learn2cook

Wow, those pictures are amazing! You’re being consistent and really living life to the fullest. You are truly inspiring!

I talked with my doctor about the stomach noises. He said it was normal. When I hear them, it’s my normal stop point if I haven’t finished yet anyway. Carrots took me a long time to get to. Cooked veggies were better the whole first year for me. I tend to like cooked veggies in the winter and raw vegetables in the summer and fall. Spring is a mix. Keep drinking your water. It helps with lovely skin, but also digestion and understanding true hunger signals.

Yeah!

I had flu recently and liquid children’s Motrin got me through the worst of it. I stopped ASAP because I do have a history of nsaid damage but my doc said low doses of children’s meds in liquid form would be enough. I had the dosage for a 60lb kid at night only. I used powder Tylenol for kids during the day. Not sure if that would be strong enough for IUD placement. I had RNY 3 years ago.

Maybe I should make this a thread, but I recently got the flu. I had been under the impression that I would never be able to take any pain meds. The inflammation was so bad my doc suggested children ‘s medication. It worked. I took what a 60 lb kid would take in liquid form. I felt better and could sleep. I stopped ASAP. It was liquid Motrin and powdered Tylenol. I just kept switching back and forth like you do for sick kids. I was surprised there was anything I could take. Also, I was surprised that regular osteoarthritis symptoms and mild asthma can be controlled through a high protein/low carb lifestyle. I stopped taking all shots and meds 3 years ago. (Not for asthma, that’s a different beast, but my baseline is back to where I was at 20. I’m 57 now.)

You really do a have a great attitude towards weight loss and maintenance! That’s half the battle for me. The surgery still makes the body shrink back to manageable size when our tracking and weighing attention comes back. I gain weight every Christmas because the foods only happen at that time and OMG pie… But by New Years my WLS still works great. I find I have to ease back into tracking and water etc. I usually start with drinking water. I had a roommate in college that had ED and would punish herself with being severe suddenly with food restrictions and over exercising. I hope you continue to be kind to yourself. Your honesty has been an absolute inspiration to me!

I feel down right now too. I took stock and realized it is mid winter. I do this every winter. I have a nice hair appointment set up, a vacation planned, and a new angle for advancement at work. My back up plan is to work a second job that’s completely unrelated to my current one, and see where that goes. I work out first thing in the mornings. The trigger is to put headphones on and I feel weird if I DON’T exercise. I hope this helps, cause it’s all over the place. You are not your job, but I remembered reading a post from you about nursing being your bucket list dream. So, nursing can go so many different directions. Keep your mind open to possibilities you haven’t expected?

That took strength of persistence and consistency! I am so impressed.

You are amazing!!!! Thank you for sharing.

I love your honesty. I went back for my undergrad at 30, and my masters at 50. No one cared how old or how fat I was. The young people were so so so supportive and kind. Most were a little self absorbed (which is age appropriate) so they honestly didn’t even notice me. Two things helped, college the second time (and third) around was better because I went to a smaller university (5k vs 20k). Second I had therapy to help me get out of my head. You are fabulous just the way you are! If you don’t figure that out now, you will find out that you don’t trust anyone who befriends you when you get to goal. Been there-Meg

I kept loosing until the 2yr 4 months mark. Stuff will get very stressful at work and extra pounds just peel off. Extra holiday foods come in and pounds go on (a bit). You will loose weight as long as you’re in a deficit. You are doing great. Also, there’s a reason doctors no longer tell terminal patients that they have x amount to live, because it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Your new intestinal system will work for you even in maintenance. It honestly keeps working. You got this!

Many insurers in the US don’t cover this method even though it has slightly better outcomes than the sleeve or RNY. You might get more responders in the DS threads, since the surgery is more like that.

I buy the premade shakes because they aren’t chalky or lumpy. Also, there aren’t many lactose free kinds with less than 5gm sugar. So I get OWYN or Fairlife. They’re cheaper from a box store. They taste great warm in coffee or over ice.

I got my hunger back just after the third month so maybe it’s that? I like to think like a scientist so I would do experiments with using the medication vs not. I would also ask my doctor if they could substitute a prescription. I would also look into the possibility of special holiday foods being a little too persuasive. Winter holidays and parties trip me up every year. I now go onward with a plan that this year seems to work. I survey the food, pick one or two bites so I won’t feel deprived. I also eat my normal healthy choices before going. Good luck finding what works for you. (I put peppermint lip gloss under my nose for a pie sale. It worked!)

You have made a fantastic start. Write down all your thoughts in a journal. I found it has really helped me reset later when I mentally went off track. I’m really happy for your recovering overall health!

