OutsideMatchInside

A DEXA scan would be the best option. If you live near a University they probably have one and will use it on you for cheap.

A lot of people talking about caffeine withdrawals but I don't experience them. I have given up caffeine several times and I don't see a difference, except lack of focus maybe. I was taking one caffeine pill in the afternoon, then I went back to coffee after 6 weeks. I went without coffee 6 weeks, then I slowly added it back it. Slowly because I have never had any acid issues, and I know coffee is acidic. I have never had GERD issues and I don't want to start. I drink cold brewed coffee for the lower acid content. No issues. I do limit myself to 8-12 ounces. I used to drink 24-36 ounces a day before surgery. I gave up sodas and alcohol about 3 years ago, and I only had black coffee, tea and Water. I also make an iced coffee Protein drink. I put cold brew coffee, water, unflavored protein and ice and my blender and I will have that sometimes in the late morning. I forget to eat a lot and if it is mid day and I haven't had anything to eat yet, I will do that to get my protein started for the day. It is a very nice change of pace.

I don't like yogurt. I used to like it some when I was a kid but the older I get the less I like to the point I am at now. I have so few calories to work with each day, I am not going to waste time trying to force myself to like something that I don't like and isn't essentials. There are lots of sources of Protein. You don't have to force yourself to like something you don't like.

@@MzStockton You are less than a month out from surgery, you had surgery on 9/25 right? Do not drink soda. It isn't worth it. You stomach is still healing and it isn't worth it. Try to mental work through why you are craving soda and let it go. Be stronger than your craving. When I was early out and I felt like cravings were getting the best of me I thought about my stitches popping and ending up in ICU and I got past my cravings.

The thing about a Vitamin deficiency is by the time you are reading/feeling the results it is too late. Your body is going to first use what it can from your body, the once that runs out, the deficiency shows, but by then the damage is done. Set times on your phone/computer whatever and take your Vitamins. Get your Protein in. Don't like your Protein Drink, eat your protein or find a different brand. These 2 things are not optional.

They have it but it is always sold out. Always. I have seen it once. I decided not to get any because I had a huge head of cauliflower at home I was trying to get through. A decision I regret.

@@Pillar2butterfly I have tried a few. I had the most success with this one. http://ketodietapp.com/Blog/post/2015/08/24/foolproof-cauli-pizza-pepperoni You can also make pizza crust using Bobs Red Mill Low Carb Bake Mix. More carbs but not bad carbs. Just use a standard pizza crust recipe, and sub the sugar with a sweetener. You won't get the rise you get with standard pizza crust but it makes a nice thin crust. http://www.bobsredmill.com/low-carb-baking-mix.html

You should be able to drink liquids easily by the time you start soft foods. That is normal. When you first start eating, weigh/measure your food. Eat what you program allows, mine was 2oz or 1/4 cup to start. just eat that. 2-3 small bites at a time, wait 5 minutes, then 2-3 bites. Don't guess on your food, measure it.

@@BLERDgirl I will dig the french press out and give it a try.

Log your food for a week and know all your macros you might find the issue in what you are eating. You had surgery the day before I did. I walk at least 2-3 miles a day (depends on the dogs mood), every day. Some days I get to 4 or 5. I am going step this up soon. I noticed a real increase when I started walking more, and every single day. It broke a stall I was in and I have been losing every since. That and making sure my carbs are low.

This isn't a diet where you can "cheat" this is a lifestyle. You have to stick to it. All those little bites and breaks are going to slow your weight loss and eventually you will discouraged. The whole point of the food steps is so you learn how to eat again properly. If you must have Pasta, get a veghetti and make zucchini pasta

I'm single, I live alone in a strange town where I know not one living soul, not even co-workers since I work from home. When I had surgery I had a friend come from out of state and stay with me, they arrived the day before surgery and left about 48 hours after my surgery. The only thing I need them for was the drive home and they picked up my prescriptions for me. Other than that I was totally self sufficient and as soon as they left I went and got a pedicure. If you are healthy (relatively) and active now, I don't think you will have an issue being alone. Living alone and being alone are a huge benefit after surgery in my opinion. You don't have to watch other people eating. You can clear your home of all temptations. No one is watching what you eat or commenting. You can recover in peace. Good luck!

To be honest, you will probably be able to eat just about anything you want eventually in small portions. The question is not if you can but if you should. The goal is to not want to. At 2 weeks you have a lot of cravings. Being on liquids for weeks will do that you. Once you get further out and have more options you won't have as many cravings. If you can cook, you can have all your favorites if you make them yourself. I make pizza with cauliflower crust, it is delicious you don't taste cauliflower at all. you can make fried chicken and fried fish and just use low carb coating, brown them a little in olive oil and then bake them in the oven. The thing is you probably won't like fried foods after surgery, they will make you not feel the best and you will gravitate to better options. If you follow your food stages and steps, you relearn how to eat and you get pushed down a healthy track. Take advantage of that. Search "regained" and you can see all the mistakes other people have made, so you can avoid them. You can enjoy a lot of food, I am only 3 months and I feel like I basically eat like a normal person. I have a wide variety of healthy tasty options.

Unless you are actually eating with a measuring spoon that isn't accurate. Utensils are not accurate measurements. Volume varies and your eyes can deceive you. Weight is the most accurate especially early on when being off by an ounce can be very uncomfortable.

What is your exercise like? Water? Protein? Are you regular? What is your carb intake? Did you start with a low BMI?

Thank you for sharing!

How long has be been since you lost?

@@Thinside It is small, the selection is limited compared to what I am used to. The customer service is okay, but not at Whole Foods level. The TJs in Brentwood has a nicer staff.

I said I wasn't going to date until next sumer or fall, but I made an OKCupid profile. It has been interesting. I'm really glad to know there are all these proud Dads out here, but I don't want to date one. So many guys in their 40s with little kids. As I weed them all out I might find someone decent by Nov 2016

If that was my boss, I would turn her ass in to HR and get an attorney.

Have you been taking your iron?

You are paying them. Find someone else.

I Starbucks Verismo. I am just doing the cold brew because of the acid. That Ninja looks cool but it is still brewing the traditional way with the higher acid content.

@@Runner1 You are just healing well. The only pain I had swallowing liquids was the first time I swallowed something and it was because it was ice Water. If you are healing well and don't have much swelling nothing should hurt. 4 spoon fulls is probably less than 2 oz so that shouldn't hurt either. Liquids start emptying almost instantly to your intestines, so they shouldn't trigger restriction. When you start soft foods you will feel restriction right away. Do not let the ease of liquids fool you into taking bigger bites or eating faster when you start soft foods.

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