lsereno

Walk over to the wharf and have a crab cocktail from the Stagnaros walk up window. 3 oz. of dungeness is 93 calories and packs 19 grams of Protein. Top it with a smidge of cocktail sauce and some lemon. Yum! Lynda

Thanks Georgia. I picked 135 because as a teen and in my 20s I weighed 118 and I was happy at that size. I figured with 10 lbs for age and a few more for extra skin, 135 would be a good goal. It gives me a little range to lose and gain. Although I haven't lost below my goal except at first. I've ready ideal BMI for a woman is 21. I'm 21.8 according to: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/BMI/bmicalc.htm Lynda

Hi M2G, I do a brisk walk 4 days a week for about an hour. I don't really track exact calories, but I choose low fat options and I know I stay around 1200 to 1500 most days. For example, yesterday I ate 1490 calories: Breakfast: 2 oz. costco Roast chicken, 1 slice WW bread, 3/4 cup canteloupe: 240 calories Lunch: 2 oz. pork, 2 T. BBQ Sauce, 1/2 ear corn, 1/2 cup green Beans with peppers and onions: 240 calories Snack: Decaf Soy Latte, 1 cup canteloupe: 290 calories Dinner: 1 cup pinto beans with 2 oz. lean ham shank, 1/2 cup fresh spinach (wilted down): 250 calories Snack: 3 baby tootsie rolls, 3/4 cup pineapple, 1 oz. pretzels and 1 oz. Cheezits: 470 calories That's a pretty typical day for me. I have a couple days a week that I eat more or have cocktails. Tonight, I will have two drinks and a higher calorie dinner because I'm going to a Tacky Tiki party. If my weight goes over 137, I cut down on the snack calories and cut out the extra calorie days till it drops under 137 again. Lynda

Have to agree with Lipstick Lady. BTW, I went through Kaiser and we got a very firm full liquids for two weeks, no alcohol for at least 6 months. Lynda

I wore heavy clothes and made a late afternoon appt to be weighed. I always weigh more later in the day. Lynda Whoops! Didn't mean to writhe this twice and I can't figure out how to delete it.

I wore heavy clothes too. Kaiser requires 40 BMI fully clothed. Lynda

Sheesh. I didn't know the Protein wasn't absorbed. It says right on the bag I used to buy that they are not a significant source of protein and I always thought, well they are for me! Live and learn.

My fav is 1/2 cup to 1 cup greek yogurt, 2 frozen strawberries, splash of OJ, bigger splash of Water, and Splenda to taste. Yum! Lynda

I think the most important thing is to give yourself time to heal. Although you can't see it from the outside, you have a long incision inside. If you don't give it time to heal, you are increasing your chance of having complications. The second most important thing is to address your food issues. This surgery means you will be able to eat less, but you will be able to eat enough to never lose much weight and to gain as time goes by. You are concerned, or you wouldn't have posted. Call Kaiser and see if you can meet with a Psych in the bariatric program. Attend the face to face support group meetings at your local Kaiser. Think about the reasons you had the surgery BEFORE you take the bite. Dump the foods you shouldn't be eating, or if they have to be in the house, make a little cupboard and a shelf in the fridge just for you with foods you should be eating. Leave the other cupboards and fridge shelves alone. Buy yourself a present. Make time for yourself to heal and begin this new journey. You deserve it!

Haha. I'd say distinct advantage. I can move better and my health is so improved with more than 100 lbs less of me! At two years out, I eat small meals, just like a naturally thin person. Unlike a naturally thin person, I still have to weigh and measure and be ever vigilant against junk food and grazing. Lynda

Yeah, I used to wake up in the middle of the night to eat. Sheesh! Thank goodness that is one bad habit that I have managed to totally kick to the curb. It's really important to have a game plan and healthy food you enjoy in the house. I moved hubby's Snacks to a different cupboard and tell myself that is his private cupboard. For myself, I have fruit, teas, sugar free apple cider, cut up veggies and yogurt dip, low fat cheese and lunch meat for snacking. As far as meals, that is tough too when family is eating fatty and you are not. I remind myself I want to be alive to see the great grandkids and I want to model a healthy weight and lifestyle for the kids in my life. Quitting smoking years ago has been helpful. I reuse some of the tactics for when I wanted a cigarette for when I want junk food. And I am seeing that like a muscle, willpower gets easier the more you exercise it. Not that it is easy, but it is EASIER at least. And it's also important to have fun and nice things for you. Even a new hair clip, lipstick. Whatever! Esp. things that Celebrate your new, smaller size.

