Ginger Snaps

TMI if any men read this post... but if I don't start my period soon I'm gonna start hurting people... I always gain some weight but I'm only up a pound, so after I start, I'll probably drop a couple. But the PMS is killing me (well, making we want to kill my kids and dogs and anyone else close by)!

And, I've been doing great on my food plan, never craving carbs or wanting to eat unhealthy things but over the past 2-3 days I'm thinking about chocolate and chips and toast with butter and grabbing bites of things as I walk by (even if it's almonds or fruit).

I hate being a girl sometimes...

I think a lot of us are on MFP... At 2-4 weeks out I was only getting around 300-400 calories a day. Now I'm 3 months and average between 600-800. Don't worry too much about calories, just try to get that Protein in. It is really hard to do but will get easier. Don't stress too much... it gets better.

Our bodies are strange how they react. I do weigh every day but instead of letting it frustrate me, I try to use it as motivation.

If I gain, I just use that to recommit to staying on my food plan that day, exercising... It reminds me not to slack up.

If the scale stays the same, it's the same thing -- stay on plan, exercise, drink Water...

If I lose, well, that's a happy day and I feel energized to work out even harder and feel even more committed to staying on plan.

It is absolutely impossible for you not to lose weight if you're staying on the plan your doctor ordered, taking in less calories than your body uses. I saw someone say the other day that it's not a day by day factor, it's a long term one. Water weight, sweating, needing a poo, sodium... all those things can make your weight fluctuate.

Just keep going -- you'll be fine!

It does feel a little like a chore because I don't ever really feel hungry. I kind of eat by the clock and just eat the amounts I'm supposed to. I don't mind eating with the family -- I was always a slow eater but it's funny now that I eat 4 ounces of something and my teen boys have each put away 2 plates of something.

It is so much harder when you're still on liquids or soft foods. When you're able to eat more normal foods, you'll probably feel more comfortable than you do now. And, as you lose more weight and see the results, you won't mind those tiny meals at all. It's all worth it!

Had my three month visit yesterday. I was really trying to hit that 50 pound mark but missed it by 1 pound. Arghh!!

The surgeon was very pleased with my progress. He kept asking about complications or how I've felt, like he couldn't believe my answers about feeling like a million bucks! He told me I looked great and when I said "Thanks to you", he said no, that I had done all the hard work and his part was just a small part of it all. Very nice surgeon!

I told him I would be his poster child for relative lightweights and he asked me if I would be willing to post before and after pics on his website and Facebook page. I told him sure. Well, when I posted my pics on his Facebook page, I didn't realize it would post to my timeline and all my friends and family would see it. I hadn't told them all about having surgery. I got SO many positive likes and comments about my weight loss and not one negative comment about having had surgery.

So, the cat's out of the bag, now!

@Marie8777 We've all been there... the waiting game is tough! I started calling my insurance company and it helped me. They kindlly explained the process, told me the status of my case and even gave me the name and number of the nurse reviewing. I aclled her and explained that my surgery was scheduled for Monday (this was the Thursday before) and that I was really stressing. She had asked some questions earlier in the week and she told me that when they request more information, your file goes to the bottom of the stack again. But, she said since it was so close, she'd put me on the top of the pile and get back to me. About 4 hours later, I got my approval.

It never hurts to call and ask for the status. I think we tend to think of insurance companies as the bad buys who want to deny us, but in my case, they were all extremely helpful and very kind to me. Your mileage may vary, but it's worth a shot.

Best wishes!

My doctor recommended taking 2 Colace pills a day (one in morning, one at night) and getting more Fiber. He said once I was more regular, to drop the Colace to once a day. I chew 4-5 fiber gummies a day -- which is a nice treat because gummies were always one of my favorite foods.

However, I found I had to stop taking Vitamins that contained Iron... nothing else helped. I've never been anemic (even while pregnant) and have never been able to tolerate Vitamins with Iron in them or I would get horribly constipated. My doctor is concerned about me not taking iron and I have to go get bloodwork. If it shows I'm getting anemic, we'll have to figure something out because I cannot live on stool softeners and laxatives. I don't think I'm anemic because I have so much energy and feel great, so hopefully I'm just an iron machine and won't have to supplement.

I use MFP, too and you're right... it does help you see the overall downward trend. I also keep an Excel spreadsheet and calculate my average weight loss per week since surgery. When I do that, I see that on average I'm losing 3-4 pounds a week, even with a stall week here and there.

Very motivational!

Yes. I have to weigh in on Monday and then again in October then I can submit everything again. Hopefully I have lost more this month. Every time I go to the bathroom I weigh myself. And it is always different.

One piece of advice... try to get your appointment scheduled as early as possible in the morning and that morning, don't eat or drink anything before going. I can weight as much as 4 pounds less earlier in the morning than later in the day.

You might ask your surgeon if there is a bariatric coordinator at the hospital or if there is a class to tell you what to expect in the hospital. My hospital had an hour long class where we toured the floor we'd be on and they described every step of what to expect... pre-op meds, starting IV, during operation, recovery, what liquids you'd get while you were there. It was very thorough and answered all my questions.

Worth checking into.

You can always call your insurance company and ask them. I did and they told me the status of my approval and also told me they had 10 business days to review and make a decision.

