ChubRub

I'm a big fan of Arnold Palmer Zero (half tea, half lemonade). I buy the 12-packs of cans!

Congratulations!!!!!!!!! Way to rock it!!!!

I think you are doing GREAT!!! I'm 3 months post OP, and just started exercising this month. The first 2 months, I felt like all I did was take naps! LOL!! Then about 3 weeks ago my energy finally came back, and I feel like a new person!!

Congrats!!!!! That is a huge milestone!!!!

I love Premier! Peach is my favorite!! Fairlife (Core Power) is my ultimate fave though!

I have an important business dinner to attend at an Italian restaurant. My concern is that I want to hide the fact that I will barely be eating anything on my plate. I don't want to appear rude, and don't want to say that I'm sick, I just want to push the food around my plate so it looks like I ate it. Any suggestions on what to order so it's easy to camouflage that I'm only eating a few bites?

This was Saturday night in Naples. Restaurants were still quite busy. I'm sure that will all end very soon!

Thanks everyone!! I ended up ordering shrimp served over angel hair pasta. I ate a few shrimp, and then hid the rest under the pasta! LOL!! Normally, I don't care about my small portions in restaurants, etc. This dinner was a little different and my business companion was paying, so I was extra self-conscious going into it, but he didn't notice a thing!!! Thanks again all!

WOW!!!!! Thanks for the inspiration!!! I want to be like YOU!!!

Tread lightly, and google "weight loss surgery alcoholism" as there are many studies that say 1 in 5 WLS patients end up with alcohol problems. I knew this personally before I ever started the process, b/c I have a friend who had WLS 10 years ago, and then spent the next 9 years in and out of inpatient care for alcoholism. She lost custody of her children in the process as well. She is currently sober for 6 months or so, but still living in a group home. I don't know if she belongs to some kind of support group for WLS/alcoholism, but sometimes she will post something on FB about it, and will get tons of replies from other women who indicate they had the same problems with alcoholism following WLS. I confess that I stalked her FB thoroughly as I was making the decision to have WLS myself. I decided that if I was going to have WLS, I was going to abstain from alcohol for life. I was never a big drinker (maybe 10 times a year at social events, weddings, etc), so for me to make the commitment to never drink again isn't a big deal. I do understand that would be more difficult for someone who is used to relaxing with a glass of wine every night. I would never suggest that everyone who has WLS needs to abstain from alcohol for life, but would just ask everyone to be careful. If after drinking you feel the slightest bit out of control, start craving alcohol, etc, please seek help before it's too late. Sorry to ramble, but seeing what this friend has gone through is truly heartbreaking, and I thought about her a lot as I decided whether or not to have the surgery.

When I first met with my nutritionist, she asked me about my bad habits. My 2 worst bad habits were fast food and soda, so that's what we started with. I offered to cut out both, but then she mentioned that cutting out all fast food might be hard, for instance if the family wanted to get take out/pizza, etc. So I agreed to give up "car eating" which is where I ate most of my fast food, along with the soda. Just doing that was enough to get the ball rolling. I don't know what your bad habits are, but maybe just start with eliminating 2 or 3 of them, and see what happens?

It's water weight from the IV fluids!! Plan on peeing your brains out for the next week! LOL!!!

Only person who knows is my husband! I've kept it a secret from my children, and since I only spent 1 night in the hospital, we just told them I was away for work. When I came home from the hospital, I had a little pain, but my bigger issue was fatigue as I was sleeping all day, which I covered up by saying I had a sinus infection/headache. Kids were at school during the day anyway, and I was able to perk up and "fake it" during the evenings! I have found it very easy to keep my little secret!

I will be 2 months post op tomorrow, and I still can't shake this fatigue! It's getting better (1-2 naps per week instead of every day), but even when I'm not napping, I just want to lay down and rest. About half way through my shower I need to sit for a minute and take a little rest. I feel guilty b/c I haven't been keeping up with cleaning the house, laundry, etc, but I'm just so tired all the time. I want my energy back! How long did it take until you were completely fatigue-free?

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!!!

My usual was a shortie, brownie or cookie, and 44oz coke!!! UGH!!!!

I told work it was my gallbladder. Easy peasy!

Hang in there!!! The pre-op diet isn't part of a torture plan, or to test your willpower, it's designed to shrink your liver. I only say that, b/c it helped when my dr told me that, as I assumed it was a willpower test! Sugar free ice pops were me pre and post surgery treat!! Sugar free water ice too! I stuck to the diet, and I have no willpower! LOL!! If I can do it, you can do it!!

I keep a container of cooked quinoa in the fridge, along with hummus and other toppings to make quinoa bowls. It's a nice soft consistency that goes down nice, and I can make it as spicy as I want, depending on the sauces and mix ins I add to it.

Thanks everyone!! I'm going to try to increase my protein. My nutritionist told me not to worry about it too much the first 2 months, but I hit 2 months tomorrow, and really need to start concentrating on it! I've had 60 grams so far today, and am going to work harder to hit 80 grams per day from here on out. Thanks again everyone!!!

You are still peeing out all of the IV fluids from your surgery!! Enjoy it, and enjoy the weight loss that comes with each pee! LOL!!

Instead of thinking about the food you will miss, instead think about all the things you won't miss! For me, I will never miss: Not fitting in an airplane seat Hiding from cameras and not posting an pics of myself on Facebook Avoiding social situations (high school reunions!) where I might run into someone who didn't know I was fat. Not being able to cross my legs Huffing and puffing after climbing 1 flight of stairs Wearing stretch pants that looked horrible b/c they were the only thing that fit Eating obnoxious amounts of food....yeah, I'll never miss that!

I've been in a stall for the past 2 weeks. Hoping to break through again soon!!! In TMI news, I'm almost 2 months out from surgery and I finally had a human-size poop! It felt great!! LOL!!

Taco bar is such a great idea!!!

Buffalo Chicken Dip served with celery and sliced bell peppers to dip. Buffalo shrimp is always a fun dish too! Pretty much anything that starts with Buffalo! LOL!!