Creekimp13

60% is average. This includes folks who go off the rails and can't get hold of their food addiction. This includes sick folks who can hardly move to exercise. Lots of people do a lot better than average:) And some folks...won't do as well as average...their bodies just have stubborn set points, or their psychological issues will impede them until they address them.

I'm 3 months out....I am happier with meal times than I've ever been. I can eat a reasonable amount of almost anything. From where you're standing...."a few bites" sounds like a torturous miserable meal. Been there. And yep...preconceived notions can be scary. From where I'm standing....feeling really satisfied and full after eating about a half a cup of my favorite foods...is a wonderful feeling. Starting to crave and enjoy things that are good for me....is wonderful. Building a forever diet that I love...is wonderful:) I do want to address something you said: " I don't want to do something so drastic that I never eat normally again." First off....drastic health risks sometimes require drastic measures. Never downplay how sick obesity leaves your body. You might not feel sick, but the effects are cumulative and they will catch you. Obesity is hell on your circulatory system, your joints, your liver, your endocrine system...it predisposes you to cancer. That's a DRASTIC problem. Also....you fear you will never eat "normally" again. But you're not eating normally now. Normal eating doesn't lead to morbid obesity:( Come to terms with the reality that what you're doing now....is drastic, abnormal, and has consequences. Everyone has a process. Everyone works through these questions and concerns at their own pace. Everyone who makes this decision needs to be fully committed and not coerced. I wish you the very best in figuring out what you want. Your questions and concerns are absolutely welcome:)

This whole adventure was never about aesthetics for me. I wanted good lab numbers and to be off medications. I wanted my arthritis to hurt less, and for sleep to be a better quality. I've gotten all the important wishes....so the fact that I look a little nicer is just the cherry on top. So far, my loose skin isn't too bad. If I wear a supportive stretch cami, it all looks pretty darned good. Hubby thinks I look terrific. Beyond that...I kinda don't care. Gravity and loose skin...meh...it happens. Just not that worried about it.

It gets easier. Hang tough.

For the most part, I'm picking up stuff at Goodwill and other thrifty stores....but I've decided that once a month, I'm buying something new. Something that fits perfect, even if it doesn't last long. Just one new thing that makes me feel great. Last month, I got a pair of freaking fantastic skinny jeans from Marshalls. And this Tuesday I got a very cute fitted hoodie from Kohl's. Both of these things I'll wear the crap out of in the coming months...and both make me feel smaller than I am and like i've made terrific progress. I totally get not wanting to blow a lot of money on stuff you can't wear long.... ...but don't we deserve a couple of things that fit great and make us feel super amazing and accomplished? I think we do:)

Nice work!

Fluff, OMG...I would so dress like FRANKIE! In fact...I kinda do:) LOLOLOL. I think Frankie's earthy weirdness is beautiful. That said, Grace is definitely stunning.

Fluff, I was telling hubby yesterday...it's a damned good thing I HATE this season's clothes. I really kinda do...lot of weird looking tops and ice cream colors and really ugly Mom Jeans are coming back! OMG! By the way, I noticed those extra couple of pounds you just dropped. Go, girl, go!

Red Cabbage????!!!! LOL (I love her, btw...just struck me funny...that whole scene did)

My goal for the week: to be happy, healthy and not sweat the little crap:) Scale is moving slow....but it's moving, and there's plenty of time. The rest of my life, in fact. My diet has changed so much in the past year. Really proud of the forever changes I've made. And I feel like I can live with them forever. This is a big change from other diets...where I kept telling myself....someday when I'm at goal I can eat how I want once in a while and work hard to make up for it. I'm not doing that this time around. This time it's all about the forever diet...and I'm excited about that. Looking really forward to spring and being able to be outside more! Looking forward to mowing lawns, putting in a veggie and herb garden, and waking the pool up. Am really proud that I haven't had any soda. Am really proud that I still haven't bought the glazed donut that I know won't be the same. Am really proud that I get up and walk without even thinking about it when I'm brewing a cup of coffee, talking on the phone, commercials come on TV, when I'm playing Candy Crush..lol...and before I go to bed when I need to meet my goal. Walking is hugely integrated with my routine now...and its made a huge fitness difference. My goal for the week: to be content and not worry about this shite so much.

Going on three weeks of this crap. Please don't tell me to up my protein or increase my exercise or cut my carbs or sell my soul to Satan. I've already done all of these things. They don't matter. Sometimes you just get fecking STUCK for weeks and you suffer and glare at the scale and want to punch someone. It figures this would occur right before onederland. (shaking fist at the sky) LOL. Not looking for advice. Just wanted to complain openly so others experiencing this irritating reality don't feel alone. To my brothers and sister in StuckVille....I feel your pain!

