Arabesque

I kept losing well into my second year too. At my lowest I was 48.2kgs (was only there for a couple of weeks but …) & then I fluctuated between 48.5-49.5kg (about 18.9 BMI). I did that for about a 11 months & have been at about 50.5kgs for almost a year. (Am 3yrs 7 months out.) My dietician gave me some tips to up my calories before I stabilised so I’m glad you’re seeing your’s. Initually my surgeon & his associate were a little concerned when they looked at just the number on the scales but then they realised I’m ‘pretty small really’ (their words). Which is true as I’m not tall & am more finely built. They were then fine with my weight. Give yourself a little time to get used to your new body & your weight to stabilise & settle. Body dysmorphia will still be giving you a distorted picture of yourself as you compare yourself to the size you were before. It takes time for your head to catch up with the new reality of your size. I still get the occasionally shock when I realise the slim woman in the mirror or reflected in a window is actually me. And yes, bounce back regain of 10+/- lbs is a real possibility. You’ll work out what are your magic maintenance numbers are @pintsizedmallrat & it may not be 1500 calories because we have different needs & different weights we‘re most comfortable at. I thought 60kg & a BMI of about 23 would be great for me. But my body set me at a lower weight & I’m very happy with it. I was only eating about 1300 calories to maintain at the lower weight & about 1400 for the slightly higher weight now (have to eat more protein due to an absorption issue). But I’m not overly active & am 57 so that’s plenty of calories for me to maintain my smaller frame too. (I eat three meals & three snacks a day so eat heaps.) Oh & I get the clothing thing. I’m a US size 2 & sometimes a 0. There are stores here in Australia that don’t go smaller than a size 4. And there are ones where if they go to a 2 I’ll need a 0. (Still have largish feet for my height - 37.5-38). I’m about the size I was when I was 12. And yes I fit into Aust size 12 chn’s shorts. (My mum bought a pair for my niece & wondered if they would fit so asked me to try them on.)

That’s wonderful. Congratulations.

Adding to the suggestion that dehydration may be contributing to your leg cramps, you may also be lacking some minerals as a result of the restricted diet before & now after your surgery. Try taking a magnesium supplement or adding an electrolyte drink to your daily fluid intake (bonus of getting more fluids in too). I hope they’re not those horrible charley horse knotted cramps. They’re hideous & so painful. Dealing with cravings is a challenge & you may never fully defeat them. It would be so much easier if the surgery took away that part of your brain as well as a part of your tummy. The physical & emotional stress of the surgery, your recovery & even the worry of sticking to your plan & not making a mistake, can make you crave those foods that comforted you in the past. And because you can’t have those foods at the moment you want them more. Look for non-food/ eating things to comfort you & activities to distract yourself. Go for a walk as you’re able, craft, read, watch a movie, documentary or other program, play a game, ring a friend, check your social media or this forum, have something to drink like a cup of green or herbal tea if you’re allowed.

Everything improves & gets easier. Taste comes back. You continue to eat larger portions as you progress & a wider variety of foods. You get into better routines & your tummy is less sensitive. You also learn your body’s idiosyncrasies & needs. Check with your plan. I was able to eat vegetables from soft food (in stews, soups, omelettes at that stage & then as sides & fresh). Initially from the soIid food stage, I could only eat like a small cauliflower floret or two green beans or about a dessertspoon of steamed cabbage. I was also only eating 1/4 - 1/3 cup of food then too but by 6 months I was almost eating a cup (depending on the food). Now I eat about a regular portion size. Establish a routine with your drinking like how @catwoman7 does with what she drinks before breakfast. Many find success with setting a reminder on their phone to drink. I have routine of what I drink during specific times during the day & so by around 2ish I’ve had half my daily intake. I find it easier to drink as the day passes & I drink during the night too. (Get up to pee, drink. Pee & drink again.) If I’m driving, I drink when I get in & when I get out of the car & I’ll drink when I stop at traffic lights - it’s just become habit now. I don’t count any fluids in foods (except when I was on shakes) like not in soup - that’s just bonus fluid. Only exception is rolled oats. Don’t count the required 3/4 cup milk to make them but do count the additional 1/2 cup I add so it’s extra runny. I easily get in 1.75L a day but often get in 2L or more (2L = 67oz). I don’t think you experienced dumping either (usually caused by eating. high sugar foods or highly processed simple carbs). Sounds more like the foamies which can occur as a result of eating too quickly, over eating or eating food that is too dry or coarse. (You regurgitate the excess food or food your tummy can’t cope with, usually with foamy, almost sticky phlegm.)

