Knitchic

Thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really am feeling very, very good this morning. It's amazing how much difference 24 hours can make.
My family is visiting our extended family out of state this long weekend. I had to work....was hoping to handle the regular load plus tie up loose ends for my absence.
Just me and the dogs staying around here this weekend.
Woke up yesterday at 4:00am alarm clock and felt like crud.....body aching.....hernia protruding and wouldn't go back in not matter how much I tried......sore abdomen and aching knees, back etc. Sat up and came close to simply calling in.
Went and took care of a ton of stuff. Very productive work day in spite of the aliments. Never even had time to get hungry. Drank my 4 Protein shakes and 97 gallons of Water. Had fun meeting with several of my employees and had extended conversations with a few while doing their annual performance appraisals. A couple asked about what I was having done. I simply explained that there would be hernia repairs as well as weight loss surgery, too. Some had experiences with family, friends, etc that have had wls. They shared the positive results.
Progress.......good util my boss, who has been hugely supportive of my plans, notified me that he was being replaced with a new department manager. Not his call, either. He's a great guy, super person and has impeccable values. I hate seeing him moved.
Knowing I'll be going back to a new boss isn't going to be fun, but at least I'll be on the upswing and better able to face the chaos.....providing I follow my eating & supplement schedule and stay fortified.
I took today off and was already scheduled off tomorrow.
I can nurse this hernia and take things easy.....work on final prep stuff around the house......watch football and chill out with the dogs while drinking 98 gallons of Water.
I want to go to the gym and hit the treadmill but I"m a little apprehensive about being exposed to any new germs at this point. Paranoid? Hell yes, I am. I don't even want to get too close to my wife and son when they return tomorrow as the surgery is the next morning. Paranoid indeed.

Worked a long shift yesterday and stayed over to nail down a few things. It was my last workday prior to the surgery.
Made a quick pitstop in the restroom on the walk out. Glanced in the mirror while washing hands and it hit me.......this is the last time you'll be here at this weight. Everything is about to change.
It also registered that I was wearing a cotton polo work shirt with the company's logo. It was a 5XLT. I plan on returning to work wearing newer, smaller shirts as I'm guessing I'll be out 3-4 weeks due to related hernia repairs.
The old shirt went into the trash.
Awesome feeling.
I walked out of there feeling like I was heading towards a great place. Even had less limp, maybe even a bit of swagger in my step.
Old Sasquatch exited the job. Slim Shady will be returning.
Looking for the lean living ahead.

I too am sidetracked by the upcoming surgery on the 22nd. I am typically very hard working and dedicated, however, these days I can't seem to focus on anything but this surgery. I'm not worried about it. I fully understand everything involved but I can't stop thinking about it.

I'm 3 weeks out and losing slowly as well. Sometimes I get frustrated when I see the other numbers people post but I try to remind myself that I am losing and that what's it's all about. Everyone's journey is different. I guess mine is just a slow Sunday drive on a single lane gravel road.

I'm 3 weeks out and losing slowly as well. Sometimes I get frustrated when I see the other numbers people post but I try to remind myself that I am losing and that what's it's all about. Everyone's journey is different. I guess mine is just a slow Sunday drive on a single lane gravel road.

Tag me and I will remove them. I just killed off two.

How is the scale going to tease me like that. I got back on 2 other times hoping the number would go down, but it didn't . Ughh I've been pushing hard lately to make it to wonderland. Now today I'm going to eat all Protein and workout twice. Tomorrow that scale better say 1 something! Lol. *Vent over*

I also wanted to say that for constipation the hands down best thing I used was "Smooth Move Tea" You can buy it in the grocery store. If you drink a half cup before bed each night it will help. It also counts as liquid so that's a bonus. I tried a bunch of other stuff before someone here on Bariatricpal recommended this, and nothing worked.. this is the best.

September 22 is the start of the new me!

@@fabnsab
That's how I've eaten from day one. I eat full fat cheese, butter, dressings, etc. I believe in real food in smaller quantities and no processed, low fat, low sugar crap! I find it keeps me satiated longer, too.

