WishMeSmaller

LOVE the shoes! 😍😍😍😍 You look amazing as always!

The first couple months after surgery I ate a lot of plant based “meats.” They were much easier in my healing tummy than real meat proteins. My favorites at the time were marinated and baked tofu, Boca burgers, and Morning Star Farms sausage links. I have never tried Impossible Burgers. The main thing for me early post-op was texture. Smooth texture foods seemed to cause me less tummy aches. I haven’t been eating this stuff for a few months now, as I got kind of burned out and the tummy got better at handling meat protein. It is about time to bake some tofu though. 😊

I have been very open about my surgery. All of my immediate family and a few co-workers knew before I had surgery. Since surgery and the huge weight loss I have told many friends and co-workers. I work in a large, integrated medical clinic (around 200 employees). Everyone there has been incredibly supportive and excited. I think my results have inspired some of my obese co-workers to look into surgery. My family has been very supportive. My normal weight husband and mother have been my biggest cheer leaders. I was very concerned about telling my step-dad as he is very judgmental, but he has actually been great and super excited for me through this process. Because of COVID, I have been working from home 10 of the last 12 months. My co-workers literally do not recognize me when I go into the clinic...even when I tell them who I am. It is a little awkward for a minute until it clicks that I am me. I will tell my extended family when I see them again, but COVID has kept us apart thus far. I think they will all be supportive and excited, but sometimes people shock us. At this point, if anyone is negative towards my decision to have WLS, I have plenty of ammunition to educate them. The positive health changes since my surgery are more than enough for me to not give a damn about any negative reactions or gossip!

I am beginning to feel like @ms.sss 😂 Today’s salad. Back to steak. This is going to take me several hours to finish, but I believe I will do it. I am actually very hungry today. I finished about 1/3 during the first go. If there is any left when hubby gets home, he will definitely grab it, so I have about 3 hours to finish 😂

I had COVID in November. I received the first and second doses of the Moderna vaccine in January and February, respectively. Both times I had a sore arm, low grade fever, body aches, and headache, with symptoms being slightly worse with the second dose. The symptoms lasted less than 24 hours and therefore, vaccination was a much better experience than having COVID. 😬

Today’s salad with baked chicken breast. I should have added avocado, but I didn’t want to cut anything else up. 🙄 I am going to eat the whole thing, even if it takes an hour. 😂

That is a long go! Hopefully it will just be routine after the first week. All the best to you! 💕

I am scheduled for lower body lift and breast lift/augmentation at the end of May. The surgery is expected to take 5-6 hours, which like most surgeons, is the top end of what my surgeon will do in one surgery. I am anticipating pain, and scarring. I have pretty fair skin, so my scars tend to take a very long time to fade from the pink/purple color. Thankfully, my scars won’t be visible in clothes or bathing suits if all goes as planned. And I will have top notch wound care post-op, as my husband is a wound care nurse.😊

That is Stilton. I have never tried melting blue cheese on my steak, but I can totally imagine the deliciousness! 😋😋😋

Steak salad. Hubby ended up with about 1/3 of it. It was super yum!

My pre-op included a veggie list. Spices and no fat/sugar condiments were acceptable. Raw and cooked were fine. I ate a lot of lettuce with salt, pepper, and vinegar. Same with cucumbers. Good luck!

Dehydration with electrolyte imbalances is the most likely cause (both mentioned above by our smart forum buddies). Low potassium and magnesium (electrolytes) can cause muscle cramping along with dehydration. It is not uncommon to get depleted in these when your intake is low. Try some calorie free electrolyte beverages, like Gatorade or adult pedialyte. Good luck! ps. Go to the ER if symptoms do not improve, or if you have heart palpitations. You may need IV fluids to get you over this recovery hump. 🤗

Smoked flank steak, green beans, tomatoes and avocado with balsamic and olive oil. Yummy!

I am in the same boat right now. I am trying to add healthy fat to my diet, since it doesn’t fill me up like carbs. For instance, I am using more olive oil in my salad dressings and eating more avocado. I am also eating more oatmeal and fresh fruit, often as snacks. I literally feel like I am eating all day right now. My weight loss is definitely slowing, but I am still in the process of finding balance. Talking to a dietitian is a great option, and you can dial things in for what works with your tummy.

