Lilia_90

Thank you for answering! I have always wondered where I'll be when I'm further out and how I would manage regain, I hear a lot of stories of how people who've had WLS resort to GLP1 treatments at several years out. It would be great to know how you plan to come off/on it again

I was in a food photography rut. Working on that Instagram account!! Thanks for the support

Hi there, May I ask why you use GLP if you have effective restriction? Have you experienced any regain?

Food I’ve eaten lately part 3 (cheeky part): Chocolate fondant cake with praline ice cream, salted praline cream, chocolate mousse and fudge. This was so good, I had 3 big bites of this. (I did not make this). Upside down mango cheesecake. I am a big fan of cheesecake, especially baked cheesecake. This one was chilled but it was so delicious. I had 2 big bites. (I did not make this). My banana bread. While the ingredients are fairly healthy, the amount of chocolate I top it with isn’t LOL. I didn’t try it, the kids and the hubs almost cleared it. Turkey and pepperoni panini on sourdough focaccia, slathered with pesto, grated cheddar, arugula, sriracha and spicy mayo with a side of salt and vinegar chips. I had 1/3 of this panini in the picture and 3 chips.

Food I’ve eaten lately part 2: Fish tacos: Mini mission low carb tortillas, Spicy cabbage slaw, mashed avocado, yogurt jalapeño crema, grilled trout and homemade chimichurri with a side of homemade potato wedges. I had one whole taco. Spicy eggs with tomatoes and feta. Musakkhan. A Palestinian dish made with a layer of thin tawa bread topped with chicken cooked with lots of onions in olive oil and lots of sumac (Middle Eastern spice) and topped with roasted pine nuts (only had slivered almonds at hand). Had a thigh piece and small piece of bread. Wild arugula, sliced bell peppers, cucumbers, pomegranate seeds, sliced fresh figs, feta cheese. Had a 1/4 of this salad

Food I’ve eaten lately: homemade smash burgers with caramelized onions, melted cheddar, mushrooms, jalapeños and pickles with spicy sauce (spicy mayo, ketchup and cajun seasoning) in a potato bun. This monstrous burger was for hubby (double stacked) I had the same but single patty and ate around half of it. Baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, pomegranate seeds, roasted almonds, feta. This is usually a portion for hubby and I, I eat around 1/4 of it. Medium rib eye with homemade chimichurri, avocado salad and grilled courgettes. I don’t know how much I had but I’m guessing around 4 strips of steak, 2 spoonfuls of salad and 2 courgettes. Shakshuka with a side of toasted sourdough. I had one egg white on one half sourdough. Mini Charcuterie board. Hopefully you can read the ingredients on the photo. Don’t know how much I had but it was delicious.

I found out I can't have soups. So if the soup is clear broth I will have the broth first and the protein after (albeit it not being comfortable at all) so I only do it if I'm under the weather. But if the soup is not clear (lentil, rice based or even cream based) then I can't have it with anything else so it's either soup or solid food so I just avoid it all together because who wants to go out to have soup?

I was starving one week post-op. My hunger never left, but the signals changed. The hunger I feel is like hollowness in my abdomen, it feels like physical pain rather than craving something that is specific (taste or texture). I did lose my interest in eating between my snacks and meals (and what to eat was not on my mind), but once the clock hit 2 hours past my last meal/snack I felt the pangs. I lost a lot of weight very fast, and my post-op experience felt like I'm starving to death and withering away if that makes sense. The feeling of physical hunger pain is probably my body's way of preserving itself (I guess). Now that I am a bit more stabilized I have many days where I'm just not interested in food, and days where I'm ravenous (especially when I've hit it really hard at the gym).

Second that!

I usually drink if I'm thirsty and wait 5-10 minutes to eat, but if I eat, I need at least 20 minutes to have a sip of water again. So I always start with water before my meal.

Well done!! An inspiration for sure!

