ms.sss

Ok, check out this work of art!! 😂 A Deep Dish 3-cheese-mushroom-bacon Quiche. One slice/serving (i.e,. 1/8 of the thing): 365 calories. Ate almost an entire slice...someone swiped the outside part with the crust from my plate.

Ok…so i have an odd experience on this topic: Years ago (2005 if I remember correctly), i had a breast reduction, and i lost practically all sensation in my nipples. One side was more affected than the other. It was even a very rare event for my nipples to get erect/hard (sorry, that may have been a little graphic, but its all in the name of info sharing! Lol) Anyhoo, fast forward to my breast lift in 2019 and a few weeks after surgery, I suddenly got sensation back. Totally weird. Now, just a slight breeze can blow and you can totally see my nips under my shirt. I don’t know if this is a normal thing, but there you go.

Breakfast Time! (or lunchtime…however u want to look at it…) Watermelon, feta, dried blueberries, fresh mint, with a healthy squeeze of lemon juice: 134 calories. Plan on eating it all.

Im the same way (though in my case im guessing i dont actually consume about 25-35% of what i enter into MFP). I figure its better to overestimate.

Yeah, one of the things I like to remind those starting out is to take regular pictures throughout the process…its really cool to look at them all side by side later! 😂 I was pretty much normal-sized up to about age 30. Started packing on the pounds after I popped out the Kid. I’m guessing i got to obese level in my mid-30’s, and morbidly obese level in my early 40’s. I’m 49 today. Lol, there’s no secret: i ate ALOT less and moved around ALOT more (i was lucky to have no known medical conditions that would impede weight loss, so my body operated on “calories-in-calories-out” pretty predictably). Oh, and i was on Team Very-very-Little-Net-Carbs throughout….i know the carb topic can get “lively” on here, so I’ll just leave it at that, lol. Good Luck!❤️

Yep, exactly 120 lbs. lost 110-ish lbs in 7 months then another 10-ish lbs in maintenance. Started with BMi 43 (235 lbs) today I’m BMI 21 (115 lbs) I’ll be three yrs post op in October.

@HeatherE , i had the same procedures as @kristieshannon above, save the augmentation…i just had a the breast lift, and i paid about 15k total (but in canadian dollars)

@John M...felt like deja vu reading your experience of the process leading up to surgery. I am of the Canadian persuasion as well (Ont.) but I went through it pre-covid. Other than the advised diet they asked you to adhere to before the 2-week liquid one (I wasn't given a diet other than the 2-wk one). and the fact that my appts were done in person, sounds like we pretty much got the same info/services (or lack thereof) pre-op. The only bloodwork/labs I had done were the first set in the beginning (which included an EKG...did you get one of those?) Nothing after that until AFTER surgery. Pre-surgery, I had one appt with social worker, 1 with dietitian and 2 with nurse (oh and 2 with the surgeon)...all of which lasted well under 15 mins each. Now AFTER surgery I had tonnes of bloodwork/labs done, but thats another story. So I'm not sure, at least in our respective cases, it was any better in terms of quality of care to go through this pre-covid (well, except for the delays, of course!). But you def won out at least on not having to drive 1.5 hours round trip for every appt, nor pay $23 in parking fees each time. Sigh. I got the majority (if not all) of my information though my own research. Even post-op, I did not really follow my dietitians advice, as I chose to do an alternate "program"...she knew this (as I told her), and would often lightly chastise me during our many appts together. Personally, I felt like the advise dispensed was a one-size-fits all type of thing that wasn't adjusted at all to the individual. But that's just me. I mean, the guy beside me in the waiting room is like over 1 foot taller than me, and probably almost 3 times my weight...and you are going to tell us both to consume 1500 calories?? ***NOTE*** To be clear, I'm NOT advocating not listening to your team! Ask questions as you said, and if you are not satisfied for with the answer, look elsewhere. In the end, this same dietitian who would shake her head sadly at my food log was the first one to high five me when I got to goal. My nurse and surgeon were both pleased with me the entire time because I healed uneventfully with no issues, I was able to get off all my meds by end of month 1, I was losing weight steadily, and my labs always came back satisfactorily. I never saw the social worker again. In my opinion, the support services provided to barbaric patients by our health care program (i'm just talking dietitians/nutritionists and social workers/psychologists...as the nurses and docs seem to be doing exactly what they should be doing) are severely lacking. You are better off shopping around and getting a private nutritionist and/or therapist on your own if you feel you need them. Good Luck! ❤️ P.S. Not counting the months that I changed my mind TWICE about having the surgery, the entire process from referral to surgery was about 8 months. P.P.S. Sorry this was so long.

