KristenLe

Pinterest sites on how to recylcle old pallets into raised garden beds, I am going to have the best garden in the neighborhood next summer!!!

Last night I made garlic Parmesan puree cauliflower (taste like garlic mashed potatoes only way less carbs) and I also made purée chicken green bean and avocado casserole. Super delicious.
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Based on how much better I am feeling today after being really strict yesterday with my liquids, I think dehydration was the issue. Not in any bp meds so that's ok. Drinking like a fish today. Wish it was a margarita;)
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@@OKCPirate you said "Everyone's experience seems to vary. If you don't deal with the issues which got you to where you are, transference can be an issue. Look up the book, "The Emotional First Aid Kit for Bariatric Surgery." While I'm not against it, I do always say "get to your goal weight first, and then have that discussion." Post surgery you have a limited window of time where you can really lose weight quickly. Don't pee on that gift."
I 100% agree with you!!! I didn't follow that advice and I'm kicking myself now. Get to your goal weight first!! I can't stress that enough! I pee'd on the gift! lol. I hadn't heard of that book but I will order it now. I'm trying to find a good therapist to deal with food addiction as well.

@@mollydeez It's important to eat on a schedule and measure portion sizes. I'm supposed to eat about every 2-3 hours (4-6 times a day) only about 2ozs at a time. Drink fluids at least30 mins after eating (and stop 30 mins before). Don't worry about calories at this point - concentrate on Protein and fluids.

@@erp I don't understand how you could be only 5'4" - your legs look like they go on forever! I'm only 2 inches shorter and have stumpy legs! LOL

I had 2 weeks liquid diet and didn't have anything not on plan. It sucked but my goal was to beat head hunger and cravings prior to surgery.

It's not easy to stay on a diet - that's why most of us needed surgery. The best thing I did preop was go to a therapist who worked with my Bariatric Program to deal with emotional eating. More mindless or boredom eating than anything else. I strongly recommend therapy. I am 2 weeks post-op and was able to do 2 weeks pre-op liquid diet without"cheating" and feel like I'm doing well post-op. It's more mental than physical. The Sleeve is only a tool - but it is a good tool!

Current obsessions:
Learning to knit.
Teaching myself Adobe Muse.
"The Fall" on Netflix.
That really annoying Japanese organization book.
Who the SF Giants are going to trade or cut before next season.
New and clever ways of eating hummus without crackers.
The Life Changing Magic of Fat-free/sugar-free Jello pudding.
And you can have my colored pencils and coloring books when you pry them from my cold, dead hands.

@@megnun21 I'll be 2 weeks out tomorrow. I'm not even bothering tracking weight loss at this point - we had a lot of swelling and Water retention from the IVs and weight can fluctuate up and down drastically during this time. Concentrate on getting plenty of fluids (at least 64 ozs) and meeting your Protein goals. Don't restrict foods - eat as your plan suggests! There's no way to compare your progress with anyone else. We all lose at different rates - and have different amounts to lose. Just keep doing what you're supposed to be doing - the weight will come off. It's not a race.

This f****** election! I have decided to take a break this week so no TV just Netflix and I'm just sticking to this site and trying to stay off Facebook as much as I can. If I could just sleep until November 8th until it's all over with I would!

This brings back my only truly awkward/shocked/speechless moment. I had just been cleared for soft foods and I went to the market's salad bar to get my teeny tiny lunch. At that time, I was especially fond of their chicken salad and their seafood salad. I got MAYBE two tablespoons of each in the salad bar container (knowing I would take half home) and went to the register.
The cashier, a big girl herself, looked at me (remember, I was just about 6 weeks post op and still quite the fatty) and said, "Girl! You know you eat more than that! Who you trying to fool??" in the loudest voice. And yes, everyone in line turned to look at me and my pathetic salad. I was hormonal, stressed at the idea that any food I ate still came back up because of my stricture, and absolutely floored that anyone would say something like that. I barely held my **** together, told her I had stomach cancer and moved on through.
She's not looked at me in the eye since.

