Boldilocks

Let me just post the whole article then - I really should have cited it as the source, doh! It's not the newest - but all the different aspects of WLS really resonated with me. It works on a deeper level than restriction, and they still don;t understand it totally. It was one of the articles I used to convince my husband about the surgery - remember he was negative and judgemental? But anything in the NY Times is gospel to him, LOL.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/27/health/bariatric-surgery.html

Love the analogies!
Since the surgery, eating is more mindful. I can't just eat something and not think about it because I think for most of us food and nutrients and macros are always on our minds a bit.
And since surgery my cravings are completely manageable. It's like my brain is in the driving seat now, or it's like The Matrix where everything slows down and I can pause and weigh up the pros and cons, and make a real decision about what I'm going to eat, instead of acting on a compulsion.
Like, the other night I was going to have some chocolate. I had planned it, and already entered it in MFP - it was a treat for Eurovision night (don't ask). I took it out of the fridge, put it on the counter, walked away to let the cat in, came back, looked at it, then put it back in the fridge and took some light Baby Bel cheeses instead. I had wanted the chocolate, but didn't have to have it... then realised I didn't actually want it that much anyway.
I read a NY Times article that touched upon this:
"It has become clear that bariatric surgery changes the entire setting of a complex, interlocking system. There is no one place to tweak it. To show what is involved, Dr. Kaplan reports that surgery immediately alters the activity of more than 5,000 of the 22,000 genes in the human body.
“You have to think of it as a whole network of activity,” Dr. Kaplan said. It’s a network that responds to the environment as well as to genes, he added. Today’s environment probably pushed that network into a state that increased the set point for many people: Their brains insist on a certain amount of body fat and resist diets meant to bring them to a lower weight and keep them there.
“Surgery moves the network back,” Dr. Kaplan said.
But surgery only alters the intestinal tract. That tells you, Dr. Kaplan says, that there are whole classes of signals coming from the gut and going to the brain and that they interact to control hunger, satiety, how quickly calories are burned and how much fat is on the body."

Love the analogies!
Since the surgery, eating is more mindful. I can't just eat something and not think about it because I think for most of us food and nutrients and macros are always on our minds a bit.
And since surgery my cravings are completely manageable. It's like my brain is in the driving seat now, or it's like The Matrix where everything slows down and I can pause and weigh up the pros and cons, and make a real decision about what I'm going to eat, instead of acting on a compulsion.
Like, the other night I was going to have some chocolate. I had planned it, and already entered it in MFP - it was a treat for Eurovision night (don't ask). I took it out of the fridge, put it on the counter, walked away to let the cat in, came back, looked at it, then put it back in the fridge and took some light Baby Bel cheeses instead. I had wanted the chocolate, but didn't have to have it... then realised I didn't actually want it that much anyway.
I read a NY Times article that touched upon this:
"It has become clear that bariatric surgery changes the entire setting of a complex, interlocking system. There is no one place to tweak it. To show what is involved, Dr. Kaplan reports that surgery immediately alters the activity of more than 5,000 of the 22,000 genes in the human body.
“You have to think of it as a whole network of activity,” Dr. Kaplan said. It’s a network that responds to the environment as well as to genes, he added. Today’s environment probably pushed that network into a state that increased the set point for many people: Their brains insist on a certain amount of body fat and resist diets meant to bring them to a lower weight and keep them there.
“Surgery moves the network back,” Dr. Kaplan said.
But surgery only alters the intestinal tract. That tells you, Dr. Kaplan says, that there are whole classes of signals coming from the gut and going to the brain and that they interact to control hunger, satiety, how quickly calories are burned and how much fat is on the body."

Back at you! @FluffyChix too!

