NewSetOfCurves

@@My Bariatric Life, I could not play your videos @@JamieLogical, Thanks for sharing!!! You are looking GREAT!!!

Hey there @@AutumnPunkin! The pink part that runs along my calf is part of my compression leggings. However, if you're talking about the band below my knee, that is a knee strap for "jumpers knee" (it supports an inflamed tendon). I have a girlfriend that came to visit and she is into yoga. When she came with me to the gym and followed my workout, she also joined me with a closing 20 minute session of abs. She then told me that if I really wanted to put my core to the test, that I should practice doing the yoga head stand (I do not remember the name of the pose). Of course, I could not do it without the supporting wall, but the fact that I could do it (even with the wall support) just amazed me because not even in my youth did I accomplish such a feat. YOU CAN and YOU WILL DO IT! Keep it up AutumnPunkin!!!

You've had weight loss surgery, reached your goal and went the extra step to achieve the body of your dreams by getting plastics! Post your before and after pics here and share your awesome transformation! Inspire us pre-plastic potentials!

Premier Protein has an 11 oz ready to drink (RTD) shake that is 160 calories, tastes goods, and is smooth and easy to get down. Muscle milk has an 11 oz RTD as well that is slightly higher in calories. I am glad that you are eating. Hope you continue to get better and improve on your calorie intake.

I'm sorry your experiencing such difficulty, but not eating is obviously NOT good. You need to force yourself to eat, despite your lack of appetite. Eat small portions every 3 hours. Your body is healing right now and needs the energy to heal. Please don't make yourself sick by not eating.

You can do it!!!

Thank you! Good luck on getting your sleeve...it was the best decision of my life and I hope you find your success with this new weight loss chapter in your life!

Thanks everyone! I work hard in the gym. I do more weight training than cardio and it's nice to see results from all that work!

I personally took on the mentality that I spent my entire life eating what I wanted, when I wanted, and how ever much I wanted. What's a few weeks of eating a restricted diet? I can tell you, now that I'm almost 2 years post-op, that I can eat whatever I want. The extreme restriction of post-op doesn't last. Don't get me wrong , I still have restriction, but I can eat WHATEVER I want--if I CHOOSE. This is a mental game. Psych yourself out. Remind yourself that this food restriction is temporary. You can still go out and eat with you family. Order a Soup or mashed potatoes (that's what I would do when I was at your stage). Before you know it you will be at a full diet. Once there you have to make the choice to eat healthier and cleaner foods. You WILL make mistakes. You WILL falter. And when you do, just get back up and try again. Everyday is a new day. I didn't become a healthy eater overnight. It took trial and error, and trial and error. I do enjoy a "bad" food on occasion, but do you know what? Eventually, once your body adapts to cleaner eating, you hardly ever crave them and don't feel too good when you have them! You've got this. You can do this. ????

Lol! I know hurting yourself isn't funny, but I literally laughed out loud. Congrats on your success!!!

Haha! Thank you!!!

You have the right mentality and it sounds like you know what to do. Get up. Dust your knees. Track your food (MyFitnessPal is an easy app to use), plan your meals, eat every 2-3 hours. Your meals and Snacks should be small calculated calories/portions, that way you are never starving or overeating and you're constantly feeding your metabolism--not allowing it to slow down. Here is an example of one of my days: Morning: *5:00 am-Premiere Protein shake (as soon as a wake up) *7:00 am-slice of wheat toast with a teaspoon of Nutella, sliced strawberries and blueberries OR an oatmeal cup from McDonald's (if I haven't shopped for groceries! Lol) *9:00 am-Premiere Protein Shake Lunch: a lean protein, a small portion of a complex carb (like sweet potato) and veggies (it varies, I usually pre-prepare). Sometimes I'll buy a grilled chicken salad to go when I did not have time prepare my lunch. *2:00 pm- sliced gala apple with Peanut Butter (if you're trying to stay away from sugars, you could do celery sticks with peanut butter, or a cheese stick high in protein with a handful of nuts. *4:00 pm-Protein bar *5:00 pm-Workout time (I take pre and post workout supplements) Dinner: lean protein and veggies (no starches!) *9:00 pm-Premiere Protein shake (I take in a lot of protein because I strive to build muscle mass...helps with muscle recovery and repair!) Hope this helps!!!

