Kay07

Agreed with all the above, especially @FluffyChix about the cocoa powder being a PITA to dissolve in a cold liquid. If you want a smoothie consistency, adding milk alone isn't going to do it. Ice can but I found that it often melts too fast since I don't drink them quickly. I almost always use either greek yogurt or cottage cheese in my shakes. Now I hate cottage cheese, but man does it make one super thick and creamy smoothie! I.E. 1/2 cup cottage cheese 1 scoop protein powder 1 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tsp stevia (or to taste, I use 2 packets which I think is 2 teaspoons) 1/4 cup almond milk As the others mentioned, frozen banana is a good way to thicken it up, as is avocado though I would recommend that more for savory shakes. I like it with peanut butter and spinach personally but it's not for everyone. My blender of choice: Ninja. That thing is my baby.

My apologies! So... I started taking the one-a-day 2 weeks after surgery because the 5 other vitamins (including ones that mix with water) made me super nauseous. And I had been taking pill form of prilosec already so I clearly had the swallowing capabilities (<--hehe teenage me is giggling because adulting is boring).

Thank you! It’s been a great journey! I buy them at any grocery store, but they have them at bjs and cosco too! I am super careful about sugar because it really does breed a desire for more, but these make me feel slightly less guilty...

I take a women’s one a day since the Bariatric kinda made me super sick. But I also take extra calcium and b12. I also need more bit D since New Englanders are pretty much always deficient in that...

❤️ Love this time of year... not that I let the time of year stop me from watching cheesy holiday romances....

Honestly? You may not have this moment for several months. We stare so much at ourselves in the mirror, just waiting for those changes to flash us a neon sign saying "Here! Here look this is soooo much thinner!" but that's not really how it happens. It took a few months for me before I looked in the mirror and saw myself. And it wasn't I looked in there and said "Damn you fine!" or anything like that. In fact I looked practically deranged since I just come back from my first real run in several years. I was sweaty and gross and blotchy and covered in gnats because summer running sucks... but I really saw a difference. I was capable. That was my "aha!" moment. There are some people who drop 30lbs, but are still in the same sizes. They drop 60lbs and have only dropped 1 pant size. There are some people who drop 15lbs and drop 2 sizes. How we hold our weight is so very different from person to person. So if your looking for each little tiny change, you may miss the bigger picture. Instead, focus on some other aspects. Could you walk further this week than last? Did those stairs kick your ass as much as yesterday? I found this to be very very motivating!

I literally just snorted out my water. ?

Not going to lie, @BigViffer I love reading your posts. As someone who wanted to make sure my recovery included a heavy amount of exercise (I refused to be one of those people who viewed exercise as optional since the "surgery will make me lose weight anyways.") I have made it my goal to research as much as I could. Your fitness posts have always been helpful!

When I first began my workout regimen, I started with the weight on my body. I started with air squats and lunges, getting my body used to the movement. This honestly helped me significantly with nailing down my form. You want to make sure your doing the movements correctly before you start adding in higher weights. After about two weeks of keeping the routine, that's when I added in the weights. Youtube is GREAT but do make sure you find someone who is reputable because you can really hurt yourself if you do the movements incorrectly. 1.) I would recommend kettleballs, I honestly enjoy my exercises with these much more than free weights. I have shoulder pain on my left side that makes it hard to lift weight over my head, but the way you hold a kettleball doesn't irritate it at all. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072KSK1HT/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;th=1. There is a set that comes with the DVD, though to be honest I did not have to use it as I received my instruction directly from a cousin. 2.) Resistance bands are great and inexpensive. They are also versatile. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0739ZJJYW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1 3.) I ordered very basic free weights in 5, 8, and 10lbs. Again with my shoulder, there are a few exercises I struggle with. However I couple my free weights with an exercise ball for some of my workouts and it is great! I used only those things for the first few months of my training, and still use them to this day in addition to my OTF routine.

Yeah my boobs haven't suffered too bad, I am actually quite thankful! I could stand to go down in size though... even at my thinnest was a "34C" (but really a D, but I was in denial). I am actually super excited that I have gone down to a 38DD right now!

I won't lie, I never would have claimed to have had an amazing bum, or anything to inspire poetry, but at least there was something! I kid you not even my workout leggings that are tight as heck highlight that my lower back pretty much goes straight into thighs... LOL

I am glad the two of you discussed it and were able to clear the air! I too distrusted my husband's exclamations of beauty, but since clearing the air with him about the texts, I have found myself able to enjoy his words a bit easier. However I am trying to steer myself away from focusing on his words and instead focus on my own. I am thankfully not one to let fester. I am very direct, so if I think it or feel it, I usually blurt it out with the force of an aluminum baseball bat. I think that's why this shift in my feelings, like being cringe-worthy levels of flustered when complimented is just so not me that it has battled with my feeling of knowing who I am. As has my obvious bitterness over discovering my husband's messages with another woman (in his defense, they were not sexual in nature but more disrespectful regarding our relationship). I felt like I didn't measure up, and that was not something I enjoyed. However it has sparked this two month long self reflection that has at least made me aware of some insecurities I hadn't really known existed, or perhaps I knew and just never had the reason to justify confronting them.

