XtinaDoesIt

Hi all!!! I hope you are all keeping safe and having a great school year! I started going back into work this year (I was remote last year) and boy I am starting to fall back into old habits! Its so easy to go the day without eating anything and then pick up fast food on the way home. I cant just go to the bathroom every 30 minutes so I drink way less water than I used to. When I get home I still have work to do so I don't work out as often I used to. And Im so used to having a drink while I work at home that its hard not to want to stop at my local liquor store after work (especially after a trying day dealing with parents who refuse to send their kids to school with masks.) It was so much easier being healthy when I was remote. Anyone else struggling? Any advice or tips? Im trying to find more snacks to eat throughout the day and easy dinner/lunch ideas that don't require as much prep. I am so over protein bars! I pack them and never eat them. Mostly I make a drink with protein powder and drink it throughout the day. I either have turkey bacon or yogurt in the morning. I also nibble on carrot sticks from the schools lunch when students bring them for me (they can be so sweet!). I am contemplating morning workouts but I just don't want to! lol. Maybe a morning walk with my coffee? I still can't eat large portions of anything so Im not gaining weight but I was already a slow loser. Im worried that this job will halt my progress. Why cant I be one of those people who loses weight when they are stressed! 😣 I know this is a list of excuses and I just need to try harder but I could really use the support of my fellow educators! What has been working for you?

Hi All! Its been a while since I posted anything or been active. I found out in November that I was pregnant. I was 8 months out of surgery when I got pregnant. My fiance and I had just gotten engaged a few months before and were planning our wedding. So it was definitely a surprise! I was really nervous about proceeding with the pregnancy. I just knew I would be ready in just one more year (I've been saying that for the last 5 years!) BUT I was pregnant now, 33, in a great relationship, with a stable income, healthier then Ive been in a while and all out of excuses not to start my family. So my journey began... I am currently 23 weeks pregnant! This is my first pregnancy so I have nothing to compare it with but this has been my experience in case any of you find yourself in my situation. Its hard to find doctors who understand how VSG affects my pregnancy. They understand that I need to be monitored more but don't really get the nuances. One example; I was given this HUGE jug to collect my urine over 24 hours. When I returned it, I was told that they need AT LEAST 4X more urine than I had collected. They were convinced I didn't collect all my urine. I told them that was everything I had to give! They told me to drink more water. Now this community knows how hard that task is. I still can not eat and drink at the same time. I also cant just drink a gallon of water in one go. It feels like a herculean task. I have tried 3 times and have still not filled this jug! I've learned that drinking tea increases my urine output so I have hope for my next attempt. I was really sick throughout my first and second trimester. I already had bad acid reflux before and after surgery and was taking omeprazole to relieve it. Turns out you can't take anything stronger than Tums while pregnant. So on top of the normal nausea, I felt the need to throw up to relieve my indigestion and heartburn. I started really hating food when everyone else kept trying to feed me more! I've been feeling better now though. I was allowed to take pepcid and it actually helps. Now, I have the desire to eat more but still cant eat more than a few bites of anything in one sitting. My food also takes forever to digest so I have to be really picky about what I eat. Fruits are my best friend! I kept my surgery a secret. My fiance and sister are the only ones I told about my VSG. So no one really gets why Im having a hard time eating more. They also keep wanting to see my belly but Im not sure how to explain my incisions. It feels too late to say anything now... so its awkward and more isolating than it could have been. But my family can be SUPER judgy so I think they would just find a way to make me feel bad about it and I don't need the added stress. I get to do more sonograms than your average mom to be. Because of my VSG and previous hypertension, I'm monitored more and have more doctor visits. I really don't mind! I love getting to see whats going on in there! So far so good... mostly. I keep expecting the docs to say my baby isn't growing or Im malnourished but that doesn't seem to be the case. Everything is progressing normally and baby looks good. They did mention that one of babys kidneys is not eliminating waste as it should. The other kidney is fine but they want to keep an eye on it. Of course we are worried but its actually pretty common and generally resolves itself. If it doesn't, there is a small procedure to fix it after birth (if necessary) so we are trying not to sweat it. I got Covid. I'm a teacher and as soon as the mask mandate was removed, I got COVID. Never mind that Ive been vaccinated, boosted and was still wearing my mask! Im actually recovering now. (SIDE NOTE: We seem to be having a second surge at my school. I wonder if any other teachers (or parents) have noticed that?) I was EXTREMELY sick the first week. I was lightheaded, coughing, full of mucus, achy and just couldn't get out of bed. I also couldn't take any medicines because of the pregnancy. My mom kept sending me home remedies but when I looked them up, there was always a warning for pregnant people. I just had to ride it out. Baby seems ok but I'll know more at my appointment next week. As far as my VSG goals... I was 195-200 lbs when I found out I was pregnant (SW:267) and had been stalled there for almost 2 months. I was getting a bit discouraged because my whole weight loss process had been so slow and felt harder for me than it seemed like it was for some people here. I also had a friend who had her VSG after me and had lost almost twice as much weight as I had so I knew it wasn't in my head. I started drinking again and sneaking in more cheat snacks. When I found out I was pregnant, I cut out all alcohol and was really strict about making sure the little food I ate was good for baby. I dropped 20-25 more pounds. Im currently 175 lbs. I havent really gained any weight. Part of me is happy about that and still trying to get to my goal of 155 while pregnant. But I know I have to put on weight for baby. It's really a mind f**k. Doctors say the baby is growing normally so there isn't much to worry about... yet. Technically I'm still overweight and they don't recommend as much weight gain for overweight moms. Im entering my third trimester now and am supposed to put on 1-2 lbs a week. We'll see how that goes. Im still trending downwards... If you made it to the end, thanks for reading through this entire post. I hope it helps. I hope to update you with only good news in the weeks to come! Last note, I'm having a girl! So exciting!!! My VSG has definitely complicated things but I think we made the right decision and I am really excited about entering this next chapter of my life healthier than I have been in years!

