Chimera

I would be shrieking for joy if I was under 200 so early out Not to worry ladies - it will come off! numbers over time is where you start to see those numbers add up. I was feeling a bit down this past month because I felt I should be further along than I am, when I am close to being 130 lbs down - when I think of it that is a pretty kooky way to feel. Instead I am working hard to follow my nutritionists instructions, move more, and keep my chin up. This won't ever end for me - even at goal.

Show some LOVE while being healthy? Here's how to make HEART EGGS: Fold a thick cardstock or cardboard piece down the middle. Place hardboiled egg on it's side, in the middle of the folded cardstock ... Take a long wooden type piece that would extend most of the way along the carboard (a thin, clean, wooden paintbrush handle, a chopstick, thin dowel, etc) and place over the top of the egg so there is slight pressure. Rubber band the ends of your stick to the top ends of the cardstock. Place in fridge and after about 3 or 4 hours remove. Cut egg in half. Serve as a cute side to someone you ♥

I have watched every minute of all 14 season of The Biggest Loser. There are some pretty intresting findings from the study. When Science Met The Biggest Loser http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2013/01/23/when-science-met-the-biggest-loser By Yoni Freedhoff January 23, 2013 Yoni Freedhoff It's NBC's Monday night television juggernaut and the guilty pleasure of over 7 million viewers. Now in its 14th season, The Biggest Loser is a an industry unto itself, with a 2009 estimate by the New York Times pegging its worth at $100 million in annual revenue. Viewers tuning in week after week can watch as Americans with severe obesity are routinely yelled at, exercised until they vomit, injured, weighed nearly naked on a giant scale, and seemingly taught that the numbers on that scale measure not only their weight, but also their self-worth and represent the only true value of their health and success. [see Are You Exercising for the Right Reasons?] Consequent perhaps to the show's immense popularity and polarizing approach, The Biggest Loser has led to the publication of a number of peer-reviewed medical studies that look at its impact on both the participants and the viewers. Their results are anything but pretty. Two studies have been conducted that examine how watching The Biggest Loser affects viewers' attitudes towards those with obesity. Perhaps not surprisingly, given the apparent tenor of the show—that obesity is a consequence of personal laziness and gluttony—the first study, published in the journal Obesity, showed that watching even a single episode of The Biggest Loser led viewers to dramatically increase their own hateful and negative biases towards those with obesity. [see How to Spot and Stop Bullying] This result may be explicable on the basis of the second study, published in the journal Health Communication, which found that watching The Biggest Loser led viewers to be much more likely to believe that weight is well within an individual's locus of personal control. And, of course, that message echoes the show's­—that if you just want it badly enough, you can make it happen.The corollary is that if you don't make it happen, you must simply be lazy, which in turn may explain the increase seen in viewers' weight biases. [see We're Not Fat Because We're Lazy] Interestingly, those same viewers who, consequent to the show, might attribute being overweight to laziness, were reported to be less inclined (go figure) to want to exercise or expect it to be enjoyable after watching a 7.5 minute workout on the show, according to a study published this month in the American Journal of Health Behavior. "People are screaming and crying and throwing up, and if you’re not a regular exerciser you might think this is what exercise is—that it’s this horrible experience where you have to push yourself to the extremes and the limits, which is completely wrong," said the study's lead author Tanya Berry of the University of Alberta. And what of the participants? Will being on The Biggest Loser change their lives forever? According to a paper published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, the answer is yes, but perhaps for the worse. The researchers, including the show's own Robert Huizenga, looked at the metabolisms of participants following the completion of their first seven months with The Biggest Loser. As expected, due to weight loss and an effect broadly referred to as "metabolic adaptation," the participants' burned fewer calories at rest following their massive weight losses. What wasn't expected was the the magnitude of that decrease; researchers found that participants metabolisms slowed by an average of 504 more calories than would have been expected simply as a consequence of losing weight. In other words, participants' metabolisms slowed down to a much greater degree than was predicted. In turn, this suggests that the show's approach to weight loss may have risks unto itself and led the researchers to state: "Unfortunately, fat free mass preservation did not prevent the slowing of metabolic rate during active weight loss, which may predispose to weight regain unless the participants maintain high levels of physical activity or significant caloric restriction." This may explain why, when I interviewed three alumni of the TV show, they reported that 85 to 90 percent of participants regain most, if not all, of the weight that they lose, and that those who keep it off are generally the participants who have turned their losses into careers as personal trainers or motivational speakers. Ultimately the current state of the evidence on the phenomenon known as The Biggest Loser is far from flattering. It suggests that the show may be detrimental to both viewers and participants in that its combination of derision, personal blame, and extremes of exercise and dieting fuel societal weight bias while simultaneously discouraging people from exercising. Meanwhile, for participants, it seems to disproportionately slow down their metabolisms to the point where they're burning a full meal fewer calories than would be expected by their losses. [see Why We're So Fat: What's Behind the Latest Obesity Rates] If you're a regular viewer here's my suggestion. Instead of spending two hours a week watching The Biggest Loser, why not use that same amount of time to ensure you pack your lunch for work each and every day and take three 20-minute walks a week with a friend or a loved one. No doubt the impact of those behaviors will be far more valuable and positive to your mental and physical well-being than watching a show that science suggests may be doing more harm than good. [see 7 Mind-Blowing Benefits of Exercise] Yoni Freedhoff, MD, is an assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Ottawa, where he's the founder and medical director of the Bariatric Medical Institute—dedicated to non-surgical weight management since 2004. Dr. Freedhoff sounds off daily on his award-winning blog, Weighty Matters, and is also easily reachable on Twitter. Dr. Freedhoff's latest book Why Diets Fail and How to Make Yours Work will be published by Random House’s Crown/Harmony in 2014.

