1Cor2:9

If you are interested I have a recipe for breakfast bars that you can add more protein rich ingredients to. Since you can adjust you you can add what you like to taste.

2 lbs down. Not the best, but not the worst. Soon I will just be severely obese and not morbidly obese. A total of 70lbs is gone. I am three pounds away from my Easter goal. Let's get it!

I am a little more than three months out from surgery and 70lbs down. My surgical team asked me what I am doing to be so "successful" and I thought about it and I decide to post those things here. Let me say this, I know I am new to the game. This post is just to share what I am doing. I am no expect and I am sure there are things I can do better. If you are interested read on. 1. I meal plan. Usually on Sunday I cook for the week. I make my Breakfast dish, lunch, and dinner for the week. I also make Protein Peanut Butter balls on this day as well. It helps me save money and have a better idea of what I am eating. 2. I use children's serveware. This helps me to control my portions and using children's silverware helps me to eat slower and take smaller bites 3. I take my Vitamins daily. 5. When I can I measure my food 6. I try to high protein content foods 7. If I snack I eat a high protein food 8. I add Protein powder when I cook whenever I can 9. I only drink Water 10. When I find a trigger food I leave that bad boy alone! 11. Leading up to surgery I read books and articles about VSG 12. I have a weight loss journal that I write in almost everyday 13. I try to regroup quickly. If I do not well one day I make adjustments to eat better the next day 14. I watch videos and read things on BP that have been helpful 15. When I do not meet a goal I make a new goal 16. I remember when that God has given me a gift and I do not want to waste the gift 17. I take water with me whatever I go 18. I use a high protein cookbook 19. I realize that I have not made it across the finish line and I have to keep going 20. I realize that every month my period vexes my weight loss agenda and then it goes away and I prevail! 21. My prayer partner and I talk about my progress every week and she prays for me 22. I have a surgery buddy I am sure there is more than I could be doing. My goal is to be 100lbs in three months time. If I am not there you know I am going be smaller than I am now.

To tell or not to tell. I recently watched a video that has discussed the topic of should people tell, not tell, or lie about having VSG. This is my thought about it whatever decision you make it needs to be right for you. I would say most people who know me do not know I have surgery and that is by designed. When people tell me that I am losing weight I just say thank you and keep it pushin'. So far I have lied about what I doing to lose weight. I was in a classroom because I was about to tutor a student when the homeroom teacher asked me if I was losing weight and I said yes and simply walked away. Not even a few minutes later she walks to where I am and ask what my secret was. I told her I am doing the normal things to lose weight. Usually when co-worker ask about work it is when I am in the hallway and I say thank you and keep walking away before I get more questions but in this situation I could not walk away and at the same time I did not feel it was any of her business. What are your thoughts? Did you tell everybody? How did you decide whom to confide in and whom to keep in the dark?

That lady does not listen. I am however going to ask my team about a team about finding a PCP who is used to treating bariatric patients.

Thank you!

Yesterday I had the fine pleasure of having my three month follow up, an appointment with my PCP, and blood work to check my levels. I had the follow up first. It seems that most of that appointment was centered around how I feel about my progress. Before I get into how I feel let me share with you what my progress has been. I am very close to being 70lbs down three months out from surgery. I had no complications. I mostly stick to the plan that was given to me by the dietitian. I drink Water pretty regularly and take my Vitamins everyday. I work out for at least an hour four to five times a week most weeks. According to my team I am losing weight at a rate that is faster than most patients they see in their office. How do I feel about it? Well I am not entirely sure. I know that I am not upset about losing weight. At the same time I know that I am still obese. When I was heavier I could do all the same things I am doing now. Perhaps I can do them somewhat better now, but it is not as if I was immobile and now I can walk. When I was heavier I still had to walk the dog and walk to get all my errands done. Having said that, climbing stairs is less of a pain for which I am thankful. The nurse said, your blood pressure is prefect, but my blood pressure was fine before I had surgery. When the nurse said that my blood pressure is better than his I replied with, " with black don't crack!" Haha. That is why I am losing fast because I'm black! (Calm down love, I am joking, My race has nothing to do with my progress) Do you feel happier? I have a natural melancholic personality, so no. I am just not at the place yet in which I feel accomplished about what has happened. so far or shall I say fully accomplished. It will come along it just is not today. I can live with that as long as I do not waste the gift I have been given. They asked me if I wanted to speak on my "success". I have not gotten to the point in which I feel successful. I am not a year out yet let's see if I am success in a year, two years, three years time-- twenty. What do I have to share with anyone? Do what you been told by the team? Ha! I made a deal with them if I am 100lbs down by June 15 that I would speak at the support group. My PCP on the other hand was support and not as per her usual. You need to work out more. Oh, I do? Then she showed me exercises that she thinks I should do. Now people I have no intention of doing them. I believe that what I am doing is fine. Yes, I will need to change things over time, but for the most part think I am okay. She also told me to stop drinking soda, but I do not drink soda and I did not drink soda even before surgery. Sidenote, I love how people assume that obese people just like to eat and drink everything without preference. There were all kinds of things I did not eat before I had surgery. Like soda, brownies, cotton candy, saltwater taffy, coffee, tea, meat, shellfish, and so on. But let me get back to the point. My PCP is not great at listening, so I try to take things in stride. My thought was I know I exercise more than you old lady. Tell me to my face again I need to work out more, but I did not say those things. I know I am going to make it. One day my obesity will be my past. And the fact that black don't crack will help me as well. Ha! had to bring it back one more time.