Hubby knows he is only allowed to eat a bit of my high protein snacks (he usually asks). The main one is my Built protein bars. He could easily eat one or two per day. Instead he has 1-2 per week, which I am ok with. I just make sure he has plenty of the foods and snacks he likes, so he stays away from my stuff. 😆

I drank too much wine one night (a very regular occurrence for me) and in bed before falling asleep I said something to my husband about WLS. I had honestly not put a lot of thought into WLS. The next morning, my husband said he wanted to talk about something I had said the night before (oh crap...what did I say?). He asked me if I had truly considered WLS. During that conversation, I began to consider the possibility. There were lots of tears and guilt for being a failure at losing weight on my own, but my health was really starting to suffer. I had no energy and lots of joint pain in addition to new diabetes and a sleep apnea diagnosis. This was on top of my hypertension and high cholesterol. I also had recently been diagnosed with very early macular degeneration, for which my weight was a risk factor (I have a very strong genetic pre-disposition for it). I was only 46 years old. I did not want my health issues to define the rest of my life. Less than 8 months after that conversation I had my RNY. Now, 8 months post-op, my vision is stable. I no longer have joint pain, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, or sleep apnea. I am fit and active. I love my second chance! ps. I rarely drink alcohol these days and when I do, it is typically one glass of wine. 😊

I recently reached goal weight and am working towards achieving maintenance (trying to not lose weight). I am 47 years old, so no spring chicken. I have loose skin and will be having plastic surgery at the end of May. With that said, my loose skin is not that bad. I would wear a bikini in public if I felt like it. I would be a bit self conscious, but I would still do it. Here are some recent pics of me in my underwear. I honestly believe exercise has been the key making the best of my loose skin. I reached my self-imposed goal weight in 8 months.

^^^This! Iron is known to cause dark/black stools and can cause constipation. If your stool is black with a sticky consistency (like hard to wipe you bum clean sticky), that could indicate some blood coming into your GI tract from higher up, like stomach. With the recent surgery, there could be some blood in your GI tract from surgery, but that should pass quickly. Most likely iron. 😊

Intriguing idea 💡

So glad you went to the hospital! Sending positive vibes your way! 💕💕

I am not a gym rat, so to speak, but I do exercise a lot. I do functional and traditional strength training several times per week, along with running, other assorted cardio, HIIT, and yoga. Before pics: 6/21/2020 Surgery date: 7/6/2020 After pics: 2/26/2021

Energy!! Healthy! No more foot, ankle, knee pain. Cute clothes. Not being afraid to go do things because I might get too tired, be in too much pain, etc. My husband can easily wrap his arms around me for superior hugs. I can sit on his lap without fear of hurting him or breaking a chair. So. Many. Things.

My BMI was 40 when I started my WLS process. I am pretty tall, so I had much more weight to lose than you. I had diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea. I had lost weight many times before, and then re-gained it plus some. I definitely could not lose weight and keep it off on my own. It is now a bit over 8 months since my surgery. My BMI is normal. I am very fit. I do not have hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, or sleep apnea anymore. I take my vitamins and my asthma meds now. I ran 5 miles yesterday morning before work. I wear a size 6 pant (sometimes a 4), and can buy clothes anywhere AND they are cute! I have energy! I had the surgery to improve my health. I got so much more than I was expecting...the energy, the confidence, feeling good about myself again. Having WLS is a big deal. I cried a lot of tears while making the decision to look into surgery. You are the only one who knows if WLS is the right decision for you. Consider your history with losing weight. Consider your health and where you want to be in 10 years. Are you on the path that will get you where you want to be in 10 years? Can you stay on that path? All the best to you!

Lol! My mother (who rarely swears) likes to buy me sassy bar rags and cocktail napkins. I would post a pic of them all, but I don’t want to offend anyone with all of the swear words. 😂 This is in my dining room and the brick is the back of the fireplace. Our dining room is surprisingly big in a moderately sized house. ps. I agree with you about BFF’s galore here. We should have a cocktail party where everyone serves their “specialty.” I make a very good, but dangerous margarita. 😂😂😂

OOTD bar edition. 😬 I will not participate in the fridge porn edition as my refrigerator is always messy. It definitely does not compare to @ms.sss’s pristine version 😂