had my three girl friends over fir Christmas drinks & catch up. I always over cater & now my fridge is overflowing with leftovers. Sigh! Also have leftover bottles of champagne too which I don’t mind about. Made a baked Brie (baked with quince paste, vino cotto & served with toasted walnuts & fresh thyme). So delicious. Bought mushroom & fete, & spinach & feta quiche slices & some salads from Botanica who specialise in gluten free & vegetarian foods & vegan salads. (Did you discover them when you lived here @ms.sss?). The coffee pavlova with coffe cream & coffee drizzle was made by one of my girlfriends & another made the fruit salad. (Forgot to take some of the pxts before we started eating so they’re partially devoured.)

Dealing with others (especially family) who don’t fully get it can be challenging, frustrating & upsetting. They’re trying to be supportive but … I remember my mum saying in frustration she didn’t know what I ate anymore & didn’t know what to have in the house when I visited. Well I ate pretty much what she did & did all the cooking when I was there but she felt lost, confused & didn’t want to jeopardise my weight loss. Maybe this is where your Mum’s coming from. Have you tried sitting her down with your program & going through it with her or even attending one of your dietician appointments. Remind her no one diet works for everyone because how bodies have different require to to function effectively & well. Your program has been designed to support your recovery & healing from surgery, to introduce healthy, nutrient dense foods to benefit your weight loss & health, & can be modified to meet any specific needs you might have. Can’t hurt. While sugar free popsicles are allowed I wonder if eating 4, 5 or more are too many in a day. Yes, they have no added sugar but they have artificial sweeteners which continue to feed your desire/craving for sweet. Also many develop an intolerance to sweeteners (particularly the alcohol sugars - end in ‘ol’) & over consuming may increase your risk. Try reducing how many you have each day & swap in alternative fluids like protein waters, green or herbal teas, etc. Worth a chat with your dietician but it is your choice.

The grocery bill went down though because I went from not eating lunch & morning & afternoon tea to eating them it wasn’t as much of a drop as I expected. But boy oh boy replacing clothing was an expensive process. Was being very careful & buying very little as I was losing predominately just to supplement my old smaller sized clothing. I got caught because when I was at about goal I started buying more thinking I’d stabilise but I kept losing & dropped two more dress sizes. Had to be refitted for bras three times, twice replaced my knickers, twice replaced pyjamas & have shoes that are smaller than what I used to wear but bigger than what I wear now. The additional cost not many talk about. Plus it’s so exciting to be able to buy beautiful clothes, underwear & shoes in small sizes & things that are flattering & fit properly. Addiction transference??? 😁😁😁 Donated a lot of things, gave away a few shoes but still have quite a few clothes & shoes that are one or two sizes too big. Just in case.

Yay for tea. I’m a big green tea drinker. Don’t enjoy fruit teas at all but some herbal ones are okay (fresh mint & peppermint are my favourites but chamomile is 🤢). South African Rooibus made me nauseous. 🤷🏻‍♀️ When I drank black tea I enjoyed earl grey at night & lady grey in the afternoon but English breakfast was my go to everyday tea. Russian caravan was an interesting smoky tea I enjoyed occasionally. Twinnings or Yorkshire Tea were my go to brands back then. Here in Australia we have a fabulous tea company: T2. I love their green sencha for everyday & their Buddha’s tears on weekends (it’s a long 8 minute brew). Their teas are very clean tasting. They do interesting herbal blends too like tummy tea, quiet mind, sleep tight. And have lovely tins to store your tea leaves or bags. (They deliver to the US if you’re interested). The Tea Company’s (also Aust company) gunpowder green & olive leaf teas are also good.

I think thermomixers could be an interesting addition to the kitchen & can see how you would be tempted. My sisters-in-law were early adopters & raved about them. One even upgraded to the newer model. But they haven’t used them in years. Like the bread maker, juicer, etc. they’ve been regulated to a cupboard. Lol! Lots of people seem to love their instapot & as @The Greater Fool suggested, it’s less expensive & maybe a better option (especially if you have a cupboard brimming with unused appliances like I do). But if someone is gifting it too go for it. Ha! PS - Many years ago I got a food processor for Christmas. Used it twice I think - cleaning was a pain - so into the cupboard it went. Dragged it out (& dusted it off) two years ago to make some hummus. First there was a burning smell then smoke. Unplugged it & tossed it outside. It ended up in the bin. No hummus that day. 😁

And adding to @SpartanMaker’s post, the area you carried more weight will be the slowest place to lose. Be it abdominal weight or the weight in your butt & thighs it’s where ever you have the most fat to lose. Take some body measurements - sometimes the number on the tape measure will reveal more of what you’ve lost than looking in the mirror or the fit of clothing.

