Arabesque

Welcome @STLoser and happy birthday. Cute dress too. Looking forward to more of your pxts. Perfect hot summer night dress @kristieshannon. How did date night go? Bet he couldn’t take his eyes off you.

Had a tub of soon to expire hummus in my fridge so decided to borrow a recipe from one of the restaurants I’ve been to lately. Roasted cauliflower with hummus & dukkha but without the fancy drizzle of olive oil. I ended up adding more hummus & dukkha then in this pxt. I ate one piece with a lamb cutlet. Thank you for the birthday wishes @Sophie7713.

As the others have been saying, plans are different. I was never given a caloric goal just protein, water & portion sizes. Best to discuss this with your dietician with consideration of your needs, gender, age, height, etc. & activity level. Though generally a goal like 1000 calories would be one you’d work up to once on solid foods. If I was given caloric goals they would be very different to yours as a short, middle aged woman who isn’t very active. I was barely eating 900 calories at 6 months & at goal.

It seems to be a pre surgery diet preferred by UK surgeons. I would have been fine with the yoghurt but not the plain milk aspect. I ate high protein yoghurt & yoghurt drinks every day instead of shakes after the liquid stage post surgery to help meet my protein goals. Shakes are disgusting.

I added some crunches to my pretend exercise routine. And oh my God the butt pain is awful as I roll up & back down over my unprotected butt bones. I was doing them on a thick rug & have added my yoga mat but it takes a lot of determination to keep doing those crunches despite the discomfort.

It does get better as you start to eat more balanced & recommended portion sizes. But you’ll also get better at managing it as well. I still have odd times where I might miss a day for whatever reason but then I did before my surgery too. I too used the powdered Benefibre. Added it to my yoghurt & yoghurt drink.

Potatoes are the worst. They sit so heavily. Every now & again I’ll try them but … Had a couple of spoons the other day & nope still can’t. Felt so full & heavy I couldn’t eat the rest of my delicious duck, lentil & smoked beetroot lunch (was super delicious too). Have to say I love my aversion to sweet foods. Not even tempted these days. Never liked pears & their grainy texture. Now I can eat a couple of slices & it’s okay. Mind you it’s with a wedge of Brie. 😆😆.

It still happens to me at three years. Not often but sometimes there are just circumstances &/or distractions which cause you not to eat mindfully. Then your body really reminds you you’ve done the wrong thing. Groan. A couple of months back I was staying at my mother’s & we were having a ‘discussion’ and yep ate too fast & got the foamies. At least me rushing to the bathroom ended the discussion. 😉 Bet it was the plum skin that caused your experience @Tomo. Just a little too coarse & got stuck.

I wasn’t. Personally I couldn’t stand any pressure across my abdomen & had to roll my waist bands down low so wouldn’t have be able to wear one anyway. I think it’s an individual recommendation from the surgeon or something a patient chooses as it feels more comfortable to wear a binder post surgery. It would be helpful if you carry a lot of your weight in your abdomen (We carry it differently - I was an equal opportunity carrier - hips, thighs, butt, breasts, … 😁) or had a longer surgery to repair other issues like a hernia as well. Certainly, getting up & down can put strain on your healing tummy, incisions & stretched tummy muscles which the binder will support.

Try adding snacks. It was the only way I could slow my weight loss after I reached my goal but was unable to eat a recommended portion size. I did it with the support of my dietician & chose foods that were nutritionally sound. I still snack to reach the calories I need to maintain but not as often as I did initially because I can usually eat a portion size now. So snacking would help you increase your calories to gain. You could also graze on your left overs - finish your lunch portion for afternoon tea - which would satisfy your dietician’s advice. Try adding another serve of whole/multigrain carbs, another serve of fruit, a protein bar, cheese, yoghurt, chia pudding, hummus, etc. You can snack on raw vegetables too. I found some baked fava beans & chick peas snacks (which are handy when travelling too). I added powdered milk to milk to enrich (it becomes sweet though so I only did it when making chia pudding). I also used non diet dressing on salads. I know it can be challenging because you may not feel hungry or feel like eating & you likely don’t want to establish bad food & eating habits again either. I know that’s how I felt & still feel. Ask your dietician for more specific suggestions than just eat more especially when you physically can’t. All the best.

I was allowed scrambled eggs (& instant oats) in the purée stage but they had to be made with more milk & kept pretty runny. Would take me three days to eat two eggs. While plans have differences, 4 days seems too soon. (Two week stage cycles tend to be the most common.) You may struggle so don’t be afraid to go back to only liquids (including the cream soups) for a few more days. And yes, lots of people struggle with eggs - too rich I think.

