LaLaDee

That looks great! I’m so obsessed with peanut butter!

I love this thread!! I'm in Australia and some of these products are from Australia or New Zealand, but I don't want to miss out on the fun. Besides, the American supermarkets seem to have a version of everything so most of you can probably find something similar.
1. Dark roasted Peanut Butter - I eat this with apple or banana, on top of my oats, in my smoothies. As a rare treat, I will sometimes have this on gluten free toast too.

2. Kombucha - passionfruit flavour. I gave up Diet Coke (had a die hard addition but I think the sugar substitutes were making me crave real sugar) and high calorie juices. When I don't feel like Water, I'll have this. It's delicious, I don't know if it actually does anything in terms of Probiotics for the microbiome, but I like the taste.

3. Taco spice from costco. I buy these giant bottles of taco spice and throw it into beef mince or with chicken (I love a Mexican salad, taco Soup, or bowl of chilli carne carne). This actually lasts in my pantry, unlike those little sachets.

4. Halo top. Any kind - but peanut butter is my favourite. Lately, I've been buying the sticks as I can easily eat a whole tub (which is 280 calories). This is perfect when I want dessert (e.g. most nights).

5. Caramel collagen Creamer - I'm pretty sure this is available in the US, or will be soon. I think they have a dairy and non-dairy version, but I usually grab the regular kind. My skin, nails and hair look so much better when I'm doing collagen - it's a little miracle. I love the taste of this one, I stir it into smoothies, iced coffee and even my oats every morning to add Protein.

Thank you everyone so, so much. You have all made me feel so much better. Honestly, your kind words brought tears to my eyes and now I'm smiling again. 😁
We only have 19 employees & that's including our finance manager and janitor. There isn't even a HR department to go too! My director is a very kind soul but she hates confrontation. I'd have to go to our library board & that would cause a HUGE stink so I'm just going to power through the next 2 1/2 weeks and enjoy the month I don't have to see their faces! They will certainly see a different co-worker when I return. I will do as y'all suggested & not let their attitudes effect me in the slightest.
Thank you for the heads up about relationships changing too. I have read about that & I've talked that over with my husband. We are going to do our best to recognize issues before they turn in to full-fledged problems.
Knowing y'all are here to support me means more than I can say.

I have a feeling that a lot of fat people have relationships in which we give and give while others take advantage. I know I have experienced that a lot in my life, and I think it is because I have been made to feel defective, less worthy than others, because of my weight, and that I somehow need to make up for that in other ways. I foolishly think that people will like me in spite of my weight if I constantly bend over backward for them, only to eventually realize that they only like taking from me and they don't actually like me as a person.
In defense of the friends you lost because they didn't want to hear about your weight loss, eating, or going to the gym, I kind of understand, especially as a larger person, because that kind of discussion often leads to body shaming, so it makes me uncomfortable when those conversations happen around me. I feel that these topics are very personal and not things I want to discuss in certain settings (especially work). Since I don't like to discuss these things, I would start to feel like I don't have much in common with someone who talks about these subjects all the time. That doesn't mean it's about you, personally, and I hope you can forgive those who want to avoid those subjects that can be emotionally fraught or just not things that are important in their lives.

Agreed. I think it's very inappropriate for your colleagues to discuss your personal choices and medical history with your director. It potentially crosses the line, into bullying/harassment in that it could reasonably embarrass or exclude you. Particularly in such a small work place. The surgery is also your sensitive personal medical information. No one has a right to express an opinion (and if your director disclosed the details of your surgery, they may have breached ethical guidelines, or the law). I live in Australia, so the laws might be different, but we don't have any obligation to disclose the precise nature or details of medical leave at law, only provide reasonable evidence of illness. For my WLS and plastics, I simply submitted medical certificates saying that I was having a medical procedure. I even got one from a General Practitioner, rather than my surgeon so that no one could google them and see they were from a clinic bariatric surgeons.
However, you must not let these people distract you. I'm sorry this happened. But they are clearly not worth your time. Don't let them steal your joy! You're onto better and more exciting things. I hope your weight loss gives you the confidence and self esteem to expect better from people around you. You can work with these people, but they are clearly not your friends. They have shown their true colours. It sounds like you have a wonderful support network around you. Focus on the good people in your life! There's so much to be excited about!

