FluffyChix

^^^^This is such a brilliant response!!!^^^^

Yay girl!!! WTG!!! It was still fun being with everyone, wasn't it?!!! Cudos!

Sing it sistah!!! ((hugs))

I agree and disagree with what @jenn1 wrote. These reasons are DEFINITELY important variables and factors in us growing obese. But dang...thinking that food addiction/stress eating/emotional eating/fill-in-the-blank eating wasn't at least one of the variables that brought each of us to the super morbidly obese ball is removing part of our personal responsibility in why we have attendended this ball in the first place. I have a crap ton of medical/metabolic issues that contributed to my broken metabolism. But I assure you, when I was barely eating during chemo/radiation? I still lost weight. I lost weight. While having iv prednisone and super large doses of chemo every 2-3 weeks. IV steroids! But, the SECOND I started eating my normal big portions again, and began eating out of boredom, and to when I was upset, or when I was scared, or hurt, or angry, or just because it was there and looked dandy? I gained it all back. Even though I was no longer on those iv prednisone bags or chemo. Even though I was more active. Blah blah blah. Fact is I loved food. I loved to eat. I NEEDED big portions so that I felt full! I craved that full feeling cuz it meant all was right in my world. And I personally ate myself back up to 287 from 218lbs. I won't lie about that. There's no magic in that. I didn't just "magically" get to be 287 lbs or 325lbs. I did it cuz of poor personal responsibility and choice. And if I DON'T understand that, and change my wicked ways in the future, then I will be doomed to suffer the same fate and regain after this golden shot to be thin and healthy. Just sayin'.

And don't forget, what mom doesn't want to be thin for the wedding pictures...I'm just saying this, cuz I do tend to believe the elephant in the tutu standing in the middle of the room always needs to at least be acknowledged. Take a heavy look at yourself and really probe your motives. Cuz I tell you this right now. This is not a "gas" or an easy trip. Do it for the wrong reasons, and without putting in a crapton of work (for life) and you will waste your money. Because you will presumably return in a couple of years asking why and how you regained. These surgeries aren't larks. They are not magic beans. For the truly long-term successful awe-inspiring vets on here, these journeys are fueled by determination, dedication, and a they travel a pretty straight and narrow path. Your entire lifestyle will change. You marriage will change. Your family's lifestyle will ultimately be impacted. And so will those of your friends. Surgery is not a short cut to success. There will be doubts. Second guesses and tears of frustration/pain. But there is also health, joy, and relief on the other side. But it's hard friggin' hard dedicated work. Do it ONLY because you can honestly say that NOT doing it no longer makes logical sense. Can YOU do it?

I'm not sure that our new anatomy likes gel cap Vitamin D. I heard that post op we all need dry form Vitamin D3? Yeah, they won't take them back after several months. Sorry for butting in!

Dayum. I'm so off on getting my meals in! Cuz I think I'm starting too late? Dunno. But had a quick protein snack and will eat dinner in a couple of hours (too late). But this tastes like semi-apple cobbler! Apple Cobbler (Phase 3 Soft Foods) Serves 1 (about 5oz) 57g Greek fat free yogurt (HEB) 56g 2% cottage cheese (Daisy) 1floz Premier Protein Vanilla RTD 4drops liquid vanilla stevia (Vitacost) 35g unsweetened Granny Smith applesauce (Mott's) 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon Stir everything together. Enjoy with moans and groans of goodness! Nutritionals: 110calories; 15g protein; 1g fat; 8g carbs; 0g fiber; 7g natural sugars* *Note: Most of our instructions say not to exceed 4g of sugars per serving. 2g from the cottage cheese, 2g from the plain Greek yogurt, and 3g from the natural sugars in the unsweetened applesauce. Use this recipe at your own risk! Hope I don't dump from 7g of natural sugars!

Yes. You can add tuna, chicken, or salmon. They are all great. I was just too lazy and tired out now to wrestle with what to do with the rest of the can of chicken.

Yes. Both clears I have to dilute 50% with water then I adore the Fruit Punch. The mango is just "meh" to me. Sorry! Others might like it?

