pdc1605

Just before pouring mixture in the pan, I remembered that I missed adding Skor bits into the batter so grabbed it out of the pantry and shook some in. Realized it was actually crispy fried onions when I put the canister away and saw the Skor bits container still on the shelf. 🙄
A had as cracking up when he took a bite and said, in his best Joey Tribiani impression:
”Chocolate, good. Onions, good. This: GOOOOOOOD.” 😂😂😂😂😂
Spoiler Alert: It wasn’t that good.
In my defense, Skor Bits and Crispy Fried Onions look very similar:

edited to add: BFF said to expect a label maker for christmas 😂😂😂😂

OH YUM! My favorite cut. So tender and juicy. Made Mr. Sophie's favorite cauliflower salad this morning to help combat the delectables he's indulged over holiday ie. gingerbread Cookies, scones and pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Had a few nibbles, too. The first bite of a baked good sweet since WLS. This December 17th marks my 2nd WLS anniversary!!! Yay. So very hopeful to move forward from Covid crisis setbacks in 2020... Onward to '21 - '22 with my new clothes, a healthy lifestyle and fresh start on life! Aren't you all too?!

You are still worth the investment! Why such spikes? Transport? Covid? Groceries here have tripled across the board. A quick run in for only a few things is over $100.00 now! The better quality you chose to eat aka fresh fruits, veggies, grass feed meats, organic eggs, etc. AND no cheap processed stuff...the more you pay. Just shows how broken the USA food pyramid and food system is! Obesity, fast food + junk food seem to be celebrated via policy! Egregious, really. Joining you for our mutual $ 25.00 salad. Haha!

Oh, I wish we did. Lots of leftovers... I tried to prepare moderate amounts but often hard to cook for just two. Hubby did deliver some of his scones to a few neighbors. And, we have that other thigh left for tonight's dinner along with sides for the weekend. Bobby had a few nibbles, too. The boys resting after the said feast! Haha. ;]

Wow!! I know that was wonderful. I wish my dr office was half as organized?? Which I'm not sure if that is the case it could have to do with all this covid? I don't want to put my Dr or his office ppl down, because they have all been wonderful and very helpful. I am just ready to at least know my date. LIke I told someone else, It reminds me of a game we played as children the one I think called "shoots and ladders" 2 steps forward and then 3 steps back. I'm just ready to have my surgery. Thanks for your reply. I can see by your stats that you've done amazing.

Cold is a understatement wait you you lose all the body fat like I did you will freeze
NOW for you guys to put this in perspective I live in Naples Florida as far south as you can go in the USA and I still freeze. I have a electric heater by my bed and sleep on a electric blanket. Wife is overweight so she is hot all the time used to have the AC's set to 73 Now its 76
Rather be thin and Cold then Fat and Hot!

Yes it is totally possible to lose more than predicted . At my first surgeon visit he predicted I could get to 140 lbs. My first post op visit he changed it to 130 lbs. They said my "ideal" weight would be 117.3 lbs and I weighed a little less than that at my last visit for a total of 101% excess body weight lost! I've been maintaining for a few months now.

I'm also male. I was 59 when I had the surgery and had a BMI of about 37.5. I'm now 14 months out and in maintenance.
I had more saggy skin than I had anticipated when I reached my goal weight after about eight months. Everything was droopy--upper arms, thighs, butt and chest. I was particularly bothered by my turkey neck and the folds on my stomach. I feel like my stomach has gotten a bit better in the last six months, but I would still be embarrassed to go out without a shirt. And the turkey neck is as bad as ever.
Would I do it again knowing about the sagging skin? In a heartbeat! I did this for my health and to improve the quality of my life. The skin issues are secondary and are all about vanity, not health--although i do look infinitely better in clothes than I have in decades.

Welcome to the forums.
I'm not one to give advice on pre-op diets because I completely mucked mine up.
First, unless things have changed because of the years that have passed or the novel Corona virus, pre-op tests are typically only good for 6 months. I assume you are in contact with your medical team and you/they have addressed this if only to determine it's not an issue.
Back to your actual question.
You didn't indicate how long until surgery and how long you've been doing your Protein Shake + exercise plan. So, do the math. You've lost 3 pounds in x days. You have y days until surgery. so at the current rate can you lose the necessary weight in the days remaining. So (3/x) * y = weight you are likely to lose by surgery date. Hows that number look? I'm guessing not good.
If the math says you'll get there, or even within a pound or two, then keep doing what your doing. You can always literally starve yourself the last day or so to drop temporary weight quickly. I wouldn't be able to do this. Fortunately you're not me.
Hopefully, this will be the last time you have to worry about losing weight fast. Keep doing what you're doing, nothing jumps out at me. Folks may come along with new fangled 'set point' stuff, or some new kelp program, maybe those will help.
A lot of words for not much help. It's what I do.
Good Luck,
Tek

You posted twice 😀. Here is my response from your other thread:

I wasn't quite to 300, but similar starting BMI (5'9", 284 lbs HW). Surgery 9/21, weighed in 218 today, which is lighter than I have been in 20 years. Before, I was tired all the time and everything hurt. Now I am much more active, my BP is much lower, and I am wearing L pants and XL shirts for the first time in many years. I have about 30 lbs to go, but I think that goal is in reach. I'm glad I did this.
Today, I put on my "skinny" jeans, meaning they were the ones I was hanging on in case I got thin again. They were too loose and I need to go down a size.

