Lilia_90

Celebrated my birthday last weekend and took an impromptu trip which consisted of visiting an obscene number of restaurants and trying different yummy foods. The highlight was this dessert platter the hubby ordered as my birthday cake: It had an insane amount of desserts. Guess what, I had a sever dumping episode after ingesting some of this monstrosity. A few of the desserts that were offered: Molten lava cake (had around half because it was effin delicious) Banana green tea cake (also yummy, only took one bite) A coconut custard topped with tropical fruits and passion fruit foam (two bites) 2 scoops of regular vanilla and vanilla bean ice cream Pistachio Mochi (ate half) Mango and passion fruit sorbets An endless amount of fruit Man I was so so stuffed. I need to post what normal food I ate soon Lol.

Fixed myself a bowl of this Levantine inspired bowl. Chicken cooked in a garlicky yogurt gravy with cauliflower and topped with crispy ground beef. I added scallions, parsley and chili crisp. How I did 👇 I ended up finishing it (took me a couple of hours though). Guessing around 250-300 calories for the bowl?

63 pounds is quite a bit of weight to lose in 3 months. I also highly recommend that you track your calories, especially during the weight loss phase. It is easy to under/overestimate how much we eat.

Can you share details on your stats? height/weight/starting weight/current weight? Calories consumed?

See I think you are very determined and committed (at least what I gather from your posts and replies) and I believe you have great awareness and the ability to make the right choices for yourself. I pretty much know that you haven't come this far to let go completely and go back to old habits. I would also argue that the shame and guilt that accompany you are as detrimental as eating all the processed food in the world. I am not a role model. I eat chips, I eat chocolate, I eat carbs, I eat everything. But I also eat my protein, salads, fruit, veggies. I workout and take my whey, creatine, I take my supplements. I think I have achieved a good balance - that allows me to indulge daily - so I do not sweat the little stuff. IF AND WHEN (sorry for the caps) I see a change in the scale that I don't like, then I address it and evaluate what I can tweak. What does balance look like to you? Living with guilt will never help you achieve a balanced state, worrying too much won't either. Continue doing what you've been doing (you have done fantastic), but get rid of the shame and guilt. These are my thoughts, take them with a grain of salt

Hiiiii Have you asked yourself why you feel so much guilt about eating things that are not so "healthy"? You are maintaining your weight right? You workout daily, you track your calories, you've achieved your goal weight. What you're detailing here is that you eat "badly", feel guilty, workout extra hard, rinse and repeat. Have you thought of not labelling food as "good" or "bad"?

My whole life I used to think that. Through my adulthood (age 19-29) I was in great shape, worked out regularly, ate well and maintained a great physique. I always had the propensity to gain weight if I wasn't careful with how I ate and my activity level. I lost over 45 lbs and kept them off through staying active and eating well and my belief was, if I could maintain being in shape doing that, anyone can. It worked for me through 2 pregnancies and a whole decade. Fast forward when my hormones got out of control, I gained 10 kilos in 1.5 months, my weight kept going up, had a bad sports injury and in 5 years I was 30 kilos overweight. I still ate well and worked out 5 times a week but NOTHING WORKED and by nothing, I mean NOTHING not even injectables, not one pound lost, NADA, Zilch. I counted calories, walked 10k steps ...etc. the whole shebang. I was sad, depressed, so uncomfortable and I finally got how sometimes, you try your hardest but it just doesn't happen for you. It was so ironic because I was seen as the health guru who lectured people on how they should work harder and not create excuses (hard pill to swallow, I admit). I finally decided to give in the fact that my weight isn't going to budge dieting and working out like it did in the past. I bit the bullet and got the surgery. I lost a lot of weight fast, but went back to working out regularly and staying consistent and disciplined, I wouldn't have been this successful (not with just the weight lost, but my actual physique, being lean and fit and all) had I just gotten the surgery and depended on it to achieve what I had in mind, I had (and continue) to put in the work, choose to prioritize eating well, etc. Yes the surgery is a tool to HELP you lose weight and BUILD good habits. It doesn't do the work for you in the long run ,that is on you and how you utilize this tool that will determine your success. I would however (very general advise), suggest that before resorting to surgery, that one does try to see how far they can get naturally, and if they can't maintain/fall off the wagon/don't get to their goal weight or physique that they do utilize WLS, but it has to come with a mindset shift. I had that mindset, I just needed the kickstart. Evaluate where your body and MIND is because that is as important.

