feedyoureye

My Doc asked me if I would be happy 50 pounds lighter. I said yes, but less would be better....I needed to lose 90 to just dip into my normal BMI. His point, I see now, was people are more likely to keep off 50% than 100%. I think the stats say this as well. (more like 50-75% from what I've read). In this light, keeping 100% of goal easily is abnormal. It is also the dream! Does this mean we have to be in a constant state of dissatisfaction and flux? I am working on both losing/maintaining the weight, and trying to drop the name calling and disappointment. Thats the same thing I was trying to learn/do when I was fat! Part of the shift for me was to take the challenge to pursue health#1 rather than looks#2. I think age helped me come to this conclusion.

small skillet. julianne about a cup of any kind of summer squash you like, (I used a light green one from my garden) on a mandolin if you have one. or cut fine by hand. I did mine about the size of spagatti. Spray a little olive oil in the pan, heat. Add the patty to the hot pan, ring with mushrooms if you like, top with the shredded squash, a 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes or marinara, spread it around. top with one slice of reduced fat mozzarella torn into quarters. Top with 5-6 small green or kalamata olives, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. black pepper and onion powder. Cover with a lid and let bubble on low for 15 minutes. check to make sure the patty is not sticking to the bottom or burning... let a little bit of the liquid run under the patty. If the squash is tender remove to a plate or shallow bowl. Yum and yum. Sometimes I make an extra serving to have as left overs. This patty is 110 cals, others can be much higher, check label to make sure its in your range for "rest" day.

That is a long awaited achievement! Congrats!

I have not gotten to goal yet. I got within about 7pounds, them the weight just plateaued------------------------------temptation, company, injury, and mostly non accountability led to a 20+ pound rebound.... at the first of this year I have gotten back on the wagon, and after lots of ups and downs and level patches I have slowly gotten almost half of that back off.... I experimented with a couple of methods... including eating more and lifting weights..... Followed My fitnesspals macros suggestion....as well as the 5:2. which I am using now. I did not do the TDEE method for long enough to see the final results, I quit after I had gained 5 pounds, and did a harder cut in calories. (makes chicken noises), but I did start weight lifting twice a week, and this has changed the shape of my body that I can see for myself and my measurements are smaller in the waist and hips. I then read about the 5:2 diet from Georgia, and a few of us jumped on board to try it out. I have been able to drop a couple of pounds by using the Southbeach phase one ( I eat pretty southbeach anyway, but really had a carb addiction going on.... this reduced that craving. Then have lost a few more from Intermittent semi-fasting 5:2.... two days a week, and eating what I always eat the rest of the days. I am only on my 4th "rest" day, but so far so good. I now weight less than I did all this year so far. I sure would like to get to goal. For a while there I was just seeing what I was doing as maintenance, because I was unwilling to eat less.... just didn't seem healthy to go there. I am now 12 pounds from my lowest weight post surgery, and 18 from my high Normal BMI....my goal. The last 16 months have been a struggle, but the sleeve has made it possible to be where I am, which is pretty happy and healthy, and in better shape then I have been in years. And at this time I feel I have a fighting chance to make my goal. A good Vet or a bad Vet? An honest Vet.

Just having a tall decaf iced tea. Need to cook dinner.... Changed my mind about what I want.... I'm going to make a veggie lasagna made with thin sliced summer squash, a Morningstar Farms chickpea burger, marinara sauce with a melted slice of low fat mozzarella and kalamata olives. 258 cals- 14 pro- 33 Carbs... veggie is always so high carb compared to meat most of the time....

.... wonder how I will feel being faced with boardwalk food? On the other hand it's probably a good thing it's a fast day! Can you imagine me there if it were a feed day! .... Stick a bag of cut up veggies in a baggie in your pocket!

You are so right Nannie. I look forward to the rest day too. Mine is Mon and Ths. First week spreading it out a little. So far so good. dropped 1.9 pounds yesterday... up and down, but mostly down!

My "rest/fast" is day today. I kind of look forward to it actually. I know there are challenges when food is around... but if I pre fix my meals/snacks for work, its easier, and time flys. So lost a little more.... from 196 high this year, to 186.8 this morning. Last time I was this low was last year. Im going to beat this regain yet! about 12 pounds to get to my lowest, and 18 to goal. planned menu: iced decaf with ESA carb control chocolate Protein Drink thrown in. (trying to keep breakfast and lunch low carb on rest days to keep the fat burning going a little longer.) snack/lunch: cut up cucumbers and veggies with lite laughing cow cheese dinner: I think Im going for a veggie burger with cheese on romaine "bun" pickles , onions and lite mayo. My knee(bone spurs) is bugging me so I'm taking a walk instead of going to the gym for a couple of days. ...having rest days for the knee too! Best of luck ladies! Oh and by the way, I forget how to change my ticker... can anyone help with instructions... searched and couldnt find it this time....

