ElyQuint

This is going to sound crazy but I have found a new tool for anxiety and impulse control. I feel silly saying it but I sculpt tiny lil bugs out of oven bake clay. Totally distracts me and gives me that instant gratification. Pick up some crayons, mad- libs, a jigsaw puzzle, paint, play dress up, paint your face, ect. Anything silly and playful that provides instant gratification and has nothing to with toxic, grown-up ideas about life & responsibility!

I can't tell you how encouraging that is! I'm exactly 200 this morning so any minute now! I never miss an excuse to celebrate! I might have to splurge on a massage! I want to show my body some gratitude after all the crude abuse and pre-surgery dorito binges it has suffered!

Agreed Katie. My aunt is so good at saying the inappropriate thing that I sometimes wonder if she spends her night coming up with them. I feel bad cause I know I'm guilty of the same thing sometimes. But when someone is intentionally hurtful its a much more disturbing thing.

I must say I relish the chance to respond to rude people and that's why I tell everyone! As far as I'm concerned weight loss or gain is always the topic of other people's conversations!

Thanks for the warning Carol!

I am sharing this because everyone has that relative with an unfortunate personality. I come from "hard huggers" but they always surprise me. Last night at dinner my aunt asked what I planned to do about "all that extra skin". When I said I didn't anticipate enough for it to matter she said "do you think that's realistic?". Now, I'm 5'2 and started at 288 aiming for 130 (anticipating a normal regain to 160). I expect flappiness but not medically damaging flappiness and I personally don't care. If hangies cause rashes i will have it removed. I'm just AMAZED that she thought this was a socially acceptable approach. To be fair, she was raised by hard huggers and consequently has poor social skills. I'm clearly laughing about it but I knew you folks would appreciate it.

No Dr prescribed prep diet here but I did it anyway. My surgeon said its for shrinking a fatty liver to reduce chances of puncture but that my liver wasn't fatty enough to worry. There are so many psychological things to deal with post-op that letting go of food psychologically prior to surgery is like an act of kindness.

I gotta say, there is no easy way to withdraw from caffeine. Just drink lots of water and suffer for a bit. Tylenol if you must. Withdrawal from food is hard enough. You don't wanna go through it all at once. AND don't drink 8 cups the day before surgery or any day if you can help it. Respect the bean!

Oh how I envy you! I stalled out at 200.5 for two weeks now and I'm losing my mind about it (Notice I didn't say exercising my brains out or restricting my weekly wine intake about it lol)! Congrats!!! How are you going to celebrate?

Good catch!

I can't even imagine what you are going through and I am very sorry for your loss. I tend to lose my way when life gets chaotic emotionally, physically and mentally. I'm sure everyone will say to bring it back to sticks and mortar. Go back to shakes and logging your foods and all that jazz and I agree. Its the foundation of your health. My suggestion is to sprinkle your life with radical self love. Nurturing, relaxing, rewarding experiences that make you feel good. Bubble baths, good books, kittens, wine, candles that smell like gardenias... whatever feeds your sense of personal well being. Its the foundation of your healing.

Doesn't really cook it. Chia soaks it up to make is creamy like an oatmeal or cream of wheat and the rest retains its texture. I made enough for four freaking sleevers. Its filling and warming and oh so healthy.

I made a great cereal this morning. Heat 1/4 cup almond milk (5x protein) to just below boiling. Add 1tbs hemp hearts, 1 TBS chia seeds. Grind 1 TBS flax and .5 ounces of coconut dusted or plain almonds and pb2 or reg peanut butter and voila, no oat oatmeal. Loaded with protein, amino acids and fiber.

Depends. I know my own crazy. If I'm close to a goal its everyday to stay in check but if I'm not its once or twice a week. If I get obsessive I stay away. If its a tool for scientific measurement then daily.

I have been sick for like a month. Cold, sinus infection, cold. I've decided to drop the "rules" until this clears up. In other words, I'm upping carbs (fruit, honey, soups ect) and increasing calories using healthy whole foods. This has been my first real sickness since surgery in July and its strange not to be drinking cranberry juice, garlic pizza and chugging water all in excess! My how life has changed.

Hydrate! Get some water with electrolytes and add a lil liquid protein shot from gnc or the like. Also, call your doctor.

I can relate to you both. I am medicated bipolar and there are days now where I wake up poverty-minded & know that the day will be a loss. Antidepressants only manage chemicals that are unmanaged so they won't eliminate normal moments of funk. I am learning to sit in the feelings, rather than sedate with food, knowing they are only temporary. They are my signal for radical self care! I pull up a bucket of hot bubbly lavender water for my feet, make a nutritional shake, put a face mask on and watch an old Jimmy Stewart film. I call these saturation days. I have a list of self love activities specifically for these days. Funk happens.

I just read on pintrist that putting pantiliner on your shirt where your pits are will prevent pit stains. I remember as a sweaty fat girl leaving a sweaty butt mark on the metal chairs in school. Really could have used pintrist then. God I hate being fat.

I was allowed at 6 weeks and have had a lil wine fairly regularly. But be forewarned you may find yourself reaching the "free bird" guy pretty early in the night. I only drink at home now. Lol

I was allowed at 6 weeks and have had a lil wine fairly regularly. But be forewarned you may find yourself reaching the "free bird" guy pretty early in the night. I only drink at home now. Lol

New hair growth might cease but existing hair growth does not. I still pluck daily. Saving for blazer hair removal. Such is life.

Absolutely agree and have used a similar analogy. The mind is like an ant farm. The more often it takes a path the easier the path is to follow. Building good habits is a process of digging new pathways and following them as oft as possible. It gets easier and easier. Being aware of the "panic mode" tantrums that the mind uses to trick you into taking the easier path is key to controlling your response. Its all science. Know your inner A-hole and tell it to F-off hourly, then daily, then weekly, then monthly, yearly ect.

I'm with vogue. I never had much and with all the ups and downs I never had occasion to brag on them anyhow. I'm almost 40 and my goals include the ability to climb trees. If my milkshakes bring any boys to yard at this point I will have them removed! My impression so far is that if you want to look good naked post surgery you should save up for a full body lift and tuck and a lot of scar covering tattoos.

I had heartburn before on occasion and when surgery was done they repaired a hiatal hernia. I get wicked heartburn now if I don't take my prilosec which I always forget to do. It is controllable and will be a focus when I'm closer to goal. I eat a lot of pickles and ginger and drink aloe.

I went with the sleeve because it has the lowest rate of re-surgery and I'm under 40 so the chances of complications from having a piece of plastic inside my body for the next (god willing) 40 plus years were pretty high. Also I don't want reversible, ever. If I need to bulk up for disease fighting purposes in the future, I'm going to become a vegan/juicing/coffee enema performing maniac, not a dorito munching, french fry-o-holic! Pinpoint your weaknesses and figure which surgery will aid self sabotage, then choose against it.