roundisashape

84 pounds this morning and still moving along! I had bloodwork 3 months ago, go back for more tomorrow

I used to binge a lot when I was upset about stuff. Never realized that's what I was doing, it just didn't sink in until I couldn't do it anymore. Fast food was a big one, sometimes I'd hit multiple restaurants right in a row, park as far as possible from anyone else, and just cram it in as fast as I could. I was always the girl who brought people birthday cakes, etc, and one time I brought a birthday cake for someone who took the day off at the last minute. I got caught eating it with my fingers in the parking lot. Thank goodness the guy who caught me was a chubby chaser and thought it was cute, I only had to put up with some extra sort of positive attention instead of him running around telling everyone how gross I was.

I nursed a mixed drink at about 3 months while I was on vacation, some sort of blue coconutty conconction, didn't impact me any differently. I didn't finish it because I couldn't hold it all and, like Kindle said, not worth the calories . TBH, I haven't had any alcohol since, so I don't know how my tolerance would change with time.

I use straws, sometimes drink diet soda, do use caffeine about as much as I always did (not a ton, but I don't go out of my way to avoid it) and while I keep my intake pretty low, I'm not starch or sugar free. OTOH, I NEVER drink while eating (more than wetting my tongue if my food is too dry) because it makes me ridiculously sick and I feel like I'm having a heart attack. I also track everything that goes in my face religiously and watch calories and Protein in particular. I do think that we have to be aware of the rules and commit to changing our habits, but that for me it's been important to make sure I can live with the plan forever. I'll never go back to scarfing down 2 value meals in the car, but a teaspoon of sugar in my morning tea isn't the end of the world.

YES! If I've had 2 weeks since surgery that I haven't been bleeding or spotting, it's a lot. I've heard it's from the estrogen releasing from fat, but need to get back to the doc about it. Had to go on Iron, and resisting a D&C. I hope yours straightens itself out ASAP!

Feel better soon! I assumed Actigall was a given if they let you leave the hospital with your gall bladder - sorry you had to go through that

Those first few weeks suck. Flavored Water / tea helps - someone here suggested ice to me at one point just to get liquid in, and that was a LOT easier than just drinking water at first. As for Protein, I second the samples. Nashua Nutrition is a pretty good place to get a variety of flavors and brands - I mixed and dumped more than one shake early on until I found some that were tolerable. For some reason I can never find the option in the menu, but in the upper left corner there's a search box. Just type in "protein samples" and it takes you right to them. I ate Beans and didn't worry about the starch in them, but watched it in other places. Good luck, it gets better!

Sigh! Between that, spending all weekend with a gaggle of 6 year old girls, and my squishy new godson...yeah. I only have one ovary left and it's letting me know I need to get moving, lol. Now if I could just find a man...

Why. The hell. Is a 16W and a 16 a different size? JUST MAKE ALL THE SIZES AND ALL THE MEASUREMENTS THE SAME FERCRYINOUTLOUD!!!!!! XL fits beautifully here, 3X cuts off my circulation there...sigh. What I wouldn't give for some consistency!

So relieved I only get a runny nose! When I sneeze while full now, everything seizes up so hard I sometimes vomit . I'm still going to need to find a way to work "snatiation" into conversation, though - what a cool word!

Ok, being brave! Tomorrow is my 6 month surgiversary, and I'm down 81 pounds so far. Finished the Color Run yesterday and thought it would be fun to compare this year's post-run picture to the one from last year. I couldn't have gotten the tutu around one thigh last year!

@@JustWatchMe, I found a sports bra at Old Navy that I'm totally in love with. I keep scanning to see when they'll bring them back, they haven't had them the last few times I went in, but they're sturdy and there's a lot happening in the back. Bonus, it was less than $15! As for the gut-reducing Bra Of Substance, well, the search is still in progress Editing to add: Why, for the love of all that's good in the world, do sports bras come with removable pads? They're pretty much guaranteed to be rolled in a ball and both stuffed in one cup by the time they're clean and dry.