Agreed. I think it's very inappropriate for your colleagues to discuss your personal choices and medical history with your director. It potentially crosses the line, into bullying/harassment in that it could reasonably embarrass or exclude you. Particularly in such a small work place. The surgery is also your sensitive personal medical information. No one has a right to express an opinion (and if your director disclosed the details of your surgery, they may have breached ethical guidelines, or the law). I live in Australia, so the laws might be different, but we don't have any obligation to disclose the precise nature or details of medical leave at law, only provide reasonable evidence of illness. For my WLS and plastics, I simply submitted medical certificates saying that I was having a medical procedure. I even got one from a General Practitioner, rather than my surgeon so that no one could google them and see they were from a clinic bariatric surgeons.
However, you must not let these people distract you. I'm sorry this happened. But they are clearly not worth your time. Don't let them steal your joy! You're onto better and more exciting things. I hope your weight loss gives you the confidence and self esteem to expect better from people around you. You can work with these people, but they are clearly not your friends. They have shown their true colours. It sounds like you have a wonderful support network around you. Focus on the good people in your life! There's so much to be excited about!

Agreed. I think it's very inappropriate for your colleagues to discuss your personal choices and medical history with your director. It potentially crosses the line, into bullying/harassment in that it could reasonably embarrass or exclude you. Particularly in such a small work place. The surgery is also your sensitive personal medical information. No one has a right to express an opinion (and if your director disclosed the details of your surgery, they may have breached ethical guidelines, or the law). I live in Australia, so the laws might be different, but we don't have any obligation to disclose the precise nature or details of medical leave at law, only provide reasonable evidence of illness. For my WLS and plastics, I simply submitted medical certificates saying that I was having a medical procedure. I even got one from a General Practitioner, rather than my surgeon so that no one could google them and see they were from a clinic bariatric surgeons.
However, you must not let these people distract you. I'm sorry this happened. But they are clearly not worth your time. Don't let them steal your joy! You're onto better and more exciting things. I hope your weight loss gives you the confidence and self esteem to expect better from people around you. You can work with these people, but they are clearly not your friends. They have shown their true colours. It sounds like you have a wonderful support network around you. Focus on the good people in your life! There's so much to be excited about!

At only five weeks post op, you can't eat that much due to the restriction. That's why you only have a Protein target. You are likely on a very low calorie diet, but it will depend on what you can squeeze in before you feel full. I don't think I would have been able to eat 600 calories in the first few months. I wouldn't worry about calories too much, just your protein targets.

Oh, you're so sweet. I really struggled to find helpful information online about brachioplasty, so I'm glad I could help someone else a little bit. Hopefully, I will remember to post photos at 3months and 1 year. I'm only 4 weeks out, so I can't wait to see what they will look like in a few years.
According to my plastic surgeon, scars usually fade to white, so people with lighter skin can have more luck with scars and can generally expect good outcomes. Unfortunately, scars can be more visible on darker skin tones. I had assumed the opposite, that the red marks would look worse or more noticeable on pale skin, so this was a huge surprise to me. I've always wanted to be more tanned and less worried about sunburn so it was nice to finally get a benefit from my vampire-like paleness.
In terms of sensitivity, I did have some horizontal lines from where the bandages were the first few days, so I'm treating them with Vitamin E cream. On the advice of my team, I also introduced silicon tape gradually, building up so that my skin didn't freak out. It's sensitive, I have allergies and psoriasis but so far, I've been OK. A bit of dryness, but it's been OK.
Best of luck with your journey!