I am currently reading 703: How I Lost More Than a Quarter Ton and Gained a Life by Nancy Makin. It is a well written memoir about her struggle with obesity. I Googled her this morning and came across an excerpt from an old blog post of hers that resonated with me. This same struggle will be one I deal with for as long as I am alive, hopefully I can continue on this path with honesty and grace. http://www.amazon.co...-1&keywords=703 http://nancymakin.wordpress.com/ Your plan may be vastly different. Small steps make for big changes down the road. If you can’t do a lot, do what you can; excuses are just that… excuses for not moving forward. If you do this, you are sabotaging your future. If you act like a victim, you’ll always be a victim. If you want change, change the things you can, however insignificant they seem right now. Each positive act will bring results, just as surely as negative ones do…. they will change what you think, about you, your capabilities and about the world around you. Do it for yourself, because you are valuable. Exercise, ie: activity, is only one aspect of a human being’s life. We are a mixture of body, mind and spirit. Neglecting any one of the “whole” causes the disconnect that leaves us faltering, unsure and feeling incomplete. Give your love and time to someone else today in any way you can and watch the magic that’s released. You will begin to treat yourself as you treat others… Little gestures move mountains. Believe.

Indeed The scale numbers and measuring tape numbers are always in flux - of course they are all part of the mechanism of WL and feeling better. I think the sense of "I am finally going to be able to get a hold of this unsurmountable problem" is such a huge benefit. I have lost a lot - and i am not the fastest loser, but I know I will be able to get it all off now with the help of this fantastic tool.

Fantastic! That is a huuuuge milestone - that is the next big one for me too. Congratulations

I use all sorts of areas to measure progress - the WL and scale is but one - lets see: I tend to measure change Off meds Off CPAP Clothing size Clothing Style Shoe size even! Improved ability to move - mobility is night and day from what it was Arthritis pain is gone Strength is improved Our eating habits have gone from terrible to excellent - not perfect but a huuuuge improvement We save money on groceries, meds, insurance - you name it. Happiness I think the greatest measurement of personal progress is how much my husband (he's also vsg) and myself have improved our self esteem and feelings of self worth. We take good care of ourselves now - before I think we were both so beaten down by what we perceived as a lack of discipline, by how poorly society views and treats obese folks that taking good care had gotten to the point that it felt useless - I know I had gotten to the point I felt pretty worthless. My husband smiles all of the time now - it breaks my heart to know how happy he is. It is the best thing we have ever done this surgery. So yes, scale and measuring tape is always out front - but the metrics of success are varied and bountiful

I am always having a hard time getting all of my liquids in - it is very inspiring to know you can have such a great loss by upping the water and protein, well done!