I always say that my restriction is the bane of my existence. I eat less than my skinny 6 year old, the variety you see is my insatiable desire to order everything LMAO. I like trying everything but actually very little of everything makes its way into my body haha. I sometimes think my surgeon unintentionally cut way too much. I could eat 3 bites comfortably before feeling the pressure. And yes that includes dessert and chips. I know exactly what you’re talking about and I sometimes dread eating especially when I’m really hungry because I can anticipate the extreme discomfort and it just puts me off.

This yogurt bowl has become a hyper fixation snack for me and the kiddos. My little one and I usually share one 💞 Kefir yogurt, fruit (I do berries, mangoes, pomegranate, whatever I have on hand really), pumpkin seeds, a sprinkle of chia seeds, crushed pecans/walnuts/pistachios, and a drizzle of honey.

Hi there!! I have a vacation food photo build up. Here are some of the things I have eaten over the course of 8 days - of which all were shared with the hubby and my 2 kids - , the goal was to put on some of the weight I've lost in the past one and a half months, but came back to see that I lost even more weight, Boohoo.

To be honest, I wasn't up until now. I don't have loose skin or any sagging but my butt has deflated. No amount of weight lifting seems to help as I'm still losing weight. My concern is time off work, I can't be away for two months 😭. Did you need to take two months off?

May I ask how your BBL recovery was? How long were you not able to sit down, sleep ...etc.?

You will always be fabulous, slim and trim. A few kilos up or down will not change that! With that being said, I completely understand your fear and I'm sorry you're going through this. While I wouldn't recommend cutting your calories any further, have you tried dedicated walks? (5-6k steps) as they really help with weight management. From experience, people who don't enjoy conventional exercise can just hit 8-10k steps a day to maintain or even lose weight.

I traveled 3 weeks post op, went to 3 different parks (walked a ton) and went on rollercoasters LOL. I had the energy and felt totally fine. Also, my husband did all the super crazy rollercoasters so that helped. If your surgeon is okay with it, see how you feel after surgery? I was totally okay a week post op and back to work even. Just make sure you go prepared with your snacks because I had to eat every 2 hours and you know how park food is, so that was a struggle.

While I am a foodie and looove to try new foods, recipes and going out to eat (you would not catch me repeating meals). I have been eating much less the past couple of weeks, I have borderline lost my appetite and eating feels like a chore. I can probably take 3 bites comfortably before I feel my restriction and I hate that pressure feeling, it is so intense and borderline painful, so I just dread eating sometimes.

The past week have been nightmarish. I have lost 3 something kgs and my BMI has dropped to below 18, which is considered underweight. I am totally okay and feel fine (checked with my team, my surgeon doesn’t seem too concerned) but been trying to eat everything caloric dense and fattening, no luck in gaining any weight so far!!

A few things here: 1. Factor implant weight at 5 lbs. 2. Your body took a break from working out, so going back will cause a lot of inflammation. From experience, I always gain an lb or two when I go back working out (especially lifting) after a break due to muscle inflammation. 3. Protein is extremely hard for the body to convert to fat. The golden rule is 1 gram per pound of body weight, hence you should be at at least 170 grams, so I say you're doing well with your protein goal. You could always experiment and add/reduce, see what happens? Doesn't hurt. 4. Pretty sure you are carrying a little water weight. Again, go by how your clothes fit, I'm sure they're tighter around the chest Lol, but what about your jeans?

