Arabesque

I’ve heard it too from various sources. But then think of all the other ‘facts’ we believed as true & then … I eat my protein throughout the day: all meals & snacks contain protein (except fruit of course 😉). How much protein are you advised to eat? We’re usually told collagen isn’t a complete protein (missing some essential amino acids) & it shouldn't be counted in your daily total. Consider it a bonus for other benefits. Whey is fine. But do check with your dietician.

The last pounds are the hardest to lose. A real b*tch. But could you be experiencing a stall. I recall you were prone to them with your sleeve. Also don’t forget your new set point. Could this be the weight your body is happiest at?? How long has it been since you lost anything? For those who are interested, Dr Matt Weiner posted a video about set point (metabolic thermostat) a couple of days ago. Others, like Dr John Pilcher, will likely have good videos too.

I would never have believed I’d ever be able to eat 1500 calories and not only maintain my weight but also not gain. I’d gain weight eating 1200 calories before surgery. It took me a good 2 months to barely lose 4kgs (about 8lbs) eating less than 500 calories with the last diet I tried! The boost to your metabolism the surgery gives you is amazing. You’ll have a new norm. How much of a boost is unknown. But the calculator will give you an idea of how much you may be able to consume - it’s still just statistics based on a narrow range of factors. Then it just depends on your body/metabolism, medications, genetics, etc. Use it as a guide & see how you go in practice.

Do post some things @Spinoza. When I started I used to crop my head off because I wanted to be anonymous. If no one knew me I couldn’t be embarrassed. I look back & chuckle. Given all the information we share & all the things we talk about a pxt is nothing. We all used to post very regularly so it would be lovely to have more action on the thread again. it’s interesting to see how everyone embraces their new shape & new styles, & it’s great to see people become more confident. Plus all the different styles we’re drawn to. I wore this to do my grocery shopping today. I ordered the skirt from an Australian designer I used to often buy from until their clothing became too big for me 😩. It’s a form fitted stretch skirt so I could get away with their smallest size. I was praying they would do it in red again to wear with this rather avant-garde top & yay they did. They asked for a pxt of the complete outfit hence me putting it on this morning & then I couldn’t be bothered to change again before getting the groceries. Ha! A woman at the checkout told me how much she loved the outfit so worth nit changing. Your turn @Spinoza.

I was every three months from my surgeon but my GP was also getting one in between for the first year & then was happy to review the surgeon’s requests. At two years it was just the three months from my surgeon’s colleague who does his follow ups. When I reached three years it became every 6 months. I didn’t & don’t mind getting so many as it’s been informative to track my levels but also allowed the doctors to pick up fluctuation trends (like my vitamin D dropping in winter) & my protein malabsorption issue which began at 2 years after my gall was removed. I expect I’ll always have regular tests (1 or 2 a year) because of the protein issue.

I get mine from real food. Haven’t touched a protein shake or protein powder since my purée stage began. They were disgusting & I didn’t want to spend my life drinking any of my meals. Of course it’s easier to meet your protein goals as you progress & your meal size increases & additional protein via a shake may be needed (I ate a yoghurt with 20g to boost mine & often still do). I breakfast on oats with seeds & blueberries made on milk. Lunch is often mostly protein like prawns, calamari, yoghurt with seeds, savoury egg muffins, (gone off chicken tenders & omelettes at the moment). Dinner is meat & vegetables. My snacks can be any combination of cheese, multi grain crackers with liverwurst or labneh, peanut paste, nuts, jerky & I have a protein bar most nights to top up my protein. I used to make a chia pudding as a night time top up but wanted a change (mmm, I might make some today). I often add barley, chickpeas or lentils to any soups, stews or mince based dishes I make for extra protein too.

