summerset

IE helped me tremendously in the past. I can only recommend it. I can remember losing re-gain that occurred after I stopped smoking with IE without any struggles. I was impressed. That's when I seriously lost all faith in the "be stricter and try harder"-approach. Sometimes the little self-improvement devil raises its head (biohacking anyone?), usually in stressful times when I feel a need to be "in control" and "to eat as healthy as possible and get enough (but not too much!) exercise to have the most energy possible" (like now).

*cough*6mugsadayspitchblack*cough*

As long as you think of "eating healthy" as a chore that needs to be done, this will most likely not change. Do you like the "healthy foods" that you eat? If not find foods that are healthy enough which you truly enjoy and see if that makes a difference. Does that somehow feel like "doing penance for your sins"... or something like that? Cure you from exactly what? From having cravings? From having "bad habits"? From wanting "bad foods"? From "being the bad girl" in regards to food/exercise? People will test their boundaries and stretch them sooner or later. Yes, I know, I know... people swear they won't do it like never again and will always be the good dieting gal/guy from now on after WLS and will never fall from grace forever and blah blah blah - but I've seen too many people falling flat down on their faces with that approach to think of it as a feasible for the majority of us. I know I'm not one of these saints, lol. Unfortunately we don't have that much old-timers on here. Like five years out and more. What we have to say is not always to the liking of the n00bs but after a few years they might chime in with us. Seen that happen more than once.

? Get used to it. When it comes to the topic of diet, food, calories and especially carbohydrates it can get quite controversial. Low-carb or keto diets are very en vogue these days, just as low-fat diets were a few years ago. Go with what you feels most comfortable to you and don't be afraid to make adjustments as time goes by and weight goes down. Your nutritional needs will change over time. And go with what feels most comfortable to you, not to your best friend, your surgeon, your dietician, a random person online, your mother or Uncle Bob's best buddy. Talk is cheap. That includes dietary advice.

It's not the "weirdest damn thing", it's the effect of a refeed.

I only have one comment on this: Carbohydrates are not the evil guys.

This. Abstinence doesn't work for everyone. Neither does moderation. One simply has to try and find out. Depending on what you've been exposed to more mentally by your treatment team and/or fellow patients either IRL or on the web (i. e. either the abstinence or the moderation approach) you might have to muster up a big amount courage and take a leap of faith. I've seen countless people taking the moderation route who've failed during the years, doesn't matter if we're talking about eating, smoking, drinking, shopping etc. However, I've also seen countless people who swore off the bad foods or the alcohol, the cigarettes etc. and I've seen many of them relapsing hard. The approach has to fit the person. Trying the same thing over and over again is ludicrous.

I don't think the foods you've listed are healthier. They might have less calories sometimes (sometimes not) and they add protein so you don't have to plan your meals as much (I'm still using protein foods like bean pasta, powders, bars etc. to boost my protein intake), but most of the foods are not healthier than the original version. There might be exceptions. That said, one needs to differ between "healthier foods" and "foods that might help with weight loss" as these are by far not always the same. My take on e. g. a protein cookies is: "I would've eaten a cookie anyway, might as well eat a protein cookie if it's yummy as well." Same with cake: when I make a cake, I put protein powder into the flour (I've posted my apple crumble cake a few times already). I prefer it over "real apple crumble cake" just as I prefer bean pasta over regular pasta so it feels like a win-win situation. Is it really healthier? Well, I don't mind the stevia in the protein powder, some people would though. Protein chips can be nice or nasty. The nice ones usually seem to be sold out, lol. I usually go for roasted chick peas instead. That's a question only you can answer. For me, being able to have all these things and being able to eat what I like seems to be a huge factor in not gaining weight.

Just prepare Garden Gourmet burgers for tomorrow. I will post a picture once I've assembled them. I also cooked up some shiitake, oyster mushrooms and red onions with a spice mix for mushrooms and soy creamer. My stomach feels a bit queasy though so I put it into tupperware. Maybe I'm going to eat it tomorrow and Friday. Ah, whatever... Yogi tea with erythrith and soy milk:

Like totally tired and black coffee isn't very exciting. At least the cup is cute.

