Coookies

I agree with taking it slow.. I know you get frustrated and want to rip your hair out (which i advise against cuz its gonna fall out anyway.... LOL).. Let the weight loss happen naturally, plus the faster you lose, the more saggy your skin will look... I just started losing a lot quicker and my skin is looking so bad i'm afraid to look in the mirror.. Losing slowly allows your skin to regain its elasticity.. Just my thoughts... fyi: About your calories.. are you writing every single little thing down??? Drinks, additives, condiments even??? Cuz once i started doing that (about 2 months ago) i realized how skewed my daily totally were in comparison with what i thought they were... Also, 20 grams of carbs... total or net carbs??? cuz if you are going with net carbs, then your real carb intake is much higher than you think...

Wow! You look hot!! Congrats!!

A little update: I am aiming for Onederland!!!!!! SN.................Starting Wt.......Current.........Goal.......Lbs to Goal ★ Starygrl ★ .......228.4 ...........216.1........ 199.4......... 16.7 I've lost 12.3 pounds so far!!

DO NOT WORRY!! Every doctor is different... My doctor had me on mushies the week after my surgery... Many doctors do the same thing... the key is to avoid anything crunchy like crackers, or with small hard particles (like the little bits in whole grain crackers)... Relax.. at first it is bloody hard, but it gets easier, and the hunger (which is mostly head hunger anyway) will go away.. and then you will be rocking your sleeve!! Best of luck!!!

Aw!! that is sweet! Congrats!! And i think you are gorgeous!! great pic!

My 2 biggest scars are pretty close in location and size to my gallbladder removal scars... the only other 2 that are totally on the wrong side of my body to be gallbladder scars are tiny and have mostly faded..... (but the big ones ... about 3/4 of an inch each haven't faded.. neither has my biggest gallbladder scar).... Anyway, just tell them that you had your gallbladder out, and in the meantime, head to Walgreens and buy some scar gel... I use the ones recommended by some of the people on here who've had tummy tucks: Scar Zone-- http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/scar-zone-topical-scar-diminishing-cream/ID=prod392179-product Mederma-- http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/mederma-scar-gel/ID=prod4690-product

Oh noooo!!! I will NOT let you do that to yourself!!! Girlie, turn that frown Upside DOWN!! You have accomplished so much, and the only feeling you should have is to feel elation! That said, I totally get what you're saying about the whole graze eating. Hey, no ones perfect - least of all me. But, here's what sets all of us apart from the obese world... we have chosen to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Food is addicting. I'm addicted to food. I have to remind myself of this every single morning when I wake up. I literally have to let the first thought in my mind be "I will not eat bad today". That is the promise I make for myself that day. Sometimes I break that promise, but I don't do it on purpose! I just have to forgive myself and make that next meal a good one. I really have never been able to do the 5 day pouch test. The only time I'm ever able to stick to liquids only is when I'm getting cut open and my surgeon threatens my life with it... LOL So what I do is kinda turn it into a game. I've always liked the Slim Fast diet - for years! That was how I lost my first 50 Lbs and kept it off. Well what I'll do is protein dense (Isopure or Unjury Chicken Soup) clear liquids up until dinner time. Then for dinner I'll have lean protein and some delicious green veggie as my side dish. Then day 2-3 I'll do the Atkins shakes and again, lean protein and green veggies for dinner. Days 4 and 5 I pretty much reintroduce solids back in during the day and maybe substitute one meal with a protein shake, and dinner being lean (say it with me folks!! LOL) protein and green veggies. I know that's not for everyone but I'm just offering an alternative to the common 5 day pouch test. Here's the ONE thing I believe gets me through it though... I fire up that food logger and make sure I'm adding everything! Those two things combined and I'm always back on track and losing weight again. Good luck to you! You're only a few pounds away from your desired goal... you WILL be there PDQ I know it!! Xoxo Source: 5 Day Pouch Test - have you tried it?

Great attitude ... a note... to help prevent muscle cramps and spasms, you need to increase your potassium.. the easiest way is to pop a potassium pill or 2 a day... that's what i do... or you can add a banana into your shake or whatever you are drinking... When you drink too many liquids, your electrolytes get out of whack, including your potassium.. thus the cramping... Good luck!! **oops... yall posted while i was on another page.. but same idea

I'm just about 5 months out, and I keep my calories around 600 per day.... I'm super careful about writing down every little thing..... My max is 800, but that rarely ever occurs... Sometimes I only get in 400-500 a day... which is why I'm writing down everything now!!! My doc wants me up to 800 daily, but no thanks, I will stick with my 550-650 range!!!