Ok, second recipe of the day. This really could be my favorite meal post op so far. I'm an egg salad girl. I decided I just couldn't deal with opening a can of chicken today. So I went with my classic egg salad. And I made low carb "cheeze itz" crackers. So. Damn. Good! Low Carb Cheeze Itz Crackers Makes 2 servings - 8 crackers each 1 slice 2% Kraft Deli Deluxe Cheese (the kind without individual wrappers) Take a slice of 2% Kraft Deli Deluxe American and fold it in half. Then fold each half into 8 equal sized squares. Spread out the squares on a sheet of parchment paper (NOT waxed paper!). Nuke for 30 seconds. Open and check on them. Nuke another 10 seconds. Open and check for brown. If no tiny smidge of brown, keep nuking at 10second intervals until you barely start to see some golden. Remove and let them cool. Repeat with remaining 8 squares of cheese. Store crackers in an airtight container. These are great for egg or chicken salad or to make Ritz Bitz Peanut Butter Sandwiches. Nutritionals per 1/2 slice=8 crackers: 30 calories; 2g protein; 2g fat; 0g carbs; 0g net carbs; 0g sugars Fluffy's TNT Egg Salad (Phase 3 Soft Diet) Makes 2 servings = 1/4c each (2oz by volume or 60ml) 1 large egg, hardboiled, peeled and grated 1/4c 2% cottage cheese (Daisy) 1 tbsp WF Chipotle Mayo or Amazin' Mayo 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp Vlassic Dill Relish 1/8 tsp granulated garlic (Tones) 1/8 tsp dried parsley (optional) 1/8 tsp kosher or sea salt Mix everything together until well combined. Serve 1-2 oz per meal or snack. If necessary, you can blend this to puree it. It's great on Cheeze Itz (Low Carb) or on sliced veggies or red bell pepper strips later in Phase 4-raw veg stage. Nutritionals (full recipe): 120 cals; 13g protein; 6g fat; 3g carbs; 0g fiber; 3g net carbs; 0g sugars Nutritionals for 1/4 c = 2oz volume=60ml: 60 cals; 6.5g protein; 3g fat; 1.5g carbs; 0g fiber; 1.5g net carbs; 0g sugars Attribution Note: Just to be very clear, I was not the genius that dreamed up these combinations or techniques of nuking Deli Deluxe cheese! The Cheeze Itz crackers are a long standing low carb secret that maybe God made up. Dunno. Just know it's G-O-O-D!!!! The use of cottage cheese to replace some or all of the mayo in a meat or egg salad recipe comes from a WLS person from a forum which shall remain nameless. She uses Everything But the Bagel Spices in her's from Trader Joes. I am not cleared for minced spices and seeds yet, but when I am, you can bet your sweet bippy I'ma make my own version and use it liberally. That stuff is the shiznits! And the cottage cheese makes things creamy while adding great texture and protein. Score!!!!

IMHO newbie opinion, that's an admirable goal that even Dr. Now would approve of! LOL. But when you can't even get your 3oz of lean protein in per meal yet, that's a very tall order. Like for me at my current stage, that would be equivalent to magical thinking. I can only eat 1/4c at a time. That's 1oz of solid protein by weight, shredded teeny tiny, to make 1/4c. I wouldn't meet my protein needs much less have to worry about calories at that stage. And if you're saying, no to protein drinks that becomes totes impossible? Or at least I don't see the solution. And since I'm a newb, that's entirely possible!

Hey, is this kitty porn?

Doing great hon. Thanks for asking and for taking me under your wing. The scopolamine patch for nausea was a masterful stroke of pure genius. Made all the difference in the first 3 days post-op!!! TY!!!!! ((hugs))

Welllll.....I had RNY...but I'll still answer. Here it is. Bottom line. I don't hang out with cons. Drugs are bad. mkay?

It will get better once you're off liquids! LOL, I was dreaming of a perfect soft boiled egg and poached white fish! How bizarre right? Of course the damn cheezeits commercials were hell! Are you already eating on day 4? Now that I'm eating, I'm never starved or even "hungry," rather I eat or try to, on a schedule to get food in. But I do enjoy figuring out what my 8-10 teeny tiny dancer bites will be. I want them to be the most pleasing healthy bites possible while meeting my surgeon's specifications. And the food fantasies are gone. My nerves have been cut, so I really don't feel the fullness yet, I hear that takes a while? Dunno. So I just eat my 1/4c and am done with it.

Wahooooooo!!!!! That's wonderful! I'm so excited for you and beyond thrilled! Your hard work is paying off and you're kickin' booty!!!

Hey, they will replace opened product!!!! You do have to pay to send it back, but the replacements is paid shipping! I heart the 3in1 Multi Drink Mix in Citrus Splash (tastes like Tang) I heart the watermelon chewy bites (calc citrate) I heart the chocolate chewy bits (calc citrate) I can tolerate the tangerine iron + c 18mg chewable I can tolerate the B12 sublingual in wild cherry I had to send back my mocha chocolate chews (gak!) and the chewy iron (made me hurl). And they refunded me and gave me the 2 chewy bite calciums as replacement. Plus they sent me a buttwad of free samples so I would know which ones to choose! Hope that helps? The shipping back was well worth it!

Frick!!!! Dammit!!! Should I go edit to erase? That pisses me off no end. LOL, but I do have to admit, I'm not normally current on my shows! Sorry dude!!

