gain goal regain How was your 5:2 day today?

[BrownDoesAll 409]

Good for you CGJ! Relax and enjoy the companionship. You deserve to feel good and enjoy life

I am with you Coops. Mine is slow and steady but scale is moving in the right direction. Trying to do three fast days a week. Must admitt its hard.

Let's go we can do this!

[coops 1,790]

C'mon Brown - let's do it! Second fast for me this week and I am a little hungry - just had a few crackers and now sipping a cuppa. It has gone colder here so I am going to make my butternut squash Soup for tea! Warm and filling.

I'll 'try' and get another fast in Friday, and hopefully it will be more successful than last week...lol!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Great job fasting ladies!

I went to my PCP doc yesterday and she is very concerned with my situation. I am doing blood tests initially to screen for the obvious issues that might be leading to all these dang bruises. she referred to my current pattern of eating as "aneorexic like". I objected to that characterization because I am not TRYING to lose weight nor do I see myself as fat still... but upon reflection, the way I am eating is still not normal. On my own days.... I am eating probably 400-600 calories. On days when I go out with the guy i am seeing or my friends I probably eat double (or more because he is a food pusher it seems to me) which probably accounts for my weight more or less stabilizing (losing very slowly now if at all).

So, the initial blood work is to check for thyroid, white and red blood cells etc etc to screen out "disease issues". Then I agreed to do a very detailed nutritional analysis that cost me $180 and will take nearly 3 weeks to get results. The theory is that over time my nutritional situation has deteriorated due to the WLS and then made worse by my last several months loss of appetite and poor compliance with Vitamin regime during that time. Combine all that with the physical and emotional stress of losing massive weight, having major plastic surgery, going through huge upheaval in my personal life etc etc.... doctor's worry is that I am essentially heading down a negative path Healthwise.

what I find interesting is that there are a couple of ladies on the vet forum that I sense have had something similar happen... the ones who say they can't stop losing or otherwise are not as vigourous as they think they should be.

I will let you know what the results are in the coming weeks and if I think that nutrition profile - much more detailed than the surgeon ever ordered - is worth it or not. the theory is that there are micro nutrients and imbalances that are not tested for in standard tests.

Yesterday, I unloaded about 3,200 pounds worth of hay by myself - 48 bales...one at a time. I did the first third and felt completely wiped out so ate some dinner... realized i had unintentionally missed lunch due to being at doctor and trying vitamin samples which killed my appetite. anyway, once I ate I was able to finish the work - so perhaps I am not a total weakling these days! I feel really tired this morning though.

[Georgia 2,908]

Sheryl, sounds like you two are having fun - nice to hear... enjoy it! Well, weighed this morning - a pound from my lowest and 2 from my surgeon's goal... I can almost taste it again! Weirdly most of my clothes are now UK12s; even bought myself a denim jacket that size and it looks great! My surgeon originally wanted me in a 12 regardless of weight... so I suppose that goal is good now! But I would like to finish at a UK10- 12 and I think another 14- 18lbs would do that. Fasting today.... happy days! Anyone else joining me?

Awesome, Coops! You just keep plugging away. I think we all huff and puff, rest a while and hit it again. Congrats! Tomorrow is fast for me.

[Georgia 2,908]

Keep us posted, Sheryl. I, too, am somewhat concerned about overall tiredness, bruising, and low blood sugar (couple days mine was about 40!). Taking Vit D and trying to remember to take Calcium, Multi and also now on Boniva but just feel really tired all the time.

[UK Cathy 977]

im bad about my Calcium i must find a way to remind myself to take it each day, perhaps i should put the tablet pot next to my toothbrush and have it before going to bed.

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Yeah Sheryl Jane, what IS it about the act of taking Vitamins that totally kills the appetite? On days when I have been very good and taken every pill I'm supposed to, I cannot eat or drink for hours afterward...

Going to start my MS medication tomorrow, filled with emotions ...

Coops, I bet you are in a UK10, depending on the brand, when I was 10 lbs heavier I was in a UK10 tee and I think we are the same height?

Friday I begin the journey north and the journey of telling my Mother about all of this...

[coops 1,790]

http://plymouth.tab.co.uk/2014/05/08/lost-in-translation-prepare-yourself-for-the-welsh/

thought my international friends might like this!

Florinda, do you mind me asking what is M5? Good luck with the meds, let us know how you get on with them... and good luck with the road trip... hugs x

Uk10 is too small for me at the moment *sad face* but it is my new size goal!

