ms.sss

You know, now that I think of it, my BFF said almost the exact same words to me. She said, "You are on your way to being even smaller than me" (she is "normal" sized). It didn't occur to me until reading your post now that it may have come from a place of insecurity? I don't remember it bothering me at the time though, I just took it as a statement of potential fact. I love her to death, and I know she loves me back so maybe that may have influenced my reaction (or non-reaction, I guess) when she said it. Although I do seem to remember it pretty distinctly, so it must have probably hit some sort of something since I can remember it now, 2+ year later. I have yet to date to receive any flat-out perceived snarky remarks form those I hold dear. I had however, got a few annoying words/comments from some extended family members at family parties pre-covid. But they are not very high on my love list so it didn't much matter to me....more of an annoyance vs. an injury. But its been a while now since I've been this size, and its all par for the course now with all that I interact with. Like with most things, its just a matter of time getting used to a new normal.

My fridge is fully stocked again, but I'm eating leftovers to use them up. Salad: romaine & vinaigrette, cucumber, carrots, mozzarella, canned corn, figs, & avocado with last night's grilled trout and asparagus. I ate 2 asparaguses (asparagai?) before I took the pic. 458 calories for the whole thing. Will eat the rest later.

Now I wish I took progress pics of my face!

wowza! That's only a 3 week difference?!? There is definitely a noticeable difference. Congrats on the weight loss ❤️

Yeah, I wouldn't put too much faith in clothes sizes if you are looking to determine progress. I can fit into a 0 in some brands, and a 6 in others. I even fit into a pair of snowpants that were marketed as a woman's XL. Your tape measure is the most reliable indicator...and pictures! (especially wearing the same article of clothing)

Yeah, I would think that if one is looking for data on weight loss with the surgery, then surgery weight should be used. If you are looking for overall weight loss for a program, then use the weight at the start of your program. Counting the weight loss prior to surgery would skew the statistics. With that said, my surgeon used the weight at the start of my 2 week pre-op diet (235). But *I* use the weight that I was on the morning of surgery. Further, the baseline for goal weight was/is what my weight would be at a BMI of 25. I have read others use a different data point, like a personal goal weight (which could be either above or below a BMI 25 baseline for their height). So yeah, just another unreliable statistic if one is comparing oneself to others...

Like alot of others (and unlike probably the same amount of others, lol), I step on the scale every morning, naked, and after I pee. Been doing this now for 2.5 years. During weight loss phase, I use to weigh myself before and after a good poop just for funsies. Once someone mentioned they weighed themselves before and after a shower to find out how much their wet hair weighed...got excited at the thought and tried it out, but whomp whomp...my wet hair made no diff. 🤣 Now if you are the type to get anxious/frustrated/agitated at the natural fluctuations, then I'd suggest limit the frequency of your weighs...for those that are unruffled by it, weigh away! Plus if you weigh everyday and record it, you can make fun graphs and marvel at it in your spare time. Here's mine:

I do. But I’m only 2.5 years out. Its a little better than before, but definitely still around (dumping) (oh, and I’m a sleeve)

Just a suggestion, exercise/activity doesn't have to be going to the gym or running 5K or workout videos. It could also be just be gardening, giving the house a good scrub, parking at the furthest parking space, taking the stairs, walking the dog (or the neighbours dog)... One of my friends has weights strapped to her ankles almost all the time (not the best look in the summer, but it works for her, lol). Another one has a reminder on her phone to get up and walk around for 2-3 minutes every hour (I used to do this too, but the reminders started to get annoying so I turned it off. haha). It may not be "alot", but its something.

Slim pickins' in my fridge & pantry this afternoon, so steamed some frozen edamame I found it the back of the freezer. 120 calories...ate it all (I need to go grocery shopping!)

@MarvelGirl25 I've been missing your pics of fab food! Those look awesome...I'm salivating for that steak and the veggie and pork stir fry 🤤

What's the brown crunchy looking stuff at 1:00?

