ms.sss

Yes...it's definitely a learning curve. The first couple months I relied on measuring cups/spoons (for volume) and just served myself whatever amount I was supposed to be eating during that phase. Also, I ate ridiculously sloooooooooooow, like 1.5-2 hours slow. I used to time my bites on my watch (the fam thought I was crazy).

Yep, this is my feeling of full....actually its over-full. My goal is always to finish eating before I reach this point. I am successful maybe 80% of the time.

Hi. My name is ms.sss and I am a human being. I drink alcohol, coffee and carbonated water almost daily. I eat deep fried foods, fatty foods, and desserts on the regular. I eat popcorn (smothered in butter and lots of salt). There were 4-5 straight days just after Christmas where my diet for the entire day(s) consisted of solely alcohol and pecan butter tarts, no joke! I smoke cigarettes and drive well above the speed limit. I smoked pot almost every weekend last summer. I have not filed my personal income taxes for the past 2 years. If I'm home, I eat lunch on the couch with laptop, and binge watch TV for hours on end. I haven't taken my vitamins/supplements in over year. I didn't brush my teeth before I went to bed last night. Sometimes (sometimes!) I worry that people will read what I post and get the wrong idea/message...like I'm eating too little, or too much, or just unhealthily. Or that I'm wholly irresponsible or going down the path the h*ll. Or, that someone with a different temperament than mine will do as I do and get unexpected results. But we are all adults here and we each can make decisions on our own lives without putting any onus on some stranger on the internet. In the end, I don't assume any responsibility for your actions, nor your reactions to mine. I will commiserate with you, make suggestions, share a joke, and offer up my own personal experiences. But what you do with your lives is on you*. * Clarification: You == the collective "You", NOT the OP nor anyone else on this thread specifically.

Truth be told, I didn't really have any problems per se. Just annoyances. I hated the way my arms looked in sleeveless tops...but it's existence didn't prevent nor get in the way of me from actually doing anything at all, exercise included. It was all just for looks...well except maybe the boob lift, which had many benefits aside from looks. Besides the arms, all other excess-skinned body parts I had little love for could easily be tucked away under clothes (with or without compression gear). Except maybe my "fupa" (the fat/skin on top of your pubic area). I sometimes felt like it looked like I was packing a penis when I wore leggings or a really tight skirt/dress, lol. I did get this addressed during my tummy tuck, so its all good now. Now my (minor) annoyances are my saggy/flat butt and soft/flappy upper inner thighs. But they don't bug me so so much that I want any further PS to address them. So yeah, its all good now. Here's a before and after my TT...I probably could have been perfectly happy without it, but I wanted to be reeeeeeaaaaaaallllllllyy happy. You can see the fupa thing I was talking about....

I was the same way about my arms! I wanted them GONE. Even when I was "normal" sized pre-obesity. When I was bigger, I wanted the fat gone so I wouldn't feel self-conscious when I wore sleeveless stuff. When I got smaller, I wanted the skin gone, so I wouldn't feel self-conscious when i wore sleeveless stuff. Now I practically live in tank tops. Love it. Aaaaaand because of the boob lift, I can live in these tank tops BRA-LESS. Oh, the freedom! LOL. It's funny because I only wanted to get the boob lift because of the side boob skin that oozed out of my sleeveless armholes. Now it is actually my fave of all my procedures not just in looks, but in overall quality of life improvement. Front button tops fit like a glove, I don't need to strap the girls down when I run (which affected my breathing), no more under-boob sweat, no under-bra-band itch, no danger of nip-slips even in the tiniest of string bikini tops. I do sometimes miss my giant boobs when I see them in pictures, but then I remember all the aforementioned, and I'm good. Hope you get your dream arms and dream boobs in good time!

