MrsSugarbabe

@@tonyyy normal It took a few weeks for me not to be tired. As far as normal. I never didn't feel normal. For me my life have never been the same. When I started losing weight my whole life changed. My husband was never supportive of my decision to have LB. the more I lost the more distant we became. This is why we are now getting a divorce after 26 years of marriage.
As far as the eating. Nothing is ever the same. It's a whole new way of life. I watched everything I eat and how I eat it. I never weighed or logged anything. It just never worked for me. That's not to say it won't work for others. I followed the rules and exercised my ass off.
I'm courious as to what your meaning about "normal "

hello everyone .... And thanks for sticking around. From someone that's been on this site for a long time.... Since 2009.... from time to time a change is needed.... We should never let a few bad apple spoil the whole bunch.
Never is it ok to allow any person/persons to make anyone feel bullied, belittled, unimportant, dumb... Etc. We are all here for basically the same reason.... To be with people that have been in our shoes... We all started at the same place. We were all obese and looking to make a change in our lives for the better. We found this site looking for answers. Answers to questions no matter how large or small. I'm sure if you thought of the question... someone else is thinking it too but may be afraid to ask. NO ONE has all the answers.
So I say.... ask... I'm sure someone here may have an answer... if not, must of us will say... Check with your DR.
So stick around... there are still plenty of the Vet's here with years and years of experience, knowledge and advice to give. Lots of amazing people here with amazing success stories to aspire too...
I'm not going to say the thought of leaving didn't cross my mind... it did. I was going to only because i didn't like the drama..... Then that night I got a PM asking if a member could share my Before/Afters with a coworker... I said sure and the next message was how encouraged he said she was to start her very own journey. THAT.. makes it all worth it... so I stay to try and encourage those who are to come behind me, like I was encouraged all the years ago...

I'm so glad to read this thread and see that there are still a bunch of "vets" out there sticking around for us newbs! Thank you SO much - I love to read through archives, but I know I will need plenty of current peeps around to answer my own questions, too. I JUST joined the site in December, and read a ton of stuff, but somehow I missed the kerfuffle a few weeks ago. I came back the last few days and noticed while reading through threads that people's profile photos were gone, names weren't "clickable," etc. I was so confused until I finally found Alex's post that explained it so I'm more in the loop now!

I have to say, I'm new to this forum but not to forums in general. I tend to see it both ways... on any forum there is usually a core group of vets (or "regs" as they are usually called) that make up the bulk of the posting and set the terms of the culture. They tend to see it as "their" board because of the time they dedicate to posting and building a community. Unfortunately sometimes the culture that builds up isn't exactly what the board admins want, particularly if the board is part of a bigger brand. One of the forums I'm a member of dealt with this issue by just removing the link to the forums from their website altogether. LOL. It's kinda funny, actually, we hardly ever get new members anymore which cuts down on the drama! Better for the blood pressure, bad for the gossip factor.
Anyway, even being out of the loop of the "regs" I did notice some extremely presumptive tough-love going around... I'm sure it gets old for the vets to say the same thing multiple times but part of being a member of a forum is realizing how many people never read a single thing before posting - they have a question, they register an account, they post the question. They don't know that four posts down you just told someone the same darn thing for the umpteenth time this week. So, jumping down someone's throat right away simply for asking a question (even if it's, admittedly, a stupid or reckless one) tends to create drama and then people choose sides and jump in to argue it until the house burns down. Believe me, I'm very used to a blunt tone from my previous forum experience and even I had to raise my eyebrows multiple times per visit to BP. That said, I appreciated the actual message of the tough love even if I thought the tone was overly aggressive, and I feel I am armed much better for the battle to come because of those posts.
However, I also think it's Alex's prerogative to call the shots, particularly as he is a WLS professional with colleagues in the medical community. Protecting your brand is very important - it's not just about your revenue but your goodwill and reputation in the particular community you are trying to reach out to. I cringed when I read that some of his colleagues remarked about the negative feedback they had heard from patients about BP. Ouch... there's too much invested into this website to allow that to continue. He makes the rules and we have to play by them. And, I personally did not see reading the PM's as a big deal - but, that is maybe because I am a longtime redditor, where there is absolutely no expectation of privacy from the admins.
So, like I said, I see it both ways. I see why people were upset and left, and I see why Alex put his foot down. I'm sad that there was a mass exodus of knowledgeable people - but I am so glad to read this post and realized many of you have stayed, and maybe we can use the kerfuffle as a reset button to build up another great, solid community here.
Thanks for letting me ramble!

Thanks, @_Kate_.
I was hoping to easily see a lot of the posts I've missed over the past week. Guess I'll have to search for them another way.