So obvious and yet I've never thought to do this! Thanks! I actually did the cauliflower substitute thing for a while on one of my many diets and now I hate cauliflower anything. Even pizza.

I think Carys sugar free syrup taste just as good as Aunt Jemima! I make protein pancakes or waffle and top it off with this syrup when I need something sweet.

Yeah Ive eaten a thin crust slice before and even a regular NY slice but It usually takes me a pretty long time and it still doesn't sit well with me. My stomach is telling me no but the pizza calls to me! lol. I haven't had much of it though and I do like the tortilla wrap alternative I make at home. My local pizza shop actually makes it too! I haven't ordered it yet though.

Thanks for sharing! I love how you own all your enhancements! I cant wait until I can get these breast done and then see whats next! Hair looks great! But I thought pregnancy is supposed to help your hair not hurt it! *pregnant mom to be speaking.* Have you done microblading? I have super thin eyebrows and am considering it but scared to do anything to my face I can't take back for 2 years.

Thanks for sharing this! It must have been awful to start experiencing these symptoms a year or so out of surgery. Whenever Im having a rough day, it helps me to think it only get better from here so I know that must have been mentally hard to handle. One of the things I hadn't thought too much about before my surgery is how it would affect my relationship. It definitely has. So thanks for sharing that. My fiance and I do a lot of things over food and so it hard when Im not eating as much. I think for him, it was hardest having to now make decisions about meals himself. He always asks what I want to eat when we order food for example and I really dont have a preference because I'm probably not going to eat anything. But on the bright side, he has learned to make his own meals to save the money and Im a much cheaper date! LOL. My friend who has been having a much rougher recovery than I have, has also been struggling in her relationship. Her S.O was very supportive in the beginning but she has been sick in one way or the other for a year now. She has had to have revision surgery and is constantly in the ER. Her S.O is just over it. Im glad you guys were able to make it through and now she can support you on your journey!

Hi Crystalmoon, I just sent you a private message. Looks like we are in a similar boat. Also found out I was pregnant at the 8 month mark. It looks like we have very similar stats too and Im also an educator! Weird! I'd love an update on how everything is going with you. Check out my pregnancy post. Hope to hear from you soon! ~Xtina

Wow. I thought the restrictions go away over time. I guess thats a good thing to still feel it 17 year later! Although I was looking forward to the day I could have a whole slice of pizza in the same time it takes everyone else to eat!

I haven't even reached my goal and it hasn't been super easy for me (especially now that I'm pregnant) but I only regret not doing it sooner! I really want to get breast reduction surgery next. Cant wait for that! I will say I wanted more immediate results. I fantasized about being "beach ready" 4 months after surgery and that didnt happen (the way I fantasized about it anyway). It's taken me a lot longer than I hoped to reach my goal and be "back to normal." I pretty much took a year off my social life then got pregnant so I still feel like Im on pause and under construction. But one day soon I know I'll be where I want to be! No regrets!