I've got vascular reflux...a nasty little situation where leaky vein valves can cause edema and crappy circulation in my lower legs. Probably the thing I most love about my recent weight loss....other than my stellar labs and being off almost all my meds.....is my feet and ankles. My calves used to have horrible pitted edema. Like...stick your thumb on my shin for a minute... and it would leave a dent you could put a grape in. Was pretty ghastly. I was a prime candidate for lymphedema legs, cellulitis, and lots of other problems. My legs hurt all the time. If I was on my feet too much, my ankles would be tree trunks, and my feet would swell to where the tops would dome up where you tie your shoes and be mushy edema...and my toes would kinda poke out from under the dome. It looked awful. It hurt. It made wearing shoes a pain in the arse to get a workable fit. And I thought I was stuck with it forever:) Ever since I hit about 220...my feet have been gorgeous. No more domes. You can see the little tendons working when I wiggle my toes again. My ankles look like ankles...not cankles. There's very little edema in my legs now and i couldn't be more grateful. I just ordered some sandals and got a bunch of colors of toe nail polish. My feets are coming out:) They're pretty average feet, really....but I think they're gorgeous. If you've got lower leg edema....you're gonna be so happy when this happens for you. Love, love, loving my new feets and ankles!

I had exceptional luck with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Very fast approval, bills paid quick, reasonable copays.

Yasso frozen greek yogurt pops. The fudge one is amazing. 80 calories, 6g of protein! So not even really that horrible for you. https://yasso.com/products/bars/chocolate-fudge/

Shite happens. Full speed ahead:)

When I have steak, I chop it up into teenie tiny pea sized bits...and then I chew the heck out of it. Works well for me:)

All minutia aside....you had... An egg, 1/4 cup of beans, and little bit of yogurt. Looks fine to me:)

https://www.barilla.com/en-us/product-results/pasta/range/proteinplus/?sort=alpha

To expand on your rant....(and I loved your rant by the way, spot on!) It makes me nuts to see heavy moms talk about themselves in derogatory terms....with their overweight children standing right next to them. (this happened at a group support meeting I attended recently...saw the look on daughter's face and felt so bad for her) Every time mom says....I'm so fat, I'm disgusting... What does that kiddo think mom thinks of them? Mom of course would trip all over herself and say.....Oh, but Honey, YOU'RE not fat, you're not the person I was talking about! But in reality...if the kiddo is struggling with their own weight issues...as often is the case....I've seen kids metabolize it that way....that mom's self loathing means she dislikes them for the same reasons. And I hate to be sexist....this can go the same way for overweight Dad's comments, too. It's a blind spot of a lot of people have. They're upset about the fat, and want to lash out at the fat....but they really need to be mindful of others who are struggling with the same issues....getting hit by friendly fire....particularly people who are close to them. Don't be a self loathing fat person. Be a fat-compassionate healthier person:)

A lot of people avoid carbs. Fruit has a lot of carbs. I follow the Mayo Clinic Diet...which is a slightly modified Mediterranean diet. I eat a metric feck ton of fruits and veggies, and a lot of complex low glycemic carbs. You will find people following many different diets after surgery. You'll find that different surgeon's groups have vastly different recommendations. Find a group that will work with your preferred healthy diet. There are a lot of ways up this mountain. Keto is very very popular right now. Hands down...it will give you the fastest results. Many people feel wonderful on this diet, but I don't. I prefer to eat a mostly vegetarian diet with meat consumed only occasionally..and my group is completely on board with this. What nearly all groups will require: 60g protein per day. (I get a lot of mine from plant sources..but I get 60g daily) 64ounces plus of water per day. 1200 calories or less per day after surgery. Vitamins.

My program had me drinking 5 Premier Protein shakes a day for presurg liquid diet. (we were only allowed this, and clear liquid) They're closer to $2 each here...but I didn't know about Sam's at the time. Wish I had!

I love naked anything:)

Exercise = health/youth/stamina. Took me a long time to learn this, but I'm a believer.

Agreed...C section is MUCH worse. I took as little pain meds as the nurses would allow. Told them I didn't want any, but they talked me into a couple shots. One soon after surgery, and one before going to sleep that night. Next day I was off them:) (Did take over the counter liquid Tylenol for a couple of days) C section was a bear for me. Sleeve was cake. I've had dental work that was much worse pain wise. Experiences will vary, though. I've never experienced anyone's pain but my own...so how other people handle and experience pain is very individual.

Best wishes!