It’s an interesting issue. I do understand the questions it might raise when your health professional makes a decision about their life you don’t understand such as feeling she did not think she really had a weight issue that would necessitate her taking Ozempic. I had questions & worried about my injectables nurse (not as serious as with your Dr). I liked her & how she treated me. She was cautious. She was a friend of a friend’s daughter & they both saw her. Then one day I went for my appointment & her face was deformed (well it was in my eyes). Overdone the fillers I thought. I couldn’t understand why she did as she was very attractive without it & questioned how cautious she really was in her treatments with me & others if she did that to herself. I commented upon it with my friend expressing my concern. Turned out she was pregnant & was having a terrible time with morning sickness, fluid retention & other issues which caused the ‘deformed’ look. So yes, I think the questions & doubts that arise are a pretty natural reaction. Usually we don’t know the real story behind why someone choses to do something or what they are experiencing & we never may. Doesn’t mean their care for us is any less. But it is your decision how you manage it. You have to feel comfortable & secure with them, their recommendations & treatments. The over prescribing issues is a whole other debate. I’d hope as your health improves & your blood work & other tests show you don’t need all your current meds she will stop prescribing those you don’t need any more. I’ve been fortunate with my doctors & I’ve been with my current GP for about 25 yrs but I worry about the day she retires. She initially had her own practice but joined one of those big chain medical clinics a couple of years ago. I dislike the impersonal nature of the staff but thankfully she is the same. My 83yr old mother is struggling to find a new GP after hers decided to specialise in skin cancers. She is finding establishing a new relationship, trust & respect difficult as well as having to go over 83 yrs of medical history with each one she has tried. They probably will start to think she is shopping different doctors to get additional drugs except they’ve all been at the same clinic so far. PS - Many of us experience our faces looking gaunt as we near our lowest weight. Remember my uncle telling me I looked like death (not to my face but to my mum). It settles over a few months as we know. Sure I look older than before (I am 58 not 21 so I should) but I look like real me. I don’t have fat distorting my features anymore. I love having a chin & jawline now, my hooded eyelids have practically vanished, my neck is thinner & longer & I have freakin’ cheekbones.

Transitioning to maintenance was both easy & challenging for me. Easy was that I had already made my choices about how/what I was going to eat & had been eating that way for most of my weight loss. What I found difficult was being able to eat portions large enough to stop the weight loss & work out how much I needed to consume to maintain. It’s why I kept losing for another 11 months. Though I also believe this was where my body wanted to be. Yes, I weigh myself regularly & yes I worry about what I weigh right down to the grams. While I don’t consistently weigh & track what I eat every meal I am conscious about portion sizes & the calorie content of foods even when I’m dining out or socialising at a friend’s. I do random checks & introduce new foods/recipes slowly & carefully. And yes, I still do protein first, then vegetables too & aim to stick to nutrient dense foods. This is the longest I’ve been able to maintain my weight ever in my 58 years. But I’m not on a diet to lose or maintain my weight. This is just how & what I eat. (The power of words.) I enjoy eating & food but it’s a different focus in my life - it’s more about what I need & less about what I want. Hell yeah, the old mindless eating habits are still just there sitting on my shoulder. (Can’t eradicate them though would be amazing if we could.) A bit like that angel on one shoulder & devil on the other. I try to keep the Angel of new habits I’ve established as the dominant thinking & actions. On the days the devil is stronger, I usually catch myself but … there are times. Though I try not to beat myself up if the devil wins.

I’d worry about filling your tummy with a nutrient poor carb (pasta, rice, bread) especially at this stage when you’re on such a restricted diet still, eating so little & not being able to get in the more important nutrients. Remember protein, protein, protein. I presume you are still drinking protein shakes to get in the protein you need. What about making your own protein smoothies with more nutrient dense ingredients - like vegetables (blend & strain). What about adding a soft cheese to some meals or as a snack or some good fats like avocado. Add milk powder to cream soups, smoothies, etc. for extra protein & calories too. What about custard - calories & protein. You’ll likely find that once you’re through the first few months & the restricted diet, & able to eat more without vomiting & the other gerd related issues restricting your ability to eat & consume calories, you will put on weight & attain a weight you’re happier at. What does your surgeon say?

Cottage cheese is quite big on socials at the moment but it’s a no for me. I struggle with it. Think it’s textual thing.

Yes, as @NickelChip said, it’s not expected you eat a pound of vegetables in your first year or so. Certainly as you progress you can eat more than you would be now @BabySpoons at 6 months. Actually you may be surprised how little a pound of vegetables actually is - it’s about 2 - 3 cups depending upon the vegetables. Dr Weiner does tend to promote a diet low in animal products & therefore high in plant based proteins like legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc.) which can count towards your vegetables too. The UK promotes 5 serves a day which is equivalent to about a pound too. Though they do not count potatoes or other starchy vegetables defining them as more a carb. Easy to incorporate more vegetables in your diet. Add lentils &/or mushrooms to minced meat dishes (like bolognese, meatballs, savoury mince), add beans &/or lentils to soups, stews, etc. Use zucchini noodles, aubergine or zucchini as lasagne sheets, mash white beans instead of mashed potatoes, cauliflower pizza bases or rice. Try roasted fava beans or chickpeas, or edamame as a snack. Add vegetables to an omelette or frittata. Remember tomatoes, cucumbers & capsicum, though fruits, are counted as vegetables.

