Lynda486

You have done an amazing job! I am 14 pounds from goal and it seems like I will never make it. You look great!

You will get there! keep going. I was stalled at 217-218 for almost a month.

CREAMY chicken AND MUSHROOM Soup
yield: 6 SERVINGS
prep time: 15 MINUTES
cook time: 15 MINUTES
total time: 30 MINUTES
So cozy, so comforting and just so creamy. Best of all, this is made in 30 min from start to finish – so quick and easy!
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 cloves garlic, minced 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 onion, diced 3 carrots, peeled and diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 4 cups chicken stock 1 bay leaf 1/2 cup half and half, or more, as needed* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 1 sprig rosemary DIRECTIONS:
Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken to the stockpot and cook until golden, about 2-3 minutes; set aside. Melt butter in the stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic, mushrooms, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Whisk in chicken stock, bay leaf and chicken thighs, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in half and half until heated through, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley and rosemary, if desired. NOTES:
*Half and half is equal parts of whole milk and cream. For 1 cup half and half, you can substitute 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream or 2/3 cup skim or low-fat milk + 1/3 cup heavy cream.

You have done an amazing job! I am 14 pounds from goal and it seems like I will never make it. You look great!

Follow your plan, Protein first, Water and then the rest will follow. My nut also told me to not worry about calories, as long as you get your protein and water in you will be fine! Don't worry about what anyone else is doing or not doing. You've got this!

You are exactly correct Stay hydrated and Stay Protein. I ran about a average of 800 calories a day but everyone is a little different.
The key above is the statement LEARN to control your eating in terms of quality and quantity! It gets alot easier as you plow thru the journey

Well after two back to back days to make sure the scale wasnt tricking my eyes, i am officially under my goal weight of 215, weighing in at 213 on the dot this morning. I know my weight loss journey is far from over, but to finally be under a number you use to think was a pipe dream has a good feel to it. Im very proud of myself and ready to continue to transform my body. TONE TONE TONE now. But im very excited for my future. I couldnt say that a year ago.

AJ,
I am so sorry for your loss, they are family just like any other person. 😥

Love it = I used to order to of the WAWA subs to go and a big bag of fritos! Now i get the yogurt cups!
Life Changes but sure is fun
Enjoy

My scale victory is hitting 40lbs!!! I feel HUMAN again!
My non-scale victory is silly, but made me feel great! I went to Wawa yesterday and ordered a spinach salad from the kiosk. For those unfamiliar with Wawa, you order at a kiosk, and they call your number when your order is ready. They have hoagies, meatball sandwiches, chicken fingers, etc. There were about 8-10 people waiting for their food, when the guy behind the counter looked over at me, held up the bag and said "spinach salad?" Of all the people waiting, I looked like the type of person who would order a spinach salad! I felt like I weighed 120lbs, and practically skipped out the door!! LOL!!!

Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

Looking good, you really can see a difference!

You look to young to have grandchildren!