I never thought I would be thin again. I never thought I would have surpassed my fitness level as a youth. BUT I DID. I HAVE. AND I Will CONTINUE to STRIVE for MORE!!! I'm so proud of this...I can't wait until I can do it without the wall!

WOW!!! You look fabulous!

I did not read all of the other posts, so I apologize if I repeat some of the same ideas. I too have a major sweet tooth. However, to first detox my body of those sweet cravings, I had to get rid of all of those items from my house. Because if they were there, out in the open or hidden, I would eat them. I made sure not to go shopping or walk into a convenience store while I was hungry or craving sweets, because if I did I would buy them and eat them. Once I sort of got it out of my system, I taught myself to turn to foods like fruits to satisfy that sweet tooth. My favorite sweet snack that kills my sweet tooth is a slice of wheat toast with a teaspoon of Nutella, topped with sliced strawberries and blueberries, and a sprinkle of trivia or Splenda. It is so delicious and satisfying. Or a sliced gala apple dipped in Peanut Butter. Mmmm. ???? You're not alone. Find that will power and fight, fight, fight! If you fall, just get right back up and go again. When you keep getting "up", you'll find that the "falling" becomes less and less!

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When I first started to "really" run (not at a leisure pace; opening my stride and trying to push my limits), I found myself constantly straining my hamstring. I learned to warm up first (at least 5 minutes with a fast paced walk or slow jog) and then to take the time to stretch my calves, quads, hams and--most importantly--your glutes. Your glutes are attached to those hams and you need well rounded stretching to avoid injury. I have not strained or pulled that muscle since! Look on the web for images/videos on stretches...especially for your gluteus!!! Hope you heal soon! ????

Thank you!!!

I agree. Exercise should be seen as a lifetime routine. We need it at every stage and at every age.

Wow!!!! You look great! So much younger, too! Keep it up!!!

I'll be two years out in a couple of months, but here is my weekly weight for the first 7 months. Surgery Date: June 18th, 2013 Height: 5' 6" Starting Weight:248 DOS Weight: 228 (-20 lbs) Current Weight: 140 Week 1: 214 Week 2: 208 Week 3: 210 Week 4: 208 [Month 1, July 18th: 206 (-22 lbs) Week 5: 204 Week 6: 201 Week 7: 201 Week 8: 198 Month 2, August 18th: 196 (-10 lbs) Week 9: 194 Week 10: 192 Week 11: 188 Week 12: 185 Week 13: 182 Month 3, September 18th: 182 (-14lbs) Week 14: 181 Week 15: 183 Week 16: 180. Week 17: 177 Month 4, October 18th: 178 (-4 lbs) Week 18: 176 Week 19: 176 Week 20: 173 Week 21: 172 Month 5, November 18th: 172 (-6 lbs) Week 22: 172 Week 23: 171 Week 24: 170 Week 25: 169 Week 26: 168 Month 6, December 18th: 167 (-5 lbs)l Week 27: 167 Week 28: 165 Week 29: 163 Week 30: 164 Month 7, January 18th: 163 (-4 lbs) Week 31: 162 Week 32: 161

Congrats!!! It's a great place to be!!!

Yes, but if you read carefully, it says, "In otherwise healthy individuals, there is little evidence that high Protein intake is dangerous. However, kidney damage may be an issue for individuals with already existing kidney dysfunction. Increased protein intake necessarily means that overall energy intake must increase or consumption of either carbohydrate or fat must decrease. In conclusion, high protein intake may be appropriate for some athletes, but there are potential negative consequences that must be carefully considered before adopting such a diet." You should always consult a health professional. My story and my diet is based on my own personal research, education and advice from various health professionals. Good luck to you.

Yes! Especially with weight training...protein is essential for muscle recovery/repair and growth! Rule of thumb: 1 gram per body weight.