FluffyChix

Good morning November Buds! What's on your plan today? Ugh the morning started out frustrating. LOL. I have a 5am alarm set to take my thyroid med. I remember waking up and yelling at it to shut up (Alexa) and it did. But couldn't remember if I actually took my thyroid med. Crap! So, I just took it and who knows...did I take it once? Or did I double dose myself? No way I can just count the pills. It was a 90day script...and I'm sure I've forgotten a dose or 2. Oh well. If I grow hair on the back of my fingers today or gork out. It's been real and I'll miss you guys! LOL. I have an appointment with my PCP this afternoon to re-evaluate my BP meds. I'm fairly certain he will want to raise the 3rd medicine. I do wish we knew why my BP is out of whack. I truly hope the surgery helps me with this! So I'm gonna fast until seeing him at 2:30pm today. Wouldn't you know it? I woke up hungry as hell today. LOL. Ok, so today despite my frustrating beginnings, I'm choosing to be happy today and have a successful day--eating only on-plan food. (I'm already looking forward to dinner--homemade blackened tilapia, broccoli and garlic, avo + toms!)

Yes, fave quote! Isn't it crazy how when you actually eat "good" food, the volume of that food is cra cra? You will have so much fun in FL! The beaches are so beautiful--perfectly white sand. My German teacher was from Austria!

Yes, for you I think it time to do the "dig deep" thing so you do find a motivator. What are your goals--short term in the coming year? I think it's probably good for cals to fluctuate a little bit? And it looks like your body is doing that normal "approach maintenance" weight thing. Congrats on maintaining between 1100-1600! That's totally do-able! I feel like I'm eating SO much food on 1500 cals/day. I agree on the meal prep part. And pre-planning the day. I do that the day before so that I know the plan to get to the end of the day. We're guessing for insurance approval in 2-3weeks. That would probably place my surgery either on November 28 or December 5.

Wow! What a doll baby and huge transformation!!! Do you feel completely different?

TY! I will try it. I don't think she is really interested in my losing any more right now? She kept saying that I will lose a lot on the 2 week pre-op diet and that day of surgery I MUST be above 35BMI still? I may have got that wrong though. I have 2 more official weigh ins at the first of November. *sigh* Very stressful! Your stats are so amazing and inspirational! I'm betting you will be at your goal by Christmas! Best. Christmas. Ever! But honestly, you look so amazing right now. Do you have any extra skin? Cuz you look so toned! How many cals do you average per day now?

Yay for you!!! Hopefully, me! Am waiting for insurance now.

TY sweetie! It's so weird, I'm eating 1500 cals/day per the surgeon. She wouldn't let me go down in cals now prior to surgery and gosh...I want to gnaw my arm off. I've now been in the 230s for close to 2 months and I still have 2.4lbs to go before seeing a new decade. I'm just so afraid I will fail again (as I have so many times before)! And look at you! Can you believe you are so close to goal? You only have 3.9lbs left to cross the 100lb threshold! Congrats!!!

Hahaha! TY! I know the club is filled with great peeps! I just can't quit thinking about it and about all the weightloss! ((hugs))

I see you're an inch taller than me and are about 10ish pounds lighter. Are you at all concerned about the BMI? I can't remember, are you doing a revision from the band to the sleeve? me=very little memory

I like a variation of Eggface's Ricotta Bake using cottage cheese. I'm not in the post op phase yet, just a freak who's "practicing" living the dream so that I'm ready to play when the coach puts me in the game. ha! I love CC sweet or savory. The Daisy 2% Small Curd is ridiculously delish and doesn't have hidden ingredients. @cjsunshine Would you share your split pea soup recipe please? kthnx!

Thanks for your honesty and sharing a little of your journey. Congrats on 2 years and on recognizing your need for support!! Yay you!

@Apple203 Hahaha! I was gob-smacked yesterday. Saying prayers your surgeon moves you up!! ((hugs)) It's such a relief getting through/passing all the tests. With each test, I was sure I would fail. When is your next appointment? I figured we would just sit and talk about which surgery to have definitely. She told me that she was concerned that putting it off might make me lose momentum. She said that I was ready right then--that I'd done all the testing and had 3 visits with the RD and that she wanted to try to get me in and approved now. I was like, "Gulp. Scuse me while I change my pants..." And then I heard myself say, "OK." What the fork was I thinking? So now I was awake all night last night playing the second-guessing-myself game. If it happens the way she's anticipating, then I would get back from Wurstfest with my fam, then that Monday, would start the pre-op liquid diet. She said she didn't know how long it would take insurance, but it sounded to me like she wanted it sooner rather than later. She knows I won't do any surgery after Dec. 5--until after January 2nd (and she's going on holiday in January). So maybe there is that? Also, I'm continuing to lose (minimal weight) at 1500cals/day and am at the 40BMI threshold. Don't know if that had any bearing on it or not? But, I see the RD for the last time on 11.2 and see her again on 11.9 where I expect we will schedule the surgery and talk about any pre-op paperwork... @Luisajfc Hiya!! And thanks for the welcome.

Ha! This. True dat!

Hi y'all! Can I join your group? My surgeon is submitting me to insurance for approval today. She's guessing that we'll know within a couple of weeks and can set a date. She's leaning on trying to get me in at the end of November, or at worst, first week of December. She would rather I not wait until the first of the year. So right now, it's more limbo, even though we finally were able to pick a definitive surgery--RNY. @RNY-Fall-2017 Wow, hope the surgery went well!! Saying prayers for you and that your BP has come down nicely. @ClbsMm2000 Glad they caught the UTI and can get it knocked out quickly. They're miserable!

Congrats to you!!!!

