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Everything posted by built2livenotexist
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Name something strange and super unhealthy that you used to eat before weight loss
built2livenotexist replied to My Bariatric Life's topic in Food and Nutrition
This may or not be weird, but fingerling potatoes wrapped in bacon drizzled with maple syrup and then popped in the oven until crispy. It was heaven and hell at the same time. -
Expectations
built2livenotexist replied to rgrunge87's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hey, great question! I'm 5 weeks post-op and I'll be interested to hear from all of the more experienced sleevers too! -
Glad to hear you're doing well.
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Survived the Thanksgiving meal. And by that I mean, I didn't drop kick any of my family members
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Thanksgiving depression
built2livenotexist replied to tazpur74's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I'm sorry you're feeling low about not being able to do the usual. I am 5 weeks out but I'm not missing the old way of eating at all (hope it lasts). I do miss crunchy textures, but I'm committed to seeing onederland before I even think about a chip. I am baking and cooking already for tomorrow and I've employed my siblings as tasters. I am so glad that I won't be gorging myself tomorrow! This time of year was always a prime excuse for me to quit dieting and exercising. There were a million things to do, decorating, shopping, wrapping...By mid-January I was always disgusted with myself. Repeat yearly. I'm glad to end that cycle and I'm so grateful for this tool and there is no way I'm going to take a day off; especially when I know there'll be another one next year! Happy Turkey Day! -
Do you enjoy cooking still?
built2livenotexist replied to kajunqty's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I still enjoy cooking very much. Especially, the prep work which has a calming effect on me. It's odd to me, but I'm not interested in the same kind of food that I was before the surgery. I expected to be in mourning but I'm not. Reading labels, tracking and weighing everything has totally changed the way that I see food. I'm excited about some great clean and Paleo recipes that I've saved for future use. ..now if the rest of the household were excited. ..... -
NSV - Crossing my legs!
built2livenotexist replied to audefacere's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Me too! It happened for the first time on Friday while I was in my therapists office. I looked down and said, " Hey, I'm crossing my legs!" Then I started bawling. I hadn't crossed my legs in....I don't even know how long. This was the best NSV yet. -
carbs.. when are they allowed?
built2livenotexist replied to dacosta.juli's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I was able to have potatoes during pureed stage. I use the tiny Yukon gold potatoes an boil and mash them myself; no butter or milk and I limit myself to an ounce or less and only after my protein. As for pasta, rice and bread..none of that until 6 months post-op per my instructions. -
How to end the stall
built2livenotexist replied to bookgirl1972's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
My stall lasted for 2 weeks as well. The scale bounced back and forth between 239 and 241. I finally stopped looking after a week. It's frustrating, for sure! I stayed on my plan part of which is logging everything. I raised my protein and caloric intake and cut carbs down by about 15g when I did that the scale moved. I'm not positive that that's what broke the stall but it was the only thing I changed before beginning to lose again. -
I have only told one of my friends out of several dozen that all move in the same social community where I live. It's been difficult for me to keep such a huge life event from my two besties who are also both morbidly obese. As much as I love my girls, one of them in particular has a huge mouth and I am not interested in our whole social circle knowing about my sleeve. I am not asking for tips on lying here, but people are beginning to comment on my weight loss and of course all have noticed that my eating habits/lifestyle has changed. My question is how have you all dealt with the change in dynamic among those with whom you are close? My gfs and I used to all congregate at my house for some food themed hang out and I also throw a couple of parties a year for various occasions which typically revolves around food as well. It's hard because, I'm part of a trio which bonded with and around food and also these lovely women and I have a truly intimate relationship where we really understand each other especially as it relates to weight/obesity and all that goes with it. Part of me feels like I'm leaving them behind. I read the Emotional First Aid Kit so I've been careful not to dominate conversations with tales about my weight loss journey but I could really use some experience here.
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Ding Dong the stall is dead! Woo-hoo!
