February 2024 Surgery Buddies?

[NickelChip 1,212]

Dang it! Back up to 200 today. I could see the digital scale contemplating telling me 199.8, but it decided nope. I've had days with tons of exercise. Days with no exercise. Days with over 1000 calories. Days with barely 500 calories because what I ate made me sick. None of it does anything to move the weight. I get on the scale daily because I like to see the graph as a visual. But I'd like it better if the number went down.

On the bright side, my blood work all looks pretty good. A bit low in Vitamin A, zinc, and prealbumin, but so far no one has said I should change anything.

@LisaCaryl I love the NSV with the jeans! What a nice surprise, even if you did get stuck wearing them to your group.

I have one more week of school runs and after school activities before my kids are out for the summer. At that point, I am going to make a weekly meal plan and try out some new recipes from the bariatric cookbooks that are gathering dust because I've been too busy. I've also found a workout video to try with my pilates bar resistance band set, so that's going to happen this week, at least once.

[BlueParis 117]

@NickelChip I feel you - My scale is not budging just fluctating between 70-69.5kg ( 154lbs - 153lbs) - up and down and up and down... It's been 20 days since I hit 70kg. I'm so longing to not see a 7 on the scales anymore! I have 12 days left until I'm 4 months post op and would really like to see at least a consistant 69.5kg by then ... I'd even be fine with that.

We also officially have the year to date with the most rain and the least hours of sun in Paris since records began in the 1840's and now it's not just me who is suffering from the constant grey, wet and lack of light. Everyone is miserable and over it! By this season normally we all spend so much time outside but it's just to damn f**king wet and cold - we still have 7-8°c at night (46°F).

Edited June 5 by BlueParis

[gracesmommy2 35]

Same boat here with the same fluctuating weight for a little while now…….soooo frustrating!

Hopefully the rain stops and it warms up for you soon @BlueParis

@NickelChip if you like the video you got would you let me know what bar/bands you got and what video. I know I’ve said I hate exercising ,but what I want to get is a Pilates reformer, unfortunately they are ridiculously expensive and would very likely become a clothes hanger at some point like all other exercise equipment I’ve bought in the past 🤣. So maybe what you have I would like for now. 🤞

[NickelChip 1,212]

Back down to 199.2lbs this morning, which was my lowest recorded weight from 12 days ago. Will it start dropping again now? It's a mystery!

One thing about these stalls that is a little scary, other than just wondering if you will ever lose any more weight again, is how hard it can be not to give into bad habits and cravings when you start feeling like there's no reward for doing the right thing. The last couple days, all I wanted was sugar and simple carbs. I tried not to indulge in the cravings too much, but I did have a little bit of candy (red licorice bites) and a serving of whole wheat Ritz crackers, which I wasn't eating at all before.

As the weather warms up, I'm finding it harder to decide what to eat. Is anyone else struggling? Nothing sounds good. I have discovered a nice treat/light meal that reminds me of the pineapple Dole whip you can get at Disneyland. Fill a single serving smoothie blender cup about 2/3 full with frozen pineapple chunks, plus about half a serving vanilla Protein Powder, half a cup or so of plain Greek yogurt, and a splash of milk to thin it out. Blend until you get a thick, creamy, frozen consistency. It's got about 20-25g Protein depending on what products you use and it was so refreshing when literally nothing sounded good for lunch.

@gracesmommy2 this is the pilates bar set I have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CCRCG5ZP

This is the video I'm going to try:

There are so many videos if you search YouTube for "pilates bar workout." I thought 20 minutes was a good starting length, but they have longer, too, and ones that target different body areas. I need a yoga mat for the floor part, though.

[BlueParis 117]

14 hours ago, NickelChip said:

One thing about these stalls that is a little scary, other than just wondering if you will ever lose any more weight again, is how hard it can be not to give into bad habits and cravings when you start feeling like there's no reward for doing the right thing. The last couple days, all I wanted was sugar and simple carbs. I tried not to indulge in the cravings too much, but I did have a little bit of candy (red licorice bites) and a serving of whole wheat Ritz crackers, which I wasn't eating at all before.

I really feel you. I'm demotivated. 21 days and no change. I'm craving sugar and carbs like mad. Not feeling any restriction at all. Like at all. None whatsoever. And no move on the scale... I leave Paris the day after tomorrow. At least I'm not a fan of the local cuisine where I'm going ...

[RonHall908 130]

22 minutes ago, BlueParis said:

I really feel you. I'm demotivated. 21 days and no change. I'm craving sugar and carbs like mad. Not feeling any restriction at all. Like at all. None whatsoever. And no move on the scale... I leave Paris the day after tomorrow. At least I'm not a fan of the local cuisine where I'm going ...