Let me just post the whole article then - I really should have cited it as the source, doh! It's not the newest - but all the different aspects of WLS really resonated with me. It works on a deeper level than restriction, and they still don;t understand it totally. It was one of the articles I used to convince my husband about the surgery - remember he was negative and judgemental? But anything in the NY Times is gospel to him, LOL.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/27/health/bariatric-surgery.html

Let me just post the whole article then - I really should have cited it as the source, doh! It's not the newest - but all the different aspects of WLS really resonated with me. It works on a deeper level than restriction, and they still don;t understand it totally. It was one of the articles I used to convince my husband about the surgery - remember he was negative and judgemental? But anything in the NY Times is gospel to him, LOL.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/27/health/bariatric-surgery.html

I saw this graphic and thought it was a good one to share, especially for those members here who are pre-op and exploring whether or not WLS is for them.
At 5.5 months post-op sleeve I have already gotten rid of my Acid Reflux/GERD, no more sleep apnea, and no more Migraines. I can't wait until I see my primary to get labs done to see how my cholesterol and other labs have improved.
WLS was definitely the right choice for me.

Hahahaha! IKR!? She had me at hello!

This was all I needed to read to know how much I 💖 you..

Love the analogies!
Since the surgery, eating is more mindful. I can't just eat something and not think about it because I think for most of us food and nutrients and macros are always on our minds a bit.
And since surgery my cravings are completely manageable. It's like my brain is in the driving seat now, or it's like The Matrix where everything slows down and I can pause and weigh up the pros and cons, and make a real decision about what I'm going to eat, instead of acting on a compulsion.
Like, the other night I was going to have some chocolate. I had planned it, and already entered it in MFP - it was a treat for Eurovision night (don't ask). I took it out of the fridge, put it on the counter, walked away to let the cat in, came back, looked at it, then put it back in the fridge and took some light Baby Bel cheeses instead. I had wanted the chocolate, but didn't have to have it... then realised I didn't actually want it that much anyway.
I read a NY Times article that touched upon this:
"It has become clear that bariatric surgery changes the entire setting of a complex, interlocking system. There is no one place to tweak it. To show what is involved, Dr. Kaplan reports that surgery immediately alters the activity of more than 5,000 of the 22,000 genes in the human body.
“You have to think of it as a whole network of activity,” Dr. Kaplan said. It’s a network that responds to the environment as well as to genes, he added. Today’s environment probably pushed that network into a state that increased the set point for many people: Their brains insist on a certain amount of body fat and resist diets meant to bring them to a lower weight and keep them there.
“Surgery moves the network back,” Dr. Kaplan said.
But surgery only alters the intestinal tract. That tells you, Dr. Kaplan says, that there are whole classes of signals coming from the gut and going to the brain and that they interact to control hunger, satiety, how quickly calories are burned and how much fat is on the body."

This is an awesome post!! I'd read that too about the gene sequencing! That is gonna forever after be my argument for why WLS. It isn't about restriction. It's about the hormonal reset.
Cracking up over "The Matrix!!" You won the internet.

Love the analogies!
Since the surgery, eating is more mindful. I can't just eat something and not think about it because I think for most of us food and nutrients and macros are always on our minds a bit.
And since surgery my cravings are completely manageable. It's like my brain is in the driving seat now, or it's like The Matrix where everything slows down and I can pause and weigh up the pros and cons, and make a real decision about what I'm going to eat, instead of acting on a compulsion.
Like, the other night I was going to have some chocolate. I had planned it, and already entered it in MFP - it was a treat for Eurovision night (don't ask). I took it out of the fridge, put it on the counter, walked away to let the cat in, came back, looked at it, then put it back in the fridge and took some light Baby Bel cheeses instead. I had wanted the chocolate, but didn't have to have it... then realised I didn't actually want it that much anyway.
I read a NY Times article that touched upon this:
"It has become clear that bariatric surgery changes the entire setting of a complex, interlocking system. There is no one place to tweak it. To show what is involved, Dr. Kaplan reports that surgery immediately alters the activity of more than 5,000 of the 22,000 genes in the human body.
“You have to think of it as a whole network of activity,” Dr. Kaplan said. It’s a network that responds to the environment as well as to genes, he added. Today’s environment probably pushed that network into a state that increased the set point for many people: Their brains insist on a certain amount of body fat and resist diets meant to bring them to a lower weight and keep them there.
“Surgery moves the network back,” Dr. Kaplan said.
But surgery only alters the intestinal tract. That tells you, Dr. Kaplan says, that there are whole classes of signals coming from the gut and going to the brain and that they interact to control hunger, satiety, how quickly calories are burned and how much fat is on the body."

