Arabesque

Congratulations. Very happy for you. ?

My starting weight was 91kg & my goal weight was 60kg & a BMI of 23 (losing 31kg) which my surgeon supported. I reached that at 6mths to my surgery day. So I lost 100% of my excess weight. But I continued to lose as I tried to work out my maintenance & I struggle to maintain where I am now (48.3kg this morning a new low. The honeymoon period is still working for me but I know it has to end soon.) So I’ve lost 42.7kg or 137% of my excess weight. I’ve literally almost lost half of myself. Mind blown! The goal is to maintain once you’ve lost your weight & that is where the 60-70% average figure comes in - it’s the excess weight you’ve lost & kept off by the year 3 (or is it year 4???) mark. But everyone’s story is different & you’ll find your sweet spot - the weight you’re happy at & can maintain while enhancing & enjoying your life.

I wasn’t ever really hungry & felt satisfied eating this much. I scrambled them & the microwave was my friend. I was able to eat one egg by the time I reached maintenance. I still can’t eat two eggs. You’ll find your portion sizes are small to begin but gradually get larger as you progress too. I still try to eat very much to routine more than for hunger just to ensure I get in my nutrients & enough food to maintain. I have days when I’m not hungry. Yesterday I didn’t have lunch or 1 of my snacks because I just wasn’t hungry so I have to be extra vigilant today. I’m not a calorie counter but am conscious of portion size & eat slowly to when I’m satisfied not full. Before I add new food to my diet I check calories, protein, carbs, fats & sugar where possible. Generally I eat half to 2/3 of a recommended portion size. Except lettuce of which I eat heaps but it’s calories are so low it’s negligible & it takes me an hour to eat one of my salads. Some people eat smaller portions but eat more frequently. Others eat larger portions but less frequently. As long as you’re meeting your protein & fluid goals & are getting in enough nutrients you’ll be fine. You’ll find your own path.

At three months, I was eating scrambled eggs or rolled oats for breakfast (2 scrambled eggs took 3 days to eat & a serve of rolled oats took 3 or 4 days). For lunch I ate about 50/60g of chicken or half a pork sausage or a slice of smoked salmon wrapped around a small wedge of cucumber. Dinner was about 50/60g of steak, lamb, pork, fish with two or three beans or a cauliflower floret or a tablespoon of steamed cabbage. If I cooked mince I’d add carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes & sometimes peas & corn & I could eat about a third of a cup. My snack was always high protein yogurt (a 160g tub or 260ml drinking yogurt) & sometimes fruit (slice of watermelon, 8-10 grapes, a mango cheek) or sometimes a cube of cheese. The fruit & cheese were just if I felt hungry. I ate my snack/s in the afternoon or after dinner.

I agree with Ms. Sss: you have to be happy with your food choices & find what works for you & your lifestyle. I did a bit of comparative shopping to find a protein bar that had an acceptable level of calories, protein, fats, sugar & taste for me. I have one most nights to get me to my protein goal. Personally I didn’t eat any ‘healthy’ junk food alternatives during weight loss & I still don’t. For me they could be a temptation to slip: oh they don’t have any protein chips but I’m sure ordinary chips will be ok this time. Danger! Danger! Will Robinson. I avoid cakes, sweet biscuits & desserts too for the same reason. My weakness is eating whole grain rice crackers - still not the best. I eat about 6 a couple of times a week though some weeks I have none. Handy though when socialising with friends: perfect for that wedge of brie. ?

Congrats on your weight loss so far. So they’re saying not eating bread is the only reason you’ve lost weight??? So your reduced caloric intake, your healthier food choices, healthier cooking methods, smaller portions, increased activity, etc. has had no impact on your weight loss??? Bizarre. I had a no bread plan too. I was only allowed rolled oats during weight loss. I was allowed to add whole or multi grain crackers when I reached maintenance but still no bread. I was told because it is so filling & you have trouble getting in your protein & other nutrients. I still don’t eat bread, wraps etc. at all & don’t miss it (no pasta or rice either). But that is my choice now & what works for me. You may find adding some bread once you’re in maintenance works for you. Good luck on your journey.

But the temptation is also there to swallow what you’re chewing. Personally, I think chewing & spitting isn’t the best idea. I know some people do but I never did. We’re put on the staged diet for a reason - so as not to damage our new digestive system before it is fully healed. Of course it is your decision. It is a good reason to pass cooking duties onto another family member. Lol! Congrats on your surgery.