[coops 1,790]

end of fast day no 2 this week - didn't do the soup; I needed to chew so I had a small jacket potatoe and some baked beans... I did have a little bit of grated cheese, so including the crackers I ate through the day I prob went over 500 - but not by much so I am bagging it as a good day!

Although we have a week off work at the moment, I am going into school tomo to do some admin and I might stay to do some marking - I will see how I feel!

It is rainy and cold here, so different from this time last year! I am hoping the weather will change so I can sit in the garden to mark some work and get some lovely sunshine! Need a tan...lol

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Coops, I can't help but observe that your fast day seemed pretty low Protein. Maybe protein isn't emphasized so much in your program?

It will be a few weeks before I get the testing results... if it is useful I will share the info out on the vets forum as I suspect I am not alone.

Florinda, not only "what's up with the Vitamins? " but "what's up with the medical people who don't believe you that a few pills is a meal?"

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Coops, MS is the abbreviation for my disease, Multiple Sclerosis. The drug is called Tecfidera and it is a pill, rather than an injection, which until very recently was the standard in MS drugs.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Holy cow! I finally got to the end of the line of posts... Want to comment on them all, but have been away so long im sure its old news.... I have been so busy, time just flys some times... Last weekend went kayaking, hubby finally got his own so we can plan more trips for the summer. Gardening and weight gain! Just 2 pounds over my bounce, but can I see it on the muffin top! I have been fasting pretty well, one or two times a week, but the other days are full of c-r-a-p! 

I am inspired by you all, hitting the fasts or not, keep up the good work to those doing it, and lets get out of that slump to those who are in it with me.

 

 

 

Florinda, what a great story! I'm so happy for you, thank you for sharing. Can we get a lovey-dovey picture here (in the private group) as well?

 

Denise, sorry Bill is sick I hope you don't get it either.

 

Georgia, THANK you for posting that. I plan to take a good look at it in a little bit.

 

Coops YEEEEEAH GIRL!!! Love that skirt from when you were 21..."chuffed to beans" for ya!

 

Well, my fitbit logging is going well, I'm even logging when I eat ice cream, and half a donut (NOT on the same day, lol) but here is what my last few days have been (calorie-wise)

 

Thurs: 1,406

Fri: 1,912 (this was the ice cream day! oh my, that is HIGH cals for me personally)

Sat: 1,910 (I know 2 high cal days in a row, my only *saving* grace was Sat. I did so much lawn work, I was OUT working in the lawn...mowing, triming, edging, fertilizing, cutting branches, hauling them to a temporary neighborhood dumpster, etc. I was out from 10am-4pm with only Water to drink, so then I must have made up for it by dinner time, lol)

Sun: 1,069

Mon: 352 from my am Breakfast and mid-am yogurt.

 

I'm having lunch out today with my mom, so no fasting today. Maybe I will try to fast on Wed. Anyway, at LEAST (for now) I'm logging my food which is a big f'ing 100% improvement over the last 4 months of NOT logging whatever I eat. UGH!

 

Maybe I'm back on track? Maybe...

 

Good for you getting back on track! Feels pretty good to be there I bet. I have been logging too, yesterday was 1900 So I hear you... I can really put it away some days! I did get in some exercise, but still... the scales don't seem to care about that.... . I have a docs appt in the middle of June where whe expects me to have lost 5 pounds.... uh, not really going to happen... and a dance performance in July... holy cow! Good luck on that one. I am just going to do it and try and get over my fear of looking like a goof...my dance girls want me to be in thier troop, and if I want to go there, I just have to start somewhere.

fast day completed... I didn't chew anything til 7pm, which means I went 23 hrs without eating!  That is a real achievement for me and it wasn't that bad!  I did have a few cuppas though, and some herbal teas... the Hot Drinks really helps!

 

I am gonna go  4:3 this week; today weds and thurs... it is my mam's birthday tue and my son's birthday thurs so they will be fuelled with cake and junk food.... hoping the 4:3 will counter act this!  Possibly going out for a few bevvies sunday too.. such a mixed week food wise for  me!

We have another week in work and then we break up for a week and in that week I have promised myself that I will go back to Curves.  By mid June my work load should have decreased too!  That will allow me more time for me!

 

Go Girl Go! you are my inspiration Coops!

Hi ladies!