What are you eating? What does a normal day look like? I have hunger that comes and goes - the binge eating is very much better because i simply cannot binge, but I get to points that I do fixate on certain things and that is a sign of head hunger. Thirst feels idnetical to hunger - so i usually drink first and it helps. Eating little bits every two hours also helps. The biggest one for me to stop cravings has been to eliminate processed carbs - anything with wheat/flour...by design those substances will light up the same receptors in the brain that opiates do - bread=crack pipe lol. The fewer carbs I eat, I no longer feel hunger. I am still deep in my losing phase and am not anywhere near approaching an elite athlete, I will address the carb issue when I am able to do more hardcore exercise. This is something from my blog that may help. A friend from my WL support group shared it. Eight Signs of Emotional Eating A lot of people ask, "How do I know if I am over eating for emotional reasons?" If any of the following statements sound like they could apply to you, then it's likely you are struggling with emotional eating. 1. My hunger comes on suddenly. Physical hunger comes on slowly. Hunger from emotional eating often comes on quickly and suddenly. 2. I crave specific foods-generally not carrot sticks or steamed broccoli. Cravings for specific foods usually unhealthy foods are signs of emotional eating. Often people like the rush they get from satisfying their cravings. The rush is fulfilling emotional hunger.　 3. My hunger feels urgent- I need a particular food right away and I am willing to walk out of my way, or get in your car late at night, or raid my kids Halloween candy to get it. Physical hunger, unless you haven’t eaten for a long time, is usually pretty patient. It will wait for food. Emotional hunger demands to be satisfied immediately. 4. My hunger is often paired with an upsetting emotion- if I backtrack a few hours or a few days I’ll usually find an upsetting event and feeling that triggered the urge. Hunger thats comnnected to an upsetting emotion or situation is definately emotional hunger. Physical hunger is not typically triggered by emotions. 5. My eating habits involve unconscious eating-all of a sudden I’m eating ice cream and I find the whole contianer is gone. 6. I don’t stop eating in response to being full- I keep wanting more of the taste of the food. Physical hunger doesn’t need to be stuffed in order to be satisfied. Emotional hunger on the other hand often demands more and more food to feel satisfied. 7. My hunger isn’t located in the belly- I crave the taste of a certain food in my mouth or I can’t stop thinking of a certan food. Feeling hungry in this way is usually a sign of emotional hunger or binging. Physical hunger is happy to get what it can, while emotional hunger usually focuses on specific tastes and textures. 8. After I satisfy my hunger, I am often filled with a sense of regret or guilt.Feeding your body what it needs is not something to feel guilty about. If you feel guilty after you eat, it’s likely because part of you knows you’re not eating just to satisfy physical hunger. When you’re eating for phyiscal reasons, you are usually mindful of what you’re doing. If you catch yourself eating, “just because”, then its likely you’re eating for emotional reasons.

A friend who also had vsg and lost it all in 9 months (100 lbs) said that she could not tolerate Vitamins for the first 4 months after surgery. I could not do the chewables at that point so i switched to liquid multi's, which are usually the culprit for making me nauseated any time. I would concentrate on getting your liquids in above all, then Protein. It could very well be the vitamins. My surgeon has us wait 50 minutes after eating to drink, try waiting a bit longer. I found it common for both my husband and I to get sick when we started foods again, just take it slow and do the best you can. Honestly there were some days that I was lucky to get 200 calories in. I think I lived on the proti Protein drinks that are gel you put in Water, sips of Protein shake, and protein chicken Soup....I became lactose intolerant and extrmemly sensitive to artificial sweeteners at one point so I would drink weak herbal tea and a bi of regular gatorade to perk back up when I thought I was becoming dehydrated. It gets much better tolerating food, meds, vitamins etc. as you heal and get further out.

I am reading the book Wheat belly right now and I am so alarmed by what is in the book that I doubt that I will be eating much of anything that contains wheat from here on out lol, Not that i eat it often anyway, maybe once a month.It took a few months to tolerate - I am a carb addict so I stay away from it. The wheat that is produced now is so genetically modified that it is thousands of chromosomal iterations away from the parent strains, even from just a few decades ago ( the bread I grew up on in the 70's) - and it has never been tested for safety in humans or animals. Makes sense - genetically modified strains of wheat started rolling out just when the population was starting to gain weight at an alarming rate - when we have always stayed within a normal, healthy range in terms of body composition for thousands of years.