I’ll start incorporating them! I like that it will strengthen core too, as that’s an area I want to focus too

Sea salt caramel Yasso bars... may be Greek yogurt but they still pack a sugar punch so I limit myself to only having one on those days where I am rewarding myself for not punching someone ? (It’s easy to ration them since they are kind of pricey. I try not to have one more than once a week.

Hi ladies, So I was hoping to start an open thread about how you feel as you lose the weight. I mean this to target how you personally feel about yourself and not necessarily health wise. I’ll preface this with the truth that my husband and I are going through a bit of a rough patch. I caught him texting inappropriate things to another woman and all of it has lead to me to really focus on my own feelings about what I think of myself. (She was thin and pretty and that shouldn’t be important but my brain just sort of locked in on that.) I feel great. I don’t feel like people are staring at me because of my size anymore (not that they probably ever were) and I don’t feel like I stick out like a sore thumb when standing next to my thin family. But when I think about what I am capable of since surgery, I should feel like the queen of the freaking world. I lift weights. I am a squat pro. I ran a 5k. I mean who am I?!? I tackle multiple flights of stairs in high heel shoes like it’s nothing. Scratch that, I WEAR high heel shoes which I haven’t been able to do in years. I feel healthier than I have in so so long. But despite all this, I still truly struggle when people compliment me. I get nervous and awkward, and honestly it’s not cute on a 31yr old mother of 2 as it was when you were a teen. I am still so uncertain of what’s appropriate for the new me. I had these aspirations to wear maybe a few form fitting clothes, but still won’t dare. Don’t get me wrong, I’m super conservative anyways but I was kind of hoping to retire the “flowy I might be pregnant” shirts LOL. I still look in the mirror and think “just a little more and you’ll be normal”. Despite how great I feel, I still struggle a little with thinking I look good. I almost feel bad thinking I look good, if that makes sense? Like instead of just saying “you look beautiful today” I think instead “you look so much less terrible than you did before” or even “you’ll look better if you just lost xx more”. So yeah I am working on that. Did any of you struggle with reevaluating your relationship with yourself? Do you view yourself as a project in the works? For those of you who hit goal or are maintaining, did you decide that because you felt like you hit it, or because you hit the number you set? How long did it take you to feel comfortable in your new skin? Maybe I wouldn’t be thinking this if my husband inspired this reflection, but here I am. I want to start appreciating my successes more and perhaps learn to just accept compliments. You know without the awkward laugh/giggle thing I do when someone says something LOL. Funny story: a (quite handsome) stranger asked to buy me a drink when I was with my boss a bar for a work even where I proceeded to gape like a fish, awkwardly point at myself and squeak (yes I really squeaked) “me?!”. It was all sorts of pathetic and then I proceeded to word vomit how I was married but how this never happened and I was super flattered and it was just a sad sad mess. I used to be so confident.... Anyways would love to hear your thoughts and maybe some funny stories of how you are acclimating to the new you!

Hello! My calories range from 1100-1300, however I had to implement some heavier hitting foods because of how active I am. Was struggling for energy for a while when my activity went beyond my ability to eat. I had to implement some fuller fat items and a few higher calorie foods. However I just hit 102lbs down from starting this ordeal and 75lbs down from surgery on May 14 so I am feeling pretty happy.

Hahahahahaha! Fluffy I adore you.

Of all the things I expected to suffer in aesthetics from my surgery, I have to admit I kind of didn’t see my bum turning into this totally flat uninteresting thing! I kid you not LEGGINGS fall down with nothing to hold on to. WTH do I do?!? I’m running, I’m doing kettleball swings, I do an obscene amount of squats, and I pretty much use lunges as a viable form of transportation. What else can I do to save my poor bum?!? I know time will tone things up but if there are any workouts you guys can think of I’d be super interested in hearing about them! Literally cannot keep pants up! #saggybottomjeans Any workout advice would be appreciated!

You have to do it carefully since hot liquid curdles Protein Powder but no it doesn’t affect nutritional value.

You are beautiful! Congratulations on your accomplishment!

This is pretty much the same timeline as me. I was cleared for cardio at 2 weeks, weights at 1 month, and full cleared at 3. I was doing OTF at about 4 months post op.

There are several treatments they can attune you to post-op if your normal method isn't accessible. I also have migraines and they had to tweak my meds a bit. It also depends on which surgery you are going for. Are you RNY or VSG?

I know many people conduct food funerals. I don't know why I didn't, I just kind of said enough was enough but I am pretty much the lone wolf in that regards. A lot of people felt a sense of closure when they had the last of their favorites before going into the more rigorous diets required for their pre-op. Do exactly what you feel like will give you the best sense of peace moving forward. If your a coffee aficionado though, I would HIGHLY recommend breaking that caffeine addiction PRIOR to your pre-op liquid diet because dealing with withdrawals while also going through the "I could eat my arm off but all I get is this protein shake" phase would be HELL. I was so so so thankful I quit caffeine immediately and had 2 months to recover before I had to recover from surgery too.

@GreenTealael It has been a pleasure to watch your progression! You are looking quite stunning! That gold dress is to die for on you. Annnnd your food looks so much better than my packed lunch... #seriousfoodenvy

We all had that. I definitely know I did at least. But looking back I was thankful I had the lull in between because it really made me prepare.