 

Lordy - just got back from a few days at the coast with friends who were up from San Diego and it is kooky how off track my hubby and I can get when we are out of our home element. Going to an unfamiliar grocery store seemed to completely discombobulate the both of us. We both nibbled our way through more calories than we should have - I certainly had more carbs and processed food than I am used to and whoa what it does on the scale - poof up 7 lbs in one day from puffy bloat, salt and not enough fluids.

 

M2 I have had my Fitbit flex since last October and I love mine - still need to work on getting all of my daily steps in though. 10k a day every day is a goal.

 

I have been recovering from the BS from end of semester stuff - I basically walked away from my teaching job two weeks ago ( I turned down the offer to compete for my old job after the new administration brought the hammer down and dismantled the art department at our college - the music dept is next.) Basically half of all of the core faculty contracts were bought out - meaning teachers were threatened to either take a severance package (which was 75% of their salary) or possibly have nothing - they basically worked the collective bargaining agreement to eliminate professors who made the most money - which at our college is not that much.

My ethics told me not to keep subjecting myself to a new corporatized situation that cares nothing for anything but money. I had started taking my anti-anxiety medicine (usually reserved only for long car trips) just to go into work, and crying every day.

 

Its scary but I no longer feel sick to my stomach every day. Anywho - enough of that.

 

I have been reading a new book on clean eating after reading about a program of eating called Whole30 - which I had no heard of. Its basically 30 days of hard reset - no wheat, sugar, dairy, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, etc - and is focused not so much on WL but rather elimination of inflammation, breaking the carb addiction, etc...All pretty common stuff in the food literature that we read. The dairy part would be really rough for me - I like a bit of 2% milk, and my favorite sweet is light and fit Greek yogurt - hi dairy and artificial sweet lol. If you slip up you have to start the 30 days over again lol.

 

I am frankly dreading the fall (my most difficult part of the year for food and activity) and want to whip things into shape this summer to be better prepared. I just need to knuckle down!

 

I too like our little group the way it is - I trust you guys and that is a big deal to me - I don't trust very many people

 

Nice to see you here... job stuff sucks sometimes... We are going through Unionizing... I am going to a negotiating workshop on Sat... I figure it might help me in other parts of my life as well... you are a star girl, time to hit the thrift stores for groovie cloths and the new free agent that you are!  Love my fitbit too...but not anywhere close to 10,000 most days...

Coops - are you thinking about doing arms still?  If you need it, I highly recommend a breast lift too.  Wow, makes your appearance alot more youthful!

 

I had the small thigh lift and it worked for me because my worst problem was fat pockets on the upper inner thigh. My thighs are still an ugly area but given that huge noticable scar with the long lift, I am pleased with my decision.  Lots of middle age women have ugly thighs so I am in good company but no longer have those globs of cellulite and extra skin rubbing between my legs. 

 

The arms have been amazing though.  People see my arms and don't even notice the scars unless i point them out or am doing something that makes the underside super obvious.

 

Sheryl, I have always felt bad about my arms... no mater thin or thick... getting the surgery might really be good for me, but the scars and the pain.... not sure Im ready for that... and about your tests, I hope it all works osut right... do try and balance your diet with lots of veggies... gotta stay healthy for that fun new wildman!

Jack loves me how I am, skin and all, but acknowledges my right to feel the best possible about myself, he suggests waiting on a Tummy Tuck and breast reconstruction till after pregnancy and breast feeding, what do you guys think?  Those arms though, WANT WANT WANT .

 

Okay, I'm gonna talk about a subject that would get me FLAMED if I brought it up with non-sleevers or people who aren't focused on weight loss and fitness, the lying of our pants!  I am 5'3" and 159 pounds, with an hourglass/apple shape, there is no WAY I should be wearing a size 8 - 17 years ago when I weighed 150 lbs and was an inch shorter I wore a 12.  Anyway, I went to Old Navy the other day and tried on skinny jeans for the first time in my life (NSV btw, lol) Now, because of my shape and my excess skin I need to wear shirts that both show off my cleavage, skate loosely over my rolls, and hide my crotch so I go with empire-waist tunics. The pants that fit my squashy waist area smoothly just swim in the legs and the legs that hug nicely sausage my middle but at any rate, a size 8short skinny jeans in the Sweetheart cut FIT and with a loose summery tunic you can't see the squashy rolls and it looks good!  