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How to deal with fat friends
built2livenotexist replied to built2livenotexist's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I can't speak for anyone but myself @@VSGAnn2014, but nobody helped me get fat or stay that way but ME. I work in the field with the population you mentioned. The subculture mentality happens when a person is participating in a set of socially undesirable behaviors, surrounds themselves by people who are doing likewise and when confronted about said behavior cries 'but everybody is doing it!' While it's true that the person is surrounded by others who are participating in thebehavior, it is also true that person sought out this group or chooses to remain a part of it. That said, not all of my friends are fat. In fact, most of them aren't. Just as I was never inspired by my thin, fit friends to follow suit over the years, I didn't need my fat friends to hold the fork for me so that I could get to my highest weight of 262. Nobody made me fat. I can't even blame on genes or bone structure, as I come from a family of petite women. I never required anyone to cosign on my behavior. -
Stall Broke!
built2livenotexist replied to kajunqty's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Whew! Glad that's over right? I too am a month out and down 25 lbs. My stall lasted almost 2 weeks and finally the dang scale moved! -
Help carb junkie!
built2livenotexist replied to Melissayw816's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
How do you kick the habit? The first thing I did was get the crap food out of my house; my son has his own snack shelf out in the garage but there's nothing out there that I would want anyway. Second, I plan my meals for a couple of days in advance so that I have something to look forward to and have a lot of variety. I'm on soft foods now, so the whole crunch business is out for me but I do get it. Maybe you could go back to the liquid diet for a day or two. This would remind you of the drastic measures that you had to go through for this surgery. -
My Surgery is In 4 Days/Food Addiction
built2livenotexist replied to Matt940's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I wouldn't call myself a food addict, but saying I have an effed up relationship with food is an understatement. I have been fat forever and was diagnosed by a therapist as having BED (binge eating disorder) earlier this year. I've never gone to OA, but I go to therapy for an hour and a half each week to work on the core issues that led me to morbid obesity. Is not food; it's me. After all, food never attacked and devoured me, it was the other way around. I really appreciate your honest post and I get where you are coming from. Food allowed me to feel in control or out of control. To feel decadent or gluttonous. Food never told me I was fat and it was always available. Both friend and enemy. .. or so I thought. I've learned that my perception is skewed and that I spent an awful long time trying to make discomfort comfortable. I cringe at the thought that I've been destroying myself forkful by forkful for the better part of my life. Getting down to some of the effed up messages that I believe about myself(my worth, self-image, shame, guilt) was where I began in therapy. I spent a couple of months pre-op working at digging in to those patterns so that I can recognize them for what they are and exchange them for new, productive ones. I'm about 3.5 weeks post-op. The hunger I experience is only in my mind now. It's scary sometimes to think about the forever aspect of this surgery, but the one day at a time concept fits well for me. I, too, wondered how I could ever change my ways. It's still surreal that I'm actually doing it! It feels great to be participating in the process of building myself up as opposed to the converse. Congratulations on your willingness to try something new; that is what recovery is all about ,doing things differently, finding new solutions to our problems. I'm certain you can do this. -
Help!
built2livenotexist replied to 1Sleevecomingup's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Ask your team for their specific requirements. For me, I'm allowed to have 30-45 carbs per day, 30 or less of fat grams and keep it under 900 calories in a daily. You may want to download My Fitness Pal or a similar food tracking app to log your food and provide info to take back to your team to show your daily intake. They should be able to help you tweak it. -
Newbie and first time on this forum
built2livenotexist replied to llevy1's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
This is a wonderful place to find support. Welcome to BP. It would be nice if everyone around us was supportive in the ways we would want or need them to be but this is not the case for many. Congratulations on taking the steps to help yourself become healthier and hopefully happier. -
How many incisions (holes) did you have?
built2livenotexist replied to Tashabella's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I have 4 including the drain site all of which are 80% healed at 3.5 weeks post-op. -
STARVING! Liquid pre-op diet....