You look really good! I am happy for you 💖

I was going through my album, and while trying to lose weight I had favourited a few of my pictures for inspiration to get back to what I was. I was in the best shape after having my first child, see below photos from (2016/2017). My highest weight at 90 kgs/198 lbs (a few days before my VSG in December 2023) My post-op journey has all been about restriction and not being able to eat enough. It took me time to slowly build my stamina and muscle tone back. I have definition in my abs and my legs and arms are toned. I am 13 kilos/29 lbs lighter than my “before” fit (but it doesn't much show because muscles ha!), I am at an all time low in terms of weight but I feel absolutely fantastic. Hopefully can build kore muscle once I stabilize. My “fit” after:

That’s where I take all my selfies lol! Thank you, I appreciate it!!

I don’t think it’s the Pilates as much as it’s the lower body fat percentage that shows the muscle tone underneath? I feel I’m scrawny lol. I can manage around 1300 calories a day now, on a few occasions after leg day I managed to go up to 1500 but that was like only twice, I graze all day to be able to get to that because my portions are small. I want to get to 1800 to build some muscle in my backside ha! Genetically my stomach has always been the leanest part of my body, and I had a breast aug 11 years ago but honestly my doctor did a phenomenal job that my boobs are perky and lifted and there’s no sagging at all. They look pretty new, can’t say the same about my butt tho 😂

I have had many many many days where I didn’t feel like working out, but hey nothing in life comes easy, everything worth having requires work and effort. If life was supposed to be easy and “fun” we wouldn’t be here on this platform encouraging each other to try our best and keep going even on the hard days. It is easy to find reasons not to (completely your prerogative) but I am pretty sure there is many good advice and hacks in this thread that are useful. It depends on whether you really want to do anything with it or not. Best of luck to you ♥️

Thank you!! I lift heavy 3/4 days a week (legs/glutes, back/chest, arms/shoulders, strength and conditioning) and do Pilates twice a week. I also run/jog daily on the treadmill, I do HIIT once a week and I close at least 10k steps a day! That’s pretty much it! I focus on protein mainly and enjoy eating out on weekends.

While I have always been an avid exerciser (think everything from running, cycling, weight lifting, marital arts, HIIT, hiking ...etc.) I have always taken up a supplementary form of exercise that is fun and that I looked forward to. A few years ago I played tennis twice a week, then hiking, then taekwondo (reached the blue belt then had a very bad ankle injury that cause a lot of my weight gain), now I do Pilates twice a week in addition to my gym routine and these two sessions are the highlight of my week. Once you find something you enjoy be it tennis, padel, hiking, cycling, swimming or even walking it will be easier to build on that routine and do the things you don't so much enjoy (like weight lifting for example). It is also always good if you have a group you can exercise with (or play certain sports with) or a gym buddy. I also made sure to build a gym studio in my new house and that has been wonderous, I wake up early and workout and don't need to worry about the commute or how to shower and do my hair before work, so a set of dumbbells and a bench at your home can do wonders (if you have that option). I was always asked by friends and family why I am so adamant and a freak about my exercise regimen and if I get bored or sick of it, and my answer is I do it more for my mental wellbeing than for my physical appearance. Nothing comes close to that post workout feeling, it is literal therapy to me. I love to challenge myself and I love to work hard and feel like I've earned it, and I feel sluggish and not great on days I don't workout. Once you commit to a sort of movement daily, it will become a healthy addiction and the feeling that that brings is euphoric, if I say so myself. Just make sure you start easy and build on that.