Yep u r right...i looked it up and its almost double the milk fat than plan greek (9% vs 5%) and almost twice the calorie content as well! And to add insult to injury, it only has 5g protein vs. Plain’s 15g. But still unbelievably delicious 😋

I don't normally buy flavoured yogurt...I prefer to get plain greek yogurt and just add my own fixins. BUT...picked up this lemon flavoured one by request and OMG its delicious! Gonna make a sweeping declaration here and state that this is the best store-bought pre-flavoured yogurt I have EVER had. Yummer. 189 calories for this cup with 10 almonds...ate it all

Met up with BFF for a nice long hike this morning, and on the drive home, spotted a Popeye's, and thought, why the eff not. I'm in the mood for some fried chicken! (Especially since I am not a consistently good producer of fried chicken...YET). Ate a thigh piece with some Frank's Red Hot Sauce and a coffee martini before hand (not shown): 421 calories for all of it. Ate/drank it all.

Ok. @OAGBPal (& others)...I feel like I'm walking into a confrontation here so I want to tread lightly. I have a catholic grade-school upbringing, AND I'm Canadian so confrontation is my kryptonite!) I guess I just want to clarify where the perceptions that there is ordering around and telling others what to do comes from? I'm on these boards ALOT (and I mean ALOT), and I honestly don't see this. Which is why I was surprised (shocked, really) that someone is hassling @Creekimp13. I read opinions, suggestions, expressions of feelings and stories of a person's experiences. Sometimes someone will post something a little tone-deaf, but I don't see widespread maliciousness/bullying/pressure to be a certain way. Of course there was a thread or two that got pretty ugly. But these are the exception and not the rule. Obviously I don't see everyone's PM's*, so I dont know what is going on behind "closed doors". I dunno, maybe I'm naive, but I really don't see/read people "basically telling others to starve themselves to death to be 'okay'." on here. Honestly, the members on here I find to be very PG-13. Wanna see some real fighting/bullying/ordering/pressuring? Go on a Reddit board. Edited to add: UGH. Of course, as soon as I post something saying that I believe we all generally play nice on here, I immediately read a couple threads where we aren't. Sigh.

Well this is new one. And I thought I've seem/read everything already. I'm surprised there are actual people that would have the audacity to send messages like that. I'm glad you can let it roll of your back, but maybe you could report it case this person(s) directs their vitriol to someone who is not as thick-skinned? Just a suggestion. For what it's worth, in my insignificant opinion, I don't find you "outspoken" in an sort of negative way at all. You have your opinions yes (we all do), but you read pretty cool about it all. Granted, there are the few here and and there that come off as a bit abrasive at times, but you aren't one of them. Keep on keepin' on. ❤️ Regarding goal weights: its a personal decision. We all have different ideas on how we want to look/feel/etc, and how we want to go about it. What anyone else says is irrelevant (unless of course you are in immediate danger to yourself or others!)

Weird observation: in the couple months leading up to, and immediately after, weight loss phase my extra skin was all above my belly button as well, by the time i got around to my plastic surgery date (6 months later) the extra skim seemed to had moved down below the belly button. I suspect it had to do with the additional 12-15 lbs lost during that time? I dunno...

Small tupperware or glasslock containers! (to store all your leftovers/partially eaten food) Insulated water bottle! (to keep ur cold water cold or your hot water hot) Another water bottle with one of those ball mixer thingees for your (powder) protein shakes! A timer (or use your watch or phone)! (to time your bites or remind you to eat/drink/walk around) Fibre supplements! (to keep you regular...constipation sucks the bag) oh, and a fancy shmancy body composition scale so you can monitor your muscle mass/body fat percentages and not just weight! (might not be your thing, but just thought I’f put it out there...)

