ms.sss

So thought I'd start this thread for those who are currently in maintenance (or are trying to be ), there are not as many active maintenance-ers on here, but I'm hoping for the ones that are, they can chime in and impart their wisdom for those are trying to achieve that coveted balance of weight stability. ...or we can just chat about whatever. LOL.

CHALLENGE. ACCEPTED. P.S. Though after watching this I have more of an urge to make shawarma (note to self: how to I get my hands on one of those contraptions....) P.P.S. the language of food is universal lolololzzzzz.

Ooooooommmggg. I just googled it and it IS super easy to make! Thanks!!!! P.S. we'll have a reserved "regulars" table just for you.

Filipino steamed buns are sweeter and a little denser...and Chinese ones are fluffier (and whiter).

I love how you post pictures of your "same old boring food" that look like plates served at a fine restaurant ❤️ I will take your same old boring food ANY. DAY. Lololzzzzz.... And yes: You. Me. And the cafe of dreams one day. If not this life, then the next. P.S. would you believe I cannot find queso fresco in my MANY months of having it on my grocery item list. I need to find me a specialty store or something....

My husband's libido towards me did not/has not changed throughout our entire relationship. And it was/is a very healthy libido. From when we first met when I was 125 lbs, through to when I gained weight to be 235 lbs, and through to now after I lost all the weight, his attitude towards did not change. He did not see me as a "big tub of goo".

ah-ha. I think this was probably (yet another) issue. I only had 1 green pepper and the recipe called for 3 red ones, lol. Wouldn't think it would make a diff! (and i used basil instead of parsley/cilantro for garnish cuz it was all i had). so maybe i didn't make shakshura after all....😂

Ok. PSA for all Food Porn lovers, and Vacation porn lovers, and Stanley Tucci lovers (but NOT Stanley Tucci Porn lovers though, lol) Do yourselves a solid and watch the CNN series Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy. Who doesn't love Italy, Italian Food, and did I mention STANLEY TUCCI. I love this guy. And food.

@Kukubari: Ugh. I hear you. On the first day of puree stage I blended up a bit of beef, took one look at it (plus a sniff), gagged, and went straight back to full liquids, for another 2 weeks lol. I did eat cottage cheese, yogurt, scrambled eggs made with lots of milk so they are really runny, with a tsp of paté on top...which may take care of your meat want?

Around 8-9 months....was probably the first time I actually felt what I thought was actual hunger (i.e., not cravings). Food aversion/not wanting to eat is still a thing for me sometimes (it comes and goes) and i'm 2+ years out. ....and like @GreenTealael said, the hunger I feel post-op is very different from what I remember pre-op. Before it was like a ravenous, urgent type of thing, now its way more subdued and can wait.

Cumin, sweet/smoked paprika, cayenne & chili flakes. All of which I have used in many dishes before! I theorize it may not have been thick enough, or was too tomato-y (i went off-recipe and added sundried tomatoes) or my bread sucked. In any case, I'll try my hand at it again someday. ...mabye in Tel Aviv! ( @OAGBPal lol) @GreenTealael have you made it before? Any tips?????

Saw this made on an episode of Masterchef and just needed to make it. I had a couple tablespoons and *I* liked it, but fam was not that enthusiastic about it. Asked if it should go into rotation and they were all, nah 🙄. I tried. I think it LOOKS good though...will be making a ragu out of it for tomorrow. Geez. Shakshura:

Ok, i got one sorta in the same vein: i wont miss ME bumping into corners or walls because i underestimate how big I actually was. 😂

Skipped dinner yesterday (cuz i had a pretty late lunch) so got hungry earlier than normal today. A variation on the salad I always have, but this time with leftover garlic shrimp and roasted beets. I bought a 2 for 1 package of the beets, so its going to be make an appearance on my salads for the next week or so. Romaine, carrots, cucumber, feta, roasted beets and shrimp. + an espresso martini beforehand (not shown. YES, I had a drink before noon. Don't judge me.): 464 calories total. Ate/Drank it all.

That's one thick original slice of bread. Your 1/2 slice looks like a regular slice to me!

Yummmmmm.... (now i wanna make chicken & bacon chowder...)

Both those dresses look fab on you (and u look so happy ❤️)

A very late lunch (got distracted by baking): Take-out Montreal Smoked Meat, sauerkraut, and fries (+some mustard) The fries were not very good so only had one and put the rest on Mr.'s plate. The sauerkraut wasn't very good either, but I ate all of it anyway: 144 calories.

