Arabesque

Oh, they’re just tuilles. You can make them using any grated cheese in the oven or in a fry pan (probably an air fryer too). You can add your own herbs & spices too. Interesting you can do them in a microwave & with cottage cheese though.

I agree with everyone. Do not reduce your calories. Everyone is supposed to slowly increase their calories as they progress until they reach a point of maintenance. I also suggest you get back in contact with your surgeon & dietician. Personally I think it’s terrible your surgeon or a colleague who does their follow-ups hasn’t seen you since month 3. (I saw my surgeon regularly to begin monthly then two monthly. From 6 months & my goal I had three monthly appointments with his colleague in their rooms. At three years I started 6 monthly appointments.) The other consideration is you may be at your body’s set point. Your goal weight is one you chose not what your body chose. Remember not everyone gets to their goal weight. The average weight loss for sleeve or bypass is about 65% of the weight they are to lose to put them in a healthier weight range. You have already exceeded the average which is fantastic. Also could you update your profile with details of your surgery weight, etc. It helps those of us who respond get a better idea of your situation & offer more appropriate advice & suggestions.

First, congratulations on your weight loss. It’s a fabulous achievement - please remember that. The hard truth is not everyone gets to their goal weight. Your goal weight is a number you chose for various reasons significant to you but your body has it’s own goal weight - its set point. This is the weight your body is happiest at. It is a weight that’s easiest to maintain & your body will keep pulling you back to. Your set point is what makes it hard to lose weight & easy to put back on any you did lose back. The surgery lowered your set point from what it was but you can’t control what the lower level will be. Be careful as you can increase your set point again by eating to excess & making poor food choices. Yes, increasing your physical activity & building muscle will increase your hunger. The trick is to balance the hunger with the calories your body needs. Check your basal metabolic rate to give you an idea if what calories your body may need to maintain. Seeking support from a therapist may help especially with your cravings & late night hunger. Many find therapy very beneficial to support their weight loss & manage their maintenance. Therapy will help you identify what’s behind your cravings & hunger & reflect on your relationship with food. Your surgeon or team should be able to refer you to a suitable therapist (one who specialises in disordered eating & is knowledgeable of bariatric surgery). All the best. PS - I found it helpful to get the ‘bad’ food out of my house. If it’s not there I can’t eat it. I know it’s not always possible especially if you have a family but even if you got rid of the your favourites would help. Try to pick a healthier option. Want sweet try some fruit. Want salty or crunchy try roasted fava beans or chick peas. Of course even ‘good’ food eaten to excess will lead to weight gain.

Yep that’s hot flush. Definitely not comfortable. Maybe chat with your doctor or gyno & get a blood test to check your hormone levels too.

That’s the way I looked at your original post @omrhsn. What problem, inconvenience, complication, annoyance, etc. do you have now but are still good because a factor in the problem is your weight loss. Yes, I have to get my rings resized which is an (expensive) annoyance but it’s because I lost weight which is good. Everyone has problems or annoyances which, in the big picture & in the real world, are minor & unimportant. My sister-in-law has large feet & has trouble finding shoes. It’s a problem that sadly has no good side for her. Many of us struggled to find clothing to fit us before because of our size & that was a doubly bad problem: no clothing & our weight. I thought it was meant to be a more light hearted fun thread like a chat with friends. I also saw it as an opportunity to see how others may have managed these situations, found solutions or just to know others are experiencing the same things.

Good Lord. I had no idea a latex allergy extended to fruits like bananas & kiwi & so many other foods. Can you eat small amounts of the lower risk foods@Starwarsandcupcakes?

The oestrogen made my hot flushes & other menopausal symptoms go away @LindsayT. Unfortunately, they came back when my weight settled. I was on HRT but I still got (& get) the odd breakthrough symptom. But yes your body may be having trouble self regulating temperature. PS - A hot flush feels different than feeling hot or feeling the heat. It’s like a sudden wave of internal heat radiating out of your body & equally sudden sweating. Sometimes it was my whole body & sometimes just my face.

