LindsayT

6 minutes ago, NickelChip said:

I've been enjoying the Yasso frozen yogurt bars now that the weather is warm. 100 calories and 5g Protein, with a reasonable amount of sugar for a dessert. The coffee chocolate chip is my favorite.

And I am going to try those fancy brownie yogurts! I remember seeing them and thinking they seemed too indulgent for Breakfast, but I didn't even think about having one for dessert!

Oh, ya! They are so good. I've had a yogurt bar, but I think they were refrigerated

5 hours ago, AmberFL said:

Ooooo that does look good! I am interested in that brownie yogurt- yummy!! I have found this Protein Bar called Fulfil OH. MY. GOSH! 150-160 CAL 5g fat, 15g carbs, 15g of Protein and 1g of sugar. They make a few of flavors. I put it in the fridge or freezer and its literally such a dessert it feels like I am cheating lol

More Yumminess (probably way more than you want lol)

"dessert/sweet treats"

-100cal bag of Emerald Nuts and a Ghirardelli dark chocolate square

-Chomps make these taco flavored beef sticks 100cal, 7g fat, 0g carbs, 10g Protein that are really good

- Quest makes Frosted Cookies either chocolate or birthday cake 90cal 7g fat 1g sugar 5g protein

-Fage 0% Greek yogurt, w/ slivered almonds, fresh fruit and honey drizzle

-Carb Smart Mini Bars 50cal

-Echo Earth Cocao Bliss (this is very very good and filled with nutrients) [https://earthechofoods.com/products/cacao-bliss-pouch]: 1scoop, with 4-8oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk topped with fat free whipped cream

Meals:

-Iced Coffee: Caffe Latte Premier Protein with Decaf cold brew

-Egg cups: 2C of liquid egg white, spinach, plum tomatoes, pepper, top each with Sargento thin sliced cheese and 1 piece of turkey bacon

-Just Bare Bites chicken tossed in 0cal Franks wing sauce

-Cilantro Enchilada Crockpot chicken: chicken breast, sliced onion, half a can of enchilada sauce then its cooked, shred it up and then add the cilantro I put it on top of cauliflower rice

- Turkey Taco Salads- turkey, corn, black Beans, tomatoes, reduced fat cheese with spinach

-Spaghetti with turkey or very lean ground beef and low sugar or sodium sauce, instead of Pasta, I use Pasta Zero, its in the tofu section

Okay Im done lol! These just are my top that I have made and liked and are in my loop of food.

You're my new bestie! Thanks for all the recommendations. I do get tired of the same things. A favorite of mine I forgot to mention is, Dannon Greek Light and Fit Cherry with almonds (light or no salt) and chia seeds. I eat this a lot for lunch when I'm busy. Tonight I busted out an oldie - ants on a log: Celery with Peanut Butter and raisins 😋 Usually one stalk with something else is enough for a yummy snack.

I LOVE these cottage cheese cups (they come in other flavors). A bit high on sugar, but I haven't had any issues with it making me sick since my RNY.

Also, Dannon Light and Fit makes a yogurt brownie sundae that is epic. It's basically vanilla yogurt with these crunchy chocolate bits you can dump in for about 110 calories and 10g Protein. I'm not sure the sugar content right off. They definitely help the dessert cravings.

I just wanted to share the yummy things I have found the last few months.

I'm down 132 lbs since May 2023, which puts me a 130 lbs and about a size 2, sometimes a zero. I'm still struggling to stop losing despite the extra calories; though, I have only lost 10lbs since the end of February. I'm holding right now between 130-135. My original goal was 140. And no, I haven't had any plastic surgery and yes, I could use a tuck here and there, and definitely some new boobs (those are completely gone... pancakes with nipples)

Anyone have any yummy food ideas?

On 5/15/2024 at 8:56 AM, AmberFL said:

Look fantastic!!! I love that suit!! Where did she get it?

Thank you!

Amazon!

I can't even ... I am literally half the woman I used to be...262lbs-131lbs in a year. My goal was 140, but I kept loosing despite the increase in calories. I know a bounce back is coming and appreciate the cushion. My body composition test showed I went from 50% body fat to 18% with no new loss of fat free body mass since month 3. When they showed the pounds of fat vs fat free mass, I only had 24lbs of fat, which is good because some fat is healthy.
I'm thrilled with the results. My first bikini in who knows how long (my daughter bought it for me for Mother's Day). I seriously do not recognize myself and I love being healthy.
*Don't mind my red face. I started micro needling.  

