FluffyChix

I'm really not sure how I missed replying to your trip announcement directly! Apologies! I see all the progress you've made transitioning from AWLM to Maintenance. It's pretty phenomenal and inspiring to watch the way you are letting go of the reigns a little and sometimes wildly. Means you're human. And I can also understand the fear and anxiety that would come with a gastronomic carbacious dream trip like this!! One thing to remember (as I've heard, not experienced) is that the Italians' definition of Italian Food (pretty sure they just call it food over there hehe) is different than Italian American definitions. I think the pasta portions are small, the veggie portions are epic and they all sit at the table and consume and enjoy for hours over conversation without necessarily gorging? But that's all second hand info for me!! I've also no doubt that you are gonna navigate this experience like the rockstar you are! And will come back focused and ready to resume TCB and resuming on plan eating. Indulge. Mangia. Have the time and trip of your life. Sounds so romantic too. So you know...when all else...cardio. Right @sillykitty and @GreenTealael? hahahaha! CARDIO! And btw, I would def pre-diet and plan for indulgences. I'd try to get a 5lb padding. LOL. Who am I kidding? It took 6 months for me to lose 10lbs. And I refuse to chop off an arm to get that 5-10lb pre-vacay loss.

^^^This!! Too fab for words! I do understand pre-vacay dieting. And yes, it's gonna jack with your runs. LOL. Try doing ADF where you alternate the 500 with your normal cals. I too would want to get to the low end of my goal range before embarking to the land of misfit toys pasta rice bread wine great food!! I'm pretty sure skinny bi*ches the world around have been doing this same thing for centuries. I know my skinny sissy has done this her entire life. Pre-vacay diets so she can indulge.

Sad to report. No chaffles yesterday. The Dash delivery was "delayed". I'm betting cuz of the storm? Dunno...I had such high hopes.

ALWAYS remember the WHY!!! Whenever times get tough and you have to dig deep. IT ALL comes back to the WHY. If your WHY isn't significant enough or impactful enough, and you being the "royal you" not you in particular, I don't believe you will be successful in this long term. It has to TRULY be something you NEED even more than WANT. It's like a mass factor level of order of 10 magnitude.

You know? I actually do feel different! The 5lbs between 135 and 130 are a huge difference to me. I can tell very much in the way all my shorts and pants fit. And I feel best down around the 130mark. I also feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders--like vindication? Victory, maybe? For the first time in my life, I've made a weight loss targeted goal and didn't stop short of the goal line cuz things got too hard. Or were unattainable. Cuz this isn't like I'm saying, "Oh my goal is 110lbs." At 130lbs I'm almost smack in the middle of normal. I'm still just a tad over normal. Middle would be the double top secret BDG which I'm not actively pursuing but as @ms.sss thinks that I might still lose a couple more as I'm trying to navigate the ropes of maintenance--I certainly would embrace! Yes, and fershure I need new pants or serious alteration! Wanna come live with us in Texas a few weeks? I have a sewing machine but I lack the abilitay to learn to use it. LOL!

No I think you have to ration it out so you limit cals and carbs and one shot.

More carbs in champagne.

I personally wouldn't take stimulants (appetite suppressants) prior to surgery. It could cause you to have cardiac or blood pressure issues and could make them cancel surgery on that date and increases your OR risks. That's a sucky pre-op diet. I've never seen clear liquids on a pre-op diet for more than 2 days max and that's after following 10 days of a full liquid protein diet. So you aren't really hungry by that time and the 2 days of clears isn't any big deal. ((hugs)).

Hey, totes real here. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the two outfits on the left. Left leggings and middle Butt-Lift Jeans!!! I totally see the diff in the jeans. The ones on the right, while workable, are pancake butt and you need butt lift prosthetic King of the Hill panties to make them look as good as the middle ones. Now, having said that? You look SMOKIN' hot in all 3 outfits! Congrats and ty for inspiring me!!!!! Wooohoooo butt lift jeans I'm coming for you!!!

I know it's too late for today, but try making the McCann's or Bob's Red Mill Irish oatmeal made in a slow cooker overnight (or I think you can do it as overnight refrigerator oats but don't quote me on that), rather than rolled oats. It will have more of a slow sustained release rather than a massive bolus up front! Good luck today! Can't wait to hear how it goes!!! Nurse Michael, congrats and what a great idea and concept. I'm going there now to watch and subscribe! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!!

What causes you to gain the weight?

So in the interest of science ONLY, I plugged this into MyFitnessPal. I "may" have found my new "maintenance" diet. *snort* bahahahaaha! And in the further interest of science, I may feel compelled to give this a shot next Thursday. (FYI, there are 25.36fl oz in a 750ml bottle of wine. So that's approximately 5 glasses of 5oz each=1glass brekky, 2 glasses lunch, 2 glasses dins). Cheers!

