Beni

@@Bronxmerci 166 lbs is fantastic. You look amazing and the new outfit looks very nice on you.

@@smiley922 Great photo. Keep eating, lol. Never thought you would hear someone say that. You look very nice. I know the wrinkles are a distraction to you but you don't look unhealthy. You look fantastic. It is also not uncommon to lose a little more then your goal and then bounce back up. Several people in my doctor's support group had that happen to them.

I have not jumped on the scale in a while because it was driving me crazy. I am not sure if I have lost weight or not in the past two weeks but my belt has moved two holes. Even if I did not at least my waist is smaller, lol.

On getting sick, I completely agree. It is the not chewing enough and eating too fast. I can eat most anything if I eat slowly, take small bites and chew well. The only things that I really have to watch out for for is high fat and high sugar content. Fried chicken skin and cake frosting are both death. If I have either it cannot be more then a single bite with other food. Yes, one single bite of cake is all I can handle. The last time I was sick was a while ago and it was from eating too fast. The chunky mess had to come back up. The horrible part, besides losing my Cookies, is I feel awful for about an hour after and pretty much have to lay down to recover. I even fall asleep for 30 minutes. Not worth it. I find that eating 3 meals and two Snacks works best for me. If I don't have the snacks I get a little dizzy. It's not that I'm hungry but I know I have to eat a little something. Also, if I do have my snacks I am less likely to eat too fast. There are times I will eat a strawberry or a Protein bar because I can feel my energy level drop. I don't let my blood sugar go too low. I can tell I am feeling tired, a little light headed and my neck starts to get moist. It's hard to describe but I know when my blood sugar dips and if you listen to your body you too can tell. I have to be more careful then before surgery because the margin of error is much smaller. But I can also tell that I felt horrible because my blood sugar levels were too high prior to surgery. Sticking a balance with blood sugar levels is the game. I am so grateful that now I can.

Yes, absolutely normal. I had to remind myself to eat, which at times was an issue because I would feel weak due to low blood sugar. Please make sure you eat at the scheduled times as per your plan. I have a Greek low calorie yogurt, a Protein Bar or low fat cheese for a mid afternoon snack every day. I focus on Protein and Fluid intake because both are crucial. 7 months past surgery, I am still not hungry but I can eat a lot more and if I am at the table for a while, I noticed I can nibble for a long time, a small bite at a time. If I don't pay attention I could eat more then I need to. I find the manageable hunger one of the best gifts this surgery has provided. I am no longer a slave to hunger.

Favorite food du Jour Home made Taco salad : ground beef, taco seasoning, sautéed veggies (red pepper, onion, mushroom, black or garbanzo beans), salsa, low fat sour cream, cheese, lettuce and tomato. Because everything is chopped fine, I can eat it with a spoon while I do other things. Super convenient and yummy. High Protein too and I love the leftovers. But I don't mix in the chopped lettuce and tomatoes until I need it. I added crumbled Tofu to the last one I made to increase the protein content and I couldn't even tell because it was mixed with the ground beef so well.

@@amylynns Congrats on the near goal achievement. Well done. I take Centrum complete twice per day. I have a 4 times per day pill schedule. 6:00 AM: multi-vitamin and B12 sublingual drops first thing in the morning with a cracker 10:00 AM: or so calcium citrate petites (has Vitamin D) and Biotin 4:00 PM: multi-vitamin dinner or Bedtime: Calcium and all the other stuff i take for seasonal allergies, etc I try to be careful to to drink or eat any dairy with the Multivitamin because it affects the absorption of Iron. That's why I don't have it with meals. I am glad to report that my hair loss has stabilized but I also have been eating more Protein. Not sure if the protein did it. I maker sure I include a Protein Bar and low cal greek yogurt for Snacks and get an additional 22 grams just with those two things. But I am glad it's not looking like I am going to go bald after all. Still stuck at 177 lbs but all my clothes are falling off. I am at the point were 99% of my clothes look like I am a clothing hanger when I have them on. Silly! When I try my size 22W clothes it's down right hilarious. I am a size 12 right now and a Medium. All my, much celebrated, size XL and L are toast. Have lots of fun in Hawaii!