Yep. This is mine too. I did get her approval to add (in 1 of the protein shakes): 1oz frozen blueberries, 1 1/2oz frozen chopped spinach, and psyllium. I can also add 6g of peanut "flour". I have about 10-12 days of it. Then 2 days prior to surgery, it switches to clear liquids only with a bowel prep. I'll do clear protein drinks at that time.

Gosh I totally get it. I have been going through my head for the last week or 2 (since my last RD appt). Yesterday I saw the surgeon and she's like...well hell! She said I had my 3 visits from the RD and she was gonna submit me for approval. We chose the surgery and wrote it in blood. Killed a newt and took its eye. Ripped out a lizard tongue and drew a pentagram on the floor. So I'm pretty sure this is a done deal. LOL. And I am scared. On the way home I asked my self if I REAAAAALLLYYYY thought I would lose the rest of my weight on my own. Why would it be any different than the other eleventy billion times I've tried and failed. What would make it happen this time. What would make keeping it off a reality? Why wouldn't I just regain it all again plus the requisite 10-15%? The only answer I could come up with involved magic or voodoo. Since I'm a good Catholic girl, I just figured I need to sac up and get my head, as*, and tummy in the game. (I had to "borrow a pair" to sac up...but you get the idea.) The reality is that the ONLY way I'm gonna be successful is to do something different this time. I think "that something different" is gonna have to be the RNY surgery. It just is and I have to get right with the Lord about that one. *sigh* So now I'm in a waiting game. I "think" what's gonna happen is that I will get approved maybe in the next 2-3 weeks. Then my family vaca at Wurstfest that the surgeon knows about...then that Monday I would start the liquid diet. I think that means I will be in surgery (she only operates on Tuesday) on November 28 or December 5 and this sh*t is gonna be a reality... So maybe we can get "the band back together" and be November surgery buddies. I just don't know if I'm jinxing things and jumping the gun by thinking it's gonna be November OR December. You know? What are you doing to prepare your mental game for the "big show?"

@Apple203 LOL. Nice! Funny, it's now solidly 70/30! Soooooo folks, it will be interesting! I saw the surgeon yesterday. I'm definitely going to have the RNY! Woot! And I was 40.4 BMI Let me tell you, you canNOT out-engineer the scale. LOL. I knew I was under threshold at 232.6 and 5'4" (nekkid that morning, after peeing and pooping). So I wore my heaviest clothes (pants, very thick long sleeved shirt, jacket), had a full bladder (pounded down a 20fl oz water) and had a jacket on. On my scale I weighed in at 235.6lbs. I was thinking, "OK, I got this. Cool. I'd weighed 236.2lbs on her scale the last time." Well, drumroll please...I'm such a fool! I was thinking the BMI would be higher because the scale weight is higher...and remember, the insurance goes by BMI. Bahahahahahaha! Ridiculous. I weighed 237.2lbs on her scale. I was like, "Well, crap!! Lemme peel my jacket off!" Then I was down to 235.1lbs. At least I showed a loss from the last visit. I was this close to asking if I could go pee like a racehorse--but I didn't. *snic* And damn if the scale doesn't show up the 235.1 with? You guessed it...a BMI of 40.2 or 40.1 or 40.4--something like that. So yeah. There's that. But, she said that she wanted to go ahead and submit me for insurance approval. She's pretty sure they'll give the ok based on 35BMI, but would feel better about me still being at 40BMI at submission. So now. We wait. If I were a betting girl, and I think I am...I'm betting that I will be having surgery sometime like the week after Thanksgiving or first week of December. She wants me to go ahead and get the party started sooner rather than later. My BP was like 159/96 in her office--even on 3 BP meds. Oh, and this morning? I'm 232.8lbs...nekkid, after peeing (ham on the side )

If you got your insurance approval mid-November, would you go ahead and schedule surgery for first week of December, or wait to start the pre-op diet on January 2nd? Inquiring minds and all! Party or no party?

Wahooooo! Congrats. I'm so excited for you!!

How are you doing, Chef?

Holy moses! You look amazing! (But you are beautiful in befores and afters.)

I'm planning on doing just that using Fairlife Skim Milk, and adding a little unflavored protein powder to fortify the soup with even more protein--without actually tasting it. I make a lot of different brothy soups too, using the Isopure unflavored PP. I will have 2-3weeks of full liquids after surgery. (I'm officially having the RNY.)

Oh wow! Sorry you're feeling this way. ((hugs)) Everyone has great advice on this!! I'm right there with you and scared spitless. This I know...the only way through it...is through it. Make sure you spend some quiet time with your feelings and really "feel" and process them. Acknowledge them. Cry if you wanna. It's your party! Grieve if you must. But then, reach out and embrace and accept. Allow yourself to feel hope, excitement for the future. Realize that there WILL be a learning curve, but that it has an endpoint. Every day that you go past the surgery will make you more and more healthy and free from pain of all kinds. This sums up beautifully my approach to life and to this opportunity for a new life. Even in the midst of potential complications, if you keep your eye on the prize and choose optimism and gratitude, it will lighten our load! " Being nervous is expected as it is a major surgery. I’m a week post op and feel great. Even with some bleeding that kept me a couple days longer than expected, it was really a breeze and I’m so happy I went through with it. I’m still on full liquids for another week, but each day that goes by I feel better. You’ll do great, just trust the process and stay the course." Thanks @MG1776!! This really helped tonight!

Congrats on the loss and being so close to goal. Sorry you're having issues with your body metabolizing enough protein! Hope your new intake helps meet your needs. I will say, your menu sounds like my NUTS wet dream. It's beautiful and sounds so yummy. I want to scream at you right now, "Get in mah belleh!!!!!" Thanks for playing and sharing!