Congrats Gayle! 8 Feet of Fat - Wow! Lynda

Louise C, Love the idea of taking the power back. That's what I do when I visualize how much of that food there is in the world. I really don't have to eat it now. It is there for me when I want it. I am not there to consume all of it so it is not sitting there waiting for me. Lynda

I had dizzy spells too. I was always careful to drink enough Water, so it wasn't dehydration for me. They went away after a few months. I was on high blood pressure meds and my blood pressure dropped enough I stopped taking all meds. It slowly crept back up and I know take smaller doses of two meds. I'm no doctor but I'm guessing the rapid weight loss causes them because you body is used to working so hard to haul around the extra weight you no longer have. I mean, you basically were hauling an extra 80 lbs around all the time and now you are not. Body is like, whoa nellie! Seriously, I could not pick up 80 lbs and carry it around for 1 minute. Lynda

What I want to know is who doesn't struggle with Snacks after dinner? It's sure not me. One thing I have done is move back dinner time a bit so there is less time between dinner time and bedtime. And I also do as others have mentioned: Keep the crap out of the house, have some healthy snacking alternatives, find something else to do to occupy myself. Most of the time, the combination of those things works well. Also, I make sure to eat enough earlier in the day that I am not truly hungry. I do have a snack every night after dinner ,but I try to make it a healthy one that is filling. Last night I had 1 graham cracker and 1/2 cup greek yogurt mixed with a small peach and some Splenda. Yum! ( I am at goal. I didn't start eat many graham crackers till I got to goal.) Lynda Lynda

As for advice, I exercised 5 days a week, got in my fluids and vitamins, and really tried to stick to nutrient dense low calorie foods.

I didn't stall. I lost a little every week till I got to goal. Tiffykins, who is no longer around but was quite active when I first joined also lost without stalls.

I used a demitasse spoon till I could eat bigger bites. And I used a shot glass to sip from. I still use small bowls and saucer instead of a plate at two years out. Lynda

Welcome! There are several of us in the South Bay area. I'm two years out. Live in San Jose and had surgery at Kaiser Fremont with Dr. Hahn. Lynda

Early out the first fruits I tolerated well were no sugar added applesauce cups and any kind of melon. I could only eat a few bites, but YUM! I've always loved my fruit. Next fruit I did well with banannas. Not my fav fruit, but it filled the gaps till I could tolerate others. I was sleeved in May and missed the entire stone fruit season because the acid in the fruit was too much for me. I also did well with adding a couple strawberries to my yogurt shake: 1/2 cup to 1 cup yogurt, depending on how much you can eat, couple strawberries, splash of OJ, bigger splash of Water, and Splenda to taste then whirl in the blender. Lynda

FYE, Love your pic! I can't tell where that 19 lbs is going to come from. You look fabulous! Lynda

For me, some of my go-to stock foods are: Non-fat greek yogurt (I buy the giant tub and flavor it with splenda and fruit and use it as a substitute for sour cream in dips) Low-fat string cheese Low-fat lunch meat Frozen blueberries Frozen veggies (easy to just take out a a few bites) Soy Milk (I'm lactose intolerant now) Canned Split Pea Soup, Tomato Soup, and Butternut Squash Soup V-8 in the small cans For fresh veggies, fruits, and meats I buy the smallest amount I can of most because I just don't go through them that fast. For the meats, I portion it out into baggies and freeze. Lynda

My hair started thinning around 4 months. It grows slow but finally a little over a year later, it was thick all the way to the ends again. At least as thick as pre-op and maybe a little thicker because I am taking tons of Vitamins and eating right every day. Lynda