About two weeks ago I woke up to use the restroom and as my rear end hit the seat I about jumped ten feet high because the cold shocked me. This had never been a problem and I usually craved cold touches (flipping over my pillow, finding a cool spot on the sheets, the toilet seat) in the middle of the night because I always felt over-heated.
Then last week while I sat at my desk at work the AC clicked on (yes, Arizonans have their AC's on in September and even in parts of October) and I immediately wished I had something to cover my arms with. I was the girl all summer long begging for the air to be turned down to 70 and when it clicked on at 73 I felt like I was going to freeze to death.
I'm hoping it all means that during winter (no Arizona doesn't really get a winter, but we pretend) I can bundle up in cute pea coats, scarves, tunics, knit leggings and knee high boots. Gotta turn the negatives into positives!

@@Babbs
Wow you had to cut rings off fingers???
i didn't know they did that???
ok, i'll stop about cutting rings off!!
don't want to cause any trouble
no more sarcasm
i think some people wear ring guards
i did for a very short time
the guard was sharp/too tight at my fingers so i stopped
it actually hurt me
i think i was about 50 lbs down
wedding ring was "falling off" (not really, but close)
got resized
had to resize again when i had lost all my weight
then jeweler made them too tight
redid, and now they finally fit like a glove
kathy

She spoke from experience.
My experience has been the same: no jewelry allowed for surgery.
You simply were rude and derailed the thread to start with.

My surgeon told me for the first three months I am not to worry about measuring my food. I simply take food from my list of approved foods and eat slow small bites until I feel "full." He said some foods I may end up taking three bites and others seven. The biggest issue for at least the first three months is Protein, fluids and Vitamins. Not calories, not Portion Control but simply making sure my body is healing. Which simply includes getting 50 grams of Protein daily, 64 ounces of fluids and making sure I am getting in exercise, Vitamins and decent sleep everyday.
He says when we get to six months we will discuss portion control, calorie intake and moving past the "honeymoon" phase into maintenance. Maintenance tends to happen at a year out but learning healthy habits along the way lends a hand in being a successful WLS patient.

Just wanted to chime in here real quick. I had the same experience felt like I was starving and I got very discouraged and hated reading the posts about people saying I can barely eat this or that. Things have changed now. I don't feel like I am starving anymore and I think I am eating less than I was before (I KNOW I am). Give it some time and trust the process!!

Hello! Just wanted to say that your stomach nerves are still healing from a major trauma, so while you may not feel it, I can almost certainly guarantee that you are actually full. I had a similar feeling in the beginning and I now rarely feel hungry and can tell right away when it's time to stop. Hope this helps.

One of the things my son and I did when we wanted something sweet was make sugar free pudding and add our Protein Powder to it (one scoop of powder per box of jello).....it was eating a treat but also getting Protein at the same time

I think that you stated the root to your problem at the end of your post. You're bored and emotional. Unfortunately, rocky emotions are just part of all this, Hormones are rapidly changing with rapid weight loss and emotions are all over the place from the major changes in your life right now.
Boredom is as much of a problem as the emotional upheaval! You are accustom to being busy at work and now you are stuck at home. Try to find things to keep yourself occupied. Take a walk, (you need to start exercising anyway!) read a good book, organize something, (a closet, drawer etc) Just don't let yourself sit and brood about things. Keep your mind busy and it will help with the boredom. Which will help with temptations.
You are NOT a failure!!! And you haven't screwed anything!!! You've got this, I believe in you!! you're just in a low spot at the moment. Go make a Protein shake and sip along on it. Before you know it, you'll have it down, you'll feel better and you'll be back on track.
You know we're always here when you need us!
.

I loved chicken salad in the soft/mushie/puree stage. Canned chicken breast, some fat-free Ranch, and a little relish. Mash up with a fork. Super easy, tasty, filling, and easy on the tummy. High Protein too.
Others favorites: Refried Beans with some grated sharp cheddar and salsa.
Ground turkey with a little spaghetti sauce (no pasta),
Ricotta cheese with marinara,
Tilapia seasoned with a little lemon pepper,
Cottage cheese with a teaspoon of sugar-free orange Marmalade and some Stevia,
Cottage cheese with Salsa,
tuna salad,
soft Scrambled egg with cheese or salsa,
Ground turkey with taco seasoning, topped with cheese and salsa

