TES

Wishing you all the best!!! :)

I didn't use a straw for the first 6 to 8 weeks but now I occasionally use them again. I like the bigger ones that allow you to get in more liquid and less air when I do use them.

I have always disliked drinks like G2, but after surgery my husband bought me some so I wouldn't get dehydrated, and I sort of craved it. I would dilute it. Now at over 6 months post op it doesn't really appeal to me anymore, but it was a great option when I was on full liquids. My surgeon recommends it for that phase.

I would let her know that fewer than 5% of people who lose weight thru lifestyle changes alone are able to keep the weight off. The rate of loss and maintenance is exponentially higher for people who have surgery. It's a tool...you still have to work--but it definitely adds to the likelihood that you will succeed.

congrats on getting an earlier surgery date! What is your concern over the dinner and wedding--what you will eat? Are you on a special pre-op diet? I find at things like this, no one really pays attention to what others are doing. I'm sure that you can finesse it and stay true to your plan. Just get out on the dance floor. Plus it will be nice to have the wedding to keep you busy while you are anticipating the surgery. Enjoy!!

I would think that would be highly unusual/unlikely based on posts I've seen here.

yes, my restriction definitely varies. I notice that I have more restriction premenstrually, which is probably a good thing bc that's when I have the most cravings.

WTG Ballermom!

158 sounds like a great goal for your heighth! Keep up the great work! :)

my plan was similar--it's because your stomach is healing. I know it's difficult, but it's to help you heal. Hang in there!

When I don't want to heat up the oven, I cook asparagus or green beans in a really hot cast iron pan with a little grapeseed oil (any high hot flash point oil will do). Comes out all crispy like the oven and doesn't heat up the house.

Congrats! It's nice that you don't have a long wait before the surgery. I like to mix mine with sugar-free hot cocoa (not too hot or it will get clumpy) or with leftover coffee (usually over ice for the coffee/protein powder mixture). You can also get unflavored Protein powder and add to crystal lite.

Wishing you all the best!

JSD, I'm so very sorry to hear about the loss of your dear mother. Her love for you was apparent in her posts.

I don't think they ever go away completely, but at over 6 months post op, mine have faded by about 50 percent. I use Mederma very rarely--just always forget or don't want to get it on my clothes.

Many people say the hair loss starts at about 4 months. Mine started at 3.5 months. I'm now about 6 months and 1 week post op and the hair loss has slowed significantly even though I'm still losing weight. I would say I'm at a normal pre-op rate. I am using L'Oreal strengthening shampoo advertised by Jennifer Lopez. I was using the prescription Nioxin and it wasn't doing much and I thought what the heck.

The only thing that changed with my tastes post-op is that freshly ground black pepper tastes way too strong. I used to love it, but now I eat it out of the shaker, which really doesn't taste like much at all. I never lost my taste for any food. Post-op I couldn't eat what I wanted of course, but I remember recovering from surgery in my room and dreaming of a baked potato with broccoli and cheese. Food wasn't appealing for a few days after, but for most of the 3 weeks that I was on full liquids, I was dreaming of food. I do like that I can have a few bites of something now and feel totally satisfied.

I'm so very sorry for your loss of the family patriarch. It sounds like he had a great run, was much-loved, and that he will be very, very missed. I know you are overwhelmed and have a lot to do, but the only things I can think of that might help are to try some hot tea and make sure you get in plenty of Water, because it's hard to overeat when you are drinking enough. And maybe some physical activity will help you feel better emotionally, even if you only have time for a short walk. Take good care. Hope the coming days are filled with the love of family and sharing of some wonderful memories. With heartfelt sympathy, -TES

Looks good--wonder how it would be subbing the cream for milk or almond milk? Would be pretty high in fat.

How far post-op are you? do you mean Activia? (autocorrect on phone?). I only ate plain yogurt for about 4 months post op but recently I have been in corporating some of the Chobani 0% Greek yogurt with fruit on days when I am having a few "good" carbs like fruit (I like to alternate really low-carb days and moderate carb days). It would be best to ask your RD.

At first when I read this I thought you meant you had this stuff 1 week post-op. You'll be grateful if you stick to your plan pre-op because you'll have that much less to lose after surgery, but what you had wasn't so bad. Just make sure you are very, very faithful to your post-op diet, because in that case it can be literally life and death.

I'm down more than 50 lbs since surgery and more than 70 lbs total (including the six-month pre-op diet)! Surgery on 2/5/13. I am doing the 5:2 Mosley fast and it's really getting the scale moving again. I feel good on it, too.

That makes sense--plus we can't lose fat cells once we have them--they just get smaller (sort of deflated).

I know it seems counterintuitive, but when we have been obese (BMI of 30 or greater), it actually lowers bone mineral density and puts us at a higher risk for osteoporosis. This wasn't always what was believed but it's what more recent studies are showing. I only know this bc I'm a medical editor and was just working on an article on this topic--I was shocked! http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/721071

Congratulations on your weight loss. Can you try to eat smaller amounts of more calorie-dense foods...even something like milkshakes or ice cream? How tall are you? I don't like that the BMI charts don't consider how big-boned someone is. If you have a large frame, underweight for you may be a at a higher weight than what the chart says.