Globetrotter

I'm losing about 2 pounds a day but it is TOUGH, not because of not getting to eat (that's where we sleever's have a secret upper hand in a situation like this) but rather because of the physical duress resulting from having a tube down your nose/throat. However, if I had known that this existed back then, I might have chosen to do this instead of the sleeve, if only because for the same amount of weight lost the cost is half that of a sleeve. Also, there is no loose skin for people losing large amounts of weight on the Kenn. BUT THIS IS REALLY REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE. But it has to be said, at my 2 week post-op weigh in I lost 20 lbs, I'm doing the same but in 10 days

Bacon strip?!?!! FOTFLMAO, fantastic! Hey Feed, maybe you have a tonsure because it has worn away from regular use, woohoo!!

My Mom is fond of saying that people come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime and you never know which it will be. Mike (the guy) was in my life for a reason; he is the reason I got the interview that led to my getting my job. I could always tell that he was holding back, when a man plays "don't ask/don't tell" with your dating situation, it means he doesn't want to know the answer, and doesn't want to face the conversation of exclusivity/labels/Being Together Officially. This means I can focus on my primary, who is coming home from boot camp in 2 wks.

If you can handle having a tube going down your nose/throat for 10 days, you can do the Kenn, but it is seriously uncomfortable, but it is hard to deny 20 lbs in a week and a half! I have to wait 2 weeks between cycles but after cycle #2, I'll be down 40 lbs! 3 cycles and I will be at personal goal!

The guy I was seeing just broke up with me because, as he put it, he was spending a lot of effort thinking about ways to take care of me.

CherylJane, if you end up doing it or contacting them, let them know I sent you . I have lost 20 lbs, it has been almost two weeks and I have another 2 weeks to go. I can only drink plain Water and it was an adjustment similar to post-op. when suddenly you aren't doing all this eating and you suddenly wake up to how much eating had dominated your life! I fill the time with knitting. As for being seen in public, I don't give a good damn! I've lost 20 flippin pounds and am on track to not just lose all my regain but get to my actual goal. My boyfriend is a scientist and he is fine with it, he is all about focusing on end results.

The Kenn is continuous Liquid Protein nutrition, delivered 24/7 through a nasal gastric tube, I am going to keep going until I get down to my actual original surgeon's goal weight, which I never actually achieved. It is really really expensive but I am going to use my signing bonus and I feel it is imperative - I was losing too much ground and I needed help.

Hi all, sorry for the radio silence! There are many experiences and activities that have occupied my time, among them a new man friend, a new job, and an interesting nutritional experience! The new man friend is a wonderful person; intelligent, kind, tender, logical. I don't know if I love him, I don't know what that ... tastes like. I like him a lot, however, there is no ... frisson of thrill/desire/lust.

The new job is with a tech company, I'm excited!

The nutritional experience; it is something called Kennsystem and it is basically our post-op diet, but in the form of continuous liquid nutrition. The people I know who have done it have lost significant amounts of weight and haven't put it back on even after years, I have already lost 20 lbs in 2 wks! I want to wear my cute clothes again, when I came back in the spring I bought an incredibly exquisite (and expensive) fitted trench coat, when I bought it it fit beautifully, it got to the point that I could barely get it on, nevermind attempt to close it properly :(. So I had to take drastic steps and I am so glad I did! Once the Kenn is over I will be in a position to continue post op style eating to lose beyond the regain, woohoo!

Cathy that's incredible, a last opportunity to express love with her..

Chia eggs are 1 tsp cracked chia seed, 3 tsp Water. Mixed together it replaces an egg in any recipe, and contains more of the good things in eggs, like omegas.

The tapioca rolls do not require leavening and I have no idea what the carbs are, I only make this recipe every couple of weeks and it's full of such excellent nutrition and Fiber and I only eat one or two so I never bothered to break down the carbs/cals.

Cath took the words right out of my mouth, buy a ridiculously expensive designer drop dead sexeh bikini and hang it off the fridge!

I will be doing my part to assist us all, with my gluten free paleo "bread" treats, I am currently in love with my dinner rolls that I adapt into muffins, crumpets, sandwich thins, etc. I eat them without guilt, remorse, OR sneezes!

1 cup tapioca flour

1/3 cup coconut flour (plus a little more later if the batter is too thin)

1 chia egg

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup warm Water

mix it all until it is smooth and thick, freeze for 10 minutes, then coat your hands in leftover tapioca flour and scoop out palm sized wads, roll into balls, place on parchment, bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Makes a baker's dozen dinner roll-sized rolls that are crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside and a perfectly portioned, shameless starch!!

I knew he was going to react that way Cheryl, I saw similarities to my ex-bf, in his wanting to lock you down. As soon as I read your post I knew that a guy with some trauma, some insecurities, would not react well to any kind of remarks upon his behavior - they interpret it as a level 10 shaming and immediately flip on the hostilities.

Why didn't you just clear the air right when it happened?

I've recently switched over to a raw/vegan diet in all things but meat consumption, lol, does that make sense? I mean, no eggs, no dairy, no white sugar no white flour, etc etc. totally raw/vegan except for the eating of chicken and fish and beef.

So, why then am I telling you this? Because I have recently been experiencing the sort of discomfort I had prior to my gall bladder removal... The only fats in my diet are coming from coconut oil, and whatever traces are in my chia eggs, my sardines ...

Today's food - frozen banana slices dipped in bitter chocolate, some homemade chicken broth with veggies (no meat), and tea, probably some yogurt before bed.

what are beta stanolls?

