sarar3

Boldilocks you've got me sniffling and smiling. Sniffling cause he actually came through for you at finals, smiling because your surgery is truly over and I am very proud of you. You were and are a very strong woman, and it is my pleasure to know you.???

I think you’ve already proven you’re committed to this process and that you’re courageous by taking the first steps to get where you need to be on your journey!! Really you should be congratulating yourself....it takes guts (literally) to go through this and boy the hormones post op are hell. After going through it myself less than two weeks ago...I can say that there are a bunch of badass folks on this forum who refuse to settle...we’re all chasing our dreams here. You just added a huge weapon to your arsenal in the battle for better health. You’re going to do great??

Hi everyone - sorry, didn't mean to leave you all in suspense!
I got home last night and didn't have a good night and day with the pain. And my surgeon refused to give me any pain meds until my husband rang and gave him hard time. Then he gave me a 1 day script for Tramadol.
So, my husband. He surprised me. I sent him the text shortly after the surgery letting him know where I was and that I had left more info for him in the kitchen. He said that he understood why I had't told him, and that he didn't blame me. He was very supportive - but said that he probably wouldn't have been if he'd known beforehand.
He brought the girls to visit as soon as he got off work on Tuesday, and they stayed for 3 hours. He asked lots of questions and was reading some of the packet I left him.
He was there to pick me up right on time on Wednesday and said that he'd been up late reading up on it and wanted to know if I had a menu or anything he could look at so he could help. He brought Dunkin Donuts coffee and munchkins for the nurses like I asked, because they were so wonderful to me.
He called the out of hours doctor and got him to make my surgeon call back as I mentioned. He was really pissed they didn't give me better meds - I really was in a lot of pain. He has been supportive at the end, and that's good enough. He says that I definitely have made the right decision, and that I was very brave.

Welcome Aboard Bella!

Ok, looks like I have a lot of catching up to do!!!
Day 1: RNY 12/24/18 HW 224 SW 204 CW 182 Current Pic included...
Day 2: The one feature I love about myself is my eye color, I guess I just like my light green eyes...
Day 3: My best personality trait would be my ability to make others laugh and have fun when spending time with me.
Day 4: Wow this one is a hard one. I forgive myself for emotionally hurting ones I love for my own selfishness.
5: Funny, Talented, Strong
6: I feel like I’m really good at my job because I love to talk with people and I know everything about the company I work with which makes it easy and fun!!

Goal: I would like to lose 7 pounds this month!

Ok, looks like I have a lot of catching up to do!!!
Day 1: RNY 12/24/18 HW 224 SW 204 CW 182 Current Pic included...
Day 2: The one feature I love about myself is my eye color, I guess I just like my light green eyes...
Day 3: My best personality trait would be my ability to make others laugh and have fun when spending time with me.
Day 4: Wow this one is a hard one. I forgive myself for emotionally hurting ones I love for my own selfishness.
5: Funny, Talented, Strong
6: I feel like I’m really good at my job because I love to talk with people and I know everything about the company I work with which makes it easy and fun!!

Goal: I would like to lose 7 pounds this month!

I’m in too! RNY 12/24/18 HW 223 SW 205 CW 183 ...losing

You may need to eat out after WLS, because Americans eat out a lot. Some estimates put one-quarter of Americans eating fast food on a given day, before counting food from casual and upscale restaurants. A total of about 1 in 3 calories come from foods that are eaten away from home, such as prepared foods and restaurant foods.


With restaurants, fast food, and other prepared foods being such a big part of our culture, you may not be able to, or even want to, stop eating out. That is okay, even after WLS. You will just need to be a savvy customer to be sure that wherever you are, you get a meal that fits into your meal plan. Take heart: it is almost always possible.
The Trouble with Eating Out
Research has been clear on the differences between eating out and preparing food at home. Restaurant meals tend to be bigger and higher in calories. Beyond that, they are higher in sodium and saturated fat, and lower in fiber.
That does not bode well for weight loss, but you are not doomed. Most restaurants are willing and able to accommodate you. You may be pleasantly surprised at the choices.
Do Your Homework (Or Procrastinate)
Most restaurants have their menus posted online. Many have their nutritional facts online. Check before you go to the restaurant, and decide on your meal before you get there. When it comes time to order, you need not browse the menu for temptations.
Or Procrastinate
It is not always possible to check beforehand, and that is okay. Just keep your goal in mind:
Some lean protein, such as eggs, chicken, or fish.
A vegetable.
A small amount of a healthy starch and/or healthy fat.
Build that meal from the items you see on the menu.
The Customer Is Always Right
If you need another expression to drive home the point, what about, “He who pays the piper calls the tune?” You are perfectly entitled to ask for no sauce, dressing on the side, or no bun.
A surprising number of joints allow substitutions or modifications for no extra cost, although some may charge. The cost is usually minimal, and worth it. Examples include getting grilled instead of fried chicken or fish, or swapping a side salad or steamed vegetables for a side of rice, pasta, or potatoes.
Best Bets for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
You can go to a restaurant with some ideas of what they might have for each meal, and search for those.
Breakfast
Eggs: in an omelet or scrambled. Look for egg whites if you can, and choose vegetable toppings. Cheese and turkey can also be good additions. Skip bacon and other fatty meats in your eggs.
Oatmeal: plain, regular or steel-cut, without add-ons such as dried fruit or brown sugar. Nuts are okay. Steer clear of granola.
Breakfast sandwich: English muffin (you can eat half) with egg and/or cheese and/or ham – no bacon, sausage, croissant, or biscuit.
Create a meal from sides or add-ons, such as cottage cheese, an egg, fresh fruit, or turkey sausage.
Lunch
Green salad with any of grilled chicken, cheese, nuts, vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers, and light dressing. Skip regular dressing (or order it on the side), croutons and chow mein noodles, and dried fruit.
Chicken, fish, turkey breast, a veggie burger patty, a hamburger patty, or taco beef. Skip the bread, tortilla, bun, or taco shell, and steer away from breaded and fried.
Side salad, carrot sticks, yogurt, or sliced apples.
Dinner
Shrimp cocktail or broth-based soup for starters. Avoid dips, chips, bread and breadsticks, and fried starters.
Grilled, baked, or roasted plain chicken or fish. Avoid fried choices, fatty meats, and creamy or buttery sauces.
Steamed vegetables or a side salad. Avoid fries, pasta, rice, and mashed potatoes.
The Final Filter: You
No matter what lands on your plate or your to-go box, the ultimate decision about what goes into your mouth is made by…you. You can turn a potentially disastrous order into a not-so-bad or even good meal with some smart choices.
Decide how much you will eat and pack away the rest before you take your first bite.
Scoop out the filling from sandwiches and burritos, while leaving the bread and tortillas.
Eat the proteins and vegetables from your plate, while leaving the fries and fatty sauces.
Scrape off any breading and eat only the chicken or fish inside.
Weight loss surgery is to help you lose weight, but it is also to help you live a better life. If the good life for you includes eating out, you can do it. Just be careful. Keep your weight loss surgery diet plan in mind as you order and eat, and you can lose weight as you live your normal life.