As we approach our ONE YEAR anniversaries, how's it going? I surpassed my goal by 8 lbs for a total of 130 lbs lost! That number BLOWS my mind. I had my body composition test on Monday and they were very happy with the results. I haven't lost any fat free body mass since month 3, meaning I haven't lost any muscle in 9 months. I also am sitting at 18% body fat, which is insane. When I started I had 50% body fat. This has been such an amazing experience, and as I've said so many times, I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

I'm so excited to hear about everyone's progress.

On 2/10/2024 at 2:03 PM, NickelChip said:

You are looking absolutely amazing! So healthy and happy! I can't even imagine what it must feel like to go from a size 18 to a size 4. Lordy, I haven't seen 145 lbs since I was 17. Congratulations! If you don't mind my being nosy (because I am close to your same starting weight and height, and probably age too), how is your loose skin situation? Have you posted your before photos on here somewhere?

Thank you! Loose skin is so different for everyone. For me, it's there, but manageable. If I were to elect for surgery, I'd do my arms and breasts. The boobs... Gone. Gone. Gone. But everywhere has been touched in some way with loose skin in various degrees. My husband has been so incredibly supportive and don't mind it .. or so he says. It easily hides under clothes and if I need a bit extra support, I wear a tummy control body suit. Here's a couple other pictures. I'm on the right in the light grey dress. The green tank top pictures are from January 1 and I've lost more since then. I hope this helps ease some anxieties concerning surgery. But keep in mind loose skin varies greatly between people. And the amount you loose varies greatly based on how closely you follow your program. Wishing you all the best!

Being kind to myself. All the physical things like fitting in seats, standing, clothes... All FANTASTIC! It is such a wonderful feeling to be able to do all the things that were challenging before. But being kind to myself. Remembering all my body has been through when I was at my heaviest, how I got there, my decision to change my like, and the journey to where I am now. What a story!

I look in the mirror now and see a woman who got her life back and I owe it to her be kind. Does she like the saggy skin and no boobs? No, but they tell a story of overcoming and personal redemption. I'm kind to her on bad days when all she wants is chips and brownies. I'm kind to her when she gains a couple pounds. And I Celebrate with her when she loses those couple pounds and gets back on track. My weirdest non scale victory is to love the woman staring back at me despite everything else.

3 minutes ago, Penguin733 said:

I only drink Water, body armor, and ensure Protein Shakes, so no not really drinking a lot of calories.

I've been having pretzel crackers with cheese and eating a lot cheese but just unlucky in it adding any weight...

If all else fails, maybe speak with a bariatric nutritionist for some advice. They'd be able to give you tailored suggestions. Good luck!

I ended up going to my GI doc and he gave me a prescription to help me go. I have to use this in addition to Miralax. Constipation has been a HUGE issue. The prescription works really well for me.

If OTC medicine doesn't work, maybe a chat with your primary doc, surgeon, or a GI doctor would benefit you.

Also, make sure you're eating enough fiber and drinking lots of hydrating fluids.

9 minutes ago, Penguin733 said:

I've been unable to do rice (which is a shame since in my culture 90% of our food is rice based) and maybe because I ate too fast before but sandwiches have been a bit tough but I'll try again. Haven't tried Pasta since the surgery.

And I'm trying with the Protein through bars and shakes; haven't tried making porkchops and steaks, although I do luncheon/charcuterie meat, korean short ribs, bbq (as slow cooked/smoked meat has been easy to digest) but I still get full and don't feel like eating more than that for the rest of the day (which again, only eat two meals a day at most).

If I have bread with a meal, it not very big, maybe a half to quarter piece. Rice and Pasta, about a quarter cup. I like brown rice and whole wheat (or Protein pasta) pasta for the extra nutrition.

Are you drinking a lot of calories? Maybe that's contributing to not eating more than 2 meals.

Whatever you eat, just get in your protein goals and Fiber, and make sure to stay at your calorie goal.

1 minute ago, Penguin733 said:

I'm currently having this issue as I'm almost a year (9 months) into it; I was satisfied with my 160 for a couple of weeks ago, but I'm currently at 155 and I'm starting to get worried. I know I haven't been eating more than a meal or two a day which can be the reason, but I'm having a tough time in going beyond two meals. Should I just load up in empty calories and junky Snacks? I'm also trying to go to the gym more regularly so the muscles can gain more pounds.