I’ve thought about this too cause I never got in all the recommended protein before my surgery. I probably only got about 30g in on a good day. I never got my calcium in back then either. Now I do. I believe the recommended amount of protein in the US is 0.8g per 1kg you weigh. In Australia it’s supposedly 1g of protein per 1kg of weight. My dietician told me I had to aim for 1.2g per kg of my weight as I’m a women in her mid 50s. You’d need more if you’re building muscles or very active. I aim for 60g of protein but I can vary from 40 - 70g. But I probably average out at about 60g across each week.

I always make my scrambled eggs on milk - 1 splash per egg. (I used to use cream if I had any & a good knob of butter in the pan pre wls lol.) When I was on purées I just added an extra splash of milk when whisking the eggs & when cooked I blended them with a little more milk to make it smoother and looser. Of course I used a non stick pan too & no cream anymore.

Oh yeah, constipation and/or diarrhoea is very common. On day three I had terrible diarrhoea & then nothing for days. And this will continue for quite some time. To begin with it’s from the surgery & then it’s because of your diet. Your caloric intake is a lot less than what you used to consume & there isn’t as much waste because your body needs all those nutrients. You’re also eating very few carbs & fibre. Add some Benefibre to your diet (mix it in your shakes) & when you’re allowed some rolled oats. Avoid fibre supplements that swell in your tummy as they will fill you up & then you won’t be able to eat. If I pooped every second day I was happy. If I got to day 3, I’d take a stool softener (they will become your friend). This went on until I was in maintenance & was consuming more calories & more whole/multi grains. Congrats on your surgery & good luck on your journey.

I’m not a medical person at all but this is not right. Get her back to a hospital ASAP. Has she had an endoscopy? Has she had scans of her tummy? She may have a leak or be bleeding internally. Black stools & vomit suggests blood in the digestive tract. Did they test her stools for blood?

I didn’t enjoy the protein shakes either. They were too sweet & grainy but I persevered. It is only two weeks & you can do it too. Mind you I was only drinking one shake & a soup each day. I just wasn’t hungry or interested in food. And I hate to tell you but you still won’t be chewing for another couple of weeks when you start on soft food. (Purées should be sloppy & completely lump free - nothing to chew.) This is a good time to think about your eating. How much of this is coming from your head? Why do you want it versus need it? Wanting something to chew is as much a craving (emotionally driven eating) as wanting something sweet or salty. This isn’t easy but it is so worth it. You can do this.

Oh gracious. No wonder you’re anxious & lack motivation to exercise when you’ve been told to do an hour, 5 days a week at this stage. At week 3 I was still having mid morning & mid afternoon naps. Start slowly. Find the activity & length of time you can manage & then gradually increase. Walking is best to start. Then maybe add some resistance training which you can do sitting in a chair to begin. I’m not a exerciser but when I do walking is my go to. I have a treadmill & pop on a movie or read to reduce the tediousness. I used to love yoga too. You wouldn’t believe how much your general fitness will improve just doing yoga stretching & breathing. Good luck. Listen to your body. It will tell you what you can & can’t do. Also congrats on your weight loss so far - you’re doing well.

I was told purée meant sloppy too & that I had to purée everything - even things that were already sloppy like scrambled eggs, rolled oats, etc. I even strained foods after I blended. No lumps, no fibrous bits. If you have to chew, it’s not a purée. Congrats on having your surgery & good luck on your journey.

Yep. Sometimes I can be just a tiny bit wicked Ms.sss.

I strictly kept to the plan I was given. It didn’t have refried beans nor potatoes (no root vegetables) but did have scrambled eggs & rolled oats which still had to be blended. It defined purée as being sloppy, no lumps or coarse or fibrous textures. It also recommended avoiding herbs & spices. I presumed because herbs can be fibrous & spices could irritate the healing tummy. Had my first taste of potato, mashed, a couple of months ago & it sat like a lump in my tummy. (My father, a former potato grower, is rolling in his grave.)

Yep, decaf really just means low caffeine. The amount of caffeine remaining depends on the process used to reduce the caffeine. I remember reading years ago that the process is pretty harsh too - lots of chemicals. The other thing to watch is that it is a diuretic & you’ll often pee out more than you consumed by drinking the coffee or other caffeinated drinks more rapidly. But of course we’re all different & it may react differently with you.

