katierebecca83

Ok so this is a recipe I found online, including the notes. I have not tried it yet, so I have no idea if it's good. But I love mashed potatoes and thought they looked like they'd be worth a try! If anyone tries it, let me know how they turn out! :-)
Ingredients
2 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled
14 ounces tofu, extra-firm, drained and pressed
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 Tbsp chopped fresh chives (optional)

Instructions
Boil potatoes until fork tender.

Heat oil and garlic in a small saute pan over low heat, stirring frequently until soft and lightly golden.

Drain tofu and place between two plates to press and drain.

Place drained tofu in food processor and puree with garlic and oil mixture.

Drain potatoes.

Mash potatoes with fork or ricer to desired consistency.

Add garlic puree mixture.

Season with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.

Makes four servings.

Adapted from 101 Things To Do With Tofu by Donna Kelly & Anne Tegtmeier.
Although, this recipe was amazing, it needs a little tweaking for my taste. The first set of tweaks I made did not work out so the recipe above is the actual recipe without my changes. For my version, I used 11 oz of white potatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 large garlic cloves, 14 ounces of firm tofu, 1-1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp of pepper, 1 tsp of dried italian seasoning and 1 tsp of dried parsley.
Unfortunately, my dish turned out extremely garlicky. I love, love, love garlic but this was just too much. My garlic cloves were pretty big so I used three instead of the five called for. My cloves must have been really large because the dish was too intense for dear hubby, as well. In fact, he moaned all evening about how he couldn’t get the garlic smell out of the house. The dish also seemed a little oily so I will probably back up on the olive oil, next time.
I then thought that maybe these would work out as twice baked potatoes and I was right. Added some cheese and threw these in the oven
All in all, a pretty good first try for this recipe. It was really good except for the overwhelming garlic so I will definitely be trying this one again.

I made this list a while back of all the reasons I hate being fat to refer back to if I ever try to convince myself to not go through with the surgery, or start regretting having it afterwards. So I guess you could say I can't wait to NOT have any of these issues!
[ ] I can't tie my shoes on the top, they're always on the side, and even that is hard to do.
[ ] I exceed the weight limit for pretty much anything there is a weight limit for.
[ ] I can't use regular towels because they don't fit around me
[ ] I have terrible balance due to too much weight on my knees and ankles, I get nervous carrying my two toddlers.
[ ] I always slow everyone down wherever we go because they have to wait on me to catch up
[ ] My thighs rub together when I wear shorts or a dress. It's like I'm starting a damn fire with them.
[ ] Thinking about food all the time. It controls my life. I'm ready to take control back!
[ ] I want to shop in a normal store where I can buy cute clothes that are a reasonable price. Decent looking plus size clothes are outrageous!
[ ] I don't want my kids to remember me this way
[ ] I want to walk my dogs without getting exhausted
[ ] I don't fit (easily) into movie chairs. I have to squeeze in.
[ ] Moving around in this body is difficult
[ ] I feel like I'm much older than 29.
[ ] My doctor doesn't take me seriously, his solution to everything is "lose weight" which I know I need to do, but that's not the answer to everything.
[ ] I feel trapped in a body that holds me back so much.
[ ] I feel like I'm sitting on the sidelines watching the people around me enjoy life, but I'm too tired to join them.
[ ] No energy to play with my kids (ages 1 & 2 so I need the energy!)
[ ] I'm a terrible role model for my kids and students
[ ] I'm a kindergarten teacher and I want to be a fun one, not a lazy one.
[ ] I have very little energy in general
[ ] My husband and children are thin, I hate being the fat one. NOT that I want them to be fat! Lol
[ ] I have no sex drive, and on the rare occasion that I do, sex isn't enjoyable because it's so uncomfortable
[ ] I can't take baths in most bathtubs
[ ] I can't paint my toenails
[ ] I can't cross my legs
[ ] I'm close to being too big to shop at Lane Bryant, currently in a 26/28. And I am too big in my stomach and upper arms to wear a dress shirt, because the largest size doesn't fit
[ ] I am the heaviest person I know
[ ] I don't fit in regular bathroom stalls
[ ] I don't fit in booths
[ ] I burn up in the summer because I hate wearing tanks and shorts
[ ] I don't take my kids swimming because I don't want to be seen in a bathing suit
[ ] I never feel feminine because I can't wear cute clothes and I sweat all the time.
[ ] I got married in a courthouse and would love to have a vow renewal ceremony, but right now the thought of everyone looking at me in a giant plus size wedding dress looking like a human marshmallow is not pleasant.
[ ] I don't fit in roller coasters or any amusement park rides, and I don't even have the courage to try an airplane
[ ] I can't walk up a single flight of stairs without struggling
[ ] Constant lower back pain
[ ] Severe flare ups from my hydradenitis suppuritiva, causing bad skin infections in skin folds
[ ] My lower arms don't actually touch my body when I put my arms by my side because the amount of fat on my upper arms pushes them out so much
[ ] Laying on my back and feeling smothered because the fat from my chest and neck make it hard to breathe

Before - May 2013 @ around 300 lbs.
Current - today @ 265 lbs
I'm 5'3
I'm a work in progress!!!