Don't over buy food and supplies. You will eat so little! I threw out or gave away 80% of what I bought presurgery.

Yep, I eat them all. Love them. They're a daily part of my diet. Sometimes multiple times a day.
OMG, they're carbs!
Yep, they are. But they're not refined, over-processed, or bad.
And you know what else they are?
Excellent sources of plant based protein and fiber.
A baked potato has 160 calories. By itself, it has 4g of protein. Throw some vegetarian chili on there and you're in the high teens. Awesome lunch!
Brown rice...half a cup has around 100 calories and 3g of protein. Add some bean or peas and you've got complete amino acids...tons of protein... and a crazy awesome amount of fiber.
Why is dietary fiber important? To grow good gut bugs. Your microbiota and the health of your gut (and metabolism) depend on happy little bacteria. The strains of gut bugs that live in the guts of skinny people....have a favorite food: dietary fiber. Feed your good bugs good things and they'll be good to you.
They like to eat fruit, veggies, beans, whole wheat bread...
Whole wheat bread? I eat this A LOT:)
For instance.....A lite Thomas English wheat muffin has 5g of protein for 100 calories. This dietary powerhouse has 8g of dietary fiber! Smear that sucker with your favorite nut butter or fruit preserves, and you're in business.
One of my favorite go-to dinners these days...... is fresh homemade wheat bread with 16 veggie soup...and fruit for dessert.
I eat about four servings of fruit a day...and that's not even counting the watermelon I huddle over in the car while hissing "My Precious...." LOL:)
A banana is not "a candy bar" A banana is a wonderful healthy food. I eat lots of them. Hell, I have a Yonanas that makes them into ice cream. They're terrific.


Normal weight does not HAVE to mean giving up carbs. It means being carb smart, balancing, and making mindful choices.
More than one way to do this whole thing.
Weight loss success does not mean ONLY eating meat for the rest of your life with broccoli on the side. That's great once in a while, though!
Not trying to tell anyone they're doing it wrong.....just sayin'....there's more than one way to do it right:)

Extreme thinking, extreme dieting, extreme self denial....is not sustainable.
Work on a forever diet you can live with.
Be mindful, be accountable....but be kind to yourself.

December 24th!!! Best Christmas gift ever. ?

My surgery date is 12/24!! The very few who know have been very supportive and encouraging. I chose who to tell, but surprisingly my 16 year old son is the only one that gave me a lot of grief. My BMI is actually 37. He feels I don’t need to do this and thinks I can lose a *few* pounds on my own as he says. (It’s amazing how our children see us, he tells me I’m perfect everyday.) I know it’s scary for him, I talked to him about it like this... I told him about all my co-morbidities and how much this is going to help me. I told him it’s not JUST about weight loss but it’s about curing my GERD, High blood pressure, everyday aches and pains (which I think is Fibromalgia), sleep apnea, and the list goes on. I think it helped, but I know he’s still worried. So if anyone has anything negative to say I’ve decided that’s exactly what I’m going to tell them.

So wow, I told my Dad last week I was having the surgery - now he's just so awkward. But I'm hoping it's just him.
He had called tonight (which btw, is very unusual since we've primarily communicated via email for the last 10 years). I think it was his way of being supportive. I asked how things were going...and he said "Well, me and your mother are both stuffed. She just made this amazing pot of gumbo." Then all I heard was gurgling. He was choking from embarrassment b/c he had somehow talked about FOOD and I guess he thinks that's now off limits...he got so flustered he accidentally hung up the phone. Ten seconds later he calls back and said he just wanted to call and wish me and my husband Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays..!
So that was fun...LOL. Oy!!!!!! : \
And THIS is why I have told so few ppl. I probably can handle the conversations - it's the PPL AROUND ME that cannot!