Tootsietoes

More protein, less garbage foods, and strength building activities like yoga, kickboxing..etc..I am saying this based on what I don't do. I lost all the weight, but have a skeleton look which looks a lot more better than it feels. Hopefully someone can give some good info here...

Do you plan to eat like this for the rest of your life? I went in with the mindset of everything but in moderation, I lost 10 lbs more than I ever even planned for. Instead of bacon eggs and hasbrowns, I would eat an egg. For lunch, instead of a whopper meal with drink, I would get a whopper jr and maybe finish it, or a piece of bread with peanut butter. For dinner, the other half of a sandwich, for dessert- maybe some Greek yogurt or a piece of candy.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/protein-bars-recipe.html Make your own! All the ones I've had are terrible, not worth it and loaded with preservatives and sugar. If you like the bar foods, I get 'That's It' fruit bars which are well...loaded with fruit sugar, but at least they are good for a snack.

That's where I got mine! Completely happy with everything, you will do fine.

Ok this happened to me on and off for years, I finally found a way to stop it. For me it works this way- when I stand up and get that fuzzy about to pass out feeling, I stop and take several deep and rapid breaths until it passes. I've noticed that what I did before when I felt I was about to pass out is I would hold my breath a little bit in anticipation, this only caused the fainting spell. I have not fainted once since adopting this method. Good luck.

2 years in and I still don't eat vegetables often, no room for that! Whole grains I tolerated well though, a piece of toast makes a good quick meal

That if you didn't have it before, you will likely have chronic heartburn, and it sucks

I wanted to give everyone a heads up on this so they don't suffer the same horrendous issues I had for so long. It started about 3 mo post OP, I would get a really nagging pain in my back under the shoulder blade.. It would not go away, even with pain pills and muscle relaxers that I later tried. Then I would get the most bizarre crippling pain right under my ribs (about once every 2 mo or so) felt like my whole diaphragm was contracting and crushing. It was unlike any pain I've ever had. It would start suddenly and sometimes last for hours, and then leave suddenly. ER ct scans showed nothing. Dr thought it was heartburn/stomach contractions, and gave me a regime to follow next time it came on (milk, antacids..etc). Didn't work. Dr prescribed a hida scan to check gallbladder. Very expensive and time consuming scan. Nothing showed up, no stones no nothing. Functioning and emptying was on the low side, so I elected to just get it removed. Guess what?! Full of tiny stones! This was THE cause of my 2+ yr battle. If this happens to any of you, please be persistent about your health, this issue won't go away. Oh.. And get an ultrasound..I should of, but they never did one. And lastly, don't always trust those stupid medical tests.

@@tfarr yes, I am getting this too after eating bad foods, phantom pains it feels like....a reminder of what once was there

Yeah, they went right for the CT scan instead, maybe they don't make money on ultrasounds anymore!

Is it a pain right under your ribcage? Does it start and stop suddenly? Could be your gallbladder.

Opinions wanted... Mine may be unpopular, but YES. Do it. I went into it fat and lazy, not wanting to conform, just wanting a smaller waist size. I broke every single wls rule possible, and lost 70 lbs, am a size 4. It got me on smaller portions, which is all it took to drop the excess. Portions only. Didn't exercise first 8 months- it was hard enough on the body, but was able to pick it up again and it's much easier. Got me thin enough to never want to go back. Got me thin enough to actually want to eat healthy for health reasons (not vanity). Just got my labs done, and everything is normal except my cholesterol. Now I am on the Mediterranean diet and feel good. I don't want to lose any more weight. So for those in the overweight category (not critical folks) I say if you have the money, just do it! You waste far more money on pills and fads, try it out. Eat less. We are a fat society, we eat too much.

@@VDLT I am over a year out. I have to add, I don't drink my calories, but I do love to eat my calories. The food addiction never left. I have to emphasize that even though I did lose the weight, and I succumbed to my weakness, it was still an outright battle. I've watched my body literally waste away, and with that came a lot of pain from muscle loss. That pain was big Kickstarter in getting healthy too. If you think fat is a bad look, try skinny fat for size -I looked like a flaccid corpse.For those that can follow the rules right away, more power to you, but it shouldn't stop someone from considering surgery, especially if they are stubborn as heck like I was..well am. I still cheat, but better.

my maintenence phase vacation meal of red velvet pancake and bacon, before and after..I filled up faster than I thought. Yes- there can be a VERY RARE splurge, no need for food funerals. Wish someone had told me this before hand.

I have reached my goal, going into this I didnt know I would have so many problems along the way, I wanted to share my own side effects of weight loss surgery, in hopes that those thinking about surgery- will go into this realistically (I did not). This is my own set of symptoms, I cannot speak for anyone else.I am interested if anyone has also had second thoughts/regret or a bad outcome. 1. Chronic pain. Before surgery this was not a significant problem. Now my back and joints hurt all the time. I can barely carry the weight of my own bag around on my shoulder 2. Old. I aged 20 years, easily. Fair white skin and wrinkles mixed with a skelator appearance. I look rather sickly 3. Depression. Breaking my love affair with food, has depressed the hell out of me some days 4 void filling. I have a void that food left, I have replaced that with other self destructive tendencies 5. Chronic, unrelenting heartburn..this one sucks, even with the massive daily doses of antacids 6. Anorexia. I am pushing that boundary, food is not as much fun. I can feel all my bones. 7. Butt-gone. I kind of miss that sweet squishy cushion. I am on the fence on whether I would do it again, I was obese- but nowadays- who isn't?! It's became way more socially acceptable in the last 10 years to be fat, maybe WLS is not for everyone.

I am 10lbs below goal and still will never be able to pull off the sexy Halloween costumes that are in abundance for women...who the hell are they marketing to?

@@4MRB4PHOTO hahhahaHahhahahahha I am dying!

that's exactly what I said to myself last year before my surgery! For one time in my entire life I might be able to pull off an adult costume off the rack, but I am convinced that yes- Halloween is for ho's fat or skinny. I love love love Halloween still, but this year I am dressing as a pumpkin!

And speaking to the medical professionals for mental health, their solution was to prescribe m e Xanax for sleep and depression, even I know that's a terrible idea

@@HopeandAgony I Have bad habits, also I heard a lot of conflicting arguments when it comes to vitamins, it seems a bit like a scam. I had my labs done a couple a months ago, and on paper it looks pretty good. I don't have a doctor I trust, nor a nutritionist. I am skeptical, cynical fat minded person that still eats chips and cookies for the brain rush-but-trapped in a frail skinny persons body. But the money I am saving on food is AMAZING. I know I need to change it up, maybe I will start with high protein and change nothing else, add exercise, and see how it goes.

It's not all kittens and rainbows after, take care of yourself and I know you will do good. Backstory- I am not taking vitamins regularly, following protein or water guidelines... I am probably a good example on what can happen when you go in naive and not sticking to the program

Thank you for the kind words, I am taking antacids, but I've also come to the understanding of just how lucky I am to have the surgery and lose these rolls, I need an attitude adjustment

Anyone up to speed on the latest Calcium supplement news? They virtually found NO benefit in taking calcium supplements. Are we doing it wrong here?

Yeah at 7-8 months I struggle, are you insane? Slow it down?