MowryRocks

Ok ladies under 5'4" If you're like me it's really close to "Pants - Buying Season" You know, that one time of year when you can buy Capris because they fit you like long pants for the ENTIRE year. This has been a major problem for me since I had VSG on 10/26/2016. Either way... Dress Barn has black "dressy" capris already on sale for $32.00 a pair. I bought them in a 20 and an 18 cause we all know the struggle. I don't seem to struggle to find jeans in the same way that I do with work appropriate attire, so...if you have the scoop on where to find these elusive wonders...please add or hit a sister up.

My protein guidelines through my plan seem awful low compared to others. My guide says 60-80. Wondering if this would explain frequent stalls and slow weight loss. Any thoughts?

super cute!

I am 5 months post op. Until last week I ate 6 meals per day. I am trying to transition to 3 meals per day now that my restriction has relaxed a little. Either way works for me, but in the beginning 6 was necessary to get in all the protein.

5 months out and I have never had a protein problem. I pretty much mapped out a solution in the beginning Cottage Cheese 1/2c 11g protein P3 - ham, turkey, cheddar - 14g 1/2c ground turkey in Manwich - 22g 3oz diced chicken breast - 19g 2oz Ol Farmers ham wrapped around a cheesestick - 16g Turkey Chili 1/2 c -22g Oikos Triple Zero Yogurt - 15g Just to name a few. I haven't had a protein shake in months.

You've got this!

This was my biggest fear going into surgery. I talked to my husband about it, ad nauseam. I've worked really hard at making this change about us as much as it is about me and that has seemed to help us both feel confident. Men react oddly when they are afraid of losing something, hopefully that is what it is and it will all come out in the wash, but if it doesn't change or he's unwilling to change, then you have a decision to make. I hate this situation for you. Keep up the good work.

First things first. The two things are not related. I have never been skinny. I met and married my husband at 200lbs and ballooned up to over 300lbs at one point. There was no guarantee that he was going to stay with me, but he did and he's still here while I'm almost back to where I was and I expect that he will stay with me as I continue to lose. Our 18 year wedding anniversary is Monday and we have been together for 24 years. Dating whether traditionally or online is an act that relies heavily on and can affect self esteem. A lot of times when you are overweight, it can feel like people don't see who we are on the inside, but more times than not, we are protecting who we are on the inside and only releasing the parts of us that feel palatable to others. People can be whoever they want you to think they are, online or in the physical. When someone else reveals something shady about themselves, try not to look at yourself and think "What's wrong with me?" Trust me, it's super easy to list all the things we don't like about ourselves, but in all actuality what you have described says absolutely nothing about you and absolutely EVERYTHING about the other person. Hang in there.

I've never heard of this place. Is it regional. Are they online?

I was married at the beginning of April in 1999. One of our wedding gifts were season passes to Six Flags over St. Louis. At the time, we were young and actually lived in the same town as the amusement park, so we were so excited to be able to just pop over whenever we wanted. The first time we processed our passes, we headed directly to Batman the Ride. Back in the day, the seatbelts attached to the overhead locking mechanism clipped in between the legs. As we were trying to get on, it was evident that my seat would not close. The kid working the ride asked me to hold on. He pushed it tight against me by using his feet against the seat in front of me and clipped me in, at the same time, my fat legs were clipped into the locking clip. I was in terrible pain and terribly embarrassed, so I didn't say a word. I endured the ride with it's twists, turns, and loop de loops. I walked away with a severely bruised inner thigh and and even worsely battered pride. I never rode another amusement park ride. Years passed, I had kids who very badly wanted to go to Six Flags. I decided that I would buy season passes about 4 years ago because I was trying to lose weight and I thought that while I can't ride the rides, it would be a good opportunity to get some exercise and walk around. For the first two seasons, I didn't even try to ride anything. I just walked from ride to ride and held stuff while my hubby would ride with the kiddos. Two years ago, I started my first steps into making a real change in my life. I have always been against weight loss surgery, so I started on a ketogenic diet and started walking like it was my job. I lost about 35lbs, tried to ride Batman, wouldn't close (now the clasp is at the top). I got out, did my walk of shame and moved on. At the end of 2016, my dad told us that he wanted to die. He was retired, 59 years old, in renal failure from refusing to take care of diabetes for years, and three hours a day, three days a week were too much to ask for him to continue his life. We went on a roller coaster of our own for about two months where he would go on hospice, be almost dead, and then freak out and go to the hospital, swear he was going to go to all his appointments, and then go right back on hospice after the first dialysis appointment. In February of 2016, he passed and at the end of that, I had gained 60lbs. At his funeral, I looked at my husband and said, "If there is something that you could do that would save your life, so that you could be there for your family...why wouldn't you?" Duh. Light bulb. 30 days later I was at a seminar and I started the 6 month medically supervised diet and jumping through all the other hoops. I had my vsg on 10/26/2016 and at the beginning of December, I went toe to toe with this elusive beast and was once again denied. ( I needed like an inch) Yesterday, on my 5 month surgiversary, I slayed the dragon! I laughed and cried the whole time. After, I rode every dang ride I could find and I had a blast. (I didn't even realize it was my surgiversary until I started writing this)

