting today. It was senior day at Goodwill! Woooohooooo! Anyone over 55 gets 30% off! So I finally found some stuff!!!! Yippee! Thah crahps ah sayuved!!!! And low and behold size 18s were already loose enough on me, that I said to myself, "Self, you will spend $3-5 on these pants and get to wear them exactly 3-4 weeks before they are "pants on the ground" like the rest of your sad-monkey pants in the closet!" Sooooo I braved the 16's!!! Ha! And guess the fu*k what???? They fit! Whahhhhhh? For $25 bucks today, I got 3 pair of pants, a shirt, and a black thin cardigan to throw on at restaurants or in movies when I get chilly (which is always). It will fit me in about 10 lbs. 1 pair size 16 black pants - Jones of New York 1 pair size 16 black and white tiny print pull on cotton capris (can't remember brand, but think it's a good one) 1 pair size 16 denim jeggings by Lane Bryant's slutty sister, Ashley Stuart 1 gap batiste cotton pin tucked shirt with these cute little beads around the neckline 1 thin acrylic black cardigan. Ha!!!! OMG. I swear, I'm still way big, but I'm wearing a size 16. I completely breezed past the 18s in my magic pants! *snort* Now I can safely relinquish the big clothes in my closet at the clothing swap at the support group at the first of June! Bahahahaahaha! So dang cool. I don't even care if the jeggings make my ass look big!

Love the new avatar @MIZ60!!