Keep in mind that I still have a lot of weight to lose, but I have definitely had improvements in mobility. It's a lot easier to climb stairs without carrying an extra 120 pounds! Easier to get in and out of chairs, etc. My knee and foot pain has improved a bit, but it's also counteracted by the fact that I'm exercising more. I also have better flexibility -- for example, no problem bending down to tie my shoes. My blood pressure and blood glucose are now on the low side of normal with no medication. And that's all on top of the benefits of not always being the fattest person in the room, being able to fit in chairs, if I ever fly again I won't need a seatbelt extension, I can buy clothes from some mainstream brands (still XL or XXL, but in brands that don't make clothes as big as I used to be).

A lifetime of struggling with our weight is real for most of us here. You saw that your child had good success with it. There's no reason you can't too. It's never too late.

I was 62 when I had surgery and it was the best decision I've ever made. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner and avoid the arthritis and joint deterioration. I ended up having a knee replacement and may need another one down the road. 5 decades of abuse and the joints just can't take it any more. Don't wait that long.
Please read "The Obesity Code" by Dr, Jason Fung. He explains it all so well, and relieves you of the guilt and lack of will power. There is no will power when biology is calling the shots.
BTW, one of the best predictors of successful weight loss surgery is having a first degree relative (parent, child, or sibling) who had a successful surgery.
I LOVE my reclaimed life. I can do anything I want - hiking, long distance biking, and even completed a triathlon within a year of my surgery! I have maintained my weight and am actually under my goal weight right now. I have been gluten free for years, but am now also following a whole food plant based diet. I've never felt better or stronger, and I eat an enormous amount of food, am never hungry, and basically eat whatever I want within the WFPB guidelines. I'm not saying you should do this, but surgery gave me the jump start. Once I reached goal, I felt free to explore other options without the cravings and over eating that would sabotage every other effort. WLS has given tremendous freedom over food. For the first time in my life, I feel like I control the food instead of the food controlling me.

Surgery was a success for the gastric sleeve on Wednesday 12/2. I stayed one night in the hospital to treat the pain and discomfort with IV fed pain meds, which worked miracles. I was discharged yesterday after being able to tolerate Water and pass gas (you'll get sick of them all asking if you passed gas, but it's important). So at home and dealing with stomach soreness, sipping water every 30 minutes as instructed and taking pain meds. sleep was great in my own bed, just in the stage of feeling full of gas and the stomach rumbling almost non-stop, which is all to be expected. The staff took great care of me and I have ZERO regrets and the process was great! If you are getting closer to your date or have any pre-op diet or actually surgery process questions, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck of you are right behind me in your process, ease your mind and let the doctors and nurses take total care of you!

Noob here...first post. I am 4 days Post-Op Bariatric Sleeve (11/30/2020) and suffering through the SIP, SIP, SIP torture. I am truly amazed at the lack of residual pain. I started this journey almost 2 years ago at a massive 364 and almost 47 BMI, due to covid my original op date was pushed and this past Monday I weighed 332 (almost 43 BMI) when I laid on table. Agree that the timing really interferes with the Holiday meals, but I cannot wait to see the results.

Unfortunately the creams won’t do much. They’ll help with your skin texture but won’t eradicate over stretched skin. Think of an elastic hair band that’s stretched out from lots of use compared with a new band. Your skin is the same.
The amount of sagging skin you’ll have depends on your history of weight loss & gain, your age, how much you want to lose, how long you were overweight, your natural skin elastin, etc. But really once your skin has been stretched the only way to get rid of the loose skin is to surgically remove it. I don’t have a lot of loose skin but it’s enough. I’ve chosen not to go the surgical route. If only I could stretch my body so I was 3 inches taller I’d have little or no evidence of loose skin - & I’d be taller. lol!
My friend wore incontinence pants for a week after her surgery because of the watery diarrhoea. I only had one attack & then was constipated. We seem to be one or the other. Also remember your consuming very few calories, so there’s little waste for your body to get rid of, & the calories are all in liquid form.
My surgeon told me not to touch my wounds until they had healed & to keep them covered until the dressings fell off themselves. Once healed I could apply Vitamin E oil or bio oil to help reduce scarring. A lot of people also swear by the silicon strips.
I used to roll the waist band of my knickers, pants & skirts down below the wounds so as not to put pressure on them.
This site has lots of good advice & suggestions. Best advice I received was to go slowly & listen to your body. It will tell you what you can’t or can do, eat, drink, etc. We all go through this journey at our own pace. You just have to discover what works for you.
Good luck on your journey.

