esskay77

So, silly questions. These videos you all speak of...do you have a VCR? Is that how you are watching? Or are you watching in on your computer? How does that work?

@@teacherstrube -- congratulations!!!!! That is awesome!

Sometimes at home I just do the old fashioned calistetics! 10 toe touches 10 jumping jacks (though the first time I tried them last year I was amazed that I couldn't figure out how to jump off the ground--it has been a long long time!!) 10 twisties (arms out to the side and twist your upper body to one side and then the other) 10 not sure what to call them -- arms out to the side and bend to the left and then bend to the right to stretch the sides. 10 leg stretches (on your side, lift leg up as far as it can go, then back down. Because I couldn't get off the floor back then, I would do these on my bed until I was more fit and could easily get up off the floor) etc. I even bought a hula hoop and jump rope. With the jump rope, my goal was to jump 10 times in a row without tripping. It took me a long time. Now I'm pretty good at it! Same with hula hoop--keep trying till I have a good run. Spent most of the time bending over to pick it up which is actually better exercise anyway!! lol Things like that.

Congratulations! re your in-laws -- it's better to not have them say anything than to have the say something rude. After reading this forum in the past, I realize that some people actually don't want anyone to comment or say anything while others do as long as it is complimentary. Basically, it's so hard to know how people feel so I tend to not comment anymore either. They may just not know what to say. Or they could be mean people. I don't know. Doesn't matter--you are doing fantastic!

But isn't it so ironic that the boss who treats overweight people horribly, is the one who keeps bringing in food for everyone? Is he trying to increase how many people he treats badly? lol

I also love the Ricola sugar free Lemon Mint cough drops. I don't get the trots but I do get gassy which is a strange phenomenon!! I also take the chewable Sambucol when I feel I am getting sick. They come in Black Elderberry flavor which always reminds me of Monty Python quote: "your mother is a hamster and your father smelt of elderberry" lol

The boss is a moron. They exist in spades at every company. You only see one because there are so few of you in the office!! lol. Trust me! It is rude but you can either speak up about it (which means they will now be tempting you with food all the time which is not good) or you can just ignore it and be glad that you don't have that temptation. I know that the food isn't the real issue, it's how you're being treated but you can only change yourself. As someone once said "stay on your own yoga mat". The nut on the other hand---GGGRRRRRR. This is why I think so many of them are useless!! It is not easy and we can not just "stop eating". So, what to do? I assume you only have access to that one nut in the doctors office? That's how it is at my doctors office anyway. There are a few options. -- ignore them and don't go back (not sure how great of an option but...) -- start attending support groups (which is advisable anyway) -- deal with it -- have an open and honest conversation, without emotion, about how that isn't helpful and that you need to work together to find a real solution that will work for you. That you need their help putting together a plan. Of course, I asked for help with a meal plan from my nut and I didn't get one. I usually just get the smirk and the "you know what to do." THat seems to be the thin they learn in school.lol -- find another nut And check out "theworldaccordingtoeggface.com" for lot's of good recipes and help. I wish you the best of luck and feel bad that you have to deal with these morons but I guess they are part of life.

And frankly, most food restrictions after WLS are likely to be the same things you should be restricting with any diet anyway. Or, you will gain the weight back. WLS just makes it easier to not have those foods later. You CAN lose weight with traditional diets. But I assume, like most of us, you already have, many times.

Thanks for the help!! I appreciate it. I'll try Bed Bath and Beyond as well as Amazon.

My grocery store does not carry Torani or anything like that. I finally found some at a Target but I don't get there very often. When you all say you use the sugar free syrups in these recipes, are you using any particular flavor? Sorry to be so dense! THese are new to me.

Where do you buy sugar free syrup? Can someone post a link? Maybe from Amazon? Thanks

Glad you got it checked out! Are you feeling better right now?

What is sugar free syrup? Like maple syrup? Or torani?

Cool! Congratulations!! lol

Only you can answer that question.

Yeah, I was doubled over in pain at work--lol. Let us know what it was and how you are doing once you see your dr.!

So, first I agree that Laughing Cow cheese is awesome and kept me sane! But... you don't seem to be eating enough Protein. You should always focus on protein first and make sure you are tracking (on paper!!!! it's magical when you do that!!) grams of protein. Protein is what you need and also keeps you more full longer and satisfied longer. And don't forget to chew a lot, don't drink anything with your meals or even until 30minutes after you finish your meals. This will keep you full and satisfied longer, too. you need to keep a food journal. And start to attend support groups for food addiction. A lot of what you are talking about is head hunger (as someone else mentioned) and that is the type of hunger that can do you in. One trick that I learned from weightwatchers years ago (that I need to get back to--lol) is to write down what you plan to eat for the week, ahead of time. What do you want your food journal to look like? Once you have it actually written down, then follow it. It's very easy to do. Well, the hard part is writing it down. Best of luck.

