CrowMilk

There's always drama here, that's why I hardly visit anymore. There are better and more supportive communities out there.

That being said, to the OP, I highly recommend checking out Reddit's 1200IsPlenty sub. If you don't know how to do that, just Google 1200 calorie meals. I've been doing that and intermittent fasting (no food from around 11 pm to 11 am) and it is easy.

The goal is to eat healthy meals that only add up to 1200 calories for a day, though most recipes I've seen largely consist of veggies so you'll have to tailer them to have more Protein.< br>
I am 20 days from a year and have been able to keep up with no regain using this diet.

I started at 299 and had VSG on 12/21/16 and was a size 18. I am now at 175, 16 lbs from goal, and wear size 13 skinny jeans.

I am a little bummed I am not smaller in size, but I have bigger legs from squats and leg presses, so I'm not too sad about it. I can almost wear my husband's 30/32 pants, just can't button yet so that's something!

Exactly, I'm over six years out and I can eat absolutely everything I could eat the day before my surgery (had I not been on my pre-op diet of course). Oh, with the exception of pancakes!! OH GOD pancakes... I can eat bread, oatmeal, waffles, french toast but a few bites of a pancake and I'm wishin I was dead. lol
Deal is, if I could put all I eat (when I eat) into a measuring device of some sort I bet the absolute most I've eatin since 1/27/11 would be 2 - 2 1/4 cups (tad more MAYBE, Chili night who can blame me? lmao). And I'm DYING when I get close. But I have to be mentally sidetracked for that to happen.
Trust your new stomach, they CAN and to a point WILL stretch (some) but you would have to over eat SO much and suffer SO much for it to stretch enough for you to start gaining back again.

I see some people that responded saying they still eat the same foods they ate before, just less. I can't help wondering if that is a bad decision. Everything I have read and researched on successfully maintaining your weight loss says not to do this. I'm not talking about once in a while having a small treat, but really eating the same junk, fast food, processed sugar, ect.. ect..
I'm not sure why you would go through all of this and not take advantage of the opportunity to change your lifestyle and adopt healthier eating habits? Im just asking because I am really curious if many people 2-4 years out are still able to maintain a healthy weight eating junk?

Me neither. There is a difference between telling things like they are and being an a*****e.

Honestly, I would stay away. I was also recommended to this site but I have found that r/WLS on Reddit is a much better resource, albeit smaller. Yeah the world isn't black and white, but I don't need negativity masquerading as concern. I haven't been on here in months because of it.

I would go to ShutterStock and watch their commercial clips of people eating food. For some reason watching someone eat and chew helped me out in the first weeks.

I really like the chocolate Core Power shake. It's made with Fairlife milk and tastes just like local Midwest chocolate milk.

Before surgery I had serious binge eating problems. One thing that really helped me was my aversion to fried and breaded foods. I cannot tolerate them well at all anymore, so I try to stay away. Anytime I'm stressed and want to eat some unhealthy fast food I'll think through the chain restaurants here and then basically feel nothing for every choice. There's nothing good I can eat that won't make me sick or feel like ****. I hold on to that feeling.

Going out to eat has changed for me. I'm wasting money eating out and I get no satisfaction from it anyway.

Even pizza, which I can still eat, isn't as great as it used to be. The satisfaction from these foods came from filling myself to capacity. Now that I physically cannot do that there is nothing left for me.

I've gotten back to mostly drinking Protein Shakes during the day for this reason. If everything tastes bad or makes me sick, might as well just drink Protein.< /p>

My surgeon said it was okay for me to take gummies. I took the flinstone ones with Iron until I got some vitamin patches.

Fat stores estrogen. When you burn fat, estrogen is released into you body, this happens to men and women. The floods of estrogen can cause mood swings, increased periods. heavy periods. spotting between periods, periods in women that were menopausal, skin break outs lots of things. The mood swings can be insane. It is like PMSing for months on end.

:lol:

That is the perfect example of a completely civilized conversation blown of proportion by someone in their feelings probably from hormone dumping. It was a very normal conversation that simply had disagreeing opinions. Yet it is viewed as negative.
People forget that we are all different ages, different cultures, and different education levels. Something that is offensive to someone else will be mild to non offense to other people.
If you can't take disagreeing with people online, try these real life support groups. They are far more brutal than BP or any other WLS site.

