Creekimp13

My favorites: WATERMELON! Can't get enough of it...and it's going out of season. This worries me. LOL Grapes Blueberry protein silver dollar pancakes ( half a cup of oatmeal, quarter cup of cottage cheese, half teaspoon baking powder, two egg whites, splash of almond milk...zap in blender...makes an awesome low glycemic, whole grain pancake batter high in protein...and even better, it tastes AMAZING) Bowls and bowls of homemade veggie soup: Carrots, celery, onion, garlic, zucchini, yellow squash, garlic, mushrooms, red peppers, cabbage, corn, red kidney beans, tomatoes, and any other veggie that happens to be hanging around. Homemade whole wheat bread with nut butters, or toasted with olive oil and goat cheese with dried cranberries Pistachios, pecans, almonds Apples Fiber One bars Pure Protein Chocolate Delux bars Toasted chickpeas Baked potatoes with cheese, or vegetarian chili, or both on top:) Miso soup with tofu Carrots and hummus Half a Burger King Veggie burger, just how they make it:) Yonanas soft serve frozen bananas with chocolate syrup, pecans, strawberries, pineapple, and light whipped cream Yasso bars...the fudgecicle ones

Does your family have Halloween traditions?

I wonder what smells like barbecue? LOL:) Went to one of our traditional haunted houses last night...had a blast:) Happy Halloween!

https://health.usnews.com/wellness/food/slideshows/best-diets-overall Interestingly...most of the highest ranked diets are: 1. High in complex carbs like whole grains, legumes and brown rice 2. Low in refined carbs 3. Have lots of fruit and veggies 4. Emphasize plant based proteins 5. Suggest smaller quantities of animal proteins 6. Emphasize healthier plant based fats

Biotin, protein, vitamins, Rogaine...naked chants under the moon....virgin sacrifices....none of this is going to save you from hair loss. Until you are 3-6 months post surgery....you really don't know what it's going to be like for you. Wait until you get there. I remember thinking...I'm doing everything right! The Biotin will save me. I'll eat extra protein. I'll use super expensive hair preserving supplements and shampoo. I'll use Lady Rogaine just in case! It will never happen to me! Bahahahaha....oh yes....yes, it did. Tellogen Effluvium, you are an evil beeyatch...and Yes, you are part of weight loss surgery that almost no one escapes. (I've asked at live support groups...so far, it's pretty universal...in spite of how much it's downplayed) I had hair loss between month 4 to month 8 post surgery, but also had lots of baby hairs coming in...could feel a fleet of them poking up under my hair.....which was pretty encouraging. (you can kinda stick your fingers under your hair and pat your scalp...you'll feel all sorts of tiny hairs regrowing, little stubbles and then little pokey hairs.....but it takes them a while to get as long as the rest of your hair) The new crop of little hairs coming in under the long hair has made from some funky hair days. LOL. My hair is weirdly fluffy and oddly full close to my head and stringier and thinner in the longer parts, which I've been cutting a little shorter to kinda "help" the new growth catch up and blend my newer and older hair back together. I have never experienced bald/thin spots on my scalp. Just a lot of aggressive shedding, followed by aggressive regrowth. It's gonna look weird for a while, particularly if you really love wearing your hair longer. For a healthy person, hair grows about a quarter inch to half an inch a month...faster in warmer months, slower in cold. I keep my hair about 7-10 inches long depending on the layer....so it's gonna be a while until all the old thin hair is trimmed out and the new full thickness is achieved. Might take about two years for mine to be like it was, but I can definitely tell it's much thicker in the couple inches next to my scalp already. Should turn out awesome:) If you like your hair long...you're gonna need patience. Shorter styles will fill back in quicker:) We were told eating enough calories is important in controlling hair loss.. My clinic recommended 1000-1200 calories per day starting at 3 weeks post surgery.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24606898 If you're going to eat high protein, plant protein is the safer way to go.