With life there is opportunity. Last year I gained 20+ pounds (after getting SOOO close to goal) ... luckily I saw the/made opportunity in my life sooner than later, and am getting it back off. Was I a failure? I learned some valuable lessons, so no, I don't think so. If you wander off into a ditch at some time, don't forget to look for treasure, you just might find it! Then get out of that ditch!

Dont you look cute in a mini dress! Congrats lady!

Thanks Laura, love to get dressed up for the art shows! Lots of vintage and thrift stores. That was about a year and 10 pounds ago...before I cut my hair off. My hair has thickened up a lot , and I'm growing it back.

That is so impressive Nannie! Its like the first weeks after surgery! Even the 5:2 book would only expect that kind of loss from someone morbidly obese or a man! I know we don't eat 2000 on a regular day, so we are really cutting back on "normal feed" days as well and fast-rest days.... this may be part of it... anyway, congrats!

Thanks Renea, and the rest of you awesome gals! Yesterday was 3rd "rest" day... Gained 2 pounds the day before and stayed there this morning after the rest.... so still lost 1 1/2 pounds overall in the last 8 days... which is great! I also replaced my lost measuring tape so I could take some measurements. From the beginning of the year I have lost 1.75 in off my waist, and 1.7 inches off my hips. I think this is due to exercise and weight lifting. I have only lost 5 1/2 in that time.

You and the others on this site are all adults. Just know when the vets say something, or give advice, they are not doctors or nuts....but do have the unique perspective of living through some of the semi advanced stages of this process.. and when they say they don't think it is necessarily a good idea for sleevers who are only months out and still in the "honeymoon" stage to take on a somewhat experimental diet, without your Drs or nutritionists consent, they are speaking from some experience you might not have had yet. Just saying. We have also spoken out against people taking diet pills, drinking alcohol early out, and binging and purging. This 5:2 plan may be harmless and even beneficial, but the jury is still out. You will be living with your sleeve for a LONG time, and I recommend you take time, get to your goal or near goal, and if you are not at goal by a year or so, or are having a hard time maintaining using your hard learned skills, then jump in with the rest of us....IF we find it is so great that we are still doing it! Cheers and congratulations on getting the sleeve! My 2 cents.

Its Globetrotters thread... http://www.verticals..._60#entry867657

mispost!

i like it with a splash of seasoned rice vinegar and a few drops of toasted sesame oil...a few sesame seeds... delish!

Your sweet! When I lose those 19 pounds I will be at the top of the "Normal" BMI for my hight. And no doubt I will lose it off my boobs and butt!

This is the thing that works best for me on my list of tools...Write it all down. I went on vacation (in more ways than one!) last year, and gained 20+pounds. It was easy as falling off a log! All I had to do was eat what I wanted and not write anything down. I had company for over 2 months, went to New Orleans to a music and eating festival(!) and then came home and had bone spurs in my knee that kept me from the gym for 4 months. The perfect storm. I guess I was thinking about food and acting on it as if I was a normally thin person. It was sooo easy! So now I write it all down, even when I slip up or choose to eat sugar or too much or whatever is not on the plan for the day...I write it down. This accountability helps me stay on track, and sometimes I just want to eat that Sees candy. It may mean I cant eat something else better for me that day... silly girl! And if I do it too much, then I start wanting more and more! At that point I adopt Southbeach phase 1 for a week, and that usually gets my head off the carbs. I just started 5:2 intermittent semi/fasting and that seems to help me gain perspective on what Im eating, and how much, appetite. It is a challenge. I also prep snacks, so I have them ready while at work or whenever. I am trying to cultivate other things I like to do that don't involve thinking about food. Thinking about food is both a bore and a guilty pleasure! What a dilemma!