Thanks, KristenLe. I just reached out to my nutritionist to see if she could recommend a counselor. I feel like I need to figure out what is driving me to eat unhealthy foods or I will never be successful. It scares me that it was so easy for me to follow my plan for nearly a month and then suddenly, it felt impossible to follow, and I don't know what caused the change.
For the past hour, I've been staring at the clock WILLING it to be noon so I can eat my lunch even though I have eaten plenty already (2 HB eggs, oatmeal, peanuts/cheese). I drank a bunch of Water and I'm still praying for lunchtime. I don't understand why I am so 'hungry'.

It's not easy to stay on a diet - that's why most of us needed surgery. The best thing I did preop was go to a therapist who worked with my Bariatric Program to deal with emotional eating. More mindless or boredom eating than anything else. I strongly recommend therapy. I am 2 weeks post-op and was able to do 2 weeks pre-op liquid diet without"cheating" and feel like I'm doing well post-op. It's more mental than physical. The Sleeve is only a tool - but it is a good tool!

I am not allowed rice so be sure to check your plan. There's so many good options. Ham salad, chicken salad, turkey meatballs with gravy (brown or tomato), soft cheese, refried Beans with cheese & sour cream, pulled pork or chicken, deli meat, chili, cottage cheese, hamburger...

@@Jenny9541 There's many reasons that the scale isn't moving. You need to be sure you are drinking enough fluids. It could be Constipation, your period, Water retention, etc. Let your body adjust to all the changes. Follow your plan. Don't eat too little - that can be as bad as too much. Just keep going. The weight will come off in it's own time. Stay strong!

I am hoping you are both right. Monday I struggled to get everything in and Tuesday was the worst I have felt since the surgery. Worked really hard to keep things spaced right and get all in and felt better today. Thanks for the advice. I have not told anyone but my husband so really rely on the kindness of strangers.
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A girl that works in my physical therapist office told me its common after abdominal surgery to have back pain because your back is compensating for the lack of muscle strength in your abdomen while healing. She said she had a lot of back pain after getting her hernia taken out. I thought it was interesting.
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Yes! I work on my feet all day. Never had back pain. Thought maybe since losing so much weight, my shoes fit differently causing the pain, so i bought new shoes. Still had pain. But only when on my feet a long time. I'm 12 weeks out. It has gotten a little better. I started strength training. That may be helping too. I can't wait the day it goes away. Good luck with yours. Keep us posted if you find out anything that helps. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using the BariatricPal App

@@Asmundson69 Soft foods should include fish, tuna, etc. Try incorporating more of those in your diet - more Protein and should keep you full longer. Are you still taking a PPI (reduce stomach acid)? Get some unflavored Protein powder to add to other foods (spaghetti squash, soup). Take slow bites - if the pains don't go away - call your surgeon.

@@megnun21 I'll be 2 weeks out tomorrow. I'm not even bothering tracking weight loss at this point - we had a lot of swelling and Water retention from the IVs and weight can fluctuate up and down drastically during this time. Concentrate on getting plenty of fluids (at least 64 ozs) and meeting your Protein goals. Don't restrict foods - eat as your plan suggests! There's no way to compare your progress with anyone else. We all lose at different rates - and have different amounts to lose. Just keep doing what you're supposed to be doing - the weight will come off. It's not a race.

I specifically didn't cheat because I was trying to recondition myself mentally, prior to surgery. My thinking was, if I couldn't succeed at following the rules for two weeks pre-surgery, how was I going to succeed at this long-term? I took a lot of pride in sticking to the plan, and it paid off when I weighed in the morning of surgery. I feel that pre-op diet really set the tone, for me.

I'm thrilled to only need a little - take advantage of this time. I'm sure we will be able to eat more in a few months. But I has this surgery to reduce portion sizes.

I had 2 weeks liquid diet and didn't have anything not on plan. It sucked but my goal was to beat head hunger and cravings prior to surgery.