Love the analogies!
Since the surgery, eating is more mindful. I can't just eat something and not think about it because I think for most of us food and nutrients and macros are always on our minds a bit.
And since surgery my cravings are completely manageable. It's like my brain is in the driving seat now, or it's like The Matrix where everything slows down and I can pause and weigh up the pros and cons, and make a real decision about what I'm going to eat, instead of acting on a compulsion.
Like, the other night I was going to have some chocolate. I had planned it, and already entered it in MFP - it was a treat for Eurovision night (don't ask). I took it out of the fridge, put it on the counter, walked away to let the cat in, came back, looked at it, then put it back in the fridge and took some light Baby Bel cheeses instead. I had wanted the chocolate, but didn't have to have it... then realised I didn't actually want it that much anyway.
I read a NY Times article that touched upon this:
"It has become clear that bariatric surgery changes the entire setting of a complex, interlocking system. There is no one place to tweak it. To show what is involved, Dr. Kaplan reports that surgery immediately alters the activity of more than 5,000 of the 22,000 genes in the human body.
“You have to think of it as a whole network of activity,” Dr. Kaplan said. It’s a network that responds to the environment as well as to genes, he added. Today’s environment probably pushed that network into a state that increased the set point for many people: Their brains insist on a certain amount of body fat and resist diets meant to bring them to a lower weight and keep them there.
“Surgery moves the network back,” Dr. Kaplan said.
But surgery only alters the intestinal tract. That tells you, Dr. Kaplan says, that there are whole classes of signals coming from the gut and going to the brain and that they interact to control hunger, satiety, how quickly calories are burned and how much fat is on the body."

Love the analogies!
Since the surgery, eating is more mindful. I can't just eat something and not think about it because I think for most of us food and nutrients and macros are always on our minds a bit.
And since surgery my cravings are completely manageable. It's like my brain is in the driving seat now, or it's like The Matrix where everything slows down and I can pause and weigh up the pros and cons, and make a real decision about what I'm going to eat, instead of acting on a compulsion.
Like, the other night I was going to have some chocolate. I had planned it, and already entered it in MFP - it was a treat for Eurovision night (don't ask). I took it out of the fridge, put it on the counter, walked away to let the cat in, came back, looked at it, then put it back in the fridge and took some light Baby Bel cheeses instead. I had wanted the chocolate, but didn't have to have it... then realised I didn't actually want it that much anyway.
I read a NY Times article that touched upon this:
"It has become clear that bariatric surgery changes the entire setting of a complex, interlocking system. There is no one place to tweak it. To show what is involved, Dr. Kaplan reports that surgery immediately alters the activity of more than 5,000 of the 22,000 genes in the human body.
“You have to think of it as a whole network of activity,” Dr. Kaplan said. It’s a network that responds to the environment as well as to genes, he added. Today’s environment probably pushed that network into a state that increased the set point for many people: Their brains insist on a certain amount of body fat and resist diets meant to bring them to a lower weight and keep them there.
“Surgery moves the network back,” Dr. Kaplan said.
But surgery only alters the intestinal tract. That tells you, Dr. Kaplan says, that there are whole classes of signals coming from the gut and going to the brain and that they interact to control hunger, satiety, how quickly calories are burned and how much fat is on the body."