No harm in asking!

I can remember how I felt pre-surgery... couldn't wait, felt like time was dragging, couldn't get it off my mind, obsessing...

Let me tell you, post-surgery life has been wonderful! Feeling like a million bucks, exercising, dropping pounds, buying smaller clothes...

The wait is SO worth it. You should start now figuring out what foods have the most Protein, trying to cut out bad carbs (breads, processed, rice, pasta) and sodas. However, if you can't do that, don't worry. I had my last diet Coke the day before surgery because I just couldn't stop on my own. But, since surgery, haven't even craved one.

It seems like time's crawling but just try to be patient and you'll get there soon enough.

Best wishes!

@Floridagirl2 Best wishes on your surgery. Follow the plan and you'll be successful.

But remember, as soon as they'll let you, walk, walk, walk!

I thought I saw this posted somewhere here but now I don't.... so in case it's not here... I just found out about an online shop where you can send in your old designer clothes for cash or buy someone else's used clothes at really good prices. Like online garage sale.

www.thredup.com == see some cute stuff there -- and they have plus sizes, too.

@rmckellips -- You're gonna love shopping! It's so much fun to go in a dressing room with a size smaller than you're wearing and then realize that size is too big, too!

As far as I know it's all flavors and colors... I really like the grape Wylers light... reminds me of the purple Koolaid my mom had in the fridge all the time as a kid growing up (yeah, with the real sugar in it). It's still one of my favorite comfort foods when I have a cold or stomach flu -- ice cold Koolaid -- except now, no sugar.

Sounds like you are on track and moving forward!

Best wishes!

I haven't been through anything like that but you DID say "any advice"...

It gets better. Once you get past the initial shock of surgery, you will start feeling better every day and get stronger. Be your own best advocate -- call the doctor when you need to, demand they listen if it doesn't seem like they are and take the best care of yourself you possibly can -- it's your time!

Best wishes!

I agree with a lot of other posters -- you look beautiful but the dress does seem a little old or frumpy for you. Personally, I don't believe in that "little black dress" theory -- black looks terrible on me. I do much better in bright colors or jewel tones (like dark plum or not too dark navy blue). And a v-neck or scoop would probably be more flattering on you. For me personally, boat necks just make me look wider.

For $20 it's not bad but I think you could do better.

You go girl! One side effect of surgery I didn't expect... how much more confident and sexy I feel! So far, my new man is enjoying that confidence!

I have to put in another thumbs up for Gwynnie Bee... I've gotten some really cute clothes from them (and some losers that I immediately mailed back). I do the 3 out at a time plan, so I always have at least 3 cute dresses to wear that fit nicely. It's been fun having to "dump" my online closet and put smaller sizes in. I think I pay $80 a month and if I went out to buy something in my size, I'd probably spend that much, but now I get 3 dresses instead!

Only problem (and I know, it's a good problem)... I'm down in the 10/12 range now and I'll be dropping more soon so nothing from them will fit anymore... a good problem to have!

Ginger

I had a similar experience yesterday. I've been working out with a trainer since March except for 1 month off for surgery. She did an assessment yesterday to see changes since March. While a lot of things have improved (especially upper body), I'm still tight in the hip flexors affecting lunges and balance. It's funny, she was so easy and gentle when we first started working out and now she gets tougher and tougher each time (because I'm stronger).

Face agilities just like you did lifting for the first time... it's never fun to start but it's GREAT FUN to see improvement and feel your body getting stronger. We all have to just bite the bullet and DO IT sometimes!

Best wishes!

@rockyroad It's one of the rules I was told. Not to drink 30 minutes before a meal or 30 minutes after. The meal should take about 30 minutes, so that's 1-1/2 hours of no drinking. From what I understand there are a couple of reasons... You need to fill up the stomach with food to get that full feeling and stay feeling full. If you have a drink with the meal, you fill up with liquid, too, which doesn't sustain the full feeling. It also washes the food down faster, again making you feel hungry again sooner.

I think it's a very common restriction and I'm sure you'll hear about it sometime during your education classes or meetings with the surgeon or NUT (nutritionist).

Best wishes during the entire process!

I agree completely about the isolation exercises... I feel so much better and stronger and more balanced since I stopped doing the isolation machines and started doing more of the full body stuff. My upper body is definitely improving in strength but there are some things I am not strong enough to do yet so I do still supplement with tricep stuff with free weights... wanna try to avoid as much arm jiggle as possible!

I agree with a lot of the other posters... it's all still new and you're emotional and things will get better.

I actually stopped by Wendy's on the way home from the hospital -- my son was driving and he was hungry. It took a couple of times for me to convince myself and my boys... It's ok for them to eat what they want in front of me. It's my choice not to eat the way I used to but I'm not expecting them to change their way of eating for me. They've apologized sometimes if they're having something I really liked (the brownie sundae) but I just keep telling them and myself that I don't want to eat that way anymore and that I won't feel bad if they enjoy what they want.

I haven't turned down a trip out to dinner yet, even since the first week or 2. I just find something I can enjoy or even sit and drink Water and just focus on the people around me. It's a mind shift but it can be done.

And Red Lobster biscuits? Evil.... :-/