VDLT

Obviously many of us focus on the scale measurement as our barometer for reaching our goal. I was wondering if you had certain pieces of clothing from the past that were representative of your new goal weight.
Scale tells me that I'm 80 lbs out from that point.
80 lbs. I'm not even sure I know what that looks like anymore. It's been a fast paced roller coaster since this bariatric bidness began for me last June.....and faster still since October's surgery.
My post-op goal weight is to settle in somewhere in between what I weighed in high school junior and senior years. Surgeon agrees it's a reasonable weight to maintain.

What will it look like ? It's been so long ago that I can't remember.
Unfortunately I no longer have any of my old jeans from those days. Lol. They never made it through the 90's. Metallica, Iron Maiden & Ozzy concerts. Ripped and shredded to the point of no repair.
Up until yesterday, I figured I'd just stay the course and find out when I get there.
Was going through the closet yet again and pulling out stuff that didn't fit and getting it into the hands of someone who could use it. I ran across a relic. A perfect example of what being at goal will look like for me.
I found my high school letterman's jacket.
I tossed it aside for later consideration.
This morning I saw it as I was getting my gym clothes on. Sitting there. Grabbed and took it into the kitchen where coffee was made ready.
A trip back for a refill and I couldn't stand it anymore......I had to know........would this thing fit? More accurately, I suppose, the thought was ....how far off is it from fitting?
i found out.
I'll say this....there will come a day when it fits. Today is not that day......but soon. Soon it will. Well before my 30th class reunion later this year. LMAO at this old coat. It will be staying around....returning to the closet.......waiting for a few more months.
Had some good laughs this morning over my coffee.
Forgive my ramblings and my nostalgia. It's good to be reconnected with sources of great memories.


See..... @@OKCPirate .....I told you I was a Viking before I became a Pirate.

10 lbs of sausage in a 5 lb casing........LMAO.


Today is not that day......but I have the confidence in my sleeve that it will help me see that day. So dang grateful to be getting this weight off.
So, please jump in and tell about your old clothes that are you new goal barometer......or maybe you have recently bought something new that you are looking forward to fitting in.
Let's hear about it.

@@Tootsietoes how far out are you?

@@sam1016 keep trying and know it is a lot easier to do the right thing after surgery because you are not as hungry, it helps tremendously

As a rule most days I am boring. Little variety and I know what works. Yeah I do tend to eat more when I taste more different things in a meal (a bite here and there). At restaurants I eat less if I order my own small plate than if I eat a bit of each family members plate instead.
This simple plan got me to goal and keeps me at goal. BUT one or two days a week and especially on vacation I let loose and do the opposite. I sample and taste and love it and have a good time. It's why the price of a buffet doesn't seem a waste to me even though the amount I eat isn't "worth" it.
So.... I say go for t on your cruise you only live once! Then when you get home, get back to basics.

So in honor of this post, I wrote down everything I ate in the last two days. Many of theses are repeat items that I had both days.....
eggs, bacon, chicken, shredded pork, turkey sausage, shrimp, cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, Power Crunch bar, Quest bar, natures valley Protein bar, Quest chips, Greek yogurt, unflavored whey Protein, peanuts, asparagus, spinach, onion, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, baked Beans, red bell pepper, yellow squash, Kashi go lean Cereal, All Bran Cereal, ground flax seed, blueberries, orange, coconut milk, 1/2 and 1/2, Decaf coffee, decaf tea, plain Water, protein hot chocolate, Bai5, Water with sweet leaf flavor drops, dark chocolate candy filled with brandy liquor.
Portions ranged from a couple tablespoons to maybe 1/3 cup (except the liquids) and eaten over 14-15 "meals". My weekday variety is much lower. Probably more like 10-12 different things over 5-6 meals. I guess the OP's therapist would have a field day with me!

@@Daisee68 I foresee long term success for you. Recognizing and being self aware enough to act on insights is a powerful tool.
By the time I was sleeved, I had to make a conscious decision to turn myself over to a 2years program. I have been dieting since I was 8years old, and it was hard to not always be second guessing my team of experts. I recongize that I was, for lack of a better word, arrogant on the topic.
Because of my personality, it was very important that I respected the advisors; the universe sent me the best nutritionist EVER and was my resource the first year. What made her different is that she had in depth knowledge of both the nuts and bolts of "how to eat" along with insights on the emotional, and old patterns. I know she steered me in directions that were based on a whole different way than I had done before.
Anyway, here is another, related tip that probably doesn't apply YET but might further down the road. One of my standard lunches is a salmon patty served over a bed of salad with a bit of blue cheese crumbles and white balsamic vinegar and olive oil. A different NUT I saw about a year ago said, "literally eat the Protein before the salad". By eating the dense Protein with lettuce I am missing the satiation that comes from dense protein pressing on the nerve at the "bottom" of the stomach. Dang if she wasn't right, I ate less and stayed satisfied longer when I don't combine food.
I am 4 years post op and keep learning, or in some cases relearning.