Thank you for all the amazing advice!! I love hearing it all no matter how tough or real it may be!I
1 - I'm going to try this! I think its a great idea and it will keep me in check. I tend to get caught up in my life and with whats going on that I forget about certain priorities and reasons why I am doing something. I'm going to add @GreenTealael advice on a sticky too and put it on my fridge!
2 - I needed to hear this!
4 & 5 - The not going to places where you are tempted is something I need to follow! It sounds like such an obvious thing to do but you know, i never thought about that lol.
For the other sentences of yours from #'s 4 & 5 I highlighted (sorry if it sounds confusing, Im not good at explaining):
I think this starts with how I became so morbidly obese. I haven't found anyone on here with a similar struggle so anyone reading this feel free to chime in but my reason for obesity wasn't sugar, junk food, fried foods, or Snacks. There was never soda in the house growing up, there was bread but I personally don't like anything doughy or bread like (besides tortillas here and here), all food was made with barely any oil and when meat was fatty, the oils would be scooped out while cooking. There was no bottled juice in the house, only homemade, and there were no snacks. If I was hungry my dad would say "makes some eggs".......... that was my snack. Overeating and eating super late was what got me morbidly obese . No, i wasn't overeating a salad (although at times I would) but I was overeating chicken, pork, red meat, fish, and rice... lots and lots of overeating because that's just how i was raised. Since I was a kid my dad and family would serve me huge portions because that was their norm. I remember being a 10 yr old getting served this humongous bowl of beef Soup with lots of veggies, chunks of meat and a big side of white rice. You would think that would be the only meal for the day, but no it was just breakfast. lunch was always late and it was just as big and dinner was eaten even later and it would be something like chicken stew with a mountain of white rice, boiled potatoes, salad, and usually a homemade dressing.
The most common thing on here that i read all the time is that many folks struggle with unhealthy food, including sweets, soda, fast food, bread, and Pasta cravings. I cant say this is the case with me. I didnt eat that slice of cake yesterday out of temptation, I ate it because i was really hungry. The cake that I had planned to eat this Saturday wasn't because I'm cake obsessed, it was because its my bf's birthday. I need to learn to be ok with not indulging in every celebration like @GreenTealael has pointed out ... which is something I 100% believe i can do! I feel that my true struggle is in my everyday meal prep and eating.
The overeating has now stopped because of the surgery, but how do I change the mentality that what I am making is in fact not good in the long run or too heavy? Or is it good? I was taught to believe that what I have been eating my whole life is healthy. I can recognize that the potatoes, and rice are not the best choices but its hard for me to recognize that the Soups, stews, and other dishes I have been eating my whole life and continue to make in my meal prep cant stay in my everyday diet even though I make it even healthier than before. Should I be doing the "very clean, very light, super nutrient dense foods" like salads with some kind of meat everyday until I get to my goal, then have my regular dishes that I consider healthy when I'm in maintenance?
Side Comment/Personal Note: Sometimes I think about how weird obesity is. My biological mother, and her family were all overweight and morbidly obese. Their diet consisted of junk food, Armenian food, and fatty American food. I never had any influence at all by her or her side of the family because I just never saw them. After my folks divorced when I was four, I think I saw my mom twice more (her choice) and that's it. Over the years I heard she became morbidly obese. Her and a lot of her family members passed away because of obesity. I know genes play a large role too but it still blows my mind how the weight problem followed me even though I didn't grow up on her diet. I was on the same diet as my dads family and they are all skinny and fit and I'm a giant ball...
Anyways as far as the "Embrace boring. I'd eat the same little Breakfast over and over, the same kind of lunch over and over." I agree and this is something im currently working on with my nutritionist. She tells me "meals don't have to be this amazing, glamorous thing." "Sometimes they need to serve their purpose which is give you Protein and nutrients and nothing more." This is something else thats taking me a while to learn because " Un Peruano no come para vivir, vive para comer" which basically translates to a Peruvian doesn't eat to live, we live to eat. Yeah it sounds pretty crazy but its true. Breaking habits of a culture that focuses on food more than any other aspect of their culture is extremely hard and sometimes I wish I could trade the junk food and sweet crave problem a lot of other people have for this problem.
@FluffyChix You've done so well at losing and staying very strict its amazing and I hope one day I experience that very same feeling you have when looking at your body!

I worked what was termed the grave yard shift (12 midnight to 8AM) for many years. The food that I ate was food that I sought. There was really nothing healthy or good to be found at that time. After having WLS you will seek better food choices than you did pre WLS. You will in all probability bring your own foods with you. It takes a different breed of person to work the night shift that's why we bond so well with them. Don't worry about the food after your surgery you'll see it in a different light.

DO NOT BUY A TIME SHARE!!!!! You'll never get rid of it. The financial advisor we went to for dinner was already my own advisor. He just invited us to the dinner since we had not been yet.
Anyway, my protein is very adequate and comes in small packages throughout the day. Here is one day's worth of food and where I get the protein. I think it adds up to about 75 gm of protein.
19 - cooked whole grain cereal with 1/2 c pea protein milk and a small banana. (Cereal made from steel cut oats, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, teff, quinoa, slivered almonds, raisins, unsweetened cranberries, cinnamon.)
6 - homemade Soup with Beans, legumes, lentils, quinoa
7 - millet/chick pea casserole
1.6 - apple and orange
7.6 - 2 mini fritattas made with potato, mushrooms, brocolli, chick pea flour, pea milk, nutritional yeast
4 - 4 veggie sushi rolls
2 - 1/2 c sweet potato
1 - 2 cups of fresh greens, steamed
.8 - 1 c cooked radishes
1 - 1/2 c cooked mushrooms
.7 - 1 brazil nut
7 - 1/4 c nuts/seeds
9 - 1/2 c plant based yogurt
.5 - 1/2 c fresh berries
4.3 - 1/4 c. homemade granola (various whole grains, almond flour, almonds, seeds)
.6 - veggie snack bag (1.5 c of raw celery, cuke, peppers, radishes, carrot, purple cabbage)
4 - 1/2 c Golden Milk (plant milk with chai spices)

I used to snore occasionally, now post op I don't. I agree that my hips and knees don't like me laying on my sides for long.