They eat what the people in the house who have had most of their stomachs removed eat ala lean Protein, veggies, occasional fruits in seaon, nuts, cheese, dairy, etc. If they want something that involves processed carbs - they go out for it. The house is clean - it has to be...a loaf of bread might as well a heroin filled syringe lol. Hang in there - pre-op diet is rough. My surgeon had us do Atkins induction which shrinks the liver just fine. I would make everyone eat away from me - plug my nose and if anyone wants bad food have them eat it elsewhere. For me controlling the food in my environment is KEY.

I here ya Moonsiren - I, like most folks round here loooove carbs and always overeat them - My NUT and Dr. recommend Protein first, then veg, then fruit - the processed carbs arent even included in that food plan so I try and not eat them, certainly as I am still deep into my losing phase. When I start to move towards more slidery foods or not enough protein (ala I could live on one 2 pump vanilla latte and a greek yogurt a day - maybe throw in a cheese stick lol) I need to crack the whip and get back to measuring dense protein - ala baked chicken and turkey breast or hard boiled eggs (which feels very dense and filling to me still almost 9 month out). My sister in law had a RNY 3 years ago and is down 150 lbs and has done great! She was the inspiration for my husband and I to have our own surgeries. I was initially set on a RNY as well and then found out my insurance covers the sleeve so that was what our surgeon suggested for us. I believe that what we do with our head and to inprove our health and lifestyle after surgery is where the rubber meets the road with any of the procedures. I've changed a lot - quit a 28 year 1-2 pack a day smoking habit that I never though I would be able to kick (26 months smoke free now - used Wellbutrin and nicotine patches). It is still hard to do planned exercise for me - I do better with moving around where I am accomplishing something else as well - like gardening, vigorous housework etc. I will always be working on this one. I am not sure why one would need your old stomach back either but I dont know much about it - I had heard that it is a plus of the sleeve that the 'blind stomach' is removed so that it cannot develop ulcers, cancers, etc - and the ghrelin producing area goes with it. I have heard that our restriction lasts longer than RNY - my sis seems to still eat tiny bits though. And folks with the bypass have restiction and in addition they malabsorb Vitamins and nutrients forever right? And the restriction eases up a bit for all of us after time I think - though never to the extent or volume capacity of our original stomachs. I am glad to still have my stoma - I was afraid of having the bowel rearrangment with a bypass. if I ever struggle again I would jump on that table again in a heartbeat for it if I have to though lol. So far so good - I think I am statistically on track and on time to hit my healthy BMI goal - it would be wonderful to do that by the end of the year. We shall see

I felt the same way after surgery. I had a very rough time getting stuff in - it's pretty standard post surgery. Now that I am a ways out (8 months) I almost wish I could go back to that time looking at the ticker, how dramatically the clothing sizes drop, being taken off all meds, cpap, how people no longer even recongize who I am make every bit of initial pain, fear, and doubt worth it. We had to really alter things around the house with our teenager - she can eat junk out of the house or on here and there if she has a friend stay over - but generally the house is clean food only. My husband also had the surgery so this makes things infinitely easier - but for those times when something yummy is being prepared and I cant eat it - make some Protein Soup or eat a string cheese and I am sated. Eating the old way (food addict - fast food junkies) simply doesnt work and doesnt taste the same at all. Hang in there - it is really hard but try to find thing your like and always have them on hand Since this started my husband is 130 lbs down, I am down 126, and our daughter has lost 26 lbs from protein first, no processed carbs, soda, etc. it is hard, but so worth it.

Welcome Serena It's a long process isnt it? It was a year and a few months of prep for myself - i know how it feels. I personally think the pre-op diet is the worst - certainly if you have a doc who puts you on weeks of liquids as some do. My own Dr. is a big fan of strict Atkins induction for shrinking livers pre-op and I guess my own was a teeny tiny thing when they went in - and I lost 14 lbs in about 11 days on mine (I think I lived on chicken and cheese - much like now haha, only much smaller portions

Sweet - I need to get one of those

Yes I had my surgery at Swedish as well - and no I am not the fish lady haha! (I have my 9 month at the end of next month) I do know exactly what you are talking about with the group stuff - then again it can be a challenge to control a group with folks who have not done a lot of their own research and have tons of goofy questions. I go to the support groups so I am familiar with the staff. I think I have lost two Brittany's already ahaha!

hah Did you have your surgery at Swedish btw?