I am super glad you waited it out a year! I know it wasn't easy, and you are a geterdone girl, but I think our bodies do "shake out" and redistribute over that 'tween year. You know? Now the doc knows exactly where to go in and fluff and fold. And you will heal better, cuz now you can take in more nutrients cuz you are getting more volume. So I think yes, better outcome all around! We all need help now and then. It's a mindset. So you know the drill. Go into it being a gracious receiver. Let your mom flutter and flit and care for you. It's what mom's are supposed to do. Think of it as YOUR gift to her...to be able to "care for her little bird". Right? Then the best part is you can go to your room for some me-time and chill with your own devices and plug in and plug out! Winner winner deep fried wing dinner, girl! Ok, maybe hire a nurse to come empty the drains? Home healthcare is a wunnerful wunnerful thing. And the belt!!!! Brilliant and even better cuz it will be longer. And OWEY "in the crotch" I'm puckering and waddling like I've got a dirty diaper just thinking about it! The safety pins will work perfectly with the belt. The idea is that you don't have to pin and unpin them from your clothes which is a monster pia. So with the belt or lanyard, you just take all of them at once and lay them on the counter to drain them (or your visiting home health aid does ...it's a thing...) See? I totally read this and felt..."You BI*CH!!!!! Look at you in your room listening to music and eating my precious Jolly Rancher Firestix I can no longer enjoy!" You are gonna be a rockstar. I've no doubts. And I'm glad BF and Mommy are appeased to know you won't be alone. Hell, I'm glad you won't be alone!!!

Ha! Right? Wonder why Chablis? Do you think it was the driest of wines back in the day?

Ok, so please note, I do not advocate drinking alcohol after WLS. Bad things happen to good bari peeps, mmmmkay? Having said that, if you have a lot of stress in your life, this whacked crash diet from the 70's Vogue, sounds compelling on the surface! bahahaha!

Adorable! Tuesday Morning?

Look for an obesity practice that is tied to a large teaching hospital. They are generally ranked as Centers of Excellence and will have a very broad spectrum of care. My practice here includes: Appts with Surgeon Post Op: 1 week 2 weeks 3 weeks 4 weeks 6 weeks 3 months 6 months 9 months 12 months 2 year 3 year 4 year 5 year ***** Additionally--I can see my RD for free whenever I need a touchstone or am struggling. I just make an appointment and it's covered as part of the surgery treatment. **** I also have access to bariatric counselors. There are appointment fees/associated with this, but well worth it! **** I also have 2 free support groups per month that I could attend. I only go to 1 per month. ***** Studies are showing that the breadth and width of the follow-up care program is instrumental in long term compliance and success for losing the most weight and keeping it off long-term. It's all about compliance and following the plan laid out by your bariatric team.

I'm a daily weigher too. You just have to resolve and accept that daily/weekly fluctuations and non-fluctuations are just happening. It is still hard! Here's a snapshot of my last 1 year of daily weighing. Look how spikey it is. Most charts will show spikes or stairsteps interspersed with periods of flat line. But the overall trend of the graph will show downward movement. Even though I'm a slow loser...9 months later I hit my first goal, 13 months I hit my goal 2, and exactly 19 months to the day from surgery, I hit my last goal 3. It will happen. But you have to remain laser focused and not allow yourself to derail. Or plan for derailment. Cuz trust me, derailment happens even in the face of planning for 100% compliance. Cuz that's just how we roll. Our lizard brain wants what it wants! Hang in there!

Looks gorgeous!! Mmmmmm shirataki noodles and poke bowls!

Oh gosh, they suck. No way to avoid. It's your body's way of catching up with itself. ((hugs)) Stay the course, continue to weigh, and eat to plan and it WILL happen. Congrats on your losses, you are doing phenomenally well!!

Wah!! Look at Target online. I am getting mine today (2day shipping)--if it comes. They claim to have it in stock...but I've heard "things."

I don't think this is weird at all. It's a total no brainer for me too when I eat my clean bari meals. And also, I know, that I will feel perfectly awesome after a meal and not potentially nauseous, or painful tummy (cuz I know what my meal sizes are of my regular bari foods, so it's easy to pop a plate with a measuring cup on the scale and get er done quickly and repetitiously), and know that I'm not gonna have RH 2 hours down the pike. So I totally get your feelings and think they are valid!! Oh nice! Love the addition of the mint!!! I think I've also done a version with cilantro and basil (out of mint). So good! Definitely play with the liquid amounts and also with the amount of lemon (or lime), the tart really jazzes things up! Also, a slice of Granny Smith Apple with peel really adds some backbone to it as well!

So it was inflammation then and not a stricture? ((hugs)) On powering on. Bravo! OP, maybe try doing ice chips from Sonic??? And sucking on sf popsicles. And see if small sips (trickles) of warm broth can get through? Also, are you constipated? Are you SURE you aren't constipated??? At 3 weeks I wound up in the ER, cuz of projectile vomiting. About the only time I've puked to date PO. And it was cuz it was official. I was FOS! ROFLMAO! Seriously. I was SOOOO backed up, that nothin else could get down my piehole! Once I broke down the Rosemary's Baby Bad kinds of BMs (for dayssssssss), all was golden mahnnnnn. LOL. *snort*

Good news though, put in the work and just power through the process and you will be able to drink pretty much normally down the road!!! Yay team!!!