Yes definitely go to your doctor or an emergency centre. Black, tarry stools aren’t uncommon the first time or two after surgery but not this far out. Constipation is very, very common. Add some soluble, non swelling fibre to your diet. Many of us follow a routine of taking stool softeners or similar. Some take something every day. I’d take a softener if I hadn’t been for three days. Are you taking a ppi? Many find dry mouth a side effect. Try Biotene which is a mouth spray which ‘moisturises’ your mouth. Not sure about the stuck feeling. I’ll get that if I eat something too dry or coarse as a precursor to the foamies. And before my reflux was diagnosed (decades ago) I actually would get a bit of food stuck in my throat that had come up from my tummy. But you said you’re at the purée stage so unless your purées aren’t moist & liquidy enough (should easily dollop off a spoon) … 🤷🏻‍♀️ Unless your history with Barrett’s, etc, are causing some swelling but again ???? Maybe worth an appointment with your gastroenterologist & more than just a barium meal test. Hope they can find some answers for you & you feel better soon. Hey @Tiffanyl1288 I’m a little confused. At ten days out you are usually only still on liquids & then would progress to purées, then soft foods then solid foods by about the 6 weeks mark (though plans are different). What are you ‘eating’? If you are eating you may be irritating (& potentially damaging) your healing esophagus & tummy. Remember for when you are eating that we’re advised to avoid drinking and eating at the same time. Usually we’re told to leave 30 minutes before & after eating before drinking (sipping).

I made a few dietary changes to manage my reflux & kept it under control for years. Would only need to take a ppi randomly like less than 5 time a year. (Usually when I’d break & have too much champagne or too many gin & tonics LOL.) I dropped caffeine (except the little in green tea), carbonated drinks (except for the occasional tonic, flat sparkling water & champagne), spicy food, very rich creamy or fatty foods. Rather adjust my diet then put up with the discomfort, bad taste in my mouth & the most hideous hiccups I used to get. I had sleeve surgery because I managed my reflux. I still have reflux & I still follow the dietary changes I’d made. I need to take a ppi every day but the symptoms I get are different. My hiccups aren’t as bad as they used to be (yay) & I occasionally get a little burning in my throat late at night now but that’s all. The other symptoms are gone. Best to have a conversation with your surgeon as to whether a sleeve is okay for you. You’ll probably have to have an endoscopy to see if your oesophagus has been affected.

Your new hair will be growing but you just can’t see or notice it but then you usually don’t notice new hair growth anyway. Hair grows slowly (only quarter to half an inch a month) but one day you’ll notice little fluffy fly away hair that will be two or so inches long. Oh yeah I agree. I’ll take a little hair loss for a big weight loss too. Wish my hair grew back at least wavy. I spend ages putting kinks & waves in my hair. I did get some kinks (on the back half of my head) when I was peri menopausal but that didn’t last ☹️☹️.

Or is it just a stall? You can many of those while you are losing. A stall is just your body taking a break to readjust to all the changes: diet, weight loss, activity. Glad you’ve reached out to your team. They’ll be best placed to advise if you do need a tweak to your eating plan especially if you are following a more intensive exercise program. And they will be able to advise what specific foods (not just a blanket ‘add carbs’) are best to add to your diet. Congratulations are your progress so far.

Contact your surgeon or go to your local emergency centre. Any unusual or strong pain should always be checked out to be certain of what’s going on. Hope you feel better soon.

It usually starts around the 3rd or 4th month & last about 3 months or so. When you start, how long it will last & how much you lose is an individual thing so you may be more or less the usual which is ok of course. You’ll start to notice an increase in the amount of hair you shed like when you wash or brush your hair. Remember this is just an acceleration of your natural hair shedding cycle. The hair you are losing is hair you would be losing. It’s just happening faster for a short time. Your still have new hair growing but just at it’s usual rate. Keep meeting your protein goals & taking your vitamins. Don’t stress about it - stress makes everything worse. It will pass.

This is far from an easy way out. I’ve never worked as hard with a diet as I did after my surgery. I changed what I eat & how I eat & did a lot of mental work to discover why I ate. I also did a lot of research into nutrition & discovered what worked for me & my body. We’ve all dieted & exercised in the past & successfully lost weight & like you we all put it back on too which is why we turned to surgery. We’re ridden that merry go round many times. For every person you find who says I followed this diet & lost weight & maintained you’ll find 1000s who tried it & failed. The diet industry is a multi billion dollar industry for a reason & there’s a reason the number of weight loss surgery procedures is increasing. By the way, exercising only contributes to 10-20% of the weight you have to lose (read somewhere recently that it’s really only 5-10% 🤷🏻‍♀️). We don’t say surgery is a tool for nothing. Just like buying a treadmill or a gym membership (for which you’d be congratulated), if you don’t use the treadmill or go to the gym nothing has changed & you won’t achieve anything. Same with the surgery, if you don’t use it you wont succeed. Many of the surgery benefits don’t last forever (like the lack of hunger, the restriction, etc.) which is why you have to take advantage of the time they do & establish new & better habits. Something we never did with other diets. You are making the decision to have surgery for excellent reasons: your health & your family. And you have years of weight loss/gain experience on which to base your decision. Sadly though, you may never convince your husband. Thinner people will never truely understand the challenges & anguish faced by those with weight issues. At least you’ll find plenty of support here. I wish you all the best. PS - Don’t be surprised if your husband & his family start sharing ‘horror surgery’ stories. It seems to be what happens next in plans to turn you off surgery. When they start with the friend of a friend of a friend, ask to speak to the one who had the surgery (they likely won’t exist or the story has been twisted) or share stories from here.