Of course. I appreciate how scary the whole plastics business is, but it's actually been amazing for me so I'm willing to share some of my story. You might be able to see the baggy deposits under my arm pits in my "before" pictures earlier in the thread, they're the reason I needed the extended Brachioplasty. They used to chafe against my bra and made life generally uncomfortable, along with the saggy skin that dropped below my arms, it's all magically gone. The trade off is obviously the scars, but I'm amazed how my whole body looks thinner. Below are some pretty graphic photos (don't look if you're squeamish) at around 2 weeks post surgery. Apologies for my messy bathroom and strange angles.
Things seem to be healing pretty nicely, I'm wearing silicon tape and hoping for the best long term outcome but as my surgeon warned me multiple times, it's tough to predict how arm lift scars will heal. Even if the scars don't improve much, my clothes fit so much better. It's amazing!
I'm in a similar position to you, in that my BMI is still in the "unhealthy" range, but I definitely dropped a few pounds/kilos from the skin removal (noting that I did have some lipo). I hold most of my weight in my stomach, so that's where my loose skin really bothers me and where there may be a bigger difference in terms of weight loss following removal. I'm pretty keen to get the Tummy Tuck. I think I would easily go down 2 sizes in jeans if I had a tummy tuck. I also think it would motivate me to maintain weight loss and possibly even lose more. I'm still undecided at this stage if I want to drop anymore weight before more plastics or just go for it. However, I feel so amazing after my Brachioplasty. And I think I look better now than following my surgery a few years back when I was 20lbs lighter. The shape of my body just feels more feminine without my giant arms. I think our happiness with our new bodies/lives is about more than just a number on the scale. Plastics has been so great for my self esteem, but some people seem to lose weight without the loose skin and don't need it. I think it's a really personal decision, dependent on your bodies goals, self esteem and finances.

Interesting! I'm going to make a big Protein Shake now. My plastic surgeon is great and I'm very happy with him but no one mentioned this to me!
I also found an article that suggested drinking wine in the 2-3 weeks following surgery as a diuretic for swelling! I find this hilarious for some reason. A good excuse to hang out in my compression garments and sip wine! 😂

Another quick update because it's been 5 days since my extended brachioplasty. I saw the surgeon and nurse today for my follow up appointment. The bandages are off and the drains are out! I'm allowed to shower again! I feel like a new woman! YAY!!! I haven't taken any pain killers at all today. Things are a bit itchy, my skin has small rashes from where the compression bandages are (this is just my pale sensitive skin doing its thing), so I'm supposed to use body lotion - except on the incisions. I also got a new compression garment. I'm tempted to order another one on Amazon so that I don't have to frantically wash it all the time, but we'll see. My surgeon's clinic also gave me a cute gift bag with a nice note, products and some fancy chocolate.
Feeling so happy and thankful. Hope everyone else is doing well!

