FifiLux

I stepped into the elevator at home yesterday and had to do a double take at the reflection in the mirror, my reflection.... I hadn't noticed I actually now have a clearly noticeable thigh gap

Glad the cause has been found and you are on the road to recovery. I have pernicious anemia and for that reason at the first surgical consultation the surgeon said she thought sleeve would be the better option for me due to later complications with anemia and bypass. I was also told that unlike most sleeve patients who can stop the recommended bariatric vitamin regime after the first year that I was consider continuing on them for the rest of my life, I don't have an issue with that as no harm in taking them.

Where can I find this bartender?

Yummmm Pimms, haven't had that in years.

My first drink was 6 months post op but that was because I was only 6 weeks out of hospital. I had red wine which I love on Christmas Day and the first two sips tasted rancid to me so I couldn't have more. I then had a Baileys later which I sipped and it was bliss. I had another couple of Baileys over the Christmas holidays back home. Since then I have tried red wine again and it has been fine, as have the margaritas, Hugo's

Glad it went well for you both. As you don't have your stats in your bio or post it is hard to give any answer on the weight loss. Have you had post-op consultations with the team to know if they (knowing your details) consider you on track? Are you hitting your protein goals? Are you getting enough fluids? What is your daily food intake like?

Also, consider that you will have to buy more clothes soon and it may even be an enjoyable experience to be walking around the shops so that will help with step count - that is what I tell myself when I go shopping, it is healthy for me but not my bank balance!

Sure that is how most people feel a lot of the time so don't worry. I am sure they are grand, they do the job until you find what you want and they probably won't fit you for very long anyway

Mine were like these but with a drawstring waist https://www.marksandspencer.com/cotton-blend-knee-length-cargo-shorts/p/clp22588521?color=BLACK#intid=pid_pg1pip4g4r1c2|prodflag_Online Only This is where I got my under dress ones https://www.thebigbloomerscompany.co.uk/collections/anti-chafing-knickers

Exactly. I was told some foods may no longer be tolerable but I didn't realise it would change from one day to the next, even one bite to the next.

Are they shorts to be seen in or for under a skirt or dress? For under dresses to stop chaffing I bought a pair of cotton shorts in two sizes smaller so they were secure but also soft. For wearing out I only ever found one pair that I would be seen in they were actually knee length cargo trousers thing but that was years ago and it took me ages to find them, think they were Chico's or something similar and probably weren't meant to be worn as I did!

Oh no such a shame about missing out on that lasagna but at least it is for a great reason, you on starting a new journey. I hope your daughter is ok and best of luck tomorrow, you can do this 💪

I miss a stack of pancakes with bacon and maple syrup, it would always be the breakfast I would order if staying in a hotel. My favourite food day of the year, after Christmas Day, is pancake Tuesday I have made my own protein powder or oats and banana based pancakes and they have been fine but really miss the crispy bacon 😋 I think I will try one when I am on holidays later this month and see how it goes down. A big grief of mine at the moment is not being able to trust my stomach at times, in that food may not go down well whereas the same thing was no issue a few days before. It has made me much more wary when eating out.

I am sure the baggage handlers loved me 12 bottles in April and 12 bottles in June. Cremant is compulsory here, apparently you are not a good neighbourg/host if you don't have a glass to offer. I was out for dinner on Thursday and my friend sent her glass of Mumm back and told them she could clearly see by the slow carbonation and taste it was the end of the bottle and she wanted a fresh bottle opened. If it were me I would have just drunk it

Thanks for those. I don't have kindle unlimited as I don't use my kindle enough to warrant it. I have a kindle and the kindle app on my phone and my ipad but I only use it when travelling as I love having a physical book to read. When I am in the US in a couple of weeks I might look in the bookstores there as there may be more choice and I can take a peak first before possibly purchasing. I did get this one earlier today when looking. Haven't downloaded it yet though as left my ipad at work.

I love champagne too, my Mum and I used to buy boxes of it (and red wine) each year on driving holidays to France. I have a bottle of Veuve in my fridge just begging to be opened and some bottles of cremant but they will have to keep waiting until I have someone visit to help share it with. Even cava be nice, my Mum and I would have cases of it in our homes and it meant we could always offer a glass or six to visitors. I ended up bringing four boxes (24 bottles) on the plane in my luggage to give my Mum in April and June 😁🍾 I had a few sips of cava at a party in June, tasted lovely but I could only do a couple of sips before it was too sweet for me so I went on to a bottle of red instead 😋

