delta_girl

I haven't lost in 4 weeks. It's not a race. It's a new lifestyle. I know it's frustrating. I would think that 4 weeks of consuming 500-700 a day would result at something for me, but nope. It will happen eventually. Just keep on track and exercise.

I made these last night. The grating is messy. I used parchment paper sprayed with Pam and it still stuck very badly. It looked like a hot mess. But it tasted AMAZING

My surgeon thinks that there are more problems with surgery forums than help, especially when 90% of the "information" exchanged is not accurate. Smart guy because the more I read here the more I understand he's right.

I just checked my surgeon/hospital. They are a CENTER OF EXCELLENCE by the Surgical Review Corporation and the American Society of Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). I may not have spent enough time reading around the site, but this organization does not appear to be a club you join for a title that you then pay membership dues to hang on to. This would be an interesting thread on its own.

I'm at about 4 months and have been stalled for 4 weeks. Its really getting old. It doesn't seem like it matters what I do. Eat more, eat less, don't eat at all, drink more Water, etc.. I even did two days of eating very high calories to shock my system. No help there. I added in 3,000 mg of D3 daily to see if that had an impact, but that's not producing results. I've lost around 61 lbs with 48 to go and its beginning to feel like I'm in maintenance and this is the best result I can expect. I am not super strict with what I eat, but I do pay attention to calories and I'm at around 800 a day. I was doing 500-600 a day before when I was losing. Going to read Butterbean's collection again to see if that makes me feel any better.

I didn't know that there was a higher level of "Bariatric Center of Excellence." I wonder what other standards have to be met to be "top tier."

I went to Designer Shoe Warehouse to try to find a pair that would fit after trying on 15+ pairs at Dillard's a month before Christmas and none would zip up. I found ONE pair at Designer Shoe Warehouse that would just barely zip up and were really tight. That was a week before Christmas. I got them. I have worn them 2x before today so they have not been worn enough to be broken in or stretched. So about a month and a half has gone by since I got them. In that time I've lost about 12-15 lbs. the area around the calf is now roomy and loose. I'm 5'3" and ave lost about 63 lbs with 44 to go. I guess you need to think if you would be wearing them in two months?

I have lint rollers in my car, in my office and at home. My vsg was 9/26. I get a b12 shot monthly but don't take biotin. My hair is super thick so more of an aggravation than anything. I'm shedding like a bear. A very glamorous girl bear, but still....eww

Sounds like they have been talking behind your back. They were wrong and insensitive, but I am guessing they care about you and are worried. Why else show a video and then others pull you aside?. They are very misguided, regardless.

Not to discredit minimeway....antacids can be helpful, but PPIs work on a different mechanism. You may need to experiment with different ones. Some take several days before you feel the effects.

Isopure banana cream was one of the few I could tolerate.

stricture?

You need a PPI if you aren't already taking one. And they aren't all the same and aren't the same for each person. The one they prescribed for me, Protonix, did not do much for me. Prevacid works great for me, but after around 3 months it is no longer effective and I have to switch out with another PPI.

I'm getting close to 4 months out and I never threw up after surgery. The only time I came close was the day of surgery when I was recovering in my room and I got a shot for nausea VERY fast because I was being a diva. The next time was 5 weeks out when I ate 1/2 of a creme brulee and slimed so bad (the only time I have) that I thought I was going to lose it.

I got my bp2 from Whole Foods, if you have one nearby.

You may even develop a taste for things that surprise you. I have a new appreciation for cheese, fish and pickled things and very little desire to eat bread or pasta (which were also big favorites before). Unfortunately I still love crackers and I "can" eat too many of them if I am not careful. I thought I would have a harder time with not being able to drink beer anymore, either ...but really not a big deal. I have a glass of red wine now and then.

Sorry to hear that you are so tired and feeling weak during your recovery. I was back at work 5 days after surgery, but my surgeon was very adamant that I immediately got back to a regular routine to hasten healing and adapting. Not everyone needs much time after this surgery to resume a normal life. It depends on your surgeon and his/her recommendations and your own health needs. I was getting around fairly normally 5 days after with some soreness, but was generally feeling extremely energetic.

I don't have an emotional investment with anyone in my workplace. They aren't your family and they aren't (usually) your friends. They are your coworkers. They are not obligated to provide anything to you or for you outside of their job descriptions and general professional courtesy. It sounds like you didn't get back what you were putting into it so it may have only mattered to you that you put in that effort? Or your expectations were too high for them? I don't know not being in your shoes. But it does sound like you really are hurt by their lack of empathy and action. Sorry to hear that it caused you to feel bad, which is probably spilling over into your work relationships.

I wonder about the quality of the vitamins. Different brands, vendors, ingredients, etc. Which ones have higher quality ingredients than others or if it even matters.

Are you taking a standard dosage? How long did it take for you to feel benefits?