Going to a formal wedding in about three weeks & have been worrying about shoes. Sad I know. Wasn’t happy with what I thought I’d go with though gorgeous shoes. I’m wearing a bias cut 1930s influenced gown. At about 12:30 this morning I suddenly remembered I had the perfect shoe & had them for years. I’ll wear them with black micro fishnet hose. My dress. Yes black but look a print. And I have opera length black leather gloves to wear as well.

Heated seats & vibration! Makes going to the movies a whole new happy place. 😆 My cinema (independent) has put in new seats which I discovered reclined & had a foot rest. Unfortunately I only discovered it as I was leaving. My bag was hiding the buttons. Sigh. They used to have ottomans you could rest your legs on. A bonus to people like me whose legs don’t quite reach the floor. I saw The Flash. I enjoy a Marvel or DC movie … well some of them. It was okay. A few laughs. Thought it was wonderful to include past Batmans, Supermen & Supergirls from movies & TV - though not all were included. It was like honouring the past. Sad to see Christopher Reeve though. . How long did it take for them to put in the extensions @ms.sss?

Some people do experience an allergic reaction after surgery & develop a hive like rash (glue used on incisions, antiseptic wash, etc.). Just one of those things. Most seem to find over the counter treatments like anti histamines, calamine, etc. help. Some find ice soothing too. Maybe ask your pharmacist for something that may help until you can see your doctor.

Once your hormonal flush evens out the acne should disappear so about when you lose the bulk of your weight. I’m almost 58 & I was complaining the other day about a big blind pimple on my chin. Waah! Can’t blame what I eat & can’t blame hormones anymore. Just life unfortunately.

Structures aren’t that common & not everyone has plastic surgery. I didn’t have a stricture & neither did my three friends (one also in her 50s, one in her 40s & one in her 20s) who had surgery. Only one of us has had plastic surgery - the younger one. She lost more weight than the rest of us. She had it because it was affecting the activity she wanted to do & she was having to buy larger size clothes simply because of the excess skin. They will do cardiac testing before your surgery but make sure you tell your team about your breathing difficulties especially after anaesthetic & maybe ask for some respiratory testing to be done as well.

I went to the movies this morning. (My cleaner was at my house & I feel like an lazy ass if she’s working & … I’m not.) Was going to take a pxt of how bundled up I was but the cinema was too dark. Why do the make cinemas sooooo dang cold? I had on a big thick alpaca jumper & a long oversized knitted coat which I used as a granny knee rug & I was still cold.The coat is from my before days & is about 6 sizes too big but it always kept me warm. I keep it as an emergency coat in my car & cause I can wrap it around me a few times now.

15lbs in about a month is fine @Metamul. You haven’t failed at all. Remember there is no right or wrong right of loss. You’ll lose at your own rate & at a rate that’s best for your body. Your rate of loss has nothing to do with whether you’ll lose your weight except it may take a little longer and that’s okay too. You’re doing great. You’re probably starting to recognise the difference between real hunger & head hunger. Yes, they do feel different. You tend to crave a specific food, texture or flavour with real hunger. I get restless as if something is wrong then I realise I’m hungry. And there is always a legitimate & logical reason I’m hungry - haven’t eaten for a while, missed a meal, didn’t eat much earlier in the day.

I had my sleeve four years ago at almost 54 so a little younger & also female. Also no diabetes or other co morbidities. I lost all my weight & more & have basically kept it off (apart from a slight hiccup with a medication absorption issue). My fluctuation weight initially was 48.5-49.5kg & is now about 49.5-50.1kgs - maybe my weight settling. I am careful with what & how much I eat. Which you would be already doing a lot with managing your diabetes. I mostly eat whole foods that are low or no processed. I’m not really active: just stretches & resistance bands - wouldn’t burn 30 calories. The changes I made to what & how I eat were sustainable & easy to manage. I don’t feel like I’m missing out or making sacrifices to maintain my weight. I also feel my choices aren’t negatively impacting how I want to live & enjoy my life. If the opposite was true & I felt I was missing out or couldn’t enjoy my life I would not be able to maintain & would have been gaining weight . But yes things do happen in life that throw a lot of that out the window: personal & professional stress, emotional traumas, health issues, etc. Our weight can resettle into its new set point (where it’s most happy) which is higher. Our initial way of eating may have been too restrictive & unsustainable to maintain a lower weight. Or we simply become a little complacent. I didn’t have any complications or issues post surgery but my tummy can be a bit fussy - quirky - & I have random episodes of the foamies for often unknown reasons. There are certain foods I can’t eat (like breads, pasta & rice sit heavily in my tummy) but it doesn’t bother me. There were foods I couldn’t tolerate before surgery or avoided because my tummy was always a bit fussy, had some sensitivities & to manage my reflux. So no big change really.

