ms.sss

well this is a fun little thread...kinda like those "Rose and Thorn" ice breakers you do in a group setting lol. its' Tuesday now, but i can reflect about Monday! These things were cool: went to a BBQ hosted by my in-laws and spent the afternoon lounging and chatting in the shade in their backyard eating an entire lobster to myself for a few hours....i had to open and clean it myself so it took a while, ha! ended up with maybe a cup max of lobster insides but it was sooooo yum. and the work i had to put in to get it all out added to the deliciousness. Afterwards went rock climbing with Mr. for an hour, and then drove around aimlessly cuz it was such an nice night. These things were a drag: had to miss my hot yoga class cuz of the aforementioned BBQ; had a bad reflux episode monday night, that i can't determine the cause of. which is annoying because i hate unexplained things.

well that's interesting! this type of "control" over self-paid elective surgeries from one medical professional to another is i think unheard of around here. is that a common practice in the U.S. (or other countries?) unless of course you are getting your plastics covered by insurance...in which case that would make sense...? though i had a portion of my plastics covered by provincial insurance (the panniculectomy portion of my tummy tuck), and even then i did not need to get approval/sign off from anyone other than my plastics surgeon.

am so sorry for your loss. sending good thoughts your way...

ah...throwback to the good ole days when @GreenTealael used to post monthly challenges or fun type activities! i remember there being exercise challenges, photo-taking challenges, self-discovery challenges...they were super fun. you can see examples of these fun things she hosted by searching the forum for the word "challenge" in the title, written by GreenTealael...

dupe post

i picked my consults based on before and after photos (their work), and the NUMBER of before and after photos (their volume/experience), and if they had any (unresolved) complaints or sanctions or investigations on their records. (i went to 5 consults) then i shortlisted based on a combination of price, evaluation of aftercare, whether or not they were willing to do all my procedures (3 of them: tummy tuck, breast lift, arm lift) all in one shot...this left me with 2. tie breaker was based on my perceived VIBE of them. One seemed more serious and by-the-book-ish and other was a bit more chill and easier-going. i chose the chill one. i'm sure i would have been perfectly fine with either of them, but i had to choose one, so i just went with someone i was more comfortable being around. p.s. i had my plastics 7 months after reaching goal (14 months post wls) . i would have preferred it done earlier, but he was booked up for almost a year (which i booked), but later he decided to open up a day just for me over the xmas holidays a few months earlier than my almost-year-later-booking. i am thankful he did that because my original PS booking would have fallen on the beginning of COVID and would definitely had been postponed as a non-essential surgery for several months. he had no requirement of maintaining any sort of weight wls or not. nor did the other 4 original consults. in the month or so after plastics, i lost about 5 lbs and hit my lowest weight of 109 lbs. since then i've bounced up and down between generally 115-120 for about 5+ years (so a net gain of about 5-10 lbs depending on the day), and i still look as awesome, if i say so myself.

☝️i'm one of these. with a dash of some major changes...specifically my regular exercise regime. though i have to say that what i was doing when the first year or so of maintenance is very different from what i am doing now. i was still pretty strict about carbs and desserts and drinking calories that first year and a bit after reaching goal. as the years went on, i became less strict about WHAT i was eating, but still continued to keep an eye and stick to the TOTAL NUMBER OF CALORIES i needed to maintain...this amount changed up and down depending on my activity level, and i made sure to make changes as needed. i love going out and socializing and eating and drinking, and i've discovered that i can do all that and still maintain my current weight. i love to try new restaurants and tick off all the michelin star venues i could possibly go to before i die. and i am forever grateful for my wls and its restriction that has conditioned me to not overindulge...just have a taste to try and i am satisfied. (i am also forever greatful for whatever powers that be that have me loving exercise lol) with that said, let me attempt to provide my answers to your questions. NOTE: starting weight 235 lbs, 5'2" female, 46 yrs old at surgery. i lost 108 lbs in 7 months (plus my 2 wk pre-op diet) to reach goal. i am now 5 years, 8 months post op, and weighed 118.2 lbs this morning. 1. What are your golden rules to successful maintenance? - be flexible, be willing and able to change and make adjustments. weigh daily, always be aware of your calorie intake (i.e., track). EXERCISE: it makes you look and feel good. don't give into the angst...nobody is perfect...including YOU. i realize this is not for everyone, it takes a certain type of personality to be ok with this...i just happen to be one of them. 2. How did you manage the mental shift (navigating fear and uncertainty) while transitioning to maintenance? I can’t seem to quiet my thoughts and anxiety around WHAT IFs? - TIME. as time goes by you will gain experience and knowledge and hopefully learn to trust yourself. 3. How much indulgence do you actually allow yourself? - any time i want. hard to put a number or amount on this because it varies day by day, week by week. but i probably eat SOMETHING or other that most "dedicated" wls-ers would consider "bad" every day. (ASIDE: i personally don't think anything is "bad" just stuff higher in calories than others, with varying macro-makeups.