Since having my gastric bypass, I've felt from the beginning that I can take more food or liquid in than I should. I keep reminding myself that Just because I can, doesn't mean I should. I know the further out from surgery the more you will be able to eat, to a point at least. I get hungry all the times as well. But, I don't eat a lot every time I do eat. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is my biggest meals. Then I snack in between. I think it's my body telling me I need fuel. I ride a stationary bike every day for 8-10 miles. When the scale doesn't move, I can see and feel my body changing.
Remember- Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!

[LisaCaryl 96]

Good morning! I have officially joined the "stallers" club this week. It is sad to see the scale at the same place it was a week ago. But I have all of you going through it, too, and while we don't like it, it does help some. I guess I'm glad to be part of the club lol.

Edited June 7 by LisaCaryl

[Noelle74 53]

Yesterday was a bad day for me. Everything I ate got stuck and I spent a lot of time miserable with a bag nearby ready to be sick. I ended my day with applesauce and called it good. Today started off good with some movement on the scale. Down 1.6 lbs. small change I know but it’s the biggest change I’ve had in a day so I’ll take it. I wanted to weigh in before the weekend when I’ll no doubt eat things I shouldn’t and sit around way more than I should. I’m in no hurry to eat anything today after everything got stuck yesterday. I might stick to liquids today just so I’m not totally miserable all day. We weren’t supposed to get anymore rain til Tuesday but here it is again, cloudy and drizzling. Seems that is all we have seen the last two to three weeks. It’s not cold just dreary. I hope everyone else has a brighter happier day today.

[NickelChip 1,212]

So relieved to report I finally dropped to a new "lowest weight" after my 2-week stall. Weighed in at 198.6 this morning, a drop of 0.6 since yesterday. I really hope that might continue a few days at least before I hit the next rough patch.

The cravings for sweets and carbs are real! I'm fortunate that I do feel a lot of restriction, or at least I do if I am eating the right kinds of foods. I can only manage about 2-3 oz (60-85g) of heavier Proteins, which include salmon, poultry, beef, and pork. I also get full at around 4 oz (100g) veggies. Sadly, if I do eat bread or crackers, they seem to go down easy. Same with ice cream or candy. I had really hoped that wouldn't be the case. It makes it that much more important for me not to keep those types of things in the house.

I'm struggling with what to eat, especially for Breakfast. Nothing sounds good. I'm tired of plain yogurt and cottage cheese. I'm tired of Protein Shakes and smoothies. I was enjoying smoked salmon with cucumbers on rye crisp bread until last week when it made me violently ill. I've become repulsed by eggs. Plus, I don't usually get hungry until later in the morning. Today, I decided to wait, and I finally started to feel some real hunger at 10:00am. So, I'm having a leftover big Italian meatball from dinner a few nights ago. lunch and dinner options aren't much easier. Cooking is a hassle when you can eat so little, and my kids don't like the kinds of things I can eat. But I worry it sets me up for grazing when I don't have a plan.

I'd really like to do some meal prep and have a list of maybe 10 go-to meals that are bariatric approved and easy to make any time of day. I'd like to spend a few hours roasting a sheet pan of veggies and cooking some chicken to store in the fridge for the week and incorporate into meals. I need to clean out the fridge and pantry. I just don't seem to have the motivation to do any of it. It's like all my energy has run dry, although my bloodwork came back good so it's not an issue of something being off. Just my attitude, I guess! I'm feeling stressed and a little overwhelmed, and it shows in my environment because my house is getting cluttered and I have a pile of laundry that is quickly going to consume me. What I wouldn't give for a housekeeper to keep the place tidy and my own cook to make healthy meals and deliver them to me at appropriate times during the day.

[gracesmommy2 35]

Ty for the links @NickelChip and yay on the weight loss! Woohoo!

I have a major sweet tooth also and have made these brownies twice and think they are pretty good. My twig of a hubby likes them also 😂. I mean they’re not as good as “real” brownies but honestly you get used to it if you stay away from “real” sugar which I do. (Mainly bc I know I’ll go overboard if I try eating sugar again so I just avoid it all together.) I also try to eat and cook mostly keto/very low carb most of the time. This website has some pretty good recipes and directions for freezing and stuff. I’ve tried a few recipes from another website also that I’ll link for you.

i don’t make my food separate. My hubby eats whatever I cook for me, just more of it and when my kiddos (20 and 24) were here a couple of weeks ago, they ate what I made for myself also. 😉 of course I try to make stuff I knew they wouldn’t hate 😂.

Try these

https://thebigmansworld.com/best-fudgy-keto-brownies/

Made these a couple of nights ago

https://thebigmansworld.com/keto-stuffed-peppers/

I’ve also made this and so has my daughter and she likes it too, I’ve made it once as written and then doubled the recipe once using lean ground turkey and ground pork.

https://www.eatyourselfskinny.com/chicken-egg-roll-in-a-bowl/

plus I’ve made a couple of other recipes on this last website that were good also just trying to mix stuff up…..I hate eating the same crap all the time.

oh and we eat the egg roll in a bowl with cauliflower rice 😉

Edited June 7 by gracesmommy2

[NickelChip 1,212]

@gracesmommy2 Oh my gosh, I even have all the ingredients for the brownies in my pantry! If I get my house cleaned tomorrow, I may have to make these as my reward.