@@LisaCO Thank you for sharing your friends' stores with the mini bypass. Indeed, this surgery is serious stuff. We have to comply with our Vitamins and supplements or we will get in trouble. I think I have posted before, if I somehow forget to take my pills during the day, I end up having to catch up with two hour intervals at the end of the day. However, there where a few times there were not enough hours left in the day and I had to set an alarm for 2:00 AM to take the calcium. It's super annoying to have to wake up in the middle of the night but I have to take my pills. I feel so sorry for the one who has to have a reversal surgery. It sounds like she has to. But at the same time some of her choices have not been the best. Let's be careful Gladiators. The margin of error is much smaller for us. We can't afford to deviate from the track too much. We had this amazing surgery to improve our lives, both physically and mentally, it would be such a waste/shame if we don't try to be the best we can be. I feel like I have a second chance and I am so grateful.

Weight loss stalls are very common. I stalled for a while at 5 weeks. It will pick up again, I assure you. The not going to the bathroom is a bit worrisome. Please keep a eye on this. I do notice I don't go as much as before surgery. My Fluid intake is just not high enough to have enough to go a lot. I monitor my intake carefully but there are only so many hours in the day I can drink and with meals and wait times, I can only drink so much. Not to mention the tiny stomach. Sipping all day is the game. I used to call it my full time job. The other jobs were part-time in comparison because drinking enough was by far my hardest job at week 5. It gets easier as time passes. I am 6 months ahead of you and I have lost 93lbs. Our stats were not too different before surgery. I was a little heavier but I am also a little taller. I think our BMI is comparable.

@@LisaCO Congrats on losing the Cpap. That's a huge one. World's most uncomfortable device. Hate it with a passion! I am not using mine every night as the pressure really annoys me and wakes me up but it's already at the lowest setting possible. My doctor wants me to do another sleep study but I wanted to lose another 10 lbs before I did that. Didn't want to miss the "you don't need it anymore" by a hair like last time and have to redo it it a month later. Unfortunately, losing another 10 lbs is taking an eternity. I have not gained except for a pound but usually the next day I am back at the same weight. A bit of yo-yo with the same pound is going on with every pound I lose. Not sure why because I eat right. I suppose my body is fighting this losing anymore weight really hard. But after a 93 lbs loss, I should be grateful for what I have accomplished. We should all be as we are all doing great.

Doesn't make sense. You should qualify easily, APPEAL but take a look at the paperwork to make sure all the requirements are fulfilled, the denial could have been due to a technicality. Your BMI alone qualifies as medical necessary.

Wondering what surgery you had because I cannot eat dessert except for one bite with other food or I get sick. I eat Yoplait Greek 100 and it feels like a dessert to me.

Fun, indeed! Let's remember tho catch a glimpse, on a full mirror, of our new shape and stop to smell the flowers. Perfection was not achieved without effort. This is our version of perfection. Yes, with all the battle scars included, we are still victorious GLADIATORS!

Love reading your posts, on bad days, just knowing you are there makes life bearable. Thank you for going through this with me. What a journey!

Hi girls, for sure, please monitor your blood stats. With Bariatric surgery we will have to monitor for the rest of our lives. Vitamins and the dreaded Protein also are part of the package. We can't afford to be "whatever" with what we eat because the margin of error is so small. Because we ate a lot before the chances of eating all the nutrients needed was much more likely but with our reduced stomachs and ability to absorb the nutrients is so reduced what we eat is "CRITICAL." I say this because I too have had ups and downs with how I eat. Fortunately I have done well with my vitamins, except for the occasional forgetfulness. I met someone in BP whose girlfriend was suffering from what sounded like neurological damage due to Vitamin deficiency. It's irreversible and it scarred the living daylights out of me. I even take my pills in the middle of the night if I forgot to take them. Sometimes it's 4 PM and "OH No" I have 4 sets of pills to take 2 hours apart. A 2 AM alarm clock fixes it and it's annoying enough that I try not to do it again. food can be stressful at times. I noticed if I eat a meal with my family it's a lot worse because I eat too fast. I never get sick at lunch because I eat a bite, do something, comeback for another and so forth. At dinner, I sit and I am usually stressed because everyone is talking and at times misbehaving and I just fixed a meal. I'm hot and stressed out. The whole thing does not work for me. I probably should have tea with my family rather then a meal. The past 4 days I got sick after dinner. It's not really the foamies but more like mucus. The nausea is overwhelming and I have to throw up. Then, for the next hour I have to lay down because I get this sense of exhaustion. I wonder if this is dumping? Many days, I survive on greek yogurt, chick peas, Protein Bars, fruit, plain chicken and the occasional saltine cracker. And lots of warm tea. Love how I am not morbidly obese and I how feel better physically. My mind still plays tricks with me and I get easily down when I get disappointed with clothes shopping or life in general. But I bounce back. There is so much to be hopeful about.

