Gastricsleeve4me

I use wonton wrappers, and most recently, flatout bread. My blog is FULL of recipes using both (and links to other blogs that do too). Last night was Taco pizza http://gastricsleeve4me.blogspot.com/p/solid-food-stage.html

Thanks, iggychic...love the post. And a great reminder/reiteration for everyone out there that a tough past that led to weight loss doesn't necessarily translate into "I'm unhappy". I like to think I lead a happy and fulfilling life, and consider myself incredibly well-adjusted...but that doesn't mean that things in my past don't affect the way I view life, and the fact that I use food as a coping skill when I experience "normal" stress days, bored days, sad days, lonely days, etc. It wasn't until I was able to identify why was using food in a different way than others that I figured out that, for me, my weight loss journey was going to be less about counting calories (though that's an integral part) and more about finding other outlets for dealing with the normal ups and downs of life. While I definitely consider myself happy, that has brought up some measure of sadness and grief over stuff in my past - but that doesn't mean I spend my days "sad" or "grief-stricken". Not sure why I felt the need to post that...perhaps a discussion with my therapist lol <she says tongue-in-cheek>

Not sure if it's helpful, but I did a blog post recently about a trip to the grocery store. I bought 5 items and, mixed with some staples I have in my fridge/pantry, I can make a bunch of meals. http://gastricsleeve4me.blogspot.com/2012/07/eating-9-weeks.html There's a video, and a link to my "solid food" stage page too - which has pretty much everything I eat, and is only like 13 items from the store...it's pretty much my go-to list. In simple terms it's cheese, meat (be it lunchmeat, ground turkey, frozen shrimp, rotisserie chicken, etc.), greek yogurt, refried Beans, and wonton wrappers. Another crazy-simple and cheap way to go is to make "bites". You'll need eggs, whatever you want in your bites, and a mini muffin tin. 1-2 "bites" should be plenty. There's a BUNCH of recipes on the world according to eggface: http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2009/10/party-time-confetti-bites.html. Make a pan and freeze. Good luck.

agreed - was the only thing that worked for me (tried colace and others). Just don't take the full dose straightaway or you'll risk diarrhea, which can make you dehydrated. Start with a TBSP, wait 4-6 hrs, try again, etc. Believe similar instructions are on the bottle.

Posted another thread about a fave new food item I found called Flatout Bread (pizza last night and YUM. Recipe and nutritional stats on my blog at http://gastricsleeve4me.blogspot.com/2012/07/taco-pizza.html

Found a new fave item at the grocery store this week...flatout bread (light original). Great for pizzas, wraps, etc. I wrote a blog post about it, including a brief discussion on comparing the nutritional info on the various options in the flatout bread line. Anyway, I can only eat 1/6 of one (with toppings) at the moment (9 weeks out) - nutritional info attached. I'm going to post separately about Taco pizza I made using them last night. More info on blog at http://gastricsleeve4me.blogspot.com/2012/07/fave-alert-flatout-bread.html

No way...don't feel bad! I totally don't know your situation (so you can tell me to stuff it but many (not all!) folks who are overweight have an underlying cause. Physical for some (illness, etc)...but for a lot of us there is something driving our "excessive" use of food and blocking our ability to consume what would be considered more "normal" quantities of food. Always always exceptions, but if you've been sleeved (or are considering it) it's worth a think about whether or not you have reasons of your own. Either way, feel glad you've come to the boards for info and support...and that's certainly healthy!

I'm at nine weeks and having same prob. Miralax and colace were doing nothing. But milk of magnesia last night and now everything's moving. Think I took too much (full dose) since I've got the runs every couple hours for last 7 hrs...but frankly just happy to be cleaned out! Took at 10:30pm and was going by 3am.

32.2 lbs. starting weight of 250.4...5'7"

I'm really enjoying reading each of your stories...amazing the role food has played in each of our lives. The times, they are a'changing

Never had one and don't know much about them. Anyone never have them pre-op, but develop them post? If so, when? And advice for how to avoid? Just curious if it's something I should be conscious of. Thanks!