Yeah. Super bummed. I was literally just shocked! But you could see that he'd surrendered to the addiction monkey. I was shocked though that it didn't appear they were treating him for depression? I didn't see the first part. So there were sparks between mom and the girlfriend? I thought it seemed like the girlfriend either hated him, or was at the end of her rope at the point that he passed? And it looked like she put on a lot of weight after his death?

@Biddynz Fooled you, didn't I? And your menu sounds pretty divine!

Oh great tips! And yummy sounding omelets! So how long and for what intervals do you cook it please? Thanks!!!

Congrats!!!! That's wonderful news and a super report! You look great, and it's awesome that your wifey has been with you on the ride and has reaped the benefits of your new fit lifestyle! Cudos!

You can call me the Quarter Cup Kid! LOL. I made my egg scramble and it was like a little tiny piece of heaven! Had a crap ton of chewability! And I pretty much adore eating on coffee saucer with a cocktail fork. *snort! Hilarious! The recipe makes 2- 1/3c servings or 2.8- 1/4c servings. For simplicity and as an evil test, I served myself 1/3c or 1/2 the recipe. I ate verrrrrrrry slowly, one morsel at a time on the tip of my teeny tiny cocktail fork just perfect size for the Lollipop Guild, and at the point where 1/4c meets "oops I did it again", I had this instinct that this was my last bite and if I finished the remaining portion on my plate I'd be SAS (sorry ass sh*t). Now, I WANT the taste of the rest of it. But my spidey senses and Magic 8 Ball say, "It would not be prudent" and "You've had enough." Also, this meal is probably better suited for later toward Stage 4 because although I could mash the mushroom bits with a fork and smush the turkey sausage crumbles, I'd have to be very determined to do it. So it's technically NOT fork tender. But I did masticate the hayull out of each teeny tiny baby jesus bite! And it tasted wicked good! So, moral of this story? I shoulda just divided it into thirds and eaten my doll-sized barely 1/4c portion! I'll now have 2 more brekkys with this! Hopefully it will sit well in my pouch! Egg Scramble with Spinach, Mushroom, Turkey Sausage and BH Lacey Swiss (Late Phase 3/Early 4 Soft Diet) Serves 2, 1/3c portions OR 2.8, 1/4c portions 1/2c water 1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced thinly 1/2oz (about 1/2 med) mushroom, sliced thinly 1/2oz frozen chopped spinach 12g Jimmy Dead Turkey Sausage crumbles 1 large egg, well beaten with 1tbsp water 1 pinch kosher or sea salt 12g BH lacy swiss cheese slice 3 seconds olive oil spray Topping: 1tsp Taco Bell Mild Sauce Heat small non-stick omelet pan with water and the next 4 ingredients. Stir occasionally and let the water evaporate as the garlic, spinach, mushroom slices and turkey becomes tender and steamed through. Remove veggies and turkey from pan. Rinse pan out to clean it and prevent sticking. Spray clean, dry pan with olive oil spray. Heat pan and add beaten egg. Shake pan and stir with spatula until about 1/2 cooked. Add veggies and sausage crumbles back to the pan. Season with salt and continue to scramble a few seconds. Add cheese slice. Turn off heat and remove pan from heat while continuing to stir. When cheese is melted, divide into 3 servings of "almost" 1/4c each. Let the other 2 portions of scramble cool completely before sealing and refrigerating for another meal. Enjoy your 1/4c portion. Make sure to take tiny bites and chew VERY well. I also like to top my scramble with 1tsp of Taco Bell mild sauce, cuz it adds "zero cals". Yes, it's a magic calorie-free hot sauce. LOL. *Snort* Nutritionals (full recipe): 166 calories; 12g protein; 12g fat; 3g carbs; 0g fiber; 3g net carbs; 0g sugars Nutritionals (1/3 recipe=almost 1/4c): 56 calories; 4g protein; 4g fat; <1g carb; 0g fiber; <1g net carbs; 0g sugars

Gosh I'm so sorry you guys have struggled so! I'm trying so hard to understand how we can all be so unique. My pain level with RNY is so insignificant, I still question daily if my doc didn't put a few laparascope scars on me, the sit back and wave a magic scalpal saying, "Hocus pocus, surgery be done!" LOL, cuz I just don't feel any different inside, and the pain that I have had was mostly the first couple of days of surgery and an odd yesterday and they weren't anywhere near the pain I get from neuropathy that is my "daily 4". The max I'm taking is liquid sf tylenol when needed--which isn't often. I so wish each of you could have had my surgery outcome!! ((hugs)) and I hope your pain resolves soon!!!

I sparkleheart the GasX strips someone on here told us about! They made me feel so much better, so quickly!