Recidivist

Oh my goodness! I just checked my BMI, and it's currently 25 (overweight, which is wonderful). However, 24.9 is at the very top end of normal weight! I have been waiting almost 30 years to be called "normal!"

So, I am now 3 months and three weeks post-surgery, and I weigh 167. That's a loss of 83 pounds from my original weight and a loss of 70 pounds since surgery. And my goal weight is 150--just 17 more pounds to lose. I'm flabbergasted at how quickly the weight has come off (and I'm hoping my saggy skin will start to catch up). Ladies, please bear in mind that men lose weight much more quickly than women, so don't hate me. This will sound like a weird thing to say, but I'm a bit concerned that I might lose too much and start to look emaciated. At this rate, I'll be at my goal weight at about six months post-surgery--and then what? I suppose we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, and I could certainly figure out how to increase my calories. 🙂

Hubba-hubba! 🙂

I'm also a bit afraid of eating a high-fat diet, particularly since I've gotten rather sick the few times I have eaten something high-fat. What I'm doing so far seems to be working, so I'm not tempted to tinker with it. (LC/LF/HP and no sugar whatsoever.)

Mine was fairly easy, EmzBee. I was at a "normal" weight up until I was about 32 (which is 28 years ago), and that's when I started gaining. I stayed around 150 pounds +/- that entire time, so that seemed like a logical goal weight. No higher mathematics involved! 🙂

Sheribear, you look amazing! Based on those photos it's hard to imagine that you very much weight left to lose!

AZ, that could have been written by me! I am horrified by the sagging skin and don't want anyone to see it. And I also have jutting collarbones and shoulder blades, although I still prefer that to what I used to look like. I too am surprised every time I look in the mirror because my face looks so different (including the loose skin hanging below my jaw like a turkey). I also realize that this is still the honeymoon phase and wonder what it will be like when it's over. I would hate to have gone through all this only to re-gain weight in a year or two. However, I have to think that I'm training my mind to make sensible food choices, and that should last beyond the honeymoon.

Hi, all. We have five house guests (all family) for the month of June, so things are a little hectic. Oc course, that means lots of big celebratory dinners, both at home and in restaurants. I can honestly say I have no cravings and still don't feel hungry (ever). However, I feel uncomfortable with the social aspect of food when friends and family are enjoying a big meal together and I'm having a scrap of chicken. Of course, everyone keeps telling me that "one bit won't hurt you" even when I assure them I'm completely full. Otherwise, I'm feeling very good. The one thing I notice now that I've lost a significant amount of weight is that I'm rather weak and lacking stamina. My next goal is to start doing strength training at the gym.

Thanks, Gotta. You are right: I stuck to protein and the only cheating was some high-fat food--no sugar, no alcohol, and minimal carbs. And the good thing is that I didn't feel particularly deprived. I learned that I can sit with others at dinner and enjoy my shrimp cocktail while everyone else is eating a full meal.

Hey everyone! I got back from the Alaska cruise yesterday, during which I turned 60. If you haven't seen it before, I cannot recommend Alaska highly enough! I basically stuck to the program during the cruise, with some minor "cheats"--lobster with drawn butter, crab with drawn butter, shrimp scampi with butter, and several high-protein dishes that probably contained more fat than I should be eating. Of course, all the portions were very small. I didn't drink at all and ate essentially no carbs. It honestly didn't feel like much of a hardship not to stuff myself at the buffet. The best news of all is that I came back seven pounds lighter. I'm thrilled, particularly after stalled for a couple of weeks recently.

Hi, all. Just a quick update before I head out on my Alaska cruise tomorrow! 😁 The cramps, gas, bloating, etc. left as quickly as they came after about five days. There is no apparent reason why they started nor why they went away. I'm feeling pretty good right now. I've made a conscious effort to increase my water intake to about 96 ounces a day (three 32-ounce containers), and it's been very successful. I find that I can drink much more than I could even a month ago without any consequences. Interesting note: I saw my nutritionist recently and she told me that they no longer say that you have to stop drinking 30 minutes before eating, only after. She said you could literally drink right up to the point when you start eating. I've lost 55 pounds since surgery. Let's see if I can at least break even after seven days on a cruise!