Thanks for the other recipes, too! They both sound excellent and I'll try one out next week for sure. My daughters are 12 and 15, and I swear they barely have a single food they both like that I can also eat. They love Pasta and tons of carbs and cheese. They hate meat, except ground meat sometimes. They dislike fish, although the older one is coming around to salmon. One won't eat sauce. The other doesn't like potatoes in any shape or form. Up until surgery started messing with my preferences, I could count on one hand the foods I didn't care for. I don't know where all this pickiness came from.

@Noelle74 Being sick from food is the worst. I also find going liquids only the next day can help soothe things. Hang in there!

@LisaCaryl So sorry you've joined the stall club! At least you have good company here.

@BlueParis What a pain to have the scale stay stuck for this long! I hope you can see some progress soon. Don't lose hope!

@RonHall908you stay so active, I imagine your body requires a lot of fuel. And you're right, being able to do something doesn't mean you should!

[RonHall908 130]

1 hour ago, NickelChip said:



@RonHall908you stay so active, I imagine your body requires a lot of fuel. And you're right, being able to do something doesn't mean you should



I think that's why I feel exhausted at times, working out and not fueling enough. Maybe I need more. But, I'm trying to follow the dieticians directions as close as I can. She has more experience at this than I do. I haven't ate food to fuel my body since I was a kid. My fear is, if I eat too much I'll resort back to bad habits. I'm sure that is most everyone's fear after bariatric surgery.



Edited June 7 by RonHall908

[NickelChip 1,212]

8 hours ago, RonHall908 said:

My fear is, if I eat too much I'll resort back to bad habits. I'm sure that is most everyone's fear after bariatric surgery.



This really is the big fear, isn't it? I mean, I know when my bad habits hit. It's when I'm stressed and short on time. Like this week, where one kid had a major school presentation and the other was both sick AND had rehearsals for dance recital every night. And they need to be fed, and have all their stuff, and did they remember their Water bottles, and money for a snack, and where are the dance shoes, and what time is pick up and...oh, wait, have I eaten anything today? And now all the food I bought to be so good and healthy is still frozen and I'm trying to figure out if I should choke down a Protein Shake or if putting Peanut Butter on a Ritz cracker can count as protein...

This is definitely where those new, good habits need to be built. Because of course I can anticipate the craziness of a week like this ahead of time and prepare for it. I just need to work on actually doing so because a trip through McDonald's is no longer in the offing or I'll end up right back where I was. The modern world is built for convenience, but not for good health.

[RonHall908 130]

1 hour ago, NickelChip said:

"The modern world is built for convenience, but not for good health."

Very true. It's tough to have any kind of meal prep when you're busy or rushed. It's definitely not easy to navigate trying to eat healthier in times of stress.
I don't think Peanut Butter and crackers would be much of a deal breaker. PB Is a great snack.

[BlueParis 117]

So... It's seems my stall has finally "cracked" - I wouldn't go as far as broken, but cracked... and I'm happy with that. This morning I weighed in at 69.1kg which is 152.3lbs ( 10st12) and puts my BMI just below 25 ( 24.8!! woopeee). I've just voted because it's the EU elections here and am about to pack before I leave home for work for a week. I'm going to Budapest and really don't like the food there so I'll see how I get on. I'm really hoping to see a number starting with 68 when I get home even if I loose just 300g (10oz) this week I'll be happy with that!

@Noelle74 I hope you have some better days comming and manage to eat without being miserable!

On 6/7/2024 at 7:09 PM, RonHall908 said:

My fear is, if I eat too much I'll resort back to bad habits. I'm sure that is most everyone's fear after bariatric surgery.

@RonHall908 I have this fear too... Well done on all the activity! How do you find the time. I struggle to get my 10k steps some days with work and even though I've been for a few 5k runs I don't know how I'd find time to work out!

@gracesmommy2 I might try those recipies! Thank you

@NickelChip I see we share the same live-in housekeeper dream! I don't even have children and am often overwhelmed by my own mess and laundry especially when I do fast turn arounds for trips! I'd also like someone who could remind me to go to bed at the appropriate time, make me coffee in the morning ( to be honest my partner does this if he's around but we don't live together full time as we both want to keep our Paris appartments!), I'd like someone to say "Hey blue, lets go for a walk before bed, just 30 minutes" or "Hey blue, what about getting up 30 minutes earlier and walking to work?" or "Hey Blue, let me sort that ironing for you, why don't you use the time to do some yoga?"

@LisaCaryl How are things going for you, how are you dealing with the stall ?

@Briss72 How are you feeling? How's your leg? Have you found a dance routine you like ?

If not I got myself a dress and don't feel massive in it even though I still don't like my tummy I thought my legs ( massive heels helping) looked pretty ok!