I thought I would share more about my Brachioplasty. I know that I scoured these forums and reddit trying to get info and advice before hand, so it only seemed fair to share my story too. I had the surgery a few days ago. Despite concerns around scarring, nerve damage and the surgery triggering an autoimmune response (I dealt with a ton of horrible illnesses after my VSG), I decided to go through with it. My first consultation was July 7th and I had the surgery on the 23rd of July when a slot became available (probably due to a cancellation from the pandemic). I felt like the universe was giving me a nudge and I had to take it!!
While I'm only a few days post op, I'm so thankful that it went well. Minimal pain (particularly compared to my VSG). I was so relieved that I could still move my arms a bit, I was concerned I wouldn't even be able to feed myself! I can't lift anything heavy, but I could drink from a glass of Water after the surgery.
I actually ended up staying the night in hospital. I could have gone home, but the general made me pretty groggy so the nurse suggested I stay. My family was quite relieved as my VSG was quite tough on my body - my blood pressure wouldn't go down and then my body freaked out with a range of autoimmune disorders from the shock a week or two later.
While the drains are pretty gross, it's manageable. I've been able to sleep really well in my bed (I read about people having to sleep upright in a chair but I didn't have to do this). There also hasn't been any horror movie style blood on my sheets (OK, a few small spots through my PJs). My hands are a bit less swollen today so that's exciting. It really feels like I'm already on the mend and it's only been a few days.
I'm looking forward to getting the drains out in the next few days. I can't wait to walk the dogs again. I know that I've got a lot of work ahead in terms of scar management, but I'm hopeful that they won't be so noticeable with time.
I've been so busy the last few years, that it's felt weird to just lie in bed and watch Netflix. Even with the quarantine, I was working crazy hours from home. Never just relaxing. Then I started a series of projects at home. I went through my closet, organised the pantry, took longer walks, did craft, cooked and baked etc, helped a friend with her studies, etc. There's always somewhere to be, something to do. After a few days, I'm starting to enjoy this forced rest and relaxation. I don't need to be busy all the time, I can be still.
I'm so thankful that I found a surgeon and anaesthetist who took such great care of me. Even though, I have (diagnosed) anxiety, I was able to get through it all because they kindly answered all my questions.
My key learnings from surgery:
Keep the old button up PJs and zip up hoodies when they get too big for you as you lose weight. They might come in handy for plastics - they're easy to put on and fit loosely around drains and swelling. Have a surgery plan (people to take you to hospital, meals in the freezer, someone to care for pets, children, plants). Have lozenges on hand (my throat still hurts from the surgery), lip balm, a good book, pack light for the hospital (someone else will have to carry your bag). Find the right surgeon, go to multiple consultations. Make a list of questions. Call them up with more questions. Keep up hydration and walking after surgery. Hope everyone is doing well at the moment! Much love to my bariatric pals. Other than some of my family, I don't share that I had the sleeve and plastics. Sometimes I feel really weird about my "secret life" that I keep from everyone, but that's what makes me comfortable. Here with you wonderful people, I feel less lonely. I'm one of the many vets who dropped off a bit. You start living life and it gets busy! However, right at the time in my life, I'm happy to be in this community with such supportive, lovely ladies (some of the guys here are OK too).
Anyway, wow - that felt like an essay. Whew! Some pics below in case anyone is interested.

My "before" photo - only a few days to go....

Agreed. I think it's very inappropriate for your colleagues to discuss your personal choices and medical history with your director. It potentially crosses the line, into bullying/harassment in that it could reasonably embarrass or exclude you. Particularly in such a small work place. The surgery is also your sensitive personal medical information. No one has a right to express an opinion (and if your director disclosed the details of your surgery, they may have breached ethical guidelines, or the law). I live in Australia, so the laws might be different, but we don't have any obligation to disclose the precise nature or details of medical leave at law, only provide reasonable evidence of illness. For my WLS and plastics, I simply submitted medical certificates saying that I was having a medical procedure. I even got one from a General Practitioner, rather than my surgeon so that no one could google them and see they were from a clinic bariatric surgeons.
However, you must not let these people distract you. I'm sorry this happened. But they are clearly not worth your time. Don't let them steal your joy! You're onto better and more exciting things. I hope your weight loss gives you the confidence and self esteem to expect better from people around you. You can work with these people, but they are clearly not your friends. They have shown their true colours. It sounds like you have a wonderful support network around you. Focus on the good people in your life! There's so much to be excited about!