I completely understand, lol.

Me, too. Like, it will simply explode or something like that, lol. ?

Pressure cooking is supposed to reduce cooking time considerably but I'm not sure what pot to get and if it really works out as easypeasy as some cooking blogs claim. Experiences seem to be mixed when it comes to this. Not-so-fancy ones you simply put on your stove aren't that expensive so it might be worth an investment. Not 100% atm though.

Just almost the best treat when it's 3°C and raining outside. Strong coffee with heated soy milk, cocoa powder, a bit or brown rum and coffee spice.

Depends on the surgeon if you're allowed caffeine or not. It's not about weight loss. It's about being a potential irritant to the stomach lining. We were allowed all foods including black tea and regular coffee after four weeks. Before the four weeks were over the dietician advised even against decaf coffee .

Many dieters are "good all day" ?. Bodies don't really like being in a calorie deficit. So that makes it extra hard. I can remember the dietician told us three meals plus one snack in the afternoon and to stop eating 2 h before going to bed (though that's because of possible reflux issues and not because of weight loss) but that in the end this is only a guideline just as the recommended foods. Some patients do good on the recommended schedule and/or foods, some eat three meals a day, others need five or six because they have a higher TDEE and/or a physically more demanding job, some eat different foods because of intolerances, ethical reasons or because of taste preferences. Plans/diets need to be adapted to the patient's needs, not the other way around.

You're so brave. ? I'm still asking myself if a pressure cooker will solve my time problem with cooking beans from scratch or if it will slowly collect dust in the back of some shelf because canned is still so much more convenient and the days in which red kidney beans and maybe chick peas (if lucky!) were the only canned beans available are over.

Head hunger as in "appetite and could eat something"? Well... my first WLS was March 6th 2001 so since 19 years, 8 months and 15 days. ? Head hunger is normal, everyone has it (yes, even the "skinnies"). Accept it and get used to it.

Eek, so maybe you should seek advice from your treatment team regarding your high anxiety levels or - if they dismiss your concerns or don't seem competent regarding this issue - get help elsewhere, e. g. support groups both online or IRL, books or - if you're lucky enough to have access to - professionals specializing in eating issues. I think a lot of us show signs of highly restrictive eating, both in our history and after WLS. Disordered eating can hide behind many faces. I guess I'm living out my own disordered eating in IF and by restricting more foods than necessary (I can't have dairy, meats and most other animal products would be tolerable but I choose not to eat them).

And you wish you would dump every time after having eaten carbohydrates. You're a bypass, right? Don't compare yourself to sleevers. You can still try to tell your anxious brain the facts. I don't know how bad your anxiety is though but most likely too many pressure inducing and anxiety provoking thoughts took hold in your mind over the last time. Btw, if you've ever heard something about the "window of weight loss closing after some months" (and I'm 1000% sure you have, most likely more than one time) - ditch the thought. It's bull crap. You will always lose weight when eating less calories than your body burns. Assuming that there's a "window of opportunity" only contributes to your anxiety by creating pressure to lose weight fast "before it's too late". It definitely is addictive. That raises the question: what will you do once weight loss slows down or when you've reached goal weight and the rush is gone? I've read something about overeaters not only being addicted to the rush of hyper palatable foods but also to the rush of strict dieting. I feel this is true.

Of course they are. Why should they be less long, lol. I guess there might be certain kind of shoes that need to be bought bigger when feet have more fat on them (or more water in them, take a look at the feet of some elderly ladies), but e. g. a sneaker? You have to tighten up the laces but that's all you have to do.

I'm a 39-40 Euro size (at 5'6''), depending on the brand, always was as an adult. I don't know how people lose a shoe size. Length of feet is set once you're an adult, no? I'm also a large frame according to wrist circumference.

Vegan junky junk food.

In general not feeling cold. Exception is when I'm tired. I tend to get the shivers then but it was always like that, fat or thin.

Rest of the gnocchi, green cauliflower, red onion and tempeh fried with a spicy sweet soy sauce. The zucchini had unfortunately a slightly bitter aftertaste when I took the test bite. Threw it out.