It’s likely not a stall because you’ve been plateaued for so long. Stalls usually last 1-3 weeks You may have reached your body’s set point. The weight at which your body is happiest &/or your consuming the calories your body needs to function at this weight. I ate 1300 calories & maintained at 49kg for a good year. I eat 1400 calories now (because of additional protein) & maintain at 51kg. Like @catwoman7 said you could lose more if you reduced your calories (& upped your activity) but is a lower intake sustainable? Only you know that. And remember not everyone reaches a healthy BMI. (BMI should be used as a guide not a rule anyway.) it’s got to be a weight that healthy for you & your life. But, have a chat with your dietician & see what advice they can offer.

There are lots of different pre surgery diets. Mine was 2 weeks keto. But generally they’re either two shakes & one meal or three shakes only. With these the first week (or there abouts) seems to be the most difficult. You’re breaking lots of habits, cravings & addictions (caffeine, sugar). Plus if food was a comfort for you this is also ‘taken away’ from you so it can be more challenging because of the emotional/psychological roller coaster. It’s all so very worth it though.

And the hormonal flush. Enjoy it.

What does your plan recommend? You should be starting to try lots of different foods now. Just chose the more tender cuts & keep things moist with some sort of sauce or gravy & eat slowly & carefully. Your tummy (or tastebuds) will quickly tell you if it’s not for you yet. And if something doesn’t sit well, don’t give up on it. Just leave it for a week or so & try again. From two months I was adding beef, lamb, pork, chicken, fish, … to my menu plan roster for dinner. Mince, lamb cutlets or blackstrap, chicken thighs, steak, pork tenderloin, etc. I was also eating some vegetables: steamed green beans, cabbage & cauliflower florets. (Very little like 2 or 3 beans & a floret😁.) I was also cooking with tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms, celery, onion, spinach leaves, capsicum like in soups, bolognese sauce, omelettes, savoury mince, braises, etc. I ate scrambled eggs or rolled oats for breakfast & fish (not tinned), 1/2 a sausage (butcher’s not supermarket mass produced) or dinner leftovers for lunch. I never had another shake from week 3 purées. Just watch drying meat out to much while cooking so maybe no char grills or bbq for a little while.

I’m with @ms.sss: taboo schmoo-boo. Go the Botox. Honestly, I’m not a fan of the idea of young girls & young women getting Botox & fillers but once your life starts to show on your face I think it’s certainly worth exploring. I got my first lot last year (Dysport not Botox) & I love it. I actually went in to explore filler but because I have a bee allergy was advised against it (the neutraliser causes the same reaction in your body as a bee sting so I’d likely have an anaphylactic reaction). I also am ‘under dosed’ so I still have some forehead movement & I feel it looks more natural. I also get it in my chin to reduce the length of some of my marionette lines & reduce the old lady chin dimpling. The only down side is mine doesn’t last long - about 2 months as I process it more quickly. ☹️ But the only way to truely get rid of the droopy facial skin is surgery & I’m not interested in that … well at the moment. Ha! I look at my face & I think yeah I have wrinkles & droop but I am 57. I’m supposed to have them & I’ve earned them. But I have cheekbones now, one chin, my eyelids aren’t as hooded, I have a jaw line & people say they can see the family resemblances with my brothers, nieces & nephews. Best of all is that I actually look like me now. My face isn’t distorted by layers of fat. That’s how I look at it though.

Ok, you ate something you probably shouldn’t at this stage but you realise this & that’s the positive. And yes, some people do slip at any time as they’re progressing so you’re not alone. The real question is what are you going to do next time? This is a great learning opportunity. Why couldn’t you resist the nachos? Was it something you wanted? Was it out of habit? Was it because others were eating? Did you need to eat? Was it your lunch or dinner time? Etc. Once you’ve worked out why you can start thinking about how you can manage this or similar situations in the future. Like, next time I go to the movies I’ll drink water or tea or I’ll sneak in a shake, some jerky or string cheese, etc. Eating nachos now while you’re losing isn’t a great idea but in the future sure you may be able to have some but you’ll work that out. PS - Actually you didn’t skip dinner. A shake is a meal replacement so you still had a meal. Just something to watch if you are on a three meal a day plan but plans are different.

You’ve likely strained/stretched your anus or maybe even caused a small tear. Add some soluble non swelling fibre to your diet & maybe try a stool softener. I used to take one if I got to day 3 without a BM. Though some need a stronger or higher dose. If I left it longer the poop would get harder, more compacted & more painful to pass. Iron is renowned for causing constipation so it likely did contribute as did your reduced diet. Not going every day is okay because we’re not eating a lot & it’s nutritionally dense so we don’t have a lot to poop out but it is beneficial to keep on top of it & try to establish some sort of routine.