FluffyChix

Good gawd Marge! ((hugs)) You look fabulous and gorgeous! Huge diff!

Yay!!!!! You go girl!!! Slow weight loss is still weight loss and adds up! Never lose sight of that!

Make a zucchini lasagna like the ricotta bake, but use cottage cheese! No noodles. Use zucchini or grilled sliced zucchini or eggplant slices as the lasagna! You can grill them in a grill pan too if you don't have an outdoor grill. So dang easy peasy and feeds a ton! Have fun with it!!! Or make a huge pot of chili!

((hugs)) So here's what's happening. You read a lot about changing tastes after surgery. I "think" it's due to ketosis. You are in ketosis as much because of low cals as you are low carb. It gives us a metallic taste, etc. If it were me, I'd concentrate on getting in my liquids to make sure I stay hydrated. And hydrating will also lessen the ketone concentration. But you just have to drink, cuz you MUST! And you have to force yourself to eat--cuz you have to eat... You just "do it" cuz you have to -- it's non-negotiable. BUT (and it's a big but)! You can reframe the way you choose to think about it and to glom onto it!!! Yay!!! You have an icky taste. Embrace it, cuz it's cutting your appetite to hell! It won't always be this way. And soon, you will struggle with recidivism and sliding back into bad habits and dealing with stalls and regains! Embrace the now! Love it! Look forward to only eating cuz you MUST. It will help make this time way more tolerable. I swear it will! Make sure you drink, drink, drink!!!! Find something--even flavored teas (unsweetened) and diluted help!

As someone who's been perpetually fighting food demons since I was 9 (and this might not apply to either of you), this language disturbs me and sends up a red flag. "Our food choices are probably pretty much on point, give or take the small indulgences, I believe." Why? So let me explain how tricky MY mind is...you might find under analysis that your mind is equally tricky. My mind is a little deceptive b***h who loves keeping my ass fat. So it lies to me daily--sometimes hourly--especially when it's wanting a fix. 1. "Probably pretty much on point" - As someone who is morbidly obese, I can't and won't succeed on "probably, pretty much." Cuz I know that if I am not precise, I will overload and underestimate/under-report. The difference in caloric/carb/protein/fat intake could be up to 25% higher than I should be targeting. So guess what? No weight loss would happen. I have to: a. Know my targets specifically and know that I lose at those targets. b. Weigh on a scale anything going down my piehole to precisely know I'm hitting those targets and not listening to my lying little fat b***h brain who ALWAYS wants more food. More! More! More! 2. "Give or take small indulgences." - While I've no doubt that some people have no issues with small indulgences--they neither send them careening down a one way alley to excess, nor do they give them a metabolic hiccup. I'm different. If I deviate, I stall. The. End. Seriously. If I have a small indulgence, I WILL either regain 2-4lbs or else, I will stop losing for 2-4 days. So my choice in deviating with small indulgences is to choose how much I'm willing to sacrifice for that "indulgence." The other problem I have with that statement is defining "give or take." How often do these indulgences occur? Are they weekly, daily? Once a year? Indulge often enough (especially with a severely broken metabolism like mine) and you stall out. I call attention to these not because I'm trying to harass or hassle either of you, but because you are experiencing stalls. Had you made your comments and told us you were still continuing to lose, I'd say, "Dayum!!! So dang jelly! I wish I could indulge and still lose!" But since you're both having stalls, that sends the red flag up and makes me think that your lying little fat brain is dallying with your drive. And that can't ever end well.

I'm a private person about some things, and other things I'm an open book. I'm flying by the seat of my pants with this thing. Some people like fam, I tell off the bat. My clients? Meh, they only know I will be off having a procedure. My friends, mostly just know I live on a perpetual diet and that I was finally dx'd with hypothyroid and low B1 and am now on meds. If I ever end up going back to my low carb blog--which will only happen if I lose the weight and my lymphedema then stays in control...(cuz it isn't in control now and doesn't stay in any control right now and the time it takes to do computer/photos and cooking makes the disease progress, swell more, and hurt too badly)...then I would totally share and be transparent because I think it has the potential to really help some of the people who read there and who are struggling. I also don't want them to think that I magically was able to start losing successfully again with low carb, when I previously could not gain any appreciable headway beyond a certain 60lb loss (from 325 down to 260). Most of my reticence is self-protection because I've failed so many times on weightloss that it is difficult to fully believe that this time will be any different...

Dayum! And I agree. Mr. F. has heated seats in his car. I keep a blankie in the car and wrap up with it and turn on the butt warmer! Am rushing to go look at the LL Bean online store! Thanks hon!!! @1badassbiggurl Oh, it's a thing, baby!!! ((hugs cutie))

They said in Texas, that we had a manditory 6 month RD program. The way it's written it says 3-6 months, discretionary. And when my doc had a peer to peer, they told her that only some states allow 3 months. So now I'm back in the thick of it. Luckily, I didn't miss a month at the RD's and am just continuing. I will have the last mandated appointment in early Feb. So it's not so bad. Many have to do 6 months--my big issue was that my hopes were up and I had mentally prepared for 3 months. Change is hard. Right? Wah, cry me a river, right?