If you are looking for high Protein, stay away from things like mashed potatoes. Carb city!
I would take meat and puree it with a sauce I liked, then heat it up in the microwave, sometimes with a little cheese on top. I mostly used the packets of tuna and salmon as well as canned turkey and chicken and ground beef. Do some shopping for what appeals to you (but stay away from crap like processed, frozen meals and carby stuff like noodles, rice, and potatoes IMO). Here are combos that I liked -- but what is important is what you like. Good luck!
chicken breast + BBQ Sauce + cheddar cheese
turkey breast + peanut satay sauce + jack cheese
sardines + red curry + swiss cheese
chicken breast + marinara sauce + mozzarella cheese
ground beef + chipotle mayo
lemon dill salmon + remoulade
shrimp + buffalo sauce + bleu cheese
ground bison + Sriracha ketchup + pepper jack cheese

Most people lose some hair. I lost 30% of mine, but it's thick so it was hardly noticeable. I think it all depends on how thick your hair is. I've seen just a few people who lost enough to have to wear extentions or hairpieces.
Honestly, taking your Vitamins and getting all your protien is great, but more than likely it won't prevent Hair loss. It's really not the end of the world. I'd rather have thinner hair than be obese.

Indieflickers,
As the others have said, everyone’s different. The important things that everyone needs to do are to get the needed protein; make healthy food choices such as fruits and veggies and healthy fats instead of sugary and low-nutrient starchy foods and saturated fats; and develop healthy eating patterns that you can stick with long-term.
You’re probably doing fine if you’re feeling comfortable and in control at 1300 calories, and losing weight, even if it’s not as fast as it was 8 months ago right after surgery. If you want to cut back on Protein because you said you’re getting “too much,” you can always go for nutritious alternatives, like nuts, peanuts, oatmeal, avocados, and sweet potatoes.
Also, if you exercise a lot, you need more calories than someone who doesn’t exercise, so that’s something to consider, too.
Congrats on your weight loss so far! You are doing phenomenal, so it’s hard to believe there’s even a chance that you’re not doing everything right!

At 8 weeks post op you will likely be on soft foods vs. puréed foods. This means you could have some turkey in very small burped with gravy to help it slide down.
You could also have a small amount of vegetable and even a bite of either sweet potatoes (if they are not all covered in marshmallow or sugar) or mashed potatoes.
Here's the thing, you will find that at this stage a couple of bites and you will be done. Have those bites over 20 to 30 minutes and thanksgiving becomes about just enjoying family and friends.
Last year I was at exactly the same spot, 8 weeks post op at thanksgiving and I am the chief cook in the family. Which was funny because at that stage had I been tasting as one does when they cook I would have gotten sick.
I had to keep calling my son and husband to taste to make sure I had the right seasonings! I was able to eat literally just a few bites of turkey and some green Beans. It was absolutely delicious and it felt like thanksgiving to me. I also tasted a bite of pumpkin pie without the crust of course. I found at that stage it was too sweet for me and did not enjoy the flavor at all.
Congratulations on taking steps to get healthy! I so wish I would have done this when I was younger! It is my one regret.
Instead of you dealing with damage to your body from being obese your body should bounce back very nicely!
I look forward to seeing your progress! Good luck!

This is just my opinion so take it for what it is worth.
I have a slice of pizza every once in a while, but I choose pizza that has a super thin crispy crust. I can only eat a very small amount but it is delicious and so far hasn't caused me to have any crazy cravings.
I eat potatoes maybe once a week and have no problems gaining weight or cravings. I also eat sweet potatoes and have since almost the beginning, again maybe once a week.
bread for me is very difficult. My tummy will only tolerate it if is toasted well. I cannot eat bread, Buns or anything like it. Cake.....these items almost feel like they get all Gummy in my tummy and once I have even a bite or two I am done and cannot eat anything further which meNs my Protein gets lost along the way. I simply stay away from bread and bread like products such as cake or quick breads.
Pasta, I have had twice in the last year. This too does not sit well in my tummy, it used to be my very favorite dish. I am Italian so Pasta was a twice weekly meal at my house before surgery. Now, I could care less if I ever have it again.
Rice, every once in a while I will eat one or two bites of rice because I love rice. I do ok with rice but honestly I try to limit my carbs to veggies and fruit.< /p>
I think your tummy will tell you what will or won't work. As far as timing, I was probably 8 months post op before I even thought about trying these foods. I am a bypass patient though so the sleeve might be different
Good luck!

Thank you for this post i feel the same way..no appetite and protien shakes are yuck...im even having depression because of it