Creekimp13

Sometimes there's a delay. They eventually catch up:)

I love coffee and have it nearly every morning with 1/3 of a Caramel Premier Protien shake it in. 10 grams of Protein for 53 calories....and it tastes as good as Starbucks. (particularly when I use Starbucks. LOL) I dunno. Can't beat that bang for the buck. I usually need to be up a couple hours before I'm ready to eat real food, and it hits the spot and gets the motor running. Have gotten so used to it, I'll never go back. Love it. Totally ok to skip coffee, though.....Probably better for you in the long run if it's upsetting your stomach! But for me.....the good outweighs the bad. "Coffee is a rich source of disease-fighting antioxidants. And studies have shown that it may reduce cavities, improve moods, and stop headaches -- not to mention reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, liver cancer, gall stones, cirrhosis of the liver, and Parkinson's diseases." https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-buzz-on-coffee#1

Where are you in the process? Are you seeing a nutritionist? Which diet are you using? Do you have any dietary requirements besides just losing some weight before surgery?

My doc says that at least once a month someone breaks into tears when he visits them the day after surgery....and regrets their decision. He says he has yet to meet anyone who regrets their decision at their six month appointment. Hang in there...it gets better:)

Worst comes to worst.....stop calling it a bariatric surgery and start calling it a hiatal hernia surgery. They don't need to know any other details.

Review the Historical Trends on the Gallup link. Religious "Nones" are the fastest growing faith demographic in America. We are 20-25% of the population. Christianity in America is declining sharply. That's not an opinion. That's a fact. Look at the chart...it goes back to the 1940's. American's religious identity is changing significantly, and it's current trajectory mirrors Europe's disenchantment with religion. Less than 70% of Americans identified themselves as any form of Christian in 2017. Contrast this with the 1950's....when over 90% of Americans identified as Christians.

http://news.gallup.com/poll/1690/religion.aspx http://www.pewforum.org/2018/04/25/when-americans-say-they-believe-in-god-what-do-they-mean/

Sounds like you caught a bug.

You'r not alone. Lots of people feel this way.

I do, too.... So when I get a reply post all about...how I should just experience it as "a hug"...I get a little salty. And it inspires me to express my objection a little louder. No thank you means no thank you. It doesn't mean I should have to reframe my feelings to suit the prayer warrior. I experience unwanted prayers on the internet...just exactly....like opening a message from a guy I don't know well who decides to send me a dic pic. I get it...you're proud of it, it's important to you, you think I'll like it and enjoy your thoughts....but I really don't. Please keep it away from me, I'm not interested. It doesn't ruin my day. The world doesn't end. I don't hate the person. Mostly, I just roll my eyes and hit delete...and think that person is a little clueless. Maybe they should ask? You know... before sending prayers...and dic pics. I mean...if you're familiar enough with me that you feel comfortable invoking a deity on my behalf in some magical gesture...why not just ask if I'm ok with that first if you don't know? Forced false intimacy feels fake and wrong to me. Maybe that's part of the issue.

Of course you don't. Because it's an honest illustration of how nonreligious people experience unwanted prayers. When someone prays for me...it's not for me. It's for them. They're self soothing, self pleasuring, self gratifying. They are taking something very private and making it public. And they're doing it in front of me, or directing it at me...and it's a just plain creepy and unwanted. I am not trying to piss on religion, or people who have good intentions. And I'm not asking anyone to stop being religious. The question was how nonreligious people experience prayer and why they'd be bothered by it. I explained how I feel. And yes..I really truly and honestly feel like you're doing something creepy when you say you're praying for me, particularly in times of crisis.......like I've just been flashed or something. it's an unwanted intimate gesture directed at someone who does not share your belief in it or your attraction to it. It FEELS like a violation. A flasher thinks he's giving you a gift, too...but he's not. He's showing you something private that you you don't want and don't want to see. Aim your faith elsewhere...please. I don't like it. I don't want it. Please leave me out of your religious practices. If you MUST pray for the nonfaithful......why not just shut up about it and do it without grandstanding and announcing it? Not only are you doing this thing that I find absurd and creepy...you're announcing it and expecting to be thanked! I don't appreciate your prayers. I don't want them any more than I want a power chrystal or for you to sacrifice a chicken for me. I don't think you're awful. I don't think your religion is awful and I do think you should be able to practice it. Just leave me out of it! Some people don't value prayer and don't believe in God/s. We're allowed. So, kindly knock it off. No means no.