I'm prepared to get responses that tell me I'm out of my mind, but I am having a gastric sleeve procedure one week from now and I turned 81 years old in January 2020.
My rationale is that while I might not have many years left on this planet, I want to look as good as I can and feel as good as I can. Summer is coming and I mind the heat dreadfully. I'm looking forward to being more comfortable come the hot weather. Yes, I have air conditioning but I do go out the door sometimes.
I'd love to hear from people in my age bracket who had undergone this surgery. I am in the Boston, Massachusetts area, and I am told by the weight center where I am being treated that they have several people in my age group scheduled for upcoming surgery.

Me too! I was never a back sleeper and now I am mostly on my back, and it's a deep sleep!

Not sure if many had same experience as me, but slept on my back (-ish), propped on like 4-5 pillows for a while. I think maybe almost 2 months.
I got so used to it that more often than not, I'm on my back even now, (without all the pillows) at 1+ year post op. I very rarely sleep on my stomach anymore.

I had started this post and abandoned it out of, I don’t know, fear? Of putting it out there? Or maybe just knowing it is too long and wordy. And I thought should I try again? I came back to try again and to my surprise it was still there. So I will bore anyone whom decides to read it to tears. And add in some new information.
My surgery was April 29th 2019, I also had my gallbladder removed due to chronic inflammation. I guess nothing was quite normal due to lifelong chronic illness. I had two other pelvic surgeries before and after my RNY. It’s likely my surgery and subsequent pneumonia shortly after ended up revealing a existing condition that was slowly but steadily getting worse. My chronic conditions muddies the waters when it comes to any possible issues with my RNY.
I had an early one year follow up at Cleveland Clinic, at nine months. There are four follow up appointments but they got smashed closer together due to some issues along the way. It’s confusing sometimes and exhausting. I’m working hard at it, I am grateful for the tool this offered me that I would not have had otherwise to combat metabolic disorders and inability to exercise. Even though recovery was complicated and revealed a lot of issues and some things have gotten worse along the way.
On my second follow up the doctor wanted a Upper GI fluoroscopy and endoscopy for stricture, it was severe stricture so I doubt one dilation was enough. And didn’t abate the symptoms.
By the third follow up I was needing to deal with my gastroenterologist wanting to do a colonoscopy that was postponed from before my surgery. It had been scheduled but then my gastric bypass surgery ended up scheduled first. My bariatric surgeon said that my gastroenterologist could do the endoscopy since I was having the colonoscopy. I won’t repeat the story. But I was pissed since it was never discussed that he would do a dilation. Only check the status of the stricture and ulcers. If possible dilation were on the table it should have been discussed.
I followed up with the gastroenterologist physician assistant. She glazed over all the problems with the procedure. Downplayed my symptoms like dark sticky stool (sorry tmi) which indicates blood. And other issues. And continued pain. I brought up sharp stabbing pain and spasms in my chest on the left side under my rib area, and some crushing pain, was suggested to see a cardiologist even though she didn’t think it was anything to worry about (still waiting to get an appointment) I do need to do this no matter what due to other issues anyway. she stopped the proton pump inhibitor medication since according to the dr. there were no ulcers and it contradicts my medication for muscle spasms (makes it not work) and I need that. Just carafate as needed.
at this early one year appointment he called me a star patient (no one has ever said that about me before) and was surprised at how much weight I’d lost in nine months. He asked if I was still losing and how fast. I still need to lose a few lbs for my height he seemed to imply I should stop. (Was he concerned? I couldn’t tell, I can’t read people) But yet I never got to see my nutritionist even though I was supposed to. The appointment was muddled and confused even though I gave him my written notes with questions he didn’t answer some of them. And I was too exhausted from the long wait (my surgeon wasn’t available to see me personally)
I brought up the endoscopy, the pain. That I cannot take proton pump inhibitors. Discussed concerns about the remnant stomach. My history of ulcers in that portion of stomach and small intestine. He referred me to see another gastroenterologist in the hospital and then have a different kind of test/ procedure called a double balloon enteroscopy. Has anyone here had a procedure like this? I’m a little upset that they expect me to see the new doctor first before they will schedule the enteroscopy leaving me in pain. And it’s very difficult to travel to the clinic .
i wanted to discuss another issue and get referral for a neurologist in Cleveland clinic but he didn’t acknowledge that at all.
i asked the nurse and asked him about referral for plastic surgery for skin removal and any possible coverage if there are skin issues involved. They implied that my insurance would cover it in Florida due to skin issues.
well I did find out that A. I’d have to go through the process of seeing another gastroenterologist prior to having this double balloon enteroscopy. It’s hard traveling to Cleveland Clinic. And
B. They lied about the plastic surgeon at Cleveland Clinic. They accept no insurance at all. My thighs are so bad that just trying to shave my legs and I have to catch 22 if I don’t it’s irritates my skin. But I shaved my legs and my thighs especially the one leg was downright bloody. The skin is just so horrendous.
has anyone used BariatricPal MX Hospital and used their financing? I am getting close to goal (the doctor thinks I’m at goal probably) and want to start looking into the possibility of thigh skin removal, Tummy Tuck at the least ... I’m grateful to finally have lost weight but being bony as heck in some areas and all the loose skin and chub in some areas especially where my skin is bloody raw just doesn’t feel good at all. And I wonder if the tummy tuck would help my core strength whereas I cannot strengthen it through exercise? (Due to my chronic illness)
on a side note. Someone important to my mother went to see my surgeon regarding gastric bypass surgery. My surgeon is such a great guy. So I referred her boyfriend to him he needs to lose weight for knee replacement surgery and his health. I just worry her boyfriend will not be serious about it. It upsets me when people have the opportunity and choice to get healthy and they make the choice not to do it. He has diabetes, high blood pressure and needs knee replacement surgery. He could be healthy if he made the choice to do it. I have never had the choice. Even surgery can’t fix me. It helped give me a tool to fight my weight but can’t cure lifelong chronic illness and disability. He tends to question and judge what I eat or don’t eat or what I do. But my situation is very different than the norm.
I want to be supportive but I see him making terrible food choices and not being willing to change even small habits. Like eating a lot of bad carbs. I’ve been there myself in the past. So,I, not judgmental. A sugar carb addict will find lots of reasons to justify what they eat. But also needs to admit the addiction and break free of it. I just wonder, Do I try to help, or do I step aside and not get involved?
I just went to my pcp for throat pain and need thyroid ultrasound and tests. And at some point need to address some issues. Like inability to drink without dysphasia of liquids. I know it’s neurological but have no diagnosis. My pcp thinks even with a diagnosis nothing can be done. But as it gets worse I can barely drink enough Water ...
ive rambled enough and I’m hoping my long message is not a mistake. If you have read this far. Thank you. Any opinion/advice on the skin removal surgery is appreciated (Mexico) as well as the double balloon enteroscopy.