Actually I just read the thread you talked about:


And the criticism levied was directly related to the health risks others (and later you) were taking, and that other posters were deliberately being "rebellious" at merely a few days out of surgery. Not smart whatsoever.
The logic used by those giving criticism was justified, such the many users, "those doing research", coming across that topic and thinking that just trying new things a few days out is something worth the increased risk of complications.
Then of course, [mention=255228]OutsideMatchInside[/mention]mic-dropped with the comment about people claiming to want discussion tend to want it instead to be an echo chamber of "yes men". They understand that others use this site for information, as I did before I joined, and someone could mistake this sort of thing for useful information at a critical stage where the risks to one's health is at its highest. Part of discussion is acknowledging that putting forth your opinions and actions can result in criticism. If one only wants affirming opinions, anywhere online is a terrible place for it.

I have always had heavy and near-constant periods (one lasting 4 months straight) and one of my biggest reasons for getting this surgery was to regulate my cycle-which has not happened yet. I've had 2 breaks of a few days (

I rotate a patch on my upper shoulders, right before it curves up to my neck. It's the best place for me personally.

There is a lot of negative criticism on this forum. Some people believe it is necessary, but I do not. It seems like numerous users need a lesson in constructive criticism.

I am a debater and have been for years so I have "tough skin" when it comes to the back-and-forth arguments, but this site brings it to a whole new level. One of my very first posts, before I knew what the environment was, garnered a lot of criticism and then a post was made about it on rants & raves. It wouldn't have been a big deal, but I was told I would fail for advancing my diet too quickly *even though my surgeon approved*. It seems like some of the users here just want to fight for the purpose of fighting.

The only problem I had with the entire post was assuming that the people asking those questions were addicts, self-imdulgent, ignorant, etc. That cannot be known. I agree completely that brand new post-ops probably shouldn't be asking about those foods, but I don't see it as "disgusting". That is it. I'm sorry if you thought I was rude.

Of course over eating is a cause of weight gain. I must have miss understood you when you said "but some of us didn't eat unhealthy food to get to this weight".

Yaaaaaaa right! I beg to differ!!!!! I completely understand your statement! I do I have horrible endocrine issues that I can starve myself and not loose a #. I get it!! I'm also in nursing. Sooooo it's hard for me to sit hear and believe that a person didn't eat "one ounce" of unhealthy food to get where they are. That's bs. You and I didn't get to where we are by eating good wholesome food. That's where reality needs to be a big part of people's success.

Yes everyone is different but how is someone healthy by eating crap? What their body composition will look like. The chemicals consumed? I see a total trend and in healthy fit people... they don't eat that crap! But semi-ok looking people usually do eat that. Myself for example.. my body composition and health is completely different with what i put in my body. Personally I get sick if I over indulge. But again.... why would you put those food back in your system????? Why? What so important that a person knows the risks and triggers of them... that they need to have them???? I mean, yes people use their tool different and have different goals. But it makes no sense to me to re introduce those harmful things back into me body. Just my opinion.

Not entirely true. Be open to the science and why this is a myth. Also, I gained weight from NOT ENOUGH CALORIES-but entirely the wrong food choices and I regularly exercise. My doc was always on to me for not eating enough. Check out the why.
https://authoritynutrition.com/debunking-the-calorie-myth/

I agree...but I think its alarming to be asking this a week or two post op. To be honest, my response back to the person would had been soon you will be able to, but right now, focus on getting in your Protein. I understand we all fight food addiction, but as a support group, we have to stand up and help others battle this, especially during the first few months of surgery, when its most critical.

Wait... question and this is a question I've posed for myself... why would you go to extremes of getting this gift... this wonderful tool to keep eating the same things that got you to needing surgery in the first place? It scares me that I might. To make that conscious decision to eat those awful foods even in moderation... and make the same mistakes I make now. It doesn't make sense to eat those nasty foods regardless of you're loosing weight. It's the health part you should be focusing on. You're better than fast food even if it's once in a while. You're better than ice cream and candy. I wish you well and much success! Xo

You took offense and made this post about you. How unfortunate. If that's the truth, then you wouldn't feel so crummy about someone voicing there isn't enough healthy advice on this forum. It's not about how much we can screw up to stay on course, it's about beating bad habits that got us fat to begin with and may potentially get us fat again.

I totally agree, when you are maintenance it is definitely important. But when you are a few weeks out, I think it is critical to follow your surgeon directions and eat the strict list of foods recommended.