Don't get back into junk and empty calories... that'll snowball fast. Compensate with healthy fats complex carbs, and the occasional treat. I like to add the occasional bread, Pasta, or rice to a meal if I want more. But that's after I eat my healthy stuff first. If you're going to the gym, maybe more Protein.

Just now, Spinoza said:

And you're not even a year post op! I lost 10lbs in my second year. If you stick to your plan you may lose even more.

2 minutes ago, Spinoza said:

Oh yeah, that is properly weird! I briefly hit that a few months ago. Strange to think of yourself walking around with another yourself on piggyback. WLS is the best. 🤩

Yes! I have ZERO regrets

Thanks everyone. The hunger is not a welcome feeling after almost a year of making myself eat. My one year is May 1 and I'll have a body composition test at that time. I'm curious where I land.

I re-weighed myself this morning in my birthday suit and I was 133. On a crazy note, at 131 I'll have lost half my starting weight... Basically, my current weight lost. 😳

1 hour ago, ms.sss said:

a couple weeks ago i remember your post about your struggle to stop losing...are you still losing while this hunger appeared? perhaps its your body's response to the weight losses...? if thats the case, then perhaps listen to your bod and eat more?

i can imagine that eating more is in itself a struggle...it took me 3-4 months to get over the mental block to actually stop diet mode (and like 2 years to get over the mental block of eating bread/rice/pasta lol)

if im not mistaken you just recently reached goal? (congrats again btw), my suggestion would be to give yourself a bit more time (ie several months) to find your happy spot, it usually takes a while before you get to the autopilot of maintenance...great suggestions above...experiment with (small amounts) of (preferably nutritious) foods and amounts and see what help with the hunger. keep an eye on the scale in tandem to determine any causal relationships with certain foods.

but yeah, i know, "easier said...".

good luck, and it CAN be done! ❤️

I have been losing, but not much. I'm down to 134 this morning after eating a bunch the last few days. I was holding steady between 135-137 for a while. It's hard to get out of the diet mindset,but I also do want to get back into bad habits.

Ugh... The hunger is coming back. What can I do?!!!

Just now, RonHall908 said:

Did you have any stalls or lose fast at certain times throughout post op?

For me, I stalled often, but lost pretty steady. I didn't have weeks long stalls. I would stall for 4-5 days, then lose about a pound a day for 3-4 days, then stall again. This was my norm from the start. I still averaged about 10lbs a month. I'm not sure how or why I lost like this. I do know I wasn't super restrictive in what I ate, just how much I ate of certain things, like bread, sweets, or favorite eats. Though, for some, completely staying away from temptation foods is a must. Having control over what you eat is the key to making this work. And giving yourself grace for the meal, or day, that wasn't the best eating choices. Use this losing time to learn control over food (in a healthy way), learn a new way of eating, learn to get your body moving in some form or fashion (I walk, clean my house, and do life), and learn to be in tune with your body in every area and nurture what it's asking (food (be reasonable), movement, rest, spiritual ECT). Everything I've mentioned, my nutritionist, surgeon, and therapist are on board with and support. I'm not trying to be weird with sharing my journey, but that's what I did/do.

Just now, RonHall908 said:

I don't have anything to add except that you look great. I'm 7 weeks post-op and looking forward to see where it takes me. Thanks for sharing!

You got this! ☺️

3 minutes ago, NickelChip said:

Oh, that's interesting. So many sources say you start out much faster and then slow down at 3 months and again at 6 months, but it's encouraging to know that isn't the only way it can happen.

My highest weight is what I show as my starting weight in my stats, but I lost about 13 lbs from nutrition changes while waiting for surgery, and another 15 lbs from the pre-op diet, so in the 5 weeks since surgery, I'm only down 12 lbs, with a one week stall at the 3-week mark, like clockwork.

Patience is not one of my virtues.

You can kinda see the flow in my graph for the year. Looking at each month individually it's shown more clearly.

1 minute ago, NickelChip said:

@LindsayT Looking amazing!

Did you track your monthly weight loss totals? I'm really curious what the progression looked like for you. And has it finally slowed/stopped? I know you were nervous about losing too much.

I've slowed down, finally. I averaged about 9-10lbs a month right from the start. I would stalled for 3 or 4 days, loose a pound a day for several days, then stall again. That was pretty much the whole 10.5 months and 126lbs. I did lose 15lbs during the pre-op diet that I'm including in this.