This will be a breeze. Carnival ships offer a buffet breakfast with egg station, they offer everything from boiled to customized omelets. Yogurt (will not be low in sugar so be careful). Lunch will be a bit trickier because when your off ship it will be like being at home, when your on, there's always the buffet which will have cottage cheese and other proteins and veggies. Dinner in the dining room on Carnival is always my favorite (Never the buffet) they offer 4 or 5 of the same proteins every night so it will be easy to find a chicken or steak (If your cleared...I'm 5 months out and still not cleared for steak) with veggies, plus a few different "specials". Since your dining staff in the dining room is the same every night, talk with them about your restrictions either before the first dinner or at the first dinner, they will keep them in mind. Most importantly...HAVE A GREAT TIME! What ports of call are you considering?

I went to Hawaii at 4 months. I had the same types of concerns. We have been avid cruisers and I have no doubt that you'll be just fine. If you are cruising Carnival or Disney...I can give you some more direct advice. If you're interested just send me a message.

you can find it and other recipes at this really great blog called the World According to Eggface.

I keep my convenience store tight by dropping all my old Hostess $$ on G2 and Lotto.

Right? When I said it was a motivator for me to have my surgery, that's exactly what I was talking about. I felt like if they can do it...I sure as heck can.

You've got this! It's all about learning how to navigate this new world. My family and I went on a trip to Hawaii in Feb, like 4 months post op. I packed P3 in a lunch box so that I would be good on the 9.5 hour flight.

This is totally something my husband would say! LOL. I save so much cash that we joke that we are bariatric ballers.

I just watch it no matter how I am feeling. It keeps me straight. It was a motivator to have my surgery. I can relate despite being no where near 600lbs, but I keep telling myself that I easily could've been there,

For any of you that had your surgery at Des Peres...Have you attended the support group? I'm 5 months out. I think it might be a good time for me, but I wanted to get an impression of it before I go. I'm busy and don't live close so I'd rather not waste my time if it's a dud. Thanks in advance.

The thing to remember is that liquids don't fill the stomach or leave the stomach at the same rate as solids. I'm 5 months out and I drink the same way I did before. I can't eat in the same way though. I think the point of sipping and going slow is about retraining your brain as much as it is about limitations.

Yep! I spent about 5 years being the biggest naysayer. Not moving sooner is my biggest regret! Congrats!

My body definitely gives me different cues now than it did before. I definitely feel a bowel discomfort that I didn't before and I'm weird so I always think, do people with normal BMI's always feel this way?

Your title says it all. You are a stronger person than I. Don't let a situation allow you to be down on yourself. You wouldn't let them mistreat you, so don't you mistreat you either. Hang in there!

The surgery is done, what you do at this point is up to you. I agree with your first thought, get to where you want to be and then decide.

88 and 78 are normal lows. If you are having 37 and 47, call your doctor immediately. Falling below 70 is dangerous and when you can start to feel symptoms from hypoglycemia. Not trying to scare you, but those lower numbers are scary. Report them as soon as possible.