he's actually the only surgeon I've ever read about on these forums who's said that. Anyone else who's mentioned that their surgeon said anything about the gain/loss thing after plastic surgery has said they were warned a 10-15 lb gain either way will affect results. I don't know that there's been any research on this to know for absolute sure, but since there's evidently some difference in opinion, I'd sure want to be at a fairly stable weight before taking the plunge (and ms.sss, I know you and I have had this discussion before, so I'm just reiterating it for the sake of the OP) Good point...I should clarify that this info was given to ME by MY surgeon based on MY body size/frame at the time. I was/am pretty small. I *think* the bigger you are the less the same amount of lbs loss would show vs someone smaller. I was 125 lbs at time of PS consult (about 2 weeks into maintenance). My surgeon specifically told ME if I gained 15-25 lbs (for me that would be 135-150 lbs), there would likely be very little effect my results...anything more than that, he warned that my scars may widen undesiredly. He also told ME if I lost 10-15 lbs (this would have put me at (110-115 lbs), I should be ok, but anything more than that, I may see sagging/dimpling skin on either side of a taut incision/scar line. So basically, according to him, I theoretically could gain more lbs than lose before I possibly see some adverse effects, in either direction. I think that if one is a little bigger or smaller than me, the ranges that affect YOU would change accordingly. As it turned out, I was 115 lbs on PS surgery day. BTW: some anecdotal observations...I am currently 109-ish lbs (6lbs below my PS surgery date weight), been here for about a month, and I do notice a bit of loose skin on top and below my tummy tuck incision line (my other scars seem unaffected). this is especially true in the incision line were it is darker/firmer. My abdomen as a whole is not nearly as tight looking as it used to be a few months ago...but this is also likely due to the fact I haven't done any core work since January. In any case. It is probably unreasonable to expect to stay the same weight forever, or stay within 10-15 lbs of your goal weight until you die. Even those who never had WLS gain or lose that amount regularly. You can always get more PS years down the line if you so choose (it is addictive, after all!)

K, my pee journey was/is a little weird (not sure how much is wls-related or age...) Pre-wls, I peed all the time. I could not hold it for very long once I felt the urge, and I wold get up 3-4 times a night to go (I drank lots of liquids all day long). Post-wls, I developed what I affectionately called my new-found peeing superpower. I could sleep the entire night without having to go once. I could hold my pee for HOURS. I remember going on a 5-6 hour flight about a year post-op and both me and Mr. marvelled at how I didn't visit the bathroom once (a flight of this duration would usually call for a visit to the toilet every hour). I still drank lots all day long. No...post-POST-wls (2.5 years out now), I've noticed that my peeing frequency has increased in the past 6-9 or so months. I don't pee as much as pre-wls, but way more than I did that first year or so. I also notice that once I feel the need to go, I need to go...I can't hold it as long as soon as I acknowledge it. I dunno if its become psycho-sematic, because I also notice that if I go by a toilet, I just feel like I should go since I'm there, and I actually can. Sometimes it's just drips, but I still go nonetheless. I still don't need to get up in the middle of the night, so I don't think its too much of an issue. I still drink lots all day long. P.S. Oddly enough, I used to pee a little if I coughed or sneezed pre-wls, but no longer since the weight loss. P.P.S. I also often don't feel like I've fully emptied my bladder...but this is also a recent thing (past 6-9 months)

@kristieshannon: sorry you are dealing with this. Marriage issues suck. My first honest question to you would be: do YOU want to put in effort to work through it with him? Depending on your answer, the responses you get will reflect that in mind.... ❤️

My husband is very active and fit. He does some sort of something every single day for HOURS throughout the day. Every day. Even more in the summer months. He's been this active for the entire time I've known him (25+ years...he's actually probably more active now than when I first met him). No one who knows him bats an eyelash. Now, *I* started running 5 measly km over a year or so ago, and I got a good share of "concerned" comments. Further to this, early into maintenance my eating habits were/are very similar to my always-been-thin-sister-in-law. If she turned down a peice of cake, it was all, whatever. If *I* turned down the same cake, there would be alot more insisting, and "are you sure?"'s. I think people in general are not good with change. It takes time for people to get used to a new normal, or to understand/accept how someone can be doing something starkly different than themselves. I'm 2.5+ years out now, and nobody asks me a second time if I want that cake, or display surprise/concern at my exercise habits. Here on BP though, I do sometimes feel/sense that there is that still that "concern"...but that's just the nature of internet forums.

Oh, if you look, you'll find quite a few posts about "excessive" exercising, references to "obsessive" activity, and dire warnings about the inability to sustain activity levels and the "inevitable" crash and burn as a result. Sigh.

Hiay @Healthy_life2!!! I've missed you around here ❤️ Sometimes I think losing the thrill would be nice, but most times I still like to marvel in it, 😂

I started having consults the month I reached goal (7 months post-op) with the intention of getting it done in a couple months. Turns out my doc was booked up, so I had to wait anyway. I ended up getting arm lift, breast lift and tummy tuck 6.5 months into maintenance (14 months post-op over all). In retrospect its good that there was a wait time because I ended up losing another 15-ish lbs by the time PS surgery came around. My doc did say that in terms of effect on results, weight loss results in more effect on results than weight gain. The reason being that scar tissue may not shrink as well as it expands. My PS was done in Dec 2019, and I'm supremely happy that I had it done. Having tight arms in tank tops and being able to go braless in a tube top is pure joy, lol. P.S. I had mine done in Canada, so I can offer no personal recommendations. I do hear that Columbia is an inexpensive and reliable place to consider though.