Love the analogies!
Since the surgery, eating is more mindful. I can't just eat something and not think about it because I think for most of us food and nutrients and macros are always on our minds a bit.
And since surgery my cravings are completely manageable. It's like my brain is in the driving seat now, or it's like The Matrix where everything slows down and I can pause and weigh up the pros and cons, and make a real decision about what I'm going to eat, instead of acting on a compulsion.
Like, the other night I was going to have some chocolate. I had planned it, and already entered it in MFP - it was a treat for Eurovision night (don't ask). I took it out of the fridge, put it on the counter, walked away to let the cat in, came back, looked at it, then put it back in the fridge and took some light Baby Bel cheeses instead. I had wanted the chocolate, but didn't have to have it... then realised I didn't actually want it that much anyway.
I read a NY Times article that touched upon this:
"It has become clear that bariatric surgery changes the entire setting of a complex, interlocking system. There is no one place to tweak it. To show what is involved, Dr. Kaplan reports that surgery immediately alters the activity of more than 5,000 of the 22,000 genes in the human body.
“You have to think of it as a whole network of activity,” Dr. Kaplan said. It’s a network that responds to the environment as well as to genes, he added. Today’s environment probably pushed that network into a state that increased the set point for many people: Their brains insist on a certain amount of body fat and resist diets meant to bring them to a lower weight and keep them there.
“Surgery moves the network back,” Dr. Kaplan said.
But surgery only alters the intestinal tract. That tells you, Dr. Kaplan says, that there are whole classes of signals coming from the gut and going to the brain and that they interact to control hunger, satiety, how quickly calories are burned and how much fat is on the body."

Show of hands, how many of us did this before surgery? Do you see that you've changed post surgery? If so, to what (or whom) do you attribute the change and when did you first start noticing doing things differently? Also, HOW did you change this thinking?

My surgeon recommended the Flintstones Vitamins and that's what I take (the chewables with iron) - I tried the Celebrate ones, but they made me gag and very nauseous. I was told that as long as it has the 18 mg of Iron and 400 mcg of folic acid, then any multi is fine.
I also take calcium citrate soft chews - one at lunch time and one at dinner time.
Biotin once daily.
B12 1 ml sub-lingual in the morning.
Prescription Vit D 50,000 units once a week.
At my 6 week blood work, all my levels were great - if that changes, I'll look at doing something else. I don't have more blood work until 6 months post-op.

My stalls are not stalls where the scale stays the same day after day - I fluctuate up and down when I'm in one.
This is my month so far - as you can see, I've been stalling since May 1st (green asterisk denotes a new lowest weight). I weigh every day - there is still a downward trend when you look at the big picture - but I like the stats and info from daily weighing. I factor in Protein, liquids, bowel movements, period, ovulation, calories, activity (all are on this page, just not in frame for the pic).
I'm glad I'm not the only one who has the scale jump around on them!

Especially when it's $108 on their main retail site! Just unsure what size to order - arghhhhh!

Thanks guys - I think I just needed my hand held because it's not returnable if it's the wrong size through Zulily. At a third of the price it usually sells for, I'll take the hit if it doesn't work for me. Ordered it in a10 - eeeek! That sounds so weird to say!

Thanks for the tip - I'll look there if this one doesn't work for me! I feel like it's been so long, I don't even know where to start! Would you care to share a pic of what you got??

ALL the nopes!!! LOL
The concept of me trying on bathing suits in a shop changing room might just rip a hole in the fabric of reality (never mind the fabric of the bathing suit)! 🤣

I can't believe I'm even contemplating getting a bathing suit - I think the last time I wore one was 25 years ago as a kid!
I saw this and am was hesitant to order at that price, but found it on Zulily for $29.99.
https://www.seaandsandswim.com/products/wine-paisley-tankini-set
What are the rest of you thinking of for bathing suits as the summer comes in? Would like to get some other ideas!

Forgive my daughter's disgusting room and mirror - I don't have a mirror in my own room (you know how that goes). But I guess I'll be wearing a Medium to Pride this summer when I'm home in Ireland!
I bought this in Old Navy on Black Friday last year knowing I would have the surgery in Feb - I wanted to hedge my bets and get a Large, but my daughter made me get a Medium. I hoped more than believed it would ever fit - but here we are! I could even need a Small by the time Pride rolls around in August - but maybe not with how slowly I lose, LOL.
(I'm not LGBTQ myself, but I am an Ally and my daughters and I take part in pride every year when we are home because equal rights mean so much!) 🏳️‍🌈

ALL the nopes!!! LOL
The concept of me trying on bathing suits in a shop changing room might just rip a hole in the fabric of reality (never mind the fabric of the bathing suit)! 🤣