Heads up people, GIANT post! I have not been a "sporty" person most of my life. I had periods where I went out dancing, or swim laps at a local gym. About 2 1/2 years before I got surgery, I noticed a slow decline in my health. I could hardly get off the couch without making old man noises. I could see my future, and It wasn't pretty.I was 55 years old. So I thought about what kind of movement I might actually like, because I knew from being alive for years already, I don't move unless I like it. I have a gym close by that is a rock climbing gym. I did this for a short time because my boyfriend/husband did, and it looks cool to see others do it. I thought, I'm going to that gym, and take a yoga class to start things out. Flexibility was attractive to me. I went into the gym with a friend, took a yoga class (sorry all), HATED IT, because it was too hard for me. I loved the gym though, all giant fake rock walls and cool townies climbing. I looked at the list of classes, and saw Bellydance. You heard it... they had a weekly bellydance class. I had taken bellydance in the 70s, for a few months, and I had always thought, "If I hadn't quite that class as soon as I did, I would know how to bellydance now! And I decided to go to the class and try it out. OK. I loved it. It was HARD, but I loved it. There was cool music, you could wear a skirt and jewelry while you exercised, and no shoes. The ladies were super nice. I made a committment then and there to go to class for 5 years and do at least one public performance. This last friday was my 5th year at bellydance, and I STILL love it. I even took some Tango lessons at the gym, and lately started weights. Around the same time I also started "co-teaching" a walking class at the day program I work at... so I get paid to walk 45-60 minutes twice a week with a group. Heres the thing, I don't feel like I can't get off the couch anymore. I butt-dance in my car when I drive if good music comes on....my body shape has changed s-l-o-w-l-y over the years, and when I lost the (now 71 pounds)weight you could actually see some muscles and shape underneath. I don't think the exercise was a huge factor in my weight loss, but it was a huge factor in feeling great and sexy and connected with my body.I found some things I like to do, I don't have to be good, just committed... and in the last couple of months I have added walking in nature, birdwatching, and taking photos as well. I go out to take photos and birdwatch, and I just happen to be walking at the same time and don't even realize I am exercising until I check my fitbit and see I have gone 2 miles and totally enjoyed myself AND got some practice with my new camera. Just saying, moving is a lovely part of life. I also like to move more because I can eat more when I do. I use my fitbit to track my output, and can eat a little more when I exercise a little more.... its even enough so Im not hungry, which happens to some of us after a few years(or even earlier than that) That is a motivator for me too. LONG POST, sorry if its tooooo long, but thats my story. 2 1/2 years out, lost 87- gained 22, lost 7.... still going to get to goal if possible. I have not gotten to goal yet... but happy and looking good! Here is a pic of me and my little dog going out for a day of birdwatching on my 60th birthday last saturday... walked 3 miles and saw some fantastic nature! Find something you love to do that involves moving, and do it! Best of luck to you all!

FYI- Research from the 5:2 website says: For people who choose to fast more often: * The weekly loss doing 4:3 is pretty much the same as with 5:2 at around 1lb per week (158 users) and the 5:2 is easier to stick to.

Birthday Saturday AND Sunday with the folks. Had two pieces of cake on sunday, but only went over cal goal by about 300.... not THAT off track for a birthday treat..and yummy. Did wake up with a 2 pound bounce. I am changing my "recover" day from T-T to M-Ths... spread them out a little bit more. Its funny, I kinda missed the recovery day over the weekend. Off to work...

Hi Unshakled! Welcome! Quick question... are you talking about the 5:2 diet some of us are trying out right now? You were sleeved in March? I don't think the people here would recommend the 5:2 for fresh sleevers.... the sleeve will do a lot of the work for you during the "honeymoon phase"(first year) Most everyone here is over a year and have not reached goal yet....or is very close to it and slowed down to a crawl. Let us be the lab rats for this, and when you get to a year, if it has worked for us, you can jump in then! I am not your mom, or your Dr or Nut, but Im sure they would tell you the same thing...just my 2 cents. Best of luck to you, the sleeve is great and accountability is the best tool in the box!

there is some flexibility in how it is done. The idea is it takes about 8 hours to use up the calories from your last meal... so anything after that gives the body a rest, and starts to convert energy from body fat. The way you said would work fine. You can get more details here: http://www.52fastdiet.co.uk/index.php?sid=951444da3ecc9484188abbd29627957a I have my last meal/snack on a normal day at around 8pm or so...I have breakfast (Protein drink 8am), cut up veggies and hummus for lunch(11:30am) and a higher protein dinner with over half of the calories(6-7pm). I then stop eating till the following morning- regular day. It is working for me so far, I am only one week out. Some people only have dinner on fast day and use all the calories at once. You can exercise on fast days, you can read more about it at the 52fastdiet site. I still count calories and protein on regular days, and prepare my food for fast day the night before so I don't have to make it up as I go along in the face of a little hunger.

Hey Ladies and Gents,thought you might like to see this....from the 5:2 site, We have now been collecting data on our progress tracker for over 5 months, with nearly 1500 people contributing, and have some interesting results that can give you an indication of how much weight you can expect to lose on 5:2. Key points: * The weekly loss is generally small...around 1lb per week (data from over 2000 users). * Some people lose a lot of weight in the first week but then plateau so that after a month or so, such that the weight loss still works out at 1lb per week. * Some people are lucky and have managed to lose more * Some people are unlucky and have lost less * People whose BMI is already in the healthy range are more likely to lose more slowly (around 0.75lb/week) * People whose BMI is high are more likely to lose quickly (around 1.75-2lb per week) * Men lose weight faster (1.4lb per week) than women (1lb per week) For people who choose to fast more often: * The weekly loss doing 4:3 is pretty much the same as with 5:2 at around 1lb per week (158 users) * The weekly loss doing ADF is a little bit higher at around 1.2 lb per week (24 users) #averageloss