Yes, @Trish662 , I had the exact same situation only I’m 5’4”. I was 53 yrs old when I had surgery in August, and had a long stall in December and bloodwork came back iron anemia. It took a month of faithful iron supplements with vitamin C during my lunchtime (coffee, milk products, PPT, magnesium supplements all make taking iron at other times cancel out absorption). You will have to find a 4 hr window (nothing 2 hrs before and nothing 2 hrs after) that works for your absorption. I ate meatloaf, meatballs and ground grass fed beef with a small amount of marinara or mild salsa for lunch meals as well. At the time I could only eat 3 oz of protein due to restriction (dietitian still pushing for 4oz per meal even now). I get my 60-80 grams of protein per day in easily now! After that grueling iron work I did start loosing weight much more regularly 3-4 lbs a month and kept loosing weight until 2 years and 4 months. I had RNY so I need to stay on top of the iron absorption issue regularly. If I forget to take the iron with C for a week, I feel sluggish and 4-5 lbs shows up quickly. It takes about another week to get the weight and iron back on track (says the bloodwork and doc). You’ll feel better soon and your stall will end quickly. I take Centrum Women’s 50+ tablets in the morning with Calcuim and D3, then additional Nature Made Iron 65mg with Trader Joe Vitamin C complex at lunchtime. I found my magnesium low too so I take that at night with a probiotic, Trader Joe’s is the cheapest that doesn’t hurt my stomach or pocketbook but you will probably find something you like better. I don’t count carbs, but I find if I eat any simpler carbs like an apple or oatmeal I dump. I also throw off all my electrolytes and get wicked muscle spasms. Gatorade Zero or similar products help me stay balanced, and I stayed away from most carbs except veggies during the loosing phase. I can eat the same or more calories in fat and loose, but if it’s carbs, stall, stall, stall. You will find your sweet spot, pun intended.

Congratulations on your new you! My RNY surgery was August 12, 2021. My biggest fear before WLS was maintenance. I kept loosing until 2yrs, 3mo. There were a number of stalls, a couple of gains, but maintenance isn’t that bad. The stats are in the file on here, but I lost 75lbs before surgery, and 75lbs after. My tops are the same size as when I was 5’7” and 140lbs at age 20 so I think I’m there (I’ve aged and shrunk, and acquired a load of skin since then. It all hangs around my belly apron and above my knees.) I’m 56yrs old and love being active and staying active is my passion. The trick is to find activities you love, then let yourself obsess over them! The secret to my maintenance is smell. I have wicked allergies and noticed I loose weight easily when I can’t smell anything. So, I “forget” to take my nasal spray, or wear a mask with peppermint scent in it. Viola, 5-10 lbs falls off in a week. Thankfully, I also dump on sugar so I don’t need to do the smell trick often :)

I stalled about that same time too. I was still loosing, just slower. I added probiotics and personally worked on getting better sleep (meditation, CBD, journaling stress out, etc). The weight kept going down in spurts. It was just random spurts until the 2&1/2 year mark. Then I had to be super mindful and pay attention to my vitamins/minerals. It helped me to join some groups like Dr. Wiener , and a hiking club, just to be with like minded people who were trying to be healthy. I hope you find your tweaks and habits that help you :) Yes, there’s more gas in your tank to burn. It is possible.

Yeah Onederland!

I wish you a happy healthy journey on your surgery and weight loss. I saw April Laren on YouTube had the DS and was very honest about her first few weeks. She might be worth a look.

I bet you didn’t have any trouble bending over to reach it either :)

I’m glad you’re enjoying yoga! I just throw my mat in the front loader with color wash (cold) once a month. I spot clean after a sweaty class with sensitive baby wipes. Some in the class use Clorox wipes. The instructor throws hers in the washing machine cold too. We all hang them to dry. They were “invented” by a woman who saw that the non-slip pads under rugs helped her. Angela Farmer was her name.

Most of the people on here have said it. I do cook most of my food now, hence the name. I think I’m weird because I like to food prep. I weigh myself at least once a week or check how my jeans fit. Then jump back on track (if I’ve wandered) by weighing food, measuring, recording and checking in with my son or a friend to hold myself accountable. I stay in touch with my bariatric group of fellow WLS patients because it’s good positive energy from people working hard to maintain weight loss. I pop on here too, again nice positive energy from folks trying to be supportive and helpful staying healthy!

Lots of people have posted about food, so I’ll tell you my behavior changes I make. I measure my protein on a scale. My personal dietitian told me 4oz protein per meal, or diabetic protein count 20grams. I record it either online in a phone app, or write it down. I can eat as much raw veggies or baked, or steamed veggies as I like, but only at meals with protein. No root vegetables due to sugar content. I drink 2litters of water, sometimes more during the day. I take my vitamins daily. Three meals look like that, then I’m back on track. If I’m hungry, one boiled egg before bed. That’s what the dietitian told my 5’10 son too. When we really want results we share and compare information to hold each other accountable, including weighing in on the scale. I watch the glucose goddess online for tips and recipes, and Dr. Weiner. In maintenance the fruit, nuts, seeds, cheese can come in one once quantities- those are “extras.” Alcohol is only for maintenance, just major holidays. Recap; weigh/ measure food, record it, share with a trusted friend or family to keep yourself accountable. Your dietitian should be telling you what a portion of protein is for you specifically.

I’m going to reiterate the above poster, you honestly can’t compare yourself to others. My tweak is that you might not get to “the weight of your dreams.” As an older post menopausal woman I am a powerhouse of strength that lives quite comfortably on 800-1000 kcals a day and still weighs roughly 200lbs at 5’4”. I honestly can’t eat less food or risk malnutrition. I work an extremely strenuous job physically with severely disabled children. I wear size 16-18 American bottoms and size large or size 14-16 tops, large dresses. The only things that jiggle is leftover skin. I know I’m one injury away from switching to general education kids, but I’m living life full throttle and enjoying it! So, you are doing awesome work! Keep following your plan and taking care of yourself. You’re way younger than me so you have an honest shot at getting all the way down. BUT, who you are isn’t determined by how much you weigh. Are you staring down diabetes anymore? Are you pursuing your life goals, career goals, kindness to self goals? Are you involved in real life relationships and groups? Just from your post I can tell you are a caring person that works hard to make things better. Keep going! (Therapy helps you see fabulous you too.)