Thanks! I haven't tried the ones that fit under the bra yet - it's worth a shot though! I'd hoped to be able to go without one but that's a big negatory so far

I'm a short girl, with the legs of a dwarf but the torso of a lumberjack. Now my upper belly skin is melting and I have a sad, wilty muffin top even when I'm naked. Actually, it's less of a muffin and more of a failed souffle'. I've been playing with shapewear, but now that it's getting warmer I'd like to reduce one of the layers and go with a longline bra. The problem? All the ones I've tried fit funny. It's like the torso is too short, so they either stop before my upper belly is all tucked in, or my boobs come out the top. I've tried pretty much all the ones available at Woman Within and tried a few on in places like Kohl's, but no luck yet. Anyone know where I can find an extra long-waisted longline bra?

Ahh, nectar - it seems to be a love it or hate it thing. I want to like it, but it gags me. The "milky" flavors are okay, like chocolate and cappuccino (especially if doctored up), but I can only drink the fruity ones mixed with milk. I love that you can buy the portable packs though, instead of committing to a jug of it. I DO like the cappuccino one, made with skim milk, with a bit of espresso powder (I've been using the regular stuff, not the decaf, but it doesn't matter) and a generous squirt of Folgers caramel coffee flavor (0 calories). Blend it up, let it sit on the way to work, then top off the Blender Bottle with ice. It tastes like a caramel machiatto (sp?) and I can't detect the Protein that way at all as long as there's a lid on the cup.

Yup, what they said - it might make you gassy or cause you pain. I'm one of the ones that can't get enough liquid without it. Plus I have sensitive teeth and tend to gulp more WITHOUT one, so I suck down more air that way than using it, so it's not a rule I've ever followed.

I think it's totally a matter of what works for YOU. Some people are affected by carbs a lot more than others. Luckily, I'm not - I was a "huge volume of EVERYTHING" eater. Cutting carbs out works for me, but it makes me miserable and when I lose control, I binge - so I include some in my diet. Not a ton, but enough to stay satisfied. Still hit my Protein goals and stay under 1000 calories /day with a couple of rare exceptions (usually hovering around 800-900), but the variety works for me. Plus the Fiber from whole grains helps keep things moving. Then again, I know people who will stall out if they SMELL bread and they won't lose if they add them. I hope you're able to find your path easily! Good luck to you

Crossing my legs! Wait - oh crap, seriously? I just tried it and I CAN!

Bwahaha! I think I had the same set - my old job brought a guy into the conference room and people signed up. I left the session and went to Wendy's.

Thank you for the kind words - I'm going to go over there and pretend I'm exactly where I belong until I start feeling like it, lol. You're looking great, by the way! I want to be you when I grow up

No guilt! But I'll never not love my occasional peanut butter and jelly sandwich. And I probably eat way too much frozen yogurt, but it's got protein in it, lol. Sometimes that's what gets me over the edge to goal at night.

So other people have mentioned how uncomfortable they are in the gym, and I felt like I've given some pretty good, and valid, advice - don't worry about it! No one cares! And I know from experience that this is true - honestly, I've found that the bigger I was, the more positive feedback I got. Last week, though, I decided to start meeting with a trainer to learn more about strength training exercises. This means I have to move from the "healthy start" side, which is more quiet and full of people I consider to be "my people" - bigger folks, or older folks, or people who are clueless about exercise and just starting out - to the the other side. The side where everyone is wearing spandex and knows what they're doing. All of a sudden, I feel like an imposter that doesn't belong. Then I walked in the "regular" side of Dress Barn instead of the plus side (at about a 16/18, mostly XL, I know technically that there are some more options open to me) but I almost apologized to someone in the section for being in the wrong place. It's just been a weird week for me like that. I need to get over it.

It should be okay as long as the resulting texture falls into the range your surgeon gave you for this stage. I could only tolerate the nectar Protein that early by dipping a wet spoon in it like pixie stick sugar. The fluids are really more important than the protein this early out though - as long as you're getting enough down that's the big thing. I'm impressed too, that you can get that much Fluid in. I'm 6 months out and sometimes I still struggle to get 64! Congratulations on making it to the other side.

I love it - those extra 5 grams are a huge help when you're counting every gram of protein! Doesn't taste any different than regular milk to me.

I've never cheated, not once. Oh, that doesn't mean I eat perfectly! I just feel like there's some room for flexibility in our plans as long as we're getting what we need and staying within the range that we're succeeding at. Since my plan is one I can live with, I don't HAVE to cheat