That isn’t surgical gas as it’s within your digestive system so something like gas x should give you some relief. Small sips are good but are you also leaving a few minutes between sips? Burping is often caused by sucking in air when you eat or drink which is why many are advised to avoid straws & carbonated drinks. Also anxiety can contribute. You worry you will struggle with burping & excess gas & then you do. Also you are likely still producing the same amount of stomach acid you did with your larger tummy. Excess acid can cause belching (&hiccups). A PPI will help - were you prescribed one? Some develop a temporary intolerance to lactose which can result in burping though as you’re in clear fluids that shouldn’t be your cause. It’s really important to keep your fluids up. Dehydration is a concern post surgery. Watch for symptoms like dark yellow pee, peeing infrequently, lightheadedness, nausea, dry mouth & go to a medical centre if you experiencing them.

Check with your surgeon as 1/2 cup may be a little too much. I was advised 1/4 - 1/3 cup from purée. But all plans are different. Even though your tummy can hold 6ozs doesn’t mean you eat that much & yours may not hold that much. They’re only approximating based on how much of your tummy they removed. Plus your tummy is a muscle that stretches.

It often takes a good week for the gas to escape. But burping & farting won’t help because the gas is actually in your abdominal cavity not in your digestive system. The pain occurs because it rises & settles under your lungs causing nerve pressure (the shoulder pain). It escapes by attaching itself to water molecules in your lungs & you breathe it out. So gentle activity like short walks (around your home, garden, street) as you’re able, marching on the spot, carefully lifting your arms up & down ( don’t pull on your tummy) & slow, deep breathing help the gas escape. A heat pad can also help ease the discomfort too. The pain on sipping is swelling from the surgery from where they inserted the breathing tube. Try warm drinks - warm water, green or herbal tea, even add room temp or warm water to your shakes. They are often more soothing than cool or cold liquids. It will get easier every day & will be gone in a couple more days.

Were you given portion sizes? Mine were 1/4 - 1/3 of a cup once on purées. Check with your surgeon & team for what they recommend you need. You should aim to stop before you feel full. It takes time for the full message to get through to our brain & often messages don’t get through or signal differently as a lot of nerves were cut during surgery. By the time you feel full you’ve had way too much. It’s why we’re told to eat slowly & to watch portion size. Ask yourself have you had enough not are you full. Do you need the next bite or just want it? It’s okay if you don’t eat all your recommended portion either. Try it again later or save it for tomorrow. My fridge often has unfinished meals & I’m 3.5yrs out. PS - juice is usually a strong no after surgery. The sugar content of the fruit is too high. Consider how many oranges you need to make a glass of juice. Would you eat that many pieces in one sitting. When you’re allowed, eat whole fruit. More of our necessary vitamins & nutrients in whole fruit than in juice alone.

It can be a shock when you see the higher number on the scales, but fluctuations happen when you’re losing & when your weight is stable too . Fluid retention, constipation, hormones, just because our bodies can be weird can contribute. It could even be your scales - uneven surface, failing battery, etc. I’ve posted this before but my scales read this a couple of months ago. It initially read more than 150kg - 3x my weight. So yes, heart palpitations & a second or two of thinking how the &**##$ did I put on that much weight before I regained my senses. Replaced the batteries which saw the 136kg weight but turned out the scales were dying.

It often takes a good week for the gas to escape. But burping & farting won’t help because the gas is actually in your abdominal cavity not in your digestive system. The pain occurs because it rises & settles under your lungs causing nerve pressure (the shoulder pain). It escapes by attaching itself to water molecules in your lungs & you breathe it out. So gentle activity like short walks (around your home, garden, street) as you’re able, marching on the spot, carefully lifting your arms up & down ( don’t pull your tummy) & slow, deep breathing. A heat pad can also help ease the discomfort too. Yeah binders are a some do some don’t. If you find a binder supportive & more comfortable, use it.