You can have bile duct stones without a gallbladder that can cause unpleasant symptoms......particularly if you were prone to them before, it might still be a possibility. Particularly, if what's setting your attack off is an egg. Try avoiding simple carbs as directed......if it doesn't work, think of this as a back up idea:)

If it truly is reactive hypoglycemia, eating small meals and snacks more frequently will help. Eat a little something every three hours you're awake. Fasting would be contraindicated. A gall bladder issue would be an extremely common reason for the symptoms you are describing. Reactive hypoglycemia is possible, but is very rare and would surprise me. 25-30% of weight loss surgery patients who have their gallbladders develop issues requiring treatment. Gallbladder attacks are often set off by high fat, high protein foods. Sensitivity to eggs is often reported. Nuts, too. Spicy foods and fatty processed carbs can set off attacks as well. Talk to your doc. If it's gallbladder....it's a horse in a field of horses. If it's reactive hypoglycemia it's a unicorn.

Thanks for the awesome, honest post. Everything you've said here was true to my experience, as well. Great job!

If you still have your gallbladder, it might be the problem. Gallbladder issues are extremely common after rapid weight loss, and they can feel exactly as you're describing.

Research Gallbladder attack. See your doctor.

Lastly......if you have not tried the Flapped Jack Mighty Muffins at the bariatric store? You are missing out! Chocolate Tart Cherry...Yum!

Everyone loves before and after pics:) Figured I'd throw in a teaser for my reveal pics at the Fat Prom..lol:) It's been suggested I might be dishonest. Nope, I have not lied about any of my stats or my eating plan. Here's a little proof, as requested:) My surgeon group is doing research on regain after bariatric surgery and the best way to prevent it. Part of the study I'm involved in included pushing us to eat 1000-1200 calories per day at 3 weeks post op. I can honestly say I have not eaten less than this since the third week after surgery. (this scandalized many people..lol. how dare I eat that much? and eat carbs! OMG! LOL) Toward the end of hitting my goal, I was eating 1400 calories per day (sometimes 1600). I'm maintaining pretty effortlessly at 1600-1800 calories per day these days. 1600 is an extremely generous and comfortable daily intake limit for me, and I don't journal anymore...just kinda keep estimates in my head of what I'm eating....and as long as the scale looks good... I figure, Meh, close enough:) I do weigh every other day. If weight goes up, I pay attention. Honestly, I'm having more problems keeping it up than down. 1600 calories is a LOT of pea salad and oatmeal. It's a lot of stir fry and fruit. It's a lot of whole wheat toast and almond butter. It's a lot of complex carbs and protein and veggies and tofu chili! I can afford to thrown in a protein bar AND have a Burger King Veggie Burger for lunch! (Ok, I can only eat half...and a few fries...but still! That's only like 300 calories and I'm stuffed) And I do follow Mayo Clinic Diet for the most part...because I love it. I bank my "sweets" calories and eat a treat here and there...and I'm allowed. I eat ice cream cones cause they're wonderful and require measurement. Though, I've gotta say, my tastes have changed. Refined stuff no longer sings to me. Love my complex whole grains! Lentils, beans, chickpeas and brown rice? Don't mind if I do! I crave fruit. I am a watermelon addict. Would prefer it to candy, cakes and ice cream. And since fruit is fair game on my diet I eat my melon most days and feel pretty smug about it not even eating up my "treat" calories. Time will tell when all the research comes in (I might be an anomaly), but it really looks like the folks in this study are doing well and are able to eat pretty normal balanced diets three years out without much regain. The whole idea is to not set yourself up for a starvation set point by restricting calories or carbs too long. Again, time will tell what we learn from the data...but I'm grateful to have my cake...and eat it (in moderation)...too:) I feel like there's a terrific chance for lasting peace in my war with food. Sleeve surgery was a life changing, wonderful decision. Gratitude to my surgeon, to diet researchers at Mayo Clinic, to my psychologist, and to my incredibly supportive family. Thank you all. PS...to all you ketovangelists...you do you! If it gets you where you want to be, that's awesome. Fight the good fight and do what makes sense to you. I've got no answers for anyone...except me:) But I've gotta say....I like my diet better than yours..because...ya know...I can eat stuff. Neener, neener, neener:) LOLOLOLOL:) (I am SO teasing...) Best Wishes! Myself and hubby in August of last year. Myself and the hubby in August of this year. Damn, it's nice to be the little one:) And yeah, I'm kinda hiding in this shot...but it's a teaser. Waiting on the formal wear for the full reveal:) So glad my hair is finally growing back! Whew!