Im a couple inches shorter than you, and started out with a lower starting weight (235), so at BMI 43. No known medical issues that would impede weight loss. Got to goal weight (sort of…i aimed for 120lbs, but stopped at 127lbs cuz i felt I was getting too small) in 7 months. That was over two years ago. I lost a few more pounds in first couple months of maintenance and have been sitting at 115 for the past 2 years (BMI 21). One thing to keep in mind when reading others’ responses to your question is that everyone will have a different goal weight. Some people may start off at say a BMI of 60, so common sense would indicate it would take them longer to reach goal than someone who started off at BMI 40. Further, some may aim for the “normal” BMI of 25, some more, some less…so the duration would vary based on how low each individual actually wants to go. Oh, and who knows, you may (like many others here - including me) adjust your goal down the line…it really depends on what size/weight you are comfortable at and can maintain vs. some number on the scale. Good Luck! ❤️

Everyone is different, but sounds like i had a similar experIence as you (you’ll find others on here who are/were in the same boat, and others who will not get what you are talking about at all) Like mentioned in the posts above I pretty much used to graze (or have micro-meals several times) all day long….and i ended up really low on the calorie count, even at 5 months. If i ate “too much” i would barf. So i didn’t. Listen to your body (or your dietician, whomever you trust more, lol) Good Luck! ❤️

BMI is really just a guide…the only one we could use easily with basic data (height & weight). There are better predictors of ideal weight that take into account age, gender, bone density, fat percentage, bmrs, etc. etc. BMI Is not perfect, but its a satisfactory starting point. With that said, I started out at BMI 43. Doc said he would consider me a success if i lost 60-70% of my excess body weight (based on a “normal” BMI of 25) within A YEAR. Anything over that was just bonus. Now losing 60-70% of my ecess body weight would have put me in the low BMI 30’s, which is still considered overweight, and doc was perfectly happy with that. Anyhoo, I reached doc’s goal at 3 months, and my own personal goal (bmi 23) in 7. Lost a little bit more adjusting to maintenance and then settled in at BMI 21. Been at 21 pretty much for over 2 years now. I too thought I was big boned, but turns out i am not. With all padding (i.e., fat) gone from my wrist, it actually measures at 5.25” in circumference (i’m 5’2” female). but really, in the end, your goal weight is what YOU says it is, wherever it may fall on the BMI scale. Good Luck! ❤️

1. I was there 1 night. I went home in the same clothes i came in (save for a fresh pair of undies.) they gave me two gowns, one opening from back and another one to wear opening at the front like a sweater/cardigan. They also gave me disposable underwear and socks to wear. I did have the bra i wore there but didn’t wear it after surgery because one of my higher incision would have been under the bra band and I didn’t want to rub it. Plus i was hooked up to tubes and stuff so it would have been a hassle to put one on. 2. i just walked the halls in my two supplied gowns and a pair of crocs i brought. 3. Honestly i brought a whole bunch of stuff that didn’t even make it out if the bag. I was sleeping most of the time. If I wasn’t sleeping, i was walking (which in turn made me sleepy, lol). Of the gazillion things I brought, the only things i actually used were: the aforementioned crocs, chapstick and biotene spray (for dry mouth). Oh and i used my phone just once on discharge day to text my husband when to come get me. And i admit, I didn’t even use my toothbrush, yikes! (Dont judge me! Lol) Oh… also used the small pillow I brought to hug on the ride home. Its handy to squeeze against your tum when going over the inevitable bumps on the road! 4. I brought a gym bag that held everything from home, plus they gave me a clear plastic bag (think garbage bag size) to hold the clothes i was wearing, my jacket, shoes, etc. Hospital staff sent it all up to my room as i went into the OR and it was all there when i was wheeled into the room after the recovery my recovery room stay …and no its not silly to be anxious/worried…just human. Good Luck! ❤️