built2livenotexist replied to TNchick's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I did not cheat on my pre-op diet either. I was on clear liquids with 2 protein shakes per day and was allowed one chicken breast(poached) or fish fillet(poached) daily. This went on until 24 hours pre-surgery during which time I was allowed nothing; including water. It did suck and it was hard and I was a complete grouch. This whole deal is difficult. It caused me to really change my mind about what is important and what I really want. Like anyone else, I want the end result but the work... not so much. I just decided to suck it up! I knew going into this that I would struggle to change lifelong behaviors and thought processes and its way harder than expected, but I want this enough to push past the discomfort. Staying in my comfort zone is how I became a candidate for WLS. I'm still on pureed foods(which I'm so over) about 3.5 weeks post op and in the dreaded stall and I know that any other time in my life I would've quit after not seeing the scale budge for a week. But this wonderful tool is allowing me to push past and giving me the opportunity to change in so many ways; physically, mentally, emotionally. All I have to do is keep up my end. If a forever fatty like me can do it, anyone can. Dust yourself off and try again. -
I am 24 days post op, still on pureed food, and in a stall! I get missing the crunch. .. but I know that I'll be able to have it again one day; just not while my guts are swollen and recovering from an amputation!! I agree that seeking some therapy around your relationship with food is an important component of having this surgery. I'm not speaking for anyone but myself here but I didn't get to 262 in by eating sensible portions of healthy food and being active. A lot of poor portion control, poor impulse control and some other unresolved emotional stuff added to a lot of excuses and a sedentary lifestyle helped me get to a place where surgery was even a viable option. I get it, I really do. I'm in a stall, the scale isn't budging and I want a chip! But then I remember that I have never in my life eaten one of anything that I enjoyed. That's how I got here. Let your body heal. Give this thing 100%. Most importantly, please don't risk your health needlessly. There will still be chips out there (plantain and otherwise) when you're able to eat normal food;that is if you still want them.
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Telling about surgery
built2livenotexist replied to kimpossible67's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I've told only 2 people personally. I have had people remark that I'm losing or look great but have yet to have anyone ask me if I had the surgery or how I'm losing weight. I'm not sure what I would/will say if it comes up. I'd written a previous post about dealing with some fat friends who I hadn't told about the surgery and got a few great responses that allowed me to think about my original choice to keep mum. I work in the human services field. Keeping the confidence of others is a part of my job.Even when directly asked by a clients' anxious spouse or parent, I cannot ethically divulge information that I have about the client. Even when I want to. I'm a firm believer in the right to privacy, especially around disease processes and the treatment of those diseases. I think that this is a personal decision for us all, and I know that, for me, it wasn't an easy one. I also think that any of us has the right to respond however they wish, when someone asks us about our weight loss and how it's achieved. I am glad to hear so many positive reports of the people who have shared with others. I will keep that in mind. -
Mother. freakin'. STALL.
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Surgery is tomorrow! I'm freaking out!
built2livenotexist replied to Cassiopeia's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Good luck and best wishes tomorrow. This is a huge deal and I'd think you were little nutty if you weren't having a few butterflies. My emotions were like bumper cars until the morning of and then.....zen. -
Have barely begun and im already getting sabotaged..
built2livenotexist replied to Mel13's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
@Mel13..... I guess the question is can YOU not do Mexican, cake and all the rest of it? Would it make a difference if it was pizza or chicken wings and pie? I do better in relationships when I ask for what I need. If you just asked for support and did not clearly articulate what that means to you prevailed you should really figure out what you need from your family and try again with clear cut requests. If you've asked clearly that everyone else in the house do a complete lifestyle change with you or not bring junk into the house, it sounds like you got your answer. -
Have barely begun and im already getting sabotaged..
built2livenotexist replied to Mel13's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Yuck. I get it...I so get it. I'm dealing with people in my life who also aren't interested in eating healthier and it is tough, but I don't have to live with them like you do. I brought up a topic a few days ago about dealing with fat friends and I got some great responses and some valid points that really made me think. I don't just want to not be fat; I want to be healthy and in control of my emotions. I'm about 2.5 weeks post op and someone made me really mad the other day and I was ready to eat! I see a commercial for some good food that would destroy my new tummy and I want to eat! I smell Chinese food while walking through a parking lot... and I want to eat! I guess my point is, that I stopped eating to satiate hunger a long time ago and most of my eating revolved around emotions, boredom and social events; I didn't need to be hungry and I sure didn't need someone to tempt me. I agree with @Babbs. I feel strong and empowered by my decision to have WLS. Each time I use my sleeve for the tool that it is, I'm taking another step away from that old destructive behavior and toward a life that I truly want