Stopping in for a minute to update with information others might find useful:) Don't intend to stay cause leaving the forum was a REALLY good idea for me:) It had become a daily habit that was sort of obsessive and weird...too much time spent here. It was time to refocus on other things, and I'm glad to have done so. I'm rooting for all of you in the trenches, though, and wish you every success! Hit goal at the end of July, 170 lean mean pounds, eating Mayo Clinic Diet around 1400 calories per day. Yep, I eat carbs. Tons of them. LOL. Mostly good carbs, though. I avoid refined stuff for the most part, but I do eat a lot of whole grain bread, protein pasta, whole fruit, and beans. Went on an amazing cross country camping trip with my daughter in August and continued to lose weight...which didn't make me particularly happy. (the trip, however, was amazing and I loved every minute!) I look a little like Skeletor past 165 and I'd gotten down to 162...I was not feeling the love for that aesthetic at all....so I upped my calories to 1600. Couldn't gain, so started doing 1800 every other day...and that seems to have worked. I'd rather be 170....but I'm at 166 and holding...and I'm ok with that:) This weekend I did my first community bike ride. Twelve miles! Hubby rode, too, and was insanely proud of me for finishing with the group. My hips and calves are feeling it today, but getting out in the sunshine and being physically ABLE to do that pretty comfortably was such a fantastic victory. Total freedom. God, it felt good! Also rediscovered my love of canoe river camping with my daughter last month. Sometimes I feel like losing 100 pounds has been comparable to getting out of a wheel chair. There are so many things I can do again. My favorite thing about the surgery has been the physical freedom and health benefits. The smaller clothes and aesthetics are great, but nothing compares to being able to move as much as I want for as long as I want. It's pure freedom and I'm so grateful. My walking obsession has recently turned into a running obsession and even with 46 year old aches and pains....it feels so damned good. Best advice I can give on this whole adventure..... I think diet is a small part of this equation. What diet you prefer isn't particularly important. The bottom lines is fewer calories in, more calories out. Any balanced healthy diet works. Limit junk. I think most of the challenge is in our heads......figuring out the crazy shite that made you hurt emotionally and made you eat. Figuring out what makes you ignore your portion control and eat when you're not hungry. Figuring out how to fix this stuff and redirect your psychological needs without ending up with another addiction. No one talks about it...and it's the core injury. It's what's wrong. It's what needs to be fixed. All this psychological crap that manifests in self destructive habits...the stuff we love to deny. I hit a bad stall about month three after surgery. Best thing I did....was start to see the psychologist about the causes of my lifelong overeating. I credit my psychologist with my success almost as much as my surgeon. But mostly, I give myself the credit, because dammit, I worked really hard to figure this out. I'm grateful for all the help and support I was given, but in the end....I earned this:) I did the work. Yay, me, dammit! LOL:) Will update with pics after the Bariatric Formal Event (as I lovingly call it...the Fat Prom...put on by my group). LOL:) Best wishes to everyone! There are gonna be victories and stubborn spots.... and times your head pulls some absolute crap on you. Hang in there. Go to your appointments. Get mental health support even if you don't feel like you need it. Don't do exercise you hate...find things you love and enjoy. Don't eat food you hate. Eat stuff you love that is balance and healthy. Eat less. Move more. Gratitude is good medicine. Love your life. You deserve a life you love:)