My surgeon said if I lost 60 lbs within a year, he would consider me a success. Anything over that was just gravy. I wanted lots of gravy.

The fam had fettuccine for dinner tonight (which i don’t eat) so am enjoying a 1/4 cup of trail mix in front of the tv while they clean up.

I am incredibly restless and antsy today. I think its because the sun is shining but its still too cold to hang out outside and I'm ACHING for summer to arrive. That and I have had like ZERO real exercise/activity in the past week cuz of a sore toe. Sooo...decided to GET DRESSED. lol. Put on a pair of jeans (first time in weeks), did my hair and makeup (first time since xmas), even shaved my legs (first time since summer!). Put on a tube top to feel summer-y, but i got too cold soon after this pic and put on socks and a sweatshirt. Sigh. The Kid when she saw me come out of my room in this outfit : "My, you look skanky today. I like it." She cracks me up. ❤️😂 Left pic: one of my stay-at-home-pandemic-uniforms. Right pic: Skankified.

Ok. This is just my observations based on MY experience. It may apply to you, it may not, the only real way to find it what works for YOU is to try different approaches. But the main thing to keep in mind, is to give it some time to see if it works. I read alot of people lament a strategy isn't working (or is working) after only a week or so. Change over time is the determining factor in a successful or not strategy. Results after a couple of days is not indicative of the effectiveness of a change. With that said: KETO: At first, I tried to do KETO, but I just couldn't keep up with the fat requirement percentages while aiming for 60g protein, along with my inability to take in volume of food and staying below a certain calorie level. Eventually my diet morphed into protein-forward, ultra-low carb one (max 20g NET carbs, min 60g protein, and let the fat fall where it may, staying under a certain calorie level for my current phase). INTERMITTENT FASTING: I didn't know it until I read up about it, but I was actually doing IF. I didn't/don't eat until after noon (which was normal for me even pre-op), and I didn't eat beyond 7pm..this because I had a horrible experience waking up in the middle of the night spitting up food after surgery and it was enough for me to ensure that I went to bed every night on an empty stomach. I am not yet convinced (though I'm sure others have differing opinions) that IF actually makes you burn more fat, but I do recognize that keeping eating to a limited window does make you eat less calories over all vs. eating all day, so yeah, this would accelerate weight loss. I am now 2+ years post op, and for ME I have learned that it doesn't matter at all what my macros or eating times are, all that matters is total calories, in short CICO. I stopped being ultra-low carb after weight loss phase, and have even re-introduced bread (only my homemade ones, cuz they are delicious, lol) into my diet, and it makes zero difference on my weight (all other things being equal). There was a almost a week after Xmas where my diet consisted almost solely of just desserts. No diff to my weight. I guess because my total average calories per day was still 1800. Of course, health-wise, this wasn't the best idea, but we are just talking weight here. Because of this observation, and my super-anal disposition, I am a big proponent of tracking what you eat with the conscious intention to stay within your maintenance calories the majority of the time. As well as daily weighing, if you can stand it (some cannot, and that's cool...they just have to find another way that works for them). Also, i accept that maintenance is a never-ending series of adjustments. What works for me today may not work for me tomorrow. And what weight/size I consider acceptable today may be 10 lbs heavier further down the line. In short decide what you want today, and determine if you are willing to do what it takes to get it. If you aren't, change what you want. Sorry this was so long. Good Luck! P.S. after re-reading my post, I realize I sort of went off topic, but whateves, it's still what I wanted to say! LOL. Sorry! P.P.S. Also wanted to add the while I think going low or ultra-low carb makes little difference to my weight, it does make a difference to how I look. Lower carb intake levels make me look LESS puffier/fuller, which is good for my bod, but bad for face.

@JakeH & @Sophie7713: dont forget to photoshop me into any pics you may take! LOLOLOlzzzzzz

I totally posted the following on the wrong (completely unrelated) thread the other day...meant to post it here, oopsies: --------- I had a swollen dangly thing years ago when I had my wisdom teeth removed. My first recommendation would be to contact your surgeon...which you already did. Next would be pain management/recovery. You could try gargling with salted warm Water, get one of those throat sprays that numb the throat, chew on ice chips, suck on a soothing lozenge like eucalyptus or honey. Don't forget to stay hydrated and get lots of rest. Good Luck! ❤️ ---------