Please share the recipe. Pretty Please 😚

Hellooooooo So I'm one week shy of being 7 months post op, and for those 7 months I have avoided sugar like the plague except for some rare occasions where I was traveling and the European country I was in was famous for desserts that I would order and only have a miniscule bite of. On one occasion I got excited and had 3 bites and thought I was fine. 10 minutes later I started feeling extremely nauseous that I was almost dry heaving, I started walking back to the hotel and after 1 kilometer I felt much better so I guessed that was dumping! Not fun Yikes! So fast forward this week, and it is that time of the month and I was craving some chocolate, so I picked a 72% dark chocolate square which I had with a few roasted cashews (to manage the blood sugar spike) and guess what? 10 minutes later I am extremely nauseous and queasy that my skin was crawling. I was at my desk and got up and walked back and forth but to no success. It lasted a good half an hour/40 minutes and it only fully subsided midway through my Pilates class. Does this happen to anyone? The chocolate square barely had any sugar! Will I ever be able to have a little fun? A tiny slice of cake for my birthday? Ice cream? Anything? I don't crave sugar anymore but I like to taste things and take bites here and there especially when I'm travelling/out for a nice meal (which is often).

This is a total show off/humble brag/flaunting it post, disclaimer delivered! So had wedding that I was looking forward to (was a total wedding hater before…for the reasons most of us are familiar with) and I had ordered this super tight dress size XS (UK size 0) and was nervous it won’t fit. Well it fit like a glove (did struggle to zip in my boobs since they’re the only part that aren’t a size 0 thank goodness). It’s so weird how much I enjoyed this wedding and danced till I couldn’t feel my feet whereas I would sit on my bum and feel miserable before (past 5 years only). Some visual proof:

I had a fun weekend too. I was invited to a wedding where they served hors d'oeuvres all afternoon followed by dinner. I had 4 mini appetizers, dinner and dessert (tried everything 1-2 mini bites). Went home and was famished LOL and the hubby had ordered Mexican so had 1/8 or so of a burrito, then some protein chips before bed. I did dance all night and broke a sweat so there's that. The funny thing I worked out my legs the next day (FASTED) and had tons of energy (thanks carbs) and even ran 2 miles after my workout. Weighed myself today and I had dropped 200 grams, how? God knows.

You didn't POOP for 13 days?!! I've always been vacay constipated but that long is very concerning 😂

Find something you enjoy doing. While I have been a gym rat forever, I always take up things that I look forward to and it has to always be sustainable for me. So some years ago I took up tennis and would go twice a week, I also took up Taekwondo, martial arts and now Pilates. My two Pilates classes a week are the highlights of my week, I look forward to them and I shop cute workout outfits weekly because I like to look good when I go. It is much easier to build on the workouts (movement) you enjoy, so if you enjoy a certain activity (swimming, cycling, tennis, padel, Pilates, yoga, hiking, dancing, whatever it is) you will always feel a bit more motivated to build on that. So for me, I go for Pilates twice a week and I lift and do strength and conditioning another 3 days a week to add to my classes. I love jogging, HIIT and plyos and do that for my cardio, but even brisk walking is really really good to maintain weight loss. Keep it simple. Also, I find it much draining to workout after work, so I workout at 5:30 AM before work (except for my Pilates classes because my studio doesn't run classes that early), this allows me to get it out of the way and have my evenings free to do what I like (which is be with my kids, bake, chill). It also helps that I have a fully equipped gym at home that I have built. I always kept weights, a bench, jump rope and resistance band at my old house and would mostly workout at home early in the morning, if you can keep some weights, a walking pad and some resistance bands at home (if it is an option) do that, it works great for busy days or mornings where you don't have time/the will to go to the gym. This is what has worked for me. It has to be enjoyable and sustainable for you.

Sooo I am over 8.5 months post-op, and want to ask the veterans what their thoughts are on carbonation? I was a big diet soda and coffee drinker pre WLS and I knew I would never cut coffee out and I've had it since the second week post WLS with no issues, but carbonated drinks is a different story. My surgeon has encouraged me to eat anything and everything except for diet soda. He has been adamant that I don' take it up again. Another friend who's had WLS and has lost and maintained her weight loss and eats everything has told me that she occasionally drinks diet soda but only started having it 2 years post op and advised against it at this point for me. My brother who's been sleeved for almost 4 years drinks it and is the definition of slim. I really really like diet soda, and I only want to have a small glass once a weekish, is that so bad? My restriction is fierce so a little loosening up doesn't bother me much. What are your thoughts?