ItsABearDance

I flew in to a conference yesterday and was able to buckle my seatbelt without struggling to clasp the belt. I remember last time I flew in on the same flight last year I tried to hide the fact that my belt wasn't buckled from the attendants because I was so embarrassed and didn't want to ask for an extender. My goal for the next flight will be to buckle it and actually have to tighten the belt!

I don't think you could appeal since they simply aren't covering the procedure. You may be able to reach out to whoever handles benefits and let them know how this effects you so they could consider opting in in the future for the benefit of your coworkers, though?

I count tea and my protein shakes toward my 64 oz.

Do you have a counselor or therapist that you see for your binge-eating disorder? Having someone to work with you on the mental-health side of your journey is going to be extremely important for your success. The surgery will put limits in physically which will help with the over-eating mentality to a degree, but it's also important to approach the psychological aspect of this journey and may be what your surgery psychologist is worried about.

My nutritionist said I could have coffee a month after surgery, but to be vigilant about acid reflux if I do decide to drink it since the two are associated. I would check with what your Dr says since everybody has different opinions.

A big reason I held off on doing WLS surgery for so long was I was worried people would think I was taking the easy way out and judge me for it. When I confessed this to my mom she gave me some great advice that it wasn't the easy way out, we still have to put in the work for the weight loss. WLS surgery would just help put me on the right track toward getting healthy. I'm so glad I listened to her and thus far, she's been right. I've still been putting work in, I just gained a tool to push me in the right direction when I struggle to make good decisions. Also, even if it were the easy way out why is that a bad thing? Do people need to see a struggle to make weight loss valid in their minds? If there were an easier way to get healthy shouldn't we be allowed to take it?

Both of these suggestions sound fantastic! I love cauliflower and adding alfredo sounds like a fun way to get some flavor! I've never had Ethiopian food or West African food, but it would be fun to try! Do you find the food is usually pretty healthy even coming from a restaurant?

Congrats!!!! That's really exciting!

Can you work with the Dr who is treating your neurological condition to get their opinion on whether bariatric surgery would help you?

This sounds like a decision you should talk through with your Dr, going over your neurological auto-immune illness and whether Bariatric Surgery is a good fit to combat the weight gain that's associated with it. I would be cautious of accepting the advice of those outside your care team (friends, family, coworkers, etc...) since ultimately it's your body and your decision and the people in our lives have all kinds of preconceived opinions and motivations for swaying you one way or another, even if well-meaning. To your daughter's point, technically, a majority of people can lose weight by watching their intake and exercise, but some people need the bariatric surgery as a tool to help move them along and that's just as valid of an accomplishment as doing it through sheer willpower.

That's what I did to up the protein in my shakes and I didn't have a problem with it.

Thanks for sharing! This looks so yummy!

I've tried the vanilla one. I really liked it!

I would ask your surgeon or nutritionist what they recommend. I think everybody is told something a little bit different based on what their care team prefers. For me, my guidelines were that I should have about 4 protein shakes daily. With breakfast I could have 1/2 cup of berries and I could have a lean protein and a cup of veggies for dinner. I could also sub in a yogurt for lunch instead of a protein shake if I wanted.

Oh, I also love Butternut Squash Soup, that's a great idea! I'm also on a cooking kick, so I might give a recipe a go!