ItsABearDance

I'm about to enter the soft foods stage of my diet plan and am so excited to actually eat food again instead of just drinking protein. Does anybody have any vegetarian recommendations for recipes they liked while doing soft foods?

I flew in to a conference yesterday and was able to buckle my seatbelt without struggling to clasp the belt. I remember last time I flew in on the same flight last year I tried to hide the fact that my belt wasn't buckled from the attendants because I was so embarrassed and didn't want to ask for an extender. My goal for the next flight will be to buckle it and actually have to tighten the belt!

I don't think you could appeal since they simply aren't covering the procedure. You may be able to reach out to whoever handles benefits and let them know how this effects you so they could consider opting in in the future for the benefit of your coworkers, though?

I count tea and my protein shakes toward my 64 oz.

Do you have a counselor or therapist that you see for your binge-eating disorder? Having someone to work with you on the mental-health side of your journey is going to be extremely important for your success. The surgery will put limits in physically which will help with the over-eating mentality to a degree, but it's also important to approach the psychological aspect of this journey and may be what your surgery psychologist is worried about.

My nutritionist said I could have coffee a month after surgery, but to be vigilant about acid reflux if I do decide to drink it since the two are associated. I would check with what your Dr says since everybody has different opinions.

A big reason I held off on doing WLS surgery for so long was I was worried people would think I was taking the easy way out and judge me for it. When I confessed this to my mom she gave me some great advice that it wasn't the easy way out, we still have to put in the work for the weight loss. WLS surgery would just help put me on the right track toward getting healthy. I'm so glad I listened to her and thus far, she's been right. I've still been putting work in, I just gained a tool to push me in the right direction when I struggle to make good decisions. Also, even if it were the easy way out why is that a bad thing? Do people need to see a struggle to make weight loss valid in their minds? If there were an easier way to get healthy shouldn't we be allowed to take it?

Both of these suggestions sound fantastic! I love cauliflower and adding alfredo sounds like a fun way to get some flavor! I've never had Ethiopian food or West African food, but it would be fun to try! Do you find the food is usually pretty healthy even coming from a restaurant?

Congrats!!!! That's really exciting!

Can you work with the Dr who is treating your neurological condition to get their opinion on whether bariatric surgery would help you?

This sounds like a decision you should talk through with your Dr, going over your neurological auto-immune illness and whether Bariatric Surgery is a good fit to combat the weight gain that's associated with it. I would be cautious of accepting the advice of those outside your care team (friends, family, coworkers, etc...) since ultimately it's your body and your decision and the people in our lives have all kinds of preconceived opinions and motivations for swaying you one way or another, even if well-meaning. To your daughter's point, technically, a majority of people can lose weight by watching their intake and exercise, but some people need the bariatric surgery as a tool to help move them along and that's just as valid of an accomplishment as doing it through sheer willpower.

That's what I did to up the protein in my shakes and I didn't have a problem with it.

Thanks for sharing! This looks so yummy!

I've tried the vanilla one. I really liked it!

Has anybody tried Daily Burn for their fitness routines? I've done a few workouts with them and really like it, but was curious if other people have any input on whether they feel like it was a good workout program?

I would ask your surgeon or nutritionist what they recommend. I think everybody is told something a little bit different based on what their care team prefers. For me, my guidelines were that I should have about 4 protein shakes daily. With breakfast I could have 1/2 cup of berries and I could have a lean protein and a cup of veggies for dinner. I could also sub in a yogurt for lunch instead of a protein shake if I wanted.

Oh, I also love Butternut Squash Soup, that's a great idea! I'm also on a cooking kick, so I might give a recipe a go!

I agree with Calgalintx, I also work in a hospital and talking about patients in such a way is against policy in most places. You should report her if you can or ask for a different nurse to be assigned to your care team. Take some deep breaths, you'll recover as quickly as your body is able, try to work on easing some of that anxiety you're feeling right now. Do as much water/walking as you are able, the walking will help relieve pressure you are feeling. Request more pain meds if the pain makes you unable to walk. Sip water as slowly and as frequently as you are able so you're not trying to play catch-up when it's time for discharge. Most importantly, talk to your Dr. to let them know you are struggling.

Both of these additions sound yummy! My stomach is growling just thinking about this. (Seriously, I am so excited to move on from liquids). I'm also glad to hear it freezes well. I feel like pre-surg I was already having trouble making too much food for one person and now I'm dividing the portions even more so freeze-ability is a huge plus!

The ricotta bake looks delish! I'm really excited to give that a try! I've seen a lot of people have trouble with scrambled eggs and am nervous about that, pre-surg I loved scrambled eggs, I hope they don't betray me! Thanks for the tips!

Congrats!!!

That sounds pretty good! Did you make it yourself or were you able to buy some in store?

Dr Taylor at Mt. Sinai was fantastic, I wish I would have gone with him and his location for my surgery. I ended up going somewhere else for the surgery since I was already cleared there.