At 11 years old I was living with my mother and step father. My father was no where to be found. My step dad worked nights from about 3pm to midnight, leaving my mom with their 4 year old and a newborn. My mother, diagnosed only a few years ago, is bipolar. Two young children and a husband away in the evenings was too much for her to bear. But, at 11, after spending much of my time caring for their first child, I was well equipped. There were diapers to be changed, and dinners to be made, and someone to watch the kids while my mother needed "alone time", pursued a variety of different careers to keep her occupied and out of the house, or disappeared for days on end when life was too overwhelming. At that age, "normal" is whatever your life is. So, I did what I believed I was supposed to. But there was not much time to be a kid. No one to scream at to when my brother stuffed yet another box of crayons in the VCR or my sister decided to "puffy paint" the bathroom towels. No one to cry to when I was home taking care of two kids when everyone else was playing sports or meeting boys. So I ate. I used food to comfort me for the adult stressors I was incapable of handling at such a young age (and had been primed for over years before). Who do you cry to when your step dad says he needs to pick up your mom at the suicide clinic so make sure the kids get to bed on time? I became an expert at being capable. At being resilient. At relying on no one. But food. Food was my best friend and a constant. For years later during high school my parents would "scold" me for sitting on the couch to catch an hour of tv after working one of my two jobs (by 15), presumably because they noticed my growing waistline and assumed it to be lack of exercise (as a varsity gymnast holding down two jobs and "babysitting" every day you'd think they would have figured out it wasn't my ability to commit to hard work or the result of laziness). I left home at 17 and, by now the consummate overachiever, graduated with my bachelors at 20 and began a career I'm continuing 12 years later, becoming the youngest manger in my region, then the most quickly promoted sr manager, and so on. But always heavy. Always. The stress of two young kids was replaced by stress at work, the need to succeed, anger/grief/etc at my parents when I realized later how different my childhood was...but I never learned how to cope with thes emotions. Being dumped 5 weeks before your wedding, losing a best friend to sudden death at 28, funerals for 16 yr old cousins, and uncles who died too early, friends and family with brain cancer. I was ill-equipped to do anything but make it to therapy, and eat. So, at 32, I needed a catalyst. A push. A drastic change. Enter the sleeve. At nine weeks out my journey is an emotional one. One that I'm conquering. Slowly. But surely. With the guidance of a therpist who specializes in food and has picked up where other therapists began (but without the weight connection). It's not easy, and it's not about Protein or Water intake. It's about becoming more emotionally mature. And I'm committed. And I'm nothing if not resilient. Jo - sleeved 5/21/12 Everyone has a story and, I'm curious, what's yours?

Aceves in Mexicali 5/21. Weighed 250.4. I'm nine weeks out tomorrow and down to 208.9...41.5 lbs. blog is in my signature and has more info, including vlog on YouTube

Used a cup of freshly grated cheese to make 10 crackers. Each was about 3-4 inches in diameter and was: 43 calories 3g fat .5 carbs 4g Protein

Made the parmesan cheese crackers - yummy! http://gastricsleeve...e-crackers.html

Made the Protein doughnuts recently. Pics and a short blog about it on my blog at http://gastricsleeve...-doughnuts.html

I'd be interested to know what protein bars people are using. Not looking for it to be a staple, but would like to have it as an option at times when I'm on the go. Looking for a decent amt of protein without a gazillion carbs. Prefer no more than 200 calories.

209.3 today!! Down from 213.8 last Saturday. I'm two days shy of 9 weeks with a surgery weight of 250.4. Upped my calories this past week and wow what a difference! I can't wait to get to onederland...it seemed so far away and now I can actually see getting there. Great way to start out a sat morning.

http://www.youtube.com/user/gastricsleeve4me

I'm in love with wrappers. lunch today was wrapper spread with 1 tbsp of hummus. So tasty! Have mostly done savory...will have to try sweet!

Been soooo helpful for me! My channel is gastricsleeve4me