Before 262 lbs size 18

After 136 lbs size 2

I haven't had any plastic surgery done. There is some saggy skin and my breasts are.. well, ladies you know. But otherwise, I am 150% happy with the results I am so thankful for the opportunity to have had this procedure. It has completely changed my life!

The various photos in the mirror 😂

1 hour ago, ShoppGirl said:

The Greek yogurt with ranch tasted pretty darn good to me (and I don’t even like Greek yogurt but love ranch) I found it a little thick to spread it out as a dressing, though. Anyone have ideas to thin it out.

You could add milk to it and maybe more of the ranch mix if needed to adjust the flavor.

The original recipe is great for a veggie dip.

Just now, BabySpoons said:

Bodyfat to muscle ratio? My concern as the weight comes off is losing too much muscle weight as opposed to fat %. A low number on a scale doesn't reflect that. But it will show in clothing sizes. Or could it be excess skin????

This discussion does pose a question for me. Everyone here who has hit goal weight and lost a ton of weight to get there. I see these people who have skin removal surgery, and they weigh it and turns out to be 30+ pounds. How does that figure in to goal weight if never removed??? Say if goal is 150 and you are left with excess skin weight, would 180 be more realistic or if you reach 150 would you be underweight if you are carrying around 30 pounds of excess skin???? Such a conundrum. 🤔

Great points. I don't have a lot of extra skin, so this doesn't really apply. I'd say, if I removed all that I have 2 or 3 lbs max. At my 1 year mark, in May, they will do a body composition test; so I'll know more then as to my muscle mass. My last test in November, I was right where they wanted me and hadn't lost any muscle since my 3 months test. I definitely don't have much fat left, just a bit on my thighs. This is why I'm concerned. My goal was 140. I've gotten down to 135, and bounced back to 136-137. I was concerned because I lost 4 lbs in a week after I started upping my calories to stop losing. Maybe my body was excited for the increase and lost more fat 🤷‍♀️

3 minutes ago, NickelChip said:

Well, I think you look spectacular and very healthy. The transformation is absolutely stunning!

I also think as our population trends heavier, we don't see the extra weight as much. I was a chubby kid, and I was like one of maybe 3 chubby kids in my entire grade, not just my class. I dieted like an idiot as a teen and got down to 126 lbs and I was nowhere close to the thinnest person in my friend group. Nobody said anything about me getting too skinny, for sure. I gained weight in college and by the time I graduated, I was overweight again, and obese by the time I hit my late 20s. I always felt like the biggest person in the room (at, like 210 lbs).

But by the time I was in my mid-30s, I started seeing bigger people than me all around. Everyone was getting bigger. My weight went up to 225, but many of the parents of kids in my daughters' grades were way bigger than that. It almost had an insulating effect from my own weight gain, because I was no longer the biggest person in the room. I just kind of looked normal.

When a friend heard I was getting bypass, her first response was "but you're not that big" and at this point I was 250 lbs with a 40+ BMI, plus high blood pressure, prediabetes, and high cholesterol. And this was from a person who is in the healthy BMI range and never been overweight. So I definitely think we've become so used to seeing larger people that we think "obese" is a term reserved for the people on television shows who weigh 600+ pounds.

And, of course, the rapid weight loss from surgery is jarring so people notice it more. But don't let their comments get to you!

Thank you for sharing your story. There is a lot of truth to it for sure.

37 minutes ago, NickelChip said:

Dang. That eliminates what I would say.

I will say this, though. Did these same people tell you to your face you were "too fat" when you were obese and your weight was actively trying to shorten your lifespan? Or is it just your skinniness that worries them? Because you are right in the middle of a healthy weight range right now. You could drop to 125 lbs and STILL be 100% healthy and normal weight. So, if these people weren't telling you every day when you were 262 lbs how worried they were about your weight, I don't think I'd trust their judgement where weight is concerned. I'm not saying the comments don't come from a place of love, but they do seem to come from a place of ignorance.

We really didn't know each other that well then, so I don't think they would have said anything when I was overweight... In fact nobody did. I've even had people tell me that they didn't notice that I was over weight. Weird. And I guess, sure. I have friends who are overweight and I don't "see" it because I love and care for them. The problem for me, is I carry what weight I have very well and look way smaller than my weight suggests, which might spur the comments. I also dress myself in a way that makes me appear smaller, so 🤷‍♀️ I've included the most recent picture. My jeans are a 2 and my shirt is a small