A lot of nerve endings were cut during the surgery, so many of our old signals just don’t get through or don’t get through in the same way. This is why it’s very important to eat to the recommended portion sizes & to eat slowly. You may find too, that when those signals come back they’re different & you have to relearn what they mean. Also try not to eat until you are full (& try to stop before you feel your restriction when that kicks in). Signals take time to get through (another reason why we’re advised to eat slowly) & by the time you’re brain says you’re full, you’ve actually eaten more than you need. Eat until you’ve had enough. That is when you’ve eaten what you need not want. Don’t feel you have eat until all your portion either. If you feel you’ve had enough & don’t need any more stop. I still often have partially eaten food in my fridge. You can finish it later if need be or save it for tomorrow. Left overs are great. I know lots of things to learn & learn about yourself. But you’ll work it out. Congrats on your surgery.

I just did the exact same thing. I don’t think they’d be for me. Not an offal eater. No tongue, brains, liver, kidneys, sweet breads. Nope can’t do it. Sorry @Tomo

Yep, the gas is in your abdominal cavity not your digestive system & the pain occurs as it rises & gets trapped under your lungs. It escapes by attaching itself to water molecules in your lungs & you breathe it out. Best things to help are walking (gentle but regular walks around your house, garden or down the street as you’re able), marching on the spot, rising your arms up & down, slow deep breathing & heat packs. The activity helps move the gas up & breathing more deeply or heavily helps it escape. It can take some a week for theirs to fully dissipate.

There’s grazing & there’s grazing. Grazing when you eat an appropriately portioned size healthy meal over a few hours or eat several small healthy meals over the day that meet your caloric & nutritional needs are fine. Anything else, like grazing just to eat, or for boredom, etc. or grazing beyond just a mid morning &/or mid afternoon snack can be worrying & lead to the weight gain fear you have. Consider what you’re grazing on & why you’re grazing. Do you exceed your caloric need by grazing? Maybe try the mini meal grazing or eating a meal by picking at it over a few hours. Or even reduce your grazing to just a single between meal snack. (I snack three times a day. It gives me a needed additional 25 odd grams of protein but still fits within my caloric needs.) Worth trying.

100% agree. I drink sparkling water (let it go flat), green tea & plain water as my go to drinks every day. I also add extra milk to my rolled oats breakfast & count the extra as fluid. Gives me some variety & makes for an easy routine & habit for me to follow. And it ensures I get in a minimum of 1.75L but usually 2L or more (2L is 67.6 oz.)

If snacking &/or overeating are your concerns, IF may not work for you. As @SpartanMaker said, its success depends upon compliance. If you’re drawn to snacking &/or overeating now, you’ll likely still do it in the smaller eating window of IF. It doesn’t stop you from eating or stop you from making not the best food choices. If these are your areas of struggle, you’re half way there because you’ve identified the problem. Go back to measuring & monitoring your portions to get back on track. What are you snacking on & why are you snacking? Habit, boredom, craving, etc.? Look for something to distract you instead of snacking. We’ve years of thinking we need to go on a ‘diet’ when we put on some weight. When some simple changes of behaviour might be all we need.

Some do it & swear by it but then you can find someone who swears by any diet and many for whom they didn’t work. No one diet works for everyone because we have different needs. In maintenance you need to find, not a diet, but a way of eating that works for you. One that is sustainable (this is life long & many diets are short term only), provides your body with what it needs & complements your life & how you want to live it. It may incorporate aspects of many styles of eating. For example I’ve included aspects of keto & Atkins, occasionally include vegetarian meals, usually fast for about 13hrs overnight, etc. I only fast 13+/- hrs because if I eat breakfast too early my tummy doesn’t like it & it sits heavily or I feel blah. And I eat the high protein of keto/Atkins because I don’t absorb protein well. So I included these aspects just to keep my body happy & functioning well. So, sure give intermittent fasting a go & see if it works for you.

So much of this is an individual journey. There are averages & common experiences but a lot of variation too. From whether you’ll lose hair or not & how much you’ll lose & for how long to how fast or slow you lose. As for the hair loss, some, people swear by taking supplements to help with the hair loss (biotin is very popular) but their hair loss still slows to their usual rate after 3 or 4 months like most do. I say save your money. Cut your hair if it’s long so your new growth doesn’t take as long to catch up to the length of your remaining hair. Plus short hair looks thicker & bouncier without the weight of longer hair pulling it down. And it doesn’t look as much in the bottom of the shower. 🙂 As for the rate of weight loss, best advice is to stick to the plan you were given by your dietician. Or if you didn’t get one for past the initial staged return to eating, get in touch with them to review what your eating, guidance & other options yiu could include in your diet. But I agree, 25 lbs in 2 months is a good loss. Remember you lose at your rate & your weight loss will slow as you get close to your goal.

Let us know what your doctor says.