I didn't know there were different sizes and no idea what % of mine is gone. After a year I can still feel the restriction, unable to eat too much and rarely hungry though I can take larger sips now. Have gulped a few times totally forgetting there isn't space 😂 Eating now is more of a habit than needing to, had to force myself today to eat some lunch as just wasn't hungry at all but managed 50g cauliflower and 30g hummus. Example of what I can manage; Breakfast is a 125g or 150g yoghurt 99% of the time or sometimes a couple of small protein or banana pancakes as a treat. Lunch is usually homemade soup (150ml) or homemade dinner leftovers or half a shop bought salad (with falafal or chicken) My dinners are again 99% of the time homemade and would still be about 150ml in liquid dishes such as soup/dhals or 4 to 5oz for a bean stew/chicken dish. A while after dinner I will then have something for dessert such as two squares of 85% dark chocolate or a yogurt or a handful of nuts. In between if I can, I try to have a snack mid morning and mid afternoon. like some cottage cheese banana bread, nuts, protein bar etc. Eating out can be super annoying now when I see lots of things on a menu I would like and then realise that in all reality all I can manage is a starter but it does mean my food and dining out bills have dropped so much and if I don't finish it I usually ask to bring it home and it does another meal or three. When I go on holidays in a couple of weeks I have booked dinners out at three Michelin restaurants that have a menu you can chose from so it means for me just one course in each and it will be a bargain compared to having to usually order the 6 or 10 courses.

Were the kindle freebies part of Kindle Unlimited on Amazon UK or something else? All the ones I find have to be paid for and the ones I did pay for already I would consider really poor - typos throughout such as no measurements for some ingredients or within the instructions it would mention ingredients not even in the list, no temps for cooking etc. and not what I would even consider healthy food at times, total waste of money.

We got this ⭐ We just needed the time so far to adjust to what has been happening and accept our new reality, at least that is what I am telling myself. The gym I am joining next month doesn't open until 7am which is too late for me, I get the bus to work at 6am but it means I can get there for 4pm and get my 30/40 minutes in before the work time rush from 5pm, at least that is my plan. I figure I will be getting my steps in from this weekend as going to 4 day conference thing running (well walking briskly) between meetings and then in two weeks will be going to D.C. for a week. I got steroid injections in each knee today so I am ready to get walking and hopefully shift my last 2kg.

YES I was convinced that once I lost weight and felt better about myself I would be like a gym bunny but it still the same old (skinnier) me who likes to sit on the sofa with a book or binge Celebrity Masterchef, The Good Doctor or some other TV program rather than move. Hence I am going to buy an expensive gym membership as hoping that will make me go, not wasting money for nothing. Also I don't like heat and last few weeks have been too warm and energy sapping for me so I am hoping cooler autumn weather will get me out more. It is all down to me, I am the lazy one and I know I enjoy myself and feel better once I do exercise it is just the doing it that is the struggle.

Yeah I use the MyFitnessPal app and site too. I input my own recipes or links to ones I find online and it does all the work once I say how many portions I made. Love it.

Yeah €150 is expensive but I get a small contribution from work towards gym membership so I think I will try it out, plus if it is too cheap I may not turn up! I have a free introductory personal training session at the end of Sept (have to wait until I am back from holidays) and then if I like it I can start membership from Oct. and they include personal training in their price so that should help me. It is a small gym, only 10 people allowed at a time and no-one from my work is a member there which is a bonus as my boss is a member in the cheaper gym near me. I really just need to be shown the correct way to use the weights to try to tone up arms and legs but any tips from you @AmberFL would be great and much appreciated for at home use. I have 3lb and 6.5lb dumbells at home but no idea where I am on fitness scale, I would think medium - I do pilates and aqua aerobics (but not for August as everything in this country closes down for the month!) and walking but nothing high energy.

I bought clothes a few weeks ago for going away this coming weekend for a work trip and then my holiday in a couple of weeks. Tried on the various trousers yesterday to sort out my packing lists and they are all too big on the waist and wide on leg. Nothing that I can do about it now but thankfully they all have drawstring waists though and I guess if the weather is going to be warm it will be ok to have flowy trousers, just not the chic look I was aiming for on the work trip, holidays I don't mind about as that is casual and no-one will know me in the US.

Ok so almost 13 months post sleeve I am just 2.4kg / 5lb from my goal and have already passed the target weight set by my surgeon so I may revise my goal a bit, for a buffer, will see. Anyway here is a picture of me taken on holiday end March 2023 (4 months pre-op) which a friend sent me and a picture of me today in size 8 UK / 4 US (wide leg) jumpsuit. Not brave enough (yet anyway) to share my face.

That is great and you will have a fabulous time in Greece. In another few weeks the clothes you bought will probably be too big 😁