Thanks again for all the feedback. Having thought about this a lot now, I do realize that even though I am meeting nutrient goals and losing weight that the desire and attachment to food is creeping in. I really pray that one day I will not have this attachment to food, but for now, I can see how limiting my choices somewhat can help decrease my desire for food. After all, if it is something I really like, I can see how I would be taking that "one more bite" and as my restriction changes, the "one more bites" lead to extra calories.
For what it's worth, this was my therapist not my NUT and we just didn't have enough time to explore it thoroughly so I didn't truly understand what she meant. Thanks to @@CowgirlJane for doing the research and to the others who called me out on this. I defensively thought "I wasn't trying to disprove her!" but after thinking about it for a while, that really is what I was trying to do. I am someone who processes and needs to know "WHY" but I am also tend to rebel and buck against authority if I don't like the rule, so now armed with the knowledge of the "WHY" and the feedback of people calling me on the rebellion, I will go forth with a more healthy attitude about what I will eat (or rather maybe how I will eat) on my Mexico All-Inclusive vacation buffet. I don't leave for just over a week, so I have some time to put this in to practice first.
Oh and PS - just to clarify, the 125 includes 15 pounds pre-surgery diet and 12 pounds in the liquid pre-op diet, so technically 125 pounds in a year. I just like to clarify that because I know when I am seeing posts of massive losses, I always wonder how much was surgery and how much before.

I use a multi from Bariatric Advantage: Advanced Multi EA chewable Tablets
For B12 I use this sublingual: http://www.cvs.com/shop/product-detail/Natures-Bounty-Sublingual-Liquid-B-12-Liquid-5000-mcg?skuId=860685

Thank you for responding. I will probably go to Macys

And they aren't really trained in measuring there and will make you fit into a size they carry even if you don't!!!!

Independent boutiques are best but if you don't find one try Macy's or Nordstrom's or a big department store that carries many brands! Or try the Reddit link above and do it yourself!

I am only 4 and a half months out but I eat the same things over and over for the most part. I do go out onfe a week, twice at the most and then I try to make good choices as well. As of right now the repetitive eating is working in that I am seeing it as fuel and nothing else. At least fo rme, I want to try and stop looking at food as entertainment or reward etc.
As far as how someone "normal" eats, who the hell knows. I have come to terms with the fact that I am a mental fattie and I will just have to deal with that for life. I will always want to eat stuff I shouldn't so right now I am not giving myself permission to do that too often.

Nothing wrong with wanting to look good and I don't think that makes you vain. Even at my biggest I took care to wear clothes that were as flattering as possible and have done my hair and makeup even if just a little bit. For me that was how I showed myself that I mattered no matter my weight and helped me to feel more confident despite being obese. It's just self love and a boost to a not always present self esteem.
Have fun while down here

Are you following your plan 90% of the time?
Have you lost weight and are continuing lose weight at a fairly steady pace aside from some normal stalls every once in a while?
Are you trying to move your body more than you did before?
Are you making sure you're well hydrated at all times?
If you answered "yes" to these questions then congratulations, you're doing enough

I am only 4 and a half months out but I eat the same things over and over for the most part. I do go out onfe a week, twice at the most and then I try to make good choices as well. As of right now the repetitive eating is working in that I am seeing it as fuel and nothing else. At least fo rme, I want to try and stop looking at food as entertainment or reward etc.
As far as how someone "normal" eats, who the hell knows. I have come to terms with the fact that I am a mental fattie and I will just have to deal with that for life. I will always want to eat stuff I shouldn't so right now I am not giving myself permission to do that too often.

I am only 4 and a half months out but I eat the same things over and over for the most part. I do go out onfe a week, twice at the most and then I try to make good choices as well. As of right now the repetitive eating is working in that I am seeing it as fuel and nothing else. At least fo rme, I want to try and stop looking at food as entertainment or reward etc.
As far as how someone "normal" eats, who the hell knows. I have come to terms with the fact that I am a mental fattie and I will just have to deal with that for life. I will always want to eat stuff I shouldn't so right now I am not giving myself permission to do that too often.

Thanks for posting this. I always have a horrible time with bras. I am still wearing whatever I have in my drawer and the fit on all of them are bad. I still have a ways to go so don't want to get too many... any suggestions for stores that measure you but are not super expensive would be greatly appreciated. I am in Florida. Not a huge fan of VS. Their straps always fall of my shoulders and I don't really care for their branding...