i have a fridge and pantry full of groceries and ingredients for a feast i plan to cook up for a Father's Day BBQ we having tomorrow. so i could theoretically totally whip up something yum and healthy-ish,, but alas i am lazy and opted for Burger King takeout instead.

i used to be like this too in the early days. you know what the cure is? regular exercise. womp. womp.

out with the gals last night...had margaritas with a side of guacamole and chips for dinner omg. i kept meaning to order a proper entree, but just didn't get around to it so just ate the leftover chips and guac that was on the table... the margaritas alone were like 800 cals! so warning to those drinking mixed drinks during weight loss phase! keep your calorie counts in mind! one of my margaritas!

i say just keep doing what you are doing, if it feels good and natural to you. i can almost guarantee you that you will NOT wither away and die. so long as you are not in any danger zones (based on labs and your doc's opinion), then you should be golden. just ride the ride and see where you end up. you will most likely gain a bit after you hit bottom, so a cushion is always good. the fear of losing too much weight is a very, very common feeling in our demographic. very, very few actually prove that their worries were warranted long term. i've only known of exactly 1 person (if any!) on this forum for the almost 6 years i've been on here that had an almost-serious issue with ongoing weight loss..but i suspect it was mostly mental vs. physical. i myself had a mini panic for a month or so after reaching goal. and like everyone else, it eventually became a non-issue. i weigh less now that at that time when i was panicking, and in no way do i think i am too skinny today...nor do the people who told me i was waaaaaay to skinny at 127 lbs. now they tell me i'm super hot at 118 lbs. 🤷🏻‍♀️ good luck!

i wasn't paying for my REQUIRED nutritionist appointments. my whole WLS was covered by provincial insurance and it was just something i was told i had to do, so i did. all my NUT appointments were on the same days/times as my followups with my surgeon and lab appointments so it wasn't too much of an inconvenience since i was already there...just annoying really. i saw my nutritionist for about 15 or so appts over 5 years. once my surgeon follow ups were done, so were my NUTs (thank goodness!). didn't even occur to me that i should just skip these appts!

love this spot on answer. not totally proud of this, but i often treated my NUT like a child that needed to be placated. i let her say her peace and nod and say ok and then just left. she often had so much (unuseful) things to say that sometimes i just wanted to pat her on the head and say "good girl" for her (unuseful) efforts. you totally figured out a winning strategy already (with zero help from NUT even), no need the fix what ain't broke. just pat her on the head next time.

i echo @GreenTealael thoughts about being a good friend by expressing your concerns in a kind, non-judgmental way. The proverbial ball in her court now. btw, @ynotiniowa, @GreenTealael your knowledge, intelligence and post-writing eloquence is just as satisfying as food porn.

yeah it was one of these brazillian steak houses that have non stop parades of meat. i've been to a couple in the past that were ok, but this one was not appealing to me (all the meat looked overcooked to me ). but honestly i just dislike buffets! and i REALLLY dislike buffets i pay for and don't even eat!! (but it was for a friends bday so i'll keep the grumbling to a minimum).

some stuff i ate yesterday (ate everything shown)...

YUM! ** off to make devilled eggs... **

I absolutely LOVE to pull out my historical spreadsheets! thanks for giving me an excuse to do so!!! 1. Pre op weight, BMI or measurements 2. Surgery type VSG (Sleeve) October 24, 2018 3. Lowest post op weight, BMI or measurements and when it occurred 4. Maintenance weight, BMI or measurements and when it occurred Stabilized at about 115 lbs (BMI 21) around June 2020 and stayed that way for about a year or so. Unfortunately i don't have measurements for that time but i think they were similar to my lowest post op weight above. 5. Bounces (up or down) in weight, BMI or measurements and when they occurred around year 3 i averaged closer to 120 lbs (but rarely ever above 120), and have stayed that way until today (almost 6 yrs post op). This morning I weighed in at 119.4 lbs. 6. Methods used to maintain and what has/has not worked i track my food intake almost daily i weigh myself daily when i have access to scale (i also take my measurements once a month) i engage in regular exercise. i try to NOT eat to fullness (don't always succeed) if i want to eat something, i do, but i generally limit it to tastes/bites, vs full on meals. i generally ONLY eat things i really want to, and skip the stuff i deem "not worth it", as i consider it a waste of valuable stomach real estate. 7. How your life has changed (losing vs maintaining perspective) i eat carbs now lol (i avoided them like the plague during weight loss phase, and a year or so afterwards). its been a while for me know and i do notice that i am not as worried as i used to be about regaining weight. i think i've learned to trust myself in that i can make good decisions about my health and weight maintenance, and that i know i am flexible/resourceful/confident enough to make changes and adjustments WHEN things change. i guess that is it really, i am exponentially more confident than i was before: in terms of decision making, self-image, relationships, dealing with stress, all of it. I am so much more CHILL. Life is really good (plus im super HAWT, lol) 8. Words of wisdom/cautionary tales/stories of beating the odds Don't give into the angst. Don't try to do stuff that is beyond your abilities or desire. Don't compare yourself to others. Exercise. Drink water, Wear sunscreen.