I'm almost 4 months post op and the smell thing still drives me nuts... but it's not nearly as bad as it used to be... much less gag inducing now!!! The hairy sensation is probably just from the intubation during surgery... and your mouth became so dry that it became irritated... give it a week or two and it will go away... If you have been clearing your throat, stop doing so because you are only irritating your esophagus more. If you had thrush, you would notice red and/or white splotches inside your mouth, especially around the inside of your cheek (wherever food would rub against them)... I've had thrush countless times from my brochiodialators, and that is the first place you can see it... Your mouth ends up looking like it was rubbed with sandpaper and there is a gritty texture on your cheeks inside and inside behind your lips.. Hope it goes away soon!!

Okay, I'm totally going to rock this!!! I joined the Labor Day challenge late, but managed to lose 9.6 pounds in 15 days... just missed goal by 0.4 pounds... This time, I am aiming for Onederland!!!!!! SN.................Starting Wt.......Current.........Goal.......Lbs to Goal ★ Starygrl ★ .......228.4 ...........228.4........ 199.4......... 29

thanks!! and Wishes, i'm glad you are doing well~!!!

Thanks for posting!! That was an interesting read!

Do the surgery!!! I was so scared that as soon as my plane landed, i imagined walking up to the ticket counter and getting the next flight home... There is only 1 reason i didn't, my sister... She has told me numerous times that she hates the idea that we wont grow old together and watch our grandchildren play together cuz I'm going to die from my obesity..... now there is no worry of that... She was my motivation... Find yours.... Oh, and this was the best decision i've ever made... my only regret is not doing it earlier...

Agree with the previous 2 respondants!! Stop weighing yourself so many times a day... I do the same thing and if my weight goes up, meh.. its okay... if it goes down, yay....but i don't obsess about it (much)... Have you tried Benefiber yet??? I just ordered some, but based on the reviews it seems to work really well, but you have to take it 3 or 4 times a day i think... This is gonna sound weird, and some people may get all pissy at me for suggesting it, but i have found that on days when i cook my dinner with too much olive oil, that i tend to have better success with a BM... Our bodies do need oil, and EVOO is a great option... Another thing that works for me is if I have a very sugary coffee for breakfast, with nothing before or 2 hours after.. the sugar triggers dumping syndrome in me, and it may for you too... Just a couple of ideas... for anyone else reading this, if you don't like my ideas... suck it..... (this being said with love)... peace..

Yay!!! CONGRATS!!!

Hi nacnic: Checking labels is one way... be sure to watch out for the serving size... often it doesn't match the contents of the package, even in individual serving foods and drinks..... For me, I weigh the raw ingredients, and then look up the cals, Protein, and carbs online at: http://www.myfitness...nutrition-facts and often i end up using my mini-book called "NEW Dr. Atkins' Carbohydrate Gram Counter"... i love this book... it is tiny and portable and easy to use... a bit outdated, but it has room to add foods to each category, so i end up adding things i commonly eat...

Thanks Irene!!! Just the kind of advice i was looking for!!! Since i started journaling EVERYTHING i'm eating 3 weeks ago, I have been losing sooooo much!!! I'm aiming for 30, but some days i go up to 50.... especially when i need a poweraide after working out!!! Like you i'm exercising my butt off and it is really working, but some days i feel like i have no energy and i'm about to die!!! Thanks!!

So, question, people doing the low carb thing (i'm doing it too) are you counting the 30 grams per day to include total carbs or just net carbs (the total carb count minus the carbs from fiber)???? This is the part that is bloody confusing!!!! I'm doing 30 grams of total carbs, so I don't subtract the Fiber carbs... HELP PLEASE!!!

I want to join in on this!! SN....................Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal ★ Starygrl ★ ........238 lb..............238 lb......228 lb.....10 lbs to goal Yay!! I really want to meet this goal!!! ~ Starygrl ★

SouthernSleever: THANKS FOR THOSE NUMBERS!!!! I've been wondering about that!!! You rock!!

Wow!! Congrats!!! You look so beautiful in your pics and video!!! CONGRATS!!!!

2 (4oz) chicken breasts a day is 68 grams of protein!! That's what i'm eating these days...with various veggies and cooked in a variety of ways... (and snacking on beef jerky)..... American chicken breasts are generally 6 oz (buy a food scale~~ the best investment i've made so far!!!)... so 1 (6oz) chicken breast 51 grams of protein!!! There are great chicken breast cookbooks at BN!

Rosalind, you are totally right!!! I'm a good example because most people at 240 are in a size 20 or 22, but i'm in a 16... i have a lot of muscle mass from doing sports my whole life ....so i'm heavier than most people in my clothing size, and when i get down to a size 8, i'm still going to be heavier than the average person wearing a size 8

I had the same urge to drink too for the first 2 months, and well, i spent a LOT of time puking or what we like to call on here "GETTING SLIMED" .....i have now mostly gotten over the urge to drink and only vomit slime every once in a while when i forget to not drink....