Why do I have to have enough sense not to say anything that doubts faith when they're in crisis (and I don't because I'm not an asshat)....but they can piss on my beliefs all they like when I'm in crisis and it's "a gift"? That's insane. I get it...prayer comforts THEM. That's not a hug for me...that's them masturbating in front of me. it's offputting as hell.

And you know...it cuts both ways. If i'm with a religous friend and they want to pray for something, or it's an event with religion included, a funeral, wedding, etc.....and people are praying....I'll bow my head and quietly be polite. I will outwardly honor their traditions so I'm not disruptive......particularly when they are in crisis and need support. When people need support...support them! Don't interject a faith they don't share. I'm not gonna go to a Christian funeral and read Dawkins and expect to be thanked for it. I'm going to give a hug, be sympathetic, and not disrupt their rituals or things that give them comfort. At my own funeral....I hope someone reads this: And I hope no one prays. Not even a little. We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones. Most people are never going to die because they are never going to be born. The potential people who could have been here in my place but who will in fact never see the light of day outnumber the sand grains of Arabia. Certainly those unborn ghosts include greater poets than Keats, scientists greater than Newton. We know this because the set of possible people allowed by our DNA so massively exceeds the set of actual people. In the teeth of these stupefying odds it is you and I, in our ordinariness, that are here. We privileged few, who won the lottery of birth against all odds, how dare we whine at our inevitable return to that prior state from which the vast majority have never stirred? Richard Dawkins

I was in denial about how fat I was at 270, I didn't feel that fat. I figured...meh...I'm kinda chunky. I conditioned myself to be very blind to my weight. Baggy shirts, long sweaters, great shoes. I look pretty average, right? I didn't...but I really thought I did. Looking in the mirror didn't bother me. Losing endurance, energy, etc didn't bother me...I made excuses...Hell, I'm getting older, I'm slowing down and getting creaky. It is what it is. I avoided addressing it. Then, one day, my blood glucose test came back at the doctor's office prediabetic for the second time in a row. For whatever reason...THAT hit home. THAT made me go...oh my god...my health is being seriously affected by this, this will take years off my life. My leg swelling got worse, and I thought....Ok, I'm in trouble. This is bad. Now, looking back at the old photos....I'm going...Wow...I really had no idea.

Overweight (not obese), if BMI is 25.0 to 29.9. Class 1 (low-risk) obesity, if BMI is 30.0 to 34.9. Class 2 (moderate-risk) obesity, if BMI is 35.0 to 39.9. Class 3 (high-risk) obesity, if BMI is equal to or greater than 40.0. From the World Health Organization: Any BMI ≥ 35 - 40 is severe obesity A BMI of ≥ 40–44.9 is morbid obesity A BMI of ≥ 45 or 50 is super obese I was morbidly obese when I started this crazy ride. While I hate the words...they're true. Fat was killing me.

They don't offend me. It doesn't offend me when someone says they'll rub chrystals and burn sage for me, either....but I think it's just as pointless and makes me wish they'd do something productive instead. Two hands working to solve a problem get a hell of a lot more done than a thousand clasped in prayer. Prayers often become an excuse not to act when action is needed. If you care? Do something.

