FluffyChix

Great post. Thanks Alex!

Dannnnnnnnnngggggggg! That's ridiculous! Hoping that gets it healing and am so sad you're experiencing this!!!!

^^^This! Great post @allwet. It's super stressful, the "not knowing," and trying to navigate a new road. The surgical team tries as best they can to prepare us, but the reality is that it's like bringing home a new baby from the hospital. We will be anxious and fretful 1st time parents to our new babies. I was TERRIFIED of overeating and ruining the tool I was given. My new pouch wasn't giving me feedback to let me know when I was full. So I never knew how much latitude to give myself. So I actually did the opposite of you. I ate my scheduled 5-6 mini meals per day and got my protein in come hell or high water. But I ate very small quantities and calories for my stage in order not to stretch my pouch. Consequently, I never challenged it or felt full--so I thought my surgery was screwed up cuz I never got full. LOL. Then one day I let myself eat all I wanted. Low and behold, I was only about 2-3bites below the "OK, 'enough moron' stage." I got my vitamins in each day and got my 120oz of liquids! Every day. I ate on a schedule whether I was hungry or not, cuz it was the only way to get my protein in and make as much of it protein from food, rather than protein supplements. Retrospectively, I'm not sure if that was right or wrong. You know? I could have just had 2 Premier Proteins for 320cals and been done with it! Protein req satisfied, BOOM Chahkalaka! And I would have had 22oz of liquids toward my goal. I healed easily. Many don't. Many of you guys have a LOT of swelling to deal with. So it's an individual walk and what worked for me, won't work for you. You just have to carefully feel things out. Now, fast forward to 9 almost 10 weeks and my new tummy tells me when it's full and I know approximately how big a meal should be by volume and weight. I know when I can't possibly eat another meal--so I cut out the next meal. I try to still eat on a schedule, but sometimes I don't want my snacks. So I skip them. Eventually, I will be able to eat enough volume, that I can eat 3 meals + 1 snack a day. But I'm not there yet. And that's ok. My tummy will tell me when I am! Your's will too! At the end of the day, if I haven't eaten enough to satisfy my protein minimum for the day, I will add as much Premier Protein as I have to have in order to satisfy my minimum goal. I ALWAYS satisfy my liquid reqs and my vitamin reqs and the absolute minimum protein. But now I'm doing good to work toward the middle of the protein range, which should give me more oomph to do my workouts. Just take things slowly and try to listen to the very subtle cues from your body. They will become more and more pronounced as you learn its new language! Congrats on surgery!

Wonderful! Congrats!!!!

^^^^This. @proudgrammy!

Welcome to the boards. This is your second post, but in your activity under your profile tab, I don't see any old post either.

This is truly a weekend of firsts! Forgot to mention, we also walked at the Train Park and Town Square last evening too and watched the sun set. This morning I just got back from walking in the nature preserve by our house. There's a beautiful "lake" and lots of bike and hike trails. Perfect sunny weather. Wore shorts and sleeveless tee with sports bra underneath (cuz the tee is 3x and miles too big--but it made a great over-shirt)! Now am back and making brunch. Oh and FYI! English Breakfast Tea and Peaches and Cream Premier Protein Drink are PHENOMENAL together! Makes a light and beautiful morning alternative to coffee--lighter feeling!

Well if we can't hit the <3 button, then I'm gonna have to liberally sprinkle this fairy dust all over the place dude! So get ready! And we are pretty partial to you right now. And we know you will be a heart throb at 2-fitty, cuz you are one right now!!! Word!

You will probably only be eating about 1/4cup of volume. So make a layered bean dip with yummy avocado on top. You'll be full after 3 bites.

Get ready for beating hearts and falling sparkle Matty! Payce!

Aw sweetie! I'm so dang sorry to hear about your hubs and am praying all goes well with his surgery!!! Sounds like you have a support network. I honestly was up and working around the house the day after I came home from the hospital! My sis and I cooked dinner together for the full fam and played Mah Johng (sp?) and Hearts! LOL. I was off narcotics before leaving the hospital and off Tramadol by Day3. I could have actually stopped it the day after surgery but I'm a wuss and didn't want to deal with pain. Liquid Tylenol did me fine and I think I stopped that on Day 4 maybe? I could have driven at around Day 2 or 3. I had RNY, so the pain may be less than with the VSG? Dunno. It always kinda sounds like your VSGers had a rougher time immediately post-surg with pain. But I REALLY pushed my water and walking in the hospital. So I think being well-hydrated helped with the healing. Almost no post-surgical gas pain either.