I stall hard quite often - heck I weighed 23 lbs more when I left the hospital than when I went in with all of my medical shenanigans I would try and focus on your behaviours - both those that deal with nutrition and wellness, getting exercise in - and note the scale numbers but don't get too down if it gets hung up from time to time. I think it is probably very rare for folks to not have a stall - I know those are the folks that dont stall seem to exercise like crazy, do a lot of homemade Protein (hi baked chicken/fish),, and get oceans of Water in. Don't worry - that scale will move again, just keep following your medical team's orders. Before i went to my support group meeting yesterday I looked at my food journal from last year and I weighed exactly 100 lbs. less yesterday than I did a year ago. And to think that i am constantly fighting the feelings that I am failing yet again at losing because i am not yet at goal and my husband is, when I had a lot to more to lose than him - with a high starting BMI I know it will take me longer - but i will get there eventually!

I have a bit more of a ways togo so I am sticking to the post op Golden Ratio until I get to goal - I stall about every three months or so for a hard month then the scale starts lighting up with losses again. I do my best to do 600-800 cals a day, 80+ g of Protein, -40 g or less of carbs, 64+ oz. of liquid, all my vitamins/supplements and as much activity as i can get in. I think my greatest stall generator is when I do not manage to get all my liquid in - this has always been an issue - even before surgery, so I keep working on it. I track everything. If carbs inch up, water/liquids goes down, so does my progress downward on the scale - it does eventually move again. After the first - I have been being pretty strict - a typical day looks like this: Breakfast: Premier Protein shake (chocolate 160cal, 30p. 5 carb, 3 fat) or Starbuck's 2 pump vanilla latte ( i count it for its full value, even if its got half the syrup) 250cal, 12p, 39carb, 6 fat Lunch: Premier Protein Shake Snack: Lite string cheese (60cal, 8p, -1carb, 2.5 fat) Dinner: 3 oz. chicken breast (142 cal, 27p, 0carb, 3fat), 1/2 c. veggies or leafy greens (nutrition varies) I may add another string cheese, bonbel, or bariatric or regular hot cocoa in there depending how I feel. I still like the protein chicken Soup because I love Hot drinks and I am getting more liquidy things in

Because your body is adjusting - rearranging the deck chairs so to speak. I seem to stall every three months or so for a hard month - then it starts to move again. Rarely do my cals go over 900 in a day, but I have to always be on it to get all of my fluids in - which is what I think impedes my losses. i am starting to ramp up my exercise now as well. don't forget it isnt a race - you will get there, your body will give it up when it is ready - just keep following your Dr. and NUT's plan.

I can get the same way - it does seem to happen less now that I have had surgery and am over 6 months out. I am slooowly coming to realize that this is not a race - not with myself or anyone else (athough I will feel awesome when I finally weight less than my dear husband) - but rather this really will be the way I live for the rest of my life. So I do hope on the scale most days - I write it down on my tracking calendar (which is great for seeing how far i have come over time) an take my Saturday weight as my official weight for the week. I really like Gman's analogy above - that scale certainly doesnt tell the whole story, its funny how zeroed in we can get on those numbers. Even though I have had great success by most folks yardstick - I personally wont claim myself a total success until I hit that BMI goal in my ticker, because I have never, ever hit it in countless attempts to get this excess weight off. By jove I will do it this time and stay there come hell or high Water lol.

I've been stalled for ages - at a weight I was at for a long time in the past. I feel your pain - the scale will move again eventually

I am sad I do not know how to add a photo - tried to link it from the Pintrest site I found it at but its a no go. I saw the recipe the other night and gave it a whirl - I used turkey bacon instead of regular. Used a mini muffin tin - cut a slice of turkey bacon (2/3 of one bacon strip seemed to work well) for each cup, stand it on end. Mixed up 6 eggs, a bit of sharp sheddar and spices and pour into the cups, about 2/3 full - the bacon is on the outside (it is easy to pour too much in and make a mess lol.) Baked @ 350 for 30-35 minutes and they were very delicious. I have not run it through a recipe maker to find out the exact breakdown on protein/cals/carbs/fat etc per serving - but 2 of them had me stuffed. Muhahaha I figured it out! cheese tart." />