I basically give about 90% of it away. The other 10% the fam eats (there are 3 of them + me)....I also sometimes eat some of it myself, though there are lots of times I don't even have any of what I make. I just find baking therapeutic! 2 or 3 times a week, I go out for my "dessert fairy" delivery runs and drop and dash goodies at friends' and families' doorsteps...gives me all the feels 😎.

Take pictures! You may not see it the mirror, but seeing the difference of two pics side by side is hard to deny. I took pics every week for 7 months. One of my favourite pastimes back then was comparing the progress between pics. Also, I didn't get comments/reactions about weight loss until I lost about 60lbs....then the comments wouldn't stop for about a year (it does get quite annoying). By the first year into maintenance the comments basically dried up (thank goodness).

I've read somewhere that generally, the first place you gain weight, is the last place that you will lose it. For me the first place to shrink during weight loss was my boobs, the last were my legs. Hang in there ❤️

Alot of folks already said more or less the same thing, but I'll throw in my 2 cents anyway: I chose sleeve because: I was afraid of dumping (but...I dump anyway) I wanted to continue using NSAIDs (but...I ended up not needing them anymore anyway) I was personally freaked out a bit by the re-routing of my intestines (but...not cutting out my stomach? lol) I DID NOT have GERD. I only had a choice between sleeve and bypass cuz those were the only ones covered by my insurance, so I didn't consider any other procedure. I think that one's results with WLS has more to do with the person, than with the type of surgery. I'm convinced I would have had the same result if I had the bypass. But that's just me. Some background and current statuses: I'm 5'2", almost 50yr old female, started off at 235 lbs at the beginning of my 2 week pre-op diet...2.5 years ago. I got to goal of 127 lbs in 7 months (108 lbs lost at that time). I settled into 115 lbs by 10 months post-op and stayed there basically since...but not without a bit of effort on my part. 3 times I got up to 120 lbs for a few consecutive days, and subsequently made efforts to get back down to 115. And 4-5 times I went sub-110 lbs for a few consecutive days, but didn't have to make any effort at all to get back to 115, go figure. This morning I was 109.2 lbs. I consumed very little calories during weight loss phase, and exercised regularly starting month 3 (running/walking mostly, and minimal strength training daily). No complications, nor issues other than those expected (dump with sugar, foamies/chest pressure if I eat too much or too fast, need to barf if I drink with my meals, burp like a teenage boy) At 2.5 years out, up until a month ago, I was averaging around 1800 cals a day with regular exercise (running & strength training 4-5 times a week). Currently I'm playing around with calories as I'm sidelined on the exercise front, which explains my lower weight these days cuz I haven't figured it out yet. I mostly eat salads (by choice, I LOOOVE salads!) , but I also eat desserts, spicy stuff, fried stuff, fatty stuff, drink coffee, alcohol and carbonated water. On rare occasions I eat bread or potatoes, but I don't eat rice nor regular pasta. I max out at about 1 to 1.5 cups of food per sitting (more if its salad) My lab results have consistently been uneventful (my last one was in November last year). So....so far so good. I have no illusions that I will be like this forever...but that's on me, not my sleeve.

No, no one made us any (nor did we have any at any of the gazillion restaurants we frequented). I see I totally missed out. I asked Mr. if he remembered if he/we ever had any, and he doesn't think so either, at least not anything that was called a Rissole. We got to reminiscing about all the different food-related stuffs that we scratched our heads upon hearing them uttered by the locals: Capsicum, Flat white, Rocket, Avo, Chook, Lolly, (and so many more I can't remember, LOL). It took us a while to use the food course term Entree correctly. Not food related, but then there was the time the Kid came home from school in tears because her new friends told her to meet them at the "Oval", and she didn't know where that was. Its funny now, but poor thing was SOBBING, lol. And a Ute. Man, we were clueless in those early months. Ah, good times, good times.

And that is all we can really ask of ourselves. You've got the right attitude ❤️ P.S. Thank you for all your efforts in battling this pandemic for us...and to all the other front-line workers out there. Mwah.