Forsythia

Last night my husband went to a concert, so I had a rare evening to myself. I went through my clothes. I threw out a bunch of clothes that were both too big and had issues (ripped seams, holes, stains, cheap construction). I took two more bags and designated those as donateable. One dresses, one pants and suits. I have a bunch of really cute dresses that I am lamenting that I had to let go for being too big. Goodbye navy blue silk bubble hem coctail dress. Fairwell, strapless satin dress with the rhinestone belt detail. Hasta Luego emerald green v-neck with applique detail. I'm just bummed because those dresses were hard to come by and were perfect for what they were for. But I can buy new dresses, in smaller sizes. I like dresses because they make me feel fancy. Ha ha. The bag of suits, one of which I bought and never wore I won't miss as much. I had them just in case I got a job interview. Let's hope no one calls me for a job interview any time soon - I am completely and utterly professional clothes free (my last two jobs in advertising and telecom have been casual - jeans, t-shirts). I also reorganized my bookshelves and added a bunch of music to my iTunes. Most of it from the 90s and early 2000s. Brings me back to high school and college. Today I went to the gym. Still didn't get in the pool. But I did wear a tank top instead of an oversized t-shirt. Baby steps. Did an hour of cardio on the treadmill and recumbent bike. I also did a crap ton of squats, among other exercises. My ass is going to complain about that tomorrow. LOL!

If it makes you feel better, you can probably go back to spicy foods once you are on a general diet. My nutritionist encourages spices and seasoning over frying. I think we all have a food funeral before we have the surgery. My hospital did not require a pre-op liquid diet, just a high protein low carb diet (an Atkins like diet) beforehand. I went out with my family and got the most expensive steak and had two martinis. Mu husband worries about everything, but I had to tell him. I really needed the support post op. I just hope your wife understands and doesn't feel.. betrayed by you not telling her beforehand.

I envy the people who can just walk around half naked and just not give a holy frijole. I'm not that person. I don't know that I will ever be! I wore a tank top to the gym today and I felt overly exposed.

I had a trainer and she was brutal. A slave driving taskmistress. Because of her I dabble in kettlebells (I don't do a lot of fancy expert moves but a basic swing is a fabulous total body move that will make you struggle to sit to pee for days LOL!). I also like using a barbell to do deadlifts. Deadlifts really target the hamstrings. If you are interested in lifting weights, make sure to exercise opposing muscle groups to stay balanced. If you work on your chest, work on your back the same day. If you do biceps, don't forget your triceps. Hamstrings and quads. A lot of people will do ab work but not do low back work - so if you do crunches, do some planks to engage your low back. You don't need to do fancy moves, just make sure to do basic moves with the best form you can. You can always make things more challenging by lifting a heavier weight.

I've always loved swimming. Living on Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana, one of the first things my parents did was make sure that all three of us kids knew how to swim. My mother almost drowned when she was a teenager in Pennsylvania, and she made sure that since we lived in a town on the lake that the same thing would not happen to her babies. We took swim lession at Rogers High school. I always enjoyed floating and swimming and diving under the water, like a fish. The smell of the chlorine and the humid air. At the beach it was always fun to feel the sand sift through my toes as I waded out to the sandbar. What I don't like is swimming in front of other people. Not anymore. I've always felt like the beached whale, the fattest fat person on the beach or at the pool. Like everyone is looking at me and judging. My gym has a pool. A three lane lap pool. Not olympic sized, but a good size for fitness. I'm just so intimidated about using it. I still have my issues. I don't have problems going to the weight room and lifting weights anymore. I know no one cares what I am doing on the treadmill or elliptical. And I'm sure if I ever got to the gym in time for a class after work no one would bat an eye. I know that I am no longer the fattest fat person at the gym (and I never was really, but again, that's my own issue). But in my mind, I still see myself as a size 26W. That's all mental. But there is something about putting yourself in a baththing suit that exposes all of your flaws. Not just those external flaws. The rolls, the jiggling flesh, but the emotional imperfections too. The doubts, the fears, the years of heartache. It is like the act of wearing a skin tight suit puts all of your emotional issues out there on display as well, red and raw for the world to see. I can conceal issues in clothes, but not in a bathing suit. But I know that this is all in my head. But this is one time when it is really hard for me to get out of my own head. I should use the pool and get my $30 per month's worth out of my gym membership.

I'm in Chicago - reppin the NW side. Originally from NW IN (Michigan City). Hi!

Wow! I cannot get more in than 800 calories in at the most. I'm full all of the time. I'm a 4 day gym girl too. I do an hour on the treadmill increasing my incline every 5 minutes until I reach 15 incline and then I come back down and run my last 10 minutes. I also do the elliptical on hills increasing my every 10 minutes. I also do a lot of inner thigh and chest and back. I haven't started ab work. I plan to start abs on my 3 month anniversary. I lose a 1lb to 1.8lbs most weeks but last week was big. I also noticed before a big loss I gain a lb and loss tons of inches and then I see a loss. What is funny is that yesterday I could barely get above 700 calories in. And I worked out like a fiend too. I did get in a ton of protein though. I had a special 4th of July New York strip. LOL! I don't run. There would have to be a hoard of zombies chasing me for me to actually run. I do the elliptical as well. I like to mix it up between the treadmill and ellipitcal. My gym has a pool too. I am thinking of trying it. But emotionally it's a lot harder to be in a bathing suit than it is to be in compression leggings and a top on a treadmill. A bathing suit just puts everything out there. Plus my gym's pool faces a busy street where not just gym members can see me but random people walking by on the street. It's an emotional hurdle I'm going to have to get over. Because swimming burns mad calories and really tones up the muscles with zero strain on the joints.

