mi75

I will be 9 wks out and also been on all these foods since going onto 'regular' diet at 6 wks post. i too choose to limit my 'bread-y' things but eat a whole wheat tortilla pizza probably once a week with ham and veg, i can only eat half of the fajita sized tortilla in total.

i have heard good reviews from others about Piyo as well! is it the Chalene Johnson one that you do? i'm gonna have to look into it...do you go to a gym too? i am torn right now about whether to join a Planet Fitness or NOT, and just do something like this. getting strong is important to me in the long run, but right now i'm still in my losing phases and only 8 wks post op.. Also- since i'm really just getting my weight loss moving, and still fairly out of shape- will i be able to do it?? i appreciate your feedback- and any others too!

I also took Lisinopril with HCTZ prior to surgery and left the hospital taking nothing. of course, my blood pressure also dropped 30 points systolic and 20 points diastolic between the week prior and the week post surgery... follow exactly what your docs tell you, and if you have questions specific to meds ask!!!

thanks everyone! i'm feeling thrilled, really. I have lost more with my surgery than ANY other time i EVER tried on my own. ever! that is a huge success in itself. I just want to know that my weight is coming down in a fairly normal fashion. it sounds like i am. I think even more about IF i'm losing normally because I have PCOS and i was concerned from the beginning whether that would slow me down or have any impact on my rate of loss. sounds like it probably doesn't! whoo hoo!

unjury is quite nice and no issues at all. i used it a lot. i THOUGHT i would tolerate Isopure after having a couple sips but after 1./3 bottle felt like i was going to gag. Honestly Isopure reminds me of those New whey shots, just in a huge amount. I couldn't tolerate it AND they are pretty costly too!

Prior to surgery I gave up my extreme pop habit and walked away and have not looked back. I was drinking at LEAST 3- 44oz REGULAR Mtn Dews a day, sometimes more. I felt that i depended on the caffeine to just get through my day! now at 8 wks post op it has been almost 4 months since i have had ANY caffeine and honestly i have so much energy all the time i don't miss it, or even think about it. sounds like just another reason to stay away.

honestly i generally don't get too many cravings but i have been at several catered luncheons where something 'looks good' and i will go ahead and take the tiniest little try of it (EXCEPT for sweets, sugar, pop, desserts). none of those. something like the 1/2 tsp potato salad i had the other day, or a tpsp bbq baked Beans i had yesterday. both sat well. scale is still moving. TINY amounts seems to be key for me. i am truly following my bariatric program and eating all foods as directed so i don't feel like i'm cheating, but it's funny because i have found myself counting and tracking like crazy on days when i choose a 'looks good' option!

i was sleeved the same week and all told am down 40 lbs. that includes my pre op. i'm too trying to not compare but it IS hard. even my MOM says "the weight isn't coming off as fast as others, is it"?...well, maybe not but it's MORE than i ever did on my own! just stay focused. this is not a marathon. i figure that with my starting weight and such it should take me probably until mid-winter to meet my goal and that's ok. i'm just staying the course.

thanks everyone for your input. i have decided to go ahead and continue on. this has ALWAYS been my ultimate goal and I don't want to look back on my life with any professional regrets. my kids will understand that this is for me and eventually will help our entire family get further. my MSN program is at a small local school but turns out great results and their placement numbers are very high even if it those placements aren't exactly where people thought they would start. i figure that even if i don't initially land where i thought i would, in a classroom, every opportunity is another door opened and more networking for future options. even though i really like what i do now, i know that it could eventually be gone and don't want to find myself with little options. and truly, who knows..i might land in some placement that is my UNKNOWN dream job! my program is about 90% online and VERY accomodating. the faculty are incredibly kind and supportive. Initially my plan was to go all the way and finish PhD so maybe that will be the ultimate direction I go in. for now, though, just one class this semester and MAYBE two in winter, one in spring and I'll be on track to graduate in about 2.5 yrs.

I am a carb eater too. Carbs are not the enemy and i follow the rule that ALL macronutrients are essential to normal body functions such as metabolism, krebs, blood production, muscle building, etc.... i have been very careful about my choices of carbs but still enjoy them daily. losing quite steadily. i find that as a matter of fact, on the days when i eat 'more' than i think is should, i lose better! on days when i am pretty restrictive the scale doesn't move. i generally am not hungry, at least not in the same fashion as i used to be pre op. now my hunger is a slow squeeze reminding me that it may have been several hours since i filled my gut and need some basic sustinence. my daily cal is generally around 800.

LOVE hummus unfortunately many moons ago in my past life i learned to eat it with crispy pita chips which i would want to stay away from now. that combo would definitely be a slider for me and i could really go overboard! these days i would use it with carrots, celery, radishes, etc.

as a general rule, when fat is removed, SUGAR is used to replace it. ever look at the sugar/carb difference between Regular and Fat Free salad dressings? HUGE! that said, i generally do not subscribe to the fat free rule, and very few low fat options. i eat real foods but very small amounts of them. at 8 wks post op i am working hard on adding whole veg and fruit back to my diet. just not enough room! my ONLY exception to this rule is something like Crystal Lite or similar which i put in pretty much ALL Water i drink now. plain just doesn't do it for me anymore but hoping that will change.

agree with kindle. my bari program gave me a big folder with all the different Protein options in it and even pictures of the canisters and such. there are a TON of options out there. pick what is right for you!