Some surgeons do suggest a diet similar to ketogenic diet. Not all do. Some favor more balanced diets. What your diet looks like will depend on your weight, your input, your nutritionist and your doctor. Pretty much every post bariatric surgery diet includes 60+ grams of protein. Some diets allow a lot of carbs, others don't. I have noticed that the diets that do allow carbs favor complex low glycemic index carbs. Simple carbs like sugar and processed carbs get cut pretty universally.

Best thing to do is to call your insurance company with your concerns, or call your surgeon's office and ask to talk to a navigator.

Mine is way gross. LOL I had homemade mashed potatoes and gravy from Christmas dinner, and little slices of Gerber Toddler turkey sticks because real turkey was too hard, and mushy canned green beans (and it was delicious!). I also had avacado and swiss on a crunchy whole grain wassa. Regular bread didn't work for months...but crunchy wassa crackers were easy. Have no idea why. I also ate a lot of bean soup, split pea with ham, yogurt, melted cheese on baked potato, oatmeal. Took a few weeks for eggs to work out for me. Sweet potato with pecans worked well. One of my favorites back then was half a cup of tomato soup with five croutons with horseradish aged cheddar cheese spread on them. I remember that being incredibly tasty and satisfying.

I did several food funerals. Must have this dessert/dish/cassarole/bread ONE LAST TIME....forever....until I die...etc.. Shocker....I'm six months out....and I've revisited nearly all my favorites that I'd "never eat again". LOL. Little teenie amounts....but it's incredibly satisfying now just to have a couple of bites and stick to my plan the rest of the day. I don't miss eating thousands of calories of the naughty foods I used to love. I can have a couple of bites. I can stay in control and feel good about it. I love that! I feel like food and I have finally reached a compromise. And my regular diet is delicious and satisfying. I'm starting to very honestly prefer it. I don't feel loss or grief or like things I used to love are gone forever. We've just changed our relationship significantly....and set some serious boundaries. Up to 75 calories a day....I'll let myself be bad with about anything I want. No deprivation. That said....75 calories is often an extremely sneaky small amount and you have to be vigilant. Some folks think the temptation is counterproductive and unwise....and I can respect that. But for me...To really feel like I've conquered food...to master it, and feel completely in control....I need to slay these dragons. Mom's homemade poppy seed bread? I can have a one inch cube of you...and walk away. You don't control me. I need that. Some folks need banishment. Whatever works:)

Your surgery was a week ago. See how things are going in a month. Patience:)

I had a three week stall around three months out that was brutal to my morale. Just nothing happening no matter how hard I tried to adjust everything. I finally gave up and stopped looking at the scale for a while. Continued to eat 1200 calories, figured whatever happens, happens......eventually the scale started moving again. Has been a nice slow consistent loss since. But yeah...when you're doing every single thing they tell you to do...and lose nothing for a while....that's tough! And it happens to nearly everyone.

Walk walk walk. Sip sip sip. Breath Breath Breath into spirometer. Do this over and over and over. Walk once every hour as soon as you can get up. Bring lounge pants, cell phone and charger, chap stick.

Oh yeah. Been there! I remember trying to drink chicken broth that I loved before surgery and it just tasted like chicken armpit, or chicken butt or something...made me gag. My preferences have taken a serious swing for the better in the past six months.

The biggest issue with fried chicken is that it has a crazy amount of calories. Often has too much salt and is a gateway food to biscuits/slaw/other high calorie foods that are not gonna work unless you eat a microscopic amount of them. Will it kill ya once in a while if you eat 200-300 calories worth and measure it out? Nah... But it's not a great choice. (that said...I'm stupid and once in a blue moon will stop at KFC. I get the following: ) 130 calories Original recipe drumstick 12 g Protien 120 calories Mashed potatoes and gravy 3g Protein 25 calories Green beans 1g Protein For 275 calories and 16 grams of protein.......I can get the fried chicken demon out of my system without crashing my diet. I don't cook it at home...cause then there would be fried chicken in my fridge and my fridge would become the portal to hell. LOL:)