I just box everything up and have leftovers. That saves me from having to buy a lean cuisine for work the next day. LOL!

You can add me. I'm adiggs2777 (real creative there with the first initial last name and birthdate. LOL)

Pretty much. Liquid in, liquid out! Poo isn't going to become more solid until you are on something more solid. As for too much or too fast.. sounds like you are sipping and being compliant.

The Atkins chocolate Chip granola are decent tasting. 200 calories 16g Protein and 3g net carbs. And you can pick them up at just about any grocery store.

Height, and also body composition - where you carry your weight. I'm also 5'5" last time I was in an 18 pant I was right around 240. Currently I am at 264 and in an 18/20 top, but hovering between a 22 and 24 in pants. I don't have a lot in the boob department, but a lot of weight around my tummy and hips.

I would say go ahead and try them. Can't hurt, especially if you are not getting all your Protein in. If you have more questions, talk to your NUT, he or she can clarify!

Someone asked about calories upthread. I'm 8 weeks out now. My NUT said I should be eating between 800 and 1200 calories daily. I try to get closer to the 1200 calories on work out days, less on the non work out days. So far this strategy has been working well, I seem to be consistently losing weight each week. Every other day I will lose a lb or two. I'm a four day a week work out kind of girl, totally based around my TV schedule (okay not in the summer but during the fall/winter/spring). Today I did 55 minutes of cardio - 30 minutes on the treadmill at 3mph at a 6% incline and then another 25 minutes on the recumbent bike. Then I went and did a lot of chest and back, with some legs and abs. I really burn a lot of calories on the cardio (and I tend to estimate the calories conservatively) so I need to eat some back lest I end up super crabby.

It'll get better. I was so elated when I could eat soft solids and get off the purees/liquids. Purees made me so crabby! It'll get better!

I never really was a thirsty person. Even before, I was hungry, but never very thirsty. I do have to make a conscious effort to get all the drinks in. But no one said everything was going to be easy. I'm almost done with my second 25 oz today though.

Thank you McLuvin. Your name makes me giggle.

Oddly, I've always been okay with exercising. a decade ago I lost 70 lbs just exercising. But unfortunately I did not keep it up. I'd rather exercise than diet! You can get into a zone and just spend an hour or two on yourself and it's nice.

I do love to shop. I'm going to be doing a lot of TJ Maxx/Marshall's/Ross shopping until I get to goal!

I never had any pain, nausea or issues eating. I have been lucky in that regard. I had virtually no side effects at all. I didn't even have any pain after the first day or so after the surgery. I don't get sick from sweets or nauseated when I go for longer than 4-5 hours without eating. In all regards my post op experience has been ideal. I do realize that this is not necessarily the norm. A lot of people have some issues post op. I have yet to experience any hair loss but most people say that takes several months to begin. I am exactly 2 months post op as of this past Monday. Would I do it again? Yes, and I would go in a time machine and do it 10 years ago.

I don't even have big boobs, really, but yeah, I hate when they bounce! The Yoga tank definitely will be worn with a sports bra underneath!

Congrats on joining the gym. I joined an LA Fitness in May, and yeah it was intimidating seeing all of the fit people. But everyone is in their own zone, and they really do not pay attention to you at all. But in looking closer there are lots of people.. older, younger, pregnant, super fit, just starting out and veterans. Yescobar, have a snack about 30 minutes before you go to the gym. Something with Protein and a bit of fat to keep you feeling full. Maybe some lunch meat like chicken or turkey, and a piece of string cheese. I also try to eat closer to 1200 calories on the days I work out, rather than eat less, I eat a bit more.

Maybe your tummy is shy!

Pre-op, yes. If you have to do a liquid diet two weeks pre-op then you can eat them until that point. Post op - no, not until you are allowed back on a full solids diet. Which, depending on your surgeon could be one month or several months! My biggest issue with the bars is that a lot of them are full of sugar/carbs, so you really have to eyeball the labels!

I lost some of that pre-op. I've lost 40.5 lbs since the surgery two months ago. So that is 20 lbs a month average. It's good to make changes pre-op. That way you get used to doing things differently. Just make small changes. Don't try to go all "whole foods veggies are awesome!!!" and burn yourself out. Just get rid of pop. Swap out ice cream for sugar free popcicles. Start going to a gym and get used to it (okay lets be honest I don't know if I will ever be 100% used to it but I can go to the gym and use the weights and not be all freaked out by the muscley dudebros). And log your food. There is nothing quite as eye opening as seeing that you have eaten 600 calories in french fries written down on myfitnesspal.com for posterity.