mi75

great! thanks everyone for the input. i actually HAVE some dumbbells and a kettle bell too so they are a great start! i guess i didn't even think of youtube...today i did some old fashioned Sweatin To The Oldies and it was a great aerobic workout, but i have to get moving with some strength training.

hi all- i really am interested in doing some good training to tone and gain strength, especially because i have early bone loss in my spine and want to delay any onset of osteoporosis. also, i don't want to be this thin little woman who is weak and has sagging, i want to be STRONG and buff, and have taught skin. are there ANY options other than going to a gym? i have tons of DVDs but i'm pretty sure that all the aerobic in the world won't tone and make me buff like a good old fashioned weight lifting session. there is a Planet Fitness on the other side of my town, and i hate the idea of driving there every day, but i will do what i have to do for my longterm. thoughts?

i would pick up the phone and get an emergency appt with my nutritionist FIRST then go from there

it depends on if your particular policy has ANY coverage for plastics. most do not. the exception with bariatrics is if after your weight loss, you have a significant apron on your lower abdomen, some insurances will cover removal of it due to mobility, infection and hygiene issues. generally, this is usually NOT a tummy tuck, but a paniculectomy. many of the BCBS policies have clauses that if they will provide ANY coverage of this sort, it involves a specific amount of time also- ie you must lose your excess weight AND maintain a weight within certain BMI parameters for 6 months-1 yr before they will cover it... lots of clauses, loopholes, etc.

I stumbled upon canned lentils at Wal-Mart and I was so happy! i love them but don't want to cook if i can avoid it. throwing in about 3 TBSP leftover cooked orzo from kid's lunch, also red onion, bell pepper, cukes, garlic lemon juice, and fresh tomato. YUM!

NO foods are off limits in my program, but each program is different. i am 11 wks out tomorrow, eating ALL foods, losing like crazy and feeling incredible! this surgery was THE BEST thing i ever did for myself, not one regret. i have had a fairly easy path too, no real issues to date.

Not all insurances consider it, since it is a SYNDROME and therefore, the ICD-9 code for it can be refused by billing as a billable diagnosis... your only way to know is to call your specific insurance and ask them.

I make sloppy joe (meat and canned mix) and put 1 tsp each, on 2-3 nacho chips and a tiny bit of low fat shredded cheddar melted on top. lunch-done. cold taco salad with mostly lettuce, tomato, onion, cukes, and meat and just a sprinkle of nacho chip crumbs Ezekial bread toasted with Peanut Butter P3 pack of any flavor egg salad with a couple of Wheat Thins Rotisserie chicken and some fresh sliced tomatoes cold Lentil salad roasted pork loin with butternut squash Chili just a few ideas! i have been eating fairly 'normally' for a while and enjoying all these foods, and more, in very limited portions.

awesome Jen! can't wait to sit down this weekend and view...

i am using the Twin Lab chewable ones right now from the Vitamin shoppe but i'm not a big fan of them...also using gummy calcium and love them. i get labs done at the end of sept so i will find out if i need to change anything up...

tonight i made the Key West chicken that i found over on the food board and that is marinating right now. going to have that with a broccoli salad and some fresh tomatoes-nothing like a fresh Michigan tomato in the summer! tomorrow i am going to make grilled shrimp and a really good cold lentil salad with tomato, red onion, cukes, red bell pepper, garlic, lemon juice, evoo that i found online. YUM! later in the week i have a new recipe from the current issue of Oxygen magazine that is a chili spiced chicken breast with a corn/onion/avocado relish and some cole slaw. another YUM! can't wait to try other new things, please keep the ideas coming!

keep up the great work! I started ABOUT the same starting weight as you, and i'm now 10 wks out (tomorrow). i vividly remember hitting the ONe-derland mark, but stalled just before i got there. now the scale has been steadily moving nicely and this morning i hit the 180's! hang in there and work your program, it will happen!!

i'm going to make this today on the grill for the holiday weekend! looks awesome...

i didn't feel anything 'different' really, when i woke up. i had no pain at all, until about 24 hrs post op my one largest incision was hurting me and i took some pain med for that. i also stayed on liquid pain med at home for about 7 days just to keep away any discomfort that i could have had. i could not have ANYTHING to eat or drink for 27 hrs post op while i waited for my leak check so i didn't know what to expect. when i finally did drink, it was very small amounts. no pain. no discomfort. i was SUPER cautious though and took it very easy with all intake. i think the only thing that feels much different now, is if i eat to the point of 'overfull' i can feel it in one specific spot and it can be painful. my surgery was pretty easy and so far i've had a good path, no real issues.

i have simply walked since surgery, at least 5/7 days. sometimes on a treadmill at work, most of the time outside. i try to change up my route or add a little to it every few days. my hubs and i are joining a gym just simply because i am losing muscle and need to better define what i have, so that will be added in too. we are joining a planet fitness which is open 24 hrs from monday-friday and i'll be getting up at about 430am to go and get my workout...

i have had severe hypertension for years and was on 3 meds twice daily for it. i'm down to 1/2 of 1 pill a day, but since i've been back to work i notice that my BP is elevated right when i get home. with about 10 more lbs i should be off of it all together! super excited for that.

looks good i am bumping up to use this weekend!

hey everyone, hang in there! I am the OP of this thread and now almost 10 wks post op and scale has steadily been moving downward! sometimes a little slower than others, but over all doing great! keep up your activity and it WILL start to come off again! good luck!

i also use the little Muscle Milk Lite 100 pre-mixed ones. i bought some powder of regular, but can't stand the texture... i mix mine with extra milk and ice and it's like a chocolate milk. pretty good.

i am 9 wks post op and on all foods at this point. eating VERY small portions of everything, and have figured out that my slider foods are popcorn and tortilla chips! have to be very careful with those. my nut said that i should introduce one new food a day, try it several times through the day and then the next day try something else. you may need to try going backwards a bit until you figure out what will work for you. also, you may want to check with your surgeon. you MIGHT need a PPI type pill to calm your gut so that you can start eating again i wish you luck!

chalk it up to the major fluids they pump into you during and after surgery. you will notice a change in a few days. my best advice is stay OFF that scale for at least 10-14 days post op and you will really be amazed once you get on it. i became scale obsessed until i finally learned that this journey is not a sprint, it is a long marathon and my end result is most important...

I agree with others. once my drain was out it improved a LOT and then at week 3 i felt like a new person! hang in there and know that we ALL go through some major bumps in the beginning!

dinner last night was an AWESOME spinach/artichoke dip with these little toasted bread rounds, at my favorite little local Italian place. i ate until i was comfortable... like EVERY time i eat what i think is 'too much for the day', the scale was down again today!

me! i'm eating any of the following: breakfast- egg salad with crackers or sloppy joe with 2 nacho chips snack- cheese stick lunch- sloppy joe, chinese chicken with veg, rice/noodle Soup, or grilled chicken, fruit snack- almonds, cheese or a Quest bar dinner- a Protein, a carb option, and a veg i also drink a full shake every day mixed with milk, 64 oz Water and/or tea total. i eat ALL macronutrients including carbs and doing well. weight is coming off nicely.

i don't count cals at 9 wks post op but i think i'm likely around 800 a day. i focus only on my Protein and liquids. scale moving VERY well!