Its one of those nights…tonight’s dinner: a bag of microwave popcorn 🙄. Ate it all (fam had a couple handfuls, but I ate the majority of it) : 190 calories P.S. newbies: im almost 3 years out so this may not be advisable for y’all. Do as i say, not as i do!! 😂

Your dedication to meal prep is awe inspiring ❤️

@Sophie7713 !!! My summer goes well, thank you! (Well at least as well as it could be given the current world circumstances) Aching to go on vacation but Mr. is not so keen yet looks like you aren’t on here as much as the good old days (you and me both!)…but I suppose that can be seen as a good thing: means we are busying ourselves with other things, lol. how are things in your side of the continent? Have you and Mr. (and bobby of course) made a move yet?? ❤️

Pretty lady! I love the styling of your hair, btw. Congratulations on all your efforts!!! You look fab ❤️

I would put whatever I couldn’t finish in the fridge and try again in a few hours (actually still do this at almost 3 years out). I had/have stuff in the fridge for days. I’m not adverse to leftovers and/or cold food so this works for me…but i get how some may be turned off by this. Basically, i’d say just eat what you can (without going your pre-portioned amount). No need to force yourself. Good Luck! ❤️

This is my experience! Since my arm lift, i basically have no hair in my pits anymore. Scar, yes, but hair, no, lol

Yeah, i think it varies widely among insurance providers. I didn't have a pre-op diet to adhere to other than the 2-week liquid one. Suffice it to say, I lost zero weight “pre-op”, but did lose 11lbs during the 2-week liquid one. I dunno if this strategy will dictate my long term success or failure…I guess only time will tell. P.S. I’ll be 3 years post-op in October and have been maintaining my weight pretty steadily for over 2 years.

Lol…i dunno about the fat neck theory, i have dry mouth now, but it was waaaaaaay worse when I was bigger. I have a bottle of Biotine (an oral spray) on my nightstand and use it before I go to bed and when I wake up… it helps.

I think you’ll find many on here who consciously stopped trying to lose weight before their initial/original goal weight. I’m 5’2” and had set a goal of 120. By the time 140-150 came around I was getting some “concerned” comments, but I personally wasn’t satisfied yet. When I hit 127, i decided to stop as *I* felt I was looking too skeletor-ish. Fast forward 2 years from that and I ended up losing a bit more anyway. Today I am 115, but I think I actually look less skeletor-ish than i did at 127 immediately after weight loss phase (the fam agrees). I think it’s because weight may have shifted around a tad, and because carbs are a part of my regular diet. 🤷🏻‍♀️

And here I thought I was super observant. Now that you mention THIS, it just dawned on me that the little pimply things on my upper arms are gone too. Weird i never noticed. Yay to the death of pimply arms!

Oh, oopsies! Yes, i had the sleeve (i rarely look at the forum categories on my feed…sorry!) Good luck, all ! ❤️

I hiccup All. The. Time. and i’ll be 3 years out in October. I never noticed a stagger, but i did have alot of hip and lower back pain starting around month 2 that affected how long I could stand or sit in the same position (so possibly my walk too? I dunno). Doc said the pain was due to bone and musculature adjustments brought on by lower weight. Was told it would go away eventually. It did, around 4-5 months post op. Bought new clothes as soon as the stash of “skinny” clothes i kept in my closet ran out LOL. And lastly, CONGRATULATIONS on all your effort, you are doing awesome! 💪🏽

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