Wow, Emzbee! What an amazing transformation--you look like a completely different person! I know that you have had some struggles, but you have clearly been doing something right. Congratulations!

I had a miserable day today. I have had severe stomach cramps, bloating, gas and diarrhea (sorry for being graphic). The odd thing is that I ate nothing out of the ordinary--a shake for breakfast, and a chicken breast that I brought from home. Has anyone else had this happen for no reason?

Well, after nearly two weeks of stalling at 188, I've lost four pounds in a day. Not sure why it happened, but I'll take it! My next challenge: I'm turning 60 next week and will going on an Alaska cruise with twelve of my good friends. I actually think that the buffet will be my friend, because I can take only what I can eat of the right things--easier than a sit-down dinner. (I happen to love cold shrimp, and they are usually easy to find on cruises!)

I attended a wedding today, which was quite a challenge. They had a lovely buffet, and I had some cheese, a slice of salami, three or four cracker, and fresh fruit (strawberries, blackberries and raspberries). I probably didn't get much protein, but I think I was basically a good boy. 🙂

Gotta, I totally agree--I fall back on shakes as my default whenI don't want to figure out how to get my protein from "real" food, which can be exhausting at times, especially at work. However, my nutritionist told me last week that she wants to to wean myself off of shakes. She says one per day for now, but going down to zero as soon as possible.

I prefer the grape chews to the strawberry-watermelon, but both are WAY better than those nausea-inducing chewables that I was taking before. I saw my doctor yesterday and she is very pleased with my progress. However, I've still been stuck at 188 for more than a week. Now I know what you all are talking about.

Gotta, I just this minute tried the Bariatric Advantage soft chews--one grape and one strawberry-watermelon. Wow, what a difference! I have dreaded chewing my vitamins every day, but these actually taste sort of good. Thanks so much for the suggestion. I'm switching immediately and never looking back!

Fantastic, Emzbee--I'm really proud of you! However, I do hope you can start feeling better AND keep losing weight. I now weigh one pound less than my partner, which I never would have believed possible. Total crazycakes! 🙂

Thanks Taylor and Gotta for the vitamin recommendations. I'm using Bariatric Advantage now (chewables--yuck) and I had seen their soft chews. I was actually interested in grape and watermelon-strawberry, so I think I'll pull the trigger and try one of each. I'll let you know how it goes!

So, did he want to see you? Or did he recommend a trip to the emergency room? What comes next? I hope you are doing okay!

So, let's talk vitamins. I originally got tablets, but they were too big for me to swallow. I then got chewables, and they are so disgusting that they literally make me nauseous. Before I try yet another type, I'd like to hear which type of vitamins you all prefer. What about soft chews? Gummies? Quick melts? Powders? Liquids? Is there anything that's not disgusting? By the way, I use Bariatric Advantage brand, which my doctor recommended--but I'm open to other brands.

Hi, Emzbee. So good to have you back! First, you look adorable in your latest photo--and I like the black hair! I'm so sorry to hear that you might have a stricture. However, the upside is that there may be a reason you have been having difficulties, and it can be fixed. That should make you feel a bit better. As for the barium swallow, it's not a big deal. (You may remember that I did one when I had a leak. It was at 10:00 at night in a deserted area in the basement of the hospital--very creepy.) At any rate, mine was essentially tasteless and really easy to drink. Gottajustdoit, perhaps there are different kinds and yours was nasty. Please do keep us posted, and I'm looking forward to hearing good news from you soon!

No idea what caused it, but I've battled nausea on and off for almost a month. I do have Zofran and have used it frequently, but we were away from home the entire day and I didn't have it!

I had a miserable Saturday--so nauseous that I couldn't eat or take any of my meds. Things are better today, but I'm still a bit queasy. On the plus side, I've lost 2 pounds. After being stalled at 188 for almost a week, I'm now at 186!