It is not, I assure you Have you factored in your implant weight? 5-7 lbs is not a big fluctuation if you ask me, people's weights can vary by 5 lbs a day. How's your cycle? Water intake? Protein? Muscle mass? Honestly, I don't think 7 lbs are worth stressing over at all, unless you see a steady pattern of weight gain over time, which in any case can be addressed and reversed. I say you are doing fantastic

Don't. You went through major surgery, your body will need time to heal and recuperate. I hear the body needs extra calories following surgery to heal and close the wounds. You are already at your goal weight, you've done incredibly well and your journey has been a huge success. Plus the added weight of the implants, inflammation, water retention ....etc. As for me, I have been struggling not to lose any more weight, my restriction is the bane of my existence, my portions are smaller than my 6 year old's (who's tiny and never interested in food LOL). The minute I fall back on my eating schedule (which is usually very frequent) the pounds instantly drop. My surgeon keeps telling me he doesn't think I needed the surgery in the first place, ha! Also, the minute my training becomes less intense, I lose my appetite completely, meaning I need to work very hard in the gym to be able to eat more and not lose weight. It's all very weird LMAO.

You and I have similar starting stats! Congratulations on your success and new life and body 💕

Another thing that really surprises me post surgery is how quickly my weight drops if I don't eat well and frequently (every 1-2 hours). I have been eating less the past 6 days and already dropped 2.5 kgs (I was at a BMI 19 to begin with, I already felt too thin, now I feel like I'm skin on bones). This would've never been the case prior to surgery. Never thought losing too much weight, or stopping the weight loss would have ever been things I had to battle, but hey, I'd rather this than the other way around!

I second what @AmberFL said. I highly encourage that you hold the plastics until you're done having children. Pregnancy is beautiful but it does take its toll on the body, you will stretch and deflate, breastfeeding too affects some women and causes loose skin, deflation ....etc. Good Luck! 💓

I would reiterate what was mentioned above: find something you enjoy, and think outside the box. Get outdoors! I know many people who use tennis and Padel for their cardio, some people swim, cycle, walk, jog, swim, hike ... etc. Some people are consistent gym goers (like myself, except I have my home gym and rarely leave the house lol). I also love Pilates and combine it with a weight training and jogging routine, mixed with some conditioning. Through this I have achieved great fitness results and body composition. I did hours of intense cardio in the past but this combination has given me results I've not been able to attain in the past. However, I truly enjoy it and don't feel like it's a chore. When you find something you enjoy you can always build on it and do the things you don't have a passion for but feel are necessary, or get to discover a newfound love for things you never liked before. As I said, think outside the box, and try new things, you'd be surprised!

Came to flaunt this new Alo set I got in Gravel. It’s so flattering and hugs just right. Top and leggings both in XS. Peek the matching socks!

I am the same. I did count a few times a week during weight loss phase, and for a whole month when I stabilized at 9.5 months out but then I ditched it. I know roughly how much I eat, and I do random checks too. When I was at my fittest I never tracked calories and that worked for me through adulthood and motherhood. I do however, weigh myself at least a couple of times a week, something I never did even while being in shape. What gets measures gets managed. Not gonna lie, the first few months are a mental challenge, while I rapidly lost weight, I was always anxious that I would stall/stop losing/gain weight. I was always worried and on edge. I know it's easier said than done, but your body will do its thing, stick to your plan and try to trust the process. I would also say that it will not always be like that. After I stabilized, I tested my body, I ate more/ate things I didn't for a while and saw if that changed anything. With time and through trial, I am much more relaxed now and my mind is at ease. That is not to say that I let go, not at all. I eat well, I workout daily but I am much more relaxed when it comes to the flexibility I allow myself. I understand my body much better and I trust myself to make the right choices with what I'm given. Another advise is, try to stick to your plan as much as possible until you've stabilized, maximize on the honeymoon phase where pounds melt off and it's easy. There will always be time to have a little bit of the things you can't now. If you haven't yet, try to find an activity you enjoy, walking, jogging, pilates, yoga, swimming, cycling ...etc. whatever it is that you can and enjoy doing, it makes all the difference. Also, freeing your mind of anxiety is the biggest gift you can give yourself. Good luck 💓