I went from a 38.5/39 to a 38. My feet were slip sliding around in my sandals & flopping about in my closed in shoes. I think they’re a little narrower too as my little toe doesn’t get as sore as it used too (from pressure on a nerve).

I love a pair of poo pants or drop crotch pants as they’re more commonly known. Need a better top though as this one’s a bit loose around the bottom. Had a few lumps & bumps removed from my head, face & neck yesterday (9 things in total) and got white fluff from the cotton blanket they put on me all over the pants - sigh. Put my clothes brush to good use this morning. Oh, just realised you can see my old lady crepey skin arms in this pxt - another sigh.

Just to torment Ms.SSS. You really do need to come back to Aust. No lettuce shortage here. I have access to paddocks filled with them. (Not to sound like I’m dealing or anything - lol) I eat 2 every week.

congrats on your surgery. You likely still have some swelling. Plus you’ve been through a major surgery which changed an important organ. Your digestive system will be screwed up for a while & will protest at some things you try to eat or drink. It’s a bit like a petulant child - one day you’ll have something no problem & the next day it will throw a tantrum. Alley Gator’s suggestion of taking a walk mid sips is good. I sometimes find sitting seems to make me fill up more quickly or sets off my restriction. Take things slowly. It’s a lot of trial & error to work out what works for you. Good luck on your journey.

I weigh just about every morning too. I used to do it after I pooped but before breakfast but my routine has changed so it’s after breakfast & after I poop now. Just underwear. I only record the highs & lows of my regular fluctuations (up & down just under 1 kg) - no point recording 100g increments unless it’s a new low or a new high. My current low is 48.6 & high is 49.4kg. I think if I hit 50kg I’d re-examine what I was eating. It’s a small window but I know what I’m like in regards to weight gain. Weighing regularly keeps me honest & on track. In the past, I’d stop weighing myself if I thought I was putting on weight but I was just trying to ignore the truth of my gains. If I didn’t know how much I weighed I could pretend I hadn’t put on weight.

The surgery, shock to your body & reduced caloric intake accelerates your natural hair loss cycle. Because it’s part of a natural process of loss & regrowth, you can’t stop it happening. But don’t fear it does stop & your hair is regrowing as you’re losing it. It’s just your new hair is growing back at its usual rate but you’re losing more quickly. Whether it will happen to you (highly likely it will). When it will start. How much hair you will lose. How long it will go on for is all individual. Adding supplements which are supposed to improve your hair will only benefit new hair growth not your existing hair. It’s already dead. I understand your worry. I’ve always felt my hair was one of my better features so it was a bit hard to accept when I started shedding more than usual. I decided having thinning hair for a couple of months is a small price to pay for my weight loss & improved health. Good luck in your journey.

Oh gracious! I missed a couple of days & I came back to lots of beauty. greentealael you look gorgeous. That dress is fabulous on you. I call bell sleeves ‘so sorry I can’t help with the washing up’ sleeves. Tee hee. Jake, I bet you were the centre of attention at your reunion. You look so hot ( & so does your girlfriend). I love your jacket Wishmesmaller beautiful colour too. And congrats on your size 10 jeans. Woo hoo! You had me at wine & cocktails too bayougirlmrss. Sophie, your soft pink tree is beautiful. Love your roses too. I think the pants are a bit loose because they are a stretch fabric & have given a bit. I’m hoping they’ll return to their true size when washed. Fingers crossed. I don’t think I’ve seen size 4 (US0) clothing in Aust so I hope I don’t need to drop down to that size. I have a dress & a pair of pants I’m going to have taken in. Straight seams so they should be simple jobs. The dress will have to have the side zip removed but the neckline is big enough to go on without needing too unzip. A few of the pieces I bought last summer are too big but they seem to be the easiest to alter. Sigh. Mmmm. Looks like I have to lock up my Witchery tops otherwise we’ll start seeing pxts of Sophie & ms.sss in my blouses. I like Witchery too daisyJayne. They’re the best for pretty tops & blouses that are just that bit different & they go down to size 6 & xxs. Woo hoo.

Your body is just taking a breath. It’s going through a lot - recovery from surgery, change of diet, reduced food intake, etc. it just needs time to catch up with the changes. It may take a week or 3 but you will start to lose again. And it will likely occur again too.