cbonet

I was rethinking my quick answer. The answer is still no, but I also wanted to support you in rethinking your relationship with food. We all need to re-establish our relationship with food. For many of us food is our reward, our celebration, our "I earned it". Your desire to Celebrate with ice cream is what our norm is but we have to look at food with a different perception post surgery. Food is what we need to sustain our new healthy living. Our reward is our health and being able to do things better and the ability to do new things. I want to wish you a happy birthday. Please Celebrate your birthday with a wonderful activity with those you love. Now that's a celebration!

Went Apple picking and made applesauce. I cooked it down since I'm on the pureed stage but you can just adjust the cooking time and size of pieces for the stage your on.
4 large apples peeled and cut into about 1/2 inch pieces
Place in large saucepan or pot(I use ceramic so nothing sticks)
Begin to cook on low to medium heat stir
Add A little salt, pumpkin spice to taste and 3 tsps stevia(optional)stir
When the apples sweat, stir, lower the heat and cover. For very mushy I cooked it down for about 40 minutes (pureed stage)
It could cook for as short as 15 minutes depending on stage.
It made about a quart. Next week I go to soft foods and I'll make a new batch with bigger pieces and less cooking time.????.

Went Apple picking and made applesauce. I cooked it down since I'm on the pureed stage but you can just adjust the cooking time and size of pieces for the stage your on.
4 large apples peeled and cut into about 1/2 inch pieces
Place in large saucepan or pot(I use ceramic so nothing sticks)
Begin to cook on low to medium heat stir
Add A little salt, pumpkin spice to taste and 3 tsps stevia(optional)stir
When the apples sweat, stir, lower the heat and cover. For very mushy I cooked it down for about 40 minutes (pureed stage)
It could cook for as short as 15 minutes depending on stage.
It made about a quart. Next week I go to soft foods and I'll make a new batch with bigger pieces and less cooking time.????.

I don't have extra skin! I've been going to the gym building mussels!

@@Babbs and @@Lipstick are at goal and have been maintaining for quite a while. They are veterans that have a lot to offer and so much wisdom. Just open your mind and absorb some of the great stuff on this board. Negatively will not help you with WLS or life in general.

Congratulations!!!⭐! Great job

The vitamix is amazing. Its an investment but soooo worth It if doable. It really does everything, Soups, ice cream, nut butters, shakes..... I also have the magic bullet which is great for shakes, and for the pureed stage.

Premiere Protein Shakes are good. Available in BJs, costco, sams, walgreens, Walmart

I once saw a documentary about Princess Diana when she was being taught to speak publicly. She tended, as most do, to speak very quickly and it made her seem nervous and harder to understand. They taught her to speak so slowly that it felt completely unnatural, but it comes across to the audience as the perfect pace. Deep breathing, and remembering to breathe WHILE speaking also kept her from appearing to be in a cold sweat even when she was.
I am fortunate to have had theatre experience (high school drama classes/club) but as an adult I needed reminded of a lot of the things I'd learned. I tend to freeze up and talk too fast, tripping over my words, in interviews and public speaking. But practicing, even with just myself (but mock interviews with friends or recruiters really help) smiling and speaking slowly and preparing answers for the questions I am likely to get (there's tons of resources on the 'net about questions to prepare for interviews - both things they might ask and things you should ask) as if I'm preparing for a debate... that's how I have gotten to be quite good at interviewing. If I get an in-person interview, about 90% of the time I get called back for a second interview. And of the second interviews, I get a job offer about 80% of the time. Project confidence, even if you don't feel you have any.
Best of luck!! Interviewing is stressful, even after you get better at it.

I am job hunting right now and certainly understand.
One of the most valuable things I have been doing is mock interviewing. I have been working with a career counselor. Mock interviewing is a great way to practice and prepare for interviews.