Shelly's Roast Beef & cheese Cucumber "Sandwiches" Slices of Cucumber Cold Cuts (I prefer low sodium Boar's Head brand) Sliced Cheese 1 slice of cheese and meat makes about 4 "sandwiches" you can spear them with a jazzy food pick for parties. For ease of assembly the day of a party (great weight loss friendly appetizers) or for a quickly made lunch during the week pre-cut the cucumbers the night before and place in a Ziploc baggie in fridge. Baked Zucchini chips 1 zucchini canola cooking spray seasoned salt, or other seasoning(s) of your choice Preheat oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick foil, and spray with canola oil. Set aside. Slice zucchini into thin medallions, about the thickness of a quarter. (You can either use a knife & a very steady hand, or a mandoline slicer.) Lay out slices on prepared baking sheet, and spray tops lightly with additional cooking spray. Sprinkle with seasonings of your choice. (A note on seasoning, however - use LESS than what seems appropriate. These shrink considerably in the oven, and if you use too much it gets very concentrated. It's better to end up underseasoning and add more later.) Place in preheated oven and bake 45 minutes. Rotate baking sheet, and bake an additional 30-50 minutes, until chips are browned and crisped to your liking. These are best eaten within a couple hours of removing from the oven, as they start to get chewy if left out. One zucchini makes one serving (1/4 C. - 1/3 C. of chips depending on the size of your squash). Crispy Edamame 1 (12 ounce) package frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans), 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 c grated parmesan cheese, salt & pepper to taste. Bake in oven for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. (NO Photo) chocolate truffles (from the Dukan diet) Ingredients: - 4 teaspoons of fat-reduced cocoa powder + some extra cocoa to roll the truffles - 1 tablespoon of fat free Greek yogurt - 5 tablespoons of powdered skim milk (or Protein powder) - 2 egg yolks - 5 drops of butter flavoring - 3 teaspoons of artificial sweetener or agave nectar Directions: Mix everything together. Add powdered skim milk until the paste reaches a firm consistency. Put aside in the fridge for at least 30 min (or if you can’t wait 10 minutes in the freezer). Before serving them, roll the balls in cocoa powder. Asparagus Roast Beef Roll-Ups This recipe is a great one to impress guests at your next cocktail party (though you’ll have to multiply it). It’s really quick and simple, yet it looks very decadent and time-consuming. To make the roll-ups extra elegant for entertaining, wrap the roast beef close to the bottom of the spears, then stand them on a platter as pictured. 12 medium asparagus spears, trimmed by snapping off the ends where they break naturally 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, or more to taste 2 tablespoons light sour cream Salt and pepper, to taste 6 ounces thinly sliced or shaved extra-lean deli roast beef Stovetop Instructions Half-fill a large bowl with ice Water. Place a steamer rack insert in a large pot. Fill the pot with water so it reaches just below the steamer rack. Place the pot over high heat, cover it with a lid, and bring the water to a boil. Add the asparagus, cover the pot (leaving the lid slightly ajar), and steam the asparagus until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on thickness. Transfer the asparagus to the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the horseradish and sour cream until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Lay 1 1/2 ounces of the beef on a flat work surface or cutting board. Spread one-quarter (about 1/2 tablespoon) of the horseradish mixture over the beef, leaving a small border. Place 3 asparagus spears at one of the narrower ends of each beef slice so the tips hang over. Roll the beef around the bundle of asparagus until you reach the other end of the beef. Repeat with the remaining roast beef, horseradish mixture, and asparagus to create 3 more roll-ups. Serve immediately. Buffalo Cauliflower BItes 1 head cauliflower For the batter: Dash of Frank’s Original Hot Sauce, or whatever kind you like ½ c. white rice flour ½ c. water Pinch salt For the Buffalo sauce: ¼ c. Frank’s Hot Sauce ¼ c. oil, canola oil works best Pinch salt Instructions Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix together the batter ingredients in a small bowl. Dip the cauliflower in the batter until coated evenly then place on greased baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the batter hardens. Mix together sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Once the cauliflower are done baking, brush them with the hot sauce mixture and bake again for a few more minutes, until cauliflower is crispy. Remove from oven. You may want to add a bit more buffalo sauce to taste.

I've had several of these days, sometimes back to back. It's OK. We're in it for the long haul and a pit stop every once in a while may actually be normal. We just can't do it every day. Balance those days out with good habits. I try to be REALLY good around 85% - 90% of the time. Gotta have some slack to prevent snapping. That's just me, not saying anyone else should do the same.

saltine crackers pretzels yogurt You can Google "slider foods" too.

Current favorites (but not all at the same time): pickled okra jalapeno cheese kefir Goldfish crackers

I missed only three days of work and I didn't tell anyone why I was out other than our human resources department which required a doctor's note for my file since I was out the three days before a weekend. My doctor's note simply stated, "abdominal surgery." That is all they know and all I plan on sharing with them.