First things first - Congrads on realizing your head is fu@ckin with you! Simple way is i get away 0 Go outside take the dog for a walk, Go wonder thru a store. Also keep a photo of your pre surgery on your phone, Look at it and see how unhealthy and unhappy you were, So why the hell would you binge it again!
I have littel emotions also a male and a ice cold one, So someone else will get on that!
Bottom line you can not get mind F@#cked - You take control and this is your journey. Nothing can stop you!

You've identified a critical issue and reached out, but I'm sorry to say that unfortunately this is not a venue that can provide the knowledgeable, meaningful, consequential long-term advice and support that you may well need.
If you read bariatric boards and blogs, you'll quickly realize that the keys to overcoming disordered eating and successfully losing and maintaining over the long term are committing to changing behaviours and developing new emotional coping strategies. I'm not talking about knitting and calligraphy. If you have an eating disorder, you won't be able to do this without professional help. Seeing a therapist regularly over the long term, reaching out to whatever mental health support programs you may have available, reading self-help and addiction books, actively engaging with self-help workbooks each day, and joining a professional online addiction food recovery program are all options that will likely need to be used in combination.
If you put the time and effort into getting help to address your inner demons and learn how to make different choices, then you will have a successful outcome. If you are not able to do this, then you likely will not. Surgery only takes an hour, but for some it takes a lifetime of mental health support to achieve and maintain weight loss. Sometimes it may take hundreds of hours of introspection, therapy, and mental health support to be able to change the behaviours that lead to obesity.
Surgery will help you lose weight, but it doesn't keep you from gaining it all back. A person could have 20 weight loss surgeries and still end up being obese. For many obese people, myself included, the real reasons behind becoming obese have absolutely nothing to do with how much - or how little - they can eat.
Please reach out to your team and let them know that you're struggling. They're there to support you, and they have access to both internal and local community resources that can help you work through this. And please don't stop talking about how you're doing here - it may not be much help, but connection is better than isolation. In the meantime, here are a few books that address the mental health aspects of disordered eating to get started with:
Weight Loss Surgery Does NOT Treat Food Addiction by Connie Stapleton The Emotional First Aid Kit: A Practical Guide to Life After Bariatric Surgery by Cynthia L. Alexander Bariatric Mindset Success: Live Your Best Life and Keep The Weight Off After Weight Loss Surgery by Kristin Lloyd The Cognitive Behavioral Workbook for Weight Management: A Step-by-Step Program by Michele Laliberte Overcoming Binge Eating, Second Edition: The Proven Program to Learn Why You Binge and How You Can Stop by Christopher G. Fairburn The Binge Eating and Compulsive Overeating Workbook: An Integrated Approach to Overcoming Disordered Eating by Carolyn Coker Ross

its coming try a little side action for now or i chose to sleep in a recliner for a few nights