Yup I actually have read that one. But I agree it is a good one.

I have had surgery canceled due to insurance issues. My surgeon was not a part of my medical group, but everyone involved thought he was. However, I still had it just some time later.

I only lost one pound this last week. I am now 235. I know when I am close to my period I tend to lose less. With that in mind I am going to keep pushing and be thankful that it was not a gain.

On the veggie max comes a soy protein patty

Earlier this week I had something happen that made me think. I decided that I would try Subway for the first time post op. I knew two things going in 1) just get a six inch , as if I could finish even that, and 2) get a Soup as a side, I have learned that chips are my downfall. In an attempt to lessen the carb load I got flat bread. I walked in and I place my order for a six inch veggie max sandwich. The sandwich artist, as I think they are called, asked me if I wanted another sandwich. I said no and then he asked again and I gave him the same answer. Now this individual did not ask anyone else in line if they wanted additional sandwiches, so I came to the conclusion that perhaps it is because of my size. I am 70lbs down, but I know I am still heavy. Some may say do not take it that way. I can see that, but just stick with if for nothing else the topic of this post. By the way, before I get "those" type of post. I was not distraught over the situation. I know what I am doing to be a better me. It does not matter what a stranger my think or perceive. Have you had a situation like the above happen to you? Did it make you want to scream, "Hey, I am doing something about my problem!"? How did you handle it?

The question is, how is one possibly supposed to eat a HALF CUP of edamame AND something else post-sleeve? My protein goal is 100 grams a day. I eat 5-6 times a day. I am 18 months post-op. This means I need ~20 grams of protein for each meal/snack. If I eat a half cup of edamame for 12 grams of protein, where is the other 8 grams coming from? How am I going to have room for it? And remember, the OP's fiance was just sleeved last week. He is a loooooooong way from being able to eat 1/2 cup of food in a sitting. That's not to say edamame isn't a great choice. If you insist on having "sides" with meals still, it's an excellent option since it has its own protein. Definitely better than just some lettuce in a salad or something.

The High Protein Vegetarian Cookbook Hey that's interesting, hadn't thought of veg really as a source of enough protien, save Beans ans legumes. We like edamame and I was thinking of making an edamame hummus for Fiance's puree stage. What's the name of the cookbook you mentioned? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using the BariatricPal App

Umm..it's only March of 2016. Are you posting from the future?

This week I will be three months post op. So far I have lost close to 70lbs. I was wondering when do people typically start to get loose skin? I know everyone is different and some people get more than others and some do not get any at all. I was thinking that perhaps if I am to develop loose skin that it may start to happen once I am 100+lbs lost. I would love it if I had no loose skin. I really hope that exercising will help in that regard. Let me know what you think.

On Dec. 16, 2016 I was sleeved after fighting for it for more than two years. When time came my insurance covered all the cost. I had support and so on. Presently I am close to being 70lbs down. I feel much stronger. Through exercise I am having more energy to tackle my day. I am saying all this because I realize one truth-- God alone enabled me to even begin this journey. There are many in our country and elsewhere whom could even dare to dream to have such an opportunity. I am very thankful for His mercy and grace in this situation. He could have seen my situation and left me in it, but He deemed otherwise was best for me. There is this old Winan song "Millions". The chorus goes, "millions didn't make it, but I am one of the ones who did." Now this song is not talking about salvation and not WLS, but think the truth still applies. God doing a work that only He can do. If you are interested the link to the video is below. https://youtu.be/lAYlzprgzJQ

I am a vegetarian. Therefore I get the most of my Protein from plant sources. So the idea that one has to eat the protein first and then the vegetables is not true. If you make a dish with high protein grains and vegetables and add a meat to it that seems to me to be a protein powerhouse meal. I mean a 1/4 cup of roasted edamame has 12 grams of protein. Think about it. I am not trying to convince you to for go all meat, but if you were to pair a meat with a high protein you should be okay. I mean if I were to eat my protein first and then my vegetables I would have a problem. I purchased a high protein cookbook so that after surgery every meal would be plant based in high in protein.

Presently a lovely 236! A lose of nine pounds.

I agree. I think we take fat shaming too far. Someone giving guidance, especially someone paid to do so, is not try to make a person feel ashamed. Having said that, the manner in which that information is shared can be done with respect. I was never part of that movement or culture. I don't believe it is possible to be obese and healthy for an extended period of time. It will catch up with you eventually. That said, I don't believe in treating people badly, shaming them, stereotyping them, or discriminating against them based on body size or composition. I think that is terrible behavior. I also don't think that a health care professional telling an obese person that they need to lose weight is "shaming" -- but everyone else needs to STFU.

I am wondering what some of you may think about the Fat Acceptance movement along with the FA, fat admirer, subculture. Were once a part of the the movement? If so what made you decide to get sleeved? Were you ever in a FA type relationship? For myself, I have not participated in either. I suppose the one aspect of the Fat Acceptance movement that I would agree with that is that people should not be mistreated or discriminated against because of their size. I am not sure about the rest. Although I have been sleeved I still affirm that beauty comes in all sizes and shapes. If you share your thoughts I will read them.

I am interested in reading the narrative of people whom have had VSG. Does anyone have any suggestions. I am not looking for advice or guide books, just books about various people's journey. If you have a suggestion please let me know. Thanks!

243. I need to see what I can to increase my weight loss. A loss is better than a gain, but still. Thanks!

I appreciate that!

I would have said thank you and told her to have a good day. Your decision was not about her, so...