jen.jones

HW 263 SW 243 CW 211

Jen....we are running neck and neck! Surgery date was 2/18, my HW was 267, my SW was 245, my CW is 215!!!! Do you feel like your weight loss is slow? I'm a little worried...

The blog "chocolate Covered Katie" has GREAT options (often free of refined sugar & low-calorie) for those who crave chocolate but don't want the consequences of eating too much. http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com

HW 263 SW 243 CW 214 Slower than most people, but still losing!

By cheese and lunch meat :-)

I had to share. Oscar Mayer P3 Portable Protein Pack. It's a small serving of meat, cheese and nuts, packaged kind of like a Lunchable. Perfect size, 13 grams of protein. FYI - Target's cartwheel app has a coupon for 50% off, combined with a manufacturers coupon that's stuck on the package makes these little treats about $.40/each! https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cartwheel-by-target/id659563061?mt=8

HW 263 SW 243 CW 218!

HW:262 SW:248 CW:227

Just has my one month follow up! HW:262 SW:248 CW:230 Yay!!!

Here's how I look at it. I do believe the ideal diet is one that is primarily vegan, organic, unprocessed, with no refined sugar, etc. However, seeing that most of us here are in the "morbidly obese" category preop, I think that the health issues related to our weight override all else. For me, once I'm at my healthy goal weight, then I can focus on "cleaner" eating. Drinking Crystal Light and eating beef Jerky is not the path to optimal health, but until my excess weight is gone, I'll make losing that weight my priority. On the other hand, you CAN eat a vegan diet postop. It takes more work and creativity than what our WLS doctors' diets, yes. You may find resistance from your surgeon. However, it isn't impossible. If it's important to you right now in your life to make that change, don't let anyone tell you differently.

$5 cooked rotisserie chicken. Best deal ever. Super delicious and super convenient. I use them for dinner with lowfat homemade gravy (for moisture), added to soups, mixed into chicken salad, with beans for burritos, etc. Then I use the bones to make stock.

Just sent you one, I think.

That's AWESOME. That city can be so DANGEROUS with amazing, so-bad, diet-busting food! My next visit will involve a trip to Swan's Oyster Depot for deliciously guilt free crab legs :-)

I was vegan for a long time, and I'm a chef. I'd guess trial and error for vegan foods; trying to find what works. There a pea protein shake that you can buy single packs of at health food stores. It tastes great to me. Tofu (grilled, in smoothies, chopped into vegetable stock), unsweetened peanut butter (ooh! Maybe mixed with silken tofu to smooth it out, with stevia added?!), beans, beans, beans. Soy milk "shakes" (add cocoa powder, vanilla, stevia, ice...). Field roast, if soft enough. Soy cheese (Trader Joe's makes an awesome soy American cheese). You can top tofurkey (or other meat sub) with a vegetable gravy. In a pan, melt earth balance spread with an equal amount of flour, cook on medium high for a minute or two, add vegetable stock and bring to a boil until it thickens. Season with salt and pepper. OK, I'll stop now!

I'm SO sympathetic to what you're going through. I had my surgery on 12/17, and still am exhausted. My poor husband asked me today "when will I get my wife back?" I threw up from drinking too much water in one sitting twice in the past few days, and it was heartbreaking having my 8 year old daughter (I have three kids) hovering over me, rubbing my back, and asking if I was going to be ok. I just keep telling them (and myself!) it will get better and once I'm better, I'll be better than ever. PM me if you feel like talking more.