I had a gin & tonic (well & regularly stirred to reduce the gas), which I truly sipped for hours, at about 8 weeks. Then another one about a month or so later. Honestly they didn’t taste the same & I didn’t enjoy them as much. I chose G&Ts as I was very sensitive to sweet & preferred the bitter of the tonic. I only have a drink maybe once a month or less often. Usually only one. I still take a while to drink it & sometimes I don’t finish it. I don’t know if the alcohol affects me more quickly or if I process it more quickly as I drink so little & so slowly to make a real judgement. I used to have a large glass of wine or scotch (or both) every night, sometimes one at lunch too if out. but I really don’t miss it now. My friends all drink & it doesn’t affect our dynamic if I don’t or only have one drink. More champagne for them they say! I’m more selective about what I drink - quality over quantity hence the champagne. May be remember all the empty calories your friends are drinking while the number on your scales continues to go down.

Cucumber wedges. Sprinkle with a little salt. Yum. The high water content should make cucumber easy to eat & digest. Worth a try anyway. If you can’t have raw vegetables yet, which is so you don’t strain or overtax your digestion, roasted chick peas & fava beans, & vegetable chips may be off the table too (too dry & coarse) but check with your dietician to be sure & for suggestions. You never know. I was told my vegetables had to be soft & well cooked (almost mushy) to begin.

Check with your dietician for meal ideas & guidelines about portion sizes, calories, nutrient goals, number of meals a day, etc. Then measure, weigh & track your food every meal & then make the necessary changes. If you are eating too many calories, swap out your food choices to more nutrient dense foods & foods that are lower in fats, sugars & carbs. Look to whole & low or no processed foods. If your portions are too large, reduce the sizes. Make sure you’re hitting your protein & fluid goals every day. It will always be better to eat real food than have a protein shake once your through those initial stages post surgery. I didn’t have another shake after the liquid stage. I know some people do continue to have shakes but I’m a believer in learning & establishing new & life time eating habits & food choices that work in your lifestyle as soon as possible. Shakes aren’t really sustainable in the long term & can feel like you are restricting or limiting yourself. I believe people put on weight after being on a shake diet because they relied on the shakes & didn’t learn how to make better food choices or change their eating behaviours. Fluctuations while you are losing are to be expected. Your weight loss isn’t a consistent straight line down. It will go & down & plateau. As long as the general trend is downwards you’re okay.

I agree to check with your team especially your dietician first & they’ll give you their recommendations, foods to avoid or include, when to introduce certain foods, any nutrient goals (maximums & minimums), etc. Focus on eating your protein first, then your vegetables & finally & only if you are able, any carbs you are allowed. Some meals I only could eat my protein. Keep your proteins moist. As @The Greater Fool said sauces can really make a meal but also they can help to avoid the foamies from eating food that is too dry or coarse. I started with softer meats first (I ate lots of minced meat dishes initially as they were easier to eat & digest) & gradually added in denser proteins like steak. I loved leftovers & packing up single portion meals. I still do & my fridge & freezer are full of them. Great for nights you don’t feel like cooking, to take to work, etc. Don’t be surprised if your tummy can’t tolerate some foods. This is usually temporary while your tummy is still sensitive & fussy & throws the odd tantrum (like a two year old). Though it can happen randomly in the long term or there may be odd foods you really can’t eat again. I made scrambled eggs yesterday. I eat eggs quite regularly but yesterday my tummy said nope & up they came. Don’t know why. I still can’t eat bread, pasta & rice, too heavy in my tummy, though I can eat small amounts of pastry.