Some use the BMI as a guide. Sometimes your surgeon will suggest a weight you might achieve. For some it’s just a number they pick for no real reason except maybe it sounded like an okay weight. You may chose not to even have a goal weight. I chose a weight I had bounced up from & down to most of my adult life. It would put me in the healthy BMI range (23) but knowing it was a weight I felt good was more important. My surgeon agreed & thought it was achievable. Whatever weight you choose as your goal (as a final weight or as goals along the way), remember it may not be the weight you end up at. Some people discover they feel better at a different weight, it’s easier to maintain at a different weight (set point), or a different weight better complements their lifestyle & how they want to live their life. Factors like genetics, metabolism, medications, health issues & most importantly what your body’s new set point is (the weight your body is happiest at & is easiest to maintain) have a great influence on your final weight. It’s okay if you don’t reach your goal. Achieving a specific number on the scales isn’t nearly as important as the other benefits of your weight loss. All the best.

When I had my gall attack (worst pain ever! 😩🥹), I asked my surgeon (he did my sleeve too) about dissolving it or shattering it with radio frequency. He said if you’ve grown one stone you’ll grow another. Best thing is just to remove the gall. So he did. The surgery was easy. He used the same sites as my sleeve surgery for the laparoscopic surgery so I have no additional scars. The recovery was easier than my sleeve though I did have gas pain (I didn’t have any with my sleeve). Pain was similar & manageable again & lasted about 4 days. Best of all no special diet, no diarrhoea, no constipation, no nausea, etc. after. I did end up with a malabsorption issue which isn’t very common. Mine is for protein, which is even less common, & some meds. I was just unlucky … or special depending upon how you look at it 😁. It’s not an organ you really need - it just manages how much stomach acid & bile goes into your digestive system. Occasionally I get a bout of acidic diarrhoea (my sister-in-law does too) & that’s all.

Okay, worst case scenario they find something. Isn’t it better they do, especially when it’s something to do with your heart, so they can treat you with medication, heart surgery, or what ever is needed to make you healthier & prolong your life? Remember going into your bariatric surgery with an undiagnosed or diagnosed but untreated heart condition would be very, very risky. When you can progress with your bariatric surgery & what approval process you may need to go through would depend upon what or if they find something. Best case they find nothing & you’ll know your heart is strong & healthy. Let us know. All the best.

I often used to get tender gums & a little bleeding with my menstrual cycle. I thought I was weird so am glad you have the same thing. But I wonder if you have developed some gum disease. A B12 deficiency can cause bleeding gums too. Have you had a recent blood test (though can’t recall vitamin C being included in our usual blood tests). Glad you’re seeing your dentist soon.

Sounds like an allergic reaction. I’d stop the chews & see if it improves & contact your GP. Have you changed anything else in your diet recently? Or new skin care, soaps, washing powders, etc. ?

Dupe post. This glitch in the system is becoming annoying.

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Isn’t ghee higher in calories & fat? Or do you use less?

Does she mean just after the surgery? It’s not uncommon to experience some very sudden unexpected diarrhoea (no warning cramping) in the days after surgery regardless which surgery you have. Yes, it can be quite smelly too & dark as it contains remanent blood from the surgery. It happened to me but only once. A friend had it for a couple of days though her surgeon recommended she wear disposable knickers for a week or so just in case this happened. A godsend she said. We both have sleeves. Can’t comment on whether it can be a long term issue with Sadi. Can’t recall anyone mentioning it here either.

Yep, my hand is up. Am so glad it’s spring here & so it’s warmer. Thankfully we had a milder winter this year, so I wasn’t as cold as I was last year which was quite horrendous. Your French toast looks delicious. I used to make it with brioche & cooked mixed berries with vanilla to make a syrupy fruit compote to pour in the top. Soo good!

I thought thyroid too & also wondered, as you’re 51, if your hormones have been checked. I hope they find some answers for you soon. All the best.

Used butter & olive oil while losing & still do now. Don’t use a lot of butter - about a teaspoon to toss my vegetables in - & go months (5 or so) between buying a new 1lb tub. I use olive oil spray quite often & will cook meats in the oven with a spray of olive oil (if needed) versus cooking with olive oil in a frypan.