1. Remember that Bariatric Pal is a business. If you appreciate the boards, throw Alex a bone and actually BUY something to support his business. It's a pain in the arse to run a board like this. Open your wallet once in a while...the products are awesome and it's the least you can do. 2. Don't stay too long. One day you're gonna come to this place and it's gonna be more negative than positive for you. In the beginning, it's a lifeline. By the time you've read the board for a year and seen the full cycle of repetition and mental health issues here.....it's not a lifeline anymore. It can become a kinda toxic habit. Part of recovery is leaving the hospital. Know when it's time to pack your bag and go! 3. Remember that intimacy moves at light speed on the internet....but real trust is nearly impossible until you take your relationship real world. Message board friendships are real friendships...but they're different. Don't expect more than what's realistic, and be careful out there! 4. Everyone is going to have their own recipe for and perception of success. Lotta ways up this mountain. Live and let live....you'll live longer. 5. No person on here is an expert in how to do this...for anyone but themselves. No one can save anyone else...and they shouldn't try. 6. If you're happy with your results, you're doing it right for you. 7. Never lose your sense of humor. If you can't laugh at this board...even when some dork is heckling you....you're taking it way to seriously. 8. "but the vets needs to staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy!" No, they don't. Really...they don't. They have lives (we can hope!) and mentoring others is an unpaid job. And again, even your most successful vet....who is an expert at making this whole thing work for themselves.....does not know what is best for you. They don't. You do. Vets are people, too....some are awesome, some are toxic. Trust yourself. You can do this. 9. But there's so much contradictory information...what's the best way to go? That's up to you. And will be different for each of us. Keep trying. if something doesn't work, try something else. Just don't give up! 10. Wishing you all the very best. Adios!

My doctor puts it at 50/50 I suppose this, like most things in this emerging science, is subjective.... and will vary expert to expert.

Keeping a pool...even a little above ground one...is a lot of exercise. Not just the swimming, but the constant care involved, cleaning, chemicals, etc. LOTS of trips to the pool, even when you're not swimming. Keeping a garden is the same kinda thing. Lots of weeding, watering, stuff to keep you moving. I keep both:)

Stuff I do to get more movement: 1. New rule in my life...if I'm watching a show and a commercial comes on? I have to walk. 2. New rule in my life...any time i'm on the phone, I need to be on my feet. I walk the whole time i'm talking. If it's for business, I carry my notes with me. If it's friends/family, I walk around my yard while talking. 3. When I wake up (with my fitbit on as usual), I make my coffee, do some dishes, take trash out, start laundry, and don't sit down until I have at least 2000 steps. Great way to start the day ahead of the game, and I'm usually half asleep while doing this...so I don't even feel it. LOL:) 4. I ride my bike to the mailbox everyday (it's a quarter mile from my house). Most days, I ride to the end of the road (about two miles) before grabbing the mail. Yep, I live in the middle of nowhere. Lotta land. 5. I mow a big portion of my lawn by hand with a push mower. Cracks me up to see people pay for a gym membership and then get on their riding lawn mower. LOL. Mowing lawns is an AWESOME workout. My hubby is thrilled I've picked up this habit:) Lawns are always done for the weekend. Anyone else have a few active lifestyle tips?

Have ya'll ever noticed how many of the vets who have maintained for 3+ years...are exercise freaks? Weight lifters, marathon runners, circuit trainers, etc... Even older folks who are committed to walking several miles every day. I've noticed that A LOT of our most successful folks....are constantly on the move. How much is exercise stressed in your program? How often do you talk about it at post surgical consultations? My team talks about the importance of exercise every time I'm seen. My doctor writes my exercise goals on a prescription pad to emphasize its importance. Diet is obviously pretty important, too...but learning to incorporate more movement into your daily life is a HUGE lifestyle change with HUGE payoffs. What are some ways that have you have successfully incorporated more exercise into your life?

Make sure to use your incentive spirometer ten times an hour. It will help. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/4302-incentive-spirometer Walk every hour. If you run a fever or the cough gets worse, let your team know ASAP.