Although I read about other people in our lives not being supportive or downright jealous of us having our surgeries, it sure hurts when it happens to you. I'm especially surprised with how my co-workers are treating me. I'm a happy-go-lucky person who's always willing to lend a hand to people I care about & I am very tenderhearted as well so this is hitting me especially hard.
My co-workers are being rude when asked about covering my shifts while I'm off for surgery. I work at a little library with a small amount of staff and our jobs are really not that stressful so it's not like they are going to have to expend a whole bunch of energy or break a sweat working my shift. A group of co-workers even approached our director expressing "concern" that the surgery is too dangerous and that I shouldn't have it done which really baffled me since no one ever brought that up with me. Now I know that they just don't want to cover for me & are worried I'll be out longer that anticipated. I came in on Monday walking on a cloud because I finally got my surgery date & no one could be bothered to show any enthusiasm at all.
I have a co-worker who I've worked with for 5 years & I considered her to be one of my best friends. I've planned her work bridal shower and baby showers. I went to the hospital to see her first-born. She gripes constantly about her husband & I'm right there supporting her. We've done plenty of stuff together socially as well, so she's not just a work friend. In the past I've asked her for very small favors here & there and she's rarely helped me out but I asked so infrequently that it never really bothered me. I, of course, have helped her happily whenever she needed me. Well, her true colors are shining now that the surgery is approaching. I've been careful not to talk her ear off about the surgery because I can see that being super annoying. Whenever I bring it up now she just grunts in response and goes right back to talking about herself. I've asked her for two small favors in regards to the surgery and she's too inconvenienced to do either one. I am really, really hurt by her actions.
Another friend is acting jealous & responded to the news of my surgery with "I'll be interested to see how it goes for you". I haven't told friends on social media yet and now I'm definitely not going to. This will be a road I walk down with my husband on one side & my mom on the other cheering me on. I'll be just fine and I will succeed in spite of everyone's attitudes towards this huge step in my life. I'm really glad I found this community & I'm really glad you've read this far! Thanks for letting me vent!

Of course. I appreciate how scary the whole plastics business is, but it's actually been amazing for me so I'm willing to share some of my story. You might be able to see the baggy deposits under my arm pits in my "before" pictures earlier in the thread, they're the reason I needed the extended Brachioplasty. They used to chafe against my bra and made life generally uncomfortable, along with the saggy skin that dropped below my arms, it's all magically gone. The trade off is obviously the scars, but I'm amazed how my whole body looks thinner. Below are some pretty graphic photos (don't look if you're squeamish) at around 2 weeks post surgery. Apologies for my messy bathroom and strange angles.
Things seem to be healing pretty nicely, I'm wearing silicon tape and hoping for the best long term outcome but as my surgeon warned me multiple times, it's tough to predict how arm lift scars will heal. Even if the scars don't improve much, my clothes fit so much better. It's amazing!
I'm in a similar position to you, in that my BMI is still in the "unhealthy" range, but I definitely dropped a few pounds/kilos from the skin removal (noting that I did have some lipo). I hold most of my weight in my stomach, so that's where my loose skin really bothers me and where there may be a bigger difference in terms of weight loss following removal. I'm pretty keen to get the Tummy Tuck. I think I would easily go down 2 sizes in jeans if I had a tummy tuck. I also think it would motivate me to maintain weight loss and possibly even lose more. I'm still undecided at this stage if I want to drop anymore weight before more plastics or just go for it. However, I feel so amazing after my Brachioplasty. And I think I look better now than following my surgery a few years back when I was 20lbs lighter. The shape of my body just feels more feminine without my giant arms. I think our happiness with our new bodies/lives is about more than just a number on the scale. Plastics has been so great for my self esteem, but some people seem to lose weight without the loose skin and don't need it. I think it's a really personal decision, dependent on your bodies goals, self esteem and finances.

About a year ago, I got into the habit of snacking at night (OK, chomping on chocolate at night). I've had to work really hard to change my evening ritual, so I don't start mindlessly eating. I now try and have a cup of tea instead, go to sleep earlier or just do something else to prevent me from falling back into that habit. I know how hard it is though. Good on you for sticking to it!