I am so sorry to read this, I can't even imagine how sad you and your children must be. The fact that he made FUN of you while you are trying to better yourself however says a lot about him, his insecurities, and how he would sabotage you. It seems you might have an easier time going through the changes, both physical and emotional, that happen around surgery and the first few months without him around actually.
If you have friends and family that are supportive please reach out to them and let them know just how much their help, support, and compassion are needed right now. If they offer to come and help or just come and give you a hug, let them. Best of luck to you. Here is to you getting super hot and moving on to bigger and better things!

I am so sorry to read this, I can't even imagine how sad you and your children must be. The fact that he made FUN of you while you are trying to better yourself however says a lot about him, his insecurities, and how he would sabotage you. It seems you might have an easier time going through the changes, both physical and emotional, that happen around surgery and the first few months without him around actually.
If you have friends and family that are supportive please reach out to them and let them know just how much their help, support, and compassion are needed right now. If they offer to come and help or just come and give you a hug, let them. Best of luck to you. Here is to you getting super hot and moving on to bigger and better things!

What an insecure selfish prick move that was.
So.......surgery to improve your health was all it took to run him off ?????
He's got tons of issues that will take years that work through....... And if he is even man enough at some point to work through them.
Have the surgery and improve every aspect of your life that you can. You'll find a real man who is unselfish and values you and your choices.
If he's younger.......then all the better.
Get revenge through getting healthy and living each day to the fullest.

125 pounds in 8 months is amazing....keep up the good work! You are exceeding Protein and fluid goals and losing at an incredible rate so whatever you're doing is working for now. Like I said before, successful plans after WLS are individual things and the great thing is you have the power to create and change your version as you go.

I have always liked the "variety" too, but there seems to be something to what she is saying. I read an article some years ago that made it sound like tasting lots of different things will stimulate hunger/desire to eat.
I find myself having more and more meals that are similar- basically the Protein and vegetables or salad. Protein Drink for snack. Day after day....but it does seem less tempting to overeat. I like everything in my daily diet, but none of it really grabs me or calls my name from the pantry or fridge.

If I am just generally frustrated or pissed, dancing (I belly dance) really helps me. I put on music and make myself practice.
If I am feeling unappreciated, fat, ugly, or just down what works for me is getting a massage or getting my nails done, or just a blow dry (crazy curly hair over here). I do my makeup and wear something pretty. I know it sounds borderline silly but it does make me feel a lot better to take some time to take care of myself and do something nice. Since you mentioned you are tactile oriented I think the massage or the nail treatment would work for you as well.

I am only 4 and a half months out but I eat the same things over and over for the most part. I do go out onfe a week, twice at the most and then I try to make good choices as well. As of right now the repetitive eating is working in that I am seeing it as fuel and nothing else. At least fo rme, I want to try and stop looking at food as entertainment or reward etc.
As far as how someone "normal" eats, who the hell knows. I have come to terms with the fact that I am a mental fattie and I will just have to deal with that for life. I will always want to eat stuff I shouldn't so right now I am not giving myself permission to do that too often.

I am only 4 and a half months out but I eat the same things over and over for the most part. I do go out onfe a week, twice at the most and then I try to make good choices as well. As of right now the repetitive eating is working in that I am seeing it as fuel and nothing else. At least fo rme, I want to try and stop looking at food as entertainment or reward etc.
As far as how someone "normal" eats, who the hell knows. I have come to terms with the fact that I am a mental fattie and I will just have to deal with that for life. I will always want to eat stuff I shouldn't so right now I am not giving myself permission to do that too often.

I am only 4 and a half months out but I eat the same things over and over for the most part. I do go out onfe a week, twice at the most and then I try to make good choices as well. As of right now the repetitive eating is working in that I am seeing it as fuel and nothing else. At least fo rme, I want to try and stop looking at food as entertainment or reward etc.
As far as how someone "normal" eats, who the hell knows. I have come to terms with the fact that I am a mental fattie and I will just have to deal with that for life. I will always want to eat stuff I shouldn't so right now I am not giving myself permission to do that too often.

If I am just generally frustrated or pissed, dancing (I belly dance) really helps me. I put on music and make myself practice.
If I am feeling unappreciated, fat, ugly, or just down what works for me is getting a massage or getting my nails done, or just a blow dry (crazy curly hair over here). I do my makeup and wear something pretty. I know it sounds borderline silly but it does make me feel a lot better to take some time to take care of myself and do something nice. Since you mentioned you are tactile oriented I think the massage or the nail treatment would work for you as well.

Yay! Glad all went well!