^^^ This. I'm doing great and have done great from Day1. @birdynz Maybe I need to come hang with y'all on the Fitness Board? I am taking baby steps to up my fitness and can use inspiration and mentors! Love ya girlie!

Wore shorts and a red and white micro-stripe t-shirt for the first time in 20 years IN PUBLIC! We ran errands, went to our little wine bar and sat on the front porch and people watched. I had iced tea (gallons of it) and he had wine. Shared a Caprese Salad, then had a garden salad with a couple bites of his burger and cheese (sans bun) for dinner and I called it a day. The young whipper snapper serving us said, "I really like your outfit! It's so in style and what all the young people are wearing. He liked my messy bun and the total vibe of it. LOL. First time EVS that has happened to me. I felt like a totally normal size even though I know at 5'4" and 192.6 lbs I'm not "normal" size--it was a beginning of reorganizing how I frame myself in my mind! I feel like I've turned a corner. This morning, I might go try to walk by myself for the first time in the Nature Preserve Park near us.

Where do you see your like totals, please?

I can't like you either. But I like you.

Just keep swimming!

@Miss Topaz We talked about this very thing! She's like me up at 800-1000 range! But your RD was one reason I was trying to keep it down around 500. I'm a month less than you! So I was afraid of "if I eat this much now, what will it mean for later" and she said, it just doesn't work out that way. So I chose to believe her! I'm glad you're doing 700! I actually find it a little challenging to hit 700. I hit upper 6's pretty easily though, so I do throw in a few g of almonds, or avocado, etc. You know? HUGS! And so glad you're back. I've missed you like cray!!!

I think I lost 12lbs? It's in my signature, but can't see it right now. And can't remember sh*t.

I'm having the same issue Kathy. Sorry! It's frustrating for sure! I wanna like my friends' posts. I did try logging out and logging back in but didn't seem to fix it.

Yay girlie!!! Isn't like being let out of jail???!!! Yeeeehaw!

I'm running with scissors and threw caution to the wind today. I made a spinach mushroom omelette using a REAL egg this and full fat whole milk Tillamook Cheddar cheese. It has 224 cals; 16g protein; 16g fat; and 2g of carbs in it. LOL. The world might end...buy life insurance. (But boy howdy was it tasty!) *** Oh, AND, last night I wore capris and a sleeveless tight knit shell "sweater" to the game. My ass fit in the chair comfortably (but a little "close") and I felt "normal." It was the first time in 20 years I've bared my arms in public--especially my lymphedema arm! OH! And I forgot to mention, we were picking up our tix and free t-shirts and they asked what size for the shirt. When I hesitated, they handed me a size large and I held it up and they grinned and nodded that it was the size I needed. I haven't tried it on yet, but will today just for grins. I used to wear a size 4x. And now a large? Inconceivable! (Ha! Holy cow! I just put it on and it fits PERFECTLY! A little tight on my hips yet, but that will go soon. And I usually tuck stuff like that in anyway, so less bulk around my bootay!!! On Cloud 9!)

My Fitness Pal for the win.

I'm 5'4". My highest weight evs was 325lbs. My most recent high was 287lbs and the weight was heading up, up, up. I started pre-surgery preparation last May (2017). SW 222.4lbs CW 193.2lbs 1st GW 150lbs Secret GW 135lbs (that puts me smack in the middle of my theoretical "normal" range for my height) My actual physical goals are beyond scale related. I want to reduce my chronic daily pain back to the point that it's <4 on the pain scale. I want to reduce my risk of BC recurrence, normalize my A1c out of the pre-diabetic range, reduce my fasting insulin, reduce the fluid around my heart and reverse my heart enlargement, normalize blood pressure without drugs, reverse my asthma and dependence on asthma drugs, decrease my left arm lymphedema leftover from BC, increase my core strength to correct some DDD changes and curvatures, improve my balance, increase my endurance, and be able to participate in life outside my front door step. I want to be able to go anywhere, do anything, wear event appropriate clothing without being self-conscious, be able to wear a bathing suit in public and be able to take float trips down the Frio and Guadalupe and Comal rivers. My most recent NSV is that I went to a minor league baseball game last night and wore a short sleeved shirt for the first time in 20 years. My butt fit in the seat (barely) but it fit. And I wore my arms bare in all their bat-winged glory. I put the F-U in fun. It felt so freeing and I was able to just cope with the pain from sitting in the chairs and for too long without using anything for pain, and was still able to enjoy the night.

Oh good Lord! That's terrible, but so glad your PCP is working to get this moving forward for you. I can't even imagine the stress you're under!

Oh girl! I'm so sad to hear this!!! So glad hubs took you to the ER!!!! ((hugs)) Saying prayers for you!