I lost all my notifications too but the new ones will start coming through.
I will 'like' your post so you will see.
Kate

Today is the first time in at least a week since I've logged on. I always go to the "Notifications" icon to check the newest items. Today, the icon indicated there were 30 notifications, however, when I clicked on the icon, a popup said there weren't any notifications. Since it's been several days since I last logged on, I know that is not the case. Do I need to change something in my settings to make this icon functional again? Thanks!

I can see a number in the red box but the notifications will not open.
Any ideas how to correct this ?

Excellent post! Thank you for the reminders and encouragement!!!
My current stall has lasted about 4 months so I'm just riding the wave and doing what I know I should be doing.

I'm a fan of the Great Value Lite (or Dannon Lite and Fit) Greek yogurt. Haven't tried Oikos yet.

For me it depends on the food and how dense it is. At just over 2 years post-op, the ideal MEAL size for me is 1/2 - 3/4 cup or 2 to 3 ounces of dense Protein and a couple bites of veggies. If I take 1 or 2 bites too many, then I'm miserable for about the next hour. I don't like how I feel physically or psychologically when I've eaten more than what my tummy can handle at a meal, so I try not to go there.

THIS!!

For me it depends on the food and how dense it is. At just over 2 years post-op, the ideal MEAL size for me is 1/2 - 3/4 cup or 2 to 3 ounces of dense Protein and a couple bites of veggies. If I take 1 or 2 bites too many, then I'm miserable for about the next hour. I don't like how I feel physically or psychologically when I've eaten more than what my tummy can handle at a meal, so I try not to go there.

@@Walter.Sobchak
I concur with everything everyone has already said, esp. @ShelterDog64.
Like others have said, the person I see in the mirror isn't the same person I see in photos. Those pictures are a rude awakening.
Your health is more important than anything. There's no time like the present to make the lifestyle changes necessary toward being healthier. I had to have the surgery for health reasons, also. Much has improved since that day, but I have to be vigilant and disciplined and stay the course or I will lose ground. The struggle is real.
Wishing the very best to you as you travel along this road.....nothing but success!
I read this article earlier today. It's something to ponder on; I know I will be.
http://www.bariatricpal.com/page/articles.html/_/support/weight-loss-surgery-is-not-the-solution-r651

@@Walter.Sobchak
I concur with everything everyone has already said, esp. @ShelterDog64.
Like others have said, the person I see in the mirror isn't the same person I see in photos. Those pictures are a rude awakening.
Your health is more important than anything. There's no time like the present to make the lifestyle changes necessary toward being healthier. I had to have the surgery for health reasons, also. Much has improved since that day, but I have to be vigilant and disciplined and stay the course or I will lose ground. The struggle is real.
Wishing the very best to you as you travel along this road.....nothing but success!
I read this article earlier today. It's something to ponder on; I know I will be.
http://www.bariatricpal.com/page/articles.html/_/support/weight-loss-surgery-is-not-the-solution-r651

@@orionburn
Everything that @@JamieLogical said.
In the very early days, for me, it was all about MEASURING out 1/2 cup or about 2 oz. of whatever I was going to eat with the first item always being Protein. Sometimes the 1/2 c. or 1-2 oz. was more than enough. The times that I ate 1 or 2 BITES too many, I was very uncomfortable for about a hour. And anytime I added a new food (according to PLAN), I started with 1 or 2 small bites to make sure my new tummy didn't reject it. I consider myself very fortunate in that my taste for everything I liked pre-op did not change post-op (that can be unfortunate, too, because of the bad choices I could make). Also, I never threw up and only had food send me to the bathroom a couple of times, and usually only because of those 1-2 bites too many. Even now, that 1-2 bites extra can make me miserable so I have to stop eating before I get to that point. My typical MEAL VOLUME now is 1/2-3/4 cup or about 2-3 oz. of dense Protein and a couple bites of veggies. I still have great restriction; however, I have to be very cautious about what they call SLIDER foods, and I don't need to be eating those anyway.
It will take TIME for you to figure out what works, and doesn't work, for you; so take your time and don't push yourself. And do follow the guideline about not drinking with your meals or 30 mins. before and 30 mins. after eating (at least those are my guidelines). It does make a difference.
Best wishes and good thoughts to you!

I treat carbs like an indulgence, I try to keep my intake as low as possible, but will some times include them for variety. At about a year out I'm mostly concerned with maintaining Protein intake and making sure that I'm getting enough calories in a day to keep my metabolism happy while continuing to loose weight.
I would say it makes more sense to avoid them while you are trying to loose. Once you hit your goal weight and have begun to maintain that weight I think it's acceptable to start including them more as long as it doesn't impact other goals or cause regain.