Are we twin sistahs from a different mistah? Get outta my mind! That's not yours!

Dannnnnnggggg! Inspiration dude! Word.

@proudgrammy I you!

You said STD. hehe

Dayum! All the cool kids are here! Good luck everyone!!!

Wahoooooo! Congrats! Sounds like you're doing great!!!

Dang girl! Call your doc stat! ((hugs)) So sorry you're struggling. It's hard to see the rainbow at the end of the dark valley, when you're stuck in the middle of the darkness. Keep blinders on. Don't look too far to the future. Concentrate on today--the now. Concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. Concentrate on being hopeful that the next hour will improve. Control the things you can. Get up. Shower. Open the drapes/blinds. Go outside. Take 3 deep breaths. Move. Walk. Sip water...sip, sip, sip. Take 3 deep breaths. Concentrate that each breath brings healing and strength. Toss out the sweet protein. Use the cream soups and soups you put into a blender and thin with high protein milk, or almond/coconut milk, etc. Add unsweetened protein powder to them. Force yourself to put food and protein down your piehole. Use vegan protein powders if necessary. You can do this!!! Take that damn medicine and get rid of the h. Pylori! We're prayin for you! You CAN do this. Give it 3 months and when you look back, this will still be the best decision of your life!!!

Hi! Can I join? I'm 55, female, and have completed all of my per-requisites for surgery except the 6mos with an RD. I have 2 more visits which will wrap up in early February. I hope insurance will allow RNY upon re-submission. I was rejected the first time. I'm 5'4" at weight 227.2lbs this morning. My highest weight is 325lbs. I had a recent regain from 250-287 last year and have been dieting since May. Since May, I've lost about 60lbs. It's been very difficult. I am a 6year survivor of a late stage hormone positive (obesity mediated) breast cancer. I'm on a drug that is a metabolic chemo to prevent recurrence and will be on it another 3-4 years. I have degenerative disc disease, chronic bursitis in both hips, arthritic bone spurs on my spine and hips, neuropathy from chemo in my chest/feet/hands, fluid around my heart and a fibrous mass on the pericardium from radiation. I have secondary lymphedema in my left arm, chest, back and neck from the surgeries and removing all of my lymph nodes. I also have GERD, pre-diabetis, asthma, and high blood pressure with 3 medications (and it's still over 140/80). I just found out I have low thyroid and am on medicine. I live with constant pain (a 6/7 out of 10) and sleep only in about 2 hour stretches. For the first time in many years, I'm exercising daily and pushing my body to build muscles and improve my balance. Good gawd, I sound like a broken down mare who needs to be led off behind the barn and shot! ROFLMAO! I'm rolling the dice and betting that there's still a little life left in this pony and the weight loss will help reignite the spark! Welcome to the boards, Candy. It's a fun place and many of us are hangry--so there's occasional drama to keep it spicy! LOL. I'm looking forward to getting to know you all better! Congrats to you big losers!!! You inspire me!

Mr. F. is losing like a beast. How aggravating. Right? Am I right?

Sending prayers and healing thoughts!!!

What's a B-shaped tummy? Inquiring minds... LOL @Sosewsue61 You slay me! You really do! Wipe out on the allemande left. Wipe out on the allemande left! Guess it brings entirely new meaning to "swing your partner," doesn't it?

LOL! https://www.theslanket.com/

I second the Quest Protein Chips! Love all the flavors!

Hahaha! So I've been cold since summer when I really started losing! I now permanently wear a long hoody fleece robe over anything I wear--daily. Every. Damn. Day. Mr. F. can't look at me now without saying, "Help me Obiwankenobe. Help me Obiwankenobe..." LOL. I usually reply, "What do you want now Princess Leia?" (yeah.) Good times!

Please sign the following letter... Dear Mr. Fluffy? We heard you like to eat. Good cooks deserve good tools and great ingredients. Enjoy crustless fried chicken today! Love your wings tomorrow! The sky's the limit--so long as you buy Fluffy an air fryer. Enjoy succulently moist and tender pot roasts and fall apart tender brisket. Save money on tough cuts while enjoying the culinary delights prepared by your little flightless bird! Get the Instant Pot for near instant gustatory rewards. Get them both for Fluffy this Christmas. She needs them. YOU need them. Help her, help you! Signed sincerely, Conserned Observer

What I also find difficulty understanding is that for anyone who has dealt with being overweight--especially during some point in childhood--has dealt with discrimination and bullying. I guarantee it. No matter how funny or charming you are, the other kids will and do make fun of and exclude because you are different from them. So why not be kind to all? We know the pain of being the object of ridicule. It's so easy to tear someone down. It's much harder to build a person up. Or rather to be a supportive force, rather than a destructive influence in someone's life. I also second the part of how interwoven obesity and mental health are. It's a chicken/egg conundrum. Great post girlie and great comments/observations to all!

So if you had to choose only one item, being post surgery...and ease of swallowing...would you choose the instant pot or air fryer as the most needed addition to you kitchen? I just keep hearing "moist, moist, moist" and I'm a crunchy, crunchy, crunchy mama!