It may not feel like it right now, but you are stronger than you give yourself credit for. Look at what you accomplished before - 40 lbs in 3 months is pretty amazing!
I hope you can find the help you need with counseling or a support group. You don't have to do it all alone, but don't forget to give yourself credit for the good things you've done and are capable of doing again.
Sent from my SM-J700P using the BariatricPal App

Regarding exercise, it doesn't need to be a long, grueling workout. Just go for daily walks, and start small and gradually lengthen them.
Regarding the alcohol, I'd suggest seeking out a support group or counselor.

I would seek professional help from an alcohol treatment program or a therapist who deals with alcohol and bariatric. I've been a family member of alcoholic so it's a prospective of a loved one. In my psych evaluation the doctor said it's not uncommon for people to fall into or back into alcoholism after these types of surgery. Good Luck and I will pray for you to find your peace.

Everyone has posted really great things already in this thread.
It's up to the individual if they will open a topic and respond. Don't worry if it's been asked, I'm sure a lot of people have joined since something was posted.
I'm sure there will be more thoughts, ideas and perceptive. We all have something different to add.

So, tomorrow morning I will be having my Gastric Sleeve surgery. I am feeling all sorts of emotions, which I think is normal. I almost started crying at the grocery store a few days ago because I couldn't have pretty much anything they had. I was ready to cancel my surgery and have a sandwich! I calmed myself down and got myself back on track. I am proud to say I did not have a sandwich, I have followed a liquid only diet FAITHFULLY for 10 days and have lost 13 pounds. I have a great support system, and am looking forward to being able to fit into clothes that are not plus sized! Oh, man...don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight!

Noooooooo

The Flat White with skin milk and cinnamon is delicious. Their decafe iced coffee is also great.add sugar free flavor shot of you want

Congratulations!!

I'm short and athletic. I should weigh 140. At 155, I am at a very low body fat and while I would love to be 149, 135 would be weird for my build. No, I am NOT "big boned" but I am strong. I refuse to lose muscle for a BMI scale that does not take muscle and body fat in account.

Instead of looking at BMI, consider your pants size. It's much more reflective.

There is no reason you can't lose 100% of your excess weight. It may be a challenge, but MANY people do it. Now, I will say that shooting for a "normal" BMI could be BS because the BMI chart is ridiculous. MANY athletes are categorized as "obese" simply because of their height/weight. BMI does not take body fat into account at all, which is ridiculous.

There is no reason to expect that you will only lose 50% of your excess weight either.

YOU WILL DO WHAT YOU WORK FOR. YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS WILL DIRECTLY EQUAL YOUR EFFORTS.

That's really the bottom line.

Pre op sucks. It's tough and you just have to shoulder through it.

Post op MATTERs. Your health is at stake. IT MATTERS. Learn the discipline in pre-op so you can muster through it in post op. Seriously. For some, their life could be at stake. The risks of causing leaks sucks MUCH more than a few bites of "real food" would feel.

Premiere Protein Shakes are good. Available in BJs, costco, sams, walgreens, Walmart

I was rethinking my quick answer. The answer is still no, but I also wanted to support you in rethinking your relationship with food. We all need to re-establish our relationship with food. For many of us food is our reward, our celebration, our "I earned it". Your desire to Celebrate with ice cream is what our norm is but we have to look at food with a different perception post surgery. Food is what we need to sustain our new healthy living. Our reward is our health and being able to do things better and the ability to do new things. I want to wish you a happy birthday. Please Celebrate your birthday with a wonderful activity with those you love. Now that's a celebration!

I was rethinking my quick answer. The answer is still no, but I also wanted to support you in rethinking your relationship with food. We all need to re-establish our relationship with food. For many of us food is our reward, our celebration, our "I earned it". Your desire to Celebrate with ice cream is what our norm is but we have to look at food with a different perception post surgery. Food is what we need to sustain our new healthy living. Our reward is our health and being able to do things better and the ability to do new things. I want to wish you a happy birthday. Please Celebrate your birthday with a wonderful activity with those you love. Now that's a celebration!

Stevia is a good alternative