I feel like some of the people who advanced food stages too quickly wouldn't be around to share their experiences with you because they would either be dead or so unsuccessful with their WLS that they would be ashamed to post here.

There's going to be trial and error. There is no avoiding that. When you are immediately post-op, you should weigh/measure your food and eat on a schedule. The surgery will damage the nerves in your stomach, so you will not have any true indication of "full" or "hungry" until you are healed up.
Once you are on solid foods, you are going to probably overeat a few times or eat too quickly. You will figure it out though. I would say it took me maybe a month or two once I was on solids to be able to eyeball foods and know how much I could safely eat.

Very well stated.
Thank you for staying, @@gowalking!! You are an inspiration and I appreciate your honesty and wisdom based on your experience.
Happy "anniversary!"

Very well stated.
Thank you for staying, @@gowalking!! You are an inspiration and I appreciate your honesty and wisdom based on your experience.
Happy "anniversary!"

Hi all. I'm not going to go into all the drama around here. You all know what's been going on so no need to hash that out. I'm well aware that as I am four years on these boards, I've been around for alot longer than most vets and certainly alot longer than the new folks I've seen come and go. The reason why I stay even with the nonsense going on is noted below. If you want to hear/read at least this vet's thoughts and opinions, feel free to continue with the following:
Without pointing fingers, I can see that my suspicions are likely accurate. When people leave, they often do so because they have/are gaining the weight back. I've seen some of my peers (those who were losing as I was losing back in 2013 and 2014) come back here and kudos for them for doing so. To a man (or woman), they are saying they have lost their way, gained the weight back, etc. etc. etc.
I've also gained back. I was as low as 115 lbs. and now I hover in the mid to high 130s. Some of my clothes are too tight and that bothers me. I feel bad when I see the scale go in the wrong direction, but I fight it every day and try not to have that number creep up any further. Being on this forum and going through my struggles, helps to keep me accountable. If I leave, I fear that I will cut off the thing that has helped me the most, which is to hold myself up as an example of how this WLS so profoundly changed my whole life.
Not everyone has gone through the same metamorphis as I have and I understand that. But to say that my life was horrible when I was obese and immobile and now is normal because I fit anywhere and can walk again, can't even explain it all.
I'm happier and more satisfied than I've been in years. I think more of myself in that I take care of me. I work, I exercise, I take joy in my family, heck, I even plunged into the dating world again and somehow managed to find the guy I call MOMD (man of my dreams). He has brought me such joy and happiness and I know we would never have met had I not changed my life. And yes...I dated a number of frogs before finding this prince.
So here I am day after day. I don't post as I used to and truthfully, I don't read much in the way of folks asking specific questions about post op things. I'm too far out to really respond to those queries. But for the folks who are interested in maintenance...and living with the disease of obesity even if we are no longer obese, I am here for that.
Some days are good, some are not. I try to live by example and not espouse any particular way that others should approach their weight loss journey. We all make this journey our own way and while there are many similarities, we are all different and have to understand that. I've seen so many posters who were my support drift away and while I hope that they are just out there living their lives as successes in terms of their weight loss, I fear that for many of them, they have slipped up and gained the weight back.
For those just starting out or fairly new to the process, it's all about losing the weight. For those like me, it's about maintenance. And with any lifestyle change, the maintenance is the hardest part. I've very few peers left on this forum but I stay because if I go, I have none of you to make me accountable.
I just hit my four year anniversary. I always posted in prior years, but did not this time but I decided to put this out there and make it my 'anniversary' post.
Here's hoping that what I wrote helped someone out there, be they years away from their surgery, or those who are pre-op and everyone in between.

I registered to receive my copy of the Fresh Start Bariatric Cookbook, but when I received the email and click the link for the download, The Best Bodybuilding Cookbook downloaded instead. I'm waiting to hear back from the publisher as to why this happened. There should still be some good recipes in it and let's face it, we are in the bodybuilding business as we adjust to a new live with our sleeves.

Like @@Travelher said - fruit juice is not a good option. From a nutritional standpoint you might as well drink a coke and take a Vitamin C tablet. Once you remove the Fiber that is in the orange, you are just consuming straight sugar.
And this is from a guy that eats a ton of fruit everyday. But I never drink juice. I will make smoothies out of the whole fruit, as it retains the Fiber. But no juice.

Beans here get eaten, no matter what people think of the carbs. Rather than think of Protein in it, the Fiber you need for colon health and cancer prevention lines of thought, most are still too attached to it is only for carbs. Yet they'll eat fries, want to drink beer, etc.