Jello arms = 3/4 sleeves for me, but there are such few choices right now. However, when my arms are down they look great. Must practice a life devoid of wild waving, lol. NSV: Jumping into the car trunk to rescue a rogue can of chick peas, like that's what you do. Impossible before weight loss. I don't think my leg could have gone up that far. Life is good!

@@Shadow427 Spending the summer in Cape Cod is a dream. I do understand what you mean about not being able to do what you did without the 85 lbs loss. Isn't astonishing how the extra weight literally sucked the life out of us? I was always jealous of what my friends could accomplish in a day. Specially this one friend, who seemed to be the Eveready Rabbit. Most days I was passed out on the couch by 8:00 PM. Now I can easily go until 10:00 PM and that's after a full day of activity. Now I'm the one pulling my family along not dragging them down with the countless, "you go ahead, I'll catch up." Also, the countless opt out decisions because I just knew I was not going to be able to make it. I feel like singing from the mountain tops ALELUAH ! Thank goodness for Bariatric surgery. It's not always an easy road but the alternative is death bit by bit. I feel like crying for the person I was 6 months ago because I feel so sorry for her.

Does anyone have any idea how to get a hold of Alex Brecher to get the "Ticker" fixed? It's driving me nuts. I pretty much update it daily in the hope that it works. I'm 178 now and it still shows 184.

@@amylynns Yes, I too had the hardest time finding a dress, in fact, I didn't. I wanted something just below the knee in order to hide the extra knee skin. Didn't want a wide skirt because that makes me look huge. Hello, it makes everyone look huge. Don't know who's bright design idea that was. But I also wanted a little shape, not a shift dress because those only look good if you have a body of a 10 year old. Nope, everything was too short or way long and not right at all.

@@tacycakes Absolutely amazing. You and your daughter look like sisters. Gorgeous!

Sorry but I can't spell everyone's screen name right to @ but I love all the pictures and weight update posts. We are all doing awesome. From 50 lbs on our weight loss has been amazing people. Let's not forget to celebrate our mini miracle. This is one for sure!

@@layknee Great suit. You look so nice. When I think of you in your lime green shirt and now the new you, wow what a difference.

@@amylynns Loved all your pictures. Skinny mom. Look at your neck, it's amazing. I have one too, lol. I cannot believe how I can wear all my necklaces again. Things fit so much better. Good luck finding dresses. I had a most frustrating week trying to find one. It turns out size 12 and 14 are very popular. Now I'm competing with "the crowd" for regular sizes. You are having a lot going on. keeping busy has helped me so much with weight loss lately. It feels great to get things done and not keel over in exhaustion as before. I'm loving this new me, aren't you?

Blast my ticker is wrong too. It should say 179 and that I have lost 91 pounds. I have edited the thing twice to no avail. I had a very long stall 6 weeks of yo-yo weight but things are moving again. What changed? I have been eating more Protein ,veggies, fruit and salads. But I am way busier then I was. I am moving all day long. Sitting down is reserved for the car, no kidding. I was getting kind of slow again. No wet noodle syndrome for me anymore. Remember a few months back I was doing all the windows just to move. I am on that mode again. My entire day is filled with activity. It's what works best for me it seems. I am sure I will have stalls again because I am sure my body will need a rest soon. I cannot keep this pace 24/7. I have been shopping for clothing, size 12 now. It's amazing how hard it is to find a size 12. Boy, if I was a 10, I would be in great luck. It seems all the size 12s are gone. I have also noticed because the selection is now huge the shopping is actually harder because to find anything that works, I have to go through so much junk. Exhausting! For example, I have been looking for a dress for 3 days and I cannot find anything I like. Nothing feels right or looks good. So many stores!!!!!!!

@@smiley922 So very sorry for your loss. I'll always remember that picture of you and wonder woman mom. She was a person with a sense of humor. Love that! So glad you were able to share those fun moments with her. People it's what is all about.