Miranda2.0

I'm almost to my 6 month mark and I'm feeling great! I'm 86 pounds down and have about another 75 more to go!

I will be at Floyd Memorial Hospital. I want to use Dr. John Oldam and that is the only Indiana facility he is affiliated with.
PS- I sent you a friend request ????

This is Bobby Flay's recipe for quinoa salad and a favorite side dish in our family for get togethers....
Ingredients
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic, smashed and finely chopped to a paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup quinoa
Kosher salt and pepper
2 cups red and yellow grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
2 green onions (green and pale green part), thinly sliced
2 pickled cherry peppers, diced
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 English cucumber, cut into small dice
Feta, for sprinkling
Directions
Whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, garlic and some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the salad to allow the flavors to meld.
Rinse the quinoa in a strainer until the Water runs clear. Combine the quinoa, 2 cups Water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and cook until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl, fluff with a fork and let sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Add the tomatoes, olives, green onions, cherry peppers, red onions, cucumbers and dressing and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours before serving. The longer it sits the better the flavor.
Just before serving, transfer to a platter and sprinkle feta on top.

This is Bobby Flay's recipe for quinoa salad and a favorite side dish in our family for get togethers....
Ingredients
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic, smashed and finely chopped to a paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup quinoa
Kosher salt and pepper
2 cups red and yellow grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
2 green onions (green and pale green part), thinly sliced
2 pickled cherry peppers, diced
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 English cucumber, cut into small dice
Feta, for sprinkling
Directions
Whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, garlic and some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the salad to allow the flavors to meld.
Rinse the quinoa in a strainer until the Water runs clear. Combine the quinoa, 2 cups Water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and cook until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl, fluff with a fork and let sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Add the tomatoes, olives, green onions, cherry peppers, red onions, cucumbers and dressing and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours before serving. The longer it sits the better the flavor.
Just before serving, transfer to a platter and sprinkle feta on top.

So far i like The target brand whey 25grams Protein Shake power.   Good Thing Is Foodstamps Covers It.

NomNom Brussel sprouts
*Brussel sprouts (obviously)
*chopped onions (1 cup)
*cloves of garlic (the more the better)
Drizzle on coconut oil
Bake 375 for approx 35 min
Drizzle on balsamic vinegar
Bake for another 10-15 min
Then chow down!
Nomnomnomnomnomnomnom

Broiled Shrimp Parmesan
Ingredients:
1 pound of raw shrimp (I get medium to large size)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter
3 tbs Mayonnaise
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic power
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
I peel my shrimp and put them on a foil lined pan. Melt butter and mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Take a spoonful of mixture and put it on top of each shrimp. Turn oven on broil , once heated cook on top rack for 4-5 mins. That's it!! We eat them all the time and make them as appetizers. This same mixture is also fabulous on fish! Here's my last batch...
Now, did I WIN??! Ha!

I planted a garden and started canning. Things taste so much better and are healthier when you can control the ingredients. Cranberry Sauce or that congealed log is always a thanksgiving favorite. Here's a healthy version that I hope you'll enjoy: Make it yours!
Cranberry Sauce Vers 2.0
8 serv, 15' prep, 15' cook time.
2- 12 oz bags fresh cranberries
3/4 cp pineapple juice
1/2 cp no sugar applesauce
1/2 cp Water
juice n zest of 1 orange
3-4 Tbsp of honey or to taste (optional)
Instructions
1. Put cranberries, pineapple juice, apple sauce and Water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Keep on medium heat, stirring constantly until the cranberries start to explode about 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Reduce to simmer and pour the juice and zest over the cranberry mixture.
4. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes and remove from heat.
5. Cool completely and store in fridge at least 4 hours but preferably overnight before serving.
6. Note: this is not as sweet as store versions. Taste at the end of cooking. It is naturally sweetened from the fruit juice and the applesauce but you can add more honey or stevia to taste if needed.
Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving.

Calico Dip
A magtart family favorite. This is served at all family events. We have to at least quadruple the recipe as we have a large extended family.
Serves 6
Ingredients 1 cup low fat cottage cheese ( small curd preferred) 1 cup low fat sour cream 1/2 cup low fat Mayonnaise 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup green onion, minced 1/4 cup radish, minced 1/4 cup cucumber, seeded and minced 1/4 cup green pepper, minced 1 garlic clove, minced Directions Combine cottage cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise. Add in sugar (if using), salt, minced garlic, and all the veggies. Stir well and refrigerate for at least an hour to blend flavors. Serve with celery sticks, carrot sticks, or any other veggie dippers -- great with potato chips too!

It’s time for a Thanksgiving Giveaway! We’ve been thinking about what we’re grateful for, and our members top the list. To thank you, we’re giving away four $50 gift cards to The BariatricPal Store!



We’ll be holding a random drawing for the gift cards on Thanksgiving weekend, and we’ll notify you if you’re the winner by Sunday, November 29. That’s just in time for you to go shopping at The BariatricPal Store on Cyber Monday!



What can you get at The BariatricPal Store? Bariatric Vitamins, Protein bars and shakes, Fiber supplements, hot and cold breakfasts, Protein chips, Cookies, and other Snacks, instant low-carb meals…Stop by and browse!