Coops, you are moving?!! where?

Denise, are you really sure you want to have surgery? Have you tried acupuncture?

Cheryl, from my own personal experience, it is a bit of a red flag when a man starts nudging you toward being "all in" after only a brief acquaintance. In my experience, this means he is trying to lock you in for his own needs/interests, like a car salesman.

Oh, I never made it to Split when I was meandering through eastern europe, lucky you!

went to my first kizomba class last night, fun! But even more physically intimate than tango so, potential for awkwardness! then I went on a date with a very cute lawyer from Detroit who just moved here, I think he was less in to me by the end of the date than at the beginning though, so ...

After that date I went to tango where I had a few delicious sets, makes me impatient to lose all this $h!tty excess weight so that I can wear the pretty shoes!

BTW - drop what you are doing and immediately go purchase Fit Frappe spiced chai Protein Powder and Chike coffee Protein powder!!!! I am 4 years post op and have always been a protein powder girl and NEVER have I EVER had protein powders as delicious as these!!!! I decided to make a "dirty chai" from them so wizzed up the Chike with Water and then added in a 1/3 serving of the Fit Frappe, then poured over ice. If I didn't know better, I would have SWORN I was drinking some 600 calorie concoction from Starbucks!! SERIOUSLY!!!! It was effing amazing.

Also, here is a super shock - I am a longtime believer in greek yogurt as a protein source, par excellence. However, at the store yesterday I happened to compare Fage to Siggis (an icelandic strained yogurt) and Siggis scored better in everything! Lower calorie, higher protein, lower carb, lower SUGAR... now that I know that 4 grams is a teaspoon, it has helped trememdously in turning away from sugar. I mean, picture it - picture whatever it is you are eating or drinking and teaspoons full of white crystals dumping into it, one after another, after another ...

CherylJ, whaddyatalk it's AWESOME! I am loving this weather, cute coats, knee high boots, and I look SO cute in hats!

I'm excited, my new Protein powders arrived in the mail yesteerday, Chike coffee and Fit Frappe Spiced Chai!

Today's food: Breakfast - coffee with coconut sugar and coconut milk

lunch - a paleo brownie - avocado, coconut flour, bitter chocolate powder, chia "egg"

dinner - a piece of paleo pizza - cauliflower crust, my alfredo "sauce", arugula

dessert - dollop of greek yogurt with grain-free granola

I have a date to watch game 2 of the world series (GO GIANTS!!!!) so I might have a hard cider, otherwise I think it's a decent menu...

Hey my other PNW gals, hooray for heavy rainy fog! I've got the blankies piled high, a steaming cup of coffee, and this means later today I will be able to wear my Hunters rainboots!

dinner last night: Zucchini jullienned into spaghetti noodles, blanched. "alfredo" sauce - nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, onion powder, minced garlic, powdered mustard, coconut milk, and pureed steamed cauliflower. Wiz all together until a smooth creamy sauce, adjust seasonings to taste. This sauce tastes even better the next day or the next, after the ingredients have had time to snuggle up together

Looking for gluten free noodles I discovered that even noodles that tout themselves as gluten free or veggie-made, ALL have wheat in them. Or if not durham wheat, then a grain of some kind. If anyone knows of a grain free noodle out there, let me know! Anyway, the blanched zucchini noodles are awesome, they move like noodles and absorb sauce really well.

This morning as my coffee was brewing, I decided to have a sugar-free day. I thought it would be easy... I reached for my Trader Joe's pumpkin spice chai mix ... first ingredient - sugar! Then I reached for my Trader Joe's coconut milk ... first ingredient - sugar! Et tu, Trader Joe? TRAITOR Joe! So, plain coffee with a 1/4 tsp coconut sugar, a slice of grain-free bread with salted butter and a drizzle of organic honey. Dinner should be easy, my "pasta" dish again and probably a persimmon for dessert. Now, I realize that I am cheating a bit by still having sweeteners like honey and coconut sugar, but that refined white powder drug is just EVERYWHERE :/

I'm upset about my food today, it has been incredibly healthful; coconut flour, pumpkin puree, cauliflower puree, greek yogurt, eggs, zucchini.. but when I look at my calorie count, my carbs are through the roof!!! The biggest offenders are the zucchini, cauli, and coconut flour, even though my cals are only slightly more than 600 for the day and my Fiber is actually really great...

Shoot, I will be in CO for a wedding that weekend!

I found a great guy, with a great job, who is a "giver". Cross your fingers that he likes me enough to agree to a second date ...

Gosh, it has been a pretty long time since LauraVen opted out, 8 months?

If you have recurrent BV then you need a course of macrobid, it is a bacteria specific antibiotic. As someone who has recurrent UTIs I am familiar with the multitude of cures, staphisagria is a good homeopathic remedy that I have been using, you can get it in co-ops.

Has anyone ever heard of Warrior food Protein?

Today's recipe - vegan pumpkin scones! coconut flour, coconut sugar, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, salt, baking soda and powder, and coconut butter. I threw in some bitter chocolate chips. yum!! The best part, not a single sneeze yet!

Now that I am dancing again and, because when I was at my lowest weight in Afghanistan I was also lifting weights like a beast, my horror and anger and humiliation over the weight gain isn't solely from a place of self-loathing because I gained. Like you Cheryl, I recognize that regain and the struggle and the Quest are all part of our being sleevers, but gaining so much so swiftly because of depression after having been so incredibly fit and strong, the difference is remarkable and I feel like a walrus on dry land.

Guess what I had for dinner last night? A piece of bacon. One.