Momonanomo

I was so stoked at the grocery store last night to find that Old London melba toasts have only 9g net carbs!

And they were on sale

SCORE!!!

I think the day "we" stop worrying about our eating habits,being aware of what food/drink we put in our mouth..........

is the day we/I should/would worry about regaining weight

amen!

glad you are feeling better and are up & about! Days 2 and 3 were the hardest for me, by far. Work at staying hydrated - that is your #1 job for now & will make a huge difference in how you feel. Then a close 2nd will be meeting your Protein goals. You're on your way! Congrats & best wishes!

If it was me, I would call the doctor's office. It does seem weird to me that you would gain on a liquid diet. Best bet is to call them & seek counsel since the 10 lb loss is their requirement, and it's their plan that's evidently caused the weight gain. They should be kept informed that this is going on, and can perhaps make alterations to your pre-op plan. Don't get discouraged -- they are on your side and want to help you succeed. Reach out and get some help from them.

I've heard some people's programs don't recommend them until they're several months out, so first off I'd say check with your NUT. My program said it was ok once I was on regular foods. I just eat teeny bites and chew extremely well if I have salad. I haven't had a problem, but I have read some people here who do experience discomfort with raw veggies. So....1) check with your NUT and if you get the all clear 2) try some slowly and carefully (as with all foods being reintroduced!)

she definitely seemed to feel more guilty eating them than I would have

just a quick funny story I thought I'd share

So….crackers are a slider for me. I don't think I'm alone in that! Last night I decided to indulge. Stood in the kitchen, opened the package and had a couple. Then I remembered I needed to turn off the sprinkler in the backyard. I asked the dog if she needed to go out – she was snoozing in the living room. She indicated that she was waaay too sleepy and comfortable to go outside, so out I went by myself. I was outside perhaps 5 minutes. When I returned, the dog met me at the door with a look—you know the one: ears down, head down, tail curled under, and a so-sad demeanor that said “I feel soooo guilty.”

I soon discovered the cracker box – chewed up --- in the middle of the living room floor. There were cracker crumbs all around. I shook my finger at her for a well-deserved scolding…..but as I headed to the trash can to throw out the remains, I was secretly smiling. She saved me from the slider.

Good girl!

lol

I bet your mom will be absolutely thrilled! You're probably nervous because you love your mom and what she thinks has high value to you. I bet she is going to be so happy for and proud of you!

I know my mom was so worried about my future as an obese person. She worried about my happiness, my quality of life, and the health problems I was likely to develop as a result of it all. She has told me she is so happy and worries a lot less!

Mom's are great. Enjoy your time with her!!

Found it!

And I'm passing link along to anyone that is interested in her blog -- it is a fantastic story of her journey. She's awesome! Here's the entry that talks about changes she noticed at 7 months post surgery: http://www.queenofcrop.com/archives/2012/05/

I saw that too! I think it was on the Queen of Crop blog (which was wonderful by the way).

Yep that must have been it -- because I was an avid reader of Queen of Crop!!!

and the after is from Aug.... so 2 months ago....yeah I can see it.

(I did a wuick google search. Pic from nj.com)

Although he still has a ways to go I thought he looked pretty good this morning on TV.

Agree that the band seemed like an odd choice for someone of his size, however.

I fully agree on both points!

I think he's lost more than we can tell. A good ole before and after picture would be helpful

Can't remember where I saw it -- it may or may not have been a VST member --- but she posted before and after pics of close up of just her eyes, and it looked like she had had an eye lift! Her before made her eyes look puffy saggy & older, and her after was awesome -- like her bright shining eyes were now SO BIG!

I'm hoping for that effect . . . .

In my mid 20's I lost 75 lbs with weight watchers and I definitely freaked out over the difference in the way I was treated. Bitter is an excellent word to use. I was indeed astonishing how differently I was treated. This kind of thing can really mess with a person's head, and in my case I believe it is largely what led to me slipping into old habits and regaining my weight -- and then some.

I say find a counselor NOW. You don't want to jeopardize your success. A counselor can help you unravel all these complicated feelings, and help you find ways to center yourself. You are still YOU, but you are different.

I imagine my experience this time may be a bit different as far as the attention because I am a lot older this go round. But I think if I start feeling uncomfortable I will go to a counselor, because I don't want to go back to that place.

Best of luck to you, and I'm glad you shared here on VST. This is an excellent place to start for support. But a good counselor would be very valuable for you too.

that is so exciting! I'm headed that direction too -- can't wait!

congratulations!

oh and almonds too!

vanilla premiere Protein ready-to-drink

chike Protein Shakes, and a variety of Syntrax nectar-- mostly fuzzy navel, vanilla torte, and strawberry kiwi

cottage cheese

baby bel light

spinach/ kale/ chard

avocados

chicken breast

fish

I had this until I started more solid food -- I think it was pureed food. Just gotta think -- liquid in, liquid out. My NUT had said if it persisted that it could be lactose intolerance or an intolerance to the artificial sweeteners in shakes. She said it was ok to take immodium -- but I'm not recommending it because I think you should consult with your own surgeon and/or nutritionist. Above all -- stay hydrated.

Oh, and for what it's worth -- people at work who see me every day are only just now noticing that I've lost weight (I've lost 80 lbs!!!!).

And they had already noticed a change in my eating behaviors waaaay back in the beginning, before they noticed I lost weight, so in a way it is very easy for them to believe that I've done this solely through lifestyle change. And let me say that my success IS through lifestyle change....I just have this awesome tool to help me

I am a very private person and my medical information is not public domain.

I SO agree!!!!

I try to be vague as well when people ask me. They're not looking for a real scoop anyways, it's just small talk usually. I will usually ask them something about themselves and off they go --- people love to talk about themselves! And then the attention is off me

I do have to say though, that if one of my obese friends or coworkers were to sit down with me and genuinely ask how I was doing it, because they were in that desperate same place that I was not so very long ago, I would tell them. I feel it would be cruel not to.

I've always been a big Water drinker too -- and like Fixerupper, I got back to that fairly quickly, for the most part. Definitely 98% of the time I drink Water just as I always have.

But some days - and I have not figured out why -- I do get a bit uncomfortable with water. I just always start slow and see how it's going to go that day. But MOSTLY water is a breeze

Mine came out through my belly button. I had two other "incisions" that were no smaller than what I imagine it would look like if I got stuck with an ice pick -- not really incisions at all. Now they barely even look like freckles. So, essentially it was single incision surgery. And, since my scar is hidden in my belly button, you really can't tell I had surgery!

Anyways, I remember asking my surgeon if he rolls up the stomach like a yoga mat to get it out through the incision He laughed and said it, and the incision, are quite stretchy and can fit just fine.

Honestly, I hope to be how it sounds you are-- I do NOT want my sleeve to define me. I want to integrate into this new way of life completely. That being said, I think once one reaches goal, it is still important to be mindful of habits. Assess yourself: is the scale creeping up or are the ole jeans getting tight? If this happens, do you have a strategy to nip it in the bud? We all go through a LOT to get ready for surgery, have the surgery, recover from the surgery. It is definitely good to contemplate measures and methods of maintaining what you worked to achieve. It IS important.

And, congratulations on such great success!

Congratulations! Gorgeous Your blue eyes are so big now!

This recipe for pumpkin custard is incredible!

http://recipes.spark...p?recipe=852584

If the link doesnt work, search sparkrecipes.com for pumpkin ricotta custard. It is da bomb. 74 cal and 6.6 g Protein, low carb, gluten free...etc etc YUM!