You can enter the drawing by posting up your favorite healthy Thanksgiving recipe on this thread. Everyone who makes an eligible post is entered into the drawing. Here’s what an eligible post includes:

The name of the recipe. It doesn’t have to be fancy. “Roasted Onions” or “John Doe’s Carrot Appetizer” is fine.
A list of ingredients and quantities. “4 egg whites, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt…”
Directions for making the recipe. “Drain the Beans and heat them over medium heat with the garlic powder and cumin. Dice the tomatoes and add them to the bean mixture…”
We can’t wait to see and try your recipes! Good luck in the drawing, and thanks for being part of BariatricPal!

Our marriage wasn't affected by the surgery but rather by my weight gain. I got to the point where I hated myself so much I never wanted to leave the house and to be honest it affected our intimacy which I know was hard on him. But I'm down 120lbs and can walk more and I want to go out more now. Unfortunately he got used to me behaving like a hermit so now whenever I say I want to do things he doesn't really believe me
I do wish he was more generous with the compliments. Sometimes I really have to beg for them. And one day after hearing him say how good one of our friends looked in a costume she wore for a musical they were both in I had to finally tell him that "I'm working so hard to loose weight, can you not talk about her like that, it really makes things harder for me"

I'm not married, but I have been dating the same person for about 4 years. We met online (playing World of Warcraft, funnily enough XD) and I was TERRIFIED to meet him in person for obvious reasons. He was dating me at my highest weight - over 400 pounds, and I've sort of always wondered, in some deep, dark, self-hating place, if he ever felt like he settled for me, or if he just "puts up with" my body because he loves me. Does he ever feel trapped or like it's worth not being attracted to me because of how much we love each other? I think it's really normal for people who have had to deal with the things we have had to deal with the fear these things. It's not easy, socially speaking, to be fat, especially for women. Intimacy can be like this giant monster we must fight every day. Since losing over a hundred pounds and gaining so much confidence, I've come to realize that this person who loves me and has cared for me through thick and thin (hahahah) would simply not be here if he didn't want to be. And when I lose another hundred pounds, if he starts showing more interest or attraction to me, I think I will be happy instead of hurt or offended, because he could have chosen to leave at any time based on my body, but he never did. A year ago, I would have been hurt and offended at the very thought of him being more attracted to my smaller form. But now I feel that while every version of us is still part of who we are, none of those versions define us as human beings. I don't think he's attracted to me when I'm throwing up, for example, but he still loves me and takes care of me because he wants to. In the end, that is what matters. Your body is just a meat suit that houses your soul, and a person who loves you will love all versions of you equally.

I was hoping to find a "secret" Facebook group for suppoet. I asked a couple people I know who had surgery but have not found one.

160lbs down and feeling great. Best decision ever!

Left is the month before my surgery. Right is 23 months later and down from 300 to 155!

I still have a long way to go but wanted to share my progress.
H.w. 373
S.w. 360
C.w.267
I haven't wore these jeans & shirt in 8 yrs, before I got pregnant. I finally feel back to my old self & now I'm ready for my NEW self!

I still have a long way to go but wanted to share my progress.
H.w. 373
S.w. 360
C.w.267
I haven't wore these jeans & shirt in 8 yrs, before I got pregnant. I finally feel back to my old self & now I'm ready for my NEW self!

It really trips me out too how much the face can change. My face looks like a complete different person! Even the shape of my brows and nose is different. I wasn't ugly before I lost weight but my skin and face did not look healthy because of the food I was putting in my body. I've never been at this weight before and wasn't sure what I would look like but I'm loving it! And loving seeing everyone else's beautiful faces emerge as well!!

I am in Southern Indiana. I don't have a surgery date yet either. Working through the 6 month supervised diet until I get my date. I have told my husband, cousin, and bosses and that is it. Not sure if I will tell anyone else.

Sleeved August 14th. Down 85 pounds

Welcome! I am also in the beginning of my journey. It took me a few months and a lot of research to decide I was really ready to commit to surgery and a new way of life. I am now excited for the next phase. Best wishes to you as you begin your journey!!

Welcome! I am also in the beginning of my journey. It took me a few months and a lot of research to decide I was really ready to commit to surgery and a new way of life. I am now excited for the next phase. Best wishes to you as you begin your journey!!

Thanks everyone, no, this is definitely not the easy way out, I just want it over and done already. Good luck all.

it's definitely not easy, and not cheating. surgery is a TOOL for weight loss. You still have to watch what you eat and exercise. So there is still a lot of work that goes along with it
good luck with your journey and whatever decision you come to. Personally I' had a great experience with the surgery. I had hit a moment of "rock bottom" with my weight and had a complete change in my thinking about food and weight loss pre op so now post op it's not as difficult for me as I feared it would be.
if you have any questions feel free to send me a message. I had the sleeve by the way

Welcome! I am also in the beginning of my journey. It took me a few months and a lot of research to decide I was really ready to commit to surgery and a new way of life. I am now excited for the next phase. Best wishes to you as you begin your journey!!