Don't worry about calories. You should be worrying about or tracking grams of protein. That is important now rather than calories. And much easier to track!!!

I wish you the best!! Just note that you will feel some buyer's remorse for about the first week or 2 after surgery. You will wonder what the heck you just did to yourself. This is normal and gets quickly replaced with "why didn't I do this sooner!"

I miss: McDonald's! I used to love getting a Big Mac with extra Mac sauce on the side. I would take out the middle bun and slather on some of the sauce and eat that first. Then slather on the rest of the extra Mac sauce on the Big Mac and eat that with an order of French Fries a Large Diet Coke (mmmm) and an apple pie. It was the best!!! I haven't had any of those since my surgery. I miss: all fast food. That means I have to cook. Crap. I am out of ideas of what to cook. So I guess I miss being able to eat anything. I miss: having all food taste amazing. I have had chinese food since surgery and it really doesn't taste very good. Yes, I realize that is a good thing. lol But the things I don't miss are even more important to me: I don't miss: going to a restaurant and freaking out that the hostess was going to usher us to a booth that I wouldn't be able to fit in. And this almost always happened. Or, my friends would insist on a booth because they preferred that. I would be seething inside and humiliated when I didn't fit. I still cringe when I sit in a booth. I don't like them anyway, especially if I have to sit on the "inside". I don't miss: my fat feet and fat legs. They were swollen due to edema. That's all gone now! But when I had it , it was horrible. It would take me a while to squeeze into my ugly shoes so the Fluid could work itself around and then bulge over the tops. I don't miss: ugly shoes! I still can't wear really high heels but I can wear cute shoes with kitten heels and I love it!! It's amazing how hard it is to walk in heels while carrying all that weight. I don't miss: wondering if I will need an extender on an airplane. I don't miss: feeling like I a wearing a fat suit. It really felt like that. I don't miss: not being able to move much. I don't miss: acid reflux I don't miss: so many more things!!!!! Not being able to cross my legs, not being able to get through small areas, and on and on. And I'm still not at goal. So I only hope my list gets longer!

What does the pain feel like? If I eat bad things or too much, I get a "stitch" on my left side so that's not the same thing I do recall having strange pains, especially to the right of my belly button but it felt like there was broken glass inside. I even went to the emergency room. It ended up being "the staple dissolving". But, it is always advisable to go to the doctor to be sure because we all have our own aches and pains and until a professional checks it out, it's all guesswork. Good luck

I've been told that I am not allowed any carbonated beverages at all. I would think that Ginger Ale (diet or not) is not a good idea. I personally would stay away from it. Especially at 8 weeks post op. Crystal light is a better option.

Only you can decide but I have to ask, if someone offered you a life of high cholesterol, debilitating GERD, chronic back pain, diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver, a compromised LFT from heamacromotosis and medications, low self esteem and hating the way you look, and constant back pain which will keep you cranky and disparing, struggle with daily activities let alone giving up wonderful things like gardening and bushwalking -- are you saying you would choose this option? Because that's what I hear as one of your choices and possibly the one you are considering choosing. Take a sheet of paper and on one side, list the pros and cons of having the surgery and what your life might look like and on the other side, the pros and cons of not having the surgery and what your life might look like. Take a step back and look at the list and be honest about which life you really want. (don't think about the fear, be pragmatic and think about the real pros and cons of each and what they really mean. Best of luck in your decision.

You CAN get back on track. I am in the same situation so am mostly writing this for myself! lol. Get back to the basics. Mainly, keeping a food journal. Tracking your Protein. Protein first! Then veggies. Drink all your Water. Don't drink during meals. Don't drink 30 minutes before/after your meals. STay away from white sugar/white flour. Exercise! CHew chew chew!! There is also something called the 5 day pouch diet or test. I'm going to try that. It's supposed to help you get back on track. http://www.5daypouchtest.com/index.html If you get back to following all these original rules, I am assuming you would be back on track? At least that is what I am hoping and will also be doing. That's the bad thing about cheating. Once you cheat, it opens the door for more cheating. Best of luck--you can do it!!

Everybody is different so it is hard to say. I can tell you that I went back to work around 10 days out or maybe a few days before that. I was mostly tired. Was in meetings mostly but just being there was exhausting but I would also do it again. I think it helped me recover faster. Also, one of the main things that will let you know if you can do it is if you are off the pain meds. If you are still on pain meds, you can't drive. Best of luck.