Are you also throwing up? Is the pain acid related? Or is it more of a physical pain. I had acid reflux (still do but now I'm also pregnant so there is that) which made everything I ate feel uncomfortable in my stomach. But I didn't experience any physical pain during digestion. A friend of mine developed really bad ulcers and had to get revision surgery which helped for a bit but then the pain returned. Turns out she also had kidney stones which had to be removed. Not sure if you are a woman, but its very common for women to be dismissed my medical professionals. My friend had to keep going to the ER before someone finally took her seriously. They kept giving her IVs and telling her she was dehydrated.

Yeah it hasn't been as bad as I thought it was going to be. I just make sure to go during my breaks whether or not I feel the urge and so far it's been OK. I did cut out coffee recently so maybe that helped.

So true! This year especially, I have been prioritizing me and my well being! I'm starting to get into a grove with my diet now also. I start my day with turkey bacon while I'm getting dressed and a banana on my drive to work. I mostly eat fruits, nuts, yogurt, throughout my day. I find that when I bring leftovers I am less likely to eat. I eat my meals when I get home. I'm still not really getting much exercise either BUT I do have to walk up and down 3 flights of stairs 3x a day so there's that... I also have one of those large water bottles that I try to get through. I used to do crystal lite and protein powder mixed in but I find I drink more when it's just cold water so I fill it with ice. Lastly, I have stopped drinking again. When the school year started I found myself drinking more and then skipping meals because I was no longer hungry. But 1-2 drinks here and there was becoming a drink every work night. So I finished my last bottle and decided to go cold turkey again. Everything is looking up for me and my scale is still going down (at a snails pace but down is down:) I'm glad you are doing well! Stay safe!

I lost like 70lbs and still haven't really sized down. Everything fits me better and my clothes are a lot more flattering but I'm pretty much still wearing the same thing... I feel like I'm getting close though!

I love salmon. It has been the easiest thing for me to digest since surgery. I also like the beans idea for added protein. I just need to try some simpler recipes because I think I do too much when I cook. I love the idea of getting it cooked for me though. There is a spot I used to go to that steamed fresh fish for me. I totally forgot about it. So thanks!

I love my spanx! I havent needed to really size down. However I can breathe in them now and put them on ALOT easier than I did a few month ago. It might be time to size down soon though but I'll wait until they go on sale! They are $175 now and I bought them for $90 last December.

You look great! I didn't take any pictures because I hated seeing myself in them. But I wish I took them now.

For reference, I started at 267 and 7+ months later I'm 203. Happy with what I lost but def wanted to be under 200 lbs by now. So you are doing better than me. I actually stopped checking this site because I was feeling discouraged by my lost. But as long as I'm trending downwards, I've tried not to be so hard on myself. I think some bodies are just resistant to change and I've always known that about myself. Just keep going, one day at a time and try not to be too hard on yourself.

My doc told me that I would not be able to have caffeine again. I'm okay with dropping soda but I had coffee the other day and I forgot how much life it gives me! Anyone know the reason we shouldn't have it? I'm wondering how hard and fast this rule is? I'm 7 months out of my surgery for reference. I'm thinking one cup in the morning can't be that bad?! Maybe?! My next appointment with my doc isn't for another 5 months.

I dont have preexisting conditions. It was just on my list of prohibited things after a sleeve. But I also remember specifically asking about when I would be able to have caffeine and being told I would no longer be able to have it. So I have just been avoiding all things caffienated. I will def check out that page though. Thanks!

Thank you all for your responses! I'm drinking coffee as I type! Lol. I've never had too bad of a coffee habit. Just 1 cup in the morning gets me through the day. I'm deciding to have it. Thanks!

Hope you are feeling better!!! Your progress thus far is amazing!!!!

When you have tried and failed at weight loss so many times before, it makes sense that you would be hesitant to believe it will work. Then to have your experience... any one would be apprehensive. But I (and I'm sure others here) will be sending good vibes your way and hoping it works out for you! Just put one foot in front of the other until you reach your goal!

Loved the details in this post! Im glad it all worked out and continue to wish you success! I feel for your wife. My boyfriend has lost more than me without the surgery just by default of my new diet. A friend who did the surgery last month lost more than I have in 4 months. Really, every one is just different but it still sux! I wish you both the best!

I didn't like the quest chips or any protein chips I've tried... I wouldn't eat those kettle chips though. I loved them prior to wls and had some after but I always stall when I eat them... after a while they didn't even taste as good and feel heavy in my stomach. If you plan to do it any way, at least get the 100 cal bags for portion control. I have had some popcorn though... I make it stovetop with the bare minimum oil and salt. BUT I am not cleared for it and my nutritionist told me NOT to do it ( I'm 4 months out). I try to eat a few sunflower seeds when I have that craving but I was advised to limit that too. 😞... I just keep thinking of my goal and putting one foot in front of the other...