Bread baking extravaganza today. Shown below, French Bread & Pandesal (a Filipino bread roll). I also made buttermilk biscuits, but they ate them all before I remembered to take a pic this morning. I ate 1/4 of a pandesal roll earlier: 43 calories Also had an expresso martini beforehand: + 141 calories 185 calories total P.S. I really need to work on my portioning when baking. They are all different sizes, which makes calorie estimation difficult.

You know, now that I think of it, my BFF said almost the exact same words to me. She said, "You are on your way to being even smaller than me" (she is "normal" sized). It didn't occur to me until reading your post now that it may have come from a place of insecurity? I don't remember it bothering me at the time though, I just took it as a statement of potential fact. I love her to death, and I know she loves me back so maybe that may have influenced my reaction (or non-reaction, I guess) when she said it. Although I do seem to remember it pretty distinctly, so it must have probably hit some sort of something since I can remember it now, 2+ year later. I have yet to date to receive any flat-out perceived snarky remarks form those I hold dear. I had however, got a few annoying words/comments from some extended family members at family parties pre-covid. But they are not very high on my love list so it didn't much matter to me....more of an annoyance vs. an injury. But its been a while now since I've been this size, and its all par for the course now with all that I interact with. Like with most things, its just a matter of time getting used to a new normal.

My fridge is fully stocked again, but I'm eating leftovers to use them up. Salad: romaine & vinaigrette, cucumber, carrots, mozzarella, canned corn, figs, & avocado with last night's grilled trout and asparagus. I ate 2 asparaguses (asparagai?) before I took the pic. 458 calories for the whole thing. Will eat the rest later.

Now I wish I took progress pics of my face!

wowza! That's only a 3 week difference?!? There is definitely a noticeable difference. Congrats on the weight loss ❤️

Yeah, I wouldn't put too much faith in clothes sizes if you are looking to determine progress. I can fit into a 0 in some brands, and a 6 in others. I even fit into a pair of snowpants that were marketed as a woman's XL. Your tape measure is the most reliable indicator...and pictures! (especially wearing the same article of clothing)

Yeah, I would think that if one is looking for data on weight loss with the surgery, then surgery weight should be used. If you are looking for overall weight loss for a program, then use the weight at the start of your program. Counting the weight loss prior to surgery would skew the statistics. With that said, my surgeon used the weight at the start of my 2 week pre-op diet (235). But *I* use the weight that I was on the morning of surgery. Further, the baseline for goal weight was/is what my weight would be at a BMI of 25. I have read others use a different data point, like a personal goal weight (which could be either above or below a BMI 25 baseline for their height). So yeah, just another unreliable statistic if one is comparing oneself to others...

Like alot of others (and unlike probably the same amount of others, lol), I step on the scale every morning, naked, and after I pee. Been doing this now for 2.5 years. During weight loss phase, I use to weigh myself before and after a good poop just for funsies. Once someone mentioned they weighed themselves before and after a shower to find out how much their wet hair weighed...got excited at the thought and tried it out, but whomp whomp...my wet hair made no diff. 🤣 Now if you are the type to get anxious/frustrated/agitated at the natural fluctuations, then I'd suggest limit the frequency of your weighs...for those that are unruffled by it, weigh away! Plus if you weigh everyday and record it, you can make fun graphs and marvel at it in your spare time. Here's mine:

I do. But I’m only 2.5 years out. Its a little better than before, but definitely still around (dumping) (oh, and I’m a sleeve)

Just a suggestion, exercise/activity doesn't have to be going to the gym or running 5K or workout videos. It could also be just be gardening, giving the house a good scrub, parking at the furthest parking space, taking the stairs, walking the dog (or the neighbours dog)... One of my friends has weights strapped to her ankles almost all the time (not the best look in the summer, but it works for her, lol). Another one has a reminder on her phone to get up and walk around for 2-3 minutes every hour (I used to do this too, but the reminders started to get annoying so I turned it off. haha). It may not be "alot", but its something.

Slim pickins' in my fridge & pantry this afternoon, so steamed some frozen edamame I found it the back of the freezer. 120 calories...ate it all (I need to go grocery shopping!)

@MarvelGirl25 I've been missing your pics of fab food! Those look awesome...I'm salivating for that steak and the veggie and pork stir fry 🤤

What's the brown crunchy looking stuff at 1:00?