[ATTACH]17563[/ATTACH]

2 and a half months out. Started at 311 lbs, currently 245 lbs. Loving life

I had my surgery July 25th, my 3 month appointment was yesterday. I've lost 43 pounds since the day of surgery. 72 pounds including pre op. High weight was 311, DOS 282, current 239. I'm 5'4.

I'm a slow loser but it's all good .... Eventually I will get to my goal weight
Sw271
Cw205

My husband and I took a impromptu weekend get away to go see Peyton play in Indy and spend a day in one of our very favorite cities Chicago. We've been there many times but I can't begin to tell you what an incredibly different experience we had :
*no panic feeling when we didn't get upgrades to the big first class seats and I ended up in the back row of economy in the middle. I didn't get that "great the fat lady is sitting in the middle seat" look.
*Nexr AND THIS IS A BIGGIE. The seatbelt fit without any hesitation. This was such a big accomplishment because prior to surgery I was very close to needing an extender particularly on small planes. IN FACT I had to tighten it and has a good foot and a half of seatbelt left. I was so incredibly proud of this I immediately sent a pic to my Mom. (I was going to post it but as I was showing pics from our trip it was weird when I scrolled through and there was a pic of my lap lol)
*We must have walking for 15 miles that day and I breezed all through Chicago without being a single bit winded or dreading the hills)
*i'm a ding dong and since it's not quite cold enough in Seattle for a coat I just naturally didn't bring one and it was CHILLY so we went to Neimen Marcus and headed to the petite section where I had to ask the sales associate for an EXTRA small since the small was too big. (Which they didn't have) so I ran into Victoria Secret where I DID Buy an EXTRA small I remember walking in there and being so offended that they carried very few XL's and NO XXL. NOT ANYMORE!
*Often times trips like this we spend A LOT of time eating and every time we smelled something from a street vendor we would eat again and we spent WAY less money almost making up for the $500 we spent on nose bleed tickets to the game from a scalper.
* I hope this doesn't come across as conceded but I was getting tons of people checking me out. They weren't looking at me and (in my own mind of course) thinking I'm on my way to an all you can eat fried food bar and I walked with confidence. Isn't it sad that I was so ashamed in my own skin that when someone DID look at me I felt the need to pull my shirt down praying there wasn't a fat roll hanging out.
*when we went through the gates for the game in Indy I didn't have to strategize on how I was going to move through quickly as to hopefully not get stuck in the turny thing (not to get al technical on you) which HAS happened to me before.
*and FINALLY I ENJOYED myself and talked trash to Indy fans (all in good fun of course) never worrying they were going to come back with a personal joke about my weight. What an awesome weekend.

SW 242
HW 274
CW 170
Surgery date was 2/22
15 lbs to goal.

I had surgery 6/26, down 42 lbs since surgery, 65 from my highest weight of 212lbs. I am 5'0. I am at 146 now and have 21 lbs to get to my goal of 125.

Sleeved 3/25/13 . Have lost 90 lbs total. First photo day of surgery and second photo is about a month ago. I know everyone's photos were inspirational to me, so I wanted to share!

5'7
Start Weight:266
Current Weight:173

This is a before and "during" picture....3 1/2 months out from surgery. Went from a size 26/28 to 18/20 and shrinking! Height 5'5 1/2, age 34. Just starting C25k working around my AS (type of arthritis).
HW 330
SW 289
CW 238

HW: 269
SW: 265
CW: 203
Height: 5'1
Surgery date : July 8th 2013

2 and a half months out. Started at 311 lbs, currently 245 lbs. Loving life

HW- 299 SW- 289 CW- 227 Surgery date 7/3/13

2 and a half months out. Started at 311 lbs, currently 245 lbs. Loving life

THROUGH A STRAW!!!!!!

I am yet to be sleeved (October 22nd), but I give everyone on this forum permission to slap me silly if I ever waste your time with either of the following posts:
1. Dreaded 3 week stall (what should I do?)
2. I have not lost weight in 2 days HELP!

2 and a half months out. Started at 311 lbs, currently 245 lbs. Loving life

2 and a half months out. Started at 311 lbs, currently 245 lbs. Loving life

2 and a half months out. Started at 311 lbs, currently 245 lbs. Loving life

2 and a half months out. Started at 311 lbs, currently 245 lbs. Loving life

2 and a half months out. Started at 311 lbs, currently 245 lbs. Loving life

2 and a half months out. Started at 311 lbs, currently 245 lbs. Loving life

Ok I've been meaning to post pictures of my scars and my not perfect belly...
And this seems to be as good as a spot as any.
Most scars I see here look great..
Mine are extreme so don't let it scare you.