thanks everyone. i know continuing is the right thing. i think will be a good thing and like I told my husband, at least I can say I went as far as I could and such. It WILL open more doors for me professionally and I know that down the road I will be thankful that I did it...

hey all, i can use some advice regarding grad school! i have been enrolled in a grad program for a little over a year. i'm done with 3 classes, need about 13 to graduate.i am stuck at a crossroads. going to grad school will ultimately take a good amount of money out of my pocket, and that is money i could use for my kids college funds. i would love to eventually teach in my field. i would need at least a master's degree. however...i have multiple contacts and friends who have completed a similar degree to the program that i am in, and could not find placement in a desired position. many had to choose a different position or continue on with a post-masters study program. i love my current job but am planning for the 'someday', ie: my job gets eliminated, absorbed, outsourced, etc. i know that at my age (mid-30s) i have a LOT of years to go. each semester is a little harder than the last, i find myself spending a lot of time on the work, and sometimes have to focus on the classwork too much which takes me away from time with my kids. the program is online so at least i can stay home but I have been out of school for MANY years and still do everything slower than others which makes me take longer to complete basic lessons. i feel like if i don't keep going, i will eventually regret it. i don't know that i'll stay in my geographic location forever. i want all the options available to me and don't want to look up someday and kick myself because a great job came along and i didn't have the degree necessary to go after it! any thoughts/opinions?? THANKS!

i do muscle milk LITE (the pre-mixed 100 cal ones). the regular has a LOT of fat and carbs in it. i was told if muscle milk was my choice, to only pick the Lite one. my opinion is the powdered one (regular version) is really gross anyway. i mix the 100 cal LITE pre-mixed one with extra milk and ice. it's pretty good!

thanks for the encouraging words! i used to NEVER care about numbers, ie: calories, carbs, weight, pounds, sizes, etc. i was fat and unhappy and just ate and ate. now it seems that i'm looking at weight, sizes, time frames, ounces (servings), etc. i just don't want to screw this up and very much need to stay motivated!

i don't dump either. i have had some very small portions of foods containing sugar (baked Beans and bbq sauce) and no issues. i have found that it could be pretty easy for me to slip into old habits quickly. i realize that the commitment i made to get my health back WILL be a daily thing that i will have to be very conscious of but not difficult if i follow my program.

Muscle MIlk Lite 100 pre-mixed, mixed with some milk and ice to provide more Protein. or unjury chocolate made the same way. they are the only ones that taste good to me post op!

i was cleared for ALL gym activity at 6 wks. i am just joining a gym this week at 8 wks post op but looking forward to melting off more pounds!

i am 8 wks post op and the scale is starting to slow down. i FINALLY hit the 40 pound mark and have teetered there with tiny gain and loss for the past week. i don't want to compare, and i try to not be number phobic, but does that seem on track for 8 wks out? i lost 15 during my pre op so really in 8 wks it is 25 total. that seems a bit low, but my BMI on day 1 of my pre-op diet was exactly 40. thoughts???

i am on to regular foods of all types and tolerating everything i eat. in fact, i sometimes think i am doing TOO well because i can eat decent amounts too and i think that i could very easily overeat. however, i want to be able to cook things that will specifically still help me to burn off weight and keep moving downward on the scale. the first 38 pounds went easily, but now at 8 wks out the scale is slowing down a lot. joining a gym this weekend too.. so...on "regular" foods, what are some of your favorite things to eat??? i want to have lots of options so i can cook on the weekends and then pack little lunches in a big lunchbag to take to work for the entire week.

i have to eat a few meals out every week and right now i'm 8 wks post op. i have done Wendy's chili, hard shell taco from taco bell, 1/4 of a mcdonald's hamburger with 90% of bun removed, and Soups from different places. i am TRYING to figure out how to make eating out a healthy option but truthfully most eat-out places have a ton of sodium. i am not carb phobic and can eat a very small portion of them several times a day (following my bariatric program) but most of the carbs are over done too (HUGE carb portions). i went to subway and got a turkey 3" and took ALL of the white spongy bread out of the bun and just had the very crusty outer shell. it was good but still couldn't eat most of that either

thanks everyone for your honest reviews. daughter and i are going to check them out with a tour tonight or tomorrow. it is the cheapest option for us and will probably be what we go with for now. i simply want to get moving with SOMETHING. having options available for the kids would have been great, but for health reasons, this is all about ME having a workout option so they will have to wait until school sports, etc start.

I am also 8 wks out but having a good experience and eating all foods at this point. Honestly i too thought i would MISS food but i really don't since i'm eating everything i want to, there was no real mourning of food for me... i used to eat MASSIVE portions. it was almost work to do so, and we spent a lot of money on food! now i make one main Protein based dish and a couple smaller protein based options and we eat off that almost all week! hubs does a lot of sandwiches and Soup and he loves those so he's ok with that. as far as the huge family dinners and such, once i got back on to all foods it isn't such a problem at all. we have a lot of lunches catered in at work and i used to really eat- like at least 2 plates full. now i'm still having a hard time taking small enough portions- my eyes are still bigger than my stomach. getting better though. for thanksgiving-which i host- i am going to be making a few small changes this year but plan to enjoy a taste of everything i cook. it will likely be a day of light grazing followed by one small plate of the actual dinner. my nut discourages grazing but said for something like a major holiday it's ok as long as my portions are good and it's only one day, not an entire week long event like we USED to have! having bariatric is a huge decision, but for me it was the best decision i ever made. i got my health back and that is more vital than any serving of food...