I had my VSG surgery in April 2017 & kept the weight off until you guessed it...Covid coupled with 2 back to back injuries. I’m now up 38 lbs from my lowest weight it 27 from where I was really maintaining. I feel really down and need to reset it all: track my Protein, start my Vitamins etc. I’ve let slider foods & poor snacking choices in & need them out!
I need some help with accountability & just a group I can turn to when I get the cravings & give in: after dinner or after 3:00. I would like to share my food log so I am committed to tracking.
Are there any groups I can join or anyone want to commit with me?

I'm in the same boat as you, gained 12 lbs with COVID and mental health issues. Just started 30 days ago working the program again. Let's do it together! We can do this. Hold each other accountable. Even and especially through the holidays.

One important piece of advice/knowledge that it seems nearly no bariatric program gives out is that stalls do happen, very commonly around the 3 week mark. If you use the search box on here and search "three week stall", you will find THOUSANDS of posts from people who had surgery and then suddenly hit a period of time (anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks) where the weight just won't come off. It is something that is very common but is almost always a temporary situation. If it happens to you, keep calm and keep to your doctor's diet plan. One of the easiest adjustments to make to help get out of that stall is to increase your physical activity a little. Stalls/plateaus are likely to happen but they do not signal the end of your weight loss. It's only temporary.
Also, start exploring Protein shakes/drinks/powders now, if you haven't already done so. This will be where the lion's share of your protein is going to come from post-op and you will want to find one (or two or three) options that you like before you have surgery. Otherwise, it's a miserable experience to try and find what you like immediately after surgery.
If you slip up on your diet, that does not mean it is the end of the world, but it IS something to be concerned about. It is something you will want to take corrective action on right away. The surgery is only a tool and if you don't make use of that tool, then you won't see the results that you want. If you have a slip-up, communicate with your doctor right away. Seek advice and assistance from your medical team (doctor, nutritionist, counselor, etc.) so that you can stay on track. Communication is key especially in this difficult time where in-person appointments are not always easy to come by.
Don't compare your weight loss to anyone else's. Every single person's physiology is unique. Your metabolism is different from mine and from everyone else on this site. As long as the numbers on the scale are going down, you are succeeding. Never forget that.
Lastly, this journey is a marathon, not a sprint. It is, quite literally, a lifelong journey. Use every pillar of support that you have to achieve success.
Congrats on completing your pre-op program and I hope that you get your surgery date soon!

My #1 tip, well imperative, really:
Learn your Doc's plan, internalize it, then follow it completely and without exception. Success or failure rests on compliance.
Good Luck,
Tek

I am a guy so I just want Get Er Done! and was sleeved - I have had no problems except now trying to put on a few pounds.
So how do you loose 15 pounds, Easy Stop Eating and Get good healthy eating habits. 3 weeks following the WLS shake and smoothie plan and you will loose it. NO carbs NO Sugar - Protien shakes and veggies and lots of broth
Good luck and reach out anytime tons of us here paying it forward

All my days are about the same, since I’m still on the 4 week post op liquid diet right now. My current biggest treat is to add some PB2 into my chocolate Protein Shake. Now that’s excitement!

I think with waiting for surgery, waiting to lose weight before/after surgery, and a lot of things in life, patience is the virtue it was always said to be. I used to play chess competitively and I remember the coach telling people so often that the only thing that lost them the game was impatience. Look to your end goals and work backwards to figure out your steps to get there. If you can’t do anything to advance right now, then look for an action that at least won’t hurt your progress. And when you get an opening to move forward with your goals, be ready and go!

Eat a lot more veggies. Try to eat a big salad (watch out for the dressing) or a bowl of vegetable Soup before meals. This greatly reduces overall caloric intake. Studies also show that eating an apple before a meal reduces overall calories. I lost 15 pounds on the 2 week pre-op diet. It is not out of reason to think that you can lose 9 more pounds in 3 weeks.
Juicing will absolutely make you more hungry because you are getting all the calories and sugar from the food, but none of the Fiber. One rule of thumb is to never "drink your calories." It's just too easy to get way too much, and the juice is not very satisfying since it lacks fiber. Fiber fills you up, slows down your eating, and slows down the digestion of the food instead of just dumping it all in at once. Eat the WHOLE food - the whole apple and carrot, not just the juice. Think about the volume of juice you get from an apple, a carrot, a cucumber, and 1 cup of spinach. You could swallow that right down with no problem, I'm guessing. But how would you feel about eating the whole apple, whole carrot, whole cucumber, and the cup of raw spinach? Pretty full, right? That's the difference fiber makes. Do you know that fiber is what your gut biome thrives on, and that very very few people even get close to the 30 gms of daily fiber that is recommended? In short, CHEW your calories, don't drink them.

I'm only only 5 months post op (sleeve), but I had to post this! HW 308, SW 288, and current weight 198! Yes!!! I've made it to onederland!
I know I haven't had as much to lose as some others might have, but this is really exciting! Haven't been this weight since I was 14! It's been a hard road, and it ain't over yet (well, it never will be, really), but it's great to finally be here!
Plenty of NSVs along the way! No more meds for blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides. No more snoring at night. Went from a tight size 44 waist to a loose 34.
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