ugh. the constipation blues. i didn't poop for 13 DAYS after surgery. omg. i developed an M.O. to battle constipation over the next several weeks: 1) every day, i would add 2 tsp Benefibre to my morning protein shakes. 2) if i didn't poop after 2-3 days, i would take a Miralax 3) if I didn't poop 2 days after that, i would take Milk of Magnesia. 4) if i didn't poop 2 days after that i would insert a glycerin suppository. 5) if i did'nt poop 6 hours after that, i would insert another one. LUCKILY, i didn't need to figure out what to do if the second suppository didn't work. omg. i did this for about a year. after a year i got more "regular" and didn't even need the daily Benefibre anymore. And when I say "regular" i mean i poop maybe every 2-3 days. which is a huge departure to pre-op when i used to poop MULTIPLE times in a single day (sorry TMI). i think so long you aren't super uncomfortable, you are good. but if you are starting to feel pain and/or discomfort, then you probably need to come up with a plan to combat it, whatever M.O. it may be.

wowza, your niece is talented! this cake here is my fave of the ones you posted! if i ever convince Mr. to marry me again, i would totally be on board to hire your niece to make our cake!! (but full disclosure, he is NOT on board. arg.)

i love to eat. i also love to go out and eat and try new restaurants and go to parties with food and outings with friends and date nights with the Mr. or The Kid. i love to travel and for me and my fam and friends, travel == food. given my preferred lifestyle, i can't (won't!) really do all the switching in of alternative foods. i mean if i'm in Italy, there is no way i'm opting for a cauliflower crust pizza. nor will i forgo butter or effing high fat cheese when in france. i looooooove tasting menus, and i have yet to find one that caters to the "bariatric diet", nor would i want to. for me, i just control portion size (and total calories) and its worked very well for me (so far). i realize that alot of people can't do this in fear of slippery slopes and whatnot, but for ME, its sustainable. its been said time and time again on here: do what works FOR YOU. it may not be what most are doing, or even what your medical team is saying...just find the place you are comfortable operating in and LIVE IT. you may not be perfect, but you can be perfect ENOUGH for YOU.

i have one too! (i think). tldr; ** warning this is long: skip to last paragraph if u short on time or bore easily lololozzzz ** mine pops out about 3 inches to the right (my right) of my belly button (about the size of a walnut)...always when im doing some fold over bend (like nose to knees), or bending the opposite way (like bridges), or some sort of sustained abdominal crunch (like boats). it would hurt, but ive always been able to push it back in EXECEPT once when it stayed out for about 36 hours. i booked appt with doc to check it out , but by the time my appt came around, it popped back in. then of course, their examination of me was inconclusive (couldn't find evidence of one). he told me if it happens again, take a picture, mark it with pen and come in. this was in january this year. and of course it hasn't happened since. which is both annoying and a relief since it used to happen pretty regularly...at least once a month or so for about 5 years. anyway, i did some reading and i have long SUSPECTED, based on its location and the timeline of its appearance, its an Incisional Hernia (yes i self-diagnosed myself ha). the location is about where one of the laparoscopic scars would have been had i not had a tummy tuck (my skin was yanked down so the skin scar is lower than before) AND i started getting it when my exercise efforts got more intense. i never concerned myself with it very much cuz it always popped back in. until that day it didn't. it was pretty painful. i had to keep pressure on it and bend over to provide some relief. i was so glad when it popped back in, but then upset i couldn't prove it was there, arg! doc says hernias don't get better, they just get worse over time, so eventually ill likely need surgery if indeed i have one...which we can't prove cuz that sucker is staying out of sight these days. but if/when it makes an appearance, the idea of keeping it "out" the entire time just to show my doctor sounds very unappealing to me! **shudder** p.s. on a side note, Mr. theorizes that the reason my hernia has been hiding for so long (its been 5 months since ive had one...my longest stretch of not having one since it began) is because of my increased core exercise work. i've developed some abdominal muscle and strength the past several months, and he thinks that when engaged, my core is strong enough to keep the hernia in when i do those particular exercises. so he thinks if i really want to pop it out, i should do a fold over and not engage my abdominals closed, but actually use my strength to push it out! and im like NOPE! not doing that. tldr; so...if u aren't squeamish like me, maybe you could try to push it out also so u can show ur doc? do you notice what things u are doing when it comes out? u could just keep doing those things...

i used to get that in the early days/months of wls. it got better as time went on. my doc called it orthostatic hypertension and is apparently a common condition during rapid weight loss and even just after a surgery (wls or not). but my blood pressure readings were always on the low side...not normal like yours. are u eating less than normal? i do recall u just had a recent surgery...did it start after that? p.s. at the time my doc said to add more salt to my diet...which was fine by me cuz i love salt 🤷🏻‍♀️

same! btw, i could have a private freak-fly moment with those brownies you made. 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤

of course i demand pictures.