As @ms.sss said just ride it out. It’s not for ever - thank goodness. Though you want ketosis to occur because it’s tied to your weight loss especially in the beginning. The taste & smell changes are temporary but a great opportunity to break cravings & try new foods/flavours. For the unpleasant body odours, pack a toiletry bag with toothbrush & paste, mouthwash, body wipes, deodorant, pantry liners, etc. so you can refresh at work, when out & about or socialising as you need.

This might be your new set point too @Danpaul as @catwoman7 mentioned. That is the weight your body is happiest at. The surgery resets that happy place weight from what it was before surgery. It’s always harder to lose & maintain below that weight & if you do lose some of it your body will more easily/quickly return to the weight it prefers. It can also be easy to reset it to a higher level again through food choices & overeating. I think, for us, vigilance will always be needed to varying degrees. As you said we know the consequences of not working at maintaining our weight. I watch what I eat every day & make choices about what I will or won’t eat. It’s a lot easier to do & not as restrictive as I expected & as it was when watching what I ate while trying to lose or maintain before surgery. That is a huge bonus.

You just had a pretty major surgery & are still recovering it’s no wonder you passed out after undertaking what is quite a strenuous activity for you at this time. Though you hit your protein goal you still are eating very few calories, possibly have some low blood pressure & maybe some hypoglycaemia (sugar drop) as well. Check with your team as to their activity recommendations. Many of us are advised only gentle walking for the first weeks, slowly increasing. Take things slowly & listen to your body. While you are recovering you can’t do exactly what you did before surgery but you will again soon. Not being able to drink alcohol after surgery isn’t an absolute no @Carol97045. Sure if your post surgical plan says no alcohol for a period it time, it is best to follow that. But after that there are a few considerations around the consumption of alcohol post surgery. Empty calories & carbs is one. The habit of usually eating high fat, high sugar, high calorie, highly processed food while drinking. How your body & changed digestive system tolerates it & processes it (like feeling the effects more quickly). The most important is the possibility of addiction transfer - from food to alcohol. Does this mean you can never have alcohol again? No. What it means is you have to make your own choices around whether you do or don’t drink & if you chose to drink how much & how often based on those considerations. I drank while I was losing. Had a gin & tonic at about 8 weeks. Nursed that drink literally for hours & didn’t have another drink for another month or so. Four years out & I still only have a drink maybe once a month & usually only one. I still take a while to drink it or sometimes don’t finish it. My choice. I don’t enjoy it in the same way either. And I used to have a drink every night. And I’m far from being alone in continuing to consume alcohol.

I’m going to presume it’s your natural fluctuation. We all have a fluctuation at round which our weight bounces. It’s affected by things like hormones, fluid retention, constipation, what we eat or drink one day compared to the next, etc. Because you’re more focussed on your weight you notice the fluctuation more. Mine is about a kilo (2.2 pounds) but we all have our own. As long I basically stay within that range I’m happy.

If you are on an all liquid diet it’s a simple no. No solid foods at all. Same after surgery when you’re on an all liquid diet again. The restricted diets are there for a reason - to protect you, your health, your tummy & to avoid complications both during and after your surgery.

I eat more now than I did when I first stabilised. Then I ate about 1300 calories & did for about a year. I eat about 1500 now & have been pretty consistent at my weight (since we sorted out my HRT malabsorption issue) at about a kilogram more. Before surgery I could barely lose a kilo eating 900 calories so I love that the surgery boosted my metabolism. As most know I don’t ‘exercise’. Just stretches, use resistance bands & try to be more active in my everyday life. I did sit-ups for a while but had to give them up because of a retinal issue. Honestly even when I was doing 100 sit ups a day I was barely burning 30 calories so even less now. According to one of those online calculators my BMR requires an intake of about 1500 calories for someone my age, height, weight & activity level. I only discovered that a few months back & some time after I settled at my current calorie intake so the calculator was pretty much on the mark. It would be higher of course if I was younger, taller, weighed more &/or was more active & other factors too. As @ms.sss said it really does depend on the person. You just have to find out what works & is best for you. I also don’t count calories or weigh my food every day just do random checks to keep myself honest. And I haven’t had skin removal either.