I had surgery in May of 2017. My highest weight was 327lbs I made it down to 211 and then was pregnant with my first 10 months post op. I'm around 230 but I'm also pregnant again. I'm hoping to really kick it in gear after this baby

First off congratulations on that weight loss! 🙌🏻👏🏻 That’s amazing! But the struggle is real no doubt! I don’t want to go back to my highest ( which Ik I never will) but I don’t like where I am now, I’m a stinking snacker at night and that’s my downfall. I gotta make it a point to have something healthy on hand or I’m done! #notgivingup

Oh, you're so sweet. I really struggled to find helpful information online about brachioplasty, so I'm glad I could help someone else a little bit. Hopefully, I will remember to post photos at 3months and 1 year. I'm only 4 weeks out, so I can't wait to see what they will look like in a few years.
According to my plastic surgeon, scars usually fade to white, so people with lighter skin can have more luck with scars and can generally expect good outcomes. Unfortunately, scars can be more visible on darker skin tones. I had assumed the opposite, that the red marks would look worse or more noticeable on pale skin, so this was a huge surprise to me. I've always wanted to be more tanned and less worried about sunburn so it was nice to finally get a benefit from my vampire-like paleness.
In terms of sensitivity, I did have some horizontal lines from where the bandages were the first few days, so I'm treating them with Vitamin E cream. On the advice of my team, I also introduced silicon tape gradually, building up so that my skin didn't freak out. It's sensitive, I have allergies and psoriasis but so far, I've been OK. A bit of dryness, but it's been OK.
Best of luck with your journey!

Yep, I’m three years out. Dealt with some regain, lost about 20lbs in the last two months. I want to lose another 20lbs which seems like it should be easy (Immediately after WLS, I could easily lose 5lbs a week), but it’s so hard and takes a lot more effort! I’m maintaining a 130lb loss so 20 should be nothing, but it’s really hard. I haven’t given up though!

It so mean and pointless to point out you have loose skin. It's absolutely not your fault, while time, body tightening creams and some exercises may help some people a little bit, for others there's nothing you can do, due to a combination of genetics, age, how many times you have lost and gained weight, skin elasticity etc. It doesn't mean that you didn't exercise! No amount of bicep curls would have gotten rid of loose skin on my arms. I really wish people understood that!
About two years ago, I actually went to one of those body sculpting clinics, they do "non-surgical" fat freezing and they said they couldn't help me with my arms. I'm glad I went somewhere reputable and they didn't just take thousands of dollars from me. They basically said, plastic surgery was my only option.
I just had my first plastic surgery, and waited 3 years. Honestly, the loose skin is like a trophy and it tells a story of how far you have come! I try to be proud of my stretch marks and skin, it's a lot better than the alternative, having that skin filled with fat! Plastic surgery is a game changer, but it's expensive and not for everyone. While I'm thrilled with my arm lift, I don't take any blame for the loose skin (as my surgeon explained, there was nothing I could have done to improve it on my own), I'm very proud of what I accomplished with weight loss. If the skin bothers you (I had rashes and pain), then you can consider your options. It's no one else's business! And nothing for anyone to comment on!!!

evidently that poster doesn't know many of us. Several of us "several degreed" people are on here... Not sure how this really matters, though.

Nobody talked about that OP isn't "allowed" to lose more weight. People are allowed to lose all weight they want.
However, it should also be allowed to put things into perspective. And "being scared that this is it" when one is 0.6 BMI points overweight, coming down from morbid obesity - maybe it doesn't hurt to provide some different POVs, especially when taking into consideration what catwoman7 and Pckeys said.
Do 0.6 BMI points really warrant "being scared"? In which way? Health concerns? Come on... If one can go lower without much hassle, why not. However, I'd be very cautious to start the dieting-merry-go-round again because of some vanity weight.
ETA: I know that loose skin can be a huge mind f*ck when it comes to body image and "feeling fat" so if that is the case OP has my 100% sympathy. However, things still should be seen in a realistic way: this has nothing to do with e. g. my cardiovascular health.