butterfly23

278.4 thanks steph!

Many congratulations!

@@fatmommy1808 hope the next few days go by quickly for you and that you are celebrating on Friday as you sound ready!

@@sonya89 congratulations on your success! I know it can be hard hitting those liquid and Protein goals, yet the closer you get the better the loss in general. I know for me, I tried a lot of different methods until the habits stuck, everything from alarms and tracking apps on my phone to sticky notes and multiple cups everywhere as reminders. Figure out where your system is breaking down and try something different. Research indicates small action steps are more successful than super huge goals, so if you want to drink more Water, start with it first thing in morning or last at night in addition to what you are already doing (or something that is doable for you). Then when you have that down, add another step like drink some water before every meal or drink 6 oz every hour at work. Best of luck to you!

@@scarlep please go to the doctor. I did not and ended up in the ER with cholecystitis and pancreatitis and then had to suffer for a bit because my gallbladder was too infected for surgery, and then I had it out 6 months post-op. After the VSG it was no big deal and I was back at work in less than a week and I have had no issues since. I hope you feel better soon and please go to the doctor!

@@stephh congratulations!!!

280.6 thanks steph hope your trip was fab!

Grateful

@@jenn1 thank you for this question and chance to reflect. Taking the lessons I need from my sleeve and leaving the rest is the quintessential task for me with weight loss. I learned that everyone has a story...and sometimes you can see some of that story, sometimes you cannot. I learned to look beneath the surface and that there are many complex reasons why people do what they do and who am I to judge? I learned to love myself regardless of size as my value is not in my weight. I learned to build strong, intimate relationships with people who also value me (being so big was a good fiter for judgmental and/or superficial tendencies in others). For me, letting go is not just about letting go of extra weight, but letting go of everything that does not serve me as I adopt my new skills and behaviors to take care of myself and maximize this amazing blessing (my sleeve) that I have been given.

@@Lexuskela you look fantastic! Congrats on your success!

@@marcy0912 have fun! You deserve it and it sounds like you are prepared, which is the most important part. Most likely you will be doing a lot of walking too, which should help any extra bites. Let us know how it goes!

@@luzelenaaugust Congratulations on one year down!

Hope you are having fun steph! 284.8, thanks!

288.4 thanks steph!

Curried Spaghetti Squash 1 medium spaghetti squash (about 2 3/4 pounds) 1 tablespoon olive oil or unsalted butter 2 teaspoons finely grated ginger 1 teaspoon garam masala 2 tablespoons lemon juice 4 teaspoons honey 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place the cut-side down in a microwave-safe baking dish (the halves can overlap one another a bit) and add 1 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until very tender and a knife easily pierces the skin of the squash, 15 to 18 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Carefully uncover and let stand until cool enough to handle but still warm. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small nonstick skillet. Add the ginger and garam masala until fragrant. Stir in the lemon juice and honey. Season with the salt. The sauce should be sweet and sour. Scrape the flesh of the squash into a bowl, using a fork, to make long noodle-like strands. Toss with the sauce and cilantro. Season with additional salt.

@@@lici@ it is weird getting reacquainted with our new stomach and learning its signals isn't it? You will learn, it took me a few weeks. For example, I thought I was hungry all the time - turns out it was acid (I swear it was hunger) so it was better after a PPI, which I am now not taking anymore. Hope your hydration is going well and that you'll be on soft foods for Tday. Take care!

Thanks steph, tough week for me 289

@@M&S I had pain in my back that ended up being my gallbladder - I had to have it out 6 months after my WLS. Do you still have yours? May be worth checking out with your Dr. as it is common for those with WLS to have gallbladder issues.

@@morenita2013 how did it go? I got my surgery through Kaiser (although in different state) and have loved working with them. Best of luck to you!

@@Pillar2butterfly congratulations! As another BPer with butterfly in my name, I am excited for you as you turn into the beautiful butterfly you have always been and are meant to be.

@@@lici@ How are you doing? I just remembered that you had surgery yesterday and wanted to check in....hope your healing is going well thus far! It gets better!

288.8, thank you steph!

@@@lici@ I was worried about healing too. The first week was rough, but I found that moving really helped the gas pain (the worst part of the surgery recovery for me) and then the first few days just focus on hydration. My team said dehydration can really affect the healing time and I believe it! I found some ways to make it easier, like brewing herbal tea and drinking that and I used a lot of G2, the diet gatorade. That is your primary job the first week or so, so stock up on whatever you think you'll be able to tolerate. Let me know if you have any other questions!

@@@lici@ I am not a November sleever, but just wanted to wish you good luck on your surgery! I am about 7 months post-op and remember feeling nervous like you beforehand. Hopefully your pre-op has gone well as my surgeon said that my liver was really small which made the surgery much easier - that is the reason for the liver shrinking diet prior to surgery. Overall, I found the surgery easier to recover from than I expected, however as you'll see from this site everyone's experience is different. I find sticking to the basics works best for me - hydrate, Protein first, track food and move my body. Take good care!

@@pamomof2boyz I am already post-op but just wanted to wish you well, congrats on getting your date!