Here's the thing; the friend that I am staying with has become very fat - 5'5" and (she says) 210 but I am going to put her closer to 250.  She was bragging that the pants she bought were too big and all I could think was "that's no victory, these pants are sized for the fat and delusional American masses".  We did our shopping at a major shopping mall and this Old Navy was massive and I got to do a lot of people watching and DAMN, people are FAT!  At 5'3" and 159 lbs I have no right to be considered in shape or small!!  Not only are people really fat, but everyone is dressed so shabbily, it makes me wonder if we have a national epidemic of depression, masses of people just eating their feelings and dressing in soft stretchy jammies...

 

So, I had my Drs appt on Monday, the neurologist; this was the appointment to end all appointments so to speak, because I have now had the MRIs, the LP, the bloodwork, and the neurologist now collected everything together to form his opinion.  His opinion, which he gave immediately upon entering the room without beating around the bush, is that yes, I have MS.  I don't know what I was expecting, I have lived with this knowledge for almost 8 months but there must have been a subconscious part of me that felt there was a glimmer of hope so long as I didn't have the LP.  I cried all the way home, but not just boo-hoo tears, deep guttural sobs of loss.  And my tears weren't for me, they were for Jack, all I could think of was his love and involving him in this and it just hurt.

 

Can I tell you how that pic just lit up my face?! You guys are so obviously young and in love! YOu are just glowing. And model beautiful? Absolutely girl.

Florida, I love the pics! You look so happy! You are beautiful...your face, eyes, and smile are absolutely gorgeous. I'm sorry you had such a hard time after your appointment. Did the doctor give you any hope as far as meds or anything else you can do to keep your symptoms minimal? How is your mom handling your diagnosis? I'm glad you have jack by your side.

I don't really care too much about vanity sizing. To me it's just what it is so why worry or be concerned about it? That's just my opinion.

I'm still fasting 2 days a week. I like it and it makes me feel in control. I'm not as strict on my regular days so I have been maintaining just fine. I still want to get down to 135-140. My current bounce is 140-145. When I decide to tighten up on my regular days I know I can get there bit I guess I'm not totally motivated to do it at the moment.

So you all remember my dear friend that's been back on drugs. Well she's not doing great and I was able to talk to her on Sunday. She agreed to come here and get cleaned up in the next couple weeks. I was so happy. We had an excellent conversation. Well, today she txt me and said she's not coming yet and that she's not ready. My heart just aches. I don't get it and I am helpless bc there isn't a thing I can do about it. I am hurting. I want to curl up in a ball and not leave my room. I can't but I want to. How can someone with so much good to give just throw away her life like this? Her so called friends mean more to her right now than the ones that truly love her and would do anything for her. I don't know how those of you who have dealt with these issues handle it. It's so sad.

So sorry for the addiction friend... sad to see someone letting thier life slip away. You have reached out, and im sure she knows it... when she hits bottom... you will be there for her. Georgia, Denise, Wanda, and all, love coming here and hearing from you all girls!

[coops 1,790]

Protein wasn't a focus when I was first sleeved - my surgeon just wanted me to eat 3 healthy meals a day. I generally follow the protein rule though; especially when I am training. Yesterday I just wanted something warm and filling and jacket spud with baked Beans hit the spot.

I generally eat protein daily in the form of either chicken, pork, bacon (sometimes ham), quorn and eggs as my main sources... of course it comes in many forms!

Not fasting per se today... but I skipped lunch due to being in work longer than I expected! Will have a nice tea tonight though, not sure what yet! scale was kind this morning 1 1/2lbs from my lowest... fingers crossed this will continue! =]

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I can only speak for my experience, but the pain from plastics just wasn't that bad. The arms really were not painful at all, but they were WEIRD when healing. As the nerves started coming back to life I got some zinging sensations, especially when I exercised. Arms made a huge difference on how I look though, even with long sleeves on. That skin just added alot of bulk. I really really need to get updated pics going so people can see the side by side.

I almost bailed on the arms because I was afraid of the scars - silly fears as the scars aren't even noticed by most people. They aren't that bad either.

I hope to hear from more of you! 17 members of this group... I know there are more news updates out there!!!

[Georgia 2,908]

Yeah Sheryl Jane, what IS it about the act of taking Vitamins that totally kills the appetite?  On days when I have been very good and taken every pill I'm supposed to, I cannot eat or drink for hours afterward...

 

Going to start my MS medication tomorrow, filled with emotions ...

 

Coops, I bet you are in a UK10, depending on the brand, when I was 10 lbs heavier I was in a UK10 tee and I think we are the same height?

 

Friday I begin the journey north and the journey of telling my Mother about all of this...

 

Wishing you the best, Florinda!!!!!!   You can and WILL do this!